whiche regardeth nothyng but your weale nor is with any thyng more delighted than with your furtheraunce Suche then know ye bearyng towarde them your speciall fauour The texte The congregacions of Asia salute you Aquila and Priscilla salute you muche in the Lorde and so doth the congregacion that is in theyr house with whoÌ„ also I am lodged All the brethren grete you Grete ye one another with an holy kysse The salutacion of me Paule with myne owne hande If any man loue not the Lorde Iesus Christ thesame bee Anathema Maranatha The grace of the lord Iesus Christ be with you My loue be with you all in Christ Iesu Amen The congregacions of Asia salute you Aquila and Priscilla with all the companie of christians which are in theyr house salute you with all their hartes All suche as here professe the name of Christe salute you Beare ye also good wil eche one of you to another and salute one another of you with an holy and a chaste kisse the token of trewe concorde And I Paule salute you and that subscribed I with mine owne hande thereby bothe declaring my loue towarde you and that this epistle is not counterfayte Yf any man loue not the Lord Iesu thesame be Anathema Maranatha forasmuche as he refuseth hym by whome onely he might obtayne saluacion and denyeth that he is come whom euery man knoweth to be come to the great blisse and commoditie of suche as beleue in hym and to the damnacion of suche as beleue not The grace and mercie of the Lorde Iesus Christe be with you And I desyre that as I beare a christian loue towarde you that ye lykewyse vnfaynedlye loue eche one another with that charitie wherwith Iesus Christe hath ioyned and knytte you together Amen The Argument vpon the second Epistle of the Apostle Saint Paule to the Corinthians by Des. Erasmus of Roterodame AFter that Sainct Paule hath at the beginning of this epistle somewhat spoken of his great troubles and affliccions whiche he had suffered for Christes gospelles sake declaryng that in al them god was his coumfort firste he sheweth the causes why he came not agayne to the Corinthians as he had in his other epistle promysed And straight after that bringeth agayne in fauour with yâ— Corinthians the haynouse fornicatour whom he by his former epistle had commaunded to bee geuen ouer to Satan desyring them louyngly to receiue hym vpon hys amendement whome they had banished for his offence And this in maner is all that he doth in the firste and seconde chapter Then reherseth he his greate laboure in preachyng the Gospell by the waye checkyng and reprouyng other false Apostles whiche sekyng for theyr owne aduauntage and glorie in all tymes and places allured men to Moses lawe whiche they in such sort laboured to myngle with the law of Christe as though without it there were no hope of saluacion And therefore preferreth he the lyght of the gospell before the shadowes of Moses lawe eftsones exhortyng them not to the ceremonies of the lawe but to be vpryght of conscience and to leade a christian lyfe shewyng in the meane season how without corrupcion he had preached Christes gospell and what miseries he had suffered for the gospels sake in hope of heauenly reward And beside this declareth in what poyntes christianitie specially standeth Of all whiche matters Paule entreateth in the latter ende of the seconde chapter and in the thirde the fourth fyfte and in the begynnyng of the syxte For in the reste of this chapter and in the begynnyng of the nexte he exhorteth them to knowe theyr owne dignitie and the holines of theyr profession willyng them to absteyne wyth all diligence from the corrupcion and viciouse life of painyms as men with whom they had nothyng to dooe Fourthly he mollifieth the sharpenes vsed in his former epistle praysyng theyr obedience for that they in all poyntes obeyed his epistle notwithstandyng the sharpe earnestnes thereof reioysing that the short heauines wherein he had caste them by his letters had made both that is to weâ—e the Corinthians and hym mearye euen as men are wont to be when they by bitter medicines are restored to health Fyftlye he prouoketh euerye one of them as well by the exaumple of the Macedonians as by dyuers argumentes and recordes of scriptures to bestow according to theyr abilities and as their good wyll was some thyng towarde the reliefe of the sayntes that were at Hierusalem remembryng that he by Peter was commaunded so to doe for yâ— same purpose sending thither Tytus with a coumpanion whiche was as the more parte doth suppose Luke whome he commendeth vnto them and thys dothe Paule in the .viii. and in the .ix. chapter Sixtely the false apostles whom in his other epistle he but priuely checked and taunted he in this playnly opeÌ„ly reproueth which with proud highe lokes toke vpon theÌ„ the honour and dignitie of apostles bringing Paule into disâ—eine saiyng yâ— he was but a â—ase persone as whiche vsed shomakers crafte and that he was rude and vnlearned besyde this ofttymes wronged and beaten Againste them Paule defendeth his authoritie declaryng that at alttymes he had an apostles power and autority which yet he woulde not vse to other mens payne as some did but only to the coÌ„moditie of his hearers the glory of Christ Then because he was compelled somwhat to boast of himself he desireth them first to beare with his folishnes then fyrst he maketh himselfequal with the chief apostles and by an by setieth hymself before them al that for many causes eyther because he more enlarged the doctrine of yâ— gospel or els because he only taught thesame freely as which was nether by him self nor by any of his chargeable to the Achaians or finally because he had for the gospels sake suffered more persecucion than anye of them al coumpting such miseries and troubles as matter to glorie vpon for yâ— which other thought him more to be despised After which of an humble low mind he confesseth his rudenes and barbarousnes in language but yet knowlage and learnyng taketh he vpon him leste they myghte in hym for this finde any lacke Finally because the false apostles among the simple people made greate crakes of fayned visions of angels Paule shewethe them a verye notable and a trewe vision as who was taken vp into the thyrd heaueÌ„ and was there taught such thynges as passed all mennes capacities and of these thynges intreateth he in the x xi xii chapter Seuenthly lest through false apostles they myght fall agayne into theyr old vice he saieth that he purposed to se them agayn eftsones with threateningts warnyng them not to be founde suche in theyr ordre of lyfe as therby he myghte be compelled by vsyng extremitie to be vnlike hymselfe or els leste as he was compelled vehemently by letters to wryte vnto them so myght he beyng present be compelled to vse his autoritie otherwyse than
daye you shal bee dysseuered from the coumpanye of the eiuyll And trewelye thys spyryte is dryuen awaye and dyspleased with all kynde of vncleanesse and canne not abyde to haue a dooe wyth wrathe wyth reuengement nor with filthye communicacion he is peaceable gentyll and bounteous and yf you haue truelye receyued hym let al bitternes swelling and fearcenes be ferre from your conuersacion Let angre loude speakyng and scoldyng be so fer from you that no leauen of malice remayne in youre stomake whereof these manner of myscheafes are woont to budde out But rather bee you tractable and gentill among youre selues readye to haue mercie to pardone and to forgeue euery one other yf any thyng chaunce to bee dooen amyste through errour and mannes imbecillitie to forgeue I saye for Christes sake forasmuch as God hath forgeuen you your offences by Christe once for al how beit the lord hath forgeuen his seruauntes vpon this condicion that after his exaumple we should also euery one forgeue oure felow seruauntes For concorde can not possibly in any wyse continue among men onles thei can beare paciently euery maÌ„ with the faultes of others The .v. Chapter The texte Be ye therfore folowers of God as dere chyldreÌ„ and walke ye â—â— loue euen as Christ loued vs and gaue hymselfe for vs an offeryng and a sacrifice of a swete sauer to God As for fornicacion and al vnclennesse or couetousnes let it not be once named among you as it be commeth sayntes or filthynesse or foolishe talkyng or testyng whiche are not comly but rather geuyng of thankes For this ye knowe that no whoremonger eyther vncleane persone or couetous persone whiche is a worshipper of ymages hath any inheritaunce in the kyngdome of Christe and of God Let no man deceyue you with vayne wordes For because of suche thynges commeth the wrath of God vpon the chyldren of disobedience Be not ye therfore companions of them Ye were sumtime darkenes but nowe are ye lyghtm the Lorde Walke as children of lyght For the fruite of the spirite consisteth â—â— al goodnesse and righteousnesse and trueth Accepte that which is pleasyng vnto the Lorde THan forasmuche as by the holy goste you are the children of God see that you bee lyke your father in holines of lyfe that you maye worthylye bee loued of hym for euer For truely thus shal he shewe hys loue towardes you perpetuallye yf you she we loue among your selues one vnto another And howe aboundauntelye greate the fathers loue was towardes vs it appeareth playnelye by hys sonne who loued vs so enteirlye muche that not onelye he hathe frely pardoned al our sinnes but also offred himself vnto death vpon the crosse to thintente where God the father was before displeased and angred with vs he should by meane of this sacrifice and offreyng of good sauour that smelleth swete in his prefence become louyng and mercifull vnto vs. This louyng charitie in case we folowe as it becommeth vs to doe we shal not onely be tractable yf any thyng shall chaunce to be committed agaynste vs but also we shall not drede if occasion so require for the commoditie of our neighboure to putte our lyues in daunger But nowe to what purpose neede we to speake earnestly vnto you touchyng suche vyces as be to filthye and to grosse as whoredome and al kinde of vncleanes and insaciable desyre of money from the which monstreous abominacions a Christian mannes conuersacion oughte to be so ferre alienate that it wer shame to haue theÌ„ once spoken of among theÌ„ For there be some thinges so execrable that an honeste pure harte woulde euen abhorte once to thinke of theÌ„ And it becoÌ„meth saynctes to be not only of honest cleane coÌ„uersacion but also to bee chaste mouthed of pure communicacion And we may not thinke it ynoughe to be pure of woorde and cleane of lyfe onely excepte we abhorte also to talke of foolishe friuolous fables and vayne flirtes and iestes whiche as in other they maye be tolerated or commended so truely in Christians they are nothyng â—â—â—â—e nor congeuenâ—e For Christians in theyr moste spedye Iournaye to heauen haue constinuall baâ—ayle with byees and so daungerous battayle that they canne haueno laysure to applye suche tryfles and sportes but rather they haue to wepe And whan the mynde woulde make merye because of good successe and well spedyng it oughte to make metye in hymnes and thankes geuyng to God Howebeit I knowe well ynough there be philosophers that teache Carnal copulacion out of mariage to be no sâ—â—â—â— because it is not punished by mannes lawe And that couetous besyre of money is no faulte because there is no temporall peyne appoynted vnto it But I woulde haue you vnderstande for a certayntye that whosoeuer is an who reâ—onger or spotted with any kynde of vncleanelustes or geuen to Couetousnes whiche forasmuche as he reposeth his principal felicitie in dumme transitorie substaunce is reckoned liteâ— better than a woorshipper of Images shal not be admitted into the enheritannce of Immortal lyfe that God hath promised his to â—nherite commoÌ„ly with Christ And if you thinke that this paine is but light than geue credence to them that goe aboute to perswade vnto you that those synnes are but lyght Suffer not your selues to be deceyued wyth sâ—che maner of vayne friuolous communicacion but take hede rather to the doctryne of the Gospell seyng that for suche maner of synnes althoughe they be not punished with mannes law yet the vengeaunce of God commonly falleth vpon the children of disobedience for distrusting the promysses of the heauenly father and â—â—posyng theyr felicitie in suche kynde of thinges Onte you diuorted youre selfes from suche mennes company and professed Christ It standeth you therfore in hande to beware that your conuersacion be not lyke vnto the â—â—â—ghtynesse of them that professe one waye and lyue ferre wyde an other waye The darkenes of Ignoraunce hath bene yet hitherto the occasion of erroure And the trueth of the Gospel is sprongen vp and wyped awaye all darkenes And you in tymes paste walked as in the darke night and committed the shameful vyces that are doen in the night But nowe God by the lyghte of the Gospel hath enlumined your hartes that you maye clerelye descerne howe a bominable the thynges are now that before appeared to be pleasaunt swete The nighte hath no shame and couereth many thynges that no man woulde bée bolde to dooe in the clere day Therefore see you ordre your conuersacion all together after suche sort as you forgette not to consider that you lyue in the daye and are alwayes seene to theiyes of God He that taketh a Iourneye in the night many tymes stombleth because he seeth not where he shoulde goe by And the daye on the other parte hath this commoditie it sheweth what is to be folowed and what is to be auoyded For it teacheth vs in euery condicion to flee from malice cursed speakyng and dissimluacion and in steede of
you of all thynges whome I haue sente vnto you for the same purpose that ye mighte knowe what case we stande in and that he might coumforte your hartes Peace â—e vnto the brethren and loue with faith from God the father and from the lorde Iesus Christ Grace be with al them whiche loue our lorde Iesus Christ vnfaynedly Amen Therfore it standeth vs in hande to pray alway vnto him with continual supplicacions and to desyre this of him from the bottome of our hartes without ceassing in our praiers day and night that al saintes may haue the vpper hand by this sweorde of the spirite And it is also your duetie to helpe me with your prayers and to beseche God that he would geue me plenteous vtteraunce of the gospel whansoeuer I shall preache it and that it would please him to vse my mouth as an instrument vnto his owne glory and to your saluacion so as I may boldly and without shrinking declare vnto al men the mistical doctrine of the gospel wherunto all men are called indifferently And that I be not hindred by suche as labour by all possible meanes that the glorye of the Gospell should not be spred abrod for the doing wherof I am made an embassadour yea euen now being laden with chaynes and suffering excedingly that I may boldely goe about the office committed vnto me And that this mind may still perseuer with me vnto the ende and that by the helpe of Christe I may freely speake as it becummeth me to speake For it is a rebuke for a preacher of the gospel to be afrayd of anything that should hinder him from doyng the office of the gospell To conclude as concernyng the state of myne owne thinges howe the matter standeth with me here you shall knowe all of Tichicus my welbeloued brother and not a brother onely for the sinceritie of his fayth but also a minister and an helper in the gospels businesse whome I haue sent vnto you for this purpose that you might know certainly in what state we are and that you should be much couÌ„forted by his beyng there lest your hartes should be discouraged through myne affliccions For I am so tyed and bounde that the gospell of Christ doeth triumphe notwithstanding euen out of the prieson My prayer is that peace and mutual loue ioyned with sincere fayth may be vnto al the brethren Of faith springeth charitie charitie nourisheth concord These thre with prosperous procedyng graunt vnto you God the father and the lorde Iesus Christe The loue and merciful goodnesse of God be for euer with all them that with an vnfained conscience and vnspotted life loue the lorde Iesus Christe and despysyng the transitory tryfles of this worlde folowe the thynges that are eternall and heauenly And to confirme this mine hartie praier I beseche god grauÌ„t mercifully Amen Thus endeth the paraphrase vpon the Epistle of S. Paul the Apostle to the Ephesians ¶ The Argument vpon the Epistle of Saint Paule the Apostle to the Philippians By D. Erasmus or Roterdaine THe Philippians are in the first parte of Macedonia as it is declared in the. xvi of the Actes a people deducted oute of the citie of Philippos so called of Philip the buyldour of it And Thessalonica is the head citie of the Philippians whiche are worthilye muche praysed of the Apostle bicause they persisted constauntlie in the faythe after they once receyued it and woulde not allowe the false apostles among them wheras the Corinthians and Galathians had receyued them and geuen credence vnto them Unto these Philippians Paule beyng warned of the holy ghost wente and taried among them a good maynye of dayes not without greate trauayll For there Paule was scourged with whippes and was caste with Silas in to pryson â–ª at which tyme the keper of the prison and all his household were Baptized In this citie was also Lydia the purpleseller who fyrst beyng coÌ„uerted receaued Paule into her house There also the souldiours knowing that Paule was a cetezen of Rome desired him of theyr owne mynde to goo whither he woulde and so the name of Christe was notified abroade with luckye prosperous successe And also whan Paule was in prison at Rome these Philippians sent to hym suche thynges as were necessarie for him to lyue with by Epaphroditus as they had doon afore whan he was at Thessalonica as he him selfe witnesseth in this Epistle For the whiche hauyng set them forthe with prayses and commendacions he exhorteth them to perseuer and goo forewarde shewyng them that they ought to reioyce euen in those afflictions which make for the aduauÌ„cement of Christes gospel and that he was not onely not afrayed of death but also that he woulde gladlye wishe it yf Christ so would Than he gyueth them a speciall exhortacion to mutuall concorde whiche can not possible be amonge suche as be stoute stomaked And because they shoulde be the better content he promyseth to sende Tymotheus vnto them and that he will come againe to them shortlye him selfe In the meane tyme he sendeth Epaphroditus whiche was amended of his extreme daungerous sickenesse These he treateth of in the two first chapters for in the thyrd he confirmeth theyr consciences against the false apostles alluryng men euery where vnto the Iewyshe secte whom he calleth dogges the workers of wickednes the enemyes of Christes crosse and makyng their belyes their god and in no place he is more apertely stomaked against them than in this Epistle The fourth chapter is ful of coÌ„mendacions and salutacions but onely that he intermingleth certain monicions here and there by the way and thanketh the Philippians for their liberall gentilnesse shewed towardes him This epistle he wrote from the citie of Rome by Epaphroditus whaÌ„ he was layed the seconde tyme in prison for after his firste defense he was leadde agayne in to prison wherof he maketh reporte in his Epistle to Tymothee The ende of the Argument The paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the Epistle of S. Paule the Apostle to the Philippians â–ª The .i. Chapter The texte Paule and Tymothe the seruauntes of Iesu Christ To all the sayntes in Christe Iesu whiche are at Philippos with the Bishoppes and Deacons Grace be vnto you peace from God our father and from the Lorde Iesus Christ PAule and Timothe felowes in the office of the gospel and seruauntes of Iesus Christe To all the companye of the sayntes that purelye and entierlye professe the name of Christe and to them also that haue the ouersight ministracion of the ChristiaÌ„ flocke at Philippos We wishe grace and peace vnto you from god our father and from the Lorde Iesu Christ The texte I thanke my God with al remembraunce of you alwayes in al my prayers for you praye with gladnes because ye are come into the felowship of the gospel froÌ„ the frist day vnto now And am surely certified of this that he which hath begonne a good worke in you shall performe it vntil the day of
a goo or there vpon To fulfill the lawe to do the workes therof and what soeuer the lawe commaundeth with loue lust and inwarde affeccion and delectacion and to lyue godly and wel frely wyllingly and without compulsyon of the lawe euen as though there were no lawe at all Such lust and free libertie to the lawe cometh onlye by the workynge of the spirite in the herte as he saieth in the fyrst Chapter Nowe is the spirite none other wise geuen then by faithe onely in that we beleue the promises of God without wauering how that God is true and wyll fulfyll all his good promyses towarde vs for Christes bloudes sake as it is playne in the .i. Chapter I am not ashamed sayeth Paul of Christes gladde tydynges for it is the power of God vnto saluacion to as many as beleue For attonce and together euen as we beleue the glad tydynges preached to vs the holy goste entreth into our hertes and lowseth the bondes of the deuyl whiche before possessed oâ—â—e hertes in captiuitie helde them that we coulde haue no lust to the will of God in the lawe And as the spirite commeth by fayth only euen so faythe commeth by hearygne the worde or glad tydynges of God when Christe is preached how that he is Gods sonne and man also dead and risen again for our sakes as he saieth in the iii.iiii and .x. Chapters All our iustifying then commeth of fayth and fayth and the spirite come of God and not of vs. When we saye faythe bringeth the spirite it is not to bee vnderstande that faith deserueth the spirite or that the spirite is not present in vs before fayth For the spirite is euer in vs and faythe is the gyfte and workyng of the spirite But thorow preaching the spirite beginneth to worke in vs. And as by preachinge the lawe he worketh the feare of God so by preachynge the glad tydinges he worketh faythe And nowe when we beleue and are come vnder the couenaunt of God theÌ„ are we sure of the spirite by the promyse of God and then the spirite accompaineth fayth inseperablie and we begynne to fele his workinge And so faythe certifyeth vs of the spirite and also bringeth the spirite with her vnto the workynge of all other gyftes of grace and to the working oure of the rest of oure saluacion vntill we haue all to gether ouercome synne death hell and Satan and are come vnto the euerlastynge lyfe of glory And for thys cause saye we faythe bryngeth the spirite Hereof commeth it that faythe onely iustifieth maketh righteous and fulfilleth the law for it bryngeth the spirite thorow Christes deseruynges the spirite bryngeth luste looceth the hert maketh him free setteth him at libertie and geueth him strength to worke the dedes of the lawe with loue euen as the lawe requireth Then at the last out of the same faythe so workynge in the herte springe all good workes by their owne accorde That meaneth he in the thyrde Chapter for after he hath cast awaye the workes of the lawe so that he soundeth as though he woulde breake and disanull the lawe thorow faythe he aunswereth to that myght be layde agaynste saying we destroy not the lawe thorow faythe but mayntyene further or stablyshe the lawe thorow faythe That is to saye we fulfyll the lawe thorow faythe Synne in the scripture is not called that outwarde worke onely committed by the body but all the whole busynes and what soeuer accompanieth moueth or stereth vnto the outwarde dede and that whence the workes springe as vnbelefe pronenes and redines vnto the dede in the ground of the herte with all the powers affeccions and appetytes wherwith we can but synne So that we saye that a man then sumeth when he is caried awaye hedlonge into synne all to gether as muche as he is of that poyson inclynacion and corrupte nature wherin he was conceyued and borne For there is none outwarde synne committed excepte a manne be caryed awaye all together with lyfe soule herte bodye luste and mynde therunto The scripture loketh singularly vnto the herte and vnto the rote and originall fountayne of all synne whiche is vnbelefe in the botome of the herte For as faythe onely iustifieth and bryngeth the spirite and luste vnto the outwarde good workes euen so vnbelefe only damneth and kepeth out the spirite prouoketh the fleshe and stereth vp luste vnto the euyll outwarde workes as happened to Adam and Eua in Paradise Genesis .iii. For this cause Christ calleth synne vnbelefe and that notably in the .xvi. Chapter of sainct Iohn The spirite sayeth he shall rebuke the worlde of synne because they beleue not in me And Iohn .viii. he sayeth I am the lyght of the world And therfore in the .xii. of Iohn he byddeth them while they haue light to beleue in the light that ye may be the chyldren of light for he that walketh in darkenes woteth not whither he goeth Nowe as Christ is the light so is the ignoraunce of Christ that darkenes wherof he speaketh in whiche he that walketh woteth not whither he goeth that is he knoweth not howe to worke a good worke in the syght of god or what a good worke is And therefore in the .ix. he sayeth as longe as I am in the worlde I am the lyght of the worlde but there cometh nyght when no manne can worke which nyght is but the ignoraunce of Christ in which no man can se to do any worke that pleaseth God And Paul exhorteth Ephesi .iiii. that they walke not as other hethen whiche are straungers from the lyfe of god thorow the ignoraunce that is in them And agayne in the same Chapter Put of saieth he the olde man whiche is corrupt thorowe the lustes of erroure that is to saye ignoraunce And Rom .xiii. Let vs caste away the dedes of darckenes that is to say of ignoraunce vnbeleue And i. Pet .i. Fassion not your selues vnto youre olde lustes of ignoraunce And .i. Iohn .ii. He yâ— loueth his brother dwelleth in light he that hateth his brother walketh in darckenes and woteth not whither he goeth for darcknes hathe blynded his eyes By lyght he meaneth the knowledge of Christ and by darckenes the ignoraunce of Christe For it is impossyble that he that knoweth Christe truly shoulde hate his brother Furthermore to perceaue this thing more clearly thou shalt vnderstande that it is impossible to sinne any synne at all excepte a man breake the first commaundemente before Nowe is the first commaundement deuyded into two verses Thy Lorde God is one God and thou shalt loue thy Lorde God with al thine heart with al thy soule with al thy power with al thy might And the whole cause why I synne against any inferiour precepte is that this loue is not in mine hearte for wer this loue wrytten in my heart and were full and perfecte in my soule it would kepe mine heart from consentinge vnto any synne And the whole and onely cause why
transfourme thē lykewyse into the lykenes shape of hym whiche ouercōmyng the fleshe and death triumphantly went to immortalitie both to teache that al the members of his bodye should themself loke to haue the same which they see alreadie done in the head that by this waye and meanes through his onely sonne he myght to hymselfe geat manye chyldren amonge whome Iesus Christe should be head capitayne as the fyrste begotten departyng yet his inheritaunce with other and to put vs in assuraunce lykewyse that god wyll fully perfourme y◠thyng which he once purposed moreouer whom before al tyme he knew had chosē out being suche of whome he had already in his prophetes darke sayinges shewed his minde them called he also by the gospel that not in vaine but of his goodnes and fauer made them that wer so called of vngodly godly and of hurtful hurtlesse So that now only there remayneth glorifying wherof a great deale we haue already except we thinke it no glorious preeminence to be without syn to floryshe in the renoume of innocent lyfe to be without corrupt desyers to be so planted in Christ that thou arte become one with hym to haue his holy spirite as an earnest peny therof to be the enheritour of god and ioynte enheritour with Christ so that of the reste we can in no wyse doubt but that it shall in dewe tyme be fulfylled The texte What shal we than saye to these thynges Yf god be on our syde who can be against vs which spared not his owne sonne but gaue hym for vs all how can it be that with hym he should not gyue vs all thinges also Who shall laye any thyng to the charge of goddes chosen It is god that iustifieth who is he y◠can cōdemne it is Christ that dyed yea rather whiche is rysen agayne whiche is also on the right hand of god and maketh intercession for vs. Now syth all this is so wherfore shoulde any man mistrust it namelye synce god hath by so many and euident wayes shewed vnto vs his special loue and great fauer Who standing on oure syde what is anye aduersarie able to do What can mennes malice preuayle yf god be our defender Or what maye we not boldly looke for at his handes beyng now reconcyled vnto hym whiche what tyme we were out of his fauer for oure sakes spared not his only sonne but sent hym downe into this world for vs all Yea I saye brought hym in maner to nought and deposed hym al to exalte vs makyng hym wel nyghe syn to deliuer vs from syn deliuered hym to death to th entent we myght lyue And therfore syth he hath for vs delyuered his sonne in whom al goodnes is foloweth it not that with the same gyfte he hath gyuen vs all rightes that belong to the sonne vs I saye whome he hath put in lyke state of enheritaunce Or what is it that he wyll not gyue vs synce that he hath once gyuen hym whiche infinitely passeth all creatures And ieopardye ther is none least god thorough the crafty sleyghtes and temptacions of the deuill chaunge and withdrawe this his especiall fauer from vs. For who durst commense anye action agaynste them whome god of purpose and sure determinacion of mynde hath chosen out and taketh for his owne Wyl he heare thynke you anye accusers capciouse complayntes agaynst them all whose synnes he hath freely forgeuen God hymselfe whiche is iudge of all hath forgeuen vs the offences of oure olde lyfe and taketh vs nowe for ryghteous and who is he that can condemne vs beyng by him quited So that we take hede y◠we nomore fall to oure olde lyfe agayne Christe is he which loued vs so tenderly that for our welthe it pleased hym to dye yea he it is which lykewyse rose agayne for our sakes because he would healp and succoure vs his people This great procter iudge syttyng also at the right hand of god his father to whome he is in all poyntes egall entreateth our matier before his maiestie The texte Who shal seperate vs from the loue of god Shall tribulacion or anguishe or persecucion or hunger either nakednes either perill either swearde As it is written for thy sake are we kylled all daye long and are coumpted as sheepe appoynted to be slayne Neuerthelesse in all these thynges we ouercome through hym that loued vs. For I am sure that neither death neyther lyfe neither angels nor rule neither power neither thinges present neither thinges to come neither height neither loweth neither any other creature shal be able to depart vs from the loue of god which is in Christ Iesu our Lorde Synce therfore the father hath thorough the death of his sonne forgiuen vs al oure gyltes and offences sythe his sonne so tenderly loueth vs why shoulde men hencefurthe feare the deuyll or any man the diuels minister either accusyng vs or condemnyng Considering also with howe many benefites and speciall gages of loue we are bounde both to god Christ who is he that shal plucke withdraw vs awaye from louyng thē agayne whiche so tenderly loue vs Shall any storme of worldly aduersitie do it Shall any affliccion or distresse Shal hunger or nakeones Shal ieopardy of drownyng or any lyke peryl chaūcyng after lyke sort Shal persecucion of the wycked or the bloudy swearde of death For that suche thynges should in this worlde happē to innocentes the holy psalme wryter Dauid lightened with the spirite of god long before sawe what tyme he sayde that for thy sake o Lorde are we kylled al daye long and coumpted as sheepe appoynted to be slayne Al these troubles thoughe they seme greuouse cause yet is there none why they ought to make vs a frayd Chaunce maye they to vs in dede but yet oppresse vs they can not Yea I saye the more vehemētly they trouble vs the more shal they bothe strengthen oure burnyng charitie to Christward and Christes also to vs because we at al tymes departe hauyng the vpper hand not through any strength and power of oure owne but through his defence whome we are bounde to thanke for altogether Nor wil he whiche in suche sorte loueth vs suffer vs to be ouerthrowen nor we vpon remembraunce of his goodnes towarde vs through any assaultes of aduersities shrinke from louyng hym agayne But yet haue I rehearsed vnto you but lyghte and common mattiers but harken a bolder saying and suche wherof my selfe am moste certaine and am moste certaynly persuaded in More cause were there to feare suche ieopardies as hang ouer oure heade by reason of creatures whiche can not be seene as euil spirites whiche yet neuerthelesse assault mennes soules and not only their bodies whom yf we but once regarde not despise the ieopardies of the other can not make vs a fearde Nor in this haue we any cause to feare seyng that neither meane power of aungels of muche more myght yet
christian men the free almes of the Macedonians of them that dwel in Achaia deliuered by them vnto me For so to do they thought good that with a suÌ„me of mony indiffereÌ„tly gathered of suche as were disposed frely to geue to refreshe the pouertie of some that are at Ierusalem whiche beyng poore in substaunce are yet in godly religion riche Noman coÌ„pelled theÌ„ so to do but so thought they in my mynde therin they thought well forasmuche as they are bounden vnto them for religions sake deliuered fyrst vnto them at theyr haÌ„d And for that cause synce the people of IerusaleÌ„ fyrst departed the doctrine of Christ with the geÌ„tiles reasonable it is that they again depart with theÌ„ with some part of theyr mony with suche vile reward recoÌ„pensyng the precious treasure whiche they haue receiued Thone sorte frely departed with suche treasures as belong to yâ— helth of the soules the other frely wyllyngly geue that whiche appertaineth to bodily necessities Therfore as sone as I haue herein done my duetie deliuered this mony to them to whoÌ„ it is purposed for both mynde I to deliuer it my selfe the money sealed lest either any part therof be by some deceitfully takeÌ„ away or els lest my selfe might be suspected as one yâ— hath taken some part therof because I labor in an other mans busines for nothyng I wil in my iourney to Spainward go by you And though I make hastie spede into Spain to preache the gospel vnto them yet wil I not thinke it paineful to tary spende some tyme among you nothyng doubtyng but that when I shal come vnto you I shal so come find you suche yâ— my coÌ„myng shal be to yâ— great glory praise of Christ whiles both ye with godly mindes receiue me merily I through the helpe of God in al pointes satisfie your desyres The texte I beseche you brethren for our lord Iesus Christes sake and for the loue of the spirit that ye helpe me in my busynes with your praiers to God for me that I may be deliuered from them whiche beleue not in Iewry and that this my seruice whiche I haue to do at Ierusalem may be accepted of the saintes that I may come vnto you with ioy by the wyll of God and may be with you refreshed The God of peace be with you al. Amen In the meane season I beseche you for our lorde Iesus Christes sake and for the vnfained charities sake whiche we haue by his spirit receiued that forasmuche as I can not yet presently haue your cuÌ„pany that at lest in your godly prayers peticions made vnto God ye wyl helpe me labouryng trauailyng in suche dauÌ„gerous busines as I do that by his helpe I may be deliuered froÌ„ the misbeleuers that are in Iury suche as resist the gospel of Christ that theyr malice hinder no part of the fruit of our preachyng and that this myne office in deliueraunce of this money whiche I am now about to make at Ieruâ—â—leÌ„ may without any lette be pleasauÌ„t thaÌ„keful to the good deuoute people there that when this is done as I would haue it both my comyng by yâ— wyl of God may be vnto you ioyful that I may after great labors taken be a whyle among you refreshed But to finishe the exhortacion that I begunne I beseche that the God of true peace the father author mainteiner of coÌ„corde may alway abide among you whiche as resisteth goeth farre from proud and sedicious persons so is he gotten kept with mutual coÌ„sent agrement The .xvi. Chapiter The texte I commende vnto you Phebe our syster whiche is a minister of the congregacion of Cenchrea that ye receiue her in the lorde â–ª as it becoÌ„meth saintes and that ye assist her in whatsoeuer busynes she needeth of your ayde For she hath succoured many myne owne selfe Grete Prisca aâ—â—o Aquila my healpers in Christ Iesu whiche haue for my life layd doune theyr owne neckes Vnto whoÌ„ not I onely geue thaÌ„kes but also all the coÌ„gregacions of the gentiles Likewise grete the coÌ„gregacion that is in their house Salute my welbeloued â—penetes whiche is the fyrst fruite of Achaia in Christ â—rete Mari whiche bestowed muche labor ou vs. Salute Andronicus and Iunia my cosyns and prisoners with me also â–ª whiche are well taken among the Apostles and were in Christ before me Grete Amplias my beloued in the lorde Salute VrbaÌ„ out helper in Christ and Stachis my welbeloued Salute â—ppelles approued in Christ Salute them whiche are of Aristobulus houshold Salute Herodian my â—yusman Grete them that be of the houshold of Narcissus whiche are in the lorde Salute â—riphena â—riphosa whiche women labor in the lorde Salute the beloued â—ersis whiche labâ—red muche in the lorde Salute â—ufus chosen in the lorde and his mother and myne Grete Asincritus Phlegon Herman Patrobas Mercurius and the brethren whiche are with them Salute Philologus and Iulia Nereus and his sister and Olimpa and al the saintes whiche are with them Salute one another with an holy kysse The congregacions of Christ salute you BVt yet by these letters I commende vnto you our sister Phebe who went hence vnto you to whom I deliuered these letters to be brought thither who hath with all diligence succoured and sustained the christian congregacion at Cenchris desiryng you so to receiue and vse her as is mete for such a woman to be receiued as for good people hath done muche and to ayde her in al suche thynges as she shall neede to haue your healpe in And surely mete it is that ye helpe her forasmuche as she hath oftymes both succoured many other good people and me also Grete in my name Prisca and her husbande Aquilla whiche is a Iewe of the countrie of Pontus whiche holpe me when I was in ieopardie of the Iewes liyng in watche for me and that did he lest through some naughtie people the preachyng of Christes doctrine might be setted so farfoorth that for defence of my life they put them selues in ieopardy of theyr owne as folke redy to aueÌ„ture theyr liues for the sauegarde of myne for whiche goodnes not onely I geue them thaÌ„kes but with me al the congregacions of gentiles partly because they do for other likewyse as they haue done for me partly because they thynke that the benefite whereby I was saued generally belongeth to all men And salute not them onely but also all theyr family Grete Epenetus for his laudable maners well worthy to be so called to me for this specially beloued because I maye well call hym the fyrste fruites of Achaia as whome of all that countrey I fyrst brought to Christes religion Greete Maria whiche not without ieopardye and payne hath done muche for me Greete ye Andronicus and Iunia bothe my cosyns and also imprysoned somtyme with me whiche are among the Apoposties wel taken and in
to your charge al is done for your weale dearly beloued brethren as God is my witnesse whiche knoweth my conscience and as Christ also is my witnesse whose cause I haue in hande I assay all wayes I leaue no meane vnsearched I shape my selfe into al fashions all to bryng you to better frame I nothyng feare these counterfayte Apostles for my owne sake but this feare I leste wheÌ„ I come vnto you I fynde you not such as I would ye were ye agayne fynde me such as ye would not My desyre is to see you in al poyntes faulteles that ye may againe see me mylde and wel pleased But if ye continew to geue eare to some I feare leste I shall fynde among you debate enuying wrathe strife backbytynges whisperinges swellinges discorde so that yf I come agayne I feare leste it chaunce that whom it semed to be seen of you mery and pleasaunt as one sufficiently troubled with your outragiousnes already the Lorde among you bring me lowe agayne so that in steade of a tryumphe I be compelled to morne in all theyr behalfes whiche haue already synned and not repented as yet their vncleanes fornicacion and wantonnes which they haue committed ¶ The .xiii. Chapter The texte Nowe come I the thyrde tyme vnto you in the mouth of two or thre witnesses shall euery woorde be stablyshed I tolde you before and tell you before and as I sayed when I was present with you the seconde tyme so wryte I nowe beyng absent to them whiche in tyme past haue synned and to all other that yf I come agayne I wyll not spare seyng that ye seke experience of Christ whiche speaketh in me which amonge you is not weake but is myghtie in you For though he was crucifyed in weaknes yet lyueth he throwe the power of God And we no dout are weake in him but we shal liue with him by the myght of God amonge you THis shal be my thyrde cummyng vnto you againste which let euery of you be in a readines For I wil no loÌ„ger wynke at matters but minde in them to procede straitly and as the extreme rigoure of the lawe will Whosoeuer shall be accused shall by the wytnes of two or thre either be quited or condemned Once haue I already warned you and agayne nowe warne you and as I sayed when I was present with you the seconde tyme so wryte I vnto you nowe beyng absent not only to them whiche euen at that tyme hadde offended but also to all such as are offenders yf I fynde them vnamended forasmuch as I haue nowe twyse geuen you warnyng I will no more spare you as I haue hertofore done For what meane you Seke ye to your owne displeasure to haue experience whether suche thynges as I speake I speake of my selfe or by the spirite of Christe which by me speaketh vnto you What despise ye hym also as weake He towarde you was not weake though he once were suche vnto the Iewes and Pilate but rather among you he declared himselfe mighty by whose name ye sawe the dead to liue againe deuils to flee and the sycke to be made whole For albeit he once touching the weakenes of nature whiche he had taken vpon hym would he fastened vpon a crosse yet must he not therfore be coumpted as weake He dyed by reasoÌ„ of the infirmitie of his body but he lyueth through the power of God the father Lykewise we Apostles though folowyng the steppes of Christ our maister to vnbeleuers seme feble whyles we are of them beaten emprisoned and reuiled yet through the power of God mightie shal we be by hym againste you yf you with stoubernes prouoke my pacience The texte â–ª Proue your selfes whether ye are in the fayth or not Examen your owne selues knowe ye not your owne selues howe that Iesus Christe is in you excepte ye be cast awayes I trust ye shall knowe that we are not cast awayes I desyre before God that ye doe none euyll not that we should seme commendable but that ye should doe that whiche is honest â–ª and let vs be counted as castawayes We can doe nothyng against the trueth but for the trueth We are glad when we are weake and ye strong This also we wishe for euen your perfectnesse Therfore wryte I these thynges beyng absente leste when I am presente I should vse sharpenes according to the power whiche the Lorde hath geuen me to edifie and not to destroy Finally brethren fare ye well be perfecte be of good comforte be of one mynde lyue in peace and the God of loue and peace â–ª shal be with you Grâ—â—â— on another in an holy kysse All the sayntes salute you The grace of our Lord Iesus Christe and the loue of God and the felowshyp of the holy ghoste be with you all Amen Seke not to haue a profe of vs but rather proue your selfes whether ye continew in the gyft of fayth or els be fallen from it Searche and examine one an other of you Ye had playne experience by your workyng of miracles and by sondrye other gyftes howe that not so muche as in you was Christ weake Yf that power be gone from you it is a plaine profe that eyther your fayth is waxen faynte or that Christe beyng displeased with your euyll lyfe hathe altered his good mynde to warde you Ye knowe not your selfes and wyll ye haue experience of me when youre selfes knowe not whether Christe bee in you or not For he is in you yf the strength of faythe bee in you onlesse peraduenture your faythe beeyng after a sorte safe ye haue through vncleane lyuyng deserued to bee reiected of Christe But howesoeuer the matter goe with you I truste ye shall in vs euidently perceyue that we are not forsaken My faythe is whole and thereby shall Christe in me bee able to punyshe al suche as wyll not with a good will come to amendmente But what sayd I I truste yea rather contrarie muche more wyshe we and desyer God that through your faultes I be not compelled to shewe my power not because we feare leste we be founde weake if we goe about to shewe thesame as some vaynly talke of me this rather is my desyer that we be coumpted as castawayes so that ye be vpright and honeste For yf ye contynewe in fayth and godly lyfe cause haue I none whye to vse my power agaynste you Nor refuse I after thys sorte to seme weake and for thys to bee reakened to haue no power because ye gaue me none occasion to exercise it For agaynste the truth we can do nothyng but whatsoeuer we can doe all is for the truth in somuche that we agaynste innocentes haue no power but agaynste offenders are we of power Yf there be in you nothing founde worthy of correccion ye shall as it were vnarme vs with innocencie declaryng your selfes mightie by reason that ye shal fro me as a weake one take away the power geuen vnto me
to punishe with all The slaunderers of my name will saye I can doe nothing affirmyng that I coulde not for some lacke in me doe that thing whiche by reason of your integritie I coulde not doe But gladde am I as often as after this sorte ye be stronge though we be iudged weake yea we be not only gladde yf this so be but also moste heartely wyshe that I seme to lacke somewhat so that ye be perfecte And for this cause thought I it good more earnestly to warne you by letters leste when I come I myght be compelled to vse rigoure Muche more wyshe I to haue you amended with threatnynge woordes than to vse my power in punyshyng you geuen vnto me of the Lord for your weale and not to hurte you Against innocentes I canne doe nothyng but it maketh muche matter that suche as with haynouse vices corrupte your congregacion scape not alwaye vnpunished I haue nowe in aduertising you done my parte it remayneth that ye doe yours Diligently apply your selfe vnfaynedly to reioyce all occasions of sorowe sette a parte encreasing styll from better to better vntyll that ye become perfecte amending suche thynges as hurte your innocencie that when your faultes are sufficiently corrected ye may of your amendemente take comforte Agre together and striue not eche one with other of you through sondrye opinions lette there bee among you peace and mutuall loue Yf ye so do then wil the god of loue and auctour of peace alwayes fauour you and with you bee contented Greete eche one another of you in a holy kysse not after the common sorte but euen with your heartes All the sayntes whiche are here grete you The fauour of oure Lord Iesus Christ and the loue of god the father and the felowshyp of the holy ghost bee among you al that acknowlegyng the benefite of the sonne the charitie of the father towarde you whiche in suche sorte loued you that he gaue you his onely sonne to bee your redemer and the goodnes of the holye ghost by whome he alwaye geueth vs his giftes ye maye after the exaumple of the vndeuided trinite lyue in a lyke vnitie that is to witte in concord bothe pure perfite ¶ Thus endeth the Paraphrase vpon the latter Epistle of S. Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians The argument or vvhole matter of the Epistle of sainct Paule to the Galathians by Des Erasmus of Roterodame ALbeit the Galathiās are Greciās yet are they originally descēded of Frenchemen as s Hierome sayth in dulnes of witte resemble thē This thing also Hillary who was himself a Frenchmā borne in his hymnes testifyeth in the same callyng his countreymen dullardes Sainte Paule also in this present Epistle reprouing thē calleth them Anoetous that is to say witlesse or foolishe to whose capacitie temperyng his matter he more vehemently and sharpely reproueth then in other of his Epistles he doeth other rather checkyng then teachyng them to th entent that such as could not with reason be brought to a better mynde might yet at lestwyse with authoritie be called home againe and amended In this Epistle laboreth Paule about that matter whiche he els where in euery place doeth to cal men I say from the bondage of Moses lawe to the grace of the gospell whiche matter in his epistle to y◠Romaines he also entreateth of because both people were in like errour but yet after a sondry sorte fallenthervnto For the Romaines were fyrst brought to Iewishenes afterward amended but the Galathians contrarye beyng by the Apostle fyrst well taught were through the sleightie desceiptes of false apostles brought backe againe to Iewishe religion In the Romaines simplenes it was that they were through misteachyng begiled but of wysedome and discrecion it came that after warnyng they sone amended on the other side wheras the Galathians sone receiued and fauored Christes doctrin that was a point of easines but straight after to fal againe from it and to become Iewes was euen lightnes and folishnes To them there came false apostles takyng vpon them as though they had been sent from the chief Apostles Peter and Iames whiche labored to abate Paules authoritie teachyng them that to him there should no credence be geuen as whiche was inconstant sometymes obseruyng the ceremonies of the lawe as it appeared by that he made a vowe shauyng his head caused Timothe to be circumcised and sometymes with the Gentiles reprouyng and condemnyng the lawe bearyng them in hand also that suche rather ought to be beleued as had with Peter and Iames been conuersaunt and other whiche had seen Christ in his manhod whereas Paule had neither seen Christ nor was but a disciple of suche as were disciples and not the messenger of Christ Paule therfore vehemently and sharpely for none epistle is there more sharpe with a holsome earnestnes and fauorable sharpnes bothe cureth the Galathians errour and also defendeth his owne authoritie openyng the false apostles disceiptes at the beginnyng of the epistle makyng him selfe equal euen with the chiefe apostles yea and in this point aboue them because he was at that tyme by Christ put in authoritie to preache after that he was become immortall and vpon boldnes of this authoritie for a certain tyme both in Arabia and Damasco preached Christ before that he had talked with any of the Apostles after whiche enterprise he graunteth that he sawe in deede at Ierusalem for a fewe dayes Peter Iames of whom yet he was nothyng holpen after whiche tyme he sayeth he preached xiiii yeres in Syria and Cilicia vntyll suche tyme as he was by God commaunded to returne vnto Ierusalem with Barnabas and Titus wher Paule compared and examined his gospel with suche as wer Christes Apostles not because that he then beganne to doubt of his so many yeres preachyng but to the intent that by theyr approbacion and allowaunce whose authorities were chiefe among all men other might the more be confirmed at whiche tyme he so compared with Peter that of him he learned nothyng as touchyng the gospell and was not onely by Peter not compelled to charge the Gentiles with the burden of the lawe but what tyme Peter at Antioche eate in company of the gentiles suche meates as wer by the lawe forbidden after for feare of the Iewes that came withdrewe him selfe from that cōpany he checked him euen to his face declaryng that through fayth men obtaine the grace of God offred by the gospel not by kepyng of the law whiche was at that tyme abolished And though he begunne this disputacion as it were with Peter yet persueth he the same more at large turnyng his matter to the Galathians instructyng them and declaryng that Moses lawe was geuen but for a tyme and that al thynges taught therin appertained and directed to Christ onely that in the lawe was but fleshe in the gospel was the spirite in the lawe there were shadowes in the gospel light in the lawe images in the gospel
therfore all glorye be to god our father euerlastynglye worlde without ende Amen Salute all them that accordyng to the doctrine of Iesus Christe leade a godly and an vpright cleane lyfe The christian brethren that are with me here at Rome commende them hartelye vnto you And not these onely that are famyliatly conuersaunt with me but all the rest also especially those of the Emperours housholde yâ— haue embraced yâ— doctrine of Christe and are not afrayed to professe Christe for all their â—aging lorde and maister as cruell as he is The gracious sauour and goodnesse of our lorde Iesus Christ be alwayes with your spirite Amen The ende of the Paraphrase vpon the Epistle of Paule to the Philippians The argument of the Epistle of sainct Paule to the Colossians by Des Erasmus of Roterodame THe Colossians are a people of Alia the lesse dwellyng nigh vnto the Laodicians Them had not the Apostle Paul him selfe seen as whiche were instructed in the fayth of Christ either by the preachyng of Archippus or as S. Ambrose sayth of Epaphras who were with this matter put in trust In great leopardy were these people by reason of false Apostles whiche labored to bryng them into a very pestilent opinion teachyng them that the sonne of God was not the meane and author of saluacion but that al menne haue accesse and entrie vnto the father by the healpe of Angels These men sayd further that forasmuche as in the tyme of the olde testament all thynges were done by the ministery and seruice of Angels that Christ the sonne of God was neither comen doune into the yearth nor would come Beside this the same teachers with Christes doctrine myngled Iewishnes and supersticious Philosophie obseruyng and kepyng certain pointes of the lawe supersticiously also honouryng the Sunne the Moone and starres with suche other smal trinkettes of this worlde bearyng the Colossians in hand that they wer also bound to do the same Them biddeth Paule to remembre theyr profession euidently declaryng that whatsoeuer they had vntil that tyme obtained was geuen vnto theÌ„ by none Angel but by Christ the creator of Angels that he onely was head of the churche and that saluacion shuld at nomans hand be sought for but at his in whiche treatise he also defendeth his owne authoritie against suche as laboured to empayre it After whiche he geueth them diligent warnyng to take hede lest they be deceiued with yâ— high wordes of false Apostles or forged visions of angels and so by meane therof fall either to Iewishnes or els into thesupersticion of Philosophie All whiche pointes Paule in the two fyrst chapiters entreateth of In the other two he exhorteth them to vertuous and godly liuyng namely geuyng rules how the wife should vse her selfe towarde her husband how the husband againe should vse his wife after what sorte the father should be towarde his children and the children likewyse towarde theyr fathers the seruauÌ„tes to theyr maisters and the maisters to theyr seruauÌ„tes The last partsauyng that he warneth Archippus of his duetie is all spent in commendacions This Epistle was written out of prison in Ephesus sent by Tychicus as Paule him selfe in this present epistles saieth The latine argumentes shewe that it was also sent thither by Onesimus for so him selfe writeth also in the last chapiter The Greke titles recorde that it was sent from the cytie of Rome and in deede thence sent he Onesimus whom Paule beyng prisoner there had made a christian man The paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the Epistle of the Apostle sainct Paule to the Colossians The fyrst Chapiter The texte Paule an Apostle of Iesu Christ by the wyll of God and brother Timotheus To al saintes whiche are at Colossa and brethren that beleue in Christ PAule an Ambassadour of Iesus Christ and that not by any mans ordinaunce but by the wyll of God the father and Timothe whom for perfite consent in preachyng the gospel I coumpt as my brother to the dwellers at Colossa whiche haue both a confidence in Iesus Christ and also accordyng to his doctrine liue a holy life nowe through like kynde of profession becomen our dearely beloued brethren The texte Grace be vnto you and peace from God our father and the lorde Iesu Christ Grace and peace be there among you from God our father that as ye are freely reconciled vnto him ye may likewyse euen as brethren that haue one comen father one towarde an other of you alwaye norishe mutual vnitie and concorde The texte We geue thankes to God the father of our lorde Iesus Christ alwayes for you in our praiers For we haue heard of your fayth in Christ Iesu and of the loue whiche ye beare to all saintes for the hopes sake whiche is layd vppe in store for you in heauen of whiche hope ye heard before by the true worde of the gospel whiche is come vnto youâ— euen as it is fruiteful and groweth as it is also among you froÌ„ the day in the whiche ye heard of it and had experience in the grace of God through the trueth as ye lerned of Epaphra our deare felowe seruaunt whiche is for you a faythful minister of Christ whiche also declared vnto vs your loue whiche ye haue in the spirite And albeit it hath not yet hitherto been my chaunce to see you yet in my continual praiers made to God and the father of oure Lorde Iesus Christ both for your sakes I geue him thaÌ„kes for his benefites bestowed vpon you and desyre him also dayly to encrease the same his giftes and also to preserue them after yâ— by Epaphra we heard of your fayth wherby my trust is ye shal be saued not by helpe of Angels but through the free bouÌ„teousnes of our Sauiour Anoynted by whoÌ„ it hath pleased God the father to geue vs al goodnes For him both Annoynted would he haue to be called because of him al shuld receiue helth Sauiour because no maÌ„ should elswhere looke for saluacion And by him not onely perceiued we vnderstode your coÌ„fidence in him but also your charitie ioyned ther with whiche as Christ gaue example ye beare towarde good people earnestly mindyng to do for them not for any hoope of auauntage that ye thinke to receiue therby but in hope of the euerlasting life whiche ye wel knowe is layde vp in heauen for your godlynes And suerly iÌ„to this trust are ye broughte throughe the preachyng of Christes gospell whiche ye persuade your selfe to be a doctrin of suche trueth yâ— albeit it make great promises suche as neuer were heard of before this tyme yet forsomuch as God is the author of them ye thinke that the same cannot be but true And as the same gospel throughout all the worlde hath been dayly more and more enlarged so is it now come to you euery day growyng and encreasyng more and more plentifully spreadyng it self abroade bringyng foorth the fruite of good workes whiche freely growe out of christian
mynde as a man quite ouerturned and paste all remedy Neyther hast thou any neade to laboure in the condemnynge of him sythen he is condemned by his owne iudgement If he peryshe he is lost and cast awaye by his owne faulte For he cannot laye this excuse for him I was deceyued and went oute of the waye thorowe ignoraunce no man warned me of myne â—â—â—oure This excuse it but vayne For what shal one do to a sicke man that wil take no medicine peraduenture yf he were contemned and not passed on he woulde wexe wyser If he wyll not yet the fewer resorte vnto him the fewer shall the contagion of his madnes infecte The texte When I shall sende Artemas vnto the or Tithycus be diligente to come to me vnto Nicâ—â—opolis For I haue determined there to wynter Bryng zenas the lawear Apollos en theyr iorney diligently that nothynge be lackyng vnto them And let oures also learne to â—â—cell in good woorkes as farforth as nede requireth that they be not vnfruteful All that are with me saluâ—e the. Grete them that loue vs in the fayth Grace be with you all Amen I woulde fayne haue the with me a fewe dayes but I woulde not it should be to the damage of the christian congregacions in Crete which haue bene but late conuerted to the faith and therefore they haue the more nede of a diligente ouerseat whiche maye buylde vpon the foundacion nowe all ready layed Se therefore that thou mete with me at Nicopole But come not afore I send Artemas or Tichicus to thee to be there for thee in my steade leste thy departing shoulde leue Crete destitute and as it were an Orpheline Thou shalte not neade to feare that I wyll in the meane tyme go any where els and so thou to lese thy laboure For I am purposed all this nexte wynter to be at Nicopole whiche is a citie of Trace Whan Zenas sometyme a doctor of Moses law but nowe a noble preacher of the ghospell and Apollos whiche is a man greatlye approued in the doctrine of Christe wyll departe from the bryng them forthward with all the humanite that maye be and see that they lacke nothyng that shal be necessary for their iornaye If these offices of humanitie be exhibited of the Ethnikes that they doo for good maners sake brynge their frende onwarde on his iorney and gyue him at his departyng sufficiently bothe of vytayles and otherthynges necessarye for him in his way I thynke it very right that our men also whiche profelse Christe do learne to vse suche gentyle fashions and to gyue due thankes to them that do deserue it Not that they shuld make them riche with greate gyftes but to geue them suche thinges as be necessarye for their lyuing whan nede shall requyre For seyng that they whiche do not knowe Christe be yet taught of nature to geue them thankes whiche haue done for them truly it is very vnsemely that christian men should be barayne and vnfruteful to them of whom they haue receiued any good turne As many as be here with me commende them vnto the. Do thou agayne coÌ„mende me to as many there as loue me not with worldely affeccion but with Euangelicall and christian loue whiche the commune profession of faythe doeth engendre in vs. The free beneficence of Goddes mercy be with you all for euer Amen ¶ Thus endeth the paraphrase vpon the Epistle of S. Paule to Titus ¶ The Argument vpon the Epistle of S. Paule to Philemon by Erasmus of Roterodame â–ª THis Philemon after the Grekes writing was a Phrigiâ— borne whiche nacion of people is vntractable â—â—anyshe as the Greekes owne prouerbe maketh often mencion Stripes make the Phrigian to amende And yet Paul reconned this Philemon one of hys speciall frendes bycause of his godlynes diligence done to yâ— sayntes And a seruaunt of his one Onesimus had runne away froÌ„ him to Rome and had theuishlye stollen somwhat from him as seruauntes are for the moste parte vsed to doe There whan he had hearde Paule who at that tyme was in bondes he receiued the doctrine of the gospel and serued Paule in prison But lest the maister should be vexed in his mynde for his seruauntes runnynge awaye he sendeth him home agayne with a wonderfull diligence and ciuilitie he reconsileth vnto the Maister his seruaunt that had bene both a runneagate and a piker and offreth him selfe to be suertie to make good what soeuer he had piked at his runnyng awaye This Epistle he wrote from the prison by the sayd Onesimus whom he also calleth his sonne Thus endeth the Argument ¶ The paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the Epistle of S. Paule to Philemon ¶ The .i. Chapter The texte Paule the prysoner of Christe brother Timothee Vnto Philemon the beloued and oute helper and to the beloued Appia and to Archippus oure felowe souldier and to the congregacion that is of thy house Grace be vnto you and peace from God oure father from the Lorde Iesus Christe PAule before this tyme an Apostle and seruaunte of Iesu Christ and nowe his prysoner also for why shoulde not I be glad to be hys prysoner for whose ghospelles sake I weare these bondes not for the punyshement of any euyil that I haue done but as a notable badge of a free valeaunt preacher and also my felowe ghospellpreacher brother Timothee vnto Philemon in the profession of the commune faith a brother singulerly worthye to be beloued and not a brother onely but also my companion in very many affaires partaker in the office of the gospel to his wyfe Appia my moste welbeloued syster as concernyng the kynred of fayth to Archippus our felowe souldier and to the rest of the congregacion whiche is at his house Grace be vnto you and peace from God oure coÌ„mune father froÌ„ his sonne the lord Iesu Christ The texte I thanke my god making mencioÌ„ alwayes of the in my prayers when I heare of thy loue and fayth whiche thou haste towarde the Lorde Iesu and towarde all sayntes so that the fellowshyppe of thy fayth is fruteful in the knowledge of euery good woorke whiche is in you towarde Iesus Christe For we haue great ioye and consolacion in thy loue because that by thee brother the sayntes hertes are comforted In my prayers wherwith I am accustomed to sacrifice daylye vnto God I undre thankes vnto him alwayes on thy behalfe For I ascribe it thankefully vnto him that I heare spoken openly of all men that is to say both the purenesse thy ryght gospelling charitie which thou bearest towardes the lord Iesus not towardes hym only but also towardes al saintes yâ— is to were his meÌ„bres vnto whoÌ„ what so euer is bestowed hys wyl is to reckeÌ„ it done to him self And this I also beseche him to augment his mercifulnes vpon thee that this thy faith whiche is not idle in the may expresse his power dayly more more to enforce
made partakers of the holy ghost by whome they haue begonne to beleue the blessed promises of euerlastyng lyfe and now as it were to take a saye foretaste of the power of yâ— worlde to come it is not possible I saye for them if they fall agayne thorowe negligence into there former abominable lyfe to be renued by repentaunce the which thing hath once bene done already in baptisme where as the olde manne is once cast away with his dedes and a newe creature commeth out of the bathe or water For suche as requyre to be renued agayne thorowe repentaunce after they haue often tymes fallen againe vnto theyr former sinfull lyuyng what goe they els aboute but as concernyng them selfes to crucyfie the sonne of God a freshe and make as it were a iestyng stocke or mocke of hym He hath once died for vs and we haue once dyed with hym in baptisme He hath once rysen agayne and wyll neuer dye any more In semblable wyse muste we so rise againe with him in a newe lyfe that we fall not eftsones into the dead lyfe once forsaken and by that meanes prouoke God so much the more vnto wrath indignacioÌ„ as he hath the more boâ—ntuously shewed hys lyberalitie vpon vs. Our industrie and diligence ought to be answerable vnto hys liberalytie and boâ—â—teous goodnes towardes vs. He hath put in vs certayne sedes of vertue and goodnesse and therfore we also must do our diligence that the same may growe and come to good The texte For the earth whyche drinketh in the rayne that cometh oft vpon it and bryâ—geth forth herbes meete for them that dresse it receaueth blessyng of God But that grounde which deareth thornes briers is reproued and is nye vnto cursing whose ende is to be burned Neuertheles deare frendes we trust to se better of you and thinges which accompany saluacion thoughe we thus speake For God is not vnryghteous that he shoulde forget your worke and labour that procedeth of loue which loue ye shewe in hys name which haue ministred vnto the saynetes and yet mynyster Yea and we deâ—re that euery one of you shewe the same dylygence to the full stablishyng of hope euen vnto the ende that ye faynte not but be folowers of them which thorowe fayth and pacience receyue the enheritaunce of the promyse For the earth which hath dronken in the rayne that falleth oft vpon it hath brought forth herbes profytable to them that tyll it is praysed of God for that it is not barayne nor kepeth doune and strangleth the sede whych is therin sowed without any frute or profyte But that grounde whych after good seed receiued hath brought forth thornes and thystles is yuell and â—ye vnto goddes cursyng whose ende is not to be mowed downe but to be â—uâ—ned And these thynges speake I dearly beloued only to exhorte you not because the wordes I haue spoken of a baren earth maie well be applied to you Naye rather I haue conceyued a better opynyon of you then so wherby I am ascertayned that by goddes helpe you shall attayne saluacion rather then be damned albeit this similitude vsed I because to styre vp in you the desire of godly chrystian lyuing lost you waxing fainte againe come by litle and litle to vtter confusion God wyll helpe you if you do your endeuoyre to attayne better thynges For he is not vnkynde nor vnrighteous in suche wyse that he wyll forget your good dedes the labour ye haue susteyned not for renownte or vauntage sake but for the loue of his name the which loue ye haue shewed by dedeselfe who both hertofore haue ministred of your goodes benefites vnto the sainctes by whom Christes name is preached and yet do ministre at thys present Furthermore I haue spokâ— these wordes because I am desyrous that ye all among whome there are many the which are fainter then I would they shoulde be perseuer in your doynges and not onely that but also dayly profite more and more tyll ye come to perfeccion that wher as I haue nowe a good hope of you I may haue a sure confidence and belefe perceyuing you styll to go forwarde and to be nothing nye the daunger that such are in as thorow a slowthful faintnesse fall agayne by litle and litle to theyr oldelyfe but rather to folowe the steppes of those who beleuing Christes promyses and hauing sure hope of heauenly rewardes attayne the enheritaunce of the lyfe immortall whych God hath promised vnto hys in yâ— kyngdome of heauen Suche as dystrusting goddes promyses loked backe vnto Egypte forsaken neuer came vnto the lande of behest but Abraham who agaynste all naturall reason constantly beleued goddes promises obtayned that he taried for The texte For when God made promesse to Abraham because he had noue greater to sweare by he sware by hymselfe saying Surely I wyll blesse the and multiply thee in dede And so afterthat he had taried paciently he enioyed the promes For men verely sweare by him that is greater then them selues and an othe to confyrme the thyng is to them an ende of all strife So God wylling very aboundantly to shewe vnto the heyres of promesse the stablenesse of hys councell added an other that by two immutable thynges in whiche it was vnpossyble that God shoulde lye we myghte haue a strong consslacion whiche hâ—ther to haue fled for to holde fast the hope that is sette before vs whiche hope we holde as an auere of the soule both sure and stedfast which hope also cutreth in into those thynges which are wyth in the vayle where the forerunner is for vs entred euen Iesus that is made an hye priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech For God to th entent hys promyse shoulde be the better beleued sware an othe the which amonge menne is wonte to be compted the surest gage that canne be He sware by hymselfe because he had none greater then himselfe to swere by He sware in thys wise I sweare by my selfe because thou dyddest thys thing and sparedst not thy onely begotten sonne Isaac formysake I will blesse the and multyplie thy seede as the starres of heauen and the sande that is in the sea shore Therefore after he hadde perceiued the constancie of thys olde manne who sticked not to sley euen hys owne sonne iâ— whome semed to be al the hope of his of spryng and posteritie he confirmed that thyng by an othe which he promised before For he hauyng to do with man condescended to the fasshions manours of man Men to aggrauate theyr othe doswere by hym that is greater And if they haue any doubte or controuersie amonge theÌ„ selfes the same is discussed ended by the confiâ—macion of an othe And for this cause when God would notably declare the stablenesse of hys counsell vnto the heyres of promyse he added an othe leste any man myght suppose that he wouldelye who had bounde hymselfe wyth two bandes fyrst by promyse and then
plages of the seuen angels were fulfylled Nowe as the gospell is come abrode in to the worlde thorowe Christ and his Apostles to the synguler profite of the faithfull and elect and to the saluacion of their soules euen so is it a stomblynge stone offence coÌ„demnacion an hurte or losse vnto the wicked and speciallye vnto the kyngdome and dominion of Rome for a long space whiche hath resisted it with force with dyuerse assaultes of body goodes and possessions against the true faith and with cruel tyranny whiche the almightye and rightuous god at his tyme hath alwayes taken in hande to punyshe most greuouslye and hath brought it also to passe The openynge of the tabernacle of testimonye is the manifest fulfillynge in the newe testament of those mysteries and secretes whiche were hydden and sygnified in the olde testament vnder diuerse ceremonies The seuen angels whiche came out of the temple are the multitude of ministers and preachers of the gospell which serueth vnto the wicked for the increase and augmentacioÌ„ of their damnacion For the whiche cause they maye be called plages as Christ was called of Simeon a fall but to the comforte of saluacion vnto the electe These angels and euangelical preachers must be pure in al their conuersacion and must haue their breastes girded about with faith and loue with all the harte soule and mynde garnysshed with all godly vertues To one of the angels dothe Christ geue thorowe the .iiii. beastes as is also sygnified in the .iiii. Chapter power to bringe furthe and to publyshe abrode the gospell whiche maye be signified by the vyals full of the wrathe of God against the wicked and vnfaithfull But full of grace and mercye vnto the faithfull whiche abyde and suffer bothe payne and ioye welth and woe And thus is the temple of God the Christen churche fylled with swete smellinge smoke of the prayse honour and goodnes of God truly confessing and knowledginge the power and might of God And the churche of Christ coulde not be at rest nor coulde not quietly prosper vntyl these .vii. plages came forthe of the which plages the gospel beyng preached by the ministers of God wherof there were a great multitude sent of god was the occasion ¶ The .xvi. Chapter The texte ¶ And I hearde a great voyce out of the temple saying to yâ— seuen angels go your wayes poure out your vyalles of wrathe vpon the earthe And the first angell went and powred out his vyalle vpon the earth and there fel a noysome and a sore â—otche vpon yâ— men which had the marke of the beaste and vpon them which worshipped his ymage And the seconde angell shed out his vyalle vpon the see and it turned as it were into the bloude of a dead man and euery lyuinge thing died in the see And the thirde angell shed out his vyalle vpoÌ„ the riuers and fountaynes of waters and they turned to bloude And I hearde an angell saye Lorde whiche art and wast thou art righteous and holy because thou hast geuen suche iudgementes for they shed out the bloude of sainctes and prophetes and therfore hast thou geuen them bloude to drincke for they are worthye And I hearde another out of the aultar saye euen so Lorde God almightie true and righteous are thy iudgementes THe mercye of God vouchsaued to preserue augment to prosper the regiment of the Romaynes at yâ— beginninge of yâ— whiche whan it was in most quietnes the tyme was come that Christe shoulde be borne And God offered his grace vnto this kyngdome and sent them his holy gospell thorowe the holy apostles to the synguler welth and profyte bothe of that kyngdome and also of yâ— who le earth out of yâ— which yâ— world might lerne peace loue humilitie pacience gentilnes temperance and all true vertues and speciallye faithe in the one onely God and hope of saluacion in tyme to come also true christen loue one to another This dothe the gospel and all writynges of the apostles exhort and moue men vnto mooste earnestly But this so holy and profytable doctrine and inuincible trueth hath the dragon alwayes withstanden and resysted with his beast the Empire and regiment of Rome the first and seconde wherof is spoken before And for this cause this kingdom hath wel deserued many and diuerse punishementes whiche the lorde God hath permitted thorow his ministers of rightuousnes whiche are to be vnderstande in this place by the angels and the vials full of plages whiche are come and fallen vpon the dysobediente and the contemners and despysers of faithe loue and of the trueth The firste plage is fallen vpon all ydols and false goddes whiche they had set and packed together in one tempel of Pantheon that is to saye all goddes But the ydolatrye of these false Goddes was subuerted and ouer throwen thorowe out the whole Empire of Rome thorowe the holy gospel as the Chronicles doe euidently testifye Thus dyd the religion and gods seruice of the Romaynes first fele the wrathe of God againste their wylles but all hapned vnto the faithfull for the best to the honour and glorye of God and to the furtheraunce and profyte of the Christen churche and congregacion The seconde plage of the seconde angell is the seconde iudgement of God againste the regiment of Rome and this is imbeselynge and diminyshe of their power and dominion â–ª many landes and people fallynge from them and that with muche bloude sheddynge of the Romaynes as it is playnely mencioned in the stories as of Nero Domicianus and Iulianus and dyuerse other The thirde plage maye be vnderstande of the destruccion of the citie of Rome thorow yâ— Gothes wandales and other enemyes of the Romaynes â–ª which had no maner of lettes or hynderaunce neyther of hylles nor of dales of see nor of waters neyther by any host or power of men nor yet by any strength or keping of cities Of this plage of the Romaines al stories make mencion at large And as than had yâ— bloody kyngdom of Rome an end for the whiche cause the angel crieth iustly lorde thou art rightuouse c. The angell of the waters may be taken for the angell of God whiche did gather together suche a great multitude of people which came altogether against this kyngdom because it had so long plaged al people and shed so muche holy martirs bloode for the true and christeÌ„ faithes sake which must nedes be reueÌ„ged And therfore is this rightuous and manifest iudgement of God praysed againe the seconde tyme and preached of goddes angels with highe thanckes geuynge The texte ¶ And the fourthe angell powred out his vyall on the sunne and power was geuen vnto him to vexe men with heate of fyre â–ª And the men raged in great heate and spake euyll of the name of God whiche hath power ouer those plages and they repented not to geue him glorye And the fyfte angell â–ª powred out his vyalle vpon the seate of the beast and
a sobre and of an humble mynde that fyrst he take nomore vpon him than is meere and nexte remembre that all that he hath was geuen him by God not for his workes but for his faythe 's sake geuen not therwith to please him selfe but with the same to do euery man good God doeth in sondrywyse bestow his giftes lest either one should disdaine at an other or lest any man might thynke him selfe sufficiente but let brotherly charitie make eche mannes gifte comen to all other The texte For as we haue many membres in one body al membres haue not one office so we beyng many are one body in Christ and euery manne among our selues one anothers membres Seyng that we haue diuerse giftes accordyng to the grace that is geuen vnto vs if any man haue the gifte of prophesie let him haue it that it be agreyng vnto the fayth Let him that hath an office wayte on his office Let him that teacheth take hede to his doctrine Let him that exhorteth geue attendaunce to his eâ—hortacion If any man geue let him do it with singlenes Let him that ruleth do it with diligence If any man shewe mercy let him do it with cherefulnes Let loue be without disstmulacion Hate that whiche is euil and cleaue vnto that whiche is good Be kinde one to another with brotherly loue In geuyng honour go one before another Be not slouth full in the busynes whiche ye haue in hande Be feruent in the spirite Applye your selues to the tyme. Reioyce in hope Be pacient in tribulacion Continue in praier Destribute vnto the necessitie of the saintes be ready to harbour Blesse them whiche persecute you blisse I say and curse not Be merye with them that are merye wepe also with them that wepe Be of like affeccion one towardes another Be not hye minded but make your selues equal to them of the lower sorte For vnmeete is it that the grace of Christ in you haue lesse power than hath the power of nature in euery beastes body For as in the body of beastes there is of the partes among them self a certaine felowshippe so is there betwixte all suche people as of diuerse sectes and sondrye nacions are shaped into the felowship of Christ For as this sensible bodye albeit it be but one yet is it framed of manye membres together nowe hath not euerye membre like office forsomuche as the iyes haue one the feete another the stomacke and handes another and yet doeth not the iye see onely for it selfe but for the whole body nor the stomacke for it self prepareth not foode but for all the members Now in what condicion the office of euery member is in the bodye in lyke are the sondrie gyftes after diuerse sortes gyuen to diuerse of vs. As then the lymmes whiche are more noble for example the iyes disdayne not the viler but with that they canne do helpe and succoure al or els shoulde the whole bodye vtterlye decaye so lette euery manne be his gyfte singuler or els be it meane for his parte bestowe the same for the weale of the whole bodye synce we are once planted into Christe oure heade and with hym becommen one spirituall bodye For as one member is to another member of the same bodye so is one christian manne to another christian manne But yet hath euery manne as I before sayde sondry gyftes gyuen vnto hym gyuen vnto hym I saye not for his owne desertes but by the liberall bounteousnes of god whiche gyueth euery manne as he knoweth is expediente Let nomanne therfore of his gyfte be proude but discretlye and soberly vse it for the weale of all menne yf he haue the gyfte of prophecie to expounde vnknowen learnynges lette hym accordyng vnto the perfeccion of his fayth whom onelye god regardeth and not his other desertes without disdayne vpon other bestowe this his gyfte or yf he be in suche condicion and place where he maye helpe his brother therin let hym soberly do his dutie yf he haue the gyfte of learnyng lette hym not disdayne to enstructe and teache other or yf he canne out of yâ— Scriptures with preachyng rauyshe menne to pitifull and godlye lyfe and condicions let hym with sobernes vse that his gyft yf he haue gooddes wher with to helpe the poore and nedie lette hym also gyue vnto suche as haue neede and therwith helpe other neither for glorye neither for hope to haue aduauntage therbye but with a liberall and free hearte or yf god haue gyuen hym to beare rule ouer other and therin canne do well lette hym not of that office be anye thyng the prouder but carefull of his charge nor lette hym rule his office for himself but for theyr weale whose charge and gouernaunce he hath taken in hande or yf he helpe the wretched and miserable lette it be done withoute sadnes and louryng for that is a discouraging of hym that is so holpen and beware that with thy benefite thou hyt him not in the teethe but let thy thankeful gyfte be encreased and doubled with a mery looke and cherefulnes so that whatsoeuer ye gyue seme to gyue it euen as it were an other mannes and with all youre heartes Heathen peoples good deedes be all for the moost parte by suche wayes corrupted yea thoughe elswyse they seme to be liberallye done In you lette dissimulacion haue no place but lette there among you raigne loue and charitie whiche neither canne counterfaicte nor dissemble but make euery mannes doynges accepted of god Beware also that ye measure not thynges after youre desyre as noughtie people are wonte to do but esteme and measure thynges by vertue only or vice abhorring all lewdnes stedfastly cleauyng to goodnes And forasmuche as ye are brethren daylye desyre your commen fathers helpe synce ye are all appoynted to one enheritaunce lette eche of you to other through brotherly charitie be readye and well wyllyng Carnall men stryue for preeminence in honour stryue ye eche with other howe one of you maye prefer an other before hymselfe Let noman idely liue to himselfwarde but let euery man for his parte labour to do his dutie nor be slouthfull and â–ª stuggyshe as men that are with the infirmitie of the fleshe faynte but be in spirite couragiouse and feruent Ye haue forsaken your carnalnes and begunne now to be spirituall A fleshly poynte is it to be flouthful for the spirite of god is a thyng of actiuitie and lyuely Withstande not euell personnes but do as the tyme requireth applying youre selfe to that whiche is presente yf anye hurte chaunce auoyde it yf ye can well so doe or els suffer it not with heauye heartes as men that are in wanhope but be in aduersities mery ioyful for hope of the rewarde that is to come This wise in the meane season thynke with your self yf ye any thyng either beare with or forgyue another ye suffer it for goddes sake whiche wyll without doubte with auauntage make
but frealy and playnly and without all deceyte declaryng to al men the bare trouthe without any cloud in this office so vsing our selfes that though no manne prayse vs yet oure lyfe commendeth vs to all menne whiche knowe and are witnesse of oure perfectnes and not onelye to menne whiche maye bee deceyued but also to God whiche seethe all thynges By vs therefore in al places shyneth the trueth of the gospel so that euerye man may see it euedently And yf there be some yet to whome it is not knowen and therefore geueth not them saluacion the faulte is theirs and not ours nor the gospels for as I tolde you of the Israelites so haue they likewyse a vayle caste ouer the eyes of theyr hearte by reason wherof they see not suche thinges as are verye bright but are blynde in the middes of the sonne light For they bryng with them vncleare iyen and suche as are corrupte with worldlye desyres whose vnfaythfull myndes Satan the God of this worlde for theyr God make they hym whiche to hym geue more eare than to the true God hathe blynded couering theyr iyes that to them the bryghtnes of the gospell can geue no light whereby the glory and maiestie is declared not of Moses but of Christe whiche is the image of god the father so that by the sonne which is egall to the father a man maye knowe the father The texte For we preache not oure selues but Christe Iesus to be the Lord and our selues your seruauntes for Iesus sake For it is God that coÌ„maunded the lyght to shyne out of darknes whiche hath stâ—yned in our hertes for to geue the lyght of the knowledge of the glory of god in the face of Iesus Chryst But we haue this treasure in erthen vessels that the excellency of the power myght be Gods and not oures We are troubled on euery iyde yet are we not without shyfte We are in pouerty â–ª but not vtterly without somewhat We suffer persecucion but are not forsaken therein We are cast downe neuerthelesse we peryshe not We all wayes beare aboute in the body the dying of the Lorde Iesus that the lyfe of Iesu myght also appeare in our body For we whiche â—â—ue are alwayes delyuered vnto death for Iesus sake that the lyfe also of Iesu might appeare in our mortal flesh So then death worketh in vs but lyfe in you Nor auaunce we oure selues by preachyng as some doe teachyng the gospell for our aduauntage or glorie but we preache Iesus Christe oure Lorde his doctrine teache we and not ours for hym labour we as for oure Lorde and mayster what payne soeuer we take so farre from takyng anye thyng arrogaÌ„tly vpon vs that we graunt our selues to be your seruauntes and to ministre the ghospell vnto you neither for feare of you nor yet for hope of auauntage but for Iesus sake for whose loue whereas we are free we euen as seruauntes submitte our selues to all men After lyke sorte were we once in the same blyndnes wherewith some are now diseased stil Nor yet gotte we this light to our selues but god at whose commaundement lyght was fyrste made from whome all light procedeth after that he had expelled the darknes of oure vnderstandyng commaunded that in it the lighte of trueth shoulde appere or rather as he is lighte euerlastyng lightened oure hearte yâ— by vs the glory of his maiestie might more be spread abrode among all meÌ„ beyng more notified by preachyng of the gospel wherein we preache the Lorde Iesus in whose face moste brightly shineth the image and glorie of the father But yet is this greate matier onlye wrought in our soules secretely for touchyng the bodye we seme but vyle abiectes so that we â—arie aboute with vs this preciouse and highe treasure in earthen vessels that is to saye in our sealye bodies subiecte to vilanye and punishment as it hathe pleased god it should be and good cause is there why it so pleased hym For he prouided yâ— we should not be proude by great high myracles wroughte by vs whereby we might clayme some parte therof but know our owne infirmitie and so vnderstande the selfe same highe power whiche is geuen to the apostles not to be wrought by our strengthe but by gods power onely for we touchyng our owne infirmitie are dayly greatly troubled and yet by gods helps we suffer al these troubles and continue not ouercomen we are on euery syde ouerlayed with aduersitie yet are we not withoute shifte we are brought to beggery and in oure beggerye we are not forsaken we suffer persecucion and yet in our persecucion we are not dismayed we are beaten downe and tredden vnder feete but yet so that we peryshe not in that behalfe folowyng the lorde Iesus â–ª as nyghe as we maye whome we preache and setfoorth He once dyed for all men we in that we are daylye and continuallye in ieopardie of death beare aboute in oure bodyes an image of his deathe ready to bestowe this lyfe for your sakes that as we dyeng for you folowe the death of Iesus so maye the lyfe of Iesus wherunto he rose from deathe in oure body be declared whyles we are either by hym delyuered from deathe or by despising oure temporal lyfe playnly testifie and affirme that the deade shall ryse agayne For yf we beleued that when our bodye is once dead it woulde neuer lyue more we woulde not so lytle regarde oure temporall lyfe By thys straunge waye therfore ye see howe the euerlasting lyfe of Christ through the affliccions of our corruptible body is to you the better knowen The difference is in that the violent ieoperdy of death falleth vpon oure body but the fruite of lyfe which groweth by our deathe is yours for whose sakes we put our selues in these ieopardyes The texte But seyng that we haue the same spirite of fayth accordyng as it is wrytteÌ„ I beleued therfore I spoken we also beleue and therfore speake For we know that he which raysed vp the Lorde Iesus shall rayse vp vs also by the meanes of Iesus and shall set vs with you For all thynges do I for your sakes that the plenteous grace by thanckes geuen of many maye redounde to the prayse of God Wherfore we are not weryed But though our vtward man peryshe yet the inwarde man is renewed daye by daye For out â—â—â—buiacyon which is momentany lyght prepareth an exceadyng and an eternal waight of glorye vnto vs whyle we loke not on the thynges whiche are sene but on the thynges whiche are not sene For the thynges whiche are seue are temporall but thynges whiche are not sene are eternall And yet for all this we repente vs not of preachyng the gospel for since we haue also euen the same gifte of faythe that ye haue whereby ye loke for life immortall by my preachyng powred into your heartes it foloweth that as Dauid in his misticall psalme sayeth that he therfore spoke because he beleued so feare we
litle but he that soweth plenteouslye and with a good chere shall lykewise reape that he sowed so that he this doe not because we bad hym but because he in hys hearte hath so purposed For more largely and freely geueth he whiche geueth with a good will More sparingly geueth he whiche geueth with a heuie chere as one compelled But god loueth a chearefull geuer For he that dooeth hys duetie agaynste hys will before hym is coumpted as thoughe he dyd not hys duetie And cause is there none why ye should feare leste ye lose this your almes For God which coumteth that to bee doone vnto hym whiche is for hys loue bestowed vpon hys saintes is sufficiently able albeit ye receyue no recompence of menne to make your almes dedes gaynfully to returne vnto you in that he wil geue you substaunce inough for the mayntenaunce of your lyfe and also enryche and plentifully encrease you in all godlye woorkes For the almes dedes whiche are bestowed to relieue the poore saintes are a good parte of iustice and godlines EueÌ„ as the psalme writer testifieth also he dealed abrode and gaue to the poore for the whiche hys iustice continueth from tyme to tyme perpetually And my prayer is that he which ministreth sede vnto the sower and geueth him bread for hys nouryshmente and substaunce to helpe the poore people mayntayne alwayes your riches eftsones to helpe them and so multiplye your seede and increase the fruites of your righteousnes that ye may be eÌ„riched in al kindes of vertues and therewith alwayes growe forwarde into al synglenesse and gentle dysposicion of hert and that ye dayly regard your money lesse lesse which while they bee bestowed not vpon euerye rascall but vpon the saynctes dooe cause youre lyberalitie to auaunce Goddes glorye in that the Godlye people beeyng refreshed with youre almes doe through vs geue thankes vnto God so that I herein claime some rewarde whiche bryng this matter to passe For in the execucion of this office wee not onelye by youre liberalitie attayne the reliefe of poore men but also the greater your almes is the more geue thankes to God whiche hauyng an experience of youre Godlinesse for this your â—ounteousnesse prayse God in that they dooe perceaue youre obedience to the Gospell with one accorde by reason whereof ye dooe freelye and frankelye deale youre substaunce not onelye to them for whome wee sue at this presente tyme but also to all other For the poore muste bee holpen wheresoeuer they bee Finallye this ensueth that in theyr prayers whiche as thankefull menne they offre vnto God for you they wishe to see you that they maye euidentelye see before theyr face your singular godlinesse whiche they knowe to bee geuen you by god by the greatenesse of your almes wherewith they are refreashed But for this vnspeakeable gifte specially thankes ought to bee geuen to God whych both moueth your mind to geue and prouoketh them not to abuse your giftes to idlenes or riot but to prayse god The .x. Chapter The texte â–ª ¶ I Paule my selfe beseche you by the meekenes and softenes of Christe whiche when I am presente among you am of no reputacion but am bolde towarde you beeing absente I beseche you that I neede not to be bolde when I am presente with that same confidence where with I am supposed to haue bene bolde againste some which repute vs as though we walked carnally For though we walke in the flesâ— yet we â—o not warre fleshly For the weapens of our warrefare are not carnall thynges but thinges mighty in God to caste downe strong holdes wherewith wee ouerthrowe councels and euerye hye thyng that exalteth itselfe againste the knowledge of God and bring into captiuitie all imaginacion to the obedience of Christe are readye to take vengeaunce on all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled Loke ye on thinges after the vtter appearaunce BVt to let passe these thinges to come to other I that am no meane apostle but the verye selfesame Paule whome ye knowe well whiche for your sake bothe haue suffered and dooe suffer so greate troubles doe beseche you for the mekenes softenes and mercie of Iesus Christ whose exaumple folowyng I dooe humble my selfe among you outwardelye so behauyng my self as though I were some rascall and an outcaste not taking vpoÌ„ me an apostles dignitie and authoritie which the false apostles thynke to stande in highe lookes and yet in myne absence as these caytifes quarell fraye you with roughe and cruell letters beeyng bolde vpon youre obedience I beseche you I saye so to redresse youre lyfe that at my cummyng I bee not compelled to execute the selfesame authoritie once agayne which I seame to haue vsed agaynst certaine false apostles which thinkyng me to bee suche as they bee reporte that I carnally lyue among you as a flatterer while I am presente to courye fauel for feare and beeyng absente bâ— letters boaste my selfe as though I feared nothyng Nothyng do I of any carnall minde but whatsoeuer I do â–ª alis for your weale and for the glory of the gospel For though we bee clothed with this mortall fleashe yet warre wee not vnder the rule and gouernaunce of the fleashe but holpen wyth the assistence of the spirite of god As lowe and weake as ye thinke vs yet are we not vnweaponed nor without strength to suppresse the aduersaries of the gospel For the weapons of our spiritual warrefare are not mighty by reason of yron or steele as worldlye mennes are wont to be but mighty by the power of god able to throwe downe all that euerseameth stronglye buylded agaynste hym â—ith these ouerthrow we and tourne vpsyd down al crafty deuises and euery high state of wicked people whiche exalte and auaunce themselfes vpon theyr worldly wisedome agaynst the wisedome of god which we by the gospel professe and not only suppresse but also subdue bryng into captiuitie al worldlye imaginacion to make the same hencefoorth obediente vnto Christe whome it before resisted But and yf any manne stubbernly rebelle readye are wee to reuenge vpon al disobedience which power for your sakes we haue hytherto forborne leste by vsing extremitie vpon such as are among you and such as some of you as yet fauoure supposyng that they bee excellente apostles we myghte trouble your commen quietenesse whiche I will yet hereafter vse paraduenture when I see your obedience growen to suche perfeccion that ye canne quietly be contented that suche shoulde bee excluded out of youre coumpanye as ye were with the punishemente of the haynous and incestuous fornicatoure I tell you that the dignitie and power of an apostle is not a bodily power but a spirituall Are ye yet no wiser but to iudge an apostle by suche thynges as are seene lyke as the commen people esteame a Lorde to bee a gaye felowe by his outewarde ambicious porâ—e gyftes of fortune and bande of men The texte Yf any manne truste in himselfe that he is
so diligent to coÌ„tinue aduaunce their popyshe pryuate masses other straunge tounged seruice to passe awaye the tyme to kepe both theÌ„selues the people blynde styll yet myne vnfeyned hope trust is that lyke as yâ— almyghtie euerlyuing God the father of our lorde Iesu Christe by Christe of al perfite christians hath of his owne vnspeakeable mercye to this mooste Emperiall Realmewarde geuen so gracious so godly so vertuous so learnedly toward and so faythful a Christen Kyng and most worthy supreme head eueÌ„ our most soueraine lord king Edward yâ— .vi. to rule gouerne nourishe defend it who by thaduise ministery and trauaile of his victorious most noble vncle the Lorde Protectours grace other of his moste honourable Counsayll seketh the kyngdome of heauen and the righteousnes therof aswell in free settyng forth of the most holy sacred scriptures by iniunccions and visitoures as in diligent placeing and sendyng abroade of moste excellently learned readers and preachers to instructe his subiectes in the true knowledge of them selues and of God and in theyr bounden dueties to theyr superiors and also in christian charitie to their neighbours so he will also of his moste haboundaunte ryches of mercye and inscrutable power contynue wyth daylye encreace suche forewarde hertynes and hertye forewardenes of earnest godly procedynges in the Kynges moste Roial Maiestie by the aduise ministerie and trauayle foresayed as the ignoraunt ministers being charitably amoued from their ecclesiasticall cures hauyng competent in other trades of lyfe to rest vpon and reasonable necessarie prouision for the honest mayntenaunce of learnyng good ministers beyng had that father of mercies and Lorde of glorye whose waies are vnsearcheable and iudgementes incomprehensyble by whose wisedome all thynges are swetely disposed and ordred wyll in case we be seruent in hearâ—â—e prayer and not slacke in rendryng thankes vnto him for his excedynge manifolde benefites sende conuenient wâ—llyng and lâ—stye forewarde workemen into this his most copious great haruest of Englande aswel to the extirpacion banyshement and â—oâ—yng out of popyshe faythe false religion cankred opinions heathnyshe rites idoiatrous worshyppynges supersticious deuoucions disguysed myssall sacrificeinges aduouterous conuersacion and other grosse vile iniquities arysyng and growing to the contempt and dishonour of the liuyng God as braunches out of the roote of the Romyshe Antichristian religion as also to the plantyng settyng forth and glorifyeng of the moste vndefyled lawe of the Lorde that conuerteth soules from naughtynes to godlynes to the syncere teaching of the most sacred religion of Christ and the true wourshyp of God to the reformacion of maners and also to the expressyng of godly behauiour in outwarde conuersacion both in the ministre and parisheneâ— to walke in loue as Christ hathe loued vs in Christen almose dedes in scripturely fastyng in ghospellike prayer in rendryng thankes in lifting vp pure handes in pacience long suffryng perfite charitie temperaunce sobrietie chastitie brotherly compassion and true obedience towardes the Kynges maiestie and all other set in autoritie vnder hym and in other offices workes dedes and vertues that God requireth and commaundeth by his actes proclamacions and decrees most earnestlye and straightely mentioned in his mooste holy perfite boke the Byble so as God I doubt not shall vouchesafe long to preserue vnto thys Realme yâ— most vnspeakable worthy Iewel yâ— kynges hyghnes and defendyng it froÌ„ the daungerous plagues curses due vnto the wicked children of vnbelefe shall vouchesafe also to powre vpon it the mercies blessynges in most pleyntuous habundaunce that he hath promised by the same boke to the beleuing chyldren of obedience Vpon these respectes hope consideracion and seing thaforenamed seuen Epistles whiche in dede are as necessarye requisite pieces of scripture to the furtheraunce of Christes religion christen maners as yâ— rest of the newe testameÌ„t is to be left vntraÌ„slated I toke in haÌ„de to traÌ„slate theÌ„ at such seldome leasures as I possiblie could froÌ„ mine other prophane trauailes incideÌ„t to my drudging vocacioÌ„ spare now at last haue finished theÌ„ not doubting albeit I coÌ„fesse my self eueÌ„ froÌ„ yâ— botome of mine heâ—t as vnmete for this kinde of office as a cartes of husbaÌ„dry to be a caruer at a noble mans table yet yâ— this my rude traÌ„slacioÌ„ is bothe accordyng to yâ— texte in euerye sentence agreably to the Paraphrastes mynde and playnlye Englished to the vnderstandyng of the moste vnlearned Englyshe men for whose erudicion I did take vpon me thys laboure For althoughe curious soughte termes of Rhetoricall Englishe in thys translacion woulde better please the delicate eares and fyne wyttes of men fynely broughte vp in trickynge of termes and tounges yet in asmuche as these translated Paraphrases are set forth for the informacion and playne teaching of the Kynges maiesties playne Englyshe subiectes that vnderstande none other but theyr owne natiue barayne tongue I thoughte it rather better to seke the edification of the playne vnlearned by playne termyng of wordes than by tedious circumâ—ocucion to make a Paraphrase vpon a Paraphrase and by that meanes not onelye to leaue the simple vulgare people vntaught or neuer the better but also in vayne sekynge after curiositie to be iustly laught to scorne for bunglyng at the thyng that is ferre aboue my capacitie Therefore where vnnecessary fynesse wanteth accept true meanyng playnesse And good reader be not of the noÌ„bre of those men whiche leade and get an easye and a wealthye lyfe almoste altogether by deprauinge comptrollyng querellyng mysreportyng and fault fyndyng at other mennes doynges whose studye is to doe some good and loyter the tyme them selues and do no good at all But in case thou chauncest to fynde any notable faulte in this my grosse translacion whiche hathe escaped me either for lacke of leasure or learnynge I beseche thee correcte it charitably with aduysednes so as the readers and hearers thereof maye the better and more expressely perceaue the Paraphrastes mynde â–ª considrynge howe profitable doctrine for these oure present daungerous dayes the Paraphrases doe importe aswell in teachynge Christ sincerely and in settyng forthe of Christen manners playnlye as in rebukyng vice wicked customes sharpely I ment not by thys my translation to hunt after worldly commendacion or temporall rewardes God is my witnes but to do good to the best of my poore vnlearned talente vnto the symple vulgare sort who I perceiued by most euident experience at yâ— kynges highnes visitacion wherin I vnworthye was a wayting ministre were glad conformablye willyng to heare the pure word of God obedient to receyue the Kynges most godly iniuÌ„ccions traynyng them to yâ— same so they would contynue in case theyr ordinaries Curates ministers were not tryâ—lers and hynderours therof and if they were not seduced and taught by sedicious earewhisperours contrary to the worde of God the Kynges hyghnes mooste godly gracious procedinges onely for pelfe belycheare ease and lucre But take me not that
with God long ago yea euen afore the world was made and in a maner opened vnto the prophetes by inspiracion albeit it was not playnly opened to the world as it is now by me that the Gentiles through onely fayth of the Gospel without helpe of Moses law should attayn saluacion yea in so much that the chiefest of the Apostles durst not admit suche as were not circumcised vnto baptisine But nowe it is playnely opened vnto the holye Apostles of Christe and to hys prophetes by inspiracion of the holy goste that the Gentiles through faith are so vnited vnto the Iewes that they are comen in to the felowship of yâ— selfe same enheritaunce and growe in to all one bodye reioycyng in theyr common head Christe and by reason therof are becomen partiners of all the proinisses that abyde suche as beleue the Ghospel of Christ to preache the which Ghospell autoritie is commytted vnto me and I ceasse not to dooe my commaunded office labouring constauntly hitherto in the Ghospels busines euen vnto emprisonmeÌ„tes and fetters not that I am any thing mete of mine owne strength for so painful a busines but he that appoynted that office to me hath laied his owne helping hande to the same And so it is that I being as concerning myne owne habilitie feble and weake am by his benefite strong and full of courage agaynst the stormes of al mischiefes I boast not myne own worthines for I coÌ„fesse that I am the least of Saintes but yet as litle as I am it hath pleased the goodnes of God to putte me in trust with this businesse of moste weightie importaunce that I shoulde publishe and preache among the Gentiles whiche before this time knewe nothyng of God the vnsearcheable richesse of Christ which he offereth plenteously to all men and bryng to lyght the thyng that before was hidden that the benefit of the ghospell is to be dispensed and ministred to all maner of nacions whiche beefore was supposed to be geuen onely to the Iewes although it was otherwyse decreed eternally of God the maker and gouernour of all thynges notwithstanding his will was to haue thys Counsayll of hys diuyne intente to be yet hitherto kepte secrrete whiche in these tymes he woulde so openly manifeste and that by the congregacion wherinto he powred suche aboundaunce of spirituall giftes that his manifolde wisedome whiche with wounderfull deuises disposeth all thinges through death geuyng life through shame exaltyng to glorye through humilitie aduauncyng Goddes maiestie whiche no man in times paste coulde haue Imagined shoulde nowe bee brought to lyght not onely to the brode worlde but euen to prynces and chiefeste of Angelles and deuilles that haue to dooe in the skyes and in the vppermoste parte of the ayer whiche thynges albeit they myght gesse should come to passe that mankynde should once be redemed yet this was not knowen by what reason the wisedome of God had eternallye decreed to bringit to passe whiche thing now at length was openlye knowen whan he sent his sonne into the world who hauing taken vpon him an humain bodye would by vnspeakeable meanes vnite and couple the congregacion to hymselfe whereof our lorde Iesus Christe should bee the head by whome like as Innocencie chaunced vnto vs in that that our sinnes were doen a waye euen so chaunced vnto vs an assured truste also that as children we shoulde not be afraied to approche vnto the father whose displeased countenaunce we durst not afore beholde For what shoulde we bee afrayed of hauyng suche a heade that in no wise suffreth any of his membres to perishe albeit here in the meane season we suffre sum affliccion The texte â–ª Wherfore I desire that ye faint not because of my tribulacions that I suffre for your sakes whiche is your praise For this cause I bowe my knees vnto the father of our lorde Iesus Christ which is father ouer all that is called father in heauen and in earth that he would graunt you accordyng to the riches of his glorie that ye maye bee strengthed with might by his spirite in the â—â—â—er man that Christe maie dwell in your hertes by faith that ye beyng rooted and grounded in loue mighte bee hable to comprehende with al sayntes what is that bredth aâ—d length depth and height and to knowe the excellente loue of the knoweledge of Christ that ye mighte bee fulfilled with all fulnes which cummeth of God Vnto him yâ— is hable to doe exceading aboundantly aboue al that we aske or thinke according to the power that worketh in vs be prayse in yâ— congregacion by Christe Iesus thorowâ—â—t al generacious from tune to tyme. Amen This secrete counsayle of God forasmuch as I preache boldely in euery place I suffre exceadyng punishemente of such as yet cannot possibly be perswaded of this matter But I beseche you let not myne affliccions whiche I suffre for your sakes anythyng disquiete or dismaye you For there is no cause why you shoulde be ashamed of suche an Apostle though I bee laden with fetters For like as the crosse of Christe is our glorie euen so my fetters which I we are not for any euill dedes but for the sinceritie of the Ghospel are for your honestie and no rebuke For the more displeasures we suffre with a constaunt mynd for the Ghospell of Christe the more entierly we cause the people to beleue that the promises of Christe are not vayne inasmuch as through assured hope of them we faint not for any displeasures of this life And it is not Ioyous to me onely to suffre for the ghospelles businesse but it also becommeth al men that are entred vnto Christe to folowe the example of their autour and head And truely for this cause sake I bowe my knees and praye earnestly euen from the botome of myne harte vnto God our father and the same the father of our lorde Iesus Christe of whome as the supreme head dependeth all spirituall kynred wherby by are incorporated together whether they bee angelles in heauen or faithfull people vpon earth and of whome onely as of the fountaine springeth whatsoeuer is belongyng to true felicitie that like as he hath begonne to declare hys aboundaunte glorye in you so he maye more and more augmente his liberall goodnesse to you ward that as you are engraffed to Christ through baptisme and as it were borne newe agayne so you maye gather courage and strengthe with daylye encrease not accordong to the bodye but accordyng to the mynde and soule that is to saye by the gyfte of the spirite of the father continually encreacyng in vs by whome we are made stronge and valiaunt to withstande al dredes of persecucion and that the constancie of your fayth maye be suche that you thynke surelye that Christe will neuer fayle you but rather dwelle in wardly in your hertes for the faythful trustes sake wherwith you commit your selues wholy vnto him For with such is he most specially presente as distruste theyr owne
strength and depende wholye of his helpe And this shall the rather come to passe yf hauyng a Ghospellike fayth you practyse also a Ghospellike charitie knittyng the oue to thother so as it maie vtterlye reste and take rote in your soules to the entent that being established and grouÌ„ded vpon this sure fouÌ„dacion you maye ware greater and greater in your spirite and after a certayn wise be correspondent to the vnmeasurable spirite of God that you maie grow and go forward so perfitely that not onelye with the Iewes but also with the vniuersall multitude of Sayntes whiche are encorporated to the bodye of Christe through the beliefe of the Ghospell you maie bee hable to comprehend how infinitely the goodnesse of God extendeth it selfe and how it is not restrained within narrowe bondes and limittes in heigth reachyng vp to the angels in depth pearcyng downe to the helles in length and breadth spreadyng it selfe vnto all coastes of the worlde and that you maye be hable also to vnderstand the inestimable charitie of Christe towardes mankynde whose knowledge excelleth all the knowledge of man how excellente so euer it be And that you may in these gyftes so encreace that as perfite and lustye membres you maye bee answerably mete for so noble a heade and so hygh a father For lyke as the bodyly byrth hath degrees of ages hath his encreases and hath his measure as long as his growing time endureth euen so this spiritual generacion also hath his childehood hath his springing time and than his perfite lusty growen age For these thynges I saye I praye often vpon my knees vnto God the father Which thinges in dede although thei be greate and far about mannes power yet I desyre them of hym whose power is so myghty that we cannot possibly Imagyne so great a matter but he is hable to dooe muche greatter and is so good and so gentill that he dooeth not onelye accoumplishe our desyres wyth his owne liberalitye but also geueth vs muche more than we can hope for And yet there is nothyng in this behalfe dooen other throughe our merites or powers For we are nothyng elles but the instrument of the diuyne power that woorketh his owne myghte in vs so that all glorye that florisheth in the congregacion is wholy to be ascribed to hys largesse through Christ Iesus by whose participacion the congregacion is endowed with so excellente gyftes and of this glorye there shall bee no ende but it shall endure through all ages to ternally like as the congregacion of Christ shal also haue none end That that I haue sayed is certayne and vndoubtedly true The .iiii. Chapter The texte I Therfore whiche am a prysoner of the Lordes exhorte you that ye walke worthy of the vocacion wherewith ye are called with al lowlines and mekenes with humblenes of mynde forbearyng one an other thorowe loue and be diligente to kepe the vnitie of the 〈◊〉 thorowe the bonde of peace being one body and one spirite euen as ye are called in one hope of your calling Let there bee but one Lord one fayth one baptisme one God and father of all whiche is aboue all and thorowe all and in you all NOw inasmuche as ye perceiue from how vyle a condicion vnto what great dignitye from how depe desperacion to what excellente benefites you are called I beseche you for these cheines sakes wherwith I am tyed not for mine own faultes but for the glorye of God and your saluacion that asmuche as remaineth behynde you would conforme youre selues in honest coÌ„uersacion answerably to your professioÌ„ to the mercifulnes that God hath shewed to youwardes And that shal be doen in case the excellencye of your profession make you not to hygh minded nor to fearcely stomaked But see that all the custome of your life resemble in all thynges true modestye gentilnesse and lenyte of mynde so that one disdeyne not an other but euerye one suffre other through mutual charitie rather one bearyng with an others weakenesse for the tyme than whan euerye one goeth about to holde his owne with tothe and nayle you breake concorde and vniforme loue wherwith you are made one and vnited together through the bonde of peace For it is not conueniente that such mennes myndes should be deuided among theÌ„selues that haue so many thynges commune You are al one bodye you depende all of one heade you haue all receiued of one selfe spirite of Christ and you are also indifferentely called all into one hope of inheritaunce There is one lord of al Iesus Christ al haue but one profession of faith there is but one baptisme of al that by the meanes of Christes death is indifferently effectuall vnto all that beleue the Ghospell whether they bee circumcised or vncircumcised Finallye there is but one God and father of al that as the prynce autour of all thynges hath dominion ouer vs all in suche sorte that by his spirite wherewith he gouerneth vs he geueth hymselfe vnto all and kepeth continual residence with vs releuyng and helpyng vs in all thynges so that it is the gifte of onely one what good thyng soeuer we haue The texte Unto euery one of vs is geuen â—race according to the measure of the gyfte of Christe Wherefore he saieth when he went vp on hye he led captiuitie captiue gaue gyftes vnto men That he ascended what meaneth it but that he also descended first into the lowest partes of the earthe He that descended is euen the same also that ascended vp aboue all heauens to fulfill all thinges And the verye same made some Aposties some Prophetes some EuaÌ„gelistes some shepeherdes and teachers to yâ— edifiyng of the saintes to the worke and ministracion euen to the edifiyng of the bodye of Christe till we all come to the vnitie of fayth and knowledge of the sonne of God vnto a perfeit man vnto the measure of the full perfeit age of Christe This ought in no wyse to hynder our concorde that the giftes of God bee not all after one sorte nor all alyke appearyng in al menne no more than we see the meÌ„bres of the body not agre or to be racked one froÌ„ an other because thei be not indiffereÌ„tly apte al to one vse or fele not al alike the influence of the head But this maner varietie ought rather to be the occasion of vnitie For inasmuch as no meÌ„bre of the body is hable fully to vphold himself of himself it commeth to passe that euerye one muste haue nede of an others offyce so that one maye not contemne an other But this distribucion of gyftes dependeth not of vs but of the wyll of God who distributeth vnto euerye man lesse or more as it semeth expedient in his owne syghte There is no cause why he shoulde bee disdeyned that hath lesse nor why he shoulde exalte hymselfe that hathe more That one is after Goddes measuryng thys other is after Goddes plenteous enlargyng and all by Christe which geueth
them to folowe goodnesse righteousnesse and trueth and generallye to marke rhat thyng alwayes not that is pleasyng vnto meÌ„ nor that is swete or delectable vnto vs but that which is acceptable vnto the wil of god after whose appointmeÌ„t our coÌ„uersacion ought altogether to be gouerned The texte And haue no felowship with the vnfruictful workes of darkenes but rather rebuke them For it is shame euen to name those thinges whiche are doen of theÌ„ in secret but all thinges when they are rebuked of the light are manyfest For whatsoeuer is manyfest the same is light Wherfore he saieth awake thou that slepest and stand vp from death and Christ shall geue the lighte Christe is the fountayne of our dayelyght and yf you wyll continuallye cleane vnto hym your endeuour shal be to doe fruictefull honeste offices of godlines and suche as be worthye of the lyght and from henceforth be a shamed to haue a doe with the vnfruictefull workes of darkenesse Now therfore take so good hede that you sâ—yde not agayne into your olde former darkenesse that you may rather with your lyght bewray and reproue those naughty dedes that they coÌ„mit in theyr darkenes For whaÌ„ thei are not afraied to offend God as oft as the night or secrete place hath takeÌ„ away shame the thynges that they do than are so abominable that it were very shame euen once to make rehersal of them But as long as they offende whyle no lyghte appeareth â–ª they offende â—â—cenciouslye without punishement But as often as they are bewrayed with the open light than the vilenesse of the thyng begynneth to bee knowen and the faultes so beâ—wrayed are amended and turned into better that is to were whan the nyghte is turned into the daye and the blyndenesse of harte vtterly expulsed And yf your conuersacion be light they shal be ashamed of theyr owne filthynes whâ—n they see your Innocencie And than it shall come to passe that beeyng moued through your honeste godlye demeanour they shall bee styrred vp to Innocencie yf they see the lyght of Christe â–ª shynyng in you For in deede thus sayeth the prophete Wake thou that sleapeste and ryse vp from the deade and Christe shall geue the lyght It is a very deade sleape yea rather death it selfe to bee ouer whelmed with the pleasures of this worlde and not to respecte the thynges that are eternall and vnfeynedlye good And yet they cannot otherwyse awake nor by any other meanes returne to lyfe onlesse Christe spring into theyr hartes and wrpe awaye the grosse darkenesse of ignoraunce The texte ¶ Take hede therfore how ye walke circuÌ„spectly not as vnwise but as wise men aâ—oiding occasion because the dayes are euyll Wherfore be ye not vnwise but vnderstand what the wyll of the Lord is and be not droncke with wyne wherin is excesse but be fylled with the sprite speakinge vnto your selues in psalmes and hymnes and spyritual songes singyng and making melodie to the Lorde in your hertes geuyng thankes alwayes for all thynges vnto God the father in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ submittyng your selues one to another in the feare of God Therefore you of the Ephesians vnto whome Christe our bryght sunne geueth hys clere lyght take hede and loke about you how and after what maner you walke not leadyng your lyfe nowe after the maner of the gentyles which through blyndenesse of harte perceyue not what is honest but as it becommeth them that vnderstande truelye the doctryne of the Ghospell and with losse of all you haue redeme this oportunitie to obteyne saluacion whiche the more gredelye is to be layed holde vpon yâ— this tyme is so perâ—ously naught and many thynges flowe in on euerie side that are hable to withdrawe vncircumspect men from the synceritie of Christian doctryne Therfore it standeth you in hand to take the more circumspecte hede that throughe vnaduisednesse you geue not occasion vnto the wicked yâ— eyther they maie be open aduersaries to the Gospel or elles drawe you backe from your profession This is the whole Summe of your saluacion and in this behalfe you ought to be warely wyse to wynke at other thynges and to declare that you vnderstande perfeitlye what the lordes wyll is For his desire is to haue al men brought to the saluacion of the Gospel if it were possible And it shal be requisite for such as take that busines in hand to bee sobre For drounkenship is hartelesse and vncircumspecte and not onelye harteles but also rashe and temerarious Therefore be in no wyse drounken with wyne whiche is a thyng vnnecessariâ— and prouoketh â—aâ—ciuiousnes but be you filled with the swete wyne of the holy ghoste For that is a fortunate ebrietie that can stirre vs not to wanton dauncynges or folyshe ballettes wherewith the gentiles crie vpon theyr deuilles but vnto psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songâ—s wherewith to reioyce and syng and make merye amonge your selues vnto the lorde not with vncomly yellyng noyses as madde drounken men are vsed to dooe but in wardelye in your soules and in your hertes This is a pleasure this is a loue this is a baâ—kette woorthye of Christians leste they shoulde excede the gentiles in drounken bankettynges After theyr drounken pastimes sorowe dooeth ensue and many tymes also disease of bodye But your myrth is a continuall merimente For whatsoeuer chaunceth vnto you whether it bee gladnesse or whether it bee sadnesse gladnesse from our mercifull God sadnesse from hym that laboureth for your saluacion you are bounden alwayes to geue thankes for all thynges beyng assured that nothyng can happen but to the beste auauntage of your eternall felicitie But the thankes are to bee geuen vnto God the autoure of al good thynges to al menne and thesame is also the father and God of our lord Iesus Christe by whome he geueth vs all thynges and hym he wyll haue praysed in all thinges equally with himselfe Christ hath submitted himselfe obedieÌ„tly vnto yâ— father and in lyke case it becommeth vs to submmitte our selues vnto hym not that it besemeth a Christian to be a terrour vnto a Christian but those that reuerently folow Christ as apperteineth do not grudge to submit theÌ„selfes euerye one to other inasmuch as he beyng the supreme head of al hath submitted himselfe humbly vnder al. Let the inferiour acknoweledge the autoritie of the superiour And on the other syde let the superiour confourme hymselfe vnto yâ— capacitie of the inferiour so as yâ— rather he may do hym good For he that among Christians beareth moste rule ruleth to none other ende but to do the most good he caÌ„ The texte ¶ Ye wemen submitte your selfes vnto your owne housebandes as vnto the Lorde For the housebande is the wyues head euen as Christe is the head of the congregacion and thesame is he that ministreth saluacion vnto the bodye Therefore as the congregacion is in subieccion to Christe likewyse let the wyues also be in subieccion to theyr housbandes in
Iesus Christ as it becoÌ„meth me so iudge I of you al because I haue you in my berte for asmuche as ye all are companyons of grace wyth me euen in my bondes and in the defendyng and stablyshynge of the gospel For God is my recorde howe greatlye I longe after you all from the very hart rote in Iesus Christ And this I pray that your loue may encrease yet more more in knowledge in all vnderstandyng that ye may accepte the thinges that are most excelleÌ„t that ye may be pure and such as hurte no mans coÌ„science vntyl yâ— day of Christ beyng filled with yâ— fruit of rightewisenes whiche fruit coÌ„meth by Iesus Christ vnto the glory and prayse of God Verely as often as I call vpon God in my prayers as I doo in dede with out ceassyng I make continuall mention of you all with rendryng of thankes and excedyng reioycyng on all your behalfes that euer synce the fyrst entraunce of your profession euen vnto this daye in that you haue releued me wyth your helpe and gentilnes you haue shewed youre selues to be of the felowshyppe of the gospel And my continuall prayer is that you maye encrease in those vertuous doynges more more not doubtyng but God which hath entred these godly partes in you wyl performe yâ— which he hath begon in you vnto the day yâ— Iesus Christ shall come recompence eternall rewarde to well done dedes For so it is conuenient the I should iudge of you through the helpe of God in asmuche as alwayes hitherto I haue had suche experience of youre constaunte and true gospellike loue to me warde as I may easyly gather that of a very good begynnyng shal come a very good ending For the which cause sake my minde is so affectuously set towardes you the euen in these bandes and whaÌ„ I am arraigned at Neroes barre wher I must pleade for my head giltie or not giltie in other mine afflictions through the which yâ— power of yâ— gospel is not hindred nor obscured but coÌ„firmed aduauÌ„ced I haue euer borne you a singuler good will bicause I haue alwayes perceiued you as glad as my self that the word of Christ doth florishe through my painful afflictioÌ„ For god him selfe knoweth froÌ„ whoÌ„ nothing is hiddeÌ„ how disirously affected I am towardes you all not after the maner of mannes affection either to the intente to get anye thyng of you or yet in anye wyse to flattre you for youre lyberalitie shewed to me but I loue you with a pure christiaÌ„ affectioÌ„ for none other purpose but bycause I see that you loue Iesus Christ constauntly purely I thanke God heartely for bestowynge hys gyftes vpon you I beseche hym that this youre charitie may encrease more and more in all knowledge and in all vnderstandyng that you maye knowe vnto whome youre dutie is to minister the offices of charitie For the commaundement of charitie is that you should mynde to doo good dedes And discretion sheweth howe and where you shoulde doo good dedes Than what so euer you shall bestowe for Christes sake vpon the preachers and promotours of the ghospell it is best bestowed of all other bycause you shall receyue it agayne with greate auauntage And for this cause I wyshe and praye that you may alwayes encrease in both these gyftes so as you maye be hable to proue what is best to be done and that you maye be of a sincere affection to geue respecte to nothyng but onelye to Christe and to set out the profession of the ghospell with suche vprightnes of lyfe that you geue not any man occasion to be offended but rather allute all men to the true wourshyppe of God and so perseuer styll vnto the daye of Christes commynge that you maye than appeare ryche and aboundauntlye ful of good workes wherof in this world you make as it wer a seedenesse and shall reape the frute therof at yâ— day with moste plenteous encrease by the meritours goodnes of Iesus Christ not to the glory of you me but to the glorye and praise of god to whoÌ„ as yâ— fouÌ„taine of al goodnes al thinges are to be referred The texte I would ye should vnderstande brethren that the thynges whiche happened vnto me chaunced vnto the great furtheraunce of the ghospell So that my bondes in Christe are manifest thorow out all the iudgement hall and in al other places In so much that many of the brethren in the lorde beyng encouraged thorowe my bondes dare more boldely speake the worde wythout feare Some preache Christ of enuye and stryfe and some of good wyll The one part preacheth Christ of strife and not sincerely supposyng to adde more aduersitie to my boÌ„des Agayne the other part preache of loue because they know yâ— I am set to defend the gospel What then So that Christe be preached anye maner of waye whether it be by occasion or of true meanyng I am glad therof yea and I will be glad For I know that this shall chaunce to my saluacion thorowe your prayer and ministrynge of the spirit of Iesu Christ accordyng to my expectation and hope that in nothyng I shal be ashamed but that with all bold nesse as alwayes euen so nowe also Christ shal be magnified in my body whether it be thorow lyfe or thorowe death For Christe is to me lyfe and death is to me auauntage If it chaunce me to lyue in the fleshe that thyng is to me frutefull for the worke and what I shal chose I wote nor â—or I am coÌ„strained of these two thynges I desyre to be loâ—ced to be with Christe which is moche farre better Neuerthelesse to abyde in the fleshe is more nedfull for you And this am I sure of that I shal abyde continue with you all for youre furtheraunce and ioye of your fayth that your reioysyng maye be the more aboundant thorow Iesus Christe in me by my commyng to you agayne Now to the intent ye may the more amplye be partakers of my ioye I would ye should vnderstand brethreÌ„ that yâ— emprisonmeÌ„t fetters arraignemeÌ„tes and my other calamities wher with I was tossed turmoyled for the gospel of Christ did not only not hinder the sitting abrod coÌ„firming of the doctrine of the gospel but also happened to the great furtheraunce of it did not only not withdraw the faythfull froÌ„ the profession yâ— they had taken vpon theÌ„ but also confirmed theÌ„ in it a greate deale the more made theÌ„ more hartie of a better courage so as they vnderstode yâ— to be most vndoubtedly true yâ— I preache for yâ— which I am not afraied to suffre these thinges made theÌ„ bold to entreprise yâ— lyke by myne exaÌ„ple For this for the most part is the coÌ„men chauÌ„ce that happeneth to matters of honestye of weightye importauÌ„ce the more they are holden vnder and turmoyled hereawaye and thereawaye so muche more they come forwarde appeare not withstaÌ„ding the
gretynges to you all with myne owne hande with Paules hande I saye whome ye wel knowe Remēber my bondes whom I beare for your sake and lyue after suche sorte that I of them be not made ashamed The grace of Iesus be alwayes with you Amen Finis The argument of the Epistle of sainct Paule to the Colossians by Des Erasmus of Roterodame THe Colossians are a people of Asia the lesse dwellyng nigh vnto the Laodicians Them had not the Apostle Paul him selfe seen as whiche were instructed in the fayth of Christ either by the preachyng of Archippus or as S. Ambrose sayth of Epaphras who were with this matter put in trust In great ieopardy were these people by reason of false Apostles whiche labored to bryng them into a very pestilent opinion teachyng them that the sonne of God was not the meane and author of saluacion but that al menne haue accesse and entrie vnto the father by the healpe of Angels These men sayd further that forasmuche as in the tyme of the olde testament all thynges were done by the ministery and seruice of Angels that Christ the sonne of God was neither comen doune into the yearth nor would come Beside this the same teachers with Christes doctrine myngled Iewishnes and supersticious Philosophie obseruyng and kepyng certain pointes of the lawe supersticiously also honouryng the Sunne the Moone and starres with suche other smal trinkettes of this worlde bearyng the Colossians in hand that they wer also bound to do the same Them biddeth Paule to remembre theyr profession euidently declaryng that whatsoeuer they had vntil that tyme obtained was geuen vnto thē by none Angel but by Christ the creator of Angels that he onely was head of the churche and that saluacion shuld at nomans hand be sought for but at his in whiche treatise he also defendeth his owne authoritie against suche as laboured to empayre it After whiche he geueth them diligent warnyng to take hede lest they be deceiued with y◠high wordes of false Apostles or forged visions of angels and so by meane therof fall either to Iewishnes or els into the supersticion of Philosophie All whiche pointes Paule in the two fyrst chapiters entreateth of In the other two he exhorteth them to vertuous and godly liuyng namely geuyng rules how the wife should vse her selfe towarde her husband how the husband againe should vse his wife after what sorte the father should be towarde his children and the children likewyse towarde theyr fathers the seruaūtes to theyr maisters and the maisters to theyr seruaūtes The last part sauyng that he warneth Archippus of his duetie is all spent in commendacions This Epistle was written out of prison in Ephesus sent by Tychicus as Paule him selfe in this present epistles saieth The latine argumentes shewe that it was also sent thither by Onesimus for so him selfe writeth also in the last chapiter The Greke titles recorde that it was sent from the cytie of Rome and in deede thence sent he Onesimus whom Paule beyng prisoner there had made a christian man The paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the Epistle of the Apostle sainct Paule to the Colossians The fyrst Chapiter The texte Paule an Apostle of Iesu Christ by the wyll of God and brother Timothcus To al saintes whiche are at Colossa and brethren that beleue in Christ PAule an Ambassadour of Iesus Christ and that not by any mans ordinaunce but by the wyll of God the father and Timothe whom for perfite ronsent in preachyng the gospel I coumpt as my brother to the dwellers at Colossa whiche haue both a confidence in Iesus Christ and also accordyng to his doctrine liue a holy life nowe through like kynde of profession becomen our dearely beloued brethren The texte Grace be vnto you and peace from God our father and the lorde Iesu Christ Grace and peace be there among you from God our father that as ye are freely reconciled vnto him ye may like wyse euen as brethren that haue one comen father one towarde an other of you alwaye norishe mutual vnitie and concorde The texte We geue thankes to God the father of our lorde Iesus Christ alwayes for you in our praiers For we haue heard of your fayth in Christ Iesu and of the loue whiche ye beare to all faintes for the hopes sake whiche is layd vppe in store for you in beauen of whiche hope ye heard before by the true worde of the gospel whiche is come vnto you euen as it is fruiteful and groweth as it is also among you frō the day in the whiche ye heard of it and had experience in the grace of God through the trueth as ye lerned of Epaphra our deare felowe seruaunt whiche is for you a faythful minister of Christ whiche also declared vnto vs your loue whiche ye haue in the spirite And albeit it hath not yet hitherto been my chaunce to see you yet in my continual praiers made to God and the father of oure Lorde Iesus Christ both for your sakes I geue him thākes for his benefites bestowed vpon you and desyre him also dayly to encrease the same his giftes and also to preserue them after y◠by Epaphra we heard of your fayth wherby my trust is ye shal be saued not by helpe of Angels but through the free boūteousnes of our Sauiour Anoynted by whō it hath pleased God the father to geue vs al goodnes For him both Annoynted would he haue to be called because of him al shuld receiue helth Sauiour because no mā should elswhere looke for saluacion And by him not onely perceiued we vnderstode your cōfidence in him but also your charitie ioyned ther with whiche as Christ gaue example ye beare towarde good people carnestly mindyng to do for them not for any hoope of auauntage that ye thinke to receiue therby but in hope of the euerlasting life whiche ye wel knowe is layde vp in heauen for your godlynes And suerly īto this trust are ye broughte throughe the preachyng of Christes gospell whiche ye persuade your selfe to be a doctrin of suche trueth y◠albeit it make great promises suche as neuer were heard of before this tyme yet forsomuch as God is the author of them ye thinke that the same cannot be but true And as the same gospel throughout all the worlde hath been dayly more and more enlarged so is it now come to you euery day growyng and encreasyng more and more plentifully spreadyng it self abroade bringyng foorth the fruite of good workes whiche freely growe out of christian charitie as it hath done in you growyng styl from better to better euen synce that tyme wherin ye fyrst heard and knewe that through the free goodnes of God all their synnes are forgeuen whiche beleue the gospel if to theyr right fayth they adioyne pure vnfained charitie For so were ye taught by my dearely beloued felow in seruice and messenger of trust Epaphras who hath among you sincerely done myne office after
the countrey are called Thessalonians They whan they had once receaued the faith persisted in it with suche a constancie that they suffred accordyng to Paules example persecucions euen of their owne Citezens with a glad stomacke and without shrynkyng so as the false Apostles could turne them by no maner of perswasion from the ordinaunce of the gospell And yet Paule beeyng afrayed of it because he knewe the false Apostles ouerth wartnes wel ynough by experience inasmuche as he could not go see them himselfe he sent Timotheus by whome whan he was returned Paule hanyng reporte of theyr constancie prayseth them with thankes geuyng to God This matter he treateth of in the first and second Chapiters In the other three he instructeth them in sondrie offices of godlynesse signifying vnto them as it were with priuie ynclynges that there were some among them whiche were not yet altogether pure from all vncleane demeanoure of lyuyng and that they were not all without suche as beyng geuen to loyteryng were a chargeable burthen to others and a sorte of busye bodyes that disturbe the quietnesse of theyr congregacion he commaundeth to be correcte Moreouer where some were not of a throughly confirmed Iudgement as yet concernyng the resurreccion seyng they bewayled theyr dead frendes as though they had perished and not rather departed vnto better promocions them he enstructeth and confirmeth And on the other syde where some disputed of the daye of the Lordes commyng as though it might well haue bene foreknowen and tolde of before where as it is vncertayne to all men Paule sayeth it shal come sodaynly and whaÌ„ no man looketh for it to the intent we shoulde be the more ready at euery moment This Epistle he wrote from Athenes by Tichicus a ministre after the grekes writinges and our Latine argumentes saye also that Onesimus baxe hym cumpanye howbeit there is no certayne auctour in the commune exemplares ¶ The ende of the Argument The paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the first Epistle of the Apostle S. Paule to the Thessalonians The .i. Chapiter The texte Paul and Syluanus and Timethe Unto the congregacion of the Thessolonians in God the father and in the Lorde Iesus Christe Grace be vnto you and peace from God our father and from the Lorde Iesus Christe We geue God thankes alwaye for you all makyng mencion of you in our prayers without ceasyng and call you to remembrauÌ„ce because of the worke of your fayth and labour in loue and because ye haue continued in the hope of our Lorde Iesus Christe in the sight of God our father PAul and Siluanus and Tymothe vnto the congregacion of the Thessalonians coÌ„senting together in God the father and in our Lorde Iesus Christe wishe vnto you grace and peace We reioyce as it is conuenient we should for your good forewardenesse and rendre thankes alwayes vnto God making mencion of all you on the behalfe of you all as often as we talke with God in holy supplicacions in that it can neuer be out of our myndes how diligently you trauayled to defend the profession of your fayth than what exceding labour you toke for the loue that you beare vnto the preachers of the gospel how maÌ„fully and without shrinking you abode al thinges through the hope and expectacion of the rewardes which our Lorde Iesus Christe hath promysed in the lyfe to come vnto them that for his names sake care not for the displeasures of this lyfe You shall not lose the hyre of your well doinges for God our father that seeth vpon what respecte you did them is he that shall paye the hyre The texte We knowe brethren beloued of God howe that ye are electe For our gospell came not vnto you by woorde onely but also by power and by the holy ghost and by much certaintie as ye knowe after what maner we behaued our selfes among you for your sake And ye became folowers of vs and of the Lorde receyuing the woorde with muche affliccion with ioy of the holy ghost so that ye were an ensample to al that beleue in Macedonia and Achaia For from you sounded out the woorde of the Lorde not in Macedonia and in Achaia onely but your fayth also whiche ye haue vnto God spred herselfe abrode in all quartars so that it nedeth not vs to speake any thyng at all For they themselfes shewe of you what maner of entryng in we had vnto you howe ye turned to God from ymages for to serue the lyuing and true God and for to loke for his sonne from heauen whom he â—aysed from death euen Iesus whiche deliuereth vs from the wrath to come You your selfes knowe welbeloued brethren that you were not chaunged by the persuasion of man but that you were chosen to these purposes euen by the will of God Neither yet haue we so slenderly preached the gospell vnto you as nothyng hath been shewed vnto you sauyng bare woordes but the power of God hath confirmed our doctrine euen with euident miracles And the holy gost was also geueÌ„ by vs so that we were behinde in nothing that should in any wise make for the perfite beleuyng of the gospels doctrine For whatsoeuer they of Iewry atteined by other mens preaching thesame did you also atteine at our gospel teaching And in this behalfe how sincerely how humbly and how paynefully we behaued our selfes among you you can tell wel ynough For there was nothing whereby we myght wynne you vnto Christe but we abode it And you for your parte shewed not your selues vnto warde scholars but you folowed streyght after the example of vs yea rather not of vs but of the Lorde Iesu that humbled himselfe so lowe and suffred al thinges that he might wynne vs vnto himselfe For you haue so hartely embraced ouâ— gospell preaching that for the loue of it you haue suffred affliccions paciently howe many and howe greuouse soeuer they were not onely with muche boldenesse but also with muche gladnesse because the holy goste whom you receyued by our preaching as a pledge for the time of the felâ— citie to come hath placed himselfe in your hartes through hope of which felicitie al sorowes become swete whatsoeuer are layed vpon vs for the gospel of Christe And the valiauntnesse of your fayth was so passing excellent that you were an ensample to al the faythfull in the rest of Macedonia and Achaia For the example of that noble chiefe citie moued all mennes mindes so sore that the fame of the gospel sounded as it were the noyse of a Trompet wyde and brode and published the feruencie of your fayth that you haue to Godwaâ—de not only in Macedonia and Achaia but also in all other countreys so that nowe we see it is no nede for vs to make reporte of your godlynesse For if we begynne at any time to speake of those matters they are more readye of theyr owne mynde to tell vs being instructed by the commune brute than we can tell them howe we entred
it good to doe that by my moste faythfull companion that I coulde not doe by my selfe and to put him in stede of my selfe Therfore we taried still alone at Athenes and from thence sente Tymothe our brother a tryed minister of God and an helpefelowe of our office which we haue to doe in the gospell of Christ because we had leauer wante the comforte of that so deare a singular and so necessarie a companion for the tyme than to geue occasion that you should thinke we had vtterly geuen ouer lokyng to your state of thinges And verily we haue sente hym not for any cause of our owne but chiefly for your sakes that he myght establishe and comforte your consciences and to shewe you that for all these paynfull affliccions wherewith I am tossed hereawaye and therawaye myne harte is nothing discouraged but the glorye of the gospell is a great deale better auaunced leste any of you shoulde be dismayed by reason of myne affliccions whiche you heare tell of For you must not thinke it any neweltie though these thinges happen to the preachers of the gospell in asmuche as you knewe a good while a goe that I was chosen of god to this same ende that through suffring of affliccions of my body I myght auaunce the name of Christ and so in this behalfe to be like my Lord and maister For euen than whan we were present with you we tolde you the same before that we should suffre affliccion for the gospelles sake And as I tolde you before it should be so you see it now happened like as also you haue knowen it happen before As for me there was nothing hapened vnto me vnloked for nor any thig that I tolde not you of afore so as you haue the lesse cause to be discouraged Wherfore considering that for the great care I take for you euen whan all thing is at the surest I coulde not be quiet but long after you still I sent Tymothe as I sayed afore for this purpose that by hym as well in a maner as I were present there my selfe I might knowe the stedfastnesse of your fayth and might trye yf he that kepeth continuall watche to subuerte them that be good had tempted any of the weaker sorte of you and so in them my labour had been loste The texte But nowe lately when Timothe came from you vnto vs and declared to vs your fayth and loue and how that ye haue good remembraunce of vs alwaye desiâ—yng to see vs as we also desyre to see you Therfore brethren we receiued consolacid by you in al our aduersitie and necessitie through your fayth For nowe are we alyue yf ye stande sted fast in the Lord. For what thankes can we recompence to God againe for you ouer al that ioy that we ioy for your sakes before our God praying nyght and daye exceadyngly that we might see you presently and might fulfyll the thynges which are lackyng vnto your fayth God hymselfe our father and our Lord Iesus Christ shall gyde oure iourney vnto you the Lord also shall increace you and make you flowe ouer in loue one towarde another and towarde all men euen as we do toward you that he may make your heartes stable and vnblameable in holynes before God oure father at the commyng of our Lord Iesus Chryst with al saynâ—tes But whan Tymothe of late returned from you to vs againe and brought vs mery tydinges shewing that you persiste aswell constauntly in your fayth without shrinking as also that your vnfeyned charitie is the same that it was and that our beeyng a sondre hathe not brought vs out of remembraunce with you but that you haue vs in mynde alwayes coÌ„tinually and that you are euer desirous to see vs as we are to see you there is no necessitie nor any sorowe that I am pressed withall but I â—an heare it paciently sence I knewe that you abode constantely in your fayth whiche whan I was afrayed of I was nothing afrayed of my selfe For I thinke that I am altogether safe if your fayth continue safe Nowe we liue and thinke our selfes deliuered from al maner of dauÌ„gter in case you through the helpe of Christ Iesu persiste constantly in yâ— you haue begun It yrketh not me to suffre these euils so that the frutes be answerable in you for whose sakes I abyde them Whiche thyng for asmuche as I perceyue to be in dede so as the gospel groweth in acquayntaunce among the Gentiles dayly more and more what thankes worthy so great a benefite are we able to reÌ„dre vnto God by whose goodnes so excellent ioy wherwith we reioyce withal our hartes for your foreward proceding chaunceth vnto vs euen among these sorowes our God bearyng recorde of the same vnto whose goodnesse you are bounde for that you continue stedfaste of whome oure duetie is in our prayers daye and nighte to desyre this thing in more ample wise that by his mercy we may at one tyme or other see you agayne For with personall presence some thing is doen that nother letters nor messenger how trustie so euer he be can be hable to accomplishe For this cause sake therfore I am desirous to see you to the entent if any gospellyke discipline be wanting I might supplie it and amende it Furthermore my prayer is that where I caÌ„not so doe by meanes of wicked persones God himselfe our father and his sonne Iesus Christe our Lorde would vouchesafe to take awaye those lettes open me a free passage vnto you and also in the meane season so to encreace you with his gyftes that I may see you to my great comforte Which thyng shal be in case he make you aboundaunte and plenteouse in mutuall charitie among your selues and not among your selues only but also towardes all men like as we also haue a certayne excellencie of loue towardes all you beyng ready euen to suffre death for your saluacion and that he would so confirme your consciences that your vprightenesse cannot be blamed on any behalfe not only with menne but muche rather with God the father whom nothing escapeth in the cumming of our Lorde Iesus Christe at which time it shall openly appeare in the sight of all Sainctes not only what euery one hath doen but also with what conscience euery one hath done it ¶ The .iiii. Chapter The texte Furthermore we beseche you brethren and exhorte you by the Lord Iesus â–ª that ye increace more and more euen as ye haue receyued of vs how ye ought to walke and to please God For ye knowe what commaundementes we gaue you by our Lord Iesus Christ For this is the will of God euen your holynes that ye should abstaine from fornicacyon and that euery one of you should know how to kepe his vessel in holynes honour not in the luste of concupiscence as doe the hethen which know not God that no man opresse and defraude his brother â—â—â— bargayning because that the Lord is the auenger
immortall life it foloweth of necessitie that we ought to beleue also that god the father whiche raysed vp Iesus wil also bring with him those that professed Iesus and slept in the assured truste of his promyses alyue agayne at the commyng of his sonne so as the heade shal not wante his membres We bable not vnto you an humayne fable but we tell you the thyng that we learned of Christe hymselfe that is to wete that we whiche shall be founde remaining aliue in this world at the lordes cōming shal not be presented in the sight of Iesus before that they whiche were dead afore be presented also Some wil saye how shall it be possible for them to be presented that were buried and turned into duste Euen the Lorde Iesus himselfe by the voyce of the aungell soundyng out of heauen with the trompette of God shal rayse them vp and warne them to awake and come quickly And than suche as had slept in this hope shall returne agayne vnto lyfe and ryse out of theyr graues And that doen we that shall remayne and bee founde alyue in the cumming of Christ shall be sodainly taken vp together with them that are raised againe vnto life through the cloudes that wē may mete the Lorde in the ayer And from thence he shal carrye vs with him into heauen to liue with him perpetuallie Now therfore see you comfort euery one another with these sayinges so as the death of the godly vere you not to sore inasmuche as it is more worthy gratulacions and reioycinges than your sorowfull lamentacions The .v. Chapter The texte Fynally of the tymes and seasons brethren it is no neade that I wryte vnto you ▪ for ye your selues knowe perfectly that the daye of the Lorde shall come euen as a thefe in the nyght For when they shal saye peace and al thynges are safe then shal soden destruccyon come vpon them as sorow commeth vpon a woman trauaylyng with chylde they shal not scape But ye brethren are not in darcaenes that that daye should come on you as a thefe NOw you haue the manier and ordre of the resurreccion inasmuche as it was conuenient for you to knowe it But as for the tymes and the very seasons whan these thinges shal be it is no parte of our office to write vnto you And it is so vnauayleable that euen the lord himself would open no suche thyng vnto his disciples whan they demaunded it of hym For you knowe playnlye and we haue taught you before that the daye of the Lorde shal come sodaynely vpon the world vnloked for euen as a thefe in the night breaketh in vpon them that are aslepe and shall ouerlaye them that are careles than moste chiefely whan it shall be the least loked for For whan suche as beleue not the ghospel shal saye in theyr moste Ioylytie there is no daungier but all is peace and safe the Lord wyll not come than theyr destruccion shall come sodainlye vpon them like as a woman with childe is sodainly payned with sorowe in her trauayle before the daye commeth that she loked for And they shall haue no waye to escape oppression before they fele it sodainly vpon them That daye shall be a dreadful daye to them that beyng blynded in theyr owne viciousnes leade their lyfe as it were in the night but vnto you brethren it is not so dreadefull leste it should take you vnprouyded The texte Ye are all the chyldren of lyght and the chyldren of the daye We are not of the nyght nether of darkenes Therfore let vs not slepe as do other but let vs watche and be sober For they that slepe slepe in the night and they that be drōcken are droncken in the nyght But let vs whiche are of the daye be sober armed with the brest place of fayth and loue with hope of saluacion for an helmet For God hath not appoynted vs to prouoke wrath vnto oure selues but to obtayne saluacyon by the meanes of oure Lord Iesu Chryst which dyed for vs that whether we wake of slepe we should lyue together with hym Wherfore comforte your selues together and edifye euery one another euen as ye do For all you that folowe Christe belong not to the kyngdome of darkenes but to the kyngdome of light and of god namely yf oure diligence of godlynesse be aunswerable to our profession and yf we lyue so as it maye appere that we watche in the dayelight and not lye snourtyng in darkenesse Therfore if we wil not be taken vnwares let vs not sleape as other do that haue no knowlage of Christes lyght but let vs watche and be sobre taking alwayes circumspect hede that we cōmit nothing through vnaduisednesse that maye offende the iyes of God and men For like as they that slepe after the bodie sleape in the night and those that are wynedrunken are drunken in the night euen so those that yawne and slumbre in naughtinesse are occupied in darkenesse of the soule and those that are drunken with the lustes daliaunces of the worlde are entangled with darkenes of the mynde But as for vs vnto whom the daie of the gospel hath cast his light it standeth vs in hande to be sobre and watchyng alwayes prepared and ready agaynst the sodayne assaulte of the enemie that kepeth continuall watche for oure destruccion and to be harnessed with spirituall armour In steade of a breste plate to put on fayth and charitie for the helmet hope of eternall saluacion And than shall you not nede to distruste God will be ready himselfe to defend those that be watching For god hath not called vs to the doctrine of the gospell for this purpose that lyuing otherwyse than it maketh mencion we should double the wrathe and vengeaunce of God vpon vs but that in obeying hym we might obteyne saluacion by the helpe of our Lorde Iesus Christ who suffred death for vs to the intēt that if it chaunce vs to lyue we maye lyue with hym through godlynesse and hope of immortalitie and if it chaunce vs to dye we maye lyue with hym neuer to dye To thintent that you maye so do more and more encourage euery one other with mutuall exhortacions and styrre one another to goe on forwarde like as you do alreadye euen of your owne accorde The texte We beseche you brethren that ye knowe them which laboure among you and haue the ouersight of you in the Lorde and geue you exhortacion that ye haue them in hye repucacion thorow loue for theyr workes sake and be at peace with them Furthermore we beseche you brethren to haue cōsideracion of them that labour among you and haue ouersight of you in teachyng of the ghospell and do admonishe you with what thynges you ought to please Christ that where you are bounden to geue honoure vnto all men yet haue them in regarde aboue others requiting thē the loue that they bestowe vnto you in susteynyng so many laboures and daungiers for your
sakes And yf they reproue you for your faultes at any tyme yet haue peace with them For he is not worthye to be hated that reproueth a man for his profite The texte We desyre you brethren warne them that are vnruelye comforte the feble mynded lyfte vp the weake be pacient towarde all men Se that none recompence euyll for euyll vnto any man but euer folowe that whiche is good both among your selues and to all men Reioyce euer Praye continually In all thynges geue thankes For this is the wyll of God thorow Christ Iesu towarde you Quenche not the spirite Despyse not prophecyinges Eramen all thynges kepe that whiche is good Abstayne from all euel apperaunce The very god of peace sanctifie you thorowe out And I praye God that youre whole spirite and soule and bodye maye be preserued so that in nothyng ye maye be blamed in the commyng of our Lorde Iesus Christ Faythfull is he whiche called you whiche will also do it Brethren praye for vs. Grete all the brethren with an holy kysse I charge you in the Lorde that this Epistle be red vnto all the holy brethren The grace of the Lorde Iesus Christ be with you Amen And thus I beseche you euerye man accordyng to his habilitie to laye your helpyng handes to the forewardyng of their offices Admonishe them that lyue after their owne lustes and disquiet the ordre that you obserue Comforte the weake harted releue the feble be gentill and paciēt towardes all men not onely towardes the Christians but also them that are straungers from Christ Beware that none recompense wrong for wrong nor requite euill dede for euill dede For truely it is vnsemyng to folowe the ecample of naughtie persones in a naughty matier and become lyke condicioned vnto them But rather geue diligence to do good vnto all folkes not onely the christians vnto christians but also vnto all maner of folkes whether they haue deserued it or not deserued it beyng certaynly assured that your diligence shall not be lost for Christ is your suertie In consideracion wherof whatsoeuer chaunceth vnto you reioyce alwayes so that godlynesse bee safe call vpon God with your prayers continually without ceassyng and geue thankes whatsoeuer befalleth you For so it standeth with gods pleasure that there shall be occasion alwayes to rendre thankes vnto the father for his bounteousnes to you warde by Iesus Christe And this furthermore standeth you in hande to take hede of that no variaunce rise among you by reason of euery ones sondrye sortes of giftes Vnto some one chaunceth the gift of tongues to syng in the spirite albeit it is but a gift of the basest sorte yet quenche it not in any wise but cherishe it rather that it maye profyte better and better Vnto some chaunceth the gifte of prophecie to declare the misticall sence of the scripture reiecte it not in any wyse whatsoeuer is spoken Suffre the one paciently that he maye go on forwarde heare the others setence with iudgement but after suche sorte that he be not to muche molested in his speakyng Let no mā make so muche of his owne giftes that he contemne another mannes Trye al thynges but let euery man holde the thing that he iudgeth requisite Whatsoeuer it be that hath the similitude of a good thyng is not to be despised Notwithstandyng it behoueth you to abhorre so muche from euil that you ought to absteyne euen from those thynges that haue the shewe of euill But vnto these matters it shall be your parte to applie all your diligent studies And god the auctor of peace vnto whō is acceptable both the lyke consent of mynde the like speache of wordes that mē do wholy vse together in suche thynges as be honest bryng to passe that you maye be perfitely holy vnspotted so as the soule maye be answerable vnto the spirite the body aunswerable to the soule the spirite selfe answerable to God y◠there be nothyng to fynde you faultie in that you maye styll perseuer in this state of holynesse continually vntil the cumming of our lord Iesus Christ There is no cause for you to distruste of For he is sure of his promyse that hath called you vnto this holynesse to the rewardes of the same he hymselfe shall finishe that he hath begonne and perfourme that he hath promised Brethren helpe you forewarde with your prayers the labours that we go aboute Salute all the brethren with a kysse not suche a one as the commune sorte of salutours doe geue but with an holye kysse and worthy Christian loue I charge you by the Lorde that this Epistle be rehearsed to al the holy brethren The grace and beneuolent fauour of our Lorde Iesu Christe be alwayes with you Amen Thus endeth the paraphrase vpon the first Epistle of S. Paul the Apostle to the Thessalonians The Argument vpon the seconde Epistle of S. Paul the Apostle to the Thessalonians by Des Erasmus of Roterodame FOrasmuche as Paul coulde not haue libertie to goe see the Thessalonians agayne he confirmeth their consciences by Epistle that they myght manfully suffre the affliccions layed vpon them for Christes sake seeyng that they shall not want reward nor the aduersaries escape punishmēt Againe concerning the daye of the Lordes cumming wherof he touched somewhat in the farther Epistle he warneth them that they be not styrred with the sayinges of some that affirme as though it were at hande and as some thinke signifieth closely that the Empire of Rome must be first dispatched and Antichriste to come after that Moreouer he beateth into theyr heades very earnestly to restrayne suche as with their idlenes nice curiositie haue been disturbours of the commune quietnes and ordre and to enforce them vnto labour in asmuche as Paul himselfe laboured among them with his owne handes This Epistle he wrote from Athens by thesame men that he sente the farther Epistle by as it is recorded by our argumentes The ende of the argumente The paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the. ii Epistle of S. Paul to the Thessalonians The fyrste Chapiter The texte Paul Syluanus Timothe Vnto the congregacion of the Thessaloniās in god our father and in the Lord Iesus Christ Grace be vnto you and peace from god our father from the Lord Iesus Christ We are bound to thanke God alwayes for you brethren as it is mete because that your fayth groweth exceadyngly and euery one of you swymmeth in loue toward another betwene your selues so that we our selues boast of you in the congregacions of God ouer your pacience and fayth in all your persecucyons and tribulacyons that ye suffer whiche is a token of the ryghtewes iudgement of God that ye are counted worthy of the kyngdome of God for which ye also suffer It is verely a ryghtewes thynge with God to recompence tribulacion to them that trouble you and to you which are troubled rest with vs when the Lord Iesus shal shewe hymselfe from heauen with
the angels of hys power with flaminge fyre whiche shall rendre vengeaunce vnto them that knowe not God and that obey not the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Chryst whiche shal be punyshed with euerlastinge damnacyon from the presence of the Lorde and from the glorye of his power when he shall come to be glorifyed in hys saynctes and to become maruelous in al them that beleue because our testimonye that we had to you was beleued euen thesame daye Wherfore also we praye alwayes for you that our God wyll make you worthy of thys callyng and fulfyll all delectacyon of goodnes and the woorke of fayth with power that the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ maye be glorifyed by you and ye by hym accordynge to the grace of our God and of the Lord Iesus Christ PAul and Siluanus and Tymothe vnto the company of the faithfull that are assembled in spirite at Thessalonica and be of one mynde towardes god our father and the Lord Iesus Chryst We are bounden to render aboundaunt thankes alwayes to god for his aboundaunt liberalytie to you warde in that you dooe not onelye through his helpe continue stedfaste in those thinges that you haue begon but also for that you daylye encreace excedinglye more and more in faythe and loue among your selues one to an other so muche that I thynke it not necessarie now to kyndle you vnto the applyeng of godlynes by the examples of other seyng we rather make boaste of you to the other coÌ„gregacions of god and enflame other vnto vertue by your example in rehearsing your pacience stedfastenes of faythe in all your persecucions and affliccions which you suffer that the iuste iudgemeÌ„t of god may be declared in you hereafter at suche tyme as whan you haue suffred vexacioÌ„ in this world for yâ— glory of his name he shal admit you into the felowshipe of hys kingdome And contrary wyse shall commit them vnto eternal punnyshement that haue persecuted you for malice of him For certaynly thys shall be the dealing of goddes righteousnes to pay vnto either parte rewarde worthie their dedes to them that punnyshe the innocent affliccion and to bestowe vnto you that are troubled with vs refreshing and comforte with vs in that daye whan the promisses of the gospel shall appeare and whan the Lorde Iesus shal shew himselfe out of heauen openly vnto the world not than after a lowe base degre as he did at his first commyng but waited vpon with the companyes of angelles as it is comelye for a myghtie prince nor than gentill and tractable to heale the wicked but armed with an horrible fierie flame to rendre vengeaunce vnto them that would not knowe god in this world nor obeye the gospel of our Lorde Iesus Chryste so as they shall fele by experience that he is righteous and mightie whom being mercifull and gentill they set naught by and so as at leaste they maye learne by their owne punyshmentes perforce to confesse the thinges to be true that the gospel spake of For they inasmuch as they neuer made end of their wicked doing shal suffer paines yâ— neuer shal haue ending whan they haue loked vpon the diuine face of the lorde and the maiestie of his power whoÌ„ thei coÌ„temned in this world as a rascal or a vile persone For at his first commyng he came to saue al men but than he shal come to shewe him selfe gloryous not in himselfe onely but in al his membres also that are godly people to the intent he may appeare wonderful in al them that beleue his gospel For in that daye the thinges shal be openly seen of al men in you which trusted in Christ at our recorde bearing where yâ— vngodly contemned them and would not beleue which daye that it maye be prosperous and ioyfull vnto you we ceasse not to praye to the lord continually for you that forasmuche as it hath pleased him to call you vnto the hope of thys glorye the same maye vouchesafe also to bee presentlye ready to helpe you in your trauaile thitherwarde that your conuexsacion be agreable to your profession and to consuÌ„mate and fynishe perfitely that which of his goodnesse he hath begonne in you and to geue strength vnto your soules that in manfullye bearing the vexations of the vngodly you maye declare howe myghtye the assured hope of eternal felycitie is in you for whose sake you passe not euen vpon the life of your bodies to the intent yâ— like as Christ glorified the father by his death was glorified of hym agayne by his resurreccion so the name of the lord Iesu Christ maye be glorified now by your sufferaunce and you glorified agayn by him in the daye of his commyng not accordyng to your owne desertes but according to the mercy of our god and of the Lorde Iesu Christe without whose helpe all that you go about were of none effect The. ii Chapiter The text We beseche you brethren by the commyng of oure Lord Iesu Chryste and in that we shal assemble vnto him that ye be not sodenly moued from your mynde nor be troubled nethâ—r by spirite neyther by wordes nor yet by letter which shulde some to come from vs as though thâ— daye of Chryst were at hande Let no man deceaue you by any meanes for the Lorde shal not come except ther come a departyng fyrst and that the synful man be opened the soone of perdicyon which is an aduersary and is eralted aboue al that is called God or that is worshipped so that he doth syt in the temple of God boastynge hymselfe to bee God Remember ye not that when I was yet with you I tolde you these thynges And nowe ye know what with holdeth euen that he myght be vttered at his tyme. For the mistery of the unquite doeth all ready worcke tyll he which now onelye letteth be taken out of the waâ—e And thâ—n shall that wycked bevttred whom the Lorde shal consume with the spirite of hys mouth and shall destroye with the appeareaunce of his commynge FVrthermore brethren we besech you by this coÌ„myng of our Lorde Iesu Christ wherof we spake a littell afore and by the felowship of the glory wherby we being the membres shal be fastened vnto our head that you be not sodaynlye moued from the mynde you are in though his commyng be prolonged and be not astonyed in your myndes nether by feyned prophecie ne by probable assercioÌ„ nor by Epistle seÌ„t in our name as though the commyng of the Lorde were all ready at hand Let no maÌ„ deceaue you by any meanes For the lorde shal not come onles a departing come first not afore the wicked man appeare the childe of perdicion who like as he is much vnlike vnto Christe so muche is he his enemy is exalted aboue the soÌ„ne of God aboue al that is called God or power that is deuoutly wurshipped so muche that he shall sitte in the temple of God shewing himselfe as God Doe you not
remembre that whaÌ„ I was yet with you I told you these thinges And now you know what is the let that Christ cummeth not In dede that the wicked man as I saied afore may in his propre tyme openly practise his tyranny vpon the Sainctes For now wickednesse worketh his crueltie vnderhand by him and the deuill by wicked menne rageth against the professours of the gospell and as you perceyue by my tellyng there is nothyng that letteth the aduersarie of Christe from shewyng himselfe openly but only that in the meane while euery one should holde still that he holdeth vntil that kingdome wherwith all other are holden in subieccion be dispatched quyte out of the waye And as soone as that shall come to passe than shall that wicked one shew himselfe abrode openly furnished with al kynde of iuggling castes and wylie disceytes to bryng mankynde to destruccion But for all his rageing with his deuilish spirite the Lord Iesus shall cheoke him with the mightie blast of his mouthe and for all his bostyng of his false counterfaite shew of diuinitie the Lorde shall obscure and abolishe him with the excellente clearenes of his cummyng euen as monstreous sightes of the night time and vayne appearaunces of thinges vanishe and goe a waye at the shynyng out of the bright sonne beames The texte Euen hym whose cumming is after the workyng of Satan with all lying power signes and woonders and with all deceyuabâ—enes of vntyghtewesnes among them that perish because they receyued not the loue of the trueth that they might be saued And therfore God shall sende them strong delusion that they should beleue lyes that all they might be damned whiche beleued not the trueth but had pleasure in vnrightewesnes But we are bounde to geue thankes alwaye to God for you brethren beloued of the Lord for because that God hath from the begynnyng chosen you to saluacion thorow sanctifyeng of the spirite and thorow beleuyng of the trueth wherunto he called you by oure Gospel to obtayn the glory of our lorde Iesu Christ For that wylie deceiuer shall at his cuÌ„ming be furnyshed with the spirite of Satan for the Deuil shal practise his crueltie by him And to the intente he maye the more cruelly worke his myschiefe he shall not onely be armed with a puyssaunt great power to make mens consciences afrayed but also with lyeng countrefaict castes of signes and wondres wherin he shall pretende to folowe Christ euen as the learned enchauntours folowed the example of Moses among the Egipcians To be briefe there shall be no kynde of fraude but he shal be perfitely conyng in it to worke wickednesse Howbeit it shal not availe him in any wise but only to the hurting of such as perishe though he were not through their owne vnbelefe For thus their obstinate rebellion against Christ demeriteth this is a reward worthy their desertes that seing they receiued not Christ by whom they might haue been saued who for his charitie sake was desyrous to haue al meÌ„ne saued for his trueth sake opened playnly the thinges that belonged to saluacion now by the suffraunce of God falsehead taketh place with theÌ„ in stede of trueth tyranny for charite a destroyour for a saue our and so as thei shal beleue a wicked maÌ„s lyenges inasmuch as thei refused to beleue the sonne of God that preached nothing but truth Thus shal it come to passe that where thei should otherwise haue also perished because of their obstinate mysbelefe than it shall manifestly appeare in all mennes sight that they are iustly damned forasmuche as they spightfully forsoke Christe and gaue credence at the first woorde to a craftie deceiuour and a wicked person This stormy tempest lyke as it shal declare them worthy damnacioÌ„ so shall it sette forth your stedfastnesse more clearely By reason whereof we are bounde to rendre alwayes thankes vnto God my christianly welbeloued brethren in that he suffred you not to continue still in errour but chosed you vnto saluacion from the beginning not by the meanes of Moses law but by his owne spirite the geuer of holynes and by your obedience wherwith you beleued the trueth simply and playnly Besydes this lyke as he chosed you eternally from the begynning so dyd he call you by our gospell preaching to the intent the saluacion of you whiche beleued whan the Iewes beleued not should growe to the glorye of our Lorde Iesus Christe The texte Therfore brethren stande fast and kepe the ordinaunces which ye haue learned whether it were by oure preachynge or by Epistle Oure Lorde Iesu Christ hymselfe and God our father which hath loued vs and hath geuen vs euerlastyng consolacyon and good hope thorowe grace comforte youre hertes and stablyshe you in all good saying and doynge The gospell that I delyuered vnto you was the true and very right gospell so that there is none other that you ought to loke for Therfore stand fast in it brethren and holde the thinges that we delyuered vnto you and that you learned of vs eyther by our preachyng or by our Epistle Vnto those it shall be your parte to applie your endeuour with all watching diligence Moreouer the Lord Iesus Christ himselfe and god oure father which loued vs of his owne accorde and called vs vnto saluacion and by his spirite hathe geuen vs eternall consolacion euen in these affliccions to loke in good hope for the rewardes of the life in heauen not by meanes of our deseruinges but by his owne free mercie conforte your hartes more and more and establishe and confirme you to perseuer in all goodnes both in worde and in dede The .iii. Chapter The texte Furthermore brethren praye ye for vs that the worde of God maye haue passage and be gloryfyed as it is also with you and that we maye be delyuered from vnreasonable and froward men For al men haue not fayth but the Lord is faythfull which shall stablyshe you and preserue you from cuyll We haue confydence thorowe the Lorde to you warde that ye bothe do and wyl do the thynges which we commaunde you And the Lorde gyde your hertes to the loue of God and pacience of Chryste FVrthermore brethren like as we in oure supplicacions to god helpe foreward the busynesse of your saluacion euen so it is reasoÌ„ that you in semblable case set forward the thinges that I goe about with your prayers to him also that like as the doctrine of the gospel had spedy prosperous encrease among you so it may runne abrode and be published among all menne For the more spedynesse whereof praye you that we maye through his helpe be delyuered from suche men as be peruerse and frowarde whiche hyndre withall theyr possible meanes that the doctrine of Christe be not sowen without lette or hinderaunce For all they beleue not the Gospell that heare the Gospell and yet there is no cause why you should not beleue for all theyr wicked endeuours They spurne against the Gospell but they
lawe that interpreteth the lawe contrary to Christes mynde Howbeit we speake not thus as though we condemned the law of Moses The texte ¶ We knowe that the lawe is good yf a man vse it lawfully knowynge this how that the lawe is not geuen vnto a ryghteous man but vnto the vnryghteous and dysobedient to the vngodly and to synners to vnholy and vncleane to murtherers of fathers murtherers of mothers to mansâ—ears to whormongers to them that defyle theÌ„selues which mankynde to menstealers to lyars to periured and yf there be eny other thing that is coÌ„trarye to the holsome doctrine accordynge to the gospel of the glorye of the blessed God whiche gospel is committed vnto me And I thancke Christe Iesus our Lorde with hath made me stronge for he counted me true and put me in offyce where as before I was a blasphemer and a persecuter and a syraunt But I obtayned mercy because I dyd it ignorauntlye thorowe vnbelefe Neuerthelesse the grace of our Lorde was exceadynge aboundaunt with faith and loue whiche is by Christ Iesu We doe bothe knowe and acknowledge that the law is good onles it be vnlawfully vsed And he is an abusour of the lawe that expoundeth it otherwyse than it meaneth it selfe The chiefest purpose of the lawe was to lede vs vnto Christ So that he turneth the lawe whiche is good into his owne destruccioÌ„ that by the lawe draweth folkes awaye from Christ And he that dyscerneth and espieth in what behalfe the law that was geuen but for a tyme must geue place to the gospell and in what parte it oughte to continue in his perpetuall strenght he that vnderstandeth after what sorte to applye the grosse lettre of the lawe vnto the spirituall doctrine of the gospel and he that perceaueth how they whome Christ hath redemed with his bloude from the tyrannye of synne and doe more vpon their owne accorde at the mocion of loue than Moses law appointeth haue no nede of the feare nor admonicion of the lawe eyther to be restrayned from naughtines or stiered to their duetye doyng to him in dede the lawe is good For he vnderstandeth that the lawe belongeth not to him that hathe learned by the gospell not onely to hurte no bodye but also to doe good vnto his enemyes Wherto shoulde an horse nede brydle or spurre that runneth frely and well as he shoulde doe They that are ledde and ordred by the spirite of Christ runne vncompelled and doe more than al the whole law requireth and hauyng once frely atteyned ryghteousnes abhorte from all vnryghteousnes Therfore the lawe that by feare restrayneth from euyll doinges is not geuen in any wyse vnto them that doe wyllynglye and gladly that whiche the lawe requireth althoughe they haue not the wordes of the law For whom thaÌ„ is the lawe ordayned Veraylye vnto them that turne the deafe eare towardes the lawe of nature and beyng without loue readyly enclyned to al myscheafe are guyded by their owne lustes onles they be holden backe with the barre of the lawe And in case the lawe suffre them to synne vnpunished thaÌ„ they returne by and by to their owne dysposicion and become the same openly that they wer inwardelye that is to saye vniuste rebelles wycked and vngodlye dysobedieÌ„t impure kyllers of fathers and mothers horemongers defylers of themselues with mankynde man robbyng theues lyers and periured persons The threatnynges of the lawe were iustlye obiected against the Iewes because they were prone to these myschiefes to restraine their slauyshe vyle natures from these wicked dooinges before rehearsed for feare of punyshement all other maner of naughtines that is againste the excellent lawe of the gospell whiche Moses gaue vs not but the blessed god him selfe delyuered vs by his onely sonne Iesus The Iewes make boaste that their law is glorious the lawe that we haue is muche more glorious They bragge of their autor Moses and wee with a great deale iuster cause boaste of our autor god and Christ They preache the lawe of Moses yâ— restrayneth a certaine sorte of great notable crymes through punyshement and I preache the lawe of the gospell whiche dyspatcheth all lustes at once that are contrarye to true godlynes And who is their autour of preachynge Moses lawe leat them loke to that them selues But in dede I am put in trust to preache this honourable myghtye puyssaunte gospell that nedeth none ayde of the law and it was not coÌ„mitted vnto me by men but by god him selfe not that I thinke me worthye in any condicion to haue so weightye a matter committed vnto me It was not of my deseruynge but of the goodnesse of god vnto whome I rendre thankes for geuing strenght vnto suche a wretched bodye as I am so ferre vnmete for this office to glorifye Iesus Christe our Lorde whose busynes I doe faithfully lyke a faithfull seruaunt and yet I chalenge none other commendacion to my selfe but that lyke as he hathe thought me a faithfull minister to preache the gospell euen so doe I syncerelye and vnfeynedlye laboure in the office that he hathe put me in trust withal without any folowynge of their example that preache Moses lawe to Christes reproche onely seruyng their owne gayne and the glorye of them selues and not of Iesus Christ I confesse that in tymes past I was ledde in the same blyndenes that they are as long as I continued in the zeale of the lawe of the fathers I was a blasphemer against the name of Christ I was so cruell a persecutour that I coulde neuer lynne doynge of vyolence For I persecuted the springing glorie of yâ— gospel not onely with braulinges but also eueÌ„ vnto enprisonynge and murtherynge Yet hitherto I am behynde these men in nothing peraduenture in this case I am to be preferred before them inasmuche as I dyd these thinges by the onely symple stickyng to the lawe throughe errour and ignoraunce inasmuche as I was not yet called to the feloweshyp of the gospell But they haue once professed Christ and yet beyng enemyes of his glorye and to muche desyrous of their owne doe of a malicious obstinacie cloute in the vnprofitable burthen of Moses lawe And for this cause sake seyng I dyd thus onely of ignoraunce God had mercye vpon me wher as they are blynded euery daye more and more The more feruentlye that I fought than for the lawe agaynst Christ the more hartylye do I nowe defende the doctrine of Christ against the affirmours of the law For in stede of that earnest vehement studye of the law whiche is to be put awaye grace hathe succeded haboundauntly And in stedde of the trustyng of the lawe the faithfull trustyng in Christ is commen in place In stede of the malicious hatred of the Iewes charitie towardes all men is entred whiche we haue obteyned bothe by the example and gyfte of Christ The texte ¶ This is a true sayinge and by all meanes worthye to be receaued of vs that Christ Iesus
opinions and dysputacions beynge come in vre the strength of the ghospels doctrine is ouerwhelmed obscured and growen out of vse For the talke of suche men in case it once occupie the eares and myndes of the symple it wyll alwayes crepe further and further none otherwyse than a Canker in a bodye ceasseth not to occupie the nere partes by lytell and lytle tyll it haue marred all So that a myschiefe is muche more to be loked to incontinent at the beginnyng and to be cut of rather than chearished afore it take roote Suppose that I am afrayed of these matters wyth oute cause excepte that wee haue all readye seene in Hymeneus and Philetus the thyng that I am afrayed of For they while they treate of the matter of fayth with humaiue disputacions haue â—â—ted so ferre wyde frome the truth of the ghospell that they haue denyed the chiefe poynte and foundacion of the ghospell saying that the resurrection is already fynished in Christe and none other resurreccion to be loked for on our behalfes than that wherby we are in a maner borne a newe and lyue agayne in our children representyng vs. They consyder not in the meane season that take awaye the resurrection that the feare and hope of rewardes is taken awaye also why che abyde after sondry sortes for the godly and vngodly This myschiefe were the more tolerable but that they beyng subuerted them selues-subuerted the fayth of some other with their doctrine But there is no perill lefte-theyr peruersitie shoulde cleane turne the trueth of the gospel vpside downe though mennes opinions wauer vp and downe yet truely the foundacion of faythe beyng throughe the helpe of Christ cast and defenced standeth firme and can not be shronken with any resistences of heretikes For vnto it is thys sentence engâ—auen as it were a stone and can neuer be scraped out The Lorde knoweth who be his owne and leate euery one departe from iniquitie that professethâ— the name of Christe It is no maruayle though they departe frome Christe that were neuer syncerely ioyned vnto Christe But from these mens doctrine ought euery one to absteyne that haue once beleued the ghospell with a pure fayth In dede it is to be wyshed with all desyres that no suche pestilence spryng vp in the congregation Howbeit it can not possiblye be but in suche a multitude of men we must suffer some naughtie packes myngled among the good Yea and theyr naughtines is turned into good of the godlye in that beyng vered of suche they expresse the constauncie of their fayth more largelye So in a riche mans great house there be not only vesselles of gold and siluer but also of wood and of earthe whereof some be appoynted to honest vse and some to vnhonest This onely difference there is that suche as be naturally of claye or of wood can not be turned in to golde or syluer But in this case forasmuche as it is a matier of the wyll and not of nature he that throughe hys owne vyce hathe made himselfe a vessell of shame maye by the helpe of God begynne agayne to be a vessell of honour And contrarywyse that folower of godlynes that hath bene a golden vessell in the house of God in case throught his faulte he slyde agayne vnto vngodlynes shal be a vessell of shame Vnbelefe desyre of aduauncemente crueltie luste andsuche lyke deseases of mynde make a man to be a vessel of shame From the which who so shal vtterly purge hym selfe and returne vnto innocencie and godlynes no doubte he shal be a vessell of honoure and a pure vessell fytte for excellent good vses and alwayes ready for his lorde as often as nede shall requyre The texte Lustes of youth auoyde but folow righteousnes fayth loue and peace with them that call on the Lorde with a pure heart Falyshe and vnlerned questiones put from the knowyng that they do but gendre stryfe The seruaunt of the Lorde must not stryue but be gentile to all men apte to teache and one that can suffre the euill with mekenes â— can informe theÌ„ that resist the trueth yf that God at any tyme wyl geue theÌ„ repeÌ„taunce for to knowe yâ— truth and that they maye come to theÌ„ selues agayne oute of the snare of the deuill whiche are holden captiue of him at his will I knowe that youth is prouoked with sondrye lustes that maye drawe a man to vncleanesse But thou that exercisest the office of an Elder auoyde all lustes of youthe rather folowe the thynges that worthyly beseme thee righteousenes fayth charitie and peace with them that professe Christe with a pure herte With suche as Hymeneus is haue thou nothynge to doe Innocencie synneth not fayth disputeth not charitie is not statelye peace stryueth not Tâ— be shorte receyue no folyshe and vnlerned questions that haue more ostentacion than wisedom knowyng that of suche nothing elles spryngeth but chyding and braulyng whylest the heate of disputacion breaketh oute alwayes more and more the matter at last groweth vnto rageyng madnesse and so that none wyll geue place to other but had rather moste stubburnely defende the parte that he knoweth to be false than to be taken for the lesse learned With thys kynde of men therfore thou shalte not meddle whan it is not possyble to ouercome them Christe perswaded not the worlde by this waye He ouercame with sobrenesse and gentilnes and his voyce was not hearde in the stretes And so it becometh the seruaunt to folowe his maisters fote steppes and not to be abrauler but peaceable and gentle towardes all men for that man doth perswade with more ease that is praysed for his charitie and sobrenes beynge ready rather to teache than to chyde patient in suffryng euill and not a prouoker and suche a one as correcteth more saddely than sharpely those that be resistoures expressyng himselfe to meane nothyng elles in all his muche a do but to bring them to amendement For no man ought to be despaired of rashely For it maye be that throughe sobre and frendelye correccion God maye geue them repentaunce of their former errours and whan the darkenesse of mynde is wyped awaye they maye acknowledge and embrace the trueth which before they impugned and at laste beyng repentaunte and as it were awakyng frome the heauye slepe of ignoraunce they maye rushe out of the deuilles snare whiche vndoubtedlye are naughtye lustes wherein beyng catched before they were caried about at his pleasure yea euen vnto persecutyng the trueth of the ghospell ¶ The .iii. Chapter The texte This know that in the last dayes shall come perelous tymes For men shal be louers of their owne selues couetous bosters proud curssed speakers disobedient to fathers mothers vnthankeful vngodly vnkynde trucebreakers false accusers riotous searce despisers of theÌ„ whiche are good tray tours heady hye myuded gredy vpon volupreousnes more then the louers of God hauyng a silmilitude of godlynes but haue denyed the power therof and suche abhorre For of this sort
holy scriptures whiche are able to make the learned vnto saluacyon thorowe the fayth whiche is in Christ Iesu All scripture geuen by inspiration of God is profitable to teache to improue to amend to instruct in righte wisues that the man of god maye be perfecte and prepared vnto all good workes But see that thou continue in those thynges whiche thou hast learned of me and be vpright in the office coÌ„mitted vnto the in asmuche as thou knowest the doctrine and ordinaunce that thou hast to be vndoubted in case thou remeÌ„brest both of what autor it proceded and of what teacher thou learnedst it and if thou hast not forgotten the holy scriptures which thou learnedst long a go of thine elders in the tender yeares of thy fyrst childehode whiche scriptures beyng rightly vnderstanden euen without our autoritie are hable to make the learned as ferre as belongeth to the obteynyng of saluation which the gospel promyseth vs not through the obseruacion of Moses lawe but throughe the assured faith wherby we beleue in Christe Iesu â–ª That whiche the gospel partly teacheth to be al ready done the same the olde testament telleth and expresseth before hande shall come And yet it teacheth none other thynge than the ghospell doeth howbeit after an other sorte if it haue a godlye a learned reader There is no reason why we should esteme the bokes of the Prophetes or Moses to be of none effecte after the gospel is published yf through a spirituall vnderstandyng they be applyed vnto Christe and vnto godlynes But al the whole scripture that is set forth vnto vs not by mans witte but by inspiration of the holy gost hath greate profyte eyther to teache the thynges whiche are not vnknowen but with perill of saluation or to reproue them whithe are agaynste the veritie or to correcte and call agayne them in to the waye that erre of ygnoraunce or elles to ordre and informe not in Iewishnes or humayne Philosophie but in true innocencie and vprightenes of lyfe and is so muche auaylable for al thinges that make to the offices of godlynes that the man dedicated to God can be behynde in nothing but to be perfite and fullye furnyshed to all the workes of a Christian lyfe The .iiii. Chapter The texte I testifie therfore before God and before the Lorde Iesu Christe whiche shall iudge the quicke and deade at his apperyng in his kyngdom preache thou the worde be ferueÌ„t in season and out of season Improue rebuke â–ª exhort with al long suffryng and doctrine For the tyme wyl come when they shall not suffre holsome doctryne but after theyr own lustes shall they whose eare itch get theÌ„ an heape of teachers â–ª shal wtdraw their eares froÌ„ the trueth shal be turned vnto fables But watche thou in al thinges suffre afflictions do the worke of an Euangelist fulfyll thyue office vnto the vtmost Be sobre MOreouer I beseche the eftesones by God the father and by Iesus Christ whiche shall iudge the quicke and the dead whose sentence no man shall escape and by his commyng where in he shall come to iudgement not in a lowe estate but myghtie and terrible whiche suffred him selfe here to be iudged and by hys kyngdome whiche no power shal be hable to resiste preache the worde of the ghospel stronglye nether beyng frayed with aduersitie nor lustles in prosperitie Be feruent and earnest in season and out of season For there shal be no tyme but it shall seme in season to the wherin thou mayest haue anye hope to do good in the ghospelles busines Reproue the offender exhorte the sluggarde checke him that still contynueth in errour so as he may be amended with seueritie whiche was not amended with curteous admonicion howbeit checke him so as with the sharpenes of chydyng thou myngle both all lenitie doctrine lest thou seme either to hate him in case thou thoÌ„dre at him with nothing but checkes or elles to chide him without aduisement if thou do nothynge but checke him and teache him not withal For with more ease he is obedient that is perswaded and with a better wyll a man doeth after him that loueth him than him that loueth him not This is rather to be had in vre that we confyrme the consciences of them that ours be forsomuche as herafter shal be as I sayed before a haynous and a perilous tyme wherin some shall departe from the profession of the ghospell and not suffre the true and holsome doctrine of Christe that is contrarie to the lustes of this worlde but lyke as they are of moste fylthie corrupt affeccions that of sondry sortes euen so shal they get lurkyng to themselues sondry new doctours not to teache godlines but that with Iewishe fables and mans inuentions shall â—icle their eares that shal itche with a folishe desyre rather to heare newfangles subtil fyne reasons than mater of profite Vnto their fables they shall conuerte theÌ„selues shal turne their eares froÌ„ the trueth of the gospel But endeuour thou thyself so muche yâ— more vnto yâ— cleane contrarie maner watche beare euery thing for yâ— ghospelles sake shewe thy selfe a right gospel preacher in dede For those that teache their own fantasies though they are named gospell preachers yet veryly they are none The texte For I am nowe ready to be offered and the tyme of my departyng is at hande I haue â—â—ught a good fight I haue fulfilled my course I haue kept the faith From hence forth there â—s layed vp for me a crowne of rightwysnes which the lorde that is a ryghteous iudge shall geue me at that day not to me onelye but vnto all them also that loue hys commyng Do thy diligence that thou mayest come shortely vnto me In the ministerie that thou exercisest in my rowme see thou behaue thy selfe so that thou mayest fullye perswade those matters that thou teachest and fasten them throughly in their consciences that they be not lyghtlye shaken out by them that shall goe aboute to teache contrarye thynges Whiche thynge standeth thee in hande so muche the more diligently to loke to in that I shall not helpe you in your trauaylles any longer For I as a sacrifice appoynted to Christ beginne euen now to be offered vp the day afmy death is not long to And I am willyng and glad to be offered vp bothe hauyng a good conscience of my former spent lyfe and beyng assured of my rewarde I haue foughâ—â—â— a ioylye fight I haue fynished a gospellike course I haue done that that was appoynted to the most throughly and faithfully I haue already played my partes nowe for that that is behynde I knowe it is in sauegarde I know that the crowne due to innocencie is layed vp in store for me which the Lorde â—â—all yelde vnto me euen the Emperour whose souldiour I haue bene But he shall not yelde â—â—â—o the in this lyfe wherein is the tyme of fyghtynge but in that daye
the with pleÌ„teousnes to releue mo mo so yâ— there be no office of christian charitie but that thou maye be both acquaynted and tried in it The thynges that thou hast hitherto done already occasion vs to conceaue a more sure confidence in thee that we dare be bolde to recken vpon the in maters of greater weyghte For whan I doe consider that all that Christians haue are comâ—â—ne I am not a little ioyous and euen in these affliccions it was no smal coÌ„forte to me that thou o my brother waste so ready to deserue well of al men by â—â—â—nes of thy loue wherwith thou haste refreshed the sainctes heartes that are â—â—liicted with the sorowes of this worlde For in thys thy doing thou declarest â—y selfe to be a ryght brother The texte Wherfore thoughe I myght be bolde in Christ to commuande thee that whiche was â—y dewtye to do yet for loues sake I rather beseche the though I be as I am euen olde Paul and now a prisoner of Iesu Christ I beseche the for my sonne Onesimus whom I 〈◊〉 begotten in my bondes whiche in tyme passed was to the vnprofytable but nowe profitable both to the and to me whom I haue sent home agayne Thou therefore reâ—â—ue him that is to say myne owne bowels whom I woulde fayne haue retayned with me that in thy steade be myght haue ministred vnto me in the bondes of the ghospell Neuertheles without thy mynde woulde I do nothyng that the good which thou doest should not be as it were of necessitie but wyllyngly Wherfore hauyng the experience of these so many matters whereby thou declarest thy selfe to be a true folower of Christ I trusted excedynglye that I myght obteyne of the what I wyll albeit I commaunded the only as the father his sonne and as an Apostle his disciple namely in a matter of it selfe indifferent and agreable to the gospelles doctryne that thou professest whiche commaundeth that we by experience felynge the mercye of the Lorde in forgeuyng our debte shoulde lykewyse forgeue other yet I had rather to obteyne this at thyne handes by charitie than by myne authoritie and I woulde rather desire the as one brother desyreth another than commaunde the as a maister his scholar And thou shalt not disdayne suche a desyrour For in what thyng canst thou saye me naye that I desyre the yea euen I fyrst Paule whan I speake of Paule I meane maters vnto the that are not small than an olde man And muche is wonte to be graunted to a man for his age sake But thys geare is no nouelties to thee And nowe also a prisoner And in makyng of desyres euen the miserie of the besecher hath no small weight Last of al I am the prysoner of Christe Iesu And to suche a prisoner all ought to beare their fauour that professe the doctrine of Christe To a man that desyreth by so manye wayes thou couldest not saye nay althoughe he shoulde entreate the for anye man But nowe I entreate thee for my sonne whom I loue so muche the more renderly that I begate him not vnto Moses but vnto Christ not to the world but to the ghospell yea and I begate hym in my bondes nowe whan I shall shortely goe out of this worlde For parentes are wonte to loue their chyldren more inwardely whom they begate in their extreme olde age This is euen Onesimus that in tymes past whan he had robbed his mayster tunne a waye frome hym litell agreably to hys owne name that is to wete profytable and trustie nowe is cleane chaunged into an other sort and shal not only be trusly for thy profyte herafter but also he was profytable to me wyth hys seruyce in pryson Therfore I sende him to the home agayne for nowe he is become an other man And yf thou be the man that I trust thou art and yf olde Paule the prisoners commendacion standeth of any effecte with the thou shall receyue Onesimus not nowe as a runneagate seruaunt but as the thynges that I sâ—â— moost stoore by and my syngularly welbeloued sonne It is agaynst my wyll that I sende him home agayne For I had rather kepe him styll with me if it were but for this cause that he should represent thee vnto me in these bondes For I doubt not but inasmuche as thou shewest so muche charitie towardes all others for the ghospelles sake thou woldest in case thou were here minisâ—â—â— also to me in these bondes where with I am tyed for the gospelles sake But nowe he is founde vnsought for by whom thou mayest ministre vnto me beyng absent thy selfe Howbeit I woulde do nothing without thyne aduise â—â—â— yf in vsyng myne autoritie I shoulde do it vpon myne owne head although thou wouldest haue taken my dede in good parte yet thy well doinge should haue the lesse commendacion yf it semed to be ioyned with any necessitie Not I sent him home agayne so as it maye be in thy choyse eyther to kepe hymâ—â—â—â— with the or to sende him to me agayne Yf thou sende him agayne thy doinge shall haue so muche the more prayse in that it is not enforced but freely doâ—â— and of thyne owne mynde The texte For happly he therfore departed for a season that thou shouldest receaue him for euer not now as a seruaunt but aboue a seruasit euen a brother beloued specially to me but how much more vnto the both in yâ— fleshe also in yâ— lord If yâ— couÌ„te me therfore a felow receaue hym as my selfe If he haue done the any hurt or oweth the oughte yâ— laye to my charge I Paul haue writteÌ„ it with mine own hand I wyl tecoÌ„pence it So yâ— I do not say to the how yâ— thou owest vnto me euen thâ—ne own selfe also EueÌ„ so brother let me enioy the in yâ— lord CoÌ„fort my bowels in the lord Trusting in thyn obedience I wrot vnto the knowyng yâ— thou wylt also do more theÌ„ I say Moreouer prepare me lodging for I trust yâ— thorow the helpe of your prayeâ—s I shal be geuen vnto you Ther salute the Epaphras my felowe prysoner in Christ Iesu Marcus Atistarcus Demas Lucas my helpers The grace of our Lorde Iesu Christe be with your spirite Amen Doe not thynke vpon his runnyng awaye He hath recompensed the fault of his sâ—eing with his wel doyng he hath washed it away by baptisme he hath done it away with teares And how wootest thou whether it come so to passeby the dispensacion of Gods prouidence yâ— his fault might turne to good both to vs to him The iudgemeÌ„tes of god be secret Perchaunce he was for this purpose taken away froÌ„ thee for a season that for a seruauÌ„t being but for a season for bonde seruice endurethe no longer than for terme of lyfe thou mightest receyue him for euer It is for euer whatsoeuer the gospel bringeth forth that thou shouldest receiue him againe now not as a bond seruauÌ„t but as a most dere brother Truely vnto me that
bondes euen as though ye were bound with them your selues Be myndefull of them which are in aduersitie as ye whiche are yet in the body Wedlocke is to be had in honor among all men and the bed vndefyled As for whorekepers and aduouterers God shal iudge them Let your conuersacion be without couetcousnes be content with suche thinges as ye haut alredy For he hath sayd I wyl not faile the nether forsake the so that we may boldly say the Lorde is my helper and I will not feare what man maye do vnto me Remembre them whyche haue the ouersight of you which haue spoken vnto you the worde of God Whose fayth se that ye folowe and consider the ende of their conuersacion LEt brotherly loue contynue among you sens that ye are membres of the same bodye Loue ye not suche onely as are daylye conuersaunt with you but also those whiche resorte as straungers vnto you For hospitalitie is highlye commended before God in so much that hereby Abraham deserued to receyue vnwares Angels to lodgyng when he thought he had done that good tourne and pleasure vnto men Furthermore Christen charitie requireth also this that the calamitie of suche as are in prison and bondes for the professyng of Christe moue you no lesse then if your selfes were in lyke case and that their tourment and payne who are elswise afflicted with diuerse euels and aduersities so styre you to pitie and compassion that it maye hereby appeare that you haue a body subiect to the selfe same euils and are not compassionlesse for thâ—se paynes and sorowes whiche the membres of the same bodye do suffre Let wedlocke the whiche beyng kept as it oughte to be had due honour euen among the heathen people be lykewise had in honour and reuerence among you and let not the bed of matrimonye be defiled with any kynd of aduoutry As for whorekepers aduoutrers God shal iudge theÌ„ Let your conuersation be without couetousnes in such wise that you may contente your selfes with such thynges as you alreadye possesse as menne liuyng without prouision and care for any thyng to come For god made such a promise vnto Iosue in Iosue to al that put their coÌ„fydence trust in him I wil not faile the saith he neither forsake the so that trusting on him we maye boldly saye as the prophet saith in the mysticall psalme The lorde is my helper I will not feare what man may do vnto me Regarde you those yâ— haue the ouersight of you of whom you haue receyued not mannes doctrine but the worde of God and see that they lacke nothyng necessarie for them vnto whose wordes lyke as at the begynnyng you gaue credence so loke vpon their lyuynge as on a marke and folowe their faithe consyderyng how constauntly they abyde in the profession of the gospell vnto their lyues ende The gospell once taughte a ryghte is alwayes most stedfastly to be holden and obserued The texte Iesus Christe yester daye and to daye and the same continueth for euer Be not caried aboute wyth diuerse and strange lernynge For it is a good thynge that the heart be stablyshed with grace not with meates whych haue not profyted them that haue had their pastyme in them We haue an aulter whereof they maye not eate whych serue in the tabernacle For the bodies of those beastes whose bloude is broughte into the holye place by the hygh pryeste to pourge sinne are burnt without the tentes Therefore Iesus also to sanctifie the people with his owne bloude suffered without the gate Let vs go futthe therefore vnto by mout of the tentes and suffer rebuke wyth hym For here haue we no continuyng citie but we seke one to come For as Iesus Christ was yesterdaye and is to daye and euermore shal be tyme without ende and neuer shal be chaunged so shall his doctryne continue for euer Therefore abyde you stable and stedefast herein and be not as menne leanyng vpon no sure foundation caryed aboute with newe and diuerse learnyng The lawe of Moyses taught no other thyng then the gospell nowe teacheth but after an other fashion It is a poynte of foly to sticke styll vnto shadowes after that veritie is come to lyght And yet are there some which renewe agayne the olde iewyshe religion nowe abrogate and dysanulled holdyng opinyon that bettue and godlye lyuynge standeth in meates and corporall fode the whiche thynges suche as haue supersticiously obserued haue nothyng profited therby to thattaynyng of ryghtuousnesse Whoso desyreth to attayne perfyte and true godlynesse which hath not an onelye shadowe of ryghtuousnes but stablysheth the mynde with a cleare conscience before God lette hym cantinew in grace and fayth and leane vpon this foundacion whiche Christe hath layde and then shall he not wauer with Iewyshe superstions Let the Iewes counte it a holy thyng to absteyne frome certayne meates euen frome suche as are offred vp in sacrifice We also haue a muche holyer aulter wherof it is not lawfull for them to eate who beyng gyuen as yet vnto the ceremonies of the lawe knowe not the grace of the gospel wher by is gyuen true soule health and saluation For accordyng vnto the prescription of the law the carkases of those beastes whose bloude is accustomably offred for sinne by the hie priest in the tabernacles called holy are by commaundement burned withoute the tentes as though the bloude had in it some holy thyng notwithstandynge the bodies as thynges vncleane and defyled are caryed oute to be burned in vnholye places and therefore they absteine from them as from vncleane meates These folkes haue the shadowe but we embrace that which the shadowe hath signified They were neuer the holier in minde after they were sprynkled with bloud neither were they any whit the cleaner because they absteined from eatyng of yâ— bodies sens their soules were wholy dysteyned with sinne viciousnes We embrace Iesus our sacrifice hie priest who as it were alludyng to the figure of the lawe would be crucified without the gate of the citie of Ierusalem there to pourge his people with his most precious bloude whose exaÌ„ple we must not supersticiously but deuoutely folowe And this shall we do yf we also take vp our crosse folow him goyng out froÌ„ the coÌ„painye of men as froÌ„ a knot or felowship of mischeuous persons Let vs likewise go out departe froÌ„ meadlyng with this world take more pleasure to suffre reproch for Christes sake theÌ„ to take yâ— fruition of worldly glory Let vs byd this earthly cityfare well who haue not here a contynuyng citie but loke after one to come whiche is celestiall and euerlastynge Verely he goeth out of the citie who so putteth awaye and subdueth thaffections and lustes of the fleshe and wholye gyueth himselfe to heauenlye contemplation The texte By hym therefore do we offre sacrifice of laude alwaies to God that is to sayeâ— the frute of those lippes whych confesse his name To do good
with the worlde and we are in hym truely in that we folowe hys doctrine and promyses with an vpryght conscience as longe as wee are in hys sonne Iesus Christe whome he sent into the worlde for that intent He is the true god whiche onely ought to be honoured and the true lyfe whiche onelye oughte to bee desyred Lytell chyldren yf you doo truelye knowe the true God beware of false goddes and vayne Images whyche the worlde hathe in honoure He wurshyppeth an Idole that maketh moneye hys God He wurshyppeth an Idole that maketh hys bely hys God He wurshyppeth an Idole that for worldelye honoures sake despysethe the commaundementes of GOD. There be manye suche kyndes of Images Beware you of all yf you wyll abyde in the wurshippe of the true God Whyche humble prayer of myne he vouchesafe to make good by whose goodnes wee are delyuered from oure erroures Amen Thus endeth the Paraphrase vpon the fyrste epistle of Sainct Iohn The Paraphrase of Erasmus of Roterodame vpon the Seconde Epistle of Iohn The text The elder to the electe lady and her children whom I loue in the trueth and not I onely but also all that haue knowen the trueth for the truthes sake whiche dwelleth in vs and shall be in vs for euer With vs shall be grace mercie and peace from god the father and from the Lorde Iesus Christ the sonne of the father in trueth loue I reioysed greatly that I founde of thy children walkynge in trueth as we haue receaued a commaundement of the father And now beseche I thee lady not as thoughe I wrote a newe commaundement vnto the but that same which we haue had from the beginninge that we should loue one another And this is the loue that we should walke after his commaundement This cōmaundement is that as ye haue heard from the begynning ye should walke init For many deceauers are entred into the world which confesse nor that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh This is a deceauer and an Antichrist Loke on your selues y◠we lose not that we haue wrought but that we may haue a ful reward Whosoeuer transgresseth bydeth not in the doctrine of Christ hathe not God He that endureth in the doctrine of Christ hath both the father the sonne If there come any vnto you bring not this learning him receaue not to house nether bid him god spede For he that byddeth him god spede is partaker of his euil dedes Behold I haue tolde you before y◠ye should not be ashamed in the day of the Lord. I had many thinges to write vnto you neuerthelesse I would not wryte with paper ynke but I trust to come vnto you and speake with you mouth to mouth that oure ioye maye be full The sonnes of thy electe syster grete the. Amen I Iohn being an elder wryte vnto the electe lady and to her sonnes also whome I loue syncerely nether doe I thus alone but al that are with me which haue knowē the trueth of the Gospelle nether doe they loue them for any other cause but that they vnderstande the synceritie of the Gospelles profession which we folowe to remayne in vs and shall remayne in vs for euermore Grace mercie and peace be alwayes encreased from God the father and from the Lorde Iesu Christe vnto you that perseuer still in the trueth of the Gospelles doctrine and in mutuall loue one to another I was wonderfully glad whan I perceaued that thy sonnes folowing theyr mothers godlynes contynued still in the truthe of the Gospelles doctrine and not gaue herkenynge vnto false doctours that goe about to turne many awaye from it where the father gaue vs thys in cōmaundement that we shoulde geue eare to the doctrine of hys sonne and that we shoulde not goe out of his fotesteppes Therfore it is no nede nowe ladye for me to instructe thy godlynes with new commaundementes only let vs continue still in that whiche was deliuered from the begynninge that we shoulde loue eche one other with a mutual and a true Christian loue But this beneuolence the consent and all one facion of godly life amonge oure selues must procure that we may lyue in all one purposed studies after the commaundement of God which enioined vs nothing so diligētly as mutual loue amonge oure selues There is no true loue amonge the wiked nor among them that be of vnlike facions Therfore I geue no new commaundement but I geue you warninge diligently to continue still in that which you haue already receaued longe a goe and not to suffre youre selues by any subtilties of the false prophetes to be plucked awaye For in dede there are manye deceauers in the worlde whiche denye that Iesus is Christe whiche shoulde come into the worlde accordinge to the prophetes prophecienges He that teacheth thus is a deceauer and Antichriste him self Christes aduersarie Let euery one take hede to hym selfe leste if he forsake that whiche he hathe well begonne he lose all the frute of those thinges whiche he hathe hitherto done well but let vs geue diligence that we may receaue the full hyre which happeneth not but to them that perseuer still vnto theende Whosoeuer swarueth from the trueth and abydeth not still in the doctrine of Christe he is estraunged also from God the father in that he swarued from the sonne But he that constauntly foloweth his doctrine is in his so doinge dearely beloued both vnto the father and to the sonne The one canne neyther be had nor forsaken without the other Thys is the true doctrine whiche you haue receaued of true recorde bearours from the begynnyng But if any man come vnto you and bringeth a contrary doctrine to this to carye you away from the Gospelles veritie you ought not onely to take no hede vnto him but also he ought not so muche as be admitted in to your house if he desyre lodging nor to be bidden God spede if he chaūce to mete you in the way For it is daunger lest he infecte the household with his familiaritie and for hys lodging requite an euill turne and lest of bidding him God spede there arise communicacion And in dede euil communicaciō corrupteth good maners To be shorte he that saluteth and kepeth company with such a maner deceauour he semeth to be a companyon of his euill dooinges For he geueth a courage vnto the wicked whan he seeth him selfe any whit regarded with them whome he goeth about to subuerte and geueth an outwarde shewe of euill vnto other as though he semed to fauour the naughtynes of hym whose familyaritie he doeth not abhorre There were many other thinges whiche I was desyrous to wryte vnto you concerning these matters howbeit I had rather open them to you presentlye than to put them in wryting For I truste shortly to come see you and talke with you presently mouth to mouthe that the Ioy whiche I haue conceaued of youre constaunt synceritie maye bee more pleynteous and full whan I shall bothe
and of all thinges that he sawe Happye is he that readeth and they that heare the wordes of the prophesye kepe those thinges which are wrytten therin For the tyme is at hande VNto our sauiour Iesus Christe after his manhode was geuen of god his father not onely all sufficiencie and fulnes of grace but also the knowledge and reuelacion of all suche secret mysteries as shoulde happen from tyme to tyme in Christendome vntyll suche tyme as he shoulde come againe vnto the lattre iudgement whiche secretes our sauiour Christ dyd reuele and open throughe his angels vnto his electe seruauntes and specially vnto holy S. Iohn I meane vnto that Iohn whiche bare wytnes of the worde of god and of Iesus Christ and dyd recorde all suche matters and doctrine as he himselfe had sene and lerned Whiche doctrine shall be very profytable vnto euery one that shall reade vnderstande this prophecye so far as he shal endeuer himselfe to lyue therafter preparinge appointynge himselfe thorowe a true faith and a christen conuersacion to please the lorde in this lyfe whiche is shorte and transitorye and the ende therof vncerten ▪ The texte ¶ Iohn to the seuen congregacions in Asia Grace be vnto you peace from him whiche is and whiche was and whiche is to come and from the seuen spirites whiche are before his trone and from Iesus Christ whiche is a faythful witnes and first begotten of the dead and Lorde ouer the Kynges of the earth Vnto him that loued vs wasshed vs from our synnes in his awne bloude and made vs kynges and prestes vnto god his father be glorye and dominion for euermore Amen In lytle Asia were notable churches and congregacions set vp institute of the holy apostles speciallye of S. Paule vnto whiche also S. Peter wryteth confirmeth them in the faythe and vnto the same dothe S. Iohn wryte specially in consyderacion that this doctrine shoulde concerne all churches generally whiche were at that tyme standynge or shoulde afterwarde be institute thorowe out the whole world And he wysheth vnto them all as muche good as he can thincke or dyuyfe from god whiche is onely the gyuer of all good thinges is and remayneth for euer vnmutable ruleth gouerneth all thinges wherunto he vseth the ministraciō seruice of his angels which are infynyte in nombre whiche thing the nombre of seuen dothe sygnifye accordynge vnto the vse of holy scripture And with this eternall father holy spirite one god reygneth our lord Iesus Christ which is appointed to be the ruler of al thīges in heauen earth of al sensyble creatures both gostly as the spirites are bodily He in his mans nature for very loue toward mankinde was sēt for the comforte and wealth of y◠who le world testifyed most faithfully vnto al the world the wil of his father in the gospel accordyng as it was before promysed in all the prophetes that he shoulde be the founder and performer of the newe testament and should be offered vp and dye for the synnes of the whole world and in the resurrectiō or vprisynge againe of the bodye and soule he shoulde goe before all the resydue of the faythfull and be their guyde vnto euerlastynge lyfe whiche lyfe he onely hath meryted and purchaced thorowe his perfyte obedyence vpon the erosse vnto death And therefore is he exalted as concernynge his manhode aboue all creatures and hath receyued the moost worthiest and hyghest name and tytle that can be named eyther in this world or in the worlde to come And he hath purchaced and deserued for all the holy elect children of god the honour and glorye of the euerlastynge kyngdome and also grace to rule and gouerne our selues vertuouslye and to offre vp dayly and continually a pleasant sacryfyce of thanckes geuynge in true faith in god thorow Iesus Christ Vnto hym therfore alone parteyneth all honour and glorye The texte ¶ Beholde he commeth with cloudes and al eyes shal see him and they also which pearsed him And all kynreds of the earth shall wayle ouer him Euen so Amen Euen in despyte and against the wyll and mynde of all them that crucifyed Christ and woulde not take nor knowledge him for a kyng yet he commeth in the hyghest maiestye whiche excelleth all glorye and power of all otherkynges that euer were and nowe sheweth hym selfe and appeareth thorowe fayth vnto all his electe as the very messias and sauiour of the worlde whiche was so long desyered and loked for And whan he shal come at the latter daye to iudge the quycke and the deade than shall all the Iewes and vnfaythful whiche despysed him at his first commynge whan he came with suche humblenes crucyfyeng and putting him to death and woulde not receyue nor knowledge hym for a sauioure and a messias they shall than see him with feare and tremblyng and he shall appeare dreadfull vnto them The texte ¶ I am Alpha and Omega the begynnynge and the endynge sayeth the Lorde almighty whiche is and whiche was and whiche is to come I Iohn your brother and companion in tribulacion and in the kyngdome and pacience in Iesu Christe was in the yle that is called Pathmos for the word of god and for the witnessynge of Iesus Christ This doth Christ speake to declare his godly maiestye and his eternall substaunce his almyghtye power without ende or begynnynge And he speaketh after the maner of the grecians amonge the whiche Alpha is the first letter Omega the last And after this speaketh S. Iohn the Euangelist again of his owne parson without any worldly boasting reioysyng as it becommeth a Christē man not in any honour or ryches of the world nor yet in any holynes the is in himselfe but onely in the affliccions persecuciōs pacience mysery partycypacion of the rightuousnes in Christ wherof he is a witnes a partener in sufferyng for Christes sake which thing hapned vnto him for the gospel by the procurement commaundemēt of Domicianus the Emperour which would haue bene honoured for a God where as Iohn taught that the onely lyuynge god and none els ought to be honoured and called vpon For y◠whiche cause Iohn was banyshed sent into Pathmos where god dyd shewe this reuelacion vnto him bad him wryte it so by that meanes thorow his wryting to set furth to further the glorye of Christ in his banyshemēt more thā euer he had bene able to haue done with his wordes or preachinge onely yf he had styll remayned amonge his frendes in his countrey The texte I was in the spirite on a sondaye and hearde be hynde me a great voyce as it had bene a trempe saying I am Alpha and Omega the first and the sast That thou seest wryt in a booke and sende it vnto the seuen congregacions whiche are in Asia vnto Ephesus and vnto Smyrna and vnto Pergamos and vnto Thiatira and vnto Sardis and vnto Philadelphia
faith doe spring want lacke of ryght good workes Euen so came it to passe at Ephesus by yâ— meanes of yâ— false apostles as Paule did before prophecye vnto them at Myletus For yâ— which cause yâ— Lorde requireth exhorteth them to ameÌ„de threatneth them before after yâ— maner of al the prophetes that he wyll els punyshe and condemne them As concernynge the secte of the Nycholaites reade yâ— xxix chapter of yâ— thirde booke of Eusebius Chronicle Whosoeuer thorow true faith loue shall ouercome yâ— teÌ„ptacions assaultes of the enemy the same shall receyue and enioy the euerlastinge reward of blisse yâ— fruicion of god yâ— heuenly father the pleasant sight of the countenauÌ„ce of Iesus Christ in euerlastinge ioye which he nameth in this place yâ— tree of lyfe The texte ¶ And vnto the angel of the congregacion of Smyrna wryte These thinges sayth he that is first and the laste which was dead and is alyue I knowe thy worckes and tribulacion and pouerâ—ie but thou art ryche And I knowe the blasphemy of them whiche call them selues Iewes and are not but are the congregacion of Satan Feare none of those thinges whiche thou shalt suffre Beholde the deuyll shall caste some of you into pryson to tempte you and ye shall haue tribulacion ten dayes Be faithfull vnto the death and I wyll geue the a crowne of lyfe Let him that hath eares heare what the spirite sayth to the congregacions He that ouercommeth shall not be hurte of the seconde death The false apostles whiche were conuerted from the Iewes vnto the faythe were also at Smirna very busye and vnquiet in maynteynyng the ciâ—cumcysion and other Iewyshe ceremonies Against the whiche the trew apostles and their dysciples as Paule and suche other were fayne to fyght and stryue by reason wherof all the churches in the world were in perplexyte and dysquieted In this place Christ speaketh vnto them of Smirna and calleth them poore in affliccions and ryche in faythe and vertue And thus he teacheth here that it is the worcke of the deuyll and not of man whansoeuer thou arte caste into any perplexyte vexacion or pryson for the faythe and truthes sake And therfore be the more pacient seyng the heauenly father permytteth suche power vnto Sathan against the. Euen so dyd it happen in this citye vnto yâ— good bishop Polycarpus one of Iohns dysciples whiche was burnt of the vnfaythfull for the truth and the christen faythes sake Of this ye maye reade more in the. xiiii and xv Chapter of the. iiii boke of Eusebius chronicle By the seconde deathe vnderstande euerlastynge deathe and damnacion as the first death is yâ— deathe of the bodye and of synne from the whiche we shall be delyuered and be raysed vp againe thorowe a trewe faythe and confydence in the mercye of god ioyned with a perfyght repentaunce The texte ¶ And to the messenger of the congregacion in Pergamos wryte This saythe he whiche hath the sharpe swearde with two edges I know thy worckes and where thou dwellest euen where Satans seate is and thou kepest my name and hast not deuyed my fayth And in my dayes Antipas was a faithfull wytnes of myne whiche was â—â—ayne amonge you where Satan dwelleth But I haue a fewe thinges against the because thou hast there them that maynteyne the doctrine of Balam whiche taught in Balake to put occasyon of synne before the children of Israell that they shoulde eate of meate dedycate vnto ydoles and commyt fornicacion Euen so hast thou them that maynteyne the doctrine of the Nicolaitans which thing I hate But be conuerted or els I wyl come vnto thee shortly and wyll fyght against them with the swearde of my mouthe Let him that hath eares heare what the spirite sayeth vnto the congregacions To him that ouercommeth wyl I geue to eat Manna yâ— is byd wyl geue him a whyte stone and in the stone a newe name written whiche no man knoweth sauynge he that receaueth it As coÌ„cerning this church we reade of no maner of accion or worke of faith therof But in al notable cities where right ChristeÌ„ meÌ„ were bothe yâ— christened vnchristened Iewes did styre vp cause much sedicion tumult as their accustomed maner was And they prouoked also the lyuetenauntes of Rome alwayes to hate persecute yâ— right true christiaÌ„s As it happened in this citie vnto the deare faithful seruant of god Antippe which with out doubt preached yâ— gospel truly syncerely therfore was faine to suffre death In such cities wher gods word is coÌ„demned al godly men in continual perell danger of their lyues goodes wher meÌ„ doe both blesse curse for money as Balaam did where abhominable fylthines whoredoÌ„ is mainteined suffered ydolatry set vp wher holy matrimonye is had in no estimacioÌ„ there without doubte dwelleth yâ— deuil For these are no small synnes but very odious and hateful vnto god But they maye repent and amende and so obteyne mercye of god and thorowe the grace and ayde of god they maye withstande and ouercome suche damnable and outragious enormyties whiche thing yf they doe not let them loke for nothinge more sure than eternall damnacion This ought to moue the hartes of all men and to feare and shrugge them that they maye repent and amende their lyues By Manna vnderstande the worde of god and true harty loue And to cleaue faste vnto Christ with a strong and a stedfast faith whiche thing is a syngular pleasure and delyght vnto the godly and faithfull and a very poyson vnto the vngodly vnfaithfull By the white stone is sygnified the eleccion and appoyntment vnto euerlastyng honour before god and all sainctes bothe in this worlde and in the worlde to come with the testimonye of a good conscience that feareth god and of a right harty ioye And also the euerlastynge peace rest and sure confydence in the grace and fauoure of god vnto euerlastynge lyfe The texte ¶ And vnto the messenger of the congregacion of Thiatira wryte This saith the sonne of god whiche hath eyes lyke vnto a flamme of fyre and hys fete are lyke brasse I knowe thy worckes and thy loue seruyce and fayth and thy pacieÌ„ce and thy dedes whiche are moo at the last then at the fyrst Notwithstandynge I haue a feawe thinges agaynste the because thou sufferest that woman Iesabell whiche called her selfe a prophetise to teache and to deceaue my seruauntes to make them commyt fornicacyon and to eate meates offered vp vnto ydoles And I gaue her space to repent of her fornicacyon and she repented not Beholde I wyll cast her in to a bedd and them that coÌ„myt fornicacyon with her into great aduersitye excepte they â—uâ—ue from theyr dedes And I wyll kyll her chyldren with death Here learne that the sonne of god whiche hath the two edged swearde the first and the laste whiche is deade and yet lyueth which hathe
of the faithfull of all creatures the begynnynge without begynnynge y◠euerlastyng wysdome of god Here marke how hyghly god is dyspleased with suche as be indyfferent neyther who◠nor colde whiche wyll and wyll not not consyderynge the earnest wil and commaūdement of god And wyll suffer nothynge for his sake but are content with the onely shyne and shadowe of godlynes and with the onely name of faythe and obedyence to god Where as Christ wyll haue a more feruent and earnest zeale namely the golde of a stedfast and a constante fayth in all maner of affliccion aduersitie the whyte garmētes of innocencie and purenes of lyfe in their whole conuersacion before god and man y◠bryght and clere iyes of Christen doctrine without any manner of errour That a man beyng riche after this maner may walke before god in his churche with worshyp and honestye and without all dread Whan any mysfortune of this worlde dothe happen vnto the faythfull they ought to thynke vpon these wordes and to be thankefull vnto god in true faythe and charite alwayes studyeng to amende their lyues This is the true repentaunce The lorde is muche more ready to gyue than we are to desyre or to receyue And he delyghteth in vertuous and godly hartes and gyueth them comforte loue and hope and strengthneth their faith that they maye be able to continue and remayne without dreade in the grace and fauour of god This is the very ryght supper of y◠spirite of god withal faithfull beleuers in this world But in the blysse of heauen there shal be the very fruicion and possession of all goodnes and of the most hyghest honour with vnspeakable ioye in god withal the holy sainctes whiche euer haue lyued vertuously in the fauour of god ¶ The .iiii. Chapter The texte ¶ After this I loked and beholde a dore was open in heauen and the first voyce which I hearde was as it were of a trompet talkynge with me whiche sayde come vp hyther and I wyll shewe the thinges which must be fulfylled herafter And immediatly I was in the spirite and beholde a seate was set in heauen and one sate on the seate And he that sate was to loke vpon lyke vnto a Iaspar stone and a Sardyne stone And there was a raynebowe about the seate in syght lyke to an Emeralde And about the seate were foure and twentye seates And vpon the seates foure and twenty elders syttyng clothed in whyte rayment and had on their heades crownes of golde HEre doth Iohn looke and see in spirite as all y◠prophetes dyd Beholde the fygure whiche representeth vnto thee what heauenly mysteries of the kyngdome of Christ and of the thinges that should happen afterwarde Iohn dyd see in the heauen beyng opened To be in the spirite is asmuche as to be rapte of the spirite of god into an heauēly traunce aboue al mans witte power or capacyte Gods stoole or seate in heauen sygnified the euerlastynge state and continuaunce of the power myght blisse and ryghtuousnes of god The bryghtnes of the precious stones sygnified y◠hyghe maiestye and glory of god bewtyfyed with the knowledge of al thinges The raynebowe sygnifyeth his mercye and pacient sufferynge yet not without mete and condigne reuengeaunce and iustice The .xxiiii. seates and the .xxiiii. elders doe sygnifye y◠most hyghest iustyce and vnsearcheable councell and iudgement of god and that the most speciall frendes of god bothe of the olde and new testament are incorporate into y◠kyngdome of god bothe Patryarkes Kynges Prophetes Apostles and bysshops All are subiect vnto the lorde in all holynes and ready to honour him eternally And al these doe knowledge that they receyued all goodnes and commendacion that they haue of the bountyfull grace of god The texte And out of the seate proceded lyghtnynges and thondrynges and voyces and there were .vii. lampes of fyre burnynge before the seate whiche are the .vii. spirites of god And before the seate there was a sea of glasse lyke vnto Cristall and in the myddes of the seate and rounde aboute y◠seate were foure beastes full of eyes before and behynde And the first beaste was lyke a lyon and the seconde beaste lyke a calfe and the thirde beaste had a face as a man and the fourthe beaste was lyke a flying Egle. And the .iiii. beastes had echone of them syre wynges about him and they were full of eyes within And they had no rest daye nether nyght sayinge Holy holy holy Lord god almightye which was and is and is to come The earnest iudgement and commaundement of god shall be opened and made manyfest vnto all the worlde thorowe the gospell whiche shall be fearful and heauy vnto the wycked but ioyfull and welcome vnto the faithfull godly For vnto them it shall come with the gyftes of the plentifull spirite of God whiche shall appeare in their fruites The sea of glasse maye sygnifye vnto vs the aduersityes of this lyfe whiche serue both to y◠glorye of god and also to the syngular profyte of the faithfull for the frutefull exercyse of their faythe The iiii sondry beastes are interpreted by some of the olde doctours but not by all to sygnifye the .iiii. Euangelystes They maye betoken the .iiii. special mysteries of the Christen faythe As the manhode of Christ maye be sygnified by the face of the man And the passion and death of Christ by the calfe appoynted to be slayne and offered And the resurrection from death by the lyon And the ascencion into heauen by the Egle. All whiche misteries of Christ are plentuously set furth in the holy gospelles and Christ and his kyngdome is descrybed in them vnto all the world as a necessarye and a perfyght doctrine The wynges which are spoken of doe sygnifye here lyke as they doe in the .vi. Chapter of Esaye the obedience and reuerence whiche all creatures doe owe of duty vnto y◠lorde whiche vertues the faythful both willyngly and dylygently doe declare withall redynes and swyftnes of their godly and deuout heartes The multitude of the eyes dothe sygnifye the Christen doctrine and wysedome of god wherof is no want nor scarsenes in the churche And this doctrine must be learned and taken out of the holy scripture geuen by god For the whiche cause al godly and blessed myndes as well of the angels as of men shal neuer cease to prayse and exalt the almightye god to be holy in al his workes onely one in his godly substance and yet a Trinite of persons as it is wonderfully declared and expressed bothe by al holy scriptures and also by the heauenly wysedome of the prophetes and other holy men secretely inspired and lyghtned of god euē certein of the heathē also whiche thorowe true fayth doe knowledge and confesse that there is but one onely god creatour of all thinges and ruler and gouernoure foreuer and immutable The texte ¶ And when those beastes gaue glorye and honour and
looke for Suche men are the very true seruauntes of god fully stablysshed in the right faythe and true loue From the whiche thorowe the grace of god they shall neuer fall For as muche as god is their father and ouerseâ—r whose deare and louynge children they are And they can lacke no treasure neyther corporall nor spirituall eyther in this worlde or in the worlde to come And they lyue blessedly in peace and quientnes of conscience before god readye at the pleasure of god to goe thorowe welthe and woo in this worlde whome no maner of creature can hurte for as muche as the lorde fauoreth them vnto whome they haue vtterly geueÌ„ and committed them selues and haue offred vp vnto him a pleasant sacrifice oblacion in faythe in true Christen loue and perfyght hope For Christ that suffered death for them and redemed them with his bloude will not forsake them but graciously rule gouerne them and thorowe the holy gospel wil instructe them in all rightuousnes which they begynne here in this world and shal enioye the frute therof in the lyfe euerlastyng And thus thorowe yâ— grace mercye of god they shal ouercome al woe and vexacion and remayne pacient in persecucion yea and mery and ioyfull also in him that can strengthen and comforte them whiche dystrybuteth his plentifull grace vnto them to worke al holy vertuous workes For the which also beyng his owne workes he wyll yet crowne and rewarde them as S. Austen sayeth in the kyngdome of heauen eternaliy The .viii. Chapter The texte ¶ And when he had opened the seuenth seale there was sylence in heauen about the space of halfe an houre And I sawe vii angelles standynge before god to them wer geuen seuen trompertes And another angel came and stode before the aulter hauinge a goldeÌ„ senser and muthe of odoures was geuen vnto him that he should offce of the prayers of all saâ—â—â—res vpon the golden aulter which was before the seate And yâ— smoke of the odoures whiche came of the prayers of all saâ—â—â—res ascended vp before god out of the Angelles hande And the Angell toke the senser and fylled it with fyre of the aulter and caste it into the earth and voyces were made and thondrynges and lyghtnynges and earthquake IT hathe ofte bene sene that after great troubles and muche vexacion thorowe the prouysion of god rest and quietnes hath folowed in all tymes And thus shall it continue euen from the ascencion of Christe vntyll the worldes ende that after rayne the sunne shal shyne and afterwarde it wyll be cloudye darcke againe Euen so whan the faythfull haue once ioy in god after the victorye of the dragon then commeth a new dysquietnes and perplexite whan as the wycked Angels and spirites thorowe their membres mynisters shall set vp all abhominacion synne wyckednes hurtefull and noysome vnto the soule as Sathan dyd vnto Iob what tyme he came and accompanyed him selfe with the children of god Here come vii that is to saye very many and those mightye and stronge with power graunted and permitted vnto them to doe harme But Christ the true and faythfull kyng and father of his kyngdome churche and children commeth and standeth as an hyghe pryest at the alter of god with the oblacion of his owne bodye For Christ the lorde is bothe priest altar and the oblacion himselfe and he standeth for his faythfull electe with the golden censers the hyghest loue and humilyte thorowe the whiche he gaue him selfe for the synnes of al the world into the moost bytter and standerous death for a perpetuall reconciliacion for all those that beleue in him Vnto this onely one and eternall priest Christ doe all faythfull holy and blessed christians render and gyue their vnperfyte deuocion thanck es geuynge feruent peticions and prayers their hope loue and fayth All whiche he receyueth in good parte and maketh them acceptable vnto the father with the censers of his prayers and with his swete smellynge rightuousnes and holynes wherwith he is full and aboundant plentuous and sufficient for all the electe from the begynnynge of the worlde vntyll the ende therof And by this meanes and no nother wyse may the prayers of all the holy and faythfull come vnto god namely thorowe the handes and merites of his passioÌ„ so that they take the same with them pleating with god thorowe the same Whiche thing dilyghteth and pleaseth the lord god right well Nowe yf the holy electe shal thus offre vp their necessities praiers vnto god thorowe Christ whiche is the onely medyatour betwene god the father and mankynde than wyll the mercifull god heare them â–ª and shall punyshe the wycked tyrannes and oppressours of the faythfull with his fyerye dartes and thonderboltes and other plages whiche he can and is wont to vse dyuers wayes for the terryble punyshemeÌ„t of the wycked godlesse prynces tyrannes bothe bodely and gostly in so muche that Sathan with his whole kyngdome shal be amased therat The texte ¶ And the seuen Angels which had the seuen trompettes prepared them selues to blowe The first Angell blewe and there was made hadle and fyre whiche were myngled with bloude and they were caste into the earth and the thirde parte of yâ— earth was set on fyre and the thirde parte of trees was burnt and all greue grasse was brente And the seconde angell blewe and as it were a great mountayne burnyng with fyre was caste into the see and yâ— thirde parte of the sea turned to bloude and the thirde parte of the creatures which had lyfe dyed and the thirde parte of shyppes were destroyed Christ bringeth his punyshementes to passe thorowe good and euyll angels euen at his owne pleasure For vnto the lorde there is nothing euell nor vnprofytable for as muche as he onely can make good of euyll well ynoughe The first plage of the churche of Christ was in the vnderstandynge and interpretacion of holy scripture whiche euen at the first was assaulted with dyuerse dangerous heresyes whiche sprang vp by reason of yâ— dyuersytie of vnderstandyng amonge the wryters and teachers by reason wherof infynite Schisemes disseÌ„cions â–ª perels and dangerous vproures did sprynge aryse And for this cause were so many councels holden For the christendome suffred great decaye and many swarued there from at suche tyme as god of his mercye gaue peace and quietnes in the churche but for a small season as I sayde before By the trees we shall vnderstande people of all maner of nacions and degrees in yâ— christendome of no small nomber as in the tyme of Athanasius and after The seconde plage foloweth afterwarde against the whote and natural strength and fearcenes of men and specially that whiche was betwene princes and rulers that were assaulted of the wycked fyende with ambicion for power and dominion The whiche the wycked fyende dyd rayse vp after that the godly and holy teachers had rooted out all errours and heresyes This contencion and
vnto the lorde desierous of his mercye and grace and beloued of him from euerlastinge and ordeyned vnto his kingdome as ioyfull and desierous first frutes whiche men doe eate with a great lust desire and appetite with highe praise and thankes geuynge as it ought to be Their faithe is so acceptable and pleasant before God as it was geuen them of his plentifull grace that it beyng accompanyed with true loue and hope without the which it can not be decketh and hydeth all thâ—ir synnes howe many howe great and howe greuous so euer they were And vnto them all euyls and misfortunes euen their synnes also and all maner of thinges hapned and ended vnto the best As it hapned vnto Dauid Peter Paule and Marie Magdalene and vnto al holy sainctes and elect sanctified through the bloude of the innocent lambe Christ our sauiour For althoughe all men and all sainctes are synners before God yet for the lambes sake in whome they truste they are reputed without spot and blame before the iudgement seate of God The 〈◊〉 ¶ And I sawe another angell flye in the myddes of heauen hauinge the euerlastinge gospell to preache vnto them that syt and dwell on the earth and to all nacions kynredes and tonges and people saying with a loude voyce Feare God and geue honoure to him for the houre of his iudgement is come and worshyp him that made heauen and earth and the sea and fountaines of water And there folowed an other angell sayinge Babilon is fallen is fallen that great citie for she made all nacions drincke of the wyne of her fornicacion The true and faithfull preachers of the holy gospell are ofte called angels as they maye well be Of the whiche the kyng Christ sendeth manye in to the kingdome of heauen accordinge as the state of the worlde at dyuerse times requireth That the holy and sincere doctrine the gospell might sone and frutefully flye throughe the christen churche Whiche thing the wicked dragon doth sore haâ—e and is greuouslye dyspleased therwith and therfore he persecuteth it with muche falsehede and with great power throughe his ministers and deputies And yet notwithstanding the gospell of God remayneth euerlastinglye in his churche euen from the beginninge of the worlde vntyll the ende wherof no man in the worlde can excuse him selfe For the voyce and trueth therof is this bothe open and cleare that God onely is the lorde and that we must serue him in trueth and innocencye of lyfe and shewe all loue and trueth towarde our neighbour as the very naturall reason teacheth and all right and pure consciences lyghtned with gods worde do confesse And the loude voyce of the gospell soundeth thus Feare God as godly children doe their moost louynge father honour him onely for all grace and goodnes can come from none but from him onely and feare his iust and rightuous iudgement that it be not resisted against all wickednes vngodlines vngraciousnes And worship him onely with inuocacion that hath made heaueÌ„ and earth and al that is therin Against this gospell dothe the dragon euermore speake with his first borne and eldest sonne Antichristes whiche syns Caims tyme hath euer continued euen vntyll the aduersaries whiche at this tyme doe openly resist the manifest and open knowen trueth because they thincke and imagine that it wyll be an hinderauÌ„ce vnto their pompe pryde vngodly and abhominable lyuinge But this trueth and worde of God can not be hindered nor suppressed Soner and rather must all that fall and be destroyed whiche the dragon hath imagined and dyuised against this lambe the worde of God against this trueth and against all maner of right godlynes as well the Babilonicall confusion as all maner of wycked lawes and decrees and all maner of falsehede and tyrannye The holy gospell rightly vnderstande shall beate downe confounde and vtterly destroye that cursed and abhominable Babilon how mightye and strong so euer it hath bene for the great whoredome wherof she hath made all the worlde to drincke is nowe come to lyght and knowen The texte ¶ And the thirde angell folowed them saying with a loude voyce If any man worship the beast and his ymage and receaue his marke in his forheade or on his hande the same shall drincke the wyne of the wrathe of God whiche is powred in the cuppe of his wrath And he shal be punyshed in fire and brymstone before yâ— holy angels and before the lambe And the smoke of their tormente ascendeth vp euermore And they haue no rest daye nor night whiche worshyp the beast and his ymage and whosoeuer receaueth the print of his name Here is the pacience of sainctes Heare are they that kepe the commaundementes and the faith of Iesu Here foloweth the iudgement and sentence of God against all them whiche worship this beast of Antichrist resisting and withstandinge the gospell and enuye and hate the lambe and wil robbe him of his honour dewe vnto him and wyll dyffeate Christ of his kingdome whiche God the father hath geuen him that he shoulde be kynge of all kynges and also an euerlasting onely priest and immortall whome Antichrist with his .ii. hornes goeth aboute studieth to banysshe expell and ouerthrowe and to set him selfe vp in the temple of the christeÌ„ churche as thoughe Christ shoulde nothinge care for his churche but were absent and had forsaken it and had broken his promisse And as thoughe the gospell were in his I meane Antichristes power and in suche an hart as is rather possessed with a deuyll of pryde infydelitie and of abhominable presumpcion to condemne the holy gospel and to stablyshe and set vp al suche thinges as maye subuerte and ouerthrowe the gospell as ydolatreous and supersticious ymages to be honoured in the churche hethenishe ceremonies onely inuented for pompe couetousnes pleasure pastime and to bleare and deceaue the simple He geueth vnto his sworne champions his marke of supersticious orders wherwith he bewitcheth and inchanteth them wherof neyther S. Peter nor S. Paule neuer made mencion nor neuer knewe And besydes this he byndeth them with a wicked othe and a deuillyshe vowe against all godlynes and all to confirme and stablyshe his pompe and abhominable pryde against all heauenly and earthlye power institute and ordeyned of god without all maner of shame and feare Al they whiche consent vnto this damnable beast or eyther worship or maynteyne him they shall surely suffer the wrathe of God whiche is alreadye prepared in the Babilonicall cup powred out of God and redye at hande wherof they shall drincke not onely in the botomles pit of hell but also euen here in this worlde accordinge to the effecte and doctrine of gods worde and to the preachinge of the holy prophetes of Christ him selfe and of the apostles with as muche shame opprobry and destruccion as is possyble for them to haue in this worlde And yf their vnrepentant harte shall heape vnto them selues the treasure of yâ— wrath of God goyng forwarde in
her was founde the bloude the prophetes and of the sainctes and of all that wer slayne vpon the earthe Suche a nother thing dyd Ieremy also prophecye of the kingdome of BabiloÌ„ and euen as he prophecied so came it to passe And euen so doubtles shall â—â— lykewyse come to passe vnto this proude presumpcion and lykewyse vnto all vngodly tyrantes whether they be of the spiritualtye or of the temporaltie An heuy and greuous iudgement shall take and ouerthrowe the mightye of the worlde whiche mysuse their power and might Yea and it shall vtterly fall and decaye with all their ioy lust pryde and tyrannye whiche they haue vsed in the tyme of their gouernaunce And specially the spirituall ministers of god whiche for their office and vocacions sake ought to haue done and taught otherwyse And lykewyse suche handy craftes as haue serued ydols ydolatrie and maynteined false goddes and false goddes seruyce inuented onely for lucre and for no godlynes shall also haue an ende And lykewyse the ydel priestes with suche as depende vpon them an vnprofytable kynde of people and al suche thinges as haue ministred occasion vnto worldly lustes pleasures and delyciousnes shall haue lyke end and fall as Tyrus Babilon and Nynyue of the whiche the prophetes make mencion As Rome the Romyshe Empire also had once Muche more shall it happen lykewyse vnto the Papacye and yâ— courte of Rome and to yâ— prelates whiche ought to be spiritual as they also name them selues but in very in dede are more carnall and worldly than any other What godly men haue bene destroyed for the truthes sake in councels and at Rome it is so euydent that it neadeth not here to be rehersed ¶ The .xix. Chapter The texte ¶ And after that I herde the voyce of muche people in heauen sayinge Alleluya Saluacion and glorye and honour power be ascribed to the Lorde out God for true and righteous are his iudgementes for he hath iudged the great whore whiche dyd corrupte yâ— earth with her fornicacion and hath auenged the bloude of his seruauntes of her hande And againe they sayde Alleluia And smoke rose vp for euermore And the xxiiii elders and the foure beastes fell downe and worshypped God that sate on the seate sayinge Amen Alleluya And a voyce came out of the seare sayinge prayse our Lorde God all ye that are his seruauntes and ye that feare him bothe small and great IF a man might so say what dothe the punishment of the wicked tyrantes and their damnacion helpe or profyte the godlye and faithfull christians whiche are persecuted of the dragon of the beast and of yâ— false prophetes for the true faithe and religions sake euen vnto deathe Hete in this place is a sufficient and perfight answer vnto this question For thus it is sayde the same godly ministers and faithfull witnesses of Christe the crucified and slaine lambe they doe nothynge els in heauen in their immortall soules but synge thankes and laudes vnto God almightie styrring prouokyng and exhortynge one a nother with lyke affeccion and zeale to prayse God For Alleluia is nothinge els but prayse God Allelu is as muche to saye as prayse ye And ya is one of the names of the lorde God wherby he is named of whiche names there are dyuerse Nowe here maye we learne with what maner of wordes we shoulde and shall prayse God bothe here and also in heauen Namely thus all saluacion and goodnes whiche may be profitable vnto vs and maye be desyred of God and againe all laude and prayse for al maner of benefites and goodnes perteyneth onely vnto the mooste mercyfull eternall and almightye onely one God and must be ascribed vnto him Honour whiche is a profession and a declaracion of al vertue and godly kindnes and loue and of al mighte power and omnipotencye is due onely vnto the true onely and eternall God creatour and maker of all creatures For all his workes and iudgemeÌ„tes are right commendable holy and true without all maner of parcialitye and specially for as much as he hathe subdued and brought downe the glorious and proude tyrantes bothe of the spiritualtie and of the temporaltie and hath sent them to eternall damnacion And hathe caused their wickednes and abhominacion also to come to lyght in this worlde to the synguler comforte of the faithfull electe that were oppressed of them And thus they cease not to gyue lawdes and thanckes vnto God saying continually Alleluia But the smoke is the true oblacion and the right sacrifice whiche the holy sainctes doe offer in heauen euerlastinglye and performe also vpon earthe in the holy churche euen vntyll the latter daye I meane geuynge of thanckes and acknowledging the goodnes of God as is before sayd This oblacioÌ„ sacrifice is made coÌ„tinually without ceasynge with infynite and vnspeakeable ioy of al holy patriarkes prophetes Apostles mattirs and of the whole heauenly felowship and of all them whiche euer from the beginning haue pleased the lord God with faith loue hope and obedience But the maner and the ceremonies with the wordes reuerence and ioy whiche the holy and faithfull electe do vse dothe the holy scripture describe after the maner capacite of men in suche wyse as may be best vnderstande and perceyued of vs. Amen is as muche as that God is the trueth faithful in keping of all his promises and wordes And here maye we learne that we shoulde not name nor esteme the holy and faithfull saintes as princes and rulers of heaueÌ„ for as muche as they name them selues but seruantes of God and are no better and that also not by merite and deserte but onely by the grace and eleccion of god And also some are also greater and higher than other as Abraham parauenture than Isaac and Ioseph than Simeon Peter than Philip but that ought not curiously to be serched out of man In heauen shall we see and knowe perfitely the cause and occasion of the iudgement of God but not in this lyfe The texte ¶ And I hearde the voyce of muche people euen as the voyce of many waters and as the voyce of stronge thoâ—dringes saying Alleluia For the Lorde our god omnipotent raigneth Let vs be glad and reioyce and geue honour to him for the mariage of the lambe is come and his wyfe made her selfe readye And to her was graunted that she should be aâ— rayed with pure goodly raynes For the raynes is the rightewesnes of saintes And he said vnto me write happy are they which are called vnto the lambes supper And he said vnto me these are the true sayinges of God And I tell at his fete to worship him And he said vnto me se thou do it not For I am thy felow seruaunt and one of thy brethren euen of them that haue the testimony of Iesus Whorship God For the testimonye of Iesus is the spirite of prophecye This maye be vnderstande of yâ— holy faithful saintes vpon earth whiche
speciall trust and loue towardes him he sheweth him his spouse and wyfe and nameth her the lambes wyfe but it is the christen churche the felowship of all saintes and holy electe This christen churche is in .ii. maner of states In the first state she is mylitant euer striuynge and fightyng euer in warrefare assaulted with much trouble and vexacion sorowfull vnperfyte and euer waxyng and increasynge And in the other state she is triumphant victorious euer triumphinge quiet free without care or sorowe for any vexacion perfyte heauenly blessed and euerlasting Of bothe these states for certen fewe properties the earthly Ierusalem the citie of the Iewes is set for a figure comparison example and counterpane Whiche Ierusalem of the Iewes lyeth vpon an hyll hath .xii. gates and great hyghe walles and lyeth on highe towarde the whole lande rounde about on euery behalfe Of the whiche they that wyll knowe more maye reade Iosephus which writeth largely therof Nowe here speaketh Christ of the spirituall Ierusalem in her double state It lyeth also highe for as muche as it is highly indewed with gods grace and glorious giftes for whose sake almightie God sent his onely begotten sunne vpon earth to clense and to make her pure to bylde her to bewtifie and to garnyshe her and to make her glorious euen for an euerlastynge kingdome and for a deare beloued spouse for him selfe This citie is great for it reacheth vnto all the endes and coastes of the worlde and it is also holy for it is sanctified with the holy and blessed presence of Christ with his precious hearte bloode which was shedde in the highest loue and obedience towarde god and mankynde and that washeth a waye the synnes of all the worlde in that are al the faythful purged clensed This descending of the heuenly citie Ierusalem or holy chrysten churche sygnifieth the comon felowshyp and participacion of the churche â—riumphant that reygnyth in victory with the churche mylytant that contyneweth and remaineth in battel and warrefare For they bothe are one churche deuided and sondred in .ii. onely in this worlde by reason of the tyme. For that churche whiche is nowe militant and lyeth in warrefare vpon earthe shal shortly be in heaueÌ„ victorious and triumphant This churche both vpon earthe and in heauen hathe one godly glorye al honour vertue prayse might and blisse commeth vnto her from God The light of this churche is the most precious stone namely vpon earth faythe with loue and in heauen trueth and saluacioÌ„ in Christ The walles which defende preserue and kepe this citie is the faith and belefe in the holy worde of god by the whiche the faithfull beleuers are kept and preserued The .xii. gates maye we take and vnderstande for the .xii. articles of the holye Christen faythe vpon the gates the xii apostles or patriarkes or prophetes whiche haue their glorious and holy names not onely written in heauen aboue all other holy saintes but also vpoÌ„ earth in the militant or warrefaring chutch These gates of the articles are wel and orderly set and appointed of the father of the sunne of the holy gost of the grace and rewarde of redempcion The .xii. foundacions of these walles maye be taken for the bokes of the olde and newe testament vpon the whiche the wall of the christen churche the holy faithe whiche is but one bothe of the christianes of the olde and of the newe testament bothe of the prophetes and of the Apostles is and ought to be founded and grounded And where as the Apostles are here more named than the prophetes it is done for this purpose for as much as thorow the Apostles the doctrine of the prophetes and the gospell promysed in the prophetes was spredde abrode and publyshed in the whose wyde worlde whiche gospell the prophetes dyd preache and wryte onely vnto the children of Israel and to their neighbours the people nexte about them of the lande of Israell and againe because the apostles were witnesses in their owne parsons of the slaying and death of the lambe The texte ¶ And be that talked with me had a golden rede to measure the citie with all and the gates therof and the wal therof And the citie was buylt foure square and the length was as large as the bredth and he measured the citie with the rede twelue â—â— furlonges and the length and the bredth the heyght of it were equall And he measured the wall therof an cxliiii câ—bytes the measure that the angell had was after the measure that man vseth And the buildyng of the wal of it was of Iasper And the citie was pure golde lyke vnto cleare glasse and the foundacions of the wall of the citie were garnished with all maner of precious stones The first foundacion was Iaspis the seconde Saphire the thirde a Calcedony the fourthe an Emeralde the fyfte Sardoniâ— the syrie Sardoes the seuenth Crysolite the eight Beral the nynth a Topas the tenth a Chrisoprasos the eleeuenth a Iaciute the twelue than Amâ—chist In the .xliiii. of Ezechiell and lykewyse in zacharie doe we reade of yâ— mystery of this holy citie whiche is here described as thoughe it shoulde be measured how long how brode and howe highe it were But it is done of Christ after the maner of a vision and as it were in a misterie For Christ knoweth his churche well inoughe and all whiche are the rin or belong therunto The golden reed is as it were a golden met wonde and it signifieth the right square of the holy scripture whiche onely declareth and sheweth certenly and truly what is ryghte or croked wel or amisse in the religion and doctrine ceremonies and dyscipline of the churche And where as the citie lyeth foure square it sygnifieth the .iiii. quarters of the worlde in the whiche the almightie God hath alwayes had his peculier electe faithful folowers and obseruers of the true loue of God and of the neighbour wherin consisteth the lawe and the prophetes and also the commaundement of Christ the sauiour of the whole worlde The length is from the east to the west the bredth is from the northe to the south and the higth is euen from the earth to the heauen So that heauen and earth and the whole churche both triumphant in heauen militant vpon earth are full of the glory of God of the power and kyngdome of Christ whiche the father gaue him whan as he dyd set him at his right hande in the moost hyghe honour glorye and blisse for a mirrour vnto all faithfull and holy electe An hundreth and .xliiii. is a full and a perfite nomber euen .xii. tymes .xii. And it signifieth all perfeccion of the grace of God the holy goost and of all true and perfite vertues whiche true faithe onely preserueth and maketh good and perfight and also acceptable vnto God The true faithe and belefe which hath alwaies bene preached and preserued in the holy churche as well by the Israelites as by the
c Hath not God made the wisedom of this worlde folishnes For the Iewes require asigne c. We preach Christe crucified c. The folishnes of God is wyser theÌ„ mâ—n God hath chosen the foâ—yâ—â—e thinges of the worlde to confounde the wyse Wâ— haue not receyued the spirite of the worlde He that is spirituall discusseth al thynges I haue plaÌ„ted Apollo watered Let no man deceiue you He compasseth the wise in theyr craftimes Ye are Christes Christe is goddes It is the Lorde that iudgeth me What haste thou that thou haste not receyued Wherefore I desire you to folowe me as I folowe Christe The kindome of God is not in wordes yf any that is called a brother bee a fornicatoure I maie doâ— all thing But al thinges are not profitable Let not the bodye bee applied vnto fornicacion For ye are dearely boughte Let euery man haue his owne wife Wythdrawe not your selfes one froÌ„ another excepte it be with consent for a time Euery man hathe his proper gift of god If they cannot abstayne lette theÌ„ marry for it is better to marry than to burne Let not the wyfe be seperated froÌ„ the husbaÌ„d For the vnbeleuâ—ng husband iâ— sanctified by the wyfe c. But and yf the vnbeleuing depart let hym departe Ye are derely boughte be not ye the seruauntes of men Lykewyse if a virgine marrye she hathe noâ— synned I would haue you without care This speake I for your profite not to tangle you in a snare He that ioyneth his virgine in mariage doeth well Knowledge maketh a man swell but loue edifieth We are sure that an image is nothyng Meate maketh vs not acceptable to god Wherfore if meate hurte my brother â–ª c. Haue I not seene Iesus Christ our lorde But woe is it vnto me if I preache not the gospell Let rather him that thinketh he standeth c. For why is my libertie iudged c. The maÌ„ is yâ— womans head c. Neither was the maÌ„ created for the womaÌ„s sake Let a man eâ—amâ—â— hymselfe so let him eate of the breade and drinke of the cup. He that prophecieth speaketh vnto men for theyr edifying Let hym that speaketh with toÌ„gue pray that he may interprete also Prophecy serueth not for them that beleue not but for them which beleue For God is no causer of strife but of peace For yf the deade ryse not againe theÌ„ is Christ not rysen agayne By out reioysing whiche I haue in Christe Iesu out lorde I dye dayly All fleshe is not one maner of flesh The fyrste manne is of the earth earthly Death is swalowed vp in victorie c. For our preachyng to you was not yea and naye c. Not that we be lordes oâ—eâ— youre fayth But we haue this treaâ—ure in earthen vessels We are knowen wel ynough vnto God For if we be to feruente to God are we to feruente Therfore yf any man be in Christe he is a new creature God was in Christe and made agremente betwene the world and hymselfe By the armoure of ryghteousnesse I promise vnto you like rewarde as vnto children We haue huâ—t â—o maÌ„ we haue defrauded no man God that comforteth the abiecte comforted vs by the cuÌ„myng of Titus Godly sorowe causeth repentaunce vnto saiuacion There was geuen vnto me vnquietnesse thorowe the fleshe For my strengthe is made perfect thorow weakenesse For in nothing was I inferioure vnto the chiefe Apostles For I seâ—â— not yours but you Dyd I pyll you by any of them whoÌ„ I sent vnto you We can do nothyng againste the trueth but for the trueth But â—y Iâ—sê° Christ and by God the father Whiche called you by grace vnto an other gospel Either go I aboute to please men For if I had hitherto studied to please men c. For I neither receiued it nor learned it of man I communed not of yâ— matur with fleshe and bloude I wâ—t vp by reuelacion coÌ„muned â—â— them And that because of incuÌ„mers c. I withstode hym openâ—y He dyd eate with the GeÌ„tiles And yâ— other Iewes disseÌ„bled aswelas he If thou beyng a Iew. c A man is not iustifyed by the dedes of the lawe Is Christ theÌ„ the minister of synne Not I but Christ liueth in me c. I dispise not the grace of God c. That ye should not beleue yâ— truth To Abraham and his seede were the promises made For if the inheritaunce cuÌ„ of the law c. The lawe was addeâ— because of transgressioÌ„ But yâ— scripture concludeth all thinges vnder sinne That we mighte be â—â—de righteous through feyth For ye are yâ— chyldren of god because ye beleue it For ye are al one in Christ Iesu Thaâ— we through eleccion myghte receyue thinheritaunce But now after that ye haue knowen God c. How is it that ye turne againe vnto the weake beggerly ordinauÌ„ces c. Ye haue not hurt me at al. I would I wer with you now â— coâ—â—â— chaunge my voyce Abraham had two soÌ„nes c. For these are two testameÌ„tes â–ª c. But Ierusalem whiche is aboue â—s free c. Put awayâ— the bond womanne wtâ—â—â— sonne As manye of you as are â—â— stified by the lawe c. Who was a lette to you yâ— ye should not beleue the truthe Why do I thâ—n suffer persecucion For the lawe is fulfilled in one word c. The fleshe lusteth coÌ„trary to yâ— spirit The dedes oâ— the fleshe c. are thâ—se adultrie c. Consideryng thy selfe lest yâ— be tempted Beare ye one anothers burdaine Be not deceiued God iâ—m not mocked When the time â—o come we shâ—l reape without weâ—â—yn â— Wherby the worlde is cruâ—â—â—ified vnto me I vnto the world I beare in my bodye the markes of yâ— lorde Iesu Grace be vnto you â— peace Blessed bee God the father According as he had chosen vs. Through loue Which ordayned vs. To the praise of the glory of his grace In al wisdome and prudence According to his good pleasure That â—e may to his prayse In whome we also Which is yâ— earnest Vnto the praise of his glorye May geue vnto you yâ— spirite of â—â—sedome He hath wrought in Christe c. And hath made him aboue all thinges the head In the children of unbeliefe And were by nature the childreÌ„ of wrathe But God whiche is riche in mercie By grace are ye made safe Iâ— is the gift of god For we are his workemanship Vnto good workes whiche god ordayned Hauing no hope Gene .xxii. But nowe by the meanes of Christ Iesu For be is ouâ— peace Through his fleshe Making peace To you which were a ferre of By â—â—uelation shewed he this mestery vnto me Vnto me the least of al Saintes is this grace geuen c. That he â—â—ulâ— graunt you accordiÌ„g to yâ— riches oâ— his glory which is father of all Ye beeyng rooted and grounded in loue myght bee hable to coÌ„prehende Unto hym that is hable The houseband is the wiues head
euen as Christe is yâ— head of the congregacioÌ„ Ye housbaÌ„des loue your wiues as Christ al to hath louedtde congregacion He that Loueth his wife loueth himself Ye seruauÌ„tes be obedieÌ„t to your bodely masters c We haue heard of your fayth i Christ Iesu c. Of whiche hope ye heard before by the true worde of the gospel Whiche also declared vnto vs your loue which ye haue in the spirite Ye might be fulfilled with the knowledge c Strengthed with al might through his glorious power c. Whiche hath made vs mete to be partakers of the inheritaunce of sainctes in light For by him were all thinges created He is the begâ—nnyng and first begotten of the dead c That in him should all fulnes dwell c. Now ioye I in my suffâ—riÌ„ges for you c. For his bodies sake whiche is the congregacioÌ„ Whome we preache warnyns all men and teaching c. â— That theyr hertes might be comforted c. Thoughe I be absente in the fleshe c. And disceitfull van tie after the tradicion of meÌ„ c. In him dwelleth all yâ— fulnes of yâ— godhead bodelye â—c In whom ye are also râ—seÌ„ again through fayth â—â— And hath â—ut out the hâ—nâ—wryâ—ing â—â—â—t was agaâ—â—â—t vs c Whiche are shadowes of thynges to come c. In the thynges which he neuer sawe Touche not taste not haÌ„dle not whiche all â–ª c. And â—â—uetonsnes whiche is worshippyng of idols And image of him that made hâ—m Take hede to thy office We haue heard of your fayth i Christ Iesu c. Of whiche hope ye heard before by the trae worde of the gospel Whiche also declared vnto vs your loue which ye haue in the spirits Ye might be fulfilled with the knowledge c. Strengthed with al might through his glorious power c. Whiche hath made vs meâ—e to be partakers of the inheritaunce of sainctes in light For by him were all thinges created He is the beginnyng and first begotten of the dead â— That in him should all fulnes dwell c. Now ioyâ— I in my sufâ—â—riÌ„geâ— fo◠〈◊〉 c. For his bodies sake â— whiche is â—â—e congregacioâ— Whome we preache warnyng all men and teaching c. That theyr hertes might be comforted c. Thoughe I be absente in the fleshe c. And disceitfull vanitie after the tradicion of meÌ„ c. In him dwelleth all yâ— fulnes of yâ— godhead bodelye c. In whom ye ate also riseÌ„ again through fayth c. And hath put out the handwryting that was against vs. c. Whiche aâ—â— shadowâ—s â—â— thynges to come c. In the thynges which he neuer sawe Touche not taste not haÌ„dle not whiche all c. And couetousnes whiche is worshippyng of idols And image of him that made him Take hede to thy office Thessalonica God make vs Englishmen â—â—ght Thessalonians God sende vs suche preachers This is the will of god euen your holynesse By the coÌ„mission of god our sauiour To his natural sonne In the faith Grace mercy peace As I besought the. That thou commaunde some The ende of the lawe is loue The law is good The lawe is not geueÌ„ vnto a righteous man We haue the lyke aduersaries but not the lyke diligeÌ„t preachers Paul made a priest by layeng on of haÌ„des without anoputynge Faith and conscience The cause of the decay of faith and good conscience The chiefe pollicie that bringeth meÌ„ to Christ is christian charitie Elders as we in oure commen speche vse to cal them Aldermen All prelates maye learne diligence at this mooste diligeÌ„t preachinge prelate the deuyll The charitie of the Gospel maketh one to be as glad of an others good to be as sory for an others hurt as though it were to him self not al worldly suâ— staunce to be thinune as the â—hant asâ—icall Anabaptistes do wikedly dreame The tree of lyfe The seconde death The fyrste death Manna The whyte stone Iesabel The whyte araye The open dore To be in the spirite Gods seate The precious stones The raynebowe The .xxiiii. seates and the .xxiiii. elders The sea of glasse The foure sondry beastes The face of the man The calfe The lyon The Egle. The wynges The eyes Foure angels The earth the sea and the trees The holy angell A certen nomber put for to signifye an vncerten multitude The trees Locustes The raynebowe vii thonders The quier xlii monethes The .ii. witnesses The great citie The temple of God The Arke The lyghtnyng thondering c. Heauen The womaÌ„ with childe The crienge The dragoÌ„ The .vii. heades The .x. hornes â—â—e tayle The taile of the dragon or of the deuyll The wynges The catte The Beare Tabernacle Ludouicus pius .viii. hundreth lvi The lambe This name is nowe turned and called al sainctes
they them selfe haue already assayed Why stande they not rather in a watche take hede lest through theyr owne foly they become againe that they wer once Why enuy they at them whom they might folowe wer it not they had more pleasure to striue then to obeye The texte But Esai crieth concernyng Israel though the numbre of the children of Israel be as the sande of the sea yet the remnaunt shal be saued For he finisheth the worde verely and maketh it shorte in righteousnes For a shorte worde wyll God make in yearth And as Esai sayeth before excepte the lorde of Sabboth had left vs seede we had been made as Sodoma and had been likened to Gomorra Now if through mens owne stubbernes the greatest parte of y◠worlde perishe yet to the fewe that wyl beleue wyl God perfourme as muche as was promised to the whole numbre And neuer shal the tyme be but that this inheritaunce shal haue his successors This did the prophete Esai speakyng of the people of Israel without al colouryng clearely testifye saiyng If the numbre of the Israelites wer as many as the sand of the sea and though through theyr owne foly as many also perished yet shal there some alway remaine whiche shal through fayth be saued For be y◠numbre of them that falleth from God neuer so great yet shal not theyr fal make the promise of God vaine Men in promises are wont to breake theyr credence but God is he whiche wyl fully perfourme al that he promised and that briefely and cōpendiously not with deceite falsely but iustly and truely for as the same prophete Esai sayd the Lord in yearth wyl make a shorte worde Shadowes seme not cleare without suspicion of deceite the law selfe is ful of wordes promisyng grosly represētyng cōmaundyng threatnyng sometimes sometimes cōforting But Christ beyng sent into the worlde euen at once gaue al perfourmed y◠was promised opened al y◠was before hidden in figures brought the great multitude of rules contained in y◠law to y◠onely cōmaūdement of charitie of the gospel And thus spread he abrode the seede of his heauenly doctrine and gospel whiche albeit in many of my countreymen be vnfruitful yet some are there in whom it brought foorth fruit Againe the same prophet a litle before sayeth had not the Lord of sabboth left vs sede we had ben made as Sodoma and likened vnto Gomorra Wherfore though the most part of the Iewes fal from Christ yet wyl not Christ suffre the true and natural sede of Abraham vtterly to perishe The texte What shal we say then we say that the gentiles whiche folowed not righteousnes haue ouertaken righteousnes euen the righteousnes whiche cōmeth of fayth Contrarywise Israel whiche felowed the lawe of righteousnes could not attaine to the lawe of righteousnes Wherfore Euen because they sought it not by fayth but as it wer by the workes of the lawe For they haue stumbled at the stūblyng stone As it is written ▪ beholde I haue put in Sion a stumblyng stone and a rocke that men shal be offēded at And whosoeuer beleueth on him shal not be confounded Synce this is so what shal we say Surely nothyng but as the truth is that is to wete that the gentiles whiche semed farre from righteousnes and without the ceremonies of the lawe haue yet attained the true and perfite righteousnes and not a Iewishe whiche standyng in bodily thinges was nothing but a shadowe onely of christian perfeccion but a holsome an effectual iustice whiche suche haue not as for the workes of the lawe stande muche in theyr owne conceite but suche as through an vnfained fayth submit and yelde them selfes vnto God We may likewyse of the othersyde saye that whiles the people of the Iewes with all theyr power folowyng the iustice of the lawe carnally vnderstanden and stifly cleaue to it with all theyr labour they came not vnto the very law of iustice forasmuche as the same fel from Christ whervnto as to a marke al y◠darke sayinges of Moses law principally directed Here some wyl say how fortuned all this and how ended these purposes so diuersly Without al doubte because God abhorreth suche as are high minded and geueth him selfe his righteousnes to suche as are sobre lowly And therfore y◠gentiles vpō acknowledgyng of theyr owne disease an hūble submission of them selfe to God God receiued y◠proude Iewes of thothersyde whiche falsly vsurped y◠title of righteousnes as theyr owne bearyng them selfe bolde vpon theyr sabboth day kepyng washynges circūcision and suche other small obseruaunces disdainyng to receiue the yoke of fayth hath God set at naught and refused because they denied Christ and deliuered him which is the author of life to death whiche thyng Esai long before knowyng prophecied should be vnder this fourme that Christ whō the law promised should be a sauior by reason of vnbeleif should be vnto the Iewes an occasion of stumlyng and that the same stone whiche should be to the good a sure and a strong defēce shuld be theyr vtter vndoyng whiles they had rather by resistyng stumble at him then with beleif to rest vpon him For so by the prophete Esai speaketh God the father of Christ beholde I putte in Sion a stumblyng stone and a rocke that men shal be offended at but whoso beleueth in it shall neuer be confounded and put to shame as one disapointed of that he loketh for The .x. Chapiter The texte Brethren my hertes desyre praier to God for Israel is that they might be saued For I beare them record that they haue a feruent minde to God warde but not accordyng to knowledge For they beyng ignorant of Gods righteousnes and goyng about to stablishe theyr owne righteousnes haue not been obedient vnto the righteousnes of God For Christ is the fulfillyng of the lawe to iustifie all that beleue ALl whiche thinges brethren speake I with great heauynes because with all my heart I fauer and would them well if I were in any wyse able to do them good beyng in ieopardie of euerlastyng dānacion But now that whiche is the onely thyng I can do in my dayly praiers made vnto God my desyre peticion is that they may once yet amend and not alway continue in suche blyndnes I can not vtterly excuse theyr vnbeleif but yet in the defence of theyr fault some coloure may be made and pretēded As they are not in all pointes in suche sorte straungers to God as the gentiles be so muche the more wishe I that theyr rude beginnynges may once be made perfite that whose shadow they haue for a season borne about with them in theyr bodyes of the same they may now come to the very trueth For albeit they with extreme deuilishnes fastened to the crosse the Lord who was y◠foūtayne of al glorye yet this say I of them and deny not that to Godwarde a certaine zeale and
loue haue they but yet not accordyng to knowledge and right iudgement Nor are they deceiued for lacke of a godly minde and purpose but in the choyse and practise of life they rūne farre awry Now better is it to haue some minde to religion then to be al without and of God wel worthy wer that minde of theyrs in goodnes to be encreased were it not that they to the grosse beginnynges of godly life so stubbernly cleaued that they refused the true and perfite religion and wer it not also they so vehemently requyred and auaunced euen shadowes and pictures of trueth that the verye fountayne of trueth they vtterly dispised For whiles they busyly in dede but yet vndiscretely defende and kepe Moses lawe resistyng him for whom the lawe was principally ordained they vtterly fal euen from the whole lawe selfe Kepyng of the sabboth day circumcision abstinence frō certayne kyndes of meates the shonnyng of dead carkasses fastyng dayes the keapyng of high feastes were for this purpose made and decreed for a time that frō suche rude beginnynges men might by litle and litle growe vpwarde to true perfite righteousnes and from a certaine worldly righteousnes encrease and growe vppe to that whiche is in all pointes godly and perfecte If an ordinaunce be purposed and made for a better ende vnseamyng is it for loue of suche a meane to dispise the ende for whiche the sayd meane was appointed But now frowardely so yet do the Iewes whom albeit after the publishyng of the righteousnes of God it besemed to forgoe the carnal iustice of the lawe yet so farrefoorth bolster they out defende theyr olde and at this tyme hurteful and not onely superfluous iustice of the lawe that they not onely wyll not knowledge the heauenly righteousnes of God but also hauyng a confidence in theyr ceremonies withstande and resist the gospel of Christ wherevnto they ought by fayth to submitte them selfe if they euer minded to be truely righteous For we must by imaginacion conceiue as it were twoo kyndes of iustice th one wherof Moses was author the other wherof Christ was beginner The one standeth in ceremonies the other in fayth and obedience And as the rude piece of timbre is matter wherof an image is wrought as bloud is the beginning of liuyng creatures to be brought foorth by generaciō so is the iustice of the lawe a rude grosse beginnyng of thother whiche is more perfite And certainly extreme folishenes is it after that a man is come to perfeccion curiously to sticke styl in rudimentes But now of all Moses law whiche is of it selfe rude vnperfite is Christ the fulfillyng and perfeccion by whom through fayth and not through circumcision we attaine righteousnes whiche way to righteousnes is not onely open for Iewes to entre therinto but also to all true and faythful beleuers The texte For Moses writeth of the righteousnes whiche commeth of the lawe how that the mā whiche doeth the thinges of the law shal liue therby But the righteousnes which cōmeth of fayth speaketh on this wyse say not thou in thine heart who shal ascende into heauen that is euen to fetche Christ doune from aboue either who shall descende into the depth that is euen to fetche vp Christ againe from death but what sayth he The worde is nigh the euen in thy mouth and in thy heart Both kyndes of iustice did Moses clearely expresse For the temporal iustice whiche rested in ceremonies to be kept but for a season plainly setteth he out in the boke of y◠Leuites saiyng kepe my lawes decrees this who so doeth shal liue therby But the true euerlastyng iustice whiche we by Christ through a liuely fayth obtaine in the boke of Deuteronomi expresseth he when he sayth neither say thou in thine heart who shall ascende into heauen for that is euen to fetche Christ doune from aboue Nor yet say thou who shal descende and goe doune into the deapth of the yearth for that were euen to fetche vppe Christ againe from death Of whiche bothe sortes of questioners forasmuche as they require of fayth to haue an experiment neither of both semeth to beleue well But whosoeuer vnfaynedly beleueth is in suche poyntes more surely and better persuaded thē is one which nedeth suche meanes to be taught with either of this I saye that Christe once descended from heauen or els of this that he nowe sytteth at his fathers ryghte hande thoughe he nomore shewe neither of bothe before mennes iyen And though it be of men sene nomore yet beleueth he also that Christ went downe to hell and the thyrde daye rose agayne to lyfe Sufficient is it for vs to beleue that this was once done So that this remayneth that we gyue credence vnto suche as sawe the same And to beleue this we nede not to seke ferre The Iewes sawe and yet beleued not Other heard whiche sawe not and yet gaue they credence The scripture recordeth the same whiche streight after saythe the worde is nyghe the euen in thy mouthe and in thy hearte The texte This same is the worde of faythe whiche we preache For yf thou knowledge with thy mouth that Iesus is the lorde and beleue in thy heart that god raysed hym vp frō death thou shalte be saued For to beleue with the hearte iustifieth and to knowledge with the mouthe maketh a man safe For the Scripture sayth whosoeuer beleueth on hym shal not be confounded And what worde is this whiche Scripture speaketh of Withoute doubt the worde of the gospel which we beyng publyshers of this righteousnes do preache worketh in mennes soules present saluacion so that menne by faythe onely apply theyr myndes therunto But howe is this worde of the gospell in thy mouthe and howe is it in thy hearte Yf thou with thy mouthe confesse and knowledge the Lorde Iesus and with thy heart vnfaynedly beleue that god from death raised hym agayne to lyfe that we through hym beyng restored to lyfe from the death of syn shoulde hereafter lyue in cleannesse of lyfe then shalt thou be saued For with hert beleue we whiche is to ryghteousenes the very entrey but for asmuche as when nede requyreth all men are bounde to glorifie Christe to euerlastyng saluacion it is not sufficient with heart onlye to beleue excepte thou the same with thy mouthe confesse By this seeye that this matter hangeth not vpon ceremonies but vpon fayth Whiche thyng Esai also speakyng of Christe recordeth saying whosoeuer beleueth on hym shall not be confounded The texte There is no difference betwene the Iewe and the Gentile For one is lorde of all whiche is riche vnto all that cal vpon hym For whosoeuer dothe call on the name of the Lorde shal be safe Howe then shall they call on hym on whome they haue not beleued Howe shall they beleue on hym of whome they haue not hearde Howe shall they heare withoute a preacher And how shall they
And hys will is that you care for youre seruauntes commoditie through reasonable commaunding and not to presse theÌ„ with tirannie These thynges that we haue hitherto treated of tend to this end that you should aswel be lyke vnto your head Christ in holines of life as to agree together among your selues in mutuall concorde The texte Finally my brethren be stronge through the Lorde and through the power of his might Put on all the armoure of God that ye maye stande againste the assaultes of the deuill For we wrestle not against bloode and fleshe but againste rule against power against worldly rulers euen gouernoures of the darckenes of this worlde against spirituall craâ—tyues in heueÌ„ y thinges Whertore take vnto you the whole armoure of God that ye maye be hable to resist in the euell daie and stande perfecte in all thynges Stande therfore and your loynes girde with the trueth hauyng on the brestplate of righteousnes and hauing shoes on youre â—ere that ye maye bee prepared for the Gospell of peace Aboue all take to you the shilde of faithe where with ye maye quenche all the ficrie dartes of the wicked And take the helmet of saluacion and the â—â—â—â—de of the spirite whiche is the woorde of God Now this remayneth for a finall conclusyon that forasmuche as the wieked doe lay sundry engines to ouerthrowe your tranquillitie you must also bee armed with a strong lustie inward conscience to resist them not with the ayde of your owne powers but by the meane of the lorde Jesus your defendour who will not suffer hys bodye to be destitute Verely as for vs we are feble members but he is valeaunt and mightie that hath taken vpon him to be our protectour Desyre therefore of him all maner of spirituall armour and weapons that therwith being in euery poynt surely harnessed you may be hable to stand valeauntly agaynst the assaultes of the deuil For we haue not warre and battayl with men whose wronges our duetie is to ouercome with pacyence But our battayl is with wicked spirites the enemyes and foes of Christe whose champions and instrumentes those are that ragingly assault vs. And by their ministery the princes and powers of deuils geue battail against vs froÌ„ aboue and exercise theyr tirannye vpon suche as bee addycte vnto them throughe the naughtinesse of thys worlde and lay wayte in the darkenes of this worlde for those that loue the lyght of the Gospel Agaynste those I say we must necessarily abyde battayll and they are not onely mightye of strength but also exceadingly perfite in spirituall pollicie and that in the coastes of the ayre so as they may the easelier come vpon vs and so as it is the harder for vs to apprehende them To warre agaynst this kinde of enemies no humayne weapons nor armour can doe any good But it is the onely armour of God that must defende vs from harme Therefore as often as you must entre battayl with your aduersaries doe alwayes as noble warriers are accustomed whan they haue a doe with a daungerous enemie Get on all your harnesse and doe euery thyng accordyngly that whan the daunger of the battayl shal be you may be hable to kepe your place and stedfastly stand vpon the sure rocke Christ Whan menne goe to warre one agaynst an other fyrste they couer themselues on euery syde that they lye not open any way to theyr enemies ordinaunce Than they make ready to beaâ—e backe the inuader The middle partes of theyr bodies because of the tendernes they girde with an Apron of maile The vpper partes they harnesse with a brest plate Upon the legges and feete they weare bootes and an helmet vpon the head Than on the lefte syde a shylde is buckled to kepe of all arowe shot And so in like case you that haue spiritual battayl with wicked spirites continually in steede of the girdle put on trueth to girde vp the loines of your mynde so as you stande vpryghte and shrynke not at any naughtie enticement of false goodes and false opinions For the breste plate put on innocencie and righteousnes to kepe the inward partes of your mynd safe and sure with the mayles of vertue and godlines For bootes to put on the legges and fete loke you haue a sincere affeccion that coueteth after nothing but such thinges as be heauenly and is afrayde of nothyng but onely of vngodlines so as you may be alwayes readilye prepared to defende the Gospell whose defence consilieth not in styrryng of tumulte but in patience and quietnesse And for that cause sake it is called the gospel of peace The preachers wherof the prophete in times past respecting was in an admiracion to considre howe excellently fayre their feete were But we must diligently see yâ— we haue in continual readinesse on euery syde yâ— buckeler of faythe wherby we maye assuredly trust to all the promyses of God What larum so euer happeneth with this buckeler it shal be vaynquished what fyrie dartes so euer our subtill aduersary shall throwe at vs this buckeler shal kepe theim of so as none of theim shal pearce any parte of oure liuely membres For what thing can wounde the soule that defieth death it selfe And if you haue also with this buckler the helmet of a vigilaunt mynde that can take good circumspect hede you nede not in any wise to be afraid of your health Finally haue alwaies in your right hand the sword of the spirite aswel to cut of naughtie lustes from your mindes and to pearce to the inwarde partes of the harte as also to kepe of the resistours of the gospels veritie and to suppresse false head that trueth may preuayle This sworde is the worde of God that pearceth with a constaunt power of fayth not after the maner of mannes cutting reason but rather renneth through than cutteth For the woorde of man is but a weake watrishe woorde forasmuche as it entreateth onely of vayne transitorye matters But the woorde of god is effectual and can skil of nothing out of heauenly thinges and pearceth through vnto the ioyntes of the soule and searcheth euen to the inwarde boanes and marye These be the enemies that Christians haue battail withal wheras with men they are at peace And these are the weapoÌ„s wherwith they defend themselues and get the vietorie not with their own powers but by the helpe of Christ the mightie Captayn through whose luckie ayde theyr batayl hath good successe The texte And praye alwayes with all maner of praier and supplication in the spirite watche therunto with all instaunce and supplicacion for all sainctes and for me that vtteraunce maye bee geuen vnto me that I maye open my mouthe frely to vtter the secretes of my gospet whereof I am messenger in bondes that therein I may speake frely as I ought to speake But that ye may also knowe what condicion I am in and wher I dooe Tichicus the dere brother and faythfull minister in the Lorde shall shewe
of her selfe but of God with all heauenly graces and vertues and with the ornamentes of all perfeccion In this citie of the heauenly and eternall Ierusalem shall the lorde God in Christ dwell as it were with and among his people and deare beloued spowse and well garnyshed or floryshyng bryde with moste hyghe ioye and delyght and endles blisse and felycitie The texte And God shall wipe awaye all teares from their eyes And there shal be nomore death nether sorowe nether criyng nether shall there bee any more payne for the olde thinges are gone And he that sat vpon the seate sayed beholde I make al thinges newe And he sayed vnto me Write for these wordes are faythfull and true And he sayed vnto me it is doen I am Alpha and Omega the beginninge and the ende I wyll geue to hym that is a thirst of the well of the water of lyfe free He that ouercommeth shal inherite all thinges and I wylbe his God and he shal be my sonne Howe and what this blisse shall be can no man expresse But what thynges shall not be there that doeth he declare First there shall be no teares For there shall no maner of aduersitie trouble or vexacion happen vnto any man There is also no maner of decaye nor weakenes neither of the body nor of the soule no maner of sycknes nor infirmitie of complexions no bodyly hurte nor affliccion no dreade nor feare of death no heuy nor greuous temptacioÌ„ no lacke of any thing no myschanuce no weeping nor waylyng nor payne smart nor impediment For in the state of blisse and saluacion is no thought nor sorowe to be taken for any of these thinges For the first and originall occasion of all these miseries the synne of Adam and Eue for whose sake the worlde was created is altogether past and vtterly ceased ended and finyshed together with death and the deuyll thorowe the rightuousnes of our sauiour Christ Thorowe the whiche rightuousnes all mankynde so many as are faithful is reconciled vnto God for euermore Thus hath Christ syttyng vpon the stoole of his kyngdom and glorye ordeyned all thinges newe This must be stedfastlye confessed and beleued of all faithfull christians as an infallyble trueth therfore it is gods commaundement that it shoulde be wrytten for an euerlasting remembraunce for an holsome doctrine and consolacion that all men should beleue the trueth and so beleuynge obteyne blisse and saluacion For this is the ende of all thinges the blisse and saluacion of mankynde in God whiche wyll declare and dystribute his glorye mercye and louynge kyndnes vnto them whiche he hath chosen from euerlasting vnto his honour and glorye whiche is the begynnynge and ende of all thinges that are euer were or euer shal be Vnto all them which in this vale of mysery dyd thirst after rightuousnes and after the glory of god vnto them wyll the grace and fauorable mercye of God gyue the liuing wel and fountayne of all goodnes and the eternal springynge floode of refreshment vnto saluacion and to perpetuall ioy and felicitie in God But these giftes and rewardes must be obteyned with muche labour and trauell yet not properly as desert or merite for suche great euerlastynge rewarde the hyghest goodnes and felicitie can not be purchased with any labour or trauell of man but it must be obteyned and enherited of and by the free grace and mercye of God Vnto them all whiche shall be thus eternally blessed shall Christ the spouse bryde grome of the churche be their Iesus and sauiour and also their God and theyr perfyte satisfaccion in suche maner and wyse that they shall be as his deare children and louyng sonnes and he Christ shall be their father brother God and their euerlastinge kyng and captayne The texte ¶ But the fearfull and vnbeleuynge and the abhominable and murdrers and whormongers and sorcerers and ydolatres and all lyars shal haue their parte in the lake whiche burneth with fyre and brimstone whiche is the seconde death Here foloweth now also the contrary part what Christ the iudge shall ordeine and make with them whiche in this worlde were fearfull and cruell vnto all godly humble and lowly men hiche haue hurte and noyed all men whiche neuer woulde credite nor beleue the holy gospell the holy scripture the euerlastinge worde of God whiche haue handled and dealte abhominably against al kynde and nature and against al loue whiche euen against their natural kynd of very set purpose haue bene murtherers and shedders of innocent bloude whiche haue defyled and stayned the naturall state ordeyned of God with fylthy vnchastnes And haue practised sorcery and witchcrafte contrarye to yâ— honour and lawe of god not without makinge some bande or couenanut with the wicked spirite the arche nemny of God whome they haue serued and obeyed his pleasure and commaundement in setting vp of chapels and altares in seruing honouring worshippinge praying vnto and callynge vpon false goddes vnder the name of sainctes whome they haue sought farre and nere to make their oblacions vnto them against whom the holy prophetes haue alwaies cried out against the false teachers false prophetes and false apostles Theirs and all other lyars and wicked doers part shall be in eternall damnacioÌ„ where nothing is but sorowe angwishe weping and waylyng heuines dystresse delpaite with euerlasting contempt and hatred of God All whiche is the seconde death vnto the whiche men doe come thorowe these forenamed synnes and blasphemies coÌ„mitted in the world without repentance or amendmeÌ„t For the first death is the corporall death of the bodye layed vpon all men of almightye God by reason of synne The texte ¶ And there came vnto me one of the seuen Angels whiche had yâ— seuen vyalles ful of the seuen laste plages and talked with me sayinge come hither I wyll shewe â—hee the bryde the lambes wyfe And he caried me awaie in the spirite to a great and an hye mountaine and he shewed me the great citie holy Ierusalem descending out of heauen from God hauinge the brightnes of God And her shynyng was like vnto a stone most precious euen lyke a Iasper clere as Christ all and had walles great and hye and had twelue gates and at the gates twelue Angels and names wrytten whiche are the names of the twelue tribes of Israel on the East parte thre gates and on the Northsyde thre gates and towardes the Southe thre gates and from the west thre gates and the wall of the citie had twelue foundacions and in them the twelue names of the lambes .xii. apostles Christ is the angell of the great councell whiche thorowe his angels that serue him worketh and bringeth to passe the ordinances of God with punyshmentes and plages of the wicked and vnfaithfull whiche doe hynder and let his ordinances The rewarde dothe he pay him selfe For he him selfe is the rewarde and the crowne of the blessed This Christ our lorde and sauiour talketh here with Iohn his beloued and of a