The vvhole workes of W. Tyndall, Iohn Frith, and Doct. Barnes, three worthy martyrs, and principall teachers of this Churche of England collected and compiled in one tome togither, beyng before scattered, [and] now in print here exhibited to the Church. To the prayse of God, and profite of all good Christian readers.

The Prologue vppon the Gospell of S. Mathew, by M. William Tyndall.

HEre hast thou (mostdere reader) the new Testa∣mēt, or couenaunt made with vs of GOD in Christes bloud. Whiche I haue looked ouer a∣gayne (now at the last) with all dili∣gence, & compared it vnto the Greke, & haue weeded out of it many fautes, which lacke of helpe at the begynning and ouersight, did sow therein. If ought seme chaunged, or not altoge∣ther agreyng with the Greeke, let the finder of the faute consider the Hebrue phrase, or maner of speache left in the Greeke wordes. Whose preterperfec∣tence and presentence is oft both one, & the futuretence is the optatiue mode also, & the futuretence oft y^t imperatiue mode in the actiue voyce, & in the pas∣siue euer. Likewise person for person, number for number, and interrogatiō for a cōditionall, and such lyke is with the Hebruesa common vsage.

I haue also in many places set light in the margent to vnderstand the text by. If any mā finde fautes either with the translation or ought beside (which is easier for many to do, then so well to haue translated, it thē selues of their owne pregnante wittes, at the begin∣nyng without an ensāple) to the same it shalbe lawfull to trāslate it them sel∣ues, and to put what they lust thereto. It I shall perceaue either by my selfe, or by information of other, y^t ought be escaped me, or might more playnly be translated: I will shortly after cause it to be amended. Howbeit, in many places, me thinketh it better to put a declaration in the margent, then to runne to farre from the text. And in many places where the text semeth at the first choppe hard to be vnderstād, yet the circumstaunces before and af∣ter, and often readyng together, make it plaine inough.

Moreouer, because the kyngdome of heauen, which is the Scripture and word of GOD, may be so locked vp, that he which readeth or heareth it, can not vnderstand it: as Christ testifieth how that the Scribes, and Phariseis had so shut it vp Math. xxiij. and had taken awaye the keye of knowledge. Luke. xj. that y^t Iewes which thought * 1.1 them selues within, were yet so locked out, and are to this day, that they can vnderstand no sentence of the Scrip∣ture. vnto their saluation though they cā rehearse the textes euery where and dispute therof, as subtely as the Po∣pish Doctours of Dunces darke lear∣nyng, whiche with their sophistry ser∣ned vs, as the Phariseis did y^t Iewes. Therfore, that I might be found faith full to my father, and Lord in distribu∣tyng vnto my brethren and felowes of one faith, their due and necessary fode: so dressing it and seasonyng it, that the weake stomackes may receiue it also, and be the better for it: I thought it my dutie (most deare reader) to warne thee before, and to shew thee, the right way in, and to geue thee, the true keye to open it with all, and to arme thee a∣gaynst false Prophetes, and malicious hypocrites, whose perpetuall studie is to blind the scripture with gloses, and there to locke it vp, where it should saue thee soule, & to make vs shoote at a wrōg marke, to put our trust in those thinges that profite their bellyes one∣ly, and slea our soules.

The right way (yea, and the onely * 1.2 way) to vnderstand the Scripture vn∣to saluation is, that we earnestly and aboue all thyng search for the professiō of our Baptisme, or couenantes made betwene GOD and vs. As for an en∣sample. Christ sayth Mat. v. Happy are the mercifull, for they shall obtayne mer∣cy. Lo, here GOD hath made a coue∣naunt with vs, to be mercyfull vnto vs, if we will be mercyfull one to an o∣ther, so that the man whiche sheweth mercy vnto his neighbour: may be bold to trust in GOD for mercy, at all needes. And contrarywise, iudgement without mercy, shalbe to him that * 1.3 sheweth not mercy. So now, if he that sheweth no mercy, trust in GOD for mercy, his faith is carnall and world∣ly, and but vayne presumption. For God hath promised mercy onely to the mercyfull.

And therfore the mercyles haue not Gods word that they shall haue mer∣cy: but contrarywise that they shall haue iudgement without mercy. And Math. vi. If ye shall forgeue then theyr fautes, your heauenly father shall forgeue you: but and if ye shall not forgeue men their faultes: no more shall your father forgeue you, your faultes.

Here also by the vertue and strēgth of this couenaunt, wherewith God of his mercy, hath bounde him selfe to vs vnworthy: he that forgeueth his neigh¦bour may be bold, when he returneth and amendeth, to beleue and trust in GOD for remission of what soeuer he hath done amisse. And contrarywise, he that will not forgeue, can not but dispayre of forgeuenesse in the end, and feare iudgement without mercy.

The generall couenaunt wherin all * 1.4 other are comprehended & included, is this. If we meke our selues to god, to kepe all his lawes, after the ensam∣ple of Christ: then God hath bounde him selfe vnto vs, to kepe and make good all y^t mercies promised in Christ, thoroughout all the Scripture.

All the whole law, which was geuē * 1.5 to vtter our corrupt nature, is com∣prehended in the tenne commaunde∣mentes. * 1.6 And the ten commaundemēts are comprehended in these two: loue God, and thy neighbour. And he that loueth his neighbour in GOD, and Christ, fulfilleth these two, and conse∣quently the ten, and finally all the o∣ther. Now if we loue our neighbours in God and Christ, that is to witte, if we be louyng, kynde and mercyfull to them, because God hath created them vnto his likenes, and Christ hath re∣demed them, and bought them with his bloud: thē may we be bold to trust in God through Christ and his deser∣uing, for all mercy. For God hath pro∣mised and bounde him selfe to vs, to shew vs all mercy, and to be a father almighty to vs, so that we shall not neede to feare the power of all our ad∣uersaries.

Now if any mā that submitteth not him selfe to kepe the cōmaundements, * 1.7 doe thinke that hee hath any faith in God: the same mans fayth is vayne, worldly, damnable, diuelish, & playne presumption as is aboue sayd, and is no fayth that can iustify, or be accepted before God. And that is it that Iames meaneth in his Epistle. For how can a man beleue (sayth Paule) without a preacher, Rom. 10. Now read all the scripture, and see where God sent any to preach mercy to any, saue vnto them onely that repente, and turne to God

with all their hartes, to kepe his com∣maundementes. Ʋnto the disobedient that wil not turne, is threatned wrath, vengeance, and damnation, according to all the terrible actes, and fearful en∣samples of the Bible.

Faith now in God y^t father through * 1.8 our Lord Iesus Christ, accordyng to the couenauntes & appointment made betwene God and vs, is our saluatiō. Wherfore I haue euer noted the coue∣nantes in the margents, & also y^t pro∣mises. Moreouer, where thou findest a promise, and no couenaunt expressed therwith: there must thou vnderstand a couenaunt, that we when we be re∣ceyued to grace, know it to be our du∣ty to kepe the law. As for an ensample when the scripture saith, Mat. 7. Aske, and it shall be geuen you, seeke and ye shall fynde, knocke and it shall be ope∣ned vnto you. It is to be vnderstand, if that when thy neighbour asketh, se∣keth or knocketh to thee, thou thē shew hym the same mercy which thou desi∣rest of God, then hath god bound him selfe to helpe thee agayne, and els not.

Also ye see that two thynges are re∣quired to be in a christen mā. The first is a stedfast fayth, and trust in almigh∣ty * 1.9 God, to obtayne all the mercy that he hath promised vs, through y^t deser∣uyng and merites of Christes bloude onely, without all respect to our owne workes.

And the other is, that we forsake e∣uill, and turne to GOD to kepe hys lawes, and to fight agaynst our selues and our corrupt nature perpetually, that we may do the will of God euery day better and better.

Thys haue I sayd (most deare rea∣der) to warne thee, least thou shouldst be deceyued, and shouldest not onely read the scriptures in vayne, and to no * 1.10 profite, but also vnto thy greater dam∣nation. For the nature of gods worde is, that whosoeuer read it, or heare it reasoned and disputed before hym, it wyll begin immediately to make hym euery day better and better, till he be grown into a perfect man in y^t know∣ledge of Christ, and loue of the law of God, or els make hym worse & worse, till he be hardened, that he openly re∣sist the spirit of god, & then blaspheme, after the ensample of Pharao, Coran, Abiron, Balam, Iudas, Symon Ma∣gus and such other.

This to bee euen so, the woordes of Christ, Iohn. 3. do well confirme. This is condemnation (sayth he) the light is come into the world, but the men loued darkenes more then light, for their deedes were euill. Behold, when the light of Gods worde com∣meth to a man, whether he reade it, or heare it preached or testified, and he yet haue no loue therto, to fashion his lyfe therafter, but consenteth still vnto hys olde dedes of ignoraunce: then begin∣neth * 1.11 hys iust damnation immediatly, and he is henceforth without excuse, in that he refused mercy offered hym, for God offreth mercy vpon the conditiō that he will mende hys liuing: but he wyll not come vnder the couenaunte. And from that houre forward he wax∣ech worse and worse, God taking hys spirit of mercy and grace from him, for his vnthankfulnes sake.

And Paul writeth Rom. 1. that the heathen, because whē they knew god, they had no lust to honour hym wyth godly liuing, therfore God poured his wrath vpon them, and tooke hys spi∣rit from them, and gaue thē vp to their hartes lustes to serue sinne, from ini∣quitie to iniquitie, till they were tho∣rowly hardened, and past repentance.

And Pharao because when y^e word of God was in his countrey, & Gods people scattred throughout all his lād, & yet he neither loued thē, nor it, ther∣fore God gaue hym vp, and in takyng hys spirit of grace from hym, so harde∣ned hys hart with couetousnes, that afterward no myracle could conuerte hym.

Hereunto pertaineth y^t parable of the talentes. Mat. 25. The Lord commaū∣deth * 1.12 the talent to be taken away from the euill and slouthfull seruant, and to bynde hym hand and foote, and to cast hym into vtter darkenes, and to geue the talent vnto hym that had ten, say∣ing: to all that haue, more shall be ge∣uen: but from hym that hath not, that he hath, shal be taken from hym. That is to say, he that hath a good harte to∣ward the word of god, and to garnish it with godly liuyng, and to testify it to other, y^e same shall increase daily more and more in the grace of Christ. But he that loueth it not, to lyue therafter, and to edify other, the same shall loose the grace of true knowledge, & be blin∣ded agayne, and euery day wax worse and worse, and blynder and blynder, tyll he be an vtter enemy of the worde of God, and hys hart so hardened, that it shall be impossible to conuert hym.

And Luke xij. The seruaunte that knoweth hys maisters wyll and pre∣pareth

not hymselfe, shall be beaten wyth many stripes? That is, shall haue greater damnation. And Mat. 7. All that heare the worde of God, and do not therafter, build on sande: that is, as the foundation laid on sand, can not resist violence of water, but is vn∣dermyned and ouerthrowne, euen so the fayth of them that haue no lust, nor * 1.13 loue to the law of God, builded vpon y^t sand of their owne imaginatiōs, and not on the rocke of Gods word, accor∣dyng to hys couenauntes: turneth to desperation in tyme of tribulatiō, and when God commeth to iudge.

And the vineyard Mat. 21. planted and hyred out to the husbandmen that would not render to the Lorde of the fruit in due tyme, and therfore was ta∣kē from them, and hyred out to other, doth confirme the same. For Christe sayth to the Iewes, the kingdome of heauē shalbe taken from you, and ge∣uen to a nation that wyll bring forthe y^t frutes therof, as it is come to passe. For the Iewes haue lost the spirituall knowledge of God, & of his cōmaun∣dementes, and also of all the scripture, so that they can vnderstand nothyng godly. And the dore is so locked vppe, that all their knockyng is in vayne, though many of them take great payn for gods sake. And Luke 13. The figge tree that beareth no fruite, is cōmaun∣ded to be plucked vp.

And finally, hereto pertayneth with infinyte other, the terrible parable of the vncleane spirite (Luke. 11.) which after hee is cast out, when hee com∣meth, * 1.14 and findeth hys house swept and garnished, taketh to hym 7. worse then hymselfe, and commeth & entreth in, and dwelleth there, and so is y^t ende of the man worse then the beginnyng. The Iewes, they had cleansed them∣selues with gods word, from all out∣ward idolatry, and worshipping of i∣dols. But their hartes remayned styll faythlesse to godward, and toward his mercy and truth, and therfore without loue also, & lust to his law, & to their neighbours for hys sake, and through false trust in their owne woorkes (to which heresy, the chylde of perdition, the wicked bishop of Rome with hys lawyers, hath broughte vs christen) were more abhominable idolaters thē before, and become ten tymes worse in the end, then at the beginning. For the first idolatry was soone spyed and easie to be rebuked of the Prophets by the Scripture. But the latter is more subtill to beguile withall, and an hun∣dreth tymes of more difficultie, to bee weeded out of mens hartes.

This also is a conclusion, nothyng more certayne, or more proued by the testimony, and ensamples of the scrip∣ture: that if any that fauoureth the worde of God, be so weake that he can * 1.15 not chaste hys flesh, hym wyll the lord chastice and scourge euery day sharper and sharper with tribulation, and mis∣fortune, that nothyng shall prosper with him, but all shall go against him, what soeuer he taketh in hand, & will visite him with pouertie, with sicke∣nesses and diseases, and shall plague him, with plague vpon plague, eche more lothsome, terrible and fearefull then other, till he be at vtter desiaunce with his flesh.

Let vs therefore that haue now at this tyme our eyes opened agayne, through the tender mercy of GOD, kepe a meane. Let vs so put our trust in the mercy of GOD through Christ, that we know it our duetie to kepe the law of GOD, and to loue our neigh∣bours, for their fathers sake whiche created them, and for their Lords sake which redemed them, and bought thē so dearely with his bloud. Lette vs walke in y^t feare of God, and haue our eyes open vnto both partes of Gods couenaunts, beyng certified that none shalbe partaker of the mercy, saue hee that will fight against the flesh to kepe the lawe. And let vs arme our selues with this remembraunce, y^t as Christs workes iustifie from sinne, and set vs * 1.16 in the fauour of GOD: so our owne dedes through workyng of the spirite of God, helpe vs to continue in the fa∣uour and the grace, into which Christ hath brought vs, and that we can no longer continue in fauour and grace, then our hartes are to kepe the law.

Furthermore concernyng the lawe of God, this is a generall conclusion, that the whole lawe, whether they be ceremonies, sacrifices, yea, or Sacra∣mentes either, or preceptes of equitie betwene man and man, throughout al degrees of the world, all were geuē for our profite and necessitie onely, & not for any nede that God hath of our ke∣ping thē, or y^t his ioy is encreased ther∣by: or that the dede, for the dede it selfe doth please him. That is, all that God requireth of vs, whē we be at one with him, and doe put our trust in him, and loue him, is that we loue, euery man his neighbour to pity hym, & to haue

compassion on him in all his needes, and to be mercyfull vnto him. This to be euen so Christ testifieth, in the. vij. of Math: This is the lawe, and the Pro∣phetes. That is, to do as thou wouldst be done to (accordyng I meane to the doctrine of the Scripture) and not to do that thou wouldest not haue done to thee, is all that the law requireth & the Prophets. * 1.17And Paul to the Rom. xiij. affirmeth also y^t loue is that fulfil∣lyng of the law, and that he which lo∣ueth, doth of his owne accorde all that the law requireth. And. i. Tim. i. Paul sayth, that the loue of a pure hart and good conscience and faith vnfayned, is the end and fulfillyng of the law. For faith vnfained in Christes bloud, cau∣seth y^e to loue for Christes sake, which loue is the pure loue onely, & the one∣ly * 1.18 cause of a good conscience. For then is the conscience pure, whē the eye loo∣keth to Christ in all her deedes, to doe them for his sake, and not for her owne singular aduaūtage, or any other wic∣ked purpose. And Iohn, both in hys Gospel and also Epistles, speaketh ne∣uer of any other law, then to loue one an other purely, affirmyng that we haue God him selfe dwellyng in vs, & all that GOD desireth, if we loue one the other.

Seyng then, that fayth to God and loue, and mercyfulnesse to our neigh∣bours, is all that y^e law requireth, ther¦fore of necessitie the lawe must be vn∣derstand and interprete by them. So that all inferiour lawes are to be kept & obserued, as lōg as they be seruaūts to faith and loue: and then to be brokē immediatly, if thorough any occasion, they hurt either the fayth whiche we should haue to Godward, in the confi∣dence of Christes bloud, or the loue whiche we owe to our neighbours for Christes sake.

And therfore when the blinde Pha∣riseis murmured, and grudged at him and his Disciples, that they brake the Sabboth day, and traditions of the el∣ders, and that he him self did eate with Publicanes, and sinners, he aunswe∣red. Math. ix. allegyng Esayas y^e Pro∣phet: Go rather and learne what this meaneth, I require mercy, and not sa∣crifice. * 1.19And Math. xij. Oh that ye wist what this meaneth, I require mercy and not sacrifice. For onely loue and mercyfulnesse vnderstandeth the law: and els nothyng. And he that hath not that writtē in his hart, shall neuer vn∣derstand the law: no, though al the an∣gels of heauen went about to teache him. And he that hath that grauen in * 1.20 his hart, shal not onely vnderstand the law, but also shall do of his owne in∣clinatiō all that is required of the law, though neuer law had bene geuen: as all mothers do of them selues without law vnto their children, all that can be required by any law, loue ouercom∣myng all payne, grief, tediousnesse or lothsomnesse: and euen so no doubt if we had continued in our first state of innocencie, we should euer haue fulfil∣led the law, without compulsion of the law.

And bicause the law (which is a do∣ctrine throughe teachyng euery man his duetie, doth vtter our corrupt na∣ture) is sufficiently described by Mo∣ses, therfore is litle mention made ther¦of in the new Testament, saue of loue onely, wherin all the law is included, as seldome mētion is made of the new Testament in the old law, saue here & there are promises made vnto thē, that Christ should come and blesse them, & deliuer them, and that the Gospel, and new Testamēt should be preached and published vnto all nations.

* 1.21The Gospell is glad tidynges of mercy and grace, and that our corrupt nature shalbe healed again for christes sake, and for the merites of his deser∣uynges onely. Yet on that condition that we will turne to God, to learne to keepe his lawes spiritually, that is to say, of loue for his sake, & will also suffer the curyng of our infirmities.

* 1.22The new Testament is as much to say as a new couenaunt. The old Te∣stamēt is an old temporall couenaunt, made betwene GOD, and the carnall children of Abraham, Isaac, and Ia∣cob, otherwise called Israell, vpon the deedes, and the obseruing of a tempo∣rall law: where the reward of the ke∣pyng is temporall life, and prosperitie in the land of Canaan, and the brea∣king is rewarded with tēporall death, and punishment. But the new Testa∣mēt is an euerlastyng couenaūt, made vnto the children of GOD thorough faith in Christ, vpon the deseruynges of Christ: where eternall life is promi∣sed to all that beleue, and death to all that are vnbeleuyng. My deedes, if I kepe the law, are rewarded with tem∣porall promises of this lyfe. But if I beleue in Christ, Christes deedes haue purchased for me the eternall promise of the euerlastyng lyfe. If I cōmit no∣thyng worthy of death: I deserue to

my reward that no man kill me: if I hurt no man, I am worthy that no mā hurt me. If I helpe my neighbour, I am worthy that he helpe me agayn. &c. So that with outward deedes with whiche I serue other men, I deserue * 1.23 that other men doe like to me in this world: and they extēd no further. But Christes dedes extende to lyfe euerla∣sting vnto all that beleue. &c. These be sufficient in this place concernyng the law and the Gospell, new Testament & old: so that as there is but one God, one Christ, one faith, & one Baptisme, euen so vnderstand thou that there is but one Gospell, thoughe many write it, and many preach it. For all preache the same Christ, & bryng the same glad tidinges. And therto Paules Epistles with the Gospell of Iohn and his first Epistle, and the first Epistle of S. Pe∣ter, are most pure Gospell: and most playnly, and richely describe the glory of the grace of Christe. If ye require more of the law, seke in the Prologue to the Romaines, and in other places where it is sufficiently entreated of.

¶ Repentaunce.

COncerning this word repētaunce, * 1.24 or (as they vsed) penaunce, the He∣brue hath in the old Testament gene∣rally (Sob) turne, or be conuerted. For which the translation that we take for S. Ieromes, hath most part (Conuerti) to turne, to be conuerted, and somtime (Agere poenitentiam) And the Greeke in the newe Testament hath perpetual∣ly (Metanoeo) to turne in the hart, and * 1.25 minde, and to come to the right know∣ledge, and to a mans right wit agayn. For which (Metanoeo) s. Ieromes trās∣lation * 1.26 hath sometime (Ago poenitentiam) I do repent: sometime (Poeniteo) I re∣pent, sometime (Poeniteor) I am repen∣taunt: sometyme (Habeo poenitentiam) I haue repentaunce: sometyme (Poenitet me) it repenteth me. And Erasmus vseth much this worde (Resipisco) I come to my selfe, or to my right mynde againe. And the very sence and signification both of the Hebrue, & also of the Greke word is: to be conuerted and to turne to God with all the hart, to know hys will, & to liue accordyng to his lawes, and to be cured of our corrupt nature with the oyle of his spirite, and wyne of obedience to his doctrine. Whiche conuersion or turnyng if it be vnfay∣ned, these foure do accompany it, and are included therin. Confession, not in the Priestes eare, for that is but mans inuention, but to God in the hart, and * 1.27 before all the congregation of GOD, how that we be sinners and sinnefull, and that our whole nature is corrupt, and inclined to sinne and all vnrighte∣ousnes, and therfore euill, wicked, and damnable, and his law holy and iust, by which our sinnefull nature is rebu∣ked. And also to our neighbours, if we haue offended any person particularly. Then contrition, sorowfulnes that we be such damnable sinners, and not on∣ly haue sinned, but are wholy enclined to sinne still.

Thirdly, fayth (of which our old•• doctours haue made no mention at all in the description of their penaunce) that God for Christes sake doth for∣geue, vs and receyue vs to mercy, and is at one with vs, and will heale our corrupt nature. And fourthly, satisfac∣tion * 1.28 or amendes makyng, not to god, with holy workes, but to my neigh∣bour whom I haue hurt, and the con∣gregation of God whome I haue of∣fended (if any open crime be found in me) and submittyng of a mans selfe vnto the congregation or churche of Christ, and to the officers of the same, to haue his lyfe corrected and gouer∣ned henceforth of them, accordyng to the true doctrine of y^t church of Christ. And note this, that as satisfaction or a∣mēdes makyng, is counted righteous∣nesse before the world, and a purgyng of sinne: so that the world whē I haue made a full mendes, hath no further to complayne. Euen so fayth in Christes bloud is counted righteousnesse, and a purging of all sinne before God.

Moreouer, he that sinneth agaynst his brother, sinneth also against his fa∣ther almighty God, and as the synne committed agaynst his brother, is pur¦ged before the world with makyng a∣mendes, or asking forgeuenes: euen so is the sinne committed agaynst God, purged thorow fayth in christes bloud onely. For Christ sayth, Iohn. 8. Ex∣cept ye beleue that I am be, ye shal die in your sinnes. That is to say, if ye thinke that there is any other sacrifice, or satisfaction to Godward, than me, ye remayne euer in sinne before God, howsoeuer righteous ye appeare be∣fore the worlde. Wherfore now, whe∣ther ye call this (Metonoia) repētance * 1.29 conuersion or turning agayne to god, either amendyng, &c. or whether ye say, repent, be conuerted, turne to god, amend your liuing, or what ye lust, I

••n content, so ye vnderstande what is ment therby, as I haue now declared.

¶ Elders.

IN the olde testament, the temporall * 1.30 heads & rulers of the Iewes, which had the gouernaunce ouer the laye, or common people, are called Elders, as ye may see in the foure Euangelistes. Out of which custome, Paule in his e∣pistle, and also Peter, call the prelates, and spirituall gouernours whiche are Bishops and priestes, Elders. Nowe whether ye call them elders or priests, it is to me all one: so that ye vnderstād that they be officers, and seruaunts of the worde of God: vnto the which all men both hie and lowe, that will not rebell against Christ must obey, as lōg as they preach and rule truely, and no longer.

A Prologue made vppon the Gospell of S. Marke, by M. William Tyndall.

OF Marke read (Act. 12.) how * 1.31 Peter (after he was loosed out of prison by the Angell) came to Markes mothers house, where many of the Disciples were praying for hys deliueraunce. And Paul and Barnabas tooke hym with them from Ierusalem, & brought hym to Antioche, Act. 12. and Acts. 13. Paule and Barnabas tooke Marke with them, when they were sente to preach, from whome he also departed, (as it appeareth in y^t said chapter,) and returned to Ierusalem agayne. And Act. 15. Paule and Barnabas were at variaunce about hym, Paule not wil∣ling to take hym with them, because he forsoke them in their first iorney. Not∣withstanding yet, when Paule wrote the epistle to the Collossians, Marke was with hym, as he sayth in y^t fourth Chapter: of whō Paule also testifieth, both that hee was Barnabas sisters sonne, and also his fellowe worker in the kyngdome of God.

And 2. Timothie 4. Paul cōmaun∣deth Timothie to bring Marke wyth hym, affirmyng that he was needefull to hym, to minister to hym. Finally, he was also with Peter when he wrote hys first Epistle, and so familiar, that Peter calleth hym hys sonne, whereof ye see, of whom he learned hys gospel, euen of the very apostles, with whom he had hys continuall conuersation, & also of what authoritie his writing is, and how worthy of credence.

A Prologue made vppon the Gospell of S. Luke, by M. William Tyndall.

LVcas was Paules com¦panion, at the least way * 1.32 from the 16. of the Actes forth, and with hym in all his tribulation, and he went with Paule at hys last goyng vp to Ierusalem. And from thence he followed Paul to Ce∣sarea, where he lay two yere in prison. And from Cesarea he went with Paul to Rome, where he lay ij. other yeares in prison. And he was with Paul whē he wrote to the Colossians, as he testi∣fieth in the fourth chapter, saying: The beloued Lucas the Phisitian saluteth you. And he was with Paul when he wrote the second epistle to Timothie, as he sayeth in the 4. chapter, saying: Onely Lucas is with me: Wherby ye see the autoritie of the man, & of what credence and reuerence hys writing is worthy of, and thereto of whome he learned the story of his Gospell, as he hymselfe sayth, how that he learned it, and searched it out with all diligence of them that saw it, and were also par∣takers at the doyng. And as for the Actes of the Apostles, he himselfe was at the doyng of them (at the least) of the most parte, and had his part ther∣in, and therefore wrote of hys owne experience.

A Prologue made vppon the Gospell of S. Iohn, by William Tyndall.

* 1.33IOhn, what he was, is manifest by the thre first euangelistes. First chri∣stes Apostle, and y^t one of the chiefe. Then chri∣stes nie kinsman, and for his syngular innocency and softenesse, singularly beloued, and of singular fa∣miliaritie with Christ, and euer one of y^t thre witnesses of most secret things. The cause of his writing was certaine heresies that arose in his tyme, name∣ly, ij. of which one denyed Christ to be very God, and the other to be very man, and to become in the very fleshe, & nature of man. Agaynst the whiche ij. heresies, he wrote both his Gospell and also his first epistle, and in the be∣ginnyng

of his gospell sayth: That the worde or thing was at the beginning, and was with God, and was also ve∣ry God, and that all thinges were cre∣ated by it, and that it was also made flesh: that is to say, became very man, and he dwelt among vs (sayth he) and we saw his glory.

And in the beginnyng of hys epistle he sayth: we shewe you of the thyng that was from the beginnyng, whiche also we heard, saw with our eyes and our handes handled. And agayne, we shewe you euerlastyng lyfe, that was with the father and appeared to vs, & we heard and saw, &c.

In that he sayeth, that it was from the beginning, and that it was eternal lyfe, and that it was with God, he af∣firmeth hym to be very God. And that he saith, we heard, saw, and felt, he wit¦nesseth y^• he was very man also. Iohn also wrote last, and therefore touched not the story that the other had compi∣led. But writeth most of faith, and pro∣mises, and of the Sermons of Christe. This be sufficiēt concernyng the foure Euangelistes and their authoritie, and worthines to be beleued.

A Prologue vpon the Epi∣stle of S. Paule to the Romaines, by M. William Tyndall.

FOrasmuch as this e∣pistle is the princi∣pal, * 1.34 and most excel∣lent part of the new testament, and most pure Euangelion, that is to say, glad ridings, and that we call gospell, and also a light and a way in, vnto the whole scripture. I thinke it meete that euery christen man not onely know it, by roate and without the boke, but also exercise himself ther∣in euermore continually, as with the daily bread of the soule. No man veri∣ly can read it to oft, or study it to well, for the more it is studied, the easier it is, the more it is chewed, the pleasan∣ter it is, and the more groundly it is searched, the precioser thynges are found in it, so great treasure of spiritu∣all thinges lyeth hid therin.

I will therfore bestow my labour & diligence, thorow this little preface or prologue, to prepare a way in, therun∣to, so farreforth as God shall geue me grace, that it may be the better vnder∣stand of euery man, for it hath ben hi∣therto euill darkened with gloses, and wonderful dreames of sophisters, that no man could spy out the intent, and meanyng of it, which neuerthelesse of it selfe, is a bright lyght, and sufficient to geue light vnto all the scripture.

First we must marke diligently the * 1.35 maner of speakyng of the Apostle, and aboue all thing, know what Paul mea¦neth by these wordes the Law, sinne, grace, fayth, righteousnes, flesh, sprite, and such lyke, or els read thou it neuer so ofte, thou shalt but loose thy labor. This word Lawe may not be vnder∣stand here, after the common manner, and to vse Pauls terme, after the ma∣ner of men, or after mans wayes: that thou wouldest say the law here in this place were nothyng but learnyng, which techeth what ought to be done, and what ought not to be done, as it goeth with mans law, where the law is fulfilled with outward workes on∣ly, though the harte be neuer so far of, but God iudgeth after the grounde of the harte, ye and the thoughtes and the secret mouinges of the mynde, therfore hys law requireth the grounde of the hart, and loue from the bottome ther∣of, * 1.36 and is not content with the out∣ward worke onely, but rebuketh those workes most of all, which spryng not of loue from the ground, and low bot∣tome of the hart, though they appeare outward, neuer so honest and good, as Christ in the gospell rebuketh the pha∣rises aboue all other that were open sinners, and calleth them hipocrites, that is to say, Simulars, and paynted Sepulchers, which Pharises yet liued no men so pure, as pertayning to the outward dedes, and workes of y^t law, ye, and Paul in the third chapter of his epistle vnto the Philippiās confesseth of himselfe, that as touching the lawe, he was such a one, as no man coulde complayne on, and notwithstandyng was yet a murderer of the christen, per * 1.37 secuted them, and tormented them so sore, that he compelled them to blas∣pheme Christ, & was altogether mer∣cilesse, as many which now fayne out∣ward good workes, are.

For this cause the 115. psalme calleth all men lyers, because that no man ke∣peth the law from the ground of the harte, neither can kepe it.

For all men are naturally inclyned vnto euill, and hate the law, we fynde in our selues vnlust, and tediousnes to do good, but lust and delectation to do euill. Now where no free lust is to do

good, there the bottom of the hart ful∣filleth not the law, and there no doute * 1.38 is also sinne and wrathe deserued be∣fore GOD, though there be neuer so great outwarde shew, and apparance of honest liuing.

For this cause concludeth S. Paule in the second chapter, that the Iewes all are sinners and transgressors of the law, thoughe they make men beleue thorow hipocrisie of outward works, how that they fulfill the law, & sayth, that he onely whiche doth the law is righteous before God, meanyng ther∣by * 1.39 that no mā with outward workes, fulfilleth the law.

Thou (saith he to the Iewe) teachest a mā should not breake wedlocke, and yet breakest wedlocke thy selfe. Wher∣in thou iudgest an other man, therein condemnest thou thy selfe, for thou thy selfe doest euen the very same thynges whiche thou iudgest. As thoughe hee would say, thou liuest outwardly well in the workes of the law, and iudgest them that liue not so: thou teachest o∣ther men: and seest a mote in an other, mās eie, but art not ware of the beame that is in thyne owne eye. For though thou keepe the lawe outwardly with works, for feare of rebuke, shame, and punishment, either for loue of reward, vantage, & vayne glory, yet doest thou all without lust and loue toward the law, and haddest leuer a great deale o∣therwise do, if thou diddest not feare the lawe, ye inwardly in thine harte thou wouldest that there were no law, * 1.40 no nor yet God, the author and ven∣ger of the lawe (if it were possible) so paynefull it is vnto thee, to haue thyne appetites refrayned, and to bee kepte downe.

Wherfore then it is a playne conclu∣sion, that thou from the grounde and bottome of thyne hart art an enemy to the law. What preuayleth it now, that thou teachest an other man not to steale, when thou thyne owne selfe art a thefe in thyne hart, and outwardly wouldest fayne steale if thou durst? though that the outward dedes abyde not alway behind with such hypocri∣tes and dissimulers, but breake forth among, euen as an euill scabbe, or a pocke can not alwayes be kept in with violence of medicine. Thou teachest an other man, but teachest not thy selfe, ye * 1.41 thou w•…•…est not what thou teachest, for thou vnderstadest not the law a right, how that it can not be fulfilled and sa∣tisfied, but with inward loue and affec∣tion, much lesse can it be fulfilled with outward deedes, and workes onely. * 1.42 Moreouer the law encreaseth sinne, as he sayth in the fift Chapter, because that mā is an enemie to the law, for as much as it requireth so many thinges cleane contrarie to his nature, wherof he is not able to fulfill one pointe or title, as the law requireth it. And ther∣fore are we more prouoked, and haue greater lust to breake it.

For whiche causes sake he sayth in the seuenth Chapter, that the lawe is * 1.43 spirituall, as though he would say, if the law wer fleshly, and but mans do∣ctrine, it might be fulfilled, satisfied, and stilled with outward deedes. But now is the law ghostly and no man fulfilleth it, except that all that he doth spryng of loue from the bottome of the hart. Such a new hart and lusty cou∣rage vnto the law ward canst thou ne∣uer come by of thyne owne strength & enforcement, but by the operation and workyng of the spirite. For the spirite of God onely maketh a man spirituall * 1.44 & like vnto the law, so that now hence forth hee doth nothyng of feare, or for lucre or vantages sake, or of vaine glo¦ry, but of a free hart, and of inward lust. The law is spirituall, and wilbe both loued, and fulfilled of a spirituall hart, and therefore of necessitie requi∣reth it the spirit, that maketh a mans hart free, and geueth him lust and cou∣rage vnto the law ward. Where such * 1.45 a spirite is not, there remaineth sinne, grudging, and hatred against the law, which law neuerthelesse is good, righ∣teous, and holy.

Acquaint thy selfe therfore with the maner of speakyng of the Apostle, and let this now sticke fast in thyne hart, that it is not both one, to do the dedes and workes of the law, and to fulfill the law. The worke of y^t law is, what * 1.46 soeuer a man doth, or can doe of his owne free will, of his owne proper strength, and enforcing. Notwithstan∣dyng thoughe there be neuer so great workyng, yet as long as their remai∣neth in the hart, vnlust, tediousnes, grudgyng, grief, payne, loths••nnes, & compulsion toward the law, so long are all the workes vnprofitable, lost, ye and damnable in the sight of God. This meaneth Paule in the iij. Chap∣ter, where he sayth, by the dedes of the lawe shall no fleshe be iustified in the sight of God. Hereby perceauest thou, that those sophisters are but discea∣uers, whiche teach that a man may and

must prepare him selfe to grace and to the fauour of god, with good workes. * 1.47 How cā they prepare them selues vn∣to the fauour of God, & to that whiche is good, when them selues can do no good, no can not once thinke a good thought, or consent to do good, the de∣uill possessing their hartes, myndes, & thoughtes captiue at his pleasure? Cā those workes please GOD, thinkest thou, whiche are done with grief, payne, and tediousnes, with an euill will, with a contrary and a grudgyng mynde? O holy saint Prosperous, how mightely, with the Scripture of Paule diddest thou confound this he∣resie, twelue hundred yeares a goe or therupon.

To fulfill the law is, to do y^t workes therof, and what soeuer the lawe com∣maundeth * 1.48 with loue, lust, and inward affection and delectation, and to lyue godly and well, freely, willyngly, and without compulsion of the lawe, e∣uen as thoughe there were no lawe at all. Such lust and free libertie to loue the law, commeth onely by the wor∣kyng of the spirite in the hart, as hee sayth in the first Chapter.

Now is the spirite none otherwise geuen, then by fayth onely, in that we beleue the promises of God, without waueryng how that God is true, and will fulfill all hys good promises to∣ward vs for Christes blondes sake, as it is playne in the first Chapter, I am not ashamed, sayth Paule, of Christes * 1.49 glad tydynges, for it is the power of GOD vnto saluation to as many as beleue, for at once and together euen as we beleue the glad tydynges prea∣ched to vs, the holy ghost entreth into our hartes, and looseth the bondes of the deuill, whiche before possessed our hartes in captiuitie, and held them that we could haue no lust to y^t will of God in the law, and as the spirite commeth by fayth onely, euen so fayth commeth by hearyng the word, or glad tidynges of God, when Christ is preached how that hee is Gods sonne and man also, dead and risen againe for our sakes, as * 1.50 he sayth in the thyrd, fourth, and tenth Chapters. All our iustifying then commeth of faith, and faith and the spi∣rite come of God, and not of vs.

Hereof commeth it, that fayth onely iustifieth, maketh righteous, and ful∣filleth the law, for it bringeth the spirit through Christes deseruinges, the spi∣rite bringeth lust, looseth the hart, ma∣keth him free, setteth hym at libertie, and geueth him strength to worke the deedes of the lawe with loue, euen as the law requireth, then at the last out of the same fayth, so workyng in the hart, spryng all good workes by their owne accorde. That meaneth he in the thyrd Chapter, for after he hath cast a∣way * 1.51 the workes of the law, so that he soundeth as though he would breake, and disanulle the law through fayth, he aunswereth to that might bee layd a∣gaynst, saying, we destroy not the law through fayth, but mayntaine, further, or stablish the law through fayth, that is to say, we fulfill the law thorough fayth.

Sinne in the Scripture is not cal∣led * 1.52 that outward worke onely commit¦ted by the body, but all the whole busi∣nes, and what so euer accompanyeth, moueth or stirreth vnto the outward * 1.53 deede, and that whence the workes spring, as vnbelefe, pronenes and rea∣dynes vnto the deede in the grounde of the hart, with all the powers, affec∣tions and appetites, wherwith we can but sinne, so that we say, that a man then sinneth when he is caried awaye headlong into sinne, all together as much as he is, of that poyson inclina∣tion and corrupt nature, wherein hee was conceiued and borne: For there is none outward sinne committed, except a mā be caried away all together, with life, soule, hart, body, lust and mynde thereunto. The Scripture loketh sin∣gularly vnto the hart, & vnto the roote and originall fountaine of all synne, which is vnbelefe in the bottom of the hart. For as fayth onely iustifieth and bryngeth the spirit, and lust vnto the outward good workes. Euen so vn∣belefe onely damneth and keepeth out the spirit, prouoketh the flesh, and styr∣reth vp lust vnto the euill outwarde works, as it fortuned to Adam & Eu•• in Paradise. Gene. 3.

For this cause Christ calleth synne vnbelefe, and that notablie in the. 16. * 1.54 of Iohn, the spirite (sayth he) shall re∣buke the world of sinne, because they beleue not in me. Wherefore then be∣fore all good workes as good frutes, there must needes be fayth in the hart whence they spryng, and before all bad deedes as bad frutes, there must nedes be vnbelief in the hart, as in the roote, fountain, pith, and strēgth of all sinne, whiche vnbelefe is called the head of the Serpent, and of the old Dragon, which the womans seede Christ, must treade vnderfoote, as it was promised

vnto Adam.

Grace and gift haue this difference. Grace properly is Gods fauour, be∣neuolence or kynd minde, which of his * 1.55 owne selfe, without deseruyng of vs, he beareth to vs, whereby he was mo∣ued, and inclined to geue Christ vnto vs, with all his other giftes of grace. Gift is y^t holy ghost, and his working * 1.56 which hee poureth into the hartes of them, on whō he hath mercy, and whō he fauoureth. Though the giftes & the spirit encrease in vs dayly, & haue not yet their ful perfection, ye and though there remaine in vs yet euill lustes & synne, which fight agaynst the sprite, as he sayth here in the 7. chapter, and in the 5. to the Galath. and as it was spoken before in the 3. chapter of Gen. of the debate betwene y^• womans sede, & the seed of y^t serpent, yet neuertheles gods fauour is so great, and so strong ouer vs for Christes sake, that we are counted for full whole, and perfect be∣fore God. For Gods fauour towarde vs, deuideth not her selfe, encreasyng a little and a little, as do the giftes, but receiueth vs whole, & altogether in ful loue for Christes sake our intercessour * 1.57 and mediator, and because y^t the giftes of the sprite, & the battell, betwene the sprite and euill lustes, are begonne in vs already.

Of this now vnderstandest thou the 7. chapter, where Paul accuseth hym∣selfe as a sinner, and yet in the 8. chap∣ter, * 1.58 sayeth: there is no damnation to them that are in Christ, and that be∣cause of the spirite, and because the giftes of the sprite are begonne in vs. Sinners we are, because the fleshe is not full killed, and mortified. Neuer∣theles, in as muche as we beleue in Christ, and haue the earnest and begin¦ning of the sprite, God is so louyng & fauourable vnto vs, that he will not looke on such sinne, neither wil counte it as sinne, but will deale with vs ac∣cordyng to our belief in Christ, and ac∣cording to his promises which he hath sworne to vs, vntyll the sinne be full slayne and mortified by death.

Faythe is not mans opinion and dreame, as some imagine and fayne, * 1.59 when they heare the story of the Gos∣pell: but when they see that there fol∣low no good workes, nor amendment of liuyng, though they heare, ye, & can bable many thyngs of fayth, then they fall from the right way, and say, fayth onely iustifieth not, a man must haue good workes also, if he will be righte∣ous and safe. The cause is when they heare the gospell or glad tidinges, they fayne of their owne strength certaine imaginations and thoughtes in their hartes, saying: I haue heard the gos∣pell, * 1.60 I remember the story, loe, I be∣leue, and that they counte right fayth, which neuerthelesse as it is but mans imagination and faining, euen so pro∣fiteth it not, neither followe there any good workes, or amendmēt of liuing.

But right fayth is a thing wrought by the holy ghost in vs, which chaun∣geth vs, turneth vs into a new nature and begetteth vs a new in God, and maketh vs the sonnes of god, as thou readest in the first of Iohn, and killeth the olde Adam, and maketh vs alto∣gether new in the hart, mynde, wyll, lust, and in all our affectiōs and pow∣ers of the soule, and bringeth the holye gost with her. Fayth is a liuely thing, * 1.61 mighty in working, valiant & strong, euer doyng, euer fruitfull, so that it is vnpossible, that he whiche is endued therwith, should not worke alwayes good workes without ceasing. He as∣keth * 1.62 not whether good workes are to be done or not, but hath done them al∣ready, ere mention be made of them, & is alway doing, for such is his nature, for quicke fayth in hys hart and liuely mouyng of the sprite, driue hym and stirre hym therunto. Whosoeuer doth not good woorkes, is an vnbeleuyng person & faithles, & loketh roūd about him, groping after faith & good works & woteth not what faith or good wor∣kes meane, though he bable neuer so many thinges of faith & good workes.

Fayth is then a liuely and a stedfast trust in the fauour of God, wherewith * 1.63 we commit our selues altogether vnto god, & that trust is so surely grounded, and sticketh so fast in our hartes, that a mā would not once doubt of it, though he should die a thousand tymes there∣fore. And suche trust wrought by the holy gost through faith, maketh a man glad lusty, chereful, & true harted vnto God, and vnto all creatures. By the meanes wherof, willingly and with∣out compulsion he is glad, and redy to do good to euery man, to do seruice to euery man, to suffer all thinges, y^t god may be loued and praysed, which hath geuen hym such grace, so that it is im∣possible to separate good workes from * 1.64 fayth, euen as it is impossible to sepa∣rate heat and burning, from fire. Ther¦fore take hede to thy selfe, and beware of thyne owne fantasies and imagina∣tions,

which to iudge of fayth & good workes wyll seme wyse, when in dede they are starke blind, and of all things most foolish. Pray God that he wyll vouchsafe to worke faith in thine hart, or els shalte thou remayne euermore faythlesse: fayne thou, imagine thou, enforce thou, wrastle with thy self, and do what thou wilt or canst.

Righteousnes is euen such faythe, * 1.65 and is called Gods righteousnesse, or righteousnes that is of value before God. For it is gods gift, and it alte∣reth a man, and chaungeth him into a new spiritual nature, and maketh him free and liberall, to pay euery man his duety. For through fayth a mā is pur∣ged of his sinnes, and obteyneth luste vnto the law of God, whereby he ge∣ueth God hys honor, and payeth hym that he oweth hym, and vnto men he doth seruice willingly, wherwith soe∣uer he can, and payeth euery man his duety. Such righteousnes can nature, freewill, and our owne strength neuer bring to passe: for as no man can geue himselfe faith, so can he not take away vnbeliefe, how then can he take away any sinne at all? Wherefore all is false hipocrisie & sinne, whatsoeuer is done without fayth, or in vnbeliefe, as it is euident in the 14. chapter vnto the Ro∣mains, though it appeare neuer so glo¦rious, or beautiful outwardes.

Fleshe and sprite mayest thou not * 1.66 here vnderstand, as though flesh were onely that which pertayneth vnto vn∣chastitie, and the spirite that which in∣wardly pertayneth to the harte: but Paul calleth flesh here as Christ doth, Iohn. 3. All that is borne of fleshe, that is to witte, the whole man, with lyfe, soule, body, wit, will, reason, & what∣soeuer he is, or doth within and with∣out, because that these all, and all that is in man study after the worlde, and the flesh. Call fleshe therfore whatsoe∣uer (as long as we are without y^t spi∣rite of GOD) we thinke or speake of God, of fayth, of good workes, and of spirituall matters. Call fleshe also all * 1.67 works which are done without grace, and without the working of the sprite, howsoeuer good, holy, and spirituall they seeme to be, as thou mayest proue by the 5. chapter vnto the Galathians, where Paule numbreth worshipping of idoles, witchcraft, enuy and hate a∣mong the dedes of the flesh, and by the 8. vnto the Romaines, where he sayth, that the law by the reason of the fleshe is weake, which is not vnderstand of vnchastitie onely, but of all sinnes, and * 1.68 most specially, of vnbeliefe, which is a vice most spirituall, and grounde of all synnes.

And as thou callest him whiche is not renewed with the spirit, and borne * 1.69 agayne in Christ, flesh, & all his dedes, euen the very motions of his hart, and minde, his learning, doctrine and con∣templation of hye thinges, his prea∣ching, teaching, and study in the Scrip¦ture, buildyng of Churches, foundyng of Abbeyes, geuing of almes, Masse, mattēs, & what soeuer he doth, though it seme spiritual, and after the lawes of God: So contrarywise call him spiri∣tuall which is renewed in Christ, and all his deedes whiche spryng of fayth, seme they neuer so grose, as the wa∣shyng of the Disciples feete done by Christ, and Peters fishing after the re∣surrection, yea and al the dedes of ma∣trimony * 1.70 are pure spiritual, if they pro∣cede of faith, and what soeuer is done with in the lawes of God, though it be wrought by the body, as the very wi∣ping of shooes, and such like, how soe∣uer grose they appeare outward. With out such vnderstādyng of these wordes canst thou neuer vnderstand this Epi∣stle of Paule, neither any other place in the holy Scripture. Take hede ther∣fore, for who soeuer vnderstādeth these wordes otherwise, the same vnderstā∣deth not Paule, what soeuer he be. Now will we prepare our selues vnto the Epistle.

For as much as it becommeth the preacher of Christes glad tydings, first * 1.71 through openyng of the law, to rebuke all thinges, and to proue all thynges sinne, that procede not of the spirite, & of faith in Christ, and to proue all men sinners, and children of wrath by in∣heritaunce, and howe that to sinne is their nature, and that by nature they can no otherwise doe then sinne, and therewith to abate the pride of man, and to bring him vnto the knowledge of him selfe, and of his miserie & wret∣chednes, that he might desire helpe. E∣uen so doth S. Paule, and beginneth in the first Chapter to rebuke vnbelefe * 1.72 and grose sinnes, which all men see as the Idolatrie, and as the grose sinnes of the heathen were, and as the sinnes now are of all them, whiche liue in ig∣noraunce without fayth, and without the fauour of GOD, and sayth. The wrath of GOD of heauen appeareth through the Gospell vpon all men, for their vngodly, & vnholy lyuyng. For

though it be knowē, and dayly vnder∣stād * 1.73 by the creatures, that there is but one God, yet is nature of herself, with out the spirit and grace, so corrupt and so poysoned, that men neither can thanke him, neither worship him, nei∣ther geue him his due honor, but blind thē selues, and faule without ceasyng into worse case, euen vntill they come vnto worshipping of Images, & wor∣kyng of shamefull sinnes whiche are abhominable and agaynst nature, and moreuer suffer the shame vnrebuked in other, hauing delectation and pleasure therein.

In the second Chapter he procedeth further, and rebuketh all those holy people also whiche without lust, and loue to the law, liue wel outwardly in * 1.74 the face of the world, and condemne o∣ther gladly, as the nature of all hypo∣crites is, to thinke them selues pure in respect of open sinners, and yet hate the law inwardly, and are full of coue∣tousnes and enuy, and of all vnclēnes. Math. xxiij. These are they whiche de∣spise the goodnes of GOD, and accor∣dyng to the hardenes of their hartes, heape together for thē selues the wrath of God. Furthermore S. Paule as a * 1.75 true expounder of the law, suffreth no man to be without sinne, but declareth that all they are vnder sinne, whiche of freewill, and of nature will liue well, & suffreth them not to be better thē the open sinners, yea he calleth them hard harted, and such as can not repent.

In the thyrd Chapter he mingleth both together, both the Iewes and the Gentiles and sayth, that the one is as * 1.76 the other, both sinners, & no difference betwene them, saue in this onely, that the Iewes had the word of God com∣mitted vnto them. And though many of them beleued not thereon; yet is Gods truth and promise thereby nei∣ther hurt, nor minished: And he taketh in his way, and allegeth the saying of the 50. Psalme, that God might abyde true in his wordes, & ouercome when he is iudged. After that he returneth to his purpose agayn, and proueth by the * 1.77 Scripture, that all men without diffe∣rence, or exceptiō are sinners, and that by the workes of the law no mā is iu∣stified: but that the law was geuen to vtter, and to declare sinne onely. Thē hee begynneth, and sheweth the right way vnto righteousnes, by what me∣anes * 1.78 mē must be made righteous and safe, and sayth. They are all sinners & without prayse before God, and must without their own deseruyng be made righteous throughe fayth in Christe, which hath deserued such righteousnes for vs, and is become vnto vs Gods mercystole, for the remission of sinnes that are past: thereby prouyng that christes righteousnes which commeth on vs through fayth, helpeth vs one∣ly: whiche righteousnes (sayth he) is now declared through the Gospell, & was testified of before, by the lawe of the Prophetes. Furthermore (sayth * 1.79 he) the law is holpē and furthered tho∣rough fayth, thoughe that the workes therof, with all their boast are brought to nought.

In the iiij. Chapter (after that now by the 3. first Chapters the sinnes are opened, and the way of faith vnto righ¦tuousnes layd) he begynneth to aun∣swere vnto certain obiections and ca∣uillations. And first putteth forth those blinde reasons, whiche commonly they that wilbe iustified by their owne workes are wont to make, when they heare that faith onely without workes iustifieth, saying, shall men do no good * 1.80 workes, yea, and if fayth onely iustifi∣eth, what nedeth a man to studie for to do good workes? He putteth forth ther¦fore Abraham for an ensample, saying, what did Abraham with his workes, was all in vayne, came his workes to no profite? And so concludeth that A∣braham without, and before al workes was iustified and made righteous. In so much that before the worke of Cir∣cumcisiō he was praysed of the Scrip∣ture, and called righteous by his fayth onely. Gene. xv. So that he did not the worke of Circumcision, for to bee holpen there by vnto righteousnesse, whiche yet God commaunded hym to do, & was a good worke of obedience. So in likewise no doubt none other workes helpe any thyng at all vnto a mās iustifiyng, but as Abrahams Cir∣cumcisiō was an outward signe wher∣by he declared his righteousnes which he had by fayth, and his obedience and readynes vnto the will of God, euen so are all other good workes outward signes and outward frutes of fayth, & * 1.81 of the spirite, which iustifie not a man, but that a man is iustified already be∣fore god inwardly in the hart, through faith, and through the spirite purcha∣sed by Christes bloud.

Herewith now stablisheth S. Paul his doctrine of faith, afore rehearsed in the thyrd Chapter, and bringeth also testimony of Dauid in the xij. Psalme,

whiche calleth a man blessed, not of workes, in that his sinne is not reke∣ned, and in that fayth is imputed for righteousnes, though he abide not af∣terward without good workes, when he is once iustified. For we are iusti∣fied, * 1.82 & receiue the spirite for to do good workes, neither were it otherwise pos¦sible to do good workes, except we had first the spirite.

For howe is it possible to doe any thyng well in the sight of God, while we are yet in captiuitie and bondage vnder the deuill, and the deuill posses∣seth vs all together, and holdeth our hartes, so that we can not once consent vnto the will of God? No man ther∣fore can preuent the spirite in doyng good, the spirite must first come, and wake him out of his sleepe, with the thunder of the law and feare him, and shew him his miserable estate & wret∣chednes, and make him abhorre & hate him selfe, and to desire helpe, and then comfort him agayne with the pleasaūt rayne of the Gospell, that is to say, with the sweete promises of God in Christ, and stirre vp faith in him to be∣leue the promises: then when he bele∣ueth * 1.83 the promises, as God was mer∣cyfull to promise, so is he true to fulfill them, and wil geue him the spirite and strength, both to loue the will of God, & to worke there after. So see we that God onely (whiche accordyng to the Scripture worketh all in all thinges) woorketh a mans iustifiyng, saluation and health, yea, & poureth fayth & be∣lefe, lust to loue Gods will, & strength to fulfill the same into vs, euen as wa∣ter is poured into a vessell, and that of his good will and purpose, and not of our deseruynges and merites: Gods * 1.84 mercy in promising, and truth in ful∣filling his promises saueth vs, and not we ourselues, and therfore is al laude prayse & glory, to be geuen vnto God for his mercy and truth, and not vnto vs, for our merites and deseruynges. After that he stretcheth hys example out agaynst all other good workes of the law, and cōcludeth that the Iewes can not be Arahams heyres, because of bloud and kinred onely, and much lesse by the workes of the law, but must in∣herite * 1.85 Abrahams fayth, if they wilbe the right heyres of Abraham, for as much as Abraham before the law, both of Moses, & also of Circumcision, was through faith made righteous, and cal∣led the father of all them that beleue, & not of them that worke. Moreouer the law causeth wrath, in as much as no mā can fulfill it with loue and lust, and as longe as such grudgyng, hate and indignation agaynst the law remay∣neth in the hart, and is not takē away by the sprite that commeth by fayth, so long no doubt the workes of the law, * 1.86 declare euidētly that the wrath of god is vpon vs, and not fauour: wherfore fayth only receyueth the grace promi∣sed vnto Abraham. And these ensam∣ples were not written for Abrahams sake onely (sayth he) but for oures al∣so, to whom if we beleue, fayth shallbe reckened lykewise for ryghteousnesse, as he sayth in the end of the chapter.

In the 5. chapter he commendeth the * 1.87 fruit and workes of faith, as are peace, reioycing in the conscience, inwarde loue to God, and mā, moreouer bold∣nesse, trust, confidence, and a strong & a lusty mynd, and stedfast hope in tribu∣lation, and suffering. For all such fol∣low, where the right fayth is, for the aboundant graces sake, and giftes of the sprite, which god hath geuen vs in Christ, in that he suffred hym to die for vs yet his enemies.

Now haue we then that fayth only before all workes iustifieth, and that it * 1.88 followeth not yet therfore, that a man should do no good workes, but that y^t right shapē workes abide not behind, but accompany fayth, euen as bright∣nesse doth the sunne, and are called of Paul the fruites of the sprite. Where y^t spirite is, there it is alwayes sommer, * 1.89 and there are alwayes good fruites, that is to say good workes. This is Paules order, that good works spring of the sprite, y^e spirit commeth by fayth, and faythe commeth by hearyng the worde of God, when the glad tidings and promises which God hath made vnto vs in Christ are preached truely, and receiued in the ground of the hart, with out waueryng or doub••ing, after that the law hath passed vpon vs, and hath damned our consciences. Where the worde of God is preached purely, * 1.90 and receiued in the hart, there is faith, the spirit of God, & there are also good workes of necessitie, whensoeuer occa∣siō is geuē. Where Gods word is not purely preached, but mens dreames, traditions, imaginations, inuentiōs, ceremonies, & superstition, there is no fayth, and consequently no spirite that commeth of GOD, and where Gods spirite is not, there can bee no good workes, euen as where an apple tree is not, there can grow no apples, but

there is vnbeliefe the diuels sprite, and euill workes. Of this Gods sprite and hys fruites, haue our holy hipocrites not once knowen, neither yet tasted how swete they are, though they fayne many good workes of their own ima∣ginatiō to be iustified withal, in which is not one cromme of true fayth, or spi¦ritual * 1.91 loue, or of inward ioy, peace and quietnes of conscience, for as much as they haue not the worde of GOD for them, that such workes please GOD, but they are euen the rotten fruites of a rotten tree.

After that he breaketh forth, and run∣neth at large, & sheweth, whence both sinne and righteousnesse, death and life come. And he compareth Adam and Christ together, thus wise reasonyng and disputyng, that Christ must nedes come as a seconde Adam, to make vs heyres of his righteousnesse, through a new spiritual birth, without our deser¦uinges. Euen as the first Adam made vs heyres of synne, through the bodily generation without oure deseruyng. Wherby it is euidently knowne, and * 1.92 proued to the vttermost, that no man can bryng himselfe out of synne vnto righteousnesse, no more then he could haue withstād, that he was borne bo∣dily. And y^t is proued herewith, for as much as y^t very law of God, which of right should haue helped, if any thyng could haue holpē, not onely came and brought no helpe with her, but also en∣creased synne, because that the euil and poisoned nature is offēded, and vtter∣ly displeased with the law, and y^t more she is forbid by the lawe, the more is she prouoked, and set a fyre to fulfill & satisfie her lustes. By the law then we see clearely, that we must needes haue Christ to iustify vs, with his grace, & to helpe nature.

In the vi. he setteth forthe the chiefe and principall worke of fayth, the bat∣tayle * 1.93 of the sprite agaynst the fleshe, how the sprite laboureth and enforceth to kyll the remnaunt of sinne and lust: which remayne in the fleshe, after our iustifiyng. And this chapiter teacheth vs, that we are not so free from sinne through fayth, that we should hence∣forth go vp and down, idle, carelesse, & sure of our selues, as thoughe there were now no more synne in vs. Yes, there is sinne remayning in vs, but it is not reckoned, because of fayth and of the sprite, which fyght agaynste it. Wherefore we haue inough to doe all our lyues long, to tame our bodies, & and to compell the members to obey the sprite, and not the appetites: that therby we myght be like vnto christes death and resurrection, and might ful∣fill our baptisme, which signifieth the mortifiyng of sinnes, and the new lyfe of grace. For this battayle ceaseth not in vs vntill the last breath, and vntyll that sinne be vtterly slayne by the deth of the body.

This thyng (I meane to tame the body, and so forth) we are able to doe (sayth he) seyng we are vnder grace, & not vnder the lawe. What it is, not to be vnder the lawe he himselfe expoun∣deth. For not to be vnder the lawe, is not so to be vnderstand, that euery mā may do what hym lusteth. But not to be vnder the law is, to haue a fre hart * 1.94 renewed with the sprite, so that thou hast lust inwardly of thine owne ac∣corde, to do that which the lawe com∣maundeth, without compulsion, yea, though there were no law. For grace that is to say gods fauour, bringeth vs the sprite, & maketh vs loue the lawe, so is there now no more sinne, neither is the law now any more agaynst vs, but at one, & agreed with vs, and we with it. But to be vnder the law, is to * 1.95 deale with the workes of the law, and to worke without the sprite and grace, for so long no doubt sinne raigneth in vs through the law, that is to say, the lawe declareth y^t wee are vnder sinne, and that sinne hath power and domi∣nion ouer vs, seyng we can not fulfill the law, namely within in the hart, for as much as no man of nature fauou∣reth the law, consenteth therunto, and deliteth therein, which thyng is excee∣dyng great synne, that we cannot con∣sent to the law, which law is nothyng els saue the will of God.

This is the right freedome and li∣bertie * 1.96 from sinne, and from the lawe, whereof he writeth vnto the ende of this chapter, that it is a freedom to do good onely with lust, and to liue well without compulsion of the law. Wher¦fore this freedome is a spirituall free∣dome, which destroyeth not the lawe, but ministreth that which the law re∣quireth, and wherwith the law is ful∣filled, that is to vnderstand, luste and loue, wherewith the law is stilled, and accuseth vs no more, compelleth vs no more, neither hath ought to craue of vs any more. Euen as thoughe thou were in debt to an other man, and wer * 1.97 not able to pay, two maner of wayes mightest thou be losed. One way, if he

would require nothyng of thee, and break thine obligation. An other way, if some other good man woulde paye for thee, and geue thee as muche as thou mightest satisfie thyne obligation with all. On this wyse hath Christe made vs fre from the law, & therfore is this no wylde fleshly libertie, y^t should do nought, but that doth all thynges, and is free from the crauyng and debt of the law.

In the seuenth he confirmeth y^t same, with a similitude of the state of matri∣mony. As whē the husband dyeth, the wyfe is at her libertie, and the one lo∣sed and departed from the other, not that the woman should not haue pow∣er to mary vnto an other man, but ra∣ther now first of all is she free, & hath power to mary vnto an other man, which she could not do before, till she was loosed from her first husband. E∣uen * 1.98 so are our consciences bound, and in daunger to the law vnder olde A∣dam, as long as he liueth in vs, for the law declareth y^t our hartes are bound, and that we cannot disconsent from hym, but when he is mortified & killed by the sprite: then is the conscience free and at libertie, not so that the consci∣ence shall now nought doe, but nowe first of all cleaueth vnto an other, that is to witte, Christ, and bringeth forth the fruites of lyfe. So now to be vnder the lawe, is not to be able to fulfill the law, but to be detter to it, and not able to pay that, which the lawe requireth. And to be lose from the lawe, is to ful∣fill it, and to pay that which the lawe demaundeth, so that it can now hence∣forth aske thee nought.

Consequently Paul declareth more largely the nature of synne, and of the * 1.99 law, how that through the law, synne reuiueth, moueth her selfe, and gathe∣reth strength. For the olde man and corrupt nature, the more he is forbid∣den, and kept vnder of the law, is the more offended and displesed therwith, for as much as he cannot pay y^t which is required of the lawe. For synne is his nature, and of himselfe, he cannot but sinne. Therefore is the law death to hym, torment and martirdom. Not that the lawe is euill, but because that the euill nature can not suffer y^t which is good, & cannot abyde that the law should require of him any good thing: like as a sicke mā cannot suffer that a man should desire of hym to runne, to leape, and to doe other deedes of an whole man.

For which cause S. Paule conclu∣deth, that where the law is vnderstand and perceiued in the best wise, there it doth no more, but vtter synne, & bryng vs vnto the knowledge of our selues, and therby kyl vs, and make vs bond vnto eternall damnation, and detters of the euerlastyng wrath of God, euen as he well feeleth and vnderstandeth whose conscience is truely touched of the law. In such daunger were we ere * 1.100 the law came, that we knew not what sinne ment, neither yet knowe we the wrath of God, vppon sinners, tyll the law had vttered it. So seest thou that a man must haue some other thyng, ye & a greater and a more mighty thing the the law, to make hym righteous & safe. They that vnderstand not the law on this wise, are blinde, and go to worke presumptuously, supposing to satisfie the law with workes. For they know not that the law requireth a free, a wil∣ling, a lusty and a louing hart. Ther∣fore they see not Moses right in y^t face, the vayle hangeth betwene, and hideth his face, so that they can not behold the glorie of his countenaunce, how that the law is spiritual, and requireth the hart. I may of myne own strength re∣fraine that I do myne enemy no hurt, but to loue him with all myne hart, & to put awaye wrath cleane out of my * 1.101 mind, cā I not of mine own strength. I maye refuse money of myne owne strength, but to put away loue vnto riches out of myne hart, can I not do of myne owne strength. To abstaine from adultery (as concernyng the out∣ward dede) can I doe of myne owne strēgth, but not to desire in mine hart, is as vnpossible vnto me, as is to chose whether I will hungre or thrust, and yet so the law requireth. Wherfore of a mans owne strength is the law neuer fulfilled, we must haue therunto Gods fauour and his spirite, purchased by Christes bloud.

Neuerthelesse when I saye a man may do many things outwardly clean agaynst his hart, we must vnderstand y^• mā is but driuen of diuers appetites, and the greatest appetite ouercōmeth the lesse, and carieth the mā away vio∣lently with her.

As when I desire vengeaunce, and feare also the incōuenience that is like to folowe, if feare bee greater I ab∣staine, if the appetite that desireth ven∣geaunce be greater, I can not but pro∣secute the dede, as we see by experiēce in many murtherers & theeues, which

though they be brought into neuer so great perill of death, yet after they haue * 1.102 escaped, do euen the same agayne. And common women prosecute their lustes because feare & shame are away, when other whiche haue the same appetites in their hartes, abstaine at the lest way outwardly, or worke secretly beyng o∣uercome of feare and of shame, and so likewise is it of all other appetites.

Furthermore he declared, how the spirite, and the flesh fight together in one man, and maketh an ensample of him self, that we might learne to know that worke a right, I meane to kill sinne in our selues. He calleth both the spirit, and also the flesh a law, because that like as the nature of Gods law is * 1.103 to driue, to compell, and to craue, euen so the flesh driueth, compelleth, craueth and rageth, agaynst the spirite, and wil haue her lustes satisfied. On the other side driueth the spirite, crieth and figh∣teth against the flesh, and will haue his lust satisfied. And this strife dureth in * 1.104 vs, as long as we liue, in some more & in some lesse, as the spirite or the flesh is stronger, & the very man his owne selfe is both the spirite and the fleshe, which fighteth with his owne self, vn∣til sinne be vtterly slayne, and he all to∣gether spirituall.

In the viij. Chapter he comforteth such fighters, that they dispayre not be cause of such fleshe, either thinke that they are lesse in fauour with God. And he shewed how that the sinne remay∣nyng in vs hurteth not, for there is no * 1.105 daunger to them, that are in Christ whiche walke not after the flesh, but fight agaynst it. And he expoundeth more largely what the nature of the flesh, and of the spirit is, and how the spirite commeth by Christ, whiche spi∣rite maketh vs spirituall, tameth, sub∣dueth, and mortifieth the flesh, and cer∣tifieth vs that we are neuerthelesse the sonnes of God, & also beloued, though that sinne rage neuer so much in vs, so long as we folow the spirite, and fight agaynst sinne to kill and mortifie it. And because the chastisyng of the flesh, the crosse, and sufferyng are nothyng pleasaūt, he comforteth vs in our pas∣sions and afflictions, by the assistance of the spirite, which maketh intercessiō to GOD for vs mightely with gro∣nynges that passe mans vtteraunce, mans speach can not comprehēd them, and the creatures morne also with vs of great desire that they haue, that we were loosed from sinne, and corruption of the flesh. So see we that these three Chapters, the vj. vij. viij. do none o∣thyng * 1.106 so much as to driue vs vnto the right worke of faith, whiche is to kill the old man, and mortifie the flesh.

In the. ix. x. and. xj. Chapters he treateth of Gods predestinatiō, whēce it springeth all together, whether we shall beleue or not beleue, be loosed frō sinne, or not be loosed. By whiche pre∣destinatiō our iustifiyng, and saluatiō, are cleane taken out of our hands, and put in the hands of God onely, which thyng is most necessary of all. For we * 1.107 are so weake and so vncertaine, that if it stode in vs, there would of a truth no man be saued, the deuill no doubt would deceaue vs. But now is God sure, that his predestinatiō can not de∣ceaue him, neither can any man with∣stand or let him, and therefore haue we hope and trust agaynst sinne.

But here must a marke be set vnto those vnquiet, busie, and hye climyng spirites, how farre they shall go: which first of all bryng hether their hye rea∣sons and pregnaunt wittes, and begyn first from an hye to search the bottom∣lesse secretes of Gods predestination, whether they bee predestinate or not. These must nedes either cast them sel∣ues down headlong into desperation, or els commit thē selues to fre chaunce carelesse. But folow thou the order of * 1.108 this Epistle, and noosell thy selfe with Christ, and learne to vnderstand what the law and y^t Gospell meane, and the office of both two, that thou mayest in the one know thy selfe, and how that thou hast of thy selfe no strength but to sinne, & in the other the grace of Christ, and then see thou fight agaynst sinne, and the flesh as the. vij. first Chapters teach thee. After that when thou art come to the viij. Chapter, & art vnder the crosse, and suffryng of tribulation, the necessitie of prestination will waxe sweete, and thou shalt well feele how precious a thyng it is. For except thou haue borne the crosse of aduersitie, and temptation, & hast felt thy selfe brought vnto the very brimme of desperation, yea and vnto hell gates, thou canst ne∣uer medle with the sentēce of predesti∣nation, without thyne owne harme, & without secret wrath and grudgyng in wardly agaynst God, for otherwise it shall not be possible for thee to thinke that God is righteous, & iust. There∣fore * 1.109 must Adam be well mortified, and the fleshely wytte brought vtterly to nought, yet that thou mayest awaye

with this thyng, and drinke so strong wyne. Take hede therefore vnto thy selfe, that thou drinke not wyne, while thou art yet but a sucklyng. For euery learning hath her tyme measure & age, and in Christ is there a certaine child∣hode, in whiche a man must be content with milke for a season, vntill he waxe stronge, and growe vp, vnto a perfect man in Christ, and be able to eate of more strong meate.

In the xij. Chapter, he geueth ex∣hortations. For this maner obserueth Paul in all his Epistles, first he tea∣cheth Christ, and the fayth, then exhor∣teth he to good workes, and vnto con∣tinuall mortifiyng of the flesh. So here teacheth he good workes in deede, and the true seruyng of God, and maketh all men Priestes, to offer vp, not mo∣ney and beastes, as the maner was in the tyme of the law, but their own bo∣dies * 1.110 with killyng, and mortifiyng the lustes of the fleshe. After that he de∣scribeth the outward conuersation of Christen men, how they ought to be∣haue them selues in spirituall thinges, how to teach, preach and rule in the cō∣gregation of Christ, to serue one an o∣ther, to suffer all things patiently, and to commit wreake and vengeaunce to God: in conclusion how a Christen mā ought to behaue him selfe vnto all men to frend, foe, or whatsoeuer he be. These are the right workes of a Christen mā whiche spryng out of fayth. For fayth keepeth not holy day, neither suffreth any man to be idle, wheresoeuer she dwelleth.

In the. xiij. he teacheth to honour the worldly and temporall sword. For though that mans law, and ordinaūce make not a man good before God, nei∣ther iustifie him in the hart, yet are they ordeined for the furtheraunce of the cō∣mon wealth, to mainteine peace, to pu¦nish the euill, and to defend the good. Therfore ought the good to honor the temporal sword, and to haue it in reue∣rence, though as concernyng them sel∣ues they neede it not, but would ab∣staine from euill of their owne accord, yea, and do good without mans lawe, but by the law of the spirite which go∣uerneth the hart, and guideth it vnto all that is the will of God. Finally he comprehendeth and knitteth vp all in loue. Loue of her own nature bestow∣eth all that she hath, and euen her own selfe on that whiche is loued. Thou * 1.111 nedest not to bid a kynd mother to be∣louyng vnto her onely sonne, much lesse spiritual loue which hath eyes ge∣uen her of GOD, nedeth mans law to teach her to do her duetie. And as in y^t begynnyng he did put forth Christ as the cause, and author of our righteous∣nes and saluation, euen so here setteth he hym forth, as an ensample to coun∣terfaite that as he hath done to vs, euē so should we do one to an other.

In the xiiij. Chapter he teacheth to deale soberly with the consciences of the weake in the fayth, whiche yet vn∣derstand not the libertie of Christ per∣fectly enough, and to fauour them of * 1.112 Christen loue, and not to vse the liber∣tie of the faith vnto hinderāce, but vnto the furtheraunce and edifiyng of the weake. For where such consideratiō is not, there foloweth debate, and despi∣sing of the Gospell. It is better there to forbeare the weake a while, vntill they waxe strong, then that the lear∣nyng should come altogether vnder fote. And such worke is singular work of loue, ye, and where loue is perfecte, there must nedes be such a respect vn∣to the weake, a thing that Christ com∣maunded and charged to be had aboue all thinges.

In the 15. Chapter he setteth forthe Christ agayne to be counterfaited, that we also by hys ensample should suffer other that are yet weake, as them that * 1.113 are fraile, open sinners, vnlearned, vn∣expert, and of lothesome maners, and not to cast thē away forthwith, but to suffer thē, til they waxe better & exhort them in the meane tyme. For so delte Christ in the gospel, and now dealeth with vs dayly suffering our vnper∣fectnes, weaknes, conuersation & ma∣ners, not yet fashioned after the doc∣trine of the Gospell, but smell of the flesh, ye and sometyme breake forth in∣to outward deedes.

After that to conclude withall, he wi∣sheth them encrease of fayth, peace, and ioye of conscience, prayseth them and committeth them to God and magni∣fieth his office and administration in the gospell, and soberly and with great discretion desireth succour, and ayde of them for the poore sayntes of Ierusa∣lem, and it is all pure loue that he spe∣keth or dealeth withall. So fynde we * 1.114 in this Epistle plentuously, vnto the vttermost, whatsoeuer a christen man or woman ought to know, that is to witte, what the law, the gospell, sume, grace, fayth, righteousnes, Christ, god, good workes, loue, hope, hope, and the crosse are, and euen wherin the pith of

of all that pertayneth to the Christen fayth standeth, and how a christen mā ought to behaue himselfe vnto euery man, be he perfect, or a sinner, good or bad, strong or weake, frend or foe, and in conclusiō, how to behaue our selues both towarde God, and toward oure selues also. And all thynges are pro∣foundly grounded in the Scriptures, and declared with ensamples of hym∣selfe, of the fathers and of the prohets, that a man can here desire no more.

Wherfore it appeareth euidently, that Paules mynde was to comprehende brieflye in hys Epistle, all the whole learnyng of Christes gospell, and to prepare an introduction vnto all the olde testament. For without doubte, whosoeuer hath this Epistle perfectly in hys harte, the same hath the light, & the effect of the olde Testament wyth hym. Wherfore let euery man without exception, exercise himselfe therein di∣ligently, and recorde it night and day continually, vntill he be full acquain∣ted therwith.

The last chapter is a chapiter of re∣commendation, wherein he yet min∣gleth a good monition, that we should beware of the traditions and doctrine of men, which beguile the simple with * 1.115 sophistry, and learnyng that is not af∣ter the Gospell, and draw them from Christ, and noosell them in weake and feble, and (as Paul calleth them in the epistle to the Gallathians) in begger∣ly ceremonies, for the entent, that they would lyue in fat pastures, and be in authoritie, and be taken as Christ, ye and aboue Christ, and sitte in the tem∣ple of God, that is to witte, in the con∣sciences of men, where God onely, his worde & his Christ ought to sit. Com∣pare therfore all maner doctrine of mē vnto y^t scripture, and see whether they agree or not. And commit thy selfe whole, and all together vnto Christe, and so shal he with his holy sprite, and withal his fulnes dwell in thy soule.

Amen.

The Prologue vppon the first Epistle of S. Paule to the Corinthians, by William Tyndall.

THis Epistle declareth it selfe from chapter to chapter, that it nedeth * 1.116 no Prologue, or intro¦duction to declare it, When Paul had con∣uerted a great number at Corinthum, as ye read, Act. 18. and was departed, there came immediatly false Apostels, and sectmakers, and drew euery mans disciples after hym, so that the people were whole vnquieted, deuided, and at variaunce among themselues, euery man for the zeale of hys doctour, those newe Apostles, not regardyng what diuision, what vncleannesse of liuing, or what false opinions were amonge the people, as long as they might bee in authoritie, and well at ease in theyr bellies. But Paul in the first foure cha∣piters with great wisdom, and sober∣nesse rebuked, first the diuision & the authors therof, and calleth the people to Christ agayne, and teacheth howe, and for what the preacher is to be takē.

In the 5. he rebuketh the vncleanes that was amongst them.

In he 6. he rebuketh the debate and goyng to law together, pletyng their causes before the heathen.

In the 7. he reformeth them concer∣nyng chastitie and mariage.

In the 8. 9. 10. and 11. he teacheth y^• * 1.117 strong to forbeare the weake, that yet vnderstand not the libertie of the gos∣pell, and that with the ensample of him self, which though he were an apostle, and had authoritie, yet of loue he ab∣stayned to winner other. And he feareth them with the ensamples of the olde Testament, and rebuketh diuers dis∣orders that were among them concer∣nyng the Sacrament, and the goyng barehedded of maried women.

In the 12. 13. and 14. he teacheth of the manifold gyftes of the spirite, and proueth by a similitude of the bodye, that all giftes are geuen y^t eche should helpe other, and through loue do ser∣uice * 1.118 to other, and proueth that where loue is not, there is nothing that plea∣seth God. For that one should loue an other, is all that God requireth of vs: and therfore if we desire spiritual gifts he teacheth those giftes to bee desired that helpe our neighbours.

In the 15. he teacheth of the re∣surrection of the body. And in the last he exhorteth to helpe the poore sayntes.

A Prologue vpō the second Epistle of S. Paul to the Co∣rinthians, by W. Tyndall.

AS in the first epistle he rebuketh the Corinthi∣ans sharpely, so in this he comforteth them and prayseth them, and com¦maūdeth him that was excommunicate, to be receiued louing∣ly into the congregation agayne.

And in the 1. and 2. chapiters, hee * 1.119 sheweth his loue to them warde, how that all that he spake, did, or suffered, was for their sakes, and for their sal∣uation.

Then in the 3. 4. and 5. he prayseth the office of preaching the gospell, a∣boue y^t preaching of the law, & sheweth that the Gospel groweth through per∣secution, & throughe the crosse, whiche maketh a man sure of eternall lyfe: and * 1.120 here and there he toucheth y^t false pro∣phetes, which studied to turne the faith of the people from Christe vnto the workes of the law.

In the 6. and 7. chapters, he exhor∣teth thē to suffer with the gospell, & to lyue as it becommeth the Gospell, and prayseth hym in the latter ende.

In the 8. and 9. chapters, he exhor∣teth thē to helpe the poore saintes that were at Ierusalem.

In the 10. 11. and 12. he inueyegth a∣gainst the false prophetes.

And in the last Chapter he threate∣neth them that had sinned, and not a∣mended themselues.

A Prologue vpon the Epi∣stle of S. Paule to the Galla∣thians, by W. Tyndall.

AS ye read Act. 15. how certaine came from Ie∣rusalem to Antioche, & vexed y^t disciples there, affirming y^t they coulde not be saued except they were circumcised. Euen so, after Paul had conuerted the Galathians, & cou∣pled them to Christ, to trust in him on∣ly for the remission of synne, and hope of grace and saluation, and was depar¦ted, there came false apostles vnto thē, (as vnto the Corinthiās, and vnto all places where Paul had preached) and that in the name of Peter, Iames, and Iohn, whom they called the hye Apo∣stles, and preached circumcision, and the kepyng of the law to be saued by, and minished Paules authoritie.

To the confounding of those, Paul magnifieth hys office and Apostleship * 1.121 in the two first chapiters, and maketh hymselfe equall vnto the hie Apostles, and concludeth that euery man muste be iustified without deseruyngs, with∣out workes, and without helpe of the law: but alone by Christ.

And in the 3. and 4. he proueth the same with Scripture, examples and similitudes, and sheweth that the law is cause of more sinne, and bryngeth the curse of God vpon vs: and iustifi∣eth * 1.122 vs not, but that iustifiyng com∣meth of grace promised vs of GOD, through the deseruyng of Christe, by whome (if we beleue) we are iustified without helpe of the woorkes of the lawe.

And in the 5. and 6. he exhorteth vnto the workes of loue, which folow fayth and iustifiyng. So that in all his Epistle, he obserueth this order. First he preacheth the damnatiō of the law: then the iustifiyng of fayth: and thyrd∣ly the workes of loue. For on that cō∣dition that wee loue henceforth and worke, is the mercy giuen vs, or els if we will not worke the will of GOD henceforward, we fall from fauour, & grace: and the inheritance that is free∣ly geuen vs for Christes sake, through our owne fault, we lose agayne.

A Prologue vpon the Epi∣stle of Saint Paule to the Ephesians.

IN this Epistle, and na∣mely in the three firste Chapters, Paul shew∣eth that the Gospell & grace therof was fore∣sene and predestmate of God, from before the begynnyng, and deserued through Christ, & now at the last sent forth, that all men should be∣leue thereon, thereby to be iustified, made righteous, liuyng and happy, and to bee deliuered from vnder the damnation of the law, and captiuitie of ceremonies.

And in the fourth he teacheth to a∣uoyde * 1.123 traditions, and mens doctrine, and to beware of puttyng trust in any thyng saue Christ, affirmyng that he onely is sufficient, and that in him we haue all thynges, and beside him neede nothyng.

In the v. and vj. he exhorteth to ex∣ercise

the faith, and to declare it abroad through good workes, and to auoyde sinne, and to arme them with spiritual armour agaynst the deuill, that they might stand fast in time of tribulation, and vnder the crosse.

The Prologue vpon the E∣pistle of Saint Paule to the Philippians, by W. Tyndall.

PAule prayseth the Philippi∣ans, and exhorteth them to stād fast in the true faith, and to encrease in loue. And be∣cause that false Prophetes study al∣wayes to impugne, and destroy y^• true * 1.124 fayth, he warneth them of such worke learners or teachers of woorkes, and prayseth Epaphroditus. And all this doth hee, in the first and seconde Chapters.

In the thyrd he reproueth faythles, and mans righteousnes, whiche false Prophetes teach and mainteyne. And he setteth him for an ensample, howe * 1.125 that he him selfe had liued in such false righteousnes, and holinesse vnrebuke∣able, that was so, that no man could complaine on him, and yet now setteth nought therby, for Christes righteous∣nes sake. And finally he affirmeth that such false Prophetes are the enemyes of the crosse, & make their bellyes their GOD, for further then they may safely and without all perill and suffe∣ryng, will they not preach Christ.

A Prologue vpon the E∣pistle of Saint Paule to the Colossians, by W. Tyndall.

AS the Epistle to y^t Gala∣thians holdeth the maner and fashion of the Epistle to the Romains, briefly comprehendyng all that is therein at length disputed. Euen so this Epistle foloweth the ensample of the Epistle to the Ephesians, contey∣nyng the tenour of the same Epistle with fewer wordes.

In the first Chapter he praiseth thē, and wisheth that they continue in the * 1.126 fayth, and grow perfecter therin, & thē describeth he the Gospell, how that it is a wisedome that confesseth Christ to be the Lord and God, crucified for vs, and a wisedome that hath bene hyd in Christ, sence afore the beginning of the world, and now first begon to be ope∣ned throughe the preachyng of the A∣postles.

In the ij. he warneth them of mens doctrine, and describeth the false Pro∣phetes to the vttermost, and rebuketh them accordyng.

In y^t thyrd, he exhorteth to be frute∣full * 1.127 in the pure fayth, with all maner of good workes one to an other, and de∣scribeth al degrees, and what their du∣ties are.

In the fourth he exhorteth to pray, and also to pray for him, and saluteth them.

A Prologue vpon the first Epistle of S. Paul to the Thes∣salonians, by W. Tyndall.

THis Epistle did Paule write of exceeding loue and care, and prayseth them in the two firste chapters, because they did receiue the Gospell earnestly, and had in tribulation and * 1.128 persecution, continued therin stedfast∣ly, and were become an ensample vn∣to all congregations, and had thereto suffred of their own kinsmē, as Christ and his apostles did of y^e Iewes, put∣tyng them therto in mynde, how pure¦ly and godly he had lyued among thē to their ensample, and thanketh God, that hys gospel had brought forth such fruite among them.

In the third chapter he sheweth his * 1.129 diligence and care, least hys so greate labor, and their so blessed a beginning should haue bene in vayne, Sathan & his apostles vexyng them with perse∣cution, and destroying their faith with mens doctrine. And therefore he sente Tymothie to them to comforte them, and strengthen them in the fayth, and thanketh GOD, that they had so con∣stantly endured, and desireth God to encrease them.

In the fourth, he exhorteth them to kepe themselues from sinne, and to do good one to another. And thereto he informeth them concernyng the resur∣rection.

In the fift, he writeth of the last day, that it should come sodenly, exhortyng to prepare them sel∣ues thereafter, and to kepe a good order concernyng obedience and rule.

The Prologue vpon the se∣cond Epistle of S. Paule to the Thessalonians, by W. Tyndall.

BEcause in the fore epistle he had said y^t the last day should come sodenly, the Thessalo∣nians thought that it should come shortly. Wherefore in this Epistle he declareth hymselfe.

And in the first chapter he comfor∣teth * 1.130 them with euerlasting reward of their fayth and patience, in sufferyng for the Gospell, and with the punish∣ment of their persecutours in euerla∣styng payne.

In the second he sheweth that y^t last day shoulde not come till there were first a departing (as some men thinke) * 1.131 frō vnder y^e obedience of y^t Emperour of Rome, and that Antichrist shoulde set vp himselfe in y^e same place as god, and deceyue the vnthankefull worlde with false doctrine, and with false and lying myracles, wrought by the wor∣kyng of Sathan, vntill Christ shoulde come, and slay hym with his glorious commyng, and spirituall preachyng of the worde of God,

In the third, he geueth them exhor∣tation, and warneth them to rebuke y^t idle that would not labour with their handes, and auoyde their company, if they would not amende.

A Prologue vpon the first Epistle of S. Paule to Tymo∣the, by W. Tyndall.

THis epistle writeth S. Paul to be an ensample to all Bi∣shoppes what they shoulde teache, and how they should teache, and how they should gouerne the congregation of Christe in all de∣grees, that it should be no nede to go∣uerne christes flocke with the doctrine of their owne good meanynges.

In the first Chapiter he commaun∣deth * 1.132 that the bishop shall maynetayne y^t right fayth and loue, and resist false preachers, which make the lawe and woorkes equall with Christ and hys Gospell. And he maketh a shorte con∣clusion of all Christes learning, wher∣to the law serueth, and what the ende therof is, also what the Gospell is, and setteth himselfe for a comfortable en∣sample vnto all sinners, and troubled consciences.

In the second, he commaundeth to pray for all degrees, and chargeth that women shall not preache nor weare costly apparell, but to be obedient vn∣to the men.

In the thyrd he describeth, what ma¦ner persons the Byshop or Priest and their wyues should be, & also the Dea∣cons and their wiues, and commēdeth it, if any man desire to be a Byshop af∣ter that maner.

In the fourth hee prophesieth, and * 1.133 sheweth before of the false Byshops & spirituall officers, that should aryse a∣mong the Christen people, and be, do, and preach cleane contrary to the fore described ensample, and should depart from the fayth in Christ, and forbyd to marye, and to eate certain meates, tea∣chyng to put trust therin, both of iusti∣fiyng and forgiuenesse of sinnes, & also of deseruyng of eternall life.

In the fift he teacheth howe a By∣shop should vse him self toward yong and old, & concernyng widowes what is to be done, & which should be found of the common cost, and teacheth also * 1.134 how men should honour the vertuous Bishops and Priestes, and how to re∣buke the euill.

In the sixt he exhorteth y^t Byshops to cleaue to the Gospell of Christ, and true doctrine, & to auoyde vayne que∣stions, and superfluous disputynges which gēdre strife, & quench the truth, and by which also the false Prophetes get them authoritie, and seke to satisfie their insatiable couetousnesse.

The Prologue vpon the se∣cond Epistle of Saint Paule vnto Timothe. W. Tyndall.

IN this Epistle Paul exhor∣teth Timothe to go forward as he had begō, & to preach y^t Gospel with all diligence, as it neede was, seyng many were fallen away, and many false spirites and tea∣chers were sprong vp already. Wher∣fore * 1.135 a Byshops part is euer to watche and to labour in the Gospell.

In the third and fourth he sheweth before and that notablie, of the ieoper∣dous tyme toward the end of y^t world, in which a false spiritual liuing should disceine y^e whole world, with outward hypocri••ie, and apparance of holinesse, vnder which all abhominatiōs should * 1.136 haue their free passage and course, as we (alas) haue sene this prophesie of S. Paule fulfilled in our spiritualtie

vnto the vttermost iote.

The Prologue vpon the Epistle of S. Paul to Titus.

THis is a short Epistle, wher∣in yet is conteyned all that is needefull for a Christen to know.

In the first Chapter, he sheweth what maner a man a Byshop or Cu∣rate * 1.137 ought to be, that is to witte, ver∣tuous and learned, to preach and de∣fende the Gospell, & to confounde the doctrine of trustyng in woorkes and mens traditions, whiche euer fight a∣gaynst the faith, and cary away the cō∣science captiue from the fredome that is in Christ, into the bondage of their owne imaginations and inuentions, as though the thynges should make a man good in the light of God, whiche are to no profite at all.

In the secōd he teacheth all degrees, old, young, men, womē, maisters and seruauntes, how to behaue thē selues, as they which Christ bought with his bloud, to be his proper, or peculiar peo¦ple, to glorifie god with good workes.

In the thyrd, he teacheth to honour temporall rulers, and to obey thē, and * 1.138 yet bryngeth to Christ agayne, and to the grace that hee hath purchased for vs, that no man should thinke that the obedience of Princes lawes, or any o∣ther woorke, should iustifie vs before God. And last of all he chargeth to a∣uoyde the company of the stubburne, and of the heretickes.

A Prologue vpon the E∣pistle of Saint Paule vnto Phi∣lemon, by W. Tyndall.

IN this Epistle S. Paule sheweth a godly ensam∣ple of Christen loue. Here in we see how Paule ta∣keth poore Onesimos vn∣to him, and maketh intercessiō for him vnto his master, and helpeth him with all that he may, and behaueth him selfe none otherwise then as though he him selfe were the sayd Onesimos, whiche thyng yet he doth not with power and authoritie, as hee well might haue done: but putteth of all authoritie, and whatsoeuer he might of right do, that Philemon might do likewise toward Onesimos, and with great mekenesse and wisedome, teacheth Philemon to see his dutie in Christ Iesu.

The Prologue vpon the first Epistle of Saint Peter, by William Tyndall.

THis Epistle dyd S. Peter write to the heathen that were conuerted, and exhor¦teth them to stād fast in the faith, to grow therein, and waxe perfect through all maner of suf∣feryng, and also good workes.

In the first he declareth the iustifi∣yng of fayth through Christes bloud, and comforteth them with the hope of the lyfe to come, and sheweth that we haue not deserued it, but that the pro∣phetes prophesied it shoulde be geuen vs, & as Christ which redemed vs out of synne, and all vncleannesse is holy, so he exhorteth to lead an holy conuer∣sation, & because we be richly bought, and made heyres of a riche inheritāce, to take hede that we lose it not agayn, through our owne negligence.

In the 2. Chapter, he sheweth that * 1.139 Christ is the foundation, and hed cor∣ner stone, wheron al are built through fayth, whether it be Iew or Gentile, & how that in Christ they are made prie∣stes, to offer themselues to GOD (as Christ dyd hymselfe) and to slea the lustes of the fleshe, that fyght againste the soule. And first he teacheth them in generall to obey the worldly rulers, & than in special he teacheth y^t seruantes to obey their maisters be they good or badde, and to suffer wrong of them, as Christ suffred wrong for vs.

In the 3. he teacheth the wiues to o∣bey their husbandes, ye, though they be vnbeleuers, and to apparell them∣selues godly, and as it becommeth ho∣lynes. And therto that the husbandes suffer, and beare the infirmity of their * 1.140 wyues, and lyue accordyng to know∣ledge with them. And than in generall he exhorteth them to be soft, curteous, patient, and frendly one to an other, and to suffer for righteousnesse, after the ensample of Christ.

In the 4. he exhorteth to flye synne, and to tame the flesh with sobernesse, * 1.141 watching, and prayer, & to loue ech o∣ther, and to know that all good giftes are of God, & euery man to helpe hys neighbour, with such as he hath recei∣ued of God, and finally not to won∣der, but to reioyce though they muste suffer for Christes names sake, seeyng as they be here partakers of hys afflic∣tions, so shall they be partakers of his glory to come.

In the 5. he teacheth the bishops & priestes how they should lyue and fede Christes flocke, and warneth vs of the deuil, whiche on euery side lyeth in wayte for vs.

A Prologue vppon the se∣cond Epistle of S. Peter, by William Tyndall.

THis Epistle was writ∣ten agaynst thē whiche * 1.142 thought y^t thristen faith might be idle, and with out workes, when yet the promise of Christ is made vs vpon that condition, that we henceforth worke the will of God, and not of the flesh. Therefore he exhorteth them to exercise themselues diligently in vertue and all good workes, therby to be sure that they haue the true faith, * 1.143 as a man knoweth the goodnes of a tree by hys fruite. Then he commen∣deth and magnifieth the gospel, & wil∣leth that men harken to that only, and to mens doctrine not at all. For as he sayth, there came no prophetical scrip∣ture by the will of man, but by the wil of the holy ghost, which onely know∣eth the will of God: neither is any scripture of priuate interpretatiō, that is to say, may be otherwise expounded them agreyng to the open places, and generall articles, & to the couenantes of god, and all the rest of the scripture.

And therfore in the second, he war∣neth them of false teachers, that should come, and throughe preachyng confi∣dence in false workes, to satisfie their couetousnesse withall, shoulde denye Christ, Which he threatneth with thre terrible examples. With the fall of toe angels, the floude of Noe, and ouer∣throwyng of Sodome and Gomorre, and so describeth them with their in∣satiable couetousnes, pryde, stubborn∣nes * 1.144 and disobedience to all temporall rule and authoritie, with their abho∣minable whoredome, and hipocrisie, that a blinde man may see, that he pro∣phecied it of the Popes holy spiritual∣tie, which deuoured the whole worlde with their couetousnes, liuyng in all lust and pleasure, and raigning as tem¦porall tyrantes.

In the third he sheweth that in the latter dayes, the people through vnbe∣liefe, and lacke of feare of the iudge∣ment of the last day, shall be euen as Epicures, wholy geuen to the fleshe. Which last day shall yet surely & short∣ly come sayth he: for a thousand yeres, and one day is with God all one. And he sheweth also how terrible that day shall be, & how sodenly it shall come, & therfore exhorteth all men to loke ear∣nestly for it, and to prepare themselues agaynst it with holy conuersation, and godly liuyng.

Finally, the first chapiter sheweth how it shold go in the tyme of the pure * 1.145 and true Gospell. The second, how it should go in the tyme of the Pope and mens doctrine. The third, how at the last men shoulde beleue nothyng, nor feare God at all.

The Prologue vppon the three Epistles of S. Iohn, by William Tyndall.

IN this first Epistle of Saint Iohn, is contayned the doc∣trine of a verye Apostle of Christ, and ought of right to follow hys Gospel. For as in his gos∣pell he setteth out the true faythe, and teacheth by it only all men to be saued, and restored vnto the fauour of God agayne, euen so here in this Epistle, he goeth agaynst them, that boaste them∣selues of fayth, and yet continue with∣out * 1.146 good workes, and teacheth many wayes, that where true fayth is, there the workes tary not behinde, and con∣trary that where the workes followe not, there is no true fayth, but a false i∣magination and vtter darkenes.

And he writeth sore agaynst a secte of heretikes, which then began to de∣ny that Christ was come in the fleshe, and calleth thē very Antichrists, which sect goeth now in her full swinge. For though they deny not openly with the mouth, y^t Christ is come in y^• fleshe, yet they deny it in y^t hart w^t their doctrine & liuing. For he that wil be iustified, & * 1.147 saued through his owne workes, the same doth as much as he that denyed Christ to be come in fleshe, seyng that Christ came only therfore in the flesh, that he should iustifye vs, or purchase vs pardon of our synnes, bryng vs in the fauour of God agayne, and make vs heyres of eternal life, with his wor∣kes only, and with his bloudshedyng, without, and before all our workes.

So fighteth this epistle both against them that will be saued by their owne good workes, and also agaynst them that wyll be saued by a fayth, that hath

no lust to do workes at all, and kepeth vs in y^t middle way, that we beleue in Christ to be saued by his workes one∣ly, and then to know that it is our du∣ty for that kyndnes, to prepare oure selues to doe the commaundement of God, and to loue euery man his neigh¦bor, as Christ loued hym, sekyng with our owne workes Gods honour and our neighbours wealth only: and tru∣styng for eternall lyfe, and for all that God hath promised vs for Christes sake.

The two last Epistles though they be short, yet are goodly ensamples of loue and fayth, and do sauour of the spi¦rite of a true Apostle.

A Prologue vpon the E∣pistle of Saint Paule to the He∣brues, by William Tyndall.

About this epistle hathe∣uer ben much doubting * 1.148 & that amōg great lear∣ned men, who should be the authour thereof diuers affirmyng that it was not Paules, partly because the style so disagreeth, and is so vnlike hys other Epistles, and partly bicause it standeth in the second Chapter, this learnyng was confirmed to vs ward: that is to say, taught vs by them that heard it them selues of the Lord. Now Paule testifieth Gala. 1. that he recey∣ued not his Gospell of man, nor by mā, but immediatly of Christ, and that by reuelation. Wherfore say they, seing this man confesseth that hee receiued his doctrine of the Apostles, it can not be Paules, but some Disciple of the A∣postles. Now whether it were Pauls or no I say not, but permit it to other mens iudgementes, neither thinke I it to be an Article of any mans fayth, but that a man may doubt of the au∣thour.

Moreouer, many there hath bene which not onely haue denyed this E∣pistle * 1.149 to haue bene written by any of the Apostles, but haue also refused it all together as no Catholicke or godly epistle, bicause of certaine textes writ∣ten therin. For first he sayth in the sixt it is impossible that they whiche were once lighted, and haue tasted of the hea¦uēly gift, and were become partakers of the holye ghoste, and haue tasted of the good worde of GOD, and of the power of the worlde to come, if they fall, shoulde bee renewed agayne to repentaunce or conuersion. And in the tenth it sayth: if we sinne willingly after we haue receiued the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinnes, but a fearefull loo∣kyng for iudgement, and violent fyre whiche shall destroy the aduersaries. And in the xij. it saith, that Esau found no way to repentaunce or conuersion, no, thoughe he sought it with teares. Whiche textes say they, sound: that if a man sinne any more after he is once Baptised, he can be no more forgeuen, and that is contrary to all the Scrip∣ture, and therefore to be refused to be Catholicke and godly.

Vnto whiche I aunswere: if we should denye this Epistle for those textes sakes, so should we deny first * 1.150 Mathew, which in his xij. Chapter af∣firmeth that he which blasphemeth the holy Ghost, shall neither be forgiuen here, nor in the world to come. And then Marke, which in his thyrd Cha∣piter sayth, that he that blasphemeth the holy Ghost, shal neuer haue forgi∣uenesse, but shalbe in daunger of eter∣nall damnation. And thirdly Luke, which saith there shall be no remission to him that blasphemeth the spirite of God. Moreouer Iohn in his first E∣pistle saith, there is a sinne vnto death, for which a man should not pray. And ij. Pet. ij. saith if a man be fled from the vncleanesse of the world through the knowledge of our Sauiour Iesus Christ, and then be wrapt in agayne, his ende is worse then the beginnyng, and that it had better for him neuer to haue knowen the truth. And Paule ij, Ti. iij. curseth Alexander the Copper∣smith, desiring the lord to reward him accordyng to his deedes. Whiche is a signe that either y^t Epistle should not be good, or that Alexander had sinned past forgiuenesse, no more to be prayed for. Wherfore, seyng no Scripture is of priuate interpretation, but must be expounded accordyng to the generall Articles of our fayth, and agreable to other open and euident textes, & con∣firmed * 1.151 or compared to lyke sentences, why should we not vnderstand these places with like reuerēce as we do the other, namely when all the remnaunt of the Epistle is so godly, & of so great learnyng?

The first place in the vj. Chapiter, will no more then that they whiche know the truth, and yet willingly re∣fuse the light, and chuse rather to dwell in darkenes, and refuse Christ, & make

a mocke of him (as y^• Pharisies, which whē they were ouercome with Scrip∣ture & miracles, y^• Christ was the very Messias, yet had they such lust in ini∣quitie that they forsoke him, persecuted him, slewe him, and did all the shame that could be imagined to him) can not bee renued (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) sayth the Greeke, to be conuerted: that is to say, such malicious vnkyndnesse, which is none other, then the blasphemyng of the holy Ghost, deserueth that the spi∣rite shall neuer come more at them to conuerte them, whiche I beleue to be as true, as any other text in all the Scripture.

And what is ment by that place in the tenth Chapter, where he sayth, if we sinne willingly after we haue re∣ceiued y^t knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice, for sinne is declared immediatly after. For he maketh a comparison betwene Moses and Christ, saying: if he which despised Moses law dyed without mercy, how much worse punishment is he worthy of, that treadeth the sonne of God vn∣derfoote, and counteth the bloud of the couenaunt, by whiche bloud he was sanctified, as an vnholy thyng, & blas∣phemeth the spirite of grace? By which wordes it is manifest that he meaneth none other by the fore wordes, then the sinne of blasphemy of the spirite.

For them that sinne of ignoraunce or infirmitie, there is remedy, but for him that knoweth the truthe, and yet willingly yeldeth him selfe to sinne, & consenteth vnto the lyfe of sinne with soule and body, & had rather lye in sin, then haue his poysoned nature healed, * 1.152 by the helpe of the spirite of grace, and maliciously persecuteth the truth, for him I say there is no remedy, the way to mercy is locked vp, and the spirite is taken from him, for his vnthanke∣fulnesse sake no more to be geuen him. Truthe it is, if a mā can turne to God and beleue in Christ, he must be forgi∣uen how deepe soeuer he hath sinned: but that wil not be without the spirite, and such blasphemers shall no more haue the spirite offred them. Let euery man therefore feare God, and beware that he yeld not him self to serue sinne, but how oft soeuer he sinne, let him be gyn agayne and fight a freshe, and no doubt he shal at the last ouercome, and in the meane tyme, yet be vnder mercy for Christes sake, because his hart wor∣keth, and would fayne be loused from vnder the bondage of sinne.

And there it sayth in the. xij. Esau founde no way (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) to bee conuerted and reconciled vnto God, and restored vnto his byrth right a∣gayn, though he sought it with teares, that text must haue a spirituall eye. For Esau in sellyng his byrthright, despi∣sed not onely that temporall promo∣tion, that he should haue bene Lord o∣uer all his brethren, and kyng of that countrey: but he also refused the grace and mercy of GOD, and the spirituall blessyng of Abrahā and Isaac, and all y^t mercy that is promised vs in Christ: which should haue bene his seede. Of this ye see that this Epistle ought no more to be refused for holy, godly, and Catholicke, then the other autentike Scriptures.

Now therfore to come to our pur∣pose agayne, though this Epistle (as it sayth in the sixt) lay not the grounde of the fayth of Christ, yet it buildeth cun∣nyngly thereon pure gold, siluer, and precious stones, & proueth the Priest∣hode of Christ with Scriptures ineui∣table. Moreouer, there is no worke in * 1.153 all the Scripture, that so playnly de∣clareth the meanyng and significatiōs of the sacrifices, ceremonies, and figu∣res of the old Testament, as this Epi∣stle: in so much that if wilful blindnes, & malicious malice were not the cause, this Epistle onely were enoughe to wede out of the hartes of the papistes, that cankred heresie of iustifiyng of workes, cōcernyng our Sacraments, ceremonies, and all maner traditions of their owne inuention.

And finally in that ye see in the tenth that he had bene in bondes, and prison for Christes sake, & in y^t he so mighte∣ly driueth all to Christ to be saued tho∣rough him, and so cared for the flocke of Christ that he both wrote and sent, where hee heard that they begon to faynte, to comforte, courage, & strength them with the word of GOD, and in that also that he sent Timothe, Paules Disciple, both vertuous, well learned, and had in great reuerence, it is easy to see that he was a faythfull seruaunt of Christes, and of the same doctrine that Timothe was of, yea, and Paule hym * 1.154 selfe was of, and y^• he was an Apostle or in the Apostles tyme, or nere there∣unto. And seyng the Epistle agreeth to all the rest of the Scripture (if it be in∣differently looked on) why should it not bee authoritie and taken for holy Scripture?

The Prologue vpon the E∣pistle of S. Iames, by W. Tyndall.

THoughe this Epistle were refused in the old tyme, and denyed of many to be the epistle of a very Apostle, and though also it laye not the foundation of the fayth of Christe, but speaketh of a general fayth in god, neyther preacheth his death and resur∣rection, either the mercy that is layde vp in store for vs in him, or euerlasting couenant made vs in his bloud, which is the office, and duety of a very apo∣stle, as Christ sayeth: Iohn 15. ye shall testifye of me: yet because it setteth vp no mans doctrine, but cryeth to keepe the law of God, & maketh loue which * 1.155 is without parcialitie the fulfillyng of the law, as Christ and all the Apostles did, and hath thereto many good and godly sentēces in it: and hath also no∣thing that is agreable to the rest of the scripture: if it be loked indifferētly on, me thinketh it ought of rigt to be takē for holy scripture. For as for that place for which happely it was at the begin∣nyng refused of holy men (as it ought, if it had meant as they toke it, and for * 1.156 which place onely, for the false vnder∣standyng, it hath bene chiefly receiued of the Papistes) yet if the circumstan∣ces be well pondered, it wyll appeare that the authors entent was farre o∣therwise then they toke for.

For where he saith in the 2. chapter, fayth without deedes is dead in it self, he meaneth none other thyng, then all the scripture doth: how that that fayth which hath no good dedes following, is a false fayth, and none of that fayth iustifieth, or receyueth forgeuenesse of sins. For God promised thē only for∣geuenes of theyr sinnes onely, whiche turne to GOD to keepe his lawes. Wherfore they that purpose to cōtinue still in synne, haue no part in that pro∣mise, but deceyue themselues if they beleue that GOD hath forgeuen them their olde synnes for Christes sake. And after when he sayth, that a man is iustified by deedes, and not of faith on∣ly, he will no more, then that faith doth not iustify euery where, that nothyng iustifieth saue fayth. For dedes also do iustify. And as fayth only iustifieth be∣fore God, so do dedes onely iustify be∣fore the world, whereof is inough spo∣ken, partly in y^t Prologue on Paul to the Romaynes, and also in other pla∣ces. For as Paule affirmeth, Rom. 2. that Abraham was not iustified by workes before God, but by fayth only as Gen. beareth record, so wil Iames that deedes onely iustified hym before * 1.157 the world, and faith wrought with his deedes: that is to say, fāyth wherwith he was righteous before God in the hart, did cause hym to worke the wyll of God outwardly, whereby he was righteous before the worlde, and whereby the worlde perceiued that he beleued in God, loued and feared God. And as Hebr. 11. y^t scripture af∣firmeth that Raab was iustified before God through faith, so doth Iames af∣firme that through workes, by whiche she sheweth her fayth, she was iustifi∣ed before the world, and it is true.

And as for the Epistle of Iudas, though men haue, and yet do doubt of the authour, and thoughe it seeme also to be drawne out of the second Epistle of S. Peter, and thereto alleageth scri∣pture that is no where founde, yet se∣yng the matter is so godly, and agree∣yng to holy Scripture, I see not but that it ought to haue the authoritie of holy Scripture.

An exposition vpō certaine wordes, and phrases of the new Testament.

INfernus and Gehenna differ much in significatiō, though we haue none interpretatiō for either of thē, thē this en∣glish word Hell: for Gehenna signifieth a place of punishment: but Infernus is taken for any maner of place beneth in the earth, as a graue, sepulchre, or a caue.

Hell it is called in Hebrue the val∣ley of Hennon, a place by Ierusalem, where they brent their children in fyre, vnto the Idoll Moloch, and is vsur∣ped, and taken now for a place where the wicked, and vngodly shalbe tor∣mented both soule and body, after the generall iudgement.

Geue roume to the wrath of God: Rom. 12. Wrath is there taken for vē∣geaunce, and the meanyng is: let God auenge either by himselfe, or by the of∣ficers that beare hys roume.

There tary and abide till ye go out. It is Marke the 6. chap. whersoeuer ye enter into an house, there abide tyll

ye go out thence: And Luke. 9. it is. Into whatsoeuer house ye enter, there tary, and go not out thence, that is to say, whosoeuer receiueth you, there a∣byde as long as you are in the citie, or towne: and go not shamefully a beg∣ging from house to house, as Friers doe.

Dust, shake of the dust of your feete. Math. 10. Why are they commaunded to shake of the dust? for a witnes sayth Luke, that that deede may testifye a∣gainst them, in the day of iudgement, that the doctrine of saluation was of∣fred for them, but they would not re∣ceyue thē: ye see also that such iestures and ceremonies, haue greater power with them, thē haue bare wordes one∣ly, to moue the harte, and to stirre vp fayth, as do the laying on of handes, & annointyng with oyle, &c.

Hipocrites can ye discerne the face of heauen, and not discerne the signe of the tymes? that is to say, they could iudge by the signes of the skye what weather should follow, but they could not know Christe by the signes of the Scripture, and yet other signes might not be geuen them.

He that sayth he knoweth Christ, & kepeth not his commaundementes is a lyar. To know Christ is to beleue in Christ: Ergo, he that keepeth not the commaundementes, beleueth not in Christ.

¶ The end of such Prologues of the old Testament, and new Testament, as were made by William Tyndall.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Zewes to this day ar locked out from the vnderstan∣ding of the scriptures.
• * 1.2

  The right way into the vnder∣standing of the Scri∣tures.
• * 1.3

  Iaco. 1.
• * 1.4

  The gene∣rall coue∣naunt that God hath made with vs.
• * 1.5

  Lawe.
• * 1.6

  In these commaun∣demento is contayned tee whole law.
• * 1.7

  Where no good〈…〉〈…〉are, there the fayth is vayne.
• * 1.8

  What fayth it is that saueth.
• * 1.9

  Two thin∣ges are re∣quired to be in a christian man.
• * 1.10

  What the nature of gods word is.
• * 1.11

  When we heare gods will and do it not, then God withdraw∣eth his mer¦cy and fa∣uour from vs.
• * 1.12

  He that harkeneth to the word of God & doth it, the same shalbe blessed in his deede.
• * 1.13

  What it is to build vp∣pon ••and.
• * 1.14

  The vn∣cleane spi∣rit that re∣turneth in worse sort, thē he was when hee was cast forth.
• * 1.15

  Such 〈◊〉〈◊〉 are profes sours of the worde 〈◊〉〈◊〉 God, and will not tame and scourge thē selues, thē will God plague 〈◊〉〈◊〉 scourge.
• * 1.16

  Christes deedes ••et vs in the fa¦uour of God: & our owne, helpe vs to con∣tinue in his fauour.
• * 1.17

  Loue is the fulfilling of the law.
• * 1.18

  Faith is cause of loue.
• * 1.19

  God requi∣reth mercie and not sa∣crifice.
• * 1.20

  Onely loue vnderstan∣deth the law.
• * 1.21

  Gospell.
• * 1.22

  New Te∣stament.
• * 1.23

  Our wor∣kes extend no farther then to our neighbour.
• * 1.24

  Why Tyn¦dall vsed this worde repētaūce, rather then penaunce.
• * 1.25

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.26

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.27

  The foure partes of repentan̄ce.
• * 1.28

  What ma∣ner of satis∣faction we•• ought to make.
• * 1.29

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.30

  Why hee nameth thē Elders, & not priests.
• * 1.31

  William Tyndals Prologue vpon the Gospell of Marke.
• * 1.32

  The Pro∣logue of W. Tyn∣dall vpon the Gospell of Luke.
• * 1.33

  The Pro∣logue of W. Tyn∣dall vpon the Gospell of Iohn.
• * 1.34

  The epi∣stle to the Romaynes to the ex∣cellentest part of the new Testa¦ment.
• * 1.35

  Here you must note these wordes, law, sinne, &c. Law, how it is to be vnderstand
• * 1.36

  The law of God requi¦reth the bottom of our hartes
• * 1.37

  S. Paul was a great per∣secutor of the christi∣ans.
• * 1.38

  If we be not willing to do good, then doth sinne raign in vs.
• * 1.39

  No man can fulfill the law, but Christ onely.
• * 1.40

  The p••••e and perfect kepyng of the law is to do the ••a••e of 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.41

  〈…〉〈…〉 but o•• in¦ward loue.
• * 1.42

  The law encreaseth sinne.
• * 1.43

  The law is spiritual
• * 1.44

  The spirite of god ma∣keth a mā spirituall.
• * 1.45

  The law is good, righteous and holy.
• * 1.46

  Workes of the law & the fulfil∣ling of the law, are two things
• * 1.47

  By the workes of the law no man can be iustified.
• * 1.48

  As the law is spiritual so it must be fulfilled spiritually.
• * 1.49

  Where true fayth is, there is the spirit of God.
• * 1.50

  Our iusti∣fication is by fayth in Christ.
• * 1.51

  Out of true fayth springeth all good worke••.
• * 1.52

  O••synne.
• * 1.53

  Sinne what it is?
• * 1.54

  Sinne in y^• scripture is chiefly called vnbe liefe.
• * 1.55

  Grace, how it is vnderstand in the scrip¦tures.
• * 1.56

  Gift, what it is.
• * 1.57

  God for Christes sake recea∣ueth vs.
• * 1.58

  There is no damna∣tion to thē that are in Christ.
• * 1.59

  Faith, what it is?
• * 1.60

  False and fained faith
• * 1.61

  True faith is liuely.
• * 1.62

  Fayth is not idle.
• * 1.63

  The true definition of fayth.
• * 1.64

  Good wor∣ke•• cannot be separate from true fayth.
• * 1.65

  Righteous∣nes & how it is to be vnderstād.
• * 1.66

  Flesh & spi¦rite what they are, & ••ow to vn∣derstand? them.
• * 1.67

  How this word fleshe is to be vn∣derstand in the Scrip∣ture.
• * 1.68

  Incredu••••∣tie is the chief of all sinnes.
• * 1.69

  Fleshe is here well described.
• * 1.70

  What so••∣euer proce∣deth of faith is spi∣rituall.
• * 1.71

  A necessary and profi∣table instru¦ction for all preachers.
• * 1.72

  The ma∣ner of S. Paūles do¦ctrine.
• * 1.73

  Nature is so blinde that we cā¦not see nor vnderstand the good¦nes of God & hys mer∣cy shewed vnto vs in Christ Ie∣su hys ••owne.
• * 1.74

  S. Paule cōdemneth all hipocri∣si••.
• * 1.75

  How S. Paul rebu∣keth hypo∣crites.
• * 1.76

  The diffe∣rence be∣twene the Iewe & the Gentile.
• * 1.77

  All men are sinners.
• * 1.78

  The waye howe wee must bee made righ∣teous.
• * 1.79

  Faith ob∣teineth the fulfillyng of the law.
• * 1.80

  S. Paule aūswereth to the ca∣ueling que∣stion that our Pa∣pistes vse agaynst iu∣stificatiō of faith onely.
• * 1.81

  Good wor∣kes are ou•• ward sig∣nes of true fayth.
• * 1.82

  Wee are first iusti∣fied, thē fo∣loweth good wor∣kes.
• * 1.83

  Gods mer∣cy moueth vs to fayth in his pro∣mises, so that God in al things worketh our iustifi∣cation.
• * 1.84

  Gods mer∣cy saueth vs, and not we our sel∣ues.
• * 1.85

  If we lack Abrahams fayth, we cannot be Abrahams children.
• * 1.86

  Fayth one∣ly recea∣ueth the grace that cōmeth by Abraham.
• * 1.87

  The frutes & workes of fayth.
• * 1.88

  Fayth be∣fore all workes iu∣stifieth.
• * 1.89

  Good wor¦kes are the fruites of fayth.
• * 1.90

  Where true fayth is there are good wor∣kes.
• * 1.91

  Where fayth lac∣keth there is all euill workes.
• * 1.92

  As by ••••ā came sinne, so by Christ came salua∣tion.
• * 1.93

  The prin∣cipall work of faith, and the battaile betwen the spirite and the flesh.
• * 1.94

  What it is not to be vnder the law.
• * 1.95

  What it is to be vnder the lawe.
• * 1.96

  The right fredome, & libertie frō sinne, and from the law.
• * 1.97

  Example.
• * 1.98

  Our con∣sciences bound, and in daunger to the lawe by olde A∣dam, so lōg as he li∣ueth in vs.
• * 1.99

  The law requireth of vs that which we cannot pay.
• * 1.100

  The law doth vtter and declare what sinne is.
• * 1.101

  What w•• may do of our selues, and what we may not do.
• * 1.102

  Where feare and shame is a∣way, there all wicked∣nes is com¦mitted.
• * 1.103

  The fleshe is contrary to the sprite
• * 1.104

  The sprite lusteth con¦trary to the flesh.
• * 1.105

  There is no daunger to thē that are in Christ.
• * 1.106

  The right worke of fayth, is to mortify the flesh.
• * 1.107

  Predesti•…•… cion is in the handes of God.
• * 1.108

  How farre we may proceede in predestina∣tion.
• * 1.109

  Predestin••¦tion is not rashly to be disputed of.
• * 1.110

  Which are good wor∣kes mete to be done.
• * 1.111

  Loue is y^• fulfilling of the law.
• * 1.112

  We must deale lo∣uingly with our weake bre∣thren.
• * 1.113

  The weak¦nes of our brethren is to be consi∣dered.
• * 1.114

  In the epi∣stle to the Romaines is contey∣ned a suffi∣cient do∣ctrine for a Christen man.
• * 1.115

  Beware of the traditi∣ous of men
• * 1.116

  This epi∣stle decla∣reth it self.
• * 1.117

  Weake and yong con∣sciences as to be stub∣borne, for the last shal receiue the equall reward with the first.
• * 1.118

  Loue ful∣filleth the law.
• * 1.119

  It is the parte of a good shep∣herd to vē∣ture hys lyfe for hys sheepe.
• * 1.120

  tribulatiō for the Gos¦pell sake maketh vs sure of eter¦nall lyfe.
• * 1.121

  All that re∣pent, are iu¦stified tho∣rough saith by Christ, and not by workes.
• * 1.122

  The law condēneth, but the be∣leuyng of Gods pro∣mises iusti∣fieth.
• * 1.123

  In sekyng any other satisfaction thē Christ, we beceau•• our selues.
• * 1.124

  Hereby are we war∣ned that workes saue vs not, but the word, that is the pro∣mise.
• * 1.125

  Mannes righteous∣nes zeale or imagina¦tion with∣out Gods worde is odious.
• * 1.126

  For fayth when it is preached bringeth y^e spirite and power to fulfill the law.
• * 1.127

  Who so hath a pure fayth, can not but a∣boūd with good wor∣kes.
• * 1.128

  Not the re∣ceauyng of the Gospel, but the cō∣tinuaunce to the latter ende, ma∣keth vs blessed.
• * 1.129

  He mea∣neth therby lest they should fall from the worde, they had al¦ready re∣ceaued.
• * 1.130

  Patiēce in persecution for Christs sake rewar¦ded with y^• crowne of euerlasting ioy and fe∣licitie.
• * 1.131

  Hereby haue we euident sig∣nes, that the latter day is at hand.
• * 1.132

  The office of a bishop.
• * 1.133

  The Pope & his Pre∣lates are here playn∣ly set forth, for what Christ loo∣sed freely, the Pope did bynd it to lose it a∣gayne for money.
• * 1.134

  Vertuous Byshops are worthy double ho∣nor.
• * 1.135

  Byshops must be vi∣gilant in their voca∣tion••
• * 1.136

  This hath already ben fulfilled in, our spiri∣tualtie.
• * 1.137

  What ma∣ner a man, a Byshop or Curate ought to be.
• * 1.138

  Good deedes please god, so farre foorth as they are ap¦plied to the kepyng of the com∣maunde∣ments, but Christ one∣ly iustifieth
• * 1.139

  Christ is all to a Christen man.
• * 1.140

  Mē ought to rule theyr wiues with god•• word.
• * 1.141

  To watch is not onely to abstaine from slepe, but also to auoyde all, occasions that may drawe vs to sinne.
• * 1.142

  As god re∣ioyceth not in the dede it selfe▪ so doth he not in •…•…dle faith with∣out works
• * 1.143

  Good wor∣kes are a shew of our fayth, as the fruit, is of the tree.
• * 1.144

  He prophe¦sieth of the popes spi∣ritualtie.
• * 1.145

  The con∣dition of the worlde shall waxe worse and worse.
• * 1.146

  Where 〈◊〉〈◊〉 true fayth is, there are also good wor∣kes.
• * 1.147

  Christes bloud pur∣chaseth for∣geuenes of sinnes, and not mans workes.
• * 1.148

  Whether this were Paules e∣pistle or no great lear∣ned men haue doub∣ted.
• * 1.149

  Some de∣ny it to haue bene written by anye Apo∣stle, and re∣fuse it as not Catho∣like.
• * 1.150

  A solution of the for∣mer doubts
• * 1.151

  This not to be deni∣ed to be Paules Epistle.
• * 1.152

  Mercy is locked vp from hym which wil¦fully yel∣deth his bo¦dy 〈◊〉〈◊〉 soule to sinne.
• * 1.153

  No place in the scri∣pture, so plainly de∣scribeth the signifi∣cations & figures of the olde te∣stament, as this epistle doth.
• * 1.154

  This epi∣stle for that it agreeth with the rest of the scripture ought to be of equal au¦thoritie with the other.
• * 1.155

  This epi∣stle is to be taken as holy scrip∣ture.
• * 1.156

  The pa∣pistes al∣leage this text for their pur∣pose, tho∣rough mis∣understan∣dyng the same.
• * 1.157

  Fayth on∣ly iustifieth