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 Preface of master William Tyndall, that he made before the fiue bookes of Moses, called Genesis. An. 1530. Ianua. 17.

WHen I had translated the newe Testamēt, I added an Epistle vn∣to the latter ende, In which I de¦sired them that were learned, to amend if ought were found amisse. But our malicious and wylie hypocrites, whiche are so stubburne, and hard harted in their wicked abho∣minations, that it is not possible for thē * 1.1 to amend any thing at all (as we see by daylye experience, when both their ly∣uynges, and doyngs are rebuked with the trouthe) saye, some of them that it is impossible to translate the Scrip∣ture into Englishe, some that it is not lawfull for the lay people to haue it in their mother toūg, some that it would * 1.2 make them all heretickes, as it would no-doubt from many thynges whiche they of long tyme haue falsely taught, and that is the whole cause wherefore they forbid it, though they other clokes pretende. And some or rather euery one, say that it would make them rise agaynst the king, whom they them sel∣ues (vnto their damnation) neuer yet obeyed. And lest the temporall rulers should see their falsehode, if the Scrip∣ture came to lyght, causeth thē so to lie.

And as for my translation in which they affirme vnto the lay people (as I haue heard say to be I wotte not how many thousand heresies, so that it can * 1.3 not be mended or correct, they haue yet taken so great payne to examine it, and to compare it vnto that they would fayne haue it, and to their owne imagi∣nations and iugglyng termes, and to haue somewhat to rayle at, and vnder that cloke to blaspheme the truth, that they might with as litle labour (as I suppose) haue translated the most part of the Bible. For they which in tymes past were wont to looke on no more scripture thē they foūd in theyr Duns, * 1.4 or suche like deuilishe doctrine, haue yet now so narowly loked on my trā∣slation, y^t there is not so much as one I therin if it lack a title ouer his hed, but they haue noted it, & nomber it vnto y^e ignoraunt people for an heresy. Final∣ly in this they be all agreed, to driue you from the knowledge of the Scrip∣ture, and that ye shall not haue the text therof in the mother toūg, and to kepe the world still in darkenesse, to the en∣tent they might sit in the consciences of the people, thorow vayne superstition and false doctrine, to satisfie their fil∣thy lustes, their proude ambition, and vnsatiable couetousnes, and to exalte their owne honour aboue Kyng and Emperour, yea, and aboue God hym selfe. * 1.5

A thousand bookes had they leuer to be put foorth agaynst their abhomi∣nable doynges and doctrine, then that the Scripture should come to light. For as long as they may keepe that down, they wil so darken y^e right way with the mist of their sophistry, & so tā∣gle thē y^t either rebuke or despise their abhominations, with Argumentes of Philosophie, and with worldly simili∣tudes, and apparent reasons of natu∣rall wisedome: and with wrestyng the Scripture vnto their owne purpose cleane contrary vnto the processe, or∣der and meanyng of the text, and so delude them in descantyng vpō it with allegories, and amase them, expoun∣dyng * 1.6 it in many senses before the vn∣learned lay people (when it hath but one simple litterall sense whose light the owles can not abide) that thoughe thou feele in thine harte, and arte sure how that all is false that they say, yet couldest y^u not solue their subtle rydles.

Whiche thyng onely moued me to translate the new Testament. Because I had perceaued by experience, howe that it was impossible to stablishe the * 1.7 laye people in any truth, excepte the Scripture were playnely layd before their eyes in their mother toung, that they might see the processe, order and meanyng of the text: for els what soe∣uer truth is taught them, these ene∣mies of all truth, quench it agayn, part¦ly with the smoke of their bottomlesse pitte, wherof thou readest Apocalipsis, ix. that is, with apparāt reasons of so∣phistry, and traditions of their owne makyng, founded without grounde of Scripture, and partely in iugglyng with the texte, expoundyng it in such a sense, as is impossible to gather of the text, if thou see the processe, order and meanyng therof.

And euē in the Byshops of Londons house, I entented to haue done it. For * 1.8 when I was so turmoyled in the coū∣trey where I was, that I could no lē∣ger there dwell (the processe whereof were to long here to rehearse) I this wise thought in my selfe, this I suffer because the Priestes of the countrey be vnlearned, as God it knoweth, there are a full ignoraunt sorte whiche haue sene no more Latin, then that they read in their Portesses and Missales, which yet many of them can scarcely read (ex∣cept it be Albertus de secretis mulierū, in which yet, though they be neuer so so∣rily learned, they poore day and night, and make notes therein, & all to teach the mydwiues as they say, and Lin∣wode a booke of constitutions to ga∣ther tithes, mortuaries, offeringes, cu∣stomes, and other pillage, whiche they call not theirs, but Gods part, and the duety of holy church, to discharge their consciences with all: for they are boūd that they shall not diminishe, but en∣crease all thyng vnto the vttermost of * 1.9 their powers) & therfore (because they are thus vnlearned thought I) when they come together to the Alehouse, whiche is their preachyng place, they affirme that my sayinges are heresie. And besides that they adde to of their own heades, which I neuer spake, as the maner is to prolōg the tale to short the time with all, and accused me secret¦ly to the Chauncellour, and other the * 1.10 Byshops officers. And in dede when I came before the Chauncellour, hee threatned me greuously, and reuiled me, and rated me as though I had ben a dogge, and layd to my charge, wher∣of there could be none accuser brought forth (as their maner is not to bryng forth the accuser) and yet all y^t Priestes of the coūtrey were the same day there.

As I this thought, the Byshop of London came to my remembraunce * 1.11 whom Erasmus (whose toung maketh of litles gnattes great Elephants, and lifteth vp aboue the Starres whosoe∣uer geueth him a litle exhibition) pray∣seth excedyngly amōg other in his an∣notations on the new Testament for hys great learnyng. Then thought I, if I might come to this mans seruice, I were happy. And so I gatte me to London, and thorow the acquaintance of my master, came to Syr Harry Gil∣ford the Kynges graces Controller, and brought hym an Oration of Iso∣crates, whiche I had translated out of greeke into English, & desired hym to speake vnto my Lorde of London for me, whiche hee also dyd as he shewed me, and willed me to write an Epistle to my Lord, and to go to hym my selfe whiche I also dyd, and deliuered my Epistle to a seruaunt of his own, one William Hebilthwayte', a man of myne old acquaintaunce. But God (which * 1.12 knoweth what is within hypocrites) saw that I was begyled, and that that counsayle was not the next way vnto my purpose. And therfore he gatte me no fauour in my Lordes sight.

Whereupon my Lord aunswered me, his house was full, he had mo then he could well finde, and aduised me to seeke in Londō, where he sayd I could not lacke a seruice, And so in London I abode almost a yeare, and marked the course of the world, and heard our praters, I would say our Preachers, how they boasted thēselues and theyr hye authoritie, and beheld the pompe of our Prelates, and how busie they were (as they yet are) to set peace and vnite in the world (thoughe it be not possible for them, that walke in darke∣nesse, to continue long in peace, for they cā not but either stomble or dash them¦selues at one thyng, or an other y^t shall * 1.13 cleane vnquiet all together) and sawe thynges wherof I deferre to speake at this tyme, & vnderstode at the last not onely that there was no rowme in my Lord of Londons Palace to translate the new Testamēt, but also that there was no place to do it in all Englād, as experience doth now openly declare.

Vnder what maner therfore should I now submit this booke to be correc∣ted and amended of them, whiche can * 1.14 suffer nothyng to bee well? Or what protestation should I make in such a maner vnto our Prelates those stub∣burne Nimrothes whiche so mightely fight against God, and resiste hys holy spirite, enforcyng with all crafte and sutletie to quench y^t lyght of the euerla∣styng Testament, promises, and ap∣pointement made betwene God and vs? and heapyng the fierce wrath of God vpō all Princes and rulers, moc∣kyng them with false fayned names of hypocrisie, and seruyng their lustes at all pointes, and dispensyng with them euē of the very lawes of God, of which Christe hym selfe testifieth Mathew 5. That not so much as one title therof may perish or be broken. And of whiche the Prophet sayth Psalme. cxviij. Thou hast commaunded thy lawes to bee kept meod, that is in Hebrew excedyngly,

with all diligence, might and power, and haue made thē so mad with their iugglyng charmes, and craftie persua∣siōs, that they thinke it a ful satisfactiō for all their wicked lyuing, to torment such as tell them trouth, and to burne y^t word of their soules health, and slea who soeuer beleue thereon.

Notwithstandyng yet I submitte this booke, and all other that I haue * 1.15 either made or translated, or shall in tyme to come (if it bee Gods will that I shall further labour in his haruest) vnto all them that submit them selues vnto the word of God, to be corrected of them, yea and moreouer to be disa∣lowed and also burnt, if it seme wor∣thy, when they haue examined it with the Hebrue, so that they first put forth of their owne trāslatyng, an other that is more correct.

A prologue by Williā Tyn∣dall, shewyng the vse of the Scrip∣ture, which he wrote before the fiue bookes of Moses.

THough a man had a precious iuell & a rich, yet if hee wiste not the value therof, nor wher¦fore it serued, he were neither the better nor richer of a straw. Euē so though we read the Scripture, and bable of it neuer so much, yet if we know not the vse of it, and wherfore it was geuen, and what is therein to be sought, it profiteth vs nothyng at all. It is not enough therfore to read and talke of it onely, but we must also de∣sire * 1.16 God day and night instantly to o∣pen our eyes, and to make vs vnder∣stand and feele, wherefore the Scrip∣ture was geuen, that we may applye the medicine of the Scripture, euery man to his own sores, vnlesse then we entend to be idle disputers, and brau∣lers about vaine wordes, euer gnaw∣yng vppon the bitter barcke without, and neuer attaynyng vnto the sweete pith within, and persecuting one an o∣ther in defendyng of lewde imagina∣tions, and phantasies of our owne in∣uentions.

Paule in thyrd of the second Epistle * 1.17 to Timothe sayth, That the Scripture is good to teache (for that ought men to teach, and not dreames of their owne makyng, as the Pope doth) and also to improue, for the Scripture is the touch stone that tryeth all doctrines, and by that we know the false from the true. And in the vj. to the Ephesians he cal∣leth it the sword of the spirite, by cause it killeth hypocrites, and vttereth and and improueth their false inuentions. And in the xv. to y^t Romains he saith. All that are written, are written for our learnyng, that we thorow patience and * 1.18 comforte of the Scripture, might haue hope. That is, the examples that are in the Scripture, comfort vs in all our tribulations, and make vs to put our trust in GOD, and patiently to abide hys leysure. And in the x. of the firste to the Corinthians, hee bringeth in ex∣amples of the Scripture, to feare vs, and to bridle the fleshe, that wee cast not the yoke of the lawe of God from of our neckes, and fall to lustyng and doyng of euill.

So nowe the Scripture is a lyght, & sheweth as the true way, both what to do, & what to hope for. And a defēce from all errour, and a comforte in ad∣uersitie that we dispaire not, and fea∣reth vs in prosperitie, that we synne not. Séeke therefore in the Scripture as thou readest it, first the law, what God commaundeth vs to do. And se∣condarely the promises, whiche God promiseth vs agayn, namely in Christ Iesu our Lord. Then seeke examples, first of comfort, how God purgeth all * 1.19 them that submit themselues to walke in his wayes, in the Purgatory of tri∣bulation, deliueryng them yet at the latter end, and neuer sufferyng any of them to perishe, that cleaue fast to hys promises. And finally, note the exam∣ples which are writtē to feare the flesh that we sinne not. That is, how God suffereth the vngodly and wicked sin∣ners * 1.20 that resist God, and refuse to fo∣low him, to continue in their wicked∣nesse, euer waxyng worse and worse, vntill their sinne be so sore encreased, and so abhominable, that if they shuld lōger endure, they would corrupt the very elect. But for y^e electes sake God sendeth them preachers. Neuerthelesse they harden their hartes agaynste the truth, and God destroyeth them vtter∣ly, and beginneth the world a new.

This comfort shalt thou euermore finde in the playne texte, and litterall sense. Neither is there any storye so homely, so rude, yea or so vyle (as it semeth outward) wherein is not exce∣dyng great comforte. And when some which seme to thē selues great clarkes say: they wott not what more profite is in many gestes of the Scripture, if

they be read without an allegory, then in a tale of Robenhode: say thou, that * 1.21 they were written for our consolation and comforte, that we dispayre not, if such like happen vnto vs. We be not holyer then Noe, though he were once dronke. Neither better beloued then Iacob, though his owne sonne defyled his bead. We be not holyer then Lot, thoughe his daughters thorow igno∣raunce deceaued hym, nor peraduen∣ture holier then those daughters. Nei∣ther are we holyer then Dauid, though he brake wedlocke, and vpon the same committed abhominable murther. All those men haue witnesse of the Scrip∣ture that they pleased God, and were good mē, both before that those things chaunced, and also after. Neuer∣lesse such thynges happened them for our example: not that we should coun∣terfeite their euill, but if whyle wee fight with our selues, enforsyng to walke in the law of God (as they dyd) we yet fall likewise, that we despayre not, but come agayne to the lawes of God, and take better hold.

We read sence the tyme of Christes * 1.22 death, of virgins y^t haue bene brought vnto the common stues, and there de∣filed, and of Martyrs that haue bene bound, and whores haue abused theyr bodyes. Why? The iudgementes of God are bottomlesse. Such thynges chaunced partly for examples, partely God thorow sinne healeth sinne. Pride can neither be healed, nor yet appeare, but thorow such horrible deades. Per∣aduenture they were of the popes sect, and reioysed fleshly, thinking that hea∣uen came by dedes, and not by Christ, and that the outward dede iustifyed them, and made thē holy, and not the inward spirite receaued by fayth, & the consent of hart vnto the law of God.

As thou readest therfore thinke that * 1.23 euery sillable pertayneth to thine own selfe, & sucke out the pithe of the Scrip∣ture, and arme thy selfe agaynst all as∣saultes. First note with strong fayth the power of God, in creatyng all of nought. Then marke the greuous fall of Adam, and of vs all in him, thorow the light regardyng of the cōmaunde∣mēt of God. In the iiij. Chapter God turneth hym vnto Abell, and thē to his offeryng, but not to Cain and hys of∣feryng. Where thou seest that thoughe the dedes of the euil, appeare outward¦ly as glorious, as the dedes of y^t good: yet in the sight of God, which looketh on the hart, the deede is good because of the man, and not the man good be∣cause of his deede. In the vj. God sen∣deth Noe to preach to the wicked, and geueth them space to repent: they wax hard harted, God bringeth them to nought. And yet saueth Noe: euen by y^t same water by whiche he destroyed them. Marke also what folowed the pride of the buildyng of the Tower of Babell.

Consider how God sendeth foorth Abraham out of his owne countey in∣to a straunge land, full of wicked peo∣ple, * 1.24 and gaue him but a bare promisse with him that would blesse, him & de∣fende him. Abraham beleued: and that worde saued, and deliuered him in all perilles: so that we see, how that mās life is not maintayned ••y bread onely, (as Christe sayth) but much rather by beleuyng the promises of God. Be∣hold how soberly, & how circumspect∣ly both Abrahā, and also Isaac behaued them selues among the infidels. Abra∣ham byeth that which might haue ben geuen him for nought, to cut of occasi∣ons. Isaac when his welles whiche he had digged were taken from him, ge∣ueth rowme and resisteth not. Moreo∣uer they eare, and sowe, and fede their cattell, and make confederations, and and take perpetuall truce, and doe all outward thinges: Euen as they doe whiche haue no fayth, for God hath not made vs to be idle in this world. Euery man must worke godly & truly * 1.25 to y^t vttermost of the power, that God hath geuen him: and yet not trust ther¦in: but in Gods word or promise: and God will worke with vs, and bryng that we do to good effect. And thē whē our power will extende no further, Gods promises will worke all alone.

How many thynges also resisted the promises of God to Iacob? And yet * 1.26 Iacob coniureth God, with hys owne promises saying: O GOD of my fa∣ther Abraham: and GOD of my father Isaac, O Lord which saydest vnto me, re∣turne vnto thine owne countrey, and vnto the place were thou waste borne, and I wil do thee good: I am not worthy of the lest of those mercyes, nor of that trouth, whiche thou hast done to thy ser∣uaunt, I went out with a staffe, and come home with two droues, deliuer me out of the handes of my brother Esau, for I feare him greatly. &c. And God deliue∣red him, and will likewise all that call vnto his promises, with a repentyng hart, were they neuer so great sin∣nes. Marke also the weake infirmi∣ties

of the man. He loueth one wife more then an other, one sonne more then an other. And see how God pur∣geth hym. Esau threateneth hym: La∣ban begyleth him. The beloued wife is long baren: his daughter is raui∣shed: his wife is defiled, and that of his owne sonne. Rahell dyeth, Ioseph is taken away, yea & (as he supposed) rent of wild beastes. And yet how glo∣rious was his ende? Note the weake∣nesse of his children, yea and the sinne of them, and how God thorow their owne wickednes saued them. These examples teache vs, that a man is not at once perfect the first day he begyn∣neth to liue well. They that be strong, therefore must suffer with the weake, & * 1.27 helpe thē in vnity, and peace, one with an other vntill they be stronger.

Note what the brethren sayd when they were tached in Egypt, we haue verely sinned (sayd they) agaynst our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soule when hee besought vs, and would not heare him: and therfore is this tribulation come vppon vs. By * 1.28 which example thou seest, how that cō∣science of euill doynges findeth men out at last. But namely in tribulation and aduersitie: there temptatiō and al∣so desperatiō, yea and the very paynes of hell finde vs out: there there y^t soule feeleth the fierce wrath of GOD, and wisheth moūtaines to fall on her, and to hyde her (if it were possible) from the angry face of God.

Marke also how great euils folow of howe litle an occasion Dina goeth but forth alone to see the daughters of the countrey, and how great mischief and trouble foloweth? Iacob loued but one sonne more then an other, and howe greuous murther folowed in their hartes? These are examples for * 1.29 our learnyng, to teache vs to walke warely, and circumspectly in y^t world of weake people, that we geue no man occasions of euill.

Finally, see what GOD promised Ioseph in his dreames. These promi∣ses accompanyed him, alwayes, and went downe with hym euen into the depe dongeon. And brought hym vp agayne. And neuer forsoke hym till all y^t was promised was fulfilled. These * 1.30 are examples writtē for our learnyng (as Paule saith) to teach vs to trust in God in the strōg fire of tribulation, & purgatory of our fleshe. And that they whiche submitte them selues to folow GOD, should note and marke such thynges, for learnyng and comfort, is the frute of the scripture, & cause why it was written: And with such a pur∣pose to read it, is the way to euerla∣sting life, and to those ioysul blessings that are promised vnto all nations in the seede of Abraham, whiche seede is Iesus Christ our Lord, to whom be honour and prayse for euer, and vnto God our father thorow him. Amen.

A Table expoundyng cer∣tayne wordes in the first booke of Moses called Genesis.

ABrech, tender father, or (as some will) how the knee.

Arke, a shyppe made flat, as it were a chest, or cofer.

Bisse, fine white, whe∣ther it be silke or lynen.

Blesse, Gods blessings are his gifts: as in the first Chapter he blessed them, saying, grow and multiply, and haue do∣minion. &c. And in the ix. Chapter, he blessed Noe, and his sonnes, and gaue them dominion ouer all beastes, and authoritie to eat them. And God bles∣sed Abraham with cattell, and other riches. And Iacob desired Esau to re∣ceaue the blessing, whiche he brought hym, that is the present and gift.

God blessed y^t vij. day, that is, gaue it a preheminēce that men should rest therin, from bodily labour, and learne to know the wil of God, & his lawes, and how to worke their workes god∣ly all the weeke after. God also bles∣seth all nations in Abrahams sede, that is, he turneth hys loue, & fauour vnto them, and geueth them his spirite, and knowledge of the true way, and lust and power to walke therin, and all for Christes sake Abrahams sonne.

Cain, so is it writtē in Hebrue. Not∣withstandyng whether we call hym Cain or Caim, it maketh no matter, so we vnderstand the meanyng: Euery land hath his maner, that we cal Iohn, the Welshmen call Euan, the Dutch Haunce. Such difference is betwene y^t Ebrue, Greke, and Latine: and that ma∣keth them that translate out of the E∣brue varie in names from them, that translate out of Latine, or Greke.

Curse, Gods curse is the takyng a∣way of his benefites: as God cursed y^t earth, and made it barren: So now hunger, dearth, warre, pestilence, and such like, are yet right curses, & signes

of the wrath of God vnto the vnbele∣uers: but vnto thē that know Christ, they are very blessings, and that whol∣some crosse, and true purgatory of our flesh, through which, all must goe that will liue godly, and be saued: as thou readest Math. 5. Blessed are they that suf∣fer persecution for righteousnes sake, &c And Hebr. 11. The lord chastiseth whom he loueth, and scourgeth all the children that he receaueth.

Eden, pleasure.

Firmament, the sky.

Fayth, is the beleuyng of Gods pro∣mises, and a sure trust in the goodnes and truth of God, which fayth iustified Abrah. Gen. 15. and was the mother of all his good workes whiche he after∣afterward did, for faith is the goodnes of all works in the sight of god. Good workes are things of gods commaun¦dement wrought in fayth. And to sow a shoe at the commaundemēt of God, to doe thy neighboure seruice withall, with fayth to be saued by Christe (as God promiseth vs) is much better thē to build an abbey of thine owne ima∣gination, trusting to bee saued by the fained workes of hipocrites. Iacob rob¦bed Laban hys vncle: Moses robbed the Egiptians. And Abraham is aboute to slay and burne his own sonne: and all are holye workes, because they are wrought in fayth at Gods commaun∣dement. To steale, robbe, and murder, are no holye workes before worldly people, but vnto them that haue their trust in God, they are holy when God commaundeth them. What God com∣maundeth not, getteth no rewarde with god. Holy workes of mens ima∣ginations receaue their rewarde here, as Christ testisieth: Math. 6. Howbeit of fayth and workes I haue spoken a∣boundantly in Mammon. Let him that desireth more, seeke there.

Grace, fauour, as Noe founde grace, that is to say, found fauour and loue. Ham and Cam all one.

Iehouah, is gods name, neither is a∣ny creature so called, and it is as much to say, as one that is of himselfe, and dependeth of nothing: Moreouer as ofte as thou seest LORDE in greate letters (except there be any error in the printing) it is in Hebrue Iehouah, thou that art, or he that is.

Marshall in Hebrue, he is called Sar∣tabaim, as thou wouldest say, Lorde of the slaughter men. And thoughe that Tabaim, be taken for cookes in manye places, (for the cookes did slaye the beastes themselues in those days,) yet it may be taken for them that put men to execution also: and that I thought it should here best signify, in as muche as he had the ouersight of the kynges prison, and the kyngs prisoners: were they neuer so greate men, were vnder his custodie: & therfore I cal him chief Marshal, an officer as it were, y^t Lieue∣tenaunt of the tower, or maister of the Marshalsey.

Slyme was their morter, chap. 11. and slyme pittes chap. 4. that slyme was a fatnesse that issued out of the earth, like vnto carre: and thou mayst call it ce∣ment, if thou wilte.

Siloh after some, is as muche to say as sent, and after some happy: and af∣ter some it signifieth Messias, that is to say, annoynted, & that we call Christ after the Greke worde: and it is a pro∣phesie of Christ: for after all the other tribes were in captiuitie, & their king∣dome destroyed, yet the tribe of Iuda had a ruler of the same bloud, euen vn∣to the commyng of Christ: and about the commyng of Christ, the Romaines conquered them, & the emperour gaue the kyngdome of the tribe Iuda, vnto Herode, which was a straunger, euen an Edomite, of the generation of Esau.

Testament, that is an appoymente made betwene God and man, & gods promises: And sacramēt is a signe re∣presentyng such appointment, and pro¦mises: as the raynebowe representeth the promise made to Noe, that God wyll no more drowne the world: And circumcision representeth the promises of God to Abraham, on the one side, & that Abraham and his seede should cir∣cumcise, and cutte of the lustes of their flesh, on the other side, to walke in the wayes of the lord. As baptisme which is come in the roome therof, now sig∣nifieth on the one side, howe that all that repent and beleue, are washed in Christes bloud: and on the other syde, how that the same muste quenche, and drown the lustes of the flesh, to follow the steppes of Christ.

There were tirantes in the earth in those dayes, for the sonnes of god saw the daughters of men &c. The sonnes of God were the Prophetes children, which (though they succeded their fa∣ther) fell yet from the right way, and through falshode of hipocrisie, subdu∣ed the world vnder them, and became tirantes, as the successors of the Apo∣stles haue played with vs.

Vapour, a dewie miste, as the smoke

of a seething pot.

To walke with God, is to liue god∣ly, and to walke in hys commaunde∣dementes.

Enos walked with God, and was no more sene, he lyued godly and died: God toke him away, that is, God hid hys body, as he did Moses and Aarons, lest happly they should haue made an Idole of hym, for he was a great prea∣cher, and an holy man.

Zaphnath Paenea wordes of Egipt are they (as I suppose) and as muche to say, as a man to whome secret thinges be opened, or an expounder of secrete thinges, as some interprete it.

That Ioseph broughte the Egiptians into such a subiection, would seme vn∣to some a very cruell deede: howe be it, it was a very equall way: for they payd but y^t fifth part of that, that grew on the grounde, and therewith were they quit of all dueties, both of rente, custome, tribute, and tolle: & the kyng therwith found them Lordes, and all ministers, and defended them, we now pay half so much vnto the priests only: beside their other craftye exactions. Then pay we rente yearely, thoughe there grow neuer so litle on y^t ground, and yet when the kyng calleth, pay we neuer the lesse. So that if we looke in∣differently, their condition was easier then oures, and but euen a very indif∣ferent way, both for the common peo∣ple, and the kyng also.

See therfore that thou looke not on the ensamples of the Scripture wyth worldly eyes, least thou preferre Cain before Abell: Ismaell before Isaac: Esau before Iacob: Ruben before Iuda: Sarah before Phares: Manasses before Ephraim, and euen the worst before the best, as the maner of the world is.

The Prologue to the se∣cond booke of Moses called Exodus.

BY the Preface vppon Genesis, mayest thou vnderstand howe to behaue thy selfe in this booke also, and in all other bookes of the Scripture. Cleaue vnto y^e texte and playne storie, and endeuour thy selfe to searche out the meanyng of all * 1.31 that is described therein, and the true sence of all maner of speakinges of the Scripture, of prouerbes, similitudes, & borowed speach, whereof I entrea∣ted in the ende of the obedience, and beware of subtile allegories.

And note euery thyng earnestly, as thynges pertainyng vnto thyne own hart and soule.

For as God vsed him selfe vnto thē of the old Testament: euen so shall he vnto the worldes end vse him self vn∣to vs, whiche haue receiued hys holy Scripture, and the testimonie of hys sonne Iesus. As God doth all things here for thē that beleue his promises, & herken vnto his commaūdements, and with patiēce cleaue vnto him, and walke with him: euen so shall he do for vs, if we receiue the witnes of Christ with a strong fayth, and endure pati∣ently folowyng his steppes. And on the other side, as they that fel from the promise of God thorow vnbelief, and * 1.32 from his lawe and ordinaunces, tho∣rowe impatiēcie of their owne lustes, were forsakē of God, and so perished: euen so shall we as many as doe lyke∣wise, and as many as mocke with the doctrine of Christ, and make a cloke of it to liue fleshly, & to folow our lustes.

Note thereto howe God is founde true at the last, and howe when all is past remedy, and brought into despe∣ration: he then fulfilleth his promises, and that by an abiect and a cast away, a despised, and a refused persō, yea, and by a way impossible to beleue.

The cause of all the captiuitie of Gods people is this. The world ••uer hateth them for their fayth, and trust whiche they haue in GOD: but in vayne, till they fall from the fayth of y^t promises, and loue of the lawe, and ordinaunces of God, & put their trust in holy dedes * 1.33 of their owne finding, and liue altoge∣ther at their owne lust & pleasure, with out regarde of God, or respect of their neighbour. Then God forsaketh vs, & sendeth vs into captiuitie, for our dis∣honoryng of his name, and despisyng of our neighbour. But the world per∣secuteth vs for our fayth in Christ one∣ly (as the people nowe doth) and not for our wicked liuyng. For in his king¦dom thou mayest quietly, and with li∣cence, and vnder aprotection, do what * 1.34 soeuer abhominatiō thine hart lusteth: but God persecuteth vs, bycause we a∣buse his holy Testament, and bycause when we knowe the truth, we folowe it not.

Note also the mightie hande of the Lord, how he playeth with his aduer∣saries, and prouoketh them, and styr∣reth

them vp a litle and a litle, and de∣liuereth not hys people in an houre that both the patience of his elect, and also the worldly wit and wyly policie of the wicked, wherwith they do fight agaynst God, might appeare.

Marke y^t long sufferyng, and soft pa∣tience of Moyses, and howe he loueth the people, and is euer betwene the * 1.35 wrath of God and them, and is ready to liue and dye with them, & to be put out of the booke that God had written for their sakes (as Paule for his bre∣thren. Romaines ix.) and how he ta∣keth his own wronges patiently, and neuer auengeth him selfe. And make not Moyses a figure of Christe with Rochester: but an ensample vnto all Princes, and to all that are in authori∣tie, how to rule vnto Gods pleasure, & vnto their owne profite. For there is not a perfecter life in this world, both to the honor of God, and profite of his neighbour, nor yet a greater crosse, thē to rule christianly. And of Aaron also, see that thou make no figure of Christ, vntill hee come vnto hys sacrifisyng: but an example vnto all Preachers, that they adde nothyng vnto Gods word, or take ought therefro.

Note also, how GOD sendeth his promise to the people, and Moyses cō∣firmeth it with miracles, and the peo∣ple * 1.36 beleue. But when temptatiō com∣meth, they fall into vnbelief, and fewe byde standyng. When thou seest that all be not Christen that will be so cal∣led, and that the crosse tryeth the true from the fayned: for if the crosse were not, Christ should haue Disciples e∣nough. * 1.37 Whereof also thou seest, what an excellent gift of God true fayth is, and impossible to be had, without the spirite of God. For it is aboue all na∣tural power, that a mā in time of tem∣tation, when GOD scourgeth hym, should beleue then stedfastly, how that God loueth him, and careth for hym, * 1.38 and hath prepared all good thyngs for hym, and that, that scourgyng is an earnest that GOD hath elect and cho∣sen hym.

Note how oft Moyses styred them vp to beleue, and trust in God, putting them in remembraunce alway in tyme * 1.39 of temptation, of the miracles & won∣ders that GGD hath wrought before tyme in their eye sight. How diligent∣ly also forbiddeth hee all that might withdraw their hartes from God? to put ought to GODS word, to take ought from it, cōmaundyng to do that onely, that is ryght in the sight of the Lord, that they should make no ma∣ner * 1.40 Image, to kneele downe before it: yea, that they should make none aul∣tare of hewed stone, for feare of Ima∣ges, to fle the heathen Idolatries vt∣terly, and to destroy their Idols, and cut downe theyr groues where they worshypped, and that they should not take the daughters of them vnto their sonnes, nor geue their daughters to y^t sonnes of them, and that who soeuer moued any of them to worshyp false Gods, how soeuer nighe of kynne he were, they must accuse him, and bryng him to death: yea, & wheresoeuer they * 1.41 heard of man, woman, or Citie, that worshypped false Gods, they should slea them, & destroy the Citie for euer, and not builde it agayne, and all by∣cause they should worship nothing but God, nor put confidence in any thing, saue in his word.

Yea, and howe warneth he to be∣ware * 1.42 of witchcraft, sorcerie, enchaunt∣ment, nicromancie, and all craftes of the Deuill, and of dreamers, ••othsay∣ers, and of miracle doers to destroy the word, and that they should suffer none such to lyue.

Thou wilt hapely say, they tell a man the truth. What then? GOD will that we care not to knowe what shall come. He will haue vs to care onely to kepe his commaundementes, and to committe all chaunces vnto hym: He hath promised to care for vs, & to kepe vs from all ill. All thynges are in hys hand, he can remedy all thynges, and will for his truth sake, if we pray hym. In his promises onely will hee haue vs trust, and there rest, and to seke no farther.

How also doth he prouoke them to loue, euer rehearsing the benefites of God done to them already, & the god∣ly promises that were to come? And * 1.43 how goodly lawes of loue geueth hee, to helpe one an other, and that a man should not hate his neighbour in hys hart, but loue him as himself. Leuit. 19 And what a charge geueth he in euery place, ouer the poore and nedie? ouer the straūger, frendlesse and widowes? And when he desireth to shew mercy, he rehearseth with all, the benefites of God done to them at their neede, that they might see a cause, at the least waye in GOD to shew mercy of very loue vnto their neighbours at their nede.

Also there is no lawe so simple in

apparaunce thoroughout the v. bokes of Moses, but that there is a great rea∣son of y^t makyng therof, if a man search diligently. As that a man is forbyd to sethe a Kydde in hys mothers milke, moueth vs vnto compassion, and to be pitiful. As doth also that a man should not offer the syre or damme & the yoūg both in one day. Leuiticus .xxij. For it might seme a cruell thyng, in as much as his mothers milke is as it were his bloud, wherfore god wil not haue him * 1.44 sodde therin: but will haue a man shew curtesie, vppon the very beastes. As in an other place hee commaundeth that we mosell not the Oxe that treadeth out the corne (whiche maner of thre∣shyng is vsed in hoate countreys) and that bycause we should much rather to be liberall and kynd vnto men that do vs seruice. Or happely GOD would haue none such wanton meate vsed a∣mong his people. For the Kydde of it selfe is nourishyng, and the Goates milke is restauratiue, and both toge∣ther might be to rancke, and therefore forbydden, or some other lyke cause there was.

Of the ceremonies, sacrifices, and tabernacle, with all hys glory and pompe, vnderstand that they were not permitted onely, but also commaun∣ded of GOD, to lead the people in the shadowe of Moyses and night of the * 1.45 olde Testament, vntill the lyght of Christ, and day of the new Testament were come. As children are lead in the phantasies of youth vntill the discre∣tion of mans age be come vpon them. And all was done to keepe them from Idolatrie.

The tabernacle was ordeined to the entent they might haue a place appoin¦ted them, to do their sacrifices openly in the sight of the people, and namely the Priestes whiche wayted thereon: that it might bee sene that they dyd all thynges accordyng to Gods worde, & not after the Idolatry of their owne i∣magination. And the costlinesse of the * 1.46 Tabernacle and the beauty also, per∣tayning therunto, that they should see nothyng among the heathen, but that they should see thinges more beautiful at home, because they shoulde not bee moued to follow them.

And in lyke maner the diuers fashi∣ons of sacrifices and ceremonies, was to occupy their minds, that they shold haue no lust to follow the Heathen: & the multitude of them was, that they should haue so much to do in keepyng them, that they should haue no leysure to imagine other of their owne: yea, & that Gods worde might be there by in all that they did, that they might haue their fayth and trust in God, which he cannot haue that followeth either hys own inuentions, or traditions of mēs makyng without Gods worde.

Finally, God hath two testaments, the olde and the new. The olde testa∣ment is those tēporall promises which God made the children of Israell of a * 1.47 good lande, and that he would defend them, and of wealth and prosperitie, & of temporall blessinges, of which thou readest ouer all the law of Moses, but namely, Leuiticus. 26. and Deut. 28. & the auoyding of all threatenynges and curses of which thou readest likewyse euery where, but specially in the two bookes aboue rehearsed, and the auoi∣ding of all punishment ordeyned for the transgressours of the law.

And the olde Testament was builte * 1.48 altogether vpō the kepyng of the lawe and ceremonies, and was the rewarde of kepyng them in this lyfe onely, and reached no farther then this lyfe & this world. As thou readest Leuit. 18. A mā that doth them shall lyue therin, which text Paule reherseth, Rom. 10. & Gal. 3. That is, he that keepeth them shall haue his lyfe glorious, according to all the promises and blessings of the law, and shal auoyde both all temporal pu∣nishments of the law, & all the threat∣nynges and cursinges also. For ney∣ther the lawe of the tenne commaun∣dementes, nor yet the ceremonies, iu∣stified in the hart before God, or puri∣fied vnto the lyfe to come. In so much that Moses at his death, euen fourtye yeares after the lawe, and ceremonies were geuen, complaineth saying, God hath not geuen, you an hart to vnder∣stande, nor eyes to see, nor eares to heare vnto this day. As who shoulde * 1.49 haue sayd. God hath geuen you cere∣monies, but ye knowe not the vse of them, and hath geuen you a lawe, but god hath not writen it in your hartes.

Wherfore serueth the law then, if it geue vs no power to do the law? Paul answereth them, that it was geuen to vtter sinne onely, and to make it ap∣peare. As a corosie is layd vnto an old * 1.50 sore, not to heale it, but to stirre it vp, and make the disease alyue, that a man myght feele in what ••eopardie he is, & how nye death and not aware, and to make a way vnto the healing playster.

Euen so sayth Paul Gal. 3. The law

was geuen bycause of transgression (that is to make the sinne alyue, that it might be felt and sene) vntill the seede came vnto whome it was promised, that is to saye, vntill the children of fayth came, or vntill Christ that sede in whom God promised Abraham, that all natiōs of the world should be bles∣sed, came.

That is, the law was geuen to vt∣ter sinne, death, damnation, and cursse, * 1.51 and to driue vs vnto Christ, in whom forgeuenes, lyfe, iustifiyng, and bles∣synges were promised, that we might see so great loue of God to vs ward in Christ, that we hence forth ouercome with kindnes, might loue agayne, and of loue kepe the commaundementes.

Now he that goeth about to quiet his consciēce, and to iustifie him selfe with the law: doth but heale hys woundes with freatyng coroseis. And hee that goeth aboute to purchase grace with * 1.52 ceremonies: doth but sucke the ale pole to quench his thyrst, in as much as the ceremonies were not geuen to iustifie the hart, but to signifie the iustifiyng, and forgeuenesse that is in Christes bloud.

Of the ceremonies that they iustifie not thou readest. Hebr. x. It is impossi∣ble that sinne should be done away with the bloud of Oxen, and Goates. And of * 1.53 the law thou readest. Galla. iij. If there had bene a lawe geuen that could haue quickened or geuen lyfe: then had righ∣teousnes, or iustifiyng come by the lawe in deede. Now the law not onely quicke∣neth not the hart, but also woundeth it with conscience of sinne, and ministreth death, and damnation vnto her. ij. Cor. iij. So that she must nedes dye and be damned, except she find other remedy. So farre it is of, that she is iustified, or holpen by the law.

The new Testament is those euer∣lastyng promises, whiche are made vs * 1.54 in Christ the Lorde throughout all the the Scriptures. And that Testament is built on fayth, and not in workes.

For it is not said of that Testament. He that worketh shall lyue: but he that beleueth shall lyue. As thou readest. Iohn. iij. God so loued the world, that * 1.55 he gaue his onely begotten sonne, that none that beleue in hym should perishe, but haue lyfe euerlastyng.

And when this Testament is preached and beleued, the spirit entreth the hart, and quickeneth it, & geueth it life, & iu∣stifieth her. The spirite also maketh the law, a liuely thyng in the hart, so that a man bringeth foorth good workes of his owne accord, without compulsion of the lawe, without feare of threate∣nynges, * 1.56 or cursings: yea, and without all maner respect, or loue vnto any tē∣porall pleasure, but of the very power of the spirite, receiued thorough fayth, as thou readest. Iohn. i. He gaue them power to be the sonnes of God, in that they beleued on his name.

And of that power they worke, so that he which hath the spirit of Christ, is now no more a child: he neither lear¦neth, nor worketh any lōger for payne of y^t rod, or for feare of bugges or plea∣sure of apples, but doth all thynges of his owne courage. As Christe sayeth. Iohn. vij. He that beleueth on me, shall haue riuers of liuyng waters flowyng out of hys belly. That is all good workes, and all giftes of grace sprynge out of * 1.57 hym naturally, and by their owne ac∣cord. Thou nedest not to wrest good woorkes out of hym, as a man would wryng veriuce out of crabbes. Nay they flowe naturally out of hym, as sprynges out of rockes.

The new Testamēt was euer euen from the begynnyng of the world. For there were alwaies promises of Christ * 1.58 to come by fayth, in which promises, the elect were then iustified inwardly before God, as outwardly before the world, by kepyng of the law, and cere∣monies.

And in conclusion, as thou seest bles∣synges, or cursynges folowe the brea∣king, or keping of the law of Moyses: euen so naturally do the blessynges, or cursynges folowe the breakyng of ke∣ping of the law of nature, out of which * 1.59 spryng all our temporall lawes. So that when the people kepe the tempo∣rall lawes of their land, temporal pro∣speritie, and all maner of such tempo∣rall blessynges (as thou readest of in Moyses) do accompany them, and fall vpon them. And contrarywise, when they sinne vnpunished, and when the rulers haue no respect vnto equitie or honestie, then God sendeth his cursse among them, as hunger, dearth, mo∣rein, bannyng, pestilence, warre, op∣pression, with straunge and wonderful diseases, and new kyndes of misfor∣tune and euill lucke.

If any man aske me, seing that faith iustifieth me, why I worke? I aun∣swere. Loue cōpelleth me. For as lōg * 1.60 as my soule feeleth what loue GOD hath shewed me in Christ: I can not but loue God agayne, and his wil and

commaundements, and of loue worke them, hor can they seme hard vnto me. I thinke not my selfe, better for my woorkyng, nor seeke heauen nor an higher place in heauē bycause of it. For a Christiā worketh to make his weake brother perfecter, and not to seeke an higher place in heauen. I compare not my selfe vnto hym, that woorketh not. No, hee that worketh not to day, shall haue grace to turne, and to woorke to morow, and in the meane tyme, I pi∣tie * 1.61 hym and pray for hym, If I had wrought the will of God those thou∣sād yeares, and an other had wrought the will of the deuill as long, and this day turne, and bee as well willyng to suffer with Christ as I: hee hath this day ouer taken me, and is as far come as I, and shall haue as much reward as I, & I enuie hym not, but reioyce most of all, as of lost treasure found.

For if I be of GOD, I haue these thousād yeares suffered to winne him, for to come & prayse the name of God with me. These thousand yeares, I haue prayed, sorowed, longed, sighed, and sought for that which I haue this day found, and therefore reioyce with all my might, and prayse God for his grace and mercy.

A Table expounding cer∣tayne wordes of the second booke of Genesis.

ALbe, a long garment of white linnen.

Arke, a cofer or chest, as our shrines, saue it was flatte, and the sam∣ple of ours was taken therof.

Booth, an house made of bowes.

Brestlap, or brestflappe is such a flap, as thou seest in the brest of a cope.

Consecrate, to appoynte a thyng to holy vses.

Dedicate, purifie or sanctifie.

Ephod, is a garment somewhat lyke an amice, saue y^e armes came thorow, and it was girded to.

Geeras, in weight as it were an En∣glish halfepeny, or somwhat more.

Heaue offringes, because they were houen vp before the Lord.

House, he made them houses, that is, he made a kynrede, or a multitude of people to spring out of them, as we say the house of Dauid, for the kinred of Dauid.

Peace offering, offering of thankes geuing of deuotion, and not for consci∣ence of sinne and trespasse.

Pollute, defile.

Reconcile, to make at one, & to bring in grace or fauour.

Sanctifie, to cleanse and purify, to ap∣poynt a thing to holy vses, and to se∣perate from vncleane & vnholy vses.

Sanctuary, a place hallowed and de∣dicate vnto God.

Tabernacle, a house made tentwise, or as a pauilion.

Tunicle, much lyke the vppermoste garment of the Deacon.

Waueoffring, because they were wa∣uen in the priestes handes to diuers quarters.

Worship, by worshippyng, whether it was in the olde testament, or newe, vnderstand the bowing of a mans self vpon the ground: as we ofte tymes, as we kneele in our prayers how our selues, and lie on our armes, & hands with our face to the ground.

Of this word I will be, commeth the name of God Iehouah, which we in∣terprete Lord, and is as much to saye, as I am that I am. 3. Chap.

That I here call a shepe in Hebrue is a worde indifferent to a shepe, and a goate both. 12. Chap.

The Lambe was called passeouer, that the very name it selfe, should put them in remembraunce, what it signi∣fied, for the signes that God ordained, either signified the benefites done, or promsses to come, and were not done, as the signes of our domme God the Pope.

Iehouah Nissi, the Lord is he that ex∣alteth me. chap. 17.

Ephod, is a garment lyke an amice. Chap. 25.

Shewbread, because it was alway in the sighte and presence of the Lorde. Chap. 25.

A Prologue into the thirde booke of Moses called Le∣uiticus.

THe ceremonies whiche are described in y^t booke following, were chiefly ordeined of God, (as I sayd in the ende of the * 1.62 prologue vpon Exod.) to occupye the myndes of that people the Israelites, and to kepe them from seruing of God, after the imagination of their blynde zeale, and good entent: that their consciences might be stabli∣shed,

and they sure that they pleased God therin, which were impossible, if a man did of his own head that which was not commaunded of god, nor de∣pended of any appointment made be∣twene hym and God. Such ceremo∣nies * 1.63 were vnto them as an A, B, C, to learne to spell and read, and as a nurse to feede them with mylke and pappe, & to speake vnto them after their own capacitie, and to lispe the wordes vnto them accordyng as the babes and chil∣dren of that age might sound them a∣gayne. For all that were before Christ, were in the infancy and childhoode of the world, and saw that sonne whiche we see openly, but thorow a cloud, and had but feble, and weake imaginatiōs of Christ, as children haue of mennes deedes (a few prophets except) which * 1.64 yet described him vnto other in sacrifi∣ces and ceremonies, likenesses, riddles prouerbes, and darke and strange spea¦king, vntil the full age were come, that god would shew him openly vnto the whole worlde, and deliuer them from their shadowes and cloudelight, & the hethen out of their dead slepe, of starck blinde ignorancy. And as the shadowe vanisheth away at the comming of the light, euē so do the ceremonies and sa∣crifices at the comming of Christ, and are henceforth no more necessary, then a token left in remembraunce of a bar∣gayn, is necessary whē the bargayne is fulfilled. And though they seme plaine childishe, yet they bee not altogether fruitelesse: as the puppets & xx. maner of trifles, which mothers permit vnto their yong children, be not all in vaine. For albeit that suche fantasies be per∣mitted * 1.65 to satisfie the childerns lustes, yet in that they are the mothers gift, & be done in place and tyme at her com∣maundement, they keepe the children in awe, and make them know the mo∣ther, and also make them more apte a∣gainst a more stronger age to obey in thinges of greater earnest.

And moreouer, though sacrifices and * 1.66 ceremonies can be no groūd, or foun∣dation to build vpon: that is, thoughe we can proue nought with them: yet when we haue once found out Christe and his mysteries, thē we may borow * 1.67 figures, that is to say allegories, simi∣litudes, or examples to opē Christ, and the secretes of God hid in Christ, euen vnto the quicke, and to declare them more liuely and sēsibly with them, thē with all the wordes of the world. For similitudes haue more vertue & pow∣er with them then bare wordes, and leade a mans wittes further into the pithe and marye, and spirituall vnder∣standyng of the thyng, thē all the wor∣des that can be imagined. And though also that al the ceremonies, & sacrifices haue as it were a starrelight of Christ, yet some there be that haue as it were the lyght of the broad day, a litle before the sonne rising, and expresse hym, and * 1.68 the circumstaunces and vertue of hys death so plainly, as if we shoulde play his passion on a scaffold; or in a stage play, openly before the eyes of the peo∣ple. As the scape gote, the brasen Ser∣pent, the Oxe burnt without the hoste, the passeouer Lambe, &c. In so muche that I am fully persuaded, and cannot * 1.69 but beleue that God had shewed Mo∣ses the secretes of Christ, and the very maner of hys death before hande, and commaunded hym to ordaine them for the confirmation of our faythe, which are now in the cleare day light, and I beleue also that y^e prophets, which fo∣lowed Moses to confirme his prophe∣sies, and to maintayn his doctrine vn∣til Christes comming, were moued by such thinges to search further of Chri∣stes secretes. And though God would * 1.70 not haue the secrets of Christ general∣ly known, saue vnto a fewe familiare frendes, which in that infācy he made of mans wit to helpe the other babes: yet as they had a generall promise that one of the seede of Abraham shoulde come and blesse them, euen so they had a generall fayth, that God woulde by the same man saue them, thoughe they wist not by what meanes, as the very apostles when it was oft tolde them, yee they could neuer comprehende it, till it was fulfilled in dede.

And beyond all this, their sacrifices, and ceremonies as far forth as the pro¦mises * 1.71 annexed vnto them extend, so far forth they saued thē, and iustified thē, and stoode them in the same steade as our Sacramentes doe vs: not by the power of the sacrifice or deede it selfe, but by the vertue of the fayth in y^e pro∣mise, which the sacrifice or Ceremonye preached, and whereof it was a token or signe. For the ceremonies and sacri∣fices were left with them, & commaū∣ded them to keepe the promise in re∣membraunce, and to wake vp theyr fayth. As it is not enough to send ma∣ny on errandes, and to tell them what they shall do: but they must haue a re∣membraunce with them, and it be but a ringe of a rushe aboute one of their

fingers. And as it is not inoughe to make a bargayne with wordes onely, but we must put therto an othe, & geue earnest to confirme the fayth of y^e per∣son with whom it is made. And in like * 1.72 manner if a man promise, whatsoeuer trifle it be, it is not beleued excepte he hold vp hys finger also, suche is the weakenesse of the world. And therfore Christe himselfe vsed ofttymes diuers ceremonies in curyng y^e sicke to stirre vp their fayth with al. As for example: it was not y^e bloud of y^e Lambe that sa∣ued thē in Egipt, when y^e angell smote the Egiptians: but the mercy of God and hys truth, wherof that bloud was a token and remembrance, to stirre vp their faythes withall. For though god * 1.73 make a promise, yet it saueth none fi∣nally but them, that long for it, & pray God with a strong fayth to fulfil it, for hys mercy and truth only, and know∣ledge their vnworthinesse. And euen so our sacramentes (if they be truly mi¦nistred) preach Christ vnto vs, & lead * 1.74 our faithe vnto Christe, by which faith our sinnes are done away, and not by the deede or worke of the Sacrament. For as it was impossible that y^t bloud of calues should put away sinne: euen so is it impossible that the water of the riuer should wash our hartes. Neuer∣thelesse, * 1.75 the sacramentes clense vs and absolue vs of our sinnes as the priests do, in preaching of repentance & fayth, for whiche cause either other of them were ordayned, but if they preach not, whether it be the priest, or the Sacra∣ment, so profite they not.

And if a man alledge Christ, Iohn in the, iij. Chapter saying: Except a man be borne agayne of water, and the holy Ghost hee can not see the kyngdome of GOD, and will therfore that the holy ghost be present in the water, and ther¦fore the very deede, or worke doth put * 1.76 away sinne: then I will send hym vn∣to Paul which asketh his Galathiās, whether they receaued the holy ghost by the dede of the law, or by preachyng of fayth, and there concludeth that the holy ghost accōpanyeth the preachyng of faith, and with the word of faith, en∣treth the hart and purgeth it, whiche thou mayest also vnderstand by Saint Pauls saying: Ye are borne a new out of the water through the worde. So now if Baptisme preach me the washyng in Christes bloud, so doth the holy ghost accompany it, and that deede of prea∣chyng throughe fayth doth put away my sinnes. For the holy Ghost is no dome God, nor no God that goeth a mummynge. If a man say of the Sa∣crament of Christes body and bloud, that it is a sacrifice as well for the dead as for the quicke, and therfore the very dede it self iustifieth and putteth away sinne: I aunswere that a sacrifice is the sleyng of the body of a beast, or a * 1.77 man: wherefore if it be a sacrifice, then is Christes body there slayne and his bloud there shed: but that is not so. And therfore it is properly no sacrifice but a Sacrament, and a memoriall of that euerlastyng sacrifice once for all, which he offered vpon crosse now vp∣pon a xv. hundred yeares ago, & prea∣cheth onely vnto them that are aly••e. And as for them that be dead, it is as profitable vnto them as is a cādle in a Lāterne without light vnto them that * 1.78 walke by the way in darke night, and as the Gospell song in Latine is vnto them that vnderstand none at all, and as a Sermon preached to him that is dead, and heareth it not. It preacheth vnto them that are a lyue onely, for they that bee dead, if they dyed in the fayth whiche that Sacrament prea∣cheth, they bee safe, and are past all ieopardy. For when they were alyue their hartes loued the law of GOD, and therfore sinned not, and were sory that their members synned, and euer * 1.79 moued to sinne, and therfore thorough fayth it was forgeuen them. And now their synnefull members be dead, so that they can now sinne no more, wher¦fore it is vnto them that bee dead nei∣ther Sacrament nor sacrifice: But vn∣der the pretence of their soule health it is a seruaūt vnto our spiritualties ho∣ly * 1.80 coueteousnesse, and an extorcioner, and a builder of Abbayes, Colledges, Chauntryes and Cathedral Churches with false gotten good, a pickepurse, a polar, and a bottomlesse bagge. * 1.81

Some man would happely say, that the prayers of the Masse helpe much: not the liuing onely, but also the dead. Of the hoate fire of their feruent pray∣er whiche consumeth faster then all the world is able to bring sacrifice, I haue * 1.82 sayd sufficiently in other places. How beit it is not possible to bryng me in belief, that the prayer whiche helpeth her own master vnto no vertue, shuld purchase me the forgeuenes of sinnes. If I saw that their prayers had obtai∣ned them grace to lyue suche a lyfe, as Gods word dyd not rebuke, the could I soone be borne in hand that what so euer they asked GOD, their prayers

shuld not be in vayne. But now what good cā he wish me in his prayers that * 1.83 enuieth Christe the fode, and the lyfe of my soule? What good can hee wishe me, whose hart cleaueth a sonder for payne, when I am taught to repent of my euill?

Furthermore, because that fewe know the vse of the old Testamēt, and the most part thinke it nothyng neces∣sarie but to make allegories, whiche they fayne euery man after hys owne brayne at all wyld aduenture without any certaine rule: therefore (though I haue spoken of them in an other place) yet lest the boke come not to all mens handes that shall read this, I will speake of them here also a woorde or twayne.

We had neede to take hede euery * 1.84 where that wee bee not begyled with false allegories, whether they be drawē out of the new Testament, or the old, either out of any other story, or of the creatures of the world, but namely in * 1.85 this booke. Here a man had neede to put on all his spectacles, and to arme him selfe agaynst inuisibles spirites.

First allegories proue nothyng (and by allegories vnderstand examples or similitudes borowed of straunge mat∣ters, and of an other thyng then that thou entreatest of.) And though circū∣sion be a figure of Baptisme, yet thou canst not proue Baptisme by Circum∣cision. For this argument were very * 1.86 feble, the Israelites were Circumcised therfore, we must be Baptised. And in like maner though y^e offering of Isaac were a figure or example of the resur∣r••ction, yet is this argument nought, Abraham would haue offered Isaac, but GOD deliuered him from death, therefore we shall rise agayne, and so forth in all other.

But the very vse of allegories is to declare and open a text that it may bee * 1.87 the better perceaued and vnderstand. As when I haue a cleare text of Christ and of the Apostles, that I must be ba∣ptised, then I may borow an example of Circumcisiō, to expresse the nature, power, and frute or effect of baptisme. For as Circumcision was vnto them a common badge signifiyng that they were all souldiers of god, to warre his warre, and separating them from al o∣ther nations, disobedient vnto God: * 1.88 euen so baptisme is our cōmon badge, and sure earnest and perpetual memo∣riall that we pertaine vnto Christ, and are separated frome all that are not Christes. And as Circumcision was a token certifyeng them, that they were receaued vnto the fauour of God, and their sinnes forgeuē them: euen so Ba∣ptisme certifieth vs that we are wa∣shed in the bloud of Christ, and recea∣ued to fauour for his sake, and as Cir∣cumcisiō signified vnto them, the cut∣tyng awaye of their owne lustes, and * 1.89 sleayng of their free will, (as they call it) to folow the will of GOD, euen so Baptisme signifieth vnto vs repen∣taunce, and the mortifying of our vn∣ruly members, and bodyes of sinne, to walke in a new life, and so forth.

And likewise, thoughe that the sa∣uing of Noe, & of them that were with him in the shyp, thorough water, is a figure, that is to say an example and likenesse of Baptisme, as Peter ma∣keth it. 1. Peter. 3. yet I can not proue * 1.90 Baptisme therewith, saue describe it onely: for as the shyp saued them in the water thorough fayth, in that they be∣leued God, and as y^• other that would not beleue Noe perished: euen so Ba∣ptisme saueth vs through the worde of fayth whiche it preacheth, when all the world of the vnbeleuyng perish. And Paule. 1. Corin. 10. maketh the sea and the cloude a figure of Baptisme, by which, and a thousād mo I might de∣clare, it but not proue it. Paule also in the sayd place maketh the rock, out of which Moses brought water vnto the children of Israell, a figure or example of Christ, not to proue Christe (for that were impossible) but to describe Christ onely: euen as Christ him selfe Iohn. 3 boroweth a similitude or figure of the braien serpēt to lead Nichodemus frō * 1.91 his earthy imagination, into the spiri∣tual vnderstādyng of Christes saying: As Moses lifted vp a Serpent in the wil∣dernesse, so must the sonne of man be lif∣ted vp, that none that beleue in hym pe∣rish, but haue euerlasting lyfe. By which similitude the vertue of Christes death is better described then thou couldest declare it with a thousād wordes. For as those murmurers agaynst God, as soone as they repented were healed of their deadly woundes, thorough loo∣kynge on the brasen Serpent onely, without medicine or any other helpe, yea and without any other reason, but that God hath sayd it should be so, and not to murmure agayne, but to leaue their murmuryng: euen so all that re∣pent and beleue in Christ, are saued frō euerlastyng death, of pure grace with∣out, and before their good works, and

not to synne agayne, but to fight a∣gaynst sinne, and henceforth to synne no more.

Euen so with the ceremonies of this booke thou canst proue nothyng, saue describe, and declare onelye the put∣ting away of oure sinnes thorowe the deathe of Christe. For Christe is Aa∣ron, and Aarons sonnes, and all that offer the sacrifice to purge sinne. And Christ is all maner offering that is of∣fered: he is the oxe, the shepe, the gote, the kyd and lambe: he is the oxe that is burnt without the host, and y^t scape∣gote that caried all the sinne of the peo¦ple away into the wildernesse: for as they purged the people from their worldly vncleanesses thorow bloud of y^e sacrifices, euen so doth Christ purge vs frō the vncleannesses of euerlasting death with hys owne bloude, and as their worldly sinnes coulde no other∣wise be purged, then by bloud of sacri∣fice: euen so can our sinnes bee no o∣therwise * 1.92 forgeuen, then thorowe the bloud of Christ. All the deedes in the worlde, saue the bloude of Christ, can purchase no forgeuenesse of sinnes: for our dedes do but help our neighbour, and mortify the flesh, and help that we sinne no more, but and if we haue sin∣ned, it must be freely forgeuen thorow the bloud of Christ, or remayne euer.

And in lyke manner of the Leapers * 1.93 thou canst proue nothing: thou canst neuer coniure out confession thence, howbeit thou hast an handsome exam∣ple there, to open the binding & losyng of our priests, with the key of Gods worde, for as they made no man a Le∣per, euen so oures haue no power to commaund any man to be in sinne, or to go to purgatory or hell. And there∣fore (in as much as binding and loo∣sing is one power) as those Priestes healed no man, euen so oures can not of their innisible, and domme power, driue any mans sinnes away, or deli∣uer * 1.94 hym from hel, or fayned purgato∣ry, how be it, if they preached Gods worde purely, which is the authoritie that Christ gaue them, then they shold binde and lose, kill and make alyue a∣gayne, make vncleane and cleane a∣gayne, and send to hel and fetch thence agayne, so mighty is gods worde. For if they preached the lawe of God, they shold bynd the consciences of sinners, with the bondes of the paynes of hell, and bring them vnto repentance. And then if they preached vnto thē y^e mercy that is in Christ, they shold loose them and quiete their ragyng consciences, & certifie them of the fauour of God, and * 1.95 that their sinnes be forgeuen.

Finally, beware of allegories, for there is not a more handsome or apte thyng to beguile withall, then an alle∣gory, nor a more subtle and pestilente thyng in the world to perswade a false matter then an allegory. And contrari∣wise, there is not a better, vehementer or mightier thyng to make a man vn∣derstand with all, thē an allegory. For allegories make a man quicke witted, and printe wisdome in hym, and ma∣keth it to abide, where bare wordes go but in at the one eare, and out at the other. As this with such lyke sayings: put salt to all your sacrifices, in steade of this sentēce, do all your dedes wyth discretion, greeteth and biteth (if it bee vnderstand) more then plain wordes. And when I say in stede of these wor∣des, boast not your selfe of your good dedes, eate not the bloud, nor the fat of your sacrifice, there is as greate diffe∣rence betwene them, as there is di∣stance betwene heauen and earth. For * 1.96 the lyfe and beauty of all good dedes is of God, and we are but the caren lean, we are onely the instrument whereby God worketh onely, but the power is his. As God created Paul a new, pou∣red hys wisdome into hym, gaue hym might, & promised hym that his grace should neuer fayle him, &c. and al with out deseruinges, except that nurtering the sayntes, and making them curse & rayle on Christ bee meritorious. Now as it is death to eate the bloud or fatte of any sacrifice, is it not (thinke ye) dā∣nable to robbe God of hys honour, & to glorify my selfe with hys honour?

An exposition of certayne wordes of the fourth booke of Moses, called Numeri.

AVims, a kynde of Gi∣auntes, and the worde signifieth crooked, vn∣right, or weaked.

Beliall, weaked, or weakeuesse, hee that hath cast the yoke of God of his necke, and will not obey God.

Bruterer, prophesies or southsayers.

Emims, a kynde of gyantes so called, because they were terrible and cruell, for Emim signifieth terriblenes.

Enacke, a kinde of Giauntes so cal∣led happly, because they ware chaynes about their neckes.

Horims, a kynde of Giauntes, and signifieth noble, because that of pride they called themselues nobles, or gen∣tles.

Rocke, God is called a rocke, because both he and hys word lasteth for euer.

Whet them on thy children, that is, exercise thy children in them, and put them in vre.

Zamzumims, a kynde of Gyauntes, and signifieth mischeuous, or that be alway imagining.

The Prologue into the fourth boke of Moses called Numeri.

IN the second and thirde booke they receaued the law. And in this fourth, they beginne to worke, & to practise. Of whiche practising ye see manye good examples of vnbeliefe, and what * 1.97 freewill doth, when she taketh in hand to kepe y^t law of her own power, with out helpe of faith in y^t promises of god: how she leaueth her maisters carkas∣ses by the way in the wildernesse, and bringeth them not into the lande of rest. Why could they not enter in? Be∣cause of their vnbeliefe, Hebrue. 3. For had they beleued, so had they bene vn∣der grace, and their old sinnes had ben forgeuē them, and power should haue bene geuen them to haue fulfilled the law thenceforth, and they should haue bene kepte from all temptations that had bene to strong for them. For it is writen, Iohn. 1. He gaue them power to be the sonnes of God, thorow bele∣uyng * 1.98 in hys name. Now to be y^t sonne of God, is to loue God and hys com∣maundementes, and to walke in hys way after the ensample of hys sonne Christ. But these people tooke vppon them to worke without fayth, as thou seest in the 14. of this boke, where they would fight and also did, without the woorde of promise: euen when they were warned that they shoulde not. And in the 16. agayne, they woulde please God with their holye faythlesse workes (for where Gods woorde is not, there can be no fayth) but the fire of God consumed their holy workes, as it did Nadab and Abihu Leuit. 10. And from these vnbeleuers turn thine eyes vnto the Pharises whiche before the commyng of Christ in hys fleshe, had layde the foundation of freewyll, after the same ensample. Wheron they built holy workes after their owne i∣magination without fayth of y^t word, * 1.99 so feruently, that for the great zeale of them, they slewe the king of all holye workes, and the lord of freewil, which onely thorowe hys grace maketh the will free, and looseth her from bōdage of sinne, and geueth her loue, and luste vnto the lawes of God, and power to fulfill them. And so through their holy workes done by the power of freewil, they excluded themselues out of the ho¦ly * 1.100 rest of forgeuenes of sinnes by fayth in the bloud of Christ.

And then looke on our hipocrites, which in lyke manner followyng the doctrine of Aristotle, and other hethen Paganes, haue agaynst all the Scrip∣ture set vp freewill again, vnto whose power they ascribe the kepyng of the commaundementes of God. For they haue set vp wilfull pouerty of another maner then any is cōmaunded of god. And y^t chastitie of matrimony vtterly defied, they haue set vp another wilful chastitie not required of God, whiche they swere, vowe and professe to geue God, whether he wyll geue it them or no, and compel all their disciples ther∣vnto, saying that it is in the power of euery mans freewill to obserue it, con∣trary * 1.101 to Christ and his apostle Paul.

And the obedience of God and man excluded, they haue vowed an other wilfull obedience condemned of all the scripture, which they wil yet geue god whether he wyll or will not.

And what is become of their wilfull * 1.102 pouerty? hath it not robbed the whole worlde, and brought and vnder them? Can there be either kyng or emperor, or of whatsoeuer degree it be, except he will hold of them, and be sworne vnto them to be their seruaunte, to goe and come at their lust, and to defende▪ their quarels bee they false or true? Their wilful pouertie hath alredy eaten vp y^• whole world, & is yet stil gredier then euer it was, in so muche that teune worldes mo were not inough to satis∣fie the honger thereof.

Moreouer besides daily corruptyng of other mens wiues, and open whore dome, vnto what abhominacions (to filthy to be spoken of) hath their volū∣tary chastitie brought them? * 1.103

And as for their wilfull obedience, what is it but the disobedience and the diffiaunce both of al the lawes of God and man? in so much that if any Prince begyn to execute any law of man vpon them, they curse him vnto the bottome

of h••l, & proclayme him no right kyng, and that hys Lordes ought no longer * 1.104 to obey hym, and interdite his commō people as they were heathen Turkes or Saracenes. And if any man preach them gods law, him they make an he∣reticke and burne him to ashes. And in sieade of Gods lawe and mans, they haue set vp one of their owne imagi∣nation, whiche they obserue with dis∣pensations.

And yet in these workes they haue so great confidence that they not onely * 1.105 trust to be saued therby, and to be hyer in heauen then they y^t be saued through Christ: but also promise to all other for geuen••u•• of their sinnes, thorough the merites of the same. Wherin they rest, and teach other to rest also, excludyng the whole world from the rest of for∣geuenesse of synnes through fayth in Christes bloud.

And now seing that fayth onely let∣teth * 1.106 a man in vnto rest, and vnbelief excludeth him, what is the cause of this vnbeliefe? verely no sinne y^t the world seeth, but a Pope holinesse, and a righ∣teousnes of their own imagination as Paule sayth. Roma. x. They bee igno∣raunt of the righteousnes wherewith God iustifieth, and haue set vp a righ∣teousnes, of their owne makyng tho∣rough which they be disobedient vnto the righteousnes of God. And Christ rebuketh not the Phariseys for grosse sinnes whiche the world sawe, but for * 1.107 those holy deedes whiche so blered the eies of the world, that they were taken as Gods: euen for long prayers, for fastyng, for tythyng so diligently that they lefte not so much as their herbes vntithed, for their clennesse in wa∣shyng before meate, and for washyng of cups, dishes, and all maner vessels, for buildyng y^e Prophetes sepulchers, and for kepyng the holy day, and for turnyng y^t heathē vnto the fayth, & for geuyng of almes. For vnto such holy dedes they ascribed righteousnes, and * 1.108 therefore when the righteousnesse of GOD was preached vnto them they could not but persecute it, the deuill was so strong in them. Whiche thyng Christ well describeth. Luke. xj. say∣ing, That after the deuill is cast out, he commeth agayne, and findeth hys house swept, and made gay, and then taketh se∣uen woorse then hym selfe and dwelleth therein, and so is the ende of that man worse then the beginnyng. That is, whē they be a litle clēsed from grosse sinnes which the world seyth, and then made gaye in their own sight, with the righ∣teousnes of traditions, then commeth * 1.109 seuen, that is to say the whole power of the deuill: for vij. with the Hebrues signifieth a multitude without num∣ber, and the extremitie of a thyng, and is a speach borowed (I suppose) out of Leuiticus, where is so ofte mention made of seuen. Where I would say: I wil punish thee, that all the world shal take an example of thee, there the Iew would saye, I will Circumcise thee or * 1.110 Baptise thee seuen tymes. And so here by seuen is ment all the deuils of hel, and all the might and power of the de∣uill. For vnto what further blindnesse could all the deuils in hell bring them, then to make thē beleue that they were iustified thoroughe their owne good workes? For when they once beleued that they were purged frō their sinnes, and made righteous thoroughe theyr owne holy workes, what rowme was there left for the righteousnes that is * 1.111 in Christes bloudshedyng? And ther∣fore whē they be fallen into this blind∣nesse, they can not but hate and perse∣cute the light. And the more cleare and euidently their deedes be rebuked, the furiousser and maliciousser blinde are they, vntill they breake out into open blasphemy, and synnyng agaynste the holy ghost, which is the malicious per¦secutyng of the cleare trouth so mani∣festly proued, that they can not once hish agaynst it: as the Phariseis per∣secuted Christ, because hee rebuked their holy dedes. And when he proued hys doctrine with the Scripture and miracles, yet thoughe they could not * 1.112 improue hym, nor reason agaynst him, they taught y^• the scripture must haue some other meanyng, because his inter pretation vndermined their foundatiō and plucked vp by the rootes the sects which they had plāted, and they ascri∣bed also his miracles to the deuill. And in lyke maner thoughe our hypocrites can not deny but this is the scripture, yet because there can be no other sense gathered therof, but that ouerthoweth their buildynges, therefore they euer thinke that it hath some other mea∣nyng then as the wordes sounde, and that no man vnderstandeth it, or vn∣derstode it since the tyme of the Apo∣stles. Or if they thinke that some that wrote vpon it since the Apostles vn∣derstode it: they yet thinke that w•…•… like maner as we vnderstand not the text it selfe, so we vnderstand not the meanyng of the wordes of that Doc∣tour.

For when thou layest the iustify∣ing of holy workes and deniest the iu∣stifying of fayth, how canst thou vn∣derstand S. Paule, Peter, Iohn and * 1.113 the Actes of y^e Apostles or any Scrip∣ture at all, seyng the iustifying of fayth is almost all that they entēde to proue?

Finally, concernyng vowes wher∣of thou readest in the xxx. Chapter, there may be many questions, where∣unto * 1.114 I aūswere shortly, that we ought to put salt to all our offerynges: that is, we ought to minister knowledge in all our workes, and to doe nothyng whereof we could not geue a reason out of Gods wordes. We be now in the day light, and all the secretes of God, and all hys counsell and wil, is opened vnto vs, and he that was pro∣mised should come and blesse vs, is come alredy, and hath shed hys bloud for vs and hath blessed vs with al ma∣ner blessinges, and hathe obtayned all grace for vs, and in hym we haue all. Wherfore God henceforth wil receiue * 1.115 no more sacrifices of beastes of vs as thou readest. Hebr. 10. If thou burne vnto god the bloud or fatte of beastes, to obtaine forgeuenesse of sinnes ther∣by, or that God should the better heare thy request, then thou doest wrong vn∣to the bloud of Christ, and Christ vnto thee is dead in vayne. For in him God hath promised not forgeuenesse of sins onely, but also what soeuer we aske to keepe vs from sinne and temptation with all. And what if thou burne fran∣kencens vnto him, what if thou burne * 1.116 a candle, what if thou burne thy chasti∣tie, or virginitie vnto him for the same purpose, doest thou not lyke rebuke vnto Christs bloud? Moreouer, if thou offer gold, siluer, or any other good for the same entēt, is there any difference? And euen so if thou go in pilgrimage, or fastest, or goest wolward, or spryne∣lest thy selfe with holy water, or elles what soeuer dede it is, or obseruest what soeuer ceremonie it be, for lyke meanyng, then it is lyke abhominatiō. We must therfore bryng the salt of the knowledge of Gods word, with al our sacrifices, or elles we shall make no swete sauour vnto God therof. Thou wilt aske me, shall I vow nothyng at all? yes, Gods commaundemēt, which thou hast vowed in thy Baptisme. For what entent? verelye for the loue of Christe, which hath bought thee with his bloud, and made the sonne & heyre of God with him, that thou shouldest wayte on hys will and commaunde∣mentes, and purifie thy members ac∣cordyng to the same doctrine that hath purified thyne harte, for if the know∣ledge of Gods word hath not purified thine hart, so y^t thou consentest vnto the law of god y^t it is righteous and good, & sorowest, y^t thy members moue thee vnto the contrary, so hast thou no part with Christ. For if thou repent not of thy sinne, so it is impossible that thou * 1.117 shouldest beleue that Christe had deli∣uered thee from the daunger therof. If thou beleue not that Christ hath deli∣uered thee, so is it impossible that thou shouldest loue Gods commaunde∣mentes. If thou loue not the com∣maundementes, so is Christes spirite not in thee, which is the earnest of for∣geuenesse of sinne, and of saluation.

For Scripture teacheth, first repen∣taunce, * 1.118 then fayth in Christ, that for his sake sinne is forgeuen to them that re∣pent: then good workes, whiche are nothyng saue the comaundement of God onely. And the commaūdements are nothyng elles, saue the helpyng of our neighbours at their nede, and the tamyng of our members, that they might be pure also, as the hart is pure thorough hate of vice and loue of ver∣tue, as Gods word teacheth vs, which workes must procede out of the fayth: that is, I must doe them for the loue * 1.119 which I haue God, for that great mer∣cy which he hath shewed me in Christ, or elles I do them not in the sight of God. And that I fainte not in y^t payne of the slaying of the sinne that is in my flesh, myne helpe is the promise of the assistance of the power of God, and the comforte of the reward to come, which reward I ascribe vnto the goodnesse, mercy, and truth, of the promiser, that hath chosē me, called me, taught me, & * 1.120 geuen me the ernest therof, & not vnto the merites of my doynges, or suffe∣rynges. For all that I do and suffer, is but the way to the reward, and not the deseruyng thereof. As if the kynges grace shoulde promise to defende mee at home in myne owne realme, yet the way thether is thoroughe the Sea wherin I might happely suffer no litle trouble. And yet for all that, if I might lyue in rest when I come thether, I would thinke, and so would other say, that my paynes were well rewarded: which reward & benefit, I would not proudly ascribe vnto the merites of * 1.121 my paynes takyng by the waye: but vnto the goodnesse, mercyfulnesse and constant truth of the kynges grace

whose gifte it is, and to whō the prayse and thanke thereof belongeth of duety and right. So now a reward is a gift geuen freely of the goodnesse of the ge∣uer, and not of the deseruynges of the receauer. Thus it appeareth, that if I vowe what soeuer it be, for any other * 1.122 purpose thē to tame my members, and to be an ensample of vertue and edify∣ing vnto my neighbour, my sacrifice is vnsauery, and cleane without salt & my lampe without oyle, and I one of the foolishe virgines, and shalbe shut from y^t feast of the bridegrome whē I thinke my selfe most sure to enter in.

If I vow voluntary pouertie, this must be my purpose, that I will be cō∣tent with a competent liuyng, whiche commeth vnto me either by succession * 1.123 of myne elders, or whiche I get truly with my labour in ministryng, & do∣yng seruice vnto the common wealth, in one office or in an other, or in one occupatiō or other, because that riches and honor shall not corrupt my mind, and draw myne hart from God, and to geue an example of vertue and edi∣fying vnto other, and that my neigh∣bour may haue a liuyng by me as wel as I, if I make a cloke of dissimula∣tion of my vow, laying a net of fayned beggery to catch superfluous aboun∣daunce * 1.124 of riches, and hye degree and authoritie, and thorough the estimatiō of false holynesse, to feede & maintaine my slouthful idlenes with the sweate, labour, landes, and rentes of other mē (after the example of our spiritualtie) robbyng them of their faythes, & God of his honour turnyng vnto myne hy∣pocrisie that confidence, which should be geuen vnto the promises of GOD onely, am I not a wily foxe, and a ra∣uenyng wolfe in a lambes skinne, and a paynted sepulchre fayre without and filthy with in? In like maner thoughe I seeke no worldly promotion there∣by, yet if I doe it to be iustified there∣with, and to get an hyer place in hea∣uen, thinkyng that I doe it of myne owne naturall strength, and of the na∣turall power of my freewill, and that euery man hath might euen so to do, & that they doe it not is their faulte, and negligence, & so with the proude Pha∣risie in comparison of my selfe despise the sinnefull Publicanes: what other thyng do I then eate the bloud and fat of my sacrifice, deuouring that my self, which should be offered vnto God a∣lone, and his Christ. And shortly what soeuer a man doth of his naturall giftes, of his naturall witte, wisedom, vnderstandyng, reason, will, and good * 1.125 entēt before he be otherwise and cleane contrary taught of Gods spirite, and haue receaued other witte, vnderstan∣dyng, reason and will, is fleshe, world∣ly and wrought in abhominable blind¦nesse, with whiche a man can but seeke him selfe, his owne profite, glory and honour, euen in very spirituall mat∣ters. As if I were alone in a wilder∣nesse, where no man were to seke pro∣fite or prayse of, yet if I would seeke heauen of God there, I could of myne owne naturall giftes seke it no other wayes then for the merites and deser∣uyngs of my good workes, and to en∣ter therin by an other way then by the dore Christe, whiche were very theft, for Christe is Lord ouer all, and what soeuer any man will haue of God, he muste haue it geuen hym freely for Christes sake. Now to haue heauē for myne owne deseruyng, is myne owne praise and not Christes. For I can not haue it by fauour, and grace in Christe and by myne owne merites also: For * 1.126 free geuing, & deseruyng can not stand together.

If thou wilt vow of thy goods vn∣to God, thou must put salt vnto thys sacrifice: that is, thou muste minister knowledge in this dede as Peter tea∣cheth. 2. Pet. 1. Thou must put oyle of Gods worde in thy Lampe, and do it accordyng to knowledge, if thou wait for the comming of the bridegrome to enter in with hym into his rest. But thou peraduenture wilt hang it about the image to moue men to deuotion. Deuotion is a feruent loue vnto gods commaundementes, and a desire to be with God, and with hys euerlastyng promises. Now shall the sight of such riches as are shewed at S. Thomas shryne, or at Walsingham, moue a mā * 1.127 to loue the commaundements of god better, and to desire to bee loosed from his flesh, and to be with God, or shall it not rather make his poore hart sigh, because he hath no such at home, and to wishe part of it in another place? The priest shall haue it in Gods stead. Shall the priest haue it? If the Priest be bought with Christes bloude, then he is Christes seruaūt & not his owne, and ought therefore to feede Christes flocke with Christes doctrine, and to minister Christes Sacramentes vnto them purely for very loue, and not for filthy lucres sake, or to be Lorde ouer them as Peter teatheth. 1. Pet. v. and

Paul, Acts. xx. Beside this, Christ is oures, and is a gift geuen vs, and we be heyres of Christ, and of all that, is Christes. Wherefore the Priestes doc∣trine is oures, and we heyres of it, it is the foode of our soules. Therfore if * 1.128 he minister it not truly, and freely vn∣to vs wythout sellyng, he is a theef, & a soule murtherer: and euen so is he if he take vpon hym to feede vs, & haue not wherwith. And for a like conclusi∣on, because we also with all that we haue, be Christes, therfore is the priest heyre with vs also of all that we haue receiued of God, wherfore in as much as y^t priest wayteth on y^t word of God, and is our seruaunt therin, therfore of right we are his detters, and owe him a sufficient liuyng of our goodes, and euen thereto a wyfe of our daughters owe we vnto hym, if hee require her. And nowe when we haue appoynted * 1.129 him a sufficiente liuyng, whether in tythes, rentes, or in yearely wages, he ought to be content and to require no more, nor yet to receaue any more, but to be an ensample of sobernesse and of despising worldly things vnto the en∣sample of hys parishioners.

Wilte thou vowe to offer vnto the poore people? that is pleasaunt in the * 1.130 sight of God, for they be left here to do our almes vpon in Christes stead, and they be the right heyres of all our a∣boundaunce and ouerplus. Moreouer we must haue a schole to teache Gods worde in (though it needed not to bee so costly) and therfore it is lawfull to vow vnto the building or maintenāce therof, & vnto the helping of all good workes. And we ought to vow to pay custome, tolle, rent, and all maner du∣ties, and whatsoeuer we owe: for that is Gods commaundement. * 1.131

If thou wilt vowe pilgrimage, thou must put salt therto, in like manner, if it shall be accepted, if thou vowe to go and visite the poore, or to heare gods word, or whatsoeuer edifieth thy soule vnto loue & good worke after know∣ledge, or whatsoeuer God commaun∣deth, it is wel done, and a sacrifice that sauoureth well, ye wil happly say, that ye will go to this or that place, because God hath chosen one place more then another, and wyll heare your petition more in one place then another? As for your prayer it must be according to to gods worde. Ye may not desire god to take vengeaunce on hym, whome Gods worde teacheth you to pity and to pray for. And as for the other glose, that God will here you more in one * 1.132 place then in another, I suppose it sal infatuatum, salt vnsauery, for if it were wisdome, how could we excuse y^t deth of Steuen Acts 7. which died for that article that God dwelleth not in tem∣ples made with handes, we y^t beleue in God, are the temple of God (sayeth Paul.) If a man loue God, and keepe hys worde, he is the temple of God, & hath God presently dwellyng in him, as witnesseth Christ, Iohn. 14. saying: If a man loue me, he wyll keepe my worde, and then my father wyll loue hym, and we wyll come vnto hym and dwel with hym. And in the 15. he saith: if ye abyde in me, and my wordes also abyde in you, then aske what ye wyll * 1.133 and ye shall haue it. If thou beleue in Christe and hast the promises whiche God hath made thee in thine hart, then go on pilgrimage vnto thyne owne hart and there pray and God wil heare thee, for hys mercy and truthes sake and for his sonnes Christes sake, and not for a few stones sakes. What ca∣reth GOD for the temple? The very beastes in that they haue life in them, be much better then an heape of stones couched together.

To speake of chastity, it is a gift not * 1.134 geuen vnto all persones, as testifieth both Christ and also his Apostle Paul, wherfore all persons may not vow it. Moreouer there bee causes wherefore many persons may better lyue chast at one tyme then at an other. Many may lyue chast at twenty and thirtie for cer∣tayne cold diseases folowyng them, which at xl. when their health is come can not do so. Many be occupyed with wilde phantasies in their youth that they care not for mariage, which some when they be waxen sad shalbe greatly desirous, it is a daungerous thyng to make sinne where none is, and to for∣sweare the benefite of God & to bynde thy self vnder payne of dānation of thy soule, that y^u wouldest not vse remedy that god hath created, if nede required.

An other thyng is this, beware that thou get thee not a false fayned chasti∣tie * 1.135 made with the vngodly persuasiōs of S. Hierome, of Ouide in his filthy booke of the remedy agaynst loue, l••st when throughe such imaginatiōs thou hast vtterly despised, defied and abhor∣red all womankynde, thou come into such case thoroughe the fierce wrath of God, that thou canst neither lyue chast nor finde in thy hart to mary and so be compelled to fall into the abhomi∣nation

of the Pope against nature and kynde.

Moreouer, god is a wise father and, * 1.136 knoweth all the infirmities of his chil∣dren, and also mercyfull, and therefore hath created a remedy without sinne, and geuen therto his fauour and bles∣syng. Let vs not be wyser then GOD with our imaginatiōs, nor tempt him, for as godly chastitie is not euery mās gift: euen so he that hath it to day hath not power to continue it, at his owne pleasure, neither hath God promised to geue it him stil, and to cure his infir¦mities without hys naturall remedy, no more then he hath promised to slake hys hunger without meate or thyrst without drinke. Wherfore either let all * 1.137 thynges byde free as God hath crea∣ted them, and neither vowe that which God permitteth thee with his fauour and blessing also: or els if thou wilte nedes vowe, then vow godly and vn∣der a condition, that thou wilt conti∣nue chast, so long as God geueth thee that gift, and as long as neither thyne own necessitie, neither charitie toward thy neighbour, nor the authoritie of thē vnder whose power thou art, driue thee vnto the contrary.

The purpose of thy vowe must bee salted also with the wisedome of God. Thou mayest not vowe to be iustified * 1.138 thereby, or to make satisfaction for thy sinnes, or to wynne heauē, nor an hyer place: for then diddest thou wrong vn∣to the bloud of Christ, and thy vowe were playne Idolatry and abhomina∣ble in the sight of GOD. Thy vow * 1.139 must be onely vnto the furtheraunce of the commaundementes of GOD, which are (as I haue said) nothing but the tamyng of thy members, and the seruice of thy neighbour: that is if thou thincke thy backe to weake for the bur∣then of wedlocke, and that thou canst not rule thy wife, children, seruauntes and make prouision for them godly, & without ouermuch busying and vn∣quietyng thy selfe, and drownyng thy selfe in worldly busynesse vnchristen∣ly, or that thou canst serue thy neigh∣bour in some office better beyng chast then maryed. And then thy vowe is * 1.140 good and lawfull. And euen so must thou vowe abstinence of meates, and drinkes so farre forth as it is profitable vnto thy neighbours, and vnto the ta∣myng of thy fleshe: But thou mayst vowe neither of them vnto the slaying of thy body. As Paule commaundeth Tymothe to drincke wyne, & no more water because of his diseases. Thou wilt say that Timothy had not happe∣ly forsworne wyne. I thinke the same, and that the Apostles forsware not wedlocke thoughe many of them lyued chast, neither yet any meate or drincke, though they absteined from them, and that it were good for vs to folow their example. Howbeit though I vowe and sweare and thinke on none excep∣tion, * 1.141 yet is the breakyng of Gods cō∣maundemēts except, and all chaunces that hange of God. As if I sweare to be in a certain place at a certain houre, to make a loueday without exception, yet if the king in the meane tyme com∣maunde me an other way, I must goe by Gods commaundement, and yet breake not myne othe. And in like case if my father & mother be sicke & require my presence, or if my wife, children or houshold be visited that ••ny assistance be required, or if my neighbours house be a fire, at the same houre and a thou∣sand such chaunces: in whiche all I breake myne othe, & am not forsworne and so forth. Read Gods word dili∣gently & with a good hart, and it shall teach thee all thynges.

A Prologue into the fifte booke of Moses called Deu∣teronomy.

THis is a booke worthy to be read in, daye and night, & neuer to be out of handes. For it is the most excellent of all the bokes of Moses. It is * 1.142 easy also & lyght, and a very pure Go∣spell, y^t is to wit, a preachyng of fayth & loue: deducyng the loue to God out of fayth, and the loue of a mans neigh∣bour out of y^t loue of God. Herein also thou mayst learne right meditation or * 1.143 contemplation, which is nothyng els saue y^t calling to minde, & a repeatyng in the harte of the glorious and won∣derfull dedes of God, and of his terri∣ble handling of his enemies, and mer∣cyfull entreatyng of them that come when hee calleth them whiche thyng this booke doth, and almost nothyng elles.

In the foure first Chapters he re∣hearseth the benefites of GOD done vnto them, to prouoke them to loue, & * 1.144 his mightie dedes done aboue all na∣tural capacitie of faith, that they might beleue GOD, and trust in him, and in

his strength. And thirdly he rehearceth the fierce plagues of God vppon his enemyes, and on them which through impatiencie & vnbeliefe fell from hym: partly to tame and abate the appetites of the flesh which alway fight agaynst the spirite, and partely to bridle the wilde ragyng lustes of them in whom was no spirite: that though they had * 1.145 no power to do good of loue, yet at the lest way, they should abstaine from outward euill for feare of wrath, and cruell vengeaunce whiche should fall vpō them and shortly finde them out, if they cast vp gods nurter, and runne at riotte beyond his lawes and ordi∣naunces. * 1.146

Moreouer he chargeth them to put nought to, nor take ought away from Gods wordes, but to be diligēt onely to keepe them in reēmbraunce, & in the hart and to teach their childrē, for feare of forgettyng. And to beware either of * 1.147 makyng imagery, or of bowyng them selues vnto Images, saying: Ye saw no image when God spake vnto you, but heard a voyce onely, & that voyce keepe, and thereunto cleaue, for it is your lyfe, and it shall saue you. And fi∣nally if (as the frailtie of all fleshe is) they shal haue fallen from God, and he haue brought them into trouble, ad∣uersitie, and combraunce and all neces∣sitie: yet if they repent and turne, hee * 1.148 promiseth, them that God shall remē∣ber his mercy, and receaue them to grace agayne.

In the fifte he repeateth the x. Com∣maūdementes, and that they might see a cause to do them of loue, he biddeth them remember that they were bound in Egypt, and how God deliuered thē with a mighty hande, and a stretched out arme, to serue him and to kepe his maundementes: as Paule sayth that * 1.149 wee are bought with Christes bloud, and therefore are his seruauntes and not our owne, and ought to seeke his wil and honour onely, and to loue and serue one an other for his sake.

In the sixte he setteth out the foun∣taine of all commaundementes: that is, that they beleue how that there is but one God that doth all, and therfore ought onely to bee loued with all the hart, all the soule, and all the might. For loue onely is the fulfillyng of the * 1.150 cōmaundementes, as Paule also sayth vnto the Romaines, and Galathians likewise. He warneth them also that they forget not the cōmaundementes, but teache them their children, and to shew their children also how God de∣liuered them out of the bondage of the Egiptians, to serue him and his com∣maundements, that the children might see a cause to worke of loue likewise.

The seuenth is all together of faith: * 1.151 hee remoueth all occasions that might withdrawe them from the faith, and pulleth them also from all confidence in them selues, and sturreth them vp to trust in God boldly and onely.

Of the eight Chapter thou seest how that the cause of temptation is, that a man might see his own hart. For whē I am brought into that extremity, that I must either suffer or forsake GOD, then I shall feele how much I beleue and trust in him, and how much I loue him. In like maner, if my brother * 1.152 do me euill for my good, then if I loue him when there is no cause in him, I see that my loue was of God, and euen so if I then hate him, I feele and per∣ceaue that my loue was but wordly, and finally hee sturreth thē to the fayth and loue of God, and driueth them frō all confidence of their owne selues.

In the ninth also hee moueth them * 1.153 vnto fayth, and to put their trust in God, and draweth them from confi∣dēce of them selues, by rehearsing all y^e wickednesse whiche they had wrought from the first day, he knew them vnto that same day. And in the end he repe∣teth * 1.154 howe he coniured God in Horeb, and ouercame him with prayer, where thou mayest learne the right maner to pray.

In the tenth he reckeneth vppe the pith of all lawes, and the keping of the * 1.155 law in hart: which is to feare GOD, loue him and serue hym with all their hart soule and might, and kepe his cō∣maundementes of loue. And he shew∣eth a reason why they should that do: euen because God is Lord of heauen and earth, & hath also done all for them of his owne goodnesse without their deseruyng. And then out of the loue vnto God, he bringeth the loue vnto a * 1.156 mans neighbour saying: God is Lord aboue all Lordes and loueth al his ser∣uauntes indifferētly, as well the poore and feble, and the straūger, as the rich and mighty, and therfore will that we loue the poore and the straunger. And he addeth a cause, for ye were straun∣gers, and God deliuered you and hath brought you vnto a land, where ye bee at home. Loue the straunger therefore for his sake.

In the xj. he exhorteth them to loue

and feare God, and rehearceth the ter∣rible dedes of God vpō his enemyes, * 1.157 & on them that rebelled agaynst hym. And he testifieth vnto them both what wil folow, if they loue and feare God, and what also if they despise hym, and breake his commaundement.

In the xij. hee commaundeth to put * 1.158 out of the way all that might be an oc∣casion to hurt the fayth, and forbiddeth to do ought after their owne myndes, or to alter the word of God.

In the xiij. he forbiddeth to herken vnto ought saue vnto Gods word: no * 1.159 though he whiche counseleth contrary should come with miracles, as Paule doth vnto the Galathians.

In the xiiij. the beasts are forbidden, partly for vncleannesse of them, and partly to cause hate betwene the hea∣then and them, that they haue no con∣uersation together, in that one abhor∣reth what the other eateth. Ʋnto this xv. chapter all pertaine vnto faith and * 1.160 loue chiefly. And in this xv. hee be∣gynneth to entreate more specially of thinges pertainyng vnto the common welth, and equitie, and exhorteth vnto the loue of a mans neighbour. And in the xvj. among other he forgetteth not the same. And in the xvij. he entreateth of right and equitie chiefly, in so much that when hee looketh vnto faith, and vnto the punishment of Idolaters, hee yet endeth in a law of loue and equitie: forbiddyng to condemne any man vn∣der lesse then two witnesses at the lest, * 1.161 and commaundeth to bryng the tres∣passers vnto the open gate of the citie, where all men go in and out, that all men might heare the cause and see that he had but right. But the Pope hath founde a better way, euen to oppose him with out any accuser, and that se∣cretly, that no man know whether hee haue right or no, either heare his Arti∣cles or aunswere: for feare lest the peo∣ple should searche whether it were so or no.

In the xviij. hee forbiddeth all false and deuilish crafts that hurt true faith. Moreouer because the people could not heare the voyce of the law spoken * 1.162 to them in fire, he promiseth them an other Prophet to bring them better ty∣dynges whiche was spoken of Christ our Sauiour.

The xix. and so forth vnto the end of the xxvij. is almost altogether of loue vnto our neighbours, and of lawes, of equitie, and honesty, with now and thē a respect vnto faith.

The xxviij. is a terrible Chapter and to be trembled at: A Chrisren mās hart * 1.163 might well bleed for sorrow at the rea∣dyng of it, for feare of the wrath that is like to come vpon vs, accordyng vnto all the curses which thou there readest. For accordyng vnto these curse hath God delt with with all nations, after they were fallen into the abhominati∣ons of blindnesse.

The xxix. is like terrible with a god∣ly lesson in the end that we shold leaue * 1.164 searchyng of Gods secrets, & geue dili∣gence to walke accordyng to that hee hath opened vnto vs. For the keepyng of the commaundementes of God, tea∣cheth wisedome as thou maiest see in the same Chapter, where Moses saith, keepe the commaundementes, that ye may vnderstand what ye ought to doe. But to search Gods secretes, blindeth a mā, as it wel proued by the swarmes of our sophisters, whose wise bookes are now when we looke in the Scrip∣ture, founde but full of foolishnesse.

The Prologue of the Pro∣phete Ionas made by Wil∣liam Tyndall.

AS the enuious Phili∣slines stopped y^e welles of Abraham, and filled them vp with earth, to * 1.165 put the memoriall out of mynde, to the entent that they might chalenge the grounde: euen so the fleshly minded hipocrites, stoppe vp the vaynes of life, which are in the scripture, with the earth of their traditions, false similitudes, and lying allegories, & that of lyke zeale, to make the Scripture their owne possession, and merchaundice, and so shut vp the kyngdome of heauen, which is Gods worde, neither entring in themselues, nor suffering them that would.

The Scripture hath a body with∣out, * 1.166 and within a soule, spirite & lyfe. It hath without a barke, a shel, and as it were an harde bone, for the fleshlye mynded to gnaw vpon. And within it hath pith, cornell, mary, and all swete∣nes for Gods elect, which he hath cho∣sen to geue them hys spirite, & to write hys law, and the fayth of hys sonne in their hartes.

The scripture conteineth iij. thinges in it: First, the lawe to condemne all * 1.167 flesh: Secondarily, the Gospel, that is to say, promises of mercy for al that re∣pente and knowledge theyr sinnes, at

the preachyng of the lawe, and consent in their hartes that the lawe is good, and submit themselues to bee scholers to learne to kepe the law, and to learn to beleue the mercye that is promised them: and thirdly, the stories & lyues of those scholers, both what chaunces fortuned them, & also by what meanes their scholemaister taughte them, and made them perfect, and how he tried y^e true from the false.

When the hipocrites come to the * 1.168 law, they put gloses to, and make no more of it, thē of a worldly law which is satisfied with the outwarde worke, and whiche a Turke may also fulfill. When yet Gods law neuer ceaseth to condemne a man, vntil it be written in hys harte, and vntill he keepe it natu∣rally without compulsion, and all o∣ther respect, saue onely of pure loue to God, and his neighbour, as he natu∣rally eateth when he is an hungred, without compulsion, and all other re∣spect, saue to slake hys hunger onely. And when they come to the Gospell, * 1.169 there they mingle their leuen and say. GOD now receiueth vs no more to mercy, but of mercy receueth vs to pe∣naunce, that is to witte, holy deedes y^• make them fatte bellies, and vs their captiues, both in soule and body. And yet they fayne their Idole the Pope so mercifull, that if that thou make a litle money glister in hys Balaams eyes, there is neither penance, nor purgato∣ry, nor any fastyng at all, but to flye to heauen as swift as a thought, & at the twincklyng of an eye.

And the liues, stories, and giftes of men, whith are contayned in the bible, * 1.170 they reade as thinges no more pertai∣ning vnto them, then a tale of Robin hood, & as things they wot not wher∣to they serue, saue to faine false discant, and iuglyng allegories, to stablishe their kyngdome with all. And one of the chiefest and fleshliest studies they haue, is to magnifie the ••aintes aboue measure, and aboue the truth: & with their Poetry to make them greter thē euer God made them. And if they find any infirmitie, or sinne ascribed vnto the sayntes, that they excuse with all diligence, diminishyng the glory of the mercy of god, and robbyng wretched sinners of all theyr comforte: & thinke therby to flatter the saintes, and to ob∣tayne their fauour, and to make speci∣all aduocates of them, euen as a man would obtayne the fauour of worldly tyrauntes: as they also fayne y^e saintes more cruell then euer was any heathē man, and more wreakeful, and venge∣able, then the Po••tes fayne their god∣des or furies, that torment the soules in bell, if their euens be not fasted, and their images visited, and saluted wyth a pater noster, which prayer onely our lippes be acquainted with: our hartes vnderstandyng none at all, and wor∣shipped wyth a candle, and the offring of our deuotiō, in the place which they haue chosen to heare supplicatiōs, and make petitions of their clientes therin

But thou reader, thynke of the law of god, how that it is altogether spiri∣tuall, and so spirituall, that it is neuer fulfilled wyth dedes or works, vntill they flowe out of thyne harte, wyth as great loue towarde thyne neighbour, for no deseruyng of his (yea thoughe he bee thyne ennemy) as Christ loued thee, and dyed for thee, for no deser∣uyng of thyne, but euen when thou wast hys ennemy. And in the meane tyme, through out all our infantie, and childhoode in Christ, till we be grown vp into perfect men, in the full know∣ledge of Chrst, and full loue of Christ agayne, and of our neighbours for hys sake, after the ensample of hys loue to vs, remēbring that the fulfillyng of the law, is a fast fayth in Christes bloude coupled with our profession, & submit ous selues to do better.

And of the gospell or promises which thou meetest in the scripture, beleue fast that god wyll fulfill them vnto thee, & that vnto the vttermost iot, at the re∣pentance of thyne hart, when thou tur¦nest to hym and forsakest euill, euen of hys goodnes, and fatherly mercy vnto thee, and not for thy flatteryng hym with hipocritishe woorkes of thyne owne fayning. So that a fast fayth on∣ly, without respect of all works, is the forgeuenesse both of the sinne, which we did in tyme of ignorance, with lust and consent to sinne: and also of that synne which we do by chaunce, and of frailtie: after y^t we are come to know∣ledge, and haue professed the law out of our hartes. And all dedes serue on∣ly for to helpe our neighbours, and to tame our flesh that we fall not to sinne agayne, and to exercise our soules in vertue, and not to make satisfaction to Godwarde for the synne that is once paste.

And all other stories of the Bible, with out exception, are y^• practising of y^e law, & of the gospel, & are true and faythfull ensamples, and sure earnest that God

will euen so deale with vs, as he did with them, in all infirmities, in all tem¦tations, and in all lyke cases & chaun∣ces. Wherin ye see on the one side, how fatherly and tenderly, and with all cō∣passion GOD entreateth hys elect, which submit themselues as scholers, to learne to walke in the wayes of hys lawes, and to kepe them of loue. If they forgate themselues at a tyme, he would stirre them vp agayne with all mercy, if they fell and hurt themselues, he healed them agayne with all com∣passion and tendernes of hart. He hath oft brought great tribulation and ad∣uersitie vpon hys elect: but all of fa∣therly * 1.171 loue onely, to teach them, and to make them see their owne hartes, and the synne that there lay hid, that they might afterward feele hys mercy. For his mercy wayted vpon them, to ridde them out agayne as soone as they wer learned, and come to the knowledge of * 1.172 their own hartes: so that he neuer cast man away, how deepe so euer he had sinned, saue them onely which had first cast the yoke of hys lawes from their neckes, with vtter de••iaunce, and ma∣lice of harte.

Which ensamples how comfortable are they for vs, when we be fallen into sinne, and God is come vpon vs with ascourge, that we dispayre not, but re∣pent with full hope of mercy, after the ensamples of mercy that are gone be∣fore? And therfore they were written for our learnyng, as testifieth Paule, Rom. 15. to comfort vs, that we might the better put our hope & trust in god, when we see, how mercifull he hathe bene in tymes past vnto our weake brethrē, that are gone before in al their aduersities, nede, temptations, ye and horrible sinnes into which they nowe and then fell.

And on the other side, ye see how they that hardened their hartes & sin∣ned of malice, and refused mercy that * 1.173 was offered them, and had no power to repent, perished at the latter ende with all confusion and shame merci∣lessely. Which ensāples are very good and necessary, to keepe vs in awe, and dread in tyme of prosperitie, as thou mayest see by Paul. 1. Cor. 10. that we abide in the feare of God, and waxe not wylde and fall to vanities, and so sinne and prouoke God, and bryng wrath vpon vs.

And thirdly, ye see in the practise, how as God is merciful and long suf∣fering, euen so were all hys true Pro∣phetes and preachers, bearing the in∣firmities of their weake brethren, and * 1.174 their own wrongs, and iniuries with all patience, and long suffering, neuer casting any of them of their backs, vn∣till they sinned against the holy ghost, maliciously persecutyng the open and manifest trouth: contrary vnto the en∣sample of the Pope, which in sinnyng agaynst God, and to quench the truth of his holy spirite, is euer chiefe Capi∣taine and trompet blower, to set other a worke, and seketh only his own fre∣dome, libertie, priuiledge, wealth, pro∣speritie, * 1.175 profite, pleasure, pastime, ho∣nour and glory, with the bondage, thraldom, captiuitie, misery, wretched∣nes, and vile subiection of his brethrē: and in hys owne cause is so feruent, so stiffe and cruell, that he will not suffer one worde spoken agaynst hys false maiestie, wily inuentions, and iugling hipocrisie to be vnauenged, though all christendome should be set together by the eares, and should cost he cared not how many hundred thousande their lyues.

Now that thou mayest read Ionas frutefully, and not as a Poetes fable, but as an obligation betwene god and thy soule, as an earnest penny geuen thee of God, that he wyll helpe thee in tyme of nede, if thou turne to him, and as the worde of God the only foode, & lyfe of thy soule, this marke, and note. First count Ionas the frend of God, & a man chosen of GOD, to testify his name vnto the world: But yet a yong scholer, weake and rude, after the fa∣shiō of the apostles, whyle Christ was with them yet bodily, which thoughe Christ taught them euer to be meeke, and to humble thēselues, yet oft stroue among thēselues who should be grea∣test. The sonnes of ••ebede would sitte the one on the right hand of Christ, the other on the lefte. They would praye that fire might descend from heauen & consume the Samaritanes. When Christ asked who say men that I am? Peter aunswered, thou art the sonne of the liuyng God, as though Peter had bene as perfecte as an angel. But immediatly after whē Christ preached vnto them of hys death and passion: Peter was angry and rebuked Christ, and thought earnestly that he had ra∣ued, and not wist what he sayde, as at another time, when Christ was so fer∣uently * 1.176 busied in healyng the people, that he had no leisure to eat, they went out to hold him, supposing that he had

bene beside hymselfe. And one that cast out diuels in Christes name they for∣bade, because he wayted not on them, so glorious were they yet.

And though Christ taught alway to * 1.177 forgeue, yet Peter after long goyng to schole, asked whether men should for∣geue seuen tymes, thinkyng that viij. tymes had bene to much. And at the last supper Peter would haue dyed with christ, but yet within few houres after, he denyed him, both cowardly and shamefully. And after the same ma¦ner, though he had so long heard that no man might auenge him self, but ra∣ther turne the other cheeke to, then to smite agayne, yet when Christ was in takyng, Peter asked whether it were lawful to smite with the sword, and taried none aunswere, but layed on rashly. So that though when we come first vnto knowledge of the truth, and the peace is made betwene God and vs, and we loue his lawes, and beleue and trust in him, as in our father and haue good hartes vnto him, and be borne a new in the spirite, yet we are but childrē and young scholers, weake and feble, and must haue leysure to grow in the spirite: in knowledge, loue and in the ded•…•… therof, as young chil∣dren must haue tyme to grow in their bodies.

And God our father and scholema∣ster feedeth vs, and teacheth vs accor∣cordyng vnto the capacitie of our sto∣mackes, and maketh vs to grow and waxe perfect, and fineth and trieth vs, as gold, in the fire of temptations and tribulations. As Moyses witnesseth Deutero. viij. saying. Remember all the way by whiche the Lord thy God caried thee this xl. yeares in the wil∣dernesse, * 1.178 to humble thee, and to tempte or prouoke thee, y^t it might be knowen what were in thine hart. He brought thee into aduersitie, and made thee an hungred, & then fed thee with Manna, which neither thou nor yet thy fathers euer knew of, to teach that man lyueth not by bread onely, but by all that pro∣cedeth out of the mouth of GOD. For the promises of God are lyfe vnto all that cleaue vnto them, muche more then breade and bodyly sustenaunce, as the iourney of the children of Isra∣ell out of Egipt into the land promised them, ministreth thee notable ensam∣ples, and that aboundantly, as doth all the rest of the Bible also. Howbeit it is impossible for flesh to beleue, and to trust in the truth of Gods promises, vntil he haue learned it in much tribu∣lation, after that God hath deliuered him out therof agayne.

God therefore to teach Ionas, and to shew him his owne hart, & to make him perfect, and to instruct vs also by his ensample, sent him out of the lande of Israell where he was a Prophet to go among the heathen people, and to the greatest and mightiest Citie of the world then, called Niniue: to preache that within xl. dayes they should all perish for their sinnes, and that the Ci∣tie * 1.179 should be ouerthrowen. Whiche message the free will of Ionas had as much power to doe, as the weakest harted womā in the world▪ hath pow∣er, if•…•… were commaunde•…•… to leape int•…•…e of lyuyng snakes and ad∣ders: as happely if God had cōmaun∣ded Sara to haue sacrificed her sonne Isaa•…•… as he did Abraham, she would haue disputed with him, yer shee had done it, or though she were strong e∣nough: yet many an holy Saint could not haue founde in their hartes, but would haue runne away from the pre∣sence of the commaundement of God, with Ionas, if they had bene so strong¦ly tempted.

For Ionas thought of this maner: loe, I am here a Prophet vnto Gods * 1.180 people the Israelites: Whiche though they haue Gods worde testified vnto them dayly, yet despise it, and worshyp God vnder the likenesse of calues, and after all maner fashions saue after hys owne word, and therfore are of all na∣tions the worst, and most worthy of punishment. And yet God for loue of fewe that are among them, and for his names sake spareth and defendeth them. How then should GOD take so cruel vengeaunce on so great a mul∣titude of them to whō hys name was neuer preached to, and therfore are not the tenth part so euill as these? If I shall therfore go preach, so shal I laye and shame my selfe and God thereto, & make them the more to dispise God, and set the lesse by him, and to bee the more cruell vnto his people.

And vpon that imagination he fled from the face or presence of God: that * 1.181 is, out of the coūtrey where God was worshipped in, and from the prosecu∣tyng of Gods commaundement, and thought, I will get me an other way among the heathen people, and be no more a prophet, but liue at rest and out of all combraunce. Neuerthelesse the God of all mercy which careth fo•• his

elect children, & turneth all vnto good to them, and smiteth them, to heale thē againe, and killeth them to make them aliue agayne, and playeth with them (as a father doth some tyme with his young ignoraunt children) and temp∣teth them, and proueth them to make them see their owne hartes, prouided for Ionas, how all thinges should be.

When Ionas entred into the shyp, he layd him down to slepe, and to take his rest: that is, his conscience was tos∣sed * 1.182 betwene the commaundement of God which sent him to Ninine, and his fleshly wisedome that dissnaded, & counselled him the contrary, and at the last preuailed against the commaunde∣ment, and caryed him an other way, as a shyp caught betwene two streames, & as Poetes faine the mother of Me∣liager to be betwen diuers affections: while to aduenge her brothers death, shee sought to slea her owne sonne. Whereupon for very paine and tedi∣ousnes he lay down to slepe, for to put the commaundement which so gnewe and fret his conscience, out of mynde, as the nature of all wicked is, when they haue sinned a good, to seke all * 1.183 meanes with riot, reuell and pastime, to driue the remembraūce of sinne out of their thoughtes, or as Adam did, to couer their nakednes with apornes of Pope holy workes. But God awoke him out of his dreame, & set his sinnes before his face.

For when y^t lot had caught Ionas, then bee sure that his sinnes came to * 1.184 remembraunce agayne, and that his cōscience raged no lesse then the waues of the Sea. And then he thought that he onely was a sinner, and the heathen that were in the shyp, none in respect of him, and thought also, as veryly as he was fled from God, that as veryly God had cast him away: for the sight of the rodde maketh the naturall child not onely to see, and to knowledge his faulte, but also to forget all his fathers old mercy and kindnesse. And then he * 1.185 confessed his sinne openly, and had yet leuer perishe alone, then that the other should haue perished with him for his sake: and so of very desperatiō to haue lyued any longer, he bad cast him into the Sea betimes, except they would be lost also.

To speake of lottes, how farre forth they are lawfull, is a light question. First to vse them for the breakyng of * 1.186 strife, as when parteners, their goods as equally diuided as they can, take e∣uery man his part by lot, to auoyde all suspition of disceitfulnesse: and as the Apostles in the first of the Actes, when they sought an other to succede Iudas the traitour, and two persōs were pre∣sented then to breake strife, and to satis∣fie all parties, did cast lottes whether should be admitted, desiryng God to temper them, and to take whom he knew most mete, seyng they wyste not whether to preferre, or happely could not all agree on: either is lawfull, and in all like cases. But to abuse them vn∣to the temptyng of God, and to com∣pell hym therewith to vtter thinges wherof we stand in doubt, when we haue no commaundement of him so to do, as these heathen here dyd, though God turned it vnto his glorie, can not be but euill.

The heathen shypmen astonyed at * 1.187 the sight of the miracle, feared GOD, prayed to him, offered sacrifice and vowed vowes. And I doubte not, but that some of them, or happely all came thereby vnto the true knowledge, and true worshipping of GOD, and were wonne to GOD in their soules. And thus God which is infinite mercifull in all his wayes, wrought their soules health out of the infirmitie of Ionas, euen of his good wil and purpose, and loue wherewith he loued them, before the world was made & not of chaunce, as it appeareth vnto the eyes of the i∣gnoraunt.

And that Ionas was three dayes and three nightes in the belye of hys * 1.188 fishe: we can not therby proue vnto the Iewes, and infideles or vnto any mā, that Christ must therefore dye, and bee buried and rise againe. But we vse the ensample and likenesse to strength the fayth of the weake. For he that bele∣ueth the one, cā not dout in the other: in as much as the hand of GOD was no lesse mightie in preseruyng Ionas alyue agaynst all naturall possibilitie, and in deliueryng him safe out of this fish, then in raising vp Christ agayne, out of his sepulchre. And we may de∣scribe the power and vertue of the re∣surrection thereby, as Christ him selfe boroweth the similitude therto. Math. xij. saying vnto the Iewes that came * 1.189 about him, and desired a signe or a wō∣der from heauen, to certifie them that he was Christ: this euill and wedlocke breakyng nation (whiche breake the wedlocke of faith, wherwith they bee maried vnto God, and beleue in their false woorkes) seke a signe, but there

shall no signe bee geuen them saue the signe of the Prophet Ionas. For as Ionas, was three dayes and three nightes in the bely of the Whale, euen so shall the sonne of mā be three dayes, & three nightes in the hart of the earth. Which was a watch word (as we say) and a sharpe threatenynge vnto the Iewes, and as much to say as thus, ye hard harted Iewes seke a signe: loe this shal be your signe, as Ionas was raised out of the sepulchre of his fishe, and then sent vnto the Niniuites to preach that they should perish, euen so shall I rise againe out of my sepulchre, and come and preach repentaunce vn∣to you. See therfore, when ye see the signe that ye repent, or els ye shal sure∣ly perishe and not escape. For though the infirmities whiche ye now see in my flesh, be a let vnto your fathers, ye shall then be without excuse, when ye see so great a miracle and so great pow¦er of God shed out vpon you. And so * 1.190 Christ came agayne after the resurrec∣tion in his spirite, and preached repen∣taunce vnto them, by the mouth of his Apostles and Disciples, and with mi∣racles of the holy Ghost. And all that repented not, perished shortly after, & the rest caried awaye captiue into all quarters of the world for an example, as ye see vnto this day.

And in like maner since the worlde began, where soeuer repentaunce was offered, and not receaued, their GOD tooke cruell vengeaunce immediatly: * 1.191 as ye see in the floude of Noe, in the o∣uerthrowynge of Sodome and Go∣morra, and all the countrey about, and as ye see of Egypt, of the Amorites, Cananites and afterward of the very Israelites, and then at the last of the Iewes to, and of the Assirians, & Ba∣bilonians, and so throughout all the impeires of the world.

Gildas preached repentaunce vnto the old Britaines, that inhabited En∣gland: * 1.192 they repented not, and therfore God sent in their enemies vpon them on euery side, and destroyed them vp, and gaue the land vnto other nations. And greate vengeaunce hath bene ta∣ken in that lande for synne, since that tyme.

Wicleffe preached repentaunce vnto our fathers not long since: they repen∣ted, * 1.193 not for their harts were indurate, and their eyes blinded with their own Pope holy righteousnesse, wherewith they had made their soules gay against the receiuing agayne of the wicked spi∣rite, that bringeth seuen worse thē him selfe with him, and maketh the later ende worse then the begynnyng: for in open synnes there is hope of re∣pentaunce, but in holye, hypocrisie none at all. But what folowed? they slew their true and right kyng, and set * 1.194 vp three wrong kynges arowe, vnder which all the noble bloud was slayne vp, and halfe the commons thereto, * 1.195 what in Fraunce, and what with their owne sword, in fightyng among them selues for the crowne, and the Cities * 1.196 and Townes decayed, and the lande brought halfe into a wildernesse, in re∣spect * 1.197 of that it was before.

And now Christe to preache repen∣taūce, * 1.198 is risē yet once agayn, out of his sepulchre in which y^t Pope had buried him, & kept him downe, with his pil∣lars & polars & all disguisinges of hi∣pocrisy, with gyle, wiles & falshode & with the sword of all Princes, whiche he had blinded with his false marchaū∣dise. And as I doubt not of the ensam∣ples that are past, so am I sure that great wrath will follow, except repen∣taunce turne it backe againe, & cease it.

When Ionas had bene in the fishes * 1.199 bely a space, and the rage of his con∣science was somewhat quieted, and swaged, & he come to him selfe againe, and had receaued a litle hope, the qual∣mes and panges of desperation which went ouer his hart, halfe ouercome, he prayed, as he maketh mention in the text saying: Ionas prayed vnto the Lord his GOD out of the bely of the fish. But the wordes of that prayer are not here set. The prayer that here stan∣deth in the text, is the prayer of prayse, and thankesgeuyng, which he prayed, and wrote when hee was escaped, and past all ieopardie.

In the end of which prayer he saith, I will sacrifice with the voyce of thankes∣geuyng, * 1.200 and pay that I haue vowed, that sauyng commeth of the Lord. For vere∣ly to confesse out of the hart, that all be∣nefites come of GOD, euen out of the goodnesse of his mercie, and not deser∣uing of our dedes, is the onely sacrifice that pleaseth God. And to beleue that all the Iewes vowed in their Circum¦cision, as we in our Baptisme. Whiche vowe Ionas now beyng taught with experience, promiseth to pay. For those outward sacrifices of beastes, vnto which Ionas had happely ascribed to much before, were but feble, and chil∣dish thinges, and not ordeined, that the workes of them selues should be a ser∣uice

vnto the people, but to put them * 1.201 in remembraunce of this inward sacri∣fice of thankes and of faith, to trust and beleue in GOD the onely Sauiour: whiche signification when it was a∣way, they were abhominable and de∣uilishe Idolatrie, and Image seruice: as our ceremonies and Sacramentes are become now to all that trust and be¦leue in the worke of them, and are not taught the significations, to edify their soules with knowledge, and the doc∣trine of God.

When Ionas was cast vpon lande * 1.202 agayn, then his will was free, and had power to go whether God sent hym, and to do what GOD bade, his owne Imaginations layd a part. For he had bene at a new schole, yea and in a for∣nace where hee was purged of much refuse and drosse of fleshely wisedome, whiche resisted the wisedome of God, and led Ionasses will contrary vnto the will of God. For as farre as we be blinde in Adam, we can not but seke, and will our owne profite, pleasure & glory. And as farre as we be taught in the spirite, we can not but seke and wil the pleasure, and glory of God onely.

And as the iij. dayes iorney of Ni∣niue, * 1.203 whether it were in length, or to go round about it, or thorough all the stretes, I commit vnto y^t discretion of other men. But I thinke that it was then the greatest Citie of the world.

And that Ionas went a dayes iour∣ney in the Citie. I suppose hee did it not in one day: but went faire and ea∣syly preachyng here a Sermon, and there another, and rebuked the sinne of the people, for which they must perish.

And when thou art come vnto the repentaūce of the Niniuites, there hast thou sure earnest, that how soeuer an∣gry God be, yet he remembreth mer∣cy, vnto all that truly repent and be∣leue in mercy. Whiche ensample our Sauiour Christe also casteth in the * 1.204 teeth of the indurate Iewes saying: The Niniuites shall rise in iudgemēt with this nation, and condemne them, for they repented at the preachyng of Ionas, and behold a greater then Ionas, here meanyng of him selfe. At whose prea∣chyng yet, thoughe it were neuer so mightie to pearce the hart, and for all his miracles thereto, the hard harted Iewes could not repent: when the heathen Niniuites repēted at the bare preachyng of Ionas, rebukyng their sinnes without any miracle at all.

Why? For the Iewes had leuened the spirituall law of God, & with their gloses had made it altogether earthly * 1.205 and fleshly, and so had set a vaile or co∣ueryng on Moses face, to shadow and darken the glorious brightnes of hys countenaunce. It was sinne to steale: but to robbe widowes houses vnder a colour of long praying, and to polle in the name of offerynges, and to snare y^t people with intollerable constitutions agaynst all loue, to catche theyr money out of theyr purses, was no synne at all.

To smite father and mother was * 1.206 sinne: But to withdraw helpe from them at theyr nede, for blynde zeale of offring, vnto the profite of y^e holy pha∣rises, was then as meritorious as it is now, to let all thy kinne chuse whe∣ther they wil sincke or swimme, while thou buildest and makest goodly foun∣dations for holy people, whiche thou hast chosen to be thy Christ, for to sup∣ple thy soule with y^t oyle of their swete blessinges, and to be thy Iesus for to * 1.207 saue thy soule from the purgatory of the bloud, that onely purgeth sinne, with their watching, fasting, wolward goyng, & rising at midnight, &c. wher∣with yet they purge not themselues, from their couetousnes, pride, lechery, or any vice that thou seest among the lay people.

It was great sinne for Christ to heale * 1.208 the people on the sabaoth day vnto the glory of God hys father, but none at all for them to helpe their cattell vnto their owne profite.

It was sinne to eate with vnwashed handes, or on an vnwashed table, or out of an vnwashed dishe: but to eate out of that purified dishe: that whiche came of bribery, thefte and extortion, was no sinne at all.

It was exceeding meritorious to make many disciples: but to teach thē to feare God in hys ordinaunces, had they no care at all.

The hye Prelates so defended the * 1.209 right of holy church, and so feared the people with the curse of God, and ter∣rible paynes of hell, that no man durst leaue the vilest herbe in his garden vn¦tithed. And the offeringes and thinges dedicate vnto GOD, for the profite of his holy vicars, were in such estimatiō and reuerence, that it was a much gre∣te•• sinne to sweare truly by them, then to forsweare thy selfe by God. What * 1.210 vengeaunce then of God, and how ter¦rible and cruell damnation thynke ye preached they to fall on them that had

stolen so the holy thinges? And yet sayth Christ, that righteousnes & fayth in kepyng promise, mercy, and indiffe∣rent iudgement, were vtterly troden vnder foote, and clean despised of those blessed fathers, whiche so mightelye maintained Aarons patrimony, and had made it so prosperous, and enui∣roned it, and walled it about on euery side with the feare of God, that no mā durst touche it.

It was great holines to garnish the * 1.211 Sepulchers of the prophetes, and to condemne their owne fathers for slay∣ing of them, and yet were they them∣selues for blynde zeale of their owne constitutions, as redy as their fathers to slea whosoeuer testified vnto them, the same truth which, the prophets te∣stified vnto their fathers. So y^t Christ compareth al the righteousnes of those holy patriarckes, vnto the outwarde beauy of a painted Sepulcher full of stenche, and all vncleannes within.

And finally to beguile a mās neigh∣bors in subtle bargaining, & to wrap and compasse hym in with cautels of the law, was then as it is now in the kyngdome of the Pope. By the reason wherof, they excluded the law of loue out of their hartes, and consequently all true repentaunce: for how coulde they repent of that they could not see to be sinne?

And on the other side they had set vp * 1.212 a righteousnes of holy workes, to clēse their soules with all: as the Pope san∣ctifieth vs with holy oyle, holy bread, holy salte, holy candels, holy dome, ce∣remonies, and holy dome blessinges, & with whatsoeuer holines thou wilt, ••aue with the holines of Gods worde, which onely speaketh vnto the harte, and sheweth the soule hys filthinesse, and vncleannes of synne, and leadeth her by the way of repentance vnto the fountayne of Christes bloud, to washe it away thorow faith. By the reason of * 1.213 which false righteousnes, they wer dis∣obediēt vnto the righteousnes of god, whiche is the forgeuenesse of sinne in Christes bloud, and could not beleue it. And so thorow fleshly interpretyne the law, and false imagined righteous∣nes, their hartes were hardened, and made as stony as clay, in an whot fur∣nace of fire, that they could receiue nei∣ther repentance nor fayth, or any moy∣sture of grace at all.

But the heathen Niniuites, though they were blinded with lustes, yet wer¦in those two poyntes vncorrupte, and vnhardened, and therfore with the on∣ly * 1.214 preachyng of Ionas, came vnto the knowledge of their sinnes and confes∣sed them, and repented truly, and tur∣ned euery man from hys euil dedes, & declared their sorrow of hart and true repentaunce, with theyr deedes which they did out of fayth and hope of for∣geuenesse, chastieing their bodies with prayer and fastyng, and with takyng all pleasures from the flesh: trustyng, as God was angry for their wicked∣nesse, euen so should he forgeue them of his mercy if they repented, and forsoke their misseliuing.

And in the last ende of all, thou hast * 1.215 yet a goodly ensample of learnyng, to see how earthy Ionas is still for all his trying in y^t whales belly. He was so sore displesed because the Niniuites perished not, that he was wery of hys life, and wished after death for very so∣row, that he had lost the glory of hys prophesiyng, in y^t hys prophecie came not to passe. But GOD rebuked hym with a likenes, saying: it greueth thine hart for the losse of a vile shrub or spray wheron thou bestowedst no labour or cost, neither was it thine handy work. How much more then should it greue myne hart the losse of so great a multi∣tude of innocentes as are in Niniue, which are all mine hādes worke. Nay * 1.216 Ionas, I am God ouer all, and father as well vnto the heathen as vnto the Iewes, and merciful to all, and warne¦ere I smite, neither threate I so cruel∣ly by any prophet, but that I will for∣geue, if they repent and aske mercy: nei¦ther on the other side, whatsoeuer I promise, will I fulfill it, saue for their sakes onely, which trust in me, & sub∣mit themselues to keepe my lawes of very loue, as naturall children.

ON this maner to read the Scrip∣ture * 1.217 is the right vse therof, & why the holy ghost caused it to be written. That is, that thou first seke out y^t law, that God wyll haue thee to do, inter∣preting it spiritually, without glose or couering the brightnes of Moses face, so that that thou feele in thyne harte, how that it is damnable sinne before God, not to loue thy neighbour that is thine enemy, as purely as Christ lo∣ued thee, & that not to loue thy neigh∣bour in thyne hart, is to haue commit∣ted already all sinne against him. And therfore vntill that loue be come, thou must knowledge vnfainedly that there is sinne in the best deede thou

doest. And it must ernestly greue thine hart, and thou must wash all thy good dedes in Christes bloud, ere they can be pure, and an acceptable sacrifice vn¦to god, and must desire God the father for his sake to take thy dedes a worth, * 1.218 and to pardon the imperfectnesse of them, & to geue thee power to do thē better, and with more feruent loue.

And on the other side, thou must serch diligently for the promises of mercye, which God hath promised thee again. Which two poynces, that is to witte, the law spiritually interpreted, howe that all is damnable synne, that is not vnfayned loue out of the ground, and bottome of the harte, after the ensam∣ple of Christes loue to vs, because we be all equally created and formed of one God our father, and indifferently bought, and redemed with one bloude of our sauiour Iesus Christ: and that the promises be geuen vnto a repen∣tyng soule, that thursteth and longeth * 1.219 after thē, of the pure and fatherly mer∣cy of God, thorow our fayth only with out all deseruyng of our dedes, or me∣rites of our workes, but for Christes sake a lone, and for the merites and de∣seruynges of hys workes, death and passions that he suffered all together for vs, and not for hymself: which two * 1.220 poyntes I say, if they bee written in thyne hart, are the keyes which so o∣pen all the Scripture vnto thee, that no creature can locke thee out, & with which thou shalt go in and out, & find pasture, and foode euery where. And if these lessons be not written in thyne hart, then is all the scripture shut vp, as a cornel in the shale, so that thou mayest read it, and commen of it, and reherse all the stories of it, and dispute wittily, and be a profounde sophister, and yet vnderstand not one iot there∣of.

And thirdly that thou take the sto∣ries and lyues which are contained in the bible, for sure and vndoubted en∣samples, that god so wil deale with vs vnto the worldes ende.

¶ Herewith Reader farewell, and be commended vnto God, and vnto the grace of hys spirit. And first see y^t thou stoppe not thyne eares vnto the cal∣lyng of GOD, and harden not thine hart beguiled with fleshly interpreting of the law, and false imagined and hi∣pocritish righteousnes, least then the Niniuites rise with thee at the day of iudgement, and condemne thee.

And secondarily, if thou fynde ought amisse, when thou seest thy selfe in the glasse of Gods worde, thinke it neces∣sary wisdome, to amend the same be∣tymes, monished and warned by the ensample of other men, rather then to tary vntill thou be beaten also.

And thirdly, if it shall so chaunce, that the wylde lustes of thy flesh shall blynde thee, & cary thee cleane away w^t * 1.221 the for a tyme: yet at y^t latter end, when the God of all mercy shall haue com∣passed thee in on euery syde with tem∣tations, tribulation, aduersities and combrance, to bryng thee home againe vnto thine owne harte, and to set thy sinnes which thou wouldest so fayne couer, and put out of mynde with de∣lectation of voluptuous pastunes, be∣fore the eyes of thy conscience: then cal the faythfull ensample of Ionas, and all like stories vnto thy remembrance, and with Ionas turne vnto thy father * 1.222 that smote thee, not to cast thee away, but to lay a corosie, and a fretting plai¦ster vnto the pocke, that lay hidde and fret inward, to draw the disease out, & to make it appeare, that thou mightest feele thy sicknes, and the danger ther∣of, and come and receiue the healyng plaister of mercy.

And forget not that whatsoeuer en∣sample of mercy, God hath shewed since the beginnyng of the world, the * 1.223 same is promised thee, if thou wylt in like maner turne agayne, and receiue it as they did, and with Ionas bee a knowen of thy sinne and confesse it, & knowledge it vnto thy father.

And as the law which fretteth thy conscience is in thine hart, and is none outward thing, euen so seeke within thy hart the plaister of mercy, the pro∣mises of forgeuenes in our Sauiour Iesus Christ, accordyng vnto all the ensamples of mercy y^t are gone before.

And with Ionas let them that wait on vanities, and seke God here and there, and in euery temple saue in their hartes, go: and seke thou the testament of God in thyne harte. For in thyne hart is the word of the law, & in thine * 1.224 hart is the word of faith, in the promi∣ses of mercy in Iesus Christ. So that if thou confesse with a repentyng hart and knowledge, and surely beleue that Iesus is Lord ouer all sinne, thou art safe.

And finally, when the rage of thy conscience is ceased, and quieted with fast faith in the promises of mercy, thē offer with Ionas the offring of prayse

and thankesgeuyng, and pay the vowe of thy Baptisme, that God onely sa∣ueth, * 1.225 of his onely mercy and goodnes: that is, beleue stedsastly and preach cō∣stātly, that it is God onely that smi∣teth, and GOD onely that healeth: ascribyng the cause of thy tribulation vnto thyne owne sinne, and the cause of thy deliuerance vnto y^t mercy of god.

And beware of the leuen that sayth we haue power in our free will before the preaching of the Gospel, to deserue grace, to kepe the law of congruite, or god to bee vnrighteous. And say with Iohn in the first, that as the law was geuen by Moses, euen so grace to ful∣fill it, is geuen by Christ. And when they say our deedes with grace deserue heauen, say thou with Paule. Rom. vj that euerlastyng lyfe is the gift of GOD thorough Iesus Christe, our Lorde, and that we be made sonnes by fayth. Iohn. i. And therefore heires of GOD with Christ. Rom. viij. And say that we re∣ceaue all of God through faith, that fo∣loweth repentaunce, and that we doe not our workes vnto God, but either vnto our selues, to slay the sinne that * 1.226 remaineth in the fleshe, and to waxe perfect, either vnto our neighbours, which do as much for vs agayne in o∣ther thynges. And when a man exce∣deth in giftes of grace, let him vnder∣stand that they be geuen him, as well for his weake brethren, as for him self: as though all the bread be committed vnto the panter, yet for his felowes with him, whiche geue thee thankes vnto their Lord, and recompence the panter agayn, with other kynde of ser∣uice in their offices. And when they say that Christ hath made no satisfac∣tion for the sinne we do after our Ba∣ptisme: * 1.227 say thou with the doctrine of Paule, that in our Baptisme we re∣ceaue the merites of Christes death through repentaunce, & faith, of which two, Baptisme is y^t signe. And though when we sinne of frailtie after our Ba∣ptisme, we receaue the signe no more, yet we be renewed agayne through re∣pentance, and fayth in Christes bloud, of which twaine, y^t signe of Baptisme euen continued among vs in Bapti∣sing our young childrē, doth euer kepe vs in mind, & call vs backe again vn∣to our profession if we begon astray, & promiseth vs forgeuenesse. Neither cā * 1.228 actual sinne be washed away with our workes, but with Christes bloud: nei∣ther can there be any other sacrifice, or satisfaction to Godward for them, saue christes bloud. For as much as we can do no workes vnto God, but receiue only of his mercy, with our repenting faith, through Iesus Christ our lord, and only sauiour: vnto whom and vn¦to God our father thorowe hym, and vnto his holy spirite, y^t onely purgeth, sanctifieth, and washeth vs in the in∣nocent bloude of our redemption, be prayse for euer.

Amen.

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 * 1.229 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 * 1.230 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 * 1.231 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 * 1.232 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 * 1.233 to vtter our corrupt nature, is com∣prehended in the tenne commaunde∣mentes. * 1.234 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, * 1.235 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 * 1.236 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 * 1.237 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 * 1.238 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 * 1.239 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 * 1.240 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 * 1.241 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, * 1.242 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 * 1.243 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 * 1.244 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. * 1.245And 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 * 1.246 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. * 1.247And 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 * 1.248 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.

* 1.249The 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.

* 1.250The 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 * 1.251 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, * 1.252 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 * 1.253 minde, and to come to the right know∣ledge, and to a mans right wit agayn. For which (Metanoeo) s. Ieromes trās∣lation * 1.254 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 * 1.255 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 * 1.256 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 * 1.257 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 * 1.258 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 * 1.259 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 * 1.260 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.

* 1.261IOhn, 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, * 1.262 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 * 1.263 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, * 1.264 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 * 1.265 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 * 1.266 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 * 1.267 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, * 1.268 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 * 1.269 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. * 1.270 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 * 1.271 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 * 1.272 & 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 * 1.273 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 * 1.274 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. * 1.275 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 * 1.276 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 * 1.277 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 * 1.278 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 * 1.279 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 * 1.280 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 * 1.281 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. * 1.282 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 * 1.283 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 * 1.284 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 * 1.285 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, * 1.286 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, * 1.287 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, * 1.288 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, * 1.289 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 * 1.290 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 * 1.291 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 * 1.292 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, * 1.293 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 * 1.294 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 * 1.295 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 * 1.296 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 * 1.297 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 * 1.298 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 * 1.299 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 * 1.300 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 * 1.301 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 * 1.302 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 * 1.303 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 * 1.304 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 * 1.305 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 * 1.306 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 * 1.307 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 * 1.308 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, & * 1.309 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, * 1.310 & 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 * 1.311 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 * 1.312 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 * 1.313 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, * 1.314 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 * 1.315 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 * 1.316 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, * 1.317 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, * 1.318 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 * 1.319 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 * 1.320 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 * 1.321 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 * 1.322 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 * 1.323 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 * 1.324 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 * 1.325 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 * 1.326 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 * 1.327 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 * 1.328 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 * 1.329 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 * 1.330 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 * 1.331 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 * 1.332 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 * 1.333 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 * 1.334 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 * 1.335 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 * 1.336 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 * 1.337 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 * 1.338 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 * 1.339 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 * 1.340 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 * 1.341 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 * 1.342 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 * 1.343 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 * 1.344 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^• * 1.345 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 * 1.346 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 * 1.347 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 * 1.348 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 * 1.349 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 * 1.350 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 * 1.351 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 * 1.352 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 * 1.353 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 * 1.354 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 * 1.355 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 * 1.356 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 * 1.357 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 * 1.358 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) * 1.359 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 * 1.360 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 * 1.361 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 * 1.362 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 * 1.363 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 * 1.364 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 * 1.365 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 * 1.366 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 * 1.367 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 * 1.368 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, * 1.369 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 * 1.370 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, * 1.371 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 * 1.372 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 * 1.373 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 * 1.374 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, & * 1.375 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 * 1.376 & 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 * 1.377 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 * 1.378 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 * 1.379 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, * 1.380 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 * 1.381 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 * 1.382 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 * 1.383 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 * 1.384 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 * 1.385 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 reason that the papistes make a∣gaynst the translation of the scrip∣ture into English.
• * 1.2

  A subtile shift of the popes cler∣gy to couer their euill.
• * 1.3

  How the Papistes were vexed with Tin∣dals tran∣slation of the new te∣stament.
• * 1.4

  The Pa∣pistes sha∣med not to wrest the scriptures.
• * 1.5

  The Pa∣pistes haue wrought wonderful¦ly to haue suppressed y^• scripture.
• * 1.6

  As owles abide not the bright∣nes of the day, so can∣not the pa∣pists abide the lyght of the gospell.
• * 1.7

  What first moued W. Tyndale to translate y^• Scripture into englssh
• * 1.8

  This bi∣shop of Lō∣don was then Tun∣stall, which afterward was bishop of Durham
• * 1.9

  The popes chaplens pulpet, is the al••house
• * 1.10

  Christes a∣poitles dyd mekely ad∣monish, but the Popes sectaryes dyd braule and skold.
• * 1.11

  Parcialitie sometyme in men of great lear∣nyng.
• * 1.12

  How Tin∣dale was deceaued.
• * 1.13

  Roome e∣nough in my Lordes house for belly chere, but none to translate the new te∣stament.
• * 1.14

  Tindale could get no place in the bishop of Londōs house.
• * 1.15

  Tyndals submission is to all such as sub¦mit them¦selues to God.
• * 1.16

  Not the toung but the life pro∣ueth a true Gospeller.
• * 1.17

  The truest touchestone or Religion is Christes Gospell.
• * 1.18

  The scrip∣ture of god is y^• sworde of the Spi∣rite.
• * 1.19

  Tribulatiō is the gifte of God.
• * 1.20

  What we ought to seeke in the Scriptu∣res.
• * 1.21

  A goodly comfort a∣gaynst des∣peration.
• * 1.22

  Ensāples. of their e∣uils not to bolden vs, but to feare vs frō sinne and despe∣ration.
• * 1.23

  Howe we ought to prepare our selues, to the reading of the scrip∣tures.
• * 1.24

  Fayth our surest shield in all as∣saultes.
• * 1.25

  We may not trust in our work•• but in the word and promise of God.
• * 1.26

  God burde¦ned with hys pro∣mise.
• * 1.27

  The holy ghost brea∣teth where and when it pleaseth hym.
• * 1.28

  Conscience of euill do∣ynges fyn∣deth out 〈◊〉〈◊〉∣〈◊〉〈◊〉 men.
• * 1.29

  Of small occasions do rise gret euils.
• * 1.30

  Ensāples for our ••ear¦n••ng.
• * 1.31

  Learn here how to read & vnderstād y^• scripture.
• * 1.32

  If we her∣ken vnto the voyce of God, and bend our selues to do hys wyl, he wyll be our God, & help vs, but o∣therwise he wyl plague vs as he plagued the vnthankful & faythlesse Iewes.
• * 1.33

  Trust and beleue in God, and care not what the world say.
• * 1.34

  The world liketh well all wycked lyuers and vngodly people.
• * 1.35

  Here is set forth the of¦fice of eue∣ry good person,
• * 1.36

  Temptatiō is the triall of true chri¦stians.
• * 1.37

  The excel∣lency of faith which is the gifte of God.
• * 1.38

  Those whō God scourgeth he dearely loueth.
• * 1.39

  A necessa∣ry lesson for a good pre∣cher.
• * 1.40

  God com∣maundeth that we shold make no images.
• * 1.41

  The wor∣shipping of Idoles or Images, was abhor∣red of god.
• * 1.42

  Witchcraft sorcery, &c. abhorred of God.
• * 1.43

  Moses of∣ten reher∣seth the be∣nefites of almighty God, to moue vsto feare hym, and to loue our neigh∣bour.
• * 1.44

  God will haue vs to be merciful to our neighbors.
• * 1.45

  All the ce∣remonies of the olde testament, we•••• but preachers of Christ that was to come.
• * 1.46

  The ••ea••∣〈◊〉〈◊〉 of the ta¦bernacle was to keepe the Iewes frō harkenyng to the hea∣then.
• * 1.47

  God had two Testa¦ments, that is, the olde and the new.
• * 1.48

  The old testament was built vpon the obseruatiō of the law.
• * 1.49

  The law could not geue lyfe.
• * 1.50

  The law is the vt∣terer of sinne.
• * 1.51

  The law was geuen by God to shewe what sinne was.
• * 1.52

  Ceremo∣nies are not geuen to iustify the hart, but to signifie our iustificatiō by Christ.
• * 1.53

  Ceremo∣nies cannot iustify.
• * 1.54

  The new Testament are the e∣uerlastyng promises made to vs in Christ.
• * 1.55

  Faith only iustifieth.
• * 1.56

  Good workes spryng out of the loue we haue to God.
• * 1.57

  Where true fayth is, there good workes do flow and a∣bound.
• * 1.58

  The new Testament was from the begin∣nyng.
• * 1.59

  Our tem∣porall lawes spring out of the law of nature.
• * 1.60

  Loue coun¦selleth the faythfull to worke.
• * 1.61

  We must nor pre∣sume in our well doing, not cōdēne others that run astray: the last which tur∣neth to god is as farre forward as the first.
• * 1.62

  Mās wise¦dome is playn Ido∣latry, it scat tereth, di∣uideth, and maketh sectes.
• * 1.63

  Ceremo∣nies to the Israelites and ••ewts were as good schole masters are to young scholers.
• * 1.64

  All thyngs were first reueled in ceremonies and sha∣dowes vn∣till it plea∣sed almigh∣ty God, to reuele hys sonne Iesu Christ.
• * 1.65

  Small and litle giftes geuē by the parentes to their chil∣dren, cau∣seth loue & obedience.
• * 1.66

  Sacrifices and ceremo¦nies serue for allego∣ries to find out Christ.
• * 1.67

  Similitu∣des proue nothyng, but doe more playn¦ly lead thee to vnder∣stand the text.
• * 1.68

  Some cere¦monies cō∣teine whole some and profitable doctrine.
• * 1.69

  Ceremo∣nies ordey∣ned to con∣firme our fayth.
• * 1.70

  Gods se∣crets were opened but to a fewe.
• * 1.71

  The cere∣monies of themselues saued not, but fayth in Gods pro∣mise.
• * 1.72

  Our na∣ture is so weake that we must be holpen by outwarde signes and tokens.
• * 1.73

  No man is holpen by 〈◊〉〈◊〉 pro∣mises, but sinners that feele their sinne.
• * 1.74

  Sacra∣ments tru∣ly mini∣stred are profitable.
• * 1.75

  Sacra∣ments truly mini••••res preach vn∣to vs repē∣taunce of our sinnes.
• * 1.76

  No•• naked or dome ce∣remonies, but the ho∣ly ghost throughe fayth wa∣sheth away sinnes.
• * 1.77

  The diffe∣rence be∣twene a sa∣crifice, and a Sacra∣ment.
• * 1.78

  What slate we dye in the same wee shall rise agayn, either of sal¦uation or damnation.
• * 1.79

  The Sa∣cramentes are vnto y^e dead, no Sacra∣mentes at all.
• * 1.80

  Sacra∣mentes a∣bused vp y^• Clergy.
• * 1.81

  The Pa∣pistes haue had no smal frend and good helper of the masse
• * 1.82

  Hipocrites prayers cā neither pro¦fite them selkes, nor any mā ••ls
• * 1.83

  Those that are ene∣mies to the worde of God, loue neither god nor his peo¦ple.
• * 1.84

  Allegories are to bee wel weyed and consi∣dered.
• * 1.85

  The grea∣test cause of the decay of faith and blindnes that wee were in▪ was tho∣rough Al∣legories.
• * 1.86

  How alle∣gories are to bee vn∣derstand.
• * 1.87

  The ryght vsed of alle∣gories.
• * 1.88

  Baptisme is y^e commō badge of all true profes∣sours of Christ.
• * 1.89

  Baptisme teacheth vs repen∣taunce of sinne.
• * 1.90

  The bare washyng helpeth not but thro∣rough the worde of fayth it pu∣rifieth vs.
• * 1.91

  How christ boroweth figures of the old Te¦stament, to make plain the textes of the new testament.
• * 1.92

  Our duety is to do good dedes but saluati∣on we can∣not chalēge therby.
• * 1.93

  A good ex∣ample ta∣ken of the Lepers.
• * 1.94

  The true preachyng of Gods word, doth bynde and lose consci∣ences.
• * 1.95

  In allego∣ries is both hony & gall, that is to say, both good & euil
• * 1.96

  All good dedes are gods work manship, & wee hys instrumēts wherby he doth them.
• * 1.97

  Freewill and vnbe∣liefe were the ouer∣throw of ou•• for e••a∣thers.
• * 1.98

  Then can∣not they be the childrē of God, which put more trust in their owne wor∣kes, then in y^e bloud of Iesus Christ.
• * 1.99

  Faithlesse workes.
• * 1.100

  The Pha∣rises by their free∣will exclu∣ded them selues from the saluatiō
• * 1.101

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 Christ. Blasphe∣my to chri∣stes death.
• * 1.102

  O subtle Foxes tho∣row pouer∣tie made themselues Lordes of all.
• * 1.103

  Wilfull chastitie is wilful wi∣kednes.
• * 1.104

  The Pa∣pist•…•… wil∣ful obedi∣ence, is cō∣mon diso∣bedience to all princes.
• * 1.105

  Our 〈…〉〈…〉 commeth not by our merites, but thorow sayth, by the bloud of ou•• saui∣our Iesus Christ.
• * 1.106

  Fayth on∣ly bringeth vs to christ and vnbe∣•…•… driueth do from Christ.
• * 1.107

  Christ rebu¦•…•… the Pharises for their holy and 〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.108

  The phari¦ses ascribe righteous∣n•…•… workes, & therfore were con∣demned of Christ.
• * 1.109

  The iusti∣fiyng o•• our selues, ma∣keth the diu•…•… more bu•…•… then he wold be.
• * 1.110

  What to meant in the scrip∣•…•… by this 〈◊〉〈◊〉 v•…•…. tyme••.
• * 1.111

  Merit•…•…∣ger•• y^e more their blind∣nes is re∣buked, the more they rebell a∣gainst Christ and his goly•…•….
• * 1.112

  The doc∣trine of the pharises, and the do∣ctrine of our papists do well agree.
• * 1.113

  The Pa∣pistes can∣not away with iusti∣fication by fayth.
• * 1.114

  Of vowes
• * 1.115

  God accep¦teth for vs none other sacrifice, but onely Iesu christ his sonne.
• * 1.116

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 holines in our own imaginatiō is a rob∣bing of chri¦stes honor.
• * 1.117

  Faith fo∣loweth re∣pentaunce of sinne.
• * 1.118

  Repentāce goeth be∣fore fayth, and prepa∣reth the way vnto Christ.
• * 1.119

  How our workes are good in the sight of God.
• * 1.120

  The work saueth not, but the word, that it is to say, the promise
• * 1.121

  An apt si∣militude for reward of good workes.
• * 1.122

  All vowes must be made for y^• mortifying or tamyng▪ of our mem¦bers or the edifying of our neigh∣bours, or els they are wicked.
• * 1.123

  How we ought to vowe wil∣full pouer∣tie.
• * 1.124

  Whether fished the Popes pre¦lates with t•…•… n••t or no?
• * 1.125

  Our workes do not stand in the wise∣dome of mā but in the power of God.
• * 1.126

  Desert, and free gift are contraries.
• * 1.127

  The sight of riches, is rather a cause of coueteous∣nes then a meane to honor God
• * 1.128

  Whether dyd the pa∣pist so or no
• * 1.129

  Yet y^• spiri∣tualities pil¦lage was more then theyr stan∣ding stipēd.
• * 1.130

  A good vowe is to kepe Gods commaun∣dementes.
• * 1.131

  Howe thou mayst law∣fully goe on pilgrimage
• * 1.132

  God hea∣reth al that call vppon him in all tymes and at al places alyke.
• * 1.133

  God regar¦deth the hart, and not y^• place where wee pray.
• * 1.134

  Wilfull chastitie is not mete for all per∣sons to vow.
• * 1.135

  False fay∣ned chasti∣tie.
• * 1.136

  The Pope restrayned that which God per∣mitted and setteth at liberty that which God forbiddeth.
• * 1.137

  A good ad∣minition to such as wil make vowes.
• * 1.138

  Wherunto and howe we should apply our vowes.
• * 1.139

  How a vow is to be made.
• * 1.140

  He that fa∣steth to any other ende thē to tame his body, that it may waite vpon God, decei∣ueth hym selfe.
• * 1.141

  All our doynges must tende to the ho∣nour of God, and loue of our neighbour.
• * 1.142

  This boke is a prea∣chyng of fayth and loue.
• * 1.143

  Here thou mayest learne a right medi∣tation or contempla∣tion.
• * 1.144

  The workes of God are su¦pernatural.
• * 1.145

  We must abstaine frō outward e∣uill though not for loue yet for feare of the vengeance of God.
• * 1.146

  Vnto the law of god, we may nei¦ther adde nor minish.
• * 1.147

  We are cō∣maunded to abstayne from Ima∣ges.
• * 1.148

  God is mercyful to them that repent.
• * 1.149

  Christ hath deliuered vs, & ther∣fore we ought to serue him & our neygh∣bour for his sake.
• * 1.150

  Loue onely to the fulfil¦lyng of the lawes of God.
• * 1.151

  We must trust onely in God, & not in our selues.
• * 1.152

  Howe a mā may trye & examine hym selfe, how much he loueth God, and his neigh∣bour.
• * 1.153

  God styr∣reth vp his people vnto fayth.
• * 1.154

  A right way of prayer.
• * 1.155

  The pith & effect of all y^e lawes of God.
• * 1.156

  And if wee firste loue God, then out of that loue, wee must nedes loue our neighbour.
• * 1.157

  What it is to loue and feare God, and what it is to de∣spise hym.
• * 1.158

  The word of god may not be alte∣red.
• * 1.159

  Let no mā draw vs from gods worde.
• * 1.160

  Of maters of the com∣mon weals
• * 1.161

  None may be condem∣ned vnder two wit∣nessed.
• * 1.162

  Christ our sauiour de∣clared in the old te∣stament.
• * 1.163

  The curse and wrath of God o∣uer al those that break his lawes.
• * 1.164

  We may not be to cu¦rious in the sear∣chyng of Gods se∣cretes, but rather stu∣dy to vn∣derstand & to do our duety to∣wards god and our neighbour.
• * 1.165

  The Pa∣pistes kept the Scrip∣tures from the lay peo¦ple, because they onely will be the publishers & exposi∣tors therof
• * 1.166

  The scrip∣ture hath a body and a soule.
• * 1.167

  The scrip∣ture con∣tayneth iij. thinges.
• * 1.168

  The ma∣ner of hipo¦crites in reading the law of god.
• * 1.169

  The papi∣sticall and corrupt doctrine of the papists
• * 1.170

  Now the Papistes ••ring and wrest the scriptures.
• * 1.171

  God correc¦teth where he loueth.
• * 1.172

  God ca∣steth none away, but such as re∣fuse to kept his lawes, and will not harken vnto hys voyce.
• * 1.173

  Such as hardē their hartes and not harken to the will of God to do it, God casteth out
• * 1.174

  The Pro∣phetes of God bare the weake∣nes of their brethren, & their 〈◊〉〈◊〉∣ries also with pati∣ence.
• * 1.175

  The Pope and his mi¦nisters are persecu∣tors ouer their bre∣thren.
• * 1.176

  The cruell opiniō that the disci∣ples had of Christ.
• * 1.177

  The igno∣raunce and imperfecti∣on of the a∣postles.
• * 1.178

  God doth mercifully try & tempt vs, to moue vs to vtter our hartes & myndes towardes hym.
• * 1.179

  Ionas of himselfe, was an vn mete mes∣senger to be sent of such a mes∣sage, but god assisted him with his holy spirit.
• * 1.180

  The car∣nal imagi∣nation of mans na∣ture with∣out Gods spirite.
• * 1.181

  Ionas so long as he was in his carnall imaginati∣on, could n••t abyde the voice of God, but fled: how∣beit God called hym •…•…ne.
• * 1.182

  Ionas flesh r••belled a∣gaynst the spirite.
• * 1.183

  The wic∣ked seke to to co••er their wic∣kednes with ••ope holy wor∣kes.
• * 1.184

  How Io∣nas was ••rapped & made a∣••rayed.
• * 1.185

  Ionas be∣yng afrayd comesseth his sinnes.
• * 1.186

  Lets howe they may be vsed law fully.
• * 1.187

  Miracle moueth the heathen to know god, and to call vpon him.
• * 1.188

  As Ionas lay three dayes and iij. nightes in y^t Whals Bely, so Christ lay thre dayes and three nightes in the earth.
• * 1.189

  How christ sheweth his death, & resurrectiō by Ionas the Pro∣phet.
• * 1.190

  Christ by the mouth of his Apo∣stles prea∣ched repen∣taunce to the Iewes.
• * 1.191

  Where ther is no repē∣taūce, there God pow∣reth out his venge∣aunce.
• * 1.192

  Gildas a writer of y^t Brittishe Chronicle.
• * 1.193

  Wicleffe a preacher of repen••••n̄ce
• * 1.194

  They slew Richard y^t second.
• * 1.195

  They set vp Henry the fourth.
• * 1.196

  Henry the fift.
• * 1.197

  Henry the sixt.
• * 1.198

  Christ now preacheth repētaunce vnto vs.
• * 1.199

  Ionas cal∣led vpon God out of the fishes belly.
• * 1.200

  The sacri∣fice that Ionas offe¦reth vnto God.
• * 1.201

  The sacri∣fices of the olde lawe were ordey¦ned to put vs in remē¦braunce of the sacrifice of thankes∣geuyng.
• * 1.202

  Ionas dyd that God commaun∣ded hym.
• * 1.203

  Niniue was the greatest Ci¦tie in the world▪
• * 1.204

  Christ is mercyfull to the that repent and call for mer¦cy.
• * 1.205

  The doc∣trine of the Phariseis and the Pa¦pists make sinne of that is no sinne.
• * 1.206

  This is y^• doctrine of y^t Papistes and hypo∣criticall monkes at this day.
• * 1.207

  The blynd and frute∣les workes of the Pa∣pistes.
• * 1.208

  Papisticall sinnes.
• * 1.209

  Papistes taught thē selues and theyr workes withall crueltiē.
• * 1.210

  The false & wicked doc¦trine of the Papistes.
• * 1.211

  Blinde and btpocritical doctrine.
• * 1.212

  The Pha∣riseto set vp a righteous¦nes of wor¦kes to clēse their soules withall.
• * 1.213

  By the worldly & fleship in∣terpretati∣ons of the scriptures the Iewes hartes were har∣dened.
• * 1.214

  The he•••• then repen∣ted at the preachyng of Ionas.
• * 1.215

  A good and profitable example.
• * 1.216

  Note her•• the great mercy of God.
• * 1.217

  The right maner how to read the Scripture
• * 1.218

  All our deedes are made per∣fect in chri∣stes bloud.
• * 1.219

  All the pro¦mised made by God in Christ, are made to thē that repent
• * 1.220

  The two keyes that open a•• the Scripture
• * 1.221

  A very fruitfull & good lesson
• * 1.222

  How thou mayst at all tymes ap∣ply the sto∣ries of the Bible to thy great comfort.
• * 1.223

  The law must be ful¦filled with the mercy that is in Christ.
• * 1.224

  In thy hart are the wordes of the law, & in thine hart are the promises and mercy of Christ.
• * 1.225

  Our sinne is of our selues: but remission & sorgeuenes therof com¦meth frely of the mer∣cy of God for christes sake.
• * 1.226

  God hath no nede of our works but we must do thē for our selues, and for the pro∣fite of our neighbors.
• * 1.227

  Christ hath satisfi∣ed for our sinnes, as well after baptisme, as before Baptisme.
• * 1.228

  Our actu∣all sinnes are washed away in Christes bloud.
• * 1.229

  The Zewes to this day ar locked out from the vnderstan∣ding of the scriptures.
• * 1.230

  The right way into the vnder∣standing of the Scri∣tures.
• * 1.231

  Iaco. 1.
• * 1.232

  The gene∣rall coue∣naunt that God hath made with vs.
• * 1.233

  Lawe.
• * 1.234

  In these commaun∣demento is contayned tee whole law.
• * 1.235

  Where no good〈…〉〈…〉are, there the fayth is vayne.
• * 1.236

  What fayth it is that saueth.
• * 1.237

  Two thin∣ges are re∣quired to be in a christian man.
• * 1.238

  What the nature of gods word is.
• * 1.239

  When we heare gods will and do it not, then God withdraw∣eth his mer¦cy and fa∣uour from vs.
• * 1.240

  He that harkeneth to the word of God & doth it, the same shalbe blessed in his deede.
• * 1.241

  What it is to build vp∣pon ••and.
• * 1.242

  The vn∣cleane spi∣rit that re∣turneth in worse sort, thē he was when hee was cast forth.
• * 1.243

  Such 〈◊〉〈◊〉 are profes sours of the worde 〈◊〉〈◊〉 God, and will not tame and scourge thē selues, thē will God plague 〈◊〉〈◊〉 scourge.
• * 1.244

  Christes deedes ••et vs in the fa¦uour of God: & our owne, helpe vs to con∣tinue in his fauour.
• * 1.245

  Loue is the fulfilling of the law.
• * 1.246

  Faith is cause of loue.
• * 1.247

  God requi∣reth mercie and not sa∣crifice.
• * 1.248

  Onely loue vnderstan∣deth the law.
• * 1.249

  Gospell.
• * 1.250

  New Te∣stament.
• * 1.251

  Our wor∣kes extend no farther then to our neighbour.
• * 1.252

  Why Tyn¦dall vsed this worde repētaūce, rather then penaunce.
• * 1.253

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.254

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.255

  The foure partes of repentan̄ce.
• * 1.256

  What ma∣ner of satis∣faction we•• ought to make.
• * 1.257

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.258

  Why hee nameth thē Elders, & not priests.
• * 1.259

  William Tyndals Prologue vpon the Gospell of Marke.
• * 1.260

  The Pro∣logue of W. Tyn∣dall vpon the Gospell of Luke.
• * 1.261

  The Pro∣logue of W. Tyn∣dall vpon the Gospell of Iohn.
• * 1.262

  The epi∣stle to the Romaynes to the ex∣cellentest part of the new Testa¦ment.
• * 1.263

  Here you must note these wordes, law, sinne, &c. Law, how it is to be vnderstand
• * 1.264

  The law of God requi¦reth the bottom of our hartes
• * 1.265

  S. Paul was a great per∣secutor of the christi∣ans.
• * 1.266

  If we be not willing to do good, then doth sinne raign in vs.
• * 1.267

  No man can fulfill the law, but Christ onely.
• * 1.268

  The p••••e and perfect kepyng of the law is to do the ••a••e of 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.269

  〈…〉〈…〉 but o•• in¦ward loue.
• * 1.270

  The law encreaseth sinne.
• * 1.271

  The law is spiritual
• * 1.272

  The spirite of god ma∣keth a mā spirituall.
• * 1.273

  The law is good, righteous and holy.
• * 1.274

  Workes of the law & the fulfil∣ling of the law, are two things
• * 1.275

  By the workes of the law no man can be iustified.
• * 1.276

  As the law is spiritual so it must be fulfilled spiritually.
• * 1.277

  Where true fayth is, there is the spirit of God.
• * 1.278

  Our iusti∣fication is by fayth in Christ.
• * 1.279

  Out of true fayth springeth all good worke••.
• * 1.280

  O••synne.
• * 1.281

  Sinne what it is?
• * 1.282

  Sinne in y^• scripture is chiefly called vnbe liefe.
• * 1.283

  Grace, how it is vnderstand in the scrip¦tures.
• * 1.284

  Gift, what it is.
• * 1.285

  God for Christes sake recea∣ueth vs.
• * 1.286

  There is no damna∣tion to thē that are in Christ.
• * 1.287

  Faith, what it is?
• * 1.288

  False and fained faith
• * 1.289

  True faith is liuely.
• * 1.290

  Fayth is not idle.
• * 1.291

  The true definition of fayth.
• * 1.292

  Good wor∣ke•• cannot be separate from true fayth.
• * 1.293

  Righteous∣nes & how it is to be vnderstād.
• * 1.294

  Flesh & spi¦rite what they are, & ••ow to vn∣derstand? them.
• * 1.295

  How this word fleshe is to be vn∣derstand in the Scrip∣ture.
• * 1.296

  Incredu••••∣tie is the chief of all sinnes.
• * 1.297

  Fleshe is here well described.
• * 1.298

  What so••∣euer proce∣deth of faith is spi∣rituall.
• * 1.299

  A necessary and profi∣table instru¦ction for all preachers.
• * 1.300

  The ma∣ner of S. Paūles do¦ctrine.
• * 1.301

  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.
• * 1.302

  S. Paule cōdemneth all hipocri∣si••.
• * 1.303

  How S. Paul rebu∣keth hypo∣crites.
• * 1.304

  The diffe∣rence be∣twene the Iewe & the Gentile.
• * 1.305

  All men are sinners.
• * 1.306

  The waye howe wee must bee made righ∣teous.
• * 1.307

  Faith ob∣teineth the fulfillyng of the law.
• * 1.308

  S. Paule aūswereth to the ca∣ueling que∣stion that our Pa∣pistes vse agaynst iu∣stificatiō of faith onely.
• * 1.309

  Good wor∣kes are ou•• ward sig∣nes of true fayth.
• * 1.310

  Wee are first iusti∣fied, thē fo∣loweth good wor∣kes.
• * 1.311

  Gods mer∣cy moueth vs to fayth in his pro∣mises, so that God in al things worketh our iustifi∣cation.
• * 1.312

  Gods mer∣cy saueth vs, and not we our sel∣ues.
• * 1.313

  If we lack Abrahams fayth, we cannot be Abrahams children.
• * 1.314

  Fayth one∣ly recea∣ueth the grace that cōmeth by Abraham.
• * 1.315

  The frutes & workes of fayth.
• * 1.316

  Fayth be∣fore all workes iu∣stifieth.
• * 1.317

  Good wor¦kes are the fruites of fayth.
• * 1.318

  Where true fayth is there are good wor∣kes.
• * 1.319

  Where fayth lac∣keth there is all euill workes.
• * 1.320

  As by ••••ā came sinne, so by Christ came salua∣tion.
• * 1.321

  The prin∣cipall work of faith, and the battaile betwen the spirite and the flesh.
• * 1.322

  What it is not to be vnder the law.
• * 1.323

  What it is to be vnder the lawe.
• * 1.324

  The right fredome, & libertie frō sinne, and from the law.
• * 1.325

  Example.
• * 1.326

  Our con∣sciences bound, and in daunger to the lawe by olde A∣dam, so lōg as he li∣ueth in vs.
• * 1.327

  The law requireth of vs that which we cannot pay.
• * 1.328

  The law doth vtter and declare what sinne is.
• * 1.329

  What w•• may do of our selues, and what we may not do.
• * 1.330

  Where feare and shame is a∣way, there all wicked∣nes is com¦mitted.
• * 1.331

  The fleshe is contrary to the sprite
• * 1.332

  The sprite lusteth con¦trary to the flesh.
• * 1.333

  There is no daunger to thē that are in Christ.
• * 1.334

  The right worke of fayth, is to mortify the flesh.
• * 1.335

  Predesti•…•… cion is in the handes of God.
• * 1.336

  How farre we may proceede in predestina∣tion.
• * 1.337

  Predestin••¦tion is not rashly to be disputed of.
• * 1.338

  Which are good wor∣kes mete to be done.
• * 1.339

  Loue is y^• fulfilling of the law.
• * 1.340

  We must deale lo∣uingly with our weake bre∣thren.
• * 1.341

  The weak¦nes of our brethren is to be consi∣dered.
• * 1.342

  In the epi∣stle to the Romaines is contey∣ned a suffi∣cient do∣ctrine for a Christen man.
• * 1.343

  Beware of the traditi∣ous of men
• * 1.344

  This epi∣stle decla∣reth it self.
• * 1.345

  Weake and yong con∣sciences as to be stub∣borne, for the last shal receiue the equall reward with the first.
• * 1.346

  Loue ful∣filleth the law.
• * 1.347

  It is the parte of a good shep∣herd to vē∣ture hys lyfe for hys sheepe.
• * 1.348

  tribulatiō for the Gos¦pell sake maketh vs sure of eter¦nall lyfe.
• * 1.349

  All that re∣pent, are iu¦stified tho∣rough saith by Christ, and not by workes.
• * 1.350

  The law condēneth, but the be∣leuyng of Gods pro∣mises iusti∣fieth.
• * 1.351

  In sekyng any other satisfaction thē Christ, we beceau•• our selues.
• * 1.352

  Hereby are we war∣ned that workes saue vs not, but the word, that is the pro∣mise.
• * 1.353

  Mannes righteous∣nes zeale or imagina¦tion with∣out Gods worde is odious.
• * 1.354

  For fayth when it is preached bringeth y^e spirite and power to fulfill the law.
• * 1.355

  Who so hath a pure fayth, can not but a∣boūd with good wor∣kes.
• * 1.356

  Not the re∣ceauyng of the Gospel, but the cō∣tinuaunce to the latter ende, ma∣keth vs blessed.
• * 1.357

  He mea∣neth therby lest they should fall from the worde, they had al¦ready re∣ceaued.
• * 1.358

  Patiēce in persecution for Christs sake rewar¦ded with y^• crowne of euerlasting ioy and fe∣licitie.
• * 1.359

  Hereby haue we euident sig∣nes, that the latter day is at hand.
• * 1.360

  The office of a bishop.
• * 1.361

  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.
• * 1.362

  Vertuous Byshops are worthy double ho∣nor.
• * 1.363

  Byshops must be vi∣gilant in their voca∣tion••
• * 1.364

  This hath already ben fulfilled in, our spiri∣tualtie.
• * 1.365

  What ma∣ner a man, a Byshop or Curate ought to be.
• * 1.366

  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
• * 1.367

  Christ is all to a Christen man.
• * 1.368

  Mē ought to rule theyr wiues with god•• word.
• * 1.369

  To watch is not onely to abstaine from slepe, but also to auoyde all, occasions that may drawe vs to sinne.
• * 1.370

  As god re∣ioyceth not in the dede it selfe▪ so doth he not in •…•…dle faith with∣out works
• * 1.371

  Good wor∣kes are a shew of our fayth, as the fruit, is of the tree.
• * 1.372

  He prophe¦sieth of the popes spi∣ritualtie.
• * 1.373

  The con∣dition of the worlde shall waxe worse and worse.
• * 1.374

  Where 〈◊〉〈◊〉 true fayth is, there are also good wor∣kes.
• * 1.375

  Christes bloud pur∣chaseth for∣geuenes of sinnes, and not mans workes.
• * 1.376

  Whether this were Paules e∣pistle or no great lear∣ned men haue doub∣ted.
• * 1.377

  Some de∣ny it to haue bene written by anye Apo∣stle, and re∣fuse it as not Catho∣like.
• * 1.378

  A solution of the for∣mer doubts
• * 1.379

  This not to be deni∣ed to be Paules Epistle.
• * 1.380

  Mercy is locked vp from hym which wil¦fully yel∣deth his bo¦dy 〈◊〉〈◊〉 soule to sinne.
• * 1.381

  No place in the scri∣pture, so plainly de∣scribeth the signifi∣cations & figures of the olde te∣stament, as this epistle doth.
• * 1.382

  This epi∣stle for that it agreeth with the rest of the scripture ought to be of equal au¦thoritie with the other.
• * 1.383

  This epi∣stle is to be taken as holy scrip∣ture.
• * 1.384

  The pa∣pistes al∣leage this text for their pur∣pose, tho∣rough mis∣understan∣dyng the same.
• * 1.385

  Fayth on∣ly iustifieth