The seconde tome or volume of the Paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the Newe Testament conteynyng the epistles of S. Paul, and other the Apostles : wherunto is added a paraphrase vpon the reuelacion of S. John.

The fyrste Chapter.

The texte.

¶ Iames the seruaunt of God and of the Lord Iesus Christe, sendeth gretinge to the xii. trybes whiche are scatered abroade. My brethren, count yt for an exceadynge ••oye, when ye fall into diuers remptacions: knowyng thys, that the trying of your faithe gen∣dreth pacience: and let pacience haue her parfecte worke, that ye maye be parfect & sounde lackynge nothynge. If eny of you lacke wysoome, let him aske of hym that geueth it: euen God, which geueth to all men indifferently, and casteth no man in the teeth: and it shalbe geuen him. But let hym aske in fayth, and wauer not. For he that douteth, is lyke a waue of the sea, whiche is tost of the wyndes, and caryed with vyolence. Nether let that manne thynke, that he shall receaue eny thynge of the Lord. A wauerynge mynded man, is vnsta∣ble in all his wayes. Let the brother whiche is of lowe degre reioyce whan he is eralted. Agayne, let hym that is ryche reioyce whan he is made lowe. For euen as the flower of the grasse, shal he passe away. For as the sunne ryseth with heat, and the grasse widdereth, and his flower falleth awaye, and the beaw••y of the fassion of it perysheth: euen so shall the ryche manne peryshe in hys wayes. Happy is the manne that eudureth temptacion: for when he is tryed, he shall receaue the crowne of lyfe, whiche the Lorde hathe promy∣sed to them that loue hym.

IAmes that in tymes paste was a worshipper of Moses lawe, and now the worshipper and seruaūt of God the fa∣ther (who after the Gospell is set forthe, requireth to bee worshipped in spirite) and of his sonne Iesu Christe out lorde, writeth this Epistle bothe to all them that are reco∣ned to be of Christes profession, and namely to those, whōe the storme of persecucion, which was raised after the death of Stephane, scattred abroade some one waye some ano∣ther, of all the kynreddes of the people of the Iewes: which were dryuen awaye out of theyr auncetours possessions, but not dryuen downe from the felowe∣ship of the Gospell: which were cast out of theyr owne houses, but not caste out of the congregacion of Christ: wishing vnto them true healthe, not this health of the bodye only, which the worlde wisheth for, but that healthe, which Christe geueth vnto those that his are, euen in the myddle of destruccions and deathes. Forasmuche as the commune profession of the Gospell, forasmuche as all one baptisme, maketh vs very brethren, & seing that amonge those that be brethren in dede there ought to bee a feloweship bothe in matters of gladnes and of sadnes, this sorowfull calamitie which you abyde, woulde greue my mynde ex∣ceadingly

sore, if I had not an assured confidence of youre godlynes. For I am not ignoraunt, that vnto thē, whtch measure their felicity by the pleasures of this life, banyshment is more paynfully greuous than deathe: and that it se∣rueth to be the wretchedest thing that may be, for a man to be plucked from his moste deare frendes: and being driuen out of their olde auncient possessions, to be straungers in forayn countryes. But as for you, whiche haue reposed who∣ly all blessednes in only Christe, and loke for your felicitie not in thys worlde but in the worlde to come, it behoueth you to bee moste farre of from their iud∣gement. For God sendeth not these thinges vpon displeasure, but vpon hys exceading moste pitie: for this purpose doubtles, that through temporall af∣fliccions, whiche you suffre vndeseruedly, your pacience myght bothe become the more notable, and youre rewarde the more abundaunte: to thyntent that as ofte as you are tossed on euery syde with sondry stormes of sorowes, you shoulde not only vnderstande, that you ought not to caste downe your hartes, as though God had forsaken you, but rather that you ought with all youre harte to reioyce, that by this euident token God loueth you and cateth for you, in that he tryeth youre pacience: whiche if it contynue stedfast, and geue not place to any assaultes of sorowes, it shall doubtles euidently appeare to bee a sure grounded foundacion of a Gospellike faithe. For excepte you were vtter∣ly perswaded, that the reward of Immortalitie is ordayned for them, that here in this worlde are afflicted for the glory of Christes sake, you would not wil∣lingly and with mery chearefull stomakes suffre so much sorowes. Than seing that God woulde haue our saluacion to be moste chiefly ascribed vnto faithe, this apperteyneth to the glory of the Gospell, that men maye throughly per∣ceaue by sure argumentes, that your faithfull truste is no commune tryflyng, nether wauering faithe, but a strong stedfaste and an inumctble faithe. For the thinge that is counterfaicte, or vayne, or feble, is moued out of place, whan the storme of sorowes cometh blustreing in. But that muste nedes be true and of a sure grounde, that is nether ouercome nor beaten awaye with banyshmente nor with pouertie, ne with despitefull entreating, ne with pri••oninges, ne with whippes, nether yet with deathe it self. It is counpted a wouderful constancye of ••uynde, if a man paciently suffer vnlucky fortune with an vnbroken sto∣macke, but whan they shall playnly perceaue, that you suffer thinges of them selues bothe greuous and bitter, with chearefull and mery re••oycing hartes: to ••••ken shamefull entreating done vnto you for the profession of Christes sake to be the highest glorye: to counte losse of goodes, for the richeste wynnynge: to esteme the greuous tormentes of body, for the pledge of euerlastyng pleasure: to iudge death which is a thing moste hortible of al, to be nothing elles, but the threshold & entrie of y^• immortalitie to come: they shal vndoubtedly perceaue, y^• your hope, wher w^t being furnished you contēne those matters: is not a cōmune hope, nether proceding only of mans perswatiō, but to be confirmed by y^• inspi∣••aciō of the power of God. Notwithstāding, like as fayth is not yet throughly alowed, onles it expresse it selfe by godlines oflife & good turnes towardes the neighbours, euē so pacience shal not haue his throughly perfite praise, onles y^• like as it is strong & cheareful in suffring of sorowes, euen so it be cōstaunt of it self in practising of good workes. It is a great matter, to suffre sorowes w^t a good wil, but for the only glory of Christe: but it is a throughly perfit matter, whā a man is euil done to hī self, to do good for al mē: nor to thē only which de∣serue

it, but to thē also which do hī y^t euil. For so it shall come to passe, y^• you beig mēbres shalbe cōformably like vnto y^• head, disciples to y^• scholemaister, childrē vnto the father, in case you bee perfect & vpright in euery point, & nothing wan∣ting in you, that perteyneth to the perfite absolute furniture of the godlynes of the Gospell. This, I confesse, the lawe of Moses demaūded not, & this also se∣meth folyshnes to the wise of this worlde: but it is a new kynde of Philosophy that hathe taught vs this newe wisedome, whiche Christe the heauenly doctor hathe brought in to the worlde. In this philosophie if a man be not yet suffici∣ently cōfirmed, it is not for him to runne vnto y^• Philosophers of this world, for their doctrine is ouer muche tempred with myngle mangle, than can suffice to accomplishe so greate a weightie matter. It is aboue the powers of mortall menne, that is prescribed. It hathe nede of the celestiall helpe, and therfore ther is an heauenly rewarde ordayned. They that measure all theyr matters after the pleasures and displeasures of this worlde, if they bee at any tyme oppreste with sorowes, they aske counsail of men, they aske helpe of men: But you muste aske of God the helpe of heauenly wisedome. For he geueth vnto al, not only to the Iewes, but also to the gentiles, and he geueth accordyng to hys owne lybe∣rall bounteousnes plentifully, and casteth none in the teeth with hys good turne. He requireth no gramercye of vs, nether nedeth he any mannes helpyng hande. It is the Pharisees worde to saye: lorde doe that I aske, for I faste twyse in the weke. But the right godly man prayeth thus: I am vnworthy of thy bounteous goodnes, I am worthy of wrathe, but yet for all that loke vp∣on thy seruant, for thou by nature arte good and mercifull. Therfore if a man be mynded to obteyne of hym that he asketh, let him aske without destrusting, without doubt or wauering. Let him not considre the weight of the afflicciōs, let him not marke his owne power, let him only cōsidre y^• God is the moste best and moste mightie, of whome he dependeth. He that putteth hys whole truste in the helpe of God, is sure and stedfast. But whosoeuer doubteth wauering▪ lye and loketh on eche syde, dependyng so of God, that he loketh withall for mēnes succours, nether beleueth with hys whole harte in the promisses of God, but as it were partly hauing a distruste, reasoneth with him selfe with humaine argumentes to and fro, concernyng dyuine matters, he is not stable: but as the waues of the sea are tossed and turned nowe hither nowe thyder, as the wynde and tyde caryeth them, euen so he is caryed about wi••h humayne reasons and dyuerse sortes of opinions, and is become out of equalitie and vnlyke to hym self. Therfore he that is such a one is deceaued, if he thinke that he shal obteyn any thing of god whan he thinketh euil of him, of whō he asketh helpe, distrust∣ing hym, as though he ether would lytel good vnto mē, & could do lytell, or elles were litel true in his promises. The sure christian faithe is single, & wauereth no waye, but always beholdeth only him, which forsaketh none that trusteth in hym, whether it chaunce to lyue or to dye. But the manne, whose mynde is di∣uyded two wayes, geuynge respecte to God on thys parte, and to the worlde on that parte, he is out of euen grounde and inconstaunt not only in hys pray∣ers, but in all thynges also that he goeth about, hauyng one thyng in hys mouthe, an other thing in his harte: and as tyme serueth, affected now after this sorte nowe after that sorte. It behoueth a man not to turne hys mynde as for∣tune bloweth to and fro, as the commune sorte of men doeth. But rather le•• the christian of low degree, & he that is pressed with sondry lumpes of sorowes, stretch v•• his harte, & reioice in this behalf, y^• being despised of y^• world he is not

despised with God, who beyng nothyng offended at the bassenes of state or for∣tune, hathe made him worthy of the feloweship of saynctes, nether excludeth he him out of the enheruaunce of the kingdome of heauen. On the other parte let the riche man reioyce to him selfe in thys behalfe, that where as he was muche set by amonge worldlinges for the false goodes of thys worlde, nowe for the professing of Christe he is despised and contemned: and where as pryde made him hyghe stomaked before by reason of hys vayne goodes, nowe beyng caste downe with men and troden vnder fete, he is rich in true goodes with God. By thys meanes it shall come to passe, that nether the poore mannes lowe degree shall caste hym downe, nor the riche mannes prosperitie make hym insolent, es∣pecially if they on ether of theyr partes consider, that bothe the euilles, where∣with the pore are pressed, and the goodes, wherin the riche set their pleasure, are not of longe continuaunce, but hastely vanyshe away, none otherwyse than the flowres of herbes, whiche like as by the calme south weste wynde they thruste forth them selues sodaynly at the dew of the spryng tyme, euen so by & by at the blustrynge of the northe wynde and heate of the sunne, they wyther awaye and dye, in somuche that the flower, that sprang at the sunne rysinge and delited mennes eies with his most pleasaunte colour, is seene dye at the sunne setting. The trees, inasmuch as they are fast set vpō depe rotes, & furnished with sure grounded strength, are longe grene, and some are also euermore grene, and leaue not theyr tayre greenesse, neither for vnreasonable wyndes nor rugged wynter: But the herbe, because it is not furnyshed with the same thinges, anon as the hote sunne is broken out, is destitute of his iuyce, wherwith it nourished that fayrenes of the floure for the time. And so whā it faynteth in the stalkes it doeth nether nourishe ne susteyne his floure, but withereth, ageth, dyeth, falleth away, where as a litell before it delited mens eies with so greate a fauour. Be∣cause therfore no christyan shoulde glorye in those thynges that are nether of sure grounde nor longe enduring, let him rather respecte the thinges that are e∣ternall, and that are delectable in the sight of God: let him rather studie to bee a braunche alwayes grene, than a herbe that with a lyght hurte will by and by dye. Doest thou see nowe the flower that is sprongen, how fayre, how goodly, how pleasaunte of colour and how swete it is? what a gorgiousnes of grene lea∣ues, what a glistring, what a iuyce, what youthe hathe it? And anone at a blaste of the southe winde, and with the heate of the sunne, what fading, what ageing, what dieng hathe it? The floure is sene to spring, to come forewarde, to be at the best, to age and to dye all in one daye. And like vnto it is riche mens felicitie. He that nowe ruffleth in purple, shyneth in gold, glistereth in precious stones, hathe a great trayne wayting on hym, is caried in a charet, and is honoured as it were a certaine God among men: if fortune blowe backewarde, he shall ether bee wyped besydes al his goodes & be banished to goe on begging, or lye crieng in prison, or be trussed vp with a tyburne typper and fede rauens, or if none of these thynges happen vnto him, yet death shall come vnthought vpon, and so∣dainly dispatche al his galaunt araye. It is the parte of the heathens to mea∣sure felicitye by these maner of goods, which (ouer that chei depend vpon for∣tunes chaunce, ouer that thei, as nothing elles doeth, forsake vs whan we de∣parte hence) if thei bee not set naught by, bring destruccion. It is the office of Christians to folowe those thinges, wherby eternall goodes are gotten, vpon which nether fortune, nether age, nether deathe hath any enterest.

For no manne is blessed because he is riche, but he shall be surely blessed if for the profession of the Gospelles sake, he haue ben spoyled of those thynges that he had in possession, yf he haue defyed the pleasures of thys lyfe, whiche he had abundaunce of, and suffre tormentes and emprisonmentes for Christes sake, if he endure for hys sake in all sorowes euen vnto death with an vnshrin∣kyng harte, interpreting on thys wise, that the more he is pressed with the so∣rowes of thys worlde, so muche the more he is loued of God, whiche tryeth the pacience of his obedient seruaunte to hys owne glorye, that he maye bothe bee an example vnto other to de fie thys worlde, and after he hathe valeauntly be∣haued hym selfe in the conflicte, and hathe shewed a lesson of true vertue and of fayth, he maye weare the Palme and crowne, not of oken bowes and of lau∣rell, for they doe wither also (after suche sorte as they receyue, which hunt after rewarde and prayse of menne) but the crowne of immortall lyfe, whiche is pro∣mysed not of a man that canne deceaue, but of God him selfe. But he hath pro∣mysed it, not to them that haue muckred vp the greatest substaunce of riches, not to them that haue excelled other in bodyly strength, not to them that haue shedde moste bloude, but to them that for hys sake haue defied the goodes of thys worlde, and haue valeauntly suffred the displeasures of this worlde.

The texte.

Let no man saye when he is tempted, that he is tempted of God. For as God cannot be tempted to euyll, so neyther he hym self tempteth any man. But euery man is tempted, when he is drawne a way & entysed of hys own concupiscence. Then when lust hathe con∣ceaued, she bryngeth forth synne: & synne whē it is fynyshed, bryngeth forth death. Do not erre, my deare brethren. Euery good gyfte, and euery parfecte gyfte, is from aboue, and commeth downe from the father of lyghtes, with whome is no variablenesse, nether is he chaunged vnto darkenes. Of hys owne will begat he vs with the worde of trueth, that we shoulde be the fyrste trutes of hys creatures. Wherfore (deare brethren) let euery man be swyfte to beare, slowe to speake, slowe to wrath. For the wrathe of man worketh not that whiche is ryghteous before God. Wherfore, laye aparte al fylthynes & superfluytie of malicyousnes, and receaue with mekenes, the worde that is graffed in you, which is able to saue youre soules.

Whether a man loue God purely, the pleasures of this worlde dooe trye, but muche more doeth the hurly burly of affliccions. And it is in vs, that being furnyshed with the helping ayde of God, we maye nether become tendre nyce∣lynges through vayne pleasures, ne moued with terrible turmoylinges. But if a manne be moued with the delices of the worlde from the right state of mynde, or if a man be led by y^e sorow of afflicciōs out of true godlines, he hath nothing to laie vnto Goddes charge. He y^• getteth the victorie, getteth the victory by the helpe of God: and he that is ouercomme, is ouercome through hys own faulte. For God doeth not geue menne occasyon to synne, but the thynge that he ge∣ueth according to his own goodnes for the nouryshment and encreace of god∣lines, our mindes being corrupte, and as it were cralled with affeccions, turneth to thoccasyon of theyr owne destruccion. For God doeth somtymes geue vs the vse of habundaunce of goodes, and the commodities of life, to the intent that being prouoked by his liberall goodnes we should tendre thankes vnto him. Againe, he suffreth vs somtymes to bee afflicted with aduersities, that he may both make our godlines more notably seene, & encreace our rewarde. And if the matter turne to the cotrary parte, it is our faulte & not his. For like as he being by nature good, can not bee prouoked w^t any euilles, euen so doth he en∣tice noman vnto euil. The thing is of vs, that turneth the goodnes of God vn∣to oure euil. He geueth pleintie of meates, he geueth the liquor of wyne, that beyng moderately refreshed, we shoulde geue prayses to the maker. And shall he that is dronken with wyne call God vnto the lawe? no in no wyse:

let him accuse his owne mynde, whose vicious gredynes entised and drewe him to dronkenes. Ther is a certayne readynes vnto vice graffed in oure hartes of our fyrste parentes vice, and that is as it were a sede of synne. And if it bee receaued in to the harte and receaue nourishment, than the mynde hathe as it were all ready conceaued synne. And onles the vicious desire be dryuen out of mynde, the stynking smell of it groweth and waxeth strong by litell and litell, till deadly synne be cōmitted. Whiche, whan it is in his nombres consūmately done, beginneth to bring forthe frute it self agayne. And the frute that it bring∣eth forthe is the naughtiest frute of all, euen deathe euerlasting: And this is the most heauy frute of that pleasure that is delectable in outwarde appea∣raūce, and promysing swete geare, I wote not what, while it hydeth vnder the bayte of pleasure, the very angling hoke of death. Like therfore as thys lower worlde hath nothing pure and perfite in euery parte, but the good thinges are corrupt with the badde, and the thinges that are of gladnes are enterchaun∣geably myngled with sadnesse, corrupcion enfecteth the ayer, disease and age decayeth the strength of bodye, darkenes hyndreth the fauour of light: euen so in our myndes, as longe as they are entangled with these bodyes, there is scarcely any thynge in all partes blessed and pure, but it is corrupt with some spotte of humaine desires or with the darkenes of errour and ignoraunce. But what so euer naughtynes is in vs, we ought to impute it vnto oure selues and not to God. For if we were of pure affeccions, if we put oure truste with oure whole harte in God, if we breathed with all oure inwarde powers vnto the thinges that are euerlasting and heauenly, what so euer shoulde bee layed a∣gaynste vs in this life, whether it were mery or sory, it woulde turne to the in∣creace of Godlynes. Therfore deare brethren, doe not you as the commune sort of folish men doeth, who to thintent they may excuse theyr synnes, pleade with the maker of nature at law, as though he were the autor of synne. Farre be this errour from you, whiche haue learned the Gospells philosophie. Like as God of his owne nature is purely and moste chiefly good, euen so doeth there no∣thing procede from him but that whiche is good. Yf any naughtynes ther∣fore be in vs, let vs not ascribe it vnto God but vnto oure owne selues: and yf any good thyng, yf any true lyght, yf any vndefyled wysedome be in vs, let vs ascribe it wholy vnto God the autor. Yf this grosse worlde haue any lyght, it hathe it of the heauenly bodies, and especially of the sunne. What true knowlage so euer is in vs, what pure and syncere affeccion so euer be in vs, it ariseth not of vs (for we are nothyng elles but synners and ignoraunt per∣sones,) but it procedeth from aboue: what so euer is truly good, it commeth from the autor of all goodnes: what so euer lawfull and perfite thing there be, and such thing as maketh you acceptable vnto God, it cometh from the foun∣tayne of all perfeccion: what so euer is truly light, the father and prince of all true light sendeth it vnto vs frō him self. These thinges he bestoweth not vpō oure desertes, but he geueth them vnto vs frely, as he is liberall of nature. They are giftes rather than rewardes, it is a liberall larges rather than a hire. It is not right therfore that we chalenge any thing therof vnto vs, but for our naughtynes let vs call vpon the mercie of God: for goodnes bicause it is not ours, let vs geue thankes vnto his liberalitie. Like as he of his owne nature is the beste, euen so he cannot geue but the thynges that are beste: lyke as he is

vnchaungeable, and alwayes like hymselfe, so there is nothing with him, that is obscured with any course of darkenes. This our daye is taken awaye of the night folowing, and caste about with cloudes goyng betwene, humayne wise∣dome is darkened with errours of opinions, mans vprighteousnes is infected with naughty desires. With him there is no mixture of euylles, no courses of darkenes. It behoueth vs therfore also to conforme our selues to the vttermost of our powers according to his simplicitie, that geuing our selues vnto godly studyes, and being apte more and more to receyue his giftes, we maye be as it were transformed in to hym. For it is conuenient, that children resemble the nature of their parent. We haue vnthirftyly resembled Adam the prynce of this grosse and corrupt birthe. He being obscured with the darkenes of synnes hath begotten vs that are entangled with darkenes. In that we lothe heauenly thinges, in that we are gredy of earthy thinges, we resemble the disposicion of hym. In that we are blynde, in that we doe at al auentures as y^• blinde man cas∣teth his staffe, and in that we fall, it is of our carthy parent. But the father of heauen hathe more happyly begotten vs agayne, that being as it were created newe agayne, we myght conforme our selues like vnto our newe b••••the in In∣nocencie of life, and knowlage of euerlasting trueth. That earthy father being seduced with the false deceatefull promisses of the serpent, begate vs. vnto darkenes. And this heauenly father begate vs agayne, not of the corrupt sede of our earthye father, but of the most pure sede of the eternall and trueth spea∣king worde. The serpentes worde was a lyeng worde, and casie downe manne from the state of Innocencie. But the worde of the Gospelles doctrine is tr••••, whereby we are chosen into the enheritaunce of Immortalitie, and called in to the felowe shippe of Iesu Christe the sonne of God. He was the true light pre∣ceding of the moste high light, whose doctrine hathe made bright mens myn∣des and set them free from the doctrine of this worlde. And the heauenly worde is of suche efficacie, that it doeth not onlye chaunge vs, but transformeth vs as it were vtterly in to other men, abhorryng now the thynges that we loued muche before, and loue that we before abhorred. And this is the honoure that the heauēly father worthyed vs withal not prouoked by our merites, but of his own free goodnes, wherby he so determyned from euerlasting, that he woulde, by suche meanes as hathe not ben hearde tell of, make a newe creature in the earthe, and woulde that we shoulde bee as it were the fyrst frutes of thys newe estate, in that we are called amonge the fyrste vnto the doctrine of the Gos∣pell. Forasmuche than as God hathe endued vs with thys honour frely, it remayneth, that we conforme oure selues lyke vnto hys hounteous goodnes to the vttermost of our power againe: we are frely admitted vnto this felicity, but we might fall from it agayne for all that through our owne fault, onles we studie to kepe through godly forcastes, that which is frely geuē. It were of non effecte for vs to be chosen through baptisme, and professing of the Gospelles doctrine in to the felowship of the sonne of God, excepte we frame oure selues through chast and cleane maners like vnto our profession. That like as euer∣lastyng lighte hathe geuen vs light by the sonne of God, so muste all oure life beare witnes, that we belonge to the felowship of light. We once caste of the olde manne with hys errours, with his affectes, with hys vices, now it is rea∣son that we ensue the cleane contrary thynges. Heretofore you had rather seme maisters than disciples, for so ambicion perswaded you, that the commune

people woulde recon him the better learned, that was moste ful of bablyng: you had rather haue ben angrye with hym that counsailed you aright, than to ac∣knowlage your faulte: you had rather haue folowed wicked outragious luste, than ensue those thinges that bring saluacion: Now my deare brethren, who so will be coumpted a new man, let him be slow to speake, swyft to heare, and ready to learne of any manne. Howbeit let no manne rashly nor ouer hastyly take vp∣on him to be a teacher. And like as he is not voyde of peril to fall, that is hastye to speake, euen so is that manne inclined to doe iniurie, whiche is lightly mo∣ued in hys mynde. For it is requisite that godly menne bee farre of, not only from all reuengement, but also from all euill speaking. For he shalbe the more safe from chyding, that maketh no aunswer: and he shal do no man wrong, that whan he is prouoked, is not angrye. Among men peraduenture he shall seme a iuste man, that requiteth one euil worde with an other, one euell dede for an o∣ther, but yet he shalbe a greate deale wyde from the iustice of God, who by hys sonne hathe taught vs, to speake well of them that backbyte vs, to wishe well to them that wishe euil to vs, to doe good for them that doe euil vnto vs. These thinges he dooeth not, that letteth his tongue runne at large, whiche is a warb∣ling membre and a slyppery, nor he that hathe wrathe secretly. These maner of lustes, like as they ouerthrowe and cheoke the sede of Goddes woorde, that whan it commeth vp it bring forthe no frute in you, euen so doe they lette that it canne not bee sowen in to the fielde of the mynde. It taketh no rote in a bri∣ery place, ne in marice, nether in the sande that fleeteth awaye, but it requireth a pure, a trymme and a substaunciall grounde. Therfore if ye will, that the sede of the worde of the Gospell, that is once cast; bring frute in you, frute (I say) not for a season, or a commune frute wherwith the bodyes may be refreshed, but the eternall saluacion of your soules: make cleane the fielde of your harte not onely from the tumulte of euil speaking and of wrathe, but also from al gredy lustes, wherwith mans mynde is defiled: from the thornes of coueteousnes from the grauell of rashenes, from the slyme of outragious lust, from the stones of pride and wilfulnes. For in dede the mynde that is burthened with thys geare, is not hable to receaue the worde of the Gospell, which knocketh in vayne at the tym∣pane of the eares, onles it light depe in to the inwarde partes of the harte. And if it once settle in to your myndes, it shall not bee baren, but shote forthe and shewe it selfe with godly workes.

The texte.

¶ And se that ye be doars of the worde and not hearers onely, deceauing your owne selues. For yf any man heare the worde, and declareth not the same by hys workes, he is like vnto a man beholdynge hys bodely face in a glasse. For assone as he hath toked on him selfe, he goeth his waye, and forgetteth immediatly what hys fasshyon was. But who so loked in the parfayr lawe of libertie, and continueth therin (yf he be nor a forgetfull hearer, but a doar of the worke) the same shalbe happy in hys dede. If any in an amonge you seme to be deuout and refrayneth not hys tongue, but deceaueth his owne herte, this mannes deuocion is in vayne. Pure deuociō and vndefiled before God the father, is this: to visite the fatherles and widoowes in theyr aduersytie, and to kepe hym selfe vnspot∣ted of the worlde.

The Iewes haue their lawe by harte without boke, and yet they expresse it not in their life. The philosophers do learne perfitely the lessons howe to lyue wel, & thinke that to bee ynough, farre deceauyng them selues: where as the felicitie of manne is not in the speaking but in the lyuing. But vnto you it ought not to be ynough, that being newely instructed, you haue heard the Gospelles doc∣trine:

that being baptised, you are admitted vnto the harder hidden misteries of the Gospelles doctrine: that you haue learned ouer and ouer all the whole phi∣losophie of Christe and all hys life: ne that you haue receaued the promysse of Immortall life. That whiche Christe taught, muste bee expressed in outwarde maners: That whiche he did, muste bee folowed of vs to the vttermoste of oure possible powers. It behoueth vs to dye vnto the desires of this worlde, and be buried with hym, to rise agayne with hym vnto Innocencye, to bee caryed with him in to heauen: and finally we ought so to lyue vpon earthe, as we appeare not vnworthie the rewardes of heauen.

Will you heare, howe that he yeldeth no frute at all, whiche heareth the worde of the Gospell, but lightly and vnconfiderately? He is moste like vnto a man that beholdeth hys face in a glasse. He beholdeth, but he doeth nothing els but beholde only. For he can not chaunge his naturall face, nether goeth he any other maner away from the glasse than he came to it. Yea inasmuch as he went only for this purpose, to see what fauour his face was of, he thinketh not of the amending of the faultes of hys fauour, but as sone as he goeth awaye from the glasse, he remembreth nothing whiche a one he sawe him selfe to be. But the glasse of the Gospelles doctrine sheweth not the blemyshes and outbreakinges of the body, but it layeth all the diseases of thy soule before thyne eies: nether doeth it only shewe them, but also healethe them. Moses lawe did rather vtter the sores of the soule than healed them. For the lawe, as concernyng the lettre, was imperfecte, and frayed menne from euyll by feare, rather than caused menne willingly to folowe the thynges that were good. But the lawe of the Gospell, obteyneth more of the wyllyng, and those that bee at lybertie through loue, than the lawe of Moses gat perforce. And the lawe of the Gospell maketh perfite that it begynneth, where the other bryngeth nothyng to perfectyon. Whosoeuer therfore will diligently behold bothe his mynde and his life at this glasse (and that should he doe continually) neuer mouing his eies from the ex∣ample and doctrine of Christe, that is to say, whosoeuer heareth the holy word, not after suche light sorte, that turnyng him self backe by and by to the cares of this worlde he seme to forget that he hearde, but frameth all hys life after the rule of it, expressing by godly workes, that which he sticked fast in the marye of the soule, he shall surely be blessed: not because he heard the worde, but because he did after it in his affeccions and maners. Thou hearest Christ saye, that the tormente of hell fyre abydeth for him, that sayeth vnto his brother: thou foole. And yet forgetting by and by what thou heardest, thou arte ready for a lyght checking worde to fight with him. Thou hearest, that those riches are to be set naught by, whiche are in daunger of mothes and theues, and that true riches ought to be layed vp in stoare in heauen: but as sone as thy backe is turned frō the preacher, thou rūnest on with al thy forcasting studies, to muckre vp ry∣ches, (thou carest not how) by hoke or by croke, as though thou beleuedest, that godlynes should not be rewarded after this life. And if any among you thinke him selfe wonderous deuout, if he kepe hys handes from stealynge, and from fighting and other vyces, and yet for all that refrayne not hys tongue from backbyting, mysreportes, from scoldinges, from filthie talkinges, nether his harte from vncleane thinkinges: hys deuocion is vnprofitable & vnfrutefull. Perchaūce he is not punished by mans lawes, that only talketh of whoredome though he doe it not, yet he is become an whoremonger before God, that in his

minde hath cōmitted whoredōe. He suffreth no punishment of men, that coueteth an other mans good, if he may escape vnpunished: but he is giltie of thefte be∣fore God, y^• hath conceaued thefte in his minde. We are estemed after y^• manifest dedes before menne, for they see not the mynde. But God loketh vpon the in∣warde affeccions of the mynde, and estemeth vs after them. A corrupt mynde is vsed for the moste parte to hurst out in to the tongue. Among Christen peo∣ple a reuiling woorde is a kynde of manslaughter, but this is playne, that true godlynes can in no wise agree with racklenes of tongue. Nether yet is it suffi∣cience vnto Christian religion, to haue absteyned from synnyng: it behoueth also to abounde in good workes. For in dede bonde seruauntes absteyne from doing euill, yea, for feare of punyshment, but those that are right children, it becometh to haue loue, whiche is no idle loytring matter, but effectually wor∣king, and putteth forthe it selfe frely without compulsion to dooe euery good worke. But some woulde saye, what dedes than are those that make vs ryght religious in dede? Those that smell of the Iewes secte set furthe the prayse of religion, in Palles and wyde robes, in choise of meates, in washinges, in longe prayers, and other ceremomes, which are sometymes not altogether to be con∣temned, if by them as by signes we be warned of those thinges, whiche are the propre own matters of godlines: but thei are pernicious ware, yf a man thinke that he is made religious by meane of thē where as of them selues without ex∣posicion, they make a man rather an hipocrite. Howbeit the obseruing of thē se∣meth a religious deuoute matter among men, that wickedly repose godlines in visible thinges: whiche perchaunce are signes of godlynes, but not the cause of godlynes, seing that of them selues they are nether good nor euill, onles they seme to be suche, either through custome or in the opinion of menne, where as true godlynes is in the inwarde myndes, and expresseth it selfe by farre more certaine sure signes than by ceremonies. Will you therfore heare, what is true religion with God the father, whiche estemeth you not after the iudgement of manne? Doubtles, thys is the pure and vndefyled religyon: that like as we haue by experience proued bothe the mercie and liberall goodnes of God to∣wardes vs, euen so muste we agayne bee bothe mercyfull and frendely liberall towardes our neighbour, and that not vpon any hope of mutuall good turne to be requited to vs agayne, but of a mere and a pure vpright loue, loking for the rewarde of our wel doing at the handes of none other but of God, whiche is contente to haue it reconed to bee done to him selfe, what so euer we bestowe for his sake vpon our brother.

He is a godly and a pure man among the Iewes, that toucheth not caryon, that is washed with quycke rennyng water: but with God he is godly and pure, that succoureth the fatherles children and wydowes in theyr trouble, that releueth hys oppreste brother, and helpeth the nedye with money. Among the Iewes he is vncleane, that eateth swynes fleshe: But with God he is vncleane, whose mynde is infected and defieled with the gredye lustes of thys worlde. But a manne will saye, what be those lustes? In the iudgement of the worlde, he is counted vile that is poore: And he the more honestlie set by, that hathe moste possession of riches, and for that cause theyr speciall carke and care is to get to them selues the moste substaunce of money. He is reconed a lowete and a henneharted rascall, that maketh no querell whan wrong is done vnto him. He is counted a foole, that doeth a good turne for a badde. He is estemed a Ioly

ruffler, that geueth him selfe to excessyue ryot: and he is counted a flyncher that foloweth sobrietie. He is taken for a gaye felowe, that swelleth in haultynes, and loketh an heigth ouer menne of lower estimacion. He is counted happye, that hathe his matter to succede in this worlde after hys owne purpose, that floweth in delicacies and voluptuous pleasures, and serueth his paunche and glotonie. These are the thinges, that in dede make a mannes soule wicked and vncleane: and he that absteyneth from them, is a religious manne, (whosoeuer is, whosoeuer is not) in the sight of God the father, who hathe exempted vs from earthy thinges, and called vs to heauenly thynges, and from the thinges that shall perishe and are casuall, vnto the thinges that are eternall: and hathe taught vs to esteme the worthynes of manne by the thynges that are good in dede, and in all that we haue to doe, to geue respecte to none other purpose, but to hys glorye, at whose only handes the requitall of well doynges is to be trus∣ted for. And he doeth not requite the offices of true godlynes with transitorye and sone peryshing rewardes, as thys worlde is wonte to doe, but he geueth blessednes that neuer shall dye. It is a homely person, it is a poore body, whom thou bestowest thy good turne vpō, he is not hable to requite the, but yet for al that, it is farre better to bestowe it vpon him, than vpon an other, how ryche or of how greate power so euer he be, whiche can requite no profit agayne, but a slender, one and that but for a small season: where as for the reliuing of thy pore brother, Christ layeth vp in stoare life euerlasting.