The Living Stone and Chosen People 1Wherfore laye asyde all maliciousnes and all gyle and dissimulacion and envie and all backbytynge: 2and as newe borne babes desyre that reasonable mylke which is with out corrupcion that ye maye growe therin. 3If so be that ye have tasted how plesaunt the lorde is 4to whom ye come as vnto a livynge stone disalowed of men but chosen of god and precious: 5and ye as lyvynge stones are made a spretuall housse and an holy presthode for to offer vp spretuall sacryfice acceptable to god by Iesus Christ. 6Wherfore it is contayned in the scripture: beholde I put in Sion an heed corner stone electe and precious: and he that beleveth on him shall not be ashamed. 7Vnto you therfore which beleve he is precious: but vnto them which beleve not ye stone which ye bylders refused ye same is made ye heed stone in the corner 8and a stone to stomble at and a rocke to offende them which stomble at the worde and beleve not that where on they were set. 9But ye are a chosyn generacion a royall presthod an holy nacio and a peculiar people that ye shuld shewe the vertues of him that called you out of darknes into hys marvelous light 10which in tyme past were not a people yet are now the people of God: which were not vnder mercye but now have obteyned mercye. 11Derly beloved I beseche you as straugers and pilgrems abstayne from flesshly lustes which fyght agaynst the soule 12and se that ye have honest conversacion amonge the getyls that they which backbyte you as evyll doars maye se youre good workes and prayse god in the daye of visitacion. Submission to Authorities 13Submit youre selves vnto all manner ordinaunce of man for the lordes sake whether it be vnto the kynge as vnto the chefe heed: 14other vnto rulars as vnto them that are sent of him for the punysshment of evyll doars: but for the laude of them that do well. 15For so is the will of god that ye put to sylence the ygnorancie of the folyshe men: 16as fre and not as havinge ye libertie for a cloke of maliciousnes but even as the servautes of god. 17Honoure all men. Love brotherly felishippe. Feare god and honour the kynge. 18Servauntes obey youre masters with all feare not only yf they be good and courteous: but also though they be frowarde. 19For it is thankeworthye yf a man for conscience towarde god endure grefe sufferinge wrongfully. 20For what prayse is it if when ye be buffeted for youre fautes ye take it paciently? But and yf when ye do well ye suffer wronge and take it paciently then is there thanke with God. Christ’s Example of Suffering 21For herevnto verely were ye called: for Christ also suffered for vs levinge vs an insample yt ye shuld folowe his steppes 22which dyd no sinne nether was ther gyle founde in his mouth: 23which when he was reviled reviled not agayne: whe he suffered he threatened not: but comitted the cause to him that iudgeth ryghteously 24which his awne silfe bare oure synnes in his body on the tree that we shuld be delyvered from synne and shuld lyve in rightewesnes. By whose strypes ye were healed. 25For ye were as shepe goinge astraye: but are now returned vnto ye shepheerd and bisshoppe of youre soules. |