preacher and what or how his doctrine ought to be out of the Scriptures in blasing the AntichristiaÌ„ decrees of poperie vnder the name of tradicions constitucioÌ„s of our mother church in decising the right difference betwene the spirite and the lettre and finally in al other poinctes or articles of our religion hauing now of late yeres ben in controuersie Erasmus like as he is no where ouer vehement so is he euery where both sincere and ful Neither doeth any wryter more wittily more earnestly more apâ—ly more finely more substauncially more piththily or more playnely describe peyncte out the vsurped estate preeminence and pompe of the bishope of Rome then he doth aswel in all other places where iust occasion offereth it selfe as also directely though vnder a preaty couloure in the eleuenth chapitur of the Euangelist Marke Erasmus ferthermore is wondreful in comparing of fygures of the olde testamente in applying of allegories in declaring of parables in discussing of doubtful questions in serching and explicating of profound misteries wherin he euidently declareth himselfe that he was a man of an excellent witte of much study of exquisite learning of profounde knowelage of an exact iudgemente of notable diligence of woorthy famous industrie of singular peinefulnes of an encomparable memorie of an vnestimable zele towardes that setting furth of Christes most holy gospel And yet doth he with such prudence and semely circuÌ„speccion so teÌ„per his stile that his very enemies as he cannot lacke enemies enough whosoeuer wil be an opener teller of the trueth in matiers of religioÌ„ he caÌ„not lacke enuie of Satans brode whosoeuer wil endeuour himselfe to ferther the knowlage of Gods word he cannot lacke neither priuie backebiting nor yet open reproche to slaundre him to bring him out of credit to deface him to trede him vnder foote whosoeuer wil be diligent to help bring the gospel to light â–ª he shal not auoide to be opeÌ„ly burdened with false crimes whereby he may be vttrely diffamed whosoeuer wil trauaile to manifest the glory of Christes bloud he shal haue enough to write speake against him whosoeuer wil attempt to discouer the iugling castes practise of poperie his very enemies I say that hated him because they hated the veritie could neuer yet finde how to geue him any foile or how to take thaduantage of any such holde against him whereby to confound his doctrine Neuertheles whan I do in my mind make a comparison of you three together Erasmus in writing this Paraphrase Quene Katerine in procuring the same to be turned into English and your highnes in publishing the same by your godly iniunccions to bee had in vse throughout all parties of thys Royalme me semeth I do wel note Erasmus to haue doen the lest act of the three For Erasmus fact did helpe onely such as are sene in latin the Quenes goodnesse extendeth to the help of the vnlearned also which haue more nede of helping foreward and your Maiesties benefit it is â–ª that maketh so precious a treasour coÌ„mon to as many as may take profit or fruict thereby And in dede no Christian Prince there is to whome the tuicion proteccion stablishing of any such bookes or weorkes as concerne the pure setting forth of Christ and his gospel doeth so aptely or so duely apperteine as to your most excellent Maiestie to whome by a most iust and right deuolucion and discente of inheritaunce of the crounes of England Fraunce and Ireland the title also of DefeÌ„dour of the feith doth most nerely most peculiarely most specially and most directly belong Now as touching the translatours of such bookes as this although I haue at this present the lesse to say because I my selfe haue in a small porcion of this weorke filled one roume of some other man that might haue ben hable to do it better then I haue doen yet can I not but wish that emong so many your Maiesties moste â—umple bountâ—ous exhibicions so many other godly actes to be doen as are daily brought offred to the gracious direccioÌ„ of your highnes of your most dere â–ª vncle being Gouernour of your Royal person during thys time of your minoritie vnder your Maiestie our protectour and of the other your most honourable CouÌ„saillours this thing also might be peferred to your consideracions how necessarie a thing it were that some hable worthy and mete persons for doing such publique benefite to the coÌ„mon weale as translating of good weorkes and writing of Cronicles might by some good prouision and meanes haue some condigne sustentacion in the same For what Royalme almost EnglaÌ„d excepted hath not al the good authours that euer wrote traÌ„slated into the mother tong whereby the people are made prudent and expert men in the tract of all affaireâ— either touching any discipline or els any ciuile matiers And in Germany what good weorke of diuinitie is there which they haue not in their own laÌ„guage to the vnestimable edifying of the people in the due knowlage of God For what hath ben or is in any common weale the foundacion of spreading abrode the knowlage of Goddes woorde but onely the setting forth of the Bible with other good and godly tractises for the declaracion of the same What thing hath the whelpes of the Romish Antichrist so fiercely alwaies backed against as at the translating of Scripture and other bookes coÌ„cerning matiers of religion into the vulgare tong for the vse of the people What any one thing is there against the whiche there hath in all Christen Royalmes as long as it might preuayle been eyther sorer decrees lawes or inhibicions ordeined or more terrible execucion of all kindes of tormentes and deathes inuented deuised and put in vre then againste the setters foorthe of bookes concernyng religyon What one thing hath papistry in all countreyes more eagrely conspired more subtelly coumpaced or more earnestly practised to oppresse then the coming foorth of Scripture and other diuine weorkes in the vulgare tong whereof the rude multitude might gather knowlage Against what thing hath there in these laste yeres vntill Christ like fier being hidden vnder wood would nedes mounte vp and appere abrode maugre the head of the Romish Pharao al his tiranny against what thing I say hath there been eyther more sorer thundreboltes shot of deprauing of accursing of slaundreing of defacing of condemning and of burning then against bookes of scripture matiers traÌ„slated or writen in the mother laÌ„guage against the autours of the same Until the Bible other good traitises for the explanacioÌ„ of the same wer in Christian regions turned set forth in the vulgare languages what kind of idolatry supersticioÌ„ poperie errour ignorance or counterfeict religion did not reigne As long as the candel light of the gospel was kepte hidden vnder the bushell what King what Prince what countrey what people did not the blind popish guides lede as one that is blindfolde may be led till both
approche nigh vnto the performaunce of Christes preceptes litle or nothing swarue from theyr marke This thing as we desire that it may appeare in all such as be gouernours of this worlde so most gracious Prince Ferdinando we greatly hope to se it in you whome we haue knowen from your childeage hitherto to haue been maruelously geueÌ„ to the readinge of the gospell for you were not wont whyle the priest is at seruice to spende your tyme either in supersticious kind of praiers eyther vnfruitfuliaÌ„gling as the moste parte of nobilite doth but to opeÌ„ the testameÌ„t reuerently to se what the epistle gospel of that day doeth instructe exhorte you to do Neyther do we doubt but that this example of your childage you haue muche encreased by encrease of age Neyther do we mystrust but that in tyme to come in euery place many other will folowe this your exaumple For like as an infeccion of vice taken at the example of men of estate doeth spedely crepe vnto many euen so the example of vertue if it haue his beginning of renoumed persons wil soone be well lyked of all men In what estimacion the worde of God was had in old time may euidently appere by those rites and ceremonies as yet be vsed in the churche lefte vnto vs of old antiquitie The boke is adorned truly with gold iuery precious stones reserued laied vp deuoutly emoÌ„gst the iewels It is not broughte foorth ne caried in without greate reuerence The gospeller desirethe licence of hym that doeth execute that he maye rede and pronounce it After that ther is caused an holy perfume by censing of frankincense of stacten the droppyng of mirrha of mirrha it selfe and of the powder of the herbe galbanum The forehead and brest hath the signe of the crosse made vpon them glorye is geuen to the lorde downe to the ground euery man ariseth and standeth bolte vpright the heades be barâ— the eares attentife the iyes full of reuerence At the name of Iesus as oft as it is mencioned the knees be bowed downe to the ground after all this with great reuerence he holdeth the boke before his brest and carieth it about euery man doeth kisse it and at the laste it is reuerently layd vp emongest the reliques What other thyng doeth these ceremonies meane or put vs in remembraunce of than that nothing ought of christian men to be more regarded more derely beloued more reuerently handled then that celestiall doctrine whiche Christ hath preached vnto all persones the whiche for so manye hundreth yeres ago the consent of the whole world hath allowed the whiche against this worlde and the prince therof maketh vs to preuaile but like as wurthely the vain and misordred deuocion of the Iewes is reproued whiche Iewes doe greate reuerence vnto the booke of their lawe the olde testamente in laying pure and cleane clothes vnder it knelyng downe to it and wurshipping it not once touchyng it but with cleane and vndefiled handes where as such thinges as their lawe doeth chiefly teache them they wickedly contemne and despyse so it is to be perceyued of vs that we be not as vndeuoute in keping and fulfylling the ghospel as we be supersticious and scrupulous obseruers of the rites and ceremonyes For what doeth it auayle to haue the booke adourned with Iuorye siluer golde and sylke if our lyuing bee polluted and infected with such vice as the ghospell doeth so straytely forbid if our soule bee decked with no vertue accordyng to the ghospell what can the booke auayle vs borne before our hert if the doctrine of it be not in our herte and mynde what seruice doeth the perfume and odour caused by censyng if that his doctrine bee contemned if our lyuyng haue a dayly pestilent sauer what the better be we to bowe downe our necke to the booke if our lustes obstinately and with stiffe neckes repine at his preceptes what doeth it profit and auayle vs to rise vp and to stand bare headed if al our whole life be suche that it declare openly that we despise the doctrine of the ghospell howe dare ye be so bolde as to kisse the boke that the ghospell is in the whiche beeyng subiect to lecherye to auaryce to ambicion to sensualitie and yre do defile and dishonest the admonicions of the ghospell howe dare he kysse the booke that teacheth nothyng but peace but mekenesse and charitie the whiche despysyng Christes doctrine is wholy consumed with enuie replenished with hatred boyleth in anger inflamed with desyre to be reuenged furious and madde against his neyghbour the whiche also so his mynde maye bee satisfied forceth not by wood battayle to set all the world by the eares together howe dare he be so impudente as to embrace and wurshippe this holye booke the whiche in all kinde of liuing and conuersacion is vtterly geuen and married vnto this worlde whiche as a mortall enemy the doctrine of the gospell doeth detestate and abhorre with cleane handes and verye reuerentlye we vse to touche the holy boke of the gospell and with filthy myndes doe we despise the preceptes of the gospel why doe we not rather lay theÌ„ to our hert why doe we not kisse them with mind and pure affeccion why do we not here boewe down our neckes Certain there be that hath hanging about their necke and cariethe about with them a part of S. Iohns gospell as a remedie againste diseases and suche other heuy misfortunes Why doe not we rather beare aboute with vs the doctrine of the gospell in our mynde the whiche maye remedy al disease of synne and vice I doe not discommend any ceremonies I doe not raile vpon the deuocion of the simple people but plainly â–ª thaÌ„ will thâ—se saied thinges profit vs if we put in practyse that thynge whiche the visible signes putteth vs in remembraunce of If we be true christien men that is to saye yf we vnfainedly professe the doctrine of the gospell let vs inwardlye in our myndes practise all suche thynges as in those signes is outwardly represented vnto vs. I haue heard saye that it is a fashion in some places that the prince shall al the ghospell tyme stande holdyng a naked sweard in his hand the rest laying their handes vpon the hyltes Howe shall he defende the ghospell with the swearde whose mynde doethe hate the gospell whiche is wholy affeccionate vnto the vanities of this worlde in whose opinion nothyng is lesse regarded then the excellente precious perle of the ghospell of whome nothynge is more hated then that whiche Christe taughte onely to be coueted He that pouleth the people that oppresseth the poore that by warre defaceth all both good and badde he that is the occasion of many folde calamities for whose vaine glorye so muche mannes bloudde is shedde dooeth he I saye drawe his swearde to defende Christes gospell withall let him first be made at one with the gospell lette him cutte awaye his vicious and naughtie appetites out
fel in the pit But whan and whersoeuer it hath pleased God by his special mercy grace prouideÌ„ce to shew open the light of the gospel and true doctrine there hath at once all popish troumperie euen of it selfe vanished away as a mist is dispersed with the heate of the sonne as smoke is consumed in the aier as duste is blowen and scattered abrode with a puffe of winde as the nyght geueth place to the bright day and as darkenes vanisheth at the clere light of the suÌ„ne Contrariewise where the worde of God can not yet geat any entrie to take place ne the bookes of holy Scripture obtein to be published to the people what iye doth not see and what Christian hert doth not lament and blede to consider in what blindnes supersticion errour vnquietnes of conscieÌ„ce and trouble of minde the sely people doe liue It is therfore no smal benefite that suche persons do to a common weale which are willingly trauaillers in this kind of writing For as for newe bookes of trifleing vanities and profane argumentes we nede none there are daily so many writen but to haue such weorkes made common to the publique vse of the vnlearned multitude as are the principal best haue ben written by noble Clerkes of vndoudted learning knowlage and godlines therin consisteth such a publique benefite as if I should not now be suspected demed to hunt for my selfe is in mine estimacion worthy publique thankes and regarde For as Erasmus in his third booke of Apothegmes aswel by a sapient aunswer of Socrates as also by two other preatie stories the one of Leonicenus and thother of William Warham late Archbishop of Cantorbury doeth declare muche more good and a much greater benefit to a common weale doeth such an one as translateth or composeth any fruiâ—tful booke or traictise which by going abrode throughout a whole Royalme may profit all pastours curates studentes al people vniuersally then any man is hable to do by preaching teaching or geuing instruccions to one coÌ„pany alone or in one place or countrey no mo though he should neuer so rightly neuer so diligeÌ„tly or neuer so cuÌ„ningly doe the same Now besides that such a translatour trauaileth not to hys own priuate commoditie but to the behoufe publique vse of his countrey besides that the thing is such as must so throughly occupie and possesse the dooer and must haue him so attent to apply that same exercise onely that he may not during that season take in hande any other trade of busines whereby to purchase his liuing besides that the thing cannot be doen without bestowing of long time great watchyng muche peines diligente studye no small charges aswell of meate drinke and bookes as also of other necessaâ—ies the labour selfe is of it selfe a more peinful and a more tedyous thyng then for a manne to wryte or prosecute any argumente of hys owne inuencion A man hath hys owne inuencion readie at his owne pleasure without lettes or stoppes to make suche discourse as his argument requireth but a translatour must of force in manier at euery other worde staigh and suspend both his cogitacioÌ„ and his penne to looke vpon his autour so that he might in egual time make thrise so muche as he caÌ„ be hable to translate But whether of both a man shal apply hymself to doe he can in the meane while dooe nothing els he cannot-duryng the season bestow himselfe on any other occupacioÌ„ for his liuing his necessities also charges in the meane time neuerthelesse dooe growe aswel as other mennes Wherof it cometh to passe that a noumbre of suche as would be right willing and diligent to dooe good in the commoÌ„ weale with this kinde of seruice yet through defaulte of necessarie maintenaunce cannot and certain that hath both liuing vacaunt time enough for as muche as they see the paines of this trauile so great the hyre nothing at al and the capciousnes of some maligners against the trueth so readie to depraue the diligent laboure of studious writers are for the moste parte of theÌ„ better contented according to the accustomed prouerbe to plaie for naught then to weorke for naught And by this meanes lye almoste all good bookes hidden from the people al disciplines vnknowen But thus hauing vnder the gracious sufferaunce correction of your Maiestie shewed my poore opinion I suâ—cesse any ferther to traict of this mater leste I myght seme to speake as myne owne frende whiche in dede I doo not in so muche that hauyng your Maiesties benigne fauoure therunto I mind and entende no lesse then al my life enduring either in wryting or translating to employe my simple talente according to the porcion whiche it hathe pleased almightie god to measure vnto me Albeit in this present weorke nothing it is that I doo or iustely maye take vnto me as mine acte sauing the translacion of the paraphrase vpon Luke and the digesting and placing of the text throughout all the ghospelles and the actes except the ghospel of Marke to th entent the vnlearned readers maye perceyue where how the processe circuÌ„staunce of the paraphrase aunswereth to the texte how it ioineth therwith Which my rude grosse doyng if it may please your highnesse for the respecte of my good wil and honest zele to pardone for as for thanke I confesse my selfe to haue worthily deserued none for so rude a thing your Maiestyes benigne gracious fauour shall be vnto me suche an encouraging spurre towardes ferther industrie that emoÌ„g the riche iewelles of other better learned mennes studies who haue abouÌ„daunce of treasoures to coÌ„ferre bestowe to the publâ—que edifiyng of the ignoraunt people I shall at no time be â—lacke euen of my penurie and scarcitie to bring my poore ferthing also to cast it into the coÌ„mon boxe of helpyng the ignorauÌ„t multytude towardes more knowelage of god For truly there is none so good so sure ne so ready a waye to plante the knowelage of God in mennes hertes to engraue in meÌ„ true loue obedience towardes their Princes and rewlers to rote vp idolatrie supersticioÌ„ out of meÌ„nes stomakes to bring the people in the good mind to detest abhorre al kinde of naughtines to bring al folkes to a perfeict securitie of coÌ„scieÌ„ce in Christes bloud to reduce the people to an vpright trade of Christian religion as to fede their gredie houngre and thirst of Christes righteousnes with the Bible with suche godly omilies and with this paraphrase and other like bokes of wholsom doctrine as your Maiesties zele and deuocioÌ„ towardes god hath alreadie moued you to do For of this yong and grene foundacion being yet very newly laied thus much good edifying hath already growen in all persons consciences that blasphemie periurie mourdre thefte whoordome making of affraies and other abhominacions are more detested then they were in the blinde worlde very late yeres gone which is a token
their owne poore honesties alleged a thing vnseming for bookes of holy scripture matiers For diuinitie like as it loueth no cloking but loueth to be simple and playn so doth it not refuse eloqueÌ„ce if the same come without iniurie or violacion of the truth For who writeth more ornately then the Greke diuines Basilius Gregorie Nazianzene Theophilactus Chrisostome or who in laten more elegauntly than Lactancius â–ª Hierome and diuers others Albeit in this English paraphrase the translatours haue of purpose studied rather to write a plain stile then to vse their elegaÌ„cie of speche partely because there caÌ„not in al pointes be expressed in the English tong the grace that is in the laten much lesse of my self I speake the plesauntnesse that is in the stile of Erasmus a man of moste excellâ—nt learnyng and exquisite eloquence in this kinde thoughe in dede not altogether a Ciceronian but yet feact pleasaunt swete elegaunt sensible partely because there was a special regarde to be had to the rude and vnlettred people who perchaunce through default of atteigning to the high stile should also thereby haue been defrauded of the profit and fruictâ— of vnderstanding the sence which thing that they might doe was the onely pourpose why it was first translated and now by the kinges most excellent Maiestie willed to be read For as for the learned are hable enough to helpe themselfes without any translacions at al. Neither are these translacions to be depraued because some reader would perhaps otherwise haue turned soÌ„e thinges then he shal here rede it For no two enterpreters there bee that in translating out of any one tong into an other would agree in al pointes of stile or enditing as best for this purpose it may appere by the auncient fathers of the Churche whose allegacions of places of holy Scripture moste commonly varie in wordes agree not but in sense And the same interpreter that would haue translated some part hereof better theÌ„ it now is would in some other poinctes perchaunce haue doen iâ— wurse Therefore euerie maÌ„ ientilly take and interprete an others labours beare with his infirmitie if not in consideracion of his studie trauail yet at lestewise for respect of his good zele godly entente to ferther knowlage If it come to the handes of suche as can and wil without disdeigne or arrogancie take his penne and emend any thing that his good and vncorrupt iudgement shal see mete to be corrected I suppose that besydes the rewarde of God the publique thankes of his countrey he shal also priuatly deserue and receiue immortal thaÌ„kes of the translatours whose desire is to haue it wel Neither do I suppose any to be of such mind that he would disdeigne or be greued to see his thing bettered as in this great weorke some thinges are in dede here there other wise penned then the firste translatours wrote it For thys is a common weorke of building to the which are hired many sondry men of occupacion and in case some man be making a doore a windoore or a frame though an other of the same occupacion put his hande to the bettering and perfeicting of it yet is not the so dooyng any displeasure nor cause of grutche to the other but rather a beautifiyng of his dooing â–ª a cause of rendreing thankes to the partie that of good wille and zele without presumpcion did put hys helping hande to a good purpose And sembleably in this commoÌ„ weorke of the gospels vineyarde for asmuch as euery labourer hath his iye directed to the onely marke of setting foorthe the glory of God and hys moste holy worde no man meaneth any rebuke or derogacion to his felow whan he emendeth something that was to be refourmed or altered but rather semeth to craue the like help of the other agayn in his owne doinges because it is euident that any man can ferther see and can be a more indifferent iudge in an other mannes doinges then he can be in his owne Geuing therfore firste laude prayse and thankes to God for all his giftes and than to our moste excellent king Edwarde the sixth for so gracious accepting fauouring and mainteining honest and godly studies leat euery man employ his good talentes that God hath geuen him to the publique vse of seruing and profâ—ting his countrey to the common edifying eche of other in Iesus Christe our Lorde to whom together with the father and with the holy ghoste be all honour laude and glorye worlde without ende Amen To the moste vertuous Ladie Quene Katerine late wife to the moste noble and moste victorious king Henry the eight of most famous memorie Nicolas Udal your moste humble seruaunt wisheth health grace and consolacion in our Lorde Iesus Christe euerlastyng WHere your excellent highnesse moste gracious Quene Katerine senâ—e the time of your firste calling to the estate and dignitie of espousal mariage with the moste noble prince that euer reigned King Henry the eight hath neuer ceassed by all possible meanes that in you might lie to minde to auaunâ—e and to encrease the publique commoditie and benefit of this common weale of Englande I finde on euery side so great â–ª and the same so worthy matier of gratulacion and thankes geuyng vnto God that I cannot tell on whose parte fyrste to commence and begynne the same whether on your owne behalfe whome God of his goodnesse did for your singuler and thesame most notable vertues without any your expectacion or hope soodainly putte in Kyng Henries mynde to chose call and auaunce to the dignitie and estate of a Quene or on kyng Henries partie whose good happe it was so aptly to choose suche an one as shoulde afterwarde bee a feithfull and continuall coadiutrice vnto hym in all hys moste deuoute and godly procedinges concerning the knoweleage of God and his woorde to bee sette foorth to the people or els for Englandes cause to whose publique benefite and edifying in true religyoâ— all these your vncâ—assaunte peynes and trauayles doe finally redounde Leauyng therefore the prosecucion of so large a mattier as neither my slendre witte can wel contryue nor my rude penne is hable to wielde I shall at thys presente onely thanke God in you you in God for causing these Paraphrases of Desiderius Erasmus of Roterodame vpon the newe testament to be translated into Engilshe for the vse and commoditie of such people as with an earnest zeale and with deuout study doe houngre and thirst the simple and playne knowlage of Goddes worde not for contencious bableing but for innocent liuing not to be curious searchers of the high misteries but to be feithfull executours and doers of Goddes biddinges not to bee troubleous talkers of the Byble but syncere folowers of Goddes preceptes therein conteined not to bee vnreuerent reasonâ—rs in holy scriptue for vain setting out of theâ—r peincted sheathe but to bee humble and lowly weorkers of Goddes glorie not to bee curyous dysputers in the
and true felicite Naye rather the more earnestly they laboured to cum vnto innocencie and felicitie as long as they trusted to mannes help strength the more they wer intangled with vice and filthy desyres Therfore yf the Iewes whom it behoued chiefly to accept and imbrace the thing that is offered vnto them beyng so often promysed and so longe loked for yf they alone neglect so greate godnes whiche is frely offered to all men and yf they had rather alone to lacke it than to haue it common with others they can impute their destruccion to nothyng but to theyr owne incredulitie and vnbelefe The sayinges and prophecies of the holy Prophetes prophecied these thynges chiefely for them They sawe Christe with their iyes workyng miracles they heard with theyr eares the doctrine of the gospell The kyngdome of heauen was preached first to them But trulye whosoeuer are wearye of theyr former lyfe as many as loue true innocencie and godly lyuyng whosoeuer desyreth true perfect and euerlastyng felicitie let them receyue this gospel this pleasaunte and mery tydinges with mery and cherefull hertes whether they be Grekes or Iewes or Romains or Scithians or Gallians or Britans Lyke as God is not only God of the Iewes but indifferently God ouer all and common to all lyke as there is one sunne whiche is common to the whole worlde so Iesus Christe the sonne of God came to saue all menne dyed for all arose agayne for all ascended into heauen for all and sente his holy spirite to all refusyng none neyther for diuersitie of stocke or of age or of kinde or of state or of lyfe Al the sinnes of the former life be drowned once by his death in holy baptisme And those sinnes be not imputed be they neuer so greuous for the cleansyng of whiche that blessed innocent once dyed so that the reste of the life be passed ouer after the rule of Christ that is to saye after the doctrine of the ghospell from the tyme of baptisme a man is iudged or taken to be a christian to the perfourmaunce of the whiche so high a profession he will graunt his fre succour and ayde and will graunte also plentifull rewarde to them that do perseuer vnto th ende He requireth of no man the burden of Moses lawe onelye he requyreth lyuely fayth the whiche maye redily beleue whatsoeuer is shewed and with a sure truste looke for that whiche is promysed The eternall veritie doethe not deceyue God the promiser disapointeth not Further mans lawe shall not nowe prescribe what is to be doen but Christian charitie shall playnly tell The booke of the generacion of Iesus Christe the sonne of Dauid the sonne of Abraham Abraham begat Isaac Isaac begat Iacob Iacob begat Iudas and hys brethren And hytherto we haue trulye delyuered vnto you the ghospell by mouthe and haue made all men partetakers of those thynges whiche we haue seene with our iyes and hearde with our eares Nowe because there is daunger this thyng beyng spred abrode daylye more and more leste the tellyng of it passyng by many mennes mouthes maye varye or elles leste the tale tolde by mouthe be not so well beleued as whan it is written in a booke and furthermore to thintent that the thyng that is written maye the more easily cum vnto all men than the voyce of the mouthe we shall comprise in this booke the summe of the whole matter so muche as shall be sufficient to the obteynynge of saluacion as the natiuite the doctrine the miracles the deathe and the resurreccion And fyrste of all we shall recite the geneologie and peâ—igree of Iesus Christe takyng oure begynnyng not from the highe heade but from Dauid and Abraham eyther for because the memorye of these twoo is verye ryfe and common and verye acceptable among the Iewes for theyr glorye is chiefly of Ahraham as of the autour and beginner of theyr nacion and Dauid the kynge beeynge so muche praysed by the commendacion of God styeketh the more in theyr myndes because the memorie of hym is yet but freshe and newe or elles because Christe whiche was looked for so many yeares was promysed chyefly vnto these twoo and that in the bookes and oracles of the Hebrues to whome euen those that be directly agaynste Christe gaue great credyt For in the boke of Genesis God speakethe vnto Abraham promysyng that in tyme to come there shoulde sprynge one out of hys stocke through whose free benefit not onely the nacion of the Iewes but also all the people of the whole worlde beyng receyued into the ryght and title and loue of chyldren shoulde obteine wyth Christe the felowshyppe of the kyngdome of heauen not by circumcision whych was not as than setforth but by the faythe of the gospel For thus saythe God vnto Abraham In thy seed that is to saye in Iesus Christe all nacions shall be blessed Further Dauid in the misticall psalmes speaketh thus Of the fruite of thy wombe shall I set vpon thy seat And this shall we doe chiefly because of the Iewes leste they beyng a rebellious nacion and harde of beliefe knowyng by the authoritie of prophecies whiche they sufficiently beleue that Messias whiche shoulde come was promysed maye make cauillacions and saye that there is an other sauioure to be loked for and that this is not he whome the scriptures promysed For many of them because their mindes be blinded wyth desires of worldly thynges not takyng aryght the sayinges of the Prophetes suche was theyr carnall and grosse affeccion loked for some myghtye and glorious kynge who being valiaunt with armes or hostes weapon riches and suche other defences of this worlde shoulde promote hys people to ryches honour and emperie and shoulde subdue the whole worlde to the dominion of the Hebrues But Christ althoughe he be lorde ouer all came not into the worlde to the entent to enryche wyth worldlye gooddes one nacion of the whyche he was borne as touchyng hys body that he toke but to the intente to auaunce all the nacions of the whole worlde vnto true ryches that neuer shoulde decay and to make them blessed euerlastingly wyth heauenly ryches to ouercum the tyranny of deathe by sufferyng and diyng to subdue enemies by gentill deseruinges to kill the monsters of vice and the rebellious prouocacions of concupiscence by the sweard of the spirite and they beyng once ouercum that fighte agaynst the spirite of God to geue vs of his own righteousnesse innocencie Finally by spiritual weapons to winne vnto vs a spirituall kingdome But these Iewes cannot haue hereafter anything to saye whan they shall see all thynges to consent and agre vnto hym whome we knowe to be come and constauntly preache thesame whyche thynges the holy prophetes inspired with the heauenly spirite had prophecied with a full consent and agremente so long before in holye bookes that is to saye the stocke the familie the manner of byrthe the lyfe the doctrine the myracles the affliccions the rebukes the
enlarge it being brought into narrowe roume and finally establishe it againe beyng vnstable and at no sure staye These thinges wryte I moste christian prince of a pure zele and good mynde neyther reprehending any man sence I beare all men my good wyll neyther flatteryng with any or corying fauoure because I seke naught at no mannes handes Almightie God graunt your highnesse well to fare Yeuen the first of Decembre in the yere of our lorde M. CCCCC.xxiii ¶ The lyfe of S. Marke written by S. Hierome MArke the disciple and interpreter of Peter beyng desired of the brethren at Rome wrote a shorte ghospell accordyng as he hearde Peter preache shew euery thing by mouth The whiche ghospell the same Peter after he had heard it dyd allow and publishe by his authoritie because it should be red of the congregacion as recordeth Clement in the sixt boke of his worke entitled Dispositiones Of this Marke Papias also bishop of Hierusalem maketh mencion And Peter in his first Epistle where vnder the name of Babylon by a figuratiue manour of speakyng he vnderstandeth Rome hath these wordes The congregacion of them which at Babylon are companions of your eleccion saluteth you and so doth Marke my sonne Wherfore he toke the ghospell that hymselfe had written and went into Egipt and first of all men preached Christ at AlexaÌ„dria where he ordeyned a churche or congregacion of suche pure doctrine and perfite lyâ—ing that he made all that professed Christ to folowe his exaÌ„ple To be shorte Philo the eloquentest wryter of the Iewes perceyuyng the first congregacion of Alexandria yet to perseuer in the Iewishe religioÌ„ wrote a boke of their conuersacion as it were in the praise of his nacion And as Luke sheweth how all thinges were common among the beleuers at hierusalem so dyd he put in wryting all that euer he sawe done at Alexandria during the tyme that Marke there taught and preached He dyed in the eyght yere of Neros reigne and was buried at Alexandria in whose place succeded Anianus The Paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the Gospell of Sainct Marke The first Chapter IT is naturallye gyuen to all men to desyre felicitie This felicitie many worldly men right politique and wyse as touchyng a certain kynde of wisdome haue hitherto promised some by suche lawes as they haue made and written other some by rules and preceptes that they haue giuen to teache men how to leade a vertuouse and a godlye life But for as much as they were meÌ„ne they were not able to perfourme their promise For they neyther wiâ—t themselfes what was the true perfyte felicitie of man nor wherein it stoode And for this cause it came to passe that in stede of true felicitie they embraced a certain deceyuable image or shadowe therof and infected other with their errour beyng bothe deceyued them selfes and deceyuers Therfore bothe the lawe makers and philosophiers brought vs a certaine gospell of their owne inuencion but suche a one as was partely false and deceyuable and partly werishe and of no efficacie Moyses and the Prophetes wrote a more certain and piththie gospell than they but to one nacion alone and as that tyme required wrapped with figures and shadowes disposing men onely to the knowleage of veritie but vnsufficient to giue perfite saluacion neuerthelesse sumwhat promoting therunto wherin goddes wisdome resembleth nature whiche bringeth vs and as a maÌ„ would say leadeth vs by the hande from the knowleage of thynges that are vndre our corporall sight vnto the knowleage of thinges inuisible And yet theyr gospell conteineth in it more feare then glad and ioyful promise and hath muche more bewrayed the wickednes of man than taken away the same rather beaten into mennes myndes goddes might and power than set out his mercie and goodnesse caused more rather dreade then emplanted loue For what could man do but feare tremble and despayre after he had learned by the law that he was alwayes in bondage and subieccion of sinne and not able to refrayne therfro and also did knowe how no manne coulde escape the iudgement of God a very rigorous sore auenger of synne and vngodlinesse Who is he that can finde in his harte to loue hym whome he feareth Now the dreade of goddes iustice although it be many tymes the beginning of saluacion euen as a bitter medicine that vexeth the whole bodie of manne is the entrey to health yet is it not the thyng whiche maketh man to haue perfite felicitie The grace and beneficiall goodnes of God causeth man to loue God and loue to godward is the thing that auaâ—â—ceth hym to happie state and felicitie Therfore after the whole worlde was sumwhat prepared as wel by the prophecies and foresayinges of the prophetes as by the commaundementes and figures of Moyses in these laste dayes was opened and preached vnto the same that verye ioyefull gospell that all meÌ„ne ought to embrace and most louingly to receyue whiche of the owne accorde or without any deseruyng on mans behalfe bringeth not onely to the Iewes but also to all nacions of the worlde remission of all sinnes And lest haply any manne put doubtes in the certaintie of this promise it is God that maketh it and no manne neyther is his ambassadour Moyses or anye of the Prophetes but the verye sonne of God hymselfe Iesus Christe who for oure saluacion came downe from heauen toke vpon him our corruptible fleshe to thintent that he beyng giltlesse and without all synne might by hys passion and death freely geue innocencie and lyfe to all that beleue his promyses and put theyr whole affiaunce in hym For God who is of his own proper nature gracious and beneficial would by this meanes shewe that excedyng great and inestimable kindnesse that he bare towardes maÌ„kynde which was so great that greater can neyther be desyred ne ought to be loked for He could not sende a more honorable messenger than his owne onely begotten sonne nor shewe more kyndnesse than through faythe onely freely to release all mennes offenses were they neuer so many neuer so great and heynous yea and ouer this through his holy spirite chose those that were before slaues and bondmen of the diuell to be felowes with his soonne by whome he hath geuen vs al thinges both in heauen and in earth And bycause nothyng could be more ioyfull then this message or tydinges it is by right good skyll called of the Grekes Euangelion that is asmuche to saye in Englishe as glad and ioyfull tydynges to comfort you that you should no more feare the yoke and burthen of Moyses lawe ¶ The beginning of the ghospell of Iesu Christe the sonne of God as it is written in the Prophetes Beholde I sende my messenger before thy face whiche shall prepare thy waye before the. The voyce of a crier in the wildernesse prepare ye the waye of the Lorde and make his pathes streight Iohn did baptise in the wildernesse and preached the baptisme of repentaunce for the
reliue which of them all shall chalenge her for his wyfe for in her lyfe tyme she was like wyse maryed vnto them all seuen The Saducies thought they woulde by thyncoÌ„uenience that they inferred of this case make the resurreccion of the dead to apeare a very fonde thyng and disagreable to reason specyally yt there shoulde then ryse strife and debate among the brethren for the wyfe whiche was common vnto them all Iesus grutched not to teache those grosse felowes saying Doethe not thys question playnly declare that you be in a wrong belefe and altogether out of the waye for asmuche as ye neyther vnderstand the Scriptures nor yet perceiue the power of almighty God The Scripture is spirituall God who made manne of naught canne rayse hym agayne at his pleasure from death to lyfe He wyll not onely make the deade aliue agayne but also rewarde them with lyfe euerlastyng Nowe wedlocke was inuented among menne for this purpose because the thyng I meane mankynde whiche of it selfe and owne propre nature contyneweth not for euer myght by procreacion and encreasyng of the worlde be multiplied preserued and contynued But whereas menne neyther dye nor be borne after the common course of the world what nedeth there any matrimonye For after the resurrection of the dead neyther shall any manne mary nor any manne geue his daughter in maryage to an other but as the angels of god in heauen because there is among them no mortalitie knowe not the vse of matrimony so shall they that shall be relyued in the generall resurreccion be made lyke vnto the aungells theyr bodies beynge all spyrytuall and immortal Furthermore why do you thinke it disagreable to reason to beleue that the dead shall aryse agayne Haue ye not redde in holy scripture the auctoritie wherof is counted among you holy and inuiolable what god sayed when he spake vnto Moyses out of the bushe I am saied he the god of Abraham the god of Isaac and the god of Iacob they were then dead and yet doth he call himselfe theyr god Therfore euen the dead do verily lyue because their soules remayne styll aliue And if it be so that theyr sowles remayne what great maystrye is it then for God to call them agayne into theyr olde bodyes wherein they dwelt before But yf the dead be vtterly perished so that nether bodye nor soule remayneth alyue then standeth it not with reason that he is called the God of the deade As no man glorieth that he is a king of those that are not so is God the God of the liuyng and not of the deade Wherefore you Saduceis are farre deceiued imagyning that there shall be nothying in the lyfe to cum otherwise then you see in this present life Those thinges no doubt haue a more true and blessed beyng whiche are not vnder mans corporall light then those whiche are seene with bodelye iyes There is nothyng that more truly is then god and yet he is not seene but felte or perceyued ¶ And when there came one of the Scrybes and hearde them disputyng together and perceyued that he had aunswered theâ— well he asked hym whiche is the fyrste of all the commaundementes Iesus answered hym The fyrste of all the commaundementes is Beare O Israell The Lorde oure God is lorde onely and thou shalte loue the lorde thy God with all thy hatte and wyth all the soule and with all thy mynde and with all thy strength This is the fyrste commaundement And the second is like vnto this Thou shalte loue thy neybour as thy self There is none other commaundement greater then these And the Scribe sayde vnto hyme well Mayster thou haste sayde the trueth for there is one God and there is none â—ut he And is loue hym with all the harte and with all the mynde and with all the soule and with all the strength and to loue a mannes neyghbour as hym selfe is a greater thynge then all burnte offerynges and sacryfices And when Iesus sawe that he answered discretely he sayde vnto hym Thou art not ferre from the kyngdome of God And no man after that durst aske hym any question Yet for all this these wicked felowes made not an ende to teÌ„pte Christ. After the Saduceis came the Pharyseis and the Scrybes who were encouraged to take hym in hand because he hit the Saduceis in the teethe with ignorauÌ„ce of the law For the Scribes and the Phariseis auaunt themselfes more then other for the great knowledge they pretende to haue in the same and dissenting in opinion from the Saduceis do beleue there are angles and spirites and that mens soules remayne aliue after the bodyes be dead and finally that the dead shall ryse agayne These felowes beyng right glad that the Saduceis were put to a foyle blancked and that Iesus had aunswered to their mindes dyd lyke learned men propoune and putte forthe vnto hym by one of the scribes set vp for the nones to playe this parte a notable question out of the moste inward misteries of the law They asked hym what was the chief and greatest commaundement in the whole lawe Iesus straightwayes answered them out of the boke entyled Deuteronomium where as it is written on this wyse Heare O Israell the lorde thy God is one god and thou shalt loue the lorde thy God with all thy harte and with all thy soule and with all thy mynde and with all thy strength This is the chiefe and greatest commaundement next vnto this is that that foloweth Thou shalt loue thy neyboure none otherwise then thyselfe There is no other commaundement greater then these two because they comprise the summe and effect of the whole law WheÌ„ the Scribe heard him saye so he sayde againe Thou hast wel truly answered how there is one God and none other but he and that to loue him with all the harte and with all the vnderstandyng and with all the soule and with all the strength is a thing whiche passeth all burnt offrynges and other sacrifices Iesus perceyuyng that he had ryght discretly aunswered sayd vnto him Thou arte not far from the kyngdom of God For the euangelyke godlynes standeth not in sacrifices of beastes but in cleannes of spirite He is not farre from this meaning whoso preferreth that commaundement whiche is spirituall simple or plaine before all other preceptes whiche be rather figures and tokens of true godlines then the thyng selfe But the coÌ„mon sorte of the Iewes beleue verely that the chiefest parte of vertue and godly lyuing standeth in visible thinges as in washinges in kepyng of the sabboth daye in choyce of meates in offred giftes in sacrifices in holy dayes in fastinges and in long prayers Whoso with all his harte loueth god for gods self the whiche can neuer be loued enoughe and his neybour for goddes sake thesame hath made sufficient sacrifice After that Iesu had thus with his wisdome euery where confouÌ„ded and ouercum them that ceassed they to
vse not to lye it hath been reporâ—ed vnto me as well that Charles the Emperour in case any vacaÌ„t tyme of leysure maye in so great vnquietnesse and troubleous state of the worlde bee gotten doeth gladly bestowe thesame in readyng the ghospell boke as also the moste renoumed Prince Ferdinando brother to thesame Charles muche and often to haue in his handes the Paraphrase vpon the ghospell of Saincte Iohn whiche not very long agon I dedicated vnto hym yea and furthermore that the right noble kyng of Denmarke Christieâ—e which thing maye to your highnes also be well knowen hath bokes of christian religion often tymes in his handes and that he with greate desyrefulnesse vseth to reade my paraphrase vpon the ghospel of Matthew Why than shoulde the ghospel seme to be vnaptly sent vnto those whiche are handlers and louers of the ghospel whiche ghospell certes is to be had and vsed in the haÌ„des of all persones as many as remembre and thinke themselfes to be Christyans Nowe although after the rate of worldely dealyng suche a thyng is moste chiefely to bee geuen as the partie hath nede of to whom it is sent yet after the rule of the ghospell whoso hath already to hym muste nedes be geuen that he may haue plentie Wherfore me thought I should do but as myght best stande with congruence to sende this Euangelical physicion vnto your highnesse for asmuche as thesame is so farre from disdainyng holy scriptures that as your owne writinges dooe testifye ye haue aboue the meane rate profited in the same so that yf a man geue vnto your grace any thing to holy scripture apperteinyng he shall not seme so muche to geue a gifte as to make amendes and recompence for a pleasure receyued Moreouer if this be a thyng specially aboue others in all haste prouided for that in the kinges Emperours courtes there may from tyme to tyme be physicions ready and prest at hande beyng men exactly learned and of approued fidelitie to take charge that the princes be dye be preserued and kept in health howe muche more doeth it stande with congruence that Luke the physicion should there be reslaunte who doeth not with scammony or ellebour preserue the healthful state of the body but doth with an heauenly pocion deliuer the soule froÌ„ diseases that violently hale men to death euerlastyng that is to were that vnknowyng of the truthe mistrustfulnesse vnbelefe towardes God the loue of this worlde ambicion auarice riottous excesse hatred enuye and suche others For these diseases is all the life of mortall men subiect vnto dayly in daunger of falling into them as Iohn thapostle sayeth where he bewayleth that all the whole worlde is set in naughtinesse neyther any thing els to reigne therin but coÌ„cupiscence of the flesh concupiscence of the iyes pryde of the lyfe And in so muche the more peril and hasard of the said diseases do the princes stand as they are more then others made wantons derelynges of fortune and haue lybertie withoute checke or controllemente to fullfyll their owne sensuall lustes and appetites But nowe me seemeth I shall not spende my labour in vayne but to good purpose if I shal in a fewe wordes commend and sette Foorth vnto your highnesse first Luke himself being the physicioÌ„ and then the pocioÌ„ or medicine that he bringeth with hym albeit I put no doubtes but that as well the one as the other is already as in dede they ought to be vnto your godly ze'e and deuocion in most best wyse accepted Forsoth this same is that excellent man Luke an Antiochian by the couÌ„trey nacion that he was borne in And Antioche is a citie whiche was in old tyme of so great fame and power that so muche parte of al the countrey of Syria as reacheth vnto Cicilie butteth vpoÌ„ it had the name geuen it thereof And the sayed Antioche was in this behalf more happie and fortunate then verye Rome it self that Peter the apostle had his first see here in this citie of Antioche and that Paule and Barnabas dyd in the same citie receiue their dignitie of the charge and funccioÌ„ Apostolical Now to our present purpose this Luke was of familiar acquaintaunce and comiersacion with all the Apostles but most specially a folower and disciple of Paule and also a companion of his in all his peregrinacioÌ„ neuer separated nor deuided from his coumpany By linyng in coumpany with the Apostles he wrote his ghospell and by the thynges whiche Paule wrought and did Luke beyng a presente witnesse of theim he wrote the booke whiche he entytled the actes of the apostles And that hystorie of the Actes he continued vntill the second yere of Paul abydyng at Rome that is to say vntill the fowerth yere of Nero the Emperour there Wherof men gather a consecture that the boke was writteÌ„ in the same citie and fully agreed it is amonge the learned men that this same verye Luke it is of whom Paul the Apostle doeth so often tymes make mencion as for eâ—aumple in his second epistle to the Corinthians where he thus saith We haue seÌ„t with him our brother whose lande is in the gospel throughout all the congregacions Again where he writeth to the CollosstaÌ„s he sayth dere Lukes the physicion greteth you And agayne in the secound epystle to Timothe For Demas hath forsaken me louing this preseÌ„t world is departed vnto Thessalonica Crescens is gone into Galacia Titus into Dalmacia onely Lukas is with me Yea and this point moreouer is leaft to vs by auncyent writers that as often as Paul calleth it by the name of his gospell as he doeth to Timothe where he saieth Remembre that Iesus Christ of the seede of Dauid arose again from death accordyng to my gospell c. he â—â—neth of the ghospel of Luke because that like as Marke wrote the history of the gospell at Peters woorde by his settying on so dyd Luke at the word and biddyng of Paule Hierome is of the opinion and iudgement that Luke was more expert in the greke tongue then the other were and by reasoasoÌ„ therof wrote the discourse and processe of the story after a more eâ—act and gromidely sortâ— then the others dyd that is to were takyng his entraunce at the first concepcion of Iohn the Baptist and makyng relacion of verye muche maâ—ter touchyng the natiuitie and concernyng the babehoode â—ea and certayne poyntes furthermore concernyng the childhood of Iesus making also rehersall of many parables and miracles whiche the other euaÌ„gelistes for loue of briefnes had let passe he any thing spoken of And where â—s not one of all the others went any whâ—t ferther then the tyme of the Lorde Iesus beyng assumpted into heauen this man alone did in an other seconde boke make a further continuacioÌ„ of the story concerning the churche howe it first sprang vp and how it grewe more and more to sprede and shew it self Thus muche moreouer the wryters affyrme
whiche the ghospell teacheth then whiche the Paradoxes that is to saie the straunge opinions of the philosophiers dooe teache And the sayd philosophiers doctryne not one of the princes did euer make anye a dooe to destroye or suppresse and yet of it owne accorde it vanyshed awaye lyke as did also theyr lawes and the arte magicall and the rites of sacryfices For what creature dooeth at this daye sacrifyce vnto the Gods of the Heathen or slaygheth beastes in sacrifice as the Iewes did What persone dooeth now knowe of Zoroastes What man setteth an heare by the misticall riddels of Pythagoras Who readeth the lyfe of Apollonius Tyaneus any otherwyse then as a certayne dreame Yea or rather who vouchesalueth to reade it at al For where Aristotell is at these dayes of greate name and fame in the scholes leat hym neuer thanke his owne fâ—cte therefore but the Christians For euen he had perished too yf there had not been made a medley of Christe and hym together in our schooles of diuinitie Against the philosophie Euangelical beeyng yet but tendre and euen but newly spryngyng vp the worlde arose at the first chop with all his force and power by meane of the Iewes vnder the pretexte and coulour of religion fightyng agaynst the fountaine of all religion by meane of the philosophiers beeyng hable muche to doe in all kyndes of â—earnyng by meane of the Sophisters beyng felowes vnpossible to bee ouercoÌ„med in stiffenesse of holdyng argumentacions by meane of the rhetoricians beyng meruaylous in the force of eloquence by the tyrannes beeyng armed with all sortes of shewyng crueltie by meane of kynges lieutenauntes magistrates by suche as were cunnynng in magike and sorcerie and perfecte in the sleyght of castyng mystes ouer mennes iyes and other senses and by meane of eiuyll spirites beeyng the lordes of this worlde All suche tumultuous buisynesse as these as a sea of eiuils swellyng vp and ouerflowyng dydde the power of the trueth Euangelicall receiue endure breake throughe and vtterly ouercome For at the lighte of the ghospell whan it came it was reason that all counterfaictes of worldly power should clene vanishe a waye Up shot that same ghospell and shewed it selfe beeyng plaine and lowe whiche all men wâ—â— great a doe endeuoured to ouertrede and kepe downe The bokes of suche persones as with singular high witte with woondrefull learnyng and with exquisite eloquence wrote agaynst the ghospel vanished awaye of theyr owne accorde as it had been certayne dreames insomuche that they are not at this day remaynyng to bee had neyther excepte if any fragmentes or small pieces haue been saued of the Christians by reason of wrytyng agaynst them in confuting them The kynges and princes dooe nowe bough downe to honoure the thyng which to fore they weÌ„t about to destroie the power of magike is vanished awai and gone the euill spirites are cast out that they howle and rore agayn philosophie hath confessed her ignoraunce and geuyng ouer the foolishe wisedome of the world it hath enbraced the wysedome of the crosse the rethoricians write oracions in the prayse of Iesus Christ the poetes do hisse the olde goddes out of place and in the lieu and place of Goddes innumerable all their song and composyng is nowe of Iesus Christe alone Thissame so great a chaunge of the world begoonne within a fewe yeares after Christ was putte to death to be made generall and common through al the whole worlde and withoute any maintenaunce or supportacion of maÌ„ it encreaced from tyme to tyme still more and more vntyll the piece of leauen beeyng miengled in three peâ—kes of meale did â–ª â—auen and turne al the whole batche and vntill the graine of mustard seed beeyng digged into the yearth did ferre and wyde spleygh his boughes abrode ouer Asia ouer Afrike and Europe And ouer and besydes all this those persones who layed theyr battrey agaynst the trueth Euangelical to cast it â—owne and to destroye it not onely had diuerse and sondry kyndes of terroures wherwith euen very manly stomakes also might haue been quayled that is to weâ—e open coÌ„maundementes by proclamacion consistories places of iudgemente forfaityng of al theyr goodes to the princes attaindres and depriuacions banishementes priesons tormentes of burnyng plates scourgyng with â—oddis axes wherwith to choppe of theyr heades ieobettes fiers to burne them wylde beastes to cast them to that thei might be deuoured deathes but also they had diuerse and soondrye allurementes wherewith an herte though it wer right coÌ„tinent might bee corrupted Ceasar would saye to some one of them Rencague thou and forsake Christ and be thou the chiefe emong all my piers and except thou so do all thy gooddes shall be forfayte to my behoufe I wyll shewe all extremitie of rigour towarde thy wyfe and children and thyselfe for thyne own part shalt bee cast to wylde beastes in a denne Who did in suche cases as these perswade so many thousandes and bryng them in mynde with reioycyng to take it whan theyr promocions and dignities were taken from them whan theyr gooddes were spoyled that whan they sawe those parties haled with all violence to huige tormentes and execucion of death who nexte after God were moste derely beloued vnto them they should geue thankes to God and finally that themselues whan they might easly haue escaped and whan they might haue enioyed suche high commodities should of theyr owne voluntary wylles offâ—e themselues to bee cruelly martyred No power of humayne eloquence could this haue dooen but the godlye power of the trueth was hable whiche laye hidden in the graine of mustardsede Neither did the philosophiers doctrine lacke alluremente The Stoykes promised libertie and fredome true rychesse health reigne other thynges magnificent and royall to be spoken The Epicureans made highe woordes and promises of pleasure to the cares of men The Peripatetikes dyd couple the good giftes of the bodye with vertue But the doctrine of the ghospell as it did not drawe any body vnto it with any worldly terrours so on the contrary parte how feâ—re was it from hauyng any thyng commendable in outwarde shewe to see to naye rather howe many thynges did it conteine vttrely vncredible It telleth newes of one Iesus nailled on the crosse who had by his death deliuered mankynde and this Iesus to be bothe god and man borne of a virgin and one that had returned agayne from death to life and was nowe sitting at the right hande of God the father and thesame Iesus to had been a man that had taught suche persones to bee in blissed case as for the profession of his name did mourne and warle did suffre thirst or hungre were put to affliccion wer euill spoken of or were putte to death and that all men shall in time to come arise to life agayn and that the godly sorte at that daye thesame veray Iesus beeyng their iudge shall haue immortalitie to their lotte the wicked shall haue the peines of hell for euer without
of the ghospell a famouse name is requisite not for that suche an one ought to seke glory emong men but for that an honest opinion of the teacher doeth purchase vnto the same bothe credite and authoritie But the sayed honest opinion as it is not to be desired so is it not by all maner waies to be acquired and gotten Let a teacher of the ghospell accordyng to the exaumple of Iesus so lyue that whereas he maketh no vauntâ—e voste of hymselfe he may yet neuerthelesse be aduaunced by the testimonie of the heauenly father by the power and vertue of the holy ghoste and by the voyce of Ihon that is to saye of euery honest and good man in whom the grace of God resteth let hym so lyue that he maye through the perfeccion of his liuyng and behaue our turne the iyes of all folkes vpon hym And to bee short let hym be of suche feith and constaunt affiaunce in God that yf the case should so require he may glorifie God euen with shewyng myracles too howbeit as the worlde nowe is it is a miracle great great enough if suche an one neyther with richesse neyther with sensual pleasures nor with worldly promocion ne with dreadfull offering of tormentes ne with the feare of death it selfe will not any whit at all be turned from the purenesse of the veritie euaÌ„gelicall Nowe emong the Iewes it was a custome that often seasons but moste specially on the Sabooth daies the people assembled together into the temple or into theyr Synagoges to th entent that the tyme of restyng which the lawe enioyned them from all filthie secular workes should not be spenâ—e on dycing and cardyng on harlottes on banquettyng and reuelyng on chydyng and brallyng and other veray naughtie vices but to be bestowed about thynges perteynyng to the soule And in the saied temple or Synagoges there was talking of one with an other not concernyng triflyng matters of the worlde but about the lawe of the Lorde about Messias to come who was with moste ardent prayers looked for of all good and godly folkes And what euery man could he conferred and declared amonges all the presence of what state or degree soeuer he were And whosoeuer made any countenaunce that he had what to teache vnto the people there was deliuered vnto hym a booke of the lawe of God wherhence it is the parte duetie of a teacher of the ghospell to fette out wherwith to fede the soules of the people and not out of the dreames of men And whatsoeuer thyng was in this place and audience done coulde not be priuie or hidden because there stocked thither a great multitude of all sortes and degrees of people Iesus therfore willyng his doctryne to be knowen vnto all creatures as he walked throughout the cities of Galile he vsed accordyng to the lawdable custome of the Iewes to come into their Synagoges shewyng furth euery where thesame wonderfull and piththie doctryne of the kyngdome of heauen beyng of so muche more power and force then the doctryne of the Phariseis who preached naught but the vtter rynde of the lawe and the constitucioÌ„s of menne as wyne is stronger of herre and operacion then water Neyther dyd there lacke emong the people of Galile some mindes apt desirous to learne whiche marueiled at this newe kynde of doctryne and whiche dyd reuerence the wonderfull teacher therof highly praysyng and manifying hym And he came to Nazareth where he was nourced and as his custome was he went in to the Synagoge on the Sabboth daye and stode vp for to reade And there was deliuered vnto him the booke of the Prophete Esai And whâ— he had opened the booke he found the place where it was written The spirite of the Lord vpon me because he hath enointed me to preache the ghospell to the people he hath sent me to heale the broken herted to preache deliueraunce to the captyue and sight to the blynde freely to sette at libertie them that are bruised and to preache the acceptable yere of the Lorde And he closed the booke and gaue it agayne to the minister and sate downe And hitherto verayly the ghospelles cause dyd sufficiently well procede vntyll he came to his kynsfolke and to the knowelage of his familiar frendes and acquaintaunce becauâ—â— we should vnderstande that he whiche teacheth heauenly thynges ought as muche as he maye to estraunge hymselfe from the fleashe and from the blond of his kinred For whan he had passed through certaine litle townes and cities of Galile at the last he came to Nazareth in whiche place by reason that he had been there brought vp of a young nourcechylde and had long tyme liued there with his parentes and kynsfolkes he was supposed of many to had been borne and for thesame cause was also comonly called a Nazarean And to th entent the Nazareans should not fynde themselues grieued that he had thought skorne of his kinsfolkes and aliauÌ„ce as one that had more mynde and desyre to go hunting about for glory emong people of straunge parties where none of his kynne dwelt he came thither also to Nazareth beeyng nowe a manne of great fame and muche spoken of whereas he had tofore had no suche fame in those quarters And because he would declare that he had nowe renounced and geuen vp all priuate busynesse and affayrs of the worlde he came accordyng to his accustomed maner into the common Synagoge For no where ought suche a man to be more conuersaunt then in the temple whoso is consecrated to the profityng of all folkes in generall And when he heard others treatyng and reasonyng of Moses lawe he also arose vp signifying by that gesture as others vsed to doe that he also beeyng inspired with the holy ghoste had some thyng in his mynde that he was willyng to speake before the multitude beeyng there assembled Whiche custome euen at this daye endureth in the churches by the ordinaunce of S. Paul that menne shall speake and heare by course And in case any man haue any thyng opened vnto him by reuelacion woorthy or mete to bee knowen he that spake afore shall leaue of and shall geue place to the partie that succedeth hym because that no troubleous noyse and confusion of speakyng so as one maye not bee heard for an other shall aryse in the holy congregacion in whiche it is decent that all thynges bee doen with peace and tranquillitie The booke was deliuered vnto Iesus and that accordyng to the custome and vsage for vs to be enstructed and taught therby from wheÌ„ce the doctrine of saluacion ought to procede that is to weâ—e not out of the inuencions of men not out of the posicions of Philosophiers but out of the booke of holye scripture whiche hath been reueled vnto vs by the secrete instincte and operacion of the spirite of God Iesus in whom all the treasoures of knowlage and wysedome were hidden had no nede of any booke but yet
he had caryed tofore sayed vnto them Why dooe ye yet feare me as the sight of a ghoste seeyng that ye playnly beholde me with your iyes and knowe my fauour of olde and seeyng that ye heare my voyce beyng acquainted and familiar vnto you yet neuerthelesse dooe thoughtes of vnbelief mystrustyng aryse yet still in your hertes euen suche like as are woont to come commonly in mēnes myndes Satisfie ye euery one of your senses vieu and beholde you my hādes my feete they haue manifest prientes of the nailes touche handle ye my syde it hathe the gashe of the speare fele ye my bodye come nerer me with your iyes leaue ye suspectyng of any spirite For a ghoste hath neither fleashe nor bones as ye see that I haue That I entred in hither the doores beeyng shutte that whan my wyll is I am seen and whan my will is I am inuisible it is not any blyndyng of mennes iyes by any sleyght but the gifte of the body beyng now made immortall And euen suche lyke shal your body also be after the resurreccion Whan the lorde had by suche woordes as these taken awaye the feare from thē and had put them in a comforte he shewed foorth vnto them his handes and his feete to be viewed he opened his side that they might handle the manifest dientes of the woundes For it was the lordes pleasure to reserue thesame to the entente that by those euidēt tokens he might than emong his disciples perfectly auouche the trueth of his humain bodye and also that he maye in tyme to come at the laste daie of iudgement enbraide to the Iewes their vnbelief accordyng to the prophecie which sayeth They shall see in whom they haue perced and made holes Nowe wheras some there wer yet still which did not plainly belieue it to bee thesame bodye that they had seen dead but were in case that a certain inebriacion as ye would saye of drounkenship or gladnesse did so holde theyr myndes that they did neither perfectly beleue theyr owne iyes nor theyr eares nor theyr handes for oft tymes we be afeard to belieue the thyng whiche we doe rather then our liues wishe to be true as men fearing leste we should caste our selues into some fooles paradise or false ioye wherof to bee anon after depriued again Iesus vouchesaluyng with all tokens of euidence to bee a Phisician to their vnbelief because there should no spiece of the lyke mistrustfulnesse remaine in vs saied Haue ye any thyng here that maie be eaten For none there is a more vndoubted token or prouf of a man to be aliue then yf thesame take meate And therfore Iesus willed meate to be geuen to the damisell whā she was called again to life sembleably also vnto Lazarus not that we shall fele any hūger after that we be reised agayn to immortalitie but because he woulde as that presēt tyme requyred confirme and make euidente vnto his disciples the veritie of his humain body There wer present at that tyme in the same place a good nūber of his disciples and yet was there but veraye small prouision of viandrye Therfore that that they had they bryng foorth whiche was a morsell of fishe that had been bruiled and a honey combe Than Iesus in the sight of them al eate parte of the thinges whiche were set before hym And he sayed vnto them These are the woordes whiche I spake vnto you whyle I was yet with you that all must nedes be fulfilled whiche were written of me in the lawe of Moses and in the Prophetes and in the Psalmes Than opened he theyr wittes that they might vnderstande the scryptures and sayed vnto them Thus it is written and thus it behoued Christe to suffer and to aryse agayn from death the thyrde day and that repentaunce and remissyon of sinnes shoulde bee preached in hys name emong all nacions and muste beginne at Hierusalem And ye are witnesses of these thynges And beholde I will sende the promisse of my father vpon you But tarye ye in the citie of Hierusalem vntyll ye bee endowed with power from on high And whan he had nowe made all theyr senses perfectely to belieue that he was no sighte of any ghoste but a verai and a liuyng man euen thesame whō they had tofore seen bothe liuing and also dying he taketh recourse vnto the holy scriptures wherunto there ought credite to bee geuen although the sēses of man should neuer so muche crye against it Ye ought not sayeth he to meruaill at the thynges whiche ye see to haue been doen. The scripture cannot lye forasmuche as it hath been wrytten by the inspiracion of the holy ghoste Whatsoeuer thyng hath hitherto been doen thesame had been foreshewed and prefigurate afore in the bokes of Moses in the prophetes and in the psalmes For euen I am veray he whom the figures of Moses lawe did signifie I am the man of whom the holy prophetes promised so many thynges and it is I whose first springyng vp whose progression or goyng foreward and whose cōsummacion the misticall psalmes doe describe And with no lesse trueth shall all the rest of thynges also bee perfourmed which haue in thesame scriptures been foreshewed concernyng my returnyng into heauen concernyng the spirite of God to be sent who after that this bodye of myne shal be taken awaye from you shall make you the more stedfast concernyng the ghospell to bee spredde throughout the whole vniuersall worlde and concernyng the laste ende of this worlde These are the thynges whiche I did so many tymes labour to beate into your heades whan hauyng yet a mortall bodye subiect vnto death I lyued conuersaunt emong you beeyng also mortall At that tyme had not the premisses setled in your hertes now can ye not any longer doubte whan ye see my sayinges to agree with the misticall scriptures and the cummyng to passe or sequele of thynges to agree with them bothe Hitherto as the tyme hath required I haue tendrelye borne with the weakenesse of your fleashe and I haue with grosse proufes laied the trueth of matiers before you From hensforthe growe ye forewarde to a spiritual vnderstandyng of the scriptures There shal ye frō henceforth see me there shall ye heare me And because the misticall bokes are not vnderstanded excepte God open our mynde and reason Iesus opened vnto them the iyes of theyr herte that thei might reade belieue and vnderstād that was written in the scripture For no man doeth vnderstande scripture but he that dooeth beleue it In this ordre sayed Iesus it hath semed good vnto my father to restore mankynde And the thyng whiche he had decreed hath ben set forthe by his inspiracion in bookes of holy scripture The selfe same thyng hath been foreshewed by me before it was doen neither was it possible that it should any otherwyse come to passe because the determinacions of God are immutable and the holy scriptures can as litle
should a laye prince and a younge manne do with the gospell And wil make cauillacion saye that I geue frogges wine as the Greke prouerbe speaketh As though it wer to be thought that only suche do presente princes with mete giftes that which bryng vnto them bokes written in barbarous tōgue conteyning matters of huntyng kepyng of dogges and horses of ingines for warre yea mafortune of dising carding Uerily I am in a contrary opiniō for I deame that where the euangelical and heauenlye philosophie is thought to be to all of the hyghest lowest and myddle estate wonderfull profitable yet it is to none more necessarie then to the supreme heades powers of the worlde For the more weight charge burden that they susteyne the more daungerous the storme is that apperteineth vnto them for to caulme and assuage the more manyfold occasions they haue whereby good wyttes well inclined by nature and well instructed by educacion maye be marred and corrupted so muche the more it is semyng that they shoulde be instructed and armed more diligently then the reste with the moste godly and infallible preceptes of holy doctrine for suche cannot offende withoute the great dammage of the whole world It is the peculiar office of the prelates to nourishe the people with plentifull and abundant foode of the euangelicall doctrine For the which cause they be called pastours and herdes in scripture I graunte all these to bee true Yet the poete Homer of the most cōmendable christian auctors is commēded not vnworthily because he calleth a kyng a herd ouer his people howe muche more then it is mete that this name title agre with euery christiā prince A prince doeth not preache teache the gospell but he doeth obserue practise fulfill it yet doeth he after a sort teache it whosoeuer doeth kepe obserue it But how can he fulfil it if he knowe it not how shall he know it excepte by diligente and frequent readyng he peruse it except with a great studie he profoundly print it in his memorie whom behoueth more stedfastlye to beleue that the celestial king is gouernour of this world vnto whō nothing is vnknowen whose iyes no man can deceiue whose power no man can resiste who shal iudge euery man accordyng to his merites then the supreme powers whiche by reason of their power do dreade no man and can if they list easilye deceyue whome they list whiche if they trespasse any thyng bee not cited to appere at any mortall mans consistory but be commended also oftymes for their misdedes In whose mindes ought it to be more depely grauen that after this present lyfe wherof the kynges thēselues haue no assuraunce no not asmuche as of an houre and whiche no man can enioye long there is to come another lyfe that neuer shall haue ende in the whiche indifferentlye without respecte of estate or dignitie sauing that the strayter iudgement shall be to them straiter accōpt shal they make that which in this world hath surmounted other in roume office and auctoritie euery man shall by the sentence of the moste righteous iust iudge whose iudgemēt no man shall escape reape the croppe of that which he hath sowen in this presēt life neither shall any escape but that either for his good dedes he shall receyue the croune of eternal glory and blisse or els for his offences be committed to euerlastyng fier in whose myndes I say is it more necessarie this thyng to be depely infixed then theirs whom al kynd of prosperitie and flatterye of man doeth prouoke both to set their affiaunce in thinges present to forget what is hereafter to come In whose memorie is it requisite more depely to be printed that Christ hath plainlye threatenned vs in these wordes wo be to the riche the high powers of this world which hath their comfort in this world than in theirs whiche haue plentie and store of all suche thinges wherby mans minde is corrupt degenerate In whose eares is it more cōueniēt diligently to be beate that euery man ought warely to bestowe his talent which the lorde hath committed vnto him in the waye of vsurie for the lordes auauntage and wil cal euerye man to make accoumpte thereof then theirs whiche by reason of their power committed vnto them by God may at their pleasure either profit most or disprofit most in this world Who ought more assuredly to beleue that all men be they neuer so puissant in high auctoritie can of themselues do nothyng that all thynges that be good commēdable do come of God of whom al thinges ought to be desired that maye by christian peticion lawefully be desired and that vnto him the whole glory and prayse of all that we prosperously do in our affaires ought only to be attributed and ascribed then they whom the world doeth commēde and magnifie by reason they haue suche thinges as Christ taught should be despised whō because of certaine vaine and fantastical apparent shadowes of thinges that seeme cōmendable the base sorte doeth in maner regard and wurship as goddes who ought more thorowly be perswaded that sternnes is hated of God that iniurie ought not to be reuenged by iniury that nothing is more commendable thē peace nothing more acceptable to God then meaknes clemencie then suche whome so muche busynes dayly doeth prouoke to vnquietnes to warre reuengyng of displeasures In whose minde oughte it more depely be printed that neyther for desire of life neither feare of death it is lawfull to swarue from honesty that in this present life no man oughte to loke for to be rewarded for his merites desertes seyng that in the nexte world no man shall be defrauded of his dewe rewarde then in the mindes of princes whom so manye prouocaciōs so much troublesome busines so many occasions doeth oft and many tymes entise allure to dishonestie Uerely such a minde vpon which y◠general felicitie or miserie of the whole world doeth depend ought with weightie profoūd persuasiōs of philosophy be armed whereby it maye vprightly nothing shrinking perseuer againste all policies and engines of this worlde but suche doctrine whiche doeth so peyse the minde that it be not tossed by the waues and surges of fortune and worldly busines no otherwyse then the balans dothe staye the shippes in tyme of tempest can neither more conueniently neither of more certayne veritie neyther yet of more efficacie and power be collected out of any other woorke then the ghospel of God If the profane princes for asmuch as thei must commonly trauaile in worldly affaires maintenaunce of publique trāquillite and reste cannot alwayes obserue suche thynges as they perceiue and iudge to be most conuenient to be kepte obserued yet at the least if the euangelical doctrine be profoundly rooted in them they shal be able to do this that forasmuche as liethe in them to do they shall alwaye endeuoure themselfes to
except that than was absent whiche name Thomas signifieth in the Greke tongue Didimus and in the Latin Geminus in Englyshe doubtefull For he was one of the twelue whoÌ„ the lorde did specially and peculiarly choose to the office of preachyng the gospell Therfore after that he was come in to them the disciples that could scant stande for ioye shewed openly vnto him that they had seen the lorde Thomas supposyng them to be deceyued and illuded by some vision or spirite denyed to beleue vnles he might see hym with his owne iyes and not to beleue his owne iyes as sufficient witnesse except he might see withall the printe of the nailes euen freshe in his handes yea and with putting his owne handes into Iesus side perceyue by felyng the wounde that the speare made And trulye this incredulitie of the Apostle by the dispensacion of God as he shall dispose didde muche good to the confirmacion and stablishement of our fayth ¶ And after eyght dayes agayne his disciples were within and Thomas with them Then came Iesus when the doores were shut and stoode in the middes and sayed Peace be vnto you After that sayed he to Thomas Bryng thy fynger hither and see my handes and reache hither thy hande and thrust it into my syde and be not faythlesse but beleuyng Thomas aunswered and sayed My Lorde and my God Iesus sayeth vnto hym Thomas because thou haste sene me thou haste beleued blessed are they that haue not sene and yet haue beleued And many other thinges truly did Iesus in the preâ—â—ce of his disciples which are noâ— written in this boke These are written that ye might beleue that Iesus is Christe the sonne of God and that in beleuyng ye might haue life thorowe his name Therfore eyght dayes after when the Apostles met together agayne by stealthe and at this tyme with the reste Thomas was in coumpanye whiche hitherto woulde not beleue that Christe was rysen the Lorde came in to them where they were the gates beyng hard faste shut and standyng in the middes of them he saluted them after his vsuall and well knowen maner and facion saying Peace with you And turnyng hym by and by to Thomas whose vnbelefe he knewe that was ignoraunt in nothyng whiche lacke of beliefe because Iesus knewe it came not as the phariseis infidelitie did that is of malice but of mans infirmitie he vouched safe to heale it He sayeth thus to hym Thomas sayeth he forasmuche as it dooeth not suffise the to haue hearde of many that I was rysen to lyfe agayne whiche hath seen me and hearde me except thy senses mighte feale and perceyue thesame bring hither thy finger and feele the woundes of the nayles and see that I truelye carye the very true markes therof Put thy hande into my syde and handle the wounde whiche the speare made and hereafter be not vnfaythful and harde of belefe in other mattiers but after thou haste nowe seen this thing proued certainly true whiche persemed to thee incredible see thou geue fayth to my promises howe incredible soeuer they seme to the common sence and iudgement of men After that Thomas had seen and felte knowyng bothe the face and accustomed voyce of the Lorde he than conceyued a full fayth and spake aloude My Lorde and my God For as he was more harde of belefe so no body did more clearlye confesse Iesus to be God and man for because the handlyng of the body which late before hong dead vpon the crosse witnessed that he whiche was rysen to lyfe agayne was a very man in dede and the knowleage of hidde secrete thynges proued well his godhead So than of trueth Iesus did well accepte and embrace Thomas his confession but yet withall he did reproue his hardnesse of belefe saying Thomas because thou hast seen me hearde me and handled me thou beleuest but blessed shall they be whiche though they see not will yet beleue Verely the Lorde Iesus declared vnto his disciples his diuine power and godheade by many other tokens whiche are not written in this booke but some thynges are reported and declared by other Euangelistes and some thynges also were reported and tolde by worde of mouthe and euen they were the tellers therof which bothe sawe and hearde the thynges themselues For to set out and write all thynges whiche woulde haue bene a worke that for the greatnes it coulde not haue been measured was not cared for but yet it was thoughte necessarye to write of some thinges that thereby ye mought come to the beliefe that Iesus was the sonne of God Whiche thyng yf ye do in dede ye shall haue that full blisse and beatitude whiche our Lorde Iesus promised to them that when they see not beleue For lyke as he suffered death and liueth immortal so shall ye also by profession of his name in true faythe obtayne eternall lyfe The .xxi. Chapter ¶ Afterwarde did Iesus shewe himselfe againe at the sea of Tiberias And on this wyse shewed he hymselfe There were together Symon Peter and Thomas whiche is called Didimus and Nathanael of Cana in Galile and the sonnes of Zebedei and two other of his disciples ANd verely to confirme more and more the faythe of his disciples Iesus oft times appeared vnto them and talked with them sometyme also eate meate in theyr company leâ—te any suspicion shoulde setle in theyr myndes that it was but a delusion or some ghoste whiche they had sene neyther was he therwhiles continuallye for all that present in their company as he was wont before his death nor so familiarly handled himself among them nor yet was seen of all menne because he hadde sayed before that he would appere to his and not to the world nor to his neyther but euen when he list For nowe immortalitie shewed a certaine semblaunce full of maiestie that was to be had in reuerence to th entent that their faith beyng full stayed and establyshed he might withdrawe from them altogether the sight of the body and spirituallye to be now amongst his And so now therefore he appered and shewed himselfe againe to his disciples at the depe lake called Tyberias And he presented himselfe vnto them on this wyse The disciples which before that tyme kept theÌ„selues secrete in Hierusalem to be in sauetie out of the Phariseis daunger repayred againe into Galile there was a good sorte of theÌ„ together euen no fewer thaÌ„ Simon Peter and Thomas called Didimus also Nathanael of Cana a citie of Galile where Iesus turned water into wine And besides these the two sonnes of zebedei Iohn Iames the greater with these was two other disciples ¶ Symon Peter saieth vnto them I wyll go a fishyng They saye vnto him We also wyl go with the. They went theyr waye and entred into a shippe immediatlye and that night caught they nothing But when the mornyng was nowe come Iesus stoode on the shore neuerthelesse the disciples knewe not that it was Iesus Iesus sayeth vnto
though he suffred gladlye for the excellente loue that he bare towardes his Lorde yet the weakenesse of mannes nature lothed it ¶ And when he had spoken this he sayeth vnto hym Folowe me Peter turned aboute and sawe the disciple whom Iesus loued folowyng whiche also leaâ—ed on his breast at supper and sayed Lorde whiche is he that betrayeth thee When Peter therfore sawe hym he sayeth to Iesus Lorde what shall he â—ere do Iesus sayeth vnto hym If I wyl haue him to â—aâ—â—ye tyll I come what is that to thee folowe thou me Then went this saying abrode among the brethren that the disciple should not dye Yet Iesus sayed not vnto hym he shal not dye but yf I wyll that he tary tyll I come what is that to thee When Iesus had sayed thus he begunne to walke and sayed to Peter folowe me so once agayne prouokyng and inuityng hym to the folowyng of his charitie and death When Peter turned and loked aboute hym he seeth euen that disciple whome Iesus loued and that leaned on the Lordes breast at his laste supper whilest he asked of him who should betraye hym Forasmuche as Peter did entierly loue this disciple and knewe that he was alwaye better beloued of the lord then the rest and than sawe thesame vnbidden folow nexte vnto Peter Peter asked the lorde what should become of that maÌ„ For he now knewe already of his owne death and he desyreth to knowe whether that he shoulde haue this man a companion to dye with hym For he thoughte that to be a gloriouse thing vnto hym and a great token of the Lordes loue towardes hym that he might dye after the exaumple of Iesus But Iesus to correct this vnnecessarie care that Peter hadde of an other mannes death sayed If I will haue hym tary tyll I come what is that to thee He is myne and after mine aduise wyll I ordeyne and determyne for hym that shal be for the beste Care and prepare thou for that whiche apperteyneth to thy selfe that is to saye that thou folowe me And than vpon the occasion of this saying there arose a bruite among the disciples that Iesus his welbeloued disciple shoulde dye no violent death but should liue styll vntyll the Lord shall come agayne to iudge the quicke and the deade which they all thought than should be sone after Albeit the Lorde did not saye he shall not dye but to make dull abate and repulse Peters curiositie and ouermuche diligence he denied it to perteyne vnto hym though hys wyll and pleasure had been that the man shoulde styll lyue vnto his laste cummyng Thesame disciple is he whiche testifieth of these thynges and wrote thesame thynges And we knowe that hys testimony is true There are also many other thynges whiche Iesus did the whiche yf thei shoulde be written euery one I suppose the worlde coulde not conteine the bookes that shoulde be written And in dede this is thatsame disciple that witnesseth these thynges thus to bee dooen and that wrote thesame to the entente they maye more truely and more farre abrode bee scattered and dispersed to the knowledge of all folke And we haue knowen that his testimonie is true For he wrote not other mennes hearynges but at whiche hymselfe was presente Nor he hath not made mencion of all the thinges whiche Iesus sayed and did For if a manne shoulde goe about to tell them euery thyng by it selfe an vnmeasurable sorte of bokes shoulde bee made therof But so muche is written as suffiseth to the obteyning of saluacion Therfore the rest is that beleuyng these and stickyng to the steppes and wayes of Iesus we labour diligently to get the rewarde of immortall lyfe Thus endeth the Paraphrase vpon the Ghospell of S. Iohn To the moste uertuous Ladie Quene Kateryne late wyfe to Kyng Henry the eyght of moste famous memorye deceassed Nycolas Udall your graces most humble oratour and seruaunt wysheth perpetuall felicitee and ioye in Iesus Christ our lorde FOr as much as nothyng doeth with lyke spede or with better effecte eyther open to the worlde or engraue in mennes heartes the knowelage of Goddes commaundementes and the rules of true christian doctrine then deuout and godly tractises for the expoundyng and declaryng of holy scrypture howe happie and blyssed are we and howe greatly bounde to thanke God that in these our tymes there dayly cum foorth so many and the same so fruictfull and Godly weorkes in our owne toung to the ghostely coumfort and edifiyng of all deuout chrystian readers in the true fayeth and relygyon For where in tymes past the studyous wryters of bookes wer enforced with much highe suite and seruice to procure the fauoure and good wyll of prynces or other estates to whome to dedicate such weorkes as thei wrote to th entent that vnder the name and protection of such noble personages the sayd weorkes might be the better habled to the readers and the better accepted of the people nowe dooe Kynges Quenes prynces and other piers especyally here in Englande of their owne mere mocions and good zele not only with their propense fauour and with their benefycyall ayde coumforte and lyberalitee helpe forewarde the good endeuour and sedulytee of studious wryters myndyng by their godly monumentes to edifie the feithfull congregacion but also are dylygent and peynefull bothe to put to theyr owne handes to the endictyng and pennyng of many holsome traictises for that purpose yea and ferther by their exaumple and prouocacion to set other in hande with wrytyng or translatyng to the fructefull exercise of the learned to the holsome enstruccion of Englyshe readers and to the effectuall edifiyng of the simple ignoraunt multitude if the same can bee content for their solle helthe to gyue eare and mynde thereto And emong this sorte of publique benefactours your excellent highnesse Quene Kateryne deserueth no lesse then next after our soueraygne lorde the kynges maiestee whoe euen nowe already at the fyrst entreaunce of this his moste noble reigne and within the yeres of tendre minoritee doth with the aduice and consent of the moste prudent and the same his moste dere vncle Edwarde duke of Somersette aswell of his moste royall persone in the tyme of his mynorytee gouernoure as also of all hys Maiestees realmes dominyons and subiectes Protector together with the assent and consent of the other his moste honourable moste trusty and moste feythfull Counsaillours moste forewardly moste earnestly and with all possible diligence labour daye and nyght as well by moste holsoÌ„ lawes as also by Oâ—â—elyes of moste pure doctryne and by true preachers to refourme abuses to sowe abrode the woorde of God and to plante true relygyon in all partes of his realmes and domynons youre hyghnesse I saye next vnto these twoe deserueth no lesse then to be estemed and called the chiefe patronesse not onely for dyuers moste godly Psalmes and meditacions of your owne penning and settyng foorthe but also for procuryng thys present weorke of Erasmus
Paraphrases to be translated to the vse of the vnlearned multytude whiche can go no ferther then the vnderstandyng or readyng of Englyshe For in this Paraphrase of Erasmus is conteined in maner a whole librarie of deuout catholyke expositours vpon the whole new testamente in which new testament is conteyned the plenteous richesse most precious treasoures of Christes ghospell that is of the glad newes of Goddes fauour and mercy towardes mankynd Which fauour and mercy of God whosoeuer doth feithfully syncerely enbrace cannot but fauour and ferther the setting foorth of scripture in the vulgare language that al folkes maye knowe it and also of any other godly traictises whereby that same generall benefyte of God towardes mankynde maye the more clerelye and certainly be perceiued And to this effecte forasmuche as Desiderius Erasmus of Roterodam doeth especially directe aswell these his Paraphrases vpon the newe testament as also all other his right christian wrytinges and that with as much indifferencie as is possible to be I cannot but iudge that whoso are prompte and hasty condemners of Erasmus or eagre aduersaries vnto his doctrine do vnder the name and colour of Erasmus rather vtter their stomake hatred againste Goddes woord and the grace of the ghospell which Erasmus for his parte moste diligently and moste simply laboureth to bryng to lyght His doctryne wyll some vneguall iudges saye is scarcely sincere If there shall no more insynceritee of doctrine appere in the wrytynges of them that so wyll say then the comon coÌ„sent of the chrystian world doeth fynde and iudge in Erasmus I doubte not but theyr weorkes shal be of all good people approued desyred enbraced and folowed Erasmus wyl some such headie persones say doth somewhere erre It maye so be forasmuch as a man he is and so estemeth hymself and woulde his weorkes none other wyse to be reade or accepted then the wrytynges of other mortall men But in case he should in some place saie now then a worde to much or to litel or putte a wurse word for a more apte terme or if he should in some place stoumble or swarue whiche poincte of humayne frayltee the best doctours that wrote sence the apostles tyme hathe not escaped nor Erasmus so standeth in his owne wylfull opynion but that beeyng found and tryed a faulte he woulde haue been as readye to retracte it as euer any other godly catholike wryter hath ben yet were one lytle tryppe after my poore iudgement emong so many notable good workes for the enterpretacion of scrypture and for the helpe of the symple rather to bee borne withall then so many good thinges to be either reiected or kept away from the hungry christian readers it is a colde charitee that can beare with nothing and an eagre malice it is that for a trifle or a matier of nothing woulde haue the ignoraunt multitude to lacke so much good edifying as may be taken of Erasmus aswel in all hys other ryght deuoute and catholyke woorkes as also moste specyally in these his paraphrases in which he laboureth so to enlarge the processe and tenour of the texte as the sense therof may bothe euedentlye be gathered may well hange together Erasmus therfore lyke as he hathe by a paraphrasticall discourse playnly sette foorth the ghospelles of the fower Euangelistes aforeâ—so dooeth he now here expoune the seconde parte of Lukes ghospel entitled the Actes of the Apostles whiche woorke Athanasius at leste wyâ—e if it were Athanasius in dede that wrote the litle traictise entitled of the bokes of bothe the olde and the newe testament c. testifieth that Luke wrote out of Peturs mouthe â–ª that Petur endicted vnto Luke what and how he should wryte theÌ„ as Paule endicted to the same Luke whan he wrote his ghospell Whereof as Erasmus in the preface to his paraphrase vpoÌ„ Lukes ghospel recordeth it is gathered and thought that the sayde Actes wer wryten in Rome But whersoeuer they were wryten certes the worke was no lesse expediente necessarie to be wrytten ne the paraphrase vpon the same any thyng lesse requisite to bee translated into Englysh then the reste of the newe testament firste for that it is a plain historical narracion a piece of the veray ghospel in that it declareth aswell the ascencion of Christe from yearthe vp into heauen as also hys sendyng â—oune of the holy ghoste from his heauenly father together with the spryngyng vp of the prymatiue churche the fourme and ordre of preachyng that the Apostles than first begonne with secondely because it was as Erasmus hymselfe testifieth the last parte that he did of all the whole paraphrases vpon the testament and by reason thereof as I iudge the moste absolute piece of worke and best dooen of the reste by reason of his long exercise afore in this kynde of writing and thyrdely because this piece of the new testament is no lesse profytable for the publishyng and furtheraunce of the ghospel then Luke dyd deuise and entende it ne to the poore younglynges in Christes dyscipline any thyng lesse auaillable For here may we learne the beginninges of Christes churche by whome and by what manier persones the feythe of Christe fyrste sprong vp howe it proceded and grewe howe it was persecuted and how by persecucyon it wexed stronger stronger For as the Paulme tree the more weight and burdeÌ„ is layed vpon it the more it ariseth and shootheth vpryght so the ghospel the more persecucion that was inflycted vnto it and the more rigour wrong â–ª reproche cheynes and aduersytee that was mynistred vnto it the more it grewe the more it prospered the better it wente forewarde and the more it floryshed In the Actes is to be reade by what meanes and dryftes of humayne polycy the enemyes of Christes bloude and ghospell wrastled to suppresse the glorye of his crosse howe the more that the wysedoÌ„ of the world thought to euacuate the fruicte of Christes deathe and passion the more dyd the humylytee of preachyng the Crosse worke in the hartes of yâ— simple to contemne not onely the pleasures and flattery of the worlde but also the persecucion tyranny therof so that dayly encreased in euery place where the ghospell was preached thousandes vpoÌ„ thousandes to augmente the feithfull congregation The Actes therefore were no lesse necessary to be translated then the rest of the paraphrases which Actes I haue by occasioÌ„ of adding digesting and sorting the texte with the paraphrase throughly perused and conferryng the same with the Latine I haue here and there dooen my good wyll and diligence to make the Englysh aunswerable to the Latyne booke at lestwyse in sense as by the same occasion I did also with Mathewe In Iohn I haue in manier dooen nothing at all sauing only placed the texte and diuided the paraphrase because I knew the translatours thereof with whose erquysite dooynges I myght not without the cryme of great arrogancie and
they do al in this poynte of doctrine throughly conseÌ„t and agre The secoÌ„d was for that Erasmus who did in this paraphrase bestow more diligeÌ„ce then in most of the others had specially dedicated thesame vnto our most noble king Henry theight And I thought I could not deuise any apter gift to preseÌ„t his most dere beloued wife withal beyng of the like zele affeccion godlines deuocion that he is then thesame worke traÌ„slated into Englishe whiche I certainly knew his maiestie to had singularly well allowed and moste graciously accepted in latine and in perusyng thereof to be daylye excedyng muche delighted And I nothyng doubt most gracious Lady but that the readyng therof should cause no lesse delectacion of mind to you yf the thing were so well doen as sum maÌ„ of more learnyng perchauÌ„ce coulde haue doeÌ„ it And in this behalf none other refuge I haue but to your most benigne fauour and pardone well to accept mine honest herte mine earneste zele and willing labours For as touching the translacion selfe though I iudge and plainly confesse my self to be by many degrees inferiour in knowledge facultie to all the others whom I heare that your highnes hath appoynted to the translating of the other partes and though I cannot of my self promesse any hablenes to take such a prouince in hand yet my hart better seruyng me hereunto then perchaunce my hande hath doen whan I sawe that your graces resolucion pleasure did helpe to minister courage to myne own hertes desire I conceiued boldenesse to attempt enterprise the thing thought it most expedient to shew mine obedience prompt good wil to do your commaundement trusting that though I haue not been hable in all behalfes and pointes requisite fully to discharge the office of a good traÌ„slatour yet I haue expressed the seÌ„ce meaning of the autour As for the grace of the latine tonge I thinke vnpossible to be liuely expressed as this autour doth it in the latine by reason of sundry allusions diuerse prouerbes many figures and exornacioÌ„s retoricall with Metaphores innumerable whiche cannot with the lyke grace be rendred in any other laÌ„guage theÌ„ in the latine or greke besydes that an infinite sorte of wordes there be whose full importyng cannot with one mere Englishe worde equiualently be interpreted And this imperfeccion I haue to my litle power so laboured to redoub that I trust there be not any poynte of piththie significacion any where conteyned whiche I haue not in one or other place of the sentence by sum meanes throughly touched And for as muche as I consider it to be a paraphrase that is to say a playn settyng foorth of the sence of the texte with as many woordes as the circumstaunce therof for the better linking of one sentence to an other doth require I haue not so precisely bound my self to euery woord and sillable of the letter but that I haue takeÌ„ more respect to thexplanacion and declaring of the seÌ„ce theÌ„ to the noumbre of the latine syllables In translatyng of the very texte I thinke it requisite to vse sum scrupulositie if the translatours were not altogether so precise as they are but had sum more regard to expressing of the sence I thinke in my iudgemente they should doe better but in a paraphrase which of it selfe is a kynd of exposicioÌ„ and of coÌ„mentary I thinke it nothing nedefull to be so precise in the wordes so the sence be kepte And this I dare auouche that yf any interpretour shoulde in sum places bee as breefe in the English translacion as the autour is in the latine he should make thereof but a darke piece of worke For that is the onely thyng that maketh the very text selfe so derke as it appeareth to be In Luke I haue had sum what the more businesse because that the Latine exemplaries thorough whose defaulte of negligence I am vncertayne do vary and not well agree sum hauing more or lesse then others sum hauyng an other woorde than an other copye hathâ— sum beyng otherwyse poynted then the rest Whereby I haue in sum places been driuen to vse myne owne iudgemente in rendrynge the true sence of the boke to speake nothyng of a great noumbre of sentences whiche by reason of so many membres or parentheses or digressions as haue cum in place are so long that vnlesse they had been sumwhat deuided they woulde haue been to hard for an vnlearned braine to coÌ„ceiue much more hard to conteyne and kepe it still As touching the stile because the iudgemeÌ„tes of readers be diuerse and sum loue length sum desire breuitie sum can well awaye with elegaunte speache sum haâ—e all curiositie sum commend an eloquente style sum thynke nothyng to be plaine enough sum wyll be busie iudges of other mens writinges and do nothing themselfes it may please your moste graâ—ious pacience to suffer me to say my poore iudgement for the satisfiyng of them that are reasonable First I would not haue euery reader to require in euery writer to be like his owne witte or conueyghaunce or style or phrase of speakyng but rather to consider that euery man hath a veine of his owne eyther by imitaâ—ion so confirmed or by long vse so rooted or of desyre to be playne and clere so growen into an habite that he cannot otherwyse write then he doeth Sum wryters hate breuitie and sum thynke al long thinges to be tedious and yet is neither of these two sortes to be reproued so the maâ—â—er be good the making fine the termes apte and the stile flowynge with â—ut curiositie or affectacioÌ„ For like as Cicero was so copious that nothyng might be added vnto him so was Demosâ—henes so brefe that nothing might be taken away Thesame in latine is betwene Cicero and Saluste But Tully would not leaue till the iye the eare and also the mouth of the reader wer full euen in euery sentence Saluste was loth to tyer any of these with a whole oracion The Lacoâ—s could abide no length the Sophistes of grece coulde through their copiousnes make an Elephaunt of a â—lye and a mountayne of a molle hill And this I speake rather in commendacion of eloqueÌ„ce of copie of eleganâ—ie of stile where it is then to clayme that there is any suche here Ouâ—de Tullie Erasmus could haue proceded in any their inuencion eueÌ„ infinitely sum other wittes coulde not so Sum loue it whan it is style like sum care for no more but the bare sence But eloquence of it selfe and copie that is to say shift of termes is a vertue in an oracion and that thing chiefely geueth to bâ—kes that the latine men call genium that is life and continuauÌ„ce that euery maÌ„ will an hundred yeres after set store by it and esteme it worth many times readyng ouer What other thyng commendeth Chaucer causeth his woorkes to be more set by then thousandes of other freashe hastye bokes hastily shootying forth lyke May floures and
not wythering but vtterly diyng with the first readying Neuerthelesse no man of our tyme and in our Englishe toungue which none but our selfes for our own vse do muche passe on writeth so ornately but that he hath in sundry woordes phrases sum smatche of his natiue countrey phrases that he was borne in Yet this notwithstandyng sum there be whiche haue a mynde to renew termes that are now almoste worne clene out of vse whiche I do not disalowe so it bee doen with iudgement Sum others would ampliate and enrich their natiue language with mo vocables whiche I also commend if it be aptely and wittily assaied So that if any other doe innouate and bryng vp a woorde to me afore not vsed or not heard I would not disprasse it and that I do attempt to bryng to vse another man should not cauayle at For an easy thyng it is to depraue and a small glory for one man in matters of nothing to laboure to deface an other But for as muche as both do our beste we ought rather thus to thinke the one of the other This man hath seen that I haue not I see no man is so barrain but he is able with sum woorde or other to helpe garnishe his mother tongue with other like saiynges proceding from humanitie and fauour to encourage suche as are studious And what if one labour to enrich his countrey laÌ„guage as Tullie glorieth that he did amplify the latine tonge is he therfore to be blamed and not rather to be commended Thus muche I say for the defence of wryters and styles in generall As touchyng mine owne stile in this present worke if I â—â—ould be so straightly examined I am as the Greke prouerbe saieth in like case as a maÌ„ that should hold faâ—â— a woulf by both â—ares For yf he hold him still he hath a shrewe in handelyng cannot so continue euer if he let him goe he is in ieopardy so should I in this matter staÌ„d in a straite â—rake eyther to incurre suspicioun of arrogantie if I maintein mine own and by standyng in defence therof to be denied opiâ—atâ—â—e or ambicious of singularitie orels I must be driuen to graunte an errour where perchaunce 〈◊〉 is Lettyng passe therfore all suche kynde of trauersyng I shal remitte this whole cause as Tullie dooeth of his booke whiche is entitled De 〈◊〉 to the iudgement first of your highnesse whome yf my laâ—â—â—rs doe 〈◊〉 I shall the better like my self and than of others others I saye in whoÌ„ resteth humanitie to take and interprete all thynges is the best in whome is moderation rather to pardone sum faultes than to condemne the thyng whiche though they can they wyll not amend in whom â—s facultie and knowlage to iudge right in whom resteth fauour to wynke at a litle â—eippe or stoumbâ—ing in a long piece of woorke in whom learnyng and skilfulnesse doeth woorke indiffereÌ„cye of affeccion and finally in whom dwelleth reasonable consideracion of mannes infirmitie â–ª that the best learned doeth sumtimes erre and no man at all tymes doeth all thynges right For vnto suche an one as will be a more â—eâ—ere and heauy iudge on an other mans labours then hymselfe eyther would bee or would haue others to bee on his own I can say nothing but this I for my part can do no better if I could I would and in case ye will either for respecte of the publique benefite whiche is ment herein orels for â—one towardes me or els for any other iust consideracion take your pene and amend any fault that ye shall see â–ª I shall not onely not thinke any wrong doen to me but also I shall with all my hert geue you thankes for that ye so muche tendre eyther my poore honestie or the thing selfe that ye would put to your helpyng hand to make it well And thus I surceasse with my vayne talke any longer to deteyne your highnesse from the frutefull readyng of Erasmus whereof may redounde suche edifiyng and encrease of knowledge to thesame as the labour of readyng maye be well bestowed and the boke through your graces commendacion bee one day set forth to the publique vtilitie and benefite of all the whole deuout congregacion of this churche of Englande Yeuen at London the last day of Septembre in the yere of our Lord MD.xiv The preface of Erasmus vnto his paraphrase vpon the ghospell of Luke Unto the mooste puissaunt and most victorious Prince Henry the eight king of England Fraunce and Ireland and defendour of the Catholike faith Erasmus of Roterodame wisheth long health with all honour and prosperous continuaunce MOste regall and princely Kyng Henry I sende vnto youre highnesse Luke the physician not any other Luke then ye had of him heretofore but thesame Luke speakyng somewhat more plainly and also more at large vnto the eares of suche as are vsed to good latine Neyther do I suppose it any thyng nedefull for me here nowe in this matter to spende laboure appeacyng and satisfiyng these kynde of people which commonly allege vnto suche as I am that it was a senteÌ„ce by right great learned meÌ„ very wel taught that in geuing of giftes or preseÌ„tes menne ought to haue a speciall iye and regarde that the thynges whiche we geue bee apte for the parties that they are geuen vnto I for my parte dyd this thyng not long sence at what tyme I dedicated the Paraphrase vpon Matthewe vnto Charles the Emperour yea and before my tyme also it hath of ryght excellent clerkes by prescripcion of aunciente custome and vsage been plainly declared that any kynde of argumente what euer it bee is rightly and well dedicated vnto prynces whom though we know that they will neuer read it yet is thus muche vtilitie and benefite gotten therby that vnder the title of their names the worke is the better haâ—led to the faÌ„sies of studious persons according as Plinius finely wrote certain thynges euen for suche onely respect to be reputed very precious because they are dedicated for iewels in temples But certes the waywardnesse of sum personnes towardes bokes when they cumâ— newely forth is so greate that they wyll bidde away with the bokes out of their sight ere they take any assay or tast of the same And by this meanes there perisheth aswel to the wryter the feute whiche he hoped to haue thereby as also to the reader his due profite vtilitie And at suche mens haÌ„des one thing at least wise shal the title of noble princes obtein whan it is set in the first frount of any booke that they wyll not geue sentence on it to be vtterly naught that they wil not disdain it that they wil not spet on it before they haue red it Albeit eueÌ„ otherwise also the godly zele and affeccion of sum prynces doeth make that whoso sendeth the ghospell to any Kyng for a present shall not seme to do against good reasoÌ„ For by men of right good credite and suche as
that lyke as Matthew wrote his ghospell and Peter his epistles chyefely vnto the Iewes so dyd Luke wryte his gospell most specially to the Gentiles as one that was a disciple of Paules which Paul as he was the teacher of GeÌ„tiles so did he write all his epistles vnto Gentiles except the only one epistle to the Hebrues of â—eaufouâ— writer wherof â—t hath euermore been doubted whether it were Paule or not He wrote his ghospel after Marke but yet before that Iohn â—oâ—e his by reason wherof beyng but a disciple he is set before Iohn who was an Apostle And to conclude it is written that a long lyued manne he was whiche thyng was in a physicion euen as of congruence it ought to be for he folowed the couÌ„saâ—le of Paul which wrote It is good not to touche 〈◊〉 he liued a single man fower score and fower yeres The bones of him after he was dead wer remoued and conueied out of Achaia to Constantinople together with the bones of Andrewe the apostle in the tweÌ„tieth yere of CoÌ„stancius Ye haue nowe a phiâ—icion for the soule of a physicion for the body a man by his familiaritie of conuersacion with the Apostles habled and by mo testimonies then one of Paul the apostle commended and praysed and by the wholle consent of all the faythfull congregacioÌ„s allowed For where the gospels of many were reiected and refused Luke was by the consent of al the congregacions voices receyued to make vp that same holy and mistical quaternitie which Moses in old tyme limyted out whan he expouÌ„ded vnto vs the fower-studdes or riuers welling vp out of one spryng in paradise whiche studdes do water al the earth vniuersall and the whiche quaternitie the Prophet Ezechiell afterward saw whâ—Ì„ he playnly set out vnto vs as it had been in a picture the fower mystycall beastes the fower wheles in one Nowe if it be so thought good let vs in fewe wordes sumwhat speake of the pocion or medicine that he hath geuen vs. He had been wonte out of Hyprocrates to take medicines wherewith to remedie diseases of the body but this medicine of the ghospel wherwith to cure and heale our soules he toke of the Apostles whiche had both seen and heard Christ yea or rather of the veray holy ghost himself There was among the physicions of olde time a certain kind of medicine of passyng great efficacie vertue whiche medicine they called in Greke theâ—â— Chrâ—iâ—â—â—s that is to say Gods handes lyke as there is nowe a confeccion that is called manus Christi But yet was there neuer any medicine inuented by the Phisicions that was able to remedie al diseases of the body though they make neuer so muche vauntes and boast of that same which they call paâ—â—â—â— a medicine as they affirme effectual and of muche vertue but knowen to us man Once the sicknes of olde age geueth place to no phisike But this same medicine of the ghospel is in very true dede the manus Christi â–ª whiche thorough syncere faith doeth once for altogether take away all diseases of the soules geueth immortalitie which thing apperteineth onely vnto god to do And certes it was a thyng not vnfearly ne vnskilfully spoken in the prouerbes of the Grekes that woordes and talke is the physicion of a mynde beyng dyseased and sicke yea and sum there hath been which beleued that the diseases of the body also myght be driuen away with certayne hartie wordes aduysedly spoken hauyng a certain magical vertue efficacie in them The Lord Iesê° was a phisicioÌ„ who while he liued here on earth did with his wordes put awaye diseases of the bodies were they neuer so sore or of neuer so loÌ„g continuance rooted in them Yea and with his wordes he raysed dead folkes to lyfe agayne For his woord was no woord of magike but the almightyful word of the omnipoteÌ„t father The same Christ did also with his word driue awaye diseases of the soules whan he sayd Sonne thy synnes are forgeuen theâ— and in an other place Goe thy wayes thy fayth hath made the whole And in coÌ„sideracion hereof the prophecy had afore promised yâ— Christ should be a physicion For it sayeth in the booke of Sapience For neither any hearbe ne any supplyng plaister hath healed them but thy word o Lord whiche healeth all thynges Thissame verily is that true 〈◊〉 that the phisicious speake of as afore sayd Also the mystical psalme hath this sentence He sent his woord and he healed them from their vtter peryshynges The liuelye woorde of the father is Christe He had sent Moses and the prophetes and by them was the nacion of the Iewes taken in cure to be loked vnto but they were not clene healed Onelye the woorde of the father was of sufficiente vertue and efficacie to heale the diseases of man and not onelye the lighte dyseases but also the mortall and deadly sickenesses For it is a marke whereby to know that it speaketh of deadly sickenesses whan the prophete addeth from theyr vtter perishynges At suche tyme as the stomacke is so clene fallen awaye that it abhorreth and refuseth all kynde of meate than groweth the sicke partie to wardes his death and of suche manier a disease was all the whole vniuersall worlde sicke before the cumming of the heauenly phisician Whiche thing had the psalmiste a litle tofore spoken Their solle abhorred all kynde of meate they were drawen nere euen to the gates of death There had bene manye soondry drenâ—hes tempered by the philosophiers as for exaumple by the secte of Pythagoras by the Academikes by the Stoikes by the Epicureans and by the Perepatetikes promisyng perfect healthe of the myndes yea and heauens blisse too Moses tempered many pocions prescrybyng and appoyntyng soondry ceremonies of religion and of seruyng â–ª god the prophetes also made muche and many temperynges to thesame ende and purpose but by reason of diseases growyng strong and preuayling the phisicke and medicines auailed not ne dyd any other good sauing that it encreased the diseases and bewrayed the same that it might appere The stomacke of the soule beeyng corrupte with naughtie desyres as it had beene with euell and hurtefull humoures dyd on the one syde turne theyr face awaye from the moral preceptes and lessons of the philosophiers composed with greate labour and studye and on the other syde by the ordinaunces and prescripcions of Moses â–ª they were made the more supersticious but nothyng the better men As for the bittur chydyng whiche the prophetes ministred had no good relice ne taste in theyr mouthes and therfore was there no credyte geuen to theyr promises Whiche thyng the father of heauen whan he sawe because he woulde not haue any thyng to perishe of all that he had created sente foorth his woorde who should with an heauenly medicine delyuer all people from all diseases of theyr soules onelye requiryng of vs to acknowleage our disease and put assured trust and confidence in