god the fyrste boke of Esdre playnly dooth declare ¶ So yâ— hymselfe was fully obedyent vnto almgyghty goddys wyl and taughte al the people to the same As it doth appere as well of the spedy buyldynge of the temple as of ympnes oblacyonâ— sacrifyces with other praysynges of god whiche he the Leuites at his coÌ„maundement shewed made vnto goddis worshyppe praysynge Fyrste in settynge the fundacyon of the sayd temple as it is declaryd the fyrste boke of Esdre the thyrde chapytre ¶ Zorobabell sayth he the sone of Salatiel IhuÌ„s the sone of Iosedech other of ther brethern preestes Leuites and all the resydue of Iewes delyuerde from captyuyte ordeynyd Leuites from .xx yeres age aboue to suruey the artifycers gadered to the newe buyldynge of this temple that they dyde not neclygently theyr labour Iosue also whiche was Ihâ—s Iosedech wyth his chyldâ—n bredern as one man of one mynde herte dyde all theyr dilygence to spede this holy werke What Ioye what gladnesse was there made bi this holy Ihâ—s other the seruauntes of god by his example techynge at the settynge of the fundacoÌ„n of this seconde teÌ„ple there forthw t appereth ¶ All the people sayth Esdras there gadryd cryed wyth grete voys to goddys prasynge for as moche as the fundacoÌ„n of the temple was sette Many also of yâ— olde faders whiche had seen the temple of Salomon stondynge this temple now begyn wepte wyth an hyghe voys And many there present lyfte theyr voyces in Ioye gladnes Suche agmixcoÌ„n was there of crie amonge the people to goddys praysynge that noo man myght discerne the voyces of wepers from yâ— voyces of Ioyfull people so yâ— all enioyed in god Of this appereth morally that one vertuous prelate dooth moche good in crystis chyrche as well for his owne vertue zelose obedyence vnto the lawe of god as in ledynge other men â—o do the same by his holy doctryne and vertuous example ¶ Agayn where this buyldynge of the temple was interruptid in the tyme of Cambises sone vnto Cirê° whom some callyd Assuerê° some Arthazarses But in the tyme of Cambises was it that the werke of god this buyldynge went not forwarde but lettyd was it by fals accusars whyche neuer cesse in the chyrche of Cryste to lette the werkes of god as dayly experyence dooth shewe Whan Darius kynge of Babibilon inspyred by god the seconde yere of his reyne gaue lycence vnto the Iewes to perfourme the temple of god begon And foundid at the lycence coÌ„maundement of Cirus what obedyence what dylygence what zele this IhuÌ„s Iosedech wyth the prestys Leuites all the people had to perfourme this holy temple to goddys worshyp praysynge Ye what Ioye loouyng was geuen to god in dedicacoÌ„n of the same temple in the syxte chapytre of the fyrste boke of Esdre playnly dooth appere ¶ Some men here present ye not a fewe woll perauenture muse why to what entent I brynge in thys longe story of IhuÌ„s Iosedech the grete preest of the olde lawe Surely this is my cause For syth al holy scripture is wryten for our erudicoÌ„n after yâ— apostâ—e the .xv. chapytre to the Romayns That we to whom trouthe is made open by IhuÌ„ Cryste as techeth saynt Iohn in the fyrste chapytre sholde lern obedience lerne zele dilygence to the lawe of god of thyse faders passyd in fygure And agayn to take grete shamÌ„ conscyence whan we rede them to haue doon so zelously in goddys cause And beholde ourself how neclygent we ben in the same For cursyd is he whyche dooth the werkes of god fraudelently after Ieremye the .xlviij. chapytre They buylded we distroye they gadryd we disperge they curyd we kylle They made we marre I woll no man accuse but loke on our dedes and behold theyrs and ye shall fynde that there is noo comparyson bytwene lyghte and derkenesse ¶ Thenne haue we here of two namyd by thys name IhuÌ„s of laudable memory in the scrypture of god The fyrsste was IhuÌ„s Naue helper and sauer of the people by myghte power The seconde was IhuÌ„s Iosedech sauer of the seruauntes of god by deuowte obedyence as now hath be declared The thyrde of laudable memory of the same name was IhuÌ„s filius Sirach the sone of Sirach sonnys sone vnto IhuÌ„ Iosedech as hymself rehercyth in his Prologe of the boke namyd by hym Ecclesiasticus ¶ And full conuenyently was thys fader namyd IhuÌ„s an helper or sauer of the people ê‘ sapienciaÌ„ by his grete wysdom geuen vnto hym of god and by hym taughte to the people vnto the worldes ende by reason of his laudable wysdom left behynde hym in wrytyng in the boke of wysdom callyd Ecclesiasticus whyche boke hymself fyrste made and wrote in Hebrewe tonge and after translatyd the same in to Grekes tonge As. Ysodorus declaryth and sheweth in the syxte boke of his Ethemologyse ¶ For the declaracoÌ„n and expownynge of thys trouthe expedient ryght necessary it is to knowe and vnderstonde what helpe and saluacoÌ„n wysdome doth vnto man Where ye shall vnderstonde marke in your mynde That oonly man of creatures vnder heuen dyrectyth ordereth his actes and dedes by hys vnderstondynge to hys ende naturall or supernaturall Thus I saye to the entent it is or thus it sholde be Now for as moche as mannes vnderstondyng is radically corrupte by synne and so by ignoraunce whiche is the moder of errour aâ—ter saynt Iohn Crisostom the .xxv. Omelye of hys Imperfyte werke on Mathu expedyent it is therfore yâ— man erre not from his ende naturally or supernaturally intendyd that his vnderstondyng be dyrected by some redy lyghte This lyghte at philosophers is comynly namyd the lyght of wysdom And therfor naturally men desyre cuÌ„nynge wisdom as sayth Aristotle in the begynnynge of hys Metaphisyke That euery man naturally desireth to knowe for the more yâ—â—ny man hath of of wisdome the better shall he dyrecte all his dedes to a due ende the lesse he hath of wysdom the worse he shal directe his dedes but comynly erre And very wyse men comynly ordre wel al theyr dedes neuer erre And for this cause that men wolde not erre from theyr ende ye naturally entendyd what zele besynesse olde faders had to atteyne wisdom wonder it is to rede as at large declareth saynt Ierom in his epistle ad paulinuÌ„ the prologe of the Byble it is ¶ We rede sayth saynt Ierom in old storyes many men haue soughte ferre countrees straunge nacyns passid ryght peryllous sees that they myghte speke famyliarly with suche philosophers whose werkes thei befor tyme had rad to lerne of them wysdom This dyde bothe Pictagoras Plato of whom sayth saynt Ierom in the same place Suche zele had Plato to wysdom and cunnynge that he folowyd scyence in al the worlde as though scyence had fledde from him And on a tyme was he taken bi pirates in the
ye perysshe from the ryght waye of god For ye be one in prosperyte a nother in aduersyte One for affeccoÌ„n a nother for money one for loue a nother for hate thenneâ—erâ—e ye fro the ryght way of IhuÌ„s ¶ Of yâ— seconde IhuÌ„s namyd IhuÌ„s of laudable memory in the scrypture of god was IhuÌ„s yâ— sone of Iosedech the grete preest of yâ— lawe one of the .lxx. Interpretours of the Bible This grete preest of the lawe at the highe coÌ„mauÌ„dement 〈◊〉 of god in yâ— mouth of Cu. 9. kyng fyrst Monarke of Perse. whom our lorde had with his grace inspyred as in yâ— fyrste chapytre of the fyrst boke of Esdre doth appere to release the captiuyte of the Iuys Whyche for theyr synnes hadr ben in thraldom in Babylon by the space of .lxx. yere after the distruccoÌ„n of Ihrlm. subuersion of the temple of god in the same by Nabugodonosor Nabuzardan hys capytayne This grete preest I saye IhuÌ„s the sone of Iosedech was in his tyme conuenyently named IhuÌ„s yâ— helper sauer of the people of god per sacram obedienciaÌ„ by holy obedience as IhuÌ„s Nauâ— was IhuÌ„s sauer and helper of the people ê‘ magnificaÌ„ potenciaÌ„ by his grete myghty power geuyn vnto hym of god To shewe you this ye must vnderstonde that for the synnes of the Iewes it pleysyd god to haue them punysshed so were they acordyng to the propheci of Ieremye the .xxvij. chapytre Theyr cyte theyr temple of grete honour was dystroyed 〈…〉 Sediche theyr laste kynge was exoculate made blynde brought wyth all his noblesse in to Babiloâ—e by Nabugodonosor there kepte in streyte captiuyte by the space of .lxx. yere And here was an ende of kynges in the genelogy of Crist as by the processe of the Byble playnly dooth appere For soth it is yâ— after the tyme of this transmigracoÌ„n vnto Cristis natiuyte where regalyte preesthode were Ioyned in one in our sauyour IhuÌ„ Crist The Iewes beyng in ther lyberte or captiuyte had neuer moo kynges but oonly prestes dukes bysshops pryncis But thenne were bysshops rulers of the people pâ—yncis helpers coadâ—utours So that the lyne of kynges after this transmigracoÌ„n sessyd as in rule not in successyon And thenne began the lyne of bysshops in rulynge of the people whiche contynuelly enduryd vnto Cristis teÌ„porall natiuyte This declaryth the Mayster of the storyes who so lyste to se it ¶ Now the fyrste of thyse grete preestis or Bysshops hauynge rule of the people was this IhuÌ„s the sone of Iosedech A man of grete zele deuowte obedyence vnto god so that he was conuenyently namyd IhuÌ„s helper or sauer of the peple by deuowte obedyence leuynge example to alle preestys prelates in especyall to beere deuowte obedience vnto almyghty god teche other the same For whan it pleysid our lorde to haue his people releuyd from theyr captiuyte his temple in Ihrlâ—m to be reedifyed to his honour praysyng he coÌ„mittid therof the rule vnto Zorobabel sone to Salatâ—ell to this IhuÌ„ the sone of Iosedech as in the prophecy of Agge playnly dooth appere Declarid at large in the fyrste boke of â—ldre the fyrste thirde syxte chapytours ¶ And full conuenyently was this besynes coÌ„myttid vnto thise two men of auctoryte honour For of yâ— one that is of Zorobabel our IhuÌ„s our sauyour descendyd by his temporall natiuyte as it apereth in the fyrst chapitre of Mathewe ¶ The other that is IhuÌ„s Iosedech preparyd the people by due obedyence truly to serue god in this materyall Temple whyche they thenne to goddis honoure reedifyed but more vâ—rely to serue god in the temple of Crystis holy body whyche he toke of Zorobabell and was in it togyder god and man in one persone Of whiche holy temple of his body hymselfe sayd the seconde chapytre of Iohn ¶ Dissolue ye this temple wythin thre dayes I shall reyse it agayn soone after foloweth Thyse wordes sayd our sauyour IhuÌ„ Cryst of the temple of his holy body Of whiche holy temple of cristis body was spirytually vnderstonde the prophecy of Agge in the seconde chapytre ¶ Ferre gretter sayth this prophete shall be the glory of this seconde temple than was of the fyrste buylded by Salomon Spyrytually I saye For the letter full harde it is to expowne of this temple reedifyed bi IhuÌ„ Iosedech Zorobabell other Iewes Syâ— this second temple was neuer half so gloryous as was that fyrste buylyed by Salomon ne in buyldyng ne â—et in aparell as Iosephus declareth For in yâ— fyrst temple was conteyned the arke of the olde testament in it concernyng the tables of the lawe Manna the rodde of Aaron whiche flourisshid fructifyed by myracle The appostle this declareth to the Hebreos the .ix. chapytre Many also precyous Iewels tresours were in that temple born awaye by Nabugodonosor and Nabuzardan his capytayn as it apereth in the fourth boke of the kynges the finall finall but onÌ„ chapitours whiche wer neuer fully restored ayen in the reedifycacoÌ„n of the same temple able it that Cirus Darius many grete thynges restoryd to the seconde reedifycacyon as it is declaryd the fyrste boke of Esdre the fyrste syxte chapytours So yâ— this seconde temple was no thynge lyke vnto the fyrste ne in buyldynge ne in garnysshyng Wherfore holy cristen doctours as saynt Ierom Bede expowne this prophecye to the letter That gretter shall be the seconde glory of this seconde hous than of fyrste ¶ For as moche as Criste god man Many wyses thys seconde temples with his holy presence dyde dedicate inourne For in to this Temple by his holy vyrgyn moder at her purifycacoÌ„n he was offryd vnto god In this Temple his holy moder fonde hym in myddes of doctours From this temple he droue oute byars sellers In this temple he often prayed prechyd many myracles shewed grete thenne was yâ— glory of this holy hous ferre gretter than euer was the glory of Salomons temple syâ— our sauyour Crist IhuÌ„s this second temple so many wayes made holy gloryous ¶ Thenne to my purpoos I saye yâ— this grete preest bysshop IhuÌ„s Iosedech was full conuenyently namyd IhuÌ„s an helper or sauer of yâ— people by his holy zelose obedyence For whe as the people of god longe tyme in captiuyte of Babylon confusyon by interpretacoÌ„n were after their custome falle in to ydolatry worshipyng fals ydoles mawmettes and so had lost theyr due obedience vnto almyghty god Folowynge the wyckyd lawes of Gentiles This grete preest bysshop acordynge to his offyce duety with helpe of Zorobabell the true prynce seruaunt of god as tymely as they had lycence of Cirê° Dariê° to retorne home and to reedifye the temple of god what obedience was in this holy bysshop ye wyth dylygence also to brynge the people to the true faste obedyence of
see solde to Denyse yâ— grete tyraunt yet for as moche as he was a philosofer a louer of cuÌ„nynge wysdom he was more of pryce than the tyraunt that boughte hym syth by reason of his cuÌ„nynge he cowde more temperatly bere hymself in all aduersyte than hys mayster souerayne hym hauynge in seruytude There shewyth forth saynt Ierom of Titus Liuiê° of Appoloniê° other wise men of the worlde in grete profounde wysdom lernyng How theyr fame of cuÌ„nyng wysdom droue men from the ferthest party of the worlde to here them to lerne of them wysdome wherby they myghte surely ordre theyr actes dedes to a perfyte ende and not erre from the same This labour besynesse sayth saynt Ierom. â—oke gentyl phylosophers oonly lenyng vnto the lyghte of reason and wyth fayth no thynge Indowed ¶ And of this wysdom to be atteyned by mannes InquisicoÌ„n Aristotle one of the grete enserchers of the same sayd there were two kyndes or parties in the syxte boke of his Ethikis That one is callyd Prudence the other Sapyence ¶ Prudence â–ª after him is a wisdom to lede man that he erre not from his resonable ende intendid in worldly occupacoÌ„n besynesse ¶ And Sapyence after hym stondeth in speculacoÌ„n of highe presume causes so that sapience is a wysdome to lede man yâ— he erre not from his ende naturally after Aristotle but in very dede supernaturally ententyd And in this sapyence after him restyth mannys felycyte In so moche yâ— he myghte atteyne to sapyence at his opynyon was felix blessyd or happy For he sholde not erre from truthes necessary to his blysse perfyte ende ¶ 〈◊〉 able it thise philosofers dide moche to atteyne ther entent purpose not to erre from the ende yet fayled they ofte tymes therof whyche appereth as wel of theyr errours abowte the laste perfyte ende as of theyr errours abowte meanes ledynge to the same ende as declareth Aristotle in the fyrste boke of his Ethikis Where he sheweth that some put ther fynall ende in ryches some in coÌ„cupiscence somÌ„ 〈◊〉 honour other transytory pleysures whyche may not endure but must nedes faylle Yet were thyse callyd acountâ—d wyse men in the worlde And â—uche wyse men that for theyr wysdom they ben of Immortall fame amonge worldly men callyd Sapientes wyse men seâ—in by excellence yet fayllyd they erryd from the â—â—outhe For neyther by theyr prudence ne yet theyr â—apyence ladde they or themself or theyr folowers to the ryghte perfyte ende naturall or supernaturall ¶ ThenÌ„e was none of this IhuÌ„s ê‘ sapienciaÌ„ the helper or sauer of man to lede hyÌ„ by wysdom to his right ende The second cause of this errour declareth yâ— apostle Poule in yâ— fyrste chapytre to the Romayns This philosofers erred sayth saynt Poul ¶ For whan they knewe god they worshypt not hy as theyr god but wanysshid in theyr proude reasons callyng them self wyse men were foolys in dede But a qâ—estion is this How knewe thyse philosofers god the apostle ansuereth in the same place The Inuisible misteryes of god sayth he be knowe of man the cheif creature of this worlde by other smaller lower creatures of the same But how vanysshid thyse philosofers how erred they For sothe for they gaue not due thankes to god theyr maker geuer of ther benefytes Sayth saynt Austin on this letter ¶ Thyse philosofers sawe the ende of all creatures knewe there was one god by the lyghte of reason but vnkynde vnto ther maker yâ— gaue to them this knowlege ascribed to themself proudly ther knowlege wysdom for theyr pryde lost ther true knowlege made both blynde errynge from trouth accordyng vnto yâ— propheâ—ye of Abâ—y yâ— fyrste chapytre rehercyd by the apostle the fyrst epistle fyrst chapitre vnto the Corinthees I shall sayth god by hys prophete distroye brynge to nought yâ— sapience of sapient men I shall reproue brynge in confusyon the prudence of prudent men of this worlde In whyche wordes god Ioyneth â—ogyders sapience prudence of this world shewyng that they ne yet ony of them ledeth or helpeth man to hys perfyte ende And forw t sheweth thapostle in yâ— same place what sapience what prudence it is yâ— redily ledeth man to his perfyte ende that he ne erre abowte the ende ne yet in meanes to yâ— same ¶ It plesyd god sayth the apostle by prechyng of his holy gospell wysdom ther with in conteyned â—at the worlde acouÌ„tyd folyssnes euerlastyngly to saue all tho whiche therunto geue fast stronge fayth accordyng vnto the wordes of our sauyour in yâ— laste chapytre of Marke Preche ye sayde Cryste to his discyples my gospell to all men wyÌ„men say ye vnto them yâ— he whiche truly bileuyth is baptized shal be euerlastyngly saued ¶ So that in the scrypture of god is wryten true wysdom conteynyng perfyte prudence perfyte sapience Prudence to directe euery man in this worlde lyuynge yâ— he erre not in worldly actes besinesse Sapience yâ— he erre not in his finall ende truthes to the same required Fulgens in his sermon of Confessours this shewyth at large ¶ In holy scrypture is conteyned both mylke for yonge chyldn substancyall meete for men that is to saye easy lernyng for begyÌ„ners profouÌ„de wisdom for men of cuÌ„nynge It folowyth there is doctryne conuenyent for eueri aege for euery state for eueri condicoÌ„n â—Ì„ This holy ghostly wisdom was it that good fads euer desyred to haue that they with lyghte myghte passe thrugh this worlde in suche astates as theâ— stode on wythoute errour or offence to god and fynally theyr supernaturall ende to whyche ende yâ— wysdome of the worlde myghte neuer lede the hauer ¶ As of Salomon â–ª we rede in the thyrde boke and thyrde chapytre of the kynges whyche coÌ„mauÌ„ded by god to aske him what petycoÌ„ns he wol de it sholde be grauntyd askyd of god onÌ„ly wysdom to ordre hymself his people to goddis pleysure god gaue hym wysdom aboue all mortall men as appereth in the fourth chapitre of the same boke ¶ AlmyÈty god sayth he gaue vnto Salomon plenteuous abundance of sapience prudence And wyth this wysdom came generally all other profitable goodes ¶ The wysdome of this prynce was so grete that the people of ferre countrees came to seke hym lerne of hym wysdom Some in Iugementes Some to ordre well theyr reames or housholdes some to ordre themselfe to goddis pleysure In somoche that regina Saba the noble pryncesse heryng the merueyllous wysdom of Salomon came out of ferre countrees to here lerne of his wysdom as it is open the thyrde boke of the kynges the x. chapytre ¶ Of whyche apperyth that this ghostly godly wysdom of olde tyme was gretly desyrid of grete men of meane men of eueri astate For by this wysdom they myghte ordre all theyr lyues