onely waye to Goddes fauour to bee the enbracyng of his holy Scriptures the drounyng wherof had enforced God to power his indignacion vpon the Christian worlde He sawe and well perceyued that God of his mercie was wylling to ceasse his wrath and vengeaunce if the Christian people woulde returne to hym He perceyued God to offre his grace vnto the worlde by openyng their iyes if leauyng theyr errour and ignoraunce thei woulde enbrace the clere lyght of the ghospell He sawe moreouer that his moste louyng subiectes of Englande whome his godly exaumple had prouoked to tendre and seke the glorye of God dyd nowe houngre and thirste the righteousnesse of God and the knowleage of his woorde He playnly sawe that no waye there was to a reformacion but by this onely meane yf the autoritie and vsurped supremitie of the See of Rome wer extirped abolished and clene extincte For he sawe his countreimen the Englishe Israelites to bee holden in suche extreme bondage wythin the Romishe Egypte that there was no hope of deliueraunce but by the onely power and myghtifull arme of God reysyng vp some Moses that woulde in the face of that same moste cruell Pharao require that Israell myght bee freely leat goe The huige seuenfold headed draguon was to the simple inferiour people suche an obstacle that they myght not come to Christe and to all Christen princes suche a terrour that they durste not This draguon besydes the monstreous hissing of his curses and excommunicacions and besides the contagious infeccion of idolatry and superstition wherewith he had by his whelpes the cancarde papistes so adblasted the worlde that he had enwrapped and drowned all Christendome in blindnesse and errour he hadde also a mortall styng in his taill wherewyth he ceassed not by all kyndes of deathes and tormentes to destruye and mourdre as manye as woulde once open theyr lyppes agaynste his moste detestable and moste blasphemous abominacions This draguon ceassed not continually to persecute the woman clothed in the sunne that is to saye Christes dere spouse the churche of England but as a rampyng and roryng lyon he stoode euer ready watchyng that he mighte deuoure her chyldren the Christian flocke whiche she nowe groned to bryng foorth to Christe had not the Englishe Michael kyng Henry the eight taken in hande to fight agaynst the sayde draguon and been strengthened of God wyth hys Aungelles the lordes and godlye prelates to caste the sayde draguon that olde serpente and his Aungels oute of Englande This was the great harlotte that sitteth vpon manye waters wyth whome the kynges of the yearthe haue committed fornicacion and the inhabiters of the yearthe been made drounken wyth the wyne of her fornicacion the woman sittyng vpon the rosecouloured and tenhorned beaste full of names of blasphemye she sitting araied in purple and rosecolour and decked with golde precious stones perles and in her hande a cuppe of golde full of abhominacions and filthines of her fornicacion and in her forehead a name of great misterie written great Babylon the mother of whoredome and abhominacions of the yearth and the same whore drounken with the bloude of Saynctes and with the bloude of wytnesses of Iesus Thys was the huyge monstre Hydra to whome the poetes attribute seuen heades some eyghte and some an hundred heades whome aswell king Iohn of Englande as also soondrie other Cstristen princes had attempted to vanquishe but as soone as they had cutte of one heade three other heades grewe vp for it so that euerye wounde that was geuen him was a more confirmacion and encrease of his strength vntyll our Hercules Kyng Henrye the eyghte perceyuyng that no power no puissaunce no weapon was hable to confounde hym sauyng onelye the consumyng fyer of Goddes woorde prouided the Byble to bee sette forth in the Englishe tounge and to bee sette vp in euerye churche where it myght bee read of of his people Long time endured this conflycte betwene our Englyshe Hercules and the Romishe Hydra ere he could bee destruied so fast grewe vp a more numbre of serpentine heades whan any one was cut of For besydes the manyfolde moste monstruous heades of Idolatrye Pylgremages supersticions countrefaicte religions and innumerable abuses mo whiche kyng Henry had to cutte of his whelpes the indurate generacion of papistes deuised all meanes possible to kepe hys auctoritie styll in Englande ne lefte any engin vnattempted to staigh and lette the abolishyng of hys vsurped power abusyng the simple people wyth all kyndes of delusion and iuggleyng of countrefaicte myracles of feigned visions of liyng in traunces of rapcions euen vnto the thyrde heauen of sophistycall learning of holy contestacions of subtily inuented prophecies of bolde comminacions and threateninges of voices auouched to haue come from heauen of peruertyng the sence of scripture to mainteine his power of wrytyng bookes in derogacyon of the kynges procedynges And to the ende there shoulde not lacke any kinde of wickedenesse that the saied Hydra and his adherentes moonkes fryers and other cloystreers were hable to weorke he founde meanes besydes many other stormes of forrayne warres and conspiracies so ferre to abuse the credulitie of the simple ignoraunte people that he brought theim halfe in a detestacion and hatered of Gods woorde and seduced theim to aduenture with a lytle blaste of sedicion to distourbe the cogitacions of suche a noble and a good kyng beeyng than moste eaâ—nestelye yea I maye saye onely sette in studiyng for the establishemente and continuacion of peace and tranquilitie in this Royalme for euer All whiche terrours coulde not appalle kyng Henryes moste stoute courage but that he wente thorough with the reformacion whiche the spirite of God so wrought in hys harte and conscience that he sawe it to bee necessarie and hymselfe to bee chosen of God to bee the instrumente therof All this whyle Englande thoughe not yet veray wyllyngly ne vniuersally receyuyng the grace of the ghospell offreed vnto vs together wyth the moste heauenly iewell and treasure of Goddes holy scripture in the mother language yeâ— neuerthelesse as oure partyes and moste bounden dueties were tenderlye consideryng the moste vigilaunte care and studie and moste earneste trauayle of oure moste gracious soueraigne employed for our behoufe and daily bestowed in fortifiyng all parties of the Royalme agaynst the malicious assaultes and conspiracies of the said Romishe Hydra or any other enemies by his procuremente Englande I saye ceassed not with continuall prayer to beseche the goodnesse of almyghtye God to rewarde the godlye mynde and dooynge of our kyng nowe wearyng oute hys bodye in trauayllyng for vs and spendyng his lyfe in procuryng for our wealth and safegarde wyth a soonne to whome whan he shoulde departe hence to heauen he myght safely committe and leaue his croune with the gouernaunce of vs his moste dere beloued subiectes Thus did all Englande by the space of many yeres persiste in continuall prayer but almyghtie God wyllyng to shewe for what persones he reserueth hys blyssynges as
fountaine and quicke spryng of warres Agayne as much mischiefe dooe they in the worlde that minister vnto the same princes occasion and matter of wrathe bearyng them in hande that it is a thyng appertainyng vnto princely manhod or couragiousnes to be auenged by force of armes for some folyshe worde spoken whiche happely was vntruely reported or at the lestewyse made a great deale worse and more haynous then it was spoken in very dede But howe muche greater a pointe is it of a noble courage for consideracioÌ„ to haue the peace and tranquilitie of the common wealthe conserued nothyng to passe vpon a raylyng woorde For yf any hurte cumme thereof it is but a priuate hurte yea to say the truthe it hurteth not at all if it be neglected and not passed on And in other matters concerning worldly affaires kynges peraduenture maye take summe vacacion and nowe and then sequestre them selues from buisynesse at leste wyse if it be lawfull for them to be any where idle and without busynesse vnto whose office it specially belongeth to watche for the preseruacion and safegarde of so many But in takyng vpon them the daungerous enterprises and aduentures of warre forsomuche as the same bryngeth with it a whole floude of great euylles and mischiefes they ought with all the iyen in their heades to watche and to be as circumspect as is possible to be leste they decree and determine any thyng vnaduisedly Neither speake I these thynges moste christen Kyng of any entente to plucke the swearde out of the handes of princes For peraduenture it is the parte of a good kyng sumtymes to make warre but that muste be at suche tyme when all other thynges hauyng been assayed in vaine extreme necessitie compelleth him so to dooe The lorde Iesus tooke away the vse of the sweorde from Peter but not from princes Saincte Paule also confirmeth their authoritie commaunding suche as in the citie of Rome professed Christes religion in no wyse to contemne thautoritie of their soueraigne rulers although the same were Gentiles and miscreauntes in so muche that he woulde not haue taken from them being as the very ministres of God neyther theyr customes theyr taxes or talages nor theyr honoure Taketh he the sweorde from them who sayeth For he beareth not the swerde for naught The selfe same thyng doethe Peter also teache beyng one of the chiefe Apostles saying Submitte your selues therfore vnto all maner of ordinaunce of manne for the lordes sake whether it be vnto the kynge as vnto the chief heade eyther vnto rulers as vnto them that are sente of hym for the punishment of euil dooers but for the laude prayse of them that dooe well c. Christe woulde haue Peter to haue no weapon saue the sweorde of the ghospell whiche is the heauenly worde the whiche as saincte Paul teacheth in the epistle to the Hebrewes is quicke and mightye in operacion and sharper then any two edged sweord and entrethe through euen vnto the deuiding asoudre of the soule and the spiryte For he that commaundeth the sweorde to be put vp into the scaberte and taketh it not awaye doeth more then yf he toke it awaye For why doeth he commaunde it to be put vppe Truely because the uangelyke pastoure shoulde in no case make warre Why doeth he neither commaunde it to be layde asyde nor yet forbid it so to be Uerayly to dooe vs to vnderstande that we ought not so much as then to go aboute to be auenged when we are of power to reuenge the iniuties done vnto vs. Wherfore I conclude that the euangelyke pastoures haue the sweord of the ghospell deliuered them of Christ wherwith they sleagh vices and cutte awaye mans carnall lustes and desyres Kynges also and temporall princes haue theyr sweorde by his sufferaunce and permission to make euillmen afearde and to preferre good men accordingly The sweorde is not taken from them but the vse therof is prescribed They haue it for a defence and couseruacion of the publike tranquilitie and not to bolster and maynteyne therwith theyr owne ambiciousnes There are two manier of sweordes lykewyse two maner of kyngdomes The priestes and bishops haue theyr sweorde and also theyr kyngdome In stede of Diademes and helmettes they haue theyr Myters In stede of a scepter they haue a crosyers staffe they haue theyr brigandyne theyr souldiers girdle and to be shorte al that complete harnes whiche that valiaunt warriour Saincte Paule describeth vnto them in sondry places These euangelyke kynges are called pastours so lykewyse are temporall kynges named of the Poete Homer pastours of the people They bothe dooe one thyng and yet is theyr office and ministery diuers euen lyke as we see that in the same enterlude and play some play one parte and some an other But yf they both had eche of theym theyr owne sweord in a readines I meane yf eche of theim would vse the power geuen them aryght and as they ought to dooe I thynke veryly that we who are rather christen men by name then in dede would not so often times drawe out our wicked sweordes to thruste theim into the bellies of our christen brethren Nowe whiles they bothe nothing regardyng theyr owne duetie haue eche one a desyre to entermeddle with that whiche in no wyse appertayneth vnto theyr vocacion it cummeth to passe that neyther of them both do maintayne theyr owne dignitie accordyngly nor yet conserue the publike tranquillitie When hath a kyng more kyngly maiestie then at suche tyme as he sitteth in iudgement and ministreth iustice then when he represseth iniuries endeth centrouersies helpeth the oppressed or when he sitteth in counsayle studying how to aduaunce the common wealth On the other syde when hath a byshop more of hys dignitie then at suche tymes as he preacheth the doctrine of the gospel out of a pulpit For then is that euangelike king in his seate royall Loke howe vnsemyng a thyng it was for the Emperour Nero to contende with the maisters of Musyke and wyth harpers in the stage or to proue maisteries with wagoners in the lystes or turneying place called in latyne Circus so vnsemely a thyng it is for a kyng to meddle wyth lowe and peltrie matiers that perteine vnto his own priuate affeccioÌ„s and hurt the prosperous state of the common wealth Agayne loke how vncomely a thyng it were if a Philosophier would with his cloke long beard scip about the stage play a parte in an enterlude or els holde a bill a net in his hande in the place where the swordplayers are wonte to fyght at vtteraunce and syng theyr accustomed song I would not haue the I woulde haue a fyshe cocke why flyeâ—â— thou from me euen no lesse vnsemely a thyng it is for the euangelike kyng to playe the warryer to bye and sell I wyll not speake of other thynges more vnhonest and lesse agreable with his vocacion Howe chaunceth it that there is anye one byshop in our dayes that
Henry the eyght beeyng otherwyse by al tokens of natural constitucion a man hable and also likely to haue chyldren had alreadye by the twoo most faire blossomes and most freshe floures of the world the lady Maries Grace the lady Elizabethes Grace your Maiesties moste noble and moste dere sisturâ— yet liuyng declared himselfe apte to be veray fruicteful of procreacion yet had he continued eight and twentie yeres Kyng of this Royalme ere he had any soonne in lawfull matrimonie begotten to whome he myght leaue the succession of this his Emperiall croune and sceptre In the meane tyme Kyng Henry as a moste vigilaunt pastour ceaseth not with perpetuall trauayll to procure for the commodities and wealth of Englande he ceaseth not by moste politique and moste holsome lawes to prouide for the establishyng of Englande in peace and tranquilitie And because by the diligent readyng and meditacion yf holy Scriptures he founde and obserued the true blissynges of God and the fountayne of al grace and prosperitie to procede of the knowleage of God and the due obseruacion of his lawes lyke a moste christian Prince and a true defendour of the fayth he conuerted and emploied al his studie and cogitacions to the redresse of such abuses in relygion as by the moste corupte doctrine of the Romishe papacye had by degrees crepte into Christes churche and preuailyng throughe continuaunce of yeres were nowe so confirmed and established throughout all parties of Christendome that the Romishe Nabugodonozor held vs in forer subieccion then euer was Israell holden in the captiuitie of olde Babilon and so should we haue stil continued had it not pleased almightie God of his botomlesse mercie to reise vp a Christian Cyrus your moste puissaunt father to restore vs agayne to our freedome in Christes bloud For the Romishe Nabugodonozor had by wrestyng and peruertyng the holy scriptures of God to the establyshing and maintenaunce of his vsurped supremitie clymed so high that he was not nowe content to sitte in the chaire of Moses but had moste blasphemously exalted hymselfe aboue all that is called God that is to say had made Goddes woorde frustrate that his moste corrupte and moste pestilente doctrine myght take place He had by his deiulishe inuencions caste such a foggie miste of ignoraunce ouer Goddes moste holy Bible he had with his Pharisaicall interpretacions in suche wyse polluted the sinceritie of Christes doctrine he had so infeeted the clere fountayne of Goddes woorde with the suddes of humayne tradicions and the dregges of vayn ceremonies he had by meane of papisticall troumperie so peruerted the vnderstanding of holy scriptures he had so defaced the puritie of the faith with the beggerly patched cloke of supersticious weorkes not commaunded by Goddes lawe he had so perplexed the grace of the ghospell with the false feigned merites and weorkes of supererogacion he had so mangled the Christian profession with mo then an hundred soondry sectes of counterfaicte cloystreers of Antichristes owne generacion liuing like idle loitreers and veraâ—dranes and vnder the pretence of religion deuouryng the common weales that woulde maynteyn theim he had so oppressed the true religion and wurshyppyng of God wyth pilgremages to dead stockes and stones of mannes handie weorke with transferryng the honoure whiche was due to God alone vnto Sainctes and to feigned miracles wyth other kyndes of idolatry innumerable and wyth a purgatorye of materiall fyer and to make some ende of speakyng in a matter of it selfe infinite he had so clene subuerted al good and godly conuersacion and doctrine that Satan had no more power of the worlde whan Christe came downe to yearth for to redeme mankynde then religion was nowe broughte oute of frame by the tyrannye of the Romyshe Babilon nor God and hys soonne Iesus Christe any where lesse founde than whan he was moste buisily named and spoken of in pulpites Beeyng vnder the title and name of Christe the moste eagre aduersarye of Christe and his ghospell he ioyned hymselfe to the Philistines and beyng their Goliah more nere sixtene then sixe cubites high neither feared â–ª ne shamed to shewe hymselfe in playne battayl of defiaunce ne spared to open hys blasphemous mouthe ne to drawe hys tyrannous sweorde ne to shake his huige murderyng speare agaynst the true Israelites of Christes litle selie flocke and moste presumpteously to braggue agaynst all that euer woulde professe the syncere and vpryght doctrine of Gods woorde tyll it pleased God to reyse vp vnto vs an Englishe Dauyd your moste noble father who without anye armoure or weapon of yron and stele without any harnesse of mannes makyng without displeighing any banners in araye of humaine battaile shoulde out of the slyng of his Regall auctoritie cast the corner stone of Goddes woorde whiche lyghtyng vpon the forhead of the sayd Goliah felled his papacie stone dead crushed it to poudre neuer to be hable any more to noye or to face Englyshe Israel Our sayd Dauid kyng Henry the eyght had learned by the boke of Deuteronomie in whiche booke the feithfull seruauÌ„t of God Moyses charged that whomsoeuer Israel shoulde make Kyng ouer them thesame from the tyme that he wer sette in his Regall throne should all the dayes of his lyfe haue continuall meditacion and should styll reade therin to the entente he myght learne to feare the Lorde his God for to kepe all the woordes of hys lawe and his ordinaunces for to dooe theim and that he should not turne from the commaundementes eyther to the ryght hand or to the left that bothe he and his children myght prolong their dayes in his Kyngdome he hadde I saie learned in the same booke on the one syde the blessynges of god promysed to all suche prynces as on theyr owne parties woulde for the loue and feare of god walke vpryghtly in the execucion of the sayde commaundementes and woulde partly by theyr good exaumple prouoke theyr subiectes to dooe the same and partly by due execucion of iustice make them ashamed and also afeard to swerue or declyne from the lorde their god and on the other syde the terrible malediccions and plagues of gods wrathe threatned to all suche as neglected the vpryght obseruyng of all his preceptes and wayes He loued the goodnesse of God and feared his stroke he sawe religion to bee ferre out of frame he sawe some parte of his moste earnest trauailes and endeuour to sette Englande in moste quiet and blissefull state to fayl of condigne effecte through defaulte of reformacion in matters of religion He saw found by experience of his owne manyfolde moste princely enterpryses the onely cause why Christian Royalmes are plagued wyth warres derthes famyns pestilences other mortall extremyties to come of Gods indignacion because the worlde was so ferre gone astraigh from Christe that nothyng was nowe weaxed so odious or detestable as his holy woorde nothyng reputed so blasphemous as Christes holy ghospell nothyng so lyght estemed as Christes blood and passion He sawe the
cuÌ„ning clergie weorkemaÌ„shyp of peincted eloquence vntyll they had peruerted them and drawen them clene a straygh from all the wayes of the Lorde theyr true God well knowyng that the people some for loue some for feare and some through exauÌ„ple woulde without any buisinesse folowe the trace and ledyng of theyr king gouernour They made the kynges rewlers sure on theyr syde well wetyng that the subiectes some for obedience sake of theyr owne accorde would and the rest by their cruell diuises myght by tyranny be enforced to drawe after theyr Princes line Whereof the auncient prouerbe sayeth that euery kyng is to his royalme and subiectes eyther a singuler precious benefite orels a very pernicious destruccion because that suche as euery kyng is suche wil his people bee Wherfore lyke as a werte or a molle standyng in a bodyes face is a more blemyshe a greatter deformitee a wurse disgracing then if it stode in some priuie place of the body where eyther the prouideÌ„ce of nature hideth it or maÌ„nes own reuereÌ„ce and good prouision doeth kepe it secrete so is a vyce or any eiuil qualytie a more fault a greatter dishonour in a Prince then in an other priuate persone because that euery his saying doyng yea euery his looke gesture is taken vp as a publique exaumple and paterne for all hys subiectes to folowe so that the kynges of Israel coulde not be ciuill but to the veraie pernycious ensaumple and corrupcion of al theyr sely people But at length came good kyng Ezechias of whom the Scripture in his due commendacion testifieth that he did that pleased the Lorde in al thyng lyke to his forefather and progenitour Dauyd His well doynges he begoonne with the redresse of religion and the extirpyng of idolatry vp by the rote For whyle idolatry reigned nothing could he doe the myght be pleasyng to God Fyrst of all therefore he put awaye the hil alters brake the images cutte downe yâ— groues and all to brake the brasen serpente that Moyses had made For vnto those dayes the chyldren of Israel dyd burne sacrifice vnto it He trusted in the Lorde God of Israel he claue to the Lorde and departed not from hym but kepte his commaundementes and the Lorde was with hym so that he prospered in all thynges whiche he tooke in hande c. Thus duryng the time of his reygne by the space of tweÌ„ty nine yeres he renewed religion restored the lawe of God to his perfeccion he reduced his people to the trade of holy and vpryght conuersacion in the syght of God of walkyng in the commaundementes of the Lorde detesting al Idolatrye abhorryng al suche abomynacions as myght iustely prouoke his wrathe vengeaunce All this whyle the subtyl crafty false prophetes and priestes of Baall dissembled played mum they folowed the necessitee of the time and for feare of the iron rodde did as the worlde vnder suche a kyng required But as soone as good kyng Ezechias was once dead leauyng behynde hyme his soonne Manasse a chylde of twelue yeres olde to reygne by succession ouer Israel in his stede than the false prophetes and priestes of Baall thought it a fitte and propyes tyme to shewe themselues in theyr owne colours As soone as by his death a gappe was opened to theyr false iugleyng to theyr crafty practyse to their wyly dryftes and theyr subtyle conueyghaunce they aâ—oâ— shewed theyr affeccions as they were They leat not slyppe theyr occasion â—o reduce Israell to the former trade of dooyng sacrifice to the Idolles whiche they had learned in the tyme of wieked Achab wherby theyr lucre and aduauntage hadde a long season come in thicke and vnder Ezechias vtterlye decaied in whose dayes they weâ— of force compelled to haue the lawe of God in honour and the same onely to vse and to â—eache to the people In herte priuely they styll coÌ„tinued most detestable most pernicyous fauourers maynteyners and weorkers of Idolatrye though they had for the tyme through hypocrisy and for feare of punishemente intermytted thesame But the youth of Manasse beyng a babe easye to be inticed allured and trayned to the lustes of sensualitie through flatreyng persuasions and beeyng destitute of faythfull and godly counsayllours that might and woulde protect his tendre chyldehood and bryng hym vp in the knowledge of God in the way of his preceptes was for the sayde false Prophetes and couetous priestes of Baall a mete praye Hym therefore they enueygled with many swete woordes of flaterye doubte ye not with many woordes of coumforte with muche circumstaunce of glorious peincted eloquence with allegeyng of many politique consideracions with many ciuyll respectes of the state of the world that than was with many gaâ—e and solemne promises of innumerable and thesame right high commodities that shoulde thereby ensue to him and his common weale with many assured warauntises of welth peace and tranquilitie if he would vse their counsayl in folowyng the wayes of wyse Achab beyng as they alleaged a noble Prynce and a polityque wise man in folowing the trade of his forefathers not of such a newefound tâ—ade of learnyng and religion as Ezechias had lately inuented brought vp in Israel to the great troublyng disquieting of himself the grieuous annoiauÌ„ce and vexacion of his subiectes and the extreme perill of his coÌ„mon weale For Almanazar king of Assyria had in the daies of Ezechias come vp agaynst Samaria and besieged it and woonne it and had carried awaye Israel into Assyria and after him Sennacheryb kyng of Assyria had coÌ„e vp agaynst all the strong cities of Iuda had takeÌ„ them albeit God by his power deliuered Ezechias his people Cities the AuÌ„gel of the Lorde slewe of the proud blasphemous bragguiÌ„g AssiriaÌ„s an huÌ„dred fowre score fiue thousand at a clappe By these meanes the salse prophetes wicked priestes of Baall couÌ„pace and weigh young Manasse though he succeded his owne father beyng so good so godly a kyng as yâ— expresse testimonie of holy scripture coÌ„mendeth with these woordes that after hym was none lyke hym emong all the kynges of Iuda neyther were there any suche before him yet the not wtstaÌ„ding by the suger-mouthed false prophetes by the couetous priestes of Baall through defaulte of good godly Counsayllours whome doubte ye not but this wieked rable founde meanes to wring out of fauour to remoue awaye from the Kynges presence he was so coumpaced weyghed persuaded woonne be wytched peruerted so foâ—re seduced that as the scripture recordeth he did eiuil in the syght of the Lorde euen after the abominacyons of the heathen For he went buylt the hill altares whiche Ezechias his father had destruied he reared vp alters for Baall made groues as dyd Achab Kyng of Israell and wurshipped all the hoste of heaueÌ„ and serued them And he builte alters in the house of the Lorde of whiche the Lorde had sayd
In Hierusalem will I putte my name And he buylte alters for all the hoste of heauen euen in twoo Courtes of the Lorde And he offered his soonnes in fyre and gaue hede vnto witchecrafte and sorcery and mayntayned weorkers with spirites and tellers of fortunes and wroughte much wickednesse in y◠syght of the Lorde to angre hym And he put an ymage of a groue that he had made euen in the Temple of whyche the Lord had saide to Dauid Salomon his sonne in this house and in Hierusalem whiche I haue chose out of all the tribes of Israell will I putte my name for euer And Manasse led them out of the waye to dooe more wickedlye then dyd the hethen people whome the Lorde destroyed from before the chyldren of Israell and he wrought more wyekedly then all the Amorytes whiche were before hym did and made Iuda also to synne with his Idolles and dyd shed innocent bloude excedyng muche euen tyl he replenished Hierusalem from corner to corner wyth the bloude of the true Prophetes and of as many as myght be founde to be the true worshyppers of God and sincere kepers of the lawe After so wicked a father who reigned fiftye fyue yeres in Hierusalem succeded as wicked a sonne Amon beyng twēty twoo yeres old whan he begoōne to reigne And he lykewyse dyd euill in the syght of the Lord as his father Manasse had doen and walked in all the waye that his father walked in serued the Idolles that hys father serued wurshypped them And he forsooke the Lorde God of his fathers and walked not in the waye of the Lord. c. Whan Amō was deceassed his soōne Iosias was in his stede made Kyng and was but eight yeres olde whan he was enoyncted Kyng And where he reigned thyrtie one yeres and begonne to reigne so young yet as the scripture plainelye mency oneth he did that whiche is right in the sight of the Lorde and walked in all the wayes of Dauid his forefather and boughed neither to the ryghte hande ne to the selfe vndoubtedlye throughe the speciall grace of God and the helpe of good Gouernours who well consyderynge and ponderynge the vngodlye lyfe and dooynges of Manasse coulde not of theyr fydelytye fynde in theyr hertes to suffre suche an innocent babe in lyke sort to be seduced and abused as Manasse had been both to his owne perdicion and also to the vtter desolacion of Ierusalem and Iuda For beholde sayd the Lorde because Manasse King of Iuda hath done suche abhominacyons c. I will bryng suche eiuyls vpon Hierusalem and Iuda that whoso heareth of it bothe his eares shall tinkle and I wil wipe out Hierusalem as a man wipeth a dish and whan he hath wiped it turneth it vpsyde downe c. And to Iosias thus aunswereth the Lorde by the prophetisse in the fowerth of the Kynges Because thine herte did melte and because thou hast humbled thy selfe before me the lorde whan thou heardest what I spake against this place c. Beholde therfore I wil receiue thee vnto thy fathers and thou shalt be put into thy graue in peace and thine iyes shal not see al the eiuils whiche I will bring vpon this place They were both of them young Kinges and immediate successours the one to Ezechias who had extirped idolatrie by the roote and the other to a wurshipper of false Gods otherwise also a very wicked man And yet Manasse through peruerse enticers fel from God to all naughtines and Iosias beeyng younger of age then he did by the helpe of faythefull and godly Counsaylours apply himselfe to all goodnes and thereby prospered These twoo very notable exaumples moste gracious Soueraygne I haue some what the more at large propouned and set foorthe to your Maiestie partely that ye may marke and 〈…〉 shall of your godly dooynges redounde to youreselfe youre people 〈◊〉 Royalmes and dominyons yea and to youre posteritie also for your sake and partely to declare vnto youre hyghnesse that nexte to the speciall gifte of Gods grace to be of your owne good disposicion plyanne flexible and much enclined to vertue the chiefe and principall porcion of all suche good happe is to bee ascribed to the discrete gouernaunce the sapient direccion the vertuous trayning the vpright guydyng the godly aduertisementes the holesome admonicions and the vncorrupt educacion in vertue and litterature ministred vnto a yong king by feithful and woorthy Counsayllours Which thing forasmuch as it so is how happy blyssed is your Maiestie of gods owne hande who hath prouyded your Grace of suche noble and woorthy Counsaylours in this time of your minoritie and how much are we your most feithful louing subiectes bound to laude praise and magnifie his moste holy name for that in this so daungerous a tyme he hathe so mercifully graciously prouided for vs whose welth and safegard in this worlde must wholly and onely depende of your godly educacion vertuous trainyng or our extreme confusion of the contrarye And certes this your innocent babehood and tendre minoritie is the veraie time in which it may euidently be tried what persons dooe feithfully tendre your welth your honour and your godly procedinges They are aboue all precious Iewelles and aboue all worldely treasoures to bee estemed loued regarded thanked and folowed of your Maiestie whiche in thys your mynoritie shewe themselues feithfull earnest diligent and careful ▪ not onely as touching the safegarde and preseruacion of your most Royall persone but also concernyng your minde in this your tēdre youngth to be furnished with literature with the due knowlege of God with such disciplines as many confirme you in all Princely vertues for your honour welth and renoume whan God shall make you a manne of yetes and stature as your moste noble and moste honourable Counsaylours doe their true and diligent endeuour to make you a manne in maniers and learning Wherein like as Philip King of Macedonie at the birth of his sonne Alexandre the great alleged himselfe for two causes principally to reioyce the one because he had now a sōne borne to succede him in his croune sceptre the other because the same was borne in the time of so noble a Clerke as Aristotle was to whome the tuicyon gouernaunce and instruction of Alexandre might be committed so did your most noble father and so doe al we your most beneuolent subiectes yet stil reioice that your hap was to be borne hauing two such worthy vncles to serue and assist you and especially such an one as your most dere vncle Edward Duke of Somerset is to whome aswel the gouernaunce and vertuous institucion and training of your most Royal person as also the proteccyon of all your Roialmes and dominions and of al vs your most feithfull louing subiectes during the time of this your minority might be safly committed Of whose fidelitie now a long season aswel in King Henries time as sence the beginning of your
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
manifestlye a ruler of Bethleem whiche should rule the people of whom he was borne Wherfore the priestes the Scribes beyng sent awaye because he was in despeyre for to deceyue them he calleth the Magians priuily vnto him leste the Iewes might suspect any crafte or guile and so opening the matter on eche syde as though he and they both purposed one thing inquired of theÌ„ diligently how long it was synce the sterre appered fyrst vnto them by whose showing poynting they had passed ouer so great a iourney and came to Hierusalem meaning and purposing this the more certeinly to vse and exercyse his crueltie to the distruccion of that one new borne childe The MagiaÌ„s for godlines is not suspictouse kepe nor hide nothyng from him not thinking him to be so cruell fierce that he would shewe crueltie vpon an infante yet skante borne neither so furiouse that he would suppose to suppresse by mannes deuise the thyng that was doen by goddes might When they had shewed the tyme he of the other syde shewed the place whiche he had learned of the Scribes And now he conceiuing a sure hope that the childe might be takeÌ„ by these two shewinges geueth commaundement in his owne name to the Magians which of theÌ„selues were willyng to go that they should go to Bethleem and seke out the childe with great diligence and when they had found him to returne eftfones vnto Hierusalem and geue him knowledge of all the matter he pretended a verye godly cause and nothyng displeasaunte to the myndes of the Magians that I also ê™ he maye folowe you and wurshyp hym He himselfe woulde firste haue knowledge of the childe to the intenâ—e he mighte destroye hym before that the people of the Iewes had cleare vnderstandyng that he was borne God in the meane tyme made this prouision that the Magians returned safely to preache Christe in their owne countreyes Otherwyse yf this vngraciouse man had not bene deceyued of his hope he would haue vsed extremely the Magians themselues which brought him so vnlucky tydynges ¶ Whan they had heard the king they went forward and lot the starre which they saw in the East went before them tyll it came and stode ouer the place where the childe was And when they sawe the sterre they were merueilously glad and went into the house and found the childe with Mary his mother and fell downe and wurshipped him and opened their treasures and offered vnto him gyftes gold incense and myrre And beyng warned of God in their sleape that they shoulde not go agayne to Herode they turned into their owne countrey another waye The godly simple Magians after that they had hearde the king made haste vnto Bethleem whom the sterre which called them furth for a time did forsake to the intente that the barbarouse people should fyrst shew vnto the Iewes that Christ was borne whome they lokyng for so many yeres afterward did put to death But when they had passed ouer this parte of Goddes ordinaunce agayne appered that wonderfull starre whiche serued their Godly purpose in suche wyse that it shewed vnto theÌ„ not onely Bethleem but also the cotage it selfe beyng very lowe poore and bafe and therfore verye harde to fynde yea and hangyng very nere ouer the chyldes head it did shewe and pointe as it were with a finger to the infant whom they so feruently desyred Therfore when the starre began to appeare agayne it shooke of and put a waye all carefulnes froÌ„ their myndes and nowe replenyshed with sure hope and ioye and passyng litle vpon mennes tellynges but folowing the heauenly guyde they espye the palace of the newe kyng a filthy and a vile cotage or stable Sincere Godlynes is nothyng troubled with these thynges They enter in they fynde the infante not differyng in apparaunce from others they fynde the mother nothyng gaye or gorgious to loke to All theyr stuffe shewed and testified pouertie and simplicitie The Magians whiche did not worship nor fall downe before Herode magnifying hymselfe in his seate with a kingly pompe fall downe at the cradle of the crying babe they adoure and honour grouelyng on the grounde hym that could not yet speake And theiÌ„ were not content with this godlynes but they take out of theyr boxes giftes purposely apoynted of those thinges with increase of the whiche the nacion of the Persians was chiefly enriched that is golde incense myrre â–ª lest that he which shortly after should be compelled to flee should lacke in his vyage And with these fyrst fruites of fayth the Gentiles that were farre of preuenting the Iewes which were thought to be next vnto God do constitute Christe to be theyr kyng and of the other side do dedicate themselues vnto hym offeryng a new sacrifice in three kyndes of thinges And now as by a ryddell or a darke figure they professed that ineffable Trinitie of the father and the sonne and the holy goste acknowlegyng also in â—ne man mortalitie priesthode and kingdome For golde is for a kyng incense for a prieste myrre for hym that shall dye He was borne mortall he did sacrifice on the crosse he conquered rising froÌ„ death he reygneth in heauen The Iewes sawe so many wonders and when they knewe hym they kylled hym The Magians sawe no notable thyng as coÌ„cernyng theyr bodely iyes and they reioyce that they had so fortunate a iourney But what tyme they deuysed with themselues whether they shoulde returne vnto Herode to satisfy his mynde and desyre they were admonished in theyr slepe by the diuine oracle not to returne agayne to Herode For that was neyther suertie vnto them neither to the childe neither expedient for such a weightie matter whiche in tyme and by parsell meale should be promulgated and published vnto the world They spedely did obey thoracle and returned into theyr countrey another waye to be newe preachers of the newe kyng among theyr countrey men And when they were departed behold the Aungell of the Lorde appered to Ioseph in his slepe saying Aryse and take the chylde and his mother and flye into Egypte and abyde there tyll I bryng thee worde For Heâ—ode wyll seke the chylde to destroye it So whan he awoke he toke the chylde and his mother by night and went asyde into Egipte and was there vnto the death of Herode that it might be fulfilled whiche was spoken of the Lorde by the prophete saying oute of Egipte haue I called my sonne Now the helth and safetie of the Magians was prouided for and that the tranquillitie both of the mother and of the chylde might forthwith be seen for and that also the vngodlines of Herode accordyng vnto his desertes might more and more be exasperated greued to the glory of Christe thesame heauenlye messinger whiche sente awaye the Magians appered vnto Ioseph in his slepe exhortyng hym that now beyng priuye vnto the mistery he would conueye awaye secretely the mother and the chylde into
sunne and his clothes wer as white as the lighâ— And beholde there appeared vnto them Moses and Helias talkyng with him Than answered Peter and said vnto Iesus Lord here is good being for vs if thou wâ—lt let vs make here thre tabernacles one for the one for Moses and one for Helias As he yet was speaking behold a bright cloude shadowed theÌ„ And behold there came a voice out of the cloud saiyng this is my welbeloued sonne in whom I delight muche heare him And whan the disciples had heard these thynges they fell on their faces and were â—ore afrayed And Iesus came and touched them and sayd Arise and be not afrayed And when they had lyft vp their â—yes they sawe no man saue Iesus onely AFter sixe daies Iesus willyng by sum meanes as it were by a dreame to shew vnto his disciples that sighte and apperaunce in the whiche once he shall cum to be iudge of the worlde he chose out three of the numbre of his disciples Peter Iames and Iohn his brother and whan he had brought them vp into a very hye hyll farre from the sight of men he was transfigured before them And his face shyned lyke the sunne and his garmentes wer bryght with whytenesse as whyte as snow and as no fuller can make vpon the earth and there appered also to them Moses and Helias talkyng with hym of the glory of his death whiche he should suffer at Ierusalem This was thought good to Christ that the Apostles should be confyrmed by those auctours whom all the Iewes magnified moste and that they shoulde not suspect that he would abolish the law sith Moses stoode with hym nor the prophetes sith Helias was present neither yâ— they should abhorre his death as a shameful thing whiche so great men set forth and shewed it to bee glorious These thinges wer seen to the apostles as to men newely waked froÌ„ slepe for their iyes wer heauy grieued For mortall feblenesse was not of capacitie to receiue the greatnesse of the vision The disciples therfore being afearde and amased with suche a woÌ„derful and incredible sighte Peter not yet fully wel aduised but rauished wholly with the pleasure and maiesty of the sight which semed to be farre from mencion of death said Lord let vs buylde here three tentes or pauilyons one for thee another for Moses and the third for Helias This was thought vnto Peter more wisedom than to be slain at Ierusalem Peter had not yet ended his coÌ„municacioÌ„ but beholde a bryght and pleasauÌ„t cloude ouershadowed thapostles lest they should be absorpte and ouercummed with the highnesse of the sighte And behold the voice of the father sounded out of the cloude witnessyng of his sonne with the same wordes with the which he witnessed of hym wheÌ„ he was baptised in Iordane This is my onely beloued sonne in whom my mynde hath delight heare him Whan the disciples heard this voice ful of diuine maiestie and not to be borne of mannes eares they fell doune grouelyng vpon theyr faces and wer more afeard For they wer afeard of theyr lyfe because they had learned that God sayed thus man shall not see me and liue But Iesus receiuyng agayn his former shape touched them with his handes lest they shoulde suppose that he were a goste and with his accustomed and knowen voyce he comforted them saying Aryse and feare nothyng Further when they wer cum to themselues and lifted vp their iyes they sawe no maÌ„ there but Iesus alone euen lyke as he came vnto the hill And whan they came doune from the mountayâ—e Iesus charged them saiyng Shewe the vision to no manne vntill the sonne of man be rysen agayn from the dead And his discyples asked him saiyng why than say the Scribes that Helias must fiâ—st cum And Iesus aunswered and said Truely Helias shall first cum and restore all thynges But I saye vnto you that Helias is cum already they knewe hym not but haue doen vnto hym whatsoeuer they lusted In likewyse shal the sonne of man also sufâ—re of them TheÌ„ the disciples vnderstode that he spake vnto them of Iohn Baptiste And whan they came doune from the hill before they came to the cumpany of the other disciples he coÌ„mauÌ„ded them to tel no man of these thinges that they had sene vntil the sonne of man wer risen froÌ„ death For vntil that time the tale should be vnprofitable and not beleued And the disciples kept it to themselues and conferred betwene themselues what it myght meane that Iesus said after that he be risen again froÌ„ death Their hart was so wrapt entangled that that worde so often hearde â—ould not enter into their hart But a certain doubt rose in their myndes of that that they saw Helias standyng with Iesus this doubt they propose vnto hym in the way What meneth it than ê™ they that the Scribes teachyng and tellyng of the cumming of Messias be wonte to saye out of the authoritie of Malachie that before the cummyng of Messias Helias Thesbites shal cum And he went not before thy cummyng but this daye was seene in the hyll Unto whome Iesus makyng aunswer saied Truly Helias shall câ—m lyke as Malachias sayed and accordyng to his prophecie shall goe before my cummyng and shall restore al thynges the residewe of the people of Iewes being conuerted vnto the gospell leste the whole nacion should be condemned But this cumming shall be in tyme to cum when I shall be here againe with the maiestie of my father renderyng rewarde vnto euery man accordyng vnto his dedes And yet a certayn Helias went before this my cummyng also whom the Iewes despised euen as they dyd me and dyd vnto him not after his desertes but whatsoeuer it pleased them And the sonne of man shall be handeled of them with like mekenes Than the disciples vnderstode that he called Iohn Baptiste Helias for the lykenes of lyfe and freenesse in reprouyng of kynges And whan they wer cum to the people there came to hym a certaine man knelyng downe and sayed Lorde haue mercy on my sonne for he is lunatyke and soore vexed for oftymes he falleth into the fyer and oft into the water And I brought him to thy disciples they could not heale him Iesus answered and said O feithles croked nacion how long shal I be with you how long shall I suffre you bryng hym hither And Iesus rebuked the deuil and he went out of hym And the childe was healed from that tyme. But nowe when Iesus went vnto his disciples he sawe a great multitude of men about theÌ„ and the Scribes disputyng with them The people meruelyng whither Iesus was gone ran vnto him and saluted him He demauÌ„ded of them what the matter was that they disputed amonge themselues Than one of the multitude made aunswer Maister I brought my sonne to thee which is miserably vexed of an vnclean spirit which as often as he taketh him the childe is beaten against
to the sea and cast an hooke and take the fyshe that cummeth first vp and whan thou hast opened his mouthe thou shalt fynde a stateâ— take it and geue it vnto them for the and me After that he came to the citie of Capernaum they that demaunded tribute in Cesars name being afraied to speake to Iesus because of his authoritie whiche he had gotten hym now by miracles they went to Peter whom they sawe in maner next about him Doth your maister ê™ they pay a didram for tribute Peter wheras he had no money and would not offende the gatherers of tribute made aunswer that he payeth For Iesus hitherto had paied such maner tributes And whan they were nowe entred into the house for Iesus had an house there Peter being perplexed thought in his mind to speake to Iesus as touching paimeÌ„t of the tribute For he had promised and had not to pay TheÌ„ Iesus not ignorant what Peter had in his harte preuented his question Symon ê™ he what thynkest thou Of whom be kynges wonte to take tribute or subsidie of their childreÌ„ or of strangers Of straÌ„gers ê™ Peter Then ê™ Iesus the children be free signifiyng therby though sumwhat darkly that he being lorde of the land and the sea and of all thynges oweth tribute or subsidie to no mortal prince and that his disciples as the childreÌ„ of the kingdome be not bounde but yet minding to teache that in such thynges whiche make nothing against godlines obedience oughte to be geuen to this kynd of men lest being prouoked they offend more greuously he added yet ê™ he lest we offend them go to the sea and take the fish which cummeth out first open his mouth and thou shalt fynd a piece of coyne called a Statere whiche is fower draÌ„mes Take it and geue it for me and the. With this dede Iesus both shewed his power wherby he was subiect to no maÌ„ his modestie wherby he would geue place vnto theÌ„ whoÌ„ it is not mete to stirre or prouoke for a thing of litle value to be set nothyng by For he that can geue after that sorte is greater than he that ought to geue and yet when he geueth that he ought not he teacheth that it is better sumtime for to geue ouer thy right then to striue for thy right with them that be froward chiefly in those thinges whiche diminishe thy substaunce but hurt nothyng godlynes The worlde hath his ordre which must not be troubled in no case by occasion of libertie of the ghospell ¶ The .xviii. Chapter ¶ At the same tyme came the disciples vnto Iesus saiyng Who is the greatteste in the kyngdome of heauen Iesus called a chylde vnto hym â–ª and set hym in the middest of them saiyng Uerelye I saye vnto you excepte ye tourne and becum as chyldren ye shall not entre into the kyngdome of heauen Whosoeuer therefore humbleth hymselfe as this chylde thesame is greatest in the kyngdome of heauen And whoso receyueth suche a childe in my name receyueth me But whoso offendeth one of these litlennes whiche beleue on me it wer better for him that a milstone wee hanged about his necke and that he wer drowned in the depe of the sea Woe to the world because of offences Necessary it is that offences cum but woe vnto the man by whome the offence cummeth AFter that these thynges were thus doen there entered into the myndes of thapostles a certain worldlye affeccion and a prycke of enuy and ambicion They hearde of the kingdome of heauen they sawe three Apostles led a parte into the mountayne they heard that the keyes of the kingdome of heauen were delyuered vnto Peter and that it was sayde vnto hym blessed art thou Symon Bariona and vpon this stone I wyll buylde my churche they saw him talkyng with their maister of certain thynges bothe familiarely and boldely and euen now they sawe hym preferred before thother Apostles in paimeÌ„t of tribute and in maner made equall vnto Christe therfore they sumwhat enuied Peter vnto whome the principalitie of the kyngdom of heauen semed to be appoynted where as he was yonger in yeares Therefore they go vnto Iesus and demaunde who shoulde be chyefe in the kyngdome of heauen For yet they dreamed vpon such certaine dignities as we see in princes courtes But Iesus to plucke this affeccion vtterlye out of theyr myndes called to hym a certayn child and sette hym in the middes of his disciples a litle one and yet farre from all affeccions of ambicion and enuie simple pure and liuyng after the onely course of nature Be ye sure of this ê™ he vnles a man be wholy chaunged and cast away vtterly all suche affeccions and be transformed into the fashion simplicitie of this chyld he shal not once be receiued into the kyngdom of heauen So that in no wyse preeminence and soueraintie ought ambiciously to be desyred Wherfore whoso doth submit himself and becum lyke vnto this babe in that he humbleth himself to be as the least of all he shal be greatest in the kingdome of heauen For whoso through modestie and sobrenes maketh hymselfe as leaste thesame is greatest in vertue Princes loue them that be lyke vnto them and amonge them is he most estemed that preferreth hiÌ„self before others I delight in my lyke In courtes of this world the prince thinketh it to redound vnto his rebuke if a man vse any of his nobles coÌ„tumeliously he taketh the gentilnes to be bestowed vpon hymself whiche is bestowed vpoÌ„ them But the fauour of true simple and humble meÌ„ is so great with me that whosoeuer receiueth any one of these for my sake I would it should be counted as done to my self euen as though he receiued me Contrariwise whoso hurreth or offeÌ„deth any one of these litle ones which trust in me and depend wholy vpoÌ„ me he shal be more greuously punyshed than if he should be drouned in the depe sea with a milstone at his necke For what is more wicked than to offend theÌ„ which beare to no man yll wyll whiche enuie no man which prefer themselues aboue no man whiche loue all men indifferently But alas woe be to the worlde for offendyng and greuyng of like litle ones The frowardnes of menne is cause that offences must nedes chaunce There shal be men whiche stirred vp with ennie and hatred wil persecute them that doe for them wyll say yll by them that wysh them well will kill them that bring euerlastyng health And truly these offences and griefes shal profit them that shal suffer them yea they shal be profitable to all the world But yet it shall turne hym to displeasure thorough whose defaulte this offence shall rise Wherfore if thy hand or thy foote hinder the cut it of and cast it from the. It is better for the to enter into lyfe halt or maymed â–ª rather then thou shouldest hauing two handes or two feete be cast into euerlastyng fyer And if thyne iye
people that went before and they that came after cryed saying Osanna to the sonne of Dauid Blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lorde Osanâ—a in the highest The disciples departed they found true whatsoeuer Iesus had tolde them before By and by at the mencion of the lord the beastes wer let looce where as neyther the Lorde was there presente nor the disciples made any countenaunce of any autoritie that they had In dede the owners of the beastes knewe no suche thing but yet in theyr hertes they perceyued that he whiche was lorde ouer all commaunded this The disciples because the Lord should sit the more at ease cast on theyr clokes and so set him vpon the coltes backe whiche colte did beare the figure of the Heathen nacion beyng vncleane and filthy folowyng all yll desyres whiche whan it was once couered with vertues apostolicall and Iesus receiued vpon her backe ceassed any longer to bee vncleane ceassed to folow her old vices beyng made the bearer of him who purgeth and sanctifieth all thinges This she asse is the dame of the fole because healthe and redempcion cummeth oute of the Iewes but the same asse was fast tyed to the lettâ—e of the lawe Bare she was of euangelicall vertues but at the lordes biddyng they are both vntied and couered with the Apostles clothes The Apostles as yet vnderstoode not these thynges but yet this it was whiche was signified thereâ—â— and shoulde more playnely be vnderstanded afterwarde When Iesus was now come to the foote of the hill a great multitude of men came out of Ierusalem to mete hym Yea and the multitude had suche a fauour vnto him that the moost parte of them strawed the waye with theyr garmentes some cut downe boughes from the trees and strawed them in the waye Ferther the company that went before and also that folowed declaryng themselues to bee glad of his cumming sang vnto hym this saying out of the prophecie of the psalme Osanna to the sonne of Dauid blessed be he that cummeth in the name of the lorde Osanna on high Others cryed blessed be the kyngdome of our father Dauid the whiche is come Others cryed Blessed be the kyng of Israell whiche is come and they praysed God for the myracles whiche they sawe done by Iesus This honoure the Lorde Iesus who hadde euer to fore liued humble and lowe suffred to be geuen vnto hym whereby he declared that he shoulde not bee without the glorye of this worlde in case he were mynded to haue it but that he had rather to despise it than to embrace it to the ende it might bee so muche the more shame that it shoulde be sought for of suche as professe themselues to be his disciples where as he despysed it which onelye deserued it Yet this honor was mere and semely for the cummynge of hym who by his death shoulde redeme the whole worlde And whan he was cum to Hierusalem all the citie was moued saying Who is this â–ª And the people sayd This is Iesus that prophete of Nazareth in Galile And Iesus went into the temple and cast out all them that solde and bought in the temple and ouerthâ—ewe the tables of the money chaungers and the seares of them that solde doues and sayd vnto them It is wrytten My house shall be called the house of prayer but ye haue made it a den of theues And the blynde and lame came vnto hym into the temple and he healed them Therfore when Iesus entred into Hierusalem with this straunge and vnwoonte pompe the whole citie was moued with this vncouthe syght saying What man is this The multitude whiche folowed him aunswered This is Iesus the Prophete of Nazareth the citie in Galile This they thought a goodly prayse although that it was farre vnder his maiestie For the people as yet coulde suppose nothyng of hym aboue man And Christe dyd purposely so ordre his lyfe that he vttered not openly his godlye nature whiche he shoulde haue persuaded in vayne yf they had seene hym afterwarde suffer deathe Therefore with this rufflyng Iesus entered into the temple and there furthwith began to vse a certayne kyngdome When he sawe in the temple a fashion of a market sum selling sum biyng and the changers of money sitting Iesus moued with the vngoodlines of the thing accordynge to the sayinge of the Prophete The zeale of thy house hath eaten me he made a whip of litle coardes and droue all the byers and sellers with theyr marchandise out of the temple he cast downe the tables of the money changers and scatered theyr money vpon the grounde he cast downe the seates of the doue sellers alleging furth of Esay a iust cause of his griefe who sayeth in the person of God My house shall be called the house of prayer but ye haue made it a den of theues By this act Iesus mente an other thynge For that the temple was polluted with marchandyse of bullockes shepe goates and doues did not so greatly moue hym but it was hys mynde to shewe that auaryce and lucre would be a deadly poyson vnto his church in time to cum whiche was figured by that temple whose religion should shortlye after be abolished For at suche tyme is the temple which is consecrate to offer vp to God spirituall sacrifice turned into a denne of theues whan vnder the pretense of religion and priesthode the people is robbed For nothing can be sincere and holy where the loue of money doethe reigne And this mischiefe is than a thynge vntollerable when it is vsed vnder the roofe of the temple when rauine is couered with the shadowe of religion There was no sorte of men agaynste whom Iesus at any time shewed any more rigour then he dyd towardes these and yet hath he reserued the same vnto himselfe to be cast out when himselfe shall thinke best Then vnto Iesus being in the temple there came the blynde and lame whome the lawe barred from entryng into the temple But the temple of Iesus receyueth all whiche make spede vnto healthe For the blynde came that hauinge theyr sight they might see Iesus whome they hearde so spoken of The lame came that folowing his steppes they mighte come into the kyngdome of heauen As manye therfore as came to hym he healed them ¶ Whan the thiefe priestes and Scribes sawe the wonders that he did and the children crying in the temple â–ª and saying Hosanna to the sonne of Dauid â–ª they disâ—ayned and sayed vnto him hearest thou what these saye But Iesus sayeth vnto them Why not Haue ye neuer red Out of the mouth of infantes and sucklinges thou haste ordeyned prayse And he lefte them and went out of the citie vnto Bethallia and abode there The chiefe Priestes and the Scribes thorough those thinges wherby they ought at last to repente were the more kyndled with burning in enuye when they sawe the people reioysing so louingly on euery syde and sawe the greate power in
thinketh it a goodlyer thyng for hym to haue in is trayne CCC horsmen well appointed wyth crosbowes iauelins and handegunnes then to bee accompanied wyth a good numbre of learned and vertuous deacons and to carry about with hym bokes of holy scripture Why dooe they thynk them selues great by the pompous shewe and setting foorth of those thynges by contemnyng wherof suche as they succeded were accompted great and worthy persons Why haue trumpettes and hornes a sweter sounde in theyr eares then the readyng of holy scripture Well then what if a kyng in steade of a Diademe and a robe of estate put on a Myter and a priestes attyre and contrary a bishop in stede of a Myter and priestes attyre weare a Diademe and a kynges robe or kyrtel-wil it not appeare a monstreous sight vnto vs Nowe if the vnright and disordered vse of suche thinges as are but signes of theyr office and ministeries dooe so greatly moue vs why then are we not a greate deale more moued to see their offices turned cleane cam misordered Certes if either kyng oâ— bishop dooe any thing priuately they must haue respect to nothing els but to the health and conseruacion of the people For yf they dooe theyr dutie aright either they admonishe such as are out of the way correct suche as haue done amysse or coumforte the dismayed or kepe vnder the proude and hye mynded or styrre vp idle persons or make those that are at variaunce frendes and louers againe This is the very office of kynges but specially of the euangelike kynges who in no wyse ought ambiciously to desyre this worldly kingdome And forasmuche as the Lorde Iesus was in very dede both a spirituall and a temperall kyng although he expressed in yerth but a spirituall kyngdom alonely it is both theyr partes to dooe what in the lyeth to counterfaicte and followe theyr prince He wholly gaue himselfe for his And how then for shame dare any that calleth hymselfe Christes vicar lyue onely to his owne priuate wealth and commoditie Christe whether he were in the temple or in the Synagoges or went abrode or taried at home in his seuerall house or were carried by water or continued in the wildernes dyd nothyng elles all his lyfe long but playe the parte of a sauiour of a comforter of a well dooer He taught the multitude he healed the diseased he clensed the lepres he restored the sycke of the palsey the lame and the blynd Further he chased awaye hurteful spirites raysed the dead deliuered those that were in peryll filled the bellies of the hungry reproued the Phariseis defended his disciples and also the synner that so lauishely poured out her oyntmente vpon hym He coumforted the synfull woman of Canaan and her that was taken in adulterye Peruse all the whole lyfe of Iesus and it shall euidently appeare that he neuer harmed any bodye notwithstanding he had so manye hurtes and displeasures done to hym of others and that he coulde easâ—ly haue been auenged yf it had pleased hym He euery where played the sauioure euerywere the well doer He restored Malchus eare agayne whiche Peter cut of with his sweâ—rd He would not haue his safegarde defeded wyth the least hurte or displeasure that might be to any body He made Herode and pilate at one Hangyng on the crosse he saued one of the theues Whan he was dead he drewe the captaine of the garison vnto the christian profession This was the very office and parte of a kyng to do all men good and hurte no bodye His example all christian princes ought as nygh as thei can to folowe And forasmuche as your grace is called the moste christian kyng the very name and title selfe that is geuen your highnes ought specially to moue you to expresse in all your doinges as nere as ye can possible the prince of all princes Christe But what sparcle of shame remayneth there in those persons who albeit they haue a pleasure to be called the vicars of Christe doe notwithstandyng require to haue I saye not theyr lyfe or dignitie but theyr auarice and pryde defended with greate effusion and shedyng of christian bloud And this wryte I ryght noble prince not for to defame or reproue any bishops albeit I woulde wishe of God that there were not some christian bishops of whome these wordes might beiustely spoken but onely to shewe wherein the true dignitie of kynges and bishoppes consisteth to the ende that bothe of them knowyng and mayntening theyr owne dignitie maye happily passeouer this transytorye lyfe to Goddes pleasure and contentacion But muche farder are those euangelike pastours from doyng theyr dutye who where it had been theyr parte to make princes beyng at debate and variaunce at one agayne do of their owne accorde incense them to warre and as it is an old prouerbe do cast brandes vpon the fyers or flames of battayle Surely yf euer it were nedefull for a good pastour or shepherde anye where to prouide for the safegarde of his flocke with the losse and spendyng of his lyfe if the example of that chiefe shepherde Christ in whose stede they are were any where to be expressed and folowed here chiefly ought they to haue do one theyr duetie whereso greate a sea of mischiefes gusseth and floweth out into the worlde But howe chaunceth it that amoÌ„g so great a noumber of Abbottes bishops and Archebishops and Cardinals not one steppeth foorth that dare putte yea euen his veraye lyfe in hasarde to make an ende of this greate stirryng and troublous buisynes of the worlde Howe happily dyeth he whoso by his deathe causeth so many thousande mennes lyues to be saued There is no crueller a thyng then is that fyghting hand to hande and bucherly manglyng and cuttyng of sweard players And yet was antiquitie so fondly delyted with this syght that the moste naughtie and detestable example remaynyng of the vse of the Gentiles continued a long season euen emong christen men namely in the Citie of Rome whiche coulde not yet forget her old paganitie But that this manoure of fyghtyng is vtterly set asyde we maye thanke as wytnesseth the historye called the tripartite history one Telemachus a manne of theyr order and profession who for christian simplicitie and a desyre they had to leade a solitarye lyfe and to eschewe the companye of the synfull multitude were commonly called monkes or solytarye persons This Telemachus came for this purpose out of the easte parties to Rome and entryng into the place whiche was called of them Theatrum that is to saye a place ordayned to beholde shewes and pastimes in when he sawe two armed men come into the fightyng place and aboute to sley one another he leaped betwixt them as they were in their furye and rage crying and saying with a loude voyce What dooe ye brethern why go ye about like wylde beastes to murther one another To make shorte tale whiles the good man wente about to saue both theyr lyues he lost his owne
as he was cum out of the water he saw heauen open and the spirite descending vpon him lyke a doue And there came a voyce from heauen Thou art my deare sonne in whom I delite After that Iohn had with wordes of lyke sentence moued and styrred vp the mynde of a great manie of theym to wayt for Messias that was cummyng then furth came Iesus when his tyme was cum forsakyng the litle village of Nazareth in the countrey of Galile where because of his educacioÌ„ and long continuaunce in thesame men thought he had bene borne Certes this is the nature and propertie of all euangelike thinges to begyn very baselye and from suche begynnynges by litle and litle to cum at the length to highest perfeccion whereas contrarily all thinges that euer the world and the deuel goeth about are after merueilous goodly beginninges sodainly cast down and brought to nought So lucifer whiles he set his feate in the northe ymagenyng to be equall with the highest was sodainlye cast downe headlyng into hell In semblable wise Adam when that thorough the diuels instigacioÌ„ he desired to be equall with God was by and by exiled and cast out of paradise Therfore if thou here considre the high excellencie and greatnesse of Iesu it will cause the muche more to wonder at his singuler humblenesse of mynd modestie He came out of a poore and homely village out of Galile the vilâ—st countrey of all Iewrie He that purifieth all thinges came as one of the raskall sort humble lowly to the baptisme of repentauÌ„ce amoÌ„g sinners souldiers brothelles publicaÌ„s without any seruauÌ„tes to wayte and atteÌ„de vpoÌ„ hym It was not ynough for hym to be circumcised accordyng to the ordynaunce of the lawe and purified after the tradicion of Moyses He desyred also to receiue Iohns baptisme teaching enstructing vs hereby that whoso maketh hym selfe ready to be a ministre and preacher of the gospell muste omitte nothing whiche in any wyse perteyneth to the increase of vertue and godlines And again â—schew all thinges wherwith the weakelinges may be offended Iohn taught vs this lessoÌ„ that a preacher of goddes word shoulde not get himselfe estimacion and auctoritie by gorgeous apparell or poÌ„pouse liuing but by honest behauiour and godly conuersacioÌ„ But the eâ—saÌ„ple that Christ shewed was of muche more perfeccion and farther from the Iewishe fashion then this for that he differyng nothyng at all from other neyther in his apparell nor yet in dyet dyd neuerthelesse by his godlye lyning mekenesse and beneficiall goodnes towardes all men vtterly duske and deface the auctoritie of Iohn For that is of hygher perfeccion whiche is geuen by the grace of the gospel then that whiche procedeth from the austeritie and straitnes of the lawe The whole intent of the lorde Iesus was this to make the worlde to know how he was the onely aucthour of saluacion to expresse and set out vnto vs a certaine fourme of euangelike and true godlynes to coÌ„firme the truth and certentie of all that euer Moyses and the Prophetes had vâ—â—itteÌ„ of thinges past and to make vs as it wer with the giuing of an earnest peny to haue a sure hope and expectacion of thinges yet to come For we right gladly beleue him of whom we haue conceyued a meruelous good opinion and vpon whom many witnesses do consent and agree Wherfore it was procured by the prouidence and wisdome of god that the Lorde Iesus shoulde euery where haue an euident recorde and testimonie of his deitie Of the whole lawe of Moses of all the Prophetes of the angels of the shepardes of the wise men called Magicians of the Scribes of Simeon and Anne of Iohn baptist of the father of the holy ghost and finally of Pylate and the deuils The miracles also that he wrought plainely declared hym to be the sonne of God He dyd many thinges not because himselfe had any nede so to do but for that he would set out vnto vs in his owne person a certaine fourme and trade of lyuing as when he fasted when he was tempted when he oftentymes prayed when he came to baptisme when he obeyed his parentes when he paciently suffered all iniuries and wronges and finallye when he came to his crosse and passion He perfourmed many thynges that the prophetes had prophecied of before lest the people should doubt of the promises afterwardes to be accomplished as when that in his baptisme he receyued the holye ghost in the lykenesse of a doue lightyng vpon the croune of his heade as when he arose agayne from death to lyfe Wherfore he came as a penitent to Iohn he desired his baptisme and obteyned it He was baptised in Iordane wherin were baptised both tanners Publicans and souldiers a sorte of people so sinful that none are more blemished or defiled wâ—â—h sinne Are not here the stately princes of this worlde ashamed who will haue nothyng common with the vulgare people No kyng nor priest cummeth to baptisme and if it were theyr pleasure so to do they would scarcely vouchesafe to receyue baptisme in a bason of golde or preciouse stones Nowe our sauiour Iesus that fountayne of all puritie that kyng of all kynges that lord of all lordes disdayned not the common bathe wherin the common sorte were washed But whoso humbleth hymselfe before man the same is highly exalted before god Iesus was baptised as the rest and euerychone of the common people there present But the father of heauen disseuered hym froÌ„ the residue by a certayne notable signe neuer sene ne heard of before For as sone as he was come out of the water of Iordane whiche he halowed with the touche of his holy body vnto lande as he was in his contemplacion and prayers Iohn sawe the heauens open and the holy ghoste flie downe from thence and light vpon the holy croune of his heade and there tarye The pride of Adam closed the gates of paradise agaynste vs The humblenesse of mynde and modestie of Christe hath for paradise opened vs the gates of Heauen There was a visible signe shewed vnto mannes iyes but by the same we were taughte what maner of myndes that heauenlye spirite both loueth and maketh The spirite of the deuill and the worlde maketh and loueth suche mindes as are haute puffed vp with pride fierce but that heauenly spirite loueth those whiche are lowely meke and peacible There is nothing more harmles and more without gyle then the doue nothing whose nature wurse agreeth with fighting and raueny It was plainlye expressed set out in the lord by this corporall figure what is spiritually wrought in all those that with a sincere and pure faith receyue the baptisme of the gospell The body is washed with water but the soule is throughly annoynted with grace inuisible Moreouer that the done abode still vpon the croune of the lordes head signified that the holy ghoste is geuen to all other godlye men and good lyuers â—atably after the
Iames the sonne of Alphe and Thaddeus and Simon of Canaan and Iudas Iscarioth whiche also betrayed hym Therfore Iesus who had oftimes before because to allure manye vnto this doctrine humbled himselfe euen to the basenes of the common people shewing therby that the teachers of the ghospell ought to do the lyke Iesus I say now calling furth to the highnes of euangelike perfeccion wente vp into a mountaine and called vnto hym not euery rascal of the multitude but suche as it pleased hym and those that he had specially chosen and sorted out before for this office and ministery For he called not men of greate substauÌ„ce head rulers great estates not priestes Phariseis or Scribes but poore men vnlearned persons suche as were of lowe degree For these were mete to folowe him to go vp to the mountayne from whence whatsoeuer this presente worlde hathe in it worthy admiracion is contemned from whence as oute of a nighe place the voyce of the father of heauen is heard and to be short from whence the glory of immortalitie and euerlasting lyfe is beholden They that were called obeyed and came to Iesus beyng on high No man can mounte vp to this hill except Iesus call him For himselfe is the mountaine vnto whome no man cummeth vnles he drawe hym This that king of kynges and Lord of rulers did chose out twelue head officers and deputies the whiche as loyall and faythfull garders of his personage shoulde neuer depart from his person to the intent that when the affayres of the ghospell so required he might sende them out as legates for the body to preache suche thinges as they had learned of him theyr kyng and publish abrode theyr princes commaundement throughout the whole world Now for as muche as they were vyle fishers vnlearned persons pooremen and suche as in outwarde apparaunce shewed no poynte of kinglines notwithstanding they promysed the kyngdome of God our sauiour leste theyr aucthoritie shoulde haue ben nothing regarded gaue them a power that no princes of this world can geue theyr ambassadoures the whiche power was that they shoulde in the name of Iesu heale all maner of diseases and also put to flight vncleane spirites The first of these legates or messingers was Simon whose name he chaunged and called him Cephas the which worde implieth as muche as this latine name Petrus that is to say a rocke or a stone to the intent that we should learne by the name selfe how the chiefe groundwarke and foundacion of the doctrine of the ghospell is an vnmouable stedfastnes of fayth The second was Iames the sonne of zebede with his brother Iohn To these he gaue also newe names and they bothe were called Boanarges whiche is as muche to saye in the Syrian tongue as the sonnes of thundre so that theyr name was a very prophecye to declare that they shoulde in tyme to cum send out of that euangelike hill into all the worlde the thunder of the preaching of the ghospell whiche shoulde moue and styrre vp all mens mindes to the desyre of heauenlye thinges For lyke as thunder soundeth from an high so the preacher of the ghospell soundeth and preacheth nothing that is low and carnall but all that he speaketh is high and heauenly Be you penitent the kingdome of heauen is at hande This saying is a thunder clap For assone as this word is spoken euery man feareth the daunger of lightninge but there folowethe a shower and that is Beleue ye the gospell and you shal be safe The fourth legate and messinger was Andrew brother vnto Peter the fifth Philip the sixte Barthelmewe the seuenthe Mathew the eyght Thomas surnamed Didimus the ninth Iames the sonne of Alphe the tenth Thaddeus the eleuenth Symon of Canaan the twelfth Iudas Iscarioth the whiche betrayed the Lord. By these few basely borne vnlearned and weake persons it pleased the Lorde to renewe the whole worlde leste that mannes wisedome or power shoulde chalenge any prayse in this heauenly busynes ¶ And they came into the house and the people assembled thither agayne so that they had no leasure so muche as to eate bread and when they that belonged vnto him heard of it they went out to laye handes vpon him for they sayde he is mad And the Scribes whiche came downe from Ierusalem sayed he hath Beelzebub and by the chiefe deuill casteth he out deuils and he called them vnto him and sayd vnto them in parables These thinges thus doen in the mountayne to monishe vs that in chosyng the ministres of the ghospell we ought in no wiâ—e to be moued led with low and priuate affeccions Iesus came downe with his elect head officers and they all together came into a house as nowe the familiar frendes and of shoulde with God This exaumple was shewed to teache vs howe the teachers of Gods word should not grutche to descend from theyr highnes or perfeccion and abase them selues euen to the lownes of the weake therby to winne very many to theyr Lorde Let vs also folow Iesus into the house for this intent that we may perfectly know what they ought to hope after and wherunto to prepare theyr mindes who take vpon them syncerely to preach the heauenly gospell The multitude went not vp to the mountayne For that thing pertayneth to them only whom the lorde hath chosen out for that purpose But assone as Christ and his disciples were cum downe lower al the whole rablement of people resorted vnto hym again so importunately crying and calling vpon him partly for to heare his doctrine and partly to be deliuered of theyr diseases that the Apostles had no leasure so muche as to eate theyr meate There can be no pleasaunter syghte vnto the teachers of the ghospell then when the people being desyrous to learne do disquiet the priestes then when a great multitude of christen nouices sytteth round about the churche doore then when there is not roume ynough in the Churches to receyue all maner of folkes that resorteth vnto the bishopes sermon After that all these dedes were through the great bruite therof brought to his kinsefolkes and cosens eares who knew right well thinfirmitie of his fleshe wheras for grossenesse of vnderstanding they could not suppose any thyng of his godly might and power after I say they heard tell how he wandred vp and downe with a sort of rascall slouens and vile felowes folowing him at the heles and heard say also howe he caused muche people to folowe him taughte newe learninges and suche as had not bene hearde before put away diseases and caste out deuils they ascribed all to fury and madnesse because being offended with the weakenesse of his body they could in no wise referre these thinges vnto his godly power They knew his father and mother they knew his house and all his family they knewe that in all other thinges he differed nothyng from other and perceyued also howe all that was reported of hym
to cum now accustome your selfes to play the shepheardes geue them of your owne vitayles to eate The disciples not perceyuing for what purpose he spake these wordes answered agayne according vnto their rude capacities saying Thou commaundest vs to do a thing vnpossible For thou knowest right well how slenderly we be prouided of vitayles necessary for our iourney Shal we goe and bye two hundred penyworth of breade for this multitude the which will not be ynough to suffice them insomuche that euery man shall scarcely haue a lyttle morsell to sauour his mouth Then Iesus preparyng theyr myndes by little and little vnto the myracle sayed Howe many loaues haue you in store and because they had not their answere ready Go ye sayed he and loke howe well ye be prouided of vitailes They loked shewed hym that there were fiue loaues two fyshes It was not vnknowen vnto the Lord what they had but his will was to haue the Apostles perfectly to know how smal sâ—oore of vitayles ther was to th enteÌ„t they might the more acknowleage Goddes power in the miracle And because they myght the better discerne what a great multitude and compaignie ther was he commaunded them to bydde all the people to sitte doune vpon the grene grasse so deuyded into compaignies that in euery coÌ„paignie should sitte an hundred persons or els fiftie together The apostles did as the Lord bad them and lykewyse the people were obedient vnto the Apostles so greate was the confidence they had in theyr guyde and shepeheard Iesu. Then toke he the fiue loaues and two fyshes and lifting vp his iyes accordyng vnto his accustomed manour to heauen gaue thankes vnto the father thorough whose beneficiall goodnesse the busynesse of the Gospell dyd so well goe forward That doâ—n he brake the loaues and gaue theÌ„ vnto his disciples that they shoulde sette them before the multitude In like maner deuided he the fishes into sundrye porcions and gaue them vnto his sayd disciples to be likewyse distributed among all the people All were refreshed and dyd eate theyr fyll none of them all lacked inso muche that after the feast was done the Apostles by the Lordes commaundement gathered together the reuersion and therwith fylled twelue baskettes Furthermore the number of the people whiche myght easely be knowen by reason they were thus deuyded into compaignies and satte in rowes was fyue thousand men besydes children and wemen By thys myracle Iesus bothe prescribed vnto his disciples a fourme or rule howe to feede a multitude with the foode of the Gospell also pulled oute of theyr myndes all pensyue carefulnesse to prouide for corporall sustenaunce Therfore whosoeuer thou be that arte a Bishop Curate or pastour of Christes flocke thynke not thus with thy selfe I am a Doctoure of diuinitie I am an excellent cunnyng expounder of holye scripture I haue great store of learning wherwith to enstruct the people and may take inough out of my riche store house stuffed with cunning to feede them with al be they neuer so hungry Yea rather loke and acknowledge how small store of vitayles thou hast at home for the whiche whatsoeuer it be thou arte a debtoure vnto the Lorde But bryng suche store as thou haste vnto the handes of Iesu. Desyre hym to vouchesafe to handell and breake it That done what he hath deliuered thee the same dooe thou euen as he toke it the minister vnto the people as the Lordes meate and not thine and minister it not mistrusting not puttyng difference betwyxt this meat that not trusting to thine own strength and so in conclusion shall it be a very euangelyke banket and the mindes of the faithfull shal be more refreshed and filled with this holsome foode thus ministred by a simple person then if the supersticiouse Pharisey the arrogant Philosophier or eloquent Rhethorician would for the aduauncyng and settyng forthe of them selfes make vnto the people an artificiall oracion or sermon whiche they had diligently studied and long tyme prouided for aforehand Now for as much as he coÌ„mauÌ„ded his disciples before to cum vnto the ministery of the gospell without any prouision of corporall foode here hath he declared by very dede howe those shall wante nothing who whiles their myndes be wholly set vpon the kyngdome of God and the righteousnes therof do not passe vpon these temporall thinges for the which the common sorte of people taketh great thought and care yf so be there lacke not in them a syncere and true faith in the Lorde Iesu. ¶ And strayghtway he caused his disciples to go into the sâ—ip and to go ouer the Sea before vnto Bethsaida while he sent away the people And as soone as he had sent them away he departed into a mountain to praye And when euen was cum the shippe was in the middest of the Sea and he alone on the lande and he saw them troubled in rowing for the winde was contrarye vnto them And about the fourth watche of the night he came vnto them walking vpon the Sea and would haue passed by them But when they sawe him walkyng vpon the Sea they supposed it had bene a spirite and cried out for they all sawe hym and were afraide And anon he talked with them and sayed vnto them be of good cheare it is I be not afrayed And he weÌ„t vp vnto them into the shippe and the winde ceassed and they were sore amased in themselues beyond measure and maruayled for they remembred not the loaues because theyr hartes were blinded It was but a small benefite that he filled their hungry belies in respecte of those benefites whiche they daylye receiued of his most bounteous goodnesse It procedeth of a greater liberalitie to fede the mynde or soule then the bellie And yet for all this the grosse common sorte of people are wonte suche is their vnright and aukeward iudgement to set most store of all by that whiche is of leaste price and value Therfore Iesus knowyng it would cumme to passe that they would nowe after their bellyes were fylled imagine howe to make him a Kyng compelled his disciples for it was muche a do to sunder them from so liuely and amiable a Lorde to take ship and go ouer the water before him vnto Bethsaida whiles he in the meane whyle sent awaye the people whoÌ„ beyng dismissed he conueyed himselfe priuily to a mountayne there to pray alone and make peticion vnto the father that lyke as the affaires of the ghospell had begun well and properously so might they with lyke successe go forward In the meane time the night approched and the disciples sayled in the myddes of the sea without their maister and as they were sayling there arose a tempest How can it be chosen but there must nedes be night where that Suâ—ne and light of the world Iesu is not present How can it be chosen but that ship must nedes be in ieopardie wherin Christ lacketh How can it be chosen but the
and moued all menne to be repentaunt for theyr former lyfe And yet this notwithstanding they whiche boaste and crake vpon the perfite knowledge of the prophecy knewe him not And they whiche loued better theyr owne kyngdome then the kyngdome of God delte by him not as he deserued but as them lyked For he camme accordyng to the prophecies of Esaye and Malachy crying in wildernesse how the great and terrible daye of the Lorde was present howe the axe was alredy put to the rote of the tree and that euery manne shoulde spedely endeuour him selfe to auoyde the vengeaunce of God cumming But this Hely who openly without regarde of person rebuked euery mannes vices they despised and put to deathe Neyther wyll they more gently entreate Messias then they haue done his forecurroure Hereby Iesus declared howe Iohn was Hely not after the body but after the similitude of spirite who whyles he neyther spared kynges ne phariseis was caste into prison and beheaded As they dyd by the forewalker so wyll they doe by his Lorde The same thyng wyll they lykewyse doe by those Apostles that shall folowe hym For whosoeuer hath sincerely preached that goddes kyngdome should cumme thesame hath suffred many affliccions of the vngodly And whoso syncerely preacheth yâ— it is already come must nedes suffre the lyke With these wordes Iesus called backe his disciples froÌ„ the dreame of glorye to the remembrauÌ„ce of the storme that was to cum and hanged ouer theyr heades that is to saye from pleasaunt thynges to necessarye ¶ And when he came to â—is disciples he sawe much people about them and the Scrybes disputyng with them And sâ—â—ayghtwaye all the people when they beheld hym were amased and ranâ—e to him and saluted hym And he asked the Scryâ—es what dispute ye among them And one of the company aunswered and sayed Mayster I haue brought vnto the my sonne which hath a dumme spirite and whensoeuer he taketh hym he teareth hym and â—e someth and gnasheth with his teethe and pyneth awaye And I spake to thy disciples that they should caste hym out and they could not In the meane whyle that they had thus commoned together they were come into the sight of the people at what seasoÌ„ a great multitude were gathered about the disciples whome Iesus left beneath in the playne He sawe also the scribes reasonyng the mattier I wot not wherupon with his disciples Now when the people had espyed Iesus vnloked for on theyr behalfe forasmuch as he had preuely conueyed himselfe awaye with a fewe of his disciples they were astonyed and met him cummyng full and whole and saluted hym Iesus was not ignoraunt what the scribes disputed on but yet he asked what the mattier was where vpon they reasoned to th entent that euery body might knowe what was done And when both the disciples the scribes helde their peace for very shame the disciples for that they assayed to cast oute a diuell and coulde not bryng it to passe and the other because that in the presence of the disciples they depraued the name of Iesu as a thyng vertulesse and of no efficacie one of that multitude who ministred the occasion of the â—â—asoning shewed the whole matier euen as it was vnto Iesu. Mayster sayeth he I brought hither my sonne vnto thee who is vexed with a dumme spirite of whome he is pitifully tourmented For whensoeuer the spirite teketh hym he dasheth hym agaynste the grounde and then the childe fometh at the mouth gnasheth with his teeth and cryeth out and all this whyle he pyneth and consumeth awaye by reason he is thus vexed Because thou wast not here I desyred thy disciples that they would chase awaye this spirite and deliuer my sonne They assayed to doe it and coulde not ¶ He answereth him and sayeth O faythles naâ—ion howe longe shal I be with you howe long shal I suffer you Bryng him vnto me And they brought him vnto him And assone as the spirite sawe him be taâ—e him and fell downe on the grounde walowinge and fominge And he askethe his father howe longe it is ago sence this happened him And he sayeâ— of a childe and oftetymes it hath caste him into the fier into the water to destroye him But yf thou canst do any thing haue mercy vpon vs and helpe vs. Iesus sayed vnto him yf thou couldest beleue all thinges are possible to him that beleueth And strayght waye the father of the childe cryed with teares saying lorde I beleue helpe thou my vnbelefe When the lorde heard this to shewe that feblenes of fayth was the verye cause why the yonge man was not delyuered of the spirite he makynge as thoughe he had been wrothe and in a fume sayed O faythlesse nacion whiche yet canst not by so many miracles as I haue done be brought to belefe Howe longe shall I lyuynge here in earth striue with your vnfaythfull obstaclenesse howe long shall I beare with you when wyll you come forwarde in those thynges that be of the spirite when wyll you beleue those thynges that you see not syth you beleue not the thynges whiche you see with your corporall â—yes bryng hym hyther to me And they brought hym vnto hym That sinne cleaueth fast wherunto the synner hath from his chyldehood accustomed But after he was brought vnto Iesus he was wurse vexed then he was before by reason of the conflicte which arose betwene the spirite desirous to amende and sensualitie tollyng and alluryng hym agayne to his accustomed synfull lyuyng For anon as the fiende sawe Iesus he feelyng a contrarye power to his tooke the younge manne and soore vexed hym insomuche that beeyng dashed agaynste the grounde and rolled to and fro he fomed at the mouth This was a pitifull syght to all the people But it is a muche more pitifull syght when the sinner possessed with greuous suâ—â—es and of long continuaunce is lykewyse vexed in soule Howbeit there is no synne vncurable vnto Iesu. The Lorde because the other shoulde also knowe in howe euyll case he was asked his father howe long it was since his sonne fyrste beganne to bee thus vexed he answered againe of an infante And the spirite doth not onely sayeth he thus vexe hym as thou seest but also casteth hym oftetymes headlong into the fyre and many tymes into the water because to destroy hym Here thou hearest a very sore and cruel malady tourned into nature and therfore the father feared leste it had been vncurable For he sayed moreouer But yf â—ou bee able to doe any thyng haue mercye on vs and helpe vs. He dyd well to desyre the mercy of Iesu who could alleage no merites howbeit thou hearest a waueryng faythe when he sayeth But yf thou bee able to doe any thyng c. That faythe Iesus refourmeth saying doubte thou not what I am able to doe For yf thou couldest beleue there is nothyng but strong and stedfast fayth may obteyne it Assone as Iesu had sayed so the
length proued and right wel knowen of you by sure argumentes and profes go your waye into all the world and preache this gospel to all the nacions therof For I dyed for all men and lykewyse for all men haue I risen agayne It is not nowe nedefull to kepe the ceremonies of the olde lawe It is not nedefull to vse any mo sacrifices and burnt offeringes to pourge synnes Whoso beleueth the gospell whiche thorowe my death offreth to all that beleue in me free remission of all synnes and beyng washed with water receyueth a signe or token of this grace thesame shal be saued Who so beleueth not the gospel there is not why he should truste to the obseruacion of Moses lawe or heathen learning and philosophie the same shal be damned This waye is open for euery manne to go to saluacion by but it is but one waye onely And these tokens shall folow them that beleue In my name they shall caste out diuels they shal speake with newe toungues they shall dryue awaye serpentes and if they drinke any deadly thing it shall not hurt them They shall laye theyr handes vpon the sicke and they shall recouer And leste your preaching shoulde not be beleued there shal be ioyned therunto a power to worke myracles so that there lacke not in you an Euangelike faith and so that the thing selfe do require myracles The chiefe power and vertue of the Euangelyke grace lyeth hyd in mennes soules but yet when for the aduauncyng of the gospell there shall nede any miracles thesame shall not lacke for the weakes sake They that will beleue in me shal cast out diuels not in their owne name but in mine they shall further speake with newe tongues and dryue awaye serpentes and yf they drynke any deadly thyng or poyson it shall not anoye them They shall laye theyr handes vpon the sicke and they shall be whole When these thinges are wrought and done in mennes soules then is there a muche greater miracle wrought but thesame is hid and not sene Couetousnesse pleasure of the body ambicion hatred wrath and enuy be very poysons and deadly diseases of the soule These diseases shall they cure and put awaye in my name and that continually But for the weakes sake suche as are harde of belief the other miracles shall also be oft times wrought to th entent the grosse sorte of people maye perceyue that in my disciples is a spirite more puissaunte then all mannes strength and power So then when the lorde had spoken vnto them he was receyued into heauen and is on the right hande of god And they went foorth and preached euery where the lorde workyng with them and confyrmyng the worde with myracles folowyng When the Lorde Iesus had spoken these and other mo wordes to his disciples he ascended vp into heauen where he sitteth on the righte hande of god the father The disciples after they had receyued the holy ghost preached as they were commaunded not only in Iewry but also in all other regions and countreys and the matier went forwarde notwithstanding the world resisted and was bent against them the Lorde Iesus puttyng furthe his mightye power by his holy spirite and theyr ministery and euerywhere confirmyng with ready miracles whatsoeuer they promysed to do with wordes FINIS To the most vertuous Ladie and most gracious Quene Katerine wife vnto the most victorious and moste noble prince Henry the .viii. Kyng of Englande Fraunce and Irelande c. Nicolas Udall wisheth prosperous health and long continuaunce with grace peace and all ghostely coumforte in our Lord Iesus Christ. LYke as our maister Christ in the ghospell moste gracious Quene Katerine whan the woman that had liued wickedly beyng now by his grace called froÌ„ hir sinnefull life to perfite repentauÌ„ce and amendmeÌ„t came vnto him sittyng at his repastein the house of Simon the lepre and washed his feete with the teares of hir iyes wyped thesame with that heare of hir head poured forth vpon his head a precious swete oyntment and also anointed his feete therewith did so well allowe hir deuocion hir earnest zele and hir tendre coÌ„passion whiche she had to â—oumforâ— him that he did not onely among all the cumpany declare hir preseÌ„t â—â—mfort in forgeuyng hir euen there all hir offences wickednes afore paste but also promised that she should not lese the condigne reward of renoume for hir teÌ„dre gentilnes to him shewed in so muche that afore all the preseÌ„ce he openly protested that wheresoeuer throughout al the world the gospel wer afterward preached there should she in suche wise at al occasioÌ„s he had in mind that the remeÌ„braunce of hir good hart thankefulnes towardes him should neuer dye nor be forgotten So Luke the euangelist Paule with the otheâ— apostles of Christ did in their holy writinges not onely make meÌ„cioÌ„ of sucâ— men preachers as were faithfull workers or ministers in Christes vyneyard but also by whatsoeuer good matrones and deuout wemen they sawe and fouÌ„d eyther that god was glorified his honour adâ—auÌ„ced or the ghospell preferred the word of god furthered â–ª the preachers of the same mainteined the yonglinges in the faith cherished the true chriâ—â—iaÌ„s in their pouertie refreshed the nede of the faithfull releued or the vnfâ—â—â—ed beleuers in aduersities coÌ„forted succoured to suche godly wemen they did not forget ne let passe to geue loude praise and coÌ„mendation aswel for the due reward of the parties selues as also for the good ensauÌ„â—le and encouragyng of others to doe the lyke For this cause doeth Luke in his gospel more theÌ„ once make meÌ„cion of Marie Magdalene of IohaÌ„na the wife of Chusa of SusaÌ„na Marie the mother of Iames. And in the actes he neyther forgetteth ne omitteth to coÌ„mend Priscilla Tabitha Lydia Damaris For this consideracion Paul coÌ„meÌ„deth vnto the Romains Phoebe Marie Eryphena Tryphosa Persis others For this respect did Hierome waite a whole treatise entytled of noble famous wemeÌ„ whose nobilitie also renoume he estemeth measureth by none other thyng but by their godlines deuocioÌ„ zele and endeuour to setforth Christes holy ghospell and by theyr godly conuersacion ioyned with moste studious diligence in readyng the scriptures Wherfore most gracious ladie although here nowe to renewe the memory and prayse of the manifold most excellent vertues and ardent zele of your highnesse towardes the promotyng of the knowelage of gods holy word and ghospell bee a thyng more due to your moste worthy deâ—erâ—es than easy for my rude penne to expresse them and more apperteineth to my duetie then it standeth with myne habilitie and power accordingly to sette them forth yet so to do at this present I haue thought partely a thyng nedelesse because your excellencie doeth so ferre sâ—â—â—ounte and passe all praises whiche my slendre vtteraunce is hable to geue you that I shoulde therein seeme to do a much lyke thyng as if I would bring forth a smouldring smokie
redempcion in Christe and by Christ sealed with his most precious bloud the Antichrist of Rome seduced the simple people to putte their affyaunce for remission of synnes and obteinyng the ioyes of heauen by his pardones conteined in a piece of parchement or paper with a lumpe of lead haÌ„ging at it and to be bought of him or of his generacion the monkes and fryers for money in stede of the holy bible legenda sanctorum the miracles of our ladie and martiloges whiche themselfes deuised and neuer durst sette forth vntill the partie of whom they were made had been an hundred yeres dead for feare of beyng taken in a lye in stede of obeiyng our liege lord and soueraigne to be subiect to forein potentates with other abuses so innumerable that no tyme or wordes may suffice to declare or reken them vp And in this blindnes had EnglaÌ„d still continued had not god of his infinite goodnes bottoÌ„les merry reised vp vnto vs a new Ezechias to confouÌ„d al idols to destroy al hillalters of supersticion to roote vp al counterfait religions to restore as muche as in so litle time maye be the true religion wurship of god the syncere preachyng of gods word and the booke of the lawe that is to say of Christes holy testament to be read of the people in their vulgare toung That if in so litle time hauing no more helpe but the mere texte of the Bible the people through the goodnesse of god and the instincte of his holy spirite haue had the iyes of their hart and soule so opened that they haue not onely espyed the abuses afore mencioned and thousandes mo in whiche the Romyshe Babilon hath certain hundred of yeres holden all christendoÌ„e captiue and thrall but also haue so coÌ„formed themself to the syncere doctrine of Christe that they do with most glad wyll with most earnest zele and with most studious diligence enbrace the truthe abhorre the errours wherin theâ— were afore drouned detest the supersticions wherwith they were afore delited hounger and thirst the syncere knowlage of Gods word by the goodnes of God and the gracious prouision of our moste noble Ezechias Kynge Henry the eyght nowe daily minystred vnto them how is it likely that they would profite in godly knowlage if they had sum other godly exposicion or declaracioÌ„ of sum good syncere writer vpoÌ„ the new Testament for their ferther edifiyng Of whiche sorte truely there cannot one manne be picked out more apt and mere then Erasmus especially in this his Paraphrase which your highnesse of a moste godlye zele hath thus procured to be tourned into Englyshe whose doctryne as it is not in any poynte after my poore iudgemente corrupte so dooeth it without violence or extremitie of wordes vtter the doctryne edifye the conscyence declare many abuses detecting the enemies of Goddes woorde and supplanters of his ghospell by suche true and liuely markes that they maye be easilye knowen so that it cannot bee doubted but it should bee vncredible furtheraunce towardes the rypyng of the knowelage of Goddes woorde yf it myghte or shall so stande with the pleasure of one fayde moste gracious soueraigne Lorde beeyng nexte and immediately vnder God our supreme heade Whiche thyng verily I would wishe and praye to God myghte so frame for two consideracions the one because that the people hauyng the Paraphrase of Erasmus shall haue the pyth of all the doctours and good writers that haue any thyng sette foorth for the declaracion of the ghospels the Actes and the Epistles so that Erasmus may stand one alone in as good stede as a great numbre of other expositours setfoorth together and the other because my herte dooeth wyshe that the setting forth of gods glory the destroiyng of idols the confoundyng and defacing of all popish trumpery the publishing of the bible gospell of Christe so godly by his highnesse entended so stoutely entred and so luckily begon might by thesame our most gracious soueraigne be in such wyse prosecuted brought to effect that whan heauen no loÌ„ger willyng to spare him to the worlde but that he must geue place to nature shall call him to receiue a croune of immortalitie and he for desire therof shal willingly surreÌ„dre and geue vp this emperiall croune of worldly dignitie to the moste regal Impe his sonne our noble prince Edwarde he may deliuer to thesame a people so well framed and trained to his hande that the same may with al ease prosperous successe and without any let of stumblyng blockes to be layed in his way by papistrie continue the godly trade nowe at this daye well begonne and thankes to god luckily proceding I would wish as in dede I hope no lesse that he might not nede to be put to any ferther trauayl or cure but wel to coÌ„serue and kepe thinges in thesame stay and ordre that his most noble father mindeth to leaue all vnto him Our Dauid Henry theight hath alreadye so substancially cast the foundacion and reised the buildyng of the Temple that I trust it shal be no burden for our young SalomoÌ„ to consummate and fynyshe the same whan his tyme shall cum But nowe I perceiue my selfe while I entre into opening the desire praier of my herte to haue entered into suche a large fielde of talke which the experience of kyng Henries exaumple concernyng the trade of religion and the hope of prince Edwarde to be a right folower of so right a ledyng father doth minister vnto me that except I here sodainly breake of I am drawen to wade so fer in their praises that I were not hable in long tyme to fynde any way out again Omitting therefore at this present the moste worthye and moste lustely deserued prayses of them bothe I shall tourne my style sum what to treate of Luke whome it pleased your highnes to commit vnto me to be translated Whiche coÌ„maundement whan it came firste vnto me in your graces name although I knewe how litle it was that I could do in this kinde yet was I glad that your coÌ„maundemente dyd so iustlye concurre with the determinacion of myne owne minde and purpose For I had long time afore with mature deliberacioÌ„ and also with aduised eleccion apointed with my self to traÌ„slate this paraphrase vpon Luke assoone as any suche libertie might be and to make it vnto your grace a testificacion of my duetie and thankefull remembraunce of your manyfolde benefites afore doen to me of your mere bountie And two thynges there were that had moued me to take this prouince most specially in hand yeâ—â—e because that as Luke is the longest of all the Euangelistes so is he of al men noted to haue written his gospel moste exactely aswell by relacion of the Apostles which were present and conuersaunt with Christ while he liued on earth as also by the instruccions of Paul who was moste earneste and full in the iustificacion of feith and most piththy against the iustificacion of wordes albeit
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
do not for any suche purpose wryte paraphrases because I would shake or strike the gospell out of mennes handes but to thentente it maye be read the more commodiouslye to a mannes mynde and with the more fruite lyke as meates are sauced to the ende they maye be taken with the better will and the more delectacion Yea and of one ferther poynte also must I here warne a reader that is somewhat grosse of vnderstanding whiche is that it bee not myne owne woordes that I do any where speake in the paraphrase leste the thyng whiche vnder the persone of the Euangeliste is humbly and truely spoken maye seme to bee arrogauntlye spoken vnder myne owne persone The lord Iesus geue his spirite vnto you moste noble kyng to the ende that vnder your proteccion beeyng a true Christian Prince in dede the veritie of the gospell maye from daye to daye more and more reigne and flourishe Yeuen at Basill the .xxiii. daye of August in the yeare of our Lorde M.D.xxiii The life of saynt Luke written by S. Hierome LUke a phisicion and borne in Antioche was not ignoraunte of the Greke toungue as his wrytynges do shewe he was a folower and disciple of the Apostle Paule and a companion of all his peregrinacion He wrote a volume of the ghospell of whome the same Paule sayeth in this maner We haue sent with him a brother whose praise is in the ghospell throughout all the congregacions And agayne to the Colossians Moste dere Luke the phisicion greteth you And to Timothie Luke is with me alone Be sette foorth also anotheâ— speciall goodlye booke whiche is entitled the Actes of the Apostles the storie wherof came euen full to Paules tyme beeyng and tarying two yeares at Rome that is to saye vntill the fourth yeare of Nero the Emperour there Whereby we do well perceyue that the sayde booke was made in the same citie Therfore as for the circuites of Paule and of Tecla the virgin and all the tale of Leo by hym baptised we rekon emong the scriptures that are called Apocrypha For what manier a thyng is it that a companion whiche neuer went from his elbowe shoulde emong his other matâ—ers bee ignoraunt of this thyng alone Tertullian whiche was nere vnto that tyme reporteth that a certayne priest in 〈◊〉 beeyng an affeccionate fauourer of the Apostle Paule was coÌ„uicte before Iohn for beeyng authour of thesame booke and that the priest confessed him selfe to had 〈◊〉 the thyng for the loue that he bare to Paule and the booke by reason therof to had escaped hym Some wryters deme that as often as Paule in his Epistles saieth accordyng to my ghospell he signifyeth of the woorke of Luke and that Luke learned the ghospell not onely of the Apostle Paule who had not been conuersaunte with the Lorde in the fleshe â—ut also of the rest of the Apostles whiche thyng Luke himselfe also declareth in the begynnyng of his owne worke saying As they haue deliuered them vnto vs whiche from the beginning sawe themselues with their â—yes and were ministers of the thynges that they declared The gospell therfore he wrote as he had hearde but the Actes of the Apostles he composed as he had seen He liued .lxxxiiii. yeares not hauyng any wife Buried he was at Constantinople vnto whiche 〈◊〉 his bones were remoued and conueyed out of Achaia together with the bones of Andrewe the Apostle in the .ix. yere of Constantius the Emperour The Paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the Ghospell of S. Luke The prologue ¶ For asmuche as many haue taken in hand to sette foorth the declaracion of the actes that are come to passe emong vs lyke as they deliueâ—ed them vnto vs that first sawe them themselues and were ministers of the woorde I thought good also now that I had gotteÌ„ the knowlege of all thynges from the begynnyng to wryte theÌ„ diligentlye vnto the in ordre good Theophilus to the ende that thou mightest knowe the trueth of those woerdes of the whiche thou art enfourmed IN the histories of worldly affaires vpon consideracioÌ„ that not a lytle aswel delectacion as also profite is takeÌ„ of the knowlege of thynges there is customably required an vpright trueth of reporting thesame But muche more oughte this vpright trueth to be in makyng relacion of the Ghospell the whiche not onely doeth muche delite the mynde hauyng litle els to do or is very commodious and profitable vnto this transitory lyfe but also is necessary vnto true godlinesse without the which no man atchiueth eternal saluacion and the blisse that neuer shal decaye of the lyfe euerlastyng For it were no matier of daungier thoughe a manne did not knowe what man Hannibal was or Alexander what actes Epaminondas or Scipio hath doen what matâ—ers Solon Lycurgus or Draco haue writen what doctrine Socrates Plato or Aristotle taughte albeit the knowleage of these thynges also after the rate of mans state and case in this world hath their fruite But whatsoeuer person shall not knowe the father the sonne and the holy ghoste whosoeuer shall not learne what actes the soonne of God Iesus Christe hath dooen on yearth for the saluacion of mankynde what he hathe taught what he hath promised vnto suche as doe constauntely cleue to the doctrine of the ghospell what he hath threatned vnto suche persones as doe either litle regarde or els doe playnely despise thesame suche an one shall not possibly bee hable to auoyde but that beeyng excluded out of the coumpanye of Gods children and shut out from the ioyes of the heauenly lyfe he shal bee adiudged with the wicked to the tormentes of the diepe pitte of hell whiche neuer shall haue ende And in dede at the first by meane of thapostles beeyng therunto chosen of our Lorde hymselfe and by the residue of his disciples beyng enspired with the holy ghost the ghospell in dede by liuely voice and by mouth onely but yet with moost vpright certaintye and assured trueth is begonne to bee spred abrode throughout all coastes and countreyes of the worlde and dooeth daylye yet still ferther and ferther renne abrode Yet forasmuche as the synceritie of reportyng the whiche goyng from man to man by mouth onely issueth successiuelye to a great noumber is more lightlye corrupted then suche reporte as is sette out and left from one to another in writyng therefore Mathew the Apostle one of the twelue whom our Lorde Iesus beeyng yet coÌ„uersaunte on yearthe had specially appointed and chosen to this office and also Marke the disciple of Peter the Apostle were by inspiracion of the holy ghoste admonished to put the summe of the whole story of the ghospell in writyng not myndyng ne goyng about by preuencion to take awaye from others any libertie to write of the same matiers but rather leste any person beyng craftilye deceiued by false Apostles shoulde folowe the Iewes facions or fonde fables in stede of the gospell Notwithstandyng lyke as not euery manne did at that tyme with eguall synceritie and
kyngdome but they returned into the countreye of Galyle vnto the cytye of Nazareth where the babe was firste conceyued in hys mothers woumbe For his minde was to liue in a corner out of the way for a time and in dede keping himselfe in the poore citie of Nazareth â–ª it was an easy thing for him to beguile the crueltie of them that dredde the arising of a newe king And thus hitherto that same oure heauenly soueraigne lorde and prince who had for oure sakes adbassed and humbled hymselfe downe euen to swadlyng cloutes to the cradle to crying in his swathing bandes as other children doe to the strengthlesse babehoode of the bodye was preached and declared to the worlde by the onelye testymonie of other folkes talkyng But hys age by litle and litle growing vp dyd from tyme to tyme encrease the bygnesse of hys stature and the strength of his body in whiche body as in a tabernacle there clearely appered a certayn wonderful towardnesse and natural inclinacion to vertue euidently declaring that somewhat there was in him more then a man The strength also of the spirite continuallye encreased in hym daylye more and more shewing it selfe foorthe in hys countenaunce in hys passe in hys talke and in hys doinges in all whiche there was not so muche as any one poincte but it was euen full of the spiryte of myldenesse and humylytie of chastytie of amyablenesse and of godlye zeale For he was nothyng subiecte to those vices whiche the yeres of childehood is commonly woonte to bee encoumbred with that is to wete fondenesse of speaking and doyng thinges wantonnesse inconstauncie and foly but the heauenlye wysedome wherwith he was replenyshed not tarying for the yeres and age that discrecion oughte to bee in dyd euen than already in such wise shewe it selfe that wheras he was afore commended and set furthe by the testimony of others nowe by his owne vertues and giftes of grace being suche as fewe other men had he was made bothe wonderful to all persones and also worthy to be loued Wisedome holynesse perfeccyon of liuing ripenesse of discression being in hym suche and so greate as cannot in any other man of right aunciente yeres be founde made him wondrefull vnto all men and the delectable swetenesse of his conuersacyon his ientle familiare facyon towardes all folkes and hys humble softenesse made hym vnto all men amâ—able Neyther was the fauoure that men dyd beare hym fauoure of the common sorte or for a lytle season suche as that same age of chyldehoode doeth ofte tymes gather through humayne qualities as in exaumple for the respect of beautie and welfauourednesse or otherwise for aptitude and quickenesse of taking that is taught them whiche is in some chyldren beefore theyr time but in hym there shined a certayne godlye and wondrefull grace mightily drawing all men to the loue of hys vertuousenesse ¶ And his father and mother wente to Hierusalem euery yere at the feaste of Estur And whan he was twelue yere olde they wente vp to Hierusalem after the custome of the feaste daye And whan they had fulfilled the dayes as they returned home the childe Iesus abode still in Hierusalem and hys father and mother knewe not of it but they supposyng him to haue bene in the compaygnye came a dayes iourney and soughte hym emong theyr kinsfolke and acquaintaunce And whan they founde him not â–ª they went backe agayn to Ierusalem and sought hym And it fortuned that after three dayes they founde him in the teÌ„ple sitting in the middes of the doctoures hearyng them and opposing them And all that hearde him were astouned at his vnderstandyng and aunswers And although Nazareth was somewhat ferre in dystaunce from Hierusalem yet neuerthelesse the parentes of Iesus beeyng folkes of muche deuocion wente thither euery yere once and that was at the festiuall daye of Estur whiche feaste was emong the Iewes kepte highe and holy with al possible deuocion and solemnitie And this was the daye at whiche that same lambe not knowing any manier spotte of synne was marked and appoynted to be offred vp in sacrifice at his due tyme. The chylde also beeyng vnder the guydyng of his mother and his fosterfather euen than as younge as he was accustomed himselfe to deuout seruing of god for our ensaumple putting all fathers and mothers in remembrauÌ„ce of theyr dueties who are bounde to restreigne theyr children that are come of them from all wantonnesse euen at the first daye yes euen in theyr veraye cradles and the same to enure to holye conuersacion and to earneste applying of true godlynesse whyle theyr age is yet tender and theyr naturall disposicion yet ientle softe and plyaunte vnto all manier traynyng in vertue The childe Iesus neded not the scoolyng or ordreyng of anye other persone but it was an exaumple ordeyned for other parentes howe to bryng vp theyr chyldren chastelye and vertuouslye and also a fourme or trade shewed vnto all young chyldren how they oughte to vse themselues obedient to theyr parentes whan they are by the same exhorted and aduertysed to thynges that are holye and godlye But whan hys chyldehood by reason of a more noumber of yeres was nowe growen to a litle more strength and begoon to drawe wel towardes the stature of a younge strieplyng he beeyng of the full age of twelue yeres olde and hys patentes accordyng to the auncyente custome had gone to Hierusalem at the day of Estur and the chylde awaytyng on them in theyr compaygny as soone as al thinges were finyshed that to the solemne obseruyng of that feaste dyd appertayne and the dayes throughlye expired in whiche due attendaunce muste bee geuen to the dyuyne seruice in the temple whereas his mother and Ioseph were returned homewarde towarde Nazareth the childe Iesus remayned styll at Hierusalem euen than beefore his full age shewing hymselfe glad and ready to accomplyshe the commaundemeÌ„tes and message of his father for the doyng wherof he had bene sent into the worlde But hys parentes knewe nothyng of hys tarying behynde But whan they sawe that he came not home agayne to Nazareth they accordyng to the common rate of care that other parentes take for theyr children greatly mused and wondred what had befallen And in dede at the firste they demed that he had hanged on the compaignye of some of his felowes and kinsfolkes and by reason therof had bene the slacker in cumming They geat them therefore backe agayn euen the same way that they had come to the mountenauÌ„câ— in manyer of one whole dayes iourneye makyng searche for hym emonge theyr acquayntaunce and kinsfolkes in coumpany of whome suche litle chyldren are often times woonte to make taryaunce and lyngeryng because the affeccionate desire of theyr kinsfolke or alliaunce doth commonlye kepe them backe and maketh them to tary But emongst al these was Iesus not found who taughte men euen than alreadye as young as he was that suche an one as is willing to
tyme forewarde to better and beter and the soule shall by oure sluggyshenesse continually renne headlong backewarde to wurse and wurse For thus do we see it commonly come to passe Big laddes and strieplynges grow quite awaye from the purenes of babehood to boyishe wantonnesse the youth than againe groweth forewarde a pace to brabling in the lawe and to making of affrayes manstate emendeth to ambicion and couetise And so cummeth it to passe that euery manne the nerer that he draweth to the state of age so muche the ferther goeth he backewarde from innocence liuyng But such persons as haue once put on Christe on theyr backes oughte according to the exaumple of the same Christe with all theyr strengthe to heaue forewarde vnto better and better to the ende that they maye bothe with the pure clenesse of the soule make themselues acceptable in the syghte of God and also by the vncorruptnesse of theyr liuing geat themselues an honest fame and reporte emong men ¶ The .iii. Chapter ¶ In the fifteenth yere of the reigne of Tyberius the Emperour whan Poncius Pilate was lieutenaunte in Iewry and Herode the Tetrarche of Galile and hys brother Phylip the Tetrarche of Iturya and of the regyon of the Trachonytes and Lisanyas the Tetrarche of Abilene whan Anna and Cayphas were the hygh pryestes the woorde of the lorde came vnto Iohn the sonne of zacharie in the wyldernesse And he came into all the coastes aboute Iordane preachyng the baptysme of repentaunce for the remyssyon of synnes as it is wrytten in the booke of the woordes of Esaye the prophete saying The voyce of a 〈◊〉 in wildernesse prepare ye the waye of the lorde and make hys pathes streyghte Euerye valley shal be filled and euery mountayne and hill shal be broughte lowe and thynges that be croked shall be made streight and the tough wayes shal be made playne and all fleashe shall see the saluacion of God THou haste hearde good Theophilus with what begynnynges bothe Iohn the forerenner and also the lorde Iesus made a way and a preparatife vnto the office of preaching the gospel Nowe heare by what meanes and with what successe they enterprised and entred the mattyer to the ende that thou mayest well vnderstande that nothing was doen by happe or casualtie ne through mannes wisdome but euery whit by the prouidence of god tempreing and ordreyng hys owne mattyer after a newe manier of facion of hys owne For nowe was the tyme already come that the heauenly kingdom beyng reuealed and published the worldly kingdom shoulde abate and decaye the spirituall priestehood beyng disclosed the shadowie priestehood wherin the Iewes had vntill that time made many glorious vauÌ„tes and braggues of themselfes shoulde vanishe cleane away Ceasar the emperour of Rome surnamed Augustus had now ended his life by whose proclamacioÌ„ the whole world had afore been surueied and the names of euerye bodye within the empire registred in bokes and in the tyme of his reygne Iesus Christ was borne Wicked Herode also was now deceassed who had sought Iesê° being an infant for to haue slain him And Archelaus Herodes sonne for his behauiour ouermuche reseÌ„blyng his fathers wicked prankes was exiled froÌ„ his kingdom into an other couÌ„trey Tiberius Cesar had succeded Augustus in the empire And in the fiftenth yere of his reigne Poncius Pilate a Romain was president of Iewry And Herode the brother of Archelaus by the eleccion and apointment of the said Tiberius the emperour had Galilee allotted vnto him Philip had the rule gouernaunce of that part of Syria whiche is called Ituria and it was called also Traâ—honitis of the roughnesse of the mountains because the countrey is full of vphilles dounhilles and almost no part of it euen or plain chaumpian grounde For it goeth al alongst in hilles dales froÌ„ Libanus froÌ„ the mouÌ„tains of Idumea vnto the west coaste of Syria ThaÌ„ moreouer the part that is called Abilena of Abila the principall citie of the same region was by assignement cum to the haÌ„des of Lisanias for his porcioÌ„ who afterward chaunged the name therof called it LysanioÌ„ For Augustus in his time because he would soÌ„what breake enfeble the puissaunt force of that kingdoÌ„ had made a diuisioÌ„ of it distributed it amoÌ„g foure brethren Herode Philip Antipater Lysanias which therfore were called Tetrarches that is to say in English the foure princes or the foure head rulers For the name of a kyng was long afore abolished by a lawe of the Romaines who woulde haue no kynges And this was a token or rather a figure that the kingdom of the Iewes should shortly after vanishe awaye accordyng to the prophecie But the holyest parte of Iewrye wherin Hierusalem and the temple stoode and in whiche the lord of al was borne one Ponce Pilate a Romain had the administracion gouernaunce of beeyng as it were a figure plainly betokenyng euen by the verye case and thing as it stode that the Gentiles should breake into the kingdom of heaueÌ„ which the Iewes would reiect and vtterly despise Likewise the priesthode as a thyng that should soone after ceasse and haue an ende wente wandrynge shifting from one to an other out of due ordre and was bought and solde and made eueÌ„ a market mater wherin at that time two notable vngodly meÌ„ Annas and Caiphas had the highest and the chefest roumes Emiddes these matters of diuiding mangleyng the countrey into sundry rewlers handes and in the middes of this very troublesome state of thinges emonge the Iewes the kingdome of heauen and a new priesthode sprang vp wherof Iohn the soonne of Zacharie was chosen and specially appoynted to bee an open preacher and proclaymer This Iohn before laye hydden emong the wylde beastes and passed a life of wonderfull streightnesse cladde with a Camels skiÌ„ne girt with a belt of a rough leather thong feeding vpoÌ„ wild honey and grashoppers of that countrey not so muche as tasting any wyne or stronge drinke to the entent he might be a mete preacher of repeÌ„tauÌ„ce might teache the people by his life before he should teache them by his wordes might be clere without al crimes himself who should so frely reproue the faultes transgressions of other meÌ„ but now beyng inspired with the holy ghost admonished by the same he came out of the dennes of wildernes gat him not into the teÌ„ple which place was reserued vnto Christ but into al those quarters coastes which lye about the riuer Iordane to the end that he mighte haue the more pleÌ„ty of water for such as shuld be baptised And he preached that the kingdom of heaueÌ„ was at haÌ„d exhorting that the people should prepare theÌ„selfes to the saluacioÌ„ which approched thorough repentaunce of their former liues that with the baptisme of water which he in his persoÌ„ gaue being but as a foregoer a messeÌ„ger of Christ they should make them selfes mete for the
the veraie name and remembraunce of the saied zodomites whome the wrath of God by a terrible exaumple and presidente for menne to beeware by dyd vtterlye destroye but a more horrible and dredefull punishement abideth thesame Iewes if they beeyng stirred and prouoked with so many benefites and so many miracles shall neglecte and despise the goodnesse of God Woe vnto the Corazin woe vnto the Bethsaida For if the miracles had been doen in Tyre and Sidon which haue been doen in you thei had a great while agoe repented of their sinnes sitting in heaâ—en cloth and ashes neuerthelesse it shal bee easier for Tyre and Sydon at the iudgement then for you And thou Capernaum which are exalted to heaueÌ„ shalt be thrust down to hell He that heareth you heareth meâ— and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth hym that sent me Woe bee to thee Corazain woe bee to the Bethsaida cities of Israell For if the miracles whiche haue been shewed in you had been shewed in the cities of the Gentiles Tyrus and Sidon whiche ye crie fye vpon accoumptyng theim abhominable they would haue called themselfes home to emendement yea and sittyng in heareclothe and ashes they woulde haue dooen penaunce for theyr synnes whereas ye beeyng veraye styffe necked agaynst God dooe stand highly in your own conceiptes and thinke your selfes faultlesse Woe bee to the Capernaum whiche swellyng nowe in pride of richesse and swymmyng in the delices of sensualitie appearest to be exalted aboue the moone as high as heauen on that daye shalte thou bee caste downe euen vnto the diepe pitte of helle For albeit ye be homelye and lowe messagiers yet for that you shall come vnto them in my name and shal shew vnto them the vnestimable gift of God the condemnacion of suche as shall despise you shall not bee small For he that heareth you heareth me whiche speake vnto theim by the instrument of your mouthes and contraryewyse he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth hym that hathe sente me For I dooe not of myne owne head any thyng speake whiche I haue not receiued first of my father nor ye shall speake nothyng whiche ye shall not first haue learned of me Therfore as my doctrine is the doctrine of my father and not myne so youre preachyng shall bee my preachyng and not yours The lorde Iesus whan he had with suche woordes as these duelye enstructed and armed the threscore and tenne disciples he sent them foorth to assaye and proue themselfes how well they coulde dooe in preachyng of the ghospell And the seuentye returned again with idye saiyng Lorde euen the veray deiuils are subdued to vs through thy name And he saied vnto theÌ„ I sawe Satan as it had been lightenyng fallyng downe from heauen Beholde I geue you power to treade on serpentes and scorpions and ouer all manier power of the enemye and nothyng shall hurte you Neuerthelesse in this reioyce not that the spirites are subdued vnto you but reioice that your names are written in heauen And whan the matter had woondrefullye well prospered in their handes they returned home again with great mirth ioye saying Maister not only diseases are driuen awaye by vs but vncleane spirites also are subiect vnto vs in the name of thee Then Iesus to arme and fense theyr myndes agaynst the disease of vainglorie which vleth by stealth to crepe and enter yea into holy meÌ„ also putteth foorth vnto them the exaumple of Lucifer who for his pride was sodainly cast downe from so great felicitie I sawe quod he Satan fall out from heauen euen like the lightening Great was his dignitie in heauen and yet for that he was puffed vp with pride sodainly was he cast from the higheste place in heaueÌ„ into the botome of helle pitte How much more than ought you to beware of pride whiche carrye aboute with you a mortall bodye subiecte to all perilles and daungiers here in yearth Great is the power which I haue geueÌ„ you but I haue geuen it you not to any such entent yâ— ye should therby weare proude and high minded but to the ende yâ— by your miracles men should geue and attribute greater fayth and belefe to the ghospell I dooe not require at your handes again that which I haue ons geuen you so that ye wil not abuse it For I geue you power by the whiche you shall trede serpentes scorpions vnder your foote yea if there bee any other thyng by meane wherof Satan your enemie maie be hable to hurt you Not one of all suche thinges shal haue power to do you hurt And yet is it not expediente for you to glory oâ— to vaunt your selfes concernyng any suche thing because spirites are subiecte to you For these thinges shal be dooen also by wicked and euil men but reioyce ye in this thyng that youre names are alreadye written in heauen for thither shall your mekenesse and lowelinesse thither shall your simplicitie bring you from whens Lucifer through his pride and haultenesse of mynde fel yf ye shal still persiste and continue in this your entente and purpose That same houre reioyced Iesus in the holy gost and saied I thanke the O father lord of heauen and earth that thou hast hid these thinges from the wise and prudent and hast opened theÌ„ vnto babes Euen so father for so pleased if the. Al thinges are geuen me of my father No man knoweth who the soonne is but the father and who the father is but the sonne and he to whom the sonne wil shewe him And he turned to his disciples and saied secretely Happie are the iyes which see the thinges that ye see For I tell you that many Prophetes and kinges haue desired to see those thinges whiche ye see and haue not seen theim and to heare those thinges whiche ye heare and haue not heard them And whan the lorde had saied these woordes byanby he beganne to reâ—oyce in the holye ghoste and to geue thankes to his father for the prosperous successe of the ghospell teachyng vs euen at thesame tyme by exaumple of hymselfe that in case any thyng come luckilye to passe through our handes whan we go about it we should reioyce not with any humaine affeccion but with spiritual and ghostely reioycing not taking to our selfes any parte of the prayse or glory but euermore reioycyng that the glory of god is so set foorthe and magnified and reioycyng at the profite of our neighbour I rendre thankes saieth he vnto thee o lord and father the maker of heauen and yeâ—rth for that these so hygh thynges thou hast kepte secrete hidden from such as after the worlde are reputed wyse and politique hast opened the same to the litell tendre ones to the inferiour meane sorte to the ignorauntes and to suche as after the iudgemente of the worlde haue no great wytte nor experience And thus veraily is it dooen o father for
heauen and in earth We will not haue thys manne say they to reygne ouer vs and while they will in no wise serue Christe they are as bonde slaues vnto all the tirannes of thys worlde they are bonde seruauntes to Satan a moste mercilesse tiranne and where they se here there in euery place throughout the whole worlde the Christians to reioyce in the freedome of the spiryte they dooe yet styll holde faste with theyr teeth the vnsauerye lettre to whome they are bounde lyke vnto men assigned and appoynted to the glebe or turfe But the sayde Iewes in vayne crying agaynste hym the kyngdome of the churche is recouered and established in geatting and establishyng wherof as many as shall haue doen theyr feythfull trauayle shall bee crouned with glory and honour in the kyngdome of heauen accordyng to the quantitee or rate of the fruicte whiche they haue broughte in the lordes vineyarde But nowe the Iewes beeyng obstinatelye vnbeleuyng what rewarde shall they haue Euen that thyng also dyd the Lorde declare in the residue of thesame parable at the latter ende For after that he had punished the vntrustie seruaunâ—e he sayde moreouer yea and those subiectes of myne in nacion my countreymen but in hearte enemies whiche by a sedicious ambassade sente vnto me praied me that I shoulde no more come to bee theyr kynge ne to reygne ouer them bryng ye them hyther that they may bee put to deathe euen here in my syghte and bee punyshed of me for theyr rebellyon Thys punyshmente is deathe euerlastyng whiche a bydethe all suche as obey not the ghospell and glad tydynges of the sonne of God For at that tyme shall they worthylye fynde hym vnpossible to bee appeaced forasmuche as they nowe obstinately contemned hym beeyng mylde and full of mercie ¶ And whan he had thus spoken he proceded furth taking his iourney to goe vp to Hierusalem And it fortuned whan he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethanie besyde the mounte whiche is called Oliuete he sent two of his diciples saying goe ye into the towne whiche is ouer agaynste you into the whiche as soone as ye are come ye shall finde an Asses colte tyed wheron yet neuer man sate looce him and bring him hither And yf any man aske you why doe ye looce hym Thus shall ye saye vnto him the Lorde hath nede thereof They that were sent went their waye and founde euen as he had sayed vnto them And as they were a loocing the colâ—e the owners therof sayde vnto them Why looce ye the colte And they sayde for the lorde hath nede of him and they brought hym to Iesus and cast theyr rayment on the colte and set Iesus theron And as he went they spred theyr clothes on the way And whan he was nowe come nigh to the going downe of the mounte Oliuete the whole multitude of the disciples began to reioyce and to prayse God with a loude voice for al the miracles that they had sene saying blissed be the king that cometh in the name of the Lorde peace in heauen and glory in the highest The lorde whan he had spoken the premisses went foorth on towardes Hierusalem where he shoulde afterwarde accomplyshe thatsame excellent sacrifice for the redempcyon of mankynde and oute of the beakon place of the crosse he should like a couetous an ambicious kyng plucke al thinges vnto hymselfe For although there haue euery where bene many in tymes paste and manye hereafter shall bee whiche will crye by theyr veray dedes we will not haue thys man to bee kyng ouer vs yet is there no nacion so ferre distauÌ„t or out of the waye from the Iewes from whence he shall not plucke a veray great noumber vnto hym Wherfore he doth eftsones beate into their heades in facte that he had afore represented in zacheus whiche thyng he dydde anon after in a longer parable expresse more at large For the lorde dooeth in the meane while procure the same thyng whiche he procured many tymes afore also whiche was that it might bee clere and euidente vnto all creatures that whatsoeuer he shoulde afterwarde suffer he did of hys owne accorde willingly wetingly suffer it otherwise that he was of power to dooe whatsoeuer his will was to doe And now forasmuch as he had determined by the meane of the moste extreme worldely shame fall that might bee to recouer into his possession the highest glorye possible emong men and the disciples beeing not yet fullye apte ne hable to receiue the vnderstandyng of thys mystery didde looke for some matier whatsoeuer it was of greate royaltie and a thyng of some high enterprise to the estymacion of the worlde at the lordes handes It pleased hym afore hys death for a litle season to flatter or rather to mocke theyr affeccions and also to mocke the glorye of thys worlde â–ª shewyng howe vayne it is and howe slippie to truste to seeyng that after so greate tokens of ioyfull receyuyng of hym after so manye cryinges and shoutes made in hys honour after so muche earneste fauour of the people deathe on the crosse dyd immediatelye folowe in the necke therof Whan Iesus therfore was come to the mounte whiche is called Oliuete nere vnto twoo lytle townes situate in the syde of the same mounte from whence Hierusalem was nowe afore them within sighte he sente out two of hys disciples on an erand Goe your wayes sayeth he to the litle towne that ye see yonder foreryght agaynste you at the entreyng whereof ye shall see a young colte of an Asse standyng tyed without the doores vnbroken as yet for any manne to ryde on on whome hathe neuer any man sitten vntie hym and bryng hym to me That if anye bodye shall bee agaynst it and demaunde wherefore doe ye vntie the colte Ye shall thus aunswere hym the lorde hath nede of hym The dyscyples departed they founde the colte tyed they addresse to looce hym And in the whyle were there certayn persones presente who asked as ye woulde saye beyng against their dooyng why doe ye looce the colte They as they had tofore bene commaunded made aunswere The Lord hath nede of him The name of the lord being oâ—s heard they suffered the colte to beled awaye Than broughte they hym vnto Iesus And whan they sawe that the lorde was mynded to mounte vpon hym the lyke whereof for all that he had neuer tofore that tyme vsed to dooe the dyscyples beecause he shoulde not vpon the bare rydge of the colte sitte to muche vneasily cast their robes abrode vpon the beastes backe And now Iesus sitting on the coltes backe goyng onward some spred abrode their garmentes euen on the veray way partly for to doe him honour and partly lest the colte being vnbroken and also vnshod should hurt his hoofes with stuÌ„blyng at the stones And whan they were nowe come to the foote of the hyll were goyng directly towardes the citie of Hierusalem a certayn woonderfull affeccion
god dooeth not drawe hym to this deiuelishe acte but he is ledde thereunto of his owne inordinate couetise This saying of Iesus sore dismayed all theyr hertes and caste them in a great passion and they begon to aske and serche emong themselues who it shoulde be of whome Iesus had spoken Not one of them knew hymself culpable in his conscience besydes Iudas Iscarioth onely and yet durste not one of them truste his owne selfe in the matter Notwithstandyng Iesus bewrayed not his betrayer but oftentymes pricked his conscience to th entent he shoulde emende And he knewe well enough that Iudas would neuerthelesse continue stil in his madnesse teachyng vs therewhyle to vse the moste fauoure possible towardes synners forasmuche as we cannot be sure whether thesame parties maye one daye come to themselues agayne or not And there was a striefe emong them whiche of them shoulde seme to be the greatest And he sayed vnto them The kynges of nacions reigne ouer them and they that haue autoritie vpon them are called gratious Lordes But ye shall not be so But he that is greattest emong you shal bee as younger and he that is chiefe shall be as he that dooeth ministre For whether is greater he that sitteth at meat or he that serueth Is it not he that sitteth at meate But I am emong you as he that ministreth ye are they whiche haue abidden with me in my temptacions And I appoynt vnto you a kyngdome as my father hath appoynted vnto me that ye maye eate and drynke at my table in my kyngdome and sitte on seates iudgeyng the twelue trybes of Israell Nowe because the Lorde Iesus had in the supper tyme made mencion of the kyngdome of god there eftesones befell a contencion emong the disciples beyng yet weake and hauyng yet still in some behalfe a smatche of the fleashe which of them should after the lordes death haue the primaâ—ie and supremitie in the kyngdome of God For in holdyng forth the breade and the cup vnto theÌ„ he semed to make them all eguall one with another saying deuide ye this emong you But Iesus although he had at sondrie tymes afore also called them backe from suche affeccion yet beyng now veray nere towardes his death he repeateth thesame and beaâ—eth it into theyr heades saying Doe not ye imagine any suche lyke thing in the kyngdom of heauen as ye see in worldly kingdomes It is a ferre other sorte of reygnyng for it standeth by benefites and not by force of armes it is kept and defended by spirituall fence and not by violence it is dilated and enlarged in circuite by perswasion of wordes and not by forceable compulsion For the prynces of this worlde doe exercise a lordelye power ouer suche people as they haue the gouernement and rewle of for they doe not vse perswasion of woordes to make them loue honest wayes but they feare them from euill doynges by terrour of punishemente and of their subiectes they require to haue honour and reuerence doen vnto them though they bee not worthie thereof Yea and the nerer they drawe to the poynte of tyrannie so muche the more obedience and subieccion dooe they require to haue of theyr commons and all the whyle are they honoured of thesame people with titles and styles of estate and royaltee They haue names and styles geuen them to be called prynces fathers to theyr countrey sauers and defendours and consuls because by theyr power they kepe theyr inferiours vnder subieccion Of this sorte forsothe is the reygnyng of the heathen nacions But emong you whom I frame and breake to the kyngdome of the ghospell there shall bee a ferre other trade The greater that euerie one shal be emong you so muche the lesse shall take vnto hym of violent power or of glorie For he shall not haue an iye to oppresse or ouertrede his inferiours with the good giftes and qualities whiche he hath receyued of god but how to dooe his inferiours good therby and how to relieue them neyther shall he take the laude and prayse vnto hymselfe but refer thesame entierly vnto god And yet I speake not this as though there shal not be any ordre in this kyndome but because that he whiche is chosen to the preeminence of beyng a guide vnto others towardes godlynesse shall so greatly serue the commodities of all persones that he maie seme to be a minister and a seruaunt rather then an head He shal make no sekyng ne suite for fauour but his good herte and mynde beyng moste quicke and readie to doe good vnto all persones shall deserue iustely to haue it And as for his autoritie his perfeccion of lyuyng shall mainteine it and not his proude disdeynefull looke or stately porte and countenaunce And let it not greue truely to perfourme and shewe thesame humilitee emong yourselues whiche I haue throughly shewed vnto you whereas of my due right I might haue taken vnto me the state of Lordely power and dominion For considre and pondre ye this in your myndes whether of the twoo semeth the greatter man he that serueth at the table orels he that sitteth at the table is serued doth not he that sitteth seme the greatter maÌ„ Not for that whosoeuer sitteth doune is in dede the greatter man but he rather which enterteineth others with makyng them a feaste is euen for this very respect the greater of dignitie because he dooeth good to many And yet suche an one for courtesy and good maners sake whan the others whom he hath called to his feaste dooe sitte at the table goeth about the house froÌ„ place to place careful and diligent to see that no persone lacke any thing in the feaste and so the carefulnesse of hym alone prouideth for the satisfiyng and well beeyng of all the coumpanye And haue not I vsed my self lyke suche an one among you Haue not I in suche sort been conuersaunt among you as though I wer the seruaÌ„t of you all mynystryng to you of that that was myne owne and takyng care my selfe alone for you all How muche more ought ye to bee ferre from al tirannye and ambicion which in condicion and state are all eguall one with an other whiche ministre vnto others of my thynges and not of your own and whiche haue one maister egually indifferent vnto you all Ye haue receiued the same high and holy caucion or token and pledge of euaÌ„gelical concorde that with what entier loue I haue embraced you with thesame loue ye shoulde embrace one another among your selfes And where reigneth ambicion there cannot concorde bee at any sure staye In the meane tyme honoure must bee willyngly deserued but not vsurped or taken as a thyng of duetie and right For the princes of this worlde although they dooe their offyce rightlye yet because thei require homage and fealtie of their subiectes therfore they shal not haue any reward at all for it before god But as for ye puttyng away al care
coloure some cause of death maye be layed vnto hym Whereupon thus speake they vnto hym If thou be thatsame Christe whome accordyng to the godly sayinges of the prophetes we looke for tell it vs playnly But Iesus knowyng them to moue suche question 's not of any purpose to learne the trueth but to hunt for some matier of false accusacion agaynst hym thus made answere vnto them If I shall tell you what I am ye wyll not geue credite vnto me and in case I shoulde question with you by the testimonies of the scriptures what maner of mā it was promised that Messias should be and whether thesame tokens doe iustely agree in my person ye wyll not aunswere accordyng to your consciences as men that haue not anye earnest desyre to learne that is true nor yet to teache it Neyther wyll ye vpon any suche cause or consideracion acquite and discharge me if I shall declare myne innocencie vnto you For ye doe not by youre opposyng and examining me meane eyther vpō knowlage of the trueth to discharge me if I be innocent or to condēne me beyng found guiltie as in lawfull iudgementes is commonly vfed to bee doen but for this entent that the thyng which ye haue determined to doe ye maye seme to doe by some tytle and colour of iustice Therfore wyll not I tell you the thyng whiche though ye knowe yet ye wyll not knowe but an other thing will I tell you whiche ye shall one daye fynde to be true The sonne of man who at this present moment by reason of the weakenesse of his humayne nature and of his humilitie is not agnised and knowlaged of you beyng proud and hault mynded men shall in tyme to come be aboue earth on hye syttyng on the right hande of Gods Maiestie These wordes did Iesus speake to th entent that forasmuche as they had more mynde and wyll to putte Iesus to death because he was in fourme of humilitie by whome they mighte haue been saued then to enbrace hym they should haue knowledge that they should an other daye see hym a iudge a punisher of theyr vngodlynesse whō being a salueour promised and so many hūdred yeres loked for they would not now acknowlage Suche a worde semed vnto them all a meete and sufficient occasion to laye some false accusacion agaynste him in case he woulde no more but openly take vpon hym that he was the sonne of god Whereupon they saye Why than arte thou thatsame sonne of God of whome the foretellynges of the prophetes doe make mencion To this question doeth Iesus in suche wise tempre his aunswere that he neither woulde deny hymself to be that he was nor geue vnto them any occasion or matter falsely to laye to his charge nor yet as touchyng hymselfe shewe any spyce or poynte of arrogancie For the Lorde had more minde eche where by his actes and dedes to declare his diuine nature of godhead that was in him then in woordes to professe it or take it vpon him He therfore in this wyse shaped his aunswere Ye saye that I am after an hūble and lowly sorte geuing a by knowlage that the thing whiche they demaunded in manier fourme of a question as a thyng doubtful might with as fewe wordes as they vsed by only alteryng the manier of pronunciacion be spoken in a playne affirmacion that so it was But they iudgeing thissame to be a cause sufficient enough wherefore to accuse hym of blasphemy then the which crime there was none other emong the Iewes more worthie death sayed Why doe we yet styl require witnes we oure owne selues haue hearde a manifeste blasphemie out of his mouth Upō this verdite did all the whole coumpainy quickely agree as men that had afore decreed by any title whatsoeuer it were to put Iesus to death The .xxiii. Chapter And the whole multitude of them arose and led hym vnto Pylate And they began to accuse hym saying We founde this felowe peruertyng the people and forbidding to paye tribute to Ceasar and saying that he is Christe and a kyng And Pilate opposed hym saying arte thou the kyng of Iewes He aunswered hym and sayed thou sayest it Than sayed Pilate to the high priestes and the people I fynde no faulte in this man And they were the more fierce saying He moueth the people teachyng throughoute all Iewry and begonne at Galile euen to this place WHan they had found out a cause as to theimselues appered fit enough to put hym to death it remayned that they might remoue also the enuie and displeasure of his death from themselues and laye it on others Wherupon they thought it best to shift him ouer from themselues into Pilate the lieutenauntes handes to bee arayned before him to the entent he might seme to had been putte to death not by the Iewes but by the Gentiles Wherefore all the counsayle with the multitude also whom they had drawē to the partakyng of theyr wicked dede aryse vp altogether and bring Iesus to Pilate the Lorde president and lieutenaunte of Iewry For he though he were no Iewe hymself yet was an head officer there vnder the Emperour And here first of all the Iewes doe deliuer to the Gentiles and alienate from themselues theyr Messias beyng sent of God to them The Gentiles receiue him and wurship him whan he was commended and betaken to them The Lorde was already condemned by a foreiudgement in the counsaile of the Iewes with whō any pretense or coloure were it neuer so slendre did suffise as with mē that with rageyng madnesse thirsted the death of the innocent But because at the benche of a Pagane and heathē iudge there was more equitie in ministryng of iustice then in the courte of the Iewes it was necessarye to haue forged witnesses whiche shoulde laye many and great crymes to his charge who alone of all creatures was clere from all crime The beginnyng of theyr accusacion was of this sorte We founde and tooke this felowe with the manier as he was subuertyng our nacion For he forbade that any tribute should bee payed to the Emperour and in all his talke he hath auouched himselfe to be Messias the king These two crimes they thought they had gaily well deuised and that thesame crimes should excedyng greatly moue the mynde of the Lorde deputie for that aswel the one as the other of them comprised a spice of high treasō against Cesar So naughtily do these moste shamelesse craftie forgers of lyes assaulte the veritie euangelicall For what can bee deuised more shamelesse then suche lyes as these Iesus afore that tyme whan a piece of coyne was shewed vnto hym had made aunswere in this manier Geue and pay ye vnto Cesar such thinges as belong vnto Cesar and to god such thinges as belong vnto god And to be made a kyng whereas it had afore been willyngly offreed hym by the Iewes of their owne mocion he woulde none of it but fled
and ranne away from them to auoydeit And as for beyng the Messias he had also in veray factes dedes afore that tyme declared hymselfe to bee thesame Wherfore if he had affirmed and auouched hymselfe to be the Messias yet ought not they to haue laid that matier to his charge as a cryme except they had first openly proued that suche thinges as the Prophetes had foresayed concernyng Messias did not agree ne serue to be spoken of hym The hope that they had to put him to a foile and an ouerthrowe was in the greate noumbre of suche a multitude beeyng conspyred together agaynste hym and in that Iesus whom they had accused was altogether destitute and fredeles and finally the iudge being as they supposed a man of no godlines at all Pilate although he was a wurshipper of idolles yet beeyng a man of muche more equitie and conscience then the priestes of the Iewes wynked at the fyrste artycle of the accusacion whiche concerned that tribute ought not to be payed vnto Ceasar and made as though he herd it not partely because he smelled and well apperceyued that it was but a forged matter and partely beecause it was no newe thyng for that poynte to bee reasoned and disputed of amonge the Iewes for so muche as all the whole secte of the Phariseis thought that a people peculiarly and specially chosen and dedicated vnto God ought not to pay any tribute to heathen nacions But of the artycle concernyng to bee a kyng he questioned with Iesus in whom he sawe no spyece ne lykelyhode of any worldly reignyng or of beeyng a kyng he was but one sole persone his apparell his countenaunce all the behaueour of his body shewed all tokens of humilitie and symplenesse Wherfore the president whan he had hearde the accusers tooke him aparte and asked hym whether he were the kyng of Iewes Than Iesus aunswered so thou sayest For the lord did euermore so moderate his aunsweres that bothe he myghte approue his innocencie and yet not laboure to escape from condemnacion and iudgemente forasmuche as he was determined to dye He was the kyng of Iewes and that poynte it was not congruente for hym to saye naye vnto but an other kynde of reigne and kyngdome it was that he went about to recouer to hymselfe and his father After the diuine nature of his Godhead he was the kyng of al thynges of whiche diuine nature Pilate suspected ne thought no suche thynge at all in hym and as touchyng the reygne and kyngdome euangelicall the sayd Pilate had no vnderstandyng forasmuche as he was a man ignoraunte of the lawe and of the Prophetes sauyng that he had hearde that there was looked for of the Iewes one Messias their kyng whatsoeuer he was he coulde not tell whom the whiche rumour he beeyng a man nothyng at all supersticious passed not muche vpon Therefore althoughe he vnderstoode not the aunswere of Iesus yet beeyng not ignoraunte of the Iewes malyce and gatheryng the sobrenesse and humilitie of Iesus euen by his veraye countenaunce he came forth to the byshops of the Iewes and the multitude being there gathered in a clouster together I haue sayed he examined this partie of suche faultes as haue been laied to his charge and I fynde none offence in hym But they as men knowyng in theyr owne conscieÌ„ces what and how they had doen where thei wer not able with euident profes to conuince him and to get the ouerhande of hym they set out the throte and made an opeÌ„ outcry against hym linking together crimes vpon crimes and lies vpoÌ„ lies as thicke as could be Nay ferther more say they a sedicious felowe he is he thoroughly moueth and perswadeth the people all Iewrye ouer with his doctrine beginnyng at Galilee and so all the waye euen tyll he was come to this verye citye This same forsooth is the speciall cryme and faulte that is alledged and laied against euangelical veritie that it maketh coÌ„mocions and sedicioÌ„s in the people whan it is the deuelish sort of men that insourgeth and reyseth garboyle agaynst the veritie whiche they deadly hate and cannot abyde Suche tumultuous garboyle is not of right to bee imputed to the true preachers of the ghospell but to the vncurable malice of such persones as haue more desire to haue the holsom trueth vttrely oppressed and ouerwhelmed then to laye aparte the disease of their malicious hertes For none otherwise dooeth the doctrine of the ghospel trouble the people but as a medicine of physycke dooeth grutche or stiere the body For excepte there bee fyrste a stieryng and a roumbleyng in the body it muste nedes wholly peryshe altogether Whan Piâ—ate heard mencion of Galilee he asked whether the man were of Galilee And as sone as he knew that he belonged vnto Herodes iurisdiccion he sent him to Herode which was also at Hierusalem at that tyme. And whan Herode sawe Iesus he was excedyng glad For he was desyerous to see hym of a long season because he had hearde many thynges of hym and he trusted to haue seene summe myracles dooen by hym Than he questioned with hym many woordes But he aunswered hym nothyng The hygh Priestes and Scribes stoode foorth and accused hym streyghtly And Herode wyth hys men of warre despysed hym And whan he had mocked hym he arayed hym in white clothyng and sente hym agayne to Pylate And thesame daye Pylate and Herode were made frendes together For before they were at varyaunce This accusacion forasmuche as it moued Pylate but a litle or nothynge for he sawe that the wholle mattier was dooen by a conspyracie of the chiefe rewlers and certayne others of the people which were consenters and helpers forewarde to the malyce of thesame head men to saye as they sayed he was veraye desyrous and earneste to remoue both the priesoner and also his accusers to the examinacion and trial of an other iudge to the end that in case he might not bee hable to delyuer Iesus yet at leastwise himselfe for hys parte might be ridde and despeched of the cause He quickely tooke an occasion of thys one lytell woorde Galilee of the whiche countrey Herode was Tetrarche or prynce He therfore demaunded whether Iesus was one of Galilee it was aunswered that he was a Galilean because emongst the common people he was belieued to bee a Nazarite for he had been brought vp there in hys childehoode and had afterwarde led moste parte of hys yeres there Therfore as soone as Pylate perceyued â–ª that to sitte in iudgement vpon the priesoner did belonge vnto Herode he shiefted hym ouer to Herode who at that tyme as it chaunced was at Hierusalem howbeit al this whole matter too was wrought and doeÌ„ by the dispensacion of the wisedome and ordeinaunce of God to th end that the Lorde Iesus might bryng wyth hym a testimonie of hys innocencie from all the benches and courtes of iustice there and that the malice of the byshops Scribes
and chiefe headmen might bee the better manifested vnto the worlde Herode whan he sawe that Iesus was brought vnto hym was glad of that syght For the man had of long tyme been wyth chylde to haue a syghte of Iesus of whome he had hearde so many thynges And he verayly trusted that it woulde nowe come to passe that Iesus woulde before hys face shewe some myracle suche as he had heard veray many to had been wroughte in other places by hym Wherfore he questioned with Iesus of many thynges as one desierous to geat out many thynges out of Iesus not to the ende hymselfe myghte bee made the better man therby but to satisfie hys owne curious fansye that he had to knowe thynges For none other thynges it were that he enquyred of Iesus but suche as he woulde haue asked of some Magian that is to saye some cunnyng man that had a syght in the priuities of Phylosophy and in the mysticall conclusions of nature but Iesus who was not come to serue the faÌ„sie lust of a wicked prince but to procure health vnto al creatures made him none aunswer at all teachyng vs in the meane season that sometyme the woorde of god is not to bee vttered whan it is euident that the persones are vnworthy vnmete to heare it But the bishops all this whyle and the scrybes folow their matter earnestly and call vpon it and dooe eagrely lay to his charge afore Herode as meÌ„ very fore fearing that Iesê° who was thaÌ„ arrained mighte by some meanes escape But yet Herode although he wer a wicked king yet was he nothing at al moued with these accusacions as one that well apperceiued all that euer was dooen or entended to had arisen and proceded of enuie But thinking it sufficient to despise hym of whom he was despised he clothed Iesus in the way of mockage in a white garmente for that was than the guise and maner of goyng of kynges and Emperoures and so sent him backe again to Pilate This reproche had the lord taken at Herodes handes beyng a prince of a grosse witte and brayne and of his armed garde beeyng lyke men like maister accordyng to the prouerbe For among men of suche a sort a felowe that can goe or daunce on a rope orels one that hath the feate to playe a iuggelyng cast shall sooner haue praise and thanke theÌ„ a syncere preacher of the ghospell For suche persones haue no mynde ne wyll but eyther to haue pleasure and delectacion shewed theym orels to learne suche thinges as maie serue to the maintenaunce of their tyranny Yet not withstaÌ„ding in the meane time Herodes ciuilitie dyd condemne the wickednes of the Byshops and the Scribes and did quitte Iesus also seeyng he condemned hym not to death beyng accused afore him and making no aunswer to the offeÌ„ces which wer layed to his charge It was in the meane time a thing highly to the contentacioÌ„ of Herode that Pilate shewed hym so muche honour as to sende Iesus vnto him to haue a sight of Whereupon from that time forewardes amitie and freÌ„dship grewe betwene Herode and Pilate wheras before there had been variaunce betwene theÌ„ But a wicked and vngodly frendship it is that is made by the iniurie of the trueth euangelicall ¶ And Pilate called together the high priestes and the rewlers and the people and said vnto them ye haue brought this man vnto me as one that peruerteth the people And behold I examine hym before you and find no fault in this man of those thinges wherof ye accuse him no nor yet Herode For I sent you vnto him and loe nothyng worthy of death is doen vnto him I will therfore chasten him and let him looce For of necessitie he must haue let one looce vnto them at the feast And al the people cried at once saiyng away with him and deliuer vs Barrabas which for a certain insurreccion made in the citie and for a murdre was cast in prisoÌ„ Pilate spake again to them willyng to leat Iesus looce But they cried saiyng Crucifie him Crucifie him he said vnto them the third time what eiuill hath he dooen I fynde no cause of death in him I will therfore chasten him and let him goe And they cried with loude voyces requiryng that he might be crucified And the voices of them and of the high priestes preuailed And Pilate gaue sentence that it should be as they required And he let looce vnto them hym that for an insurreccion and murdre was casts into prison whom they had desired and he deliuered to them Iesus to dooe with him what they would Whan Pilate sawe that â—he prisoner was sent backe again from Herode and that his purpose had not come to suche effecte as he had assayed to bring it he begoon of a iudge to become a spokesman for Iesus and callyng together the bishops the Scribes the chiefe men and the commons that came at theyr tayles he spake after this sorte to them Ye haue here of youre owne myndes brought this man before me as one that withdraweth your people from the obedience of the Emperour and of your lawes and I here in youre presence haue dooen what I can to boulte out the truethe of him with examinyng and askyng dyuerse questions of hym neyther dooe I fynde hym culpable in any of these crimes which ye accuse him of The selfsame thing hath come to passe with Herode the whiche can iudge better in these mattiers then I forasmuche as he is a man skilled in your lawes In consideracion wherof also I did put ouer this mater to be iudged and tried in his courte who if he had founde him guiltie would not haue let him escape Now because he hath not founde in hym anye offence woorthie of deathe he beeyng contented with a light punishment hath no more but geuen the man a mocke as one veraylye â—uiâ—ing him from all daungier of death Wherefore it is best that we also folowe the equitie of Herode I wil chastice the manne with some lesser punishment then death and so lette him goe This did the lorde presidente trusting that the furious rage of the Iewes would asswage whan they had seene Iesus put to so many reproches and so scourged Whan Pylate coulde doe no good thys way neyther but sawe the madnesse of the Iewes to be the more sette on fyer therby he deuised also an other caste howe to deliuer Iesus It was a custome euery yere once emongest the Iewes that the lorde President because of theyr highe solemnitie of that feastfull daye whiche was than at hande should leat goe by his pardon and releasse vnto the Iewes one of their offendours whom they would aske Therfore the president preuenting their askyng putte it to their choise whether of the twoo they would haue pardoned and realeassed vnto theim Iesus or els Barabas This Barabas was a greate robber and a notable felowe by reason of his mischeuous dedes
alone that maketh all thynges holy forsoth ye vnderstand that corporall enoyntyng must ceasse the priesthood of the lawe together with the oblacions and sacrifices of thesame to be abrogated For Iesus was neuer enoynted with thatsame holy oyntement which the lawe did veray scrupulously teache for to make threatenyng death vnto those persones whosoeuer had couÌ„trefeited or practised the lyke confeccioÌ„ or had applied thesame â—nto any secular vses For the enoynting of the body maketh nothyng at all â—o the effecte or purpose of the priestes but that it was a signe of the spirituall enoynting wherwith Christe was enoynted accordyng as I recited erewhyle out of the prophecie The spirite of God is vpon me for the Lorde hath enoynted me Wherunto the psalmiste Dauid accordeth speaking of Messias Therfore the God thy God hath enoyncted thee with the oyle of gladnesse aboue all thy compiers What the Prophete promised ye sawe perfourmed whaÌ„ Iesus was baptised in fluime Iordane For the holy ghoste came in a visible lykenesse and lighted on the toppe of his head and the voice of the father was heard who had enoynted his soÌ„ne with the oyle of gladnesse aboue the Prophetes and Patriarkes yea and aboue all mortall creatures whiche eyther in tyme past haue been or nowe at this present be or herafter shal be This heauenly and spirituall enoyntyng hath sette an ende to the priestehood of Moses institutyng whiche thyng Daniel doeth forthwith clerely bryng in sayinge And in the middes of the weke hostes sacrifice shall faill Neyther any other thyng it was that God ment speakyng by Esai as one whose stomake arose and stode against their corporall sacrifices of beastes What care I for the multitude of your killyng of sacrifices sayeth the Lorde I am full The burnt sacrifices of wethers and the greace of the fatte beastes and the bloud of calfes and lambes and goates I will none of Nowe ferthermore Daniel did he not manifestly foreshewe the destruccion throwyng downe of the citie of Hierusalem to gether with the Temple therof And dyd not Christe prophecie thesame vnto his disciples with wepyng iyes lamenting and bewailyng the wofull case and extremitie of thesame citie people For it grieued God already beeyng as he is spirituall and made him wery to enhabite a temple made and built vp with the handes of man He was nothyng delited with the offreynges of beastes slain in sacrifice He founde a misse and a lacke of an other citie on whiche thatsame name Hierusalem myght truely light he missed and wanted an other temple mete for hym to dwell in builded of himselfe consecrated and hallowed with his owne spirite other sacrifices oblacions an other nacion circumcised in herte on whom the name of Israel might truly agree Nowe is there nothing of perpetual coÌ„tinuaunce that may be seen with bodily iyes thynges that are not seen are euerlasting and therfore mete semely for God who is eternitie selfe neuer to haue end But yet these shadowes of thinges visible were geueÌ„ for a time to the grosse and vntrained people to the ende they might one daye in processe of tyme by these fyrste introduccions growe and procede forwarde to thynges of the minde But Iesus whose stomake stode muche against aswel the citie as also the temple and the nacion and the sacrifices of the olde lawe doeth by the Prophetes declare euidently enough what maner thynges he wished from thensforth to haue in stede of these others nowe rehersed Haue ye not read what Esai wrote of the heauenly Hierusalem Thou shalt sayth he from hensforth be called the citie of the righteous man the feithfull citie Sion shall be redemed in iudgemente and they shall bryng hir home again in righteousnesse Ye heare a new buildyng of the citie whiche is the churche or congregacion built vp of liuyng stones the corner stone wherof and the foundacion wherof is veray Christe himselfe And this is the stone whom the prophecie of the mistical Psalme did signifie where it sayeth The stone whiche the builders refused and cast asyde thesame is made to be the head stone of the corner And ye haue heard Christ himselfe obiecting the testimonie of this scripture vnto the Phariseis who attempted and did the best they could to cast aside the stone which God had choseÌ„ Yea and of thissame stone an other Prophete also maketh mencion I shall lay in the foundacion of Sion a stone approued and tryed a corner stone a stone of price founded in the foundacion And did not the tune of Christes woordes wheÌ„ he liued agree with the woordes of thys prophecie at what tyme he propouned a parable of an house builded vpoÌ„ a sounde rocke of stone which house no violent blaste or rage of wyndes or waters could be hable to plucke out of his place wherin veraily he signified himselfe to be the fouÌ„dacion of the churche against whom no not yâ— gates of hell are hable to preuaill as he did one day freely promise vnto his disciple Peter SalomoÌ„ builded a teÌ„ple at HierusaleÌ„ according to the appoyntement and ordeinaunce of Moses But lyke as he beeyng a peacefull kyng did beare the image and figure of Messias who restored a perpetuall peace and atonemente for euer betwene God and man so the sayed Temple being built vp with mannes labour conteined the figure of the Temple wherof Christe himselfe was the builder a chiefe workeman as the Lord many yeres agon spake by his Prophete Nathan vnto Dauid as ye reade in the secound boke of the kinges Thou shalt not be he that shalt builde me an house to dwell in but I shall reise thy sede after the whiche shall come forth of thy wombe he shall builde vp an house to my name and I shall establish his throne euen for euer and euer And verayly that the woordes whiche spoken by the sayed Prophete doe not agree to be spoken of Salomon euen this poynte though there were nothyng els doeth plainly proue and conuince because in Salomons throne euen nowe at this present daie there sit straunge borne aliens and all the whole people of the Iewes shall shortely be dispersed and scattred abrode into all nacions of the worlde The saied house which Salomon built in Hierusalem was a buisie thyng with slaughter of beastes with fumigacions with washynges and veray troubleous with perfumes But this house whiche Christe hath builded is made acceptable through faith inuisible this house knoweth no ende For the Prophete in thesame place afore alleged speaketh in this maner And faithfull shall thy house be and thy kyngdome euen for euer before my face and thy throne or seate shal be firmely established for euer These promisses are the vainest of the worlde and the moste full of lyes yf they be taken according as the lettre renneth to concerne Salomon or Dauid eyther For Dauid he deadly foiled his kyngdome with aduoutrie coupled with murdre and Salomon was through the
euen the verai same thing whiche Christ himselfe hath promised vnto you I am with you euen vntyll the consummacion of the worlde Nowe in stede of the bloudie slaughter of beastes whiche the priestes of Moses lawe did vse what kynde of sacrifice shall succede the prophete hath not leaft vnspoken For the psalmiste by inspiracion sayeth thus Sacrifice thou vnto God the sacrifice of laude and paie thy vowes vnto the highest call on me in the daye of tribulacion and I will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me And agayne in thesame place Whoso offreeth me thankes and prayse honoureth me and to hym that ordreeth his conuersacion right wyll I shewe the saluacion of God And in another place Sacrifice ye the sacrifice of righteousnesse and truste ye in the Lorde Ye haue here nowe hearde a threfold manier of sacrifice that is to wete the sacrifice of prayers or vowes whereof Christe hath thus taughte you Whatsoeuer ye shall aske my father in my name he wyll geue it vnto you the sacrifice of laude and prayse whiche it is euidente enoughe that he solemnely executed and accomplished many tymes rendring thankes vnto his father and the sacrifice of righteousnesse whiche geueth and perfourmeth the strength and power of lyfe to the innocente and the seruiceable attendaunce of charitie towardes the nedie And of this righteousnesse dyd he in propre persone shewe vnto you a perfecte exaumple spendyng his own soule and lyfe for his shepe beeyng founde onely and alone emong men in whome no fraude ne guyle was He taught this thing also out of the prophetes wordes saying thus Goe ye and learne what these woordes of the Prophete dooe meane Mercye wyll I haue and not sacrifice In the spirituall temple than vnder the moste highest prieste Christe there shall not nowe bee geuen distribucion of rawe meate out of the fleashe of calfes of goates or of shepe but of the precious bodye and bloud of Iesus Christe whiche he hath once for all offred to th ende that it maye al tymes bee spirituallye taken of his enoynted renewyng vnto themselues after a certaine manier the death of their head king by that thankefull commemoracion Forsouth this is the hoste whiche shall shortely be offred all the world ouer by the priestes whom God hath enoynted of whiche sacrifice Malachias spoke afore in the spirite of Prophecie I haue no wyll in you saieth the Lorde of hosâ—es and gyfte wyll I none take of your hande For from the arisyng of the sunne vnto the goyng downe my name is greate in all nacions and in euery place there is sacrificed and offreed vnto me a clene oblacion And this was it whiche was foretolde to Hely the prieste also that it should come to passe that whosoeuer should come into the newe temple should saye Leat me goe I beseche thee to one syde of the priesthode that I maie eate a morsell This is thesame sacrifice whiche Christe in Estur supper gaue vnto his disciples puttyng foorth breade vnto them whiche he sayed to be his body and geuyng them the cuppe whiche he sayed to bee the cuppe of his bloude by whiche his bloud he consecrated vnto them a newe testamente that is to saye a bande and league of frendeshyp neuer to dye ne decaye All these thynges yf ye twoo haue not sene on your owne parties yet at leastewyse ye mighte haue hearde it of his twelue speciall Apostles by meane of whom he hath wylled all that hath been wrought and dooen to come to the knowlage of all creatures Lyke as Christe cummyng from heauen hath turned all carnall thynges into ghostly the citie the temple the priesthode the sacrifices so woulde he also his kyngdome to bee newe And for thesame cause did he muche vse to call it the kyngdome of heauen because ye should not looke for any suche manier thyng as ye see many in the kyngdome of the worlde For although he were the Lorde of all yea euen before he came downe into the yearth yet was there a ghostlye kyngdome whiche because he would recouer vnto his father he became obedient to thesame vnto the death of the crosse For by that meanes hath he ouercomed and vanquished his aduersarie that waie hath he deliuered his people and made them free by that meanes hath he recouered enlarged and establisshed his kyngdome vnto his father And in dede the Prophete promised Messias by the title of a kyng and a captaine but he assigneth a double cummyng of hym the former whiche your selues haue seen humble and peaceable For he came to heale and not to strieke in the waye of vengeaunce But he shall come in the ende of the worlde with maiestie garded and encoumpaced round about with many thousandes of Aungels to iudge the quicke and deade And now in this tyme because he hath come lowe and mylde many haue taken slaundre of conscience insomuche that euen those same twelue also whome he had out of all the coumpanie specially chosen out as moste feithfull and trustie vnto hym beeyng strieken in a drede haue fled euerie man his waye for feare yea and one hath reneagued hym too saying that he neuer knewe hym But if ye woulde diligentlye compare the writing of the Prophetes with the thynges whiche ye haue seen wrought and doen there should be no cause why ye should bee offended or slaundred but there is cause why ye should acknowlage hym who came suche an one as he was promised to come Consider ye what Zacharie sayeth Beholde thy kyng shall come vnto the righteous and a salueour beeyng hymselfe in fourme of a poore man mountyng vpon an asse and vpon a colte the foale of a she asse He that so came came not to make battaile but to destruie the battayles of the worlde whiche are made and kepte vnder Satans banners For the Prophete bryngeth in byanby after And I shall scattre soondrie waies abrode the carte from Ephraim and the horse from Hierusalem and the bowe of battayle shall be destruied and he shall speake peace to the nacions and his power shall bee from sea to sea Ye sawe him entre the citie of Hierusalem with this pompe partly to mocke the kyngdomes of this worlde and partly because he would putte you in good remembraunce of the prophecie And now marke ye well this poynte whether Esai did promise hym of any other sorte For euery violent takyng of booties and forceable ruffleyng and garment embrewed with bloud shall be for burnyng the meate of fyer For a lytle one is borne to vs a sonne is geuen to vs princely power is set vpon his shoulder and his name shall be called the meruaylous a Counsaillour the God of strength the father of the world to come the Prince of peace his empier shal be multiplied there shal be no ende of peace He shall sitte vpon the seate of Dauid and vpon his kingdome that he may conserue thesame and make
for and he aunswered and sayed Goe youre wayes beare woorde agayne to Iohn of the thynges whiche ye haue hearde and seen The blynd see the haulte goe the lepres are clensed the deaf heare the dead arise agayne and to the poore is the glad tydinges preached And that the chiefe rewlers of the synagogue woulde bee with these benefites yet stil wurse and wurse incensed did not Esai after a goodly sorte peinte out vnder the parable of a vyneyarde which beyng with excedyng many poyntes of diligente cure and good housebandyng occasioned to bryng forth good fruite dyd not aunswere the expectacion of his tiller I looked saieth he that it should haue brought forth grapes and it hath brought forth wylde grapes I looked that it should haue doen iudgemente and beholde wickednesse that it should haue doen righteousnesse beholde crying and misery And doeth not the parable iustely agree with thesame sentence of prophecie whiche ye haue heard of Iesus hymselfe concerning a vineyard enclosed and fensed with a toure and furnished with a wyne presse and a gutter whiche vineyard neuerthelesse through defaulte of the housebandmen yelded not condigne fruite to the Lord and owner Thesame thyng also was noted by thatsame figtree whiche would not begynne to be fruitfull no not than neyther whan much doungyng and cherishyng had been doen to it Neyther was there any thyng els mente by the parable of the sede that was cast vpon ill grounde He founde thesame selfe fault els where also in the Prophetes I haue all the daye long euermore holden out my handes to an vnfaithful people that goe not the rightway but after their owne imaginacions to a people that is euer defying me to my face The menne of power had enuy at his vertue and slauÌ„dreously surmuised those miracles to be wrought by the supportacion of Beelzebub But the weakenesse of his body the meannesse of his degree and the affliccions whiche he suffred was a matter of offence and slaundre of conscience to the weake though they were no euyll men For whan he was taken of the Iewes euen those same twelue specially chosen Apostles fled and ranne euery man his waye See ye whether the Prophete Zachary leaft euen this poynte vnspoken of too I shal strieke the shepeheard saieth he the shepe of the flock shal be scattred abrode Wherunto accordeth the song of the eightie seuenth psalme Thou hast put awaye myne acquaintaunce ferre from me and made me to bee abhorred of them For dyd not Petur with a detestacion forsweare his mayster and the other Apostles ready to doe thesame if lyke perill had bloustreously come vpon them And that this would so come to passe Christ had foresaied to Petur before it came to passe in dede He was betrayed by Iudas who was one of the noumbre of the twelue CoÌ„sider ye whether the propheticall psalme did not foretell of the also For if mine enemy sayth he had spokeÌ„ ill of me I would verayly haue paciently borne it and yf he that hated me had spoken great thinges vpon me I would peraduenture haue hidden my selfe froÌ„ him But thou a maÌ„ of myne owne minde my guyde my familiar Now if ye haue learned the Christe whan Iudas comyng of purpose to betray the lord vnto the souldiers by meane of a deceiptfull kisse did thus speake vnto him Frende for what purpose art thou come Betraiest thou the sonne of man with a kisse Did he not manifestly lay vnto him in his veray teeth the saying of the prophete he calleth him a guyde because this Iudas semed in maner as one made a rewler ouer the Apostles because he had the charge of doyng all affaires abrode coÌ„mitted vnto him Again an other psalme speaketh yet more clerly For the maÌ„ of my peace in whoÌ„ I haue trusted who eate my loanes hath magnified supplanting ouer me And see I pray you howe the wordes of Christe whiche he spake to his disciples of the betraier at his last supper with them doe iustely agree with this prophecie He that eateth breade with me saith Christ shal lift vs his foote sole against me An other psalme again sayth My frendes and my next neighbours haue approched nere and haue stande against me Yea and an other psalme yet again his woordes are suppled aboue honey and they be very dartes And is it not a woorde softer theÌ„ honey to say haill maister being spoken with a kisse geuing And was it not a darte infected with deadly poison to say Thatsame is he hold ye him fast Thus might ye haue heard of his Apostles or in case ye haue not yet heard it ye may yet learne it in time to come Iudas demauÌ„ded of couenaunt of the bishops the chiefe rewlers the suÌ„me of thirtie pens or denaries of siluer with which deadly suÌ„me of money there was forthwithall a piece of ground bought for the buriall of poore folkes And both these poyntes did the Prophete forespeake of in his prophecie As concerning the pryce that he was sold for thus did one of the Prophetes say And they toke thirtie plates the pryce of him that was valued whom they bought of the children of Israel gaue them for the potters field These thinges thus executed Iudas ouerlate repenting him of his facte honge himselfe diminishing therby the nouÌ„bre of the twelue chosen making a roume for an other to bee supplied into the ordre of the Apostles Neither was this vnspokeÌ„ of by the Prophetes For thus sayth the processe of the misticall psame Let their abyding be made to lye waste let there not be he that dwelleth in it and his shepeherdship let an other body take And as for the deuilishe conuocacioÌ„ for the putting of Iesus to death which was solemnely kept in the house of Caiphas beeyng the highest bishop by the Scribes the Phariseis the rewlers of the people the coÌ„mons being sworne to thesame marke ye whether thesame poynte also hath not been wrytten declared by the prophecie of the psalme which sayth Why doe the heatheÌ„ so furiously rage together why doe the people imagine vaine thinges The kynges of the earth stand vp the rewlers take couÌ„cell together against the Lorde against his enoincted Ye heare the namyng of the heathen ye knowe that Iesus was crucified by Pilates seruauntes of his crue ye heare the woorde peoples ye knowe that the multitude of all â—ortes of the Iewes cryed crucifie him crucifie him ye heare the name of kinges ye know the Pilate was the rewler gouernour of Iewry in Ceasars behalfe by whose senteÌ„ce Iesus was coÌ„deÌ„ned ye heare this woorde the rewlers of the earth ye vnderstaÌ„de the headmen of the people of Iewry who not vnderstaÌ„ding the lawe spirituall sought earthly thinges while they will in no wise be pulled froÌ„ thesame they put the king of heaueÌ„ to death Yea Esai also doth fore
talke obteined a mitigacion almoste of the wholle taxe whiche the sessours had afore agreed vpon and appointed vnto the weomen to contribute These exaumples of eloquence in weomen lyke as they are but verye fewe in noumbre so are they thynges of no suche highe excellencie to be meruailed at For what great matier of woondre is it that emong so many thousaÌ„des three or fower should be founde hable to speake before a iudge in open audience or what strauÌ„ge case is it to be reputed if some one or two weomeÌ„ haue ben fouÌ„d wittie or learned in the Latine toungue beeynge their owne natiue language which euerie carter and handicraftes man than spake though not al thinge so finely as the learned men and Oratours dyd what high matier of praise and commendacion is it if a few weomen being either wines or daughters to excellent fine Latine men could in continuaunce of a greate manye yeares speake Latine well â–ª yet are these weomen specialy chronicled in histories as notable yea and syngulare exaumples worthy perpetuall fame and memorye for their wytte learnyng and eloquence After these heathens Hiereme in his Epistles writeth speciall high praises and commendacions of Eustochium the mother Paula the daughter and Blesilla the daughters daughter of whiche euerye one were passyng well sene not onely in holy scryptures but also in Latyne Greke and Hebrewe whiche toungues they learned exactely in a veray shorte tyme excelled in the same The like testymony he geueth of Marcella a veray noble woman in Rome whome he reporteth to had in his time so well profyted in the knowleage of holy scriptures that after his departure from Rome yf there were any doubtefull question or any poynte of difficultee concernyng scripture all folkes woulde resorte to hir as to a iudge hable and also sufficient to decise any matier of controuersie or ambiguitee that happened emonge them But this knowleage extended no ferther then to the priuate edifyinge of theyr owne selues with a very fewe others and thesame in suche places where Latine was their mother toungue and their natiue language But nowe in this gracious and blisse full time of knoweleage in which it hath pleased almighty god to reuele and shewe abrode the lighte of his most holy ghospell what a noumbre is there of noble weomen especially here in this realme of Englande yea and howe many in the yeares of tender virginitie not onely aswell sene and as familiarlye traded in the Latine and Greke tongues as in their owne mother language but also bothe in all kyndes of prophane litterature and liberall artes exactly studyed and exercised and in the holy scriptures and Theologie so ripe that they are able aptely cunnyngly and with muche grace eyther to endicte or translate into the vulgare toungue for the publique instruccioÌ„ and edifying of the vnlearned multitude Neyther is it nowe any straunge thing to heare ientle weomen in stede of moste vaine communicacion aboute the moone shynyng in the water to vse graue and substanciall talke in Greke or Latine with their housebandes of godly matiers It is now no newes in Englande to see young damysels in nobles houses and in the Courtes of princes in stede of cardes and other instrumentes of idle trifleing to haue continually in theyr handes eyther Psalmes Omelies and other deuoute meditacions or els Paules epistles or some booke of holy Scripture matiers and as familiarlye both to reade or reason therof in Greke Latine Frenche or Italian as in Englishe It is nowe a common thing to see young virgins so nouzeled and trained in the studie of letters that they willingly set all other vayne pastimes at naught for learninges sake It is nowe no newes at all to see Quenes and Ladies of moste highe estate and progenie in stede of Courtly daliaunce to enbrace vertuous exercises of readyng and wrytyng with moste earneste studie both erely and late to applye themselues to the acquiring of knowlage aswell in all other liberall artes and disciplines as also moste specially of God and his moste holy worde wherunto all christen folkes of what estate or degree so euer they be ought to the vttermoste of their possible powers moste principally and moste earnestly themselues to geue dedicate But what a great cause of publique reioycyng o lorde maye it be that in this time of Christes harneste euerie good bodye moste busily applyinge the worke of his vocacioÌ„ towardes the inning of the lordes corne some by instructyng the youth some by teachyng scholes some by preachyng to their simple flockes some by godly inducing of their families some by wrytyng good and godly treatises for the edifying of suche as are willing to reade and some by translating good bokes out of straunge touÌ„gues into our vulgare language for the helpe of the vnlearned the most noble weomen of bloude and estate royall are no lesse diligent trauaillours then the best in any of the aboue named offices mete for their sexe ne take any manier skorne or disdeigne in the labour of drawing this haruest home to bee ioyned as yâ—kefelowes with inferiour persons of moste lowe degre and condicion Howe happie art thou o England for whose behoufe and edifying in Christe Quenes and Princesses spare not ne ceasse with all earnest endeuour and sedulitee to spende their tyme their wittes their substaunce and also their bodyes And in this behalfe lyke as to your highnesse moste noble Quene Katerine aswel for composyng and setting foorth many goodly psalmes and diuerse other contemplatiue meditacions as also for causyng these paraphrases of the moste famous clerke and moste godly writer Erasmus of Roterodom to bee translated into oure vulgare language Englande can neuer bee able to render thankes sufficiente so may it neuer bee able as her desertes require enough to praise magnifye the moste noble the moste vertuous the moste wittye and the mooste studious Ladye Maries Grace daughter of the late moste puissaunte and moste victorious Kyng Henry the eyght of moste famous memorie and moste derely beloued systur to the king our soueraigne lorde that now is it maye neuer bee able I saye enough to prayse and magnifie hir Grace for takyng suche great studie peine and trauaill in translatyng this paraphrase of the said Erasmus vpon the gospel of Iohn at your hyghnesse speciall contemplacion as a noumbre of right well learned men woulde bothe haue made courtesie at and also would haue brought to wurse frame in the doyng O how greatly maie we all glory in suche a pierlesse floure of virginitee as her Grace is who in the middes of Courtly delices and emiddes the enticementes of worldly vanities hathe by her owne choice and eleccion so vertuously and so fruictefully passed her tendre youth that to the publique comforte and gladfull reioycing whiche at her byrth she brought to all Englande she doeth nowe also conferre vnto thesame the vnestimable benefite of fâ—rtheryng bothe vs and our posteritee in the knowleage of Goddes worde and to
of his mynde with the swearde of the gospell and then yf he lyste lette hym drawe his swearde against the ennemies of the ghospell But these thynges haue I spoken moste renoumed Prynce in the waye of aduertisement without reproche of any person I open the matter onelye I reprehende no person and the more boldelye vnto your grace I wryte thus because no kynde of suspicion at al of any suche faulte or enormitee can be suspected to be in you There bee none Byshoppes except that of congruence ought to liue more after the gospell then Princes But they oftentymes by simplicitie vnder an assemblaunce of deuocion be deceyued For by the perswasion of suche whiche be thoughte the perfite professours of religion they ofttymes esteme it a poynt of great perfeccion if they daily saie ouer their praiers the which they call their mattens if they see a masse euery daye once The whiche thinges as in a lay prince and a young man also I graunt is a certaine token signe of a well disposed mind yet be there many other thinges that which do more straitly appertayn to a christeÌ„ princes office theÌ„ these For if he foresee that no storme of warre arise that the publike libertie be not diminished ne violated that the poore comminaltie bee not compelled to famishe that no naughty officers be made and permitted in my opinion he shall do a more acceptable seruice to God then yf he should saye these praieres â–ª vi yeres together Yet do I commende the said thinges if that whiche is more principall bee coupled and ioyned therto But and if a prince do suppose that he lacketh no porcion of godly perfeccion putting his confidence in the obseruacion of those thinges settyng a part suche thinges whiche do peculiarly appertain vnto a kynges office and dutie plainly that is the confusion of all religioÌ„ that is the subuersion of the common welth and they that geue suche councel do neither geue profitable nor holsome councell for the prince neither yet for his subiectes It is a good dede to heare seruice if thei be pure that do it but how can I cum in pure life vnto the sacrifice doen in remembraunce of the true and highest prince the which for to redeme his seruauntes bestowed his own life if through my fury my vain glory and negligence so many thousande men bee eyther vexed or vtterlye perishe I thinke it not nedefull to shewe that for the most part princes be neuer at more leisure neither lesse carefull then when thei be at diuine seruice What great thyng is it if a prince saye those praiers at an houre prescribed therfore whiche cannot haue sufficiente tyme and leisure to order and disposeth affayres of a common wealth A prince shall pray inough at full if he saye daily and recite from his hearte the notable prayer of the wyse kyng Salomon Lorde geue me wisdome and knowledge how to behaue my selfe vnto thy people Or the other praier muche lyke vnto thesame the whiche the wyse man as I remember reciteth in the boke of wisdome Geue me wisdome whiche is euer about thy seate that she maie be with me and labour with me that I may knowe what is acceptable in thy sighte for she knowethe and vnderstandethe all thinges and she shall leade me sobrely in my workes and preserue me in her power So shall my workes be acceptable and then shall I gouerne thy people righteously be worthy to sitte in my fathers seate who can haue knowledge of thy vnderstandynge and meanynge except thou geue wisdome and sende thy holy ghost from aboue that the waies of them which are vpon earth maye be refourmed that men may learne the thinges that are pleasaunt vnto the This wisdome that this most wise young maÌ„ desireth to haue may a man chiefly fynde in the holy scripture if a maÌ„ list vnfainedly and with a godly curiositie seke to haue it Otherwise howe is it cuÌ„ to passe that christen mens behauiour and maners partely bee decayed into a conuersacion wurse then the Gentiles or Ethnickes were partly degenerated into a certaine Iudaical supersticion but by reason that the doctrine of the ghospell hath not been had in regarde Notwithstandyng to saye the very trueth in all tymes there hath been euer sum of whome the gospell hath beene hadde in due honoure and reuerence yet neuerthelesse for this fower hundred yeres past the liuely heate and feruencie therof hath been greatlye abated with the most part Wherfore the more we ought to the vttermoste of our power endeuour our selfe that euery man for his parte do reuiue thissame sparkle of heauenly fire again the whiche the eternall veritie Iesus Christe our Lorde hath sent down into the earth wishyng nothyng els but that it maye be feruentlye kyndled and in great circuite to spreade it selfe abrode and be set all on fyer In this our tyme when mans condicions be so corrupted and of so great dissencions in opinions wherby at this houre all thinges be confounded out of order whither shall we rather flee to haue redresse then as S. Hilarie doeth well admonishe vs vnto the most pure fountaine and well spring of holy scripture wherof the moste pure and vnderfiled part be the gospels Neyther oughte the gospel to be mislyked of the supreme powers for this cause as thoughe it dyd as sum saye cause suche to be sedicious and disobedient whose parte and duetie is to bee obedient vnto their princes nay it rather profiteth princes in this pointe insomuche as it doeth teache them to execute the true offices of princes and not to be tirauntes and causeth the people more gladlye to obey euery good prince and more quietly to tollerate and beare with the bad Finally the gospell is not to be blamed if any man do not vse all of the best that thing whiche of his nature is moste excellent and the very best It is called the gospel of peace reconcilyng god and vs to vnitie and secondlye couplyng mutuall loue and amitie betwene eche of vs together If any man stumble at this stone let him blame hymselfe and not the gospell There is no power that man hath no policy no coÌ„spiracy or coniuracion together that is able to â—anquishe oppresse the veritie of the gospel whiche moste mightily setteth furth it self when it is most greuously persecuted But as touchyng these matters I feare me I haue heretofore spoken inough and to muche Now that this paraphrase may with the more fruite bee red after I haue spoken a worde or two of the euangelistes entent and purpose I wyll make an ende After that the lyfe and doctrine of our Lord Iesus Christ by thapostles preachyng and the other Euangelistes wrytinges was spred at large ouer all the world the Euangelist S. Iohn whome Christ so notably loued after all the other toke on hande to write this present gospell not so muche for th entent to compile the historie of the gospel as to make rehersall of
them his power which he had receiued of God the father therby to make them afearde to procede in theyr wicked crueltie and doeth so tempre his communicaciō that otherwhiles he talketh of certaine hye thinges to signifie vnto thē couertly his diuine nature whiche was all one betwene God the father hym And otherwhiles againe in his communicacion he bringeth in lower thinges to testifie his māhed therby that it the affinitie which was betwene him and them in that he was mā would not stirre them to loue at the leaste the maiestie of his godly power should let them from their wicked rashenesse but yet he doeth so chalenge to hymselfe lyke power with his father that neuertheles he attributeth to him the preeminence of autoritie And he spake on this wyse Ye meruayle that I haue taken vpon me to be of equall power with my father in his workyng This I doe assuredly promyse you the sonne whiche doeth wholy depēde of the father can doe nothyng of hymselfe forasmuche as he is not of hymselfe but doeth that whiche he seeth his father doe They haue both one will and one power but the autoritie resteth in the father from whence procedeth to the sonne whatsoeuer the sōne is or may doe Therfore whatsoeuer the father doeth thesame in likewise worketh the sonne by the equalitie of power communicate to him through his eternall natiuitie Among men oftentymes children be vnlike in maners to theyr parentes neyther is the fathers wyll and the sonnes all one nor yet theyr power like but in this case the thing is farre otherwyse For the father loueth his sonne intierly and hath begotten hym moste like to hymselfe pouryng into hym egall power of workyng and sheweth vnto the sonne howe to doe all thynges whiche he doeth himselfe The exaumple cummeth from hym but the workyng is common to both he hath create the world and he also gouerneth the world yea euen vpon the Sabboth dayes He hath made man and it is he also that preserueth man vpon the Sabboth dayes Therfore whosoeuer doeth slaundre the workes of the sonne doeth iniurie to the father These thynges whiche ye see me doe on the Sabboth daye I doe them by the fathers autoritie at his appoyntment but yf ye thinke it a thyng to be merueyled at and aboue mans power to restore helth with a woorde to a man sicke of the palsey the father at whose commaundement the sonne doeth all thynges whiche he doeth wyll declare that he hath shewed to his sonne greater workes than these because ye may she more maruaile For it is a thyng of farre greater power to raise the dead to life than to restore helth to the sicke yet the father hath geuen this power also to the sonne and he hath geuen him it as his owne for euer that as the father with his only becke rayseth the dead and calleth them agayne to lyfe so the sonne also by that selfe power may call agayne to lyfe whom he lust for whatsoeuer the father doeth he doeth it by the sonne whatsoeuer the sonne doeth he doeth it after the will of the father and the father the sonne haue both one wyll lyke as they haue both one power The moste hye and chiefe autoritie of God is to iudge the world For he is king and Lord of all thynges And yet hath he made his sonne partaker with hym of this whole power vnto whom he hath geuē al power to iudge whatsoeuer is in heauē in yearth vnder the earth Like as the father hath create all thynges by his sonne gouerneth al thinges by his sonne and hath restored al thinges by his sonne so he iudgeth nothing but by his sonne to the entent that eyther of thē may glorifie and honour the other The father is knowen by his sonne by whom he worketh the sonne on the other partie declareth the maiestie of his father from whence he hath whatsoeuer he worketh so that eyther of them beyng knowen by the other all men may honour the sonne as they doe the father For it is mete that they which be egall in power and will should be also felowes in honour Thinke not that ye can haue the father mercifull vnto you if ye be alienate fallen from the sonne Whosoeuer honoreth the father working in the sonne he honoreth also the sonne working by the power of the father And whosoeuer doeth not honour the sonne which is moste intierly beloued and moste lyke to the father that person doeth dishonour the father who sent the sonne to thintent he might through hym be honoured for euery thyng is common betwene them be it honour or dishonour He that mistrusteth the sonne mistrusteth also the father which sent hym into the worlde by whose wyll and appoyntmente he doeth all thynges that he doeth and by whom also the father speaketh vnto the worlde Lyke as the faithfull shall haue great reward so the vnfaythfull shall haue no small punishmente Uerily verily I saye vnto you he that heareth my woorde beleueth on him that sente me hath euerlasting life and shall not come into damnacion but is scaped from death vnto life For this I tell you for certayne whoso heareth my woorde and beleueth hym whiche both sent me and speaketh in me that persone hath already euerlasting life For whosoeuer is iustified from his sinnes and lyueth to God thorowe righteousnes he hath God and also life eternall neyther shall he nede to feare the damnacion of eternall death whiche is redie to receyue the vnfaithfull yea rather which doeth alreadie possesse the vnfaithfull but the true beleuer beyng clensed from his olde sinne by faith passeth thorowe frō death to lyfe For it is a greater thyng to rayse a soule that is dead by sinne from death to life than to restore a dead body to life but the father hath geuen power to the sonne to doe both these thynges Uerily verily I saye vnto you the houre shall come and nowe it is when the dead shall heare the voyce of the sonne of God And they that heare shall lyue For as the father hath lyfe in hymselfe so lykewyse hath he geuen to the sonne to haue lyfe in hymselfe and hath geuen hym power also to iudge because he is the sonne of manne Maruayle not at this for the houre shall come in the whiche all that are in the graues shall heare his voyce and shal come forth they that haue doen good vnto the resurreccion of lyfe and they that haue doen euil vnto the resurreccion of damnacion Be ye well assured of this the tyme is now at hande yea it is alreadie presente that euen the dead also shall heare the voice of the sonne of God and whoso heareth it shal liue for they being as it were raysed out of their slepe shall come forth out of their graues and shall declare vnto you beeyng astonished therwith that they liue in very dede In like maner also the dead soules doe liue
Iesus therfore and scourged hym And the souldiers wound a croune of thornes and put it on his head And they did on him a purple garment and came vnto him and sayed Hayle kyng of the Iewes and they smote hym on the face Pilate wente furth agayne and sayde vnto them Behold I bryng hym furthe to you that ye maye knowe that I fynde no faulte in hym Then came Iesus furth wearing a croune of thorne and a rooâ—e of purple and he sayeth vnto them Beholde the man AFter that Pilate the Emperours Lieutenaunt had also by occasion sente Iesus to Herode leauyng nothyng vndoen eyther to shifte and ridde his handes of hym that was accused or els to dimisse and sette hym looce as an innocent when the lorde president I saye had thus assayed all wayes â–ª and sawe he coulde do no good with the furiouse folkes of the Iewes he than commaunded Iesus to be scourged as the maner was at Rome whiche feat he dyd to assuage theyr furie and to saue the innocentes lyfe This doen the souldiers that were in the inner courte of whome the Iewes had hyred a numbre to serue theyr tyrannye dyd of theyr owne inueÌ„cion adde muche cruel fearcenesse to that vncouth solemne piece of his passion for when he had bene so scourged and beaten to mocke hym withall they putte vpon him a purple garment and wounde a croune of thorne and put it on his head geuyng hym a reede in his hande in stede of a scepter and byanby castyng hym in the tethe with a kyngdome that he shoulde be desyrous of who God wotte was to see to an homely a base and a contempte persone they came and kneled vnto him saying Hayle king of Iewes And they spitted vpon his face and buffeted hym he beyng Lorde of all thynges and behauing hymselfe moste pacientely and moste coldly in al theyr kynde of mockage for to teache vs lenâ—tye and pacience in aduersitie vs I saye that haue hautye and verye fierce myndes though yet in dede we be thinges of nought Sothe it is that Pilate suffered Iesus thus to be delt withall because he would with this the mans affliccion haue appeased the malice of the Iewes for when the people hathe for a while raged agaynste whom they be sturred theyr fury ceaseth sodainly namely if scornyng be added to the calamitie and make hym that suffereth lamentable where before he was hated Therfore Pilate the presidente wente furthe vnto them agayne for to proue yf he coulde mitigate the fiercenes of the meane multitude and sayeth Lo I bryng out the manne vnto you that ye maye looke your fyll vpon hym and perceyue howe he hath bene handled for your pleasure not withstandyng that I can finde no faulte in him And so therwith Iesus at Pilates coÌ„maundement cummeth furth as he was appareled bounde scourged and beate bespitted crowned with a crowne of thorne and wearyng the purple garment And Pilate presented hym saying Beholde the man is here When the hye Priestes and ministers sawe hym they cryed saying Crucifie hym crucifie hym Pilate sayeth vnto them Take ye hym and crucifie hym for I fynde no cause in hym The Iewes answered hym We haue a lawe and by our lawe he ought to dye because he made hymselfe the sonne of God When Pilate heard that saying he was the more afeard and went agayne into the iudgemente hall and sayeth vnto Iesus whence art thou but Iesus gaue him no answere With this sight therefore whiche had been ynough to haue tamed the crueltie had it been neuer so great of wild and rude barbarouse people the myndes yet of the Iewes were not onely not mollified but were therewith more set on fyre to finish the thing that they had so farre proceded in For the bishops were now afeard leste if he which had been so horribly so cruelly tormented should now haue been let looce that then the affeccion and mynde of the people that were already sette on a roare being once turned on the other side the grudge of their extreme great crueltie might light vpon their owne heades The bishops therfore their seruauÌ„tes with a great stier and shone cryed woodly out crucifie him crucifie hym Pilate perceyuing that there was no hope of pitie to be gotten at their handes by fayre intreatie he goeth aboute to restrayne and bridle in their fury with feare sayth I am a minister of lawe and iustice and not a reueÌ„ger of other folkes malice and by lawfull processe to punishe trangressours of the lawe am I autorisate I am no butcherly murderer no bloudshedder of innoceÌ„cie This that hath been doen was to serue and satisfie your hatred I will no more be fierce against him that is no noysome persone And yf he shall algates be crucified I wyll not haue this my courte of iudgemente distayned polluted with the bloud of an innocente Upon your owne perill haue ye the man awaye and yf it semeth good doe ye crucifie him I am not wounte to crucifie any but wicked doers In this man I finde no crime that deserueth the crosse For there is no likelihode in him of that trayterouse dede whiche is layed to his charge concerning the kingdome Nor it is not ynough to accuse a man of a fault except it be proued to be a matter of certaintie that is obiected by sure euidence specially if it be a cause that concerneth life and death This whole matter is by no lawful processe haÌ„dled but ruffeled out sediciously When the Iewes heard Pilate the iudge so frendely and diligently withall take Iesus parte and defende him vtterly thinking it not mete that any waye Iesus should escape they falsely surmised a cryme whiche might seme to the iudge that was not learned in theyr lawe a greuouse faulte saying Although he had doen none offence against the Emperours lawes yet haue we a lawe geuen vs of God which the Emperour also hath left vnto vs And by the force of this lawe he hath well deserued to dye because he hath made himselfe the sonne of God and takyng vpon him the godhead he did commit blasphemie against God After that Pilate had heard this hauyng no ready aunswere to make them he led Iesus againe into the iudgement hall went in himselfe and talked againe with Iesus beyng very desyrouse to learne of hym what a thyng that was wherewith they charged hym and howe it might bee refelled and auoyded Therfore first of all Pilate asketh hym whence he was to the entent that after he had knowen of what progenie he came he might haue confuted that whereas they sayed he was desirouse to be taken for the sonne of God though in dede among the Gentiles it was both written in Poetes fables and commonly beleued that some were taken for halfe goddes as folkes borne of God and manne But verily Iesus knowyng that Pilate did assaye all these wayes finally to saue his lyfe and was not ignoraunte that yet Pilate shoulde afterwarde when
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
or of any other nacion This theyr couÌ„sell which was as folyshe as myght be spoken pleased all the whole assembly and euery man with one assent agreed therto For than had they perceiued that the apostles were valiaunt of courage and would not alter or chaunge their myndes Thei perceyued lykewyse that this miracle was not vnknowen to all the people they were not to learne that Iesus name was with them of no small efficacie and for mans health a present remedy Howe could they than for shame commauÌ„d or what hope had they to haue that name kepte vnder specially seyng they myght thorowe the selfesame name attayne vnto eternall saluacion Suche verely are the counsels of prynces of Byshoppes priestes and of other the chiefe of the comminaltie as ofte as they gather theyr assemblyes together by policie of mannes witte Sometyme there be amonges them whiche canne playnely see what doeth well agree with good reason but yet they perceyue in folowyng of thesame some losse should ensue of their renowme decaye of ryches or some other suche lyke incommoditie ¶ And they called them and comâ—aunded them that in no wyse they should speake ne teache in the name of Iesu. But Peter and Iohn answered and sayed vnto them whether it be right in the sight of God to herken vnto you more then to god iudge ye For we cannot but speake that whiche we haue sene and heard So threatned they them and let them goe and found nothyng howe to punyshe them because at the people For all men praysed God because of that whiche was doen For the man was aboue fowertie yeare olde on whom this miracle of healyng was shewed Whan eche of them had well allowed this decree they called in the apostles it was declared to them in name of the whole counsell that they shoulde teache no man on lyue Iesus doctrine ne make in any wyse mencion of hys name eyther by stelth vnwares to them ne yet in hearyng of any multitude neyther openly ne priuely at home or els abrode O the folyshe wysdome of the worlde they could not kepe him in his graue whan he was deade nowe goe they about to bury or suppresse the name whiche is wunte alwayes after death to be better knowen Peter and Iohn after the counsels decree was rehearsed them with solempne authoritie made this aunswere thereunto very constauntly but without any woorde spoken to mans rebuke Iudge ye your selues that knowe the lawe whether it be well before God that we shoulde be more obedient to you than to Gods commaundemente God hath heretofore sayed by the mouth of his Prophetes that it should euen thus come to passe Christe the sonne of God thus commaunded vs and so lykewyse that heauenly spirite whom he promysed vs to sende downe from his father infourmeth vs secretly and putteth into our myndes that we should for all mennes saluacion publyshe the name of our lorde Iesus Christe bearyng wytnesse also to that that we haue sene and heard Yf ye mynde to be of an vpright iudgement ye also will submit your selues to the wyll of God If not whatsoeuer ye decree of vs truly we may not otherwise do than speake that we sawe with oure iyes what we heard with our eares and that God who ought to bee aboue all men obeyed would haue preached abrode to all men Whan the counsell had hearde of them this aunswere so wysely made and franckly they wente nought els about but to make them sore afrayed wyth threatnynges Alas a counsell without all hope of recouery they haue no argument to perswade no reasons or causes why they shoulde rebuke neyther testimonies they haue of scripture wherwithall to teache Their whole authoritie is but threatninges O the wicked conscience alwayes fearful Their desyre was to punishe the innocentes a malicious will was ready in them but they beyng as they were prynces yet were afraied of theyr symple poore subiectes meÌ„ in publike office in dreade of pryuate persones many in numbre in feare of fewe yea men defensed of them that were vnarmed men of learnyng of men vnlearned as for thapostles had neither any retinewe nor garde for their defence nor bandes of noble estate assured to them But lordes they were of that that no yearthly power was hable to geue as to make the lame at the name of Iesus Christe to aryse and walke To do man good thapostles were in power myghtie but as touchyng hurte they were voyde of all strength And so were the apostles for that tyme dimissed of that counsell beyng charged with their sore threatenynges Yet had not the chiefe counsellers cast of theyr caÌ„kred malice but differred it in mynde to get afterward some other occasion For they could fynde no waye to punishe them and that because of the people whome they feared hauing no regarde in themselfe at all to god For all men highly praised them as touchyng that miracle whiche was done in healyng the lame criple And eche manne noted it the more bycause the persone in whome this miracle was wrought was aboue fowertie yeres of age So was he borne and thus many yeres set foorth this begger to the open sight of the worlde his infirmitie so that no man coulde accuse or finde fault with their doinges as though his impediment had be counterfeite or els some lyght or small deformitie not worthy consideracion Assone as they were let go they came to theyr fellowes and shewed all that the hie priestes and elders had sayed And whan they heard that they lift by their voices to god with one accorde and sayed Lorde thou art God whiche hast made heauen and earth the sea and al that in them is which in the holy ghost by the mouth of thy seruaunt Dauid our father hast sayed why dyd the heatheÌ„ cage the people imagine vaine thinges The kinges of the earth stode vp and the rulers came together against the Lorde and against his anointed Than Peter and Iohn beyng dispatched of the counsell retourned to their company beyng than in theyr high parlour altogether carefull in mynde what ende should come of that consultacion whiche was in hande and rehearsed to them in ordre all the whole matter what the princes had layed to theyr charge and of the aunswer that they had made thereunto The inward true loue that eche one bare to other replenyshed theyr heartes vpon these tydynges tolde them with excedyng Ioye The disciples were glad that the chiefe and pieres of all thapostles were dimyssed Thapostles on the other parte reioysed in the bountâ—ousnes of their lorde by whome his disciples attained vnto suche ioye God after this maner and sorte tempereth all thynges in his seruauntes so that with sorowe he mingleth ioy to the ende that they may be hable paciently to suffer and endure aduersitie and that they on thother syde may for gladsome thynges rendre hertie thankes and in heauinesse pray vnto the Lorde After the whole company had than heard the
apostles tale they spake aloude with one assente vnto the Lorde of whose goodnes the ghospell had begon to haue right good successe sayed Lord God omnipotent that madest thorowe thy woorde heauen earth the sea whasoeuer is in them contayned whose moste blessed wyll no power of man is able to withstande whose eternall decrees no mans conspiracie is hable to empayre for all that nowe we see here brought to passe thy blessed spirite hath spoken of before by the mouth of thy faythfull seruaunt Dauid our Patryarche saying Why do the heathen rage and the people imagine vayne thynges The kynges of the earth stande vp and the prynces hath gathered themselues together agaynst the Lorde and agaynste his Christe All we recognise trueth in this prophecie For what he sawe to come beyng than enspired with thy holy spirite that see we both doen in very dede and the doyng of thesame For of a trueth agaynste thy holy chylde Iesus whom thou hast enoynted bothe Herode and also Poncius Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of Israel gathered themselfes together for to do whatsoeuer thy hande and thy counsell determined before to be done And nowe lorde behold their threatenynges and graunt vnto thy seruauÌ„tes that with all confidence they may speake thy woorde So that thou stretche fourth thy hand that healyng and signes and wonders be doen by the name of thy holy child Iesus And assone as they had made theyr praier the place moued where they were asseÌ„bled together and they were all fylled with the holy ghost and they spake the woorde of god boldely For in this citie whiche professeth holines both Herode and Ponce Pilate yearthly prynces with the heatheÌ„ and people of Israell gathered themselues together agaynst the maister and capitayne of all holynesse thy holy chylde Iesus whom thou haste enoyncted with an heauenly oynctment forecastyng with theyr wicked counsell to bryng those thynges to passe whiche thou of thy power inuincible and eternall decree haddest determined to bee doen for the saluacion of man But whosoeuer conspireth againste thy sonne Iesus sent downe from the he conspireth agaynst the. And beholde a great assembly of the chiefe rulers are cum eftsones together to conspire agaynst the holy and blessed name of thy sonne Iesus But lyke as thou dyddest reyse Iesus from death beyng slayne of them and aduaunced hym to heauens as partener of thy kingdome dysapoyntyng them of theyr purposes euen so see nowe vnto theyr threatening that they in no wyse preuayle but strength courage thy seruauntes that they may with moste stedfaste boldnes vttre the ghospell whiche is not mannes woorde but thy woorde that is to saye brought downe from thee to earth by thy sonne for all our sakes and lyke as thy miracle in makyng whole the lame creple allured many to professe the name of Iesus and feared the prynces whiche were all bent in conspiracie agaynst his glory euen so vouchesafe to ayde them nowe in tyme to come wyth thy almyghtye power that by meanes of healyng workyng of wondrefull miracles thorow the holy name of thy sonne Iesus the glorye of thy ghospell maye the clearer shyne and further abrode while they that rebell agaynst the and thy sonne doe rage all in vayne Whan they had thus made theyr prayer with one accorde the place where they together stode trembled Which thing betokeneth that their prayer was graciouslâ— heard with the lorde anâ— their desire ratified For there is nothing so effectuall as is the prayer of the churche in one whole consent Uerely it ought to be of no small strength and power that was hable to shake the earthe whiche is not of it selfe mouable This was no voyde token for the lyuely strength of the holy ghost was forthwith in theÌ„ all renewed and augmented in somuch that they would not for all suche threatnynges as the prynces made concele and hyde the ghospell but preached the name of theyr maister Iesus more stedfastely and more frankely yea more of theym also in numbre than before For suche is the nature of the ghospell as touching his encrease that lyke as Safron and other thynges many moe come forthe although they be yll handeled more plenteously euen so aryseth vp the ghospell agaynst the assaultes of the worlde and the sooner by wrastelyng therwith ouercommeth thesame The faithfull that professed the name of Iesus amounted than within fewe dayes to a woondrefull great numbre And the multitude of them that beleued were of one herte and of one soule Neyther sayed any of them that ought of the thinges whiche he possessed was his owne but thâ—y had all thynges common And with great power gaue the apostles witnes of the resurreccion of the lorde Iesu. And great grace was with them all Neyther was there any among them that lacked For as many as were possessours of landes or houses sold them and brought the pryce of the thynges that were solde and layed it downe at the apostles feete And distribucion was made vnto euery man accordyng as he had nede And Ioses whiche was also called of the apostles Barnabas that is to saye the sonne of consolacion being a Leuite and of the couÌ„trey of Cypres where as he had lande solde it and laied the pryce downe at the apostles feete And yet that thou mayest vnderstande howe this theyr consent of myndes came not of mannes policie among so many together in one companye there was no ambicion at all no enuy no brawlyng no stryuyng but in suche conformitie of mynde and peaceable quietnes of herte were they all as a mâ—nne would haue thought them all to be of one harte and one minde For than was eche man at a poynte with himselfe no longer to folow his owne mynde which is in all sortes of men so diuerse that vnneath a man maye finde two brothers germane that can agree betwixt themselues But as for this company Iesus was the ruler of them all by his owne blessed spirite From thence proceded that so great a consent of so many persons together one vnlike an other either in kinred age or worldely substaunce insomuche that not onely those thynges were commen amongest them whiche eche man is wonte to departe one to other withoute losse to the geuer of the whiche maner thynges bee learnyng counsell admonicion consolacion and exhortacion but temporall possessions also whiche are coÌ„municate to other not without dammage or losse to the possessour and therfore scarcely may a man fynde any that can be content to be in this poynte liberall But suche thinges amongest them all were so common that no man would somuche as once chalenge any thyng of all that he possessed for his owne Wherfore he that gaue any of his owne goodes looked for no thankes at their handes that receyued thesame because he thought all that was geuen to be hys owne propre good that had nede of it and hymselfe a robber and no iust person yf he should withholde
lorde the temple of the lorde the temple of the lorde But this your temple is nought els than a figure of the trewe spirituall temple that is the congregacion of the faythfull whiche is a buildynge by your kyng Iesus of Nazareth whom Salomon figured Howbeit he that is hyghest of all dwelleth not in temples made with handes as saieth the Prophete heauen is my seate and earth is my foote stoole What house wil ye build for me sayeth the Lord which is the place of my rest hath not my hand made al thinges For sence that god is a thing all togyther spirituall he dwelleth not in houses made by mannes hande neyther can he be enclosed within walles who is of suche greatnes that cannot be mesured and contayneth all thynges This is euen it that he hymselfe beareth witnes of speaking by Esay his prophete heauen is my seate and earth is my foote stole What house wyl ye buylde for me sayeth the lorde or what place is for my repose Hath not my hande made them all ThaÌ„ had god who made all thinges rest in himselfe before he made al. And if he take rest any where he resteth not in houses made by man seynge that heauen is a seate for him the earthe his foote stoole but his delite is to reste in quiet hertes and such as be alwayes readye at commaundement of the holy gost Wherefore then whose conscience is polluted with vicioule lyuyng he defileth goddes temple And who that putteth them to busynes whiche be alreadye at commaundement of his holy spirite he polluteth the temple of the Lorde And lyke as he offendeth not Moyses that preferreth Iesus neyther breaketh he Moyses lawe that placeth it behinde the gospell euen so doethe not he violate this temple that preferreth therto a spirituall temple wherein god is more delyted For it is but reason that shadowes geue the veritie place which putteth now herselfe forth to lyght It is meete that that thyng whiche of it selfe is carnal geue place to that that is spirituall This vndowbtedlye â— the very immutable will of God and for this cause sent he downe his owne â—â—nne alone vpon earth he sente also the holy ghoste to thintent the lyght of trueth in his ghospell myght cum abrode to all manner people Ye stiffenecked and of vncircumcised hertes and eares Ye haue alwies resisted the holy ghost as your fathers did so do ye Whiche of the Prophetes haue not your fathers persecuted And they haue slayn theÌ„ whiche shewed before of the cumming of that iust whome ye haue nowe betrayed and murthered And ye also haue receyued the lawe by the ministracion of aungelles and haue not kept it But ye persisting obstinately in defence of that whiche of it selfe is carnall now rebelle as ye were wonte againste goddes holy spirite who called you now long ago stubburne people And yet thynke ye your selues to be Israelites and the childreÌ„ of Abraham because ye haue a piece of that skynne which couereth your pryute membre circumcised wheras youre heartes as well as eares are left vncircumcised But they shal be from hencefurth the trewe children of Abraham that be in hearte clensed of all wicked desyres that kepe theyr eares obedient to goddes commaundementes and so pourged of grosnes as touchinge carnall vnderstandyng that they maye perceyue the spirituall meanyng of the lawe For lyke as youre fathers by reason of theyr grosse vnderstanding and dull hearynge resisted alwayes the holy ghoste euen so did ye also not vnlike in condicions to those youre auncestours neuer leaue of your euyll speakyng and doyng againste the holy ghoste as it of late appeared in Iesus of Nazareth whome ye crucifyed and nowe in hys Apostles Howe often hath youre fathers rebelled againste Moyses Why may not I call them your fathers whome ye folowe in condicions whiche of all the Prophetes hath not youre fathers persecuted And those that prophecied to you of the iust to cum by whome alone all shoulde be iustified haue ye not onely punished but murthered also Ye hated them that tolde you of his cumming and whan he was cum perfourmed all that they before had tolde you ye not onely refused to embrace hym but vpon a false impechement ye put him into Pilates handes and brought him by meane of hys sentence vnto a more shamefull and mischeuouse death then yf ye youre selues had had the perfourmaunce of the acte all in your owne handes And all this do ye vpon a pretexte to defende the lawe whereas neyther your elders obserued the lawe whiche was delyuered them by aungels neither you that of late dayes put him to death whome the lawe hath promysed and appoynted and now besydes do persecute hym whome ye haue slain enuying youre selues the gyfte of eternal saluacion whiche is prefored you and procuring your owne vtter destruccion whiche ye without cause laye to our charge and to Iesus of Nazareth ¶ Whan they hearde these thinges theyr heartes claue a sundeâ— and they gnasshed on him with their teeth but he beyng â—ul of the holy ghoste looked vp stedfastlye with his iyes into heauen and saw the glorye of god and Iesus standynge on the right hande of God and sayed Beholde I sâ—e the heauens open and the sonne of man standyng on the right hand of God Then they gaue a shoute with a loude voice and stopped their eares and ran vpon hym and stoned him And the witnesses layed downe theyr clothes at a young mans feete whose name was Saule And thei stoned Steuen calling on saying Lord Iesu receiue my spirite And he kneled downe and cried Lorde laye not this sinne to their charge And whan he had thus spoken he fell a slepâ— This oracion or tale so truly tolde them and so frankely spoken sore chafed al their mindes that wer in councell togyther insomuch that theyr heartes were euen readye to breake in soundre and gnasshed theyr teeth agaynste hym But Steuen as one vndoubtedly replenished with the holy ghost was nothing at all in minde troubled by them but in a redines to suffre death cast vp his iyes accordynge to Iesus Christes example to heauenward from whence all helpe succoure for a christen man is to be loked for and desyred Than was forthwith this valiant champion strengthed againste the conflict whiche was a cummyng Heauen opened and the glorie he sawe of god and Iesus whome he professed standyng on the ryght hande of his father And this vision kepte he not close and secrete from the multitude althoughe they wer wickedly bente For it wer not expedient for mannes malice to suppresse goddes glory Beholde he saieth I see heauens open and the sonne of man staÌ„ding on the right hand of goddes maiestie It wer a profitable thinge here to coÌ„sider the maner and forme of this his iudgement Faultes wer laied in against him He made answer to theÌ„ al. And beyng but a young man he alleaged for himselfe both testimonies of the law and of the Prophetes They
is in vaine For it shall be harde and paynfull for the to beate thy heeles againste the prycke For thy striuyng is not against manne but againste god whose wil no manne is hable to resiste Wherfore thine offeÌ„ce herein is double the more and nothing shalt thou preuaile therby and yet doe thy selfe a shrewde turne Saule hearing this trembled for feare and as one amased saide Lorde what wylte thou haue me doe By this answere his erroure appeared to haue cumme of plaine ignoraunce and of no malice To instructe once suche erpsons it were sufficient But it was expedient that an high and fierce stomake were plucked downe and suche one that mynded nought els but to threaten and kylle were made afrayed to th entent he myght be easlye taught Than sayed the lorde to him aryse and go into the citie There shalt thou learne what is for the to do The lorde stryketh man in suche a sorte that it maye be for his health so he casteth downe that he maye set vp so maketh he them blynde that he maye lighten them Saule beyng in his cruellrage was throwen downe headlyng but after that he became meke and ready to obeye he was byd stande vp ¶ The meÌ„ which iourneyed with him stoode amased hearyng a voyce but seyng no maÌ„ â—â—d Saul arose from the yearth when he opened his iyes he sawe no man But they led hym by the haâ—d brought him into Damasco And he was three daies without sight and neither did eate nor drinke And there was a certaine disciple at Damasco named Ananias to him said the lord in a visioÌ„ Ananias And he sayd beholde here I am lorde And the lord saide vnto him aryse and go into the strete whiche is called streyght â–ª and seke in the house of Iudas after one called Saule of Tarsus For beholde he praieth and hath sene in a vision a man named Ananias cumming in to him and puttyng his handes on hym that he might receiue his syght Whyle these thinges were thus in doyng the men that went with Saule in his iourney stode amased hearing certainly one talke to Saule but seing no man Than Saule vpon good comforte that he toke hereof arose vp The first step to vertue is to be set vp on foote And beholde againe an other myracle although his iyes were open he could not see Than those that came in his company lead him by the hande into the citie of Damasco And yet was not he than forthwith admitted to the gyfte of the holy ghoste that it shoulde be noted of vs that came after for an example howe it were not mete to laye hande forthwith vpon eache person but firste to see them that are newlye instructed diligently tryed and prepared by fastyng praier Wherefore than lyke as the apostles abode at Hierusalem ten dayes space in expectacion of the holy ghoste so taryed Saule at Damasco three dayes seing none yearthlye thyng with his corporal iyes but thinwarde iyes of his soule were in the meane space clearly illustrate al that whyle receyuyng no foode but his mynde was fed the meane time with heauenly doctrine There was the same tyme at Damasco a disciple for so were they than called whiche had receiued the gospel named Ananias The lorde had piked oute this Ananias by whose handes his pleasure was bounteously to replenishe Paule with giftes of his holy spirit And therfor hym spake he vnto beyng a sleape in his dreame and sayd Ananias He on the other part anon perceiuing that god called him made answer lo I am here lorde as who sayth disclosyng a true christian herte ready at all commaundementes Than sayde the lorde ryse vp and go thy waye into the streat whiche they commonly call streyght and aske at Iudas house for one Saule who was borne in Tarsus For lo there is he in prayer suyng to haue grace and liberall comforte from vs. At the very same tyme Saul lykewise as he was in prayer thoughte the one Ananias had entred into the house to hym and layde his handes upon him to thintent he myght receyue againe his iyesight Euen so the lorde prepared in their mutuall vision eache one for other ¶ Than Ananias answered lorde I haue heard by many of this man howe muche euil he hath done to thy sainctes at IerusaleÌ„ and here he hath authoritie of the high priestes to bynde all that cal on thy name The lorde sayde vnto him go thy waye for he is a chosen vessell vnto me to beare my name before the Gentiles and kinges and the childreÌ„ of Israel For I wyl shewe him howe great thinges he muste suffre for my names sake But Ananias sore afrayed at the name of Saule who for his cruelty was than muche spoken of among the christians made aunswere I haue heard lord of many one howe sore this man hath vexed thy blessed saintes at Hierusalem and yet not so contented but nowe is he hither come also beeyng put in authoritie by a streyght commission from the hygh byshoppes to laye theÌ„ al fast in fetters that call vpon thy name Herunto the lorde agayne made aunswere I knowe right well howe ye my shepe are muche afrayed of that rauenous wolfe But there is no cause why thou shouldest feare For that wolfe haue I chaunged into a right gentle shepe Wherefore see thou go vnto hym boldly For hym I haue chosen to myne owne selfe as a notable instrument to carye my name before the Heathen before kynges of the yearth and the chyldren of Israel What he hath done hytherto was not done of malyce but of a zele to the lawe of his countrey And forasmuche as of plaine ignoraunce his iudgemeÌ„t failed him sum tryall hath he shewed of his towardnesse how earnest a defendour of my gospell I am lyke to haue of him in tyme to cum Hitherto hath he scryuen against the professours of my name beyng armed therunto with bulles from the high byshoppes with threatnynges and with fetters for them Hereafter more manfully shall he fight and stoutly beyng armed but with my spirite and gyrte with the sworde of my euangelicall worde againste all them that hate my name For the glory and renoume wherof far greater affliccion shall he willyngly suffre than nowe of late he prepared againste you ¶ And Ananias went his waye and entred into the house and put his handes on him and sayde brother Saule the lorde that appeared vnto the in yâ— waye as thou cammest hath sent me that thou myghtest receyue thy sighte be fylled with the holy ghost And immediatly there fell from his iyes as it had ben scales and he receiued sight arose and was baptised and receyued meat and was comforted Ananias well encouraged at these wordes departed thence and entred into Iudas house he founde Saule praying and layde his hande vpon hym and sayde brother Saule the lorde Iesus Christe that appered vnto the in the waye â–ª as thou waste cumming hither hath sent me to the
he had caughte him he put hym in pryson also and delyuered hym to â—ower quaternyons of Souldyers to be kepte entendyng after Easter to bryng him forth to the people And Peter was kepte in pryson But prayer was made without ceasyng of the congregacion vnto God for him WHyle that Paule and Barnabas were occupied aboute thys embassade Kyng Herode whiche had before tyme beheaded Iohn and sente Christ agayne to Pilate apparelled wyth a white garmente in a mockage beeyng sorye that thys sorte of menne daylye encreased and that the name of Iesus Kyng of the Iewes was well knowen in manye countreyes thoughte it to appertayne to hys duetye that thys secte so growynge and dayly encreasyng shoulde bee cleane vanquyshed Sathanas euen than woorkyng eftesones by theym as by hys tooles the same thyng whiche he before went about but yet obteyning nothyng els thereby but that the name of Iesus was more gloryously set foorth Therefore Herode practysyng hys regall and absolute power sente certayne of hys garde with weapons to lay hande on some of the congregacyon that professed Iesus of Nazareth Lorde of all thynges And so he whyche in choppyng of Iohns head had learned to behead good men and those that freely spake the trueth did now lykewise lay handes vpon Iames thapostle brother to Iohn because he in those dayes was estemed of greatest autoritie amonges thother apostles and commaunded hym to be headed whyche stedfastly contynued in professyng the name of Iesus And whan he perceyued that this cruell acte dyd well please the Iewes he heaped myschiefe vpon myschiefe and commaunded that Peter shoulde bee taken whiche was chiefe among the reste of thapostles thinkyng that it woulde come to passe that the shepehearde beyng ryd oute of the waye the flocke myghte easily bee dispersed and scattered vpon whiche consyderacyon the Iewes had beefore slayne our lorde Iesus staying their handes from the apostles He would immediatly without delay haue put Peter to death but onely that their Easter day whiche was had in greate honoure among the Iewes was at hande at which time the Iewes before had ben also afrayde to slea Iesus Suche is the Iewes deuocion in kepyng theyr holy dayes They are not afrayde to sacryfice an innocent mannes bloude at the peoples requeste but they are afrayed to breake theyr holy daye as thoughe that he were nothyng gyltie of murder whiche hath in harte prefixed to commyt murder He than commaunded that Peter beyng thus taken shoulde be caste into pryson and for feare lest he shoulde any waye escape lyke as Paule had he sette sixteene harneste men to kepe him lying in bandes to thinteÌ„t that no man myghte by force take him awaye For he had purposed after the holy dayes to bryng this sacrifice before the people that euen thirsted for innocente bloud Lyke people lyke kyng In the meane season neyther refused Peter to goe to pryson hauynge knowledge before by God that suche thynges shoulde happen neyther made the disciples any commocion agaynste the vngodly cruelnes of thys tyraunt hauyng well in remembraunce howe the Lorde had commaunded that they shoulde wyshe nothyng but well yea to those that pursued them Herode was not satisfyed wyth imprysonyng of Peter ne with double chaynes nor wyth once fower souldiers in armour whiche in other tymes cases were thoughte enoughe to haue the safe kepyng of one man for this purpose verely that his cruell entente with so great diligence myghte muche more auayle to the settyng foorth and encreasyng of the glory of our sauiour Christ. In thys wyse Peter whome the souldiers tooke diligent hede on kept his holy day in pryson In the meane while the congregacion of the disciples takyng not a lytle thought for their shepeherde neuer teassed day ne nighte to pray to God that Peter myght escape ¶ And whan Herode woulde haue brought him out vnto the people the same night slept Peter betweene two souldiers bounde wyth twoo chaynes and the keepers before the doore kepte the prison And beholde the angell of the Lorde was there present a lyght shyned in the inhabytacyon And he smore Peter on the side styered him vp sayinge aryse vp quickely And hys cheynes fell of from hys handes And the aungell sayd vnto hym gyrde thy selfe and bynde on thy sandales And he dyd so And he sayeth vnto him caste thy garment about the and folowe me And he came out and folowed him wyste not that it was trueth whiche was doen by the â—ungel but thought he had sene a vision Whan they were past the first and the seconde watche they came vnto the yron gate that leadeth vnto the citie which opened to them by the owne accord And they went out and passed thorowe out strete and forthwith the aungell departed from hym And whan as Herode purposed to bryng hym forth before the people after the holy dayes were ended as God would and nyghre before he shoulde haue bene brought foorth Peter was a slepe betwene two souldiers bounde wyth two chaynes The rest of the souldiers watched at the pryson doore And beholde thangell of god sodainly stode by Peter and a wonderfull lyght withall made al the house bryght notwithstandyng that it was both a darke pryson and a darke nyght also and smyting Peter on the syde reysed hym saying Arise speadily And forthwyth assone as these wordes were spoken the chaines fell from hys handes Than sayed the angell gyrde thy selfe and put on thy shooes and see that thou leaue no parte of thy apparell heare Whan Peter had thys doen than sayed the angell agayne cast on thy cloke and folowe me In this wise Peter folowing the Aungell hys guide began to goe foorth of the pryson not yet perceiuing that this was in very dede done that the aungell did but supposyng that he sawe a vision as he had before seene But after they had passed the first and the seconde warde they came to an yron gate that leadeth into the citie which by it owne accorde opened vnto them though it had many lockes and boltes vpon it And whan they were cleane foorth they passed on vntyll they had gone throughe one strete of the citie and than foorthwith the aungell vanishyng away left Peter as soodaynly as he before had comen to him And whan Peter was come to himselfe he sayed Now I knowe of a suretie that the Lorde hath sent his angell and hath delyuered me out of the hande of Herode and from all the waytyng for of the people of the Iewes And as he consydered the thyng he came to the house of Mary the mother of one Iohn whose sirname was Marke where many were gathered together in prayer As Peter knocked at the entry doore a damosell came foorth to harken named iâ— hoda And whaÌ„ she knew Peters voyce she opened not the entry for gladnes but tanne in and tolde how Peter stoode before the entry And they said vnto her thou art mad But she affirmed that
And whan as he of a tendre loue towarde them had delyuered them out of Egypte very gently he bare with theyr condycions in the wyldernes by the space almost of fowerty yeares thoughe they often made sedicions and commocions and grutched against Moyses And yet dyd not he extremely punyshe them to the ende that he myghte perfourme his promyse whiche he had made before vnto the patriarkes ¶ And he destroyed seuen nacions in the lande of Chanaan and deuided their land to them by lot And afterward he gaue vnto them iudges about the space of fower hundred yeares and fyfty vnto yâ— time of Samuell the Prophet And afterwarde they desired a king and God gaue vnto them Saule the sonne of Cis a man of the tribe of Beniamin by the space of fowerty yeares And whaÌ„ he was put downe he set vp Dauid to be theyr king of whome he reported saying I haue found Dauid the sonne of Iesse a man after myne owne herte whiche shall fulfill all my wyll After fowertye yeres completed and expired he brought them to the land that he had promysed and whan he had for theyr sakes cleane vanquyshed seuen nacions within the lande of Chanaan the same land parted he by lottes amongest them and that within the terme of CCCC yeres Whiche was an euidente token howe ernestly he loued oure countrey And so whan they had obteyned peace he gaue them iudges vnder whose gouernaunce they myghte quietly lyue vntyll the tyme of Samuell the Prophete whiche was last of the iudges In tyme of his rule they desyred of god that he would gyue them a kyng Samuel disswadyng them from it and whan as they contynued styll in the same mynde and desyre he made Saul king ouer them that was the sonne of Cis of the tribe of Beniamin whome the lorde reiected partely for his pryde and partely for dysobeying his commaundement And thus continued they vnder the domynion of the good iudge Samuel and vnder the vngodly Saule fowerty yeares Yet for all this the fauour of the mercyfull god forsoke not vs his people whome he had once chosen but in stede of an euyll kynge whome they had contrarye to the wyll of God desyred he faysed vp vnto theim kyng Dauyd of whose ryghteousnes god hym selfe bare witnes â–ª saying I haue founde Dauid the sonne of Iesse a man to my mynde whiche shall obey my wyll in all thinges For euen as god what tyme he is angry for a great punishement geueth vnto the people a foolish and an vngodly king euen so whan he is pleased and reconciled vnto vs he geueth for the euyll kyng whome he layeth out of the way a good man and one that will fulfil his commaundemente Of this mannes sede hath god according as he had promised brought foorth to Israel a saluiour one Iesus when Iohn had firste preached before his cumming the baptisme of repentaunce to Israel And when Iohn had fulfilled his course he sayde whome ye thinke that I am yâ— same am I not But behold there cuÌ„meth one after me whose shoes at his feete I am not worthy to leuse Unto him hadde GOD made a promyse that one of his lyâ—nage should become Kyng of Israel who shoulde raygne for euer Nowe is it at length fulfilled whiche oftentimes and long ago was by the prophetes promysed For of the stocke of Dauid according to his promyse he hath exhibited vnto vs Iesus the salvioure of the Israelites his name ryghte well agreeyng with theffecte ensuinge therof This saluioure as he was promysed of the Pophetes and as he was signifyed before in shadowes of the lawe and fygures so before he shewed hymselfe to the worlde he was prophecied and spoken of and also was shewed to be already cum by the mouthe of Iohn the â—â—ptiste who also was sent before according to the prophecye of Esaye is a messenger to shewe that he was cummyng exhortinge all the people of Iâ—aâ—â—to bee baptysed and to repente their lyfe whiche they had ledde before openly â—onouncinge that the kyngdome of god was euen at hande But whan Ion whome god purposely sent to be the foremessenger of our saluiour which was cummynge and to make ready the myndes of men agaynste he came â—alalmoste made an ende of his couâ—se and was thoughte of many for his goâ—d iuing to be Christe he openly reiected this title from hym and referred it to him that it was dewe vnto saying Why thynke ye that I am Christe I am nothing els but his messenger And yet he whome ye though in dede not truely suppose me to be wyl within shorte space cum For he as concerning tâ—me shall cum after me but so far he passeth me in power and dignitie that I am far vnworthy yea to vnbuckle hys shooes whiche amonge men is acoumted but an homely office and a base seruice For what is in him of leaste â—putacion the same doeth farre surmounte that that is in me moste excellent Wherfore we preache vnto you no newe thing but that the same saluiour is now come that hath so many hundred yeres sence been promised to oure forefathers and whiche hath so long time ben looked for of your owne selues whome Iohn whiche among the Iewes was in great estimacion knowledged to bee the same saluioure and so pronounced openly of hym before the Iewes Ye men and brethren chyldren of the generacion of Abraham and whosoeuer among you feareth God to you is this worde of saluacion sent For the inhabitours of Ierusalem and their rulers because they knewe him not nor yet the voyces of the Prophetes whiche are read euery Sabboth daye they haue fulfilled them in condemning him And whan thei founde no cause of death in him yet desired they Pilate to kil him And whan they had fulfilled all that were written of him they toke him downe from the tree and put hym in a sepulchre But God reysed hym againe from death on the third daye and he was sene many dayes of them whiche came vp with hym from Galile to Ierusalem whiche are witnesses of him vnto the people Wherfore brethren ye that haue the lawe in price and that greatly regarde the prophetes and that come of Abrahams linage to whome god promysed issue by meane wherof all nacions should be blessed yf you bee the children of Abraham in very dede yf ye earnestly stande in the feare of god folowe in this poynt the godlynesse of your father Abraham and receyue this wholesome doctrine that we bring vnto you and embrace hym beyng now already come and beyng lyuely exhibited and geuen to you in very dede whome the Patriarkes did most highly reioyce to haue no more but promysed vnto them that he shoulde come This helth of soule thorow Iesus is indifferently brought to all men but vnto you especially is it profered to whom and for whose saluacion the prophecies were disclosed and of whose stocke Christe was borne Let not the vulgare example of them that inhabite nowe Hierusalem
a wilde fig-tree Math. xxi Marke xi Luke xiii whan iesus came to the place he loked vp Zacheus come down at once Luke v. Luke vii Math. viii And he cam doune hastely He is goen to tarrye with a man that is a sinner Actes x. behold lord halfe of my gooddes I geue to the poore Luke xviii Luke xi Mat. xxiii Luke xviii This daye is health happened vnto this house A certaine noble man went into a far couÌ„trey we will not haue thys manne too reigne oueâ— vs. Lordâ— thâ— pound hath gayued ten pounde Of thyne own mouth I iudge the thou euyll seruauÌ„t c. Unto euery one whiche hathe shal be geâ—â— And as he wente they spred theyr clothes on the waye Blessed bee the king that cometh in the name of the lorde If these holde theyr peace than shall the stones cry But nowe are they hidden froÌ„ thine iyes c. Thy enemies shal cast a banke about thee coumpare the rouÌ„d c. And they shall not leaue in the one stone slading on c. Because the knowest not the tyme of thy visitacion And he cast out them that solde therin theÌ„ that bought Esay lvi Tell vs by what autoritie dooest thou these â—â—â—nges The baptisme of Iohn was it froÌ„ heauen or of men If we saye from heaueÌ„ c Why than beleue ye hym not But if we saie of men c. And they auÌ„swered c. Neither tel I you by what autoritie I doe these thinges Math. xxi Mathe. â—ii A certayne man planted a vineyarde c. And they beat him sent him away empti I will send my dere sonne c. This is the heyre come leat vs kil hym The stone that the builders refused c. They sent foorth spies whiche shoulde feigne theÌ„ selues righteous men c. Maister we knowe that thou sayest and teacheste right c. Is it lawefull for vs to geue tribute vnto Ceasar Geue vnto Ceasar the thinges whiche belong vnto Ceasar The Sadducees denye that there is any resurreccion For he is not a god of dead but of liuing And after the durste they not aske hiÌ„ any questioÌ„ at all Psal. cx He said vnto his disciples And loue gretinges in the marketies Whiche deuour wedowes houses feining long praiers The same shal receiue greater damnacion He sawe al so a certain poore wedow which caste in thither twoo mites This poore wedowe hath put in more then they all There shall not be leaft one stone vpoÌ„ an other Se that ye be not deceiued For many shall come iâ— my name and saie that they are christe Nacion shal arise agaiÌ„st nacion and kingdom against kingdome And greate signes shall there be froÌ„ heauen For a testimoniall And there shal not one heare of your heade perishe For these are daies of vengeauÌ„ce Daui xix â— For there shal be great trouble in the lande And Hierusalem shall bee troden down of yâ— Gentiles Untill the time of the GeÌ„tiles be fulfilled And thou shal they see the sonne of man come in a cloude with power For as a snare shall it come Watche ye therefore continually and praye And 〈…〉 priestes 〈◊〉 scribes 〈◊〉 For thei feared the people than entred Satan into Iudas And they wer glad Than came the daye of swetebread where wilt thou that we prepare The Mayster saieth to thee c. And they went c. Henceforth I wyll not eate of it any more c And he teke the cuppe gaue thankes This do in the remembraunce of me Woe vnto that maÌ„ by whom he is betrayed And thei began to enquier emoÌ„g themselfes c. The kinges of nacions reigne ouer them c. But ye shal not so bee But he that is greattest emoÌ„g you c. For whether is gretter c. But I aâ—â— among you c. Ye are they which haue abiden with me intemptacions That ye maye eate and drynke at mytable And â—â—eâ—con seÌ„ates â–ª c. Behold satan hath desired to â—yâ—t you And whan thou art coÌ„uerted c I am ready to goe with thee into prison c. I tell thee Peter c. Whan I seÌ„t you without wallet c. Lacked ye any thyng But now he that hath a wallet lette hym take it vp c. Esay iiii Euen amoÌ„g the wycked was he reputed Lorde beeholde here are two sweordes Father yf thou wilte c. Neuerthelesse not my will but thyne be fulfilled And there appered vnto hym an angel from heauen coÌ„forting him And hys sweat was lyke drops of bloud Iudas beetraiest thou the sonne of man with a kysse Lord shal we smyteth the swordâ— And stroke of his right eare Suffre ye thus ferre foorth c. But this is euen youre verai houre the power of derknesse Peter also sate downe emoÌ„g them And he denied him saiyng womaÌ„ I knowe him not And Peter sayed man I wote not what thou saiest c. And the lord turned backe and loked vpon Peter Arte thou very christ tell vs. If I tell you ye wyl not beleue Hereafter shall the sonne of maÌ„ sit c. Arte thou then the soÌ„ne of god Ye saye I am What node we any ferther wytnes We founde this felowe peruertyng the people c. And Pilate opposed him saying Art thou the king of the Iewesâ— Than saied Pilate c. I fynde no fault in him He sent hym to Herode c. Whan Herode sawe Iesus he was excedyng glad Than he questioned with hym But he aunswered him nothyng And Herode with his meÌ„ of warre despised hiÌ„ c Awaye with hym deliuer vs Barrabas c. But they cryed saying Crucifie hiÌ„ Crucifie hym I fynde i◠〈…〉 And they cryed with loud voices c. that he myghte bee crucified Ye daughters of IerusaleÌ„ wepe not for me but wepe for yourselfes And there were twoo ill dooers led with hym to be slaine And they parted his raymente c. He saued other men lette hym saue hymselfe c. And a supâ—â—scripcion was writtâ— ouer hym But the other auÌ„swered and rebuked hym saying c. And Iesus saied to daye shalt thou bee with me in paradise Whan the Centurion sawe c. the glorified God c. And all his acquaintaunce and the weomen that folowed hym froÌ„ Galile c. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre And thei went in Twoe men stode by theÌ„ in shynyng garmentes c. Remembre howe he spake vnto you c. And their woords semed vnto them feigned things Than arose Peter And departed wâ—Ì„dreyng in himselfe c. Two of them went that same daye to a touÌ„e called Emaus While thei commoned together c. But theyr iyes were holden What maner of communicacioÌ„s are these that ye haue one to an other c. Art thou onely a straunger in Hierusalem c. But we trusted that it had been he whiche should haue redemed Israel Yea and certayne wemen also of our couÌ„paâ—ny made vs aâ—â—ouned c. O fooles and
fathers house bee in anye mansionâ—s c. I am the waye of trueth and life No manne cummeth to the father but by me c. He that hath seen me hath seen the father whatsoeuer ye aske in my name Peace I leaue vâ—tâ— you The prince of this worlde cummeth hath nothing in me Arise let vs go hence Yf ye byde in me c aske what ye â—yl and it shall bee geuen you CoÌ„tinue 〈◊〉 in my loue c. But nowe haue they nothing to cloke theyr sinne withall It is expedient for you that I goe awaye For if I goe not away the coÌ„forter wil not cum vnto you and of righteousnesse c. Of iudâ—emeÌ„t because the prince of this world is iudgâ—d already What is this that he sayeth vnto vs after a while Whatsoeuer ye shall aske my father in my name he shall geue it you Now ye beleue c I desâ—eâ— not that thou shouldest take them c. The glorye which thou gauest me I haue geuen them Peter stode at the doore without I euer taught in the Synagogue My kyngdome is not of this worlde c. For this cause was I borne c Hayle king of the Iewes Whoso maketh hymselfe a kyng is against Ceasar It was the preparyng daye of Easter aboute the siâ—te houre The wrytyng was Iesus of Nazareth c. One of the souldiers thrust him into the syde and furth â—â— came there out watâ—r and bloude They haue takeÌ„ awaye the lord c. Iesus than came and toke breade c. Folow 〈◊〉 me To whome also he shewed hym selfe alyue after hys passon And commaunded them that they shoulde not departe from Ierusalem c. For Iohn truly baptised with water Whan they therefore were cuÌ„ together they asked of hiÌ„ sayinge Lorde c. And he sayed vnto theÌ„ It is not for you c. And while they looked stedfastiye vp towarde heauen beholde c. They went vp into a parlour And whan he was hanged he burst a sunder c. And no man dwellyng therin c. And whan they praied they sayed c. And they gaue foorth theyr lottes Whan the fiftie daies wer cum to an ende And there appared vnto theÌ„ cloueÌ„ touÌ„ges c. And they wet filled all with the holy gost c Whan thys was noysed about the multitude came together They wordred at and maruailed They were all amased woâ—dred c. But Peter stepped forth With the eleuen With youre eares beare ye my wordes For these men are not as ye suppose c. Whome God hath reysed vp and loosed the sorowes of death For Dauyd speaketh of him Afore hande I saw god all wayes beefore me For he is both dead buried c. Therfore seyng he was a prophete He knowiÌ„g this before spake of the resurreccioÌ„ of Christ. Wherof all we are witnesses For Dauid is not asceÌ„ded into heauen God hathe made the same Iesus whâ—me ye haue crucifyed Lord and Christ. For the promyse â–ª was made to you and to your childreÌ„ And with many other woordes bare he witnesse c. And exâ—orted tâ—em saying Saue your selues from this vntoward generacion Then they that gladly receyued his preaching c. In breaking of bread c. And in prayers And feare came ouer euery soule And solde their possessioÌ„s and goodes And brake bread from house to house c. Whan he sawe Peter Iohn c. In the name of Iesus Christe of Nazareth arise and walke Of that which we are witnesses Whan the tyme of refreshing coÌ„meth And preached in Iesus the resurrection froÌ„ death And whan they had set them before them they asked by what power or in what name haue ye doen this Let vs threaten charge them c. So threatned they theÌ„ and let theÌ„ go c. And whan they heardâ— that they lift vp their voyces to God with one accord And assone as they had made theyr prayer the place moued where they were c. And they were fylled with the holy ghoste they spake the wordes of God boldly And distribucion was made vnto euery man accordyng as he had nede A certyne man named Ananias c Ananias howe is it that SathaÌ„ hath fylled thyne herte that thou shouldest lie vnto the holy ghost c. Whan Ananias hearde these woordes he fell downe and gaue vp the ghoste c. Than Peter sayed vnto her why haue ye agreed together to tempte the spirite of the lorde c. And of the others durst no maÌ„ ioyne himselfe to theÌ„ Neuertheles the people magnifyed theym And they laied handes on the Apostles put them in the 〈◊〉 pryson And they brought theÌ„ without violence For they feared the people c. Beholde ye haue fylled Hierusalem with youre doctrine The God of our fathers reised vp Iesus whome ye slew and haue hanged on tree For before those dayes rose vp one Theudas And they departed from the couÌ„sell reioysyng that they were couÌ„ted worthy to suffer rebuke for his name It is not meete that we shoulde leaue the woorde of god serue tables Wherefore brethren loke ye out among you seuen of honest reporte c. And they chose SteueÌ„ a man ful of faith and of the holy ghost c. And theâ— moued the people the elders and the Scribes For we hearde hym saye this Iesus of Nazareth shal destroye this place Get the 〈◊〉 of the countrey â–ª 〈◊〉 thy 〈◊〉 And promised that â—â— would geâ—â— it to hym to possesse And he gaue him the couenaunt of circuÌ„cision Who made the a ruler and iudge ouer vs This man receiued the worde of life to geue vnto vs c. And they made a calfe in those dayes and offered sacrifices And ye toke vnto you the tabernacle of Moloch Which of â— Prophetes haue not your fathers persecuted And the witnesses laied downe their clothes at a younge mans feete whose name was Saule Lorde laye not this sinne to their charge And at that time there was a great persecucion against the coÌ„gregacion whiche was at IerusaleÌ„ As for Saul he made hauocke of the congregacyon c. But as sone as they gaue credit to Philippes c. They were baptised bothe men women c. The herte â— is not right in the sight of god RepeÌ„t therfore of this thy wickednes c. Praye ye to the lorde for me that none of these thiÌ„ges c. And behold a man of Ethiopia And as they went on their waye And assone as they wâ—â— cum oute of the water And there was a certayne discyple They watched the gates day and nyght to kyll hym And turned hym to the body said Tabitha aryse A deuouâ—e maÌ„ and one that feared God Beholde I am he whoÌ„e ye seke what is the cause wherfore ye are cumme Than called he theÌ„ 〈◊〉 lodged theÌ„ It is an vnlawful thiÌ„g for a man yâ— is a Iew to company or cum vnto an alien For what enteÌ„t haue ye sent for me Howe
god anoyncted Iesus of Nazareth with the holy ghost â—ym God raysed vp yâ— thyrde day and shewed hym 〈◊〉 c. To hym gâ—â—e all the prophetâ—s to â—â—ues c. For they heard them speake with tonges and magnified god And whan Peter was cum vp to Hierusalem they that were of the circumcisioÌ„ contended againste hym What was I that I would haue wythstande god And yâ— haue of the lorde was wyth them c. And exhorted them al that wyth purpose of herte c. they would continually cleue vnto the lord c. And the same time Herod the kyng stretched furthe hys handes c. Than were the daies of swetebread And behold the angell of the lorde was there present c. And they went out passed c. And as he consydered the thing he came to the house of Mary c. But Peter contynued knockyng c. And he departed and wente into an other place The voyce of god and not of a maÌ„ c. And he was eaten wyth wourmes gaue vp the ghoste c. And when they had fasted prayed and â—â—ted their haÌ„des on theÌ„ they leat theÌ„ go And they had Iohn to their minister O thou full of all suttelrie deceitfulnes thou childe of the deiuel c. And nowe beholde the hande of the lord is vpon the thou shalt bee blinde c. The god of this people choose oure fathers c. And afterwarde they desired a king god gaue vnto them Saule the sonne of Cis. For the inhabitours of Hierusalem c. But God ceysed hym againe froÌ„ deathe on the thirde daye c. For Dauid after he had in hys time fulfilled the will of God fell on sleape c And the woorde of the lorde was published throughout all the regioÌ„ And they called Barnabas Iupiter Paule Mercurius c. In geuyng vs raine and fruitfull seasons c. They determyned that Paule and Barnabas c. Then arose vp certayne of the secte of the Pharisees But we beleue c. Simon told how god c But Paule woulde not take him vnto theyr companye c. And so Barnabas toke Marke and sailed to Cipres Of whome reported wel the brethren that were at Listra and Iconium For they all knewe that his father was a Greke Al the doreâ— opened euery manâ— bandes were losed Nay verily but let them come themselues and see vs out And whan they were sufficyently answered of Iason c. Whan the Iewes of Thessalonia had knoweledge that the woorde of god was preached of Paule at Berea He semeth to be a tydinges bringer of newe deuilles Whome 〈◊〉 than ignorauÌ„tly wurship him shewe I vnto you God that made the worlâ—e and all that are in it c. Seeyng he himselfe geueth lyfe breath to alâ— men euery where c. For in him we lyue and we moue c For we are also his generacion Because he hath appointed a daye in the whiche he wyll iudge the worlde c. Than all the Grekes toke Sosthenes yâ— chiefe ruler of the synagoge And knewe but the baptisme of Iohn only For he ouer came the Iewes myghtelye We haue not hearde whether there be any holy goste or no. Iesus I knâ—â—e and Paule I knowe but who are ye Many of them which vsed curious craftes broughte their bokes and burned them before all men And to remembre the woordes of the Lord Iesu. And al the citie was moued c. And whan he coulde not knowe the certaintie c. Sittest thou and iudgest me c. Beleuyng all thynges whiche are written in the law and the prophetes And they laâ—ed await for hym on the waye to kyll hym Unto whoÌ„ now I send the to open their eyes For this thing was not doen in a corner Fearing lest they shoulde fall into the Syrtes c. There came a vyper out of the heate and caught him by the hande
kynde of death the buriall the resurreccion thascendyng into heauen the holy ghoste sente downe from heauen the wounderfull toungues of the Apostles the conuersion of the Gentiles and other thynges whiche we sawe and dayly see doen by them that professe the name of Christe Finally the tyme also doeth agree in the which he was prophecied for to come And all these thynges were prophecied not only by the sayinges of the Prophetes but also wer signified by the actes and dedes of the Patriarches Nowe seing thei know these thinges if thei coÌ„pare theÌ„ with these whiche we shewe to haue been doen they shall vnderstande that they loke in vayne for any other Messias thâ—n this whom we speake of he came once humble and abiccte concernyng the fourme of mannes bodye for so Esai prophecied he should come to delyuer all men by his deathe from the tyranny of deathe And he shall cum againe in th ende of the worlde not as now a sauiour but a iudge of all bothe lyuing and deade Now no man is excluded froÌ„ his benefite Than no man shal escape his iudgement But than shal they ioyfully see the iudge dealyng euerlasting rewardes whiche now doe not despise hym a meke sauiour easy to be entrâ—ted This therfore is that only and very Messias whose geneologie and petigre shal forthwith be shewed touching the body whiche he toke for our cause for by hym shoulde spring and cum furth a new nacion not carnall but spiritual which should rather replenish heauen than yearth the which also shoulde be encreaced or multiplied not by the seed of man but by the euangelical fayth whiche is the heauenly seed of Goddes worde Of this faith the autour and father in a misticall fygure was represented by Abraham who the law of circumsicion not yet publyshed deserued the prayse of rightuousnes not before men but before God not by the kepyng of the law but by the sinceritie of faith wherby he doubted nothing of Goddes promises although they wer farre passing the power of nature And for this trust and confidence he was called the father of many nacions which after the example of hym should beleue the gospel of Iesus Christe He nowe his body beyng decaied for age his wife also beyng weake and barain begate Isaac whiche was promised vnto hym who also was a figure of Christe vearyng wood to the sacrifice whereunto he was apoynted Isaac begat Iacob which though he wer the younger brother yet he set his elder brother besyde purchased the inheritaunce to hymself wherin he was a figure of the churche that should be congregated and gathered together of the Gentiles the which the Iewes being excluded encreaseth daily more and more receiuing the grace of the gospell by faythe of the which the Iewes through vnbelefe haue made themselfes vnworthy For thus sayeth God I haue loued Iacob and hated Esau. And in the Prophetes ofte mencion is made of this name Iacob begate Iudas of whome the tribe had his name of the whiche Christ was prophecied to cum of and by whose name as by inheritaunce was promised the newe lawe of the gospel for thus speaketh Hieremie Beholde the dayes do come sayeth the Lorde and I wyll dispose a newe testament to the house of Iudas the house of Iacob And he did not beget him onely albeit he deserued chiefly to be recited in the geneologie but also he begate the other eleuen brothers of Iudas which seuerally gaue names to the seuerall trybes of the nacion of Israell Iudas begat Phares and zaram of Thamar Phares begat Esrom And Esrom begat Atam And Atam begat Aminadab Aminadab begat Naasson Naasson begate Salmon Salmon begat Boos of Rahab Boos begat Obed of Ruth Obed begat Iesse Iesse begat Dauid the kyng Dauid the kyng begat Salomon of her that was the wyfe of Uri Further Iudas had two chyldren at a burden named Phares and zaram not of his lawfull wyfe but of Thamat hys daughter in lawe whyche was maryed to Her the eldest soonne of Iudas vnto whome when Iudas did not perfourme hys promyse that is to saye that she myghte be maryed to Sela brother vnto her housbande that was dead accordyng to the order of the law the woman passyng all measure desirous to haue a chylde tooke the habite of a common woman and coueryng her face by crafte and deceyte laye with Iudas her father in lawe and afterwarde by shewyng of the token whyche she had receyued of hym before that she woulde suffer hym to lye wyth her auouched and proued hym to be father of bothe the chyldren when he otherwyse earnestlye woulde haue brente her accordyng to the lawe The thyng thus doen is not without offence and blame but yet the mysterie hyd vnder thys vnhonest couerture maketh muche for the matter of the Ghospell Lyke as also Phares was a figure and significacion of the churche and Synagogue whiche Phares preuented his brother when he endeuored to goe furthe of his mothers wombe puttyng foorth his hande fyrste Of this Phares Esrom was borne of Esrom Aram of Aram Aminadab of Aminadab Naasson and of hym Salmon Salmon begat Boos of Rahab whiche though she were not of the nacion of Iewes but of the Cananites yet because she preserued the spyalles sent from Iesu the captain guyde of the Iewes and because she betrayed the citie of Hierico she deserued her place in the geneologie of theym whiche throughe faythe were made prayse worthie of God and she exempted out of the sorte and order of common women was chosen and admitted emong the people of God and maryed to an housbande of the nacion of Iewes signifying euen at that tyme that synners heathen people beyng alienate from the religion of God shoulde be coupled vnto Christe throughe the merite of faythe Boos also hade a soonne named Obeth by Ruth a Moabite the whiche also renouncyng her countreye and her bodily affeccions had rather to be planted emong the people of the Iewes that is to say suche as professe the doctrine of Christe Thus at that tyme fygures and shadowes signified before that no kynde of men shoulde be dryuen and kept of from the felowshyp of the gospell so that he bryng with hym faith and a desirous minde of true godlynes Of Obed came Iesse whiche was called also Isai of whose name Esay propheciyng of Christe maketh mencion saying A rod shall cum out of the roote of Iesse Of hym was borne Dauid derely beloued of God bothe kynge and Prophete buylder of the citie of Hierusalem noble through the slaughter of Goliad and after that the wicked kyng Saul was deposed by the coÌ„maundemente of God from a pore shepeherd he was consecrate kyng ouer the Israelites Oute of whose stocke the whole nacion of the Hebrues did loke that Christe shoulde cum as it was prophecied before of men that wer inspired with God And he also did represente by many wayes the fygure of Christe his ofspring Dauid begat Salomon that king of
peace and the buylder of the Lordes temple and he begate hym of Bethsabee whome he loued whome he coupled vnto hym in maryage after that Urias her former housbande was stayne by his fraude gyle and that was doen not wythout great sinne yf a man consydre nothyng besydes the outwarde parte of the historie but agayne not without significacion of thynges to cum yf a man serche the misterie Salomon begat Roboham Roboham begat Abia Abia begat Asa Asa begat Iosaphat Iosaphat begat Ioram Ioram begat Ozias Ozias begat Ioatham Ioatham begat Achas Achas begat Ezechias Ezechias begat Manasses Manasses begat Amon Amon begate Iozias Iozias begat Iechonias and his brethren about the tyme of the captiuitie of Babylon And after the captiuitie of Babylon Iechonias begat Salathiel Salathiel begate Zorobabel Zorobabel begat Abiud Abiud begat EliachiÌ„ Eliachim begat Azor Azor begat Sadoc Sadoc begat Achin Achin begat Eliud Eliud begat Eleazar Eleazar begat Matthan Matthan begat Iacob Iacob begat Ioseph the husbande of Marie of whome was borne that Iesus which is called Christ. Of Salomon was borne Roboham and of RobohaÌ„ Abias of Abias came Asa of Asa Iosaphat from whence came Ioram of him Ozias of Ozias was borne Ioatham of Ioatham Achas of Achas Ezechias and of him Manasses of Manasses was born Amon of Amon Iozias of Iozias Iechonias and the other brothers of Iechonias about the tyme whan king Nabugodonozor burned the temple of Hierusalem and caryed the king and the people of the Hebrues captiue into Babilon which wer figures signifiyng the tyranny of the deuill toward mankynde and against libertie restored thoroughe the benefit of Christ. In this nere and narowe poynt betwene seruâ—tude and libertie whan the people of God wer about to be restored to theyr religion and dwelling places Iechonias begat Salathiel Salathiel zorobabel zorobabel Abiud of Abiud came Eliachim of Eliachim Azor of Azor Sadoc of him Achim of Achim Eliud of Eliud Eleazar of Eleazar Matthan of MatthaÌ„ Iacob And this Iacob was the father of Ioseph vnto whome was maried Mary the mother of Iesus who was promised to be the sauiour of all men whome the Hebrues call Messias that is to saye Christ or anoynted because he onely beyng kyng ouer all and high priest with the sacrifice of his owne bodye hath pacified God the father beyng displeased and grieued with the sinnes of mankinde And the tiranny of death vtterly put awaye he hath opened the kingdome of heauen vnto all men The cleane was marryed to the clean the moste chaste to the chaste of thesame trybe and familie that is of Dauid accordyng to the order of Goddes lawe leste any man should thinke that this ordre and geneologie of kinred were of litle profit concernyng the declaracion of Christes stocke wherof he came as touching his humanitie All the generacions from Abraham to Dauid are xiiii generacions From Dauid vnto the captiuitie of Babilon are fouretene generacions From the captiuitie of Babilon vnto Christ are fowertene generacions And if any man list to herken the tyme that Daniel described many yeares past by certaine orders and degres of weekes he shall fynde the sayinges of the Prophetes very agreable to the thyng that is now cuÌ„ to passe The suÌ„me of the wholle geneologie resteth in three fowertenes For if ye counte froÌ„ Abraham the patriarche vnto Dauid the author of the storishing kingdoÌ„e ye shall fynde xiiii generacions Agayne yf ye counte from Dauid vnto the decaye of the kyngedome that is vnto the exile into Babilon ye shal finde .xiiii. generacions Agayne if ye counte from the time vnto Christe the beginner the finisher of the newe euangelicall generacion newe kyngdome ye shall fynde fowertene generatioÌ„s Hitherto we haue shewed you truly the geneologie of Christ to the intent it may appeare to al men that this is he whoÌ„ the true sayiÌ„ges of the ProphetesiÌ„ tymes paste promissed to the world And so many argumeÌ„tes agre in one that it cannot seme to be done by chaunce and that withall it maye be euident that he was verye man whiche came as touchyng the fleshe of suche auncestoures as wer notablie knowen The byrth of Christ is on this wise For whan his mother Mary was espoused vnto Ioseph before they came together she was found with child by the holy ghost But althoughe he were man borne of man whiche came to redeme mankynde by his death yet he was not borne after the common and vulgare sorte of them that be borne For it was seemely that he whiche came from heauen whiche called vnto heauen whiche taughte a promysed nothing but heauenlye thynges finallye whiche after so many Prophetes and doctours was made ambassadour to thintent that once and for altogether he should make al thynges newe and cum forth into the worlde with a very bodye in dede but yet after a newe maner and that the true natiuitie of man should bee declared in suche â—orte that it shoulde not be thought vnsemely for God and Esaie prophecied this thing to cum to passe that because men dyd in maner slepe at these common myracles of nature by reason of custome God shoulde shewe a newe myracle and that in the yearthe to the intente it should be more euident to all mennes sight and vnderstanding He is borne verye man and mortall and yet the same very God and immortall He is borne a man of man and yet of a virgin He is borne of the stocke of AdaÌ„ whiche was the first of maÌ„kynde and yet without the spot of sinne He is borne in matrimonye but so that the woorke of his concepcion was not of man but of the holy gost who by a woÌ„derfull meane fourmed and fashyoned the straunge and maruailous fruite of the substaunce of the vndefiled virgin as in an heauenly temple consecrated to God And he ordered this matter wyth suche a maruailous wysedome that he couered and hyd it from the wicked as a thyng incredible and persuaded it vnto godly myndes with moste certain sure argumentes the whiche no eloqueÌ„ce of man was vtterly able to proue and perswade Wherefore whan the holy virgin eternally appoynted to this great misterie to be the mother of Iesus by the aduise of her parentes whose heartes were ordered and directed by the power of God beyng spoused to an honest man of her tribe named Ioseph kepte company with him in house she was founde greate with chylde before they came and coupled together as manne and wyfe eyther because true honestie is not hastie to the luste of pleasure or because God dyd so ordre thys matter For the maidens wombe waxyng daylye greater and greater declared it vnto Ioseph to be so beyng her housbande whiche both loued her well and was not insencible in suche thynges And the fledde not from the sighte of her housbande as though she had in her conscience yelded her self culpable neyther disclosed she the secret whiche she had learned of the Angel eyether because she
sinneth frely and at large drunken with his own affeccioÌ„s but first try him with a very geÌ„tle remedy whiche shall not so muche as put him to any shame Go vnto him alone debate the matter betwixt you none other beyng by If he do not acknowlage his fault reproue hym laye it before his iyes how muche he hath erred froÌ„ the dutie of brotherly charitie And let thy monicioÌ„ be such that it may declare the to seke nothing els but his health the restoryng of olde amitie And if he be so curable that he cum to himself at this secret monicioÌ„ there is no cause why thou shouldest reueÌ„ge or put him to open blame it is inough for the that thou hast wun thy brother And in the meane season thou hast gained â—y it For thou shouldest haue lost a frende and God should haue lost a soule But yf the disease be so grieuouse that it cannot be healed with this light medicine yet thou muste not vtterly dispayre nor forthwith run to the extreme remedies But yf that he wil not heare the alone go to hym again takyng with the .i. or .ii. eyther that he may be ameÌ„ded with sum litle shame which shal be no infamy vnto him or els that he may be confuted ouercum by the testimonie of two or thre But yf he be so vntractable that he wyll be moued neyther with shame nor with feare of iudgement bring the matter to the congregacioÌ„ that he may be reformed either by the coÌ„sent of the multitude or by thauctoritie of them which be rulers ouer the multitude But if he be so far past cure that he wil not be corrected neyther by secret brotherly monicion neither by the knowlage coÌ„sent of two or thre neither by the shame of his fault vttered and disclosed nether by the auctoritie of the chief rulers leaue him to his disease Let hym be cut of froÌ„ the congregacion takeÌ„ in none other wise but as an HeatheÌ„ or Publicane Let this be the greuousest punishment emong you whiche notwithstaÌ„dyng is vsed for none other purpose but that the brother eyther should cum vnto hymself by shame consideryng that he is shunned and fled of all men or els leâ—t he beyng mingled in the flocke should hurt other with his infeccion No man ought to say vnto me the iudgementes of thy kyngdome be but werish and weake nay they be very seuere and sore yf a man wyll contemne theÌ„ obstinately For mans lawes when they punish a greuous offence with death they do nothyng but kill the body sumtime they kill hym whom god doth not condeÌ„ne and they kil onely and amend him not for he is not alyue to be amended But this condeÌ„nacion although it procedeth leysurely to punyshmeÌ„t yet for this cause it is very seuere and sore that he that is coÌ„deÌ„ned vnlesse he do repente is punyshed with euerlastyng payn which by no meanes he can escape Whom Cesar doth condemne god sumtime doeth assoyle and whom the prince doth assoyle god suÌ„tyme doeth condemne The prince whoÌ„ he doth assoyle he leaueth in the cumpany of meÌ„ to make other like himself whom he killeth he taketh from the cumpany of men not onely not healyng him but making him in case that he cannot be healed These â—e mans iudgementes rather necessary than praise worthie But your senteÌ„ce so remoueth a man that is vncurable that he cannot infecte them that be good and yet he is in case that he may repent because that ye haue power to saue and not to destroy And yet they shal not sinne vnpunished whoÌ„ ye suffre to haue theyr lyfe He shal be punyshed eternally god beyng his iudge whose senteÌ„ce shal approue and confirme your sentence vnlesse the condemned person repente For he that seketh not reueÌ„ging but the amendment of his brother he that is ready to forgeue the iniurie doeÌ„ against him he that willingly cuÌ„meth vnto the sicke to heale him being offended himself he that once or twise repelled yet ceaseth not to help heale he that trusteth not to his own iudgemeÌ„t but taketh one or two vnto hym not to reuenge but to heale this mans sentence because it cummeth from an euangelicall minde god wyll allowe and neuer wil breake it vnles the condemned person will condemne that that he hath doen. Although therfore your iudgement hath not in apperaÌ„ce such seueritie and sharpnes as the iudgemeÌ„tes of princes haue yet it is more to be feared than their sentence wherewith oftentimes the best be condeÌ„ned the most sinful assoiled It is a terrible thing to be condemned of god and he is condemned of hym whosoeuer is condemned of you agreing together with a sincere mind For that that ye iudge by the spirit of god is not your iudgement but his by you but if ye coÌ„demne a man by the spirit of man than it is mans iudgemeÌ„t not gods he that by your iudgemeÌ„t is caste out of your câ—Ì„pany is not forthwith banished froÌ„ the cumpany of heauen Therefore the strength of your auctoritie resteth in affeccions which only god doth behold see Truly these be the keyes whiche I wil geue vnto Peter professing me wherwith that that shal be bound in earth shall be bound alâ—â— in heauen and that that shal be losed in earth shal be losed also in heauen This power though it be specially mete for the heades and chief yet I wil geue it to al men if so that they haue a consente and agremente among them not of man but in my name Yea and moreouer I wil say vnto you your consent shal not haue auctoritie only in pardoning and condemnyng offences if ye with me and among your selues do agree but also yf any two bee found in earth which do truly agree in my spirite that is to saye not moued with the affeccion of man but ioyntly louyng the thynges that be of god whatsoeuer they aske they shall obteyne it of my father whiche is in heauen Suche loue hath the father towarde the euangelicall and holye concorde Therfore forasmuch as ye may doe so muche with the prince that is almightye ye nede not to repent you of your power and authoritie although before men ye appeare feble weake That whiche is asked of Ceasar is not forthwith obteyned nor he is not able to perfourme whatsoeuer is asked of hym For he cannot put away the agewe or make the dumme to speake again But there is nothyng so hard or incredible whiche my father will not geue you yf ye aske of hym with one consent and agrement ¶ Then came Peter vnto hym and sayde Lorde howe ofte shall I forgeue my brother yf he sinne against me tyll seuen tymes Iesus sayeth vnto hym I saye vnto thee vntyl seuen tymes but seuenty times seuen tymes Therfore the kingdom of heauen is lykened vnto a certain man that was a king whiche would take accoumpte of his seruauntes And whan he had begun to
recken one was brought vnto hym whiche ought hym ten thousand talenies but forasmuche as he was not able to pay his lord commaunded him to be sold and al that he had and payment to â—e made The seruaunt fell doune and besought hym saiyng Sir haue pacâ—â—ce with me and I will pay the all Tâ—an had the Lord pitie on the seruaunt and looâ—e him forgaue hym the det After that Peter had hearde these thynges diligentlye supposyng that all that Iesus had reasoned of condemnyng and assoylyng pertayned chieflye vnto hym he conceyued in his mynde a certayne doubte because that Iesus saying after the thyrde reprouyng let hym be vnto thee as an Heathen or a Publican semed to appoint a certain nuÌ„bre which who so passed although he that had offended did repente yet he should not bee receyued vnto grace Therfore to be more exactly taught in this thyng he went vnto Iesus lord ê™ he how often shall I pardon my brother if he offend me and after what numbre of faultes shal he be repulsed from pardon After the seuenth fault This noumbre Peter dyd propose as greate ynoughe wheras Iesus made mencion but onely of the thyrde reprofe Than Iesus shewyng that in these thynges whiche be doen against vs we must be very gentill and easie in forgeuenes I doe not saye ê™ he that ye must forgeue vnto the seuenth faulte but vnto the seuenty times seuen shewing that no noumbre ought to be prescribed to a christian forgeuyng but as often as he that hath offended doeth repent so often euen with the hart his offence is to be forgeuen vtterly pluckyng out from a christen mynde all desyre to reuenge And leste that any maÌ„ should thynke it hard and vniust Iesus teacheth it to be very equall and iust by a similitude For this is not so muche a clemeÌ„cy as a recoÌ„pence For whaÌ„ we offende sumtyme agaynst our neybour but muche more both oftner and more greuously against God whoÌ„ as often as we offend the more greuously we sinne the greater that he is against whom we sinne And the greater benefites that we receyue of hym the more vnworthy we be to obteyn pardone either of our neybour or of God who doth pardon him that sinneth a thousand tymes yf that he repent if we thinke it muche to pardon our brother offendyng much lesse chiefly sith god doeth forgeue vs our trespasses on this condicioÌ„ that we moued by his example should be gentle and easie to be intreated towardes our neybour Therfore ê™ he the kyngdome of heauen is lyke a riche and a myghtye man who hauyng a great familie thoughte to take a count of his seruauntes And whan he began to counte he founde one that ought hym ten thousande talentes And whan the sum was greater then the detter was able to pay the lord commaunded both him and his wyfe and children and al that he had to be sold that the creditour might be coÌ„tented with the money that was made But the seruaunt falling doune with meke suite at the lordes knees I pray the ê™ he to graunt me sum respite and in processe of tyme I wil pay the al. And the lord hauyng compassion of the seruaunte whiche humbled himselfe before hym graunted more than he desyred For he did not onely not bringe hym into the lawe but forgaue hym the whole summe The same seruaunt wente out â–ª and founde one of his felowes whiche ought him an hundreth denaries and he layed hande on hym and wrythyng his necke drew him and sayde paye that thou owest And his felowe fell doune and besoughte hym saying haue pacyence with me and I will pay the all And he would not but went â—nd caste him into prison tyll he shoulde paye the dette So when his felowes sawe what was doen they were sorâ—e and came and tolde vnto theyr Lorde euery thyng that was doen. Than his lorde called hym and sayd vnto hym O thou vngracious seruaunte I forgaue the all that det whan thou deâ—â—redst me shouldest not thou also haue had compassion of thy felowe as I had pitie on the And his lorde was wrothe and deliuered him to the tormentoures till he payed all that was due vnto hym So lykewyse shall my heauenly father doe also vnto you yf ye from your hartes forgeue not eueryone his brother their trespasses But that seruaunt beyng now free and at libertie whan he was goen out of his maisters sight by chauÌ„ce met with one of his felow seruauÌ„tes which oughte hym a lyttle money that is an hundreth denaries he forgettyng his maisters clemency toward hym forthwith layed hand vpon hym and â—egaÌ„ to plucke the miserable man saying â–ª pay thy det This felow seruaÌ„t fallyng doune at the knees of his felow seruauÌ„t beseched hym with as many wordes as the other besought his lord maister deale paciently with me and I wil pay you al. But the creditour would not be intreated but repelled the humble sutour and plucked him into prison tyll he had payed his det Now the other felow seruauntes whiche had seene the meruaylous clemency of their maister toward the seruaunt whan they saw so great crueltie of their felow seruaunt moued with great grief and sorow declared vnto their maister all the matter toward his felow ThaÌ„ the maister stirred with anger called vnto him his seruaunt whom he had pardoned al. Thou naughty seruaunt ê™ he dyd not I beyng thy maister forgeue the suche a great summe for none other cause but that thou madest humble suite vnto me was it not mete therfore that thou beyng a seruaunt shouldest forgeue thy felow seruauÌ„t a litle moneye and haue compassion vpon the humble sutoure lyke as I had compassion on the Surely so great gentlenes of mine towarde thee oughte to teache the gentlenes toward thy felow seruaunt And now the maister being sore angrye deliuered him to the tormentours to be kept in prison vntyll he repayed the whole sum that was forgeuen before After this example your heauenly father wyll deale with you Euery of you is in det vnto him much more whom euery man often doeth offende Men also do trespasse agaynst men but yet farre lesse But vnlesse euery man forgeue his brother and that with all his harte lighter offences doen against hym the father wyll not only not forgeue you the greater trespasses doen against him but also wyll reuoke and call backe those whiche he had forgeuen The .xix. Chapter ¶ And it came to passe that when Iesus had finished these saiynges he departed from Galile and came vnto the coastes of Iewry beyonde Iordan and muche people folowed hym and he healed them there AFter that Iesus with this communicacion had instructed framed his disciples vnto well doing towardes the simple and vnto gentlenes toward the offenders he lefte Galile and went ouer Iordane into the coastes of Iewrye as goynge towardes his death to cum which the Phariseis secretly went about And thither also folowed many flockes of people bearyng