the mouth whē place requireth otherwyse wherin offēded Peter So Paule saith with the harte we beleue to ryghteousnesse but by the mouth is confession made to saluation Moreouer he referreth the iudgement witnesse to the hearers whereby he declareth that if there happen any question concernyng doctrine then the iudgemente and witnesse of the same belongeth to the hearers and not that one or two should be hard agaynst the Preacher but the whole Church Some man will aske whye Christe dyd not turne hys other cheke to thē which stroke hym which he neuer the lesse had taught himself before By thys place we see the the words of Christ ought not to bee wrested to any kynde of outwarde shewe and hipocrisie but to the preperation of the mynde Finally thys is a great an hygh thing to haue the mynd so prepared that it wil not onely suffer one iniurye or two but verye great iniuries so that it may aduance the glorye of God and bring any commoditie to oure neyghbour And if that happen not it is better to preferre the lesse iniurye before the greater Therefore it was expedient to turne the other cheke here when as by that meanes he shuld haue brought no other thyng to passe but haue geuē an occasiō to haue had more iniurye done vnto hym All things ought to be done of the beleuers to edification And what was there to be hoped for in thys varlet What was there to be loked for of thys most wicked high Byshop Which eyther commaundeth or permitteth to strike one being bound and not condempned contrary to all lawe and ryght yea and that in that place where the innocentes shoulde seeke for defence There is therefore a place where we ought to suffer paciently and contrary there is a place where we must resist malice and vngodlines euen to the death Charitie shal teach vs these thynges and prescribe a measure in al things A faythful spirit knoweth where to spare where to strike and where to resiste Therfore this wicked seruaunt was worthy to be rebuked of Christ that he might acknowledge hys wickednesse and yet for all that Christ departed not one heare bredth frō charitie or pacience but stoutlye suffereth the iniurye done vnto hym being readye to suffer more greuous Briefly al things are so to bee suffered that the glorye of Christ the truth may be defended our constancy may appeare Now the chiefe priests the elders the whole coūsel sought false witnes against Iesus to put hī to death but they found none yea though many false witnesses came yet foūd they none for many barefalse witnes agaīst hī but their witnes was not sufficiēt but at the last came two false witnesses and said we haue heard this mā say I wil destroye thys temple made with hands and within three dayes I wyl build an other made wythout handes and neyther yet were their witnesses sufficiente ynoughe Then the chief priest arose and stoode amongest them and asked Iesus saying aunswerest thou nothyng What is the matter that these beare witnesse againste the But Iesus helde his peace neither aunswered he any thing Again the high priest asked hym and said vnto hym I charge thee by the lyuyng God that thou tel vs if thou be the Christ the son of God Iesus sayd vnto hym thou hast sayd it I am he Neuerthelesse I say vnto you here after ye shall see the sonne of man syttyng at the ryght hande of power and commyng in the cloudes of heauen Then the high priest rente hys clothes saying he hath blasphemed what haue we any more neede witnesses beholde nowe ye haue heard his blasphemy what thinke ye and they aunswered and sayd he is worthy of death the men which helde Iesus mocked hym and beat hym and they spare in hys face and couered his face smote him on the face wyth their hands saying Prophesye vnto vs O Christe who it is the smote thee many other things rephrochfuly spake they against him HEre were occasiion to entreate of false witnesse but bycause we studye to bee briefe we doe admonishe iudges of thys one thyng that they diligently remembre this that if false witnesses doe aryse vp agaynste Christ whose lyfe and doctrine could be accused by no meanes what we then hope for Let them therefore obserue equitie and not follow affections The vngodly do wrest the wordes of Christ contrary to hys meanyng and thys slaunder is a parte of false witnesse when as we do eyther peruerte any mannes wordes or talke or doe rehearse them otherwise then he spake thē or els enterpreate them otherwyse then he spake or ment them Christ spake of the temple of hys bodye and they falsly enterprete it to the materiall temple Euen as in the olde tyme sacrifices were done in the temple and peace offrynges and clensinges were done by sacrifices so is Christ made a sacrifice vpō the crosse for our sinnes pacifying god his wrath agaynst vs and sanctifying vs. In that Christ holdeth his peace at the false witnesses it was not somuch bicause of his meaknes as bicause of his wisedome This example ought they to follow which are oppressed with false witnesses chiefely before such a iudge as estemeth and geueth credite to false witnesses For then no answeres or excuses are any thyng worth it shal be moste safegarde to kepe silence I adiure thee that thou tell me whether thou bee the Sonne of God By this question it is manifest that the Iewes confessed and knewe ryghte well that the Messias shoulde bee the Sonne of God But they aske hym this captious question to the entent that they might cauille and maliciously accuse him in his answer that is that they might take and trappe hym in hys talke that he which had made him selfe the Sonne of God should therfore be worthy to dye and that according to the lawe So do our papistes now of dayes extorte of the ministres of the word what their opinion is of this new doctrine as they terme it And whē they answere thē the truth then are they by and by put to tormentes but if they holde theyr peace they betraye the truth Wherfore the hipocrites do seke the truth to this entent that they may persecute it when they knowe it and also kill hym which confesseth it Hereafter ye shal see c. This is a gentil and healthfull admonitiō as though he woulde saye In dede ye see me now humble and as it were the Sonne of the Carpenter but be not offended with thys my humilitie for nowe is the tyme of humilitie I do not now shewe forth my glorye and power but shortely ye shal see what māner one I am He is gilty of death The chiefe priest speaketh this to his complices whiche were lyke vnto hym self namely haters of Christ he hath blasphemed sayeth he what neede we any more witnesses They fayne thē selues as though they had a care for the glory of God when
but his owne yea and theÌ„ wheÌ„ as most ernest matters are in haÌ„d Christ teacheth them to submit themselues to others to loue one another to helpe one an other by charitie and yet in the meane tyme they are not ashamed to reason who shoulde be greatest and this moued them to this question bicause Christ declared vnto them his deathe but Christ putteth down with great grauitie the hautenesse of mind exhorteth theÌ„ to submit theÌ„selues shewing theÌ„ who is the greatest in the church namely he which submitteth him self to al meÌ„ is seruaÌ„t to al meÌ„ But bicause thei were elected to preach the word he therfore withdraweth their myndes from his hautenes with the which the princes of the world are almost puffed vp The princes of the gentils Prophane Princes it is a kinde of speaking for the Princes of the nations not they onely which gouerne the gentiles or infidels as the chief capitains of the Anabaptists do expound when as they go about to proue by the wordes of Christe that a christian man ought not to be a Magistrate but Christ by these woordes dothe not helpe their opinion but rather subuerte it of the which we will speake in his place Christ doth fortifie before the minds of his disciples whom he had elected to preache the gospel against the hurtfull affections of the fleshe amongest the which the study for honour disease of ambition hathe no small power the which if they once creepe into the heartes of prelates of religion they bring with them innumerable hurts Neither is there any other pestilence more hurtful to the church than the desire of ambition pride and confidence in it selfe For he is no true godly maÌ„ that trusteth to him selfe and the apostels were sick of this disease the Lorde permittyng the same that they might learne by this so muche the more to acknowledge huÌ„ble theÌ„selues Therfore he saith O ye my disciples ye ar not of the nuÌ„ber of them which are prâ—nces magistrates in the world you haue an other office apointed you Princes obtayne their names according to their doynges and haue in the meane time some dominion ouer those which are committed to their charge That affection of dominion and principalitie ought not to bee in other kynges and princes but rather they do gette theÌ„ names to be called gracious in deseruing well of their subiectes as Euergetes and the father of the countrey Abimilech c. And it is more often sene that they do more oppresse their subiects than ease them of their burtheÌ„s and although this be euil yet neuerthelesse it must be suffred in them which haue dominioÌ„ in the world but not in the kingdome of heauen For when they take armour and dryue away the enemy and punnishe the euill they serue also Christ with their sworde when as neuerthelesse they are somewhat defiled and haue some thing common with the busines of the world so that they cannot be wholly with out dregges and be alwayes bent to heauenly thinges But for you which are the lighte of the world being lightened of me which am the true light a greater integritie is mete a greater purenesse ye must shine aboue other in the light of faith and charitie not in worde only but in example of life let not your hartes haue a regard to earthly thinges but beyng purged from the contagiousnesse of al earthly dregges let them be caried vpward as it wer like fyre vnto heauenly thinges Be ye therfore far from ambition from the desire of money and froÌ„ all those things which may wrap your mindes in earthly thinges Se that you seke not gredily for glory rule in the world for I haue preferred you to the kingdome of heauen that is to the preachyng of grace and truth Be ye not therfore bent to other things which might withdraw you from your office let other men seke to be lordes haue ye onely a care to serue others that shall extoll you to the eternall ioy and shall make you mightye in dede Looke vppon me whiche came not to rule or to be greate but I am rather conuersaunt amoÌ„gest you ministring vnto you as a most abiect seruant and washing your feete I haue lefte heauen and descended vnto you takyng vpon me for your sakes all pouerty affliction why should you then be ashamed to serue others for my sake It is a smal matter that ye haue abiden with me hitherto that ye haue cleaued vnto me which neuerthelesse was not of your owne power for ye haue not elected me but I descending from my fathers seat haue called and chosen you what good soeuer therfore ye haue you muste not ascribe it vnto your selues but altogether vnto me lift vp your mindes to thinges that are to come you shall not lose your labor if you abide with me I will reward it to the vttermost eueÌ„ as you haue bene partakers of my afflictions so shall you also be companions of my ioy so that ye be constant in that which I send you about and apply not your mindes to other thinges For it is not sufficient that ye haue abiden with me hitherto after a sorte for they were but skirmishes sleight battails but now there be greater troubles at hand The time is now present that Sathan turneth al his force and all hys armour against me and you Ye know that ye waÌ„ted nothing when I sent you wtout thinges necessary for your iourney also vnarmed be ye therfore constant and stande ye firmely for such a multitude of wicked personnes shall come vpon vs that it shall seeme that we haue nede of swords For those thinges which are written of me must needes be performed and go ye forwarde without feare in preaching of the truth I will neuer be absent from you as I haue before defended you I will prouide for you and minister vnto you all such thinges as ye wante By these wordes the lorde plucketh out of the hartes of the disciples the affection of the flesh wherewyth they were touched and also he prepareth and encourageth them to battayles whiche were to come For they should suffer greater thinges after his departure when as they should stir vp by the preching of the truth the displeasure of all meÌ„ against them Of the which euils he hath preseÌ„tly shewed an exaÌ„ple by himself declaring vnto theÌ„ to all the godly what they must suffer in this worlde for the truthe and that there is a wonderfull great reward prepared for them which continue vnto the end But in that he sayeth let him sell his coate bye a sworde it is a phrase of speache by the which is signified a most great daunger to be at hand as though Christ would say If they rage so against me they will not spare you be ye therfore stronge and constante for they shall so spoyle and kill you that it shall seeme that ye haue nede of swordes yet he biddeth not
darkenesse leadeth you captyue and stirreth you vp to persecute me and my disciples and this was forespoken not long agoe of my prophetes So oughte we to suffer the inuasions of the wycked and that wyth greate mildnes of mind and patience neither must we reuenge our selues with our owne hand But in the meane tyme must so set beefore the eyes of the wicked their mischeuous doings that they may vnderstand how much they synne againste God and vs to see yf we can by any meanes reuoke them from theyr conceiued malice and win them to the lord or at the leaste to take from them all occasion wherby they might excuse their synnes ¶ Then the band and the capitain and the officers of the Iewes toke Iesus and bound him and led hym away to Annas firste for he was father in law to Caiphas which was the high prieste the same yeare and Caiphas was he that gaue counsell to the Iewes that it was expediēt that one man should die for the people and Annas sente hym bound to Cayphas the high priest They therfore takyng Iesus led him to Cayphas the hyghe prieste where the Scribes the chiefe priestes and the elders had assembled together LVke the Euangelist sayeth they led him and brought him and this semeth to bee spoken not wtout an emphasis as though he would say They led him which had healed all men and which contayned and led al thinges who if he had not led them they had all perished Luke the other leaue out the house of Anna of the which Iohn maketh mention very aptly howbeit there is nothyng left out of the Eāngelists that pertayneth to the veritie of the history and it semeth that this examining of Christ concerning his disciples his doctrine was done in the house of Cayphas and not in the house of Anna. For in that he is led to Anna it was done bicause it was in their way as they wēt and to honour Anna withall But examining of his doctrine disciples belonged to Caiphas who was the high priest for that yeare Therfore Anna sēdeth him by and by away to Caiphas his son in law which thē was in office And I iudge that al the denials of Peter were done in the court of the bishop which may easily be gathered if they be weighed by the order of the history of Iohn others Iohn maketh mention by the way of Anna thē returneth to Caiphas which if it be not marked it might seme that al these thinges wer done in the house of Anna which neuerthelesse the other three mencion to be done in Caiphas house Cayphas was he It is a digression to the description of the person Caiphas counsell whiche is more manifestly set forth in the xi of Iohn is so put forth of him as though it should be healthfull to the common wealth when as he entended nothing but to put Christ to deth In that he spake the truth it was of the holy ghost but he spake this of guile and malice for the ranckor of his harte made him to speak those wordes In the mean while he adourneth his enuy and pretendeth the common welth to hide his deceit and he vseth the words which wer like himself The priestes saw their authority to diminishe daily and that very manye claue vnto Christ therfore they feared their own things for the which cause Caiphas vseth this argument by the which he might chiefly stir vp their harts Why stay ye sayth he doe ye not see our aucthoritie decayeth and that by this mā Yf ye wil haue your own state to be in safety thē take this mā away ye be slouthfull and lingerers which shall turn at length to your owne displeasure c. Wherfore he is the firste authour of Christes deathe and he encourageth the rest to the conceiued mischeuous acte his house therefore was a fit place for the vngodly ones to take coūsel together Let vs apply these thinges to our tymes and let vs learne to discerne betwene a good citizen and a faithfull senator and betwene a traitor and a false man They which haue traytorous mindes doe alwayes pretende in their counsels the health of the common wealthe when as they goe aboute the destruction of all good men and into their houses do the owles flye vnto where they dare speake freelye Suche metinges assemblies and conspiracies in cities are most certain causes of the distruction of a common wealth which euery man may most easily perceiue thoughe he be meanely skilled in histories and if so be that ye O magistrates are ignoraunt of these thinges then be ye very vnskilfull and ye haue small experience of thynges but if so bee that ye do know those thynges and do not beware of them nor punishe the authors then are ye to vniuste wycked and enemies to your coūtrey and in that we do so crye against those we do it not to this end onely that ye should punish them which I feare me is in vayne but bicause it is our dutye so to do and for so muche as we assuredly forsee that suche men wil be the destruction of the common wealth it is therefore nedefull to admonishe you of them Least we shoulde be blynde watchmen and dombe dogges ¶ And Peter followed him a farre of euen to the inner courte of the high priest and there followed also an other disciple which was knowen of the high prieste who also entred in wyth Iesus into the house of the high prieste But Peter stode without at the dore Then went out the other disciple which was knowen to the high prieste and spake to her that kept the dore and broughte in Peter and when Peter was come in he sate downe with the officers to see the ende and when they had made a fire in the middest of the hal and were set down together Peter also sate downe amongest them warmed him at the fire the seruaūtes and officers stode there whiche had made a fire of coales for it was cold and they warmed themselues and Peter also stode amongest thē and warmed himselfe whom when a certayne maide of the high prieste which kept the gate saw sittyng by the fyre and lookyng earnestly vpō him sayde wa st not thou also with Iesus of Galiley Then a certayne other sayd This mā was also with him Peter denyed it before them al said womā I know him not neither do I know what thou sayest he went forth into the porch and the cocke crewe Then an other mayde saw hym and sayd vnto them which were there This mā also was with Iesus of Nazareth and he denyed it againe with an othe saying I know not the man and aboute the space of an houre after other whiche stoode therby sawe him sayd verely thou also arte one of them for thou arte of Galiley and thy speach also bewrayeth thee Then sayde one of the seruauntes of the hygh priest hys cousen whose eare Peter smote of
as neuerthelesse their mindes are vngodly vnpure So they say now a daies He hath slaundered the holy Virgin he hath polluted the sacraments therfore he is an heritike what nede we any more witnesses So I say do they cry now of daies against the preachers of the Gospell and for a coulour they pretend the honour of God and the holy Virgine when as onely they excedingly hate the truth and soly seeke for theyr owne commoditie For it is not possible that they should speake these thynges froÌ„ the heart and should thynke so vndoubtedly when as God doth not confyrme a lye in the hart of man They which speake so do alwaies doubt and wauer which may easily be sene in Pharao who one while spake one thing an other while an other thing sometymes denyed and somtimes affyrmed One while he sayed who is this Lord By by he sayth I know the Lorde is iuste and that I haue sinned and yet for al that in the meane tyme he goeth forward in hys mischiefe c. We will set forth thys more playnly They which thus speake thys man hath taught that we should not call â—pon the blessed Virgin Let hym therefore be taken away for he is an herityke and giltye of death These men I say are neuer certayne put out of doubt in theyr harts that we should call vpon Marye or that he shoulde be put to death which teacheth the contrarye that is to say that we shoulde worship one God For it â—s vnpossible that this should be certainly perswaded in the hart of man that he shuld doubt nothing of it or thinke nothing to the contrary Therfore they be hipocrites which pretend â—hese thynges thinking otherwise inwardlye yea their conscience repugning it they fayne theÌ„ selues outwardly to be good men would â—eme to be such wheÌ„ as they are inwardly vngodly For although the Lorde doth blind and â—arden a man yet neuerthelesse he setteth the truth so playnly before the same maÌ„s eyes that â—e leaueth hym no excuse of ignorance but coÌ„pelleth hym to say acknowledge in his hart that he doth erre sinne how so euer he fighteth agaynst the truth knowen They doe call Christ by the honorable name of a Prophet turne it to mockage As though they woulde say All men call thee a great Prophet or thou boastest thy self to be a prophet prophecy therfore vnto vs c. Let vs marke the nature of the vngodly and hipocrites which conspire against the truth Vnrighteousnesse accuseth righteousnes Lyes oppresse the truth Enuye hurteth charitie and yet for all thys al things are so adorned that they seme to haue a certain shew of iustice law They preuent him with false witnesses they vrge him with deceiptful interrogations The Iudges ar both accusers also witnesses And they which are most blasphemous do lay blasphemye to an innocentes charge that they might seme to be reuengers of blasphemye But they do al things in vaine when as they finde not so much as a shewe of wickednes in Christ Let vs follow this that we may be so honestly conuersaunt amongest menne and liue so innocentlye that euen fame may be affeard to lye of vs. Now what greater cruelty can there be deuised theÌ„ this which the souldiour vse against Christ An innocente is least in the handes of most vile men to vse hym according to their owne luste yea they do sharpen quicken their luste in him in which souldiours there is no godlinesse no compassion they mocke hym spitte vpon him beate hym neither omitte they any thing that serueth to the infamy of Christ or to hys iniury The same is done now a dayes by most cruell men yea by no men but rather wilde beastes whiche haue put away all humanitie whiche haue depriued them selues of the feling of nature that is to say which do burtheÌ„ miserable men which are led for the truth of Christ with reproches and spiteful wordes do mocke theÌ„ being otherwise afflicted wheÌ„ as neuertheles the lawes of nature forbyd that we shoulde burthen such as are punished with more greuous spiteful words No man excuseth Christ no man pitieth him no maÌ„ deliuereth hym No man defendeth hym No man speaketh in hys cause Nor no man remembreth the benefites paste to say once he hath healed all diseases he hath fed the hungry he hath taught the ignoraunt he hath done good to all men Thus so many and so great benefites done by Christ amongest these moste ingrate men were loste Thus cruelty and enuy had blotted al thinegs These thinges are not done without the prouidence will of God and yet for al that they which coÌ„mitte these things do sinne most heynously so do they also whiche take not heede that these thinges might not haue beene done The lord permitteth such cruel wicked dedes to be done sometimes to stirre vp our slouthfulnes sluggishenesse so that sometimes we should be wakened at such enormities and theÌ„ to shew forth our strength and faith yet in the meane time are we wtoute excuse whiche haue geueÌ„ occasion to the wicked by our negligence to go forward in their naughtines neither are we free from so great blame We ar so weake so slouthful vnfaythful that no maÌ„ c coÌ„mit so great wicked dedes wherby we ar moued yea not a litle So blockish ar we altogether with out felinges There are no wicked actes so detestable or terrible which can shake away our slepye sluggishnes froÌ„ vs. And seing that thinges are at this pointe let vs loke for nothing but the vtter punyshment and vengeaunce of the Lord. These be as certain signes of destruction as when the heaueÌ„ is red in the morning it is a signe that it wil rayne The which thinges if any man see not then is he blind but if he see them beware not of theÌ„ then is he mad We must withstand the beginnings A bough when it waxeth hard can not so easly be bowed Let vs therfore withstand wicked actes before thei grow into an vse possesse al things medicine is prepared to late when as the euils by long tarying are established ¶ When the morning was come all the chiefe priests and Elders of the people tooke counsell agaynst Iesus to put hym to death And they led him to theyr counsell saying Arte thou the Christ Tel vs. And he sayd vnto them If I tell you ye will not beleue If I shall aske you ye will not aunswere me neyther wil ye let me goe Hereafter shall the Sonne of man sit at the righte hande of the power of God Then sayed they all Art thou the Sonne of God And he sayd Ye say that I am Then sayd they what nede we any further witnesse For we our selues haue heard it of hys owne mouth Then arose the whole multitude and led hym awaye bound from Cayphas into the common Hall and deliuered him to Pontious Pilate the president And it was morning they
hym at all Thē came Iesus forth wearynge a crown of thorns a purple garmēt Pilate sayd vnto them behold the man Then when the highe priestes and officers saw him they cried sayyng Crucifye him crucifie him Pilate said vnto them Take ye him crucifye him for I finde no faulte in him The Iewes aunswered him we haue a law accordinge to our law he ought to dy bicause he made him selfe the sonne of God whē Pilate then hearde that worde he was the more afeard and went againe in to the common hall and sayde vnto Iesus whence art thou But Iesus gaue him no aunswere Then sayde Pilate vnto him speakest thou not vnto me Knowest thou not that I haue powre to crucify the and haue also power to lose the Iesus āswered thou couldest haue no power at all against me excepte it wer geuen thee from aboue Therefore he that deliuered me vnto thee hathe the greater synne from thense forthe Pilate sought to lose Iesus but the Iewes cried saying if thou lose this man thou arte not Ceasars frende Whosoeuer maketh himselfe a kyng speaketh agaynste Ceasar PIlate is a figure of a tyrannous and negligente iudge bearing a certayne shewe of righteousnesse whē as in dede he hath not so much regard to it So often tymes we outwardly shewe one thing and inwardly in oure hart meane an other thing He would haue saued Iesus so that it might be done with Ceasars fauoure and the Iewes But if his hart had bene inflamed with the desire of Iustice he would not haue defended an innocent so carelessely and coldly but stoutly and vpryghtly A iudge ought not to haue a respect to the fauoure or displeasure of men but vnto the rule of equitie and lawe They which be softe and weake doe by litle and litle slippe till at the length they declyne altogether from the ryght waye Whiche we may see by Pilate who for that he doth not constantly prosecute that whiche he knew to be ryght is compelled at the length to geue sentence agaynst an innocent his own conscience accusing him to the contrary in cōdempning of whom he condempneth him selfe when as he saith with arrogant boasting that he hath power to lose Christ Whom the Lord doth gentelly reprehend Rom. 13. declaring vnto hym that no man can doe any thyng but so farforth as the Lord shall permitte And bycause that al power is of God therfore a Magistrate ought not to abuse the same power to oppresse innocentes with all euen as they lust them selues Also this is a comforte vnto vs when as we know that mē cā do nothing vnto vs though they bee neuer so cruell but so muche as the Lorde shall permitte them Thys must we also marke that the Father dyd laye our sinnes vpon Christe therefore Christ was scourged for oure synnes by whose stripes we are healed by whose woundes oure woundes are cured He offereth hys backe to them whiche stryke hym and hys cheakes to them whiche buffet hym Esay 53. Esay 20. Let vs therefore with griefe remember the hepe of our synnes which Christ suffred for in hys bodye beinge despysed and put to shame that he myghte deliuer vs from euerlastyng shame and punyshmente Let vs also make readye oure backe and oure whole bodye to beare stripes for hym whiche hath loued vs with so great a loue Iesus holdeth his peace geuing an example to the Godlye that they shoulde not greatly indeuour to excuse or deliuer them selues when they shoulde suffer death for the truth ☞ And when Pilate hard that worde he broughte Iesus forthe and satte down for to geue iudgemente in the place which is called the paued place and in Hebrew Gabarha And it was the preparation of the passeouer almost about the sixt hower he saied vnto the Iewes behold your king But they cryed awaye with him awaye with him crucifye him Pilate sayd vnto them shal I crucify youre kyng The high priestes aunswered we haue no kyng but Cesar And the hygh priests with the elders accused him of many thinges And when he was accused of the chiefe priests and elders he aunswered nothing Thē said Pilate vnto him dost thou not here how many witnesses thei brīg agaīst thee And he āswered him not to one word after the insomuch that the gouernor marueyled gretly Now at the feast the gouernour was wont to delyuer vnto the people a prisonner whome they woulde And they had at that time a notable prisonner cal-Barrabas which was in prisō with the authors of a sediciō in the which sedicion they had cōmitted murther when they were gathered then together that the people made a noyse he begā to requir them instātly that he might do as he had alwayse done vnto them Therfore Pilate said vnto them whether wil ye that I lose vnto you Barrabas or Iesus which is caled Christ for he knew ful wel that they hadde delyuered hym for enuye THe Iewes desyred nothing so much as to recouer theyr King But nowe these moste wicked persons doe dissemble that stoutly to destroy Christ whiche tolde thē that he was a king which was that king that was promised vnto them Of which king also there are amongest the Gentiles which witnessed of him For thus writeth Suetonious in the life of Vespasion There spred thoroughoute the whole east an olde and constante opinion that it was destimed that at that time Iury should obtayne the dominion of thinges The Iewes applying that to them selues which was forespoken of the Romaine Emperoure as it appeared in the end rebelled and slewe their president Moreouer they droue awaye the Liuetenant of Siria comming to succoure the gouernour and ouerthrewe the Romaines standerd Thus farre writeth he Where agayne we may learne also the lightnes and inconstancye of the common people when he fed them they would haue made him a King when he inueigheth against theyr peruerse manners they desire to haue him crucified He is therefore a foole and a mad man that sticketh to the fauour of men Thei preferre a thiefe a murtherer before Christ an innocent which is cōmonly sene now a dayes yea amongest those whiche are called by the name of Christ when as varlets and vngodlye men despisers of the truth religion and all godlynes are promoted to the gouernaunce of the common wealth and to common offices but they whiche are honest and simple men are despised And where suche things are done most hardest things are to be loked for to suche common wealthes what shoulde we hope for any other thing when as vngodly men are promoted If so be the a maide clothed with a white garment woulde beleue that she coulde kepe her clothes white amōgst the middest of colliers Shoulde shee not make her self a laughing stocke to all mē And what other thyng is an vncorrupte senate then a certayne vndefiled Virgin decked with moste pure silke And if thou ioyne vnto the same corrupte and naughtie men then is it