to theÌ„ that be godly and enemy to the wicked when as ye see nothing in my sayinges or doinges vnlyke vnto these thinges why do you not acknowledge the manners and verye nature of youre father But if ye couet to heare your fathers name whome in witte and dedes ye do reseÌ„ble ye be neyther beegotten of Abraham nor of God but euen of the deuill ye be his very naturall children whose witte and disposicion ye breathe out and shewe likelyhoode of and whose will ye obey For ye haue bothe hated the trueth and go aboute to kyll an innocent This is an exaumple of the deuill your father For because he hath been the chiefe auctor of bothe lyes and murder who by his lying entised vnto deathe the firste parentes of mankinde being with none other thing prouoked then throughe enuie of other folkes felicitie And thesame sinfull disease doth pricke you forwarde to slea one that is innocent and a beneficiall person The deuill enuyed man that was of a blessed creacion ye enuie man to be restored vnto the felicitie from whence he fell He fell from the truethe by hys pryde And his fall was suche that there is no hope of his amendemente but persistyng in euill he heapeth sinne vpon sinne striuing againste Gods veritie by you at this presente and doyng thesame thyng that in the beginnyng of the worlde he firste practised when he drewe the first auctors of mankynde vnto death Whoso therfore hateth trueth and loueth lyes he declareth sufficiently who is his father Whosoeuer pronounceth a lye he speaketh of hym that is the fouÌ„taine of all lyes Whatsoeuer that auctor speaketh is a lye and he speaketh of hymself for he is not onely a lyar but the father and prince of lyes As of the contrary syde God is the fountayne of all truethe and whosoeuer speaketh the trueth to Gods glory he speaketh not of hymselfe but of God But if you be begotten rather of God the auctour of trueth then of the deuill the father of lyes wherfore then consideryng that I dooe speake vnto you heauenly trueth doe not you beeyng the chyldren of Abraham beleue God why do not ye the children of God acknowledge and loue Goddes trueth ¶ Whiche of you rebuketh me of sinne If I saye the trueth why do not ye beleue me he that is of God heareth goddes woordes Ye therfore heare them not because ye are not of God Then aunswered the Iewes and sayed vnto hym Saye we not well that thou art a Samaritane and hast the deuill Iesus aunswered I haue not the deuyll but I honoure my father and ye haue dishonored me I seke not mine owne prayse there is one that seketh and iudgeth If ye fynde any lye in my wordes or any faulte in my procedyng geue not credite to my wordes But which of ye all can burden me with any one faulte What maner of men ye be ye your selfes are priuie but if whatsoeuer be right and true thesame is of God and neither can ye proue in me any thyng that varieth from right and trueth why then in not beleuyng me do ye distruste god specially consideryng that ye boaste your selues to be the children of God But and if ye did extolle and aduaunce your selues truely ye would acknowledge the woorde of God but in case ye do it vntruelye ye declare your selues to haue a lying father Whosoeuer is begotten of god thesame doeth lyke a true naturall chylde geue eare to his fathers woordes And that thing well proueth you not to be begotten of God the father because ye cannot abyde to heare the truethe that cummethe from him The Iewes beeyng made through these woordes more wood fall to geuyng cursed woordes in theyr aunswere wherunto the malice of men beyng with reason concluded is woont to haue refuge and saieth Do not we saye right of thee that where thou wilte be taken for a Iewe and boastest god to be thy father thou art a Samaritane and haste the deuill whiche selfe thyng thou doest now declare in dede and approuest our iudgemente of thee But what aunswer made moste gentle Iesus vnto this peuishe mad reproche As touching the reproche in namyng hym a Samaritane althoughe it were commonly taken for a greate rebuke and slaunder yet because it was naught els but a fumishe checke spoken in a furye he made no aunswere at all therunto as though they had but called hym a mushrome or an oynion but yet to the bearing hym on hande that he had the deuill he aunswereth but in suche sorte that he gaue them no euill language againe whiche he mighte worthely haue doen and countermauÌ„ded backe againe theyr lewde saying to themselfes but auoydethe it courteouslye from hymselfe teachynge vs by the waye that as ofte as we haue to do concernyng goddes glory as ofte as the truethe of the ghospell is to be defended agaynst the wicked we should be earnest quicke and sharpe And as often as we oure selfes be rebuked that we should shew our selfes â—entle and meke In suche wise that we do not make auÌ„swere to all thynges but repell and auoyde those thinges onely from vs which we cannot concele without hinderaunce of the gospell To haue the people vnderstande that Christ did euery thyng in all his procedynges not by the deiuils auctoritie but God the father beyng aucthour made muche to the furtheraunce of the ghospell I haue sayeth Christ no familiaritie with any deiuill nor I doe not therfore boaste my selfe of God beeyng my father to thintent that I woulde with a lye obtayne myne owne prayse but that through me my father myght be glorifyed emongst men And albeit ye doe glorie that ye haue thesame god to your father yet doe ye me despite who seke nothyng els but his glory of whom ye woulde be thought true wurshippers I do not curiously seke myne owne prayse at mennes handes neyther doth your contumeliouse wordes hurt me but rather worketh your destruccion For there is one who as he is couetous to be glorified amonges men by me so he wisheth that I agayne should haue glorye by hym not that eyther he or I haue nede of this glorye but that so to haue it is expediente for you for the exchaunge of death and that ye maye attayn saluacion Of trueth lyke as I doe not muche couet myne owne glory howbeit in dede my glory is the glory of my father so am I no reuenger of myne owne rebuke or iniury But yet for all that thinke not that ye shall be without punishmente for that ye haue slaundered me For there is he that both seketh my prayse and glory and will reuenge my iniury and contempte except ye amende Uerely verely I say vnto you if a man â—epe my saying he shall neuer see death Then saied the Iewes vnto him Nowe knowe we that thou hast the deiuil Abraham is dead and the Prophetes and thou sayst If a man kepe my saying he shall neuer â—aste of death Arte thou greater than our
chyldren of the Hebrewes and fyshers to descry hym But he admitted no recorde of the deuils though it were true The noughtines of the person that telleth the trueth doth hurte thesame And he doeth more harme with his lies whiche hath gotten himselfe credence afore by some true tale tellyng This was then done accordyng to the hystorie But to open the secrete sence and meaning hereof We se very many euen nowe adayes that cum flockyng vnto Simon Peters house whiche as I sayde before bare the fygure of the Churche For the citie of Capernaum representeth the whole world the setting of the sunne fygureth the deathe of Christe The gate of the house signifieth baptisme whiche is beset with repentaunce of the former lyfe truste to obtayne soule healthe of Iesus The sycke people sitte aboute the gates that is to saye the Publicans and sinners desyre to be receiued into the felowship of the churche They should not deserue to behealed except they surely beleued that Iesus bothe could and would geue them helth The churche of Christ conteyned in it but a very small numbre so long as he y◠lanterne lyght of the world liued in yearth But after his death a great multitude of people began thither to resorte out of al the countreis of the world ¶ And in the morning very early Iesus when he was rysen vp departed and wēte out into a solitarye place and there prayed Symon and they that were with him folowed after him and when they had found hym they sayed vnto hym all men seke for the. And he saied vnto them Let vs go into the next tounes that I may preache there also For therfore I am cū And so he preached in theyr sinagoges and in al Galile cast the deuils out These thinges so done when the Lorde Iesus who came not for this onely purpose to cure corporal diseases whiche he sendeth many tymes to his to the intent they maye be whole in soule when I saye he sawe the multitude greatly desyre to be healed of their bodely diseases and not with lyke affeccion couet to heare his heauenlye doctrine wherewith the maladies and diseases of the soule are cured the nexte daye as though he had bene desyrous to take some ease and rest he deceyued them for he roose verie earlye in the morning and went from Capernaum into a solytary place where he made his prayers to the father genyng hym thankes for the benefites wyche he had decreed to geue vnto mankynde by hym And here are sundrye ensamples prepared for our instruccion Fyrste he teacheth vs that we must assone as we haue done our neyghbour good departe away leste we seme to loke after any mede or reward of those that we haue done good vnto Secondarilye we are taught manye tymes to leaue of the teachyng of holsom doctrine for a season to styre vp a desyre in vs to aduaunce the same Finally we learne also that we ought to refreshe and quicken the spirite by often goyng asyde into solitary places I meane not suche goynges aparte as are for pleasure and pastime but for prayer and heauenly contemplacion because we maye retourne from thence more willyng in spirite and better disposed to helpe the weake Euery man which hath chaunged place is not goen into wildernes but he that hath cleane seuered his mynde from worldly cares and wholly bent himselfe to the studie and contemplacion of heauenly thinges When Simon Peter and the reste of the disciples vnderstode that Iesus was priuilye departed they folowed after til they had founde where he was For it is not beseming that the true disciples of Iesu be any tyme awaye from their maister whome they ought in all thynges to folow In the meane season when the people whiche flocked early in the mornyng to the gate of the house had also learned how Iesus was gone awaye they lykewyse folowed hym into the wildernesse Many there be that folow Iesus but none fynde hym oute saue alonly his disciples who after they haue once founde him do shewe him vnto other Wherfore they tolde the lorde how there was a great multitude of the citizens of Capernaum come thither to seke him The lorde then answered again saying It is sufficient at this present to haue layed these foundacions among the Capernaites Nowe it is tyme for me to go in like maner and viset the litle tounes and villages here about that I maye likewyse there preache the kyngdome of god ▪ For I came not to preache to one citie alone but to declare saluacion to all men For this cause the Lorde trauayled through the tounes and villages of all Galilee preachyng in their Synagoges curyng diseases and castyng out deuils because the ignorant people shoulde by reason of his mighty dedes and myracles geue firme credence vnto his doctrine And there came a leper to him besethyng hym and knelyng downe and saying vnto hym If thou wilt thou canst make me cleane And Iesus had compassion on hym and put furth his hande touched hym and sayth vnto him I will be thou cleane And as sone as he had spoken immediatly the leprosy departed from hym and he sent him awaye furthwith and sayth vnto him Se thou saye nothing to any mā but get the hence shewe thy self to the priest and offer for thy clensyng those thynges whiche Moses commaunded for a witnes vnto them But he assone as he was departed began to tell many tynges and to publishe the saying insomuche that Iesus coulde no more openly entre into the citie But was with out in desert places and they came to hym from euery quarter It chaunced on a tyme whē Iesus had taught the people in a certaine moūtayne many goodly lessons concerning the perfeccion of the euangelike or christian profession that there met him as he came doune agayne a certaine man infected with leprosy a disease vncurable and abhorred of all men in whome was shewed to the corporal iyes a figure of those thinges which he wrought by inuisible operacion in the soules of the hearers The leper hated his filthy disease and had a meruelous great confidence in Iesu. Here thou seest a figure of a sinner which returnyng from vicious liuyng and entendyng to amend is at the nexte dore to saluacion The same leper feared not the people although he knewe right well that they abhorred his company but onelye regarded the goodnes of Iesu. Wherfore he ranne vnto hym and fell downe at his knees What woulde the proude Pharisey here do He would crye hence with this ougly and abhominable creature leste he infect euen oure very iyes He would call for water to washe awaye his noysome and contagious breath This would the Pharisey do more vncleane in soule then any leper in body But what doth the moste meke and gentill Lord whiche onely was pure and cleane from all spot of synne He commaundeth hym not to be had out of his sight nor to be remoued awaye from his knees It
stande muche in your owne conceyte because ye be the sonnes of Abraham I know that ye be borne of Abraham as touching the flesh but this honour is but smal vsual and coÌ„mon to al Iewes If ye wil algates be thought to be Abrahams posteritie and children of a moste holy father nothing degenerate in your dedes declare you to be his sonnes For it is the propertie of a very true naturall childe to resemble and expresse the fashion maners of his parentes Abraham did so muche beleue God that where as there was promised him of God a populouse succession and great in nuÌ„ber to come of his sonne Isaac he doubted not at one commaundement of God to â—lea his sonne Isaac But ye see now how farre ye be of from the maners of your father whiche do your endeuour to kill euen me for no cause els but that you being blinded with desyres of the flesh and the worlde do not vnderstande my communicacion and wordes whiche be spirituall Abraham not doubtyng of the promyses did in a thing against nature beleue the aungel by whome god spake vnto him To me whom ye se and by whom god speaketh to you promising greater thynges then in times paste he did to Abraham ye do not onelye not geue credence but also maliciously seke and deuise my death Do not therefore arrogantly chalenge Abraham to be your father Euery our is before God the sonne of hym whose acres and condicions he folowethe For as the children seeth theyr parentes do at home so will they do and growe to be of lyke affeccion maners I proue both by wordes and dedes that I am his sonne from whom I was sente for I speake that which I haue sene and heard of my father You lykewyse do the thynges whiche you haue seen your father do ¶ They aunswered and sayde vnto hym Abraham is our father Iesus sayeth vnto theÌ„ If ye were Abrahams children ye would do the dedes of Abraham but now ye go about to kill me a man that hath tolde you the trueth â–ª which I haue hearde of God this did not Abraham Ye do the dedes of your father Then sayed they vnto hym we were not borne of fornicacion we haue one father euen god Iesus saied vnto them If God wer your father trulye ye woulde loue me for I proceded forth and came from God neyther came I of my selfe but he sent me Why doe ye not knowe my speache Euen because ye cannot abide the hearyng of my woorde Ye are of your father the dâ—uill and the lustes of your father wyl ye serue He was a murtherer from the begynning and abode not in the trueth because here is no trueth in him when he speaketh a lye he speaketh of his owne for he is a lyar and the father of the same thing And because I tell you the trueth therefore ye beleue me not Forsomuche as the Iewes toke this saying of our Lorde Iesus in euill parte they frame their aunswere in suche sorte that they go aboute therein to picke out of Iesus wordes some thing spoken to AbrahaÌ„s rebuke which thing if it had been so in dede they woulde haue prouoked the people to haue stoned Christe for where as he had openly testified that their dedes were euill and added further that they did those thinges whiche they had sene theyr father do neyther did they knowledge any other father then Abraham they toke it as if by this saying of Iesus Abraham the Patriarche had been reproued who had hymselfe been suche one as were the children that came of him But Iesus spake nothing sore at all against Abraham but reasoned coÌ„trary to their saying prouing that therfore they were not the children of Abraham because they were moste farre from his wayes moste vnlike him If ye will sayeth he be taken for the true children of Abraham do as your father did beleue Goddes worde For he of trueth through notable affiaunce in God deserued the commeÌ„dacioÌ„ of righteousnes and was called righteouse Now although ye haue neuer doen boastyng Abraham to be your father neuertheles your studie and drifte is to kill me a maÌ„ that albeit I were none other but very man yet were I innocent and one that harme no man and you therefore woulde â—lea me because I tell you the trueth whiche I do not fayne of myne owne heade but that trueth whiche I haue hearde of God insomuche that whosoeuer distrusteth me thesame must nedes distruste God But Abraham will not acknowledge you for his sonnes whiche goe about a wicked matter and muche disagreable to his maners And if it be so that euery one is that mans sonne whose dedes he foloweth and that your dedes withall are farre vnlike to Abrahams you muste nedes haue some other father whosoeuer he be whose naturall disposicion you do resemble and shewe your selfe lyke in condicions The Iewes beeyng of trueth more prouoked by these sayinges nowe as it were geassing to what ende the processe of Iesus wordes tended and whom he noted to be their father aunswere whom els apointest thou for our father that takest awaye our father Abraham We be not base gotten we maye reioyce in that which is common to all the Iewes who are not onely the succession of Abraham but also the sonnes of God whiche calleth Israell his first begotten childe And we are Israelites And if thou take away our father Abraham from vs if thou geue vs another father then God the common father of all our nacion thou art not only iniuriouse and dispiteful to vs but to the whole nacion of the Iewes Wheras this was a wicked and shameles aunswere for what coulde be more shameful theÌ„ to boaste themselfes to be the children of God who knewe themselues giltye in such great faultes who also laied in wayt to bring the sonne of God to death Iesus replied sharpely to this answer and saied If God were your father that is to witte if ye were very true and naturall Israelites ye woulde I am sure loue me as a brother begotten of the common father of all and as one that doeth expressely folowe his fathers behaueour and maners euen as it becummeth a true naturall childe For I neyther shewe foorth any other thyng then God the father nor I do none other mens busynes then my fathers from whom I proceaded and came into this world For I neither speake nor do any thing of my selfe I do not apoint my selfe to this embassage but he sente me whom ye clayme to be comon father to you all And yf ye saye trueth why do ye not acknowledge his speache that is the same fathers sonne and his very true sonne who was also with his father before he came into the world neither speaketh he any thyng but at his fathers appoyntment Why can ye so very euill beare my wordes wheÌ„ as by me god speaketh vnto you If ye beleue God to be true beneficiall an health geuer frendely
saye lieutenaunt or the lorde deputie of that Yland and was a wyse man and of good experience For suche felowes had wonte commonly to get them in suche greate mennes fauour that they may do more mischiefe among men when they haue once broughte theym in errour The proconsul hearyng than that the gospell was sowed throughout Cypres dyd not onely not withstande it but also sent for Barnabas and Paule beyng verye desirouse to learne of them this heauenly doctryne But Gariesus beynge an enemye to oure sauiour Iesus endeuoured hymselfe to resyste the increase of the ghospel and striued against the trueth whiche was cumming to lyghte where as he was in very dede a woorker of falsehood And Elimas whiche worde in the Sitians language betokeneth an inchaunter and a false prophet also withstode the apostles that were true prophetes For he perceiuing that the procunsul was desyrous to heare the gospell and wel assured that in time to come there woulde be no place for his deceitfull craftes amonge them that had once learned the sure and stedfast trueth wente about to alienate the proconsulles minde that he shoulde no more beleue the apostles Here marke the buckling together of mannes craftes and the liuely force of the gospell Saule whiche was also named Paule coulde no lenger forbeare this felowe whom he perceyued ful of the deiuils spirite that striued with myscheuous craftes against the pure trueth but takynge to hym hertie courage by inspiracion of the holy ghost stedfastly loked on this enchaunter and sayde vnto hym O thou wicked full of all deceite and wylynes that expresseste thy father the deiuyll whiche first by his wiles and lyes drew man to deathe O enemy of al iustice and truth and in this shewynge thy selfe to be the sonne of the deuyll for he firste tooke from man his innocencie thou openly striuest that truth shall not spring againe And thou art not contented that thou hytherto hast deceyued simple men with thy deceitefull craftes but nowe also when the wyll of god is that the trueth of the gospell in whiche is no deceit shall shyne throughout the worlde thou stubbernely continuyng in thy eiuyll inâ—ent doest not cease to striue againste the wyll of god rather hauynge an iye to thine owne vayne glorye and fylthye lucre than to the health and saluacion aswell of thine owne soule as of a great sorte of other mennes also And that thou mayest perceiue that the craftes whiche thou workest by the deiuils power can nothinge preuayle againste the trueth of the gospell beholde thou shalt nowe fele what he is hable to do whose wyll thou doest withstand Thou braggest that thou arte a Prophete and one that knoweth hygh misteries wheras in very dede thou art inwardely in thy soule blynde Here haste thou deceyued men who iudge of those thinges that they see but God that knoweth the blyndnesse of thy herte shall streight wayes take awaye the vse of thy bodely iyes that euery man shall perceyue that thou art blynde in very dede and one that is vnworthy to see the same lighte whiche all other men see forasmuche as thou wagest open warre against the lyght of the gospel that now beginneth to aryse in the worlde This waye shall God take vengeaunce on the vntyll that thou repent Paule had scarcely spoken these wordes but sodainly this enchauntoure was stricken with a great blyndnesse insomuch that he as one amased wandred vp and downe sekynge for some man to leade him by the hande These thinges were doen the proconsul beyng a wytnes of it and lookyng theron who merueylyng muche at the great efficacy of this heauenly doctrine by vertue wherof the Phantasticall woorkynge of suche enchauntours was trode so soone vnder foote was conuerted to the faythe and professed the name of Christe and in stede of the false Prophet Bariesus he had in high fauoure the dysciples of Iesus ¶ Whan Paule departed froÌ„ Paphos thei that were with him came to Perga in Pamphilia and Iohn departed from them and returned to IerusaleÌ„ But they wandred thorow the cuntreys came from Perga to Antioche in Pisidia And weÌ„t into the Synagoge of the Iewes on the Sabboth day and sate down And after yâ— lecture of the law the Prophetes the rewlers of the synagoge sent vnto them saying ye men and brethreÌ„ â–ª yf ye haue any sermon to exhorte the people say on These thinges were doen at the citie of Paphos from whence Paule sayling with his company into the lesse Asia landed at Perga whiche is a citie of Pamphilia But Iohn whiche by sirname was called Marke wente from them and returned to Hierusalem whence he before came to beare Barnabas and Paule companye But they with no lesse spedynes whan they had gone ouer Pamphilia came to Antioche whiche is a citie of Pisidia There entring into the Synagogue where as the Iewes dyd customably resorte they sate downe as other men dyd to heare a lesson of the lawe and of the Prophetes whiche after it was rehersed and no man arose vp the chiefe rulers of the Synagoges perceyuing by their garmentes and apparell that these strauÌ„gers were of the Iewes and that their face and outwarde behaueour shewed them to be vertuous men sente woorde vnto them by theyr vnder officers that forasmuche as they were Iewes yf any of them woulde teache or geue any exhortacion to the people it shoulde be lawfull for them soe to doe ¶ Than Paule stoode vp and beckened with the hande and sayed Menne of Israel and ye that feare God geue audience The God of this people chose our fathers and exalted the people wheÌ„ they dwelt as straungiers in the lande of Egipt And with an high arme brought he them out from thence And about the time of fowertie yeares suffred he their manâ—ers in the wildernesse Than the heauenly oratour Paule beyng ready to shewe his minde arose signifying to the multitude with mouing of his hande that they should holde their peace began to speake vnto them in this wyse Ye men of Israel which according to the trade of youre forefathers stande in feare of god harkeÌ„ vnto me whiles I shall shewe vnto you the wyll of God expounde the misterye or meaning of this lesson whiche is euery Sabboth daye customablye reade in your Synagogue God the defendour of the Israelites chose our forefathers that is to saye this sorte of people to serue him before all other insomuche that whan they serued in Egipte beyng kept in great seruytude and bondage Pharao endeuouringe himselfe by all meanes that they should not encrease and that they that remayned there on lyue shoulde be oppressed by excesse of paynfull labour he wonderfully sette them vp throughe myracles against the tyranne that oppressed them and delyuered them of theyr bondage not by meane of any craftye deceite or els by mans pollicie and strength but by his high and mighty power that all men might certainly know that this people was fauoured of God
in the fieldes And they wente out for to see what had happened and came to Iesus and sawe him that was vexed with the find and had the Legion sit both clothed and in his right mynde and they were afrayed and they that sawe it told them howe it happened to hym that was possessed with the deuill and also of the swine And they began to praye hym that he would depart out of theyr coast When that vnto this requeste and peticion of the deuill Iesus made no aunswere there was not farre of a great hearde of swine nighe vnto the mouÌ„tayne feedynge in the fieldes Thou knoweste here good reader the beaste that was abhorred of all the righte Iewes and wherewith the Gentiles a people geuen to Idolatrye were chefly delyted Therefore the deuils desyred that they myghte be suffred at the leaste wyse to enter into the swyne And yf we maye not saye they destroy the man whom thou delyuerest from vs yet geue vs leaue sumwhat to wreake oure malice by destroyinge of the vncleane beastes That Iesus graunted them without any stycking who cared not for the safegard and preseruacion of swyne but of men teaching vs hereby that for to saue euen but one man we ought not to passe vpon the losse of other worldly thynges be it neuer so greate The Legion of the vncleane spirites forsoke the man who remayned to be purified with the spirite of Christe and went into the heard of swyne whiche were forthwith caryed headlong with greate violence doune the stepe hill into the lake or sea and there drowned The swyne were almoste twoe thousande in number Lette menne beware that they bee not founde like vnto swyne For into suche soules the diuels are ryght glad to enter Nowe the swyneheardes after they had sene this wonderfull facte dyd not helpe theyr swyne but fled awaye for feare into the nexte citie and into the countrey there aboute and shewed euery body what they had sene That good shepehearde helpethe hys flocke being in ieopardye But when the pastoures or shepeheardes are themselues as bad as theyr naughty flocke that is paste all grace and goodnes then both the flocke goeth to wrecke and vtterly perishethe and the shepeheardes do nothyng els but flye awaye for feare Assone as this thynge was noysed abrode the people came runnyng thicke and threfolde oute of the toune and countrey desyrous to see with theyr iyes what they had hearde before with theyr eares For all semed vnto them incredible that the swyneheardes had tolde them Wherfore they came themselues vnto Iesu and sawe the manne whome they all knewe before vexed with a spirite of exceding cruelnes and wont by reason of his great fury and madnes to braste al his chaynes and fetters in pieces to rent and teare a soundre his clothes to beate hymselfe with stones violentlye to assaulte those that passed by and to make all the places there aboute to ryng with his furious crying and roring sawe him I say then sit quietly at Iesus feete both clothed and in his right mynde Nowe they whiche were presente and sawe what was doue recounted to suche as came thyther the whole history of all that befel euen from the beginning both howe the Legion of diuels was caste out of the man and also how the hogges were drowned in the water Wherfore when they the mattier now diligently examined and tried out were throughlye persuaded that all was of truthe which had bene tolde them of the swyne heardes then were they afraied and beganne to desyre Iesu to departe out of theyr quarters This wicked and grosse nacion knew not Iesu throughly They perceyued his power but they marked not his goodnes manifestlye declared in that he restored this man to his ryght mynde and they were a greate deale more moued in theyr myndes for the losse of theyr swyne then glad of the mannes health and recouery They feared their Oxen theyr Asses and theyr hogges and toke great care for the bely and none at al for the soule And yet for al that it is a certayne begynnyng of saluacion sum what to stande in dreade of Gods power And when he was come into the shyp he that had the deuyll prayed hym that he might be with hym howbeit Iesus would not suffer him but sayde vnto hym go to thyne owne howse and to thy frendes and shewe them how greate thynges the lorde hathe done for the and how he hath compassion on the. And he departed and beganne to publishe in the .x. Cyties howe great thynges Iesus had done for him and all men dyd meruayle The Lorde teachyng vs by dede that the roses of Goddes worde and the gospell oughte not in anye wyse to be caste vnto hogges reculed vnto the water syde and toke shyppe In the meane whyle the felowe whyche was deliuered from the deuil perceiuing the authour of his health to departe beganne to desyre hym that he might be one of his trayne The Lordes pleasure was that he shoulde rather be a publisher of his mercie and goodnes then one that should accompany him in his iourneys because it was expediente for the soule health of many that he should so be Get the hence rather ê™ he vnto thy house and to thy kynsfolkes and acquayntaunce and shewe them howe muche god hathe done for the and howe he toke compassion vpon the when all manne pitied the but yet demed the paste all remedye That countreye conteyned in it ten cities and therfore was called in the Greke language Decapolis The man obeying the commaundemente of Iesu departed and tolde in all those cities bothe what case he was once in and in what case he was nowe made againe throughe the benefite of Iesus Euery man beleued that his wordes were true by reason very many of the same countrey knewe hym before and also because he shewed by his outwarde behauiour that he was by the power of Iesu perfitely restored vnto his ryght minde He was not ashamed to speake of his olde calamities whyles he wente aboute to set furth Gods glory Heare these thinges thou wurshypper of Idols thou whoremonger thou dyser thou ryotous folowe thou waster thou ertorcioner thou robber thou house burner thou warryer thou poysoner thou murtherer dispayre not onlye runne vnto Iesus Consider not the multitude greuousnes of thine offences only regarde that Iesus is he that came to saue all men and is able to dooe all thynges with a becke When the legion of deuiles hathe forsaken the when thou arte restored to thy ryght mynde againe then blase especially amonge thy frendes and acquaintaunce the great mercy of God towardes the. Be not ashamed to confesse thy former lyfe For this also shall make greately for the aduauÌ„cyng and settyng furth of the mercy of Iesu if it be knowen to as many as maye be possible howe abhominably thou lyâ—eddest before Knowledge and confesse what thou haste bene And where as thou arte nowe sodainly chaunged and become another manne ascribe it not
enioyned that euery seuenth yere it should bee rested from tillyng of the yearth ▪ neyther any thyng to bee requyred of thesame sauyng what it woulde bryng forth of it owne selfe He gaue ferthermore a tradicion of a yere called the restorer of the fyrste state of libertie vnto whiche of the propertie of the thyng was geuen the name of Iubilee emong the Hebrewes This yere of Iubilee came about in course agayne after vii tymes seuen yeares and was euermore the fyftieth for seuen tymes seuen maketh x.ix And this yere of Iubilee was moste hertely to bee wished for of all the Israelites that eyther with bonde seruice or els with debte were any thyng oppressed But like as the sabboth of Moses refreshed mennes bodies onely with beeyng at reste and quiete so did the seuēth yere onely prouide for the resting of the yearth from tillage But nowe there is shewed vnto your knowelage a perpetuall sabboth neuer to bee interrupted or broken in whiche the mynde and soule beyng free vacant from all troublous vnquietnesse of eiuil desyres ought wholly to attēde to the quiet applying and exercise of heauenly thynges and not now with pensife earefulnesse to prouide altogether for yearthly thynges forasmuche as to them that loue God no manier thyng at all is wantyng Yea and moreouer the Iubilee of Moses did not helpe any others but onely the Israelites it gaue neither free deliueraunce ne yet full deliueraunce yea and thatsame veray thyng whiche it did geue extēded no ferther then to the bodye and enduted but for a shorte tyme. But this yeare of the Lorde dooeth vnto all persones whosoeuer are endebted to the deuill through synne whosoeuer bee as bonde seruauntes subiecte to euill spirites whosoeuer through ignoraunce of the trueth are blynde whosoeuer bee in all kyndes of naughtinesse so farre paste that they are vnhable to euery good worke vnto all suche dooeth this Iubilee of the Lorde bryng perfecte free remissiō deliueraunce or libertie sight health and complete perfeccion in euery behalfe So muche the more therfore ought ye with prompt zeles and endeuoures to enbrace that is offered For the thyng that ye haue hearde promised by the prophecie ye maye now if ye wyl in the dede selfe fynde to be true Ye haue hearde it with your eares but ye haue nede of readie and desyrefull hertes yf ye wyll bee apte to receyue so great a blissefulnesse It is euen the highest thing that possibly maye bee wherof this free offre is made vnto you But woe vnto them that shall despyse the bountifull gracious goodnesse of God so wyllingly offreing it selfe vnto them It is the yeare of Iubilee freelye offreyng deliueraunce and saluacion vnto all suche as with mekenes of submission and with readinesse of beleuyng shewe theimselfe wylling to bee taught and apte to receyue healing But after this yeare of Iubilee must succede and folowe the yeare of retribuciō and redresse which shal adiudge and ministre euerlastyng peynes in hell vnto all suche as shall haue refused the goodnesse of God By these woordes dyd the Lorde Iesus in an humble and sobre manier signifie hymselfe to bee thesame man of whom the Prophecie of Esaie did make promysse whereas the mooste parte belieued the sayed place of the Prophete not to concerne Messias but to concerne Esaie hymselfe For whan Iesus was in baptisyng the holye ghoste slydyng downe from heauen in the visible likenesse of a doue and lighting vpō his heade did all the people to wete that thissame was euen veraye he whome the prophecie had ment of Enoyntyng betokeneth a certayne mylde and ientill still thyng For there is nothyng more ientill supple or caulme then oile wherof was euen that name Messias geuen him which is in Greke Christon in Latine Vnctum in Englyshe the enoynted For as for the preachyng of Iohn it was sharpe and soure and full of threatyng but Christe did with mildenesse with courteous familiaritie and with beneficial good turnes continually moue and praye the people to receyue saluacion Whan Iesus dyd with moste highe auctoritie and no lesse myldenesse speake and treate of the premisses many had him in great estimacion therfore and merueyled at his talke beyng veray ferre vnlyke to the talke of the Pharisees that is to wete caulme mylde and meke amiable poudred with muche grace hauyng in it no spice of haultnes or pryde no poynte of soure looke or presumpteous takyng vpon hym and yet neuerthelesse of suche sorte that it conteyned in it condigne auctoritie For the woordes of the Pharisees because they issued foorth from an hearte corrupted with ambicion with auarice with enuie and with many other naughtye affeccions did moste tymes smacke of the spryng that they gushed out of But the wordes whiche proceded from the mouthe of Iesus because they welled foorth from a brest replenished with the heauenly spirite of God were not onely amiable and swete vnto all good folkes but also piththy and effectuall towarde saluacion Yet neuerthelesse some there were emong these Nazareans in whose myndes and opinions the meanesse of Iesus kynred and familie that he came of to the outwarde acceptacion of the worlde made the auctoritie of the heauenlye doctrine to bee the lesse regarded For in consideracion that they euery one dyd yet all this while beleue hym to bee the sonne of Ioseph and Marie and that the slender habilitie and substaunce aswell of Ioseph and Marie bothe as also of theyr aliaunce and kynsfolkes was not vnknowen in consideracion also that they hadde seen hym many yeares euen from his chyldehood to had learned at noue other schoole sauyng onelye his fathers occupacion of carpentrie ne at any tyme to had haunted the schooles of the Pharisees and of the experte lawiers who taughte the misteries of the holye scripture bookes with muche highe solemnitie and haultenesse of countinaunce they did muche meruayle where and how he had soodaynly gotten so great vertue and power whiche he had to fore shewed foorth in other cities by diuerse and soondrye myracles they mused where he had gotten that same wondrefull knowlage of diuinitie bookes they wondred where he had gotten so great eloquence to speake after that sorte with auctoritie For they did not yet vnderstād of how muche more power and effecte the enoyntyng of the spirite of God is then the doctrine of the Phariseis Estemyng hym therefore by the thynges whiche they knew in him after the fleshe they sayed Is not this same felowe the sonne of Ioseph the carpenter for they knewe not the heauenly father who than wrought by his soonne And because that Iesus wrought ferre fewer miracles in the citie of Nazareth then he shewed in other cities certayne of his kynsfolkes beeyng halfe in a fume and indignacion therewith detracted and reproued hym as thoughe that eyther he had not his power ready to serue hym euery where or els that he oughed his owne kynsfolkes suche despite that he woulde shewe no myracles emong theim
Maiestie and a common peace and tranquillitie And truly Pilate made this searche and enquirie not that he did take it to be true but to get some matter of him that was accused wherwith he might reproue the Iewes of falsehood Howbeit though Iesus knew wel inough the Iewes to haue falsely appeached hym that he should be desirous of a kyngdome to the Emperours losse or in despite of his highnesse yet to the entent he myght open and disclose the malice of the Iewes and commende the reasonablenesse equitie muche better in Pilate then in the Byshops and Phariseis though he were but a Gentyle and set naught by the Iewes religion for this skill I saye Iesus made hym aunswere saying Whether thinkest thou of thine owne coÌ„iecture that I am desyrouse of a kingdome or haue the Iewes accused me herof to thee Pilate both to declare his owne innoceÌ„cie the malice of the Iewes too sayeth I doe not coÌ„iecture this of mine owne head neyther doe I see in thee any thyng agreable thereunto It is a Iewes tale of a king to come Thinkest thou me to be a Iewe Thy quarelling couÌ„trey folkes and the Byshops committed thee into my handes seking all the meanes they can to haue thee put to death but because it is not the fashion of Rome to putte any vncondemned person to death if therfore thou haste not traÌ„sgressed in the trayterous desire of a kingdom then what faute beside haste thou made Because Pilate asked him of these thynges simply and meaning good fayth entending to deliuer the innocente Iesus did vouchesafe to aunswere hym by a rydle prouerbially teaching that it was an other maner of kingdom wherof the Prophetes had spoken a farre more excellent kingdom then is the kingdom of this worlde whiche consisteth in mans lawes in the ayde of meÌ„ which haue no power but vpoÌ„ bodies Howbeit he signified this kingdom to be an heaueÌ„ly kingdom which could not couet the kingdom of the worlde but contemne it and should not harme it but auaunce it into a better kinde My kingdom sayth Christ is no suche kingdom as the Emperours is his kingdom is terrestriall but mine is celestial And for the cause am I affeccionate to nothing that can harme the Emperours maiestie If my kingdom were of this world the world should not handle me as it doth vnreuenged For euen I be ye sure should haue as other kynges hath a garde of harnessed men I should haue squiers for the body suche as should onely attende vpon myne owne persone I should haue plentie of well appoynted men and lacke no ayde or succoure that would fight for me that it should not be in the Iewes power to doe the thyng they goe about against me vnrequired At this presente I haue fewe disciples and those that I haue bee vnapte to warre weake and poore I my selfe beyng vnarmed and no wartyer euen one that seketh to the helpe of other because my kyngdome is not of this worlde ¶ Pilate therfore sayed vnto hym Arte thou a kyng then Iesus aunswered thou sayest that I am a king For this cause was I borne and for this cause came I into the world that I should beare witnes vnto the trueth And all that are of the trueth heare my voyce Pilate sayde vnto hym What thyng is trueth And when he had sayed this he wente oute agayne vnto the Iewes and sayeth vnto them I fynde in hym no cause at all ye haue a custome that I should delyuer you one looce at â—aster wyll ye that I looce vnto you the king of the Iewes Then cryed they all agayne saying Not hym but Barrabas the same Barrabas was a murtherer Forasmuche as Pylate beyng a laye man and a Gentile did not fully vnderstande this mistye and darke saying albeit he heard that Iesus dyd not vtterly renâ—unce and denye the name of a kyng but dyd put a difference of kingdomes Pilate therfore sayed vnto hym Is it then true that thou arte somewhere a kyng whatsoeuer kynde of kyngdome it be and thou not perteynyng to vs Here now Iesus beyng earnestly asked of the iudge whether he were any waye a kyng or naye confesseth the trueth with great temperaunce and modestye with muche sobrietie and good aduisemente aunsweryng thus Thou sayest I am a kyng for whosoeuer asketh a question with lyke numbre of wordes the pronunciacion onely chaunged affirmeth the thyng And Iesus sayed further It is not my parte to denye any trueth namely consyderyng that for this cause I was borne and came into the worlde that I should deceyue no maÌ„ with any lye but that I shoulde beare witnes vnto the trueth He that hath a simple meke mynde not blynded with the lustes and desires of this worlde acknowlegeth lyketh well and heareth my voyce But Pilate hauyng no further intelligence of that whiche was spoken then that he supposed the thyng to be no matter for hym to know and as yet Christe had made Pilate no apte aunswere therewith either to sette the Iewes at a quiet or to dispatche them thence after he had asked of Iesus what was that trueth wherof he spake and was come into the worlde to beare witnes therof Pilate I saye wente oute agayne vnto the Iewes not tarrying for an aunswere of the thing that he questioned of What nedeth many woordes sayeth Pilate I haue examined the man and can fynde no faulte in hym worthy death Nor I am not here president and chiefe iustice vnder the Emperour because I shoulde with my sentence condemne the innocente but in case he be noysome to you and that ye thynke him fautye which I fynde not yet it standeth with equitie and good indifferencie that if ye wyl not spare and forbeare hym as an innocent at leastwaye in the honor of this holy feast and for religion sake pardon hym his life as an offender And in dede it is here a custome amonges you that in this feast of Phase whiche is of you moste highly solemnised and kept moste holye of all feastes I should at your request pardon and set at libertie some one offender Therfore ye shall haue free eleccion to chose the one of twayne eyther Barrabas that arrant these and notable robber a disturber of the publique peace or this Iesus a man in my iudgement fautlesse whome some folke sayeth is the kyng of Iewes It were beste surely that this man yea though he haue doen amysse should fele and enioye the graciouse fauour and priuiledge of youre solemne feast Wyll ye therfore that I forgeue this persone for your sakes for of trueth the president did not looke for so great outragiousnes in the Iewes that they woulde preferre a felowe openly knoweÌ„ full of mischiefe and a valiaunt ranke thefe before Iesus a man moste meke and innocent But the Iewes with a whole consenâ— and with a great lowde voyce cryed all of them We will not haue Iesus geuen vs but Barrabas The .xix. Chapter Then Pylate toke
were borne All sortes therfore of people did greatly wondre therat reasoned how suche a thing might cum to passe that neuer the lyke had been hearde nor reade of Thus thei said beholde a straunge thing Are not al these that speake men of Galile howe than cummeth this aboute that we beeyng so many men of diuerse languages as ofte as we heare any of them speake do vnderstand hym as perfectly as if eche of vs hearde his owne cuntrey language where he was borne sens that this multitude of vs is gathered of so diuerse and sondrye regions there be of vs here Parthians Medes Elamites and suche also as doeth inhabite all abrode the coastes of Iewry and besydes that Capadocia Pontus and that cuntrey whiche peculiarly is called Asia Phrigia Pamphilia Egipte and those parties of Libia whiche reache to Ciren Yea and sum be here whose dwellyng is at Rome some of them Iewes borne and some Proselites that is to say suche as hath of their owne desyre professed the Iewishe religion Moreouer Cretes and Arabians All we that here be gathered of so many nacions of so sondry languages dooe heare and playnely vnderstaÌ„de them speakyng nothing of comen vsage or els thinges to the worldly man perteynyng but of high matters of weyghâ—y importaunce yea thinges conuenient mete for god After this maner reasoned as many as feared god wer abated in their courage at the strangenesse of the thing said what meaneth this wondre They found no fault with that thing whiche their reason could not attayne vnto as yâ— Phariseis were wont to do but they searched for diligently desired to learne yâ— whiche they perceyued not On the other parte suche as wer hedling nothing vpright in iudgement did say in scorne the meÌ„ be drunke with new wine these persons a man may call those phariseis disciples which reported of Iesus the deuil is within him And to saye alwayes the very trueth great dronkenes is not muche vnlike to fury for it chaunceth peraduenture that some in a fury shall speake diuerse wordes of sondyry languages which they neuer learned But no fury wil this vndertake that al meÌ„ shal vnderstaÌ„d that that thou doest speake But truly these wordes spake they for a mocke Albeit a man maye sometime tell the truth although he spake in a skoffyng wise For a suerty full wer they of the new wine which the lorde would not haue in any wyse put into olde bottels For the olde wine of Moyses lawe had lost his strength vertue when Christe was firste insured by mariage to his churche and the colde vnsauery sence of the lawe was turned by Christe into newe wyne Whatsoeuer is carnall â–ª is vnsauerye faynte in vertue all that spiritual is whatsoeuer it be is lyuely strengthfull and sauery Uery largely dyd they drynke of that celesticall cup whereof Dauid the wryter of psalmes speaketh howe excellent is my cup whiche maketh the drounke And yf it were lawfull to compare thynges together whiche are throughout all their kynde moste vnlyke thys vulgare and common drounkennesse doth engendre in maÌ„â—ower thynges chiefely it vttereth the secretes of the herte it causeth man to forget all his aduersitie that is past and maketh the minde to reioyce in continuall hope of prosperitie to come it enboldeth man to set nought yea by his owne life Last of all it maketh men whiche are of a rude barbarous tongue to bee well spoken men Nowe marke my sayinges whither that newe swete wyne whiche proceded of Goddes owne spirite â–ª engendre not suche a lyke thyng in thapostles for what they had hyd for feare durst not speake what they before had learned secretely and woulde not be acknowen that doe they nowe publishe accordyng to the lordes prophecie the same they preache vpon house toppes Their olde Iewish fashions they haue clene forgotten and lyke as infantes newly borne no more do they nowe remembre their life before past neither haue thei in mynde the troublous affliccions for feare whereof they had forsaken theyr maister And althoughe they were bare without all worldlye helpe and succoure yet they feared neyther gouernoures ne prynces presidentes ne kynges neyther counselles nor imprisonmentes no soondry tormentes no manier kynde of deathe enduryng lustie alwaye beyng of courage and cherefull throughe the promyses of Christes ghospell Fynally they whiche were before but poore fyshers and men vnlerned forthwith practised theyr celestiall eloquence in rebukyng the proude Phariseis confutyng the subtill and craftie Philosophers and in puttyng theloquent oratours to vttre scilence Nothyng there is of more perill or difficultie than to speake before a greate coumpanye whyche as it is lyke a monstreous beaste of soundrye headdes so it is moste of all tymes monstreous whan the multitude is collected of soondry languages and soondry nacions But Peter stepped forth with the eleuen and lyft vp his voice and sayd vnto theim Ye men of Iewry and all that dwel at Ierusalem be this knowen vnto you and with your eares heare ye my wordes For these men are not as ye suppose drouncken seeyng it is but the thirde houre of the day But this is that whiche was spoken by the prophet Iohelâ— And it shal be in the laste dayes sayeth god of my spirite I wyll power out vpon all â—leshe And your sonnes and your doughters shall prophecie and your young menne shall see visions and your olde menne shal dreame dreames And on my seruauntes and on my hande maydens I wyll power out of my spirite in those dayes and they shall prophecie And I wyl shew wonders in heauen aboue and tokens on the yearth beneath bloud and fyeâ— and the vapour of smoke The sonne shal be turned into darkenes and the mooue into bloud before that great and notable day of the Lorde come And it shal come to passe that whosoeuer shall call on the name of the lord shal be saued Now marke me here Symon Peter who sodaynly of a fysher was made an Orator The multitude stirred vp a clamorous rumour And as they dyd than the same lyke shall other dooe hereafter vnto the worldes ende Than was it the parte of a good shepeherd to step abrode valiauntlye amongest them not for that intent he shoulde by force appeare or make theym styll which murmured agaynst gods glory or els to rendre one check for an other but that he myght constauntly rather than fyercely put away by testimonies of holy scripture all false and craftye accusacion and stoutely defende the glorye of Christe Than Peter who had before rysenne vp in the parlour to see the noumbre of thapostles fulfylled nowe eftesoones stoode vp to the multitude of people of soondry nacions mengled together partely to enstruct theim that had sayde What meaneth this and partely to stoppe theyr monthes that had sayed these men be drounke wyth newe wyne Albeit it is not of necessitie requisite that a bishop should preache to the people alwayes
the name of Iesus yea as one that endeuoured hymselfe to expresse the vertuous steppes of thapostles But forasmuche as exceliente vertue procureth it selfe enuie lyke as dothe the sterne wynde draw to hym the white cloudes certayne rose vp againste Steuen of diuers felowshyppes of the whiche one was called Libertines another Cyrenites sum of Alexandria an other sorte of suche that came out of Cilicia and Asia For to these countreyes whiche were ioynyng vnto Siria aboue al other were the Iewes dispersed all these sortes as though they had be of one conspiracie arose together against Steuen dysputyng with him and yet coulde not all they although manye in numbre stand in reasoning against this one yong mans wisdome the liuely force of his courage for because the holy ghost whoÌ„ he was ful of spake in him Than sent they men whiche sayed we haue heard him speake blasphemous woordes against Moises against God and they moued the people and the elders the Scribes and came vpon him and caught him brought him to the councel brought forth false witnesse whiche sayed This man ceaseth not to speake blasphemous woordes againste this holy place and the law for we heard him saie this Iesus of Nazareth shal destroy this place and shal chaunge the ordinaunces whiche Moyses gaue vs. And all they that sate in the couÌ„cel loked stedfastly on him saw his face as it had ben the face of an angell Marke me here the maner and fashion of the wicked Whan they had caste of al trueth vnable to make theyr partie good in disputacion thei fell to practise of foregeyng lyes and beyng once put to the wurse by wisdome of the holye ghoste they gaue themselues wholy to the practyse of diuilyshe deceytes For they brought in certaine men with false witnes that saied thei heard Steuen spoâ—ke blasphemous wordes against Moyses against god And there was none offence among the Iewes that more deserued deathe than did blasphemy and more detested with the people Consider here good reader lyke inuencions againste the seruaunte as wer before practised againste the Maister They brought in false accusers bycause they would not be seen in theyr owne persons to reuenge the inwarde grief of their mindes whiche thei had conceiued for the blancke they wer put vnto beyng menne of themselues insufficient to cope with Steuen in disputacion An hainouse crime â—ought they out by their false ymaginacion against him and cloked theyr cankred malice with a pretensed loue to religion Than wer the people with the elders also Scribes by meanes of these false tale tellers whiche had been preuelye sent in sore moued against Steuen insomuche as all they with one assent together toke hym violently awaye and haled hym before the councell Here came they furth before them that wer the hyred recordes for to playe out their partes and to saye this man haue neuer done breaking out into blasphemouse woordes againste this place bothe holy and with all vs honorable and agaynste Moyses lawe that was delyuered vs of god For we hearde hym saye that Iesus of Nazareth woulde destroye this place and chaunge the ordinaunces that Moyses gaue vs. But this was Steuens reporte vpon relacion of the apostles howe Iesus had prophecied to them that the temple and citie lykewyse should be of theyr enemyes ouerthrowen euen from the foundacion for the peoples infidelitie This rehersall of Steuen craftely they wrested to a false and sâ—launderouse accusacion A man myght well affirme these to bee thesame persones the accused Iesus reportyng thus of his woordes we hearde hym saiynge I wyll destroye this temple and sette vp an other in thre dayes But Steuen at this sharpe and cruel accusacion was nothing moued in his mynde for he was cleare in his conscience insomuch that he from the botome of his herte appeared in his very countenaunce to be innocent For the minde that knoweth euel by it self is neuer out of feare This his stedfastnes in couÌ„tenaunce put his accusers soone to rebuke for theyr shameles falshood For those that sate there in counsayle beholdynge hym and markyng well howe boldelye he toke the offence that was layed to his charge same hym so lytle discouraged at the matter or dismayde that his face seemed to vtter by countenaunce sum thynge aboue mannes excellencie and a certayne chearfulnes withall and maiestie besemyng for an Aungell to haue The .vii. Chapter ¶ Than sayed the chief priest is it euen so And he saied ye meÌ„ brethren fathers herken The god of glory appeared vnto our father Abraham whaÌ„ he was in Mesopotamia before he dwelt in â—harran saied vnto him Get the out of thy countrey and from thy kinâ—ed cum into the lande which I shal shewe the. Than came he out of the lande of Chalde and dwelt in Charran And froÌ„ thence whaÌ„ his father was dead he brought him into this lande in which ye nowe dwel and he gaue him none inheritauÌ„ce in it no not the bredeth of a foote And promysed that he would geue it to hym possesse to his feede after hym when as yet he had no childe THan demauÌ„ded the high prieste of the accused person to thintent he might frame his senteÌ„ce in iudgement towardes him after forme of lawe as he did before in condemning Christe this questioÌ„ whether he had ought to answer to those thiÌ„ges whether he would acknowledge the offence that was brought againste him Than Steuen beyng inspyred with the holye ghoste beganne in this wise to make answere to the playnte profoundly with a rehersall made euen from the beginning Honorable audience all that here be presente eyther brethren by trade of our cuntrey religion either els by reason of auncientnes and authoritie fathers geue eare to me in my defeÌ„ce of innocencie as ye haue done to mine accusers paciently I haue neyther vsed to speake contumeliously against god neither against Moyses nor against the temple but my endeuoure hath been not disagreynge here from Moyses to aduaunce goddes glory and that spirituall temple am I a buyldyng like as god commaunded me wherin god that is the very spirite is best pleased It is no blasphemy for a man to set furth that thing to the vttermost of his power whiche Moyses shadowed in figures whiche the prophetes being inspired with goddes holy spirite hath before spoken of whiche the sonne of god the was sent downe to earth for the same purpose hath both begonne and put his owne in credite withall to finyshe which the holy ghoste now perfourmeth for all peoples saluacioÌ„ through them that beleue the gospel But to striue so obstinately against the will of god beyng so well knowen and so bounteous towarde al men is naught els then to hate god is none other thing than to blaspheme god Whiche obstinate maner this nacion hath not of late daies begonne but what they haue begonne longe agoe to do now they neuer ceasse to continewe so that nowe we