depende of his lordes onely ayde and succour Now therefore after that Iesus had been all the nighte long till the mornyng early in examinacion before Caiphas nor no faulte coulde be founde in hym wherefore he oughte to be called for and to bee arrained vpon lyfe and death they haue him out of bishop Caiphas house and leade hym to Pilate the lorde presidente to thentente they might charge hym and discharge themselues of the hatred that they should be in for sheading of innocent bloude And euen being bounde as he stoode Iesus was led by the hyred souldiers into the presidentes iudgemente hall Howbeit the Iewes themselues went not into the house of iudgement leste they shoulde be polluted in asmuche as the paschall lambe muste be eaten of them to the eatyng wherof they woulde go pure and cleane but of a naughtie peruerse religion be ye sure consideryng that they thoughte themselues to be contaminate and suspended with the harmelesse house of the president because he was a GeÌ„tile and no Iewe when as themselues by many craftes went about and deuised a mans death that had doen nothing amisse yea that had many waies doen well and deserued muche good at theyr handes Pylate then went out vnto them and sayed what accusacion bryng ye against this maÌ„ They aunswered and sayed vnto hym If he were not an euill doer we woulde not haue deliuered hym vnto thee Then sayed Pilate vnto them Take ye hym and iudge hym after your owne lawe The Iewes therfore sayed vnto hym It is not lawfull for vs to purie any man to death that the wordes of Iesus might be fulfilled whiche he spake signifying what death be should dye Therfore Pilate after he sawe the vncouth and that newe maner of iudgement as a man to be in captiuitie and boundeÌ„ ere he were examined and hearde of the iudge and to see a band of harnessed men he commeth forth abrode hymself to be polluted with suche mens communicacion as thought theÌ„selues pure and vnpolluted And verily he came out to appease assuage yf it were possible the furye of the Iewes and so to quite the innocente Ye sende sayeth he this manne vnto me to be putte to death But it is not the maner of Rome to put any man to execucion except hym that is proued giltie of a faulte worthy death What crime therfore do ye laye to this mannes charge The Iewes aunswered the autoritie of Byshops and Phariseis is inough for your discharge If this man were not a malefactour we coulde not of our profession haue committed hym to your handes Pilate suspectyng as the trueth was them to haue some priuate grudge towardes hym about the supersticion and the superfâ—uous religion and vayne deuocion of the lawe sayeth vnto them If it be any matter that apperteyneth not to my counte and office as for exaumple if case the Sabboth day be broken if any swynes fleshe be eaten or percase some rashe liberall woordes hath been spoken against Moses the Prohetes the Temple or your God loe nowe if any suche scape haue been whiche your owne lawe commaunded to be punished though yet there be no suche thing prohibite by the lawe of Rome your selfes take the maÌ„ vnto you and iudge hym after your lawe I am sette here in the Emperours name to rule play the Iudge If he hath committed any faulte against the Emperours lawes worthy death bryng him to me and after he be conuicte by the lawe lawfully cast I shall cause him to be put to execucion But I will not intermedle perplexe my selfe in doubtfull matters of your lawe Uerily though the Iewes would they forced not howe haue had him made away yet for all that they pretende reliousnesse of very feare leste the iudge should forthwith haue punished theÌ„ because they would haue kylled an harmelesse and an vncondemned person But at thesame tyme they sought effectually a newe kynde of punishement for him such one as was then among the Iewes moste spytefull and opprobrious It is not say they lawefull for vs to put any man to death The shamelesse people spake these woordes whiche had slayne so many Prophetes flatteryng themselfes as cleane froÌ„ murder notwithstandyng they did so many wayes persecute an innocente to death or els they thus did as if the hangman which with his handes fasteneth the man to the crosse were a sole murderer They were in herte murderers they were murderers in theyr tongues with theyr money they hyred one trayterously to betray hym they hyred a sorte of warryers they hyred false witnesses they forged false haynouse crymes against him They prouoke prycke forwarde the iudge and with threatning make hym a fearde yet impute themselues pure fre from murder and also worthy to eate the Pascall Lambe for no cause els but that they dyd stay and refrayne themselues from goyng into the iudgement hall Well these thinges truely were doen to make it appeare euidente that there is nothyng wurse or more haynouse then false and peruerse religion and that the same thyng also should be brought to effecte which Iesus sayed should come to passe signifying by a parable what death he shoulde dye whan he spake these woordes At suche tyme as I shall be lyfte vp on hye from the grounde I shall drawe all thynges vnto me by the force of which woordes he would that we should take it for a certaintie that not only the selfe death was determinately limited vnto him but also a choice and seuerall kynde of death Then Pilate entred into the iudgement hall againe and called Iesus and sayed vnto him Art thou the king of Iewes Iesus answered sayest thou that of thy selfe or did other tell it thee of me Pilate answered Am I a Iew Thine owne nacion hye priestes hath deliuered thee vnto me What hast thou doen Iesus answered My kingdome is not of this worlde If my kyngdome were of this worlde then would my ministers surely fight that I should not be deliuered vnto the Iewes but nowe is my kyngdome not from hence Wherfore then after that Pilate vnderstanding by the woordes which the Iewes had spoken of a matter I knowe not what amonges other thinges to be obiecte against Iesus concerning a kingdome that he should goe about desirously and yet there appeared no likelyhood at all in Iesus that shoulde cause any manne to thynke hym fauty therein Pilate I saye after this went once againe into the iudgement halle and lefte the people standyng without And so called for Iesus secretly asyde that quietly and without all ruffle he might boult out and gather of hym which in countenaunce appeared no lesse then both vertuouse and wise what the matter was and saied vnto him Art thou that king of the Iewes whom they are reported to looke for This one thyng did Pilate diligently searche out because the other matters touched not the weale publique but this faulâ—e to call himselfe a kyng semed to concerue both the Emperours
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
playnly seen and perceyued of the people shewed vnto them out of the IudgemeÌ„t place the accused person to thentente that euen by the sight of hym and his facion it myght appeare howe vnconueniently the cryme of any cruel autoritie that he should be desirouse of for his priuate commoditie was layed against him who beyng so vexed troubled shewed such great quietnes of minde so great mildnes Pilate I saye shewed them this person and sayed Beholde your kyng But the Iewes whiche thirsted for nothing els but innocent bloud cryed away with hym away with hym Crucifie hym The infamous and reprochefull death pleased well the Iewes trusting it would come to passe that the shame and reproche of the crosse would make the name of Iesus odious and detestable and that there should no manne come after whiche should professe his name beyng in suche wyse made awaye Pilate deriding their obstinate madnesse sayeth what ê™he shall I doe so great a vilanie vnto your kyng as to nayle hym vnto the Crosse This dishonor shal redound to the shame slaunder of all the people whiche haue brought theyr king to the crosse This voyce of Pilate although it dyd Iesus no good yet it disclosed the malice of the Iewes and forced them to confesse openly to knowledge a seruitude which they hated The Iewes had desyred and looked for many hundred yeares their Messias that is to were a kyng promised of the Prophetes As for the Emperours kyngdome wherwith they were sore pressed and ouerlayed they had spitefully hated yet that not with standing being through enuy and hatred waxed wylde and euen woode they renounce openly in the face of the worlde theyr Messias and acknowlege the Emperour for theyr soueraygne Lorde We haue saye they no kyng but the Emperour The luste to reueÌ„ge was so great that vnconstrayned they adiudged themselues to perpetuall bondage that they might therby vtterly extinguish Iesus the autor of libertie Pilate therfore seyng all that he went aboute disapoynted committed Iesus vnto them to be crucified at theyr ordre and libertie And they tooke Iesus and led hym awaye and he bare his crosse and wente furth into a place whiche is called the place of dead mennes sculles but in Hebrue Golgotha where they crucified him and two other with hym on euery syde one and Iesus in the myddes And Pilate wrote a tytle and put it on the crosse The wrytyng was Iesus of Nazareth kyng of the Iewes This tytle read many of the Iewes for the place where Iesus was crucified was nyâ— to the citie and it was written in Hebrue and Greke and Latyne Then sayed the hye priestes and Iewes vnto Pilate wryte not kyng of the Iewes but that he sayed I am kyng of the Iewes Pilate aunswered What I haue wrytten that haue I wrytten The Iewes tooke the deliuerye of Iesus beyng brought out of the place of iudgement and led him to the place of execucion which was without the citie that the place might also aunswer to the figure For the sacrifice wherwith the testameÌ„t was consecrate was offered without the host Iesus weÌ„t thither hauyng yet his garmentes on to th entent he might be the more shame to them that fauoured hym and he goeth full mekely bearynge his crosse hymselfe For The Iewes prouided that leste there shoulde lacke any despyte or reproche Furthermore a vyle and a diffamed place was also chosen and appoynted wherein the maner was to put wyked malefactours to execucion a place perdye detestable and violated with dead bodyes whose bones laye scatered here and there all abrode euen a place that shewed it selfe to what purpose it was dedicate and of the thyng it had the common name geuen it For in the Hebrue toung it was called Golgatha in the Greke toung Cranii topos in the Latyn toung Caluarie socus in Englyshe a place of dead mens sculles and leste he shoulde not be putte to shame ynoughe the Iewes procured this also that other two whiche were openly knowen to be wycked theues shoulde be crucified with Iesus together to thenteÌ„te that of the felowshippe of them that were for Poffenders he might lykewyse be thought and taken for an offender and lyke as they had all one commune punyshemente so to seme to haue all one commune faulte But to thentente it might vtterly appere that he was a companyon of theyrs the Iewes dyd so ordre and place the crosses that Iesus honge in the myddes hauyng a thefe hangyng on eyther hand of hym howebeit the fountayne of all purenes coulde not be polluted with any fylthynes of manne yea the fountaine of all glorie is magnified and renoumed with mens reproche The crosse being afore odyouse and a thyng of reproche was made by hym a triumphant signe wherunto the worlde boweth downe the heade which aungels do wurshyppe and deuyls feare it Iesus being then condemned founde one whome of a thefe he made a citizen of paradyse so muche vnlykelyhoode was it that the felowship of punishement shoulde defile hym And verely leste there shoulde wante any kynde or apparaunce of iuste and condigne punishmente euery one had as the manner was his title and stile geuen vnto hym which did describe and declare both the person and the fault Now then when Pilate had geuen to the other their titles according to their deseruing he commaunded that to the crosse of Iesus the Lorde shoulde bee fastened this tiâ—le and superscripcion Iesus of Nazareth the king of the Iewes euen for this cause truely that by the very selfe inscripcion he mighte cause bothe the malyce of the Iewes and the innocencie of hym that was crucified to be recorded howbeit this title was not conuenient for him in respect of the Iewes accusacion and yet according to that whiche himselfe confessed to the presydent it was a title moste seming for hym For truely Iudeus doeth signifie to the Hebrues confessing And doubtles he was and is in very dede a kyng and a setter of all them at libertie whiche professeth his name vnto whome he geueth felowship of the kyngdome of heauen And to bryng the Bishoppes and the Phariseis into more hatred thereby Pilate prouided this title to bee writeÌ„ in thre sundry languages in Hebrue in Greke and in Latine whereof the first was their owne countrey speache and the other two tounges by reason of the great occupying that they had with the Grekes and the Romaines was so brought in among them that some Iewes also knewe the Greke and the Latine toung Therfore it was prouided by the president that no man neither resiaunt there and thesame countreyman nor straunger and resorter thyther shoulde be ignoraunt of the title This title thus wrytten being odiouse vnto the Phariseis by reason that the place was muche haunted and greate was the resorte and confluence there because that Golgatha the mounte of caluery was nyghe vnto the citie and layefull in theyr syght that by casualtie passed by that waye many Iewes therefore
he deliteth not greatlye in suche sightes that seketh after thinges of perfeccion and thynges farre a sondre from the affeccions of the common sorte ¶ The .v. Chapter And whan he sawe the multitude he went vp into a mountayne and behan he was sette hys discyples came to hym And after that he had opened his mouthe he taught them saiyng blessed are the poore in spirite for theyrs is the kyngdome of heauen THerefore Iesus seeyng the people flockyng aboute hym more and more and that of all sortes he conueyeth himself from the lowe place whither euery man myghte haue accesse and goeth vp vnto the hyll and beganne nowe to preache and teache the heaueÌ„ly Philosophy declaryng by the highnes of the place that he woulde shewe furthe and teache no common nor meane thyng but all hygh and heauenly thynges folowyng also the exaumple of Moyses who publyshing the lawe vnto the people as we reade wente vp to the hill His disciples whome he had chosen specially vnto hym folowed hym goynge vp in suche wyse yet that the common people were not lette to folowe hym if any had so muche desyre and strength Therfore Iesus whan he came to the top of the hyll sate downe not as beeyng weary but purposyng to teache serious and weyghtye thynges whiche required a diligent hearer Whan his disciples perceyued that they compassed him nere aboute that none of his holye doctryne shoulde escape them Iesus therfore entryng and begynnyng hys godlye and holsome Philosophye not oute of a tower or tabernacle with a golden seate suche an one as Iarcas the greate Philosopher of India had beyng garnysshed with precious stones not out of the proude pulpet of the Philosophers not out of the arrogant chayre of the Phariseis but oute of a seate of grasse he casteth his iyes not vpon the commen people but vpon his disciples and openyng hys holye mouthe he began to shewe furthe the lessons of the gospell whiche hytherto had not been heard and whiche bee farre from the opinion of all men that appeared to the very wyse vnto the worlde All men promyse blessednes whyche take vpon them to be teachers of wysdome All menne of what estate or condicion soeuer they bee desyre blessednes But muche controuersye hath been emong Philosopâ—â—rs and muche errour in the lyfe of men â–ª in what thynges the felicitie of man doth consiste And forasmuche as this is the marke and foundacion of all wisdome Iesus fyrste doth open and set furthe straunge sentences but yet very true And therefore throughe myracles he obtayned credite to bee geuen to hys saiyng thoughe it semed sumwhat incredible soe that they that founde his power to bee effectual in healyng of diseases of the bodye myght truste also his doctryne to bee true whereby he healed the diseases of the mynde Yet fewe disciples there were that did both heare and enbrace this blessednes Let all men heare for he spake to all and all shall bee made blessed and happy Of false opinions spryng all synnes in liuyng Therfore aboue al thinges we muste endeuour to plucke them awaye And for because that fiercenesse and arrogancie is the moste daungerouse disease of the mynde whiche suffereth not manne to receiue the true doctryne yea it is the verye fountayne from whence in manier spryng all deadly offences Iesus fyrste of all healeth this saiyng Blessed bee the poore in spirite for theyrs is the kyngdome of heauen whose eares coulde haue abiden so incredyble a saiyng but after so manye testimonies of Iohn of the father and of the doue and finally vnlesse hys authoritye had been set furth and credite obteyned through euident signes and myracles Manye be made vile abiect and humble and be broughte in discourage of themselues by the reason of pouertye of basenes of byrthe of lowenesse of estate or of aduersitye Truely these bee nere to the blessednes of the ghospell yf they folowe with theyr harte as they be called by their state But thys humilitie of spirite resteth in the inwarde affeccion not in outwarde thynges But howe shal he haue a kyngdome whiche taketh nothyng vpon hym whiche geueth place to all which is offended with hymselfe which thrusteth out no man whiche hurteth no man For he semeth more nye the seruitude of an asse than a kyngdome This kinde of men is trode vnder the feete euerye where is hurte and harmed withoute redresse liueth lyke an abiecte withoute regarde poore and comfortles But it is true that trueth sayeth To these only appertaynethe the kyngdome but it is the kyngdome of heauen Thinkest thou that these fierce and violente men doe reigne They bee verye slaues they bee vnder manye tyrannes they bee vexed with auarice angre hatred desyre of vengeauÌ„ce with â—eare with hope They vnnethes lyue muche lesse they reygne But he that is free from all these vexacions and troubles and betaketh hymselfe to innocencie and cleane lyfe puttyng hys truste in God lookyng for the rewarde of the worlde to cumme and is verye quiete and regardeth not the thynges of thys worlde but seketh after heauenlye thynges hath not he a goodlye kyngdome farre passyng the kyngdomes of worldlye kynges Neyther filthye luste nor auaryce nor hatred nor anger nor other worldlye infeccions of the mynde reigne ouer hym And armed with fayth so often as the case requireth he geueth commaundement to diseases and thei flee away the geueth commaundement vnto the waters and they be styl he geueth commaundemente to deuils and they departe So myghty is the kyngdome of the mynde whiche dystrustyng hymselfe putteth hys truste in God and distrustyng the succoure of man doethe depende wholye of heauen It is not the dyademe it is not the oyntmente it is not the garde that maketh a kyngdome But the other afore mencioned be the thynges that make a kyng in dede and bryng hym finally to the heauenly and euerlastyng kyngdome where there shall be no disobedience nor rebellion A worldly kyngdome is gotten by violence and defended by fiercenesse This kyngdome is gotten by modesty and sobernesse and defended and established by humilitie and mekenes The worlde iudgeth none meete to gouerne a kyngdome but suche as bee of notable spirite and of a stâ—ute courage But God auaunceth vnto hys kyngdome those chiefly whiche do moste humble themselues ¶ Blessed be they that are meke For they shall receyue the inherytaunce of the yearthe Iesus goeth on and ioyneth vnto this an other sentence as harde to be beleued and taken Blessed be the meke for they shall inherite the yearth And who bee the meke they that vse no man violently nor extremely and whan they haue any harme they be redy to forgeue the iniuryes done vnto them they also that had rather lese theyr thyng than to contende or striue for it and that regardâ— more concorde and quietnes of mynde than large possessions and suche as rather desyre quiet pouerty than troublesome ryches But this kynde of men is oftentymes set beside and put from theyr goodes and
sonne of man cummeth in hys glory and all hys holy angels with hym than shall be sit vpon the seate of hys glory and before hym shall be gathered all nacions And he shall separate one from another as the sheperde doeth seperate the shepe from the goates and shall set the shepe on the ryght hande but the goates on the lefte hande The whyche thyng he dyd also farre more manifestly and clerely in his last narracion where he layeth before theyr lyes bothe the maiestye of his cummyng and the separacion of the good from the yll whyche nowe lyue in the churche mixte together and also the dyuerse desertes and rewardes of bothe partes shortly he setteth before theyr iyes the whole maner of the latter iudgemente knowyng and consyderyng that the day of his deathe was nowe at hande to the intente his disciples being instructed with so many lessoÌ„s should in no case discourage theyr hartes for the shamefull death of the crosse but should comforte and solace this present affliccion and shame with the consideracion of the felicitie and glory to cum And also that thei should not go aâ—out or withe any vengeaunce to the yll and wicked men forasmuche as they knew that according to theyr desertes in that iudgemente they shoulde bee punished eternally When the sonne of man ê™ he whome ye shall see shortely most low and abiect shall cum in his maiestie the companies of al angels gardyng him than he shall sit as iudge ouer all in the seate of hys maiestie and al the nacions of the whole worlde shal be called before hym For no man be he high or low can escape that iudgemente Thys shal be done not by mans coniectures but by the exact iudgemente of god vnto whose iyes all thynges be open And first he shall seperate the good from the yll lyke as the sheperde when he numbreth hys flocke dothe shed the shepe from the goates And he shall sette the shepe that is the innocentes and well doers on the ryght hand and he shall set the goates that is the hurteful and yll doers on the lefte hand And so the whole number of men deuided into two rayes or sortes as a iust iudge he wil shewe vnto bothe a iuste cause of his iudgemente that the good maie know by what well doynges they haue attained vnto so great felicitie and the yll may heare with what offences they haue deserued euerlastyng punishemente Then the kyng shall saye vnto those that be on hys ryght hand Cum ye blessed of my father possesse ye the kyngdome prepared for you from the begynnyng of the worlde for I was an hungred and ye gaue me meate I was athyrste and ye gaue me drinke I was harbouâ—lesse and ye toke me in I was naked and ye clothed me I was sicke and ye visited me I was in prison ye came to me Than the iuste shall answere saiyng Lorde when dyd we see the hungry and fed thee or athyrst and gaue the drynke And whan did we see thee harbouâ—lesse and tooke thee in or naked and clothed thee or whan dyd we see thee sycke or in prison and came vnto thee And the kyng answeryng shal saye vnto them verely I saye vnto you in asmuche as ye haue done it vnto one of the leaste of these my brethren ye haue done it to me And salutyng the sorte on the ryght hande with a mylde and a merye chere shall saye Cum my frendes whome the worlde tooke for vyle and execrable but whom my father taketh for honourable and prayse worthye Now for the illes and displeasures whych ye haue suffered for my sake take the inheritauÌ„ce of the heauenly kyngdome whiche by the diuine prouision and counsell was prepared for you of God the foreknower of all thynges before the world was made With this so great rewarde it is thought good to recompence the workes of your greate loue towarde me leste ye myght thynke that they were lost For in tymes paste when I was hungrye ye gaue me meate whan I was thyrsty ye gaue me drynke whan I was a straunger and nedye of harboure ye toke me into your houles whan I was naked ye couered me whan I was sycke ye dyd visite me whan I was in prison ye came to comforte me ye gaue me youres suche as they were nowe I on the othersyde do communicate and geue vnto you my whole kyngdome whiche is common to me and my father Whan these thynges shal be hearde of the iust menne whiche doethe so vse the workes of charitie that in maner they knowe not that they haue dooen them they shall aunswere hym saiyng Lorde when sawe we thee hungrye and fed thee thrysty and gaue thee drynke Whan saw we thee a straunger brought the into our house or whan dyd we couer the beyng naked Whan dyd we visite thee beyng sicke Whan dyd we cum vnto thee beyng in prison Than the kyng shall saye openly that he would it to be accounted doen to hym what soeuer is geuen to any one of them whome the worlde despiseth for theyr pouertye and lownes yet he despyseth them not insomuch that he did vouchsafe to honour them with the name of brethren Certaynely shall he saye I saye vnto you althoughe I haue no nede of mans helpe whiche am lorde ouer all yet whereas ye haue doen these thynges for my sake to anye of these my poore litle brethren ye haue doen them to me ¶ Than shall he saye to those that shal be on the lefte hand Depart from me ye cursed into tyeâ— euerlastyng whyche is prepared for the deuill and hys angels For I haue hungered and ye haue not geuen me meate I haue thyrsted and ye haue not geuen me drynke I haue bene harbourlesse and ye haue not taken me in I haue been naked and he haue not clothed me I haue bene sicke and in prison and ye haue noâ— visited me Than shal theâ— also answere to hym and saye Lorde when did we see thee hungrye or thirsty or harbouâ—les or naked or sycke or in prison and did not minister vnto thee Than shall he answere vnto them saiyng verely I saye vnto you in as muche as ye did if not to one of the least of these ye dyd it not to me And they shal go into euerlastyng punishement but the iust into life euerlastyng Than with an horrible loke turnyng to them that shall stande on the lefte hand he shall geue a terrible sentence Goe awaye from me ye whome the worlde flattered and praysed but exectable and cursed of my father and me go into the fyer that neuer shall bee quenched whiche was prepared from the begynnyng of the worlde for the deuill and his angelles vnto whom ye hadde rather sticke then vnto me For whan I was hungrye ye gaue me not meate whan I was thyrsty ye gaue me not drynke I wandred and lacked harbour ye toke me not in I was naked ye couered me not I was sicke and in prison and ye did
it For he taught his disciples sayed vnto them the sonne of man shal be deliuered into the handes of men and they shal kil hym and after that he is kylled he shal arise agayne the thyrd daye But they wyst not what he sayed and were afâ—ayed to aske him And he came to Capernaum â–ª And when he was cum into the house he asked them what was it that ye disputed among youre selues by the waye And they held theyr peace For by the waye they had reasoned amonges themselues who shoulde be the chiefest And when he was set downe he called the twelue to hym and sayed vnto them yf any desire to be firste the same shal be laste of all and seruaunt to all And he toke a chylde and set him in the myddes of them And when he had taken hym in his armes he sayed vnto them whosoeuer receiueth any suche chylde in my name receiueth me And whosâ—euer receiueth me receiueth not me but him that sâ—ut me These thinges doen in maner before rehearsed Iesus beyng accompaignied with his disciples began to take his iourney to Iewrywarde who pryuily and as it were by stealth passed through the countreye of Galile not because he feared death whiche in dede he moste feruentlye desyred but lefte he should haue semed to prouoke the priestes and Phariseis to coÌ„spyre his death before the tyme appointed This outwarde apperaunce of feare shewed he because he would cleane delyuer his disciples from all feare and also declare the weakenesse and frayltie of the nature whiche he had taken vpon hym As he went by the waye he repeted vnto them thesame thing whyche they had diuerse tymes hearde hym speake of before For he sayed as foloweth That must nedes cum to passe whiche I haue so oft tymes told you the sonne of man shal be delyuered into the handes of men to be taken condemned mocked scourged and slayne â–ª You must make your selues readye in mynde against the cumming of these thinges whiche vndoubtedly be at hande But it is vnpossible for any of you so to doe vnlesse thesame be free from all worldly affeccions and be also stablished with the strength of the spirite I knowe that the mingyng of death troubleth you very sore But you must be of good comforte and take mennes hartes vnto you I wyll not long forsake you For I will be aliue agayne on the thirde daye The disciples were so dull and feble wytted that they vnderstoode not these wordes not withstandyng they were plainly spoken supposyng there had been sum darke mysterie in them because it came to theyr remembraunce how they had been sumtymes before deceiued with suche figuratiue manour of speakynges as when they were commaunded to beware of the Phariseis leuen Neither could they yet conceiue in mynde the misterye of the crosse nor gesse for what purpose he would be slayne yf he would soone after his death relyue agayne syth that he who canne relyue when hym luste can also yf it please hym not dye at all Therfore albeit they were greatly offended with these woordes yet durste they not aske hym any question feared with them sample of peter who to his displeasure questioned with the lord herein For they heard Christe say vnto hym Go after me Satan They yet sauoured of the worlde for goddes determinacion was to be reconciled to mankynde pardoned of all his offences thorowe fayth by the sacrifice of an vnspotted lambe The disciples dreamed vpon a certaine worldly kingdom and therfore as they trauayled by the waye they fell a reasoning among themselues who shoulde haue the premâ—â—nence and vpper hande in the kyngdome of God whiche they hoped should very shortly begyn They sawe a litle before howe the three disciples were preferred afore the reste in goynge vp to the Mountayne they sawe howe Peter had the preeminence when the keyes of the kyngdome of heauen were deliuered and yet sum of theym were his auncientes yea and besydes that kynne vnto the Lorde When they were cum to Capernaum the Lorde asked them aparte what was the matier whereupon they reasoned secretlye betwene themselues as they went by the way But they holding theyr peace and ashamed to make hym an aunswere for they knewe well that he being the authour of all modestie and humblenesse of mynde would disalowe this theyr ambiciousnesse Iesus because he woulde cleane wede oute of theyr myndes this moste damnable and naughtie affeccion sate him downe as one that woulde teache sum earneste mattier with authoritie and commaunded theym all twelue to cum vnto hym and then sayed If any of you desyre to be the fyrst or chief man in the kyngdom of heauen the same shal be laste and seruauÌ„t to all so far wyde is it that the kyngdome of heauen ought to be estemed after this worldly kyngdome And anon because he woulde the depelyeâ— fasten this doctrine in their myndes he called vnto hym a litle childe and sette hym in the myddes of them And when he had embraced hym signifying therby howe muche he defyed proude persons and loued suche as are humble and meke in spirite then sayd he vnto them Do you see this lytle babe what is more abiect and vile after the estimacion of the worlde yet they that are suche in humblenesse of minde simplicitie and godly lyuing as this is in age those doe I set moste store by For reason wyl that I loue them best whiche be lykest vnto my selfe This prerogatiue is not estemed by riches reuenues power statelynesse and violence For suche as haue these thinges as they moste resemble heathen princes euen so are they highliest estemed of thesame Lyke as earthly kynges beleue that they are eyther honoured or dishonoured in theyr great estates so in this Euangelike kyngdome I thinke my selfe to be eyther honoured or dishonoured in suche lytle babes whome the worlde setteth naught by because of their innocencie simplicitie and humblenesse of minde If you know any to be more humble and low then I am hym counte ye for the chiefe manne in the kyngdome of heauen But yf ye fynde none then take you me for the very soueraigne And as euery man moste resembleth me in conâ—â—mning of those thinges whiche great men sue for in princes courtes so iudge you hym to be the moste soueraigne persone Therfore whoso receyueth one of suche litle babes in my name the same receiueth me For it reioyseth me to be receyued in those whom I loue as them that are lyke me Agayne whoso receyueth me beyng lowest of all men after the estimacion of the worlde receyueth not me but hym that sent me For as the maister is honoured or dishonoured in the scholers so is the father lykewyse dishonoured or honoured in the sonne By these wordes Iesu toke not awaye authoritie from suche as be prelates and haue the charge or ouersyght of the Lordes flocke but plucked out of the disciples myndes all desyre of worldly auauncement For the lownesse of this sorte of
allureth Nathanaell to goe to Iesu the fountayn it selfe not doubtyng but that he woulde beleue as soone as he had seene and heard him If you doubt sayeth he to credite me come your selfe and see Iesus sawe Nathanael cumming to him and sayeth of him beholde a right Israelite in whome is no guile Nathanael saieth vnto him Whence knowest thou me Iesus aunswered and said vnto him Before that Philip called the when thou wast vnder the figge tree I saw the. Nathanael aunswered and saide vnto him Rabbi thou art euen the very sonne of God thou art the king of Israel And Iesus who as yet was of no fame or renoume by working any miracles sumwhat to open his godlye power by the knowlage he had of secrete thinges whē he behelde Nathanael cūmyng toward hym turned to his dysciples before Philip gaue hym any warning of hym before he named hym and shewed Nathanaell to them saying Behold a verye Israelite in dede in whome there is no guile In these wordes Iesus did both prayse the true meaning beliefe of Nathanael and also his pure desyre to haue knowlage whereas they which vntruely doe boast themselues to be Israelites are wont to be busy and curious of a desyre they haue to lay matters to mennes charge Nathanaell perceiuing that Iesus shewed by these wordes how that he knewe well inough the communicacion which was betwene Philip and him concerning Iesus hymselfe meruaylyng how this came to his knowledge for as yet he toke Iesus to be none other but mā sayth vnto him how knowest thou me But Iesus yet declaring more euidently how he knew the thoughtes of men were they neuer so secret sayth before Philip called the when thou wast vnder the figtree I had already sene the. The cōmunicaciō was but betwene them two and there was no witnes by that could make any relacion thereof The place was expressed and the figtree was noted and spoken of by the way in a mistery as a thing priuie and of counsel to his firste fault that is to saye of hys vnbeliefe whiche faute they must nedes leaue that will knowe Christ. It was manifest by these argumentes that Iesus knewe the matter of theyr whole communicacyon wherof neuerthelesse he maketh no great rehersal lest he should seme to vp braide hym with his lacke of fayth which was sham fast and asked the question of a good symple mynde Assone as Nathanaell hearde these thinges who was perswaded that the secretes of the hearte was open to god onely and that the thing which he heard was more than man could do nowe beeyng nothyng offended with the doubte concernyng the name of the place of Christes birth he gaue his verdit of hym saying maister Thou arte the very sonne of god by whom the father hath determined to deliuer his people Thou art that king of Israel whiche was long a goe promised by the prophecies of the Prophetes Iesus aunswered and said vnto him because I say de vnto thee I saw thee vnder the figtree thou beleuest Thou shalt see greater thinges than these And he sayeth vnto him Uerely verely I say vnto you herafter shall ye see heauen open and the aungels of god ascending and descending ouer the sonne of man Iesus gladly enbracing the mannes so ready and chereful fayth and his so euangelicall profession doeth stablishe also the opynyon that Nathanaell had of him And now more euidently declaring his godly nature sayth Thou hast hereby conceiued a beliefe that I am the very Messias king of Israel which was promised because I tolde thee howe I sawe thee euen then when thou waste with Philip vnder the figtree and therefore thou hast a very good opinion of me In tyme to come thou shalt see more apparaunte sygnes whereby thyne opinion of me may encrease And foorthe withall Iesus turned hym to his other disciples of whome as yet neuer a one did iudge of hym according to hys dignitie and he sayde vnto them Take thys for a suretie hereafter y◠shall see the heauens open and the aungels of God ascendyng and descendyng ouer the sonne of manne By thys derke saying our Lorde Iesus did styrre vp the fayth of his disciples which although it were simple and vncorrupted yet was it not fully enstructed and besyde that far from the perfect knowledge of the excellencie of Christ He did styrre vp their faith I say to the lookyng for of greater miracles and therby to haue higher knowledge For althoughe the disciples did fantasie as it were in a dreame some thing to be in Christ passing mannes nature whereat they marueiled neuerthelesse they dyd not as yet vtterly beleue that the fulnesse of the Godhead was in hym Nathanaell dyd confesse the selfesame thinges whiche Peter dyd after confesse But because hys meaning was not lyke Peters he had not therefore lyke aunswere that Peter had whiche was Upon this stone I will buylde my churche And to thee wyl I geue the keyes of the kingdōe of heauen And in very dede for because some that were very mē are called the sonnes of god in holy scripture for their great holines and other besides Christ also did many times se before thinges which shoulde folowe by the inspiracyon of the holy ghoste therefore it is not to bee marueiled at if Christe knewe without relacion of any other what was doen secretly betwene the two disciples Furthermore in that he called hym kyng of Israell intending thereby to honour Iesus as it were with an hye and gloryous tytle it declareth that euen as yet he dreamed of a worldelye kyngdome And to haue a kingdome in thys worlde is but a very base an earthly thing But it is a thyng of far more honour to bee kyng of all the whole worlde and also of aungels This thing mente Christe when he sayde that the aungels as ministers diligent to doe seruice should ascende and descende ouer the sonne of man And although the disciples did not yet vnderstande at that tyme this saying of Iesu neuerthelesse he dyd hyde it and layed it vp in theyr myndes as a seede whiche shoulde bryng foorthe fruicte in due tyme For afterwarde we knew how the aungels dyd often knowledge hym to bee kyng of all thynges by theyr obedient seruice as whan Gabriel brought tidinges of his concepcion when they song at hys natiuitie Glory be to god that is aboue when at diuerse tymes they appearing to Ioseph did procure the safegarde of the childe when they did hym seruice after he was tempted of the deuyll when they dyd coumfort hym in his conflict at the tyme he swe◠water and bloud and whiles they did often appeare in the tyme of hys resurreccion Agayne also when in all mens sight he was taken vp into heauen the aungels wer present as suerties of the promise of his returne And that in dede shal be doen most specially whē he shal come in the cloudes with the maiestie of his father and with the
yet was he the more knowen through the fame of the late doen miracle it was not vnknowen abrode that Iesus was at Bethania And an on verie many came thither out of the citie thicke and threfolde partely to see Iesus whose fame and renowne the myracle that was so notable dyd muche encrease partly also they came to see Lazarus whom they hearde to be raysed from death to lyfe The curiositie that is naturally geuen to man caused them thus to doe Moreouer enuy and despite against Iesus had so blinded the myndes of the priestes and the Phariseis that it did not suffice their malice to put Iesus to death but they fel in deuice also howe to make Lazarus away against whom they coulde lay no colour or likelyhood of any fault They had cast out of theyr Synagogue the blinde man because he did boldly defende Iesus glory among thē nowe their enuy was growen to suche malice that they were in mynde to kyll Lazarus a mā of great estimacion and power of whom they were neuer by any woorde or dede prouoked and offended and against whom they coulde not imagine any thing and kill him would they for nothing els but because many Iewes being moued with so manifest a myracle did fall awaye from the Phariseis conspiracie and beleued in Iesus On the nexte daye muche people that were come to the feast when they heard that Iesus should come to Ierusalem toke branches of palme trees and went forth to mete him and cried Hosanna blissed is he that in the name of the Lorde cummeth kyng of Israel And Iesus got a yong asse and sat theron as it is written feare not daughter of Sion beholde thy kyng cummeth sittyng on an asses coite But the daye folowyng when as a great route of men which were assembled at Ierusalē because of the feastfull day had knowledge that he would leaue Bethania and come to Ierusalem to doe him honor came they to mete him with branches cut of from the palme trees wherwith they strawed the waie that he should goe by For of this tree were theyr garlandes made that gate victorie and it was a tree perteyning to triumphes alwaie grene long and hye hard to be climed vpon but of a pleasante swete frute and by a certayne peculiar power of nature it riseth vp againste the weight and burden that is layed vpon it And that saying whiche is written in the Psalmes Osanna prayse and honor be to him that being loked for of vs cummeth in the name of the Lorde was cried vp aloude like as the people is wonte to publishe and witnes a common ioy Iesus also euer before this tyme bearyng a full lowe sayle and a contemner of worldely glory was than contente to come to Ierusalē with a newe solemne portely shewe For after he had gotten vnto him an asse he rode vpō her wheras before he was wount to walke his iourneyes on foote partly to teache his howe vaine is the honor of this worlde partly to ratifie that whiche Esay prophecied of him for it is written Feare not daughter of Sion beholde thy kyng cummeth to thee meke gentle sitting vpon the colte of an asse Suche a pompe certainly becummeth well the kyng of the spirituall Ierusalem whiche is the churche ¶ These thinges vnderstode not his disciples at the first but whan Iesus was glorified then remembred they that suche thynges were written of hym and that suche thynges they had doen vnto him The people that was with him when he called Lazarus out of his graue and raysed him from death bare recorde Therfore mette him the people also because they hearde that he had doen suche a miracle The apostles verily at that season vnderstode not these thinges supposyng thē to be doen by casualtie but after that Iesus through death through his resurreccion by sending downe the holy gost was glorified than cōferring the thing that was doen with the wordes of the Prophetes they wel perceiued that the wordes whiche the people cried out a loude also the thing that he thus cummyng did was written of hym For there were some whiche loked for suche a kyng as worldly kinges be Christes pleasure was to haue those mens expectacion decided declaring that the kyngdome of the ghospell doeth not consist and stande in the aide and defenses of this worlde but in mekenes and heauenly doctryne This great and notable affeccion that was in the people came of those mens stirryng and prouocacion which had of late been presente a litle before at Bethania when the Lord raysed Lazarus out of his graue and so they made relacion of that thyng whiche they sawe with theyr iyes to other And therof came it that suche a preace of people came foorth to mete Iesus because they had learned of them that sawe it how that this wonderous miracle suche one as had neuer been hearde of since the beginnyng of the worlde was wrought by hym And accordyng as the thyng broughte with it in open apparaunce a certain godly power so had he suche honour geuen vnto him as was neuer geuen to any prophete The pharisees therfore sayed among themselues perceyue ye howe we preuayle nothyng Beholde al the whole world goeth after him There were certayne Grekes amonges them that came to wurship at the feast thesame came therfore to Philip whiche was of Bethsaida a citie in Galile and desired him saying Sir we woulde faine see Iesus Philip came and tolde Andrewe And agayne Andrewe and Philip tolde Iesus That thing droue the myndes of the priestes and phariseis almost into desperacion neyther do they repent them of theyr wicked enterprise but there was a spitefull mutteryng emong them and they sayed ye perceiue that with all our crafty policies and deuices against him we go nothyng forwarde in oure purpose but the more we do resist the more doeth his autoritie florishe the more earnestly doeth the people fauour hym Before this he had but fewe disciples beholde nowe the whole world falleth from vs to hym in somuche that nowe it is sumwhat daungerous for vs openly to arest him The vngraciouse phariseis had this communicacion to thintent thei might thereby stirre and prouoke eche one another to set on and sodainly to come vpon the lord Iesus with more succour and greater guiles wherfore thei did not atchieue and accomplishe this mischieuous acte before they had the graund consent of the Phariseis the scribes the priestes and the auncient rewlers the people also as in dede theyr mynde is vnconstant beyng inflamed with thesame fury and wicked mynde yea and with Pilate the viceroyes auctoritie neyther yet withoute deceytfull craft brought in withall by Iudas the traytour The people notwithstanding did that tyme so fauour Iesus that the Gentiles also whiche for religion sake came to Ierusalem there to praye muche desired to see Iesus The reuerence of that temple was so great that out of farre countreies many went thither of deuocion to serue god and for
soone as we had throughe better instruccyons conformed our selues to the expulsyng of the Romyshe Antichriste to the gladde enbracyng of hys woorde and to the receyuyng of his ghospell in all partyes immediately heard our lamentable peticions and sent your most noble mother Quene Iane of famous memorie whom as it maie be thoughte hys prouydence and consailles vnscrutable had purposely ordeyned prepaired caused to be borne for none other office but that she myght bee moste dere wife to suche a kyng and mother to suche a Prynce For as soone as she had in moste lawful matrymonye brought foorth your grace she departed this worlde as thoughe she should haue saied I haue dooen the offyce that I was borne for nowe fare ye well The freashe floure of my pure virginitie I haue moste safely committed to my moste dere spouse kyng Henry for to kepe and to you his moste feithfull louyng subiectes I leaue behynde me my onely soonne the iewell that ye haue so long desired so sore longed for and so often craued of God As loÌ„g as ye shal tendre his welfare ye shall satisfye my desyre whome I broughte foorthe for that purpose If it maye please God to sende hym longe lyfe I haue the full fruicte of my trauaylle I haue my deathe abundauntely recompâ—nsed and my roume emong you euen to my mynde supplyed I haue nowe no more to dooe on yearth If I haue demerited any loue or thanke at your handes bestowe it wholly on my soonne whan I am gone from you Thus departed the moste vertuous ladye Quene Iane whose deathe we haue the lesse cause to lamente because that by hope we are assured that she is gone from peyne to ioye from care to reste froÌ„ sorowe to blisse froÌ„ this traÌ„sitorie world to immortalitie We haue cause to suppose that God for the exceadyng great loue and fauoure that he beareth towardes Englande whan she had broughte foorthe to the worlde suche a soonne tooke her awaye immediately of purpose to rewarde her wyth a croune eternall for whome all temporall and worldely rewardes were incomparably ouer basse ne any yearthly croune sufficient so that to lamente her is rather to enuye her felicitie and blisse And she beeyng nowe in heauen with her moste desired ioye Christe inuiteth and requireth vs that our beneuolente loue and affeccion whiche muste haue been deuided betwene you and her maye bee wholy transferred and bestowed on your highnesse whome to bryng foorthe she was not onely well contented but also muche desyrous to dye So that we are all double bounde to loue youre Maiestie fyrste because youre moste dere mother was taken from vs ere she myght receyue any fruicte of our grate and thankfull hertes for bryngyng foorth to her couÌ„trey suche a soonne and than muche more because that in your moste Royall persone is reposed al the worldly ioye coumforte hope and expectacion bothe of vs that are nowe liuyng whom I truste your Grace shall surutue and also of our posteritie Neyther can Iiustely affyrme her to be dead that hath leafte behynde her suche fruicte of her bodye whome to bryng foorth I dare auouche she though her death so well bestowed that in case she myght returne to lyfe again and be in her former state of mayde Quene she woulde readily paryshe couenauÌ„t with God on thesame pryce to bryng foorth your Grace vnto her countrey And so greate was the ioye and gladnesse of Englande in the natiuitie of your highnesse that the veray prouidence of God thought it necessarie to temper our immoderate mirth reioysing with the death of your most vertuous mother for neuer was the deceasse of any Quene in England more lameÌ„ted lest we myght haue ben so inebriate with our vnestimable felicitie that thesame might haue made vs proud and percase haue brought vs in suche flaterye of our selues that we woulde haue forgotten or perchaunce not acknowelaged no nor espied you to bee sente vnto vs aswell by the most mightie and most woondrefull power of Goddes hand as also of his exceadyng mercie and fauoure towardes Englande He myghte haue taken her away ere she had cum to the bearing or conceiuing of you in her wombe if he had not specially loued and tendred our good king Henry and vs. It was in his hande and pleasure to haue taken you bothe whiche thynge god forbydde if he had nâ—t by leauing the better of the twoo with vs been willing bothe many festelye to declare his almyghtifull power ioyned wyth hys moste gracious mercie and tendre compassion towardes England and also to bridle the insolencie which by hauyng you both still wyth vs suche is mannes frailte and readinesse to swerue he paraduenture foresawe would haue growen in vs. God in takyng awaye her at your birthe did plainlye ministre vnto vs both an earnest warning and also a iust prouocacion of vncessaunt praying for the life and prosperous continuaunce of your Grace being of nature and by the condicion of your birth mortal as your mother was The birth of your Maiestie was the more swete because it was so long wished for so long loked for and so long craued ere it came A great benefite is muche the sweter that it is not obteyned without great and long suit The pleasure of a good turne is much diminished whan it is at the fyrst obteyned The desirefulnesse of our myndes muche augmenteth and encreseth our pleasure The admixtion also and as who shoulde saye the sawcyng of pleasures with some kind of misfortune either afore going or in the middes adtempered graceth altogether and maketh it the more acceptable Honey is waloweish and ouercasteth the stomake if it be plenteously taken by it selfe alone but if wyth vinegre it be made eagredoulce than is it not onely delectable and plesaunt of relice but also comfortatiue and holsome too The deathe of the moste vertuous lady and moste woorthie Quene Iane your mother beyng ioyned with your birth made such a â—â—mperature of sorowe and ioye together that bothe our mournyng whiche otherwyse shoulde scaree haue founde anye ende was soone mitigated and also our moste tendre desire of enioying your Maiestie much the more encreased We had so long groned we hadde so long cryed to God for a Prynce that excepte he hadde in the moste desiâ—ed birthe of the same aspersed the deathe of your mooste â—ere Mother we shoulde by our immoderate felicitee haue tempted and prouoked hym to take you bothe from vs. It was hys goodnessâ— that woulde not suffre vs to fall For muche sooner and sorer doeth immoderate ioye drounde mannes reason then immoderate doloure Thus than as I haue sayd as soone as we willingly applyed our selfes aswell to the exiling of al papâ—strie as also to thenbracing of the woorde of God he immediately fulfylled and satisfyed ourâ— desyres by sending your Grace vnto vs after a woondreful sorte as if he shoulde in playn wordes haue saide Now that ye haue gladly receiued my word ye shal haue that
whiche ye cannot but of my gyfte obteyne that is to wete a Prynce and wyth him al worldely coumforte ioye and secuâ—itie that ye maye wel perceiue both that nothyng is vnpossible to God also that if ye abyde in me and my woordes abyde in you aske what ye wyll and it shal bee dooen for you Whan I saye the woorde of God the law the preceptes or the coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes of God I mene not fantastical dreames of maÌ„nes inuencioÌ„ for these thinges are nothing lesse theÌ„ the worde of God but I mene the true liuely worde of God conteyned in holy scriptures I mene his holy gospel testament purely sincâ—rely taken without the venomous corrupcion of the fylthie dregges or of the soure leauen of any the aboue rehersed pestilencies accordyng as your moste noble father our late soueraigne lorde kyng Henry the eight with vnestimable care studye and trauayll mynded and laboured to haue it sette foorth to be daily preached and taught to hys people without any declynyng eyther to the ryght hande or to the left Whiche thyng if he could not so throughly accomplishe as his moste earneste hertes desyre was I truste the almyghtâ—e god who hath prouided and sent vs your highnesse a moste woorthye soonne to succede suche a woorthye father wyl by his especial grace illumine your herte to procede in the way of trueth whiche your father hath opened vnto you wyl geue you grace al thinges to perfeâ—cte whiche your father moste godly begaÌ„ne to your handes And although to maynteine vpholde conserue that kyng Henry prepayred and hath nowe lefte to your gouernaunce is of it self so muche matter of immortall honour renoume that it wer enough for any kyng to dooâ— yet hath God prouided that ye shall not haue cause to â—aie as AlexaÌ„der the great conqueâ—our whan he considered the great manyfold actes of his father Phylip kyng of Macedonie said My father wil leaue nothing for me to doe For god of a veraie pietye that he had on kyng Henries vncomparable the same vnceaâ—â—auÌ„t trauaylles for the publique behouf welth of Englande long yeres susteined tooke hym awaie from this troubleous worlde as soone as he had prepaired your Grace in a readinesse by due successioÌ„ of inheritauÌ„ce to receyue at his haÌ„des the sceptre croune of his royalmes dominions God by a special dispeÌ„sacioÌ„ breake of the course of his life ere al thinges wer brought to a ful perfeccioÌ„ because he would declare hymselfe to haue appoynted your Maiestie not to lyue altogether in a carelesse supmitie but in a perpetual exercise of al princely vertues that ye might consuÌ„mate finishe suche regall enterpryses as he begoonne partely in other worldly affaires especially coÌ„cernyng the redresse of abuses in matters of religioÌ„ Kyng HeÌ„ry was the Moses whoÌ„ God elected stoutly to deliuer vs out of the haÌ„des of the Romishe Pharao to conueigh vs through the read sea of the waueryng iudgemeÌ„tes of meÌ„ the troubleous sourges of the popishe generacioÌ„ swelling rageyng agaynst him and through the wildrenesse of beyng lefte alone destitute of the assisteÌ„ce or coumforte of other ChristeÌ„ princes whiche in this so noble and so godly an enterprise might laudably haue sette in foote with him through this wildrenes to coÌ„ducte vs as ferre as the laÌ„de of Moab but ye are the Iosue whom god hath appoynted to bryng vs into the lande of promissioÌ„ flowyng and reÌ„nyng wyth milke and honey to sette vs Englishe men in the lande of Canaan which is the sincere knoweleage the free exercise of Goddes moste holy woorde He was the Moses who by goddes ordeinaunce dispensacion wrote the booke of Deuteronomie whaÌ„ he caused the holy Byble to bee turned into Englishe laied it in the tabernacle whaÌ„ he coÌ„mauÌ„ded thesame to bee â—aied in al singular the churches throughout his Royalmes dominioÌ„s chargeyng the Leuites that is the Byshops Pastours Curates in the time of the free yere that is at al due conuenient seasons to read and declare it vnto al the people gathered together both meÌ„ women chyldren yea the straungiers that were in any his cities that they might heare learne and feare their lorde God But where some of the priestes yâ— soÌ„nes of Leui had now in these last yeres through their iugleyng theyr false packyng and their playn sorcerie bewitched kyng Henry with a wrong persuasion had so craftily couÌ„paced and conueighed the matier that vnder the pretence coulour of religion they kept the worde of God froÌ„ the iyes and eares of the people beatyng his moste faythfull louyng subiectes froÌ„ the knowleage therof wyth a mortal whyppe made of sixe deadly knotted chordes in the meane tyme kept the booke of the lawe hiddeÌ„ vntyll they had so ferre obscured derkened oppressed the worde that all thynges were â—eplete with errour and insinceritie it now euidently appereth your Maiestie to be the faythfull Iosias in whose tyme the booke of the law is found out in the house of the Lorde by your moste godly iniunccions read in the hearyng of all your people and a couenaunt made with the Lord that they shal walke after the Lord shal kepe his commauÌ„dementes with al their hertes al their soules wherunto all your people moste willyngly dooeth consent by glad receyuyng of all suche good ordre reformacion as by your Maiesties moste godly direccion is mynistred vnto them Your most noble father was the Dauid who of a good hert zele entended yea made mocioÌ„ to build an house for the Lordes name but we all trust yâ—ur highnes to be the Salomon whoÌ„ god hath appointed and by special dispensacion elected to build finishe an house for him for euer by restoryng establishyng the true Christian religion Which thyng that your Maiestie maye haue the grace spirite to doe ye lacke not the perpetual wyshinges and prayers of al your most louyng and obedient subiectes The world seyng these your moste princely begynnynges in this your tendre yeres of chyldehood is confirmed in a sure hopâ— and expectacion that your Maiestie wil in proces of time growe to bee in this behalfe a veray Phenix emong Christian princes a mirrour and spectacle vnto them all And certes your Maiestie is in muche other case theÌ„ other kinges of England before your tyme haue been For where the frowardnes oâ— fortune beyng suche that moste parte of thynges lyke as they are through her aide and fauoure easie to bee achiued so the same through her malignaunt wiâ—kedenes are more easie to be lost again it deserueth no lesse but rather more glorie wel to kepe and maintein thynges wel gotteÌ„ theÌ„ to acquyre more to it some of your moste woorthie progenitours haue had a â—eadye path-way to renoume and haue had but an easie trauail to succede folow the prince nexte afore goyng in the laudable exauÌ„ple of politique regimente
of woorthye enterpryses of Marciall prowesse of noble but yet common actes of chiâ—faltie of notable and famous enterprises but yet enclosed within the coumpace of mannes reache But your grace succeadyng Henry the eight shall not be hable to satisfie nor aunswere the earneste expectacion of the worlde onlesse ye doe excell Nothing maie serue your grace but singularitie Ye haue in his exaumple suche a marke set vp vnto you as without the sweat and laboures of Hercules of whoÌ„ the Poetes feigne that he bore vp and stayghed heauen self with his shoulders ye shall not be hable to clyme vnto Ye must surmount and passe a kyng whiche was in his tyme pierlesse a matter of publique admiracion to the vniuersall world And suche are your begynnynges alreadye aswell in Marciall chiefalrye as also in politiâ—ue ordinaunce of ciuile lawes at home aswell in destruiyng the image of Baall and rootyng vp of al Idolatry as also in settyng a ferther good ordre for matters of religion that it wil not suffice if ye bee but egual to him King HeÌ„ry the eight besides his felicitie luckie fortune in al his most Regal eÌ„treprises aswel by marcial chiefalrie as also iÌ„ politike gouernauÌ„ce besides his manyfold coÌ„questes and victories in FrauÌ„ce Scotlande Irelande els where besides his vnestimable high triouÌ„phes voiages and actes dooen bothe at home and beyonde the seas besydes his exceadyng great and manye buyldinges of palacies Honours Mainours castels fortresses holdes blockhouses hauens aswel for the strength safegarde of his royalmes and dominioÌ„s as also for the coÌ„moditie of freÌ„des arryuing the annoiaunce of the enemies besydes the defence and maynteinaunce of al hys portes and narowe seas with Carikes barkes hulkes shyppes galies and many other high and sumptuous deuises of shypwright besydes the aboundaunt furnishing of all and singuler the premisses with al kyndes of ordinaunce artillerie other requisite prouysioÌ„ besydes the fouÌ„dyng edifing erecting of an vncredible noumbre of bishops Sees cathedral Colleges lectures scholes and other Colleges for studentes in bothe vniuersitees and so sumptuous endowyng of euerye of them with landes possessions Iewels ornamentes and all requisite furniture so muche and so large as euerye one of the premysses particularly myght bee iudged an acte sufficient in a kynges tyme to bee dooen besydes his moste vigilaunt and careful studie about the enactyng of a great volume of ryght holsome statutes and lawes for the commoditie and behoufe of the publique weale of England and his other dominions and emong these hys vnceassaunte endeuoure about a reformacion in religion and therin as a thyng moste necessarie for all common weales tendreing Christes glorie the extirpyng and abolishynge of the detestable vsurpacion of the papacie of Rome the rootyng vp of all sectes of cloisterers of all countrefaicte religyon and of Idolatrie together with the setting forth of the holy Scripture in the vulgare Englyshe tounge besydes all these premysses and other his actes mo then a long tyme maye suffyse to reherse king Henry was a Prince of singuler prudence of passing stout courage of magnanimitee incomparable of inuincible fortitude of notable actiuitee of dexteritee woondreful He was a continual wellyng fountayne of eloquence a veray rare spectacle of humanitie of ciuilytie or good nourture an absolute presidente a speciall paterne of clemencie and moderacion a worthie exaumple of regal iustice a botomlesse spring of largesse and benignitie He was in al the honest artes and faculties profouÌ„dely seen in al liberal disciplines egual with the chiefest in no kynd of litterature vnexpert He was to yâ— world an ornamente to his countrey a treasoure to his frendes a coumforte to his foes a terroure to his faithful and louing subiectes a tendre father to innocentes a sure protectour to wylfull malefactours a sharp scourge to his common weale and good people a quiet hauen and ancore of safegarde to the distourbers of the same a rocke of exterminion in hainous and intolerable crymes agaynst the publique weale a seuere iudge in the lyke offences committed agaynst hymself a readye porte refuge of mercie except to suche as woulde persiste vncorrigible A man he was in al giftes of nature of fortune of grace piereles shortly to breake of in a matter of it selfe infinite a man aboue al praises Suche a king hath God sette vp before your Maiestie for an exaumple a spectacle a paterne of al princely vertues whome egually to matche wil bee with the veray leste that is looked for of these your moste Regall ChristiaÌ„ begynnynges in thys youre tendre age For mete it is that lyke as your highnesse is heire and successour of your most noble fathers croune treasures euen so much more bee ye heyre of his moste princely vertues and like as ye would employ al possible industrie diligence to maynteine and ampliate the external possessions of your empier euen so to augmente the vertues of the mynde beeyng the more precious possession of the twayn Neither is there in this behalfe on our parties your Matestees moste beneuolent faithful louing subiectes any lesse hope to be conceyued of you for that that is to come then we doe already fele ioye and coumforte of that we see present For suche excellent begynnynges beyng ferthered by the publique and daily praiers of al your faythful true herted subiectes cannot but haue stil better and better degrees of continuaunce and encreace especially hauyng suche noble and sapient Counsaillours as it hath pleased God to prouide for you and to geue you in this your tendre babehood For that all suche well dooynges in young kynges and by reason therof prosperous successe in all thynges procedeth of faithfull and godly Counsaillours it maie euidently appeare by the notable exaumples of the twoo younge kinges of Israell Manasses and Iosias Whoso wyll peruse the bookes of the kynges shall fynde that from the begynnyng of Achabs reygne vntill the tyme of good kyng Ezechias true holinesse religion ryght knowleage of God yea and the veraye mynde to weorke or seke Goddes glorye lay as a thyng oppressed reiected buryed and vttrely extyncte and in stede of Godlinesse reigned al iniquitie in lieu of true knowlage all was possessed with ignoraunce and errour in place of true wurshyppyng of God so ferre preuayled Idolatrye and contempte of Goddes lawes that Israell passed the Gentyles not onely in theyr owne gentylitie of wurshypping Baal and many false Goddes but also in al other kyndes of theyr moste detestable abhominacions The crafty and subtile iugleyng of Baals priestes and of the false prophetes for the aduauncyng of their owne lucre and estimacion had vnder the coulour and pretence of holynesse and of religion by litle and litle so allured enueigled coniured and bewitched the prynces that they were vtterly blynded and seduced to condescende to the wicked and couetous inuencions of the priestes They perswaded the Princes to theyr waies by policies they bestowed all theyr
and true felicite Naye rather the more earnestly they laboured to cum vnto innocencie and felicitie as long as they trusted to mannes help strength the more they wer intangled with vice and filthy desyres Therfore yf the Iewes whom it behoued chiefly to accept and imbrace the thing that is offered vnto them beyng so often promysed and so longe loked for yf they alone neglect so greate godnes whiche is frely offered to all men and yf they had rather alone to lacke it than to haue it common with others they can impute their destruccion to nothyng but to theyr owne incredulitie and vnbelefe The sayinges and prophecies of the holy Prophetes prophecied these thynges chiefely for them They sawe Christe with their iyes workyng miracles they heard with theyr eares the doctrine of the gospell The kyngdome of heauen was preached first to them But trulye whosoeuer are wearye of theyr former lyfe as many as loue true innocencie and godly lyuyng whosoeuer desyreth true perfect and euerlastyng felicitie let them receyue this gospel this pleasaunte and mery tydinges with mery and cherefull hertes whether they be Grekes or Iewes or Romains or Scithians or Gallians or Britans Lyke as God is not only God of the Iewes but indifferently God ouer all and common to all lyke as there is one sunne whiche is common to the whole worlde so Iesus Christe the sonne of God came to saue all menne dyed for all arose agayne for all ascended into heauen for all and sente his holy spirite to all refusyng none neyther for diuersitie of stocke or of age or of kinde or of state or of lyfe Al the sinnes of the former life be drowned once by his death in holy baptisme And those sinnes be not imputed be they neuer so greuous for the cleansyng of whiche that blessed innocent once dyed so that the reste of the life be passed ouer after the rule of Christ that is to saye after the doctrine of the ghospell from the tyme of baptisme a man is iudged or taken to be a christian to the perfourmaunce of the whiche so high a profession he will graunt his fre succour and ayde and will graunte also plentifull rewarde to them that do perseuer vnto th ende He requireth of no man the burden of Moses lawe onelye he requyreth lyuely fayth the whiche maye redily beleue whatsoeuer is shewed and with a sure truste looke for that whiche is promysed The eternall veritie doethe not deceyue God the promiser disapointeth not Further mans lawe shall not nowe prescribe what is to be doen but Christian charitie shall playnly tell The booke of the generacion of Iesus Christe the sonne of Dauid the sonne of Abraham Abraham begat Isaac Isaac begat Iacob Iacob begat Iudas and hys brethren And hytherto we haue trulye delyuered vnto you the ghospell by mouthe and haue made all men partetakers of those thynges whiche we haue seene with our iyes and hearde with our eares Nowe because there is daunger this thyng beyng spred abrode daylye more and more leste the tellyng of it passyng by many mennes mouthes maye varye or elles leste the tale tolde by mouthe be not so well beleued as whan it is written in a booke and furthermore to thintent that the thyng that is written maye the more easily cum vnto all men than the voyce of the mouthe we shall comprise in this booke the summe of the whole matter so muche as shall be sufficient to the obteynynge of saluacion as the natiuite the doctrine the miracles the deathe and the resurreccion And fyrste of all we shall recite the geneologie and peâ—igree of Iesus Christe takyng oure begynnyng not from the highe heade but from Dauid and Abraham eyther for because the memorye of these twoo is verye ryfe and common and verye acceptable among the Iewes for theyr glorye is chiefly of Ahraham as of the autour and beginner of theyr nacion and Dauid the kynge beeynge so muche praysed by the commendacion of God styeketh the more in theyr myndes because the memorie of hym is yet but freshe and newe or elles because Christe whiche was looked for so many yeares was promysed chyefly vnto these twoo and that in the bookes and oracles of the Hebrues to whome euen those that be directly agaynste Christe gaue great credyt For in the boke of Genesis God speakethe vnto Abraham promysyng that in tyme to come there shoulde sprynge one out of hys stocke through whose free benefit not onely the nacion of the Iewes but also all the people of the whole worlde beyng receyued into the ryght and title and loue of chyldren shoulde obteine wyth Christe the felowshyppe of the kyngdome of heauen not by circumcision whych was not as than setforth but by the faythe of the gospel For thus saythe God vnto Abraham In thy seed that is to saye in Iesus Christe all nacions shall be blessed Further Dauid in the misticall psalmes speaketh thus Of the fruite of thy wombe shall I set vpon thy seat And this shall we doe chiefly because of the Iewes leste they beyng a rebellious nacion and harde of beliefe knowyng by the authoritie of prophecies whiche they sufficiently beleue that Messias whiche shoulde come was promysed maye make cauillacions and saye that there is an other sauioure to be loked for and that this is not he whome the scriptures promysed For many of them because their mindes be blinded wyth desires of worldly thynges not takyng aryght the sayinges of the Prophetes suche was theyr carnall and grosse affeccion loked for some myghtye and glorious kynge who being valiaunt with armes or hostes weapon riches and suche other defences of this worlde shoulde promote hys people to ryches honour and emperie and shoulde subdue the whole worlde to the dominion of the Hebrues But Christ althoughe he be lorde ouer all came not into the worlde to the entent to enryche wyth worldlye gooddes one nacion of the whyche he was borne as touchyng hys body that he toke but to the intente to auaunce all the nacions of the whole worlde vnto true ryches that neuer shoulde decay and to make them blessed euerlastingly wyth heauenly ryches to ouercum the tyranny of deathe by sufferyng and diyng to subdue enemies by gentill deseruinges to kill the monsters of vice and the rebellious prouocacions of concupiscence by the sweard of the spirite and they beyng once ouercum that fighte agaynst the spirite of God to geue vs of his own righteousnesse innocencie Finally by spiritual weapons to winne vnto vs a spirituall kingdome But these Iewes cannot haue hereafter anything to saye whan they shall see all thynges to consent and agre vnto hym whome we knowe to be come and constauntly preache thesame whyche thynges the holy prophetes inspired with the heauenly spirite had prophecied with a full consent and agremente so long before in holye bookes that is to saye the stocke the familie the manner of byrthe the lyfe the doctrine the myracles the affliccions the rebukes the
showe that saluacioÌ„ was also offered vnto them and that he might styrre and prouoke the Iewes by their example to cum to fayth and to beleue And he did not drawe all men by one meane to the knowledge of himselfe but he allured euerye mane by lytle and litle by suche thynges as they alreadye knewe and were well acquainted with The Iewes gaue fayth vnto the Prophetes they were moued with signes and woonders therefore he entised theÌ„ by the allurement of these thynges The Persians and the Caldeans dyd attribute muche to the starres as menne muche geuen to this kynde of Philosophie throughe the knowledge whereof they had perswaded themselues that there should be a certayne wonderfull restorer of the worlde Therfore they had knowledge of the birthe of the chylde not by any Prophete or Angell but by a certayne straunge and a woonderfull apperyng of a starre trulye of that starre the whiche the prophecie of Balaam dyd shewe before to rise out of the house of Iacob And now they had knowledge by the common fame that this king was chiefly promised vnto the nacion of the Iewes and that he was not a meane kyng and of the common sorte but very notable and without comparison of whose power of whose wisedome and of whose goodnes far excedyng the power wisedome and goodnes of man the whole worlde shoulde haue experience Further as the yll man when he hath occasioÌ„ is made wurse and a wyse man as he hath occasion is made wiser certayne Magians for by this name the Persians called them that be notable in the science of Philosophie to thintent they might come nere and learne more exactlye the thyng that the starre shewed vnto them as in a dreame beyng nothing afearde at the great iourney they come vnto Hierusalem the star guydyng them the waye eyther because there dwelled the Scribes and Phariseis whiche were verye expert in the law and the Prophetes or because they vnderstode that the king should be borne not farre from Hierusalem For now knowyng certaynly that he was borne only they inquired what place it was that was made happy with so noble a birthe For they thoughte that the natiuitie of so great a prince could not be hid emong them whiche loked for his byrthe so many hundred yeares especially seing he should be borne not onely emong them but also of them But Christ is no where later or with more difficultie knowen than in riche â–ª cities and in princes courtes and emong them that be arrogant in the profession of wisedome But they ignoraunt of these thynges inquire simplye and openly Where is he ê™ they whiche is lately borne the kyng of Iewes For we knowe by a sure token that he is borne For when we were farre hence in the Easte we sawe his starre of a meruelous bryghtnesse and bewty We sawe the starre and felte the inspiracion Therfore because we know that he is borne to the commoditie and profite of all men though we be straungers yet be we come hither to honour and wurship him and to geue the first fruites of honour due vnto the newe kyng Knowing well that they shall be happy and blessed that shall haue his power and might mercifull vnto them ¶ Whan Herode the kyng heard these thynges be was troubled and all the citie of Hierusalem with him And Calling together all bishops and Scribes of the people asked them where Christ should be borne And they sayed to hym At Bethleem in Iewrye For so it is written by the prophet And thou Bethleem in the land of Iuda acte not the least emong the princes of Iuda For out of the I shall haue a captayne come that shall gouerne my people Israell What tyme they had suche communicacion simply with all men by and by the rumoure and tidynges was brought to Herode the King whiche a good while had feared trembled at the name of him that should be borne fearyng lest he shoulde be set besyde the kyngdome whiche he beyng a straâ—â—gier than held if so great a prynce had been borne of the stocke of the Iewes For Herode dreamed of nothing els but of an earthly kingdome litle knowing that Christ brought in another kynde of kyngdom whiche shoulde perteyne vniuersallye to all men Therfore after that he hearde that he was borne whom he feared to be borne and hearde it of the Magians men both of learnyng and as concerning worldly port not to be despised truely he was troubled in his minde and with him also the whole citie of Hierusalem diuers men diuerslye either fearyng or hopyng But the wisedome of God so ordered the affections endeuours of men that both the simplicitie of the godly and also the rage of the vngodly set furth the glory of Christ on euery syde and made the thynges that were incredible the more to vse beleued And this was the cause that the loode sterre of the waye left the Magians for a tyme entering into Hierusalem that theyr enquirie might showe abrode the fame of the childe that was borne and yet the place where the chylde was borne should be kept secret from the cruell king Therfore king Herode blynded with enuy and anger beyng wholly bent to destroye the chylde that was borne pretended a cloke of Godlines vnto his wicked crueltie He calleth vnto him all the chiefe of the order of priestes and the Scribes of the people of Iewry whose speciall profession was this that if there were any newe matter that dyd aryse they should make answere out of the sayinges of the Prophetes and theyr godly bookes because they professed the exacte knowledge of them to thintent that both the nuâ—ber and the authoritie should make the thyng of more credite Therfore when these were called together the king so muche the more wicked because he counterfeited godlynes demaunded of them in what place the orasies or sayiâ—ges of God did promise that Christe should be borne And they not yet rageing with haired agaynste Christe whome they had not seen answered simplye and withoute delaye In Bethleem of Iuda And lest theyr authoritie should haue but little weyght beholde they haue in a redines the prophecie of the Prophete Mitheas And thou Bethleem in the lande of Iuda art noâ— the least among the Prynces of Iuda for out of the shall spryng a ruler whiche shall rule my people of Israel Than Herode priuily calling the Magians diligently inquired of them what tyme the â—lette appâ—ted And sendyng them to Bethleem sayde Gâ—thither and searche diligently for the chylde And whan ye haue founde him bryng me woorde agayne that I maye come and wurship him also And these thynges then answered the priestes and the Scribes who afterwarde procured hym to be slayne bryght and notable with miracles doing good vnto all men The king fyrste of all greatly moued with the saying of the Magians was vtterly amased with this so ripe and ready an answere â–ª chiefely that the prophecie promised
people that went before and they that came after cryed saying Osanna to the sonne of Dauid Blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lorde Osanâ—a in the highest The disciples departed they found true whatsoeuer Iesus had tolde them before By and by at the mencion of the lord the beastes wer let looce where as neyther the Lorde was there presente nor the disciples made any countenaunce of any autoritie that they had In dede the owners of the beastes knewe no suche thing but yet in theyr hertes they perceyued that he whiche was lorde ouer all commaunded this The disciples because the Lord should sit the more at ease cast on theyr clokes and so set him vpon the coltes backe whiche colte did beare the figure of the Heathen nacion beyng vncleane and filthy folowyng all yll desyres whiche whan it was once couered with vertues apostolicall and Iesus receiued vpon her backe ceassed any longer to bee vncleane ceassed to folow her old vices beyng made the bearer of him who purgeth and sanctifieth all thinges This she asse is the dame of the fole because healthe and redempcion cummeth oute of the Iewes but the same asse was fast tyed to the lettâ—e of the lawe Bare she was of euangelicall vertues but at the lordes biddyng they are both vntied and couered with the Apostles clothes The Apostles as yet vnderstoode not these thynges but yet this it was whiche was signified thereâ—â— and shoulde more playnely be vnderstanded afterwarde When Iesus was now come to the foote of the hill a great multitude of men came out of Ierusalem to mete hym Yea and the multitude had suche a fauour vnto him that the moost parte of them strawed the waye with theyr garmentes some cut downe boughes from the trees and strawed them in the waye Ferther the company that went before and also that folowed declaryng themselues to bee glad of his cumming sang vnto hym this saying out of the prophecie of the psalme Osanna to the sonne of Dauid blessed be he that cummeth in the name of the lorde Osanna on high Others cryed blessed be the kyngdome of our father Dauid the whiche is come Others cryed Blessed be the kyng of Israell whiche is come and they praysed God for the myracles whiche they sawe done by Iesus This honoure the Lorde Iesus who hadde euer to fore liued humble and lowe suffred to be geuen vnto hym whereby he declared that he shoulde not bee without the glorye of this worlde in case he were mynded to haue it but that he had rather to despise it than to embrace it to the ende it might bee so muche the more shame that it shoulde be sought for of suche as professe themselues to be his disciples where as he despysed it which onelye deserued it Yet this honor was mere and semely for the cummynge of hym who by his death shoulde redeme the whole worlde And whan he was cum to Hierusalem all the citie was moued saying Who is this â–ª And the people sayd This is Iesus that prophete of Nazareth in Galile And Iesus went into the temple and cast out all them that solde and bought in the temple and ouerthâ—ewe the tables of the money chaungers and the seares of them that solde doues and sayd vnto them It is wrytten My house shall be called the house of prayer but ye haue made it a den of theues And the blynde and lame came vnto hym into the temple and he healed them Therfore when Iesus entred into Hierusalem with this straunge and vnwoonte pompe the whole citie was moued with this vncouthe syght saying What man is this The multitude whiche folowed him aunswered This is Iesus the Prophete of Nazareth the citie in Galile This they thought a goodly prayse although that it was farre vnder his maiestie For the people as yet coulde suppose nothyng of hym aboue man And Christe dyd purposely so ordre his lyfe that he vttered not openly his godlye nature whiche he shoulde haue persuaded in vayne yf they had seene hym afterwarde suffer deathe Therefore with this rufflyng Iesus entered into the temple and there furthwith began to vse a certayne kyngdome When he sawe in the temple a fashion of a market sum selling sum biyng and the changers of money sitting Iesus moued with the vngoodlines of the thing accordynge to the sayinge of the Prophete The zeale of thy house hath eaten me he made a whip of litle coardes and droue all the byers and sellers with theyr marchandise out of the temple he cast downe the tables of the money changers and scatered theyr money vpon the grounde he cast downe the seates of the doue sellers alleging furth of Esay a iust cause of his griefe who sayeth in the person of God My house shall be called the house of prayer but ye haue made it a den of theues By this act Iesus mente an other thynge For that the temple was polluted with marchandyse of bullockes shepe goates and doues did not so greatly moue hym but it was hys mynde to shewe that auaryce and lucre would be a deadly poyson vnto his church in time to cum whiche was figured by that temple whose religion should shortlye after be abolished For at suche tyme is the temple which is consecrate to offer vp to God spirituall sacrifice turned into a denne of theues whan vnder the pretense of religion and priesthode the people is robbed For nothing can be sincere and holy where the loue of money doethe reigne And this mischiefe is than a thynge vntollerable when it is vsed vnder the roofe of the temple when rauine is couered with the shadowe of religion There was no sorte of men agaynste whom Iesus at any time shewed any more rigour then he dyd towardes these and yet hath he reserued the same vnto himselfe to be cast out when himselfe shall thinke best Then vnto Iesus being in the temple there came the blynde and lame whome the lawe barred from entryng into the temple But the temple of Iesus receyueth all whiche make spede vnto healthe For the blynde came that hauinge theyr sight they might see Iesus whome they hearde so spoken of The lame came that folowing his steppes they mighte come into the kyngdome of heauen As manye therfore as came to hym he healed them ¶ Whan the thiefe priestes and Scribes sawe the wonders that he did and the children crying in the temple â–ª and saying Hosanna to the sonne of Dauid â–ª they disâ—ayned and sayed vnto him hearest thou what these saye But Iesus sayeth vnto them Why not Haue ye neuer red Out of the mouth of infantes and sucklinges thou haste ordeyned prayse And he lefte them and went out of the citie vnto Bethallia and abode there The chiefe Priestes and the Scribes thorough those thinges wherby they ought at last to repente were the more kyndled with burning in enuye when they sawe the people reioysing so louingly on euery syde and sawe the greate power in
not visite me Than shall they aunswere the iudge with as manye wordes as the iuste menne answered Lorde whan sawe we thee hungrye or thyrsty or wanderyng or naked or sicke or in prison and serued the not Than the kyng shall aunswere them also Whatsoeuer of these dutyes is denyed to any one of these litle ones litle regarded of the worlde and yet my brethren I counte it denyed vnto me I was nedy in them I woulde haue been refresshed in them This sentence once geuen from the whiche there shall be none appeale they that be on the left hande shall gee into euerlastyng fyer and the iust men into euerlastyng lyfe The .xxvi. Chapter And it came to passe whan Iesus had finished all these sayinges he sayed vnto hys disciples ye knowe that after two dayes shall be Paaste daye and the sonne of man shall be deliuered vp to be crucified THan whan Iesus had ended this communication where with so many wayes he established the myndes of his disciples agaynst affliccions now beyng at hande that they should not vtterly be dismayed whan they should shortly after see theyr lorde caryed awaye to a shamefull punishmente at laste he was bolde to open vnto them the daye and the manner of hys deathe The mention whereof â–ª he doth inculcate and beate into this disciples myndes leste whan they should see it they should be so amased at it as a thyng vnwares not loked for that they should be vtterly discouraged chiefly whan thei should perceyue that Iesus came vnto hys deathe willynly whiche he moughâ— haue escaped nor coulde be kylled before the day came whiche he had hymselfe apoynted for his death And that was the Paasse daie which emong the Iewes was kepte wyth great deuocion renewyng the yearely remembraunce of that daye in the whiche in tyme paste amonge the Egypcians the postes beyng sprinkeled with the bloude of the lambe they were deliuered from the kylling aungell and passed ouer safely the red sea In remembraunce of thys thyng they offered yearely a lambe of one yeare withoute spot and of the passyng by of the angel and of the lucky passyng ouer the sea they called it Pâ—asse But this was a figure of Iesus Christe whiche shoulde redeme the whole worlde with hys most holy bloud from the tyrannye of synne who alone was cleane from the spottes of all synne Iesus putryng his disciples in remembraunce of this thyng sayth ye knowe that after two dayes the Paasse shall bee offered and the same daye the sonne of man shal be deliuered to be crucified Than assembled together the chiefe priestes and Scribes and the elders of the people into the palace of the chiefe prieste which was called Cayphas and helde a counsell to take Iesus by deceyte and kyll hym But they sayed not on the holy daye leste there be an vprore among the people Therfore when that holy and chereful daye was nere for the keping of which it was mete for menne to prepare themselues with godlye woorkes the chiefe priestes and seniours of the people wer gathered together whose authoritie yf there hadde bene any rage emong the people oughte furthwith to haue pacified it And they were gathered together in the courte of the chiefe of the priestes whiche was called Caiphas For these chiefly conspired agaynst Iesus because they feared leste yf he shoulde bee preserued they shoulde leese theyr luere and authoritie Therfore it was deâ—red there through wicked counsell that they shoulde laye handes vpon Iesus and kyll hym not openlye and violently but by deceite and guâ—le Therfore when these greate men agreed emong themselues vngraciouslye of the murder they consulted of the tyme. For although they thyrsted sore for the innocent bloud beyng madde with enuye and hatred yet they thoughte beste to differ the deathe to an other tyme because the daye cheeflye holye and festiual emonge the Iewes was at hande For they feated if they shoulde sette vpon hym on that day that the people be wonte to resort together leste any tumulte or busynesse shoulde ryse because there were manye emong the people whiche seing hys miracles and hearyng hys meruaylouse doctrine and markyngâ—he great sobernes and gentilnes of hys manners had a greate opinion of hym They feared the people whyche feared not god nor feared not to defyle the holy daye with murder whyche durst not eate leauen breade Sathan gaue them this counsell desyring to kepe close that sacrifice whiche shoulde bryng health and saluacion to the worlde But it pleased otherwyse to the deuyne counsell For it was not semely that the sacrifice shoulde be priuely caste awaye whiche the father would to be offered not onely for the saluacion of the Iewes but for the saluacion also of the whole worlde Whan Iesus was in Bethanie in the house of Simon the lepet there came to him a woman hauyng an alabasâ—er bore of precious oyntment and powred it vpon hys head as he sate at the bourde But the disciples when they sawe it disdayned at it saiyng what nede this waste For this ointment might haue been wel sold and geuen is the poore WhaÌ„ Iesus knewe thys he sayed What trouble ye the woman For she hathe wâ—oughâ—e a good worke toward me For ye haue alwaies poore folke with you but me ye haue not alwaies and in that she hath â—aâ—e this oyntmente on my body she did it to burye me Uetely I say vnto you Whersoeuer this gospel shall be preached in all the world that also that she hath done shal be tolde for a memoriall of her Therfore whan Iesus was in Bethania nere vnto Hierusalem where he should be crucified and sate at meate in the house of one Simon called Lepet a certayne woman came vnto hym hauyng can alabaster of precious oyntement who broke the alabaster and powred the oyntment vpon hys heade The disciples seeyng a thing of so great price powred and caste oute at once they disdayned and murmured at it For they knewe that Iesus was not wont to vse suche delicacies and that it shoulde haue bene more for his appetite yf the woman had deliuered her alabaster whole that the oyntmente beyng solde the poore men myght be relieued with the value hereof To what purpose is it ê™ they to leese suche a precious thyng For it myghte haue bene solde for muche and the value therof geuen to the poore Thus sayde the disciples not vnderstandyng to what purpose Iesus suffered this to be done For he was not in loue with suche delicacies but he woulde haue his deathe to be adorned with suche honour whiche death he would suffer of no necessitie but of hys owne wyll for the health of the whole worlde For whereas in all hys lyfe he behaued hymselfe most lowlye yet he honoured hys deathe with a certayne magnificence by the which deathe he should ouercum the deuil And therefore once he was caryed into Hierusalem with a greate tryumphe and than as preuentynge the honoure of hys buryall he was embaumed with
that in these long stormes and tempestes of warres there woulde some fayre wether or clermes of peace shyne vpon vs oat of one quarter or other Neither haue I thought my selfe at any time the lesse bounden of an hear vnto your bountefull goodnes then if I had accepted whatsoeuer your grace of your princely liberalitie offered me And I trust ere it be loÌ„ge to haue an occasion more euidently to testifye the earneste zeale and good mynde I beare towardes your hyghnes In the meane whyle vntyll oportunitie shall serue me so to dooe I haue thought good to sende your grace the Paraphrase vpoÌ„ the ghospell of Sainct Marke as an earnest penny of this my promise And where I was of my selfe very prone and ready thus to dooe and as it were runnyng forwarde of mine owne accorde the very fitues of the matier did also not a lytle excite and moue me therunto For after I had dedicated Mathewe vnto myne owne naturall liege lorde Charles themperoure and Iohn vpon whome by and by after I had finished Mathewe I made lykewyse a Paraphrase vnto Fardynande his maiesties naturall brother Luke whiche was the thyrde that I wente in hande withall vnto the kyng of Englande then remained there Marke who semed to be lefte behynde for your grace because the fower gospels shoulde be dedicated vnto the fower chiefe princes and rulers of the worlde And god sende grace that the spirite of the ghospell maye lykewyse ioyne the heartes of you all fower together in mutuall amitie and concorde as youre names are in this ghospell boke aptely conioyned Some there be whiche extende the byshoppe of Romes dominion euen vnto hell or purgatory other some geue him impery and power ouer the aungels And so farre am I froÌ„ enuying him this preâ—minente auctoritie that I woulde wishe hym to haue a great deale more but yet woulde I desyre withall that the worlde might once fele this his power good and holsome in settyng christian Princes at one and in conseruing the same in peace and amitie whiche haue a loÌ„g season with no lesse dishonoure then slaughter and effusion of Christian bloud warred one agaynste a nother to the vtter decay of Christes religion And all this while we curse and banne the Turkes But what pleasaunter sight can there be vnto the Turkes or yf any other nacioÌ„ there be of the miscreauntes that are greater enemies vnto Christes religion then to see thre of the moste florishing and moste puissauÌ„t princes of all Europe thus by reason of mischieuous diuision to pursue eche other with mortall battaille It will scarcely sincke in my brayne that there is any so cruell a Turke who wysneth more mischiefe vnto Christen menne theÌ„ theÌ„selues weorke one an other And all this whyle ariseth there no peace maker which with his authoritie maye appeace this vngodly busines and ruffling of the worlde whereas there lacketh not prouokers and setters on ynowe and suche as poure oyle as it is in the olde prouerbe vpon the fyer It is not my parte to make any ones title either better or worse with my foreiudgement I knowe ryght wel that euery one thinketh his owne cause moste rightful and iuste I knowe also that in all such iudgementes that same partye is euer woonte to haue more fauoure that â–ª defendeth himselfe from iniury offred him then he that offreth the wrong but yet would I very fayne that all christian princes woulde debate the matier ryght and would well consider with themselues how much he hathe gotten hereby whatsoeuer he be that had lieffer haue and embrace an vniust peace then wage battaile be it neuer so iust and lawfull What is more bryttle more shorte or more full of misery and wretchednesse then is this present lyfe of ours I will not here speake of so many kyndes of diseases as reigne in the worlde so many iniuries so many casualties so many fatall calamities and misauentures so many pestilences so many diuers kyndes of lyghtninges so many yerthquakes so many sortes of fiers so many fluddes and inundacions of waters with other like calamities out of all measure and numbre For amoÌ„ge all the euils that mannes life is vexed or troubled withall there is none where of more mischief and hurte ensueth then of battaile the which yet doeth muche more mischiefe vnto mennes maners then it doeth vnto theyr substance or bodyes For he doeth the lesse harme of bothe that bereaueth a man of his life then he that bereaueth him of his vertuous and good minde Neyther is battayle euer the lesse detestable lesse to be abhorred because the moste parte of the euills thereof lyghteth vpon poore folkes neckes suche as are of lowe state and degree as of husbandmen craftes menne and waifaryng men For the Lorde of all Iesus Christe shedde no lesse bloude for the redempcion of suche be they neuer so bile rascals abiecte persons then he dyd for the greatest kynges and princes that be And when at the dreadfull daye of dome we shall cumme before the iudgement seate of Christ where muste ere long be presented all the potentates and rulers of this worlde howe mightie and puissaunte soeuer they be that rigorous iudge will require as streyght an accompte for those sely poore wretches as he wyll doe for the rulers and great menne They therfore that thynke it but a small losse vnto the coÌ„mon wealthe when these poore soules and vnderlinges are robbed afflicted dryuen out of their houses burned oppressed and murthered dooe plainly condemne of folyshnes Iesus Christe the wysdome of the father of heauen who for to saue suche as the sayde persons are dyd shed his preciouse bloud and suffred passion Wherfore in mine opinion no kynde of people is more pernicious to the common weale then suche as put into princes heades those thynges that maye styrte and moue them to warre who the more highe stomaked and couragious they be the soner are they deceyued And amonge all princely vertues highe stomake and noble courage of mynde is rekened the chief For this vertue was Iulius Cesar of olde wryters hygly commended And for the same is noble Kyng Frauncis lykewyse extolled in oure tyme with the full consent and testimonie of all nacions Nowe what greater argument is there of a very loftie and couragious mynde then to be able nothinge to passe vpoÌ„ iniuries The doughtynes and valiauÌ„tise of the olde Capitaines who warred for empire and not for defence of lyfe is muche renoumed and praysed but in Gentyle wryters and of Panyms or Gentiles Certes it is a muche more honourable and glorious facte for a christian prince to bye peace and tranquilitie of the common weale with the losse of some parte of his dominion and inheritaunce then for victory obteyned to be receyued with muche goodly triumphe bought with so great displeasures of the people Therefore such as haue inceÌ„sed the myndes of princes with a desyre to enlarge their empire what els haue they inuented but a continual
blynde Myne opinion is that battaile for the moste part springeth of vayne wordes or titles as it were inuented to nourishe maÌ„s pryde vayne glory as who saie there were not ambicion ynoughe in the worlde vnlesse we fed maintened this naughtie vice with newly inuented titles the whiche vice of it owne propre nature groweth to fast in vs. These and suche other lyke rootes and chief causes of battaile beyng once cut awaye then should it be easie to coÌ„clude and establishe a peace among christian princes with such lawes and condicions that woulde neuer suffre suche ruffling businesse and hurly burly to begyn agayne By this meanes should the princes encrease in richesse now beeing common bytwene them by reasâ—n of amitie and frendship and the christian people should lyue in louely peace and tranquilitie vnder their moste wealthye princes So would the lorde Iesus that true king of the whole worlde be fauorable vnto vs and cause all thinges to prosper goe forwarde with vs. So should we be feared of the enemies of Christes religioÌ„ againste whom we haue much a do at this daye to defend our owne much lesse than are we able to discoumfite them and chase them away far from vs Albeit I had rather haue them refourmed of their misbeliefe then by force of armes chased away and put to flyght But howe is it possible for vs to reforme other yf our selues be I had almoste sayed worse and more vicious in our conuersacion then they are For I dooe not here esteme christian menne by the articles of the fayth whiche we professe with mouthe but by theyr maners and lyning Wheresoeuer ambicion couetousnes pryde wrathe reuengemente and a desyre to hurte reigneth there say I lacketh the faythe of the ghospell Nowe albeit this pestilence haue infected euen those vnto whose office it chiefly apperteined to see a remedy for the decay of christen religion yet haue I some good hope of reformacion because I see the bookes of holy scripture but specially of the newe testament so taken in hande and laboured of all men yea euen as much as of the ignoraunt and vnlettered sorte that many tymes suche as professe the perfyte knowledge of Goddes woorde are not able to matche them in reasonyng And that there be very many readers of the bookes of the newe testament this one thyng maketh me to beleue because notwithstanding the printers do yerely publishe and put forth so many thousande volumes yet all the bookesellers shoppes that be are not hable to suffice the gredâ—â—es of the byers For nowe a dayes is it well solde ware whatsoeuer a man attempteth vpon the ghospell This so strong a medicine once receiued and dronken canne not but worke and put forth his strength Wherfore me thynketh the worlde is in case lyke to a maÌ„nes body vexed with greuous diseases after it hath receyued an herbe called Ellebore or some other strong purgacion For then is it all together distempered and out of quyet and fareth as though it woulde yelde vp the ghoste And God sende grace that this euangelike Ellebore after it haue once searched and entred into all the veynes of our soule maye so come vp agayne that the sedes of vices beyng therby cast out and auoyded it maye restore vs made whole and purged of all our synnes vnto Iesu Christe and maye also after this greate rufflyng and almoste vncurable diseases of the worlde bryng agayne vnto all menne that ioyefull and muche desyred tranquilitie And verily I would hope better that the common prayers of all good men to that ende and purpose shoulde not be made in vaine if the chiefe estates of the worlde woulde lyke trustie and faythfull physycians do theyr endeuour to helpe the worlde in this euill case that is to saye yf the princes in whome it chiefly lyeth to rule the worlde as they wyll would call vnto theyr remembraunce that they shall shortlye for what thing is there in this present lyfe of any long continuaunce gyue an accoumpt vnto that moste soueraigne and high prince how they haue gouerned their dominions Agayne yf the bishoppes diuines and all ecclesiasticall persones woulde likewyse remember howe they haue not succeded in the places of Annas Caiphas or of the Scribes and Phariseis who whyles they wickedly defended theyr owne kyngdome wente about to oppresse the kyngdome of the ghospell whyles they vphelde and defended theyr owne glorye dyd theyr endeuour to bury and ouer whelme Christes glorye and finally whiles they laboured to approue theyr owne righteousnesse made God vnrighteous but rather in the place of the Apostles who had a pleasure euen with the leesyng of theyr owne bloude and liues to defende Christes kyngdome Christes glory and Christes righteousnes Christe hath once suffered once arysen agayne from death to lyfe and neuer wyll dye agayne But he suffereth thesame passion afreshe so oft as the truethe of the ghospell is condemned beaten spytte vpon crucified and buried To be short he reckeneth done vnto hymselfe whatsoeuer euell or displeasure is done vnto his membres Peraduenture moste Christian kyng I haue spokeÌ„ here more frankely and more at large then it became me to do howbeit the great loue I beare towarde your grace hath made me both lauishe of my woordes and also more bolde to vtter my minde vnto your highnesse I beyng a Christian man do wishe well vnto all Christian menne generally but yet haue I a certaine speciall loue and affeccion to the moste noble and florishyng realme of Fraunce I beseche Iesu thimmortall kyng of the whole worlde vnto whome the heauenly father hath geuen all power in heauen and in yearth to geue his holy spirite both to the people and also to the princes and rulers to the princes that they may haue grace happely to passe ouer theyr lyues in mutuall amytie and concorde vnder theyr common kyng and prince Iesu vnto the other that they maye lyue in reste and peace vnder their moste godly and wealthy princes and the ende of all to be this that christian vertue and godlinesse beyng well planted among vs maye be enlarged and spred abrode as muche as is possible to be not by inuadyng or wasting of others dominions or countreys for so our enemies become the porer but neuer the better and more godly but by preaching euery where the doctrine of the gospell syncerely and truely by theyr ministery that haue in them the spirite of the ghospell and by ordering our liues after suche sorte that verye many may be allured to professe our religion euen by the swete smell or sauour of our good lyuing So be ganne the christian empire so encreaced it so was it greatly enlarged so was it established and by the contrary we see how it is now almost at a point and come to nothing if we considre the greatnesse of the whole worlde Wherfore loke by what aydes it first beganne by what meanes it was encreaced and established by the same must we repaire it beyng decaied
Iames the sonne of Alphe and Thaddeus and Simon of Canaan and Iudas Iscarioth whiche also betrayed hym Therfore Iesus who had oftimes before because to allure manye vnto this doctrine humbled himselfe euen to the basenes of the common people shewing therby that the teachers of the ghospell ought to do the lyke Iesus I say now calling furth to the highnes of euangelike perfeccion wente vp into a mountaine and called vnto hym not euery rascal of the multitude but suche as it pleased hym and those that he had specially chosen and sorted out before for this office and ministery For he called not men of greate substauÌ„ce head rulers great estates not priestes Phariseis or Scribes but poore men vnlearned persons suche as were of lowe degree For these were mete to folowe him to go vp to the mountayne from whence whatsoeuer this presente worlde hathe in it worthy admiracion is contemned from whence as oute of a nighe place the voyce of the father of heauen is heard and to be short from whence the glory of immortalitie and euerlasting lyfe is beholden They that were called obeyed and came to Iesus beyng on high No man can mounte vp to this hill except Iesus call him For himselfe is the mountaine vnto whome no man cummeth vnles he drawe hym This that king of kynges and Lord of rulers did chose out twelue head officers and deputies the whiche as loyall and faythfull garders of his personage shoulde neuer depart from his person to the intent that when the affayres of the ghospell so required he might sende them out as legates for the body to preache suche thinges as they had learned of him theyr kyng and publish abrode theyr princes commaundement throughout the whole world Now for as muche as they were vyle fishers vnlearned persons pooremen and suche as in outwarde apparaunce shewed no poynte of kinglines notwithstanding they promysed the kyngdome of God our sauiour leste theyr aucthoritie shoulde haue ben nothing regarded gaue them a power that no princes of this world can geue theyr ambassadoures the whiche power was that they shoulde in the name of Iesu heale all maner of diseases and also put to flight vncleane spirites The first of these legates or messingers was Simon whose name he chaunged and called him Cephas the which worde implieth as muche as this latine name Petrus that is to say a rocke or a stone to the intent that we should learne by the name selfe how the chiefe groundwarke and foundacion of the doctrine of the ghospell is an vnmouable stedfastnes of fayth The second was Iames the sonne of zebede with his brother Iohn To these he gaue also newe names and they bothe were called Boanarges whiche is as muche to saye in the Syrian tongue as the sonnes of thundre so that theyr name was a very prophecye to declare that they shoulde in tyme to cum send out of that euangelike hill into all the worlde the thunder of the preaching of the ghospell whiche shoulde moue and styrre vp all mens mindes to the desyre of heauenlye thinges For lyke as thunder soundeth from an high so the preacher of the ghospell soundeth and preacheth nothing that is low and carnall but all that he speaketh is high and heauenly Be you penitent the kingdome of heauen is at hande This saying is a thunder clap For assone as this word is spoken euery man feareth the daunger of lightninge but there folowethe a shower and that is Beleue ye the gospell and you shal be safe The fourth legate and messinger was Andrew brother vnto Peter the fifth Philip the sixte Barthelmewe the seuenthe Mathew the eyght Thomas surnamed Didimus the ninth Iames the sonne of Alphe the tenth Thaddeus the eleuenth Symon of Canaan the twelfth Iudas Iscarioth the whiche betrayed the Lord. By these few basely borne vnlearned and weake persons it pleased the Lorde to renewe the whole worlde leste that mannes wisedome or power shoulde chalenge any prayse in this heauenly busynes ¶ And they came into the house and the people assembled thither agayne so that they had no leasure so muche as to eate bread and when they that belonged vnto him heard of it they went out to laye handes vpon him for they sayde he is mad And the Scribes whiche came downe from Ierusalem sayed he hath Beelzebub and by the chiefe deuill casteth he out deuils and he called them vnto him and sayd vnto them in parables These thinges thus doen in the mountayne to monishe vs that in chosyng the ministres of the ghospell we ought in no wiâ—e to be moued led with low and priuate affeccions Iesus came downe with his elect head officers and they all together came into a house as nowe the familiar frendes and of shoulde with God This exaumple was shewed to teache vs howe the teachers of Gods word should not grutche to descend from theyr highnes or perfeccion and abase them selues euen to the lownes of the weake therby to winne very many to theyr Lorde Let vs also folow Iesus into the house for this intent that we may perfectly know what they ought to hope after and wherunto to prepare theyr mindes who take vpon them syncerely to preach the heauenly gospell The multitude went not vp to the mountayne For that thing pertayneth to them only whom the lorde hath chosen out for that purpose But assone as Christ and his disciples were cum downe lower al the whole rablement of people resorted vnto hym again so importunately crying and calling vpon him partly for to heare his doctrine and partly to be deliuered of theyr diseases that the Apostles had no leasure so muche as to eate theyr meate There can be no pleasaunter syghte vnto the teachers of the ghospell then when the people being desyrous to learne do disquiet the priestes then when a great multitude of christen nouices sytteth round about the churche doore then when there is not roume ynough in the Churches to receyue all maner of folkes that resorteth vnto the bishopes sermon After that all these dedes were through the great bruite therof brought to his kinsefolkes and cosens eares who knew right well thinfirmitie of his fleshe wheras for grossenesse of vnderstanding they could not suppose any thyng of his godly might and power after I say they heard tell how he wandred vp and downe with a sort of rascall slouens and vile felowes folowing him at the heles and heard say also howe he caused muche people to folowe him taughte newe learninges and suche as had not bene hearde before put away diseases and caste out deuils they ascribed all to fury and madnesse because being offended with the weakenesse of his body they could in no wise referre these thinges vnto his godly power They knew his father and mother they knew his house and all his family they knewe that in all other thinges he differed nothyng from other and perceyued also howe all that was reported of hym
that hath not suche a one is he that hydeth his treasure and kepeth it to himselfe thesame shal not alonely be neuer a whit the richer therfore but also that thing whiche he thought he had for his owne vse and no mans els shall be quite taken from him Neither let this make you euer the slacker or worse wyllynge to distribute the gyftes of faythe yf the people be vnkynde and not aunswerable to your diligent endeuour Your wages shall be safe for you wyth God who the more that euery one of you hath trauayled in settyng foorth the ghospell the more bounteously will he rewarde hym in the worlde to cumme Albeit neither shall you in the meane tyme be vtterly defeated of your rewarde whiche are daylye more and more enriched with the riches of the ghospell ¶ And he sayde so is the kyngdome of God euen as yf a man shoulde so we sede in the grounde and shoulde sleape and rise vp night and daye and the sede should spring â–ª and growe vp while he is not aware For the earth bringeth forth fruite of her selfe first the blade then the eare after that the full corke in the eare â—ut when the fruite is broughte forth anon he thrusteth in the sickle because the haruest is cumme Moreouer the Lorde added another parable whereby he taughte his disciples that they should care for nothing els but onely go about with al that they might to haue the gospell spred abrode and preached thorowe out all the whole worlde tellyng them that haruest time shoulde once cum wheÌ„ it should please the Lorde The kingdome of the gospel sayeth he is after this manour as yf a manne shoulde sowe his sede and caste it vpon the grounde in the daye tyme Anon after that the sede is putte into the earth he that sowed it slepethe carelesse and taketh his reste And in the meane while that he is thus a slepe the sede groweth neuerthelesse both nyghte and daye with secrete encreasynges without mennes laboure and nowe springeth the corne and shoteth vp hasting vndoubtedlie of the owne accorde and by a certaine priuie operacion of nature to bring forth fruite Certes nature hath her degrees the whiche she alwayes after the seede be once sowen kepeth of course without the husbandmannes laboure For firste of all the sede after it is putrified in the grouÌ„d springethe vp into grasse That is the firste hope of encrease Then when the blade is shot vp therunto groweth an eare but suche a one as hathe as yet no corne in it At the lengthe the huskes of the eare are fylled full of wheat cornes And these thinges are so secretely wroughte by the procurement of nature that a man can not perceiue when they growe and yet senuÌ„blye perceiue that they haue growen and encreased Therefore when the corne is ripe he that sowed the sede thrusteth in his sickell to reape that is come vp because he knowethe that harueste tyme is already come By this darke parable the Lorde couertly taught his disciples the begynnyng goyng forwarde and consummacion or perfit code of al the whole gospell of the whiche thre partes himself woulde openlye perfourme bothe the firste and the laste with his visible bodie and the other that is to saye the goyng forwarde ordre with the inuisible grace of the holy ghoste For that same prince sowed abrode the sede of the gospell thorowe out all Iewry Anon as he had so done he slepte firste dyinge and then afterwarde risinge agayne into euerlasting quietnesse And thus farre foorthe springeth the sede of the gospell whiles he that firste sowed it is as it were a slepe secretly encreasethe bothe daye and night that is to saye both in prosperitie and in aduersitie what ocâ—asion soeuer be ministred eyther on theyr befalfe that promote and aduaunce it or els of suche as resiste the same For it cannot be chosen but that seede muste nedes cumme vp whiche he sowed whose will no man resisteth Moreouer where as there is nothinge in this worlde vnknowen vnto hym yet in that he suffrethe the worlde to make businesse agaynste the ghospell and his apostles to be persecuted and slayne he semethe vnto the faythlesse not to knowe what is here done and to be in maner aslepe whereas in very dede he doeth euen now by the inuisible power of his holy spirite more effectually worke all thinges in all He will not in visible forme retourne into the worlde vntyll the tyme that the ghospell beynge firste so muche enlarged and spreade abrode as he hath determined before and onelye knowethe it shal be all men shall see hym cum agayne vnder the selfe same forme and lykenes that he had when he ascended vp into heauen to deuide the godly and good people from the wicked and to laye vp the godly as good corne in the barne of euerlastyng quietnesse We see howe small begynnynges the kyngdome of the gospell is spronge of yf a manne esteme the thynge as it appereth vnto the worlde This was as a manne woulde saye the grasse that sprange of the sede of the gospell whiche the Phariseis Scribes Priestes Elders Rulers Princes Kynges and Philosophiers dyd what they coulde to oppresse and kepe vnder that it should neuer cum vp But whiles they stroue agaynste the streame this sede began to be sowen in all partes of the worlde and will not cease to growe before the worldes ende vntill the corne be all ripe Then the sickell of iudgemente that can not be auoyded shall be thruste in to the entente that when all are cut downe it maie deliuer the cockel vnto the fire and safely lay vp the pure wheate This parable althoughe it do specially pertayne vnto Iesu the auctour promotour and finisher of the kyngdome of the gospell yet doeth it also touche both his Apostles and their successoures whom he willeth wholy to binde themselues hereunto that Goddes worde maye be sowen a brode and preached as muche as maye be For this seedetyme lasteth euen tyl the worldes ende and they also as helpers of Iesu Christe be sowiers saue alonelye that they sowe not their owne sede but suche as Christe deliuered vnto them And because that sede is celestiall it can in no wyse be ouerlayed or oppressed The Pharisess also and Philosophiers had sede of their owne but those sedes coulde by no meanes no not when the world fauoured them growe and prosper where as the seede of the heauenly doctrine waxeth euery daye more stronger then other euen when the worlde with all the puissaunce and aydes that it hathe assaulteth it Therefore the Apostles do lykewyse sowe after their fashion and for that purpose they are sente out who by oft remouing from place to place go aboute nothing els but to haue the gospell as muche dilated and spred abrode as is possyble to be God geueth the encrease when they be asleape That foresayde sede hath in euerye one euen of the Christians his grasse his eare and his haruest
lytle ones is not estemed after the quantitie and strength of the bodie but after the humblenesse of suche a mynde as claymeth nothyng in this worlde that is highe nor trusteth anywhit to his owne strength but with syncere fayth hangeth vpon Christe Iohn aunswered hym saying Maister we sawe one cast out deuels in thy name and he foloweth not vs we forbad him because he foloweth vs not But Iesus sayed forbyd him not For there is no man whiche yf he doe a miracle in my name can lyghtlye speake euil of me for he that is not against vs is on our parte Whosoeuer shall in my name geue you cuppe of water to drinke because ye belong to Christ verely I say vnto you he shall not leese his rewarde By occasion of these wordes there arose an other doubt among the disciples the whiche Iohn propouned in this wyse Mayster ê¯ he when thou sentest vs out to preache the kyngdome of God we sawe a certaine felowe caste out diuels in thy name and yet was thesame neyther of the numbre of the twelue nor of the seuentie whome thou dyddest afterwarde chose and sende out nor none of all the disciples whiche folowe vs. Wherfore hym as one of an other secte and none of thy felowship we forbad but whether we dyd well or no we wot not Iesus answered Forbyd ye none suche as are in any wyse good to sprede abrode and preache the ghospell For you must not be disdainfull in receyuing of those whiche goe aboute by what endeuoure soeuer it be to auaunce the worde of god You must not consydre whether he folowe me as a disciple but whether he preache my name If he cast out diuells by callyng vpon my name he cannot lyghtelye speake yuell of me And yf he so doe then will the thing it selfe reproue him For it shall be said vnto hym howe darest thou for very shame backbyte that name whiche thou hast proued mightie and effectuall in working of miracles Therfore do ye not vpon light occasion suppose him to worke for a naughtie purpose whoso doeth a godly dede He that resisteth not the ghospell in this poynte furthereth it because he aydeth not them whiche take part against the same Whosoeuer is not againste you maketh for you This newe doctrine must beeset forth whensoeuer occasion serueth but with what synceritie of mynde it be promoted it is no mattier to you so that the preacher doe by any manour of meanes further the busynesse whiche you goe about For not onely they shall be rewarded for furtheryng of the gospell whiche shall caste out diuels in my name but they also who according to theyr abylitie will put theyr helpyng handes neuer so litle to the aduauncyng therof For whoso wyll geue you euen but a cuppe of colde water in my name that is to say in respect that ye are my disciples and doe my busynesse be you right well assured thesame shall not lacke his rewarde ¶ And whosoeuer shall offende one of these litle ones that beleue in me it were better for him yf a mylstone were hanged about his necke and he were caste into the sea Wherfore yf thy hand hinder the cut it of It is better for the to enter into lyfe maymed then hauing two handes to go into hell into fyre that neuer shal be quenched where theyr worme dyeth not and the fyre goeth not our And yf thy foâ—te be a hyndraunce to the cut it of It is better for the to go halâ—e into lyfe then hauyng two feete to be cast into hell into fyre that neuer shal be quenched where theyr worme dieth not and the fyre goeth not out And yf thyne â—ye hinder the plucke it out It is better for the to goe into the kingdome of God with one iye then hauing two iyes to be caste into hells fyre where their wormâ— dieth not and the fyre goeth not out Againe if any shall chaunce to let them by whome the ghospell is aduauÌ„ced truly it is aduaunced not by those whom the world counteth great but by litle ones simple persons vnderlinges and men of no reputacion if anye I say offend any of these litle ones who haue reposed theyr affiaunte in me so true is it that he shall not auoyde punishment that he shoulde be muche eassier punished if there were a mylstone tyed vnto his necke and he cast into the sea The princes of this world cruelly punishe suche as let theyr deputies to put those thynges in execucion whiche they haue commaunded to be done They hange them on a ieobet and also many tymes quarter them or cast them downe headlyng from sum high rocke or els drowne them in the sea with a stone tyed vnto them for cumming vp agayne so true is it that they will not haue theyr great men offended whom they vse as ministers of their tyrannie that is to say to oppresse the people But God wyll muche greuouslyer punishe suche as will let his litle ones whom he would to haue the handelyng of th affayres of the heauenlye kyngdom for all mennes saluacion that they cannot put theyr kynges commaundementes in execucion For albeit they shall seeme for a tyme so to doe vnpunished yet at the leangth shall they not escape the punishment of hell The tyrauntes of this worlde could inuent no kynde of deathe comparable to that punyshemente whereby bothe bodye and soule shall seme to dye with continuall tourmentes and yet neuer can dye Therefore studye you not howe to be reuenged Doe your businesse and God shall punishe those that will let you Nowe if there aryse anye lette and impedimente not of any persecutoure but on theyr behalfe whiche appeare to be your frendes there oughte nothynge to be so deare vnto you that the loue therof maye cause you to leaue of the ministracion of the gospell Admitte it be thy ryghte hande that is to saye thy father or verye nere frende whome thou canste not spare put case it be thy ryghte eye that is to wete thy welbeloued wyfe and swete children Admitte it be thy foote that is to saye thy seruaunt or factour whose seruice thou canst not lacke for thexploiture of suche affaires as thou hast to doe in this worlde Cut of thy hande plucke out thyne iye chop of thy foote that hyndreth thee to doe the busynesse of the ghospell If thou canste brynge with the to the euangelike saluacion thy father thy mother thy brethren and thy systers doe it But yf the tender affeccion thou bearest towardes them withdrawe the from the ministracion of the ghospell and againe if it shoulde so come to passe that whiles they refuse to be saued by thee thou shouldest also perishe and be damned with them then cast awaye naturall affeccion and let the charitie of the gospell ouercumme the charitie of maÌ„ne doe thesame thing in perill of thy sowle that thou woldest doe in the ieoperdie of thy bodie If thou were at suche an exigent that thou shouldest eyther be
shoulde lykewyse cumme when he would returne into the worlde agayne a iudge bothe of the quicke and deade but when that time shoulde come because it was not expedient he woulde in no wyse haue it knowen Therfore he began to speake of these matters in suche wyse as here ensueth Beware sayeth he lest any manne deceiue you For there shall manye come who wyll chalenge and take vpon them my name and euerye of theim wyll fayne hymselfe to be Christe and by his craftie delusion deceiue manye vncircumspect persons When ye shall heare of warres tidynges of warres be ye not troubled For suche thynges must nedes be but the ende is not yet For there shall nacion ryse agaynste nacion and kyngdome agaynst kyngdome And there shal be pearthquakes in al quarters and famishement shall there be and troubles These are the beginning of sorowes But take ye hede to your selues for they shall bryng you vp to the counsayles into the Synagoges ye shal be beaten yea and shal be brought before rulers and kynges for my sake for a testimoniall vnto them And the gospell must first be published amonge all nacions The great busynes rufflyng of the world will shew that my cuÌ„ming approcheth the worlde is nighe at an ende But you muste not strayghtwayes when warres are moued or when there is any terrible bruite or rumoure of warres to be moued be so dismayed therwith as though thesame time wer already present For these thinges shall cum and yet shall not th ende of the world furthwith ensue They shall only be preludes of the ende that is to come euen as in an olde mans bodye diseases oftetymes thauncing are foretokens that his body shal shortely decay and perishe The temperature of the qualities is the thyng whiche preserueth bodely health But when by reason thesame qualities do stryue one agaynste another the whole body is distempered then is it an argumente that the destruction thereof approchethe There shall nacion ryse agaynste nacion realme agaynst realme and one of them go about with great powers and hostes of men to destroye an other Moreouer the yearthe it selfe as thoughe it were not content to norishe so wicked and vngodlye people shal be shaken with yearthequakes and so shall there be in sondrie places of the worlde greate dearthe and famyne because it shall deny men theyr naturall foode and sustenaunce Furthermore the ayre as though it were angrye with thesame vngodly folkes vnworthy of life and breathe shal be noysomme and deadelye When ye see manye of these signes and tokens yet loke ye not byanby for domes daye For these euiles shall be onelye the begynninge of the calamitie to come Neyther shall youre selues be free from suche euils troubles And therfore loke well aboute ye leste ye bee clapte in the neckes or creye be ware For men shall accuse you and brynge you before councels and synagoges and yee shal be presented before kynges and rulers to aunswere in causes of lyfe and deathe not for any offence or euyl dede doen on your behalfe but onelye for the profession of my name and this shall they do because all the worlde maye knowe howe they were worthely caste out of the kyngdome of God sithens they so persecuted the preachers of thesame But lette not these thynges muche trouble your myndes The cruelnes of wycked persons shall brynge nothing to passe agaynst the proceding of the gospell Neither can anye man slea you before your tyme. For domes daye shall not come before the gospell be preached throughout all the worlde ¶ But when they leade you and present you take ye no thought neyther ymagine afore hande what ye shall saye but whatsoeuer is geuen you in the same houre that speake For it is not ye that speake but the holy gost The brother shall delyuer vp the brother to deathe and the father the sonne and the children shall ryse agaynst their fathers and mothers and shal put theÌ„ to death And ye shal be hated of al meÌ„ for my names sake But whoso enduceth vnto the ende thesame shal be safe You nede not therefore to prepare you any worldly succours agaynste the violence tiranny of persecutours or take thought how to escape their iudgementes When there is any accion commensed agaynst you loke ye goe appeare leste ye seme to despise the publike authoritie For this thinge also shall make much for the enlarging and spreading abrode of the gospell But when ye are goyng to appeare be you not carefull studying with your selfes what answere to make and how to tell your tale for that ye are not sene in the lawe but men ignoraunt in ciuill plees as the common sort of the people are wonte to be carefull in suche case who make Oratours and Rhetorcians theyr atturneys and proetours in pleadinge of matters But whatsoeuer cumme the vnto your myndes that speake you For your selues shall not be authours of suche wordes as you shall speake but instrumentes onely The holy ghoste shall speake by you suche thynges as shal be expedient for the busynes of the gospell But suche persecucions must ye not onely looke for of alyauntes and enemyes but also of your frendes and kynnesfolkes For one brother shall take the lawe of an other and accuse hym of deathe worthye crymes all naturall loue and affeccion cast aside And the father shall likewise accuse the sonne contrary to naturall loue and kyndnes Furthermore the children shall also rise agaynste their parentes and cause them to suffer death And where as ye hurte no body but brynge the tydinges of saluacion to all men yet shall ye be hated of all them that loue this world onelye for the dyspleasure and malyce they beare to my name whiche you shall preache But in all these euils it shal be nedefull for you to be armed with perseueraunce and constancie of minde For whoso continueth in his good beginninges to the ende shall be safe because no calamitie is able to destroye him that with constant harte and mynde beleueth the gospell Moreouer when ye see the abhominacion of desolacion wherof is spoken by Daniel the prophet stand where it ought not let him that readeth vnderstand Then let them that be in Iewry sie to the mountaines and let him that is â—n the house top not go down into the house nether enter therein to fetche any thyng out of his house And let him that is in the fielde not turne backe agayne vnto the thynges whiche he lefte behynde hym for to take his clothes with him Woe shal be then to them that are with childe and to them that geue sucke in those dayes But praye ye that your flyght be not in the winter For there shal be in those dayes suche tribulacion as was not from the beginninge of creatures whiche God created vnto this time nether shal be And except that the Lorde should shorten those dayes no fleshe shoulde be saued But for the electes
whiche the ghospell teacheth then whiche the Paradoxes that is to saie the straunge opinions of the philosophiers dooe teache And the sayd philosophiers doctryne not one of the princes did euer make anye a dooe to destroye or suppresse and yet of it owne accorde it vanyshed awaye lyke as did also theyr lawes and the arte magicall and the rites of sacryfices For what creature dooeth at this daye sacrifyce vnto the Gods of the Heathen or slaygheth beastes in sacrifice as the Iewes did What persone dooeth now knowe of Zoroastes What man setteth an heare by the misticall riddels of Pythagoras Who readeth the lyfe of Apollonius Tyaneus any otherwyse then as a certayne dreame Yea or rather who vouchesalueth to reade it at al For where Aristotell is at these dayes of greate name and fame in the scholes leat hym neuer thanke his owne fâ—cte therefore but the Christians For euen he had perished too yf there had not been made a medley of Christe and hym together in our schooles of diuinitie Against the philosophie Euangelical beeyng yet but tendre and euen but newly spryngyng vp the worlde arose at the first chop with all his force and power by meane of the Iewes vnder the pretexte and coulour of religion fightyng agaynst the fountaine of all religion by meane of the philosophiers beeyng hable muche to doe in all kyndes of â—earnyng by meane of the Sophisters beyng felowes vnpossible to bee ouercoÌ„med in stiffenesse of holdyng argumentacions by meane of the rhetoricians beyng meruaylous in the force of eloquence by the tyrannes beeyng armed with all sortes of shewyng crueltie by meane of kynges lieutenauntes magistrates by suche as were cunnynng in magike and sorcerie and perfecte in the sleyght of castyng mystes ouer mennes iyes and other senses and by meane of eiuyll spirites beeyng the lordes of this worlde All suche tumultuous buisynesse as these as a sea of eiuils swellyng vp and ouerflowyng dydde the power of the trueth Euangelicall receiue endure breake throughe and vtterly ouercome For at the lighte of the ghospell whan it came it was reason that all counterfaictes of worldly power should clene vanishe a waye Up shot that same ghospell and shewed it selfe beeyng plaine and lowe whiche all men wâ—â— great a doe endeuoured to ouertrede and kepe downe The bokes of suche persones as with singular high witte with woondrefull learnyng and with exquisite eloquence wrote agaynst the ghospel vanished awaye of theyr owne accorde as it had been certayne dreames insomuche that they are not at this day remaynyng to bee had neyther excepte if any fragmentes or small pieces haue been saued of the Christians by reason of wrytyng agaynst them in confuting them The kynges and princes dooe nowe bough downe to honoure the thyng which to fore they weÌ„t about to destroie the power of magike is vanished awai and gone the euill spirites are cast out that they howle and rore agayn philosophie hath confessed her ignoraunce and geuyng ouer the foolishe wisedome of the world it hath enbraced the wysedome of the crosse the rethoricians write oracions in the prayse of Iesus Christ the poetes do hisse the olde goddes out of place and in the lieu and place of Goddes innumerable all their song and composyng is nowe of Iesus Christe alone Thissame so great a chaunge of the world begoonne within a fewe yeares after Christ was putte to death to be made generall and common through al the whole worlde and withoute any maintenaunce or supportacion of maÌ„ it encreaced from tyme to tyme still more and more vntyll the piece of leauen beeyng miengled in three peâ—kes of meale did â–ª â—auen and turne al the whole batche and vntill the graine of mustard seed beeyng digged into the yearth did ferre and wyde spleygh his boughes abrode ouer Asia ouer Afrike and Europe And ouer and besydes all this those persones who layed theyr battrey agaynst the trueth Euangelical to cast it â—owne and to destroye it not onely had diuerse and sondry kyndes of terroures wherwith euen very manly stomakes also might haue been quayled that is to weâ—e open coÌ„maundementes by proclamacion consistories places of iudgemente forfaityng of al theyr goodes to the princes attaindres and depriuacions banishementes priesons tormentes of burnyng plates scourgyng with â—oddis axes wherwith to choppe of theyr heades ieobettes fiers to burne them wylde beastes to cast them to that thei might be deuoured deathes but also they had diuerse and soondrye allurementes wherewith an herte though it wer right coÌ„tinent might bee corrupted Ceasar would saye to some one of them Rencague thou and forsake Christ and be thou the chiefe emong all my piers and except thou so do all thy gooddes shall be forfayte to my behoufe I wyll shewe all extremitie of rigour towarde thy wyfe and children and thyselfe for thyne own part shalt bee cast to wylde beastes in a denne Who did in suche cases as these perswade so many thousandes and bryng them in mynde with reioycyng to take it whan theyr promocions and dignities were taken from them whan theyr gooddes were spoyled that whan they sawe those parties haled with all violence to huige tormentes and execucion of death who nexte after God were moste derely beloued vnto them they should geue thankes to God and finally that themselues whan they might easly haue escaped and whan they might haue enioyed suche high commodities should of theyr owne voluntary wylles offâ—e themselues to bee cruelly martyred No power of humayne eloquence could this haue dooen but the godlye power of the trueth was hable whiche laye hidden in the graine of mustardsede Neither did the philosophiers doctrine lacke alluremente The Stoykes promised libertie and fredome true rychesse health reigne other thynges magnificent and royall to be spoken The Epicureans made highe woordes and promises of pleasure to the cares of men The Peripatetikes dyd couple the good giftes of the bodye with vertue But the doctrine of the ghospell as it did not drawe any body vnto it with any worldly terrours so on the contrary parte how feâ—re was it from hauyng any thyng commendable in outwarde shewe to see to naye rather howe many thynges did it conteine vttrely vncredible It telleth newes of one Iesus nailled on the crosse who had by his death deliuered mankynde and this Iesus to be bothe god and man borne of a virgin and one that had returned agayne from death to life and was nowe sitting at the right hande of God the father and thesame Iesus to had been a man that had taught suche persones to bee in blissed case as for the profession of his name did mourne and warle did suffre thirst or hungre were put to affliccion wer euill spoken of or were putte to death and that all men shall in time to come arise to life agayn and that the godly sorte at that daye thesame veray Iesus beeyng their iudge shall haue immortalitie to their lotte the wicked shall haue the peines of hell for euer without
in vaine striued and wrastled to suppresse it And verayly euen thesame thyng also had our Lorde spoken afore and prophecied whan I shall be lifted vp from the yearth sayed he I shall drawe all thinges to my selfe Suche autours and auouchers of thinges and the growyng of thesame thynges to suche an ende and proufe as afore is sayd doth not suffre vs to doubte neither of tho thynges that haue passed before our tyme ne yet of suche thynges as for many hundredes of yeres to come are promysed Whatsoeuer had of long tyme afore been foresayed by the godlye sayinges of the prophetes Iesus at his cummyng into the worlde did perfourme and fulfyll and whatsoeuer thyng Christ toward his departure from heÌ„ce vp to heauen sayd afore to thapostles that it should come to passe hath in dede come to passe neither is it to be doubted but that he will with semblable vprightnesse and trueth accomplishe all other thynges whiche he hath differred vnâ—yâ—l his second coÌ„ming to bee perfourmed concernyng the resurreccion of our bodyes and concernyng the rewardes of the godly persones and of the wicked Therfore as for the ordre and processe of the gospell matiers I haue with earnesse studie throughly bouâ—ted out of the mouthes of suche whose woordes are vndoubted and certain to write vpon And out of these haue I pieked suche pointes as semed to be moste effectuall and moste helpyng to the fayth and to the deuout godlynesse of the gospell not geuyng it but a litle touche here and there as it were at nouers and as men gather floures here and there one at aueÌ„ture as they come to hand but folowyng the ordre of the tyme and the due course or processe of matiers I haue diligently compyled the storye yea euen somewhat ferre fettyng the matier from the firste grounde that is to wete from the concepcion of hym whiche went before the commyng of our salueour lyke as in byrth so in preachyng also and in death And than furthermore I treate of the straunge concepcion of Christ within the wombe of the virgin of the byrthe of the childe of his circumcision of the puriâ—icacion of Marie of soÌ„drie prophecies spoken vpon the childe of certayne tokens of godly towardnesse whiche euen very than already did like certaine litle sparkes appere in the chylde of whiche thynges the other Euangelistes that with vpright trueth and certaintie wrote before had touched almoste nothing at all After al this how Iohn baptised and preached and than of the baptising of Iesus of his beyng teÌ„pted of his doctryne of wondres that he wrought of his death of his beeyng layed in graue of his arisyng again froÌ„ death to lyfe and of his returnyng vp into heauen These thynges well set in an ordre eche in his moste conuenient place I shall in another treatise adde howe he sente the holye ghoste and what were the firste rudimentes and principles of the primitiue churche whan it firste came vâ— and begonne and also as it grewe from time to tyme greater and greater what the chiefe Apostles Peter Iames Paule and Barnabe didde what they taughte by what myracles and by what affliccions they glorifyed the name of oure Lorde Iesus not for that I suppose that these thynges wyll bee strange vnto thee moste honest Theophilus but partelye to the entente that thou mayest eftesones peruse in an ordre tho thynges whiche thou haste by piecemele learned of others and partelye to th ende that thou mayest of a more perfecte and assured credence throughly perceyue by my wrytyng thesame thynges whiche thou haddest hearde of others afore tymes by theyr liuelye voyce and woorde of mouthe and mayest refuse the fablinges of a great sorte whiche dooe at this present vnder the false counterfeicte name of the ghospell set out theyr owne peynted sheath and not thou alone o Theophilus for we dooe not wryte these thynges to any one sole person onelye but also all other personnes either at this presente tyme beyng or hereafter to come whiche either be or shal be the same in dede that thou arte called in name that is to wete the louers of god whiche renouncyng and vttrely geuyng vp the deuyll dooe with prest readinesse of beleuyng and with godlye applying theimselues sue to the frendeship of god and the whiche despising aswell the eiuilles as also the good thynges of this transitory world do bend al their desyre to those thynges that are euerlastyng and heauenly The fyrst Chapter WHan the tyme by the purpose and appoyntemente of God prefixed and by soondrye sage sawes of the Prophetes aforâ—tolde and promised and by the space of so many hundred yeres greatly wished for of holy and deuout people was now come that the sonne of God shoulde take vpon hym the nature of manne for to redeme mankynde by his death and aswell by his doctrine as also by his exaumple of doyng for to enstructe vs towardes the knowledge of the trueth and the earnest loue and desyre of the godlye trade of the ghospell and finally by his promyses for to set vp oure hertes towardes the hope of the lyfe euerlastyng in heauen for because all this same that was to bee doen was straunge nor the lyke heard of in any age or tyme afore the wysedome of god by secrete wayes and meanes ordreyng all thynges there was leate passe no poynte at all of any tokens or euident signes whiche mighte to a matier of it selfe incredible purchase credite and cause it to bee beleued among men For who hath euer heard a man to haue been borne of a woman on earth which should for euermore reigne God in heauen The histories euen of the Gentiles also be full of straunge thinges that haue happened against the coÌ„mon course of nature In the bokes of the olde testament we learne that fyer hath been cast downe from heauen we learne the sea to haue opened and deuided it selfe into twoo partes water to haue been gotten foorth of a drie stone by touchyng it with a long rodde and deade menne to haue been restored agayne to lyfe But who hath euer hearde a virgin to haue brought foorth a chylde without mans helpe Yet in dede the chiefe article of our saluacion it was that this same point were to all persones throughly perswaded that is to wete Iesus to be thesame Messias whose cummyng all foretellynges of the Prophetes had promysed and whom all the lawes of Moses had by waye of a shadowe expressed and of whome onely all persons muste hope and truste to haue theyr saluacion ¶ There was in the dayes of Herode the kyng of Iewry a certayne prieste named Zacharie of the course of Abia and his wyfe of the doughters of Aaron and her name was Elizabeth Wherfore by the high wysedome and prouidence of god there was one prepared the whiche beyng for his owne parte also borne into this worlde after a woonderfull straunge sorte shoulde goe before the heauenly chylde bearing of the virgin Marie and
vertuous disposicion and shamefastnes commonly go together more then halfe ashamed for because that to suche persons as dyd not yet knowe all thissame matter to bee done God being the worker and doer of it she being now already an aged woman might seme to had wholly geuen herselfe yet still vnto the satisfying of the wanton lust of her body For she was not ignoraunte howe muche inclined the moste parte of folkes are as well to misdeme the wurst as also to speake naughtily And the prudent minde of the woman had also a ferther iye and regarde vnto this poynte too that there was no vauntes ne braggues to be made among the people of the gyfte of God vntill it were assuredly past all doubtes leste if the thing had afterward quailled or gone awaye in any behalfe the reproche of her baraines should be double for that beyng so fer strieken in yeres she had conceyued suche a vayne hope to haue a childe Neuerthelesse whan by sundry assured tokens she perfeitely knewe herselfe to be with childe she did in suche wise at all times shewe herselfe glad of her happie chaunce that all this matter euery whit of it what soeuer it were she referred vnto the onely goodnesse of God I haue hitherto sayeth she been diffamed with the reprochefull name of a baraine woman and one that neuer should haue childe among the people of Israel in whose opinion the barainnes of the body is a thing of more dishonestie shame then naughty disposicioÌ„ of the mynde But the Lord I see well hath for this purpose made a delay of my fruitfulnesse that a childe borne nowe whan no man looked for it not onely might deliuer me from the reproche of barainnes but also should cause vnto me the more aumple ioy For plainly the free gyfte of God it is who at suche time as best pleased himselfe hath vouchedsafe to cast a fauourable iye on me his simple handmaide in suche sorte that by reason of my chyld though beyng but one alone borne whan it was almost past season yet neuertheles a childe specially to be marked regarded whom I haue borne in Gods behalfe I shall from hencefurth in folkes communicacion bee reported to bee a mother muche happier then a great many of others the whiche do with a great sorte of children a piece enriche their housebandes And in the sixth moneth was the Aungell Gabriel sent from God into a citie of Galile the name wherof is Nazareth to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Ioseph of the house of Dauid and the name of the virgin was Mary And the Aungell came in vnto her sayd haâ—â—e thou full of grace the lorde is with the. Blissed art thou among women These thinges thus done it remained that the holier greater piece of this misterie shoulde bee procured by the Aungell that is to wete that the sonne of God beeyng God immortall should of a virgin beeyng a creature subiecte vnto death bee borne a man mortall the like wherof neuer had afore sence the creacion of the world been heard ne to the last ende of the world again should bee heard Therfore whan the tyme from without begynnyng by God prefixed drewe nere that God the father would by his sonne deliuer the whole vniuersall worlde from the tyranny of death and of synne he sent the selfsame Aungell Gabriell as a broker or procurer and a maker vp of this godly copulacion andioynyng with the sayed virgin And this was done in the sixth moneth after that Elizabeth was conceyued with Iohn Unto this heauenly matter there was specially deputed a tendre yong virgyn not set furth to the worlde with aboundauÌ„ce of riches or possessions not by famousnes of name not with portlynesse of lyfe ne with the other thynges whiche this worlde vseth to haue in high regarde but endued with excellente vertues of the minde the whiche do make a manne acceptable in the sight of God that is to saye with puritie of lyfe vndefiled with maidenly demurenes and with godly deuocion Her habitacion was in an homely basse litle toune of Galile called Nazareth a people nothyng regarded ne set by emong the Iewes And the virgin was espoused vnto a man of no fame ne porte in any behalfe to the worldes estimacion but for his vertues of the mynde a man to be accepted afore God a carpenter by occupacion and his name Ioseph beyng lineally descended of the stocke of Dauid from the which stocke of Dauid the espoused virgin also had her progenie to the ende that the case might not disagree with the prophecie whiche had promised that Messias should be borne of the stocke of Dauid kyng of Israel And the name of the virgin was Mary God had for the nons picked out two persons of lowe degree and of small porte to th entent that the worlde myght not in this heauenly matter clayme or chalenge to it selfe any poynte or part therof He had also pieked out persons of moste faultlesse and moste pure behauiour to the ende that no poynte of cryme myght be layed to theyr charge He had pieked out persons coupled together in chaste and leefull matrimonie to th entent partely that the priuetie of a childe to bee borne by a pure virgin myght be secrete vntyll the due tyme therof and partly that the case beyng otherwyse vnbeleuable whiche was that a virgin had without coumpaynying with any manne brought furth a chylde myght not lacke a witnesse conuenieÌ„t At a tyme whan this virgin was in her contemplacion within her priuy closet as virginitie loueth to be secrete the Aungell Gabriell apperyng visible with muche bryghtnes came in vnto her and hayled her with a straunge sorte of salutacion Rest thou well sayth he and reioyce o virgin beeyng full of grace and highly in fauour Thou hast the Lorde ryght fauourable vnto thee and muche thy frende And therfore shalt thou be siggularly renoumed and of a laudable name among all women ¶ When she sawe him she was abashed at his saying and cast in her mynde what maner of salutacion this might be And the Aungel sayd vnto her Feare not Mary For thou hast found grace afore God Beholde thou shalt conceyue in thy wombe and beare a soÌ„ne and shalt call his name Iesus He shal be great and shal be called the sonne of the highest And the Lord God shall geue vnto him the seate of his father Dauid and he shall reigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer and of his kyngdome there shal be none ende But the virgin at the sodayne sight of the Aungell and agayne also at the fourme and tenour of his salutacion beeyng straunge and suche as neuer had been heard of afore forasmuche as she on her owne behalfe conceyued no great opinion of her selfe was right muche dismayed in her minde For that she was fore adrad at the entreyng of one in the likenesse of a young man not loked for was a
was of Camelles hydes not of silkes or veluettes hys gyrdle was of an hearie thong of leather hys communicacion was continually with God And forsouth suche a lyfe was comely for hym that was ordeyned to be a preacher of repentaunce And the place which he pieked out did accordyngly agree with the prophecy that calleth him the voice of one criyng in wildernes In thys place did he kepe himself out of knowelage by the space of manye yeres here did he lyue in silence to the ende that whan hys due tyme should be he might shewe himself and speake with the more authority He did not of hys owne head hastily steppe forth to the office of a preacher but at such tyme as the spirite of God had putte in hys minde to shewe forthe his lyghte and to open vnto the people of Israel howe greate a man he was then dyd he streight waies begynne to dooe the parte of a foregoer with no smal autority The seconde Chapter ¶ And it chaunced in those dayes that there went out a commaundement from Augustus the Emperoure that all the worlde shoulde bee taxed And this taxyng was the fyrste and excuted whan Syremus was lieutenaunte in Syria And euery man went vnto hys owne ciâ—ie to bee taxed And Ioseph also ascended from Galile out of a citye called Nazareth into Iewrye vnto the citye of Dauid whiche is called Bethleem because he was of the house and linage of Dauid to be taxed with Marychys spoused wyfe whiche was with chylde THus haste thou hearde the woonderfull birthe of Iohn whiche was as a foregoer to Christe and as a messagier afore hys cummyng nowe shalte thou heare the muche more woonderfull birthe of Iesus Christe hymselfe who shoulde afterwarde bee the onely Prynce of all the whole worlde and shoulde moue all nacions on the yearth to the profession of his name not by meane of threatening or putting theÌ„ in feare but with benefites and with holsome doctryne By the workyng therefore and prouâ—sion of God it was so conueighed that vnder the Emperoure Augustus who at that tyme was Lorde of manye countreyes and realmes in all parties of the worlde and all thynges beeyng euery where in perfeicâ— peace and tranquilitie held and gouerned the Empire of the Romaines al the prouinces and couÌ„treyes as many as helde of the Empire of Rome shoulde be surueighed and nouÌ„bred by the polles to thentente they myght acknowleage Augustus for their Lord king and that as we cal it here in Englande they myght be sworne to be true liegt people to themperoure Augustus to his successours Emperours of Rome Whyche thyng god wroughte euen of purpose that it myghte appere howe much wyder in circuite and larger the dominion of Christ did reache then the dominion of Ceasar and howe muche more quiete and ientle Christes manier of reignyng ouer men is who taketh nothyng awaye from vs yet geuethe vs heauenly thynges too then the reignyng of Ceasar who although it lye not in hys power to geue heauenly thynges yet neuerthelesse catcheth awaye our worldly commodities by extort power enforceth men to take hym for theyr kyng whereas the heauenly Emperour Christe doth ientilly allure men vnto hym by hys beneficiall goodnes towardes them That they are regystred or booked emong the subiectes of Ceasar what other thyng dooe they but acknowlage a verai state of seruitude and bondage and daily find their worldly substaunce pared away and diminished But they that registre themselues as seruauntes to this newe prince do receiue perfecte freedome with a sure waraunte of euerlastyng saluacion And fewe woordes to make the Emperoure Octauius Augustus althoughe he was emong all the Emperours of Rome a manne of moste good policie and conueighaunce in passing all his affayres yet many nacioÌ„s there wer which he could not subdue for al his great armies and for all hys valiaunt men of warre where as oure capitayne Christe hathe without any force of armes without anye garrisons of worldlye puissaunce gathered together into one churche as into one kyngdome all the whole vniuersall worlde so many sundry languages so many sundry rites so many sundry sectes of seruyng this god and that god of mens owne deuisyng and soe manye barbarous nacions liuyng in sundrye priuie corners But nowe to goe forth in our matter for the executyng of this general surueighe and taxe that shoulde be taken in the countrey of Syria there was sent aswell by thautoritie of Ceasar Augustus as also by a decree of the whole Senate of Rome one Quirinus the rewler and lieutenauÌ„te of that prouince And this was euen the veray fyrst taxe that euer this rewler toke in Syria for diuerse and sundry others were taken afterwarde in thesame prouince within the tyme of thesame maÌ„nes being lieutenaunt there At the coÌ„maundement thaÌ„ of Ceasar whiche this Quirinus had caused to be euerye where proclamed all persoÌ„s take theyr iourney and goe euery one to theyr owne tribe and kynred that they came of and to the citie that proprelye belonged to thesame tribe And thither resorted they euerye one to acknowlage Augustus the Emperoure of Rome for theyr Lord and head gouernour on earth as the custome was to do And so it was that Ioseph the spouse of the virgin Marye whereas he was of the tribe of Iuda and hys wyfe Marye of thesame trybe also yet neuerthelesse dwelled in Nazareth whiche was a poore litle citye in Galile Ioseph therfore shuttyng vp hys doores leauyng his house resorted towarde his owne tribe that is to wete into Iewrye towardes a litle preaty citie called Bethleem of kyng Dauids buildyng because yâ— bothe Ioseph also the virgin Marye did not onely belong to the tribe of Iuda but also were by liniall descente come of the progeny and stocke of Dauid of whose seede it was promised that Christ should be But of al these thynges was there no one poynt that chaunced by mere casualtye but euery whit of it was procured and purposely dooen by the prouidence and determynacion of god to thentente that th ende and conclusion of alltogether shoulde in euery behalfe agree with the holye saiynges of the Prophetes whiche diuided the glory of so great and so high a matter betwene two cities that is to were the kyng of the worlde to be conceiued and bred vp in Nazareth and thesame king to be borne in Bethleem according to the prophecie To the same place than dyd the virgyn Marye also beeyng great with childe and nowe euen veray nere her time accompaignie her spoused houseband Ioseph This virgyn thoughe she had a greate bealye yet refused not to trauaill suche a great iourney with her houseband she forbore not to be or to come in the sight of men knowyng herselfe in her owne conscience to bee clere from all spotte of synne she thought not scorne to be obedient and seruiceable to her houseband though the tyme was at hande whan she should be
conscience that thou bee partaker of my welthyer state Take thou vnto thee the rule of tenne cities After this seruaunt cuÌ„meth the seconde who beyng required his accoumpte sayed My Lorde thy pounde which thou deliueredst me for a stocke to occupy hath encreased fiue pouÌ„des to thy behoufe This mannes industrie also though inferiour to the other yet his lord did very well commende and accordyng to the rate of thine industrye sayeth he bee thou also a rewler ouer fiue cities WhaÌ„ the resydue also vpon their accoumpte and rekenyng made and geuen vp had bene rewarded with some dignitie euery one according to their rate more or lesse at last came a seruaunt euen one alone the moste slouthfull luske of all that euer were and of the wurste honestie to bee put in truste or credite Who whan his mayster required his streight accoumpte made him this aunswere My lord behold here I bryng you againe the pounde whiche ye put me in truste withall I haue kepte it euer sence that tyme hitherto safely layed vp in a cloute because ye should haue it agayn safe and sound as it was I haue so well auoided to be a wastfull spender of it that I haue not so muche as once touched it with my handes And so thought I better to doe then to come in hasarde or perill leste if mine occupiyng had ill framed I should haue had buisines with you For I was afrayed of you as one not ignoraunt what a rigorous cruell maÌ„ ye are and couetous of lucre in so muche that ye will not onely geue nothing of your owne but also wil take away from thence where ye layed nothing at all and will gather in haruest froÌ„ suche places where ye neuer sowed grain Than the lorde not onely offended with the slouthfulnesse of his seruauÌ„t but also for that he laied his owne faulte on the condicions of his mayster beyng throughly out of pacience he sayed Thou slouthfull seruaunt and vntrustie felowe yea and moreouer a false accuser of thy maister thou hast geuen sentence against thine owne head Thou knowest thou sayest that I am a rygorous cruel man and couetous of lucre takyng vp money froÌ„ thence where I layed downe none and reaping there where I sowed nothyng at all And yet thatsame very pointe ought to haue quickened the to some actiuitie in best yrâ—yng thee to haue deliuered foorth my money to the kepers of the banke For I would doubtelesse haue comen and would haue streightly required it together with the encrease of entresse because I had for suche a purpose put it into thy handes that it should encrease through thee At these wordes of the lord whan the vnprofitable seruaunte helde his peace and had not a woord to speake the lord said to the others that stode by Take ye a way the pound from hym and geue it vnto hym that hath the tenne poundes The other seruauntes meruailyng therat sayed my lorde what nedeth to geue hym here any more he is ryche and welthy enough For he hath tenne pounde Than saied the Lord It forceth not to you what he hath So haue I thoughte it good and so dooeth it stande with reason and equitie in this rekenyng that whose hath with his faithful industrie encreased his maisters substauÌ„ce my bounteous goodnesse muste vnto suche an one geue some ferther surplusage to the ende he maie styll haue more and more aboundaunce Contrariewise whoso hath by reason of his slouthfulnesse gotten hymselfe no gaynes at all suche an ones nede shal my liberalitie so litle helpe that euen the very same that he hath too shal be taken away from him The stocke was mine and the gaines and encrease therof due to me your partes it was to perfourme your due labour Now I bountifully geue vnto you bothe the stocke and also the encrease of thesame Thus farre the Lord Iesus did by a derke and mystical fourme of speakyng teache his disciples that in the buisy trade of preachyng the ghospell euery man oughte to shewe hymselfe faythfull and industrious euen to the vttermoste and as for theyr rewarde to looke for at the secounde coming of the lorde at what time he shal nowe appere mightie and high after that the kingdome of the church shal be recouered into his handes and deliuered vp to his father For at the first Iesus was knowen but in Iewry onely he seemed to be but a litle king or duke of one citie and no more whan the deiuyll reygned without redresse throughout all the vnyuersall nacyons of the worlde as in a royalme that was an other mannes and none of hys And the same Iesus couetyng to recouer into hys owne possessyon agayne throughe preachyng the ghospell that Satan had by tyrannye entred vpon leafte the lande of the Iewes and tooke a voyage into heauen but not till he had firste diligentlye enstructed hys dyscyples to the trade of occupying in the affayres of the ghospell whiche hys discyples he put in truste with the dyspensacyon of the woorde of God conteyned in the ghospell as a certayne stocke to playe the occupiers withall wherof great gaynes might growe vnto the lorde beyng righte couetous of suche mannier encrease and he put them in truste that they should draw vnto the kingdome of the gospel whomesoeuer they might Publicanes harlottes souldiers Grekes Romaynes Scithians Frenchemen Gothians Sarmatians and all others And that thys they shoulde doe vntill the lordes returne who will come againe in the ende of this worlde to distribute vnto euery one euerlastyng rewardes for theyr dedes And come agayne will he not onlesse he shall firste haue subdued the worlde to the domynyon and empire of the ghospell and all the nacyons of the whole worlde to ioyne together into one churche and congregacion But whyle he earnestely goeth about thys by meane of hys disciples the Iewes emong whome alone and no moe God hitherto seemed for to reigne by reason of theyr knowlage of the lawe and of the autoritie and beeing in the right trade of religyon beeing his subiectes of whome and emong whome he was borne whereas they oughte specially aboue all others to haue loued him and by all mannier meanes to sticke to hym in recoueryng hys kingdome dyd not onely doe hym no helpe at all but also were a lette agaynsâ—e hym crying beefore the chyefe Iustice and iudge We haue no kyng but Ceasar And the selfe same thyng dydde they agayne afterwarde playnelye denouncyng vnto the Apostles and commaundyng them to make no more mencion from that tyme furthewarde of the name of Iesus Moyses they were willyng to haue to theyr kyng Christe woulde they none of For they hated him because he contraryed theyr naughtie lustes and appetites We see euen yet still at this day too after what sorte the nacyon of the Iewes haue withdrawen themselues from the kyngdome of the gospell and with howe stiffe and stubberne hatefulnes they haue conspired agaynst hym vnto whome is geuen by his father all power in
the Romaines and of goddes vengeaunce at whiche thou wilt be plagued for all thy greate transgressyons whiche thou hast had more mynde to heape more vpon more then to lamente or bee sory for that is paste But nowe thou neyther knoweste thyne owne daye ne forescest that other day to come whiche shall not bee thyne because bothe the one and the other is hydden from thyne iyes whiche are in thee almoste vttrely blynded with the drounkennesse of thy flouryshynge welthye state that thou art in at this present Thou neyther hast any remembraunce of the eiuils past whiche thou hast dooen ne foreseest thynges to come which hang ouer thy head nor acknowlagest the prest goodnesse of God towardes thee whiche goodnesse of god because thou doest yet styll most obstinately sette at naught O thou citie vnpossible to bee recured and a common murderer of all suche as bryng vnto thee any woorde of thy saluacion or redempcyon there shall come straungyers of an other lande agaynste thee whiche shall brynge vtter destruccion and ruine vpon thee It will be thy lot to refuse and put from the thy Messias and in his stede to chose Ceasar vnto thy king Thou shalt therefore fynde and fele thy kynges cummyng vnto thee with a ferre other furnyture and prouision then thy king doeth nowe come vnto thee being a bringer of health and a paceable quiete king Thou wilt not nowe receyue hym that cummeth to geue health and safegarde and ere longe shalte thou of force bee compelled to receiue that shall come to geue the vtter confusion For the princes of Rome whome thou haddest preferred beefore thyne owne kyng shall come as enemies in stede of kynges with bendes of men well armed and appoyncted for warre and firste of all they shall enuiron thee rounde about with trenches so that there shall bee no way open to escape out than shall they on euery side encoumpace thee with men and artillery shal with a most streight siege oppresse thee and fynally all thyssame thy gaye buyldynge with temple and all they shall cast downe as lowe as the grounde And not satisfied withal thissame they shal with an vniuersal slaughter destruie thy childreÌ„ of whome thou art now proud and doest sembleably set them in a pride and a pompe by thy gorgeous royaltie and all thyssame glory of thyne they shall in suche sorte wipe away from the roote and foundacion that they shall not leaue so muche as one stone standynge faste mortised on an other to the ende there shall no sygne of thee remayne ne yet any hope of reedyfying thee agayne in tyme to come These thynges in dede shall bee miserable to beeholde but they shall chaunce by thyne owne desert because that being so often times occasioned long many yeres gon by sundry prophetes and now also by Iohn by thy Messias thou doest obstinately despyse the mercie of God Thou shalt therefore fâ—le the tyme of vengeaunce whiche wouldest not knowe the tyme of thy visitacion Euen thou too aswell as others if thou haddest woulde mightest haue embraced thy redempcion being offered Nowe at leastwise thou shalt by thy confusion bee an holesome exaumple vnto others that they maye not in lyke manier despise the goodnesse of God whan it prouoke the them to take better wayes ¶ And he went into the temple and beganne to cast out them that solde therin and them that bought saying vnto them It is written My house is the house of prayer but ye haue made it a denne of theues Iesus after he had spoken the premisses came to Hierusalem and entred into the temple and droue out therhence such as were bying and selling there saying God sayeth in the scryptures This same my house hath bene dedicated not for the trade of bying and sellyng but for praying but ye haue turned it into a denne of theues spoyling all straungiers that come and by your wicked lying in awayte procuring your owne lucre with the losse damage of others By thys fact the lorde Iesus declared how great destruccion those persones dooe bryng into the churche who vnder the pretence and coulour of godly deuocyon applye theyr myndes altogether to filthye lucre who vnder the tytle of deuout wurshipping of God doe attende theyr owne profit not feding theyr flocke but taking away al the swete from them and with their vnpure doctrine sleaghing the soules whome theyr dueties were with pure doctrine to bring vnto lyfe ¶ And be taught dayly in the temple But the priestes and the scribes and the chiefe of the people went about to destroy hym and coulde not fynde what to doe For all the people stacke by him whan they hearde him Thys dooen the Lorde as one beyng nowe fully possessed in hys owne kingdome taughte daye by daye in the temple the vncurable malyce of the Phariseis openly despysed But those whiche were hyghest in dignitie emong the priestes and also the scribes and the ringleders of the people being netled therewithall and stiered to wrathe soughte some occasyon to caste away our salueour They lacked no maliciouse myndes but there appered no hope of bringyng their will to effecte They had hearde the shoutynges of the people in the honour of Iesus they saw in the temple also the whole vniuersall multitude of the people to depende altogether of hys sayinges so greate was aswell the effectuall pith as also the grace of goddes woorde Theyr colde and feble doctrine concerning washynges concernyng the corbone that is theyr treasoury of the churche concernynge the true tythynge of myntes and rue stoode agaynste mens stomakes euen lyke soure wyne after that the people had once tasted the newe must of euangelicall hertinesse On thys behalfe they were afearde lest theyr autoritie shoulde abate they feared decaying of theyr gaynes they feared leste theyr kyngdome shoulde haue a fall And as for the thing whiche at that tyme befell according to the litterall discourse of the storie the same doeth often tymes happen after the morall sence also whansoeuer and as often as they which sitte in the top castel or high chayre of religion and which be persones notorious in the profession of teaching the doctrine of holy scripture doe fall in conspiracie with the secular prynces against Iesus It suche a tyme great is the destruccyon that hangeth ouer the people And thys thing so cummeth to passe as often as the autoritie of the priestes and of the doctoures or open professours of diuinitie dooeth flatter the kynges and monarches of this world as often as the same doctours say Amen to the wilful affeccions and appetites of the sayde worldely prynces with their autoritie wheras theyr partes had bene with wholsome and franke monicyons to tell the prynces of theyr faultes to restreygne and brydle the power of the same and whan the monarches agayne on theyr parties dooe with theyr treasoures and possessyons vnderproppe the others and make themselues as buckelers for the peruerse desires of
al to crusshed if it stumble on thys stone And certes stumble he dooeth at hym whosoeuer resisteth hym and casteth hym of Nowe on the other syde drieuen to ponder shall that persone bee on whome that stone shall lyghte in hys fallyng And certes on suche doeth it lyghte whome after they haue bene a great long time suffred the stroke of God at laste falleth sodaynlye vpon ere they bee aware or thinke on it For one and the same stone is lyfe to those that reste thereon and damnacion to suche as are enemyes vnto it These parables of the Lordes declaring sette the heartes of the headmen of the priestes and of the Scribes in suche an eagre rage that they were mynded euen there presentelye to haue layed handes on hym but the drede of the people dyd at that tyme streygne them from that wieked vilannie emong whome they sawe Iesus to be had in veray great pryce For knowing themselues naughte in theyr owne conscience they had smelled the parable whiche was tolde to touche and hitte them as righte as anye thyng and yet had the parable bene tolde to suche intente as they might by the vnderstanding therof be called backe agayne from theyr moste deiulishe purpose whiche they had entended But nowe are they made the more crabbed and fierce vnto dooing of mischiefe by the selfesame thyng where by they ought to haue bene clene discouraged and drieuen from theyr malice ¶ And they watched him and sent furth spyes which should fayne themselues righteous men to take him in hys woordes and to delyuer hym vnto the power autoritie of the deputie And they asked him saying Maister we knowe that thou sayest and teachest right neither considerest thou the outward apperaunce of any man but teachest the way of God truely Is it lawful for vs to geue tribute vnto Ceasar or no He perceiued their craftinesse sayde vnto them why tempte ye me Shewe me a penye Whose image and superscripcion hath it They aunswered and saide Ceasars And he sayde vnto them geue than vnto Ceasar the thynges whiche belong vnto Ceasar and to God the thynges that perteine vnto God And they coulde not reproue his saying beefore the people and they meruayled at his aunswere and helde theyr peace Therfore beeing nowe departed by reason of standing in dreade of the people from dooing the hainous acte in the open face of the worlde whiche in their eiuill heartes they had already dooen after they had once so determined they goe about the bringing of it to effect by priuie traines of vndermyning him beyng euen somuche the more vngracious that they ioyne fraude vnto their malice lyke as a more mischieuous creature is he that sleagheth prieuely with poyson then one that killeth with a sweorde Now heare thou o Theophilus the wiles traynes of the wicked priestes whose desire was for thys cause to haue Iesus for euer destruied that is to saye to haue the trueth euangelicall vtterly oppressed because that by the same veritie of the gospell was taken awaye from theim the farming of the vineyarde the propre owning and possession wherof they had promised vnto themselues bothe perpetual foreuer also to come to them by title succession of enheritaunce They hide their angre shewing no manier countenaunce therof and watche all occasions possible to put him to deathe They colourably sende forth certain counterfeict persons who shoulde feigne theimselfes to be iust righteous afore God nothing is there in the worlde more pestilent or deadly then is counterfeict righteousnesse to the ende they shoulde out of hys woordes hunt out one poinct or other wherof he might be detected before the Emperour of Romes deputies before the lieutenaunt Pilate who at that present season was the hygh rewier in Iewry in Ceasars behalfe and thys dyd they to th entent and purpose that all the grutche and querele of thys facte myghte bee layed ouer from themselues to the others as though he had beene putte to death by the sentence and iudgemente of Ceasars officers and that they on theyr parties as men vnculpable mighte appere to haue kept theyr handes from effusion of bloude But the more they goe about by worldelye subtiltie to hyde it so muche doe they more and more notoriously bewray theyr incomparable malice The sayde disguisyng maskyng esquiers therefore of the bysshops dooe set vpon Iesus assayle hym with suche kinde of wordes as here ensue Maister we haue throughlye seene thy perfecte vpryghtenesse thou tellest thy mynde playnely without any feare or dissimulacyon and teachest euery thyng after the righte sorte neyther is there with thee any suche respecte or accepcion of persones that thou wilte tell me a lye for the fauoure of any man bee he of neuer so muche power and autoritie but thou hast euermore onelye God and none elles beefore thyne iyes What is acceptable to hym and standing with hys pleasure the same dooest thou playnely and without any feare teache Teil thou vnto vs therefore what thy veray opinyon and mynde is in a mattier about whiche there is muche controuersie and variaunce emong no smalle noumber of vs whether is it a thyng standyng with goddes pleasure and contentacion that we geue tribute vnto Ceasar or is it not Iesus than who had a perfeict vnderstanding of these smoothe and swete hony woordes mening fraude and deceipte towardes hym and knowyng veraye well to what ende thys snareful bayted question was ment whiche was that in case he had aunswered according as theyr veray hope was he woulde that it were not standing with Goddes contentacyon that a people beeyng consecrated vnto God shoulde bee in subieccyon and shoulde paye tribute to an vngodlye prynce and an ydolatre whiche opinyon the Pharises allowed though they durste not openlye speake it they woulde eftesones haue procured and addressed out some counterfeicte persones whiche shoulde haue detected him of highe treason beefore Pilate beeyng the emperours lieutenaunte he dyd by euangelycall policye in suche wyse defeate theyr maliciouse deceiptefulnesse that he dyd bothe take awaye from them the occasyon whiche was soughte to doe him harme and also put them in remembraunce what their duetie was to doe whiche thyng vndoubtedly no man shoulde leaue vndoen without assured peril ieopardye of his life For Christ was not come for any such purpose as to teache howe much was to be payed vnto Emperoures or to Emperoures deputies but what was due of the spirituall substaunce to bee payed vnto god who is the Lorde of all thynges Why come ye to tempt me sayeth he ▪ Shewe me a piece of your syluer coyne For he knoweth not the image of Ceasar forasmuche as he had nothyng in earthe Whan the piece of coyne was shewed hym in hys hande he demaunded whose phisyonomye it was and whose tytle or poysee was written about it For thys is a thing too that a true Christian dooeth not knowe But they who knewe it that is men wedded to the
which is called Caluarie there they crucified him and the ciuill doers one on the right hande and the other on the left Than saied Iesus father forgeue theim for they wote not what they dooe And they parted his raymente and caste lottes And the people stode and behelde And the rewlers mocked him with theim sayinge he saued other men leate him saue himselfe if he be veray Christe the chosen of God With this pompe did our prince king goe furth towardes his triumphe There were also led to execucion with him two other offendours whiche were condemned with him but not for thesame matter And this thyng was also a matter procured by the Iewes to the entente they might bryng him in the more slaundre and infamy emong the commē people in that he was matched with suche companions There was also pieked out therunto a place which by reason of continuall execucion of offendours was a place of slaūdreous name and of mortal bloud spilling named of the thing selfe Golgotha because it was white with the skulles bones of folkes that had been there put to death In such a place thā was Iesus crucified in the middes betwixt two theues as though he had been as diepe in as they and partaker of theyr offence forasmuch as he was partaker of theyr punishmēt But whatsoeuer thyng the malice of the Iewes could deuise to the shame and reproche of the Lord Iesus al that did he turne to his owne glory and to our health For he that beyng innocent doeth of his owne will submitte hymselfe to saue men vnto the more worldly shame he humbleth hymselfe somuch the more glory doeth he deserue both afore God and afore man also Thus did it please the wisedom of God to th ende he might by this so notable an exaumple plucke downe our pryde which desire to haue laude and commendacion of men yea for our euill dedes too Nowe Iesus beeyng on heighth and lifted vp into that watch tower or beakō place out of the which he would call all thynges home vnto himselfe willing to shewe a moste perfecte exaumple of pacience incomparable whereas beeyng innocente and one that had so many wayes doen good he had so many harmes peines so many kindes of open worldly shame so many mockes skornes ministred vnto him where also hanging on the crosse which thyng doeth make euen veray mourdreers to bee pietied they gaue him suche bittur woordes of reuilyng as it were more grieuous for a manne to abyde then to suffre death yet is he so ferre from auengeyng hymselfe and so ferre from railyng on them agayne that he prayed his father for thesame persons at whose handes he was vngoodly and shamefully handled Father sayeth he forgeue them for they knowe not what they doe Thissame verayly was that holy prayer of our bishop on the aultare of the crosse offreyng vp once for euer in sacrifice the paschall lambe for the redempcion and health of the whole worlde Neither was his prayer without condigne effecte For many of thesame persons whiche through ignoraunce were doers in nailyng the Lorde on the crosse whan they afterwarde knew the trueth by meane of the Apostles preachyng professed the name of hym that had been crucified Howbeit the malice of the Phariseis also was not altogether without ignoraunce but that was suche grosse ignoraunce as dooeth not deliuer ne discharge them from offence For they might haue lacked that ignoraunce and errour if inordinate affeccions and desires whiche they were led by as bondseruaūtes had not letted them But euen emong these some there were which did of a lyke mynde or zele persecute the Lord as Paul dyd persecute the churche of God Here yf thou consyder moste ientill Theophilus the moste perfite innocencie of Iesus the moste great goodnesse of thesame Iesus towardes all creatures the moste high vertues of his minde in which beyond comparisō he excelled al others and agayne on the contrary parte if thou sette before thyne iyes and beholde the hatred the railyng the reproches the guiles the traines the accusacions and the kynde of death that the wiekednesse of the Iewes put him vnto and shouldest heare hym vpon the veray crosse in the middes of their reuilyng woordes praying his father not to take vengeaunce but to forgeue the weorkers and doers of so hainous a dede shall not suche an one seme vnto thee to be a veray shamelesse persone whiche professing hymselfe a disciple of Christe will goe aboute to bee auenged of a synner seeyng he is a synner hymselfe yea although he haue with a great iniurie and displeasure been occasioned and prouoked therunto Than how ferre do suche persones vnnaturally swerue from this exaumple of Christe as for a lyght woord of reproche will drawe theyr sweordes ready to thrust it in theyr neighbours herte howe ferre also from this exaumple of Christe are suche persons as not digestyng a tauntyng woorde any thing stubbernely or proudely spoken against them do shake whole cities whole kyngdomes with pestilente blouddie warres and enforce whole nacions to the wilful effusion and spilling of one an others bloud But let not vs once moue our iyes from this exaumple let vs beholde and folowe our king Christe subdueyng vpon the crosse all the power of the tyranne Satan and vanquishing all the puissaunce of this worlde and triumphing of all powers as many as auaunce themselfes agaynste the trueth of the ghospell whiche trueth it behoueth not any otherwyse to gette the victory ne any otherwise to triumphe then vnder the standarde of her owne prince which is Christ. Let vs beholde our bishop Christe with an effectuall sacrifice pourgeyng and puttyng awaye the sinnes of all the worlde of all nacions and of all times both past and to come and suffreing punishment in his owne body for all menne so that the thyng whiche he freely offreeth vnto vs we will with sincere fayth receiue and accepte as menne acknowlagyng our vnrighteousenesse and enbracing his vnspeakeable goodnesse towardes vs. Whither doest thou turne thy face awaye thou vnhappie and miserable sinner Our Lord crieth father forgeue them and thou being fallen in despayre of thy selfe doest thou either addresse to hang thy selfe as Iudas did or els art thou an heaper of sinnes vpon sinnes There is no cause why thou shouldest from hencefurth feare the power of Satan Christe hath gotten the victory of hym and to thy behoufe hath he gotten the victory From on high vpon the tree of the crosse where he maye bee sene of all nacions he louingly biddeth us come vnto hym The three angles or armes of the crosse doe a ferre of cal louingly aswell vnto Asia and Europe as also to Afrike and biddeth them come to the partaking of euerlasting helth Iesus ferthermore hanged naked vpon the crosse because he would not haue any thyng of this worldes forasmuche as he was in executyng an heauenly sacrifice teachyng vs by a veray right exaumple of a true matier in dede howe
carnall loue of weomen plucked awaye from God and drawen euen vnto idolatrie Consider ye nowe in what sorte the woordes of Nathan doe agree with the woordes of Esai Thou shalt saieth Esai be called the citie of the ryghteous man and the faithfull citie And of all meÌ„ that euer were there hath been none besides only Christe alone who myght be called purely righteous not only free from all corrupcion or infeccion of synne but also suche an one that by and through him all men are iustified and made righteous And what doeth Christe require of his seruauntes but fayth And for thesame consideracion did he call his churche which caÌ„not skill of the workes of the lawe the faithfull citie wholly altogether staighyng and trusting on him alone Whan ye heare that this citie shal be redemed in iudgement ye see the confidence and trusting on the ceremonies of the lawe to bee taken awaie For God iudgeth not man of his workes but of his fayth not of meate or drinke not of the garment or of solitarie quiete liuing but of the godlynesse of mynde And the iudgement is this that suche persones as shal beleue in Christe shall through the death thesame Christe who suffred peines and tormentes for all creatures be redemed from theyr synnes and shal be iustified through his righteousnesse yf they folowe goe the steppes of their head and captaine Ye heare nowe and knowe the spirituall citie and teÌ„ple which caÌ„not be shewed ne pointed vnto with mens fyngers as neither the kyng and workemanselfe can be poynted vnto according to the lesson here folowing which himselfe taught whaÌ„ he was heare liuing whan they shall saye Beholde here is Christe beholde yonder he is beleue ye them not The Iewes glory in the mounte of Sion whiche beareth the temple But after this there shal be a ghostly Sion bearing vp the myndes and soules of them that beleue froÌ„ the couetous desire of thynges earthly to the study of thynges celestiall of whiche the Prophete Esai prophecied vnto you saying And there shal be in the last dayes an hill prepared the house of the lorde in the top of mountaines it shall be lifted vp aboue all hilles And all nacions shall flowe vnto him there shall many peoples goe and shall saye Come ye let vs clyme vp to the mountaine of the lorde to the house of the God of Iacob and he shall teache vs his wayes we shall walke in his pathes for forth of Sion shall the lawe come and the woorde of the lorde forth of Hierusalem Dauid also doeth ofttymes make mencion of this spirituall mounte They that trust in the Lorde as the mounte of Sion shall not be moued for euer whiche dwelleth in Hierusalem And of this materiall temple of whiche the Iewes are nowe proude howe it shall shortely be cast downe euen Christe also prophecied Your house saieth he shal be leaft deserte waste vnto you And that the selfesame thyng should euen so come to passe God had before that tyme threatened vnto Salomon as ye reade in the third booke of the kynges And the temple whiche I haue poynted marked out to my name I shall cast out froÌ„ my sight Israel shal be into a prouerbe into a common talkyng stocke to all peoples this house shall be into an exaumple Euery body that passeth by it shall be astouned for woondres and shall hisse at it and shall saye wherfore hath the Lorde thus doen to thissame lande and to thissame house And they shal aunswer Because they haue forsakeÌ„ the Lorde their God For this is thatsame house the prouoker with whom God doth by his Prophetes so often tymes chyde and bralle and whiche so ferre forth fell froÌ„ their God that his only sonne they hoighced vp nayled on the crosse Yea and moreouer in stede of a people carnall and stifnecked the Prophete doeth promise a people peaceable obedient euen vnto death For in maner folowyng doeth Esai speake and they shall forge theyr swordes into plugh shares their speares into sithes and sicles One nacion shall not lift vp the sworde against an other nacion neither shall they any ferther forth be exercised to fightyng in battayle Ye house of Iacob come ye and lette vs walke in the light of our God Are not these woordes consonaunt and agreable to the woordes of Christe in whiche he promised that he would of the very stones reiâ—e vp children vnto Abraham and whan he called himselfe the lyght of the worlde whom whoso folowed should not walke in derknesse whan he cast at them this saying of the Prophete Esai This people honoureth me with their lippes but their herte is ferre from me And as for a newe people he promiseth vnto hymselfe by the Prophete Oseas a people not makyng vauntes and braggues of theyr workes but acknowlageyng the mercy of God And it shall be in a place where it shall be saied vnto theÌ„ Ye are none of my people it shal be saied vnto theÌ„ the children of the liuing God And again And I shall haue mercy on the same people whiche was destitute of mercy signifying the people of the Gentiles who wheras it hath hitherto serued idolles shal shortly receiue the doctrine of the ghospell which the Iewes hath refused forsaken of whom the Psalmiste Dauid also hath prophecied tofore A people whom I knewe not hath serued me in hearing of the eare hath it obeied me Did not the woordes of Christe agree with this prophecie whaÌ„ he saied I haue other shepe too which are not of this folde euen them also must I nedes bryng home Forsouth the priesthood and the kyngdome restored and made newe again dooeth make all thinges newe And as for a newe priest the holy writte of the Prophetes had promised aforehande For the misticall psalme renneth in manier and forme folowyng The Lorde hath sworne and it shall not forthynke hym thou art a prieste for euermore after the ordre of Melchisedec Melchisedec beeyng bothe a priest and a kyng the priest of the highest god for he was not instituted by the lawe and the kyng of Salem that is to saye the kyng of peace signified Christe who neither hath had begynning ne neuer shal haue endyng Thissame Christ not through the bloud of calfes or of goates but through his owne bloude entreth into the high holy place to make intercessioÌ„ for the synnes of all the whole worlde And this sacrifice he executed in the altare of the crosse offreyng himself a moste pure sacrifice vnto God the father Suche a prieste certes had god long agon promised vnto Helias whan he was readie to dye I shall sayeth he reise vp vnto my selfe a feithfull prieste who shall doe after myne owne herte and after myne owne mynde and I shall builde vp vnto him a feithfull house and he shall walke before myne enoynted people al dayes for euer And veraily this is
euen the verai same thing whiche Christ himselfe hath promised vnto you I am with you euen vntyll the consummacion of the worlde Nowe in stede of the bloudie slaughter of beastes whiche the priestes of Moses lawe did vse what kynde of sacrifice shall succede the prophete hath not leaft vnspoken For the psalmiste by inspiracion sayeth thus Sacrifice thou vnto God the sacrifice of laude and paie thy vowes vnto the highest call on me in the daye of tribulacion and I will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me And agayne in thesame place Whoso offreeth me thankes and prayse honoureth me and to hym that ordreeth his conuersacion right wyll I shewe the saluacion of God And in another place Sacrifice ye the sacrifice of righteousnesse and truste ye in the Lorde Ye haue here nowe hearde a threfold manier of sacrifice that is to wete the sacrifice of prayers or vowes whereof Christe hath thus taughte you Whatsoeuer ye shall aske my father in my name he wyll geue it vnto you the sacrifice of laude and prayse whiche it is euidente enoughe that he solemnely executed and accomplished many tymes rendring thankes vnto his father and the sacrifice of righteousnesse whiche geueth and perfourmeth the strength and power of lyfe to the innocente and the seruiceable attendaunce of charitie towardes the nedie And of this righteousnesse dyd he in propre persone shewe vnto you a perfecte exaumple spendyng his own soule and lyfe for his shepe beeyng founde onely and alone emong men in whome no fraude ne guyle was He taught this thing also out of the prophetes wordes saying thus Goe ye and learne what these woordes of the Prophete dooe meane Mercye wyll I haue and not sacrifice In the spirituall temple than vnder the moste highest prieste Christe there shall not nowe bee geuen distribucion of rawe meate out of the fleashe of calfes of goates or of shepe but of the precious bodye and bloud of Iesus Christe whiche he hath once for all offred to th ende that it maye al tymes bee spirituallye taken of his enoynted renewyng vnto themselues after a certaine manier the death of their head king by that thankefull commemoracion Forsouth this is the hoste whiche shall shortely be offred all the world ouer by the priestes whom God hath enoynted of whiche sacrifice Malachias spoke afore in the spirite of Prophecie I haue no wyll in you saieth the Lorde of hosâ—es and gyfte wyll I none take of your hande For from the arisyng of the sunne vnto the goyng downe my name is greate in all nacions and in euery place there is sacrificed and offreed vnto me a clene oblacion And this was it whiche was foretolde to Hely the prieste also that it should come to passe that whosoeuer should come into the newe temple should saye Leat me goe I beseche thee to one syde of the priesthode that I maie eate a morsell This is thesame sacrifice whiche Christe in Estur supper gaue vnto his disciples puttyng foorth breade vnto them whiche he sayed to be his body and geuyng them the cuppe whiche he sayed to bee the cuppe of his bloude by whiche his bloud he consecrated vnto them a newe testamente that is to saye a bande and league of frendeshyp neuer to dye ne decaye All these thynges yf ye twoo haue not sene on your owne parties yet at leastewyse ye mighte haue hearde it of his twelue speciall Apostles by meane of whom he hath wylled all that hath been wrought and dooen to come to the knowlage of all creatures Lyke as Christe cummyng from heauen hath turned all carnall thynges into ghostly the citie the temple the priesthode the sacrifices so woulde he also his kyngdome to bee newe And for thesame cause did he muche vse to call it the kyngdome of heauen because ye should not looke for any suche manier thyng as ye see many in the kyngdome of the worlde For although he were the Lorde of all yea euen before he came downe into the yearth yet was there a ghostlye kyngdome whiche because he would recouer vnto his father he became obedient to thesame vnto the death of the crosse For by that meanes hath he ouercomed and vanquished his aduersarie that waie hath he deliuered his people and made them free by that meanes hath he recouered enlarged and establisshed his kyngdome vnto his father And in dede the Prophete promised Messias by the title of a kyng and a captaine but he assigneth a double cummyng of hym the former whiche your selues haue seen humble and peaceable For he came to heale and not to strieke in the waye of vengeaunce But he shall come in the ende of the worlde with maiestie garded and encoumpaced round about with many thousandes of Aungels to iudge the quicke and deade And now in this tyme because he hath come lowe and mylde many haue taken slaundre of conscience insomuche that euen those same twelue also whome he had out of all the coumpanie specially chosen out as moste feithfull and trustie vnto hym beeyng strieken in a drede haue fled euerie man his waye for feare yea and one hath reneagued hym too saying that he neuer knewe hym But if ye woulde diligentlye compare the writing of the Prophetes with the thynges whiche ye haue seen wrought and doen there should be no cause why ye should bee offended or slaundred but there is cause why ye should acknowlage hym who came suche an one as he was promised to come Consider ye what Zacharie sayeth Beholde thy kyng shall come vnto the righteous and a salueour beeyng hymselfe in fourme of a poore man mountyng vpon an asse and vpon a colte the foale of a she asse He that so came came not to make battaile but to destruie the battayles of the worlde whiche are made and kepte vnder Satans banners For the Prophete bryngeth in byanby after And I shall scattre soondrie waies abrode the carte from Ephraim and the horse from Hierusalem and the bowe of battayle shall be destruied and he shall speake peace to the nacions and his power shall bee from sea to sea Ye sawe him entre the citie of Hierusalem with this pompe partly to mocke the kyngdomes of this worlde and partly because he would putte you in good remembraunce of the prophecie And now marke ye well this poynte whether Esai did promise hym of any other sorte For euery violent takyng of booties and forceable ruffleyng and garment embrewed with bloud shall be for burnyng the meate of fyer For a lytle one is borne to vs a sonne is geuen to vs princely power is set vpon his shoulder and his name shall be called the meruaylous a Counsaillour the God of strength the father of the world to come the Prince of peace his empier shal be multiplied there shal be no ende of peace He shall sitte vpon the seate of Dauid and vpon his kingdome that he may conserue thesame and make
it strong in iudgemēt and righteousnesse Whan ye heare a kyngdome and princely power set vpon his shoulder doe ye not manifestly heare the kyngdom of the crosse which crosse Christ did beare to vanquishe the powers of the aier whan ye heare the prince of peace forsoth ye vnderstande a kyng alluryng with benefites and not cōpelling with violence ne with feare whan ye heare the father of the worlde to come ye see one much vnlyke to the princes of this worlde Neither doeth he describe hym a man of any other sorte where he speaketh of hym in a certaine other place And he shal strike with the rodde of his mouth and with the spirite of his lippes shall he sleagh the wicked righteousnesse shal be the girdle of his loignes feith the belt of his reines The woulfe shal dwell with the lambe the leoparde shall lie downe hard by with the goate all the reste that foloweth much dessonaunt and contrarious from the armour and battayles of worldely princes Nowe herken ye what himselfe saieth of himselfe in the misticall psalme of Dauid As for I am constituted of him a king vpō Sion his holy hill preachyng the precepte of him did he not in these woordes manifestely expresse the kyngdome of the woorde euangelicall Certes this is the sweorde wherof an other psalme maketh mencion Bee thou girt with thy sweorde vpon thy thigh o thou moste mightiest with thy beatutie fairnesse entēde thou prosperously procede reigne thou for thy veritie mekenesse and righteousnesse And who hath heard that a king hath in the beautie of his body prosperously gon foreward or els to haue gotten himselfe a kingdome with mekenesse But this was the grace of the woorde of God by which ye haue seen Iesus allure and draw vnto him great multitudes of people this was the trueth against which the Phariseis did so many times in vaine attēpt to wrastle and striue This maner a sweorde it was whiche he at the tyme whan he should die aduertised his Apostles to gette them of whiche he had afore also spoken allegeing that he was not come into the yearth to send peace but the sweorde Suche lyke ones also are the arrowes of the mighty beyng sharp with which he goreth the inordinate lustes desires of men with the which he killeth the couetous mā and reiseth the beneficiall bounteous man with the which he sleagheth the idolatre reiseth vp the professour of euāgelicall godlinesse with which he killeth the fierce man and the man of vengeaunce and reiseth vp the meke and the merciful with which he ouerthroweth the proude man setteth vp the humble Will ye vnderstand the kyngdome what sorte and nature it is of See ye what maner ministers and enlargers of his dominion and iurisdicciō he chose out for the nons Poore felowes mē of lowe degree mē of no learnyng ne knowlage but euen of the bare mother witte and toungue ne with any treasour ne weapon nor victayles ne with any strength or maintenaunce of this worlde furnished or armed against the capcious malice of the Phariseis against the power of princes against the pryde of the Philosophiers that is to say of the great schole mē And by these captaines shall he outwarre and subdue all the vniuersall kyngdomes of the worlde with none other cōplete harnesse then with the helmes of saluacion which is the right vnderstanding of holy scripture with the buckler of feith by vertue wherof God beyng their protectour they shal be in perfeite safegard against al assaultes of the wicked people with the Iacke or haberion made of the righteousnesse of al the vertues euāgelicall with the belt of chastitie with shooes of the ghospels making which is an herte pure from all yearthly affeccions but moste specially aboue al thinges with the sweorde of the spirite which is the woorde of God So was it thought good vnto God that by meane of his sonnes weakenesse he would shewe his power by preaching which should be accoūpted worldly folishenes he would declare his wisedom through the worldly shame of the crosse he would renoume his glory In these thinges consisteth the kingdome euāgelicall in the meane whyle vntill the maiestie of Christ shall in the ende of the world shewe forth it selfe his low degree laied away the blissefull state of the godly sort shal also shewe it selfe not stained or defoiled with any affliccions And yet this outward bassenesse conteineth a ghostly strength of the spirite both effectuall apt to cast downe al buildinges that lift vp themselfes to stand against the glory of God Haue ye euer seen any thing more ientill or pacient then Christ was haue ye seen any thing more lowe or basse in worldly acceptacion any thing more poorer more meke more felowlike with the people more ferther remoued from all lykenesse of a kyngdome And yet what thyng coulde there be more regall or kinglike then with a worde to cast out wicked spirites with a woorde speaking to caulme the wyndes the sourges of the seas with touching to heale folkes that were infecte with lepry with mere bidding to put away al kindes of diseases How many times escaped he harmelesse through the thickest of the Iewes working death vnto him He suffred himselfe to be taken but at the voice of him the armed soldiers fell down flat on the ground He dyed on the crosse but what thing could be of more power then this death which made all the elementes of the worlde to shake whiche caused the sunne to lese his light and to be full of derkenesse which cutte stones in soondre which opened graues which reysed the dead bodyes out of thesame There could be nothing more lowe or basse to the worldeward thē was his natiuitie but yet euen in his natiuitie also there did streight way at the first houre appere tokens moe thē one of his high maiestie which he than did would not be acknowē of He is borne of a tendre young virgin but it is by the operaciō of Gods holy spirite He was laied downe in an oxe maūger but the Aungels syng glory to God in the highest He lieth crying being an infaunte in the cradle place but Herode being a kyng trembleth for feare and the Magians wurship him on their knees These thynges being as yet knowen not to veray many shall in time to come be preached throughout all the vniuersall worlde And with suche lyke sure fenses shall he appoynte and furnishe his Apostles also That if ye shal here after reade the scriptures and marke them well shall conferre them with the thynges which ye haue seen and heard ye cannot doubt but that he is thesame Christ which was promised the priest the king and the salueour of all the worlde after whom there is none other to be looked for Rekon I pray you and consider in your mindes all his whole age which ye haue partely with your owne iyes
should a laye prince and a younge manne do with the gospell And wil make cauillacion saye that I geue frogges wine as the Greke prouerbe speaketh As though it wer to be thought that only suche do presente princes with mete giftes that which bryng vnto them bokes written in barbarous tōgue conteyning matters of huntyng kepyng of dogges and horses of ingines for warre yea mafortune of dising carding Uerily I am in a contrary opiniō for I deame that where the euangelical and heauenlye philosophie is thought to be to all of the hyghest lowest and myddle estate wonderfull profitable yet it is to none more necessarie then to the supreme heades powers of the worlde For the more weight charge burden that they susteyne the more daungerous the storme is that apperteineth vnto them for to caulme and assuage the more manyfold occasions they haue whereby good wyttes well inclined by nature and well instructed by educacion maye be marred and corrupted so muche the more it is semyng that they shoulde be instructed and armed more diligently then the reste with the moste godly and infallible preceptes of holy doctrine for suche cannot offende withoute the great dammage of the whole world It is the peculiar office of the prelates to nourishe the people with plentifull and abundant foode of the euangelicall doctrine For the which cause they be called pastours and herdes in scripture I graunte all these to bee true Yet the poete Homer of the most cōmendable christian auctors is commēded not vnworthily because he calleth a kyng a herd ouer his people howe muche more then it is mete that this name title agre with euery christiā prince A prince doeth not preache teache the gospell but he doeth obserue practise fulfill it yet doeth he after a sort teache it whosoeuer doeth kepe obserue it But how can he fulfil it if he knowe it not how shall he know it excepte by diligente and frequent readyng he peruse it except with a great studie he profoundly print it in his memorie whom behoueth more stedfastlye to beleue that the celestial king is gouernour of this world vnto whō nothing is vnknowen whose iyes no man can deceiue whose power no man can resiste who shal iudge euery man accordyng to his merites then the supreme powers whiche by reason of their power do dreade no man and can if they list easilye deceyue whome they list whiche if they trespasse any thyng bee not cited to appere at any mortall mans consistory but be commended also oftymes for their misdedes In whose mindes ought it to be more depely grauen that after this present lyfe wherof the kynges thēselues haue no assuraunce no not asmuche as of an houre and whiche no man can enioye long there is to come another lyfe that neuer shall haue ende in the whiche indifferentlye without respecte of estate or dignitie sauing that the strayter iudgement shall be to them straiter accōpt shal they make that which in this world hath surmounted other in roume office and auctoritie euery man shall by the sentence of the moste righteous iust iudge whose iudgemēt no man shall escape reape the croppe of that which he hath sowen in this presēt life neither shall any escape but that either for his good dedes he shall receyue the croune of eternal glory and blisse or els for his offences be committed to euerlastyng fier in whose myndes I say is it more necessarie this thyng to be depely infixed then theirs whom al kynd of prosperitie and flatterye of man doeth prouoke both to set their affiaunce in thinges present to forget what is hereafter to come In whose memorie is it requisite more depely to be printed that Christ hath plainlye threatenned vs in these wordes wo be to the riche the high powers of this world which hath their comfort in this world than in theirs whiche haue plentie and store of all suche thinges wherby mans minde is corrupt degenerate In whose eares is it more cōueniēt diligently to be beate that euery man ought warely to bestowe his talent which the lorde hath committed vnto him in the waye of vsurie for the lordes auauntage and wil cal euerye man to make accoumpte thereof then theirs whiche by reason of their power committed vnto them by God may at their pleasure either profit most or disprofit most in this world Who ought more assuredly to beleue that all men be they neuer so puissant in high auctoritie can of themselues do nothyng that all thynges that be good commēdable do come of God of whom al thinges ought to be desired that maye by christian peticion lawefully be desired and that vnto him the whole glory and prayse of all that we prosperously do in our affaires ought only to be attributed and ascribed then they whom the world doeth commēde and magnifie by reason they haue suche thinges as Christ taught should be despised whō because of certaine vaine and fantastical apparent shadowes of thinges that seeme cōmendable the base sorte doeth in maner regard and wurship as goddes who ought more thorowly be perswaded that sternnes is hated of God that iniurie ought not to be reuenged by iniury that nothing is more commendable thē peace nothing more acceptable to God then meaknes clemencie then suche whome so muche busynes dayly doeth prouoke to vnquietnes to warre reuengyng of displeasures In whose minde oughte it more depely be printed that neyther for desire of life neither feare of death it is lawfull to swarue from honesty that in this present life no man oughte to loke for to be rewarded for his merites desertes seyng that in the nexte world no man shall be defrauded of his dewe rewarde then in the mindes of princes whom so manye prouocaciōs so much troublesome busines so many occasions doeth oft and many tymes entise allure to dishonestie Uerely such a minde vpon which y◠general felicitie or miserie of the whole world doeth depend ought with weightie profoūd persuasiōs of philosophy be armed whereby it maye vprightly nothing shrinking perseuer againste all policies and engines of this worlde but suche doctrine whiche doeth so peyse the minde that it be not tossed by the waues and surges of fortune and worldly busines no otherwyse then the balans dothe staye the shippes in tyme of tempest can neither more conueniently neither of more certayne veritie neyther yet of more efficacie and power be collected out of any other woorke then the ghospel of God If the profane princes for asmuch as thei must commonly trauaile in worldly affaires maintenaunce of publique trāquillite and reste cannot alwayes obserue suche thynges as they perceiue and iudge to be most conuenient to be kepte obserued yet at the least if the euangelical doctrine be profoundly rooted in them they shal be able to do this that forasmuche as liethe in them to do they shall alwaye endeuoure themselfes to
law had promised Therfore by their malice it came to passe that the light whiche brought eternall lyfe to the beleuers therof was to them occasion of greater blyndnes But their frowardnes could not hinder the health of theym that beleued in it but rather the blindnes of the Iewes made open way for the Gentiles to the lyght of the ghospel They which vnto that time were taken for the people of God which onely did boaste theimselues in the wurshipping of the true God in the religion of the lawe in the kynred of the fathers and in the promises of Gods testament turned theimselues from the sonne of god when he came to theim And therefore the Iewes being righteously caste out as rebels to the ghospell the grace of the ghospell remoued thence to the Gentiles that the course of thinges being altered they whiche before swelled in pride thorowe the false colour of religion shoulde openly declare their wickednes reiecting the sonne of him whom they wurshipped for God And on the other parte thei which before were vtterly contrary to true religion and dyd wurship beastes and stockes for their goddes shoulde enbrace the holynes of the ghospell by faith howebeit vpon this occasion the Gentyles were so admitted to bee saued by the ghospell that neyther the Iewes nor any other nacions at all shoulde be excluded from hauing entry therunto so they woulde put away their stubbernes and shewe theymselues obedience to faith which is the principall and onely gate to eternall saluacion But as many as receyued hym to theim gaue he power to be the sonnes of God euen them that beleued on his name And albeit many both of the Iewes and the Gentiles whiche loued the worlde more then God withdrewe themselfes from this lighte yet the cumming thereof was not in vayne Firste of all it did manifeste their infelicitie whiche thorowe their owne faulte did depriue themselues of so greate goodnes frely offered vnto them Neyther coulde any man doubte but that by the iuste iudge mente of God they shoulde be reserued to eternall deathe Furthermore it caused that of the contrary parte it shoulde more euidently appeare howe notable the liberalitie of God was to them which with a simple redy faith would receiue the woord of the gospel And for that cause he that was bothe the sonne of God and God did humble himselfe to our lowe estate to thintente that thorowe faith he might exalte vs to his highnes Therfore he toke vpon him the rebukefull misery of our mortalitie to make vs partakers of his godly glory Therefore also he woulde be borne a corporal man of the virgin to thintente we should be borne again spiritual of God and for that purpose he came downe into the earth to carry vs vp into heauen The stately scribes and pharisees the proud kinges and powers of the worlde the stoute and hau◠philosophers were reiected because they woulde not beleue But to this high dignitie were admitted men of lowe degre of litle estimacion without renoume vnlearned persons bondemen barbarous men and sinners whom the worlde hath in no estimacion at all of whom nothing is required but pure faithe neither cunninge nor noblenes of bloode nor yet the professyon of Moses lawe but all that did receyue this worde of what nacion or condicion so euer they were of his behalfe he gaue to theim this dignitie that they beinge graffed in Christ thorow faith and baptisme and hauing professed his name should be made euen the children of God that they mighte bee made by adopcion the same thinge whiche Christe was by nature And what can bee higher then this honour that they whiche before were the children of the deuill inheritours of hell shoulde thorowe faithe onely be made the children of God the brethren of Iesu Christe and coinheritours of the kingdome of heauen As touching the flesh we were all borne the children of wrath of our firste father Adam but by the worde of God we be released from that sinfull kinred touching the spirite we be happily borne again of God by Iesu Christ. Which wer borne not of blood nor of the will of the fleshe nor yet of the will of man but of God For finally God takethe for his children not suche as bee borne the children of Abraham by mans sede or actuall luste in generacion but those that be borne of God by faith Our first father Adam had begotten vs after an vnfortunate and miserable sorte for he begate vs to deathe and hell Moreouer they whiche are borne touchinge the carnal birthe bee not all borne to one estate for some he borne to a kingdome some to bondage But Christe Iesus the auctor of our newe generacion doth regenerate al men without difference to like dignitie that the bondage of sinne and the misery of mortalitie put awaye thorow faith and grace they may be made children of the lyuyng God And the same woorde became fleshe and dwell emong 〈◊〉 Neyther is it any meruail though man be transformed after a sorte into the felowship of the godly nature seyng the woord of God did submit it selfe for this cause to take our fleshe that is to say a mortall body of the virgine ioyning together in himselfe two thynges moste vnlyke God and manne what thing is more frayle or more vile then mans fleash and what thing is more mighty or more excellente then God Neuer meruaill that these thinges were knit to gither It was God that did it Neither mistrust that men may be made the children of God seynge he loued vs so that for our sake he himselfe would be made the sonne of man doubtles he toke vpon him no fantasticall body for who coulde loue a vain vision or a disceitful illusion but truely he toke vpon him the body of a manne that is to say the full and perfect nature of man abhorring not so muche as that parte wherby we be subiect to death and dooe very litel diffre from the kinde of brute beastes And he bacame not man for a small time redy by and by to put awaye that thinge whiche he had taken but to proue assuredly that he toke his manhed not deceitfully or vnder a colour he was long conuersaunt in earth he was hungrie thirstie diuers waies punished suffred death was seen with iyes hearde with eares and touched with handes And to thintent this dignitie should alwaye remaine with mankinde the godhed hauing the manhed with it and in it being glorified sittinge on the righte hande of the father allmighty dooeth stil dwell in vs. And we sawe the glory of it as the glory of the onely begotten sonne of the father full of grace and trueth Neuertheles he lacked not his godly maiestie when he in his manhed walked here in earth for we whiche liued familiarlye with him are witnes that he was both God and man we haue seen him hungry athirst slepinge wepinge vexed and dyinge We haue hearde him speake with the voice of a
Ierusalē the feast of the dedicacion and it was winter And Iesus walked in the temple euen in Salomons porche Than came the Iewes rounde about him and sayde vnto him How long doest thou make vs doubt If thou be Christ tell vs playnly When Iesus had tolde a long tale of these thinges that were straunge vnhearde of and far aboue the common capacitie of most men there fel a newe iar in opinions among the people for some sayde that whiche they had already many tymes sayed whensoeuer he disclosed theyr secrete conspiracies or if he spake or did any thyng aboue the power of manne he hath the deuyll saye they and is madde For the wordes whiche he speaketh lacke common sence What pleasure is it to heare this felowe Againe some folke els sayde these be no suche mans wordes as is in the deuils daunger For his woordes smelleth of the power of God specially for as muche as his deedes be agreable to his wordes As his wordes be suche be his dedes He speaketh thinges farre passing mans wit but the same doth thinges which far excede mans power Can a mad man and he that is possessed with a deuil open blinde mens iyes It is the propertie of deuils to put out ones iyes that seeth but to geue fyght to him that is borne blind cummeth of the power of God Forasmuche than as it is euident that that thyng is doen by hym hys talke cannot procede of a noysome deuil whose dedes appereth playne to come from a beneficiall God The Lorde Iesus maketh no aunswere to thys altercacyon teachyng vs by the way that the wieked are not alway to be striuen with in wordes and that by dedes it is rather to bee declared what we can dooe than by woordes and sumtimes place is to bee geuen to the furie of the eiuil sorte nor the moderate temperaunce of the ghospell is at any tyme to bee forgotten After all thys the feastful daye ministred newe matter to sette in hande and dispute with hym agayne That solemne feaste was than whiche they call the dedicacyon of the temple for because the temple was reedefyed and repayred after the exile that was made at Hierusalem by the Persians Neyther was Iesus absent at this feasteful daye a newe maker of the law and of a new temple that is to say the churche chefe deuyser and maister of the woorkes And it was winter A full very mere tyme for theyr myndes whiche throughe loue of the colde lawe dyd not burne in the loue of the ghospell Therfore Iesus was not nowe in the inner parte of the temple but walked in the porche which ioyneth to the temple that is called Salomons temple to the intent that the very place shoulde declare that peacemaker to be presente whiche shoulde reconcyle all thynges in heauen and earth There walked truely the aucthor of the lawe of the ghospel Moses lawe being nowe at a poynte to cease The Iewes therefore leste he should escape theyr handes came rounde about him whyle he was walkyng there sore moued with many of his sayinges and dooynges neyther dyd they well agree among themselues some maliciously fynding faulte with al thing some gathering of hys dedes and wordes a certain thing to be honored in him aboue mannes power And they set vpon hym with these woordes Howe long wilt thou kepe vs in a doubtful mynde and therewith sette the people on a rore If thou bee that verye Messias whome we looke for tell it vs openly without all colour Iesus aunswered them I tolde you and ye beleue not The workes that I doe in my fathers name they beare witnes of me But ye beleue not because ye are not of my shepe as I sayd vnto you My shepe heare my voyce and I know them and they folow me and I geue vnto them eternal life and they shal neuer perishe neyther shal any man plucke them out of my hande My father whiche gaue them me is greatter than all and no man is able to take them out of my fathers hande I and my father are one But although Iesus was not ignoraunt that they dyd demaunde of a peruerse mynde this thing whiche they had both oftentymes hearde and myght also haue perceiued the same by his doinges yet he maketh them a gentle aunswere more desyrous to enstruct them then to angre them What nedeth it me sayth he so often to speake of my selfe and tell who I am namely forasmuch as if I doe openly testifie the trueth ye call the recorde therof arrogancie I haue already tolde you if ye woulde beleue me who I am Yea though ye dooe not credite my woordes yet ye cannot be ignoraunt of the thyng whiche ye desyre knowe of me There is no surer profe than dedes Ye see my doynges which your selues doe witnesse I doe at my fathers will and not the deuilles as some doe misreporte If my actes be worthie to bee imputed to God beleue that I am sente of God But ye dooe neyther beleue my dedes nor my woordes whereof I am not the cause but your owne corrupte and suspiciouse mynde They that meane well and playnelye and bee not polluted with the naughtynesse of thys worlde beeleue my woordes and lyke good shepe knowe the voyce of a good shepeherd and semblably I knowlage them for my shepe though after the worlde they be poore sely thinges But ye therfore doe not knowledge my voyce because ye are not of the number of my shepe whose simplicitie is lightely taughte when as youre myndes be swollen with ambicion leuened with malice with enuie corrupted infected with couetousnes and with sundrie affeccions of this worlde defyled from whiche vices if ye would purge your minde verely euen you also should heare my voice neither should you so doe without benefit For first of al ye should therby auoide death which hangeth ouer all rebels agaynst the sonne of God moreouer ye shall obteyne therby euerlasting life For of trueth those my shepe how simple and vnlerned soeuer they be after the iudgement of the worlde as long as they doe knowleage me the shepeherde and all the while they folow me as gyde dooe through my liberalitie get euerlasting life when as other that are taken in the worlde for men of great felicitie goe to euerlastyng death They be symple shepe harmelesse weake lacking all worldely succour The world riseth against these with all engiens and force But the aduersarye shall not haue so greate power that he shall be hable to take them out of my handes The world hath auctoritie of phariseis dignitie of priestes it hath armed kynges hye magistrates iudges places of iudgement prisones cheines roddes axes broddes to pricke with exile deathes whatsoeuer is wont to bring feare yea euen to stedfast myndes On the other syde it hath riches pleasures dignities honours and what soeuer is wont to corrupt most vncorrupt myndes The world vseth all these engines to plucke my shepe out of my handes but I beeyng theyr
though he suffred gladlye for the excellente loue that he bare towardes his Lorde yet the weakenesse of mannes nature lothed it ¶ And when he had spoken this he sayeth vnto hym Folowe me Peter turned aboute and sawe the disciple whom Iesus loued folowyng whiche also leaâ—ed on his breast at supper and sayed Lorde whiche is he that betrayeth thee When Peter therfore sawe hym he sayeth to Iesus Lorde what shall he â—ere do Iesus sayeth vnto hym If I wyl haue him to â—aâ—â—ye tyll I come what is that to thee folowe thou me Then went this saying abrode among the brethren that the disciple should not dye Yet Iesus sayed not vnto hym he shal not dye but yf I wyll that he tary tyll I come what is that to thee When Iesus had sayed thus he begunne to walke and sayed to Peter folowe me so once agayne prouokyng and inuityng hym to the folowyng of his charitie and death When Peter turned and loked aboute hym he seeth euen that disciple whome Iesus loued and that leaned on the Lordes breast at his laste supper whilest he asked of him who should betraye hym Forasmuche as Peter did entierly loue this disciple and knewe that he was alwaye better beloued of the lord then the rest and than sawe thesame vnbidden folow nexte vnto Peter Peter asked the lorde what should become of that maÌ„ For he now knewe already of his owne death and he desyreth to knowe whether that he shoulde haue this man a companion to dye with hym For he thoughte that to be a gloriouse thing vnto hym and a great token of the Lordes loue towardes hym that he might dye after the exaumple of Iesus But Iesus to correct this vnnecessarie care that Peter hadde of an other mannes death sayed If I will haue hym tary tyll I come what is that to thee He is myne and after mine aduise wyll I ordeyne and determyne for hym that shal be for the beste Care and prepare thou for that whiche apperteyneth to thy selfe that is to saye that thou folowe me And than vpon the occasion of this saying there arose a bruite among the disciples that Iesus his welbeloued disciple shoulde dye no violent death but should liue styll vntyll the Lord shall come agayne to iudge the quicke and the deade which they all thought than should be sone after Albeit the Lorde did not saye he shall not dye but to make dull abate and repulse Peters curiositie and ouermuche diligence he denied it to perteyne vnto hym though hys wyll and pleasure had been that the man shoulde styll lyue vnto his laste cummyng Thesame disciple is he whiche testifieth of these thynges and wrote thesame thynges And we knowe that hys testimony is true There are also many other thynges whiche Iesus did the whiche yf thei shoulde be written euery one I suppose the worlde coulde not conteine the bookes that shoulde be written And in dede this is thatsame disciple that witnesseth these thynges thus to bee dooen and that wrote thesame to the entente they maye more truely and more farre abrode bee scattered and dispersed to the knowledge of all folke And we haue knowen that his testimonie is true For he wrote not other mennes hearynges but at whiche hymselfe was presente Nor he hath not made mencion of all the thinges whiche Iesus sayed and did For if a manne shoulde goe about to tell them euery thyng by it selfe an vnmeasurable sorte of bokes shoulde bee made therof But so muche is written as suffiseth to the obteyning of saluacion Therfore the rest is that beleuyng these and stickyng to the steppes and wayes of Iesus we labour diligently to get the rewarde of immortall lyfe Thus endeth the Paraphrase vpon the Ghospell of S. Iohn To the moste uertuous Ladie Quene Kateryne late wyfe to Kyng Henry the eyght of moste famous memorye deceassed Nycolas Udall your graces most humble oratour and seruaunt wysheth perpetuall felicitee and ioye in Iesus Christ our lorde FOr as much as nothyng doeth with lyke spede or with better effecte eyther open to the worlde or engraue in mennes heartes the knowelage of Goddes commaundementes and the rules of true christian doctrine then deuout and godly tractises for the expoundyng and declaryng of holy scrypture howe happie and blyssed are we and howe greatly bounde to thanke God that in these our tymes there dayly cum foorth so many and the same so fruictfull and Godly weorkes in our owne toung to the ghostely coumfort and edifiyng of all deuout chrystian readers in the true fayeth and relygyon For where in tymes past the studyous wryters of bookes wer enforced with much highe suite and seruice to procure the fauoure and good wyll of prynces or other estates to whome to dedicate such weorkes as thei wrote to th entent that vnder the name and protection of such noble personages the sayd weorkes might be the better habled to the readers and the better accepted of the people nowe dooe Kynges Quenes prynces and other piers especyally here in Englande of their owne mere mocions and good zele not only with their propense fauour and with their benefycyall ayde coumforte and lyberalitee helpe forewarde the good endeuour and sedulytee of studious wryters myndyng by their godly monumentes to edifie the feithfull congregacion but also are dylygent and peynefull bothe to put to theyr owne handes to the endictyng and pennyng of many holsome traictises for that purpose yea and ferther by their exaumple and prouocacion to set other in hande with wrytyng or translatyng to the fructefull exercise of the learned to the holsome enstruccion of Englyshe readers and to the effectuall edifiyng of the simple ignoraunt multitude if the same can bee content for their solle helthe to gyue eare and mynde thereto And emong this sorte of publique benefactours your excellent highnesse Quene Kateryne deserueth no lesse then next after our soueraygne lorde the kynges maiestee whoe euen nowe already at the fyrst entreaunce of this his moste noble reigne and within the yeres of tendre minoritee doth with the aduice and consent of the moste prudent and the same his moste dere vncle Edwarde duke of Somersette aswell of his moste royall persone in the tyme of his mynorytee gouernoure as also of all hys Maiestees realmes dominyons and subiectes Protector together with the assent and consent of the other his moste honourable moste trusty and moste feythfull Counsaillours moste forewardly moste earnestly and with all possible diligence labour daye and nyght as well by moste holsoÌ„ lawes as also by Oâ—â—elyes of moste pure doctryne and by true preachers to refourme abuses to sowe abrode the woorde of God and to plante true relygyon in all partes of his realmes and domynons youre hyghnesse I saye next vnto these twoe deserueth no lesse then to be estemed and called the chiefe patronesse not onely for dyuers moste godly Psalmes and meditacions of your owne penning and settyng foorthe but also for procuryng thys present weorke of Erasmus
other Messias but only the same that he preached vnto them which was Christ. Whan Paule had reasoned this matter in the Sinagoge certayne of the Iewes beleued ioyned themselues with Paule and Silas and besides these a great number of the Gentyles that feared God were conuerted to the faythe and â—mong other dyuers wurshipfull women of the chiefe of that citie ¶ But the Iewes whiche beleued not had indignacion and toke vnto them euill men whiche were vagaboundes gathered to them a companie set all the Citie on a roare and made a saute vnto the house of Iason sought to bryng them out to the people But whan as they founde them not they drue Iason and certayne brethreÌ„ vnto the heades of the cytie criyng these that trouble the worlde are come â—yther also whome Iason hath receiued priuily And these all dooe contrary to the decrees of Cesar affyrmynge another kyng one Iesus And they troubled the people and the officers of the citie wheÌ„ they heard these thynges And whan they were sufficiently aunswered of Iason and of the others they let them go On the other parte certayne Iewes beeyng ouermuche wedded to Moyses lawe whiche Paule sometyme had earnestly fauoured beyng of a zele moued and ioynyng themselues with a certayne numbre of naughty vagaboundes whom they had made of theyr parte for of suche fellowes haue they that be authours of any commocion nede of and gatheryng to them a great companye besydes reysed vp the cytye And sediciously commyng to the house of Iason woulde haue brought Paule and Sylas furth before the people But forasmuche as they entryng in to the house founde not them that they sought for they brought Iason hymselfe and with hym certayne other discyples before the gouernours of the cytye criyng alowde for so had they before tyme serued Christe and sayed These felowes that alreadye haue troubled all the worlde are nowe cumme hither lykewyse to trouble vs. And Iason knowyng them to be suche felowes receyued them into his house But all those that goe about any suche matters or lodge such as go about the same doe agaynste Cesars actes forasmuche as they saye that there is an other kyng besydes Cesar â–ª For they preache of one Iesus that was a good whyles since doen and nayled vpon the crosse by Cesars deputie because he affyrmed hymselfe to be kyng of the Iewes Marke howe they here abuse the name and authoritie of Cesar agaynste the ghospell Whan the people and rewlers of the cytye hearde these woordes they were muche moued therwyth euen as Pylate before in lyke manier was moued agaynst Christ. For than cried the vnhappy Iewes we haue none other kynge besydes Cesar and agayne If thou let hym goe thou arte not Cesars frende and yet agayne Whosoeuer maketh hymselfe a kyng withstandeth Cesar. On the other parte the true Iewes thus doe crye We haue none other kyng but onely Iesus of Nazareth and agayne whosoeuer conformeth himselfe to folowe Cesar is not Christes frende For he onely is kynge ouer all the worlde But after that Iason and the other brethren had alleaged a lawfull excuse the officers let them goe ¶ And the brethren immediatly sent away Paule Sylas by nyght vnto Berea Which whan they were cum thyther they entred into the Sinagoge of the Iewes These were the noblest of byrthe emong them of Thessalonica whiche receyued the word with al diligence of mynde and serached the scripture dayly whither those thinges were euen so And many of them beleued also of worshypfull women which were Grekes and of men not a fewe When the Iewes of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of god was preached of Paule at Berea they came and moued the people there But whan the brethren perceyued that throughe displeasure and malyce Paul and Silas were lyke to be in daungier they with spede conuaied them out pryuely in the nyght season to Berea â–ª whiche is a citie in Macedonia not far from Pella wheras Alexander the greate was borne In thys wyse the euangelicall captaynes flye but so that they neuerthelesse fyght styll For as soone as they came to Berea they entred into the Synagoge nothyng afrayed for all so many sedicions that the Iewes had raysed agaynste them But these were more gentyll than the others that were at Thessalonica For they receyued the doctrine of the ghospell veray readely euery daye searchyng the scriptures diligently that they myght see howe those thynges that they had learned by thapostles instruction agreed with the Prophecies and figures of the lawe And so were many of the Citizens of Berea conuerted to the faythe not Iewes onely but also dyuerse wourshipfull women that were Grekes borne and a greate noumber of men besydes But whan the Iewes that were at Thessalonica whiche had made a commocyon there heard that the ghospel was preached at Berea by Paule whome they had dryuen from them they tooke their iourneye thither and as they before had doen so eftsones they stirred vp the multytude there also against the Apostles And than immediatly the brethren sent awaie Paule to gooe to the sea syde But Sylas and Timotheus abode there styl And they that guided Paule brought hym vnto Athens and receiued a commaundement vnto Silas and Timotheus for to cumme to him with spede and came theyr waye And what time the brethren perceyued that daungier was yf the Apostles had taryed they immediatly sent forthe Paule whome they thoughte to be moste in daunger to goo take the sea whiche is not far from Berea And Silas Timothie remayned at Berea Than the brethren that had brought Paule thither taking shypping with him broughte hym as farre as Athens There they left Paul returned to Berea hauing message froÌ„ him to Silas and Timothie that they should folow after as sone as they might conueniently Whyles Paule wayted for them at Athens his spirite was moued in him whan he sawe the citie geuen to worshipping of Images Then dysputed he in the Synagoge with the Iewes with the deuout persones in the market dayly with them that came vnto hym by chauÌ„ce Certaine Philosophers of the Epicures of the Stoickes disputed with him There Paule though he wer left alone without companions yet seeyng so noble a citie as that was and so full of learned men wholy and vtterly geuen to worshipping of idols waxed hote in spirite in so muche that he coulde not abyde the cummyng of his felowes but entred into the sinagoge and ther disputed with the Iewes and other deuout persons And besydes that also he reasoned in the market place with all that came vnto him whether they were Iewes or els Grekes Among whome were some Philosophers of Epicures secte some Stoickes betwene whoÌ„ was great diuersitie of opinions For thei that were of Epicures sect mesuring the felicitie of maÌ„ by pleasure thinke that either there be no gods or if there be any that they nothing regarde the lyfe of
The first tome or volume of the Paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the newe testamente Enpriented at London in Fletestrete at the signe of the sunne by Edwarde Whitchurche the last daie of Ianuarie Anno. Domini 1548. Cum priuilegio Regali ad imprimendum solum EW To the moste puissaunt prince and our moste redoubted soueraigne Lord Edward the sixthe by the Grace of God King of Englande Fraunce and Irelande defendour of the faith and on yearth next and immediatly vnder God of the Churches of Englande and Irelande the supreme head your moste humble louyng and obedient subiecte Nicolas Udal wisheth al grace and peace from God with long and thesame moste prosperous Reigne ouer vs in all honour health and condigne felicitie MOste noble and moste worthie Soueraigne it myght in me so basse and simple a persone appeare no small presumpcion to write vnto your Emperiall Maiestie were not the cause of our publique gratulacions so iust and so greate that no manne what euer he bee hauyng occasion to wryte maye thynke hymselfe voyde of cryme if he shoulde omytte to declare and testifie the vnestimable comforte and ioye whiche your vniuersall moste louyng and obedient subiectes daily more and more doe take of your Maiesties singuler good procedinges and most excellent towardnesse For where by the space of many yeres vntil it pleased the goodnesse of God to sende you vnto vs the earneste prayers of all Englande was that we might haue a Prynce and after the tyme of your natiuitie whan God had so gracyously heard our peticions we eftsons prayed that ye myght haue grace to folowe the godly steppes and proceadynges of your moste noble father euerye man seeth nowe in your Maiestee suche towardenes of vertue and godly zele that we haue conceyued no lesse then an vndoubted hope that ye wyll by Goddes gouernaunce ferre passe your saied father to whom our daily wysshinges and prayers thought it enough to haue you eguall We all see in your highnesse suche liuely sparkes of vertue and Christian regiment toward that we cannot but thynke Englande the moste fortunate Royalme that euer was to whome God hath geuen suche a Kyng as in his minoritye of tendre babehood learneth to haue mynde on his funccion and to considre whose mynistre he is If Royalmes after the saiyng of Plato are than and neuer els in blissed state whan eyther Philosophiers that is to saye suche as knowe and loue God doe reigne ouer thesame or els the Kynges geue themselues to philosophie that is to saye to the due knowledge of God to the disciplyne of vertue and to the vpryght execucion of their office towardes all people howe happye are we Englishmen of suche a Kyng in whose chyldehood appereth as perfeict grace vertue godly zele desire of literature grauitie prudence iustice magnaniraitie as hath heretofore been found in Kinges of most mature age of ful discrecion of auncient reigne and of passing high estimacion But suche is the goodnesse of God that to a people eagerly hongreyng and thrysting his iustice earnestly sekyng the wayes of his trueth tendrely enbracyng his moste holy woorde readily acceptyng the grace of his ghospel wyllyngly conformyng themselfes to the sincere doctryne of his commaundementes he forgeateth not to geue a sapient Kyng and gouernour And that God hath of a singuler fauoure and mercye towardes this Royalme of Englande sente youre grace to reigne ouer vs the thyng selfe by the whole processe doeth declare the summe whereof I shal in a short discourse no more but briefly touche passe ouer leste I might seme rather to haue sought an occasioÌ„ in the waye of flatery to extolle you and your progenie then as this present cause enforceth me to geue due testimonie of the trueth In dede your singular excelleÌ„cie in al kindes of princely towardenesse is such that no place no tyme no cause no booke no person either in publique audience or els in priuate couÌ„paignie maketh any mencion of your Maistie but he thynketh hymself euen of a veray conscience bouÌ„d to powdre thesame with manyfold praises of your incoÌ„parable vertues giftes of grace Al which prayses magnifying though they bee in dede muche inferiour to your moste woorthye desertes hytherto yet your maiestie muste take and repute not as a matter of insolencie by your moste louyng and faithful subiectes ministred vnto you but rather as a thyng wrought in them by the instincte of god to admonishe you of the Regal estate that he hath called you vnto not as a prouocacioÌ„ of wordelye gloriyng in your self but as an instrumente of admonicion to continue you in remembraunce of thankes geuing and of discharging youre office not as the baites of flatery meaning to fede your Maiestie in any conceipte of pryde but rather as a glasse wherein to beholde your self what ye are and how ye ought to continue not as the pleasaunt ticleing or clawyng of adulacion but rather as a caucion that ye dooe nothing in all your life whereby ye maye bee founde or thought vnwoorthie the laude that is geueÌ„ you and finally not as a nourishmente of any humam vanitie but rather as a spur of exhortacion not onely to beware â—hat ye goe not backe ne degenerate or decline from the godly trade of religioÌ„ of vertue of litterature of prudeÌ„ce of benigâ—itie of iustice of princely regiment that ye are nowe entred into but also that ye procede as ye haue begoonne and still goe forwarde encreasyng in all godlinesse that your procedynges and consummacion maie bee aunswerable to your moste princely and Christian begynnynges Neyther is there any subiect of yours worthie life whiche woulde to any other ende or purpose attempt to magnifye you in thys tendre age but in hope that if ye bee not alreadye come to the perfeccion propouned vnto you ye wyll labour and contende as age maye suffre to growe and reache vnto it For if Philip of Macedonie being an ethnike and a pagane Kyng whan he was railed at and muche euil spoken of by the Atheniens toke therof an occasioÌ„ well to reigne gouerne his people alleagyng himself to bee enforced and coÌ„streigned theruÌ„to that he might proue his enemyes vntrue men of their reportes howe muche more necessitie of well doyng is incumbent to your highnesse that ye maye in tyme comyng verifie the praises and coÌ„mendacions whiche the publyque consent of the worlde dooeth nowe attribute vnto you Howebeeit we your moste feythfull louyng subiectes dooe nothyng doubte but that God beeyng the geuer of all good gyftes the father of all mercie and the God of all coumforte who of his infinite goodnesse hath prouided you to reigne ouer vs wyll also in suche wyse directe all your wayes that he wyll euydentely declare hymself by his eternall wysedome and by his counsayll inscrutable to haue purposely ordeyned and appoynted you to dooe high thynges whome he hath by his myghtifull arme so woondrefully sent For where your moste noble father of famous memorie Kyng
Henry the eyght beeyng otherwyse by al tokens of natural constitucion a man hable and also likely to haue chyldren had alreadye by the twoo most faire blossomes and most freshe floures of the world the lady Maries Grace the lady Elizabethes Grace your Maiesties moste noble and moste dere sisturâ— yet liuyng declared himselfe apte to be veray fruicteful of procreacion yet had he continued eight and twentie yeres Kyng of this Royalme ere he had any soonne in lawfull matrimonie begotten to whome he myght leaue the succession of this his Emperiall croune and sceptre In the meane tyme Kyng Henry as a moste vigilaunt pastour ceaseth not with perpetuall trauayll to procure for the commodities and wealth of Englande he ceaseth not by moste politique and moste holsome lawes to prouide for the establishyng of Englande in peace and tranquilitie And because by the diligent readyng and meditacion yf holy Scriptures he founde and obserued the true blissynges of God and the fountayne of al grace and prosperitie to procede of the knowleage of God and the due obseruacion of his lawes lyke a moste christian Prince and a true defendour of the fayth he conuerted and emploied al his studie and cogitacions to the redresse of such abuses in relygion as by the moste corupte doctrine of the Romishe papacye had by degrees crepte into Christes churche and preuailyng throughe continuaunce of yeres were nowe so confirmed and established throughout all parties of Christendome that the Romishe Nabugodonozor held vs in forer subieccion then euer was Israell holden in the captiuitie of olde Babilon and so should we haue stil continued had it not pleased almightie God of his botomlesse mercie to reise vp a Christian Cyrus your moste puissaunt father to restore vs agayne to our freedome in Christes bloud For the Romishe Nabugodonozor had by wrestyng and peruertyng the holy scriptures of God to the establyshing and maintenaunce of his vsurped supremitie clymed so high that he was not nowe content to sitte in the chaire of Moses but had moste blasphemously exalted hymselfe aboue all that is called God that is to say had made Goddes woorde frustrate that his moste corrupte and moste pestilente doctrine myght take place He had by his deiulishe inuencions caste such a foggie miste of ignoraunce ouer Goddes moste holy Bible he had with his Pharisaicall interpretacions in suche wyse polluted the sinceritie of Christes doctrine he had so infeeted the clere fountayne of Goddes woorde with the suddes of humayne tradicions and the dregges of vayn ceremonies he had by meane of papisticall troumperie so peruerted the vnderstanding of holy scriptures he had so defaced the puritie of the faith with the beggerly patched cloke of supersticious weorkes not commaunded by Goddes lawe he had so perplexed the grace of the ghospell with the false feigned merites and weorkes of supererogacion he had so mangled the Christian profession with mo then an hundred soondry sectes of counterfaicte cloystreers of Antichristes owne generacion liuing like idle loitreers and veraâ—dranes and vnder the pretence of religion deuouryng the common weales that woulde maynteyn theim he had so oppressed the true religion and wurshyppyng of God wyth pilgremages to dead stockes and stones of mannes handie weorke with transferryng the honoure whiche was due to God alone vnto Sainctes and to feigned miracles wyth other kyndes of idolatry innumerable and wyth a purgatorye of materiall fyer and to make some ende of speakyng in a matter of it selfe infinite he had so clene subuerted al good and godly conuersacion and doctrine that Satan had no more power of the worlde whan Christe came downe to yearth for to redeme mankynde then religion was nowe broughte oute of frame by the tyrannye of the Romyshe Babilon nor God and hys soonne Iesus Christe any where lesse founde than whan he was moste buisily named and spoken of in pulpites Beeyng vnder the title and name of Christe the moste eagre aduersarye of Christe and his ghospell he ioyned hymselfe to the Philistines and beyng their Goliah more nere sixtene then sixe cubites high neither feared â–ª ne shamed to shewe hymselfe in playne battayl of defiaunce ne spared to open hys blasphemous mouthe ne to drawe hys tyrannous sweorde ne to shake his huige murderyng speare agaynst the true Israelites of Christes litle selie flocke and moste presumpteously to braggue agaynst all that euer woulde professe the syncere and vpryght doctrine of Gods woorde tyll it pleased God to reyse vp vnto vs an Englishe Dauyd your moste noble father who without anye armoure or weapon of yron and stele without any harnesse of mannes makyng without displeighing any banners in araye of humaine battaile shoulde out of the slyng of his Regall auctoritie cast the corner stone of Goddes woorde whiche lyghtyng vpon the forhead of the sayd Goliah felled his papacie stone dead crushed it to poudre neuer to be hable any more to noye or to face Englyshe Israel Our sayd Dauid kyng Henry the eyght had learned by the boke of Deuteronomie in whiche booke the feithfull seruauÌ„t of God Moyses charged that whomsoeuer Israel shoulde make Kyng ouer them thesame from the tyme that he wer sette in his Regall throne should all the dayes of his lyfe haue continuall meditacion and should styll reade therin to the entente he myght learne to feare the Lorde his God for to kepe all the woordes of hys lawe and his ordinaunces for to dooe theim and that he should not turne from the commaundementes eyther to the ryght hand or to the left that bothe he and his children myght prolong their dayes in his Kyngdome he hadde I saie learned in the same booke on the one syde the blessynges of god promysed to all suche prynces as on theyr owne parties woulde for the loue and feare of god walke vpryghtly in the execucion of the sayde commaundementes and woulde partly by theyr good exaumple prouoke theyr subiectes to dooe the same and partly by due execucion of iustice make them ashamed and also afeard to swerue or declyne from the lorde their god and on the other syde the terrible malediccions and plagues of gods wrathe threatned to all suche as neglected the vpryght obseruyng of all his preceptes and wayes He loued the goodnesse of God and feared his stroke he sawe religion to bee ferre out of frame he sawe some parte of his moste earnest trauailes and endeuour to sette Englande in moste quiet and blissefull state to fayl of condigne effecte through defaulte of reformacion in matters of religion He saw found by experience of his owne manyfolde moste princely enterpryses the onely cause why Christian Royalmes are plagued wyth warres derthes famyns pestilences other mortall extremyties to come of Gods indignacion because the worlde was so ferre gone astraigh from Christe that nothyng was nowe weaxed so odious or detestable as his holy woorde nothyng reputed so blasphemous as Christes holy ghospell nothyng so lyght estemed as Christes blood and passion He sawe the