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
read I saye this superscripcion and sum knewe well the name of Iesus of Nazareth And howe litle he desyred any worldly kyngdome many had truâ— knowledge whiche had seen hym hyde hymselfe when he shoulde haue been drawen by force to a kyngdome That very kyng whiche was promysed by the prophetes and whome the Iewes call Messias was of very truthe loked for among all the Iewes And althoughe Pilate was ouersene herein yet vnawares he gaue hym that tytle which dyd moste demonstrate notise to all folke who he was that hong vpon the crosse For of very trueth that selfe kynge of kynges honge there crucifyed whiche by his deathe dyd vanquishe the tirannye of the deuyll Thou oughtest to call it rather the token and banner of victorie than a crosse Thoughe all thynge semed full of shame and rebuke to the byshops scribes and to the Phariseis yet this intitleing and superscripcion did greue theyr myndes because it was more honorablye set out than they woulde haue had it So great was the desyre of the wycked to abolysh a name to the which onely all glory of the whole world ought to be geuen And therefore they treate and common with the president of chaungeing the title and that it should not be written the king of the Iewes but that he dyd vsurpe and vniustly take vpon hym that name But the presydent notwithstandyng that euen then vnawares he dyd pronosticate what should folow that is to were that the profession of that healthfull name whiche the Iewes falsely denyed should departe thence to the redy beleuyng Gentiles that is to saye to the true Iewes in dede yet I saye this notwithstanding and that also heretofore he did condescende and folowe theyr malyce the presydente woulde not alter and chaunge the title but sayeth that I haue wrytten I haue wrytten For because it was in verie deed to the commoditie and profit of all folke that Christe shoulde be put to death and agayne also it was for all mennes weale that his name should be of most fame and renoume thorowe the whole worlde by the profession whereof saluacion shoulde bee brought to all folke Than the souldiers when they had crucified Iesus they toke hys garmentes and made â—ower partes to euery souldier a parte and also his coate The coate was without seame wrought vpon throughout They sayed therfore among themselues let vs not diuide it but cast lottes for it who shall haue it That the scrypture myght be fulfylled saying They parted my rayment among them and for my coate dyd they calle lottes And the souldiers dyd suche thynges in dede There stoode by the crosse of Iesus his mother and his mothers sister Mary the wife of Cleophas and Mary Magdalene when Iesus therfore sawe his mother and the disciple standyng whome he loued he sayeth vnto his mother Woman beholde thy sonne Than sayed he to the disciple Beholde thy mother and from that houre the disciple toke her for his owne Nowe therefore when the Lorde Iesus was nayled as the maner was all naked vnto the crosse and the foresayed superscripcion aboue his heade the souldiers that crucified hym accordyng to the vsage parted among them Iesus garmentes For this thyng came to them as amendes and reward for theyr paynes taking And forasmuche as they were fower in noumbre they so deuided the resydue of his garmentes saue his coate by cause they were made of soundrye pieces and sowed together that euery manne had hys parte porcionately But than his coate or iacket a garmeÌ„t verely whiche was more inner and nere his bodye no sewed garment but so wouen from thouer hem to the lower that beyng leusyd or rypte it woulde haue been good for nothinge and nought wourth Therefore the souldiers thought good that it shoulde bee kept whole vncut and that sum one of them shoulde haue the whole iacket to whose lotte it should chaunce But not withstandynge that the souldiers dyd these thinges of a prophane mynde and of a worldlye purpose yet vnawares they fulfylled in their so doyng the prophecies of the Prophetes that hereby also he might haue bene knowen to bee he of whome the holy ghoste had spoken in the Psalmes thus they haue deuyded myne apparel amonge theÌ„ and caste lottes vpon my garmentes And these thinges perdye the souldiers did whiles yet the Lord honge vpon the crosse alyue But there stoode by the crosse of Iesus Mary his mother associate with her syster Marye the daughter of Cleophas and Marie Magdalene Therefore Iesus lokynge from the crosse vpon his mother and castynge his iye withall vpon the disciple whom he loued more familiarly than the reste to thentente that as his clothes beyng distributed he lefte no worldly substaunce behynde him so he woulde leaue vpoÌ„ earthe no worldly or mannes affeccion Iesus I saye turned towardes his mother and sayed Woman beholde that thy sonne poyntynge with a nod of his head and with a wincke of his iye to the disciple And turning furthwith to the disciple sayeth Beholde thy mother And verily from that tyme the sayd disciple bore a very soÌ„nes mynde and affectioÌ„ toward the mother of Iesus and toke the whole charge and care of her After these thinges Iesus knowyng that all thinges were now perfourmed that the scripture myght be fulfilled he sayeth I thirst So there stoode a vessell by ful of vinegre therfore they filled a sponge with vinegre and wounde it about with Isope putte it to his mouthe Assone as Iesus receyued of the vynegre he sayd it is finished bowed his heade and gaue vp the ghoste When these thinges were doen and Iesus knew that nothing wanted perteyning to a lawfull sacrifice yet to bryng therunto and to accomplyshe the Prophetes saying where he sayeth They gaue me gall to eate and when I was thirstye they gaue me vinegre to drinke he cried from the crosse I am athirst For a trueth suche as dye in this kynde of death are wonte to be sore greued with vehement thirst by reason that through the woundes of the body the bloude is exhaust and cleane draweÌ„ out And euen this now too did much proue and declare him to be a very man to be oute of doubte punyshed to his great payne Now thaÌ„ a vessel full of vinegre stoode there at haÌ„d which was wont to be reached vp geuen to theÌ„ that were athirste to make them the sooner dye The souldiers therfore fylled a sponge with vinegre wouÌ„de it about with ysope and helde it to his mouthe But as sone as Iesus had tasted the vinegre he saied It is finished signifying that the sacrifice was rightely doen and accomplyshed accordynge to his fathers wyll and byanby he bowed his héade and gaue vp the ghoste The Iewes therfore bicause it was the preparing of the Sabbothe that the bodies should not remayne on the crosse on the Sabboth day for the Sabboth day was an hye day besought By late that their legges might be brokeÌ„ and that they might
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
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
cuÌ„ning clergie weorkemaÌ„shyp of peincted eloquence vntyll they had peruerted them and drawen them clene a straygh from all the wayes of the Lorde theyr true God well knowyng that the people some for loue some for feare and some through exauÌ„ple woulde without any buisinesse folowe the trace and ledyng of theyr king gouernour They made the kynges rewlers sure on theyr syde well wetyng that the subiectes some for obedience sake of theyr owne accorde would and the rest by their cruell diuises myght by tyranny be enforced to drawe after theyr Princes line Whereof the auncient prouerbe sayeth that euery kyng is to his royalme and subiectes eyther a singuler precious benefite orels a very pernicious destruccion because that suche as euery kyng is suche wil his people bee Wherfore lyke as a werte or a molle standyng in a bodyes face is a more blemyshe a greatter deformitee a wurse disgracing then if it stode in some priuie place of the body where eyther the prouideÌ„ce of nature hideth it or maÌ„nes own reuereÌ„ce and good prouision doeth kepe it secrete so is a vyce or any eiuil qualytie a more fault a greatter dishonour in a Prince then in an other priuate persone because that euery his saying doyng yea euery his looke gesture is taken vp as a publique exaumple and paterne for all hys subiectes to folowe so that the kynges of Israel coulde not be ciuill but to the veraie pernycious ensaumple and corrupcion of al theyr sely people But at length came good kyng Ezechias of whom the Scripture in his due commendacion testifieth that he did that pleased the Lorde in al thyng lyke to his forefather and progenitour Dauyd His well doynges he begoonne with the redresse of religion and the extirpyng of idolatry vp by the rote For whyle idolatry reigned nothing could he doe the myght be pleasyng to God Fyrst of all therefore he put awaye the hil alters brake the images cutte downe yâ— groues and all to brake the brasen serpente that Moyses had made For vnto those dayes the chyldren of Israel dyd burne sacrifice vnto it He trusted in the Lorde God of Israel he claue to the Lorde and departed not from hym but kepte his commaundementes and the Lorde was with hym so that he prospered in all thynges whiche he tooke in hande c. Thus duryng the time of his reygne by the space of tweÌ„ty nine yeres he renewed religion restored the lawe of God to his perfeccion he reduced his people to the trade of holy and vpryght conuersacion in the syght of God of walkyng in the commaundementes of the Lorde detesting al Idolatrye abhorryng al suche abomynacions as myght iustely prouoke his wrathe vengeaunce All this whyle the subtyl crafty false prophetes and priestes of Baall dissembled played mum they folowed the necessitee of the time and for feare of the iron rodde did as the worlde vnder suche a kyng required But as soone as good kyng Ezechias was once dead leauyng behynde hyme his soonne Manasse a chylde of twelue yeres olde to reygne by succession ouer Israel in his stede than the false prophetes and priestes of Baall thought it a fitte and propyes tyme to shewe themselues in theyr owne colours As soone as by his death a gappe was opened to theyr false iugleyng to theyr crafty practyse to their wyly dryftes and theyr subtyle conueyghaunce they aâ—oâ— shewed theyr affeccions as they were They leat not slyppe theyr occasion â—o reduce Israell to the former trade of dooyng sacrifice to the Idolles whiche they had learned in the tyme of wieked Achab wherby theyr lucre and aduauntage hadde a long season come in thicke and vnder Ezechias vtterlye decaied in whose dayes they weâ— of force compelled to haue the lawe of God in honour and the same onely to vse and to â—eache to the people In herte priuely they styll coÌ„tinued most detestable most pernicyous fauourers maynteyners and weorkers of Idolatrye though they had for the tyme through hypocrisy and for feare of punishemente intermytted thesame But the youth of Manasse beyng a babe easye to be inticed allured and trayned to the lustes of sensualitie through flatreyng persuasions and beeyng destitute of faythfull and godly counsayllours that might and woulde protect his tendre chyldehood and bryng hym vp in the knowledge of God in the way of his preceptes was for the sayde false Prophetes and couetous priestes of Baall a mete praye Hym therefore they enueygled with many swete woordes of flaterye doubte ye not with many woordes of coumforte with muche circumstaunce of glorious peincted eloquence with allegeyng of many politique consideracions with many ciuyll respectes of the state of the world that than was with many gaâ—e and solemne promises of innumerable and thesame right high commodities that shoulde thereby ensue to him and his common weale with many assured warauntises of welth peace and tranquilitie if he would vse their counsayl in folowyng the wayes of wyse Achab beyng as they alleaged a noble Prynce and a polityque wise man in folowing the trade of his forefathers not of such a newefound tâ—ade of learnyng and religion as Ezechias had lately inuented brought vp in Israel to the great troublyng disquieting of himself the grieuous annoiauÌ„ce and vexacion of his subiectes and the extreme perill of his coÌ„mon weale For Almanazar king of Assyria had in the daies of Ezechias come vp agaynst Samaria and besieged it and woonne it and had carried awaye Israel into Assyria and after him Sennacheryb kyng of Assyria had coÌ„e vp agaynst all the strong cities of Iuda had takeÌ„ them albeit God by his power deliuered Ezechias his people Cities the AuÌ„gel of the Lorde slewe of the proud blasphemous bragguiÌ„g AssiriaÌ„s an huÌ„dred fowre score fiue thousand at a clappe By these meanes the salse prophetes wicked priestes of Baall couÌ„pace and weigh young Manasse though he succeded his owne father beyng so good so godly a kyng as yâ— expresse testimonie of holy scripture coÌ„mendeth with these woordes that after hym was none lyke hym emong all the kynges of Iuda neyther were there any suche before him yet the not wtstaÌ„ding by the suger-mouthed false prophetes by the couetous priestes of Baall through defaulte of good godly Counsayllours whome doubte ye not but this wieked rable founde meanes to wring out of fauour to remoue awaye from the Kynges presence he was so coumpaced weyghed persuaded woonne be wytched peruerted so foâ—re seduced that as the scripture recordeth he did eiuil in the syght of the Lorde euen after the abominacyons of the heathen For he went buylt the hill altares whiche Ezechias his father had destruied he reared vp alters for Baall made groues as dyd Achab Kyng of Israell and wurshipped all the hoste of heaueÌ„ and serued them And he builte alters in the house of the Lorde of whiche the Lorde had sayd
their owne poore honesties alleged a thing vnseming for bookes of holy scripture matiers For diuinitie like as it loueth no cloking but loueth to be simple and playn so doth it not refuse eloqueÌ„ce if the same come without iniurie or violacion of the truth For who writeth more ornately then the Greke diuines Basilius Gregorie Nazianzene Theophilactus Chrisostome or who in laten more elegauntly than Lactancius â–ª Hierome and diuers others Albeit in this English paraphrase the translatours haue of purpose studied rather to write a plain stile then to vse their elegaÌ„cie of speche partely because there caÌ„not in al pointes be expressed in the English tong the grace that is in the laten much lesse of my self I speake the plesauntnesse that is in the stile of Erasmus a man of moste excellâ—nt learnyng and exquisite eloquence in this kinde thoughe in dede not altogether a Ciceronian but yet feact pleasaunt swete elegaunt sensible partely because there was a special regarde to be had to the rude and vnlettred people who perchaunce through default of atteigning to the high stile should also thereby haue been defrauded of the profit and fruictâ— of vnderstanding the sence which thing that they might doe was the onely pourpose why it was first translated and now by the kinges most excellent Maiestie willed to be read For as for the learned are hable enough to helpe themselfes without any translacions at al. Neither are these translacions to be depraued because some reader would perhaps otherwise haue turned soÌ„e thinges then he shal here rede it For no two enterpreters there bee that in translating out of any one tong into an other would agree in al pointes of stile or enditing as best for this purpose it may appere by the auncient fathers of the Churche whose allegacions of places of holy Scripture moste commonly varie in wordes agree not but in sense And the same interpreter that would haue translated some part hereof better theÌ„ it now is would in some other poinctes perchaunce haue doen iâ— wurse Therefore euerie maÌ„ ientilly take and interprete an others labours beare with his infirmitie if not in consideracion of his studie trauail yet at lestewise for respect of his good zele godly entente to ferther knowlage If it come to the handes of suche as can and wil without disdeigne or arrogancie take his penne and emend any thing that his good and vncorrupt iudgement shal see mete to be corrected I suppose that besydes the rewarde of God the publique thankes of his countrey he shal also priuatly deserue and receiue immortal thaÌ„kes of the translatours whose desire is to haue it wel Neither do I suppose any to be of such mind that he would disdeigne or be greued to see his thing bettered as in this great weorke some thinges are in dede here there other wise penned then the firste translatours wrote it For thys is a common weorke of building to the which are hired many sondry men of occupacion and in case some man be making a doore a windoore or a frame though an other of the same occupacion put his hande to the bettering and perfeicting of it yet is not the so dooyng any displeasure nor cause of grutche to the other but rather a beautifiyng of his dooing â–ª a cause of rendreing thankes to the partie that of good wille and zele without presumpcion did put hys helping hande to a good purpose And sembleably in this commoÌ„ weorke of the gospels vineyarde for asmuch as euery labourer hath his iye directed to the onely marke of setting foorthe the glory of God and hys moste holy worde no man meaneth any rebuke or derogacion to his felow whan he emendeth something that was to be refourmed or altered but rather semeth to craue the like help of the other agayn in his owne doinges because it is euident that any man can ferther see and can be a more indifferent iudge in an other mannes doinges then he can be in his owne Geuing therfore firste laude prayse and thankes to God for all his giftes and than to our moste excellent king Edwarde the sixth for so gracious accepting fauouring and mainteining honest and godly studies leat euery man employ his good talentes that God hath geuen him to the publique vse of seruing and profâ—ting his countrey to the common edifying eche of other in Iesus Christe our Lorde to whom together with the father and with the holy ghoste be all honour laude and glorye worlde without ende Amen To the moste vertuous Ladie Quene Katerine late wife to the moste noble and moste victorious king Henry the eight of most famous memorie Nicolas Udal your moste humble seruaunt wisheth health grace and consolacion in our Lorde Iesus Christe euerlastyng WHere your excellent highnesse moste gracious Quene Katerine senâ—e the time of your firste calling to the estate and dignitie of espousal mariage with the moste noble prince that euer reigned King Henry the eight hath neuer ceassed by all possible meanes that in you might lie to minde to auaunâ—e and to encrease the publique commoditie and benefit of this common weale of Englande I finde on euery side so great â–ª and the same so worthy matier of gratulacion and thankes geuyng vnto God that I cannot tell on whose parte fyrste to commence and begynne the same whether on your owne behalfe whome God of his goodnesse did for your singuler and thesame most notable vertues without any your expectacion or hope soodainly putte in Kyng Henries mynde to chose call and auaunce to the dignitie and estate of a Quene or on kyng Henries partie whose good happe it was so aptly to choose suche an one as shoulde afterwarde bee a feithfull and continuall coadiutrice vnto hym in all hys moste deuoute and godly procedinges concerning the knoweleage of God and his woorde to bee sette foorth to the people or els for Englandes cause to whose publique benefite and edifying in true religyoâ— all these your vncâ—assaunte peynes and trauayles doe finally redounde Leauyng therefore the prosecucion of so large a mattier as neither my slendre witte can wel contryue nor my rude penne is hable to wielde I shall at thys presente onely thanke God in you you in God for causing these Paraphrases of Desiderius Erasmus of Roterodame vpon the newe testament to be translated into Engilshe for the vse and commoditie of such people as with an earnest zeale and with deuout study doe houngre and thirst the simple and playne knowlage of Goddes worde not for contencious bableing but for innocent liuing not to be curious searchers of the high misteries but to be feithfull executours and doers of Goddes biddinges not to bee troubleous talkers of the Byble but syncere folowers of Goddes preceptes therein conteined not to bee vnreuerent reasonâ—rs in holy scriptue for vain setting out of theâ—r peincted sheathe but to bee humble and lowly weorkers of Goddes glorie not to bee curyous dysputers in the
allege against the publishing of Goddes worde in the mother tongue and against the setting foorth of holesome and godly exposicions vpon the same is that suche bookes cause sedicion against the doctrine and than lay their facte to the doctrines charge This hath euermore hitherto ben the practise and conueighaunce not only of the Romish Pharisaical sorte but also of the auncient enemies of Goddes trueth euen from the beginning Neither haue this malicious generacyon euer as yet vsed any other way or coulour to deface the trueth to let the good proceding of Gods worde or to sliere and prouoke the indygnacyon of Princes and Magistrates agaynste the publishyng or agaynst the true preachers and teachers therof but onely by allegeyng that it wyll mooue sedicion and teache errour where in dede Goddes woorde is as ye would saye a perfeicte touchestone whereby to fynde out and to trye suche cancard stomakes as would fain rebelle moue sedicion and would gladly haue it so to bee For otherwyse a great wonder it were and a veraie straunge thing if the woord of God or this paraphrase or any other lyke godly exposicion of the ghospell whiche is in sense none other but the doctrine of Christ and of his Apostles should corrupt the readers or teache errour or moue sedicion God and his moste holy woorde is altogether peace vnitie concorde and perfecâ—e charitie Goddes woorde teacheth none other doctrine but peace humilitie subiection and so muche obedience to the Princes and Magistrates as the Romishe Babylonians would not by their good willes haue to be put in the heades and hertes of the ignoraunt people But this colour haue the enemies of Goddes woorde euermore vsed to suppresse the ghospell So did they by all the Martirs so haue they doen by the true preachers so did the olde Iewes by the auncient prophetes of God and so did the old Pharisees by Christ himselfe whose moste grieuous crymes were that he drew al the worlde after hym that he taught and sowed erroneous doctrine that he seduced the people and that he made hymselfe a kyng And the malicious Iewes layed to Paules charge that he begoonne to be a sedicious moouer of rebellion against Ceasar not that the thyng was so in dede but because thesame was a cockesure waie to make al obedient people hate the ghospell and to prouoke the rewâ—ers Magistrates to suppresse it But the lorde who of his mercifull goodnesse hath of late sent out the clere radiaunt sunnebeames of his holye woorde and veritie to shyne ouer all christen regions will I trust so continue the light of the same that the simple flocke shall bee hable to discerne the spirites of men liuely to know the vngodly maligners whiche by cauiling and deprauyng all good thinges dooe wrastie and strougle as muche as in them lieth to kepe the ignoraunte multitude in blidnesse In the meane time all the simple Englishe congregacion is bound continually to praye for your highnes that haue for theyr vse and behoufe procured the translacion of this present paraphrase vpon the ghospell of Mathew and vpon the residue of the newe testament wherby they may with a more coumfortable and pleasaunt readyng in theyr owne mother tounge bothe encreace from daye to daye in â—nowelage and also continually bee edified in true religion nouzeled in right opinions trayned in sincere doctrine and confirmed to walke in perferct innocencie and integritie of a true Christen lyfe accordyngly ¶ The preface of Erasmus vnto his paraphrase vpon the Gospell of the Euangelist Matthew To the moste victorious Emperour Charles the fift of that name Erasmus of Roterodame gretyng BEyng not ignoraunt Charles Emperour most victorious howe muche godly feare and reuerence also is of due congruence to be geuen partely vnto all holye scriptures whiche the holy fathers throughe the inspiracion of God haue left vnto vs and especially vnto that part of scripture whiche maketh an vpright and faythful relacion of suche thinges as the heauenly father eyther wrought in facte or spake in woordes for the health and saluacion of the whole world through his soone Iesus and being ferther priuie to myne owne vnwurthynes where not many yeares gone I first attempted to set hand to making a parahrase vpon Paules Epistles for the playner vnderstandyng of them which thing to doe came vpon me at that time of a sodain pangue euen of mine own mind I did no lesse then think myself to enterprise a veral bolde and presumpteous acte and an acte as the prouerbe sayeth of a right daungerous hazarde in so muche that after I had in one or twoo or three chapiters taken a prouf and assaye of the worke how well it woulde doe I was vttirly mynded to pulle downe my sayles againe and to surcease from the course that I had afore apointed to take vnlesse a wunderful consent of my frendes beyng men of lernyng had perforce constrayned me to procede with that I had begon Neyther coulde I for their most earnest desires â–ª be at any rest or quiet vntil I had fully ended and finished all that euer there was of the Epistles Apostolical whereas I had not taken in hand to medle but only with those epistles whiche without all controuersie or doubte were wryten of thapostle Paule It hath not at al tymes framed wel with me ne come to good ende when I haue ben ruled to doe thynges at the mocions instaunt pricking forward of frendes But yet in this thing neuerthelesse I was not a litle proude of my selfe that this my bolde auenturyng had come muche more happily to passe then was loked for as well for myne owne parte that was the maker to whome it purchased least enuie and grutche of men of al the wurkes that euer I wrote as also on the behalfe of all suche as are studentes and suters to atteigne to the philosophye of the gospell who doe euery man more then other geue me thaÌ„kes for that by meanes of myne industrious labour they haue to the better knowlage of thapostolicall wisedome eyther been moued and stirred vp or els furthered But whaÌ„ I had cleane dispatched myself of this great charge and taske I loked not that I shoulde at any tyme afterwarde haue any more to doe with this kynde of writing beholde the right reuerende father Mathew Cardinall of Sedune by whose aduise and instigacion I had afore made vp all thepistles canonical at what time I spake with him at Brurels to welcome hym into the countrey according to my duetie after his returne from the counsell whiche had than been holden at the citie of Wourmes eueÌ„ by and by at the first entring in talke with me euen lyke a man that had deuised vpon it afore begynneth to exhorte me that what I had afore doen vpon thapostolicall Epistles the same I shoulde also doe vpon the gospel of Mathew I on my partie anon made myne excuse by many thynges firste that it was alreadye an acte bolde and ouerbolde that I had
manifestlye a ruler of Bethleem whiche should rule the people of whom he was borne Wherfore the priestes the Scribes beyng sent awaye because he was in despeyre for to deceyue them he calleth the Magians priuily vnto him leste the Iewes might suspect any crafte or guile and so opening the matter on eche syde as though he and they both purposed one thing inquired of theÌ„ diligently how long it was synce the sterre appered fyrst vnto them by whose showing poynting they had passed ouer so great a iourney and came to Hierusalem meaning and purposing this the more certeinly to vse and exercyse his crueltie to the distruccion of that one new borne childe The MagiaÌ„s for godlines is not suspictouse kepe nor hide nothyng from him not thinking him to be so cruell fierce that he would shewe crueltie vpon an infante yet skante borne neither so furiouse that he would suppose to suppresse by mannes deuise the thyng that was doen by goddes might When they had shewed the tyme he of the other syde shewed the place whiche he had learned of the Scribes And now he conceiuing a sure hope that the childe might be takeÌ„ by these two shewinges geueth commaundement in his owne name to the Magians which of theÌ„selues were willyng to go that they should go to Bethleem and seke out the childe with great diligence and when they had found him to returne eftfones vnto Hierusalem and geue him knowledge of all the matter he pretended a verye godly cause and nothyng displeasaunte to the myndes of the Magians that I also ê™ he maye folowe you and wurshyp hym He himselfe woulde firste haue knowledge of the childe to the intenâ—e he mighte destroye hym before that the people of the Iewes had cleare vnderstandyng that he was borne God in the meane tyme made this prouision that the Magians returned safely to preache Christe in their owne countreyes Otherwyse yf this vngraciouse man had not bene deceyued of his hope he would haue vsed extremely the Magians themselues which brought him so vnlucky tydynges ¶ Whan they had heard the king they went forward and lot the starre which they saw in the East went before them tyll it came and stode ouer the place where the childe was And when they sawe the sterre they were merueilously glad and went into the house and found the childe with Mary his mother and fell downe and wurshipped him and opened their treasures and offered vnto him gyftes gold incense and myrre And beyng warned of God in their sleape that they shoulde not go agayne to Herode they turned into their owne countrey another waye The godly simple Magians after that they had hearde the king made haste vnto Bethleem whom the sterre which called them furth for a time did forsake to the intente that the barbarouse people should fyrst shew vnto the Iewes that Christ was borne whome they lokyng for so many yeres afterward did put to death But when they had passed ouer this parte of Goddes ordinaunce agayne appered that wonderfull starre whiche serued their Godly purpose in suche wyse that it shewed vnto theÌ„ not onely Bethleem but also the cotage it selfe beyng very lowe poore and bafe and therfore verye harde to fynde yea and hangyng very nere ouer the chyldes head it did shewe and pointe as it were with a finger to the infant whom they so feruently desyred Therfore when the starre began to appeare agayne it shooke of and put a waye all carefulnes froÌ„ their myndes and nowe replenyshed with sure hope and ioye and passyng litle vpon mennes tellynges but folowing the heauenly guyde they espye the palace of the newe kyng a filthy and a vile cotage or stable Sincere Godlynes is nothyng troubled with these thynges They enter in they fynde the infante not differyng in apparaunce from others they fynde the mother nothyng gaye or gorgious to loke to All theyr stuffe shewed and testified pouertie and simplicitie The Magians whiche did not worship nor fall downe before Herode magnifying hymselfe in his seate with a kingly pompe fall downe at the cradle of the crying babe they adoure and honour grouelyng on the grounde hym that could not yet speake And theiÌ„ were not content with this godlynes but they take out of theyr boxes giftes purposely apoynted of those thinges with increase of the whiche the nacion of the Persians was chiefly enriched that is golde incense myrre â–ª lest that he which shortly after should be compelled to flee should lacke in his vyage And with these fyrst fruites of fayth the Gentiles that were farre of preuenting the Iewes which were thought to be next vnto God do constitute Christe to be theyr kyng and of the other side do dedicate themselues vnto hym offeryng a new sacrifice in three kyndes of thinges And now as by a ryddell or a darke figure they professed that ineffable Trinitie of the father and the sonne and the holy goste acknowlegyng also in â—ne man mortalitie priesthode and kingdome For golde is for a kyng incense for a prieste myrre for hym that shall dye He was borne mortall he did sacrifice on the crosse he conquered rising froÌ„ death he reygneth in heauen The Iewes sawe so many wonders and when they knewe hym they kylled hym The Magians sawe no notable thyng as coÌ„cernyng theyr bodely iyes and they reioyce that they had so fortunate a iourney But what tyme they deuysed with themselues whether they shoulde returne vnto Herode to satisfy his mynde and desyre they were admonished in theyr slepe by the diuine oracle not to returne agayne to Herode For that was neyther suertie vnto them neither to the childe neither expedient for such a weightie matter whiche in tyme and by parsell meale should be promulgated and published vnto the world They spedely did obey thoracle and returned into theyr countrey another waye to be newe preachers of the newe kyng among theyr countrey men And when they were departed behold the Aungell of the Lorde appered to Ioseph in his slepe saying Aryse and take the chylde and his mother and flye into Egypte and abyde there tyll I bryng thee worde For Heâ—ode wyll seke the chylde to destroye it So whan he awoke he toke the chylde and his mother by night and went asyde into Egipte and was there vnto the death of Herode that it might be fulfilled whiche was spoken of the Lorde by the prophete saying oute of Egipte haue I called my sonne Now the helth and safetie of the Magians was prouided for and that the tranquillitie both of the mother and of the chylde might forthwith be seen for and that also the vngodlines of Herode accordyng vnto his desertes might more and more be exasperated greued to the glory of Christe thesame heauenlye messinger whiche sente awaye the Magians appered vnto Ioseph in his slepe exhortyng hym that now beyng priuye vnto the mistery he would conueye awaye secretely the mother and the chylde into
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
as he was cum out of the water he saw heauen open and the spirite descending vpon him lyke a doue And there came a voyce from heauen Thou art my deare sonne in whom I delite After that Iohn had with wordes of lyke sentence moued and styrred vp the mynde of a great manie of theym to wayt for Messias that was cummyng then furth came Iesus when his tyme was cum forsakyng the litle village of Nazareth in the countrey of Galile where because of his educacioÌ„ and long continuaunce in thesame men thought he had bene borne Certes this is the nature and propertie of all euangelike thinges to begyn very baselye and from suche begynnynges by litle and litle to cum at the length to highest perfeccion whereas contrarily all thinges that euer the world and the deuel goeth about are after merueilous goodly beginninges sodainly cast down and brought to nought So lucifer whiles he set his feate in the northe ymagenyng to be equall with the highest was sodainlye cast downe headlyng into hell In semblable wise Adam when that thorough the diuels instigacioÌ„ he desired to be equall with God was by and by exiled and cast out of paradise Therfore if thou here considre the high excellencie and greatnesse of Iesu it will cause the muche more to wonder at his singuler humblenesse of mynd modestie He came out of a poore and homely village out of Galile the vilâ—st countrey of all Iewrie He that purifieth all thinges came as one of the raskall sort humble lowly to the baptisme of repentauÌ„ce amoÌ„g sinners souldiers brothelles publicaÌ„s without any seruauÌ„tes to wayte and atteÌ„de vpoÌ„ hym It was not ynough for hym to be circumcised accordyng to the ordynaunce of the lawe and purified after the tradicion of Moyses He desyred also to receiue Iohns baptisme teaching enstructing vs hereby that whoso maketh hym selfe ready to be a ministre and preacher of the gospell muste omitte nothing whiche in any wyse perteyneth to the increase of vertue and godlines And again â—schew all thinges wherwith the weakelinges may be offended Iohn taught vs this lessoÌ„ that a preacher of goddes word shoulde not get himselfe estimacion and auctoritie by gorgeous apparell or poÌ„pouse liuing but by honest behauiour and godly conuersacioÌ„ But the eâ—saÌ„ple that Christ shewed was of muche more perfeccion and farther from the Iewishe fashion then this for that he differyng nothyng at all from other neyther in his apparell nor yet in dyet dyd neuerthelesse by his godlye lyning mekenesse and beneficiall goodnes towardes all men vtterly duske and deface the auctoritie of Iohn For that is of hygher perfeccion whiche is geuen by the grace of the gospel then that whiche procedeth from the austeritie and straitnes of the lawe The whole intent of the lorde Iesus was this to make the worlde to know how he was the onely aucthour of saluacion to expresse and set out vnto vs a certaine fourme of euangelike and true godlynes to coÌ„firme the truth and certentie of all that euer Moyses and the Prophetes had vâ—â—itteÌ„ of thinges past and to make vs as it wer with the giuing of an earnest peny to haue a sure hope and expectacion of thinges yet to come For we right gladly beleue him of whom we haue conceyued a meruelous good opinion and vpon whom many witnesses do consent and agree Wherfore it was procured by the prouidence and wisdome of god that the Lorde Iesus shoulde euery where haue an euident recorde and testimonie of his deitie Of the whole lawe of Moses of all the Prophetes of the angels of the shepardes of the wise men called Magicians of the Scribes of Simeon and Anne of Iohn baptist of the father of the holy ghost and finally of Pylate and the deuils The miracles also that he wrought plainely declared hym to be the sonne of God He dyd many thinges not because himselfe had any nede so to do but for that he would set out vnto vs in his owne person a certaine fourme and trade of lyuing as when he fasted when he was tempted when he oftentymes prayed when he came to baptisme when he obeyed his parentes when he paciently suffered all iniuries and wronges and finallye when he came to his crosse and passion He perfourmed many thynges that the prophetes had prophecied of before lest the people should doubt of the promises afterwardes to be accomplished as when that in his baptisme he receyued the holye ghost in the lykenesse of a doue lightyng vpon the croune of his heade as when he arose agayne from death to lyfe Wherfore he came as a penitent to Iohn he desired his baptisme and obteyned it He was baptised in Iordane wherin were baptised both tanners Publicans and souldiers a sorte of people so sinful that none are more blemished or defiled wâ—â—h sinne Are not here the stately princes of this worlde ashamed who will haue nothyng common with the vulgare people No kyng nor priest cummeth to baptisme and if it were theyr pleasure so to do they would scarcely vouchesafe to receyue baptisme in a bason of golde or preciouse stones Nowe our sauiour Iesus that fountayne of all puritie that kyng of all kynges that lord of all lordes disdayned not the common bathe wherin the common sorte were washed But whoso humbleth hymselfe before man the same is highly exalted before god Iesus was baptised as the rest and euerychone of the common people there present But the father of heauen disseuered hym froÌ„ the residue by a certayne notable signe neuer sene ne heard of before For as sone as he was come out of the water of Iordane whiche he halowed with the touche of his holy body vnto lande as he was in his contemplacion and prayers Iohn sawe the heauens open and the holy ghoste flie downe from thence and light vpon the holy croune of his heade and there tarye The pride of Adam closed the gates of paradise agaynste vs The humblenesse of mynde and modestie of Christe hath for paradise opened vs the gates of Heauen There was a visible signe shewed vnto mannes iyes but by the same we were taughte what maner of myndes that heauenlye spirite both loueth and maketh The spirite of the deuill and the worlde maketh and loueth suche mindes as are haute puffed vp with pride fierce but that heauenly spirite loueth those whiche are lowely meke and peacible There is nothing more harmles and more without gyle then the doue nothing whose nature wurse agreeth with fighting and raueny It was plainlye expressed set out in the lord by this corporall figure what is spiritually wrought in all those that with a sincere and pure faith receyue the baptisme of the gospell The body is washed with water but the soule is throughly annoynted with grace inuisible Moreouer that the done abode still vpon the croune of the lordes head signified that the holy ghoste is geuen to all other godlye men and good lyuers â—atably after the
to disproue him with wordes The Phariseis and suche as were of Herodes retinue were not louers and frendes together and yet for to destroy the author of helth they agreed all in one O mischieuous concorde O blyndnes muche in deede to be lamented What shall the priuey traynes of worldly deceite preuayle againste him vnto whome nothyng is vnknowen The Lorde teaching vs by his ensample that we ought many tymes to gyue place for a season to the vncurable obstinacie of the euill leste through farther prouocacion they becum more mischieuous conueyed hymselfe thence and wente asyde agayne vnto the sea The goyng asyde of Iesu is no kinderaunce to the ghospell but an encreasyng and furtheraunce of thesame For yf so be that the Pharise is had not driuen hym awaye he woulde not haue cum to the multitude of the gentiles Therfore after that Iesus had forsaken the enuious and narrowe synagoge and was gone vnto the sea there came vnto hym out of euery quarter a great numbre of people not onely out of Galile but also out of Iewry yea and from Ierusalem selfe from Idâ—â—ea and all the countreys lying beyond Iordane and moreouer from suche places as bordered on the cities of Tyre and Sydon For here was made a foreshewe of the churche that shoulde be gathered together of the Gentiles because the synagoge did through her vnbeliefe repell the Gospel Out of all these places there came a great multitude of people whiche moued by the bruite that was spred abrode of the marueylouse doctrine and mighty dedes of Iesu drewe theÌ„ selues together assembled at the sea syde The lorde who is bothe bounteous and riche towardes all men secluded no man neyther from his doctrine nor fro receyuing the benefite of healthe The people were so eagre and hasty by reason of the great desyre they had to be cured of theyr syckenesses that one of them thruste another out of place by force preased in where Iesus was to the intente they might at the leaste wayes but touche hym because that by the onely touchyng of his garmente diseases were also cured and put away There was no difference neyther betwene disease nor person with this mightie and liberall physycian For whosoeuer they were that were troubled with any maner of euils or infirmities thesame were furthwith deliuered therof yf it chaunced theÌ„ to go to Iesu. And the selfsame thing wee se spiritually done euen in these dayes How many be there out of all the nacions of the whole worlde what detestable vices are they subdued vnto whiche flye vnto him for succour by touche of faythe are healed Furthermore the vncleane spirites after they had sene Iesus coulde not abide his puissaunt vertue but fel downe at his knees and cried out saying Thou art euen that selfsame sonne of God whiche was promised to cum Iesus who in no wise woulde suffre the wicked spirites to disclose him strayghtly coÌ„maunded them to kepe silence and in no case to discry hym before the tyme were cum His will was to be knowen vnto the world by humble and poore persons vnto whom he said He that heareth you heareth me He willeth vs to geue no credence at all to wicked spirites no not so muche as then when they speake the trueth For this busynes was not done at all auentures but God by his high wisedom ordered euery thing with certaine degrees and procedinges for our saluacion ¶ And Iesus commaunded his disciples that a ship should wayte on him because of the people lest they should throng him For he had healed manye in so muche that they preased vpon him for to touche hym as manye as had plages and whan the vncleane spirites sawe him they fel downe before him and cryed saying thou arte the sonne of God And he strayghtly charged them that they should not make him knowell Wherfore when Iesus was thrust with the prease of people anon he commaunded his disciples to prepare hym a ship because he woulde not be disquieted with the disordered clamorous multitude which rather desyred bodely health then the health of theyr soules and thronged hym rather then touched hym Suche as confessing theyr disease go to Iesu with a syncere fayth do touche hym and are made whole Againe they whiche troubled as yet with worldly lustes and desyres cum rushing in with noyse hurly burly do greue and greatlye disquiete hym Therfore the disciples who were wonte to be familiarly conuersaunt with the Lorde prepared hym a ship of a more pure congregacion Iesus is better pleased with a fewe cleane and quiet persones then with a great many that are troublesome and vnquiet But yet he so gat him away that he neuertheles taught the multitude out of the ship When thou seest Iesus teaching oute of the shippe vnderstand hereby a bishop preaching to a multitude of all sortes whiche contayneth christian nouices and suche as haue not as yet the spirite cast out by baptisme both of the Iewes and Gentiles Happy and blessed are they that do spiritually touch Christ. None toucheth him so but those whome he first toucheth For whomsoeuer he toucheth the same are healed of all theyr sinnes and nowe being of vnquiet persons made quiet they shall be receyued into the ship of the Churche there to haue the continuall fruicion of his companie and alwayes to sit at his table The shippe wherin Iesus preacheth is very narrowe and roumles to vncleane and sinfull persons and contrarily moste wide and large vnto suche as are in cleane life and purged of theyr sinnes The Lord refused the publicacion of deuils and auoyded the sinfull and vnquiet multitude of people And yet these thinges euidently shewed that the kingdome of God was cum into the whiche both worthy persons and vnworthy weÌ„te about violeÌ„tly to enter Therfore he prepared himselfe certaine capitaines whiche shoulde ayde hym in claymyng this heauenly kingdome so many in numbre as should be sufficient to teache so many nacions as anon after shoulde come full and whole oute of all partes of the world to professe the Philosophie and doctrine of the ghospell So haue the princes of this worlde bene wont to chose them certaine head rulers and capitaines to clayme wynne enlarge gouerne and defend theyr empires kingdomes by It is requisite that the sayde rulers be ryghte trusty wyse polytique and diligent and in especiall that they knowe the king theyr maisters will and pleasure ¶ And he wente vp into a mountayne and called vnto hym whome he woulde and they came vnto him And he ordayned the twelue that they should be with him that he might send them furthe to preache and that they might haue power to heale syckenesses and to cast out deuils And he gaue vnto Symon to name Peter And he called Iames the sonne of zebede and Iohn Iames his brother gaue them to name Bonarges whiche is to saye the sonnes of thunder And Andrewe and Philip and â—arthelmewe and Mathewe and Thomas and
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
so there lacke not obedience of fayth A newe ryder hath nede of a newe beaste to ryde vpon The disciples who as yet wot not what the matter meaneth do neuerthelesse with their diligent ministerie helpe forthe further the matier They couer the foale with their mantels because he should not ride vpon his bare backe O â–ª whosoeuer thou be that art a preacher and teacher of the gospel folow this diligence of the disciples Whersoeuer thou shalt see an vnbroken Asses foale tyed where two wayes mete ignoraunt of the law of the ghospell and subiect to many vices but for foly and simplicitie rather then of any malice or obstinate euelnesse and suche a one as will obey yf a man leade it awaye loke thou vntie it and bryng it vnto Iesu. Caste vpon it the mantell of holsome doctrine and then Iesus the Lorde of all will vouchesafe to ryde vpon his backe Folow thou also the diligence of the other who against that Christe shoulde ryde forth couered the way with their garmentes that is with ensample of the uaÌ„gelike and Christian godlynesse Many there were also whiche decked the way with boughes cut down from trees especially from the Palme trees whiche beare the figure of virgins and Martyrs Iesus the Lorde of all thought it a royall thyng to ryde through suche a waye vpon suche a beaste Nowe staye a lytle whyle good reader and compare me with this spectacle or sight one of those that were chiefe amonges the Iewish priestes and fyrst of all regarde what manour of personage is he and howe great whiche rydeth vpon the Asses foale It is the sonne of God vnto whome the father hath geuen all power in heaueÌ„ and in earth It is the sauiour and gouernour of the whole worlde It is the authour Lorde and kyng of all thynges that are created and made a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech who with a becke was able to do whatsoeuer he would whose maiestie all the orders of Aungels do adore and worship who sitteth on the right hande of the father almightie â—ith his dignitie compare me a bishop of one teÌ„ple whiche hath bought the priesthode or prelacie lasting but for one yeare of a wicked and HeatheÌ„ kyng for a filthy summe of money Compare the bare heade of Iesu with his tyare or myter all glysteryng and shining with golde and precious stones Compare that sobre and mylde countenaunce of Iesu with his face puffed vp with pryde with his grym forheade with his frowning browes with his stately loke with his contencious or vncharitable mouth Compare the bare handes of Iesu with his fyngers laden with ringes and precious stones Compare the course and homly garment of Iesu with his tragicall or masking apparayle who weareth nothing courser theÌ„ clothe of golde or purple sylke Compare the disciples mantels with his golden sadles with his couering clothes of cry masyne sylke with his syluer styropes but ouer gylte Compare this commune Asses foale that caried Iesu with so manye Mules trapped with sylke and clothe of golde with so many royall coursers and great horses with so manye Palfrayes of great pryce with so many wagons with so many chariottes with so many chaires of estate prepared to cary one man Compare me the fewe and poore simple disciples of Iesu with the solemne pompe passyng the pompe of any worldly prince of suche as go before the Bishop of his hensemen of Trumpettes of sundryetune of suche as enuiron and garde his personage of the bende of horsemen and footemenne amonge whome as euery of them is moste proude hye mynded and statelye so is the same nexte the byshoppes owne proper persone and in greatest fauoure and conceipte with hym Compare the ioyfull cryinges of the children that went before and folowed Iesu who inspired with the holye ghoste song this sayinge taken out of the prophecie of Dauid Hosanna that is so say make vs safe Blessed is he that cummeth in the name of the Lorde Blessed be the kyngdome of our father Dauid that cummeth Hosanna in the highest Compare I saye these ioyfull cryinges with the vnghostlye acclamacions wherwith the multitude of flatterers crye vpon and vngracious Iewishe byshop saying God sende the moste holy father in God long lyfe God graunt hys hygheste prieste the victory I praye god that the moste blessed and chiefe prelate of religion may raigne in prosperitie Howe much Iesus defieth suche byshops this one thing plainly declareth because he commaunded all that coloured and stately priesthode with the temple therof vtterly to be abolished destroyed For these be they by whome euen nowe in our dayes Iesus who wyll be the onely head of priesthode is slayn in his meÌ„bres He seketh for those ministers that maye bryng vnto hym the Asse that maye couer the foale with their maÌ„tels that maie strowe the waye with Palme boughes and with godly acclamacions and cryinges knowleage that the kingdome of the ghospell promised of the prophetes is come and presente Neither geueth he any eare to the Phariseis muttring against him and not contented with these ioyfull cryinges of the people but sayth that the very stones shall soner crye out then goddes glory be conceled ¶ And the lorde entred into Hierusalem and into the temple And when he had loked round about vpon all thynges and nowe euentyde was come he wente out vnto Bethanie with the twelue And on the morow when they wer come oute from Bethanie he hungred And whan he had spred a fygge tree a farre of hauyng leaues he came to see yf he mighte fynde any thyng theron And when he came to it he founde nothing but leaues for the time of fygges was not yet And Iesus aunswered and saide vnto the figge tree neuer man eate fruit of thee hereafter whyle the world standeth And his disciples heard it With suche a pompe the kyng Iesus entred into the royall citie of Hierusalem the heauenlye priest entred into the temple and there as it was beseming for a kyng and priest taught the people healed the sycke made strong the weake and feble as one vsurping violent rule in another mannes kyngdome In the meane whyle the wycked priestes Phariseis and headmen of the people freated at the mattier but the symple people easye to be enstructed cryed ioyfully vpon hym Iesus as thoughe he woulde haue restored the decayed religion of the temple whiche the phariseis thought that tyme chiefely to flourishe behelde euery parte therof diligently bewyng and marking yf anye thyng were done therin not besemyng the house of god not because he passed so muche what were done in that temple whiche he knewe very well shoulde within shorte space after be destroyed but his pleasure was to declare by a certaine corporall fygure what maner a churche he woulde haue his to be whiche he buylded of lyuely stones Among these stones it is mete that the christian bysshop be conuersaunt and walke hauing alwaye a diligent iye and seyng that
fyerbrand in a bright sunnie day of purpose to helpe augment the clerenes of the sunne and partly superâ—luous because that on the one syde all men doe already know your incomparable vertues and do with one accord magnify thesame and on the other side for that your highnes doth so muche teÌ„dre and seke gods glory that ye euidently declare yourself nothyng lesse to mynde or desire theÌ„ the vaine prayses or commendacion of this worlde Yet lyke as the shadow doth remedilesse folowe and accumpanie the bodye in the sunne lyght so glory and renoume doeth ineuitably folowe and associate excellent vertue And where the desertes of true vertue are so great and so iust it caÌ„not be chosen but that glory and renoume must aryse and so much the more because your highnes as muche as in you lyeth doeth flee it For glory sayeth the phylosophical pâ—isee is of the nature of a Crocodile whiche beeing a beast in the floud of Nilus in Egipt hath this propertie that if one pursue him to suppresse him he fleeth will not aâ—ide and yf ye flee than will the Crocodile folowe and ouertake you And forasmuch as glory is by the phâ—losophâ—ers dâ—â—â—ined to 〈◊〉 constaunt and perpetual praise geuen to any partie by a common consent of good people for â—he excelleÌ„cie of vertue euidently shewyng it selfe in the 〈◊〉 partie as in dede vertue cannot be hidden but will appere how caÌ„ it be possible that your renoume should dye whose manifold excellente vertues do from day to day more and more encrease How can your prayse deâ—â—y whose artes monumentes are consecrated to immortalitie as thinges not builded vpon the sand of ambicious fekyng nor like bubles in the rayne water puffed vp with aâ— vnceâ—tain blast of worldly vanitie but founded vpon the sure rocke oâ— Gods worde from whence issueth the lyuelye and the same euerlastyng fountayn of true glorye in dede Neyther may your highnesse in this case refuse any mannes woordes of prayse and commendacion for as muche as it is a matter as lâ—â—dable to aâ—knowelage the good thynges whiche in dede are in vs praise worthy as it is vncommeÌ„dable through vayne arrogancie to take vp on vs that we haue not And though your grace is so farre froÌ„ all ambicion and also affecâ—ion of this worldes rewarde that ye haue no iye to any mortall maÌ„nes recompence yet cannot good folkes but extolle and magnifye the inestimable noumbre of diuine gyftes of grace so plentiousely heaped and couched in so noble a Princesse Though ye would haue your well doynges hydden and vnspoken of yet cannot the gratitude of the people hold the peace or passe it with silence Though your gracious benignitie require no thankes yet cannot the honest hertes of the people forbeare or refrayne by open protestacion to acknowelage by whom they daily receyue incoÌ„parable benefites Though your modestie nothyng lesse seketh then the fame of your good actes to be blowen abrode yet caÌ„not our duties but brast out into woordes of testifiyng howe muche we thynke our selues bound vnto your highnes so that although the great and manifold benefytes whiche I haue priuately receyued at your graces handes dyd not now moue me yet could I not in this most iust occasion of the publique gratulacioÌ„ hold my peace For your vertuous liuyng â—ueÌ„ from your teÌ„dre yeres enbraced folowed and still continued your pregnaunt wictines ioyned with right wonderful grace of eloquence your studious diligence in acquirynge knowelage aswell of other humaine disciplines as also of holy scriptures not only to your own edifiyng but also to the most godly ensauÌ„ple enstâ—uctioÌ„ of others your incoÌ„parable chastitie which as a moste precious iewell yâ— haue by auoiding all occasions of idlenes by conteÌ„nyng prouocacyons of all vayne pastimes kept not only froÌ„ al spot but also from al suspicion of stainyng your singular modestie coupled with passyng great integritie and innocency of all your behauiour your other manifold vnestimable giftes of grace and among them most principally your studious seekyng to promote the glory of God and of his most holy ghospell haue been the thynges that haue moued the most noble the most renoumed and the moste godly Prince of the vniuersall worlde our most gracious soueraigne Lord kyng Henry the eight to iudge and esteme your grace a meâ—e spouse for his maiestie and among so many women of nobilitie of honour and of muche high pryce and worthinesse you alone to picke out to be his moste deere beloued and moste lawfull wyfe Neyther do we doubte moste gracious ladie but that as the prouidence of god hath fourmed and aptised your grace to be a worthy and mete spouse for suche an housbande so hath it by a speciall eleccion deputed and preseâ—ued the same to sum high and notable benefite of the coÌ„moÌ„ weale and to be an instrument of his glory The towardnes and likelyhode wherof lyke as in mens opinions vndoubted so doeth it already begin to shewe it selfe in a noumbre of thynges whiche otherwise were not to bee loked for to procede from any woman muche lesse from a woman of nobilitie brought vp in the courte of a kyng where Fortune commonly noureeth cockereth pampereth hir derlinges suche as by hir wil she myndeth and laboureth to corrupt with wealth idlenesse and vanitie and leaste of al from a Quene being set in place where if she would becum fortunes wanton she might without controllement swimme in the delices of all such prosperitie as might occasion hir to dote on worldely felicitie and to forget god But the Psalmes and conteÌ„platife meditacions on which your highnesse in the lieu and place of vayne courtely pastimes and gaming doeth bestow your night and daies studie and whiche ye haue set forth as well to the incoÌ„parable good exaumple of al noble women as also to the ghostly consolacion and edifiyng of as many as reade them doe well declare not onely the thyng to be true whiche Socrates affirmed that is to weâ—e â–ª that women yf they doe so apply theyr myndes are no lesse apt no lesse wittie no lesse hable no lesse industrious no lesse actiue no lesse frutefull and piththy in the acquiryng or handlyng of all kyndes of disciplines then men are but also how godly ye bestow your time howe littell ye set by the worlde how muche ye thirst righteousnesse howe carefully ye seke the kingdom of god in the middes of a thousand occasioÌ„s whiche otherwyse might withdrawe your high estate therefrom And because ye so muche tendre the gâ—ory of God that accordyng to the lesson of Christe ye doe first of all other thynges and principally seke yâ— kingdome of heauen â–ª therfore hath he according to his promesse in thesame place conteyned and doeth and still will of his owne prouision encrease vnto you all kyndes of necessary coumforte and consolacion in muche better wise then your grace could deuise in muche larger maner them your own self woulde wishe and in ferre other
redempcion in Christe and by Christ sealed with his most precious bloud the Antichrist of Rome seduced the simple people to putte their affyaunce for remission of synnes and obteinyng the ioyes of heauen by his pardones conteined in a piece of parchement or paper with a lumpe of lead haÌ„ging at it and to be bought of him or of his generacion the monkes and fryers for money in stede of the holy bible legenda sanctorum the miracles of our ladie and martiloges whiche themselfes deuised and neuer durst sette forth vntill the partie of whom they were made had been an hundred yeres dead for feare of beyng taken in a lye in stede of obeiyng our liege lord and soueraigne to be subiect to forein potentates with other abuses so innumerable that no tyme or wordes may suffice to declare or reken them vp And in this blindnes had EnglaÌ„d still continued had not god of his infinite goodnes bottoÌ„les merry reised vp vnto vs a new Ezechias to confouÌ„d al idols to destroy al hillalters of supersticion to roote vp al counterfait religions to restore as muche as in so litle time maye be the true religion wurship of god the syncere preachyng of gods word and the booke of the lawe that is to say of Christes holy testament to be read of the people in their vulgare toung That if in so litle time hauing no more helpe but the mere texte of the Bible the people through the goodnesse of god and the instincte of his holy spirite haue had the iyes of their hart and soule so opened that they haue not onely espyed the abuses afore mencioned and thousandes mo in whiche the Romyshe Babilon hath certain hundred of yeres holden all christendoÌ„e captiue and thrall but also haue so coÌ„formed themself to the syncere doctrine of Christe that they do with most glad wyll with most earnest zele and with most studious diligence enbrace the truthe abhorre the errours wherin theâ— were afore drouned detest the supersticions wherwith they were afore delited hounger and thirst the syncere knowlage of Gods word by the goodnes of God and the gracious prouision of our moste noble Ezechias Kynge Henry the eyght nowe daily minystred vnto them how is it likely that they would profite in godly knowlage if they had sum other godly exposicion or declaracioÌ„ of sum good syncere writer vpoÌ„ the new Testament for their ferther edifiyng Of whiche sorte truely there cannot one manne be picked out more apt and mere then Erasmus especially in this his Paraphrase which your highnesse of a moste godlye zele hath thus procured to be tourned into Englyshe whose doctryne as it is not in any poynte after my poore iudgemente corrupte so dooeth it without violence or extremitie of wordes vtter the doctryne edifye the conscyence declare many abuses detecting the enemies of Goddes woorde and supplanters of his ghospell by suche true and liuely markes that they maye be easilye knowen so that it cannot bee doubted but it should bee vncredible furtheraunce towardes the rypyng of the knowelage of Goddes woorde yf it myghte or shall so stande with the pleasure of one fayde moste gracious soueraigne Lorde beeyng nexte and immediately vnder God our supreme heade Whiche thyng verily I would wishe and praye to God myghte so frame for two consideracions the one because that the people hauyng the Paraphrase of Erasmus shall haue the pyth of all the doctours and good writers that haue any thyng sette foorth for the declaracion of the ghospels the Actes and the Epistles so that Erasmus may stand one alone in as good stede as a great numbre of other expositours setfoorth together and the other because my herte dooeth wyshe that the setting forth of gods glory the destroiyng of idols the confoundyng and defacing of all popish trumpery the publishing of the bible gospell of Christe so godly by his highnesse entended so stoutely entred and so luckily begon might by thesame our most gracious soueraigne be in such wyse prosecuted brought to effect that whan heauen no loÌ„ger willyng to spare him to the worlde but that he must geue place to nature shall call him to receiue a croune of immortalitie and he for desire therof shal willingly surreÌ„dre and geue vp this emperiall croune of worldly dignitie to the moste regal Impe his sonne our noble prince Edwarde he may deliuer to thesame a people so well framed and trained to his hande that the same may with al ease prosperous successe and without any let of stumblyng blockes to be layed in his way by papistrie continue the godly trade nowe at this daye well begonne and thankes to god luckily proceding I would wish as in dede I hope no lesse that he might not nede to be put to any ferther trauayl or cure but wel to coÌ„serue and kepe thinges in thesame stay and ordre that his most noble father mindeth to leaue all vnto him Our Dauid Henry theight hath alreadye so substancially cast the foundacion and reised the buildyng of the Temple that I trust it shal be no burden for our young SalomoÌ„ to consummate and fynyshe the same whan his tyme shall cum But nowe I perceiue my selfe while I entre into opening the desire praier of my herte to haue entered into suche a large fielde of talke which the experience of kyng Henries exaumple concernyng the trade of religion and the hope of prince Edwarde to be a right folower of so right a ledyng father doth minister vnto me that except I here sodainly breake of I am drawen to wade so fer in their praises that I were not hable in long tyme to fynde any way out again Omitting therefore at this present the moste worthye and moste lustely deserued prayses of them bothe I shall tourne my style sum what to treate of Luke whome it pleased your highnes to commit vnto me to be translated Whiche coÌ„maundement whan it came firste vnto me in your graces name although I knewe how litle it was that I could do in this kinde yet was I glad that your coÌ„maundemente dyd so iustlye concurre with the determinacion of myne owne minde and purpose For I had long time afore with mature deliberacioÌ„ and also with aduised eleccion apointed with my self to traÌ„slate this paraphrase vpon Luke assoone as any suche libertie might be and to make it vnto your grace a testificacion of my duetie and thankefull remembraunce of your manyfolde benefites afore doen to me of your mere bountie And two thynges there were that had moued me to take this prouince most specially in hand yeâ—â—e because that as Luke is the longest of all the Euangelistes so is he of al men noted to haue written his gospel moste exactely aswell by relacion of the Apostles which were present and conuersaunt with Christ while he liued on earth as also by the instruccions of Paul who was moste earneste and full in the iustificacion of feith and most piththy against the iustificacion of wordes albeit
perishe Be ye not aâ—earde litle flocke for yours is the kyngdome of heauen Paule hathe meate wherewith he coumforteth and cherisheth suche as are but newlye conuerted to Christe that they maye not fal agayne into diseases forasmuche as they are yet weake he hath also sounde and substanciall meate that maye kepe theim in perfeicte strength growyng forewarde from daye to daye vnto the measure of the fulnesse of Christe Those persones had gathered perfeict strengthe of whome it is thus wrytten in the actes of the Apostles They went reioycyng oute of the sight of the counsell in that they had been reputed worthie to suffre reproche for the name of Iesus That man also had gathered perfeicte strength whiche layed I can dooe all thynges in hym that maketh me strong And for this consideracion the Lorde Iesus in the ghospell exhorteth menne to the eatyng of the breade that was come from heauen the eatyng whereof geueth immortalitie He exhorteth men to the eatyng of his fleshe and to the drinking of his bloude meanyng vndoubtedlye of his doctrine whiche beyng as breade to the soule dooeth make thesame lustie and strong and as effectuall strong wyne doeth inebricate men and bryng them in a godly kynde of drounkennesse euen to the contempte of this worlde in lyke maner as fleashe hath sound nourishemente for the bodye and lyke as bloude hath a vertue and effecte vnto lyfe And though all the scripture of god haue a medicinable vertue and power in it yet hath it none a more effectuall electualye or receipt then that pertaineth to the ghospel One and thesame spirite it is that is in all the Scriptures of God but yet in the ghospell especiallye his pleasure was that the thyng â—â—ould remaine wherin he might speciallye shewe foorth his owne power because there shoulde appere some difference betwene the seruauntes and the maister betwene the puddels or litle gutters and the spryng or fountaine And truely it is a labour well bestowed to considre how great a thyng the vertue of this medicine is Euerie common weale is as ye woulde saye a certayne body The pestilent diseases and sickenesses of a common weale are euil maniers Againste whiche diseases such men as haue excelled others in wysedome haue in soondrye regions or deyned and set lawes as it were certayne medicines and remedies for thesame as for exaumple emong the Atheniens Solon made lawes emong the Lacedemonians Lycurgus emong the people of Crete Minos emong the Romaynes the tenne Commissioners called in theyr toungue Decemuiti Yet not one of all these men was hable to bryng to passe that other nacions also would enbrace and receiue the lawes that he had made No neither dyd any of them so muche as attempte such a thyng leste besides spendyng of labour in vayne he shoulde also haue wonne an opinion of a shamelesse acte in his so doyng Solon was faâ— to liue tenne yeares a banished man for thrustyng his lawes into the citie of Athens alone to be vsed there Plato a man so well learned and so eloquent coulde neuer bryng the people of Athens in mynde to receyue his lawes And yet is there no doubtes to bee made but that euerye one of theim perswaded theimselues that the lawes whiche they hadde made were true and that they wisshed yf it myght possibly haue been brought to passe that all the world should haue enbraced and receyued thesame No nor the lawes of Moses neither were iprâ—d abrode or receyued any ferther then within onely one nacion although in dede the Pharisets did with great highe suyt hunte to wynne and geat vnto them a fewe proselites that is to saye foreyns and aliens wonne to their religion Fynally not the violent autoritie of the Emperours neither was hable by vyolence or compulsion to obteyne that theyr lawes might haue weight and force with all nacions And the thyng whiche all the sayed persones by the lawes that they made did endeuour to bryng about thesame did also the Philosophiers attempt by theyr morall rules and lessons with great iudgement and with incomparable diligence and labour wryten and published Of al which neuerthelesse not one hath there been so eloquente or so well learned that he hath been hable to bryng any one nacion in the mynde that he woulde haue theim in so werishe and vneffectuall was the vertue of the medicine of phisicke which they broughte Onelye the trueth Euangelicall dyd in processe of a fewe yeares possesse perswade and ouercome all nacions of the worlde full and wholle drawyng vnto it the Grekes and the barbarous peoples the learned and the vnlearned the inferiour common people and kynges and all So pithâ—hy and so effectuall was the electuarie of this trueth that so many thousandes of people forsakyng the lawes of their owne countreyes renouncyng the religioÌ„ that theyr forefathers had vsed â–ª leauyng aswell the sensuall pleasures and vices whiche from their cradels they had been accustomed vnto they enbraced a new and a forein doctrine and out of diuerse toungues and ordinaunces of contrarie sorte they did consente to the receyuyng of a certaine lowe and basse philosophie especiallye at suche a tyme as neuer was there any of the lyke sorte furnished nor armed either with the maintenaunce and supportacion of learnyng and eloquence or with the power and autoritie of princes and at suche a time ferthermore whaÌ„ al the worlde with al the strengthe that it had fought against the trueth of the ghospel beeyng vnarmed and naked yet neuerthelesse it could not possiblye bryng to passe but that the sayed trueth after that it firste â—ntred possession vpon the countrey of Grece inuaded also the citie of Rome and the veraye courte of Nerâ— and foorthwith spred it self abrode throughout all and singular the prouincies of the Empire of Rome euen vntill the Isles called Gades lying in the ferthest parte beyonde Spaigne and vnto the Indians vnto the peoples of Afrike and the Scithians and the Isle of Britannia now called Englande beyng a countrey vttrelye diuided and cutte of from all the rest of the worlde These nacions and peoples dyd verye muche differ one from another in theyr languages lawes rytes vsages ordeynaunces Goddes religion and facions and anon beeyng from suche great discorde broughte to a generall vniformitie they begonne to syng all one song extollyng with laudes and prayses Iesus Christe the onely lorde and salueour of the worlde And all this while the spoylyng of their goodes their banishementes empriesonynges tormentes deathes were none other thing but good procedyng and goyng forewarde of the ghospell What persone hath there euer been founde that hath been content to suffre death for the lawes of Solon or the morall preceptes of Zeno But for the simple and playne doctryne of Christ how many thousandes of men both olde young how many thousandes of matrones and vyrgins haue willyngly offered and holden out their neckes to bee chopte of And yet how muche more wondrefull and more abhorryng from commune reason are the thinges
the which through the noblenesse of his linage through suche his holynesse of liuing as had not afore that tyme bene hearde of and by his auctoritie through his rare gyftes of grace gotten among all the people might vnto Christ beyng not yet borne procure the fyrst knoweleage and faith among the Iewes whiche were harde of beliefe euen as the doctrine of the gospel wherof Christ was the heade the firste founder and firste brynger vp was at the firste beginnyng made acceptable vnto the worlde by the testimonye of the olde lawe the figure of the whiche olde lawe Zacharie and Iohn did represent But in shorte processe of tyme the course of thynges beeyng chaunged a contrarie waie lyke as Christ whan his vertues giftes of grace were shewed foorth did derken the glorye of Iohn so the brightnesse of the maiestie of the ghospell as soone as it once opened it selfe vnto the worlde dyd as ye woulde saie clene abrogate the autoritie of Moses lawe And so it was that where Iacob the Patriarke a litle before he shoulde dye beyng endowed with the spirite of prophecie did foresaye veray many thynges which should afterwarde come to passe whan it was now come to the mencioning and namyng of Iuda out of whose tribe our Lorde Iesus shoulde issue and procede by lineall dissent he spake these wordes of the prophecie folowyng The sceptre sayed he shal not be taken from Iuda ne the head tewler from the thighe of hym vntyll he come that must be sent and veray he shal be the expectacion of all nacions This prophecie did euidently enough betoken that Messias should at suche tyme come whan the people of the Iewes whiche had afore from tyme to tyme euermore been rewled and gouerned by capitaynes iudges kynges and priestes of their owne nacion should now be subiecte to a prince borne in a foreyne countreye And thesame Prophecie did al vnder one geue a tokeÌ„ that the grace of the gospell whiche the Iewes would despyse and sette at nought shoulde passe and go from theim vnto the Gentyles But firste of all others Herode the sonne of Antipater whereas he was neyther descended of the bloud of the Iewes and yet was besidesâ—orth an vngodly and a wieked person was not onlye enfraunchised and called to the honour to be a denisen of the couÌ„trey of Iewrie but also through the fauour of Ceasar Augustus than Emperour of Rome obtayned the kyngdome and rewle ouer the Iewes Therfore euen vp this token alone though there had been no mo nor no oâ—her the Scribes and the Pharisees whiche tooke vpon them the exacte and perfite knowleage of the lawe might haue geassed that the tyme was now come whan that same man should bee borne who defacyng and vanquishyng all terrene or yearthly kingdomes should bryng into the worlde an heauenly kyngdome and whiche in the place and stede of tyrannes should create pastours and in stede of lordely maisters should make teÌ„dre fathers Furthermore whereas the dignitie of the Iudaical priesthoode was in excedyng high honour and in wondreful estimacion â—mong al persones the holy ghost had by the prophetes declared afore that this priesthood also of the Iewes should be abrogated and abolished after that he were once come the whiche not beeyng enoynted by men with materiall or bodelye oyle but beeyng enoynted by God in spirite with the oyle celestiall shoulde through a sacrifice beeyng in dede no mo but one sole sacrifice but thesame neuerthelesse a sacrifice of moste absolute efficacie vertue take awaye all the synnes of the world and should through the feyth of the gospell and the bounteous geuyng of the spirite of God sanctifie and make holy all thynges For Daniel had prophecied that after the weekes or seuen doubles of yeres that is to say after seuen times seuen yeres by God prefixed it should come to passe that the holy of all holyes should be enoincted and than from thenceforth should the hostes and sacrifices of the olde lawe ceasse Whan the thynges eternall shall be once come thynges transitorye shall haue an ende whan ghostely thynges shall be come thynges carnall shall cease whan the trueth shall be come feyned counterfeytes shall geue place whan the lyght shall be come shadowes darkenesse shall vanishe away whan Christe shall haue begonne to speake the voice of the grosse lawe shall playe mum vntill that it too do openly professe hym whom vntill nowe it did rather as who should saye with certain tokens of becking nod at or poynte vnto theÌ„ by expresse wordes pronounce and declare to be he At suche tyme therfore as Herode beyng first a foreinour and an aliene borne and secondarily a wicked person and with many manslaughters and hainous murders polluted had all vnder his rewle and obeisaunce emong the Iewes not by the authoritie of God but by the fauour of Ceasar Augustus at what time the religion of the Iewishe temple which consisted in externall figures ceremonies did moste chiefly of all flourishe emong men at what time extreme wickednesse all vngodly facions did before the face of God reigne emong the Scribes the Phariseis the elders the bishops vnder the false pretensed colour cloke of holinesse euen than dyd the coming of the Lord Iesus after this sorte as we shall now tel begyn first to be knowen to the worlde There was vnder a wicked king a godly prieste euen as ye would saye the last remaines that was left of the olde ordre of priestehood not beeyng yet corrupted with so many vices this priestes name was Zachary whom the ordre of lottes cuÌ„ming about again by course did at that present time call to the ministryng of the sacres holy rites in the temple For so had Dauid sorted all the whole ordre of priestes into two principall families that is to wete of Eleasar and of Ithamar The other families being subiect vnto these two he deuided into fower and twentie lottes that euerye of them in ordre one after an other should in theyr courses minister the sacres in the temple eight daies space a piece absteining all that while from all thinges which by the rites of Moyses prescripcion semed to make a maÌ„ vnclene refrayning also froÌ„ cumpanying with their wiues nor cumming once within their owne house but abydyng still in the temple to the ende that they myght with the more chastitie with the more puritie handle the seruice of God but to all the residue of the priestes besides him whose course it was to minister for that weeke it was lefull in the meane space to attende to their wiues and their childreÌ„ to be occupied about their owne secular affaires so that it were thynges necessarie and requisite to be done And so it was that whyle this ordre was thus in deuiding by lottes emong the fower and twentie families the eight place fell by lotte to Abia of whom zacharye was lineally descended and into whose place Zachary had
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
a mother and bryng foorth God she disdayned not to be taken and vsed as the wyfe of a poore Carpenter though she were a woman full and whole consecrated to God ¶ And it fortuned that whyle they wer there her time was come that she should be deliuered â–ª And she broughte foorth her first begotten soonne and wrapped him in swadlyng clothes and laied him in a maungier because there was no roume for them in the ynne And so whyle they by occasion hereof made their abode there for certaine daies and remained in the citie of Bethleem it fortuned that the ful monethes of her goiyng with chylde expired and the time of her deliueraunce was now come whiche thyng God wrought to th entent it myght the more euidently bee knowen and seen to all persones that he which was then borne there was naturally veraye man in dede The Lord of heauen and yerth pieked out for himselfe to bee borne in a slender and basse litle toune in whiche neuerthelesse he had no house at all he chose out parentes of the pooreste and loweste sorte It was also his pleasure to be borne in a straunge place froÌ„ his own home to the entente that we should be ashamed both of our pride and also of oure auarice and that we might at leste wyse by his exaumple learne that mans felicitie is not to bee measured or estemed by these common gooddes of thys transitorye worlde whiche if they bee not taken awaye from vs yet we fyrst or last are taken awaye from them but the blisse of man to bee estemed by suche good thynges and treasures as endure for euer yea and that it myght ferther be a lesson for vs to gather and laye vp treasures to that same countreyward to the ende that we maye there continuallye without ende haue the fruicion of them For yf we wyll vpryghtely make comparison of the matter with true iudgemeÌ„tes there was more dignity and high estate more power more maiestie in this same moste humble and poore birth of Christ then in all the pompes triumphes and solemne shewes of royaltie of all the Emperours that euer were Thus than in Bethleem which is called the house of bread did this holy yoÌ„g virgin bring foorth vnto vs that same heauenly breade of whiche whoso eateth doth neuer dye And this was that same onely chylde bearyng of a virgin the like presideÌ„t or ensauÌ„ple wherof was neuer afore nor neuer after folowed And the chyld was to his mother her onely sonne and in respect to vs her first begotten in respecte of vs I saye whom he hath in spirite ioyned to himself and made vs bothe hys brethren and also partakers with hym of hys euerlastyng inheritaunce because he would not come alone to his father but he as the fyrst begotten sonne on his owne partie would bring with him many mo brethren besydes hymself to the felowshyp and partakynge of euerlasting saluacion Now whan this litle babe was borne the mother did not put it forth to the nourcing of other women for on the one syde for tender motherly loue that she bare to it she would none other nources but herselfe and on the other syde by reason of her pouertye she had none but her veray owne self with her owne handes lapped it vp in swadling baÌ„des and cloutes suche as she hadde And because that in the common ynne where hostery and lodgyng was kept there was by reason of the great resort of welthier geastes none other roume ne place void for her beyng but new deliuered of child she layd doune her youÌ„g babe in a maunger that was there by in stede of a cradle Geue eare thou proud ryche man what euer thou be that heapeste together possessions and landes vpon landes and that art in euery corner a builder of houses offer me holdes of mainours and of palacies He that is bothe the Lorde and also the maker of heauen and yearth and to whome thou thy selfe haste in baptisme professed and acknowlaged thy selfe a disciple and seruaunt is borne in a straung place from his owne home and hath not ne canne geat so muche as a litle corner of good roume in a common hosterie If thou acknowleage thy soueraigne Lord and maister whose commaundementes thou hast by a faithful othe bound thy selfe to obey and fulfyll leate it not gâ—eue the to folowe his exaumple but rather bee thou ashamed of thyne owne proude mynde And there were in thesame region shepeherdes watchyng and kepyng their flocke by nyght And loe the aungel of the Lorde stoode hard by them and the bryghtnesse of the Lord shone round about them and they wer sore afrayed And the Aungel sayd vnto them be not afrayed for beholde I bryng you tydinges of great ioye that shall come to all people For vnto you is borne thys daye in the citie of Dauyd a salueour whiche is Christ the Lorde And take this for a sygne ye shall fynde the chylde wrapped in swadlyng clothes and layed in a maungier And streyght way there was with the angell a multitude of heauenly souldiers praisyng god and saiyng glorye to god on hygh and peace on the yearth and vnto men a good wylle Her ken nowe in what sorte this humble poorenes of birthe is altogether full of all princely royaltye There was a tour not ferre from Bethleem called in the Hebrue toungue the toure of Ader as yf ye shoulde saye in Englishe the toure of the flocke and it was soe named because that by reason of the good pasture grouÌ„des that laie inthose parties there was veray great store of shepe and other cattall pastured there And in dede of thys toure Ader doeth the Prophete Micheas also make mencyon lyke as he doeth of Bethleem There were therfore in those quarters diuerse shepeherdes that watched abrode in the night seasons for safegarde of theyr flockes Ueryly euen by the thyng selfe geuyng a good lesson what thyng byshops ought of theyr bounden duetye to doe for the helth of the people committed to theyr spirytuall charge yf they wyll folow the ensaumple or steppes of Christ the Prince and head of all shepeherdes And in the night time was thatsame most bright sunne of righteousnesse borne which should on euery syde put awaye the darkenes of the worlde And his pleasure was fyrst of al to haue hys byrth knowen rather to men of low degree because he was borne after a poore soort and to shepeherdes because hymselfe was a ghostly pastoure then to Emperours to kynges to rulers or deputies of couÌ„treyes to Phariseis to Scribes to byshops And loe sodainly the Aungel Gabriel stoode on high derectely ouer theyr heades and besides him also a certain straung light sodainly flushed and shone round about the shepeherdes which was neyther the lyght of the sunne nor of the moone ne of any candle But although thissame were a thyng that semed no lesse then to betoken some good luckye thyng to be toward yet the shepeherdes by reason
Lorde Iesus dooeth afterward call him foxe For this is the wily craftines of euill prynces of this worlde vnto whome if it shall at any tyme fortune right professours of the ghospel to be called to seruice either the gospellers muste eschewe the coumpany and conuersacion of suche maysters in whose houses they shall sooner be marred and broughte to naughtinesse on their own parties then they shal turne the others to better waies orels thei muste prepare their mindes aforehande to the like rewarde for shewyng the trueth without dissimulacion that Iohn fortuned to get for his labour For whan Herode nothyng growyng out of kynde from the maners and facions of his father and others his auncestours plaied many wieked and tiraÌ„nous partes pillyng pollyng the people pulling away all libertie by oppressioÌ„ punishyng in others the same thynges in whiche he was a common offender hymself vsing all offices of magistrates vnder him as sale ware for money vsyng also to sell the ministracions of priestehood kepiÌ„g within his house openly in the face of all the world one Herodias the wife of Phylyp beyng his brother and had by force of strong hand taken her away from his sayed brother yet beyng aliue together with a doughter of the same Philippes this holy man because he coulde not abide suche incest and vnnaturalnesse of mariage in a kynges house from whens especially aboue al other places it was conuenient that example of keping the lawes should procede aduertised him to refrain himself from suche a wicked misdede But with a deiulish king the deiulishe request of a gierle beyng a minion dauncer together with the suggestion of a deiulish woman weighed more then the holsome aduertisement of so vncorrupt a man with the whiche good aduertisemeÌ„t he was nothing the better but remained stil so ferre out of the way from being ameÌ„ded that vnto his hainous enormities afore past he added one dede of myschief more the most vngracious that euer was that is to wete casting Iohn into pryson and procedyng so ferre at laste in outragious woodnes that he caused the heade of the moste innocent man to bee chopt of and so gaue it to the wenche for a reward of her vicious wanton dauncyng ¶ And it fortuned that whan all the people receiued baptysme and whan Iesus was baptysed and dyd praye the heauen was opened and the holye ghoste came downe in a bodely shape lyke a doue vpon hym And a voyce came from heauen whiche â—ayde Thou art my beloued sonne in thee do I delite But now to returne to the discourse of the storie before that the lord Iesus would entre into the buisie office of preachyng which he entended with in the coumpasse of a short tyme to accoÌ„plishe and bryng to a perfite ende to the entent that he would leaue no one poynt of humilitie or of righteousnes vnfulfilled thought no disdain to cum with the residue of folkes vnto baptisme not to be purified himself whiche he neded not but to consecrate and halow the lauacre or fount of eternall saluacion to our behofe through his baptisme He huÌ„bled himself but that notwithstanding he was aswel by the voice of Iohn as also by the most clere testimonie of his eternal father opeÌ„ly coÌ„mended in the face of all the people to the entent that they might knowe him eueÌ„ by the face to by sight of whoÌ„ the prophetes had aforetymes spoken muche by prophecie and of whoÌ„ Iohn had openly witnessed So than at that time a great numbre of the common people wer in baptising and in the same cumpany Iesus Christ cuÌ„ming as one emong the mo had instantly desired of Iohn to haue baptisme as though he had been like other meÌ„ subiect to sin Iohn would haue refused to baptise him acknowlagyng him as the autour geuer of puritie of whom he ought rather to had been baptised hymself And thissame testimony was geueÌ„ first of Iohn to the dignitie of Iesus being there personally in place eueÌ„ before al the multitude of the people but the heaueÌ„ly father did by a more euident marke disseuer his sonne Iesê° from the residue of the cuÌ„pany that wer baptised For vnto al the rest whaÌ„ they were in baptising there appered no signe ne token at al. But immediatly after that the lord Iesê° was baptised as he was now makingÌ„g his deuout praiers to god teaching vs thereby that whan the state of innocencie is perfitely renewed through baptisme we ought immediatly to coÌ„uert and bestow our selues to such studies exercises as are of the spirit emoÌ„g which deuout praier hath the first place heauen opened which his baptisme set wide opeÌ„ to vs where as vntil that day it had been shut vp froÌ„ vs. And froÌ„ thens came doun the holy ghost bâ—ing of hiÌ„self in dede inuisible but for that time enuested clad with a figure or likenesse visible because he should be seene with the iyes of men And as for the likenesse it was of a doue because that this bird beyng as a sygne to represent innocencie or simplicitie had many hundred yeres afore brought a braunche of an oliue tree into the arke of Noe for a tokeÌ„ that the wrathe of God was pacified and also a caucion or pledge of warraÌ„tise that the floudde was at an end And in dede the said floudde of Noe by whiche the worlde was at that time scoured and pourged of all naughty creatures did conteine a misticall figure of our baptisme wherby all our sinnes are drowned vp our bodies and soules bothe beyng preserued in perfyte safetie In this lykenesse than dyd the holy ghoste descende downe reste vpon the holy toppe of the lorde Iesus head openly betokenyng that he it was whom God the father had plenteously anoynted with all heauenly giftes of grace whiche gyftes he woulde afterwarde poure out vpon al persons as many as by puttyng their affiaunce and truste in him wer or should afterward bee graffed in the brotherhoode of his bodye thoroughe baptisme There came also vnto him besides this likenes of a doue an euident testimonie of his fathers voice not now declared by the prophetes not by Moses not by angels but publyshed by the father selfe not that theÌ„ father may in his verye owne lykenesse as he is bee either heard or seen or by any sence of the body coÌ„prehended or perceyued but lyke as the holy ghoste beeyng inuisible did openly shewe hymself to the iyes of men in a visible signe euen so the heaueÌ„ly father sending doune a voice through the elementes aboue did seÌ„sibly pearce the eares of meÌ„ And the voice that souned from on high was in these wordes Thou arte mine owne onely dere beloued sonne in whom I am throughly pleased satisâ—ied To none of al the holy meÌ„ that euer were in olde time was there euer any testimonye of suche lyke sorte as this geuen A doue cumming before pointed out certainly to whome this voyce did apperteine to th entent that
whan shall it cumme to passe or by what signe maie we bee hable to knowe the saied tyme to be alreadye come But Iesus whose wyll is to haue his disciples euermore in a readinesse against all assaultes of eiuyll mysauentures dyd by his doubtfull and entrieked communicacion sette theyr myndes in suspence perplexitie makyng a medley of many soondrye matters together concernyng affliccions which they should afterwarde abide for preachyng the ghospel concernyng the beatyng down and the miserable plague of the citie of Hierusalem and concernyng the ende of the worlde the houre and tyme whereof it was his pleasure to haue vnknowen to all creatures to the entent they should continually euermore be in a readinesse The disciples mindes ranne altogether vpon a kyngdome But the Lorde was more willyng to haue theim knowe the thyng that did more nerelye touche them and to knowe those other matters the veray speakyng and mencionyng whereof their hertes vttrely abhorred because thei wer as yet but weake and fraill menne For they had better fansie and will to heare woordes pleasaunt to the eare of worldelye coumforte and solace then to heare thynges concernyng the coumforte of the soule health The foresaied blessed reigne will one daye surely come and at his due tyme wil it come but the care and charge thereof it is moste expediente to put in the handes of God and to leat hym alone withall our partes it is in the meane tyme so to behaue our selues that we maye not seme vnworthye of that kyngdome For there is no cummyng to the glorye of thesame reigne but by meane of soondrye affliccions Against such affliccions it behoueth our hertes to be well armed Iesus therefore saied Oute of all doubtes come I will and displeigh the maiestie of the reigne Euangelicall But see ye yâ— ye bee not seduced enbracing an other Christe in stede of me For before the prefixed tyme at whiche I wyll come there will come many whiche wyll vsurpe my name vnto them and will boldely auouche of themselfes and saie I am Christ. The tyme is at hande Be not ye any thyng moued with the wordes of such in case they shall call you any whether goe not ye after theim Ueraily when ye shall heare al the worlde to be in a garboile of sedicioÌ„s of warres manye persones shall plaie the prophetes and shall allege the ende of the world to approche But be not ye any thyng feared with suche rumours as though the last daie be euen than byanby at hande For in dede suche thynges as these shal fortune but the ende of the worlde cometh not euen streight waie in the necke thereof For these shall bee nothyng els but certain preauÌ„bles of the said extreme distresse which shall bee to the eiuil sorte an vttre castyng awaie and to the good it shal bee an examinacion or triall a purifâ—yng of them As whan the bodye is towardes the poyncte of diyng the signes tokens therof be stroÌ„g diseases hauing come vp growen in thesame bodyes through an vnnaturall disteÌ„perature of the humours so shall these terrible coÌ„mocioÌ„s and hurleyburley foreshew the end of the world which hurleyburley maÌ„ns self doeth procure vnto hymselfe by reason that he is infected with inordinate lustes affeccions Through mans peruersenes shal the veray nature of thynges be shaken out of al due ordre course detestyng as it wer the malice of man strongly ensourgeyng for the redresse aueÌ„gemente of their vngraâ—â—â—usnesse With greate vproares garboile shal there bee arisinges of nacion against nacion royalme against royalme And whereas there is nothyng more distresseful theÌ„ warre yet doeth man purchace wilfully procure this pernicious confusion vnto hymselfe through aÌ„bicion through folye through couetise through hatred and throughe other lyke corrupt affeccions Yea verai nature selfe shal ouer besides the premisses cause many sore yearthquakes in many soondrye places in sorte as though the world tooke high skorne disdeigne for that it wer forced to beare men beeing suche vngodly wicked creatures There shal morouer cum great pestileÌ„ces which by their infeccion shal waste awaie coÌ„sume a mightie great nouÌ„bre of people in sort as though the aire were armed weaponed to doe vengeaunce vpoÌ„ the ciuil sort whereas it was for this purpose first ordeined sette for maÌ„nes vse that with it holsome breath it should bothe geue nourish life vnto al creatures Ferthermore throughe penurie of the fruites of the yearth there shall come famiÌ„ne in case as yf the yearth should say that she would not geue foode vnto her children being so wicked agaysnt God to whom eueÌ„ the dumme elementes also doe their bounden seruice duetie The sea also shal bee throughly moued with strauÌ„ge vnwont rages of tumbleyng and tossing wheras thesame too had aforetymes been accustomed to serue to the vse of man Yea besides all the premisses the veray skye and heauen shal shewe woondreful signes testifiyng the wrathe of God For the sunne shal bee turned to derkenesse the moone into 〈◊〉 blasyng sterres shal in straunge likenesse shewe theimselfes other vnnaturall woonders shall appere beeyng vncouth worthie to bee meruayled 〈◊〉 But lyke as a mannes bodye â–ª doeth not streight waie passe out of the world whaÌ„ it is strieken with extreme great sickenesses and yet neuertheles thesame or 〈◊〉 lyke diseases euer now than cummyng vnto him taking him agayn 〈◊〉 declare that the tyme of his death is not ferre of right so whan the world 〈◊〉 with such manier eiuils as aforesaied be ratleed an shaken together yesame euils shal geue a great significacion tokening of the world drouping now apaâ—â— towardes his last date and faste growyng towardes decaye and ruine But before al these thinges they shall laie handes on you and persecute you deliueryng you vp to the Sinagogues and into priesoÌ„s and shall bring you vnto kinges rewlers for my names sake And this shal chaunce you for a testimoniall Bee at a sute poyncte therefore in your hertes not to studie before what ye shal answer For I wil geue you a mouth and wisedome where against al your aduersaries shal not be hable to speake or to resiste But ere thissame woefull distresse shall thus cease vpon all the world at once there shal excedyng great peruersenesse of men come afore which shal prouoke the goodnesse of god to wrathe For whan ye shall preache my name throughe whiche they maye be saued they shal laie handes vpon you and shal persecute you with al kynde of dooyng yll or mischiefe vnto you they shal hale you and pul you vnto their counsaile houses of assemblie as though ye wer culpable malefactours Thei shal ferthermore cast you in prieson thei shal aâ—taine and condemne you at the benches of kinges and rewlers not for anye youre transgression but for your great and high well dooyng that is to wete for the professing
his manhed bringing in stede of man a vain vision similitude of man Some contrariwise woulde take from him his godhed falsely saying that his beginning was but than whan he was borne of the virgin Mary because they being blinded with yerthly affeccions coulde not attain the mystery of Gods counsaill howe very God toke vpon hym to bee very man that one person shoulde bee both that in the meane while nothing should be withdrawen from the immutable nature of god and yet the perfectnesse of his manhed shoulde still remain I shall therfore set forth sum thinges more plainly in the ghospell so much as the spirit of Christ hath vouchsaued to open vnto me and asmuche as he had thoughte sufficiente to obtein saluacion by thorow the faith of the ghospell But as I began to say forasmuche as there is nothing any where emonges all the thinges that euer God made wherof we may make comparison whiche can throughly agree with the truth of the godhed I must though improprely vse the termes of thinges that our vnderstaÌ„ding is acquainted with to thintent that I may geue some knowlage to other of thinges whiche passeth all mens vnderstanding and vtteraunce Therfore as holy scripture calleth God that most excellent minde whiche mind is both greatter better then all thinges that can be imagined euen so it calleth his onely sonne the woord of that minde For although the sonne bee not the same that the father is yet he is so very lyke the father that a man may see the one in the other that is to say the father in the sonne and the sonne in the father But the resemblaunce of the father the sonne whiche in mans generacion is many waies vnperfit is moste perfit in God the father and his sonne And there is nothinge which dooeth more fully and euidently expresse the very secrecye of the minde then the true declarynge of it by woorde for that is the very loking glasse of the minde whiche cannot be sene with bodely iyes And if we couete to haue any man knowe the will of our minde that thinge is broughte to passe by no meanes more certainly or quickely then by speache whiche beinge fetched out of the inward priuiâ—ies of the minde conueiethe by a certaine secrete efficacie the minde of the speaker into the minde of the hearer through the eares of the hearer Neither is there any thynge amonges men more effectuall to stire vp euerye mocion of their mindes then to vttre it by speaking For if we haue auctoritie we maye shortly appoynte with our woorde what we will haue done Therfore he is called the sonne because being equal in al other thinges with his father he is distinctâ— and differeth in onely proprietie of person He is called the word because god whiche in his own proper nature can no waies be comprehended woulde be knowen to vs by him neither was his pleasure to be knowen for any other cause but to thintente we mighte attain euerlastinge felicitie by the knowlage of him This birthe is not teÌ„poral or during but for a time ne yet this woorde is like to mans woorde There is no corporall thing in God nothing that passeth with time or can be conteined in place neither is there in him any thynge at all subiect to beginninge proceding age or any mutabilitie he is alwaye one whole and altogether in himselfe and the sonne is continually begotten of him euen such an one as he is himselfe eternall of him that is eternall almightie of him that is almightie most good of him that is best in conclusion God of God neither later in time nor inferior to hys father the euerlastinge worde of the euerlasting mind by the which the father speaketh to himselfe al waies as it were by a secret thought yea before the world was made being knowen to no body but only to himselfe and his sonne He did euermore shall begette the sonne in himselfe and in like wise did euermore bringe foorthe his almighty woorde he had no nede of any thinge that is create to whose felicitie nothinge can be added but of his naturall goodnesse he hath made this whole ingine of the world and set therin euangelicall mindes and mankinde as in the meane betwene aungels beastes to thinthent he might gather of thinges wunderfully create and also of himselfe the power the loue and goodnes of the makir thereof And as if there were a greate mighty king whatsoeuer he commaunded to be doen shoulde be doen by and by euen so the veraye almightye father hath made all thinges by his sonne and woorde And firste by this way he shewed furth his woord by whom he woulde be knowen as though he had spoken vnto vs himselfe And beinge so knoweÌ„ by the wonderfulnes â—f his moste fayre workemanship might wind himselfe into our inward mocions Therefore they do erre and go very far froÌ„ the trueth whiche thinke the worde of god to be so after him in time from whom it procedeth as emonges vs the mind goethe before the speache And so they also whiche take the worde of God by the whiche God the father hath made all thinges to bee numbred emonges thinges create But their errour is more rude grosse whiche do suppose the sonne and woord of God than to haue begun and neuer before whan he was borne bodily of the virgin Mary What thinge soeuer is create hath his beginning in time but the sonne of God was twise borne once of his father before time or rather with out time very God of him that is verily God Again he was borne of the virgin Mary in time appointed thereto eternally of the euerlastynge father very man of mankynde For it hath pleased God after this sorte to bringe furthe agayne to vs hys woorde that is to saye his sonne to thintente he mighte be knowen after a more plaine waye or more familiarly That person therfore is wicked which maketh argumente that Iesus Christ was nothinge els but manne or that contendethe him to haue beene create emonges other creatures The father did be get him that was bothe his sonne and his woorde yet all one after soundry waies once in time as touchinge his manhed and alwaye without all time as touchinge his godhed For beefore there was this vniuersall creacion of thinges both yearthly and heauenly the eternall woorde was alredy with the euerlastinge father And this woorde did so procede from the father that yet it remained still with the father He was of suche an inseperable nature with the father that by proprietie of person he was with the father And yet he did not cleue to the father as the accidente doeth to the substaunce But he was god of god he was god in God and he was God with God by reason that they both had but one diuine nature common to both They twaine were so bothe one that nothing made difference betwene theim sauing onely the proprietie of person of the
But all those came of Goddes liberalitie and not of his owne nature that was geuen hym at the firste yet he was chosen and sente of God for this purpose that accordyng to the prophecie that was prophecied of hym before he myght beare witnes of that godly lyght whiche being couered with his manhed was conuersaunt in the worlde not as who say that he whiche was God and so declared before by the voice of the father shoulde nede mannes witnes but to thintent he might by all manier of meanes cause hymselfe to bee had in credit with the people he woulde that Iohn shoulde bee the goer before the lyghte as the day sterre appearing before sheweth the rysyng of the sunne to the woorlde And also that by his preachyng he shoulde prepare mennes mindes to receyue that lyght whiche shoulde immediatly come after And because synne is the lâ—t wherby the heauenly lyght is not admitted and receyued Iohn dyd allure and call all people to penaunce proclaming openly that the kyngdome of heauen was at hande for the firste degree or step to the lyghte is that men shoulde hate their owne darkenes And this Iohn was of so great auctoritie emonge the Iewes for the excellente holines of his liuinge that many toke him for Christe himselfe whereby Christ would the rather bee coÌ„mended to the Iewes by his witnes as that time required to thintente that litle by litle as men do commonly vse he might crepe into the mindes of the people for otherwise the meaner person is alwaye wount to bee commended by the witnes of the greater And Esay had promised that at Christes cuâ—ming there shoulde a certaine excellente lighte arise and springe vp to theym whiche did liue in darkenes and in the shadowe of deathe and for that cause before that Christe was notable by his miracles many suspected Iohn to haue been the light whiche was promised of the Prophete But Iohn was onelye the publisher before of the true lighte and not the light it selfe Therefore Christe as the oportunitie of that time serued did as ye woulde saye abuse both the errour of the Iewes and the auctoritie of Iohn to prepare the mindes of all men to the faithe of the gospell Truely Iohn was a certaine light that is to saye a burninge candle and geuinge lighte feruently burninge in godlines and geuing light by holynes of life neuertheles he was nor the lighte whiche should bring life to the whole worlde but the woord of God whereof wee doe speake at this presente was that true light euer proceding from God the father the fountaine of all light from whence what soeuer is lightsome in heauen and earth boroweth his lighte what sparke of witte what knowlage of trueth what light of faith soeuer there be either emong men or Angels all the same cummeth from this fountaine ¶ That lyght was the true light which lighteth euery man that cummeth into the world As this worlde is blind without the sunne so all thinges are darke without this light The worlde also was full of darkenes on euery syde because sinne and abhominable errours did reigne in euery place And in the tyme of this darkenes there did often tymes shine foorth men excellent in holynes of lyfe as a lytell sterre in the moste darkest nightes and gaue some lyght as it were thorow a cloud howbeit they dyd it but to the Iewes only or to the borderers of Iewry but this true light geueth lyght not onely to one nacion but to all men that come into the darkenes of this worlde The Iewes went about to challenge this lyght seuerally to themselues because they thought it to be promised to theim onely for asmuche as touchyng the fleshe it dyd spring of theim and emonge theim but that light came to geue lyght to the hertes of all nacions of the whole world thorow the faith of the gospel Neither Scithian Iewe Spaniard Gothian Englisheman kynges nor bondmen be excluded from this lyght The lyght came to geue light to al men asmuche as lay in it but if any continue in their darkenes the faute is not in the lyght but in hym that frowardely loueth darkenes and abhorreth the lyght For the lyght shineth to al meÌ„ because none might pretend any excuse when willingly wittingly he perisheth thorow his owne faute As if a man shoulde get a knocke at noone daies because he woulde not lyfte vp his iyes ¶ He was in the world and the world was made by hym and the world 〈◊〉 hym not This woord of God was alwaies in the worlde not as who say that he whiche is without measure can bee contayned in any circuite of place but he was so in the world as the deuise of the workeman is in his woorke and as the ruler is in that thing he ruleth Also at that tyme this lyght dyd shine in the worlde sumwhat opening the godly power wisedom and goodnes therof by these thinges which were wunderfully creat by it and by this meanes it did then after a sorte speake to mankinde But many putting their felicitie in the visible thinges of this worlde whome for that cause of good righte our lorde Iesus did accustome to cal by the name of the worlde when he taughte them eternall thinges they beinge blinded with earthly affeccions did not acknowleage their maker The darkenes of mindes was so greate that the worlde knewe not the maker thereof but did wurship serpentes oxen goates lekes oynions yea that whiche is more vile then all these stockes stones dispising him of whome they had receiued both that themselfes were and all that they had ¶ He came emong his owne and his owne receiued him not They being accustomed to darkenes did abhorre the light and being blinded with sinne did enbrace deathe in stede of life yea and whan he did shewe himselfe more familiarly to the worlde being conuersaunt liuing in his manhed emonges men he was not knowen of them whiche had dedicate themselfes wholy to this worlde Neither is it any meruail though the gentiles beeynge woorshippers of ydols measuring all thinges by the commodities of this life being also ignorant of the prophetes and the lawe did not acknowleage him whiles he liued here in the shape of a man This is more to be meruayled at â–ª that when he came specially to his owne people to whome Messias had ben promised by so many prophecies of the prophetes to whom he had bene shadowed with so many figures of whom he had ben loked for so many hundreth yeares before which saw him do miracles heard his teaching yet they wer so far from receiuing of him that with fierce mindes they wente about his destruccion whiche came specially to saue them And procured that innocentes death who frely brought life to his enemies They sawe did not see heard and did not heare hauing intelligence did not vnderstand whiche thorow a froward study of the lawe did rise against him whom the
hundred yeres beefore the sayde Andrew I say as soone as he had found Simon Peter his brother whose presence he desyred greatlye for thys purpose that Peter whome he knewe dyd looke for Christe with greate feruencie myghte be made partaker of the felicitie of that assured knowledge whiche Andrewe hymselfe had of Christe We haue founde sayeth he that Messias whome the Prophetes had promysed shoulde bee redemer of the worlde And Messias in the Sirians tounge is as muche to say as Christe that is to vnderstande anoynted because that anoynting perteineth to kynges and priestes But Christe was the onelye anoynted of God to hym onely all power was geuen both in heauen and yearth and he onely was the priest eternally after Melchisedechs ordre which hath reconciled God to mankynde with the sacrifice of hys bodye Symon beeing glad of so pleasaunte and welcome a message and not satisfyed onely to haue heardest ioyfully preaseth hymselfe also to see Iesu. Andrew who had already proued the gentlenes and graciousnesse of Iesu furthwith broughte Simon to hym And when Iesus behelde Peter he did not onely vewe his face wherin neuerthelesse did shine a purenes of hert but he rather loked vpon his minde which was endued with doouelyke simplicitie and thereby apte to receyue the grace of the ghospell The sayde Iesus takyng pleasure in hys pure affeccion dooeth tell the name of Peters father by that declaryng how nothyng was hydden from hym and therewithall prayseth the godly simplicitie of Peters minde gathering an argument thereof by the propertie of hys fathers name and by the darke sence of the chaungeing of Peters owne name he telleth before that in time to come there shall be in hym stablenesse of inuyncible faythe For Ionas is asmuch to saye as a dooue or grace Simon by interpretacion signifieth obedient for out of the obedience of Moses law is had some furtheraunce to the fayth of the gospell Therefore after that Iesus had loked vpon hym he doeth lyke both hys present simplicitie and also doeth sum what open as you woulde saye darkely his stedfastnesse to come saying Thou arte that Simon the sonne of Ioanna right aptly agreyng both to thyne owne name and thy fathers But hereafter when this fayth shall haue gathered strength that it may be able to stand stable and vnshaken against al temptacions of the deiuill thou shalte be called Cephas whiche in Greke is as muche to saye as Peter in Latine ▪ saxum and in Englishe a stone And this was the firste instruccion and principle of Christes church this was also the first beginning of the schole of the ghospell The day folowing Iesus would goe into Galile and found Philip and saieth vnto him folow me Philip was of Bethsaida the citie of Andrew and Peter Philip founde Nathanael and saieth vnto him We haue found him of whom Moses in the law and in the prophetes did write Iesus the sonne of Ioseph of Nazareth And Nathanael said vnto him Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth Philip sayeth to him Come see The day after it pleased Iesus to goe into Galile whche was least set by of al the prouinces of Iewrie because no man of any great renoume or fame had at any tyme come from thence and yet neuerthelesse Esay dyd prophecie before that the light of the ghospell should first appeare and haue hys begynning about the place Also the diuine counsayl thought it good so to be because he woulde beginne his churche of meane persones vntaught and vnlearned borne and come out of a countrey that was barayne and of no regarde For both Peter and Andrew whiche without calling folowed Christe were men of Galile and that the one brother did perswade and drawe the other to Iesu was a fortunate pronosticacion of the churche nowe newly beginning whiche consisteth in brotherly charitie and mutual concorde Therfore when Iesus should goe his way into Galile hauing alreadie two disciples of Galile to wayte vpon hym because he myghte come sum what the better accompanied he taketh to hym two other also of the same countrey and of lyke nobilitie For Iesus founde one called Philip borne in Bethsaida a citie of Galile whiche is nye vnto the lake of Genazareth being the countrey of Andrew and Simon to whome the name of Peter was added Furthermore in that they were all of one countrey it betokeneth the concorde and agreement of the ghospell And that the diuersities of all maner of people should be ioyned and brought together into one churche as it wer into one citie Philip semed to haue met with Christe by chaunce but the very thyng in dede was doen altogether by the prouidence of God whiche had eternallye decreed and appoynted whome he woulde haue to be the first rulers and beginners of his churche Therefore Iesus sayed to Philip when he met with him folow me He taried nothyng at all but byan by folowed Iesus ▪ of whome alredy he had knowen many thinges both by the witnesse of Iohn and also by the common rumour of the people The woord of the speaker was of so great effect and the mind of the hearer was ready of hys owne good will It chaunced verely that as Andrew had allured and drawen hys brother Simon so Philip nowe reioysing that he was in the seruice of Iesu when he had found Nathanell whome he knew to be wondrefully desyrous of Messias cummyng for whiche cause he was woont very diligentlye to marke and obserue in the prophecies of the lawe and the Prophetes from whence and when the same Messias shoulde come Philip I say because he would make Nathanaell partaker of that ioye wherin he did reioyce withall his hert sayeth vnto hym We haue found that true Messias of whome Moses hath written that there should a Prophet rise out of the kinred of Israel of whome the prophecies of the Prophetes hath vttered and declared so many thynges Thys is Iesus the sonne of Ioseph of Nazareth for al that time euery man toke Iesus to be Iosephs sonne and he was better knowen by that name then by the name of Marie hys mother Moreouer he was called emong the cōmon sorte a Nazarean not that he was borne there for Bethleem was halowed with hys birth and infancie but because he was conuersaunt and brought vp there of a childe with his parentes When Nathanael hearde this truely he lyketh wel the most ioyfull tydinges but he is offēded with that doubt wherwith he was secretly troubled through the prophecie whiche as euery man knew doeth promise that Christ shoulde come furth out of Bethleem therfore he desyring to be taught more certainly sayeth vnto Philip Can any good thing come out of Nazareth of the whiche towne the prophecies of the Prophetes hath made no mencion When Philip himselfe being yet vntaught and hauing no ferther knowledge but hys plaine simple faith could not discusse this hard matier he aduiseth and
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
them his power which he had receiued of God the father therby to make them afearde to procede in theyr wicked crueltie and doeth so tempre his communicaciō that otherwhiles he talketh of certaine hye thinges to signifie vnto thē couertly his diuine nature whiche was all one betwene God the father hym And otherwhiles againe in his communicacion he bringeth in lower thinges to testifie his māhed therby that it the affinitie which was betwene him and them in that he was mā would not stirre them to loue at the leaste the maiestie of his godly power should let them from their wicked rashenesse but yet he doeth so chalenge to hymselfe lyke power with his father that neuertheles he attributeth to him the preeminence of autoritie And he spake on this wyse Ye meruayle that I haue taken vpon me to be of equall power with my father in his workyng This I doe assuredly promyse you the sonne whiche doeth wholy depēde of the father can doe nothyng of hymselfe forasmuche as he is not of hymselfe but doeth that whiche he seeth his father doe They haue both one will and one power but the autoritie resteth in the father from whence procedeth to the sonne whatsoeuer the sōne is or may doe Therfore whatsoeuer the father doeth thesame in likewise worketh the sonne by the equalitie of power communicate to him through his eternall natiuitie Among men oftentymes children be vnlike in maners to theyr parentes neyther is the fathers wyll and the sonnes all one nor yet theyr power like but in this case the thing is farre otherwyse For the father loueth his sonne intierly and hath begotten hym moste like to hymselfe pouryng into hym egall power of workyng and sheweth vnto the sonne howe to doe all thynges whiche he doeth himselfe The exaumple cummeth from hym but the workyng is common to both he hath create the world and he also gouerneth the world yea euen vpon the Sabboth dayes He hath made man and it is he also that preserueth man vpon the Sabboth dayes Therfore whosoeuer doeth slaundre the workes of the sonne doeth iniurie to the father These thynges whiche ye see me doe on the Sabboth daye I doe them by the fathers autoritie at his appoyntment but yf ye thinke it a thyng to be merueyled at and aboue mans power to restore helth with a woorde to a man sicke of the palsey the father at whose commaundement the sonne doeth all thynges whiche he doeth wyll declare that he hath shewed to his sonne greater workes than these because ye may she more maruaile For it is a thyng of farre greater power to raise the dead to life than to restore helth to the sicke yet the father hath geuen this power also to the sonne and he hath geuen him it as his owne for euer that as the father with his only becke rayseth the dead and calleth them agayne to lyfe so the sonne also by that selfe power may call agayne to lyfe whom he lust for whatsoeuer the father doeth he doeth it by the sonne whatsoeuer the sonne doeth he doeth it after the will of the father and the father the sonne haue both one wyll lyke as they haue both one power The moste hye and chiefe autoritie of God is to iudge the world For he is king and Lord of all thynges And yet hath he made his sonne partaker with hym of this whole power vnto whom he hath geuē al power to iudge whatsoeuer is in heauē in yearth vnder the earth Like as the father hath create all thynges by his sonne gouerneth al thinges by his sonne and hath restored al thinges by his sonne so he iudgeth nothing but by his sonne to the entent that eyther of thē may glorifie and honour the other The father is knowen by his sonne by whom he worketh the sonne on the other partie declareth the maiestie of his father from whence he hath whatsoeuer he worketh so that eyther of them beyng knowen by the other all men may honour the sonne as they doe the father For it is mete that they which be egall in power and will should be also felowes in honour Thinke not that ye can haue the father mercifull vnto you if ye be alienate fallen from the sonne Whosoeuer honoreth the father working in the sonne he honoreth also the sonne working by the power of the father And whosoeuer doeth not honour the sonne which is moste intierly beloued and moste lyke to the father that person doeth dishonour the father who sent the sonne to thintent he might through hym be honoured for euery thyng is common betwene them be it honour or dishonour He that mistrusteth the sonne mistrusteth also the father which sent hym into the worlde by whose wyll and appoyntmente he doeth all thynges that he doeth and by whom also the father speaketh vnto the worlde Lyke as the faithfull shall haue great reward so the vnfaythfull shall haue no small punishmente Uerily verily I saye vnto you he that heareth my woorde beleueth on him that sente me hath euerlasting life and shall not come into damnacion but is scaped from death vnto life For this I tell you for certayne whoso heareth my woorde and beleueth hym whiche both sent me and speaketh in me that persone hath already euerlasting life For whosoeuer is iustified from his sinnes and lyueth to God thorowe righteousnes he hath God and also life eternall neyther shall he nede to feare the damnacion of eternall death whiche is redie to receyue the vnfaithfull yea rather which doeth alreadie possesse the vnfaithfull but the true beleuer beyng clensed from his olde sinne by faith passeth thorowe frō death to lyfe For it is a greater thyng to rayse a soule that is dead by sinne from death to life than to restore a dead body to life but the father hath geuen power to the sonne to doe both these thynges Uerily verily I saye vnto you the houre shall come and nowe it is when the dead shall heare the voyce of the sonne of God And they that heare shall lyue For as the father hath lyfe in hymselfe so lykewyse hath he geuen to the sonne to haue lyfe in hymselfe and hath geuen hym power also to iudge because he is the sonne of manne Maruayle not at this for the houre shall come in the whiche all that are in the graues shall heare his voyce and shal come forth they that haue doen good vnto the resurreccion of lyfe and they that haue doen euil vnto the resurreccion of damnacion Be ye well assured of this the tyme is now at hande yea it is alreadie presente that euen the dead also shall heare the voice of the sonne of God and whoso heareth it shal liue for they being as it were raysed out of their slepe shall come forth out of their graues and shall declare vnto you beeyng astonished therwith that they liue in very dede In like maner also the dead soules doe liue
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
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
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 people and from the Gentiles vnto whome now I sende the to open their iyes that they maye be turned from darkenes to lyght and from the power of Sathan vnto God that they may receyue forgeuenesse of synnes and inheritaunce emong them which are sanctified by fayth that is towarde me And whan we all beyng amased by reason of the brightnesse of the lyght had fallen doune on the grounde I hearde a voyce speake vnto me that sayd in the Hebrue tong Saule Saule why doest thou persecute me It is hard for the to wynche againste the prycke Than aunswered I what arte thou lorde Than spake he againe and sayed I am Iesus of Nazareth whome thou persecutest But aryse and stande vp on thy feete Therefore haue I striken the downe beyng a persecutour that I may set the on thy feete againe a preacher of my name For I haue now appered vnto the to this ende that beeyng chosen by me thou mayest beare witnesse of me and execute suche thinges as thou hast sene and others that I hereafter by vision shall shewe vnto the. In all whiche thinges wyll I bee thy defendoure and deliuer the from the people and from the barbarous nacions of the heathen that be far of whither I wyl now sende the in legate that lyke as thou art by delyuerauÌ„ce of thyne errour made of a blinde man perfecte in sight so thou maiest by preachinge the true worde of my ghospell open theyr iyes that from synne ignoraunce whiche they haue been hitherto holden withall they lykewyse may bee conuerted to the lyght of my gospel and that suche as haue been heretofore geuen to ydolatrie and by reason therof haue become subiectes vnto Sathan maye be made the seruauntes of god who is lorde of all thinges and they that hitherto haue been defiled with al kinde of fylthinesse nowe through faith and credence geuing to my gospell may freely obtayne remission of all sinnes and suche as hytherto haue been called not an electe people but separated from God and deuyded from all the companye of good men may nowe haue parte amonge them that be sanctifyed not by circumcision or obseruing of the lawe but by beleuynge in me and because they geue credence to my gospell For there is nowe none other way remaynynge whereby man maye bee sanctifyed ¶ Wherefore o kynge Agrippa I was not disobedient vnto the heauenly vision but shewed first vnto them of Damasco and at Ierusalem and thorowe out all the coastes of Iewry and then to the GeÌ„tiles that they shoulde repente and turne to God and do suche workes as become them that repent For this cause the Iewes caught me in the temple and went about to kylle me Seyng therfore that I haue obtayned helpe of god vnto this day I continewe witnessyng both to small and to great saying none other thinges then those whiche Moyses and the Prophetes did say should come That Christ should suffer and that he should bee the first that should arise from death And should shewe light vnto the people and to the Gentiles These thinges kyng Agrippa were not doone eyther in the night tyme or in any dreame but whan it was brode daye many of vs sawe the clerenesse of the lyghte and heard the voyce distynctlye speakyng Wherfore I beyng assured that this was doen of god from heauen was not dysobediente to the heauenly vision but lettyng passe the businesse that I had than taken in hande by authoritie of the high priestes I tooke a cleane contrarye waye thynkyng it more expedient and necessarie to put in execucion that god commaunded me then that the hyghe priestes had wylled For forth with I preached the ghospell at Damasco and than at Hierusalem afterwardes throughout all the partes of Iewrye and to be shorte emong dyuerse nacions of countreyes beeyng farre a sunder wyllyng them to repent their lyfe paste and that they shoulde turne from dumme Idolles to the true and lyuyng God and that after they were once baptised they shoulde worke from thencefoorth suche workes as became suche persones as earnestly hath repented For this cause the Iewes whan they sawe me in the temple tooke me and woulde haue slayne me Neyther haue I hytherto defended me with weapon and yet by the ayde of God at whose commaundemente I dooe this that I dooe I am yet alyue testifying to bothe greate and smalle those thinges that I was commaunded to preache to all men without respect of any person feynynge no newe doctrine of myne owne head but preaching onely those thinges that Moyses and the Prophetes affirmed should cum to passe For the Iewes also had wont to dyspute in this wyse of Christe by the prophecies of the Prophetes whether that Messias shoulde cum as a man subiect to misery and death or whether he fyrste shoulde begynne to rayse the dead to lyfe and whether that he shoulde preache the true lyght fyrste to the Israelites and after to the Gentyles Whiche thinges eueryâ—hone forasmuche as they were spoken of before by the Prophetes and by Moyses hymselfe of Messias I preache that we muste looke for none other Messias for why â–ª All these thinges are fulfylled in Iesus of Nazareth and nothing nowe remayneth but that all menne through penaunce and puritie of lyfe prepare themselues againste his cummynge whan he shall cum to iudge all the whole worlde ¶ As he thus spake for himselfe Festus sayed with a loude voyce Paul thou art besyde thy selfe Muche learning both make the mad And Paule sayed I am not madde most dere Festus but speake forth the wordes of trueth and sobernesse For the kynge knoweth of these thinges before whome also I speake freely neyther thinke I that any of these thinges are hydden from him For this thinge was not doen in a corner Kyng Agrippa beleuest thou the Prophetes I wote wel that thou beleuest Agrippa sayed vnto Paul Sumwhat thou bringest me in mind for to beleue and becum christened And Paul sayed I would to God that not onely thou but all also that heare me to day wer not sumwhat onely but all together suche as I am excepte these handes Whan as Paule had spoken this and muche more in his owne defence Festus whiche coulde nothing skylle of the Iewes religion estemynge all as dotage that he had spoken of his visyon and of the arysynge agayne of the dead sayed with a loude voyce Thou dotest Paule It is so with the as it often chaunceth to other men Muche knowledge in learning hath taken thy ryght mynde clene from the. Paule answered I dote not moste noble Festus For dotynge is called whan a man through erroure of his mynde swerueth from reason But I am sober and speake as the truth is the whiche trueth to knowe is veraye witte in dede And that these thinges are so it is not vnknoweÌ„ to the kyng before whom I doe muche the more frankely talke of these matters because I suppose that he is ignorante in none of these poyntes that
fathers house bee in anye mansionâ—s c. I am the waye of trueth and life No manne cummeth to the father but by me c. He that hath seen me hath seen the father whatsoeuer ye aske in my name Peace I leaue vâ—tâ— you The prince of this worlde cummeth hath nothing in me Arise let vs go hence Yf ye byde in me c aske what ye â—yl and it shall bee geuen you CoÌ„tinue 〈◊〉 in my loue c. But nowe haue they nothing to cloke theyr sinne withall It is expedient for you that I goe awaye For if I goe not away the coÌ„forter wil not cum vnto you and of righteousnesse c. Of iudâ—emeÌ„t because the prince of this world is iudgâ—d already What is this that he sayeth vnto vs after a while Whatsoeuer ye shall aske my father in my name he shall geue it you Now ye beleue c I desâ—eâ— not that thou shouldest take them c. The glorye which thou gauest me I haue geuen them Peter stode at the doore without I euer taught in the Synagogue My kyngdome is not of this worlde c. For this cause was I borne c Hayle king of the Iewes Whoso maketh hymselfe a kyng is against Ceasar It was the preparyng daye of Easter aboute the siâ—te houre The wrytyng was Iesus of Nazareth c. One of the souldiers thrust him into the syde and furth â—â— came there out watâ—r and bloude They haue takeÌ„ awaye the lord c. Iesus than came and toke breade c. Folow 〈◊〉 me To whome also he shewed hym selfe alyue after hys passon And commaunded them that they shoulde not departe from Ierusalem c. For Iohn truly baptised with water Whan they therefore were cuÌ„ together they asked of hiÌ„ sayinge Lorde c. And he sayed vnto theÌ„ It is not for you c. And while they looked stedfastiye vp towarde heauen beholde c. They went vp into a parlour And whan he was hanged he burst a sunder c. And no man dwellyng therin c. And whan they praied they sayed c. And they gaue foorth theyr lottes Whan the fiftie daies wer cum to an ende And there appared vnto theÌ„ cloueÌ„ touÌ„ges c. And they wet filled all with the holy gost c Whan thys was noysed about the multitude came together They wordred at and maruailed They were all amased woâ—dred c. But Peter stepped forth With the eleuen With youre eares beare ye my wordes For these men are not as ye suppose c. Whome God hath reysed vp and loosed the sorowes of death For Dauyd speaketh of him Afore hande I saw god all wayes beefore me For he is both dead buried c. Therfore seyng he was a prophete He knowiÌ„g this before spake of the resurreccioÌ„ of Christ. Wherof all we are witnesses For Dauid is not asceÌ„ded into heauen God hathe made the same Iesus whâ—me ye haue crucifyed Lord and Christ. For the promyse â–ª was made to you and to your childreÌ„ And with many other woordes bare he witnesse c. And exâ—orted tâ—em saying Saue your selues from this vntoward generacion Then they that gladly receyued his preaching c. In breaking of bread c. And in prayers And feare came ouer euery soule And solde their possessioÌ„s and goodes And brake bread from house to house c. Whan he sawe Peter Iohn c. In the name of Iesus Christe of Nazareth arise and walke Of that which we are witnesses Whan the tyme of refreshing coÌ„meth And preached in Iesus the resurrection froÌ„ death And whan they had set them before them they asked by what power or in what name haue ye doen this Let vs threaten charge them c. So threatned they theÌ„ and let theÌ„ go c. And whan they heardâ— that they lift vp their voyces to God with one accord And assone as they had made theyr prayer the place moued where they were c. And they were fylled with the holy ghoste they spake the wordes of God boldly And distribucion was made vnto euery man accordyng as he had nede A certyne man named Ananias c Ananias howe is it that SathaÌ„ hath fylled thyne herte that thou shouldest lie vnto the holy ghost c. Whan Ananias hearde these woordes he fell downe and gaue vp the ghoste c. Than Peter sayed vnto her why haue ye agreed together to tempte the spirite of the lorde c. And of the others durst no maÌ„ ioyne himselfe to theÌ„ Neuertheles the people magnifyed theym And they laied handes on the Apostles put them in the 〈◊〉 pryson And they brought theÌ„ without violence For they feared the people c. Beholde ye haue fylled Hierusalem with youre doctrine The God of our fathers reised vp Iesus whome ye slew and haue hanged on tree For before those dayes rose vp one Theudas And they departed from the couÌ„sell reioysyng that they were couÌ„ted worthy to suffer rebuke for his name It is not meete that we shoulde leaue the woorde of god serue tables Wherefore brethren loke ye out among you seuen of honest reporte c. And they chose SteueÌ„ a man ful of faith and of the holy ghost c. And theâ— moued the people the elders and the Scribes For we hearde hym saye this Iesus of Nazareth shal destroye this place Get the 〈◊〉 of the countrey â–ª 〈◊〉 thy 〈◊〉 And promised that â—â— would geâ—â— it to hym to possesse And he gaue him the couenaunt of circuÌ„cision Who made the a ruler and iudge ouer vs This man receiued the worde of life to geue vnto vs c. And they made a calfe in those dayes and offered sacrifices And ye toke vnto you the tabernacle of Moloch Which of â— Prophetes haue not your fathers persecuted And the witnesses laied downe their clothes at a younge mans feete whose name was Saule Lorde laye not this sinne to their charge And at that time there was a great persecucion against the coÌ„gregacion whiche was at IerusaleÌ„ As for Saul he made hauocke of the congregacyon c. But as sone as they gaue credit to Philippes c. They were baptised bothe men women c. The herte â— is not right in the sight of god RepeÌ„t therfore of this thy wickednes c. Praye ye to the lorde for me that none of these thiÌ„ges c. And behold a man of Ethiopia And as they went on their waye And assone as they wâ—â— cum oute of the water And there was a certayne discyple They watched the gates day and nyght to kyll hym And turned hym to the body said Tabitha aryse A deuouâ—e maÌ„ and one that feared God Beholde I am he whoÌ„e ye seke what is the cause wherfore ye are cumme Than called he theÌ„ 〈◊〉 lodged theÌ„ It is an vnlawful thiÌ„g for a man yâ— is a Iew to company or cum vnto an alien For what enteÌ„t haue ye sent for me Howe