and ranne away from them to auoydeit And as for beyng the Messias he had also in veray factes dedes afore that tyme declared hymselfe to bee thesame Wherfore if he had affirmed and auouched hymselfe to be the Messias yet ought not they to haue laid that matier to his charge as a cryme except they had first openly proued that suche thinges as the Prophetes had foresayed concernyng Messias did not agree ne serue to be spoken of hym The hope that they had to put him to a foile and an ouerthrowe was in the greate noumbre of suche a multitude beeyng conspyred together agaynste hym and in that Iesus whom they had accused was altogether destitute and fredeles and finally the iudge being as they supposed a man of no godlines at all Pilate although he was a wurshipper of idolles yet beeyng a man of muche more equitie and conscience then the priestes of the Iewes wynked at the fyrste artycle of the accusacion whiche concerned that tribute ought not to be payed vnto Ceasar and made as though he herd it not partely because he smelled and well apperceyued that it was but a forged matter and partely beecause it was no newe thyng for that poynte to bee reasoned and disputed of amonge the Iewes for so muche as all the whole secte of the Phariseis thought that a people peculiarly and specially chosen and dedicated vnto God ought not to pay any tribute to heathen nacions But of the artycle concernyng to bee a kyng he questioned with Iesus in whom he sawe no spyece ne lykelyhode of any worldly reignyng or of beeyng a kyng he was but one sole persone his apparell his countenaunce all the behaueour of his body shewed all tokens of humilitie and symplenesse Wherfore the president whan he had hearde the accusers tooke him aparte and asked hym whether he were the kyng of Iewes Than Iesus aunswered so thou sayest For the lord did euermore so moderate his aunsweres that bothe he myghte approue his innocencie and yet not laboure to escape from condemnacion and iudgemente forasmuche as he was determined to dye He was the kyng of Iewes and that poynte it was not congruente for hym to saye naye vnto but an other kynde of reigne and kyngdome it was that he went about to recouer to hymselfe and his father After the diuine nature of his Godhead he was the kyng of al thynges of whiche diuine nature Pilate suspected ne thought no suche thynge at all in hym and as touchyng the reygne and kyngdome euangelicall the sayd Pilate had no vnderstandyng forasmuche as he was a man ignoraunte of the lawe and of the Prophetes sauyng that he had hearde that there was looked for of the Iewes one Messias their kyng whatsoeuer he was he coulde not tell whom the whiche rumour he beeyng a man nothyng at all supersticious passed not muche vpon Therefore althoughe he vnderstoode not the aunswere of Iesus yet beeyng not ignoraunte of the Iewes malyce and gatheryng the sobrenesse and humilitie of Iesus euen by his veraye countenaunce he came forth to the byshops of the Iewes and the multitude being there gathered in a clouster together I haue sayed he examined this partie of suche faultes as haue been laied to his charge and I fynde none offence in hym But they as men knowyng in theyr owne conscieÌ„ces what and how they had doen where thei wer not able with euident profes to conuince him and to get the ouerhande of hym they set out the throte and made an opeÌ„ outcry against hym linking together crimes vpon crimes and lies vpoÌ„ lies as thicke as could be Nay ferther more say they a sedicious felowe he is he thoroughly moueth and perswadeth the people all Iewrye ouer with his doctrine beginnyng at Galilee and so all the waye euen tyll he was come to this verye citye This same forsooth is the speciall cryme and faulte that is alledged and laied against euangelical veritie that it maketh coÌ„mocions and sedicioÌ„s in the people whan it is the deuelish sort of men that insourgeth and reyseth garboyle agaynst the veritie whiche they deadly hate and cannot abyde Suche tumultuous garboyle is not of right to bee imputed to the true preachers of the ghospell but to the vncurable malice of such persones as haue more desire to haue the holsom trueth vttrely oppressed and ouerwhelmed then to laye aparte the disease of their malicious hertes For none otherwise dooeth the doctrine of the ghospel trouble the people but as a medicine of physycke dooeth grutche or stiere the body For excepte there bee fyrste a stieryng and a roumbleyng in the body it muste nedes wholly peryshe altogether Whan Piâ—ate heard mencion of Galilee he asked whether the man were of Galilee And as sone as he knew that he belonged vnto Herodes iurisdiccion he sent him to Herode which was also at Hierusalem at that tyme. And whan Herode sawe Iesus he was excedyng glad For he was desyerous to see hym of a long season because he had hearde many thynges of hym and he trusted to haue seene summe myracles dooen by hym Than he questioned with hym many woordes But he aunswered hym nothyng The hygh Priestes and Scribes stoode foorth and accused hym streyghtly And Herode wyth hys men of warre despysed hym And whan he had mocked hym he arayed hym in white clothyng and sente hym agayne to Pylate And thesame daye Pylate and Herode were made frendes together For before they were at varyaunce This accusacion forasmuche as it moued Pylate but a litle or nothynge for he sawe that the wholle mattier was dooen by a conspyracie of the chiefe rewlers and certayne others of the people which were consenters and helpers forewarde to the malyce of thesame head men to saye as they sayed he was veraye desyrous and earneste to remoue both the priesoner and also his accusers to the examinacion and trial of an other iudge to the end that in case he might not bee hable to delyuer Iesus yet at leastwise himselfe for hys parte might be ridde and despeched of the cause He quickely tooke an occasion of thys one lytell woorde Galilee of the whiche countrey Herode was Tetrarche or prynce He therfore demaunded whether Iesus was one of Galilee it was aunswered that he was a Galilean because emongst the common people he was belieued to bee a Nazarite for he had been brought vp there in hys childehoode and had afterwarde led moste parte of hys yeres there Therfore as soone as Pylate perceyued â–ª that to sitte in iudgement vpon the priesoner did belonge vnto Herode he shiefted hym ouer to Herode who at that tyme as it chaunced was at Hierusalem howbeit al this whole matter too was wrought and doeÌ„ by the dispensacion of the wisedome and ordeinaunce of God to th end that the Lorde Iesus might bryng wyth hym a testimonie of hys innocencie from all the benches and courtes of iustice there and that the malice of the byshops Scribes
be restored to her owne body The whiche as soone as it shall bee doen whosoeuer shall belong to this holy felowship and sticke constantly vnto me shal be translated with me vnto euerlasting life to be partakers of felicitie which were felowes and partakers of affliccyons After they ye haue taughte these thynges yf they beleue the thinges that ye haue taught yf they repent them of their former lyfe if they be ready to embrace the doctrine of the ghospell then dippe them in water in the name of the father the sonne and the holy gost that by this wholy signe they may trust themselues to be deliuered from the filthines of al theyr sinnes freely through the benefite of my death and nowe to be chosen to the number of the children of God Lette no manne be circumcysed let no manne bee baptized in the name of Moyses or of any manne Let them all knowe to whome they be bounde for their health vpon whome they oughte wholy to hang. Let them not bee burdened with the ceremonyes of Moyses or of manne Lette this token be sufficient for all menne that cumme to the profession of the ghospell whiche is easye to bee had in euery place But leste any manne myghte thinke it sufficient to saluacion once to be baptysed and to professe the faythe of the ghospell they must be taughte agayne by what meanes they may kepe theyr innocencie by what meanes they may goe forwarde to perfeccyon of the euangelicall godlines I haue omitted nothyng whiche may make to the obteining of euerlasting health And that heauenly spirite whiche ye shall receiue will not suffer you to forget that whiche ye haue learned of me Therefore whatsoeuer I haue commaunded you deliuer ye the same to be kepte of them I haue not prescribed vnto you the ceremonies of Moyses law whiche like shadowes must now vanishe away at the light of the euangelicall trueth I haue not prescribed vnto you pharisaicall constitucions but those thinges whiche onely bringeth true innocencie and godlines and whiche onely maye make you derely beloued of God and truely happy Therefore teache these thynges to them that professe my name not onely in woorde but also in life as I whatsoeuer I taught I perfourmed it in dedâ— Whiles ye be doyng of these thynges and whyles ye bring mortall menne to heauen the worlde will ryse agaynste you lyke as it rose agaynste me For my spirite agreeth not with the spirite of thys worlde and my doctryne is wholy agaynst the affeccions of them whiche loue the thinges that be of this world They will ryse agaynste you with greate tumultes but there is no cause why ye nede to distrust though ye be but lowe and abiecte vnlearned weake and fewe I haue ouercome the worlde and ye shall ouercome through my helpe by mynâ— exaâ—mple Ye shal ouercome through my might and not your owne whatsoeuer is terrible in this worlde ¶ And loe I am with you alway vntill the ende of the worlde And although I shall take vp this body into heauen because it is so expediente for you yet I wil neuer forsake you For after that I shall ceasse to bee with you in body than I shall be more effectually with you in my spirite And I will be with you vnto the worldes ende but whan the worldes ende shal be it profiteth not nor behoueth not you to know In the meane season do what is commaunded you euer ready agaynst that daye Whiche whansoeuer it shal come than ye also your mortalitie layed aparte shal bee wholy with me felowes of my fathers kyngdome whiche shall neuer haue ende FINIS To the most excellent and vertuous princesse quene Catherine wyfe to our moste gracious soueraigne Lorde Henry the eyght Kyng of England Fraunce â–ª and Irelande defendour of the faythe and of the Churche of EnglaÌ„d and also of Irelande in earthe supreme heade Thomas Key her dayly Oratoure wisheth perpetuall felicitie AMoÌ„ge the innumerable benefites whiche we haue receiued of almighty God most worthye and excellent Princesse there is none in myne opinioÌ„ for the whiche we are more bounden vnto his merciful goodnesse then for that it hath pleased hym more clearely to illumine vs of this age with the knowledge of his holy woorde then our forefathers and elders For who knoweth not how long this realme hath bene miserably seduced through ignoraunce of the Scriptures Who euen amonge the vplandishe perceyueth not what intollerable abuses haue bene vnder pretence of true religion and Godlynesse mayntayned in this Churche of Englande tyll suche tyme that God of his infinite mercy sent vs a newe Iosias by whose righteous administracion and Godly policie the light of Gods worde that so many yeares before was here extincte began to shyne agayne to the vtter extirpacion of false doctrine the rote and chiefe cause of all such abusioÌ„s This Iosias is our mooste redoubted soueraigne Lorde Kyng Henry theyght a Prince garnished with so many excellent gyftes of grace nature Fortune that he is in very dede therfore mooste worthely called the perfite mirroure pearle of all Christen Princes To wade here in the prayse of his princely qualities noble actes atchieâ—ed to Gods honoure and the publique weale of this realme is not my purpose for that I knowe it to be an enterpryse farre exceadyng the compasse of my symple learning and barrayne eloquence But onely to declare howe muche we are bounden chiefly vnto God and nexte vnto his moste excellent Maiestie that we haue the Scriptures in our mother toÌ„gue are cured of our olde blindnesse by the medicine of veritie For nowe hauing our spirituall iyes opened and daily receyuing into the same the cleare light of Gods worde we begyn to see perfectly to knowe our onely sauiour Iesus Christ whome to knowe is euerlasting lyfe and saluacioÌ„ But so longe as the saide Scriptures were hyd and kept from the knowledge of the people fewe knewe Christ aryght and none lesse then they who appeared to be the chiefe professours of christian religion For what els is it to knowe Christ but to knowe and confesse that of him onely and by hym cummeth oure saluacion that by hâ—moure good dedes are acceptable vnto almyghty God the father that by him the fathers wrathe is appeased that by him we be enfraunchised from the captiuitie and thraldome of the deuell and to be shorte that by hym we are adopted and chosen to be the children of God and enherytours of the kyngdome of heauen Whoso knoweth Christ aryght surely beleueth to attayne saluacioÌ„ by him onely who saythe Cum vnto me all ye that do trauaile and are charged and I shall refresh you The very office of Christ is to saue therfore he was called by the high wisdome of God Iesu that is as muche to say as a sauiour because so saythe the angell in Mathew he shall saue the people from their sinnes So that it appeareth hereby how greatly they are deceiued that thinke
blynde Myne opinion is that battaile for the moste part springeth of vayne wordes or titles as it were inuented to nourishe maÌ„s pryde vayne glory as who saie there were not ambicion ynoughe in the worlde vnlesse we fed maintened this naughtie vice with newly inuented titles the whiche vice of it owne propre nature groweth to fast in vs. These and suche other lyke rootes and chief causes of battaile beyng once cut awaye then should it be easie to coÌ„clude and establishe a peace among christian princes with such lawes and condicions that woulde neuer suffre suche ruffling businesse and hurly burly to begyn agayne By this meanes should the princes encrease in richesse now beeing common bytwene them by reasâ—n of amitie and frendship and the christian people should lyue in louely peace and tranquilitie vnder their moste wealthye princes So would the lorde Iesus that true king of the whole worlde be fauorable vnto vs and cause all thinges to prosper goe forwarde with vs. So should we be feared of the enemies of Christes religioÌ„ againste whom we haue much a do at this daye to defend our owne much lesse than are we able to discoumfite them and chase them away far from vs Albeit I had rather haue them refourmed of their misbeliefe then by force of armes chased away and put to flyght But howe is it possible for vs to reforme other yf our selues be I had almoste sayed worse and more vicious in our conuersacion then they are For I dooe not here esteme christian menne by the articles of the fayth whiche we professe with mouthe but by theyr maners and lyning Wheresoeuer ambicion couetousnes pryde wrathe reuengemente and a desyre to hurte reigneth there say I lacketh the faythe of the ghospell Nowe albeit this pestilence haue infected euen those vnto whose office it chiefly apperteined to see a remedy for the decay of christen religion yet haue I some good hope of reformacion because I see the bookes of holy scripture but specially of the newe testament so taken in hande and laboured of all men yea euen as much as of the ignoraunt and vnlettered sorte that many tymes suche as professe the perfyte knowledge of Goddes woorde are not able to matche them in reasonyng And that there be very many readers of the bookes of the newe testament this one thyng maketh me to beleue because notwithstanding the printers do yerely publishe and put forth so many thousande volumes yet all the bookesellers shoppes that be are not hable to suffice the gredâ—â—es of the byers For nowe a dayes is it well solde ware whatsoeuer a man attempteth vpon the ghospell This so strong a medicine once receiued and dronken canne not but worke and put forth his strength Wherfore me thynketh the worlde is in case lyke to a maÌ„nes body vexed with greuous diseases after it hath receyued an herbe called Ellebore or some other strong purgacion For then is it all together distempered and out of quyet and fareth as though it woulde yelde vp the ghoste And God sende grace that this euangelike Ellebore after it haue once searched and entred into all the veynes of our soule maye so come vp agayne that the sedes of vices beyng therby cast out and auoyded it maye restore vs made whole and purged of all our synnes vnto Iesu Christe and maye also after this greate rufflyng and almoste vncurable diseases of the worlde bryng agayne vnto all menne that ioyefull and muche desyred tranquilitie And verily I would hope better that the common prayers of all good men to that ende and purpose shoulde not be made in vaine if the chiefe estates of the worlde woulde lyke trustie and faythfull physycians do theyr endeuour to helpe the worlde in this euill case that is to saye yf the princes in whome it chiefly lyeth to rule the worlde as they wyll would call vnto theyr remembraunce that they shall shortlye for what thing is there in this present lyfe of any long continuaunce gyue an accoumpt vnto that moste soueraigne and high prince how they haue gouerned their dominions Agayne yf the bishoppes diuines and all ecclesiasticall persones woulde likewyse remember howe they haue not succeded in the places of Annas Caiphas or of the Scribes and Phariseis who whyles they wickedly defended theyr owne kyngdome wente about to oppresse the kyngdome of the ghospell whyles they vphelde and defended theyr owne glorye dyd theyr endeuour to bury and ouer whelme Christes glorye and finally whiles they laboured to approue theyr owne righteousnesse made God vnrighteous but rather in the place of the Apostles who had a pleasure euen with the leesyng of theyr owne bloude and liues to defende Christes kyngdome Christes glory and Christes righteousnes Christe hath once suffered once arysen agayne from death to lyfe and neuer wyll dye agayne But he suffereth thesame passion afreshe so oft as the truethe of the ghospell is condemned beaten spytte vpon crucified and buried To be short he reckeneth done vnto hymselfe whatsoeuer euell or displeasure is done vnto his membres Peraduenture moste Christian kyng I haue spokeÌ„ here more frankely and more at large then it became me to do howbeit the great loue I beare towarde your grace hath made me both lauishe of my woordes and also more bolde to vtter my minde vnto your highnesse I beyng a Christian man do wishe well vnto all Christian menne generally but yet haue I a certaine speciall loue and affeccion to the moste noble and florishyng realme of Fraunce I beseche Iesu thimmortall kyng of the whole worlde vnto whome the heauenly father hath geuen all power in heauen and in yearth to geue his holy spirite both to the people and also to the princes and rulers to the princes that they may haue grace happely to passe ouer theyr lyues in mutuall amytie and concorde vnder theyr common kyng and prince Iesu vnto the other that they maye lyue in reste and peace vnder their moste godly and wealthy princes and the ende of all to be this that christian vertue and godlinesse beyng well planted among vs maye be enlarged and spred abrode as muche as is possible to be not by inuadyng or wasting of others dominions or countreys for so our enemies become the porer but neuer the better and more godly but by preaching euery where the doctrine of the gospell syncerely and truely by theyr ministery that haue in them the spirite of the ghospell and by ordering our liues after suche sorte that verye many may be allured to professe our religion euen by the swete smell or sauour of our good lyuing So be ganne the christian empire so encreaced it so was it greatly enlarged so was it established and by the contrary we see how it is now almost at a point and come to nothing if we considre the greatnesse of the whole worlde Wherfore loke by what aydes it first beganne by what meanes it was encreaced and established by the same must we repaire it beyng decaied
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
vse not to lye it hath been reporâ—ed vnto me as well that Charles the Emperour in case any vacaÌ„t tyme of leysure maye in so great vnquietnesse and troubleous state of the worlde bee gotten doeth gladly bestowe thesame in readyng the ghospell boke as also the moste renoumed Prince Ferdinando brother to thesame Charles muche and often to haue in his handes the Paraphrase vpon the ghospell of Saincte Iohn whiche not very long agon I dedicated vnto hym yea and furthermore that the right noble kyng of Denmarke Christieâ—e which thing maye to your highnes also be well knowen hath bokes of christian religion often tymes in his handes and that he with greate desyrefulnesse vseth to reade my paraphrase vpon the ghospel of Matthew Why than shoulde the ghospel seme to be vnaptly sent vnto those whiche are handlers and louers of the ghospel whiche ghospell certes is to be had and vsed in the haÌ„des of all persones as many as remembre and thinke themselfes to be Christyans Nowe although after the rate of worldely dealyng suche a thyng is moste chiefely to bee geuen as the partie hath nede of to whom it is sent yet after the rule of the ghospell whoso hath already to hym muste nedes be geuen that he may haue plentie Wherfore me thought I should do but as myght best stande with congruence to sende this Euangelical physicion vnto your highnesse for asmuche as thesame is so farre from disdainyng holy scriptures that as your owne writinges dooe testifye ye haue aboue the meane rate profited in the same so that yf a man geue vnto your grace any thing to holy scripture apperteinyng he shall not seme so muche to geue a gifte as to make amendes and recompence for a pleasure receyued Moreouer if this be a thyng specially aboue others in all haste prouided for that in the kinges Emperours courtes there may from tyme to tyme be physicions ready and prest at hande beyng men exactly learned and of approued fidelitie to take charge that the princes be dye be preserued and kept in health howe muche more doeth it stande with congruence that Luke the physicion should there be reslaunte who doeth not with scammony or ellebour preserue the healthful state of the body but doth with an heauenly pocion deliuer the soule froÌ„ diseases that violently hale men to death euerlastyng that is to were that vnknowyng of the truthe mistrustfulnesse vnbelefe towardes God the loue of this worlde ambicion auarice riottous excesse hatred enuye and suche others For these diseases is all the life of mortall men subiect vnto dayly in daunger of falling into them as Iohn thapostle sayeth where he bewayleth that all the whole worlde is set in naughtinesse neyther any thing els to reigne therin but coÌ„cupiscence of the flesh concupiscence of the iyes pryde of the lyfe And in so muche the more peril and hasard of the said diseases do the princes stand as they are more then others made wantons derelynges of fortune and haue lybertie withoute checke or controllemente to fullfyll their owne sensuall lustes and appetites But nowe me seemeth I shall not spende my labour in vayne but to good purpose if I shal in a fewe wordes commend and sette Foorth vnto your highnesse first Luke himself being the physicioÌ„ and then the pocioÌ„ or medicine that he bringeth with hym albeit I put no doubtes but that as well the one as the other is already as in dede they ought to be vnto your godly ze'e and deuocion in most best wyse accepted Forsoth this same is that excellent man Luke an Antiochian by the couÌ„trey nacion that he was borne in And Antioche is a citie whiche was in old tyme of so great fame and power that so muche parte of al the countrey of Syria as reacheth vnto Cicilie butteth vpoÌ„ it had the name geuen it thereof And the sayed Antioche was in this behalf more happie and fortunate then verye Rome it self that Peter the apostle had his first see here in this citie of Antioche and that Paule and Barnabas dyd in the same citie receiue their dignitie of the charge and funccioÌ„ Apostolical Now to our present purpose this Luke was of familiar acquaintaunce and comiersacion with all the Apostles but most specially a folower and disciple of Paule and also a companion of his in all his peregrinacioÌ„ neuer separated nor deuided from his coumpany By linyng in coumpany with the Apostles he wrote his ghospell and by the thynges whiche Paule wrought and did Luke beyng a presente witnesse of theim he wrote the booke whiche he entytled the actes of the apostles And that hystorie of the Actes he continued vntill the second yere of Paul abydyng at Rome that is to say vntill the fowerth yere of Nero the Emperour there Wherof men gather a consecture that the boke was writteÌ„ in the same citie and fully agreed it is amonge the learned men that this same verye Luke it is of whom Paul the Apostle doeth so often tymes make mencion as for eâ—aumple in his second epistle to the Corinthians where he thus saith We haue seÌ„t with him our brother whose lande is in the gospel throughout all the congregacions Again where he writeth to the CollosstaÌ„s he sayth dere Lukes the physicion greteth you And agayne in the secound epystle to Timothe For Demas hath forsaken me louing this preseÌ„t world is departed vnto Thessalonica Crescens is gone into Galacia Titus into Dalmacia onely Lukas is with me Yea and this point moreouer is leaft to vs by auncyent writers that as often as Paul calleth it by the name of his gospell as he doeth to Timothe where he saieth Remembre that Iesus Christ of the seede of Dauid arose again from death accordyng to my gospell c. he â—â—neth of the ghospel of Luke because that like as Marke wrote the history of the gospell at Peters woorde by his settying on so dyd Luke at the word and biddyng of Paule Hierome is of the opinion and iudgement that Luke was more expert in the greke tongue then the other were and by reasoasoÌ„ therof wrote the discourse and processe of the story after a more eâ—act and gromidely sortâ— then the others dyd that is to were takyng his entraunce at the first concepcion of Iohn the Baptist and makyng relacion of verye muche maâ—ter touchyng the natiuitie and concernyng the babehoode â—ea and certayne poyntes furthermore concernyng the childhood of Iesus making also rehersall of many parables and miracles whiche the other euaÌ„gelistes for loue of briefnes had let passe he any thing spoken of And where â—s not one of all the others went any whâ—t ferther then the tyme of the Lorde Iesus beyng assumpted into heauen this man alone did in an other seconde boke make a further continuacioÌ„ of the story concerning the churche howe it first sprang vp and how it grewe more and more to sprede and shew it self Thus muche moreouer the wryters affyrme
owe styll vnpayed but also doe by playne extorcion pull froÌ„ poore house handmen that that is no duetie at all and so vnder the name and colour of warre they thynke nothyng what euer it bee vnlawfull for theÌ„ to do wheras in very dede there is a due lawe of armes seruing for battail and warre which in dede is not vtterly to be disallowed in case it be atteÌ„pted for a iust and a rightful cause that is to saye if it be made for the defence maynteinaunce of the publique traÌ„quillitie of a realme and countrey yf the case so stand that it cannot be auoyded yf it bee enterprysed by godly Prynces yf with the consent of them for whose behofe it is expedient or necessary that the warre should be made yf it haue been denounced or proclaymed with all rytes and circumstâ—unces accordyng to the lawe of armes yf iustice and moderacion be vsed in it that is to say if warre be so kept with asmuche sparyng of bloudshed as possibly may be if as fewe be loste as may be especially of them that neuer gaue any cause to the warre if the vnaduysed witfulnes and hastines of the souldiers be brideled by the captains if there be no buckling together of the two armies sauing only by such souldiers and meÌ„ of armes as haue geuen their othe afore to do as they ought to do and neue otherwise nor without a signe to bâ—e geuen by commaundement of the capytayne whan they shall buccle together in fight if euery body immediately hold theyr haÌ„des from fightyng â–ª assone as euer the truÌ„peâ—tes haue once blowen retraicte if also as soone as it possibly maie the warre be ended and so breake vp Unto this sorte of men therfore dooeth Iohn nothyng but shewe what their accustomed vse is to do and what thing from hensforth they ought to eschew if they mynde to escape the vengeaunce of God Stryke ne beate ye no manne saieth he accuse no manne falsely for lucres sake but bee ye contented with your ordinarie wages that is allowed you As the people were in a doubte and all men mused in their hartes of Iohn whether he were very Christ Iohn answered and said vnto them all I baptise you with water but one stroÌ„ger then I shall cum after me whosâ— shoe latchet I am not worthy to vnlooce He shall baptise you with the holy ghost and with fier Whiche hath his fanne in his hand and he will pourge his floore and gather the corne into his barne but the chaffe wil he burne with fier that neuer shal be quenched and many other thinges in his exhortacion preached he vnto the people And with suche great authoritie were the premisses handled and doen by Iohn that the people begoonne halfe to bee in opinion that himself was the very Messias of whose cummyng he preached vnto theÌ„ And this did a great many of theym with secrete thynkynge caste in theyr hertes though Iohn on his own behalfe by reason of his singular humilitie of hert did as much as he could to hide his owne greatnesse For this is the lyght and cockebrained fashion of the common multitude that suche persones as they haue a speciall mynde and regarde vnto they sette more pryce by then there is cause or reason why and suche as they beare hatred agaynst suche do they mooste slaunderously report finding fault with all thinges in theÌ„ But this earnest good fauour and opinion of the people did well declare verye perfite humilitie in this most holy man who was so ferre from taking vnto him the aduauntage of an other maÌ„s praise that he stoutely refused the same beeyng geuen vnto him of the peoples own voluntary offre And the wrong opinioÌ„ that the people wer in did muche good for this one pointe that the dignitie and worthynes of Christ being as yet knoweÌ„ but to a few was there alowed with a substanciall and an open testimonie in the face of the worlde For Iohn assone as he by inspiracioÌ„ of the holy ghost wel perceiued the secrete thoughtes of the people he spake in this maner Sirs sayth he ye do esteme me by outward thinges that may be seen as for exaÌ„ple by the meat that ye se me eate by my wede by this that I do minister baptisme vnto you but the thynges that be not seen are a great deale more effectuall euen after the same rate as in a man the vertue of the minde whiche is not seene is of muche more dignitie and worthinesse then the power of the body whiche is seen with mens iyes I on my behalfe thoughe I do baptise you with water yet am I no remitter of sinnes I am no more but a preparer of you to a baptisme of more efficacie and vertue which ye shall receiue at the handes of him whose cumming I preache vnto you being as in dede I am sum what his elder in time and suÌ„what afore him in ordre and course of preaching but in power a great way inferiour vnto him For he that cummeth after me is so ferre better theÌ„ I that I whom ye all beleue to be sum great hygh manne of price am vnworthy to vnbuccle the larchet of his shooes And I am his seruauÌ„t not his felow I am a foregoer vnto him but euen of muche like rate as the day sterre goeth before the sunne and shal anon after be darkened and drouned with the greater light of the sunne when it cuÌ„meth And eueÌ„ very this that I haue I haue of his bounteous goodnesse My doctrine is but very washe yf it bee compared vnto his doctrine my baptisme is of no vertue yf it be set by his baptisme For he because he is cum from heauen wyll teache heauenly thynges I beyng but an yearthly creature dooe speake yearthly thinges and lowe matiers I diepe your bodies in water but he shal diepe your soules baptise you with the holy ghost and with fyer And loke how muche the spirite is of more strength to â—â—tre and to perce then is water loke how muche the fier is of more strengthe and effecte then is water of so muche more power shal his baptisme bee then mine is hytherto hath it been vnknowen who were the true folowers of godlynes An easye thyng it is to bee washed with water a light matter it is to kyll a beaste in sacrifice an easye poynte it is to forbeare eatyng of swynes fleshe But now dooeth suche doctrine cum to light suche tymes doe approche euen here at hand that they can no longer be vnknowen who bee good folkes in very dede and who bee otherwise For he will cum to do thé thing that he hath so oftentimes thretened in the prophetes which is by a precise streight iudgement to disclose a perfite difference betwene the godly and the wicked For he wyll haue in his hande a fanne for vnto this man is geuen all power in heauen and on yearth and with his fanne whiche no man shall bee able to
al to crusshed if it stumble on thys stone And certes stumble he dooeth at hym whosoeuer resisteth hym and casteth hym of Nowe on the other syde drieuen to ponder shall that persone bee on whome that stone shall lyghte in hys fallyng And certes on suche doeth it lyghte whome after they haue bene a great long time suffred the stroke of God at laste falleth sodaynlye vpon ere they bee aware or thinke on it For one and the same stone is lyfe to those that reste thereon and damnacion to suche as are enemyes vnto it These parables of the Lordes declaring sette the heartes of the headmen of the priestes and of the Scribes in suche an eagre rage that they were mynded euen there presentelye to haue layed handes on hym but the drede of the people dyd at that tyme streygne them from that wieked vilannie emong whome they sawe Iesus to be had in veray great pryce For knowing themselues naughte in theyr owne conscience they had smelled the parable whiche was tolde to touche and hitte them as righte as anye thyng and yet had the parable bene tolde to suche intente as they might by the vnderstanding therof be called backe agayne from theyr moste deiulishe purpose whiche they had entended But nowe are they made the more crabbed and fierce vnto dooing of mischiefe by the selfesame thyng where by they ought to haue bene clene discouraged and drieuen from theyr malice ¶ And they watched him and sent furth spyes which should fayne themselues righteous men to take him in hys woordes and to delyuer hym vnto the power autoritie of the deputie And they asked him saying Maister we knowe that thou sayest and teachest right neither considerest thou the outward apperaunce of any man but teachest the way of God truely Is it lawful for vs to geue tribute vnto Ceasar or no He perceiued their craftinesse sayde vnto them why tempte ye me Shewe me a penye Whose image and superscripcion hath it They aunswered and saide Ceasars And he sayde vnto them geue than vnto Ceasar the thynges whiche belong vnto Ceasar and to God the thynges that perteine vnto God And they coulde not reproue his saying beefore the people and they meruayled at his aunswere and helde theyr peace Therfore beeing nowe departed by reason of standing in dreade of the people from dooing the hainous acte in the open face of the worlde whiche in their eiuill heartes they had already dooen after they had once so determined they goe about the bringing of it to effect by priuie traines of vndermyning him beyng euen somuche the more vngracious that they ioyne fraude vnto their malice lyke as a more mischieuous creature is he that sleagheth prieuely with poyson then one that killeth with a sweorde Now heare thou o Theophilus the wiles traynes of the wicked priestes whose desire was for thys cause to haue Iesus for euer destruied that is to saye to haue the trueth euangelicall vtterly oppressed because that by the same veritie of the gospell was taken awaye from theim the farming of the vineyarde the propre owning and possession wherof they had promised vnto themselues bothe perpetual foreuer also to come to them by title succession of enheritaunce They hide their angre shewing no manier countenaunce therof and watche all occasions possible to put him to deathe They colourably sende forth certain counterfeict persons who shoulde feigne theimselfes to be iust righteous afore God nothing is there in the worlde more pestilent or deadly then is counterfeict righteousnesse to the ende they shoulde out of hys woordes hunt out one poinct or other wherof he might be detected before the Emperour of Romes deputies before the lieutenaunt Pilate who at that present season was the hygh rewier in Iewry in Ceasars behalfe and thys dyd they to th entent and purpose that all the grutche and querele of thys facte myghte bee layed ouer from themselues to the others as though he had beene putte to death by the sentence and iudgemente of Ceasars officers and that they on theyr parties as men vnculpable mighte appere to haue kept theyr handes from effusion of bloude But the more they goe about by worldelye subtiltie to hyde it so muche doe they more and more notoriously bewray theyr incomparable malice The sayde disguisyng maskyng esquiers therefore of the bysshops dooe set vpon Iesus assayle hym with suche kinde of wordes as here ensue Maister we haue throughlye seene thy perfecte vpryghtenesse thou tellest thy mynde playnely without any feare or dissimulacyon and teachest euery thyng after the righte sorte neyther is there with thee any suche respecte or accepcion of persones that thou wilte tell me a lye for the fauoure of any man bee he of neuer so muche power and autoritie but thou hast euermore onelye God and none elles beefore thyne iyes What is acceptable to hym and standing with hys pleasure the same dooest thou playnely and without any feare teache Teil thou vnto vs therefore what thy veray opinyon and mynde is in a mattier about whiche there is muche controuersie and variaunce emong no smalle noumber of vs whether is it a thyng standyng with goddes pleasure and contentacion that we geue tribute vnto Ceasar or is it not Iesus than who had a perfeict vnderstanding of these smoothe and swete hony woordes mening fraude and deceipte towardes hym and knowyng veraye well to what ende thys snareful bayted question was ment whiche was that in case he had aunswered according as theyr veray hope was he woulde that it were not standing with Goddes contentacyon that a people beeyng consecrated vnto God shoulde bee in subieccyon and shoulde paye tribute to an vngodlye prynce and an ydolatre whiche opinyon the Pharises allowed though they durste not openlye speake it they woulde eftesones haue procured and addressed out some counterfeicte persones whiche shoulde haue detected him of highe treason beefore Pilate beeyng the emperours lieutenaunte he dyd by euangelycall policye in suche wyse defeate theyr maliciouse deceiptefulnesse that he dyd bothe take awaye from them the occasyon whiche was soughte to doe him harme and also put them in remembraunce what their duetie was to doe whiche thyng vndoubtedly no man shoulde leaue vndoen without assured peril ieopardye of his life For Christ was not come for any such purpose as to teache howe much was to be payed vnto Emperoures or to Emperoures deputies but what was due of the spirituall substaunce to bee payed vnto god who is the Lorde of all thynges Why come ye to tempt me sayeth he ▪ Shewe me a piece of your syluer coyne For he knoweth not the image of Ceasar forasmuche as he had nothyng in earthe Whan the piece of coyne was shewed hym in hys hande he demaunded whose phisyonomye it was and whose tytle or poysee was written about it For thys is a thing too that a true Christian dooeth not knowe But they who knewe it that is men wedded to the