Division "BS 140 / NEW TESTAMENT " LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST: PUBLISHED IN 152 6. BEING THE FIRST TRANSLATION FROM THE GREEK INTO ENGLISH, BY THAT EMINENT SCHOLAR AND MARTYR, WILLIAM TYNDALE. nEPRiNTED verbatim: WITH A MEMOIR OF HIS LIFE AND WRITINGS, BY GEORGE OFFOR. TOGETHER WITH THE PROCEEDINGS AND CORRESPONDENCE OF HENRY VHI., SIR T. MORE, AND LORD CROMWELL. LONDON: SAMUEL BAGSTER, 15, PATERNOSTER ROW : AT THE WAKKIIOUSE FOR nilll.P.S, NEW TESTAMENTS, I'RAYER BOOKS, PSALTERS, AND CONCORDANCES, IN ANCIENT AND MODERN LANULAGES. rioAXai fifv BmiToit rXtoTjai, fiia i'AOavaTuiaiv. — Multa? tcrricolis lingllsc, Cffilcstibus una. M DC C C XXX V I. LONDON : STEVENS AND PARDON, PRINTERS, 37, Bell Yard, Temple Bar. ADVERTISEMENT. Rich as the literature of this country is in biography, the memory of Tyndale has hitherto been singularly neglected : In vain we search in abbeys or cathedrals, among the monuments of departed worth, for any memorial of the martyred Tyndale, Yet to him are we indebted for the first translation of the New Testament into our vernacular tongue ; and his labours laid the basis of that authorised version, which has exerted so powerful and hallowed an influence upon the British nation, and upon English literature, and even upon the forms of the language itself. His life forms an important era in our national religious history ; and as long as the English tongue is spoken his memory will be imperishable. The present sketch of the life of this great man, is chiefly compiled from materials in the writer's possession, which he has been gradually accumulating for many years, with a view to the preparation of a bibliographical history of our religious literature, previous to the introduction and general circulation of the English Scriptures, including an account of the first printed versions in their successive editions. Should this essay be favourably received, it will afford encouragement to the writer to prosecute his researches, and to collect such further materials as may be still extant in Flanders and Ger- many, for a complete memoir of Tyndale and his illustrious colleagues. To To His Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury, to the Lord Bishop of London, to the Lord Bishop of Llandaff, Dean of St. Paul's, and the Gentlemen of the Chapter, the writer begs leave to express his deep sense of grateful obligation for the very kind manner in which they opened to his researches the libraries of Lambeth Palace, and St. Paul's Cathedral, and the archives of Canterbury and London. He is greatly indebted also to the polite and friendly communications afforded by the Rev. R. H. Barham, of St. Paul's, and to two descendants from the illustrious martyr, the Rev. J. G. Tyndale, rector of Holton, Oxfordshire, and J. Roberts, Esq., Temple, to whom he re- turns his warmest thanks. Not only the warmest thanks of the publisher of this volume, but those of the religious public, are due to the Trustees of the Baptist College at Bristol for the liberality and readiness with which they granted the loan of the unique and precious copy of Tyndale's New Testament, of which the present edition is an exact reprint, except that the Roman letter has been employed with a view to render it more generally useful. The wood-cuts and ornamental letters have been carefully copied from the original volume. Should this re-publication of a work so interesting to the biblical scholar, and so highly deserving, from its intrinsic value, of a place in every library, meet with the success which is con- fidently anticipated, it will be followed with a reprint of the first English version of the entire Bible, by Bishop Coverdale,* to whom, next to Tyndale, England is under the deepest obligations for her most precious treasure — the words of God in the language of the people. * This reprint will be from a copy lent for the purpose to the Publisher by the illustrious and gracious Prince His Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex, and subscribers' names may be enrolled at every respectable Bookseller's as well as at Mr. Bagster's, Paternoster Row. MEMOIR WILLIAM TYNDALE, WHO FIRST PRINTED THE NEW TESTAMENT IN ENGLISH, 1525 ; AND WAS MARTYRED AT VILVOORD, NEAR BRUSSELS. SEPTEMBER, 1536. [B] /2\K(I^0@[^Q/^[L [ii/^[^a[F^©^ [6)1 TY[ PEDIGREE OF WILLIAM TYNDALE THE MARTYR AS PRESERVED BY ONE BRANCH OP THE FAMILY, COMMUNICATED BY J. ROBERTS, ESQ. Hufih, Baron de Tyndale, of Langley Castle, Northumberland, escaped from the fielcl of battle when the Yorkists were overcome by the Lan- castrians ; lost his title and estate ; he took refuge in Gloucestershire, under the assumed name of llutchins. — ^Alicia, daughter and sole heiress of Hunt, of Hunt's Court at Nib- ley, in Gloucestershire. John Tyndale, otherwise called Hutchins, of Hunt's — . Court at Nibley, Gloucestershire. »-nda John Tyndale, otherwise William Tyndale, otherwise Thomas Tyndale, whose Hutchins, an eminent mer- Hutchins, strangled and descendant, Lydia Tyndale, chantof London, persecuted burnt at Vilvoorde, near married the celebrated by Bishop Stokesly. Brussels, September, 1536. Quaker, honest John Ro- berts, of Lower Sidilington, near Cirencester. MEMOIR QF WILLIAM TYNDALE, ' Though I am olde, clothed in barbarous wede Nothynge garnysshed with gaye eloquenc}-, Yet I tell the trouth, yf je lyst to take hede Agaynsttheyrfrowarde, furious frenesy Which recken it for a great heresy, And vnto laye people greuous outrage, To haue goddes worde in their natyfe langage." TYNriAI.F'S COMPENDIOIS OlDE TREATISE. CHAPTER I. ERA IN WHICH HE LIVED DESCENT BIRTH EDUCATION ORDINA- TION TAKES THE VOWS AT GREENWICH TRANSLATES PORTIONS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. L HERE is no period of British history more deeply interesting than the reign of Henry the Eighth. Nor is there any historical event upon record, calculated to excite our feeUngs so intensely as the first publication of the Sacred Scriptures in the English language ; which took place during that extraordinary era. Portions of the holy oracles in manuscript, veiled with glosses, had been permitted by the Romish Church to be read in Enghsh; but this was under restrictions which nearly amounted to a pro- hibition, except to a favoured few of the nobility and clergy ; so B 2 4 IMnnoiv of that, instead of a free and honest circulation of divine truth, like the water of hfe, flowing to invigorate the virtues, and amehorate the sorrows of the people, such selections, glossed and limited, produced a niggard stream, and that basely polluted. The struggle to throw off the unholy domination of the Romish church over conscience, which commenced with the origin of papal usurpation, had, in later years, become strong and determined. The language of Milton, when alluding to this epoch, is peculiarly impressive: " When I recall to mind, at last, after so many dark ages, wherein the huge overshadow- ing train of error had almost swept all the stars out of the firma- ment of the church ; how the bright and blissful Reformation, by divine power, struck through the black and settled night of ignorance and anti-christian tyranny ; methinks a sovereign and reviving joy must needs rush into the bosom of him who reads or hears, and the sweet odour of the returning Gospel, imbathe his soul with the fragrancy of heaven. Then was the sacred Bible sought out of the dusty corners, where profane falsehood and neglect had thrown it ; the schools opened ; divine and human learning raked out of the embers of forgotten tongues ; the princes and cities trooping apace to the new erected banner of salvation ; the martyrs with the unresistible might of weak- ness, shaking the powers of darkness, and scorning the fiery rage of the old red dragon."* The overbearing pride and pomp of the prelates, and the open debaucheries of the monks, hastened their downfall. So notorious was this, that when Tyn- dale pressed upon Sir Thomas More the wretched immorality of the Pope and clergy, while it excited his anger, the only reply he made was: "Our mater is not of the lyuynge but of the doctryne."t In addition to the influence of this profaneness upon public opinion, the seed sown by Richard of Hampole,| * On the Reformation in England, B. I. + Confutacyon of Tyndale, Vol. 11. p. 364. 1 1 possess a beautiful English manuscript on vellum of Hampole's translation of the Epistles and Gospels, with a comment; and although it abounds with scholastic sophistries and " old wives' fables," it exhibits occasionally some bright rays of Gospel light. TOtlliam Cj)ntJaIf. 5 and Wickliffe, in their attempts to circulate scriptural knowledge, was secretly producing a rich harvest, and the effects extended to every class of society. In vain were promulgated canons, acts, and proclamations, to limit or stay the progress of inquiries after present happiness and that all important object, future fehcity. Absurd and des- potic laws to chain the mind and enslave the conscience, although accompanied with an awfsl train of terrors, tortures, and death, appeared to excite, instead of repressing, the spirit of free and serious inquiry. Conscience, pressing upon the mind a solemn sense of per- sonal obligation to answer for our faith and conduct, how feebly soever enlightened, can never be extinguished by human power. The burning of a martyr, known to have been a good and a godly man, excited among the spectators of those horrors, the inquiry. Can Christianity sanction such cruelties ? while the avidity with which the translations of the New Testament were destroyed, led the populace to believe that the Church of Rome was opposed to the Gospel, and was endeavouring to conceal those sacred truths in a language known only to some of the pre- lates and monks. . They were sufficiently enlightened to see that the influence of the moral and spiritual sun was obscured from them, instead of shining forth in its splendour, equally to guide and comfort man, whether the inhabitant of a palace, of a cloister, or of a cottage. A general discontent prevailed in England against a pompous cardinal and a corrupt clergy, when Luther, supported by some of the German princes, boldly threw off his allegiance to the Pope; and, by the publication of the Bible in German, laid the basis of that immortal structure, the Protestant Reformation. The cause of truth spread with rapidity. In January, 1525, the aged Le Fevre printed the New Testament in French. And, about the same time, William Tyndale, a man whose memory will ever be dear to the British Christian, prepared to publish a translation of the Sacred Scriptures in his vernacular language, an object which had occupied his mind with intense anxiety for many years. 6 IHmtoir of This apostolic man was descended of an ancient and honour- able family, who for several centuries were settled on the banks of the Tyne, in Northumberland. His ancestors were the Barons de Tynedale, whose seat was Langley Castle, a small but strong fortress, the ruins of which have resisted the ravages of time : they are beautifully situated on a rising ground in Tyndale.* During those intestine commotions which desolated this country, the wars between the rival houses of York and Lan- caster, Hugh Baron de Tyndale joined the weaker party, and escaping from the field of battle, fled for refuge into Gloucester- shire, under the assumed name of Hytchins. Thus stripped of his honours, possessions, and even of his name : the distressed fugitive could not have conceived that these troubles would lead him to an aUiance, the issue of which was destined to im- mortalize the name that he had concealed, and engrave it upon our memories as one of the most illustrious of all the noble names which have so richly adorned our nation. The concealed Baron married Alicia, daughter and sole heiress of Hunt, Esq., of Hunt's Court, Nibley, Gloucestershire, This property descended to John Tyndale, alias Hytchins, his son and heir ;t who had three sons ; John who became a distinguished merchant in London, Thomas, | and William, the subject of this memoir. Several branches of the family were honoured with knighthood : Sir John Tyndale attended at the coronation of Queen Ann Boleyn, as a Knight of the Bath, * Thomas Tj-ndale, writing to his cousin, February 3, 1663, gives this account of his family : — " I have heretofore heard that the first of your familie came out of the north, in the times of the wars between the houses of York and Lancaster, at what time many of good sort (their side going down) did fly for refuge and succor where they could find it. That it was your predecessor his fortune to come into Glocester- shire, changing his name to that of Huchins, and that afterwards he married there, and so having children, he did before his death declare his right name, and from whence, and upon what subject he came thither, and so taking his own name, did leave it unto his children." — Rudder's Gloucestershire, p. 757. + MSS. and Pedigree iu possession of J. Roberts, Esq., Temple. See an extract placed before p. 1 of this Memoir.— Rudder's Gloucestershire, p. 7.")7. t One of his descendants, Lydia, married John Roberts, of Siddington near Cirencester in 1646 ; a man of distinguished piety, and the head, in those parts, of the Quakers, who, with his son, suffered severe persecution for his conscientious adhe- rence to tliose religious principles. An interesting memoir of this is published by the Society of Friends. OTilltflm Ci)ut(alf. 7 William Tyndale was born at Hunt's Court,* about the year 1477. At a very early age, he became a diligent student in the University of Oxford, having been instructed from a child in grammar, logic, and philosophy :f he continued there until his proficiency in the Greek and Latin languages enabled him to read the New Testament to his fellow students in St. Mary Magdalen Hall, and to those of Magdalen College.! Oxford was, at this time, the most celebrated seat of learning in the world. Erasmus, who was a student in St. Mary's, thus writes to a friend in Italy : — " Here I have met with humanity, pohteness, learning not trite and superficial, but deep, accurate, true old Greek and Latin learning, and withal so much of it, that, but for mere curiosity, I have no occasion to visit Italy : in Grocyn I admire an universal compass of learning; Linacre's acuteness, depth, and accuracy are not to be exceeded." Here Tyndale took his degrees, upon which, by indefatigable study, he acquired and laid a solid foundation — that pi'ofound knowledge of the learned languages, which so highly distinguished and so eminently qualified him for his important biblical translation. The honour of preparing this singularly gifted man for his great work was not hmited to Oxford. Dissatisfied with his attainments in literature, he entered as a student in the University of Cambridge, and became there " well ripened in God's word." His memory sheds an equal lustre on both those ancient seats of learning, in the latter of which, it is said, that he also took a degree. It was here he formed a friendship, uninterrupted until death, with John Frith, a student much younger than himself, but of extraordinary attainments and deep piety, a determined reformer, and in man- ners most amiable and unassuming. Both were ahke eminent for an unspotted life and virtuous disposition. The ordination of William Tyndale took place at the conventual church of the priory of St. Bartholomew in Smithfield, on the eleventh day of March, 1502, by Thomas, suffragan Bishop of Pavaden, by authority of William Warham, Bishop of London, and was ordained priest to * Atkin's Gloucestershire, p. 304. T Wood's " AthensE Oxoii." + The painting from whicli the portrait is engraved, is preserved in Magdalen Hall. 8 IMmtoir of the nunnery of Lambley, in the diocese of Cariisle. He took the vows, and became a friar in the monastery at Greenwich in 1508. We are indebted to the Rev. R. H. Barham, of St. Paul's, for the discovery of a memorandum in Latin, peculiarly interesting in tracing the history of Tyndale. It is on the title-page of the " Sermones de Herolt," a small folio, printed in the year 1495, in the Cathedral Library : " Charitably pray for the soul of John Tyndale, who gave this book to the monastery of Greenwich of the observance of the minor brothers, on the day that brother WiUiam, his son, made his profession, in the year 1508." This accounts for an observation in the preface to his " Para- ble of the Wicked Mammon, May, 1528 :" " A year before came one Jerome a brother of Greenwich also, through Worms to Argentine, saying that he intended to get his living with his hands, and to live no longer idly, and of the sweat and labour of those captives which they had taught not to beheve in Christ, but in cut shoes and russet coats." For some years previous to his taking the vows, Tyndale had not only read the holy oracles to his fellow students, but had commenced that work which appears to have been throughout his life an object of the most anxious solicitude, by translating portions of the New Testament into English. The original autograph of these translations,* now in my possession, is in quarto, the margins ornamented with borders, and every portion accompanied with an appropriate drawing in imitation of some ancient missal. In many places he has written his initials W. T., and on two of the ornamental pillars he has placed the date : on the capital of one is inscribed "Time Trieth, 1502;" and on another, simply the date, " 1502." The version in this selec- tion of Scriptures nearly agrees with his first printed edition. It is a striking proof of his early proficiency, his extraordinary knowledge of the Greek language, and his extreme care and indefatigable research, that many whole paragraphs agree ex- actly with the translation now in use. Notwithstanding his amiable temper, he had become even then an object of persecu- * Tliis valuable MS. came into my liands from the library of that eminent antiquary, the Rev. H. "White, of Lichfield Cathedral. Milliam ContJale. 9 tion. He has interwoven this prayer in one of his drawings, cherubs holding the scroll on which it is written : " Defend ME, O Lord, from all them that hait me. W. T." The first of these sections is here copied literally, to show his singular proficiency as a translator, twenty-three years prior to his venturing to publish the New Testament. It is the latter part of the seventh chapter of Luke. " And one of the Pharises desired him that he wolde eate withe him. And he wente into the Pharises house ; and sat downe to meate. And beholde a woman in that cytie (whiche was a sinner) as sone as she knewe that Jesus sat at meate in the Pharases house, she brought an alblaster boxe of oyntment, and stoode at his fete behynde hym wepynge: and began to wasshe his fete withe teares, and dyd wype them withe the heeres of her heade : an kissed his fete, and anoynted them withe the oyntment. When the Pharise whiche had bydden him, sawe, he spake within himselfe, saynge, yf this man were a pro- phet, he wolde surely knowe who, and what maner of woman this is that touched him; for she is a sinner. And Jesus answered, an saide vnto him : Simon, I haue somwhat to saye vnto the. And he saide. Master, say on. There was a certene lender, whiche had two debters, the one oughte fyue hundreth pence, and the other fiftye. When they had nothynge to pay, he forgaue them bothe. Tell me therfore ; whiche of them will loue him moste : Simon answered and sayde, I suppose that he to whom he forgaue moste : And he saide vnto him : Thou haiste truly iudged. And he turned to the woman, and sayde vnto Symon. Seest thou this woman : I entred in to thyne house, thou gauest me no water for my fete, but she hath wasshed my fete withe teares, and wyped them with the heares of her heade. Thou gauiste me no kysse : but she sence y^ tyme I cam in, haith not ceaced to kysse my fete. Myne heade with oyle, thou diddest not anoynte : but she hathe anoynted my fete with oyntment : Wherfore I say vnto the : many sinnes ar forgyuen her, for she loued much. To whom lesse isforgiuen, the same dothe less loue. And he said vnto her, thy synnes ar for gyuen the : And they that sat at meate with hym be gan to say with in them selues, who ys this whiche forgeueth synnes : and he said vnto the woman : thy faithe haith saued the : Go in jjeace. 10 Mmoit of CHAPTER ir. " Though threateuing clanger lin'd Each word he spoke, yet would he speake his mind." RETURNS TO HIS NATIVE COUNTY AS TUTOR IN A KNIGHT'S FAMILY BECOMES AN OBJECT OF PERSECUTION COMES TO LONDON IS A POPULAR PREACHER. When Luther's intrepid defiance of the Pope had rendered him an object of universal conversation, Tyndale, having returned to his native county, was engaged as tutor and chaplain to the family of Sir John Welch, a knight of Gloucestershire, and a hos- pitable gentleman, who, keeping a good table, frequently enjoyed the company of the neighbouring prelates and clergy. With these visiters, his chaplain occasionally entered into controversy on the Lutheran opinions, and, grieved at the ignorance of the Roman Catholic teachers, warmly advocated the reading of the New Testament. This, as Fuller wittily says, led them to prefer the giving up Squire Welch's good cheer, rather than to have the sour sauce of Master Tyndale's company. The Squire's lady, who was a sensible woman, felt hurt when she saw these great men, whom she had been brought up to venerate, overcome in religious disputation, and asked Sir William Tyndale* whether it was likely that she could prefer his judgment to that of such wealthy prelates. To this he thought proper not to reply, lest it should excite her temper, which he saw to be ruffled. But soon after, he translated Erasmus's " Enchiridion," and dedicated the manuscript to Sir John and his lady. They read it attentively, and became convinced of the spirituality of a Christian profes- * The title given at that time to all priests : after the Reformation it gradually gave place to the title of Reverend. Mtlliam CpntJale. 11 sion ; and thus Tyndale secured their high esteem and friendship. The beneficed clergy soon displayed their bitter hostility, and he was cited to appear before the ordinary. In his way thither, he spent the time in fervent prayer : the great object of his supph- cations was, that his heavenly Father would strengthen him, at all hazards, to stand firmly for the truth of his word. On his arrival, he found a numerous assemblage of his persecutors ; but either for fear of offending the hospitable knight, or by the secret providence of God, their mouths were shut, and nothing was laid to his charge. The ordinary, however, " rated him like a dog." The persecuted Teacher, soon after this, consulted an old doc- tor, who had been chancellor to a bishop : he privately told him, that, in his opinion, the Pope was antichrist, but advised him by no means to avow any sentiment of the kind, as it would be at the peril of his life. Tyndale, however, soon proved himself incapable of concealment ; for being in company with a popish divine, he argued so conclusively in favour of a vernacular translation of the Bible, that the divine, unable to answer him, exclaimed, " We had better be without God's laws than the Pope's." This fired the spirit of Tyndale; and, with holy indignation, he rephed : " I defy the Pope and all his laws ; and, if God give me hfe, ere many years the ploughboys shall know more of the Scriptures than you do :" a pledge which he amply redeemed by not only publishing the New Testament in English, adapted to the most refined society, but also in the orthography of the country people and ploughboys. He now became so " turmoiled" in the country, that he could no longer dwell there without imminent danger both to himself and to his worthy friends : in consequence of this, he left Gloucester- shire, and preached frequently at Bristol, in London, and other places, to crowded congregations. He still continued his con- nexion with the Romish church, endeavouring in his sermons to win souls to Christ, while he avoided persecution by refraining from hard names, and from the pointed introduction of controversial to- pics. In this policy a naturally amiable temper must have greatly assisted him. His position was one of peculiar difficulty and 12 IWemoir of danger, and it required great talent to guide his course. Skil- fully upholding the ark, he did not attempt to pull down the Dagon of his day ; but error fell before truth, as Dagon fell before the ark of the Israelites at Ashdod. A circumstance which took place at this time, shows the con- duct of Tyndale to have teen that of a man without guile, who judged of others by the measure of his own goodness. Erasmus had courteously commended Tonstall, then Bishop of London, as a patron of learning ; and Tyndale was led to hope that a chap- laincy in his house woidd enable him, without molestation, to proceed in his great work of translating the Bible into English. He obtained from Sir John Welch an introduction to Sir H. Guildford, who recommended him to the Bishop. To secure his object, he translated one of Isocrates' Orations; and with this proof of his attainments in the Greek language, he waited upon Tonstall, hoping that his talent alone would secure for him a service in the bishop's house ; but, as Fox quaintly says, " God gave him to find little favour in his sight." Thus disappointed, he found a comfortable asylum in the house of a pious and benevolent alderman, Humphrey Monmouth, and lived with him about six months of the year 1523. This worthy citizen was, a few years after, sent to the Tower on suspicion of heresy ; the principal crime laid to his charge being, his having aided Tyndale. The original articles, and Mon- mouth's memorial to the lord legate and the privy council, witnessed by Bishop Tonstall, are in the Harleian Collection of State Papers.* It was with some painful apprehension that I read these documents. A wealthy merchant of the city of Lon- don committed to such a prison, on so dangerous a charge, with all the terrors of confiscation, torture, and death before him, unless he pleased the enemies of Tyndale ! How great a temp- tation to publish any slander or calumny, however unfounded, against a poor friar at that time in exile ! But his character was v/ithout a blemish, and Monmouth, imbued with honourable prin- * These papers are not dated ; Strype ascribes them to 1528. ramiam Cynbale. 13 ciples, at every risk testified tlie truth. He thus narrates with candour all his knowledge of the character and conduct of his guest: — " Upon iiij yeres and a half past, and more, I herde the forsaid Sir William preache ij or iij sermondes, at St, Dunstones in the weste, in London, and after that I chaunced to meet with him, and with communycation I examyned him what lyvinge he had, he said, none at all, but he trusted to be with my lord of London in his service, and therfore I had the better fantasye to him. And afterwarde he wente to my lorde and spake to him, as he tolde me, and my lorde of London answered him that he had chaplaines inoughe, and he said to him that he would have no more at that time, and so the priest came to me againe, and besought me to helpe him, and so I toke him in my house half a year, and there he lived like a good priest as me thought, he studyed moste parte of the daie and of the nyght at his booke, and he woulde eat but sodden meate by his good will, nor drinke but small single beer ; I never saw him were lynen about him in the space he was with me ; I did promys him ten pounds sterling to praie for my father, mother, there sowles,* and all christen sowles. I did paie yt him when he made his exchang to Ham- boro'. When I hard my lord of London preache at Powles Crosse that Sir William Tyndall had translated the New Tes- tament in Englishe, and was noughtely translated, that was the first tyme that ever I suspected or knewe any evill by him, and shortly all the letters and treatyes that he sent me with dyuers copies of bookes that my servant did write, and the sermondes that the priest did make at St. Dunstanes, I did burne them in my howse, he that did write them did see it. I did borne them for feare of the translator more than for any yll that I knewe by them." The worthy citizen soon obtained his liberty, was * Light lirnkc in gradually upon his mind, like the man who, having been born blind, suddenly received his sight, and said, " I see men as trees, walking." After he left England, he defended the real presence against Barnes, but very soon gave up that extraordinary delusion. In reply to More, he professes an historic faith in the perpetual virginity of our Lord's mother. It is interesting to ti'ace the progress of his powerful mind in throwing oil' the errors which he had imbibed in his education. — See Confutation of Tyndale, fol. 249 and 260. 14 Plcmotr of knighted, and in 1535 served his shrievalty. He died in 1537, and was buried at Alhallows church, near the Tower. He was a great ornament to the city, of good wealth, and great charity ; he contributed largely to the printing of the New Testament and other pious books against the errors of Rome. By his will, he appointed Latimer, Barnes, and two other gospellers to preach thirty sermons at his parish church, which he thought would do more good than so many masses said for the repose of his soul ; and he forbade the ordinary superstitions of candles and singing dirige, and ringing of bells at his funeral.* * Strype's Stow, Vol. 1. p. 37.'). ^JKtUtam €\)niiaU. 15 CHAPTER III. ' Toss'd in the ship of Providence, he sail'd From place to place, his courage never fail'd. The strength of his afflictions, added strength Unto his soul." Quarlks. GOES INTO VOLUNTARY EXILE CONFERS WITH LUTHER, AND PRINTS THE NEW TESTAMENT IN ENGLISH SINGULAR MISTAKE OF DR. TOWNLEY- — DESCRIPTION OF THE TWO EDITIONS. Satisfied that there was no convenient place in all England in which he could mature his labours, by pubhshing a translation of the Scriptures, Tyndale, in the latter part of the year 1523, became a voluntary exile, never to return to his native country. Aided by the donation of ten pounds from the benevolent alderman, he quitted his hospitable mansion, and sailed for Ham- burgh, whence he proceeded to Saxony, to confer with his contemporaries, the immortal Reformers ; and there he completed the first and most important portion of his work. Luther, who had just finished his German version of the New Testament, not only encouraged the pious refugee to proceed with a similar publication in English, but probably rendered very material as- sistance towards the expenses of so hazardous an undertaking. Two more illustrious men never met ; raised by Providence for one object, the diffusion of scriptural light. Alike in great literary attainments and devoted piety, they differed widely in temperament and in their circumstances. We find the one patronized by princes, the other a poverty-stricken exile. The great Saxon, impetuous and bold, was still tinctured with super- stition : the illustrious Englishman, not less determined, but amiable and humble, possessed a strength of mind enabling him to throw off trammels which embarrassed many of the 16 Ittnnoir of Reformers. He took for his motto, 2 Tim. ii. 24, " The servant of the Lord must not stryve, but be peaceable vnto all men, and ready to teach, and one that can suffer the evel with meke- nesse."* The heroic efforts of Luther, and of the princes who supported him, spread scriptural light in Germany. The mild and unassuming, but pious and determined efforts of Tyndale, and a few persecuted martyrs, gloriously illuminated the British empire ; and the great exertions of his countrymen in later ages have extended that heavenly light to millions of every tongue, and nation, and people. It was at Wyttemburg, that with intense application and labour Tyndale completed his translation of the New Testament. In this he was assisted by his pious friend, the eminently learned John Frith, who, with WiUiam Roy, acted as his amanuenses. The printing of this important work was attended with diffi- culty. One edition, probably of three thousand, was prepared for general circulation : this was quickly followed by a more elegant edition in 4to. with glosses, commenced at Cologne in 1526, and finished at Worms or Wyttemburg. The type, cuts, and ornaments of both these books, are those used by the Ger- man printers on the Rhine. The popular error which ascribes either of them to the Antwerp press, is the more extraordinary, as no similar type was used there ; nor did Tyndale visit that city until the year 1530. In addition to these circumstances, we have the positive evidence of Brovius,t as to the one being printed at Wittemburg, in 1525; and that of Cochlseus, who interrupted the printing of the 4to. with glosses, at Cologne, in 1526. The order in which these two editions were pubhshed, is clearly shown by Tyndale himself. In the epistle at the end of this volume, he says, " That the rudnes of the worke, nowe at THE FYRST TYME, offeudc them not." No such expression or idea is conveyed in the prologue to the 4to. with the glosses ; but, on the contrary, he says : H " After hit had pleasyd God to put in my mynde, and also to geve me grace to translate this forerehearced newe testament into oure englysshe tonge, howe- * Preface to The Wicked Mammon. + Bp. Rennet's MSS. in the British Museum, MiUiam Cunlralc. 17 soever we haue done it, I supposed yt very necessary to put you in remembraunce of certayne poyntes," &c. From this it appears that he first pubhshed the text, and then proceeded to republish it with a prologue and notes. This agrees exactly with the words of Sir Thomas More,* when, charging Tyndale with mistranslating certain terms, he says : " But surely the worde congregacyion, wyth the circunstaunces in the texte : wolde not haue serued when he translated yt fyrste, to make the englyshe reader to take it for the chyrch, no more then idolys forymages; But mary he hath added vnto his trans- lacion such circumstaunces synnys, — But all his glose is therin, that he wyll saye he taketh them for none heresyes." George Joye, in his controversy with Tyndale in 1535, refers to this octavo as the first edition. Joye having altered some important words in the text, and published an edition of the New Testament, as Tyndale's correction, without his knowledge, he thus endea- voured to defend himself: " Wherfore according to his owne desier in the ende oi hys first new testament, desyering all that be able to mende that as was amysse in it, and to geue the wordis (where he did it not himself) their right significacions : for he confesseth euen there that hys first translacion was a thinge borne before the tyme, rude and imperfit, rather begun then fynished, not yet hau- ing her right shape." f With regard to the time when these volumes were published, Strype has recorded, from a private paper left by John Fox, that one John Pykas, when in trouble for alleged heresy, deposed, March 7, 1527, that, about two years previously, he bought in Colchester, of a Lombard merchant, t the New Testament in EngHsh for four shiUings : he does not say that it was printed ; but, supposing it to be one of the first importation of printed Testaments, when manuscript copies were seUing for very con- siderable sums, and the sale was attended with great risk, it may account for the charge of four shillings for so small a volume. * Confutation of Tyndale, p. 117. T George Joyes Apologie, small 8vo. 1535, sig. ^. till, and the Epistle at the end of this volume. i Any merchant trading to foreign parts. 18 i^limoiv of In the preface to the Wicked Mammon, published in May, 1528, Tyndale states, that the New Testament was completed two years previously; thus contirming- the account given by Cochlaeus, one of the most active enemies of the Reformation. In his Memoir of the Life and Writings of Luther, he thus narrates the routing of the two pious ahens, Tyndale and Frith. Roy had quitted them, and gone to Strasburg. ANNO DOMINI M.D.XXVI. " Two English heretics, who had formerly been at Wittem- burg, not only sought to convert the merchants who had secretly maintained them during exile, but even hoped that the whole of the English nation, without consulting the king's feehngs, would in a short time become Lutherans, by means of Luther's New Testament, which they had translated into the English lan- guage. They had come to Cologne, that they might forward many thousand printed copies of the Testament thus translated, secreted under other goods, into England. Such was their confidence in the success of this attempt, that at their first inter- view they ordered the printers to put six thousand copies to press ; but fearing that a great loss would be sustained if the enterprise failed, they agreed to print only three thousand, it being easy, if they sold well, to print another edition. Pomera- nus had already sent letters to the saints among the Enghsh, and Luther himself had written to the king. AVhen he supposed that the New Testament would soon appear, such was his de- light, that he inflated his followers with vain expectations, and they became intoxicated with joy, and revealed the secret before due time with their useless boasting." The narrative goes on to state, that Cochlaeus, having prepared an edition of Rupert's Commentary on Matthew, went to Cologne to superintend the printing of it, and happening to employ the same printers, he heard such whispers as led this divine to ply some of the work- men with drink, and while intoxicated, he drew from them their master's secret. His narrative thus continues — " Here having become better acquainted with the printers, he hears them occa- sionally ejaculate over the glass with confidence — let the Eng- ^aailltam CHn^alc. 19 lisli king and caulinal be willing- or nut, all England shall in a short space of time become Lutherans. He heard also that two Englishmen there, learned, eloquent, and skilled in lan- guages, made it a matter of exultation, but he never found an opportunity of seeing or speaking to them. Having invited some of the printers to his house, when they had become heated with wine, one of them in private conversation revealed to him the secret, how England was to be brought to Luther's side ; namely, that three thousand copies of Luther's New Testa- ment, translated into English, were printing, and that they had already advanced as far as signature K, in fours. That the cost would be abundantly supplied by the English merchants, who would secretly convey the work, when finished, throughout all England, and extensively distribute it before the king or the cardinal (Wolsey) could know of or prevent it. Cochlaeus, agitated with fear and wonder, outwardly dissembled his sad- ness, but soon revolving sorrowfully in his mind the extent of the danger, he devised means to paralyze this effort. He went privately to Herman Rinck, Bart., a counsellor and senator of Cologne, who was personally acquainted with the emperor and with the king of England, and opened to him the whole affair, as (thanks to the wine) he had discovered it. The baronet, to satisfy himself that the information was correct, sent a man to search the house where the work was carried on ; the printer acknowledged that it -was in hand, and that a quantity of paper was purchased for it. Upon this he went to the senate, and obtained an injunction, forbidding the printer to proceed. The two English heretics taking with them the printed sheets, escaped and sailed up the Rhine to Worms, where the people were immo- derately in favour of Luther, that they might there finish their undertaking. Rinck and Cochlaeus admonished the king, the car- dinal, and the bishop about these proceedings, that all diligence might be used to stop this pernicious merchandize from entering any of the English ports. It is reported that Lord C. Tunstall, a most learned man, at that time bishop of London but now of Durham, when he had obtained one of these copies, declared to c 2 20 :JlHcmotr of a great assembly in London that he had found upwards of two thousand errors and corruptions in that book." This narrative bears every mark of authenticity, written by an eye-witness of repute, who pubhshed it to the world in 1549, at which time his accuracy was not questioned. Yet, as that ingenious antiquary, Mr. Lewis,* had treated it lightly, I visited Cologne, in 1830, to ascertain, if possible, how far it was cor- rect. The city secretary, Mr. Vaux, aided by Dr. Ernst Wey- den, most readily and kindly searched the Archives, and found that Herman Rinck was a senator in 1526, and exactly such a man as he is represented to be by Cochlaeus. These gentlemen pointed out the printer's house in which tjiis occurrence took place, and expressed the fullest confidence in the statement which I have extracted from the Life of Luther. It is worthy of remark, that the printers supposed that this English New Testament was translated from Luther, which has probably given rise to the supposition that Tyndale's version was not made from the Greek. Lutheran was then a general term of reproach. The zeal of the monks to keep the people in ignorance, led them to assert, that these heretical Lutherans had invented two new languages, which they called Hebrew and Greek t — that all who studied Hebrew became Jews — that the New Testament was a modern invention by Luther ; so that every translation, however faithfully rendered from the Greek, was called Luther's New Testament. Tyndale would have found it impracticable to translate from the German, but ex- ceedingly easy to render it from the Greek, with which he had been familiar fiom his youth. A careful and minute compari- son of the text with the Greek, the vulgate Latin, and Luther's German, will fully prove that it is translated faithfully from the Greek, although there can be no doubt that he availed himself, • Hist, of the English Bibles, 8vo., 1739, p. 76. t Sir Thos. More relates a curious instauce of the ignorance of a learned monk :— " A lernetl prieste thorow out all y gospels scraped out diabolus and wrote Jesm Cristas, byeause he thought the deuyls name was not mete to stande in so good a place." If this learned monk understood Latin, how would he, after such an alter- ation, read Matt. xiii. 39, or 1 John iii. 8 ?— Confutation, p. 126. mnUmx Cpntiale. 21 in revising his labours, ofevery aid witliin his reach. He might also have been assisted by conferring with the German Reformers on difficult passages, as any wise man would have done under similar circumstances ; but he never deviated from his conscientious idea of the meaning of the Greek text, to please any man or party.* It is more my province to exhibit a faithful narrative, drawn from authentic sources, than to notice the errors which have been made by others relative to this book ; but the very singular mistake of Dr. Townley cannot be passed by. The Dr. has printed in a large black letter, what he calls a specimen of Tyndale's first translation, with the gloss. At the sale of his library, the volume from which the extract was made, came into my possession. It proved to be Coverdale's ; a totally distinct translation from that of Tyndale, an edition hitherto unknown, and which probably pre- ceded his Bible in 1535. In addition to this strange blunder, there are twenty-nine errors in printing a short quotation. f Many pirated editions of this book were printed by the Dutch- men, and particularly at Antwerp : the object being profit only, they were negligently printed, without Tyndale's knowledge, and were exceedingly incorrect. The most correct of the surrepti- tious editions was edited by an exile, G. Joy ; but he, without acknowledgment, made some important alterations in the text, for which he afterwards apologized. This edition was printed by the widow of Christopher of Endhoven, in Antwerp : her husband had perished in England during his imprisonment for selling a pirated edition, in 1531. Three years previously to this, John Raymond, a Dutchman, severely suftered, for causing 1500 of Tyndale's New Testament to be printed at Antwerp, and for bringing 500 into England. The price at which they were usually sold, was thirteen pence for the small editions, and half-a-crown with the glosses; a considerable sum in those days. The first of Tyndale's editions is a small 8vo. handsomely printed : it consists of 336 leaves, of which 333 contain the text, the remaining three being occupied by the epistle to the reader • Frilli on the SacrampiU, Svo. 1548, f. 20. t Illustrations of Bib. Lit. Vol. II. p. 377. 22 liflnnoir of and the errata. Of this book only two copies have been dis- covered : one, wanting forty-eight leaves, is in the Cathedral Library of St. Paul's ; the other, from which the present edition is printed, adorns the Baptist Library at Bristol. This rare and precious volume is in the most beautiful preservation, the cuts emblazoned, and every leaf ornamented, as if intended for presen- tation to some royal or noble personage : the title, if it ever had one, is lost. The type is a neat German character, similar to that of Hans Luft, who, at Wyttenburg, and at Marpurg, printed nearly all Tyndale's works. This literary gem was first discovered by John Murray, one of Lord Oxford's collectors. His Lordship generously rewarded him with an annuity of twenty pounds for his life, and gave him one year's money in advance. On the decease of Lord Oxford in 1741, while the annuity was still paying, the library was bought by Mr. Osborne, who, not knowing the rarity and value of so precious a volume, sold the treasure for fifteen shillings to the celebrated collector, Mr. Ames. On his death in 1760, it was bought by John Whyte for fourteen guineas and a half; he, ai'ter keeping it exactly sixteen years, sold it to Dr. Gif- ford for twenty guineas. In 1784, this volume, together with the finest collection of early English bibles in the kingdom, was left by Dr. Gifford, then one of the librarians at the British Museum, to the Baptist College at Bristol, where it has been most care- fully preserved. Through the public feeling and liberality of the principal of the college, permission was cheerfully given to print from it the present edition, which is a literal copy of the original, with fac-similes of the wood-cuts and ornaments. The edition with glosses was an elegant small 4to. with hand- some cuts. The portion which has been discovered was printed at Cologne ; but probably the volume was completed at Worms. A fragment, containing the prologue and the gospel of Matthew to the twenty-second chapter, is in the possession of that intelligent bookseller, Mr. Thomas Rodd, who has long pro- mised to publish it, accompanied with much curious informa- tion. The prologue, on seven leaves, has been, with great alterations, both of omission and addition, several times re-pub- Wiiniam S:|)utJalc. 23 lished under the title of A Pathway into the Scriptures, by Tyn- clale. It is to be regretted that an admirable tract, much deformed and mutilated, was thus published under his name. There are a lew alterations in the text from that of the 8vo. The references and glosses are in the margin. The reader may judo-e of the whole from the following specimens. (2> Salt. Matt. 5. When the preachers ceaste to preache goddes worde, then muste they nedes be oppressed and trod vnder fote with mannes tradicions. Matt. 6. Rewarde them openly, ye shall not thynke, that oure dedes deserve ani thyn^- of god as a labourar deserueth hys hyre. For all good thyn^es come of the bounteousnes, liberalite, mercy, promyses and trewth of god bi the deseruinge of Christes bloud only, &c. *Syngle. The eye is single when a man in all his dedes loketh butt on the wil of god, and loketh nott for laude, honour or eni other rewarde in this worlde. Nother ascrybeth heven or a hyer roume in heven vnto his dedes : but accepteth heven as a thing- purchased bi the bloud of Christe, and worketh frely for loves sake only." The following table shows all the alterations or improvements in the text of the 4to. edition. 1525. 8vo. prepare the lordes way, Beholde the londe of Zabulon it lighteth all them which the lawe, or the prophets nor mothes corupte. he shall lene the one, with the same but the sinners to repentaunce shalbe tacken awaye from them, the londe power over all vnclene that the kyngdorae nor brasse, till ye goo thence. He that hath cares to heare, let him here. MATTHEW 1526. 4to. Ch. 3 prepaire ye the lordes waye, ■i the londe of zabulon — 5 it lighteth all those which — the lawe other the prophettes — 6 nor yet moththes corrupte : — — he shall lene to the one — 7 with that same — y but synners to repentaunce — — shall be taken from them. — — that londe — 10 power agaynst vnclene — — howe the kyngdom — nether brasse — — tyll ye go from thence. ■ — 11 He that hathe eares to heare whith all, let him heare. 24 {Btmoiv of 1525. 8vo. cites, in which most in tiyre and sidon they had and asshes and he stretched it forthe and bringeth forth, which soweth them, which when it is full, and the blinde to se. and they gloryfyed in the morninge wliich be made of men. y shall be baptysed with : is not myne to geve : and stoned another. MATTHEW Ch. 11 — 15 — 16 — 19 — 20 -- 21 1526. 4to. the cites, in the whiche mooste in tyre and in sydon : they wolde have and in asshes and he streached forthe, and brynge forth, which soweth it the which when it is fuU, the blynde to se, and gloryfyed and in the morninge which be made chaste of men. I shalbe baptysed with all ys not myne to geve you : stoned another. ^tlUam Cj)nt>ale. 26 CHAPTER IV. " Enemyes I shall haue, many a shoren crowne With forked cappes and gaye croosys of golde Which tu mayuteyne ther ambicions renowne Are glad laye people in Ignorance to holde Yet to shewe the verite, one maye be bolde All though it be a proverbe daylye spoken Who that telly th trouth, his head shalbe broken." TtNDALE'S OlDK TllEATYSB. VIOLENT OPPOSITION TO THE NEW TESTAMENT IN ENGLAND SEVERE PERSECUTION OF THOSE IN WHOSE POSSESSION IT WAS FOUND PUBLICLY BURNT AT PAUL'S CROSS. No sooner was this volume published, than the most extraordinary efforts were made to exterminate it. The contemporary opinions expressed as to the merits of the translation, and the narrative of the attempts to destroy it, are intimately blended together. The public will now have an opportunity, for the first time, of forming a dispassionate judgment as to the reasons assigned by those nobles and prelates who sought to destroy it ; and of weighing them with those of more modern prelates, highly dis- tinguished for learning and piety, who counted it worthy to be the basis of our present version : a translation which stands unrivalled, and has proved to be the bread of life to myriads now singing the anthems of heaven. Immediately on the circulation of the New Testament, the English prelates were actively engaged in attempts to extinguish and destroy what they alleged to be the light and seed of heresy.* • The vulgate latin translation, which occupied the tirai' of Jerome fifteen years, was made "amidst many contradictions, reproaches, and the most bitter invectives," of that sect which afterwards adopted and preferred it, as the standard of faith, to the scriptures in the original languages.— Sec (iRDdes' rROSPRCTUS, p. 45. 26 iMcmcu- of On the 23rd of October, 1526,* Tonstall, bishop of London, issued an injunction or prohibition against the New Testament in English. " Wherefore we, understanding by the report of divers credible persons, and also by the evident appearance of the mat- ter, that many children of iniquitie, mayntayners of Luthers sect, blinded through extreame wickedness, wandring from the way of truth and the catholike fayth, craftily have translated the New Testament into our English tongue, intermedling therewith many hereticall articles and erroneous opinions, pernicious and offen- sive, seducing the simple people, attempting by their wicked and perverse interpretations to prophanate the maiestie of the scrip- ture, which hitherto have remained undefiled, and craftily to abuse the most holy word of God, and the true sense of the same. Of the which translation there are many books imprinted, some with glosses, and some without, containing in the English tongue that pestiferous and most pernicious poyson dispersed throughout all our diocesse of London in great number, which truely without it be speedily forsene, without doubt will contaminate and infect the flocke committed unto us with most deadly poison and heresie, to the grievous perill and danger of the soules committed to our charge, and the offence of God's divine maiestie. Wherefore we . . . command that within thirtie days . . . under pain of excommu- nication and incurring the suspicion of heresie, they do bring in and really deliver unto our Vicar generall all and singular such books as containe the translation of the New Testament in the English tongue." On the 24th of February, 1527, Sebastian Harris, curate of Kensington, was proceeded against for heresy, he having the English Testament translated by William Hochyn (Tyndale), presbyter, and brother Roy. Not contented with calling in these dreaded volumes, the bishop attempted a wholesale destruction of them by a stratagem in which he singularly outwitted himself. Being acquainted with a merchant named Packington, who was on friendly terms with Tyndale, he employed him to buy all the copies of the English ' Wilkius' Concilia, torn. 3, p. 700. OTltUiam Ci)ntJalf. 27 Testament. " The bishop thinking that he had God by the too, when in dede he had (as after he thought) the devil by the fiste, said, gentle maister Packington, do your diligence and get them, and with al my hart I will paye for them, whatsoever thei cost you, for the bokes are erronious and naughte, and I entend surely to destroy them all, and to burne theim at Paules Crosse. Tyndale sold him the books, saying, I shal gett moneye of hym for these bokes, to bryng myself out of debt, and the whole world shall cry out upon the burning of Goddes worde. And the over- plus of the money that shal remain to me, shal make me more studious to correct the sayd New Testament, and so newly to miprintthe same. And so forwarde went the bargain, the byshop had the bokes, Packyngton the thankes, and Tyndale had the money." Afterwards, more New Testaments came thick and three- fold into England. Sir Thomas More questioned George Con- stantine, a prisoner for heresy, how Tyndale and his friends were supported; and he frankly told the lord chancellor, " It is the bishop of Louden tlmt hath h.olpen vs, for he hath bestowed 28 0Umoir of emonge vs a great deale of moneye in Newe Testamentes to burne theim, and that hath been and yet is our onely succour and com- fort,"* The destruction of these books, according to Lord Her- bert of Cherbury, was on the 4th of May, 1530 : this is an error, for it certainly took place in 1528. f Tyndale seriously asks, what Tonstall had done for Christ's church, that he was made bishop of London and then of Durham, " Was it that he burnt the Newe Testament, callinge it doctrinam peregrinam, straunge lernynge ! !" | Necessity drove the Reformers to a secret circulation of these silent destroyers of popery : notwithstanding the active exertions of More, Wolsey, and Tonstall to prevent it, they were exten- sively distributed. Richard Herman, a merchant of the staple at Antwerp, was a considerable exporter of the prohibited books to England, at a great sacrifice of his fortune. Dr. Barnes and Mr. Fish dispensed them in London, Mr, Garret at Oxford, and pious reformers in every part of the kingdom : all this was done in con- fidence seldom betrayed. In January, 1527, the Bishop proceeded into Essex, to discover how far his injunction had been obeyed. His course was marked with terror, many poor prisoners for heresy were examined before him. John Tyball deposed, that he first saw the New Tes- tament in English about April, 1526, and at Michaelmas follow- ing came to London, and bought one for three shillings and two- pence of friar Barons, requesting that he would keep it close ; that in conversation the fiiar made a twyte of the manuscript copies, and said : " A point for them, for they are not to be re- garded toward the new printed Testament in Enghsh." John Necton deposed, that vicar Constantine, in November, 1526, directed him to Mr, Fish, of whom he bought twenty or thirty copies of the great volume ; that Constantine had fifteen or six- teen of the biggest, and sold five or six to persons in London ; and that about Easter, 1527, he bought of G. Usher, servant to • Hall's Chronicle, xxi. Henry VIII. t Sir Thomas More attempts to justify this transaction in his Dialogues, which were published in 1539. t Practice of Prelates. OTiHtam Cpnbale. 29 the parson of Honey-lane, eighteen New Testaments of the small volume; and that about Christmas, 1527, a Dutchman, who in Easter following was a prisoner in the Fleet, offered him 300 copies for 16Z. 5s. : this was probably John Raimund. Awful were the torments inflicted upon those who, in disobe- dience to the proclamation, dared to read this proscribed book. An aged labourer, father Harding, was seen reading by a wood side, while his more fashionable neighbours were gone to hear mass. His house was broken open, and under the flooring boards were discovered English books of holy scripture : the poor old man was hurried to prison, and thence to the stake, where he was brutally treated, and his body burnt to ashes. The rigour with which these books were suppressed, would na- turally excite a strong desire to possess them. It was also calcu- lated to awaken an intense interest in examining their contents. Imminent danger attending the enjoyment of religious observances has a tendency to exalt the mind to the happiest state of feeling which those privileges are capable of producing. Such must have been the case with poor old Harding, who had been imprisoned some years before on the charge of heresy, and knew that there was no mercy extended to a second offence ; yet in secret, by the wood side, with the Testament in his hand, he took repeated draughts of the water of life ; or, secluded in his humble cottage, he raised the floor, found the precious but forbidden book, and richly enjoyed the heavenly food. With excited feelings, he might imagine that the voice of the inspired writer was peculiarly ad- dressed to him, " Eat, O friend, drink, yea drink abundantly, O beloved." The most powerful or learned of men might envy such moments, enjoyed by a poor old persecuted labourer. Many were fined, imprisoned, and put to death for reading the New Testament. Lawrence Staple was persecuted in 1531 for concealing four copies in his sleeve, and giving them to Bilney, who was burnt. Staple saved his life by abjuring. The sentence of the court of Star Chamber upon John Tyndale, a merchant of London, a brother of the martyr, and Thomas Patmore, a mer- chant, was mild in comparison with that on Harding. It was. 30 IHtmotr of " That eacli Cit'tliem should be set upon a horse, and their faces to th.e horse's tail, and to have papers upon their heads, and upon their gowns or cloaks to be tacked or pinned with the said New Testaments and other books, and at the standard in Chepe should be made a great fire, whereinto every of them should throw their said books, and farther to abide such fines to be paid to the king as should be assessed upon them,"* The fine, accord- ing to Fox, was to a ruinous amount. What a spectacle to the citizens, — twoof their wealthy and honourable Lombard merchants treated with indignities, imprisonment and fine, for having the New Testament in their possession ! In mercy the progress of the reformation was slow : had it been a rapid revolution, the spirit of retaliation might have produced most awful consequences. The persecution was extended by the influence of Wolsey to Antwerp. Richard Herman, a merchant and citizen, " for that he dyd bothe with his gooddis and poUicie, to his great hurt and hynderans in this world, helpe to the settyng forthe of the Newe Testament in Englisshe," was expelled from his freedom in the company of British merchants. Queen Boleyn made an order for his restoration under her hand and seal. May 14, 1535. f Hollinshed, the historian, with great simplicity states the natural result of prohibition. " Diners persons that were detected to vse reading of the New Testament, set forth by Tindale, were pu- nished by order of Sir T. More, who helde greatly against such bookes, hut still the number of them dayly encreased." The burning of God's word was advocated by the church of Rome, and approved by one of her ablest defenders, more than fifty years after it was perpetrated. Dr. Martin, reader of divinity to the College at Douay, says : " The Catholicke church of our countrie did not il to forbid and burne suche bookes which were so translated by Tyndal and the like, as being not in deede God's booke, word, or scripture, butthe Diuels word.":j: To which Fulke replied, " Neither can your heathenish and barbarous burning of * state paper, British Museum. t Idem. i Martin's Discoverie of the Corruptions of Holy Scripture, p. 65 ; ard Fulke's Reply to Martin, p. 143, edit. 8vo. 1583. the holy scripture so translated, nor your blasphemie in calling it the Deuils worde, be excused for any fault in translation which you have discouered as yet, or euer shall be able to descrye," Tyndale frequently adverts to the burning of the New Testa- ment, and he anticipated with pious resignation the fiery test by which his faith was to be tried. " Some man wil aske parauen- ture why I take the laboure to make this worke, in so moch as they will brunne it, seinge they brunt the gospel. I answere in brunninge the New Testamente they did none other thinge then I loked for, no more shal they doo if the brunne me also, if it be Gods will it shall be so."* At the close of one of his most inte- resting tracts, he says, " Whoso fyndythe or redythe this lettre, put it furthe in examynacyon, and suftVe it not to be hydde or de- stroyed, but multyplyed, for no man knoweth what profFyt may come therof. For he that compiled it, purposyth with Goddes helpe to mayntayne vnto the deathe, yf neade be. And therfore all Christen men and women, praye that the worde of God maye be vnbounde, and delyuered from the power of Antichrist, and renne amonge his people. Amen."f Great zeal was manifested to decry the translation as heretical. Bishop Tonstall declared that there were more than two thousand heresies in it. If he meant that there were more than two thou- sand texts in the New Testament against popery, it would be difficult to controvert his assertion. The prior of Newnham Abbey, in 1527, wrote to the bishop of Lincoln, relative to opinions called heretical, held by George Joye, of Peter College, Cambridge. The first heresy of which he com- plained was, that a simple preacher might be the means of a sin- ner's conversion, and had the same power of binding and loosing as a pope, cardinal, or bishop. The prior also says, " that the scripture in Englisshe wold make sedition, brede errours and he- resies, and so be euell." Joy replied : " Wo be to you that say that thing which is good to be euell, and that which is sweet to • Preface to the Wicked Mammon. + End of his " Compendious olde Treatyse, shcw}'ng how that the people ought to have the Scryptures in Englyssh." 32 IHemoir of be bitter." — " Thus is the holye, cleare, good and swete gospell of Christe belyed and blasphemed of you. It is only unsavery, kovered and darke to you that peryshe." Fuller, referring to the hostility of the monks and prelates, relates a melancholy instance of those feelings having extended to a civil officer of the corpora- tion of London. " When Tyndale's translation came over to England, O how were the popish clergy cut to the heart. How did their blear eyes smart at the shining of the Gospel in the vul- gar tongue. Hall heard the town clerk of London swear a great oath, that he would cut his own throat rather than the Gospel should be read in English, but he brake promes and hanged him- self" * Robert Ridley, a priest,t wrote " to maister Henry Golde, chaplayne to my lorde of Canterbury," a letter in which he uses language in all probability current at the time. " No man would receaue a gospell of soch damned and practised heretikes, thow it wer trew." From his remarks, he must have read the edition with glosses. He charges Tyndale with having in his preface treated moral conduct with indifference. The marginal note which directs to the paragraph so captiously criticised is : " A trewe christyn man beleueth that hevyn ys hys alredy by christes purchesinge, and therfore loveth, and worketh, to honoure god only, and to drawe althinges to God." The point at issue was this : The duty of man being to love God with all his heart, and his neighbour as himself, whether he could do more than his duty, and by such works of supererogation merit the for- giveness of past sins, and even set over some of their meritorious works to the account of others. This Tyndale denies, ascribing all the merit of the forgiveness of sins to the Saviour only ; and he maintains that the happy, holy influence of a good hope throuo-h faith will cause the sinner so freely pardoned, to devote himself to the glory of God by promoting the happiness of man. Thus he ar- gues : " As no naturall sonne that is his father's heyre, doeth his « Church History, book 5. + Ori"onal in British Museum. Ridley was present at the examination of Pykas in Essex, referred to at p. 17. WLilliam CjntJalc. 33 father's will be cause he wolde be heyre, that he is alreddy be birth : — but of puer love doeth he that he doeth. And axe him why he doeth eny thynge that he doeth, he answereth : my father bade, it is my father's will, it pleaseth my father. Bond seruauntes worke for hyre, children for love ; for there father, with all he hath, is theres alreddy. So doeth a christen man frely all that he doeth, considereth nothynge but the will of God, and his neghboures wealth only. Yf y Hve chaste, I doo hit nott te obteyne heven therby, For then shulde y doo wronge to the bloud of Christ: Christes bloud hath obteyned me that. Nether that y loke for an hyer roume in heven, then they shall have whych live in wedlocke, other then a hoare of the stewes, yf she repent." These are sentiments totally opposed to the inference drawn from them by the angry priest. Ridley then proceeds to find fault with the text: "by this transla- tion shal we losse al thes cristian wordes, penaunce, charite, confession, grace, prest, chirch which he alway calleth a congre- gation, ye shal not neede to accuse this translation. It is accused and damned by the consent of the prelates and lerned men. And commanded to be brynt both heir and beyonde the see, wher is mony hundreth of them brynt. So that it is to layt now to offer reson why that be condempned, and whiche be the fawte and errours. Shew the people, that ye be maid to declare vnto them that these bowkes be condemned by the Cownsell, and profownde examinacion of the prelates and fathers of the chirche." The re- formers were victorious in argument. The only triumph (if such it can be called) of the enemies to the spread of scriptural know- ledge, was the burning such as they could not silence in con- troversy, however unimpeachable their morals, bright and holy their piety, and useful their lives. ["] 34 llflniioir of CHAPTER V. " Move's well refuttd arguments proclaim, Tynclale's great honor, his adversaries shame. He was the shield of truth, the scourge of error. This Island's triumph, and proud Babel's terror." THE LORD CHANCELLOR, SIR THOMAS MORE, EXERTS MOST POWERFUL TALENT AGAINST TYNDALE. Sir Thomas More entered most heartily into the controversy with Tyndale, and displayed a fertile wit and great genius in defending the Church of Rome. He well knew that he had no chance with such an antagonist, either from Scripture or rea- son, and he shielded himself in tradition, antiquity, miracles, and mystery. He asserted that the written word was not the whole revealed will of God, but that the unwritten traditions of tlie church are of equal authority. His mode of arguing to prove this important point is " / take it: that the worde of God vnwryten is of as greate authoryte, as certayn, and as sure, as ys hys worde wryten in the Scrypture, which poynt is so faste and sure, pytched vpon the rocke, our sauyour Cryst hymself, that neyther Luther, Tyndale, nor Huskyn, nor all the hell houndes that the deuyll hath in his kenell, neuer hytherto could nor whyle god lyueth in heuen and the deuyll lyeth in hell neuer hereafter shall (barke they, bawle they neuer so fast) be able to wreste it out,"* When he speaks of the opinions of the re- formers on other points, he uses language equally charitable : * Apology, f. 32 ; Confutation, fol. 170. W^illmn CpntJale. 35 " all apparycyons they mocke at, and all the myracles they blaspheme, and say the deiiyll doth all, — as yf the deuyll had (with) his owne handes marked eche of them an .H. in the fore- hede with a fayre hote yron fet out of the fyre of hell." * These are the words of the learned, witty, and eloquent More, who, upon any subject but religion, may be justly called a great man. Tyndale destroys this visionary castle of Tradition,! by a simple but irresistible argument, the sum of which is, that the written word of God is his revealed will, perfect as its Divine Author, with whom it was impossible to misstate or omit any thing, and who has declared all those to be cursed who add to or diminish from his will so revealed. The great Lord Chancellor More published nine volumes of controversy against Tyndale and Barnes, seven of which are against Tyndale : four of these are in folio. To an antiquary, these tomes are pecidiarly interesting. It is a conflict between two men possessed of giant minds, in decided opposition to each other. Tyndale is chaste ; More licentious : Tyndale liberal, but devout ; More a bigot. Tyndale triumphed in argument ; and More contrived to have him imprisoned. The character of this powerful persecutor of Tyndale presents to us an extraordinary compound : he was a witty companion ; a gloomy fanatic : a beloved relative ; a religious tyrant : an en- * Confutation, Vol. II. fol. 232 & 233. + These MM?cn7/e« traditions have been ;;7-mto<. They form a small 8vo. volume of extreme rarity, by Dr. Richard Smyth, the celebrated popish reader of divinity in Oxford, imprinted by Thomas Petit, 1547. These traditions, the learned Dr. gravely tells us, " we must both beleuo stedfastly, and also fulfill obedientlye vnder peyne of damnation euer to endure. They are— the sacrament of the Lord's supper, only to be given by a priest — to be taken fasting— the wine to have water mingled with it— the consecration of the elements — to be kept in the pyxe or boxe at church — prayers for the dead— christening of infants, which necessary thinge hangeth onely vpon the apostles tradition wythout anye scripture that can prove it" — singing in public wor- ship—praying towards the east — elevating and worshipping the host — making the sign of the cross — worshipping the crucifix — observing and not fasting on Sunday — keeping Easter and holydays — putting pictures and images in churches — fasting in Lent and on every Wednesday and Friday — holy water— priests not to marry — Mary continued a virgin until death, and that her body is in heaven." — Dr. Smith was appointed to argue with Bp. Ridley prior to his martyrdom. A droll story is related of him by Fox.— Acts and Monuments, Vol. II. p. 538. Edit. 16.3]. 1)2 36 JHcmoir ot lightened statesman, who ably argues against sanguinary laws;* a bigoted persecutor, who imbued his hands in the blood of the reformers : a philosopher who, on every Friday and saint's eve, scourged his own body with whips made of knotted cords, and then, as a further punishment, wore a hair shirt next to his lacerated skin. So persevering and extensive were More's efforts to destroy Tyndale, that his biographer compares the exiled reformer to a hunted hare with twenty brace of grey- hounds after him. The dignified clergy, delighted with these efforts to support their falling hierarchy, raised the sum of five thousand pounds, which they pressed upon his acceptance ; but he nobly refused to take one penny. He foresaw that the Re- formation would prevail, and thus addressed his son: " I beseech our Lord, that some of us, as high as we seme to sitt vpon the mountains, treadinge hereticks vnder our fete like antes, live not the day to be at league and composition with them." f • More, the Champion of Popery. He had in his garden at Chelsea a tree to which he caused prisoners, charged with heresy, to be tied and whipped : this he called the tree of life. After see- ing this degrading cruelty practised upon a gentleman of the Temple, named Bainham, he went to the Tower to glut his eyes with the writhing of his prisoner upon the rack. — Bayley's Tower. His words breathe out cruelty : " There shold haue ben more burned by a great many than there haue ben wythin this seuen yere laste passed. The lakke whereof I fere me will make more burned within this seuen yere next commynge, then ellys sholdehaue neded to haue ben burned in seuen score." This was for differing in religious sentiments. — Confu- tation, p. 266. " Our Sauiour wyll saye to Tyndale: Thou art accursed Tyndall, the sonne of the deuyll ; for neyther fleshe nor blonde hath taught the these heresyes, but thyn owne father the deuyll that is in hell."— Confutation, Vol. II. p. 32. Moke, an enlightened Senator. Extracts from Utopia, or the Happy Re- public : — " Slavery is the punishment even of the greatest crimes. — Utopus seemed to doubt whether those diflcrent forms of religion might not all come from God, who might inspire men differently, he being possibly pleased with a variety in it. And so he thought it was a very in- decent and foolish thing for any man to frighten and threaten other men to be- lieve any thing because it seemed true to him ; he reckoned that the force of truth would break forth and shine by the force of argument and a winning gentleness : they do not punish them, because they lay this down as a ground, that a man cannot make himself believe any thing he pleases ; nor do they drive any to dis- semble their thoughts by threatenings, so that men are not tempted to lie or dis- guise their opinions among them ; which being a sort of fraud, is abhorred by the Utopians." + These anecdotes are extracted from a manuscript Life of More, written by one of his relatives: it is in Lambeth Library. OTtUiam CDittJalc. 37 More's most able work against Tyndale, was the first which he wrote, called A Dialogue. It i-epresents that a nobleman sent his friend to Sir Thomas More, requesting assistance to counteract opinions which were gaining great ascendancy in the country against the Romish church. These were "of pylgrymagys — ymages — prayer to saints — myracles — tradicions — infallibility — cruelty to hereticks — burning the New Testament — and prohibiting books, called Lutheran." It is evident that all these topics were shrewdly controverted throughout the kingdom. The spirit of inquiry was gone forth, and was working out the great reformation in spite of every obstacle. The most important of these subjects, is the burning of the New Testament ; an atrocious deed, to defend which this dialogue was written. He thus introduces the pre- vailing opinions : " The people say that all this gere is done but onely to stoppe menes mouthes, and to put euery man to sylence that wolde any thynge speke of the fautes of the clargye. And they thynke that for none other cause was also burned at Poules crosse the new Testament late translated in englysshe by mayster Wyllyam Huchyn, otherwyse called Mayster Tyndall, who was (as men say) well know en or he wente ouer the see, for a man of ryght good lyuyng, studyous and well lerned in scrypture, and in dyuers places in England was very well lyked, and dyd gret good with prechyng. And men mutter amonge themselfe that the boke was not onely fautles, but also very well translated, and was deuysed to be burned, bycause men sholde not be able to prove that suche fautes (as were at Poules crosse declared to haue bene founde in it) were neuer founde there in dede, but vntruely surmysed. And yet suche as they were, some men saye, were noo fautes at all, yf they hadde be so translated in dede, but blame layed and faute founde with thynges nothynge faute worthy, onely to deface that holy worke, to the ende that they niyghte seme to haue some iuste cause to burne it. If And that for none other entente, but for to kepe out of the people's handes all knowleges of Crystys gospell, and of goddys lawe, excepte soo moche onely as the clergye theymselfe lyste nowe and than to tell vs. And that lytell as it is and seldom shewed, yet as it is fered not well 38 iMcmotr of and truely tolde, but watered with false gloses, and altered from the trouth of the very wordes and sentence of scrypture only for y^ mayntenaunce of theyr authoryte. H And the fere lest this thynge sholde euydently appere to the people, yf they were suf- fered to rede the scrypture them selfe in theyr own tonge was (as it is thought) the very cause not onely for whiche the newe testament translated by Tyndale was burned, but also that the clargye of this realme hath before this tyme, by a constytucyon prbuyncyall prohybyted any boke of scrypture to be translated into the Englyshe tonge, feryng men with fyer as heretyques who so sholde presume to kepe them, as though it were heresye for a crysten man to rede crystys gospell." These admissions are deeply interesting : they show that the laity throughout the kingdom were strongly excited. The picture of public opinion, thus drawn and published, is from the pen of the champion of popery, and, as it tells against his own party, we may naturally conclude that he has not exaggerated. The character of Tyndale, exhibited by his persecutor, is as highly honourable as it is faithful. In the third book of the Dialogues, More attempts to defend the burning of the New Testament, by declaring that it was full of errors. " To tell all wold be to reherse the hole boke." " To search for one faute would be like studying where to fynde water in the see." At length his budget of errors is opened, and three heresies are proclaimed: " the prestes of Crystes chyrche he calleth senyours — Chyrche he calleth congre- gation— and charyte he calleth alway love." These objections were unworthy the pen of a scholar, and are highly gratifying to the friends of the Reformation. Tyndale's immortal work was subject to the severest scrutiny of the brightest scholars of the age, men of the keenest penetration, and his most decided ene- mies : but the pure gold defied their research for alloy ; and, in the absence of serious errors, the critics found unreasonable fault with words, because they would have preferred others nearly similar, (no more diversity of meaning, to use an expression of Coverdale, than between fourpence and a groat,) if not synony- mous. Sir Thomas frequently betrays a degree of blind hostility, amtntam f:i)»TJale. 39 disgraceful as the system in wliich he liad been educated. Tyndale's rule of obedience to the king was : " A crysten man is bounden to obay even tyranny, yf it be not agaynste his faytli, nor the law of god, tyll god delyuer hym therof." In reply to this, More displays a captious httleness, totally opposed to his native genius : he admits that the Apostle expresses exactly the same idea, — " ' we muste rather please god than man,' which is well sayed of the apostle, but to be said of Tyndale, a heretic, it is a playne exhortacyon to rebellion."* The word senior was taken from the vulgate Latin. Tyndale ac- knowledged that it was not sufficiently explicit, and that he should prefer the word elder. This gave so much oftence to the punning Lord Chancellor, that he likens it to a man blind of one eye, put- ting out the other to amend his sight. f The term which gave most offence was " congregation," used instead of church. In using this term, he was justified by his learned sovereign — the defender of the faith — Henry the Eighth, who in a proclamation, and in the six articles penned by his own hand, combines the two words thus — " the congregation of the church of England." I Tyndale and the king were right in using the term congregation, because the common acceptation of the word church was neither the building in which worship was conducted, nor the body of christians who worshipped, but it was limited to the clergy, who were called the church. II It is now very properly altered to church, a term by which we understand all those whose faith and practice constitute them christians. More also complains, " that at the tyme of this translacyon Hychens (Tyndale) was with Luther in Wyttenberge, and set certayne glosys in the mergent, framed for the settynge forthe of the vngracyous secte."§ He finds fault, that " confession * Preface to Confutation. t Confutation, p. 133. t Autographs in the British Museum. II The act of parliament which coiistituteil the king supreme head of the church, was intended solely to bring the clergy, who were called the church, under the juris- diction of the statute law. ? This refers to the 4to., a copyof which was found upon the martyr Bilney in irjSl, having the prologue to the Romans. 40 Plemoir of he translateth into knowledgynge — Penaunce into repentaunce;" and he sums up aU the errors as springing from this principle : " For he wolde make y^ people byleue that we sholde beleue nothyng but playne scrypture, in whyche poynte he techeth a playne pestylent heresy e " ! ! The faults are, in his estimation, such that "as it were as sone done to weue a new web of cloth as to sow up euery hole in a net, so were it almost as lytell labour and lesse to translate y® hole boke all newe then attempt to correct it." He admits, however, " that a nother man trans- latynge the testament, and beynge good and faythfuU, myghte haue vsed happely those chaunges wythout euyll meanyng or any suspicion therof."* To bring these absurd notions to a climax, he declares, that " yt is enough for good cristen men that know those thynges for heresyes, to abhorre and bume vppe his bokes and the lykers of them with them'' ! ! ! This was the spirit of popery : has it changed ? If it has, it was not infallible : if it has not, may such a system never again desolate our happy island! Sir Thomas not only endeavours to frighten the people from reading Tyndale, by the threat of burning here and hereafter, but, to supply the place of argument, he calls to his aid a ghost to establish his charge of heresy. Unfortunately for him, the poor shade had been so roughly treated on a former attack, that he very prudently refused to venture a second time : " When I desired Origene to take the payne to come and bere wytnesse wyth me in thys mater, he semed at the fyrst very well content. But when I tolde hym that he sholde mete with Tyndale : he blessed hym- selfe and shranke bakke, and sayde he had leuer go some other waye many a myle then onys medle wyth hym. For I shall tell you syr, quod he, before thys tyme a ryght honorable man very connyng and yet more vertuouse, the good bysshoppe of Roches- ter, in a great audyence brought me in for a wytnes agaynst Luther and Tyndale, euyn in this same mater, aboute the tyme of the burnynge of Tyndalys euyll translated testament. But Tyn- dale, as soon as he herd of my name, without any respecte of * Confutation, ji. 96. SiaHiUtam Cwntfale. 41 honestye, fell in a rage wyth me, and all to rated me, and called me Starke heretyke, and that the starkest that euer was. Thys tale Orygene tolde me, and swore by saynt Symkyn that he was neuer so sayed vnto of suche a lewde felowe synnys he was fyrste borne of hys mother, and therfore he wolde neuer medle wyth Tyndale more. Now, indede, to saye the treuth, yt were not well done of Tyndale to leue resonynge and fall a scoldyng, chydynge, and brawlynge, as yt were a bawdy begger of Bylly- ter-lane. Fy for shame, he sholde fauored and forborne hym somwhat, and yt had bene but for his age. For Origene is nowe xiij. hundred yere olde or there aboute, and this was not mych aboue vij yeres synnys."* This story, told on the credibility of the Lord Chancellor of England, must have produced its effect on the populace, to whom it would be rehearsed by the priests with all gravity as words of truth and soberness. It is amusing to hear Tyndale accused of calling hard names, by one who was a perfect master of the art of abuse. An intel- ligent papist who, in 1533, published that rare volume, " Salem and Bizance," complains very seriously that More calleth those with whom he differed " sometyme desperate wretches, sometyme sterke heretykes, and other whyles he calleth them the blessed brotherhode, or the newe broched bretherne, or the euangelical bretherne, and the principal doers he calleth potheded postels, naughtee bretherne or heretike brethern — these be strange names deuised after a merueilous railing fashion, wherein I thinke verely he dothe not as he wolde be done to." Tyndale was, at times, severe in his language, but it was a justifiable and even needful severity ; thus, referring to unmean- ing ceremonies, he says, " a man will as soon gape while thou puttest sand as holy salt in his mouth, yf thou shew hym no reason therof, he had as leyfFe be smered wyth vnhalowed butter as anoynted withf charmed oyle, yf his soule be not taught to vnderstande somewhat therby." This was a poser to Sir Thomas, whose anger dictated his reply: " Ah blasphemouse beste, to * Confutation, p. 104. t More misquotes it " vncharmed." 42 JMciitoir of whose rorynge and lowyiige no good crysten man can with out heuynes of herte gyue ere. Now foloweth yt also that yf the sacrament were as good vnmynistred as mynistred to who so euer is not taught the proper sygnifycacyons of the outwarde token in the sacrament, as Tyndale here vnder a blasphemous iestynge fasshyon telleth vs : then foloweth yt, I saye, that there was neuer chylde crystened synnys crystendome fyrst begane, but that yt hadde bene as good to haue lefte it vncrystened, and neuer to haue let water touche yt, bycause yt coulde not be taught what the water sygnifyed."* This must have been a grave subject to those who considered that the neglect of parents as to this ceremony would be visited upon the soul of the child in eternal misery ! ! More was exceedingly desirous that the people should not read or examine the works of Tyndale : his great forte was ridicule and angry abuse, but he sometimes resorts to persuasion. " I wolde aduyse any man neither to rede these heretykes bokes nor mine, but occupy theyr myndes better, and standynge fermely by the catholyke faith of this .xv. C. yere, neuer onys muse vppon these newe fangled heresyes ; but if at the parell of daynger to burne both here and in hell, he cannot hold his yechynge fyngers frome theyre poysened bokes, then wold I coiuisayle hym in any wyse to rede therwith such thynges as are wrytten agaynst theym." " Besyde the bookes of Latyn, French, and Douch an innumerable sorte. There are made in the Englysshe tonge. Fyrst, Tyndales new testament, father of them all, by reason of hys false translatyng." " Tyndales heresies fane exceed and passe: and incomparably offende the maieste of our Lorde God, than all the settynge vppe of Bell, and Baal, and Belzabub, and all the deuyls in hell." More, as keeper of the king's conscience, seriously said, " That the king would lose his own soul if he suffered Tyndale's Testament in his people's hands. "f The violence of this language shows the weakness of his cause, and the poverty of his argu- ment in attempting to defend the Romish church. It is in * Coiifutalion, folio 3f). + Profacc to the Confutation. Smaitam CuntiaU. 43 delightful contrast with the opinion formed by a modern papist, justly esteemed for his liberality and candour, and eminent as a profound scholar. " With respect to Tyndale's translation, it is astonishing how little obsolete the language of it is, even at this day ; and, in point of perspicuity and noble simplicity, propriety of idiom and purity of style, no English version has yet sur- passed it. The criticisms of those who wrote against it (we are sorry to find Sir Thomas More among them) are generally too severe, often captious, and sometimes evidently unjust." He adds: " Burning suspicious books is the readiest way to multiply them : as persecuting for religion is the surest mean of propa- gating it."* Dr. Geddos' Prospectus to a New Translation , p. 89. 44 iMemoif of CHAPTER VI, " he had a golden mind That would not bend to dross, but still aspire To heaven, and faith gave wings to his desire ; He was belov'd of all that lov'd God's name. The trumpet of his voice would still proclaim The word of God." tyndale's account of his translation of the new testament his motives and purity of intention he publishes many WORKS. In vindication of the motives which induced Tyndale to under- take this dangerous and arduous labour, of translating the Holy Scriptures, his learned and admirable colleague, John Fryth, a short time before his martyrdom, thus addressed Sir Thomas More : — " And Tyndale I truste lyueth ; well contente with suche pore apostles lyfe, as God gaue hys sonne Christ, and hys faythfuU mynysters. in thys worlde, whych is not sure of so many mytes, as you be yearely of many poundes, although I am sure that for hys learnynge and iudgement in scripture, he were more worthye to be promoted then all the byshoppes in Englande. I receyued a letter from hym, whych was wrytten sens Christmas, wherin amonge other matters he wryteth thus : I call God to re- corde agaynst the daye we shall appeare before oure Lorde Jesus Christ to geue rekonynge of oure doinges, that I neuer altered one syllable of Godes worde agaynst my conscyence, nor wolde do thys daye, yf all that is in earthe, whether it be honoure, plea- sure, or ryches myght be geuen me." Fryth adds, " Judge, good Christen reader, whether these words be not spoken of a Wiiilimx Cunttalc. 45 faythfuU, clere, and innocent herte. And as for hys behauyoure is suche, that I am sure no man can reprove hym of any synne, how- beit no man is innocent before God whycli beholdetli the herte." His motives are thus declared in the prologue prefixed to the 4to. Testament with glosses, 1526. "I haue here translated (brethren and susters, moost dere and tenderly beloued in Christ) the Nevpe Testament for youre spirituall edyfyinge, consolacion, and solas : the causes that moved me to translate, y thought better that other shulde ymagion, then that y shulde rehearce them. Moreover y supposed yt superfluous, for who ys so blynde to axe why lyght shulde be shewed to them that walke in derck- nes, where they cannot but stomble, and where to stomble ys the daunger of eternall damnacion, other so despyghtfuU that he wolde envye eny man (y speake nott his brother) so necessary a thinge, or so bedlem madde to aflyrme that good is the naturall cause of yuell, and derknes to procede oute of lyght, and that lyinge shulde be grounded in trougth and verytie and nott rather clene contrary, that lyght destroyeth dercknes, and veritie reproveth all manner lyinge." In 1528, Tyndale pubhshed the most valuable of his own compo- sitions. The Obedience of a Christian Man. In the preface, he, at considerable length, proves the necessity of a free circulation of the Scriptures in the vernacular language of every country. After his christian salutations, he says: " Let it not make thee dispayre, neither yet discorage thee (oh reader) that it is forbidden thee in peyne of lyfe and goodes, or that it is made breakynge of the kynges peace, or treason vnto his highnes, to reade y* worde of thy soules health. But muche rather be bolde in the lorde and comfort thy soule. For as much as thou art sure and haste an euydent token thorow suche persecutyon, that it is the true worde of God, whiche worde is euer hated of the worlde." He argues, that as the Jews, and those to whom the scriptures were immediately delivered, had them in their own tongue, so ought all mankind. That Jerome felt the great importance of a verna- cular translation, and with much labour made one in Latin. That since the scriptures have been shut up, gross darkness has covered 46 ^miotr of the people. " The curates, alas, themselves, for the moost part, wotte no more what the Newe or Olde Testament meaneth, than do the Turkes." — " Moreouer seynge that one of you euer preacheth contrary to a nother. And whan two of you mete, tlie one disputeth and brauleth with the other, as it were two scoldes. And for as moche as one holdeth this doctor, and another that, one foloweth Duns,* and another S. Thomas," &c., enumerating fifteen different sects in the then Roman Cathohc church in Eng- land, he adds, " In so great dyuersyte of spyrites howe shal I knowe who lyeth and who sayeth trueth : wherby shall I trye them and iudge them ? Verely by Goddes worde, whiche onely is true. But howe shall I that do, whan thou wylte not let me se the scrypture?" Tyndale speaks familiarly of the original languages : " The Greke tongue agreeth more with the Englyshe than with the La- tyne, and the properties of the Hebrue tongue agreeth a thousande tymes more with y^ Englysshe than with the Latyne." He winds up this interesting preface with a serious charge. " Fynally that the threatenyng and forbyddynge the laye people to rede the scrypture is not for loue of your soules (whiche they care for as the foxe doeth for the gese)is euydentand clerer than the Sonne, in as moche as they permytte and sufFre you to reade Robyn Hode, and Beuys of Hampton, Hercules, Hector and Troylus, with a thousande hystoryes and fables of loue and wan tones, and of rybaudrye, as fylthy as herte can thynke, to corrupte the myndes of youth with all, clene contrary to the doctryne of Chryst and of his apostles." This book fell into the king's hands through the zeal of Tyn- dale's enemies to prevent his seeing it. Queen Anne Boleyn had lent her copy to one of the ladies in waiting, who had formed an attachment to a handsome page, named Zouch ; he playfully seized the book, and made his escape with it to the chapel, as a * Duns Scotus, a celebrated monk, born in Scotland, of whom Camden gives the I'ullowing character, as drawn by an Italian poet : " All learning taught in humaine bookes and couched in holy writ, Dun Scotus darke and doubtful! made by subtilty of wit." milltam CwntJate. 47 secure place for private reading- ; but unfortunately Dr. Sampson caught him before he could conceal the proscribed treasure, and with severe threats took away the book, and gave it to Cardinal Wolsey. When the queen asked for her book, the lady, fallmg on her knees, told her what had happened : the amiable queen raised her with kindness, saying, it shall be the dearest book the cardinal has got. She went to the king, and told him the conduct of the doctor and cardinal. Henry immediately called for the stolen volume, when she with irresistible tenderness besought the king to examine its contents, which he did, and appeared to be dehghted with it, saying, "This book is for me and all kings to read." During this time Tyndale was incessantly employed, and pub- hshed a number of tracts and books, which, though small in size, were mighty in pulling down the strongholds of superstition in England. The original editions of many of these tracts are in my cabinet, and have afforded me much instruction and information, as well as amusement : among them is a copy of The Obedience of a Christen Man, small 4to. published May, 1528, once the property of the princess, afterwards Queen Ehzabeth. It has her autograph beautifully written, but with all the pomp worthy of a Tudor: "Elizabeth, doughter of England and France." This book, probably, assisted to fix her principles in favour of the Reformation. In 1529, having finished his translation of the first books of the Old Testament, Tyndale commenced the publication of them in separate tracts, ornamented with wood-cuts, and accompanied with notes, which gave great offence to the clergy. When the manuscript of the book of Deuteronomy was ready for the press, thus completing the Pentateuch, he was visited, by the inscrutable dispensation of Divine Providence, with a heavy calamity. Minding to print the fifth book of Moses at Hamburgh, he on his way thither suffered shipwreck on the coast of Holland; and lost his books, money, and manu- script; his life was saved, for in the goodness of God he was not wrecked on the English coast, where, if the sea had 48 iS^moit at spared him, a Smithfield fire would have burnt him. He con- tinued his journey, and being joyned by Coverdale, they again translated the book of Deuteronomy, and, assisted by a pious lady, Mrs. Van Emmerson, it got printed; he thus completed the first portion of the Old Testament in 1530. At Hamburgh, the same providence which had preserved him in shipwreck, armed his body against the pestilence. " They went through the work in safety, while the sweating sickness swept away thousands in the city with a general mortality ; as if the useful sweating of their brains were a preservative against the hurtful sweating of their bodies. And indeed close application to a lawfull calhng, is the best antidote against a public infection."* This is the only portion of the Old or New Testament in the translation of which Tyndale and Coverdale assisted each other. In the preface to Genesis, he observes, that when he pubhshed the New Testament, he desired them that were learned to amend, if ought were found amiss, but that, instead of amending it, the papists have raised an outcry against the translation ; saying there were many thousand heresies in it, so that it could not be mended : even if an i lacked a tittle over his head, it was noted to the igno- rant people for an heresy. " A thousand books had they lever to be put forth against their abominable doings and doctrine, than that the scripture should come to light." " Which thing only moved me to translate the New Testament. Because I had per- ceived by experience how that it was impossible to establish the lay people in any truth, except the scripture was plainly laid be- fore their eyes in their mother tongue." He humbly submits his Pentateuch to the judgment of Hebrew scholars, and expresses his willingness to have it burnt, if they will first put forth another that shall be found more correct. His writings had by this time been extensively circulated, and began to produce their good fruit sixty or an hundred fold. Many of these tracts are now lost, and probably may never be again recovered. The great object which he endeavours to illus- • Fuller's Church History. iSZatlliam CwntJale. 49 trate through all his works is the important difference between the Old and the New Testaments or Covenants. No man of that age, nor perhaps from that to the present period, had more dis- tinct and pure sentiments upon this very important subject. The former dispensation, pointing by signs and ceremonies to the latter, in which a spiritual but sublime simplicity of worship takes the place of outward pomp and splendour. He was severe on those ceremonies, the inventions of men, alike at variance with revelation and reason, by which all religion was made to consist in bodily motions — howling — pattering — creeping — crossing, &c. &c. His great object was to place the soul before its Creator to worship him in spirit and in truth — well knowing that the result of such intercourse must be a blameless and useful life of active benevolence. He advocated the simple ceremonial insti- tutes of the New Testament, as calculated richly to promote the great object of spiritual worship. Deeply impressed with the importance of religious principles — he gave up none of his pre- conceived opinions until satisfied by divine truth that they were wrong. His was the gradual emancipation of a spirit determined, fearless of all consequences, to try all things, and hold fast that which proved good. This is the great principle of the Reforma- tion. This is the leading truth of revelation — a principle which, while it establishes the right of private judgment, also imbues the mind with a sense of individual responsibility at the day of judgment. While many men, of distinguished talent and piety, have ad- vocated the imposition of ceremonies, creeds, and confessions, they appear to others fraught with unmingled evil ; their effects are intolerance, bigotry, and persecution to those who cannot conscientiously conform, and hypocrisy in those who subscribe them merely for place or lucre. [^ 50 fMnnoiv of ^CHAPTER VII. " Rome tam'd tho world, the Pope tam'd Rome so gi-eat ; Rome rul'd by power, the Pope by deep deceit. But, how more large, than theirs, was Tyndale's fame, Who, with his pen, both Pope and Rome doth tame?" Fr. Quahles. tyndale's works give great offence SECRETLY CIRCULATED pope's BULL AGAINST THEM EFFORTS OF HENRY TO SUPPRESS AND DESTROY THEM. Tyndale's Avritings were obnoxious to the popish clergy, because he attacked and, demoUshed that stronghold of popery, — a pre- tended authority of the Church, on the plea of immediate and continued descent from the apostles, and their claim of being the depositary of traditions, alleged to be of equal authority with the scriptures, as the rule of faith. Tyndale, in the Practice of Prelates, proves that this plea has no foundation ; — that it was many hundred years after Christianity was founded, and had extended her genial influence, before the papists were conceived; and that it was the work of several centuries to strengthen and prepare that baneful system for the desolation of Europe Avhich it occasioned, not only by crusades and the horrors of war, but by that dismal prostration of intellect to what was called holy church and her dogmas. If inquiry was ventured upon, it was silenced with this reason of faith — so the church believes, and because she believes that the fathers believed it, you must there- fore believe it, or be deemed a heretic and suffer death. This mode of argument is seriously commended for its efficacy in driv- ing away the fiend. "This is the faith of that cooliar : which being at point of deathe, and tempted of the deuill what his faith OTltUfflm Cwntlalr. 51 was, awnswered, I beleue and die in the faith of Christes cliurch. Being againe demaunded what the faith of Christ his church was, that faith, saied he, that I beleue in. Thus the deuil getting no other awnswer of the simple man, was ouercomed and put to flight."* The same learned doctor assigns as his reason for not allowing a translation of scripture : " For precious stones ought not to be cast before hogges, and such of all likelihod are the laye ignorant people." An odd idea of the priest, for the natural result must be, his christening the little pigs, and celebrating the mass to the larger swine. Such was the system in which Tyndale had been educated. The light of Scripture had gradually dispersed the gross darkness which had overshadowed his own mind, and he was animated with an earnest desire that the same light should shine upon his native country. Tlie great object of his writings was to excite honest, rational inquiry, guided by the Bible. At times he indulged in justifiable raillery. He thus ridicules abstinence : " A Charter House monk would rather dye than eat flesh, but he loves the strongest ale or beer heated with spices, and pours it in without measure." In the observance of holy days " will he kepe so straight, that if he meete a flee in his bed he dare not kill her," but he neither knows nor cares why the day is kept. In the multitude of ceremonies he is always in fear; for if without a stole about his neck he were to say mass, the wafer would not be consecrated ; if he gave absolution, it were not worth a mite: so their praying to posts, domme pateryng and howlyng ; domme straunge holy ges- tures ; these all mark a fleshlie spiritualitie, which for eight hundred years has been established with lies."f When he had accomplished his most important object in printing the NewTestament, very great difficulties were encountered in circu- lating volumes prohibited by such severe pains and penalties ; but the determined spirit of the reformers overcame them all. Sir T. More complains of the numbers imported. " Whych bokes all be yt that they neyther can be there printed without great coste, nor • Staphilus' Apologie, translated by Stapleton, Ito. 1565, pp. 53 and 64. t Reply to Sir Tho. More, Preface. K 2 52 IHcmoit of here solde wythout great aduenture and parell ; yet ceace they not with mony sent from hense, to prente them there and send them hyther by y^ whole fattes full at once, and in some places lokynge for noo lucre, caste them abrode by nyght." Constantine, when in prison, contrived by giving up some of the books to relax the vigilance of his persecutors, and made his escape. " He deuysed how those deuylysshe bokes whyche hymself and hys felowes hadde brought and shypped, myghte come to the byshoppes handes to be burned. And therfore he shewed me the shypmannes name that had them, and the merkes of the ferdellys, by whych I haue sinnys hys escape receyued them."* Information was laid against R. Webbe of Bristol, " that some of these pestylent bookes were throwen in the strete and lefte at mennys dores by nyght, that where they durste not offer theyr poyson to sell, they wolde of theyr cheryte poyson men for nought, "f John Fox, the martyrologist, observes, that " the bookes of W. Tindal being compiled, published, and sent to England, it cannot be spoken what a doore of light they opened to the eyes of the whole English nation, which before were many yeares shut vp in darkenesse." The effect they produced, shook the pope, and alarmed the king and his council. The kind permission of the Bishop of London opened to me the archives of his diocese during these troublous times, and to my great surprise I found, that the fame of Tyndale had reached Rome probably before it was known to Henry the Eighth. The thunders of the Vatican were launched against him so early as 1520. In the records of Bishop Tonstall is preserved a bull dated July 17, in the eighth year of the pontificate of Leo, on seven closely-written folios, against Luther and his sect. At the end of this formidable instrument, which denounces torment here and eternal fire hereafter against those dread heretics, is a list of their names in the following order : — Luthero, Lambertus, Po- meranus, Zuynglius, CEcolampadius, Bucerus, Melanthonus, Ca- rolastadius, Brentius, Jonas, Westemerus, Hedendorphius, Johnes Agricola, Vrbanus Regius, Brestemanuing, Andreas Knopken, Si- » More's Confutation, Preface, pt. 1. t Confutation, pt. 3, p. 408. (EClilliam CDiitialf. 53 mon Hessus, Johnes Wyltkyrk, Otton Brymsellius, Willmus Tyn- dall, Willmus Roy apostata, Ricus Bryghtwell. The three last names are linked tog'ether with a note on the right hand, Angli ; and on the left, Ordines frm minor de obsuacia de Grenewyche. All these are names worthy of our grateful remembrance : of the Englishmen, Tyndale justly takes the lead. More calls him " this blessed apostle of these apostates."* In these records is also preserved a proclamation issued in the 21st of Henry VIII. (1529,) declaring the royal determination to execute with rigour all the laws against hereticks. It sets forth, " that books in English and Latin have been circulated throughout the kingdom replete with most venomous heresies, blasphemies and slaunders intollerable to the clene eares of any good christen man;" and the king com- mands all his lords, spiritual and temporal, judges, justices of the peace, sheriffs, maiores, bayliffes, constables, and other his officers and ministers, and all his subjects, to prevent any person from preaching or teaching without license, and to cause all such books to be brought in, on pain of immediate imprisonment and punishment for heresy. The proclamation finishes with a list of about ninety Latin and eighteen English books, first the Newe Testament, followed by eleven other books written by Tyndale. In the library at Lambeth Palace is an original state document (a copy is in the records of the venerable Warham,) which very strikingly exhibits the extraordinary effect that the writings of Tyndale had upon the imperious Henry and his clergy. The New Testament in English, and a few little books published by a pious preacher in exile, disquieted the mighty monarch of a great nation, and deeply excited his nobles. Although the effect they produced was not so sudden, yet it appears to have been as deep and alarming as the hand-writing upon the wall was to Bel- teshazzar and his courtiers. The martyrologist Fox, who was an eye-vvitness of these scenes, declares that Tyndale's books pro- duced such singular profit to the godly, and envy to the ungodly, that the connnotion to destroy thevn was " like as, at the birth of * Conlutation of Tyndale, Vol. II. p. 3(i4. 54 IJfltmotr of Christ, Herod and all Jerusalem was troubled with him." Henry had abolished the Pope's jurisdiction in England, but he still cherished popery as the best means of preserving arbitrary power. The circulation of the Scriptures, he saw would be the forerunner of the downfal of the popish church in England. That system, weighed in the balances of God's word, was found wanting ; and if the fundamental principle of the Romish church, belief ivithout investigation, gave place to honest inquiry, Henry might justly conclude, that the people, emancipated from religious slavery, would with injurious haste shake ofF their political chains. He therefore exerted all the energies of his powerful mind to extirpate books so much at variance with cruel or unjust laws and arbitrary domination. The document which suggested these observations, occupies eight skins of parchment, closely written on both sides in a very neat and small character, dated May 28, 1530. It was published in presence of the king, his council, and a convocation of clergy, at the palace of Westminster, adjoining to the chamber of the parliament, and witnessed with the attestations and seals of the three parliamentary notaries : these imposing solemnities are di- rected against the writings of William Tyndale ! The document commences witli a solemn appeal to God, and " to all trew and faithful cristen people ; " and it then sets forth, that the King, " hearing that many books in the English tonge containing many detestable errors and dampnable opynyons, prynted in parties beyonde the see, to be brought into diuerse townes and sondrie parties of this his realme of Englande, and sawen abrode in the same, to the great decaye of our faithe and perylous corrupcion of his people, vnles spedye remedye were breuelie prouided. That his subiectes myght kepe pure and clene of all contagion of wronge opynion in Cristes religion, and that he was full lothe to sufFre suche euill sede sowen amongest his people, soo to take roote, that it myght ouergrowe the corne of the Catholicke fayth." It goes on to state, that his majesty, having collected those books, sent them to his council, prelates, and divers learned men of both iniiversities and others, with instructions that Milliam CyntJalc. 55 theyshould read them, and be prepared conscientiously to give their opinions as to tlie doctrines contained in them, and to be ready to support such opinions by extracts from the said books; — that tliis council met at the king's palace at Westminster, consisting of the lord legate, archbishops, bishops, and learned men ; and that they came to an unanimous conclusion, that all the said books contain " many erroures and heresyes both detestable and damnable " — " which bokes doo swarme full of heresies and detestable opynyons." Each heresy is then engrossed at length on the deed. As our limits will not allow of the insertion of the whole, we have selected the first which is written against each book, and given the total number. The Wicked Mammon contains thirty heresies — 1st. Faith only doth justify us. The Obedience of a Ciiiiistian Man, twenty- five heresies — Whatsoever is done before the Spirit of God giveth light is condemnable — Purgatory ys of the popys inuentyon, and therfore he may doo ther what so euer he wyll — No man may be hired to pray. The Revelation of Antichrist, forty-nine here- sies— To bynde a man perpetually to any vow of religion is without doubt an error — Not only the Pope ys wycked, but the popedom- self, and the offyce ys yniquyte, and ys suche a power that yt suppressyth the faythe and gosple, and cannot be admynystered by a good prynce, but by the aduersarye of Chryste* — All thinges necessarye are declared in the Newe Testament — The Newe Testament of Criste will not suffre any lawe of compulsion, but oonly of counsell and exhortation. [These noble sentiments are declared by the Roman Catholic church to be detestable and dampnable heresies ! ! !] The Sum of Scripture, ninety-two heresies — The water of the fonte hath noo more vertue in it than hath the water of a ryuer — We be all equally bounde to knowe the Gospells and the Epistells of Sainte Powle — Men should see that their childern come to church to here sermon — * lu the original document, this heresy is obliterated ; I liave copied it by the aid of the transcript in the records. That which was heresy in loSO, and punishable with a cruel death, riz. to sjieak against the pope, was declared by act of parliameut in 1631 to be sound doctrine, lleicsy is a strange thing. 56 JBntioir of The Gospell is written for all persons, estates, dukes, princes, pope, emperour." The Book of Beggars — That there is noo purgatory, but it is a thinge invented by the covetousness of the spiritualtee oonly, to translate all kingdoms from other princes unto them — And that there is not oon worde spoken of it in all Holye Scripture. The Exposition into the seventh chapitre of the First Epistill to the Coryntliians, contains these heresies — Yows of chas- tity may be broken — Fasting not an exclusion of meat and drink — that Paul had a wife — that Sainte Pawle saith, that he ought to be chosen for to be a bishop, that is the husbande of oon wyfe." In this it is diificult to discover which this learned coun- cil of the Romish church charged with heresy, Paul or Tyndale. The deed goes on to say, " All which great errours and pestilent heresies being contagious and dampnable with all, the bokes con- teyning the same, with the translacion also of Scripture, corrupted by William Tyndall, as well in the Olde Testament as in the Newe, the kinges hyghnes, with the assent of the prelates and universities, has detyrmined vtterlye to be expelled, rejected, and putt away out of the handes of his people. And the king orders all preachours in his realme to publish the commands of his high- ness in a bill to be read in every church and chapel in the king- dom, during divine service. This bill sets forth the king's zeal for his people's happiness, and that, having found that certain books were distributed through the realme, he had collected them, and had required the opinion of his prelates and learned men, to know whether they were agreable to Goddis woorkes and doctryne or noo; — that, after free deliberation, the whole of these lerned men had determined that these books conteyne fals tradicions, and corrupte doctrine, and pernicious heresies, to the destruction of the soules of good cristen men. — I therfore warne and monyshe you by the woordes of Cryste, Take hede of fals prophettes. Wherfore yowe that have the bookes called Thobedience of a Crysten Man — The Sum of Scripture — The Reuelation of Anti- crist — The Supplication of Beggars — Mammona — The Matry- mony of Tyndale — The Newe Testament in Englishe, of the translacion whiche is nowe prynted, detest them ; abhorre them ; MlilUam CuntJalc. 57 kepe them not in your handes ; deliuer them to tlie superioures suche as call for them. And if by reading of them heretofore, any thinge remanyth in your breests of that teching, either forget it, or by enformacion of the truthe, expelle it and purge hit to the entent that ye soo puryfied and clensed of that con- tagious doctryne and pestiferous tradicions, may be fytte and apte to receyve and reteyne the true doctryne and vnderstanding of Cristes lawes, to the comforthe and edificacion of your soides. Thus I move and exhorte you in God to do. This is your duty to do. This ye ought to doo. And being obstinate and denyinge or refusing this to doo, the prelates of the churche having the cure and charge of your soules, owght to compell you, and your prince to punysh you and correct you not doing. Vnto whom, as Saint Powle saith, the sw^orde is given by Goddes ordinance for that purpose. It is added, that an opinion having been spread abroad, that the king was bound to give the Scrip- tures to his people in their own language, he had taken the advice of these prelates and nobles, who declare that he is not bound to do so ; but that he will have the New Testament trans- lated, and if the people are meke and submissive, and he thinks that it will conduce to their good, he will give it to them. This decree was calculated to serve as a general search-warrant to examine every man's house for the forbidden books, from the palace to the hovel. Where discovered, the penalty was awfully severe : as in the case of Harding, a tormenting death too often aggravated by refined cruelty. It is surprising that any of these books have been handed down to us. Most of them still exist, and mocking the impotent power which sought their destruction, they form an imperishable monument to the talent and piety of the truly illustrious Tyndale : while they form an equally striking monument to the infamy and disgrace of those who sought to destroy works replete with exalted sentiments, because they promoted emancipation from a system the essence of which is spiritual slavery. It is a matter of regret, to find among the names ap- pended to the deed, as members of this council, one who after- wards suffeietl martyrdom for the very cause which he here 58 iHSfiuoir of condemns. Hugh Latimer then consented to the destruction of Tyndale, as Saul did to the martyrdom of the amiable and pious Stephen. Sir Thomas More was a principal actor in this business; and he thus describes the solemnities with which this deed received the royal assent :* — " In hys owne moste roiall per- son, in the sterre chamber, moste eloquently by hys owne mouth, in greate presence of hys lordes spyrytuall and temporall, gave monycyon and warnynge to all the iustyces of peace, of euery quarter of hys realme then assembled byfore hys hyghnes, to be by them in theyr cuntrees to all hys people declared, and dyd prohybyte and forbydde, vppon greate paynes, the bryngynge in, redynge, and kepynge of any of those pernycyouse poysened bookes, to the enteut that euery subjet of hys, by the meane of suche manyfolde effectual warnynge, wyth hys gracyouse remys- syon of theyr former offence in hys commaundement before broken, sholde from thense forthe auoyde and estyew the parell and daunger of punyshement, and not dreue hys hyghnesse of necessyte to the tliynge from whyche the myldenesse of hys benygnef nature abhorreth." In June, 1530, the King issued a proclamation, setting forth, that, with the advice of the primates and learned men from all parts of the kingdom, the books of Tyndale had been examined, and found to contain pestiferous errors and blasphemies, and or- daining that they should be taken of all men for books of heresie, and worthy to be put in perpetual oblivion. Henry commands his subjects to deliver up all such books within fifteen days. The judges, justices, constables, and all oflficers are ordered to seize all those who refuse to deliver such books, or are suspected to keep them, and to bring them before the king and his council, that they may be corrected and punished for their contempt, to the terrible example of other like transgressors. The proclamation declares, that it is not expedient for the people to have the Scriptures in English, and decrees that they are books of heresie, and shal be clerely exterminated and exiled out of this realms of Ejigland " Piefaee. to the Confutation oi' Tyndale. t Sir Thomas More, within three years, bitterly tasted the mildness of his royal master's benign nature, by being cruelly put to death ! Milliam Cuntialf. 59 for ever. It also extends the prohibition to the same books in " Douch" (German) and French. This proceeding justifies the character given of his persecutors by Tyndale : he calls them " fleshly-minded hypocrites, as making the Scripture theire own possession and merchandize, and so shutting up the kingdom of heaven, which is God's word, neither entring themselves, nor suffering them that would."* Every effort of human wit, in addition to such cruel laws, was exhausted against these books. The usual intimidation was the fear of burning, both here and hereafter. More indulged his readers with a peep into the regions of terror, to frighten the poor Papists from inquiries after truth. " Tewkesbury would not have been martyred yf Tyndales vngracyouse bokes had neuer come in hys hande, for whych the pore wreche lyeth now in hell, and cryeth out on him ; and Tyndall, yf he do not amende in tyme, he is lyke to fynde hym when they come togy- ther, an hote fyrebronde burnynge at hys bakke, that all the water in the worlde wyll neuer be able to quench. \ Then haue we Jonas made out by Tyndale, a boke that whoso delyte therein, shall stande in parell that Jonas was neuer so swalowed vppe wyth the whale, as by the delyte of that booke a mannes soide maye be so swalowed vppe by the deuyll, that he shall neuer haue the grace to gete out agayne. "J This prologue is of considerable length, and is ironically severe, by showing the wicked conduct of the Jewish priests in our Lord's days, and the parallel conduct of the Roman Catholic teachers. It contains a clear exhibition of Tyndale's religious sentiments, " If thou find ought amisse, when thou seist thy selfe in the glasse of God's Worde, thynke it compendious wis- dome, to amende the same betymes, monished and warned by the ensample of other men, rather than to tary vntil thou be beaten also." He calls the whale's belly a new schole in which Jcnas lost much of his dross — and exhibits him as a warning. " And wyth Jonas let them that wayte on vanities, and seke God here * Prologue to Jonas. t Preface to the Cnnfutation of Tyndale. t This treatise is published in every edition of Tyndale's Bible. The oii;;in.\l edition is of extrenii' rarilv. 60 JMcmoii- of and there, and in euery tempi, sane in theyr hertes ; — go and seke the testament of God in thyne hart " — " and when the rage of thy conscience is ceased, offer thanksgeuing and paye the vowe of thy baptisme, that God only saueth of his only mercy — ascribe the cause of thy tribulacion vnto thyne owne synne, and the cause of thy delyuerance vnto the mercye of God." The Lord Chancellor takes advantage also of the superstitious fears of the ignorant. It happened that at this period the coun- try suffered under a severe famine, attended by great mortality. This the enlightened More attributes to Tyndale's heretical books ; and he predicts that for this heresy the Almighty would send wars, sickness, and mortality.* At other times, ridicule and raillery are tried, to aid the sup- port of the tottering hierarchy — " Neuer was made a more folyshe frantyque boke than the Wycked Mammon." " Then haue ye an exposycyon also vppon the VII chapyter of Corin- thyes, by whyche prestes, freres, monkes, and nonnes be taught that euangelical lyberty, that they may runne out a caterwaw- ynge, and so wow and wedde."f Tyndale had now settled at Antwerp, as chaplain to the com- pany of English merchants. Wherever he went, his unaffected piety and amiable manners secured the esteem of all who knew him ; and although he sustained a public character, his abode was for some time veiled from his powerful enemies, who had long doomed the persecuted exile to death. He was thus shielded for four years against all their machinations. During this perilous time he compiled a short treatise on the sacrament, severely condemning the absurdities and idolatry of the mass ; but, fearing that it might offend some weak dis- ciples, he withheld it from the press, and it was not printed until after his martyrdom. With respect to all his tracts and treatises, Fox quaintly but justly says, they are " no lesse delectable than also most fruitfull to be read." * Picface to the Confutation. t More indulged in very indelicate jokes upon the vicious conduct and pvotiigate concubinage of the clergy, but their getting mai'ried excited his unbounded abhor- rence and anger. Mtlttam CnntJalf. 61 CHAPTER VIII " In the rare roll of martyrs we do find Famous John Frith, an Englishman by naturp ; Who, from his youth, adorn'd his education With promptitude of wit, and other parts. Whereby he flourish'd both in tongues and arts." QVARI.ES. INEFFECTUAL ATTEMPTS TO ALLURE TYNDALE TO ENGLAND HIS SEVERE PRIVATIONS HENRY'S ANGRY LETTER TO HIS ENVOY MARTYRDOM OF THE AMIABLE FRITH. The emissaries of Henry, Cardinal Wolsey, and the Lord Chan- cellor, were at this time using their utmost efforts to bring Tyndale to England, that, by cutting short his life, the light of Scripture might be, as they vainly hoped, extinguished. The principal agent employed to effect this, was the British envoy in the Low Countries, Stephen Vaughan. The first communication from him which I have been able to discover, is a letter to his master, Henry VIII., dated January 26, 1530, from the town of Barrough, near Antwerp. From this it appears that Tyndale had not taken up his residence in the Low Countries at that time, so that, to open a correspondence with him, letters were addressed to three dif- ferent cities in Germany. He was aware of the determined aim of his enemies to destroy him, and, like a hunted hart, concealed himself from his pursuers. The Envoy, having addressed his Majesty on political affairs, thus introduces the subject of our memoir.* " I have written three sondry letters vnto Willyam Tyndall, and the same sent for the more suretie to iii several places; to Frankforde, Hamborough, and Marleborough. I * These papers are in the British Museum. I have published every word con- tained in them relative to Tyndale. 62 Plcmoh- cf then nott assured in which of the same he was and liad veray good hope, after I harde say in Englande that he wolde, upon the promise of your magestie and of your most gracious salue conducte, be content to repayre and cum into England, that I shulde partly therwith, and partly with such other per- swasions as I then devised in my said letters, and fynally, with a promyse which I made hym, that whatsoever suretie he wolde reasonably desire for his safe coming in and going out of your Realme, my friends shulde labour to have the same graunted by your magistie. that now the brute and fame of suche thinges (as sithe my wrytyng to hym) hathe chaunced within your Realme, shulde provoke the man not only to be mynded to the contrary of that, whereunto I had thought without diffi- cultie to have easily brought him, but also to suspect my per- swasions to be made to his more parell and daungier, then, as I thynke if he were verily perswaded and put before you, your most gracious benygnytie and piteous regarde naturall custome alwayse had towardes your humble subjectes considered, and specially to those, which knowlaging theyr offences, shall humbly requyre your most gracious pardon, he shall never have nede so doe or feare. Lyke as your magestie, as well by his letters written with his owen hande, sent to me for answer of my sayde letters, as also by the copie of another letter of his answering some other person whom your magestie had commanded to perswade by like meanys, may playnly apperceyue— whiche letters like as toge- ther I receyued from these parties, so sende I herwith enclosed to your highnes." This communication was accompanied by a letter to Lord Cromwell, in which he says, " It is vnlikely to gett Tyndall into England when he dayly hereth so many thinges from thense whiche feareth hym. After his booke answering my lord chancillor's boke be put fourthe, I thinke he wyll wryte no more. The man is or a gretter knowlege then the KYNGE HIGHNES DOTH TAKE HIM FOR, wlliclie Wcll appCrcth by his workes. Wolde god he were in Englande." The letters from Tyndale sent to the King by his envoy, have not yet been found. Should they still exist, their contents must be very deeply interesting. OTItlltam CpnlJnU. 63 Among the state papers is preserved part of a well written and affecting letter from one of the King's emissaries, who, in a very singular, and even romantic manner, obtained an interview with Tyndale. The courtier found himself most unexpectedly in the presence of his long-sought victim, who awed him with his dig- nified purity and truth, so that, in answering him, he tells his royal master that he did it as his poor wit would serve him. The letter bears every mark of exphcit sincerity, and it displays in lively colours the sufferings of this great man. One to whom the nation is so deeply indebted, was living in painful and peri- lous concealment, afflicted with hunger, cold, and every pri- vation, aggravated by the difficulties thrown in his way to prevent the circulation of the Scriptures, He deeply partook of the sorrows of David, whose tears flowed because the law of God was despised. Still, the great object for which he cherished life, was not yet accomplished. The Bible had not been printed and circulated in the English language. The king's agent thus writes : — " Please it your maiestie to be advertised, how that of late I obteyned a copie of one parte of tyndalles boke, answerynge to the boke put forth by my lord chancellor, whereof immediatly I gave knoledge to my Lord Thomas Cromwell, and him required thereof to advertyse your High- ness as aperteyned ; which copie beyng rudely writyn enter- lynyd and difficult to be red, me thowght uncomly and not mete in so vile aray to be sent to the hands of your Riall maieste. The Regard whereof moved me to write it ageyne that it myght come to your most gracious hands the more legible and easy to your redyng, which parte I have herewith sent vnto your hyghnes, thynkyng that the matter therein conteynyd (for the modest order thereof) In regard of his former wrytyng, will somewhat better like you then some other of his works vvhich he hath with lesse advisement, more Rashenses and ruder spirite put forthe before this tyme. this part which your grace receives nowe is but a third or fourth part of his hole worke, but comprehendeth in effect the substance and pithe of the other parts where he par- 64 iMemott of ticularly answeretli to every chapter of my lordes booke with suche growndes as he hathe laid in liis first part, thow he vse in it a larger circumstance. The seconde part I have in hkewise ob- teynyd which I will in like wise write and send unto your grace with all convynyent spede and celerite. the day before the date* hereof, I spake with Tyndall withowt the town of Andwerp and by this meanes. He sent a certeyne person to seke me, whom he had advysed to say, that a certeyne frend of myne, vnknowen to the messenger, was very desirows to speke with me ; praying me to take paynes to go unto him to suche place as he should bryng me. Then I to the messenger (said) what is your fryend and where is he ? His name I know not, said he, but if it be your pleasure to go where he is, I wilbe glad thider to bryng you : thus dobtfull what this matter ment, I concluded to go with hym, and folowed hym till he browght me withowt the gate of Andwerp into a feld lying nyghe unto the streme, where was abidyng me this said Tyndall. At our metyng, do you not knowe me ? said this Tyndall. I do not well remember you, said I to hym ; my name, said he, is Tyndall. But Tyndall, said I, fortunate be our metyng. Then Tyndall : Sir, I have bene excedyng desirous to speke with you. And I with you ; what is your mynd. Sir, said he, I am enformed that the kynge's grace taketh great dis- plesure with me for puttyng furthe of certeyne bokes which I lately maid in these partes, but specially for the boke namyd the Practise of Prelates, whereof I have no littell marvaill consideryng that in it I did but warne his grace of the subtyle demeanor of the Clargy of his Realme towardes his person, and of the shamefull abusions by them practised, not a littell threatnyng the displeasure of his grace and weale of his Realme. In which doyng, I shewed and declared the harte of a trew subiect which sowght the salue- gard of his Riall person and weale of his commons, to thentent that his grace thereof? warnyd mygt in dewe tyme prepare his re- medies against the subtyle dreames. If for my paynes theirin takyn. Yf for my pouertye. Yf for myn exille out of myn ■ The date is unfortunately wanting. OTilliam CyntJalc. 65 naturall contrey, and beyng absent from my fryndes. Yf for my liongar — my thurst — my cold — the great danger wherewith I am every where compasyd — and fynally yf for innumerable other hard and sharp sicknesses whiche I indure, not yet feellyng theyre asperitie by reson I hopyd with my labors to doo honor to God — trew service to my prynce, and plesure to his commons, how ys yt that his grace this consyderyng may ether by hymselfe thyncke or by the perswasions of wother, be browght to thyncke, that in this doyng I schold not schow a pure mynd, a trew and incorrupt zeale, and efFeccyon to his grace. Was there in me any suche mynde when I warnyd hys grace to beware of his cardinall whose iniquyte he schortly after approvyd accordyng to my wrytyng ? Doth this deserve hatered ? Ageyne, may his grace, beyng a crysten prynce, be so vnkynd to God, whiche hathe commaundyd his word to be spredde thorowgh owght the world ; to geve more faythe to the wykkyd perswasions of men, whiche presumyng above Goddes wyssdom and contrary to that whiche Cryst expressly comandeth in his testament dare saye, thatt yt is not lefull for the pepoll to have the same in a tonge that they under- stond because the puritie thereof schold opyn mens ies to se ther wyckydnes ! ! Is there more danger in the kynges subgects then in the subgectes of all other princes, whiche in every of there tongges have the same under pry veleage of their sufFeraynse, as I now am, very deth ware more pleasaunt to me then lyffe, consyderyng mans nature to be suche as can bear no trewthe. This, after a long communycation had betwene us, for my parte makynge an- swar as my pore wyt wold serve me whiche war to long to write. I sayde him with gentyll perswasions to know whether he Wold come into Ingland aserteynyng hym that meanys schold be made yf he thereto were mynded with owght his parell or dawnger that he myght so doo. And that what surety he wold devyse for the same purpoose, schold by labor of freynds be obteyned of your Magestie : but to this he answerd that he ne wold ne dorste come into Ingland, albeyt your grace wold promes him neversomuch the surtye. Feryng lest, as he hath before wryttyn, your promise made scholde schortly be broken by the perswasyon of the clargye [ r ] 66 0(cmoir of whiche wolde afFyime that proniyses made with erytykes ought not to be kept. After this he told me how he had fynyshed a worke agenst my Lord Chansellars booke, and wold not put it in printe till suche tyme as your grace had sene yt, becawse he apper- sevyth your dysplesure towardes hym for hasty puttyng forthe of his other werkes, and because yt schold appere that he is not of so obstynate mynd as he thynketh he is reported unto your grace. This is the substaunce of his comunycasion had with me, whiche as he spake, I have wryttyn to your grace, word for word, as nye as I cowlde by any possible meanys bryng to remembraunce. My trust, therfore, is that your grace will not but take my laburs in the best part. I thowght necessary to be wrytten unto your grace. After these wordys, he then beyng some thyng fearfull of me, lest I wold have parsuyd hym, and drawyng also towardes nyght, he toke his leve of me, and departed from the towne, and I toward the towne, saying I schold schortly peraventure se hym agayne, or yf not, here from hym. Howbeyt, I suppose, he after- ward retornyd to the towne by a nother wey, for there is no lyclyhed that he schold lodge withought the towne, hastie to parsew hym I was not, becawse I had some lyclyhod to speke schortly agayne with hym, and in perswing hym, I myght per- chaunse have fayllyd of my purpose, and put my selfe in dawnger. To declare to your magestie what in my pore judgement I thynke of the man, I asserteyne your grace I have not communed with a man The remainder of this interesting paper is lost, but it may be fairly inferred that a high character was given of the distressed exile. Tyndale's Practice of Prelates, to which he alluded in this con- versation with the King's envoy, was printed at Marpurg, by H. Luft in 1530. It is an admirably condensed history of the rise and spread of popery, and of the intriguing practices of the Romish hierarchy. He ascribes the desire of Henry to be divorced from his faithful queen Catherine, to advice instilled into his mind by his confessor, the Bishop of Lincoln, at the in- stigation of Cardinal Wolsey. The ulterior design was to bring about the marriage of Henry to the French princess ; and, by the OTtKtam Cj)ntJak. 67 united influence of the two crowns, to secure an open road, by wliich the cardinal might ascend to the papal see and triple crown, in which case Lincoln would have been advanced to York, Tyndale most decidedly opposes the divorce, by learned and unanswerable arguments drawn from the laws of nature and of God, " What God has joined together, no man, not even the Pope, can lawfully put asunder." Tyndale was contented with his poor apostle's life, although exposed to severe privations ; still resisting every temptation to wealth and honour, preferring the wealth of a pure conscience, and the honour of untainted principles, with exile and severe sufferings, to all the pomp and luxuries of affluence, with a guilty conscience. He thus apologizes for presuming to offer his advice to Royalty. " Some man might happlye say, that though a greate man wold be content to haue his deades com- pared vnto the lawes of God, he wold disdayne yet to have so vyle a wretch as I am, to dispute of them. I answere this is not my faute, but Goddes will, which for the most parte euer chosest of the vilest to confounde the gloriouse which not onlye clothed his sonne with oure vyle nature, but made him also of the lowest sorte of men, euen fyue hundred steppes beneth the degre of a cardinale. And the gloryous scribes and the pha- rises for all their holinesse rebuked not Herod ; but vile Jhon the Baptist." Another communication relative to this illustrious exile, is contained in a letter from Sir S. Vaughan, addressed to the King, dated May 20, 1531. The sentiments of Tyndale, here communicated to Henry, display great magnanimity ; and they are expressed in language which, considering his suffering state, is deeply affecting. The spirit which it breathes reminds us of the devotion of the apostle Paul to his nation, as exhibited in the epistle to the Romans, chapter ix. v. 3. So here, Tyndale was ready to be accursed for his nation, to suffer torment and death, upon condition that his countrymen should be first supplied with the bread of life, — the Bible in their own language. The letter f2 68 0lfmoiv of commences with some political affairs : the following is a copy of the latter part, being all that refers to Frith and Tyndale. " As touching a yong man being in these parts, named Frithe, of whome I lately aduertised your magestye by my former lettres, and whom your royall magestie giveth me in commandement withe frendly parswasions admonytions and holsome cownsayles to aduertise to leue his willfuU opinions and errours and to re- turne into his natiue contrey. I shall not fayle accordinge vnto your most gracious commaundement to indevour to thutter most of my power to perswade hym accordinglye, so sone as my chaunce shalbe to mete with hym. How be it I am informed that he very lately maryed in HoUande, and ther dewllethe, but in what place I cannot tell ; thys mariage maye by chaunce hynder my perswasions. I suppose hym to haue byn thereunto dryuen throughe pouuertie, whiche is to be pitied, his qualities considered. I have agayne byn in hande to perswade Tyndall, and to draw hym the rather to favour my perswasions, and not to thinke the same fayned, I shewed hym a clawse conteyned in maister Crumwell's lettre, conteynynge these wordes foUowinge. And not withstanding other the premisses in this my lettre conteyned, if it were possible, by good and holsom exhortacions to reconsile and conuerte the sayde Tyndall from the trayne and affection whiche he now is in, and to excerpte, and take away the opynyons and fantasies sorely rooted in hym, I doubte not but the kynge high- nes wolde be muche ioyous of his conuersion and amendement. And so beinge conuerted, if then he wolde retiune into his realme, vndoubtedly the kinges royall magistie is so inclined to mercie, pitie, and compassion,* that he refusethe none whiche he seythe to submyt themself to the obedyence and good order of the worlde. In these wordes I thought to be suche swetnes and vertue as were able to perse the hardest harte of the worlde. And as I thought, so it cam to passe. For after sight therof, I perceyued the man to be excedinge altered, and to take the same very nere vnto his • These must have heen courtly words without meaning, like those at the close of a modern petition — " as in duty bound will ever pray." Milltam CynKalc. 69 hearte, in suche wise that water stode in his yees. And answered what gracious woi-des are these. I assure youe, sayed he, If it wolde stande withe tlie kinge most gracious plaisur to graunte only a bare text of the scripture to be put forthe emonge his people, like as is put forthe emonge the subgectes of the empe- rour in these parties, and of other cristen princes, be it of the translation of what person soever shall please his magestie, I shall ymedyatlye make faithfull promyse neuer to write more, ne abide two dayes in these parties after the same : but ymedyatly to repayre into his realme, and there most humbly submytt myselfe at the fete of his roiall magestie, offerynge my bodye to suf- fer WHAT PAYNE OR TORTURES, YE WHAT DETHE HIS GRACE WILL, so THAT THIS BE OBTEYNED, And till that tyme, I will abide thaspect of all chaunses what so euer shall come, and in- dure my lyfe in as many paynes, as it is able to bere and suffer. And as concernynge my reconsiliacion his grace may be assured that what soeuer I haue sayed or written, in all my hfe ageynst thonour of Goddes worde, and so proued ; the same shall I before his magestie and all the worlde, vtterly renownce and forsake. And with most humble and meke mynde imbrace the truthe, ab- horringe all errour souer at the most gracious and benygne request of his royall magestie, of whose wisdome, prudence and lernynge I hear so greate prayse and commendation, then of any other creature lyuyng. But if those thinges whiche I haue written be true, and stande with Goddes worde, why shulde his magestie hauynge so excellent a guytl of knowlege in the scrip- tures, moue me to do any thinge agenst my conscience with many other wordes whiche were to longe to write, Fynally, I haue some good hope in the man, and wolde not doubte to bringe hym to some good poynt, were it that some thing now and then myght proceed from your magestie towardes me, wherby the man myght take the better comforte of my perswasions. I aduertised the same Tyndall that he shulde not put forthe the same booke, tyll your most gracious pleasure were knowen, whereunto he an- swered, myne aduertisement cam to late, for he feared lest one that had his copie, wolde put it very shortly in prynte, whiche he 70 IHfmoir of woulde lett yf he coulde, if not there is no remedy. I shall stay it as muche as I can, as yet it is not come forthe ne will not in a while by that I perseyue." The tears in the eyes of Tyndale showed the excellency of his principles and the goodness of his temper. To him it was a subject of deep regret, that he dared not conform to the wishes of his sovereign and the government of his country. He could submit to privations, cruelty, and death ; but he could not make profes- sions, unless they were sincere. He argues, with sound reason, that the King ought not to require the submission of his subject in matters of religion, contrary to the dictate of conscience, as he hoped, guided by the Scriptures. Here is no boasting of his superior purity or principles, but anxious regret that a profession of insincere conformity was required. It was a painful test, whether he should obey God or man. His fervent piety enabled him to resign himself to every affliction rather than make a hypocritical profession of belief in matters which, in his sober judgment, he considered unscriptural and irrational; and in this he manifested the most honourable and dignified character which human nature is capable of sustaining. What little patience Henry possessed, was now exhausted. When he found it impossible to allure, or by any means to get his victim to England, he threw off the mask. With an ap- pearance of indignation he declares, that he will not have the soil of his realm polluted by such a desperate heretic. But his Majesty had also a new and deep cause of alarm and anxiety, lest his envoy should become a reformer instead of reforming the poor exiled priest. A heavenly atmosphere appeared so to surround Tyndale that it was impossible to hold communications with him, and not be convinced of the truth of his piety and principles. The King discovering that he had assigned to his agent a dan- gerous as well as difficult task, he now resorted to every art of persuasion and threatening, to prevent his ambassador, Sir Thomas Vaughan, from becoming a convert to Tyndale's sentiments. The reply to Vaughan's letters was drawn by the secretary of state, and laid before the King, who made very considerable ^Itlliam Cj)ut(alf. 71 alterations in it : these are accurately copied from the original state paper.* The words wliich tlie royal penman struck out are printed between [ ] in Italics : those in a smaller type interlined were inserted by his hand. They show that Henry possessed a mind of deep penetration, and of very considerable endowments. He made no alterations except where the paper alluded to Tyndale. " Stephen Vaughan I commende me vnto you. And haue re- ceyud your letters, dated at Andwarpe the .xviij. day of Aprill, with also that parte of Tyndale's boke [^sewed and ] inclosed in lether, which yt with your letters directed to the Kinges Highnes. After the recept whereof, I dyd repayre vnto the courte, and there presented the same vnto his royall maiestie. Who [after the re- cept thereof '\ made me answer for that tyme that his highnes at oportune leysour wolde vysite ouersee and rede the contents as well of your letters as also the saide boke. And at my next re- payre thither, it pleased his highnes to call for me, declaring vnto me as well the contentes of your letters as also moche matter con- teyned in the said boke of Tyndalles. And albeit that I might well perceyue that his maiestee was right well pleased, and right acceptable considered your diligence, and paynes taken in the wryting and sending of the saide boke, as also in the perswading yet his highnes and exhorting of Tyndall to repayre into this realme [in the accotn- nothing lyked the sayd boke being fylled with sedycyous slanderous lyes and pUshment of his high jjleasure and commaundement. Yet I Faninstycall oppynyons. Shewing therein nether lernyng nor trewthe might coniecture by the farther declaracyon of his high plea- sed ferther conference with his grace, I myght well perceyue that he thought sure. Which sayed vnto me, by your wryting it manyfestlie that ye bare moche appered howmoche'\ affection, [love and zele ye do here'] towardes & knowledge in woordlye thinges the saideTyndall, whom in his maners, [modestie and symplycitee'] in your letters who's ye vndoubtedlie^do moche [more'\ allowe and commende [then his'] being replete with so and lyes •vforke%[being so reple tewith lyes anrfwosijabhomynable sclaunders, onlye Imagenedand^faynedtoenfecte [and intoxicate] thepeopuU, [{may * In the British Museum. 72 JMtmoh- of him to lake grace, native lerning, godly toindyfferentjudgement^({QQ\dixeX\\\_him)forthewhichyourfmiours discrecyon and all other good qualities, nothing else pretending in all his supposed to be born to the saide Tyndall, who assuredlie shexoeth workes but evedente dyssaite himself, in myn opynyon rather to be replete with venymous envye, rancour, and malice then with any good lerning, vertite, or discression, hathe put the kinge highnes in suspectyon of ye by your letters prayse, you,considering']\hz.i\jieshould'\'vs\%\iiQhw'i?,Q\lenevnto and favour set forth, and avaunce hym. which nothing elles pretendyth the evill doctryne of so perverse and malycyous a person, and so moche prayse him. Who nothing goeth about, or pretendeth,] and sowe sedycyon but [onelie to seduce, deceyue, and'\ disquiet [^the j^^ople and among the peopuU of this realme. comenweith of this realme. Whose cummyng into Englande His highnes therfore the Kinges highnes can right well forbere and'\ hathe com- to aduertise you that his pleasure is maundedme[ea:press/3/]towryte[i»nto ?/0M,]that ye shoulde desyste the sayd Tyndale to cum into this realme ' and leve eny ferther to persuade or attempte [him there untoJ] he AUedging that \_his maiestie so euedsntlie'] perceyuing the maly- and judgment of the said Tyndall is in maner without hope of cyous, perverse, vncharytable mynde [and disposicyon of the said reconcylyacyon in hym, and is veray joyous to haue his realme destytute of such a Tyndall is rather^ veray glad [^that he is out of his realme^ then person is that he shouldretourne into the same, there to nianyfest his errours and sedycyous opynyons, wliich (being out of the Realme by his most vncharytable, venemous, and pestilent bokes, craftie For hys hyghnes right prudentlye consyderyth and false persuasions) he hathe partlie don all redie. ^ \_So that"} if he might he were present by all lykelehod, he wolde shortelie (which God defende) do asmoche as in him were to infecte and corrupt the hole realme, to the grete inquietacyon and hurte of the Wherfor Stephen comen welth of the same. \_Wherfore'] ^ I hertelie pray you, that \^from hensforth'\ in all your doinge[aw(i]procedynge, and wryting without dissimulacyon to the kinges highnes, ye do iustely, trewlie, and vnfaynedlie, ^ Mtlltam EijntlaU. 73 shew yourself his trew louyn^j, obedyent subiect. Beryug no maner favour, love, or [^shew yourself to be no fauerer vnto the saide"] Tyndall, ne to his affection vnto the said workes in any maner of wise, but [rather] vtterlie [to'] contempne in so and abhorre the same. Assuring you that ^ doing [the contrary,'] ye shall not onhe cause the kinges [highnes] royall maieste, whose goodnes [highnes] at this tyme is so benignehe and gracyousHe mynded towardes you (as by your good dyhgence and industrie to be vsed to serue his highnes, and extewing and avoyding to favor and allow the saide Tyndall his erronyous workes and opynyons) so to sett you forwardes, as all your lovers ye are like shortlie to atteyne [both welth, honestie, and pro- and friends shall haue gret consolacyon of the same. mocyon at his gracyous hande, to the singuler toy, pleasure, doin?, ye shal and comforte of all your frendes^ and by the contrarie [to] ac- quire the indignacyon of God [and] displeasure of your souereigne cause lorde, and by the same [compell] your good frendes which haue bryng into his gracyous ben euer glad, prone, and redie to [aduance] you [vnto the] fauours [of your prynce,] to lamente and sorow, that their sute in that be frustrate and behalf should ^ not take efFecte, according to their good intent and purpose. Hauing therefore firme trust, that for the loue ye •will owe to yourself, me, and [other] your frendes, ye [wilbe well] and often beware, [from hensforth,] to enter into any [soche] opynyons, or suspycyon whereby any sclaunder, dishonestie, [or] daungier ^ might insue towardes you ; whereof I promyse you I wold be as sorie as naturall your [good] father. As touching Frith, mencyoned in your saide letters, the kinges highnes, heryng tell of his towardenes in moche good letters and lernyng, doth [regrete and] lament that he should in such wise as he doth, set fourth, shew, and applye his lernyng and doctryne in the semynacyon and sewing such euill seedes of dampnable and detestable heresies, mayntenyng, bolstring, and aduancyng the venemous and pestyferous workes, 74 IKfmoir of erronyous and sedycyous opynyons of the saide Tyndale, and lyke other such. Wherein his highnes [as] a most vertuoits and be- nigne prynce and gouernour, hauing charge [commytted vnto and veraye Aim] of liis people and subiectes, ^ being ^ sorie to here tell that any of the same should in suche wise ronne hedling and and holsom doctrjne of holye fathers, into digresse from the lawes [and precepte] of Almightie God, ^ [into such dampnable suche dampnable} heresies and sedycyous opynyons, and being ever inclyned, wiUing, and gretelie desirous to forst and prouyde and moche desyryng the recousylj'acyon of the sayd Fry th he for the same, ^ and also fermelie trusting that [the saide Frith] be not so farre as yet inrouted in the evill doctryne of the saide and other Tindall, but that by the grace of God, louyng, charitable, and frendely exhortacions and aduertisements of good people, he hath wylled may be [revoked and ] called agayne to the ryght way. [ Wylleth] me to wryt vnto you, that ye therefore, [and desireth you], according to his trust and expec- will tacyon, ^ with your frendelie persuasions, admonycyons, and holsome exhortacions, counsaill and aduyse the said Fryth, if ye may convenientlie speke with the same to leve his wilfull opynyons, and like a good christian to retorne [v7ito our Saue- ■whcre he shall assurydly fynde the kynges highnes most mercyfull and benynglye our Christe, and also] into his natif cuntrey, ^ So that by his vpon his conuersyon, disposyd to accept hym to his grace and joye procedinge as he begynneth, there be no more [sedycyous infec- 'tions and heresies sowed amongst the kinges peopulL] Where- exort you fore eftesones I [hartelie pray you,] and for the loue of God [do] not onelie [exhorte you] vtterhe to forsake, leue, and withdraw your afFectyon from the saide Tyndale, and all his secte ; but the sayd Frith and other also as moch as ye can poletiquelie and charytablie, to allure ,4 being in these parties which in any wyse ye shall knowe or suspecte to be all suche persons [as ben] fautours and assistents to the same, from all their erronyous myndes and opynyons. In which do- in ing ye shall not onelie highlie merite [of] Almightie God, but ^Kailltam Cuutialc. 75 also deserue hygh tliankys of the kinges royall maiestee, who will not forget your deuoyre and labours in that behalf. So euydcntlie that majestee may ^ perceyue that ye effectuallie do intende the same." Such were the arbitrary practices of bye-gone days never to return. The King chose to profess his belief in certain speculative dogmas, but was not content to allow his subjects the same liberty of choice. He ordered them to believe as he did. He did not require uniformity of features, but that which was equally absurd, mental uniformity; and because Tyndale honestly avowed a difference of opinion on these dogmas, although he was a most loyal subject, an excellent citizen, his highly cul- tivated mind rendering him an ornament to society, one who exemplified every moral virtue in his conduct, still he is denounced together with all those who did not speak evil of him. That system, called religious, which by human laws interfered with the sacred rights of conscience, produced the same baneful effect on the mind of Henry which it had done on that of Sir Thomas More. Tyndale's learned and affectionate friend Frith, relying on promises never intended to be kept, came to England, His amiable temper and deep store of acquired knowledge pleaded nothing in his favour. He refiised to profess a belief in doctrines to which no human intellect could honestly assent, and at which his heart revolted. He was immediately apprehended and sent to the Tower, whence this highly-gifted and learned young man was conveyed to that aceldama where many of the most vir- tuous and pious men of the age were slaughtered, and from a Smithfield fire he ascended to his eternal rest. Two Romish clergymen exhorted the people not to pray for Frith any more than they would for a dog : at this the martyr smiled and prayed God to forgive them ; but the people " sore grudged at them for so saiynge." 76 ilHcmoti- of CHAPTER IX. ' By his rare pains, firm faith, and Christ's free grace. Which formerly thick fogs of error base. And dusky clouds of works' desert hid quite. Were well restored to their ancient light. He, by God's word and Spirit's inspiration, The gospel light re-spread throughout our nation. His ashes, kept by heaven, securely rest. And sweetly sleep in hope to rise most blessed." QUARLES. HIS HABITS AND LABOURS AT ANTWERP REPUBLISHES THE NEW TESTAMENT — IS BETRAYED, IMPRISONED, AND MARTYRED. Tyn dale's habits, for the few years that he resided at An- twerp, were most actively benevolent. He was the almoner of his more wealthy countrymen. Saturday and Sunday were his days of relaxation from severe study : on the former, he visited the sick and dying foreigners, and on Sunday, both before and after divine service, he visited and relieved his fellow exiles. Persecution for conscience sake, like a dreadful pestilence, ravaged his native country, sweeping away with the besom of destruction the most pious and benevolent of her sons. Many, to escape a cruel death, fled to Antwerp in the greatest distress ; and they obtained from Tyndale consolation and a supply for their pressing wants. In bestowing alms, he appeared like an angel of mercy : in preaching, he spoke like an apostle. These qua- lities which dignify human nature, only excited the more bitter animosity of those who were persecuting Christ in the persons of his pious and devoted disciples. The laborious studies which occupied the great portion of his time, were in vindicating himself and the reformation from the slan- OTiHtam CijntJalc. 77 dersof Sir Thomas More, and incompleting the translation of the Sacred Scriptures. It is impossible to decide, without the discovery of new evidence, whether he translated the whole of the Old Testa- ment : the similarity which pervades it, leads me to conclude that he did, and that Coverdale profited by his manuscripts. It is plain, that, from Esdras to Malachi, it is one translation, published by Coverdale in 1535,* and by Matthews in 1537,f with such altera- tions as pleased the respective editors : from Genesis to Esdras, and the whole New Testament, are distinct translations. Tyndale's name was suppressed in both, on account of the rancorous hostility of Henry against him, for having honestly spoken in opposition to the divorce from Catherine. From 1526, when he added prologues and glosses to the New Testament, he does not appear to have made any alteration in the text until 1534, when he republished it with considerable improvements, at Antwerp, in small 8vo., entitled, "The Newe Testament, dylygently corrected and compared with the Greke, by Willyam Tindale, and fynesshed in the yere of oure Lorde God, A. M. D. and xxxiiij. in the moneth of Nouember." It has wood cuts and ornamented letters. The title and prologues comprise sixteen leaves, followed by a second title and list of books. The text occupies ccclxxxiv leaves, the two last being num- bered wrong. The Pistles of the Olde Testament end on folio cccc. The table follows on ten leaves, the last two pages contain " thinges to fill vp the lefie withal." Some copies were printed on yellow paper. In this edition, Tyndale took advantage of friendly and hostile criticisms, and endeavoured to render his version still more faith- full by the result of profound studies. A fair specimen of the new readings are given at the close of this memoir. The prologue commences with, " Here thou hast (moost deare reader) the New Testament or covenaunt made wyth vs of God in Christes blonde. Which I have looked over agayne (now at the last) with all dylygence, and compared it vnto the Greke," &c. This pro- • Printed at Cologne, republished at Zurich, 1550. T Printed at Lubeek, and published by Grafton, in London. 78 Mimoiv of logue was reprinted, verbatim, with every subsequent edition. It closes with a defence of the use he made of the words repent- ance and elders. To this lie added a second preface, very severely reflecting upon G. Joye. The occasion of this was, that Joye, having been employed by a Dutch printer to correct the press of the fourth pirated edition, had altered some words, and particularly Repentance, for which he put " the life after this." At this time the reformers were daily expecting the cor- rected edition, when Joye published and circulated his, three months before Tyndale's was finished. Many of the exiled re- formers waited on Tyndale to inquire the reason why these fan- ciful alterations had been made ; and he soon found, that a sur- reptitious book had been imposed upon the public by Joye. In the second preface to Tyndale's edition, he very properly warns the public of this discreditable imposition. During Tyndale's im- prisonment, in February, 1535, Joye published what he called an apology, but which was a very intemperate attack upon his friend and brother exile, then in prison, and in imminent danger of martyrdom. Joye alleges that he received only fourteen shil- lings Flemish, about eight shillings British, for his labours, and that he heard say, that Tyndale had ten pounds for his copyright. His defence is, that it was intended solely to render the New Testa- ment more useful, but he does not apologise for nor defend his having made alterations and published them under Tyndale's name. The prologues in Tyndale's revised edition, and the 4to. of 1526, are very similar to those of the German, by Luther. This of 1534 may be distinguished from all the subsequent impressions by a discrepancy in the marginal notes in 1 John's epistle, ch. 3, " Loue is the fyrst precept and cause of all other ;" while on the opposite page he says, " Fayth is the fyrst commaundement and loue the seconde ;" also, by the omis- sion of the tenth line in Revelations, ch. 9, and by an error mentioned in the prologue : it occurs in Matthew xxiij. " Clense fyrst the out sydeof the cup," &c. which should have been, " Clense fyrst the inside," &c. The most singular rendering in the whole volume was continued in all the editions. Death in the Revela- mHUnm CuntJnIf. 79 tions, is mounted on a green horse. It was in this same year, 1534, tliat Tyndale was treacherously betrayed and imprisoned. Sir Thomas More, in the examination of persons accused of heresy, especially such as had come from Flanders or Germany, questioned them minutely as to their knowledge of Tyndale. He had thus obtained a description of his person, dress, habits, friends, and places of resort. He now lodged in the English house or factory, which was kept by a merchant, Thomas Pointz. Henry VHI. and his council suborned and employed one Henry Phillips, the son of a custom-house officer at Poole, of gentle- manly appearance, who, with a valet, came to Antwerp : having made acquaintance with some of the merchants, he met Tyn- dale, and he, without suspicion, placed a fatal confidence in him, and invited him to his apartments. Pointz, having some sus- picion, asked Tyndale how they became acquainted ; to which he replied, that he was an honest man and handsomely learned ; and Pointz, finding that he had made so favourable an impression on his learned friend, desisted from further inquiry. Phillips, after having for some time dined at his table and partaken of his hospitality, went to Brussels, and with great pains and expense obtained a warrant to apprehend Tyndale for heresy. To ex- ecute it, he brought back with him the procurer-general and his officials, not daring to trust the officers of Antwerp, where his victim was so much beloved. Having detained these persons at Antwerp until Pointz had left that city on business, he then called at the house of Pointz, and Tyndale invited him to go and dine with him at the house of one of his friends, assuring him of a hearty welcome. The villain then, under a pretence of having lost his purse, borrowed of his unsuspecting victim all his money. In passing through the narrow entry of the hotel, Phillips, with ap- parent courtesy, insisted on Tyndale going first ; and, as his victim was much shorter than himself, when they came to the door, he pointed down on Tyndale: immediately the officers whom he had placed there, seized him together with all his books and papers. He was in this pennyless condition conveyed to the prison at Vilvoord, a village at the ford between Brussels and Malines, on 80 IHfmotv of the road to Antwerp. It' ever there was seen tlie perfection of unprhicipled villany, to the utter disgrace of human nature, it was in this diabohcal agent to the Roman Cathohc party in England, — PhiUips. Every effort which the most affectionate regard and veneration for Tyndale could prompt, was made by Pointz and the British merchants at Antwerp, to obtain the hberation of their beloved pastor; but it was in vain. Letters were immediately dispatched to Lord Cromwell and others in England ; and favourable answers having arrived, Pointz, at the request of the body of English merchants, went with the communications to the Lord of Barowe, following him post to Maestricht, that he might deliver them in person, and with great difficulty he obtained his answer. With this he hastened to Brussels. The imperial council gave him a letter to Lord Cromwell, and Pointz undertook to carry it in person to London with all possible speed. Here he was de- tained for a month, but, by perseverance and interest, he obtained favourable letters, with which he went direct to Brussels. His zeal for the pious preacher nearly cost him his life; for Phillips, finding that these powerful efforts were likely to succeed, ma- naged, by the aid of the Roman Catholic priests at Louvain, to have Pointz arrested on suspicion of heresy, and committed to prison. Within one week he was examined upon more than a hun- dred articles. He was prohibited from intercourse with his friends, unless his letters were written in the Dutch language and sent through the medium of his persecutors. Finding that his hfe was in imminent danger, he broke out of his prison by night, and made his escape. Still, although under such perilous cir- cumstances, he persevered in his efforts to save the life of Tyn- dale. On the 25th of August, 1535, he wrote to his brother in London a letter honourable to his pious and affectionate regard for his friend and pastor.* " It was said that the King had written in favour of WiUiam Tyndall, now in prison, and like to suffer death, and it is feared that these letters have been intercepted. * This letter is presented in the Cottonian MSS. Tlie spelling is in some instances altered, to render it easily intelligible. Wiittiam C|)nt(flle. 81 This man lodged with me three quarters of a yere. — I know that the King has never a treuer hearted subject this day hving. He knows that lie is bound by the law of God to obey his prince ; and I know well that he would not do the contrary to be made lorde of the worlde. The death of this man will be a great hin- draunce to the Gospel ; and to the enemies of it, one of the highest pleasures. I fear that he will be shortly condemned, for two English men at Louvain apply it sore, taking great pains to translate out of English into Latin, those things that may make against him, so that the clergy here may understand it and condemn him, as they have done all others, for keeping apenyonys contrary to their business, the which they call the order of holy church. Brother, the knowledge that I have of this man causes me to write as my conscience binds me. For the king's grace should esteem him at this day as a greater treasure than any one man living." Pointz was a wealthy and highly respectable man, who, in a few years after these melancholy transactions, returned to England, and obtained an act of parliament to natu- ralize his children. The character which he gave Tyndale, and his efforts, at the imminent risk of his own life, to save him, show the high estimation in which this pious, talented, and amiable man was held by those who enjoyed his society. The British merchants who constantly associated with him, knew his worth, and esteemed him accordingly. The letter of Pointz, sent to Lord Cromwell, is preserved among the state papers in the British Museum. Tyndale's imprisonment lasted nearly two years, during which time he was incessantly employed in the great object of extending the genial influence of pure religion. His amiable and pious con- duct obtained for him every indulgence that could be allowed to a prisoner, which enabled him to carry on a sharp controversy with the professors at the neighbouring university of Louvain. In his imprisonment, he redeemed his pledge given to the priest in Gloucestershire many years before, that the ploughboys should have the New Testament to read. In 1535, was printed a very curious edition of Tyndale's version. In this he imitated the plan of Luther, who published the New Testament in three different 82 i!Mfmotv of dialects of Germany. Following this plan, he printed the revised version of the preceding year in a provincial orthography, probably that of his native county ; peculiarly adapted to agricultural labourers. From a copy in my library, late the property of Dr. Adam Clarke, I extract the follovi^ing specimen : — holly cite, for holy city ; saeyde, aengels, wayghthyer, foete, behoelde, broether, faether, moether, tacken, agaeynst, theacheth, graece, cloocke for cloke, maester, saefe, shaeke, &c. &c. To this book was added the heads of chapters, as far as I have been able to discover, for the first time. The termination of his invaluable life, and of all his suiFerings, now drew nigh. His anticipations of release from sin and sorrow, and an exaltation to the bliss of angels, his desires to join the bright and glorious company of heaven, were about to be reahzed. He who said, " Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul," most eminently comforted and supported his servant. Having exhorted others to constancy, he was now to prac- tise the fiery lesson. The formalities of a trial were gone through, and he was condemned by virtue of a decree made at Augsburg against what was called heresy. In September, 1536, he suffered the dreadful sentence. In a moment so appalling, he exhibited that calm firmness and patient resignation which arose from a sure hope of immediate enjoyments indescribable and full of the eternal weight of glory. While he calmly viewed the dread preparations to deprive him of life, and burn his body, his heart mourned over England. His last thoughts were for the eternal welfare of his country, and his dying voice called for mercy on his unrelenting per- secutor. He cried out at the stake, " Lord, open the King of England's eyes." He was then strangled; and long ere his body was reduced to ashes, his soul had commenced the glorious anthems of the redeemed of God, who had washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. aZaiUtam ConUatf. 83 " Rome thundred death, but Tyndalf's dauntless eye Looked in death's face and smiled, death standing l)y. In spite of Rome, for England's faith he stood. And in the flames he sealed it with his blood." Many times have I stood upon the spot, a rising ground near the prison at Vilvoord, where these awful cruelties were inflicted ; and my soul has felt humbled at the recollection of the atrocious deeds of my fellow men. Here, during the revolution at Brussels in 1830, 1 was taken prisoner by a detachment of Dutch troops, and for about two hours was detained in the prison built on the ruins of the castle where the immortal Tyndale was confined. In- quiries which I had formerly made of an aged jailor, were renewed to the one who had taken his place. For a moment, the sickening horrors of war, the sound of the artillery, the wretchedness of the fugitives, the wounded and the dying, were effaced by these eager inquiries ; but no vestige of the martyr remained. Several times I have searched the archives at Brussels; but, al- though most kindly assisted by a friend high in the establishment, g2 84 IMnnotr of nothing could be found relative to Tyndale. Many waggon-loads of valuable papers were not arranged. The only discovery worthy notice was, that it cost the Government for rushes, post, chains, &c. a sum nearly amounting to one pound thirteen shillings, to burn a poor Scotchman for heresy. The conduct of Tyndale in jail won the heart of his keeper, who, with his daughter and some of the household, became converts to the cross of Christ. Even the Emperor's attorney-general, who had obtained the sentence against him, solemnly declared that he was a learned, a good, and a godly man. His character is thus drawn by Francis Quarles, author of the Divine Emblems.* " Zeal crowned his heart and made him to outvie Papistick stories of hell-bred tyranny ; He fear'd them not, but boldly would dispute Against their swelling errours, and confute Their principles with a most dexterous art ; His tongue was never traytor to his heart ; Truth was the hand that pointed to the way, Where full content and rich salvation lay. 'Twas not a loathsome prison could devorse His ready lips from the profound discourse Of true rehgion, nothing could prevent His just endeavours. Time he thought mispent If not employed to good ; reader, admire, His body flam'd to make his soule a fire." • Fuller's Abel Redivivus, 4to. 1651. p. 130. OTiUtam CDuKalc. Bi5 CHAPTER X. " He, living, stopt Rome's breath, And dead will be Rome's death." HIS DYING PRAYER ANSWERED SPREAD OF HIS OPINIONS— THE BIBLE TRIUMPHS ACT TO ABOLISH TYNDALe'S WORKS LIST OF HIS WRIT- INGS COMPARISON OF HIS FIRST EDITION OF THE NEW TESTAMENT WITH THAT FINALLY REVISED BY HIM. The dying voice of the Martyr had scarcely been uttered, before his prayer was answered, and the eyes of the King were so far opened, that he issued an injunction, ordering that the Bible should be placed in every church for the free use of the people. In this year (1536) were pubhshed seven or eight editions of the New Testament in English. One of them, in royal 8vo. probably executed in Paris, is a peculiarly beautiful specimen of black- letter typography. During the short period that the people were allowed the use of the Scriptures, many learned to read, that they might enjoy those treasures which had been so long hid. Amongst this number, Strype narrates the adventures of one who suffered from the deadly animosity to the Scriptures engendered by ignorance and the errors of education. It excited a father to a state of diabolical frenzy against his son, for denying that worship was due to a wooden cross. The name of the sufferer was William Maiden. When the King had allowed the Bible to be read in all churches, several poor men at Chelmsford bought the New Testament, and on Sun- days sat reading it at the lower end of the church. Many flocked about them to hear it read, and he, among the rest, came every Sunday to hear the glad and sweet tidings of the gospel. But his father observing it, angrily fetched him away, and would have him say the Latin matins witli him. This led him to learn English, that he might read the New Testament himself; which when he had 86 i^ltmotr of by diligence effected, he and his father's apprentice bought the New Testament, and, to conceal it, laid it under the bed straw, and read it at convenient times. One night, his father being asleep, he and his mother chanced to discourse concerning the crucifix, — the kneeling down to it and knocking on the breast, then used, and the holding up the hands to it when it came by on procession. This, he told his mother, was plain idolatry, and against the com- mandment of God, where he saith. Thou shalt not make any graven image, nor bow down to it, nor worship it. His mother, enraged at his words, said, Will thou not worship the cross, which was about thee when thou wert christened, and must be laid on thee when thou art dead ? In this heat the mother and son parted, and went to their beds. The sum of the evening's conference she presently repeats to her husband, who boiling with fury, arose and went into his son's chamber, where, like a mad zealot, taking him by the hair of his head with both his hands, he pulled him out of the bed and whipped him unmercifully. And when the young man bore this beating with joy, considering it was for Christ's sake, and shed not a tear, his father was more enraged, and ran down and fetched an halter, and put it about his neck, saying he would hang him. At length, with much entreaty of the mother and brother, he left him, almost dead. The New Testament of this translation was most extensively multiplied. Twenty-three difterent editions are in my library, be- sides ten of Coverdale's translation, printed during the same period. In 1538, Coverdale superintended the printing of the great Bible in Paris. In this, he took Tyndale's version as his basis, making many alterations from his own translation, and some probably at the suggestions of Cranmer and the English reformers. This is the version now used in the Psalter and lessons printed in the Book of Common Prayer.* Numerous interpolations were in- troduced into the text. This continued to be the authorised Bible for nearly thirty years. Such was the amazing zeal of the people to receive the Scriptures, * The interpolations ave printed in the Praj-er-book as part of the text : see Psalm 14, and in the Commination. In the great Bible, they were printed between brackets, and in a different type. WSiniiAm Cimtialt. 87 that, before the close of the year 1541, sixteen distinct editions of the whole Bible were printed, each of which consisted of from fifteen to twenty-five hundred copies. Upon their being set up for public use in the churches, great numbers resorted to read or hear them read, insomuch that the people selected one who had the clearest voice to read for the benefit of the multitude, who resorted to them instead of hearing mass. This gave great oftence to the clergy, and they seriously complained that the service of the mass was interrupted. The bishops placed over these public Bibles, orders and regulations, threatening to remove them unless the strictest decorum was pre- served. Those for the diocese of London were to this effect : — " The Bible is to be read with all devocion, humilitie, and quyet- nesse, the reader leuing behynde hym vayne glorye, hypocrisie, and all other carnall and corrupte affections, bring with him discretion, honeste intente, charytie, reuerence, and quyet behauiour ; he is not to expound nor to reade with a lowde voyce, and without dis- putacion." At length, an order was issued that none should read aloud. The King also issued a proclamation to the same effect. Soon after this, Henry became restless and unstable; and the popish party prevailed. Every means was employed to prevent the Bible from being read, and orders were given to the curates to search their parishes for Tyndale's Testaments and his works. At length, on the 20th of January, 1543, an act of parliament was passed rigorously to suppress all the writings of Tyndale, and to limit the reading of Cranmer's or Coverdale's translations to cer- tain classes of persons. The bill is entitled most strangely, " An act for the aduauncement of true religion, and for the abolishment of the contrary." The original edition printed by Berthelet in 1544, is in my possession, from which the following extracts are made : — " That all manner of bookes of the Old and Newe Tes- tament in Englishe, beinge of the crafty, false, and vntrue trans- lacion ofTyndall, shall be clerely and vtterlie abolished, extin- guished, and forbidden to be kept or vsed." The punishment of disobedience was, for the first offence, ten pounds sterling fine, equal to about fifty pounds at the present value of money, and three months' imprisonment /or every book; and for the second offence, 88 . Mtmoiv of loss of all the offender's goods, and perpetual imprisonment. Bibles and Testaments not by Tyndale were to have all the prologues and notes cut out. Chaucer's tales, Gower's love stories, songs, plays and interludes are named in the act with full liberty to be read by all persons. The reading of the Scripture is limited to judges, noblemen, captains and justices, who are allowed to read the Bible to their families. " Merchants may read it in private to themselves ; but no women or artificers, prentyses, iorneyman, seruyng man of the degrees of yomen or vnder, no husbandman, nor labourers, shall reade wythin this realme the Bible or New Testament in Englyshe to hym self, or to any other priviatly or openly." A separate clause allows noble women or gentlewomen to I'ead it privately. His highness declares that by lawes dredfull and penall he will purge and dense his realme of all suche books ! It is a very extraordinary circumstance, that there is no clause to allow the clergy to read the Bible in English. The provisions of this act are so monstrous as to need no com- ment. The wealthy, whose education enabled them to read the Bible in Latin, and who in consequence could not be prevented from reading it, were permitted to use it in English ; but the mil- lions of unlettered souls were not to have the gospel, but to be shut up in the darkness of ignorance. The system which required such a law to support it, loved darkness because it was evil. As age crept on, Henry became peevish, restless, and wretched, and was guided by the enemies to the Bible. In July, 1547, he issued a sweeping proclamation against Coverdale's Bible, Tyn- dale's Bible and Testament, and all the works of Coverdale, Tyn- dale, Barnes, Joye, Roy, and others of that persuasion. Among the works of Tyndale, is specified, " The Parable and Complaynte of the Plowman unto Christe." This tract must be exceedingly rare, since it has escaped all the researches of our bibliographers. Every person who kept a copy or portion of a copy of any of these books, was to be punished as a heretic. In those trying times, when the bread of life was eaten in secret, the poor deeply felt the privation. Thus a laliourer wrote in a book, " On the invention of things, at Oxforde the yere 1546 browt down to Seynbury Ijy John Darbye, price 14c?. When I kepe Milltam CyntJaU. 89 Mr. Letymers shype I bout thys boke, when the Testament was aberagatyn, that shepheidys might not red hit : I pray God amende that blyndnes. Wryt by Robert Wyllyams, keppynge shepe vppon Seynbury Hill." The prayer of this pious shepherd was soon fulfilled. Before I close this memoir, it may be proper to remark, that it is not possible to identify Tyndale with any of the little detachments of Christians called sects, the whole of which form the Christian army. These differences have at all times existed, both in the Jewish, the Roman Catholic, the Greek, and the Protestant churches ; whether they be called Pharisees, Dominicans, Calvin- ists, Sadducees, Franciscans, Arminians, or by any other term. Tyndale's time was so fully occupied in defending the great princi- ples of Christianity, that his sentiments upon what are called non- essentials cannot be ascertained. This is certain, that he most justly conceived the church of Christ to consist of all those who from conviction and affection received the gospel, and proved their sincerity by strict morality and amiable conduct ; all those who were obedient unto faith, and considered Christ to be the sole head of his universal church. The republication of this volume, formerly prohibited under the severest penalties, is not merely intended to gratify the antiquary or the philologist, but to promote and assist researches after divine truth. The severe trials of our forefathers have secured to us ex- tensive privileges : they sowed the seed with tears ; we are reaping the harvest with joy. They immortalized their names by having, through sufferings almost inconceivable, given to us the inspired volume. And be it our glory to send this heavenly gift to the uttermost parts of the earth ; until its triumphs shall be com- pleted by exterminating war, slavery, and all other evils, and by disposing every human being to seek the glory of God, in promot- ing peace on earth and good-will towards his fellow men. GEORGE OFFOR. 36, Trinily-.S0pell of §:. i*lat1[)cto. C^^ is the boke off the generacion off Jhesus Christ the sonne of David, the sonne also of Abraham. Abraham begat Isaac: Isaac begat Jacob : Jacob begat Judas and hys brethren : Judas begat phares and zaram offthamar: Phares begat Esrom : EsROM begat Aram : Aram begat Aminadab : Aminadab begat Naasson : Naasson begat Salmon : Salmon begat Boos of Rahab : Boos begat Obed of Ruth: Obed begat Jesse : Jesse begat David the kynge : David the kynge begat Solomon/ of her that was the wyfe of Ury : Solomon begat Roboam : Roboam begat Abia : Abia begat Asa: Asa begat Josaphat : JosAPHAT begat Joram : ipo. ij. €f\t (Sofiprtl of ^. iHati)elu. JoRAM begat Osias : OsiAS begat Joatham; JoATiiAM begat Achas : AcHAS begat Ezechias : EzECiHAS begat Manasses : Manasses begat Anion : Amon begat Josias : JosiAS begat Jeehonias and hys brethren aboute the tyme of the captivete of Babilon. After they wer ledd captive to Babilon / Jechonias begat Salathiel : Salatiiiel begat Zorobabel : ZoROBABEL begat Abiud : Abiud begat Eliachim : Eliachim begat Azor : AzoR begat Sadoc : Sadoc begat Achin : AcHiN begat Eliud : Eliud begat Eleasar : Eleasar begat Matthan : Matthan begat Jacob: Jacob begat Joseph the husbande off Mary/ of whome was boren that Jhesus which is called Christ. All the generacions from Abraham to David are fowretene generacions. And from David vnto the captivete of Babilon/ are fowrtene generacions. And from the captivete of Babilon vnto Christ/ are also fowrtene generacions. The byrthe off Christe was on thys wyse/ When hys mother mary was maryed vnto Joseph/ before they cam to dwell togedder/ she was founde with chylde by the holy goost. Then her husbande Joseph beinge a perfect man/ and loth to defame her/ was mynded to put her awaye secretly. Whill he thus thought/ behold the angell of the lord apered vnto him in slepe saynge: Joseph the sonne of David/ feare not to take vnto the/ Mary thy wyfe. For that which is conceaved in her is of the holy goost. She shall brynge forthe a sonne/ and thou shalt call his name Jesus, For he shall save his people from theire synnes. All thys was done to fulfill that which was spoken of the lorde be the prophet saynge ; Beholde a mayde shalbe with chylde/ and shall brynge forthe a sonne/ and they shall call his name Emanuel/ which is as moche to saye be interpretacion / as God with vs. m^t (So^pfll of ^. |Mati)Jto. €1). i). Joseph as sone as lie awoke out of slepe/ did as the angell off the lorde bade him/ and toke hys wyfe vnto hym/ and knevve her not tyll she had brought forth her fyrst sonne/ and called hys name Jesus. W^t ^tcoixO Ci;aptcr. XIT^HEN Jesus was borne in Bethleem a toune of Jury/ in the tyme of king Herode. Beholde / there cam wyse men from the est to Jerusalem saynge : where is he that is borne kynge of the Jues? we have sene his starre in the est/ and are come to worship hym. Herode the kynge/ after he hadd herde thys/ was troubled/ and all Jerusalem with hym/ and he sent for all the chefe prestes and scribes off the people/ and demaunded off them where Christ shulde be borne. They sayde vnto hym : in Bethleem a toune of Jury. For thus it is written be the prophet: And thou Bethleem in the londe of Jury/ shalt not be the leest as per- teyninge to the princes of iuda. For out of the shal come a captaine/ whych shall govern my people israhel. Then Herod prevely called the wyse men/ and dyligently enquyred of them/ the tyme of the starre that appered. And sent them to bethleem saynge : when ye be come thyder searche dyligentily for the childe. And when ye have founde hym bringe me worde/ that y maye come and worshippe hym also. When they had herde the kynge/ they departed/ and lo the starre whych they sawe in the este went before them/ vntyll it cam and stod over the place where the chylde was. When they sawe the starre/ they were marveylously gladd/ And entred into the house/ and founde the childe with Mary hys mother/ and kneled doune and worshipped hym/ and opened there treaseures/ and offred unto him gyftes/ gold/ franckynsence/ and myr. And after they were warned in ther slepe/ that they shulde not go ageyne to Herod/ they retourned into iher awne countre another way. After that they were departed/ lo the angell of the lorde apered to Joseph in his slepe saynge Aryse and take the chylde and hys mother/ and flye in to Egipte/ and abyde there till y brynge the worde. For Herod wyll seke the chylde to destroye hym. Then he arose/ and toke the chylde and his mother by night/ and departed in to Egipte/ and was there vnto the deeth of Herod/ to fulfill that which was spoken of the lorde/ be the prophet/ which sayetli : out of Egipte have y called my sonne. B 2 dTo. ttj. C]^c (i&o^pEU of ^. IHatijfh). Then Herod perceavynge that he was moocked off the wyse men/ was exceedynge wroth/ and sent forth and slue all the chyldren that were in bethleem/ and in all the costes there otV as many as were two yere old and vnder / accordynge to the tyme which he had diligently searched oute of the wyse men. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken be the prophet Jeremi/ saynge : On the hilles was a voyce herde/ mournynge/ wepynge/ and greate lamentacion. Rachel wepynge fFor her chyldren/ and wolde nott be comforted because they were not. When Herod was deed/ Lo an angell off the lorde apered vnto Joseph in egipte saynge : arise and take the chylde and his mother/ and go in to the londe of Israhel. For they are deed which sought the chyldes deeth. Then he arose vp/ and toke the chylde and his mother/ and cam into the londe of Israhel, But when he herde that Archelaus did raygne in Jury/ in the roume off hys father Herode/ he was afrayde to go thether/ notwithstondynge after he was warned in his slepe/ he tourned a syde into the parties, off galile/ and went and dwelt in a cite called Nazareth/ to fFulfiU that which was spoken be the pro- phetes : He shalbe called of Nazareth. €f)t CljtitJc Ci)apter. TN those dayes Jhon the baptiser cam and preached in the wildernes off iury saynge : Repent/ the kyngdomebfheven is at honde. This is he of whom it is spoken be the prophet Esay / which sayeth : The voyce off a cryer in wyldernes/ prepare the lordes way/ and make hys pathes strayght. This Jhon had his garment off camels heer/ and a gerdell off a skynne aboute his loynes. Hys meate was locustes/ andwylde hony. Then went out to hym Jerusalem/ and all Jury/ and all the region rounde aboute Jordan/ and were baptised of hym in Jordan/ knoledging their synnes. When he sawe many off the pharises and off the saduces come to hys baptism/ he sayde vnto them : O generacion of vipers / who hath taught you to fie from the vengeaunce to come ? brynge forth tlierefore the frutes belongynge to repentaunce. And se that ye ons thinke not to saye in yourselves/ we have Abraham to oure father. For I say vnto you/ that God is able off these stones/ to rayse up chyldren vnto Abraham. Even nowe is the ax put vnto the rote of the trees : soo that every tree which bringeth not fforthe goode frute / shalbe hewne doune / and cast into the fyre. €\)t (©o^pell of ^. jMatljflu. €i). ib. I Baptise yoii in water in token of repentaunce/ but he that conieth after me/ is myghtier then I : whose shues I am not worthy to beare. he shal baptise you with the holy gost/ and with fyre/ which hath also his fan in liis bond/ and will pourge bis floore/ and gadre the wheet into his garner/ and will burne the chafTe with everlastynge fyre. Then cam Jesus from Galile into Jordan/ to Jlion/ fFor to be baptised off hym. But Jlion fForbade hym/ saynge : I ought to be baptysed off the : and commest thou too me ? Jesus answered and sayde to hym : Lett hyt be so nowe. For thus hit becommeth us to fulfyll all rightewesnes. Then he suffred hym. And Jesus as sone as he was baptised / cam strayght out of the water : And lo heven was open vnto hym : and he saw the spirite of God descende lyke a dove/ and lyght vppon hym. And lo there cam a voice from heven sayng : thys ys my deare Sonne in whom is my delyte. Ci)e dFomtlje Cl^apttr. T^HEN was Jesus ledd awaye of the spirite in to a desert/ to be tempted of the devyll. And when he had fasted fourtye dayes and fourtye nyghtes/ att the last he was an hungred. Then came vntyll hym the tempter/ and sayde : yff thou be the Sonne of God / commande that these stones be made bred. He answered and sayde : yt is wrytten/ man shall nott live only by breede/ But by every worde that proceadeth out off the mouth off God. Then the devyll tooke him vpp in to the holy cite/ and set hym on a pynacle of the temple/ and sayd vnto hym : yf thou be the sonne of God/ cast thysylfe doune. For hit ys wrytten, he shall geve his angels charge over the/ and with there handes the shall stey the vpp/ that thou dashe not thy fote agaynst a stone. Jesus sayde to hym/ hit ys wrytten also: thou shalt not tempte thy lorde god. The devyll toke hym up agayne and ledde hym in to an exced- yngehye mountayne/ and shewed hym al the kyngdomes of the worlde/ and the beauty of them/ and sayde vnto hym : all these will I geve the/ iff thou wilt faull doune and worship me. Then sayde Jesus vnto hym. Avoyd Satan. For it is written/ Thou shalt worshyp thy Lorde God/ and hym only shalt thou serve. Then the Dyvell left hym/ and lo/ the angels cam and mi- nistred vnto hym. dfo. il). Ci)? <(^oS^tl\ of ^. 0lat]^clu. When Jesus had herde that Jhon was taken/ he departed in to Galile/ and left Nazareth / and went and dweltein Capernaum/ which is a cite apon the see/ in the coostes off Zabulon and Neptahm / to ffulfill that whiche was spoken be Esay the prophet / saynge : Beholde the londe of Zabulon and Neptalim / the waye of the see beyonde Jordan/ Galile off the Gentyls/ the people whiche sat in dercknes / sawe greate lyght : And to them which sate in the region and shadowe of deeth/ lyght is spronge. From thatt tyme Jesus began to preache/ and to say/ repent: for the kingdome of heven is at honde. As Jesus walked by the see off Galile/ he sawe two brethren : Simon which was called Peter/ and Andrew his brother/ castynge a neet into the see (for they were fisshers) and he sayde unto them : folowe me/ and I will make you fisshers of men. And they strayght waye lefte there nettes/ and folowed hym. And he went forthe from thence/ and sawe other twoo brethren/ James the sonne of Zebede/ and Jhon his brother in the shippe/ with Zebede their father mendynge their nettes/ and called them. And they with out taryinge lefte the shyp and their father and folowed hym. And Jesus went aboute all Galile/ teachyng yn their sin- agoges/ and preachy nge the gospell of the kyngdome/ and healinge all manner of sicknes/ and all manner dyseases amonge the people. And hys fFame spreed abroode through oute all Siria. And they brought vnto hym all sicke people/ that were taken with divers diseases and gripinges/ and them that were possessed with devils/ and those which were lunatyke/ and those that had the palsey/ And he healed them. And there folowed hym a greate nombre off people/ from Galile/ and from the ten cites/ and from Jerusalem/ and from Jury/ and from the regions that lye beyonde Jordan. Ci^c b. Cj^apttr. W "HEN he sawe the people/ he went vp into a moimtayne/ and when he was set/ his disciples cam vnto hym/ and he openned his mought/ and taught them saynge : Blessed are the povre in sprete : for theirs is the kyngdome off heven. Blessed are they that morne : for they shalbe comforted. Blessed are the meke : for they shall inheret the erth. Blessed are they which honger and thurst for rightewesnes : for they shalbe filled. Blessed are the mercifuU : for they shall obteyne €l)c (©ogpell of ^. Hflatf)cU). Ci). b. mercy. Blessed are the pure in lierte : for they shall se God. Blessed are the niaynteyners of peace : for they shalbe called the chyldren of God, Blessed are they which suffre persecu- cion for rightewesnes sake : for theirs ys the kingdome off lieven. Blessed are ye when men shall revyle you/ and persecute you/ and shall falsly say all manner of y veil saynges agaynst you fFor my sake. Reioice and be glad/ for greate is youre rewarde in heven. For so persecuted they the prophets which were before youre dayes. Ye are the salt of the erthe. but and if the salt be once un- savery / what can be salted ther with ? it is thenceforthe goode for nothynge/ but to be cast oute at the dores/ and that men treade it vnder fete. Ye are the light of the worlde. A cite that is set on an hill cannot be hid/ nether do men lyght a candell and put it vnder a busshell/ but on a candelstick/ and it lighteth all them which are in the housse. Se that youre light so shyne before men / that they maye se youre good workes / and glorify youre father which is in heven. Ye shall not thinke that I am come to disanuU the lawe/ or the prophets, no I am nott come to disanull them/ but to fulfyll them. For truely I saye unto you / till heven and erthe perisshe/ one iott/ or one tytle of the lawe shall not scape/ tyll all be fulfilled. Whosoever breaketh one of these lest comaundmentes/ and shall teache men so/ he shalbe called the leest in the kyng- dome off heven. But whosoever shall observe and teache them/ that persone shalbe called greate in the kyngdome off heven. For I saye vnto you/ except youre rightewesnes excede/ the rightewesnes off the scribes and pharisees/ ye cannot entre into the kyngdome off heven. Ye have herde howe it was sayd vnto them off the olde tyme. Thou shalt not kyll. Whosoever shall kyll/ shalbe in daunger of iudgement. But I say vnto you/ whosoever his angre with hys brother/ shalbe in daunger off iudgement. Whosoever shall saye unto hys brother racha/ shalbe in daunger off a counsell. But whosoever shall saye unto his brother thou fole/ shalbe in daunger of hell fyre. Therfore when thou offerest thy gyfte att the altre/ and there remembrest that thy brother hath eny thynge agaynst the : leve there thyne offrynge before the altre/ and go thy waye first and reconcile thy silfe to thy brother/ and then come and offre thy gyffte. Agrc with thine adversary at once / whiles thou arte in the waye with hym/ lest thine adversary delyvre the to the iudge/ ^0. b. ,Ci)c (©ogpcll of ^. iHatteto. and the iudge delivre the to the minister/ and then thou be cast in to preson. I say unto the verely : thou shalt not come out thence till thou have payed the vtmost farthing. Ye have herde howe yt was sayde to them off old e tyme/ Thou shalt nott committ advoutrie. But I say. unto you/ that whosoever eyeth a wyfe/ lustynge afFter her/ hathe committed advoutrie with her alredy in his hert. Wherfore yf thy right eye offende the/ plucke hym out and caste him from the. Better hit is for the that one of thy mem- bres perisshe then that thy whole body shuld be caste in to hell. Also yf thy right honde offend the/ cut hym off and caste hym from the. Better hyt ys that one off thy membres perisshe / then that all thy body shulde/ be caste in to hell. Hit ys sayd/ whosoever put awaye his wyfe/ let hym geve her a testymonyall of her devorcement. But I say vnto you : who- soever put awaye his wyfe (except hyt be for fornication) causeth her to breake matrimony. And whosoever maryeth her that is divorsed/ breketh wedlocke. Agayne ye have herde howe it was sayd to them off olde tyme/ thou shalt not forswere thy silfe/ but shaltt performe thyne othe to God. But I say vnto you swere not at all : nether by heven for hyt ys goddes seate : nor yet by the erth/ fFor it ys hys fote stole : Nether by Jerusalem/ fFor hit ys the cite of the grete kynge : nether shalt thou sweare by thy heed/ be- cause thou canst not make one heer whyte/ or blacke : But your commiunicacion shalbe/ ye/ ye: nay nay. For what soever is more than that/ cometh ofFyvell. Ye have herde howe it ys sayd/ an eye for an eye : a tothe for a tothe. But I saye vnto you/ that ye withstond not wronge : But yf a man geve the a blowe on thy right cheke/ tourne to him the othre. And yft' eny man will sue the at the lawe/ and take thy coote from the/ Lett hym have thy cloocke also. And whosoever wyll compell the to goo a myle/ goo wyth him twayne. Geve to him that axeth. and from him that wolde borowe tourne not awaye. Ye have herde howe it is sayde : thou shalt love thyne negh- bour/ and hate thine enemy. But y saye vnto you/ love youre enemies. Blesse them that coursse you. Do good to them that hate you/ Praye ffbr them which doo you wronge/ and persecute you/ that ye may be the chyldren of ypure hevenly father : ffor he maketh his sunne to aryse/ on the yvell/ and on the good/ and sendeth his reyne on the iuste and on the iniuste. For yf ye shall love them which love you : what rewarde shall ye Ci)e (©(jgpcll of ^. ^atl)tfa). Ci). bi. have ? Doo not the publicans even so ? And if ye be frendly to youre brethren onli : what singuler thynge doo ye ? Doo nott the pubUcans lykewyse? Ye shall therfore be perfecte/ even as youre hevenly father is perfecte. Ci)c hi. C]^apter. ^AKE hede to youre almes. That ye geve it not in the syght of men. to the intent that ye vvolde be sene off them. Or els ye gett no rewarde off youre father in heven . Whensoever therfore thou gevest thine almes/ thou shalt not make a trompet to be blowne before the / as the ypocrites do in the synagoges and in the stretes/ fFor to be preysed off men/ Verily I say vnto you/ they have there rewarde. But when thou doest thine almes/ let not thy lyfte honde knowe / what thy righte hand doth / that thyne almes may be secret / and thy father which seith in secret shall re- warde the openly. And when thou prayest/ thou shalt nott be as the ypocrites are. For they love to stond and praye in the syna- gogges and in corners of the stretes/ because they wolde be sene of men. Vereley I saye vnto you / they have there rewarde. But when thou prayest/ entre into thy chambre/ and shutt thy dore to the/ and pray to thy father which ys in secrete : and thy father which seith in secret/ shall rewarde the openly. But when ye praye/ bable not moche/ as the gentyls do : for they thincke that they shalbe herde / fFor there moche bablynges sake. Be ye not lyke them there fore. For youre father knoAveth wherof ye have neade/ before ye axe off him. After this maner there fore pray ye. O oure father which arte in heven/ halowed be thy name. Let thy kingdom come. Thy wyll be fulfilled/ as well in erth/ as hit ys in heven. Geve vs this daye oure dayly breade. And forgeve vsoure treaspases/ even as we forgeve them which treas- pas vs. Leede vs not into temptacion. but delyvre vs from yvell/ Amen. For and yfFye shall forgeve o;ther men there treas- pases/ youre father in heven shal also forgeve you. but and ye wyll not forgeve men there trespases/ no more shall youre father forgeve your treaspases. Moreovre when ye faste/ be not sad as the ypocrites are. For they disfigure there faces/ that hit myght apere vnto men that they faste. Verely y say vnto you/ fhey have there rewarde. But thou/ when thou fastest/ ajinoynte thine heed/ and washe thy face/ that it appere nott vnto men howe that thou fastest : but vnto thy father which is in secrete, and thy father which seith in secret/ shall rewarde the openly. dTo. bi. CI)c (©o^pdl of ^. ^ati)th). Gaddre not treasure together on ertli/ where rust and mothes corrupte/ and where theves breake through and steale. But gaddre ye treasure togedder in heven/ where nether rust/ nor mothes corupte. and wher theves nether breake up / nor yet steale. For whearesoever youre treasure ys/ there are youre hertes also. The light off thy body is thyne eye. Wherfore if thyne eye be single/ all thy body ys full of light. But and if thyne eye be wycked / then is all thy body full of dercknes. Wherefore yf the light that is in the be dercknes : howe greate ys that dercknes? No man can serve two masters. For other he shall hate the one / and love the other : or els he shall lene the one / and despise the other. Ye can nott serve God and mammon. Therefore I saye vnto you/ be not carefuU for youre lyfe/ what ye shall eate/ or what ye shall dryncke/ nor yet for youre boddy/ what rayment ye shall weare. Ys not the lyfe more worth then meate ? and the boddy more ofF value than rayment? Beholde the foules of the aier : for they sowe not/ neder reepe/ nor yet cary into the barnes/ and yett youre hevenly father fedeth them. Are ye not better than they ? Whiche off you (though he toke tought therefore) coulde put one cubit vnto his stature ? And why care ye then for ray- ment? Beholde the lyles off the felde/ howe thy growe/ They labour nott nether spynn / And yet for all that I saie vnto you that even Solomon in all his royalte/ was nott arayed lyke vnto one of these. Wherfore yf God so clothe the grasse/ which ys to daye in the felde and to morowe shaibe cast into the four- nace : shall he not moche more do the same vnto you/ o ye off lytle fayth ? Therfore take no thought saynge : what shall we eate / or what shall we dryncke / or wherewith shall we be clothed (Aftre all these thynges seke the gentyls) For youre hevenly father knoweth that ye have neade off all these thynges. But rather seke ye fyrst the kyngdom of heven/ and the rightewesnes ther of/ and all these thynges shal be ministred vnto you. Care not therfore for the daye foloynge. For the daye foloynge shall care ffor yt sylfe. Eche dayes trouble ys sufficient for the same silfe day. €\)t bij. Cijaptcr. TUDGE not lest ye be iudged. For as ye iudge so shall ye be -*- iudged. And with what mesur ye mete/ with the same shall it be mesured to you agayne. Why seist thou a moote in thy brothers eye/ and percevest not the beame that ys in thyne €i)c (©o^pell of ^. IMatfieto. CJ^. bii. awne eye. Or why sayest thou to thy brother : sufFre me to plucke oute a moote oute oftthyne eye/ and behold a beame is in thyne awne eye. Ypocrite/ first cast oute the beame oute of thyne awne eye/ and then shalte thou se clearly to plucke oute the moote oute off thy brothers eye. Geve not that which is holy to dogges/ nether caste ye youre pearles before swyne/ lest they treade them vnder their fete/ and the other tourne agayne and all to rent you. Axe and it shalbe geven you. Seke and ye shall fynd/ Knocke and it shalbe opened vnto you. For whosoever axeth receaveth / and he that seketh fyndeth / and to hym that knocketh / it shalbe opened, ys there eny man among you which wolde proffer his sonne a stone if he axed him breed? or if he axed fysshe/ wolde he proffer hyme a serpent? YfFye then which are evyll / cann geve to youre chyldren good gyftes : howe moche moore shall youre father which ys in heven/ geve good thynges to them that axe off hym ? Therfore whatsoever ye wolde that men shulde do to you/ even so do ye to them. This ys the lawe and the prophettes. Enter in at the strayte gate : fFor wyde is the gate / and broade ys the waye that leadeth to destruccion : and many there be which goo yn there att. For strayte ys the gate/ and narowe is the waye which leadeth vnto lyfe : and feawe there be that fynde it. Beware off falce prophettes/ which come to you in shepes clothynge/ but inwardly they are ravenynge wolves. Ye shall knowe them by their frutes. Do men gaddre grapes off thornes? or figges off bryres? Even soo every gt»od tree/ bryngetlie forthe good frute. But a corrupte tree/ bryngetlie forth evyll frute. A good tree cannott brynge forthe bad frute : nor yetta bad tree can brynge forthe good irute. Every tree that bryngethe not forthe good frute/ shalbe hewne doune/ and cast into the fyre. Wherfore by there frutes ye shall knowe them. Not all they thatt say vnto me/ Master/ Master/ shall enter into the kyng- dome off heven : but he that fulfiUeth my fathers will which ys in heven. Many will saye to me yn thatdaye/ Master/ Master/ have we nott in thy name prophesied? And in thy name have we not caste out devyls? And in thy name have we nott done many miracles? And then will I knowlege vnto them/ that I never knewe them. Departe from me/ ye workers of ini- quite. Whosoever hearethe off me these saynges/ and doetlie the same/ I wyll lyken hyme vnto a wyse man which byllt his housse on a rocke: and aboundance off rayne descended/ and the fluddes dTo. bit. €\)t (©o£ipell of ^. |Mati)ffa). cam / and the wynddes blewe / and bett vppon that same housse / and it was not over throwen / because it was grounded on the rocke. And whosoever heareth of me these sainges/ and doth not the same/ shalbe lykened vnto a folysh man/ which bilt his housse vpon the sonde/ and abundaunce of rayne descended/ and the fluddes cam / and the wynddes blewe / and beet vppon that housse/ and it was over throwen/ and great was the fall off it. And it cam to passe / that when Jesus had ended these saynges / the peple were astonnied at his doctryne. For he taught them as one havynge power/ and not as the scribes. W^t bit). Ci)apter. 'Y^T'HEN Jesus was come downe from the mountayne/ moch people folowed him. And lo/ there cam a lepre/ and worsheped him saynge/ Master/ if thou wylt/ thou canst make me clene. He putt forthe his hond and touched him saynge : I will/ be clene/ and immediatly his leprosy was clensed. And Jesus said vnto him. Se thou tell no man/ but go and shewe thysilf to the preste and offer the gyfte/ that Moses commaunded to be ofFred/ in witnes to them. When Jesus was entred in to Capernaum/ there cam vnto him a certayne Centurion / besechyng him and saynge : Master my servaunt lyeth sicke att home off the palsye/ and is grevously payned. And Jesus sayd vnto him. I will come and cure him. The Centurion answered and saide: Syr I am not worthy that thou shuldest com vnder the rofe of my housse/ but speake the worde only and my servaunt shalbe healed. For y also my selfe am a man vndre power/ and have sowdeeres vndre me/ and y saye to one/ go/ and he goeth : and to anothre/ come/ and he Cometh : and to my servaunt/ do this/ and he doeth it. When Jesus herde these saynges: he marveyled/ and said to them that folowed him: Verely y say vnto you/ I have not founde so great fayth: no/ not in Israeli. I say therfore vnto you/ that many shall come from the eest and weest/ and shall rest with Abraham/ Ysaac and Jacob/ in the kyngdom of heven : and the children of the kingdom shalbe cast out in to the vt- moost dercknes/ there shalbe wepinge and gnasshing of tethe. Then Jesus said vnto the Centurion/ go thy waye/ and as thou hast beleved so be it vnto the. And his servaunt was healed that same houre. And Jesus went into Peters housse/ and sawe his wyves mother lyinge sicke of a fevre/ and he thouched her hande/ and the fevre leeft her : and she arose/ and ministred vnto them. €i;c (©osipell of ^. IHatijciu. €i). iy. Wheti the even was come they brought vnto him many that were possessed with devylles/ And he cast out tlie spirites with a word / and healed all that were sicke/ to fulfill that whiche was spoken by Esay the prophet sainge : He toke on him oure infirmytes/ and bare oure sicknesses. When Jesus saw moche people about him/ he commaunded to go over the water. And there cam a scribe and said vnto him : master/ I woll folowe the whythersumever thou goest. And Jesus said vnto him : the foxes have holes/ and the bryddes of the aier have nestes/ but he sonne of the man hath not where on to leye his heede : Anothre that was one of hys disciples seyd vnto him : master suffre me fyrst/ to go and burye my father. But Jesus said vnto him: folowe me/ and let the deed burie their deed. And he entred in to ashyppe/ and his disciples folowed him/ And lo there arose a greate storme in the see/ in so moche/ that the shippe was hyd with waves/ and he was aslepe : And his dis- ciples cam vnto him/ and awoke him/ sayinge : master/ save us/ weperishe. And he said vnto them : why are yefearfull/ o ye en- dewed with lytell faithe ? Then he arose/ and rebuked the wyndes and the see/ and there folowed a greate calme. And menmarveyled and said: what man is this/ that bothe wyndes and see obey him? And when he was come to the other syde/ in to the countre off the gergesens/ there met him two possessed of devylls / which cam out off the graves/ and were out off measure fearce/ so that no man myght go by that waye. And lo they cryed out saynge : O Jesu the sonne off God/ what have we to do with the ? art thou come hyther to torment vs before the tyme be come ? There was a good waye off from them a greate heerd of swyne fedinge. Then the devyls besought him saynge : if thou cast vs out/ suffre vs to go oure waye into the heerd of swyne. And he said vnto them : go youre wayes : Then went they out/ and departed into the heerd of swyne. And lo / all the heerd of swyne was caryed with violence hedlinge into the see/ and perisshed in the water. Then the heerdmen fleed/ and went there ways into the cite/ and tolde every thinge/ and what had fortuned vnto them that were possessed of the devyls. And lo/ all the cite cam. out/ and met Jesus. And when they sawe him they besought him / to depart out off there costes. EIjc iy. Ci)apter. md y. y brought vnto him a man \ ND he entred into the shippe: and passed over and cam into ■^ his awne cite. And lo/ the li 7 iFo. 6uj. ^ift (©ogpell of ^. ^atljciu. sicke off the palsey/ lyinge in his bed. And wlien Jesus sawe there faith/ he said to the secke off the palsey: sonne be off good chere/ thy sinnes are forgeven the. And loe/ certeyne of the scribes said in them selves/ he blasphemeth. And when Jesus sawe there thoughtes/ he said : wherfore thinke ye evyll in your herttes? Whether ys esyer to saye/ thi sinnes ar forgeven the/ or to saye: arise and walke ? That ye may knowe/ that the sonne of man hathe power to forgeve synnes in erth/ then sayd he vnto the sicke of the palsey : aryse / take vppe thi beed / and go home to thyne housse. And he arose and departed to his liousse. The people that sawe it/ marveylled and glorified God/ which had geven suche power to men. And as Jesus passed forth from thence/ he sawe a man sytt at the receyte off custume named Matheu/ and said to him: folowe me. And he arose and folowed him. And hit cam to passe/ thatt Jesus satt at meate in his housse. And lo/ many publicans and synners/ cam and satt downe also with Jesus/ and his disciples. When the pharyses had perceaved that/ they sayd vnto his disciples: Why eateth youre master with publicans and synners? When Jesus herde that/ he sayde vnto them : The whole neade not the visicion/ but they thatt are sicke. Goo and learne/ what that meaneth: I liave pleasure in mercy/ and not in offerynge. For I am not come to call the rightewes/ but the sinners to repentaunce. Then cam the disciples of Jhon to hym saynge/ why do we and the farises fast ofte : but thy disciples fast not ? And Jesus sayde vnto them : Can the weddynge chyldren morne as longe as the bridegrom is with them ? The tyme will come when the brydgrome shalbe tacken awaye from them/ and then shall they faste. Noo man peceth an olde garment with a pece off newe cloothe. For then tacketh he away the pece agayne from the garment/ and the rent ys made worsse. Nether do men put newe wyne into olde vessels/ for then the vessels breake/ and the wyne runneth oute and the vessels perysshe. But they powre newe wyne into newe vessels/ and so are both saved togedder. Whyls he tlius spake vnto them/ Lo there cam a certayne ruler/ and worshipped hyme" saynge : my doghter is deed all redy/ but com and lay thy honde on her/ and she shall live. And Jesus arose and folowed hym with hys disciples. And beholde/ a woman which was diseased with an issue of bloud xij yeres/ cam behynde hym and toched the hem off hys vesture. For she sayd in her silfe : \ff I maye toche but even his vesture €f)t (So^pcU of ^. IHatl^clu. C^. y. only/ I slialbe safe. Jesus tourned hym about/ and behelde her saynge : Doughter be off goode comforte/ thy fayth hath made the safe. And she was made whole even that same houre. And when Jesus cam into the ruelers housse and sawe the minstrels/ and the people wondrynge / he sayde vnto them: Get you hence/ for the mayde is not deed/ but slepeth. And they leughe hym to scorne. As sone as the people were put forthe a dores/ he went in and toke her by the hond/ and the mayde arose. And this was noysed through out all the londe. And as Jesus departed thence/ two blynde men folowed hym crying and sayng : O thou sonne of David/ have mercy on vs. And when he was come into the housse/ the blynd cam to hym. And Jesus sayde vnto them : Beleve ye that I am able to do thys ? They sayde vnto hyme : ye master. Then touched he their eyes/ sayng: accordynge to youre faythe/ be it vnto you. And their eyes wer opened. And he chaurged them sayng : Se that no man knoweofit. But they as sone as they were de- parted/ spreed abroade hys name through oute all the londe. As they went out/ beholde/ they brought to hym a domne man possessed of a devyll. And as sone as the devyll was cast oute/ the domne spake. And the people merveled/ saynge: it never soo appered in Israhel. Butt the pharises sayde : he casteth oute devyls/ by the power of the chefe devyll. And Jesus went about all the cites and tounes/ teachynge in their sinagogges and preachyng the gospell off the kyngdome. And heahnge all maner sicknes and desease amonge the people. But when he sawe the people/ he hadd pite on them/ because they were pined awaye / and scattered abroade even as shepe / havynge no shepheerd. Then sayde he to hys disciples : the hervest is greate / but the laborers ar feawe. Wherfore praye the harvest lorde/ to sende forthe labourers into hys harvest. C]^c y. Cl^aptcr. A' ND he called his xij disciples vnto him/ and gave them power over all vnclene sprites/ to cast them oute/ and to heale all maner of sicknesses/ and all maner offdeseases. The names of the xij apostles are these. The fyrst/ Simon which ys called Peter : and Andrew his brother. James the Sonne of Zebede/ and Jhou his brother. Philip and Bartlemew. Thomas and Mathew the publican. James the sonne of Alphe dfo. iy. Wi)t (©o^ptU of ^. |llati)fU). and Lebbeus/ otherwyse called Taddeus/ Simon off cane/ and Judas Iscarioth/ which also betrayed hym. These xij sent Jesus/ and commaunded them saynge : Goo nott into the wayes thatt leade to the gentyls/ and into the cites off the Samaritans enter ye nott. But go rather to the lost shepe off the housse of israhel. go and preach sayng : that the kyng- dome off heven ys at hande. Heale the sicke/ dense the lepers/ rayse the deed/ caste oute the devils. Frely ye have receved/ frely geve agayne. Possess nott golde/ nor silver/ nor brasse/ yn youre gerdels/ nor yet scrip towardes your jorney: Nether two cotes/ nether shues/ nor yet a rod. For the work- man is worthy to have his meate. Into whatsoever cite or toune ye shall com/ enquyre who ys worthy yn it/ and there abyde till ye goo thence. And when ye come into an housse/ grete the same. And yff the housse be worthy/ youre peace shall come apon the same. But yf it be not worthy/ youre peace shall retourne to you agayne. And whosoever shall nott receave you/ nor will heare your preachynge/ when ye departe oute off that housse/ or that cite/ shake of the duste of youre fete. Truely I say vnto you : it shalbe easier for the londe off Zodoma/ and Gomora/ in the daye off iudgement, then for tliat cite. Lo I sende you forthe as shepe amonge wolves. Be ye ther- fore wyse as serpentes/ and innocent as doves. Beware off men/ ffor they shall deliver you vp to the counseils/ and shall scourge you in there sinagogges. And ye shall be brought to the heed ruelers and kynges for my sake/ in witnes to them and to the gentyls. But when they put you vp/ take no thought howe or what ye shall speake/ for yt shall be geven you/ even in that same houre/ what ye shall saye. For it is not ye that speke/ but the sprete of your father which «peaketh in you . The brother shall betraye the brother to deeth/ and the father the sonne. And the chyldren shall aryse agynste their fathers/ and mothers: and shall put them to deethe / and ye shall be hated off all men / ffor my name. But whosoever shall continew vnto the ende/ shall be saved. When they persecute you in wone cite / flye in to another. I tell you for a treuth/ ye shal nott fynysshe all the cites of israhel/ tyll the sonne of man be come. The disciple ys nott above hys master : Nor yet the servaunt above his lorde. It is ynough for the disciple to be as hys master ys/ and that the servaunt be as his lorde ys. Yf they have called the lorde off €\)t (SogpcU of ^. iMati)Eiu. CI> yi. the housse beelzebub : howe moche more shall they call them of his householde so? feare them nott there fore. There is no thinge so close/ that shall not be openned/ and no thinge so hyd that shall not be knowen. What I tell you in dercknes/ that speake ye in lyght. And what ye heare in the eare that preache ye on the housse toppes. And feare ye nott them which kyll the body/ and be nott able to kyll the soule. But rather feare him/ which is able to destroye botlie soule and body in hell. Are nott two sparrowes solde for a farthinge? And none of them doth lyght on the grounde/ with out youre father. And noweare all the heeres of youre heedes numbred. Feare ye not ther fore/ ye are off more value/ then many sparrowes. Who soever ther fore knowlegeth me before men/ him will I knowledge before my father in lieven. But whosoever shall denye me before men/ him will I also denye before my father which ys in heven. Thynke not/ that y am come to sende peace in to the erth. I cam nott to send peace/ but a swearde. For y am come to sett a man at varyaunce ageynst hys father/ and the doughter ageynst her mother/ and the doughterelawe ageinst her mother- elawe: And a mannes fooes shalbe/ they of his owne housholde. He that lovith hys father/ or mother more then me/ is not worthy of me. And he that loveth his sonne/ or doughter more then me/ is not mete for me. And he that taketh nott his crosse and foloweth me/ ys nott mete for me. He that fyndeth his lyfe/ shall lose it: and he that losith hys ly.fe for my sake/ shall fynde it. He that receavith you/ receavith me: and he that receavith me/ receavith him that sent me. He that receavith a prophet in the name of a prophet/ shall receave a prophets rewarde. And he that receavith a righteous man in the name of a righteous man/ shall receave the reward of a righteous man. And who- soever shall geve vnto won of these lytle wonnes to drinke/ a cuppe of coMe water only/ in the name of a disciple: I tel you of a trueth/ he shall not lose his rewarde. Clje yl Ci>iptcr. A ND it cam to passe when Jesus had ended his preceptes vnto "^^ his disciples/ he departed thence/ to preache and teache in there cites. When Jhon beinge in preson herde the workes of Christ/ he c sent two of his disciples and sayde vnto him. Arte thou he that shall come: or shall we loke for another? Jesus answered and sayde vnto them. Go and shewe Jhon what ye haveherde and sene. The blind se/ the halt goo/ the lyppers ar clensed: The deef heare/ the ded are reysed vp ageine/ and the gospell is preachede to the povre. And happy is he thatt is noott hurte by me. Even as they departed/ Jesus began to speake vnto the people of Jhon. What went ye for to se in the wyldernes? went ye out to se a rede waveringe with the wynde? oder what went ye out for to se? went ye to se a man clothed in soofte rayment? Beholde/ they that weare soofte clothing are in kynges howses. Butt what went ye oute for to se? went ye outt to se a prophet? Ye I saye vnto you/ and more then a prophet. For this is he off whom it is wrytten. Beholde/ I sende my messenger before thy face/ which shall prepare thy waye before the. Verely y saye vnto you/ amonge the chyldren off women arose there not a gretter then Jhon baptist. Not with stondinge he that ys lesse in the kyngdom off heven/ ys gretter then he. From the tyme of Jhon baptist hitherto/ the kyngdom of heven suffreth violence/ and they that make violence pull it vnto them. For all the prophets / and the lawe prophesyed unto tyme of Jhon. Also yf ye wyll receave it/ thys ys Helyas/ which shuld come. He that hath eares to heare/ let him here. But whearevnto shall y lyken this generacion? it ys like vnto chyldren / which syt in the markett / and call vnto there felowes / and saye: we have pyped vnto you/ and ye have not daunsed. We have morned vnto you / and ye have not sorowd. For Jhon cam nether eatynge nor drinkinge/ and they saye he hath the devyll. The sonne of man cam eatynge and drinkynge/ and they saye/ beholde a glutton/ and a drynker of wyne/ and a frend vnto publicans/ and synners. And wysdome is iustified off her chyldren. Theri began he to vpbraid the cites/ in which most of his miracles were don/ because they did not repent. Wo be to the Chorasin. Wo be to the Betzaida: for if the miracles which wer shewd in you had bene done in tiyre and sidon they had repented longe agon in sack cloth and asshes. Neverthelesse y say to you ; it shall be esier for Tyre and Sidon at the daye of iudgement/ then for you. And thou Capernaum which art lift vp vnto heven/ shalt be thrust doune to hell. fFor if the miracles which have bene done in the/ had bene shewed in Zodom: they had remayned to this daye. Neverthelesse I say vnto you : it CI;e ^ogpell of ^. fMati;cU). Clj. vij. shall be easiar for Zodom in the daye of iudgment / then for the. Then Jesus answered and sayd I prayse the o father lorde of heven and erth/ because thou hast hyd these thynges from the wyse and prudent, and hast opened them vnto babes/ even so father for so it pleased the. All thynges are geven vnto me of my father. And no man knoweth the sonne i but the father, nether knoweth eny man the father/ save the sonne/ and he to whome the sonne will open hym. Come vnto me all ye that labour/ and ar laden/ and y will ese you. Take my yoke on you and lerne of me for y am meke and loly in herte : and ye shall fynd ese vnto youre soules. For my yoke is easy/ and my burden is hght. Cljc vtj. Cijaptcr. TN that tyme went Jesus on the sabot day tliorow the corn and his disciples wer anhongred/ and began to plucke the eares ofFcoorne/ and to eate. When the pharises had sene that/ they sayde vnto him : Behold thy disciples do that which is not lawfuU to do apon the saboth day. He sayde vnto them: Have ye nott reed whatt David did/ when he was an houngered/ and they alsoo which were with hym ? Howe he entred into the housse of God/ and ate the halowed loves/ whiche wer not lawfuU fFor hym to ete/ nether ffor them 'which were with hym : but only for the prestes. Or have ye not reed in the lawe / howe that the prestes in the temple breake the saboth daye and yet are blame- lesse ? But I saye vnto you : that here is one greater then the temple. Wherfore if ye had wist what this saynge meneth : I requyre mercy/ and not sacrifice, ye wold never have con- demned innocentes. For the sonne off man is lorde even off the sabotli daye. And he departed thence/ and went into their Slnagogge/ and beholde there was a man/ whiche had his hande dryed vp. And they axed hym saynge : Ys yt lawfull to heale apon the saboth daye? because they myglit acuse hym. And he sayde vnto them : whyche ys he amonge you / iff he had a shepe fallen into a pitt on the saboth daye/ that wolde not take hym and lyft liym out? And howe moclie ys a man better then a shepe ? Wherfore it ys lefidl to do a good dede on the saboth daye. Then sayde he to the man: stretch forth thy hand/ and he stretched it forthe / and yt was agayne made even as whole as the other. Then the faryses went forthe/ and toke counsell agaynst hym/ (' 2 dFol. yi. m)t ao^ptU of ^. IWntijcU). howe they myght destroye hym. When Jesus knewe that/ he departed thence/ and moche people folowed him/ and he healed them all. and cliarged them/ that they shulde not make him knowne/ to fulfyll that which was spoken by Esay the prophet/ which sayeth : Beholde my sonne/ whom I have chosen/ my derhnge/ in whom my soule hath had delite. I wyll put my sprete on him/ and he shall shewe iudgement to the gentyls. He shall not stryve/ he shall not crye/ nether shall eny man heare hys voyce in the streetes/ a brosed rede/ shall he not breacke/ and flaxe that begynneth to burne he shall not quenche/ tyll he sende forth iudgment vnto victory/ and in hys name shall the gentyls truste. Then was brought to hym/ won possessed with a devyll whych was both blynde and domne. and he healed him/ insomuch that he which was blynd and domne both spake and saw e. And all the people were amased/ and sayde: Ys not this the sonne of david? When the pharises herde that/ they sayde : he di-yveth thedevyls no other wyse cute but by the helppe off belsebub the chefe of the devylls. But Jesus knewe their thoughtes and sayde to them. Every kyngdom divided with in it sylfe shalbe desolate. Nether shall eny cite or householde devyded agenst it sylfe/ contynue. So if satan cast out satan / then ys he devyded agenst him sylfe. Howe shall then hys kyngdom endure'? Also yf y by the helppe of belzebub cast out devyls : by whose helppe do youre children cast them out ? therfore thei shalbe youre iudges : But if I cast out the devyls by the sprete of God : then ys the kyngdom of God come on you ? Other howe can a man enter into a mighty mannes housse / and violently take awaye his godes : excepte he fyrst bynde the stronge man / and then spoyle hys housse ? He thatt ys not with me ys agaynst me. And he that gaddereth not with me scatter- eth abrode. Wherefore I say vnto you all maner of synne and blasphemy shalbe forgeven vnto men/ but the blasphemy against the holy goost/ shall not be forgeven vnto men. And whosoever speaketh a worde agaynst the sonne off man / it shall be forgeven hym. but whosoever speaketh agaynst the holy goost/ yt shall not be fforgeven hym : no/ nether in this worlde/ nether in the worlde to come. Other make the tree good/ and his frute good also: or els make the tree evyll/ and his frute evyll also. For the tree ys knowen by hys frute. O generacion of vipers/ howe can ye saye well / when ye youre selves are evyll ? For of the aboundance CJ)e(Sogpfn of ^. ilMatijelu. €i). yiij. of the hertz the mouthe speaketh. A good man oute of the good treasure of hys hertz bryngeth forthe good thynges. And an evyll man out off his evyll treasure/ bryngeth forth evyll thynges. But I say unto you/ that of every ydell worde/ that men shall have spoken : they shall geve a countes at the daye ofFiudgement. For by thy wordes thou shalt be iustifyed : and by thy wordes thou shalt be condemned. Then answered certayne off the scribes and off the pharises saynge : Master/ we wolde fayne se a sygne of the. He an- swered themsaynge: the evyll and advoutrous generacion seketh a signe / but there shall no signe be geven to them / but the signe of the prophete ionas. for as ionas was thre days and thre nyghtes in the whales belly : soo shall the sonne of man be thre days and thre nyghtes in the hert of the erth. The men of ninivite shall rise at the day of iudgement with this nacion/ and condemne them. For they repented at the preachynge of Jonas, and beholde/ a greater then Jonas ys here. The queue of the south shall ryse at the day of iudgement with this gene- racion / and shall condemne them : For she cam from the vtmost partes of the worlde/ to heare the wisdom of Solomon/ and beholde heare is a greater then Solomon. When the vnclene sprete is gone out of a man/ he walketh throughout dry places/ seking reest and fyndeth none. Then he sayeth : 1 will retourne ageyne into my housse / from whence I cam oute. And when he is come/ he fyndeth the housse empty and swepte/ and garnisshed. Then he goeth his waye/ and taketh seven spretes worse then hym sylfe/ and so entre they in and dwell there. And the ende of that man is worsse than the beginnyng. Even so shall it be to this frowarde nacion. Whill he yet talked to the people : beholde hys moder and his brethren stode withoute the dores/ desyring to speake with him. Then won said vnto him : behold thy moder and thy brethren stond without/ desiringe to speke with the. He answered and sayd to him that tolde him: Who is my mother? or who are my brethren? And he stretched forth his bond over his disciples and sayd : behold my mother and my brethren. For whosoever fulfiUeth my fathers will whiche is in heven/ he is my brother/ my suster/ and my mother. Cl)c yiij. €]^aptcr. T HE same daye went Jesus out off tlie housse/ and sat by the see syde / and moch people resorted vnto him / so gretly that he went and sat in a shyppe/ and all the people stode on the shoore. And he spake many tliynges to them in similitudes / sayinge : Beholde/ the sower wentt forth to sowe/ And as he sowed/ some fell by the wayes syde/ and the fowlles cam/ and devoured it vppe. Some fell apon stony grounde where it had not moche erth/ and a non it spronge vppe/ because it had no depth off erth : and when the sun was vppe/ hitt cauth heet/ and for lake off rotynge wyddred awaye. Some fell amonge thornes/ and the thornes arose and chooked it. Parte fell in good grunde/ and broght forth good frute: some an hundred fold/ some fifty fold/ some thyrty folde. Whosoever hath eares to heare / let him heare. And hys disciples cam / and sayde to him : Why speakest thou to them in parables ? he answered and sayde vnto them : Hit is geven vnto you to know the secrettes off" the kyngdom of heven / but to them it is not geven. For whosumever hath to him shall hit be geven : and he shall have aboimdance. But whosoever hath not : from him shalbe takyn awaye even that same that he hath. Therefore speake y to them in similitudes. For though they se / they se not : and hearinge they heare not : nether vnderstonde. And in them ys fulfylled the prophesy of Esay/ which prophesi sayth : with youre eares ye shall heare and shall not vnderstonde/ and with youre eyes ye shall se/ and shall not perceave. For this peoples hert ys wexed grosse. And their eares were dull of herynge/ and their eyes have they closed/ lest they shoulde se with their eyes/ and heare with their eares/ and shuld vnderstonde with their herts/ and shulde tourne/ that y myght heale them. But blessed are youre eyes / for they se / and youre eares / for they heare. Verely y say vnto you / that many prophetes and perfaicte men have desired to se those thinges which ye se/ and have not sene them : and to heare those thinges which ye heare / and have not herde them. Heare ye therfore the similitude off the sower. When a man heareth the worde of the kingdom / and vnderstondeth it not/ there cometh the evyll man/ and catcheth awaye that which was sowne in hys hert. And thys is he which was sowne by the waye syde. But he that was sowne in the stony grunde ys he/ which heareth the worde of God/ and anon with ioye receaveth itt/ yet hath he no rottes in him selfe/ And therefore he dureth but a season: for as sone as tribulation and persecucion aryseth because of the worde/ by and by he falleth. He that was sowne amonge thornes/ ys he that heareth the worde off" God/ But the care off" this worlde/ and the dissaytfulnes off" ryches choke the worde/ and so ys he made vnfrutfull. He which is sowne in the good grounde/ ys he that heareth the Avorde and vnderstondeth it/ €i)t (©o^pell of ^. PlaHjfto. Cf). jtitj. which also bereth frute/ and bringeth forth/ some an hundred folde/ some fyfty folde/ and some thyrty folde. Anotlier similitude put he forth/ vnto them saynge: The kyngdom off heven ys lyke vnto a man which sowed good seede in his felde. But whyll men slepte/ ther cam his foo/ and sowed tares amonge the wheate / and went his waye : Wlien the blade was spronge vp / and had brought forth frute r then appered the tares also. The servauntes cam to the house- holder/ and sayde vnto him: Syr sowedest not thou good seed in thy closse/ from whence then hath it tares? He sayde to tliem/ the envious man hath done this. Then the servauntes sayde vnto hym: wylt thou then that we go and gader it? and he sayde/ nay/ lest whyll ye go aboute to wede out the tares / ye plucke vppe also with them the wheate by the rottes : let bothe growe to gether tyll harvest come/ and in time of harvest/ I wyll saye vnto my repers/ gadther ye fyrst the tares/ and bynd them in sheves to be brent: but gadther the wheete in to my barne. Another parable he putt forthe vnto them saynge. The kyngedom of heven ys lyke vnto a grayne of mustarde seede/ which a man taketh and soweth in his felde/ whych ys the leest of all seedes. But when it is growne / it is the greatest amonge yerbes / and is a tree : so that the bryddes of the aier come/ and bylde in the braunches of it. Anothere similitude sayde he to them. The kyngdome of heven ys lyke vnto leven which a woman toke and hyd in iij peckes ofFmeele/ tyll all was levended. AH these thynges spake Jesus vnto the people by similitudes/ and with oute similitudes spake he nothinge to them/ to fulfyll that which was spoken by the prophet sayinge: I wyll open my mouth in similitudes/ and wyll speake forth thinges whych have bene kepte secrete from the begynnynge off the worlde. Then sent Jesus the people awaye/ and cam to housse/ and hys disciples cam vnto hym/ saynge : declare vnto vs the simi- litude of the tares off the felde : Then answered he and sayde to them. He that soweth the good seed/ ys the sonne of man/ the felde ys the worlde. The chyldren off the kyngdom are the good seed. The evyll mans chyldren are the tares. But the enemy which soweth them / is the devill. The harvest is the end of the worlde and the repers be the angels. For even as the tares are gaddred / and brent in the fyre : so shall it be in the ende off this worlde. The sonne of man shall send forth his angels/ and they shall gadther out off his kyngdom all things dFo. yii). CJ)i <^o^pcn of ^. jMatljclu. that do hurte/ and all them which do iniquite/ and shall cast them into a furnes of tyre. There shall be waylynge and gnasshyng off teth. Then shall the iuste men shyne as bryght as the sun in the kyngdom of their father, wosoever hath eares to heare/ let him heare. Agayne the kyngdom off heven is lyke unto treasure hidde in the feltle / the which a man founde and hidde it : and ffor ioy there of goeth and selleth all that he hath/ and byeth that felde. Agayne the kyngdom off heven is lyke vnto a marchaunt/ sekynge after good pearles/ which when he had founde one precious pearle/ wentt and solde all that he had/ and bought it. Agayne the kyngdome off heven is lyke vnto a neet cast into the see/ that gadereth off all kyndes off fysshes : which when it is full/ men drawe to londe/ and sitt and gadre the good in to their vessels and caste the bad awaye. So shall it be at the ende of the worlde. The angels shall come and sever the bad from the goode/ and shall caste them in to a furnes of fyre/ there shall be waylinge and gnasshynge of teth. Jesus sayde vnto them ; have ye vnderstonde all these thynges : they sayde / ye syr. Then sayde he vnto them : Therfore every scrybe which is coninge vnto the kyngdom of heven/ is lyke an housholder / which bryngeth forth / out of his treasure / thynges both newe and olde. And liyt cam to passe when Jesus had fynnesshed these simi- litudes that he departed thence/ and cam into his awne countre/ and taught in there synagogges / in so moche that they were astunyed and sayde : whence cam all thys wysdon and power vnto him ? is not thys the carpenters sonne ? is not hys mother called mary? and hys brethren be called/ James and Joses and Symon and Judas ? and are not hys systers all here with vs ? Whence hath he all these thynges ? And they wer hurte by him. Then Jesus sayde vnto them : there is no prophet without honoure / save in hys awne countre / and amonge his awne kynne. And he dyd not many myracles there/ for there vnbelefes sake. ^i)t yiii]. Cijaptcr. TN that tyme Herod the tetrarcha herde off the fame of Jesu/ -^ and sayde vnto his servauntes : This is Jhon baptist : he is risen agayne from deeth / and therfore hys power ys so greate. For Herod toke Jhon and bounde hym / and put hym in preson ffor Herodias sake/ hys brother phips wyfe. For Jhon sayde unto hym : hit ys not lawfuU for the to have her. And when he Ci)c ©o^pdl of j& IWatljciu. €f). riU). wold liave put hym to deetli/ he feared the people/ because they counted liym as a prophet. When Herodes birth daye was come / the doughter off Herodias daunsed before them/ and pleased Herod. Wherefor he pro- mysed with an oth/ that he wolde give her whatsoever she wolde axe. And she beinge informed of her mother before / sayde geve me here John baptistes heed in a platter. And the kynge sorowed : neverthelesse for his othes sake/ and for their sakes which sate also att the table/ he comaunded yt to begeven her. And sent and behedded Jlion in the preson/ and his heed was brought in a platter and geven to the damsell/ and she brought it to her mother. And his disciples cam and toke vp his body/ and buryed it. and went and tolde Jesus. When Jesus had herde that/ he departed thence by shippe into a desert place out of the way. And when the people had herde therof/ they folowed him a fote out of there cites. And Jesus went forth and sawe moche people : and his herte dyde melte vppon them/ and he healed off them those that were sicke. When even was come/ his disciples cam to him saynge. This ys a deserte place/ and the daye is spent/ let the people departe that they may go in to the tonnes/ and bey them vytaylles. But Jesus sayde vnto them : They have no neade to go awaye : Geve ye them to ete. Then sayde they vnto him : we have here but .v. loves and two fysshes. He saide : briuge them hydther to me. And he comaunded the people to syt downe on the grasse And toke the .v. loves/ and the .ij. fysshes and loked vp to heven and blessed/ and brake and gave the loves to his disciples/ and the disciples gave them to the people. And they all ate/ and were suflfised. And they gadered up of the gobbetes thatt remained/ xij basketes full. They that ate were in nombre about V. M. men/ besyde wemen and chyldren. And strayghtway Jesus made his desciples enter into a shippe/ and to goo over before him/ whill he sent the peple away. And as sone as he had sent the peple away/ he went vp into a moun- tayne alone to praye. And when nyght was come he was there hym sylf alone, and the shippe was in the middes of the see/ and was toost with waves/ for it was a contrary wynde. In the fourthe watche of the night Jesus cam vnto them walkynge on the see : and when hys disciples sawe him walkynge on the see/ they were amased/ sayinge : it is some spirite/ and cryed out for feare. And streyght waye Jesus spake vnto them saynge : be of good cheare/ it is y/ be not a frayed. Peter answered/ and sayde: master/ and thou be he/ bidde c5 dfo. yib. Ci)c ©osSptll of ^. |Matl;fiu. me come vnto the on the water, and he sayde come. And when Peter was come doune out of the shyppe/ he walked on the water/ to go to Jesus. But when he sawe a myghty winde/ he was afrayed. And as he began to synke/ he cryed sayinge : master save me. And immediatly Jesus stretched forth his honde/ and caught him/ and sayde tohym: O thou of lytell fayth : wherfore diddest thou dout ? And as soone as they were come in to the shippe/ the winde ceassed. Then they that were in the shyppe cam and worshipped him/ sayinge : of a truth thou arte the sonne of God. And when they were come over/ they went in to the londe of genazareth. And when the men of that place had knowledge of him/ they sent out in to all that countre rounde about/ and brought vnto him all that were sicke/ and besought him/ that they myght touche the border of hys vesture only. And as many as touched hytt/ were made safe. CJje \b. Ci^apttv. nPHEN cam to Jesus : scrybes and pharises from Jerusalem/ sayinge : why do thy disciples transgresse tlie tradicions of the seniours ? for they wesshe not there hondes/ when they eate breed: He answered/ and sayde vnto them : why do ye also transgresse the comaundment of God/ thorovve youre tradi- cions? for God commaunded/ sayinge: honoure thy father and moder/ and he that speak eth evyll ageynst hys father or mother/ shall suffer deeth. But ye sale/ every man shall saie to his father or mother : whatsoever thyng I offer/ that same doeth profyt the/ and so shal he not honoure hys father and mother. And thus have ye made/ that the comaundment of god is without effecte / through youre tradicions. Ypocrites wel pro- phesied off you/ Esay sayinge: This people draweth nie vnto me with there mouthes/ and honoureth me with their lippes/ yet their hert is farre from me : but in vaine thei worshippe me teachinge doctrine/ which is nothing but mens precepts. And he called the people vnto him/ and saide to them : heare and vnderstonde. That which goeth in to the mougth/ defyleth not a man : but that which commeth out of the mougth / defyleth the man. Then cam his disciples/ and sayde vnto him: perceavest thou/ howe that the pharyses are offended hearinge thys saynge? He answered/ and sayde/ all plantes which my hevenly father hath nott planted/ shalbe plucked vppe by the rotes. Lett €\)e (©osiptll of ^. IHatl^fiu. €Ij. yb. them alone/ they be the blynde ledders of the blynde. If the blynde leede the blliide / boothe shall fall in to the dyche. Then answered Peter and sayd to him : declare vnto vs thys parable. Then sayde Jesus : are ye yette with oute vnder- stondinge ? perceave ye not/ that whatsoever goeth in at the mouth/ descendeth doune into the bely/ and ys cast out in to tlie draught ? Butt those thynges which procede out of the mought come from the herte/ and they dyffyle a man. For out of the herte come evyll thoughtes/ murder/ breakyng of wed- locke/ whordom/ theefte/ falce witnesberynge/ blasphemy. These are the thynges which defyle a man. But to eate with unwesshen hondes/ defyleth nott a man. And Jesus went thence/ and departed in to the costes of tire and sidon. And beholde a woman which was a cananyte cam out of the same coostes/ and cryed vnto him saynge : have mercy on me lorde the sonne of Dauid/ my doughter is pyti- ously vexed with a devyll. And he gave her never a worde to answer. Then cam to him his disciples/ and besought him sayinge : sende her awaye/ for she foloeth vs cryinge. He an- swered/ and sayde : I am not sent/ but vnto the loost shepe of the housse of israhel. Then she cam and worshypped hym/ sayinge : master sucker me. He answered and saide : it is not good/ to take the childrens breed/ and to cast it to whelpes. She answered and saide: it is truthe/ neverthelesse the whelppes eate of the crommes/ which fall from there masters table. Then Jesus answered and sayde vnto her. O woman greate ys thy fayth/ be hit to the/ even as tliou desyrest. And her daughter was made whole even at that same tyme. Then Jesus went awaye from thence/ and cam nye unto the see of galyle/ and went vppe in to a mountayne/ and sat doune there. And moche people came vnto hym havinge with them/ halt/ blinde/ domne/ maymed/ and other many: and cast them doune at Jesus fete. And he healed them/ in so moche that the people wondred / to se the domne speake / the maymed whole / the lialt to go/ and the blinde to se. and they gloryfyed the god of israhel, Jhesus called his disciples to him and saide : I have compas- sion on the people/ because they have contynued with me nowe iij dayes/ and have nothinge to eate: and I wyll not let them departe fastinge/ leste they perisshe in the waye, and his disciples sayd vnto him : whence shuld we get so moche breed in the wildernes/ as shulde sufFyse so great a multitude ? And Jesus sayde vnto them : howe many loves have ye ? and they seyde : seven and a feawe fysshes. And he commaunded the people to dTo. yb. €i)t <^tiSptH of ^. IMaUjtiu. syt doune on the grounde. And toke the seven loves/ and the fysshes and gave thankes / and brake them / and gave to hys dis- ciples/ and his disciples gave them to the people. And they all ate/ and were suftysed. And they toke vp of the broken meate that was left vij basketes full. They that ate were iiij M. men/ besyde wemen and chyldren. And he sent awaye the people/ and toke shyppe and cam in to the parties of Magdala. CI;c ybi. Cijaptcr. T^HEN cam to hym the pharises with the saduces also/ and dyd tempte hym / desyringe that he wold shewe them some signe from heven. He answered and sayde vnto them: Att even ye saye/ we shall have fayre wedder. and that because the skye ys reed: in the morninge/ ye saye/ to daye shalbe foule wedder/ and that because the skye is troubbelous and reed. O ye ypocrites ; ye can discerne the fassions of the skye : and can ye not discerne the sygnes of the tymes ? The frowarde nacion/ and advoutrous/ seketh a sygne/ there shall nonother sygne be geven vnto them/ but the sygne off the prophet Jonas. So lefte he them and departed. And when his disciples were come to the other side of the water/ they had forgotten to take breed with them. Then Jesus sayd vnto them : Take hede and beware of the leven of the pha- rises/ and of the saduces. They thought amonge themselves sayinge : we have brought no breed with vs. When Jesus vn- derstode that/ he sayd vnto them. O ye of lytell fayth/ why are youre mindes cumbred because ye have brought no breed ? Do ye not yet perceave/ nether remember those v lovesse when there were v M. men/ and howe many baskettes toke ye vp ? Nether the vij loves/ when there were iv M. and howe many baskettes toke ye vppe ? Why perceave ye not then / that y spake not vnto you of breed / when I sayde / beware off the leven of the pharises and of the saduces ? Then vnderstode they/ howe that he bad not them beware of the leven of breed : butt of the doctryne of the pharises/ and of the saduces. When Jesus cam in to the coostes of the cite- which is called cesarea philippi/ he axed hys disciples sayinge: whom do men saye that I the sonne of man am ? They sayde/ some saye that thou arte Jhon baptist/ some helyas/ some Jeremias/ or won of the prophetes. He seyde vnto them : but whom saye ye that I am : Symon Peter answered/ and sayde: Thou arte Crist the sonne of the livynge god. And Jesus answered and sayde to- him : liappy arte thou Simon the sonne of Jonas / for fleshe and bloude have nott opened vnto the that/ butt my father which is in heven. And I saye also vnto tlie/ that thou arte Peter. And apon this roocke I wyll bylde my congregacion. And the gates off hell shall nott prevayle a geynst it. And y wyll geve vnto the/ the keyes of the kyngdome of heven / and whatsoever thou byndest vppon erth/ yt shalbe bounde in heven/ and what- soever thou lowsest on erthe/ yt shall be lowsed in heven. Then he charged his disciples/ that they shulde tell no man/ that he was Jesus Christ. From that tyme forth/ Jesus began to shewe unto hys disciples/ howe that he must go vnto Jerusalem/ and suffer many thinges of the seniores/ and of the hye prestes/ and of the scribes/ and must be killed/ and ryse agayne the tliirde daye. Peter toke him a side/ and began to rebuke hym sayinge : master faver thy sylfe/ this shall not come vnto the. Then tourned he aboute / and sayde vnto Peter : go after me Satan / thou offendest me / because thou perceavest nott godly thynges ; but worldly thynges. Jesus then sayde to hys disciples, Yf eny man will folowe me/ leet hym forsayke hym sylfe/ and take hys crosse and folowe me. For who soever wyll save hys lyfe/ shall loose yt. And whosoever shall loose hys lyfe for my sake/ shall fynde yt, Whatt shall hit proffet a man/ yf he shulde wyn all the whoole worlde : so he loose hys owne soule ? Or els what shall a man geve to redeme hys soule agayne with all ? For the sonne off man shall come in the glory of hys father / with hys angels / and then shall he rewarde every man accordynge to hys dedes. Verely I saye vnto you/ some there be a monge them that here stonde/ whych shall nott taste of deeth/ tyll they shall have sene the sonne of man come in hys kyngdome. €\)t r^ij. Cijaptcr, A' ND after vj dayes Jhesus toke Peter and James and Jlion hys brother/ and brought them vppe into an hye mountayne oute of the waye/ and was transfygured before them, and hys face dyd shyne as the sun/ and hys clothes were as whyte as the light. And beholde there apered vnto them Moses and Helyas talkinge with him. Then answered Peter/ and sade to Jesus: master here is good beinge for vs, Yff thou wylt/ leet vs make here iij tabernacles/ won for the/ and won for Moses/ and won for Helyas, Whyll he yet spake/ beholde a bright cloude shadowed them, and lo a voice out of the cloude sayde : This is my deare sonne/ in whom I delite/ heare liym. And when the dis- ciples herde that/ they fell flatt on there faces/ and were soore afrayed. And Jesus cam and touched them/ and sayde : aryse and be not a frayed. Then lyfte they vppe their eyes/ and sawe no man/ but Jesus only. And as they cam doune from the mountayne / he charged them sayinge : se that ye shewe thys vysion to no man / tyll the sonne of man be rysen ageyne from deeth. And hys disciples axed off him / sayinge : Why then saye the scribes / that Helias must fyrst come? Jesus answered/ and sayd vnto them: Helias shall fyrst come / and restore all thyngs. And I saye vnto you that helias ys come alredy/ and they knewe hym nott: butt have done vnto him whatsoever they lusted. In lyke wyse shall also the sonne of man suffre of them. Then hys disciples perceaved that he spake vnto them of Jhon baptist. And when they were come to the people/ ther cam to hym a certayne man/ and kneled done to hym saynge : Master have mercy on my sonne/ fFor he is franticke : and ys sore vexed. And oft tymes falleth into the fyre/ and oft into the water. And I brought hym to thy disciples/ and they coulde not heale him. Jesus answered and sayde : O generacion faythles and croked : liowe longe shall I be with you ? how longe shall y suffre you : bryng hym bidder to me. And Jhesus rebuked the devyll/ and he cam out. And the child was healed even that same houre. Then came hys disciples secretly and sayde : Why could not we cast him out ? Jesus sayd vnto them ; Because otF your vn- belfe. For I say veryly unto you : yfF ye had fayth as a grayne off musterd seed/ ye shulde saye vnto this mountayne/ remeve hence to yonder place/ and he shulde remeve. Nether shuld eny thynge be vnpossyble for you to do. but this kynde goeth not oute butt by pryer and fastynge. Whill they passed the tyme in galile/ Jesus sayde vnto them : the sonne off man shalbe betrayed into the hondes off men / and they shall kill hym and the thyrd daye he shall ryse agayne. And they sorowed greatly. When they were come to Capernaum : They that were wont to gadre poll money/ cam to Peter and sayde : Doth youre master paye tribute ? He sayd : ye. And when he was come into the housse / Jesus spake fyrst to hym / sayng : What thynkest thou Simon? of whome do the kynges off the erth take tribute/ or poll money ? of their chyldren / or of straungers ? Peter sayde vnto hym : of straungers. Then sayd Jesus vnto hym agane : Then are the chyldren fre. Neverthelesse / lest we shulde offende Ei)c (©o^pttl of ^. IWatijch). C{> r^ii). them : goo to the see and cast in thyne angle / and take the fysshe that fyrst cometli vp : and when thou hast opened his mouthe/ thou shalt fynde a pece of twelve pens/ that take and paye for me and the. Wift jtbiij. Cl^apttr. ^T^HE same tyme the disciples cam vnto Jesus sayng : who is the greatest in the kyngdom of heven? Jesus called a chylde vnto hym / and set him in the middes of them / and sayd : Verely I say vnto you: except ye tourne/ and become as children/ ye cannot enter into the kyngdom off heven, whosoever therfore shall submit him silfe as this chylde / he is the greatest in the kyngdom of heven. And whosoever receaveth suche a chylde in my name/ receaveth me. But whosoever offend one of these lytell wons/ which beleve in me: yt were better for hym/ that a millstone were hanged aboute his necke/ and that he were drouned in the depth of the see. Wo be vnto the world because of evill occasions. Hit is necessary that evyll occasions be geven / neverthelesse woo be to that man / by whom evyll occa- sion commeth. Wherefore yff thy honde or thy fote geve the an occasion of evyll: cut hym of and cast hym from the, Hyt is better for the to enter into lyfe halt or maymed/ rather then thou shuldeste havynge two hondes/ or two fete/ be cast into everlastyng fyre. And yf also thyne eye ofFende the / plucke him oute and caste hym from the. It is better for the to enter into lyfe with one eye/ then havyng two eyes to be cast into hell fyre. Se that ye despise not won of these litell wons For T saye vnto you/ thatt in heven their angels behold the face of my fader/ which ys in heven. Ye and the sonne of man is come to save that which is lost. How thinke ye ? Yf a man had an hondred shepe / and one of them shuld goo astray/ will he not leve nynty and nyne in the mountains/ and go and seke that won which is gone astray? if it happen that he fynd him / veryly I say vnto you: he reioyseth more of that shepe/ then of the nynty and nyne which went not astray. Even so hit is nott the wyll of youre father in heven/ that won off this lytell wons shulde perishe. Moreover yf thy brother trespas agenst the. Go and tell hym his faute betwene hym and the alone. Yf he heare the/ thou hastwone thy brother: but yf he heare the not/ then take with the won or two / that in the mouth of two or thre witnesses / all sainges may stonde. Yf he heare not them/ tell hit vnto the congregacion : yf he heare not the congregacion / take him as an hethen man/ and as a publican. Verely I say vnto you/ What- soever ye bynde on ertb/ shalbe bounde in heven. And what- soever ye lose on erth/ shalbe losed in heven. Agayn I say vnto you that if two off you shall agre in erth in eny maner thinge whatsoever they shall desyre: hit shalbe geven them of my fader which is in heven. For where two or thre are gadered togedder in my name/ there am I in the middes of them. Then cam Peter to hym/ and sayde: master/ how ofte shall my brother trespas ageynst me/ and I shall forgeve hym? shall I forgeve hym seven tymes ? Jesus sayd vnto hym : I saye nott vnto the seven tymes : but seventy tymes seven tymes. There- fore is the kyngdom otF heven lykened vnto a certayne kynge/ which wolde take a countes of his servauntes/ and when he had begune to recken/ won was browghte vnto hym / which ought him ten thousande talenttes : but when he had nought to paye/ the lord commaunded him to be solde/ and his wyfe/ and his children: and all that he had/ and payment to be made. The servaunt fell doune and besought hym sainge : Syr geve me respyte/ and I wyll paye hit every whit. Then had the lorde pitie on the servaunt / and lowsed him / and forgave hym the dett. The same servaunt went out and founde wone off his felowes/ which ought hym an hundred pence. And leyed hondes on hym/ and toke hym by the throote/ sainge: paye that thou owest. And his felowe fell doune/ and besought hym/ saynge : have pacience with me/ and I will paye the all/ And he wollde not/ but went and cast hym into preson/ tyll he shulde paye the dett. When his other felowes sawe what was done/ they were very sory and cam and tolde vnto there lorde all that had hap- pened. Then the lorde called him / and sayde vnto hym. O evyll servaunt/ y forgave the all that dett/ because thou praydest me: Was it not mete also/ that thou shuldest have had com- passion on thy felow / even as y had pitie on the ? and his lorde was wrooth/ and delyvered hym to the ioylers/ tyll he shulde paye all that was due to liym. So lyke wyse shall youre hevenly father do vnto you / yf ye wyll not forgeve with youre herttes/ each won to his brother there treaspases. CI;c yiy. CJ;apter. \ ND it folowed when Jesus had fynysshed those sayinges/ he "^^ gat hym from Galile/ and cam into the coostes off iewry beyonde Jordan/ and moche people folowed hym/ and he healed them theare. Then cam vnto hym the pharises to tempte hym t and sayde to hym: Ys hit lawfull for a man to put a waye his wyfe for all manner off causes? He answered/ and sayde vnto them Have ye not redde howe that he which made man at the begynnynge/ made them man and woman? and saide for thys thinge/ shall a man leve father and mother/ and cleve vnto his wyfe/ and they twane shalbe won flese. Wherfore nowe are they not twayne/ but won fleshe. Let not man therfore put asunder/ that which god hath cuppled togedder. Then sayde they to hym: why did Moses commaunde to geve vnto her a testimoniail of divorsement and to put her awaye ? He saide vnto them: Moses because of the hardnes of youre hertes sufFred you to put awaye youre wyfes : But from the begynnynge hit was nott so. I saye therefore vnto you / whosoever putteth awaye his wyfe (except hit be for fornicacion) and maryeth another/ breaketh wedlocke / and whosoever marieth her which is divorsed / doeth commyt advoutry. Then spake his disciples to hym : yfF the matter be so betwene man and wyfe/ then is it not good to mary. He sayde vnto them : all men can not awaye with that saynge : but they to whom it is geven. There are chaste / which were so borne out of the mothers belly. And there are chaste/ which be made of men. And there be chaste/ which have made them selves chaste for the kyngdom off hevens sake. He that can take it lett hym take it, Tlien were brought to hym yonge chyldren / that he shulde put his hondes on them and praye And his disciples rebuked them. Jesus sayde vnto them : sufFre the chyldren/ and forbid them not to come to me/ ffor vnto suche belongeth the kingdom off heven. And when he had put his hondes on them/ he de- parted thence. And beholde won cam/ and sayde vnto hym: good master/ what good thinge shall I do / that I maye have eternal lyfe ? He sayde vnto him : why callest thou me good ? there is none good but won / and that his God. But and thou wilt entre in to lyfe/ kepe the commaimdmentes. He sayde : Which? And Jesus sayde : thou shalt not kyll. thou shalt not breake wedloocke. Thou shalt not steale : thou shalt nott beare falce witnes. honoure thy father and mother, and thou shalt love thyne neghbour as thy sylfe : the yonge man sayde vnto him: I have observed all these thinges from my youth/ what have y more to do ? Jesus sayde vnto him : yf thou wilt be perfecte/ goo and sell that thou hast/ and geve it to the povre / and thou shalt have treasure in heven / and come and folowe dFo. ybii). EIjc (©ospcll of ^. ilTaUjciu. nie. Wlien the yonge man lierde that sayinge / he went awaye morninge. For lie had greate possessions. Jesus sayde then vnto his disciples : Verely I say vnto you/ a lyche man shall with difficulte enter into the kyngdome of heven. And moreover I say vnto you : it is easier for a camell to go through the eye of a nedle/ then for a ryche man to enter into the kyngdome of heven. When his disciples herde that/ they were excedingly amased / sayinge : who then can be saved ? Jesus behelde them/ and saide vnto them: with men this is vnpossyble/ but witli God all thinges are possyble. Then answered Peter/ and saide to him : Beholde we have forsaken all / and have folowed the : what shall we have therfore ? Jesus sayde vnto them : verely I saye to you/ thatt ye which have folowed me in the seconde generacion (when the sonne off man shall syt in the seate of his maieste) shall syt also vppon xij seates / and iudge the xij trybes off Israhel. And whoso- ever forsaketh housse/ or brethren/ or systers/ other father/ or mother/ or wyfe/ orchyldren/ or lyvelod/ for my names sake/ the same shall receve an hundred folde/ and shall inheret ever- lastynge lyfe. Many that are fyrste shalbe laste/ and the laste shalbe fFyrste. ^"^t vr- Ci;apter. Xj^OR tli6 kyngdom of heven ys lyke vnto an houssholder/ which went out erly in the morninge to hyre labourers into hys vynyarde. And he agrede with the labourers for a peny a daye and sent them into his vynyarde. And he went out about the thyrde houre/ and sawe other stondyng ydell in the market place and sayd vnto them go ye also into my vyn- yarde/ and whatsoever is right/ I will geve you. and they went there way. Agayne he went out about the sixte and nynthe houre/ and dyd lyke wyse. And he went out aboute the eleventhe houre and founde other stondynge ydell/ And sayde vnto them : Why stonde ye here all the daye ydell ? They sayde vnto hym : because no man hath hyred vs. He sayde to them : goo ye alsoo into my vynyarde/ and whatsoever shalbe right/ that shall ye receave. When even was come the lorde of the vyneyarde sayde vnto hys steward: call the labourers/ and geve them there hyre/ begynnyng at the laste/ tyll thou come to the fyrste. And they whyche were hyred aboute the eleventhe houre/ cam and re- ceaved every man a peny. Then cam the fyrst / supposyng that they shulde receave mooare/ and they like wyse receaved every m)t (So^pcU of ^. imati)ciu. €i;. yy. man a peny. And when they had receaved it/ they grudged agaynst the good man of the liousse sayng : These laste have wroght but one houre/ and thou hast made them equall vnto vs which have borne the burthen and heet of the daye. He answered to oneofthemsaynge: frendel dothe no wronnge. dyddeste thou not agre witlie me for a penny ? Take that which is thy duty/ and goo thy waye. I will geve vnto this laste/ as moche as to the. Ys yt not lawfull fFor me to do as me listeth with myne awne. Ys thyne eye evyll because I am good ? Soo the laste shalbe fyrste / and the fyrste shalbe laste. For many are called and feawe be chosen. And Jesus ascended to Jerusalem/ and toke the xij disciples aparte in the waye/ and sayde to them: Loo we goo vp to Jerusalem/ and the sonne off man shalbe betrayed vnto the chef prestes/ and vnto the scrybes/ and they shall condemns hym to deeth/ and shall delivre hym to the gentils/ to be mocked/ to be scourged/ and to be crucified, and the thyrd day he shall ryse agayne. Then cam to hym the mother off Zebedes children with her sonnes worshyppynge him/ and desyrynge a certayne thynge off hym. He sayde vnto her: What wylt thou have/ She sayde vnto hym : Graunte that these my two sonnes maye sitt/ one on thy right hond/ and the other on thy lifte honde in thy kyngdom. Jesus answered and sayd : Ye wot not whatt ye axe. Are ye able to drynke off the cuppe that y shall drinke of. And to be baptised with the baptism that y shalbe baptised with/ They Answered to him : That we are. He sayd vnto them : Ye shall drynke of my cupe/ and shalbe baptised with the baptim that y shall be baptysed with : But to syt on my right hond/ and on my lyfthond/ is not myne to geve : but to them for whom it is prepared of my father. And when the ten herde this/ they desdayned att the two brethren. But Jesu^ called them vnto hym/ and saide : Ye knowe/ that the lordes of the gentylshave dominacion over them/ And they that are greate/ exercise power over them. It shall not be so amonge you : But whosoever wyll be greate among you/ let hym be youre minister/ and whosoever will be chefe/ let him be youre servaunt. Even as the sonne off man cam / not to be ministered vnto/ butt to minister : and to geve his lyfe for the redempcion off many. And as they departed from Hierico/ moche people folowed hym. And beholde two blynde men svttinge l>y the waye side/ D 2 ■' dFo. m: Ci)e ^o^pcU of ^. lllati)ciu. when they herde/ tliat Jesus passed by cryed sayinge : Master the Sonne off David have mercy on vs. And the people re- buked them/ because they shulde holde there peace : But they cryed the moare / sayinge : have mercy on vs master which arte the Sonne off David. Then Jesus stode styll/ and called them/ and sayde : what will ye that y shall do to you ? They said vnto hym : Master/ that oure eyes maye be opened. Jesus pitied them/ and touched there eyes. And immediately theire eyes re- ceved syght : And they folowed hym. '€l)t ni' Cj^apttr. "VirHEN they drewe nye vnto Jerusalem/ and were come to '* Betphage/ vnto mounte olivete/ then sent Jesus two off his disciples / sayinge to them : Go in to the toune that lyeth over agaynste you/ and anon ye shall fynde an asse bounde/ and her colte with her/ lose them and bringe them vnto me. And if eny man saye ought vnto you/ saye ye that youre master hath neade off them / and streyght waye he will let them go. All this was donne / to fulfyll that which was spoken by the prophet/ sayinge : Tell ye the doughterof Sion : beholde thy kinge cometh vnto the meke / sittinge vppon an asse and a colte / the foole off an asse vsed to the yooke. The disciples went/ and did as Jesus commaunded them/ and brought the asse and the colte/ and put on them there clothes/ and set him there on. Many of the people spreed theire garmentes in the waye. other cut doune braunches from the trees/ and strawed them in the waye. More- over the people that went before / and they also that cam after cried sayinge : hosianna to the sonne of David. Blessed be he that commeth in the name of the lorde/ hosianna in the hyest. And when he was come in to Jerusalem/ all the cite was moved/ sayinge: who ys thys? And the people/ sayde: thys ys Jesus the prophet of nazareth a cite of galile. And Jesus went in to the temple of God / and caste out all them that bought and solde in the temple/ and overthrew the tables of the mony chaungers/ and the seates of them that solde doves. And saide to them: it is written/ mine housse shalbe called the housse off prayer/ butt ye have made it a denn of theves. And the blinde and the halt cam to hym in the temple/ and he healed them. When the chefeprestes and scribes sawe/ the marveylles thatt he dyd/ And the chyldren cryinge in the temple and sayinge/ hosianna to the sonne of David/ they desdayned/ and sayde Ci)€ 6o£ipeU of ^. iKati)cU). €i). ni- vnto liym : hearest thou what these saye ? Jesus sayde vnto them: have ye never redde oft' the moutli of babes and sucke- linges thou hast ordeyned prayse? And he left them/ and went out of tlie cite vnto bethani/ and passed the tyme there. In the mornynge as he returned into the cite ageyne/ he hun- gred/ and spyed a fygge tree in the way/ and cam to it/ and founde notliynge there on/ but leves only/ and said to it/ never frute growe on the hence forwardes. And anon the fygge tree wyddered awaye. And when his disciples sawe it/ they mar- velled sayinge : How sone is the fygge tree wyddered awaye ? Jesus answered/ and sayde vnto them : Verely I say vnto you/ yft' ye shall have fayth/ and shall not dout/ ye shall nott only do that which y have done to the fygge tree : but also yf ye shall saye vnto this mountayne/ take thy silfe awaye/ and cast thy silfe in to the see/ it shalbe done. And whatsoever thinge ye shall axe in youre prayers (if ye beleve) ye shall receave hit. And when he was come into the temple/ the chefe prestes and the senioresof the people cam vnto him as he was teachinge/ and sayde : by what auctorite doest thou these thinges? and who gave the this power ? Jesus answered / and sayde vnto them : I also wyll axe of you a certayne question/ which if ye asoyle me/ y in lyke wyse wyll tell you by what auctorite I do these thinges. Whence was the baptism of Jhon ? from heven / or of men ? And they thought in themselves/ sayinge: yf we shall saye/ from heven/ he wyll saye vnto vs : why dyd ye not then beleve hym : but and iff we shall saye of men then feare we the people. For all men helde Jhon as a prophet. And they answered Jesus/ and sayde: we cannot tell. He lykewyse sayde vnto them : nether tell I you by what auctorite y do these thinges : What saye ye to thys? a certayne man had ij sonnes/ and cam to the elder sayinge : go, and worke to day in my vyneyarde. He answered and sayd/ I wyll not: but afterwarde repented and went. Then cam he to the seconde/ and sayde lykewyse/ and he answered and sayde : I wyll syr : yet went he not. Whedder of these ij fulfylled there fathers wyll ? and they sayde vnto hym : the fyrst. Jesus sayde vnto them : verely I saye vnto you / that the publicans and the harlotes shal come into the kyngd^ome off God before you. For Jhon cam vnto you / in the way of righte- wesnes/ and ye beleved hym not. but the publicans and the whoores beleved hym. But ye (though ye sawe it) yet were not moved with repentaunce / that ye myght afterwarde have beleved hym. Herken another similitude. There was a certayne housholder whycli set avyneyarde/ and hedged it rounds about/ and made a wynpresse in it/ and bilt a tower/ and Lett it out to husband- men/ and went into a straunge countre. And when the tyme of the frute drewe near/ he sent his servauntes to the husbandmen/ to receave the frutes of it/ and the husbandmen caught his servauntes/ and bet won/ kylled another/ and stoned another. Againe he sent other servauntes moo then the fyrst/ and they served them lyke wyse. But last of all/ he sent vnto them hys awne sonne/ sayinge : they wyll feare my sonne. When the husbandmen saw his sonne/ they "^sayde amonge themselves: Thys ys the heyre/ come on lett us kyll hym/ and lett vs take hys inherytaunce to oure selves. And they caught hym and thrust him out of the vyneyarde/ and shlewe him. When the lorde of the vyneyarde commeth. what wyll he do with those husbandmen ? They sayde vnto hym : he will evyll destroye those evyll persons/ and wyll lett out his vyneyarde vnto other husbandmen/ whych shall delyver hym his frute att tymes con- venient. Jesus saide vnto them : dyd ye never reede in the scriptures? the same stone which the bylders refused/ is set in the princypall parte of the corner, this was the lordes doinge/ and it is mervel- ous in oure eyes. Therefore saye I vnto you the kingdome of god shalbe taken from you / and shalbe geven to the gentyles which shall brynge forth the frutes off it. And whosoever shall fall on thys stone/ shalbe alto broken. And whomsoever thys stone shall fall oppon/ he shall grynd him to powder. And when the chefe prestes and pharyses hearde his similitudes they perceaved that he spake of them. And they went about to laye hondes on hym/ but they feared the people/ because they counted hym as a prophet. And Jesus answered and spake vnto them agayne/ in siinilitudes/ sayinge. Cije ni]- Cj^aptcv. T HE kyngdome of heven is lyke unto a certayne kino-e/ which maryed his sonne/ and sent forth his servauntes/ to call them that were byd to the weddinge/ and they wolde nott come. Agayne he sentt forth other servauntes/ sayinge : tell them which are bydden : Lo I have prepared my dynner/ myne oxen and my fatlinges are kylled/ and all thinges are redy/ come vnto the manage. They made light of it/ and went their wayes : won to his ferme place/ another about his merchandyse/ the C!)f U. Capernaum/ a cite of'galile/ and there taught tliem on the sab- both dayes. And they were astonied at his doctrine : for hys preachinge was with power. And in the sinagoge there was a man t which had a foule sprete whith in him / and cryed with a loude voyce / sayinge : let me aloue/ what haste thou to do wyth vs/ thou Jesus off" naza- reth ? Arte thou come to destroye vs ? I knowe the what thou arte/ thou arte the holy man of god. And Jesus rebuked hym/ sayinge : hoolde thy peace/ and come oute of hym. And the devyle threwe him in the myddes of them and cam oute of hym/ and hurt hym not. And feare cam on them all/ And they spake amonge them selves/ sayinge: what manner a thinge is this? For with auctorite and power he commaundeth the foule spretes and tliey come out? And the fame of hym spreed abroode throwoute all places of the countre round aboute. And he roose vppe and cam oute of the synagoge/ and entred in to Simons housse. And Simons motherelawe was taken wyth a greate fever/ And they made intercession to him for her. And he stode over her/ and rebuked the fever : and hit leeft her. And immediatly she roose and ministred vnto them. When the sun was doune/ all tliey that had sicke/ taken with divers deseases / brought them vnto him : and he layde his hondes on every won of them/ and healed them. And devils also cam out of many of them/ cryinge and saying : Thou arte Christ the sonne of God. And he rebuked them/ and suffered them nott to speake/ for they knewe that he was Christ. As sone as it was daye/ he departed and went awaye into a desert place/ and the people sought hym and cam to hym/ and kept hym that he shulde not departe from them. And he sayde vnto them : I muste to other cities also preace the worde of God / for therlbre am I . sent. And he preached in the synagoges off Galile. Clje b. Cijaptn-. TJ IT cam to passe as the people preased apon hym/ to heare the worde oft'God/ that he stode by the lake of Genazareth : and sawe two shippes stonde by the lake syde/ for the fisshermen were gone out of them/ and were wasshynge their nettes. Jesus entred in to one of the shippes / which perteyned to Simon/ and prayed hym / that he wolde cary hym a litell from the londe. And he sate doune and taught the people out of the shippe. When he had leeft speakynge/ he sayde vnto Simon: Cary vs in to the depe / and lett slippe thy nett to make a draught. dTo. It). Ci)f (So^pell of ^. Hufec. And Simon answerid / and sayde to liym : Master we have labored all nyght/ and have taken nothynge. Yet nowe at thy worde I wil loose fovthe the net. And when they had so done / they inclosed a greate multitude of fisshes. And the net brake / and they made signes to their felowes which were in the other shippe/ that they shulde come and helpe them. And they cam/ and th.ey filled bothe the shippes/ that they soncke agayne. When Simon Peter sawe that/ he fell doune at Jesus knees sayinge : lorde goo from me/ for lam a sinfull man. For he was vtterly astonyed/ and all that were with hym att the draught off fisshe which they toke. and so was also James and Jhon the sonnes of Zebedei / which were partetakers with Simon. And Jesus sayd vnto Simon : feare not/ from hence forthe thou shalt catche men. And they brou.ghtt their shippes to londe/ and forsoke all/ and folowed hym. And itt fortuned that he was in a certayne cite/ and beholde there was a man full of leprosy : and when he had spied Jesus/ he fell on his face and besought him saying : Lorde yfF thou wilt/ thou canst make me cleane. And he strethed forth his bond and touched hym sayinge: I will/ be thou cleane. And immediatly the leprosy departed from hym. And he warned hym/ that he shulde tell no man: but that he shulde goo and shewe hym silfe to the preste/ and offer for his clensynge/ ac- cordynge as Moses commaundement was/ for a witnes vnto them. But his name spreed the moare abroade / and the people cam togedder to heare / and to be healed of hym / of infirmities. And he kepte hym silfe aparte in the wildernes/ and gave hym silfe to prayer. And itt happened on a certayne daye/ that he taught/ and there sate the pharises/ and doctours of lawe/ which were come out off all the tounes of Galile/ Jewry / and Jerusalem / and the power off the lorde was to heale them. And beholde/ men brougt a man lyinge in hys beed / which was taken with the palsey / and they sought meanes to brynge hym in / and to laye hym before hym. And when they coulde not fynde by what waye they myght brynge hym in / be cause oft^ the preace / they went vp on the toppe of the Iiousse / and lett hym doune thorowe the tylynge / beed and all in the myddes before Jesus. When he sawe their fayth he sayde vnto hym : man thy synnes are forgeven the. And the scribes/ and the pharises/ began to thynke saynge : What felow is this: which speaketh blasphemy ? Who can for- geve synnes/ butt God only ? €\)t (©osipeU of ^. S.ufee. CI), bj. When Jesus perceaved their thou ghtes/ he answered andsayde vnto them : What thinke ye in youre hertes ? Whether is easyar to saye/ thy synnes are forgeven the / or to saye / Rise and walke? That ye maye knowe that thesonne off man hath power to forgeve synnes on erth/ lie sayde vnto the sicke of the palsey : I saye to the/ aryse/ take vp thy beed/ and goo home to thy housse. And immediatly he rose vp before them all/ and toke vp his beed where on he laye/ and departed to his awne housse praysynge god. And they were all amased/ and they lauded God/ and were filled with feare/ sayinge : We have sene straunge thynges to daye. And after that he went fortlie/ and sawe a publican/ named Levi/ syttinge at the receyte off custome/ and sayde vnto hym : folowe me. And he leeft all/ roose vppe/ and folowed hym. And that same levi made him a greate feaste at home in his awne housse. And there was a greate company of publicans/ and off other that sate atmeate with hym. And the scribes and pharises grudged agaynsthis disciples/ sayinge : Why eate ye and drynke ye/ with publicans/ and synners? Jesus answered and sayde vnto them : They that are whole/ nede not of thepliisicion : but they that are sicke. I cam not to call the rightewes to repent- aunce : but the synners. They sayde vnto hym : Why do the disciples off Jhon fast often and praye : and the disciples of the pharises also : and thyne eate and drynke ? To whome he sayde : Can ye make the Children of the weddynge fast/ as longe as the bryde grome is present with them? The dayes will come/ when the bryd grome shalbe taken awaye from them, then shall they fast in thoose dayes. He spake vnto them in a similitude : No man puttheth a pece of an newe garment/ into an olde vesture: for yf he do/ then breaketh he the newe and the pece that was taken out of the newe/ agreeth nott with the olde. Also no man poureth newe wyne into olde vessels/ yf he do/ the newe wyne breaketh the vessels/ and runneth out it silfe/ and the vessels perisshe: But newe wyne must be poured into newe vessels/ and boothe are preserved. Also no man that drynketh olde wyne/ strayght waye can awaye with newe / for he sayeth : the olde is plesaunter. Cijc 6j. Ci;aptcr. TTIT happened on an aftersaboth / they went thorowe the -*--*- corne felde/ and his disciples plucked the eares of corne/ and ate them/ and rubbed them in their hondes, Certayne of dFo. Itij. Cijc (©osiprtl of ^. ICiifef. the pharises sayde vnto them : Why do ye that which is not laufuU to be done on the saboth dayes ? Jesus answered them and sayde : Have ye nott redde what David did/ when he hym- silfe was anhungred/ and they which were with hym : howe he went into the housse off god/ and toke and ate the loves off halowed breed/ and gave also to them wliich were with hym : whych was not laufull to eate/ but for the prestes only. And he sayd vnto them : The sonne of man is lorde even of the saboth daye. And it fortuned in a nother saboth also/ that he entred into the sinagoge and taught. And there was a man/ whose right honde was dryed vp. The scribes / and the pharises watched hym/ to se whether he wolde heale on the saboth daye or not/ that they myght fynde an accusacion agaynst hym. Butt he knewe their thoughtes/ and sayde to the man which had the widdred honde : Ryse vp/ and stonde forthein the middes. He arose/ and stepped forthe. Then sayde Jesus vnto them : I will axe you a question : Whether is it laufidl on the saboth dayes to do goode/ or to do evill ? to save life oder for to destroyehyt. And he behelde them all in compasse/ and sayd vnto the man : Stretche forth thy honde. He did soo/ and his honde was restored/ and made as whoole as the other. And they were filled full of madenes/ and counselled won with another/ what they myght do to Jesu. Hit fortuned in thoose dayes / he went out into a mountayne for to praye/ and continued all nyght in prayer to god. And as sone as it was daye/ he called his disciples/ and of them he chose twelve/ which also he called his aposteles. Simon/ whom also he named Peter : and Andrew his brother / James and John/ Philip and Bartlemeaw/ Mathew and Thomas/ James the Sonne of Alpheus and Simon called Zelotes/ and Judas James sonne/ and Judas Iscariot / which same was the traytour. And he cam doune with them and stode in the playne felde with the company of his disciples/ and a greate multitude of people out off all parties off Jewry and Jerusalem / and from the see cooste off Tire and Sidon/ which cam to heare hym/ and to be healed of their diseases/ and they also that were vexed with foule spretes/ and they were healed. And all the people preased to touche hym : for there went vertue out off hym/ and healed them all. And he left vp his eyes apon his disciples/ and sayde: Blessed are ye povre : for youers is the kyngdom off God. Bles- sed are ye that honger : for ye shalbe satisfied. Blessed are ye that wepe : for ye shall laugh. Blessed are ye when men hate Ci)£ (i^o^ptll o! ^. Hufee. Cf). bj. you/ and thrust you out, off their companye/ and rayle on you/ and abhorre youre name/ as an evill thynge/ for the sonne otF niannes sake. Reioyse ye then/ and be gladde : for beholde youre rewarde is greate in heven. After this manner their fathers entreated the prophetes. But wo be to you that are ryche : for ye have ther in youre consolacion. Wo be to you that are full : for ye shall honger. Wo be to you that nowe laugh : for ye shall wayle/ aixl wepe. Wo be to you when all men prayse you : for so did their fathers to the falce prophetes. But I saye vnto you which heare : Love youre enemys. Do goode to-them wliych hate you. Blesse them that coursse you. And pray for them / which wrongfully trouble you. And vnto hym that sniyteth the on the one cheke/ offer also the other. And hym that taketh awaye thy goune/ forbid nott to take thy coote also. Geve to every man that axeth of the. And yf eny man take awaye thy goodes/ axe them nott agayne. And as ye wold that men shulde doo to you : soo do ye to them lyke wyse. Yf ye love them which love you : what thanke are ye worthy of? seinge that the very synners love their lovers. And yf ye do for them which do for you : what thanke are ye worthy of? For the very synners doo even the same. Yffye lende to them oiF whome ye hoope to receave : what thanke shal ye have : for the very synners / lende to synners / to receave as moche agayne. Love ye youre enemys/ do goode/ and lende/ lokynge for nothynge agayne: and your rewarde shalbe greate/ and ye shalbe the chyldren ofF the hyest : for he is kynde vnto the vn- kynde/ and to the evyll. Be ye therfore mercifull/ as youre father ys mercifuU. Judge nott and ye shall nott be Judged. Condemne nott : and ye shall not be condemned. Forgeve/ and ye shalbe forgeven. Geve/ and yt shalbe geven vnto you. good measure / pressed doune/ shaken to gedder/ and runnynge over/ shall men geve into youre besomes. For with what measure ye mete/ with the same shall men mete to you agayne. And he put forthe a similitude vnto them : Can the blynde ledde the blynde ? Do they nott both then fall into the dyche ? The disciple is not above his master. Every man shalbe perfecte/ even as hys master ys. Why seist thou a moote in thy brothers eye/ and considerest not the beame that is in thyne awne eye? Other howe cannest thou saye to thy brother : Brother lett me pull out the moote that is in thyne eye : when thou perceavest nott the beame that is in thyne awne eye? Ypocrite/ cast out dPo. Ifuj. Ei)c (©osipcll of ^. Hultc. the beame out off thyne awne eye first/ and then shalt thou se perfectly/ to pull out the moote out of thy brothers eye. Hit is nott a goode tree that bryngeth forthe evyll frute : Nether is that an evyll tree/ whych bryngeth forthe goode frute. For every tree ys knowen by his frute. Nether off thornes gader men fygges/ nor of busshes gadre they grapes. A goode man off the goode treasure off hys hert bryngeth forth that which ys goode. And the evyll man of the evyll treasure off hys hertz bryngeth forthe that which ys evyll. For off the aboundaunce off the hert/ the mought speaketh. Why call ye me Master/ Master : and do not as I bid you ? whosoever commeth to me/ and heareth my sayinges/ and doeth the same/ I wyll shewe you to whome he ys lyke. He is lyke a man which bilt an housse : which digged depe/ and layde the foundacion onarocke. When the waters arose/ the fludde bett apon that housse / and coulde nott move hyt. For it was ground- ed apon a rocke. But he that heareth and doth not/ is lyke a man/ that with out foundacion bylt an house apon the erth/ agaynst v/hich/ the fludde bet : and it fell by and by. And the fall of that housse was greate. Cijc bij. €i;aptcv. 'Vl/'HEN he had ended all his sayinges in the audience of the people/ he entred into Capernaum. And the servauntof a certayne Centurion was sicke/ and redy to dye/ whom he made moche of. And when he herde of Jesu/ he sent vnto hym the seniours of the iewes/ besechynge him that he wolde come and save his servamit. And they cam to Jesus and besought him instantly/ sayinge : He is worthy that thou shuldest do this for hym. For he loveth our nacion/ and hath bilt vs a sinagoge. And Jesus went with them. And when he was nott farre from the housse/ the Centurion sent to hym hys frendes/ sayinge vnto hym : Lorde trouble not thy silfe/ for I am nott worthy that thou shuldest enter into my housse. Wherfore I thought nott my silfe worthy to come vnto the: but saye the worde and my servaunt shalbe whoole. For I lyke wyse am a man vnder power/ and have vnder me soudiers/ and I saye vnto won/ goo: and he goeth. And to another/ come: and he cometh. And to my servaunt/ do this : and he doeth it. When Jesus herde this he merveyled at him/ and turned liyni about and sayd to the people that folowed hym : I saye vnto you/ I have not founde soo greate fayth/ noo nott in Ci)e ^o^pell of ^. llufec. Clj. tit). Israhel/ certaynly. And they that wer sent/ turned backe home agayne / and founde the servaunt that was sicke whoole. And it fortuned after that/ he went into a cite called Naym/ and hys disciples went with him/ and a greate nomber off people. When he cam nye to the gate off the cite/ beholde/ there was a deed man caried out/ which was the only sonne of his mother/ and she was a widowe/ and moche people off the cite was with her. And the lorde sawe her/ and had compassion on her/ and sayde vnto her : wepe not. And went and touched the coffyn/ and they that bare hym stode still. And he sayde : Yonge man/ I saye vnto the/ aryse. And the deed sate vp/ and began to speake. And he delivered hym to his mother. And there cam a feare on them all. And they glorified god sayinge : a greate prophet ys rysen amonge vs/ and God hath visited hys people. And thys rumor off hym went forthe throughout all Jewry/ and thorovvout all the regions whych lye rounde about. And vnto Jhon shewed hys disciples off all these thynges. And Jhon called vnto hym two off hys disciples/ and sent them to Jesus sayinge : Arte thou he that shall come : or shall we loke for another ? When the men wer come vnto hym / they sayde : Jhon baptiste sent vs vnto the sayinge : Arte thou he that shall come : or shall we wayte for another ? Att that same time / he cured many off their infirmittes/ and plages/ And off evyll spretes/ and vnto many thatt were blynde/ he gave syghtt/ And he answered / and sayd vnto them : Goo youre wayes and shewe Jhon/ what thinges ye have herde and sene : liowe that the blynde se/ the halt goo/ the lepers are clensed/ the deafe heare / the deed aryse : To the povre is the gospell preached / and happi is he that falleth not/ by the reason of me. When the messengers of Jhon wer departed/ he began to speake vnto the people of Jhon : What went ye out for to se in to the desert? went ye to se a rede shaken with the wynde? But what went ye out for to se ? a man clothed in saufte rayment ? Beholde they which are gorgeously apparelled/ and lyve deli- catly/ are in kynges courtes. Butt what went ye forth to se? A prophet? Ye I saye to you/ and moare then a pro- phet. This is he of whom hit is wrytten : Beholde I sende my messenger before thy face/ to prepare thy waye before the. I saye vnto you : A greater prophett then Jhon amonge wemens children/ is there none. Neverthelesse won that is lesse in the kyngdom of God/ is greater then he. And all the people that herde/ and the publicans iustified God /which wer baptised in the baptism of Jhon. But the dTo. lii. Cl)c (Sosiptll of ^. Hufec. pharyses and scribes despised the counsel! oflF God/ agaynst them selves/ and wer not baptised of hym. And the lorde sayd : Where vnto shall I lyken the men of this generacion / and whatt thynge are they lyke ? They are lyke vnto chyldren sittynge in the market place/ and cryinge one to another/ and sayinge : We have pyped vnto you/ and ye have nott daunsed : We have mourned to you/ and ye have not wept. For Jhon baptist cam vnto you nether eatynge breed/ ner drynkynge wyne/ and ye saye : he hath the devyll. The Sonne off man is come and eateth and drynketh / and ye saye : beholde a man which is a glotton i and a drynker of wyne/ the frende of publicans and sinners. And wisdom is iustified of all her chyldren. And one off the pharyses desired hym that he wolde eate with hym. And he cam in to the pharises housse/ and sate doune to meate. And beliolde a M^oman in that cite/ which was a synner/ as sone as she knewe that Jesus sate at meate in the pharises housse/ she brought an alablasterboxeof oyntment/ and she stode at his fete behynde hym wepynge/ and began to wesshe his fete/ with teares/ and did wipe them with the heai'es off her heed / and kyssed his fete / and anoynted them with oyntment. When the pharise which bade hym to his housse/ sawe that/ lie spake with in hym sylfe : sayinge : Yf this man wer a pro- phet/ he wolde surely have knowen who and what maner wo- man this is which toucheth him / for she is a synner. And Jesus answered / and sayde vnto hym : Simon I have som- what to say vnto the. And he sayd : Master saye on. There was a certayne lender/ which had two detters/ the one ought five hondred pence/ and the other fifty. When they had no- thinge to paye / he forgave them boothe. Which of them tell me/ will love hym moost? Simon answered / and sayde: I sup- pose that he to whom he forgave moost. And he sayde vnto him : Thou hast truely iudged. And he turned to the woman/ and sayde vnto Simon : Seist thou thys woman? I entred into thy housse/ and thou gavest me noo water to my fete : butt she hath wesshte my fete with teares/ and wiped them with the heeres of her heed. Thou gavest me no kysse : but she / sence the tyme I cam in / hath not ceased to kisse my fete. Myne heed with oyle thou didest nott anoynte : and she hath annoynted my fete with oyntment. Wherfore I saye vnto the : many synnes are forgeven her / be- cause she loved moche. To whom lesse is forgeven/ the same doeth lesse love. CI)t (Soslptll of ^. Euhc. €i}. biij. And he sayde vnto her thy synnes are forgeven the. And tiiey that sate at meate wyth hym / began to saye with in them selves : Wlio is this whych forgeveth synnes also. And he sayde to the woman : Thy fayth hath saved the/ Goo in peace. Ci)c bii). Cijaptcr. A' ND it fortuned after that/ he hym silfe went troughout cities and tounes / preachynge / and shewinge the kyngdom of God / and the twelve with hym. And also certayne wemen / whych wer healed of vnclene spretes / and infirmities: Mary called Magdalen / out of whom went seven devyls / and Joanna the wyfe of Chusa/ Herodes stewarde/ And Susanna/ And many other : which ministred vnto hym of their substaunce. When raoch people wer gadred to gether/ and were come to him out of the cities/ he spake by a similitude: A sower went out to sowe his seede / and as he sowed / some fell by the waye syde / and hit was troden vnder fete / and the foules of the ayre de- voured it vp. And some fell on ston / and as sone as yt was spronge vp / yt widdred awaye/ because yt lacked moystnes. And some fell amonge thornes / and the thornes spronge vp with it/ and choked it. And some fell on goode grounde/ and spronge vp and bare frute/ an hondred foolde. And as he sayde these thynges/ he cryed : He that hath eares to heare / lett hym heare. Hys disciples axed hym/ sayinge : what maner similitude this shulde be. And he sayde : vnto you is it geven to knowe the secretes of the kyngdom of god : butt to other in similitudes/ that when they se/ they shulde nott se : and when they heare they shulde not vnderstonde. The similitude is this. The seede ys the worde of God. Thoose that are besyde the waye/ are they that heare/ and afterwarde commeth the devyll/ and taketh awaye tlie worde out of their hertes / lest they shulde beleve and be saved. They on the stonnes/ are they wliich when they heare the worde receave yt with ioye. And these have noo rotes/ which for a whyle beleve/ and in tyme of temtacion goo awaye. That which fell amonge thornes/ are they which heare/ and goo forth/ and are choked with care and riches/ and voluptrous livynge/ and brynge forth noo frute. That in the good grounde/ ar they which with a goode and pure hert/ heare the worde/ and kepe it/ and brynge forth frute with pacience. No man lyghteth a candell/ and coverit hyt vnder a vessell/ dTo. lb}. Cije (©o^pell of ^. Eufec. nether putteth hit vnder tlie table/ but setteth it on a candel- sticke / that they that enter in maye se lyght. No thinge is in secret / that shall not come abroode : Nether eny thinge hyd that shall not be knowen/ and come to light. Take hede ther- fore how ye heare. For whosoever hath/ to him shalbe geven : And whosoever hath not/ from him shalbe taken/ even that same which he supposeth that he hath. Then cam to hym hys mother and his brethren / and coulde nott come at hym for preace. And they tolde hym sayinge : Thy mother and thy brethren / stonde wyth out/ and wolde se the. He answered / and sayd vnto them : my mother and my brethren are these / which heare the worde of God / and do it. Hit chaunsed on a certayne daye that he went into a shippe/- and his disciples alsoo/ and he sayde vnto them: Lett vs goo over vnto the other syde of the lake. And they launched forthe. And as they sayled he fell a slepe/ and there arose a storme of wynde in the lake/ and they wer fylled with water/ and wer in ieopardy. And they went to hym and awoke hym/ sayinge : Master/ Master/ we are loost. He arose and rebuked the wynde/ and the tempest off water/ and they ceased/ and it wexed calme. And he sayd vnto them : where is youre fayth? They feared and wondred/ sayinge one to another : who is this? for he commaundeth windes and water / and they obey him ? And they sayled vnto the region of the gaderens / which is over agaynst galile. As he went out off the shippe to londe/ there met hym a certayne man out off the cite / whych had a devyll longe tyme / and ware noo cloothes / nether aboode in eny housse : but amonge graves. When he sawe Jesus/ he cryed/ and fell doune before hym / and with a loude voyce sayde : What have I to do ■wyth the Jesus the sonne off the moost hyest ? I beseche the torment me noot. For he commaunded the foule sprete to come out of the man. For ofte tymes he caught hym/ and he was bounde with chaynes / and kept with fetters : and he brake the bondes / and was caryed of the fende/ into wildernes. Jesus axed hym sayinge : what is thy name ? And he sayde : Legion, be cause many devyls wer entred into hym. And they besought hym / that he wolde nott commaunde them to goo into the depe. There was therby an heerde of many swyne/ feadynge on an hill/ and they prayed hym/ that he wolde soffre them to enter into them. And he soffered them. Then M^ent the devyls out off the man/ and entred into the swyne: And the heerd toke their course/ and ran heedlynge into the lake/ and Ci^e ©osipeU of ^. itiifee. CI), ftii). wer choked, when the herdmen sawe what had chaunsed/ they fleed / and tolde it in the cite and in the villages. And they cam out to se what was done. And cam to Jesus/ and found'e the man/ Qut of whom the devyls wer departed/ sittynge att the fete of Jesus clothed/ and in hys right mynde/ and they wer afrayde. They also which sawe it told them by what meanes he that was possessed of the devyll/ was healed. And all the whole multitude of the Gadarens/ besought hym / that he wolde departe from them : for they wer taken with great feare. And he gate hym into the shyppe / and returned backe agayne. The man out off whom the devyls were de- parted / besought hym / that he myght be with hym : But Jesus sent hym awaye/ sayinge : Goo home agayne into thyne awne housse/ and shewe what thynges God hath done to the. And he went his waye / and preached thorowe out all the cite what thynges Jesus had done vnto hym. Hit fortuned that when Jesus was come agayne/ the people receaved hym. For they all longed for hym. And beholde there cam a man named Jairus (and he was a ruler oft" the sinagoge) and he fell doune at Jesus fete/ and besought hym that he wolde come into his housse / ffor he had but a doughter only / of twelve yere of age / and she laye a dyinge. As he went the people thronge hym. And a woman havynge an issue of bloud twelve yeres (whiclie had spent all her substaunce amonge phisicions / nether coulde be holpen of eny) cam behinde hym / and touched the hem of his garment/ and immediatly her issue oft' bloud staunched. And Jesus sayde/ Who is it that touched me? when every man denyed / Peter and they that were with hym / sayde : Master the people thrust the/ and vexe the: and thou sayest/ who touched me? And Jesus sayd : Some boddy touched me. For I perceave that vertue is gone out of me. When the woman sawe that she was not hid from hym/ she cam trimblynge/ and fell at his fete/ and tolde hym before all the people/ for what cause she had touched hym / and howe she was healed imme- diatly. And he sayde vnto her: Doughter be of goode com- forte/ Thy fayth hath made the safe/ goo in peace. Whyll he yett speake/ there cam won from the rulers off" the synagogis housse / which sayde to hym ; Tiiy doughter is deed / disease not tlie master. When Jesus herde that / He answered to the maydens father sayinge: Feare nott/ beleve only / and she shalbe Uiade whoole. And when he cam to the housse/ he suftred no man to goo in with hym/ save Peter/ James/ and dTo. Ibi). Ci)c (So^pell of ^. Etifec. Jhon / and the father and the mother of the mayden. Every body weept and sorowed for her. And he sayde Wepe nott : for she is nott deed butt slepeth. And they lewgh hym to scorne. For they knew thatt she was deed. And he thrust them all out att the dores/ and caught her by the honde / and cryed / sayinge : Mayde aryse. And her sprete cam agayne / and she roose strayght waye. And he commaunded to geve her meate. And the father and the mother of her were astonyed. But he warned thatt they shulde tell noo man/ whatt was done. CI;e i)f. Cljaptcr. rriHEN called he the .xij. to gether/ and gave them power/ and -*- auctorite/ over all devyls. And that they myght lieale diseases. And he sent them to preache the kyngdoni of god / and to cure the sick. And he sayd to them: Take noo thinge to sucker you by the waye : nether stafFe / nor scripe / nether breed/ nether money/ nether have two cootes. And wat- soever housse ye enter into there abyde / and thence departe. And whosoever will not receave you / when ye departe from that citie/ shake of the very dust from youre fete / for a testimony agaynst them. They went forthe / and went thorowe the tounes/ preachynge the gospeil/ and healynge every wheare. Herod the tetrarcli herde off all thatt by hym was done / and douted because it was sayd of some / that Jhon was rysen agayne from deeth. And off some that Helias had apered. And off other that won off the olde prophettes was rysen agayne. And Herod sayde : Jhon have y behedded : who is this of whom I here suche thynges? And he desired to se hym. And the Apostles retourned/ and tolde hym all that they had done. And he toke them and went a syde into a solitary place / neye to a citie called Bethsaida. The people knewe off it / and folowed hym. And he receaved them / and spake vnto them of the kyngdom off God. And healed them that had nede to be healed. The daye began to weare awaye. Then cam the twelve/ and sayde vnto hym: sende the people awaye/ that they may goo into the tounes/ and villages round about/ and lodge/ and get meate/ for we are here in a place of wildernes. Then sayd he vnto them : Geve ye them meate. And they sayde : We have no moo but five loves and two fisshes / except we shulde goo and bye meate for all this people. And they wer about a five thousandde men. He sayde vnto his disciples: Cause them to sit doune by fyftie in a company. And they did Ci)c (©ogpell of ^. K-tilu. €i). iy. soof and made them all sit doune. He toke the five loves/ and the two fisshes/ and loked vp to heven/ and blessed them/ and brake/ and gave to his disciples/ to sett before tlie people. And they all ate/ and wer satisfied. And there was taken vp' off thatt remayned to them/ twelve baskettes full ofl'" broken meate. Hit fortuned as he was alone prayinge/ hys disciples were with hym/ and he axed them sayinge Who saye the people that I am ? They answered and sayd : Jhon baptist. Some say Helias. And some saye/ won of the olde prophetesis risen agayne. He sayde vnto them : Who saye ye that I am ? Peter answered and sayde : thou arte the Christ off God. He warned and commaunded them/ that they shulde tell no man that thinge/ sayinge : That the sonne off" man must suff're many thynges/ and be reproved of the seniours/ and of the hy prestes and scribes/ and be slayne/ and the thirde daye rise agayne. And he sayde to them all/ yf eny man will come after met let hym denye hym silfe/ and take his crosse on hym dayly/ and folowe me. Whosoever will save his hfe/ shall lose it. And whosoever shall lose his life/ for my sake/ the same shall save it. For what shall itt avauntage a man/ to wyn the whole worlde/ yff" he loose hym silfe ? or runne in domage off" hym silfe ? For whosoever is ashamed of me/ and off" my sayinges : off" hym shall the Sonne of man be ashamed/ when he commeth in his awne maieste/ and in the maieste of his father/ and of the holy angels. I tell you of a surety : Some there are of them thatt here stonde / which shall not tast of deeth till they se the kyngdoni of God. And it folowed about an viij. dayes after thoose sayinges/ he toke Peter/ James/ and Jhon/ and went vp into a mountayne to praye. And as he prayed/ the fassion of his countenaunce was changed/ and his garment was whyte/ and shoone. And beholde/ two men talked with him/ and they were Moses and Helias/ which apered gloriously/ and spake of his departinge/ whych he shulde ende att Jerusalem. ■ Peter and they that wer with hym/ wer hevy a slepe. And when they woke/ they saw his maiestie/ and two men stondinge with him. And it chaunsed as they departed from hym / Peter sayde vnto Jesus : Master/ it is goode beinge here for vs. Let vs make thre tabernacles/ won for the/ and won for Moses/ and won for Helias. And wist nott what he sayde. Whyll he thus spake there cam a cloude and shadowed them and they feared when they entred into the cloude. And there cam a voyce out of the cloude sayinge : This is my deare sonne/ heare hym. Artd as I dFo. Mi]. €\)t ^ojSpfU of ^. ILufec. sone as the voice was past/ Jesus was founde alone. And they kept it cloosse/ and tolde noo man in thoose dayes eny of those thynges/ which they had sene. Hyt chaiuised on the nexte daye as they cam doune from the hyll/ moche people cam and met hym. And beholde a man off tlie company cryed out sayinge : Master I beseche the beholde my Sonne/ for he is all that I have : and se/ a sprete taketh hym / and sodenly he cryeth/ and he teareth hym that he fometh agayne/ and vneth departeth he from him/ when he hath rent him: And I have besought thy disciples to cast hym out/ and they coulde nott. Jesus answered/ and sayde : O generacion with oute fayth/ and croked: ho we longe shall I be with you? And shall sufFre you? Brynge thy sonne bidder. As he yette was a commynge/ the fende rent hym/ and tare hym. Jesus rebuked the vnclene sprete/ and healed the chylde/ and delivered hym to hys father. And they wer all amased att the myghty power of God. Whyll they wondred every one att all thynges whych he did : He sayde vnto hys disciples : Lett these sayinges synke doune into youre eares. The tyme wyll come/ when the sonne off man shalbe delivered into the hondes off men. Butt they wist nott what that worde meant/ and yt was hyd from them thatt they vnderstod hytt not. And they feared to axe hym off that sayinge. There arose a disputacion amonge them/ who shulde be the greatest. When Jesus perceaved the thoughtes oft their hertes/ he toke a chylde/ and sett hym hard by hym/ and sayde vnto them : Whosoever receave thys chylde in my name, receaveth me. And whosoever receaveth me/ receaveth hym that sent me. For he that amongest you/ ys the least/ the same shalbe greate. Jhon answered and sayde: Master we sawe won castynge out devyls in thy name/ and we forbade hym/ be cause he foloweth not with vs. And Jesus sayde vnto hym : forbid ye hym not. For he that is nott agaynst you/ is with you. And it folowed when the time was com that he shulde be receaved vp that he determined hym silfe to goo to Jerusalem : and sent messengers before hym. And they went/ and entred into a citie of the Samaritans to make redy for hym. And they wolde nott receave liym / because his face was as though he wolde goo to Jerusalem. When hys disciples/ James/ and Jhon/ sawe that/ they sayde : Lorde/ wilt thou that we commaunde/ that fyre come doune from heven/ and consume them/ even as Helias did ? Jesus turned about/ and rebuked them sayinge : ye wote €\)t (i^o^pfU of ^. Hufee. C!j. v- nott what maner sprete ye are off. The sonne of man ys not come to destroye mennes hves/but to save them. And they went to another toune. Hit chaimsed as they went on their iorney/ a certayne man sayd vnto hym : I wyil folowe the whither soever thou goo. Jesus sayd vnto him : foxes have holes/ and bryddes of the ayer have nestes : but the sonne of man hath nott where on to lave his heed. And he sayde vnto a nother : folowe me. And the same sayde : lorde suffre me fyrst to goo and burye my father. Jesus sayd vnto hym : Lett the deed/ bury the deed : but goo thou and preache the kyngdome off God. And another sayde : I wyll folowe the lorde : But lett me fyrst goo bid them fare wele/ which are at home at my housse. Jesus sayd vnto him : No man that putteth hys honde to the plowe/ and loketh backe/ is apte to the kyngdom of god. Ci)c T' C]^apter. A FTER that/ the lorde apoynted other seventie also/ and sent "^ them/ two and two/ before his face/ into every citie/ and place/ whither he him silfe wolde come. And sayde vnto them : the harvest is greate : but the laborers are feawe. Praye ther- fore the lorde of the harvest/ to send forth hys laborers into hys hervest. Goo youre wayes. Beholde I sende you forthe as lambes amonge wolves. Beare noo wallet nether scryppe/ nor shues/and salute noo man by the waye. In whatsoever housse ye enter in/ fyrst saye : Peace be to this housse : And yf the sonne of peace be theare/ youre peace shall rest apon hym/ yff nott/ yt shall returne to you agayne. And in the same housse tary still eatynge and drynkynge/ suche as they have. For the laborer is worthy off hys rewarde. Go not from housse to housse : and in to whatsoever citie ye enter / yf they receave you / eate whatsoever is set before you / and heale the sicke that are theare / and saye vnto them : the kyngdom of god is come neye apon you. But into wliatsoever citie ye shall enter/ yf they receave you not/ goo youre wayes out into the stretes of the same/ and saye : even the very dust/ which cleaveth on vs of youre citie / we wype of agaynst you : Nott with stondynge/ marke this/ that the kyngdom of God was come neye apon you. Ye I saye vnto you : that it shalbe easier in that daye/ for Sodom then for that citie. Wo be to the Chorozin : wo be to the bethsaida. For if the i2 iffo. liy. CJ)e <2&ogpcU of ^. Hufee. miracles had bene done in Tyre and Sidon/ which have bene done in you/ they had a greate whyle agone repented / sittyng in heere and asshes. Neverthelesse it shalbe be easier for Tyre and Sidon/ at the iudgment/ then for you. And thou Caper- naum which art exalted to heven/ shalt be thrust doune to hell, whosoever heareth you / heareth me : And whosoever despiseth you/ despiseth me. And he that despiseth me/ despiseth hyni that sent me. The seventie returned agayne with ioye sayinge / Lorde even the very devyls are subdued to vs thorowe thy name. And he sayde vnto them : I sawe sathan / as it had bene lightenyng / faule doune from heven. Beholde I geve vnto you power to treade on serpentes/ and scorpions/ and apon all maner power of the enemy/ and nothynge shall hurte you. Neverthelesse in thys reioyse nott/ that the spretes are vnder youre power : Butt reioyse / be cause youre names are written in heven. That same time reioysed Jesus in the sprete / and sayde : I prayse the father lorde of heven and erth/ because thou hast hyd these thynges from the wyse and prudent/ and hast opened them to the folisshe. Even soo father for soo pleased it the/ All thynges are geven me off my father. And noo man knoweth who the Sonne is/ butt the father: nether who the father is/ save the sonne/ and he to whom the sonne wyll shewe hym. And he turned to his disciples / and sayde secretly / Happy are the eyes/ which se that ye se. For I tell you that many prophetes and kynges have desired to se thoose thynges which ye se/ and have nott sene them : And to heare those thynges whych ye heare/ and have nott herde them : And marke/ A Certayne Lawere stode vp/ and tempted hym sayinge: Master what shall I do/ to inheret eternall lyfe? He sayd vnto him : What ys written in the lawe ? Howe redest thou? And he answered and sayde : Thou shalt love thy lorde god/ wyth all thy hert/ and wyth all thy soule/ and with all thy strengthe/ and with all thy mynde : and thy neghbour as thy sylfe. And he sayde vnto hym : Thou hast answered right. This do and thou shalt live. He willynge to iustifie hym silfe / sayde vnto Jesus : Who ys then my neghbour ? Jesus answered and sayde : A certayne man descended from Jerusalem into Jericho/ And fell into the hondes off theves/ whych robbed hym off his rayment and wonded hym/ and de- parted levynge hym halfe deed. And yt chaunsed that there cam a certayne preste that same waye/ and sawe hym / and passed by. And lyke wyse a levite/ when he was come neye to the place/ €'t)t ©osipeU of ^. Hufet. €% rj. went and loked on hym / and passed by. Then a certayne Sa- maritane/ as he iornyed/ cam neye vntohym/ and beheldehym/ and had compassion on hym/ and cam to hym / and bounde vppe hys wondes/ and poured in wyne/ and oyle/ and layed him on his beaste/ and brought hym to a commen hostry/ and drest him. And on the morowe when he departed/ he toke out two pence/ and gave them to the host and said vnto him. Takecare of him/ and whatsoever thou spendest above this/ when I come agayne I will recompence the. Which nowe off these thre/ thynkest thou was neghbour vnto him that fell into the theves hondes ? And he answered : he that shewed mercy on hym. Then sayd Jesus vnto hym. Goo and do thou lyke wyse. Hyt fortuned as he went/ thatheentred into a certayne toune. And a certayne woman named Martha/ receaved hym into her housse. And this woman had a sister called Mari/ which sate at Jesus fete/ and herde Jesus preachynge : Martha was combred about moche servynge/ and stode and sayde : Master / doest thou not care/ that my sister hath leeft me to minister alone? Bid her therfore/ that she helpe me. And Jesus answered/ and sayde vnto her: Martha/ Martha/ thou arte busied/ and troublest thy silfe/ about many thynges : verely one ys nedfuU/ Mary hath chosen her a good parte / which shall not be taken awaye from her. Ci)e rj. Ci;aptcr. A ND it fortuned as he was prayinge in a certayne place : when "^^ he ceased/ won of his disciples sayd vnto him : Master teache vs to praye/ As Jhon taught his disciples. And he sayd vnto them : When ye praye / saye : Oure father which arte in heven / halowed he thy name. Lett thy kyngdome come. Thy will/ be fulfillet/ even in erth as it is in heven. Oure dayly breed geve vs this daye. And forgeve vs oure synnes : For even we forgeve every man that traspaseth vs / and ledde vs not into temptacion/ Butt deliver vs from evyll Amen. And he sayde vnto them : which of you shall have a frende and shall goo to hym att mydnyglit/ and saye vnto hym : frende lende me foure loves for a frende of myne is come out off the waye to me / and I have nothynge to sett before him / And He with in shall andswer and saye : Trouble me nott/ nowe is the doreshett/ and my servaunttes are with me in the chamber/ I cannot ryse and geve them to the. I saye vnto you : though he woll not aryse and geve hym/ be cause he is his frende : Yet dTo. Ijr. Cf)c aogpell of ^. Eufef. because of hys importunite he woll ryse and geve hym as many as he nedeth. And I saye vnto you ; axe/ and yt shalbe geven you. Seke/ and ye shall fynde. knocke / and it shalbe opened vnto you. For every one that axeth/ receaveth : and he that seketh/ fynd- eth : and to him that knocketh shall it be openned. Yf the Sonne axe breed ofF eny ott' you which ys hys father : wyll he proffer hym a stone? Or yff he axe tisslie/ wyll he geve hym a serpent : Or yf he axe an egge : wyll he proffer him a scorpion? Yf ye then which are evyll / knowe howe to geve good giftes vnto youre chyldren ? Howe moche more shall youre father celes- tiall/ geve a good sprete to them/ that desire it of hym. And he was a castynge out a devyll/ whyche was dom. And it folowed when the devyll was gone out/ the dom spake/ and the people wondred. Some off them sayde : he casteth out devyls by the power of Belzebub/ the chefe of the devyls. And other tempted hym sekynge of hym a signe from heven. He knewe their thoughtes and sayde vnto them : Every kyngdom/ at debate with in it silfe shalbe desolate : and won housse shall fall apon another. Soo if Satan be at variaunce with in hym silve : howe shall his kyngdom endure ? Be cause ye say that I cast out devyls by the power off Belzebub? Yf I by the power of Belzebub caste oute devyles : by whose power/ do youre chyldren cast them out ? Therfore shall they be youre iudges. Butt if I with the finger off God cast out devyls/ noo doute/ the kyngdom of God is come apon you. When a stronge man armed watcheth his housse : That he possesseth/ is in peace. But when a stronger then he cometh apon hym / and overcometh hym : he taketh from him / his harnes/ wherin he trusted/ and devideth his gooddes,' He that is not with me is agaynst me. And he that gadereth nott with me scatterch. When the vnclene sprete is gone out of a man / he walketh through waterlesse places sekynge reest. And when he fyndeth none/ he sayeth : I will returne agayne vnto my housse whence I cam out. And when he commeth / he fyndeth it swept and garnisshed. Then goeth he and taketh seven other spretes with hym worsse then hym silfe/ and they enter in/ and dwell there. And the ende off that man / is worsse then the begynnynge. Hit fortuned as he thus spake/ a certayne woman of the com- pany lyfte vp her voyce/ and sayde vnto hym : Happy is the wombe that bare the and the pappes/ which gave the sucke. Butt he sayde : Happy are tliey that heare the worde off God/ and kepe it. €1)t ^ogpcU of ^. Eufee. €f). yj. When the people wer gadered thicke to geder : He began to saye : This is an evyll nacion. They seke a signe/ and there shall noo signe be geven them/ but the signe off Jonas the pro- phet. For as Jonas was a signe to the Ninivites/ so sliall the Sonne off man be to this nacion. The quene oft' the southe shall ryse at the iudgement/ with the men of this generacion / and condempne them: for she cam from the ende of the worlde/ to heare the wisdom of Solomon : and beholde a greater then Solo- mon is here. The men off" Ninivite shall ryse at the iudgement/ with this generacion/ and shall condempne them : for they repented at the preachynge of Jonas: and beholde/ a greater then Jonas is here. Noo man lighteth a candell/ and putteth it in a preve place/ nether vnder a busshel : Butt on a candelsticke/ that they that come in/ maye se light. The light off thy body is thyne eye. Therfore / jwhen thyne eye is single: then is all thy boddy full off" light. Butt if thyne eye be evyll : then shall all thy body be full of darknes ? Take hede tlierfore thatt the light whiche is in the/ be nott darknes. For if all thy body shalbe light/ havynge noo parte darke : then sliall all be full off" light/ even as when a candell doeth light the with his brightnes. And as he spake/ a certayne pharise besought liym to dyne with hym : and Jesus went in/ and sate doune to meate. When the pharise sawe that he marveylled that he had nott wessehed before dynner. And the lorde sayde to hym: Nowe do ye/ O pharises/ make clene the out syde of the cuppe/ and of the plat- ter : but youre inwarde parties are full of raveninge and wicked- nes. Ye foles did not he that made that which is with out : make that which is within alsoo ? Neverthelesse ye geve of that that ye have/ and beholde all is clene to you. But wo be to you pharises/ for ye tythe the mynt/ and rewe/ and all manner erbes/ and passe over iudgment/ and the love of God. These ought ye to have done/ and nott to have left the other ondone. Wo be to you pharises : for ye love the vppormost seates in the sinagoges/ and gretynges in the markettes. Wo be to you scribes and pharises ypocrites/ for ye are as graves which apere not/ and men that walke over them /are nott ware of them. Then answered one of the lawears/ and sayd vnto hym : Mas- ter/ thus sayinge/ thou puttest vs to rebuke also. Then he sayde : Wo be to you also ye lawears : for ye lade men with burthens greveous to be borne/ and ye youreselves touche nott the packes with one of youre fingers. #0. ly). CJjc (©osfpell of ^. Hufei. Wo be to you that bilde the sepulcres oft the prophetes : for youre fathers killed them : Truely ye beare witnes/ that ye alowe the dedes of youre fathers : for they killed them/ and ye bilde their sepulcres. Therfore sayde the wisdom off God : I will send them pro- phetes and Apostles/ and off them they shall slee and persecute. That the bloud off all the prophettes/ which was sheed from the begynnynge oft' the worlde / maye be requyred off" this generacion / from the bloud of Abel vnto the bloud off" Zacary/ whiche perisshed bitwene the aulter and the temple. Verely I saye vnto you : it shalbe requyred of this nacion. Wo be to you lawears : for ye have taken awaye the kaye of knowledge/ ye entred not in youreselves/ and them that came in ye forbade. When he thus spake vnto them / the lawears / and the pharises / began to wexe busy about hym and to stoop his mougth with many questions/ Layinge wayte for hym/ and seckynge to catche some thyng of his mought/ wlierby they myght accuse hym. Cj^t Vij. Cijapter. A S there gadered to gedther an innumerable multitude off people (in so moche that they trood won another) he began to saye vnto his disciples : Fyrst of all beware of the leven off the pharises/ which is ypocrysy. For there is nothynge covered/ that shall not be vncovered : nether hid/ that shall not be knowen. Wherfore whatsoever ye have spoken in darknes : that same shalbe hearde in light. And that which ye have spoken in the eare/ even in secret places/ shalbe preached even on the toppe of the housses. I saye vnto you my frendes : feare ye not them that kyll the body/ and after that have nothyvige.that he can moare do. I will shewe you / whom ye shall feare. Feare hym which after he hath kylled/ hath power to cast in to hell. Ye I saye vnto you / hym feare. Are nott five sparowes bought for two far- thynges? and none off" them is forgotten of God. Ye the very heers of your heed are nombred. Feare nott therfore : Ye are moare off value then many sparowes. I saye vnto you : Whosoever confesseth me before men / even hym shall the sonne off man confesse also before the angels of God. And he that denyeth me before men : shalbe denyed before the angels off God. And whosoever speaketh a worde agaynste the sonne of man itt shalbe forgeven hym. Butt vnto hym thatt blasphemeth the holy goost/ it shall not be forgeven. Ci)« (©o^pell of ^. Hufec. CI;, vt]. When they brynge you into their sinagoges / and vnto their rulers / and officiers / take noo thought how or what thynge ye shall answere / or what ye shall speake. For the holy goost shall teache you in the same houre / what ye ought to saye. Won off the company sayde vnto hym: Master/ bid my brother devide the enherytaunce with me. And he sayde vnto hym : Man / who made me a iudge / or a devider over you ? And he sayde vnto them ; take hede/ and beware of coveteous- ness. For no mannes life stondeth in the haboundaunce of the thynges which he possesseth And he put forth a similitude vnto them sayinge : The londes of a certayne man brought forth frutes plen- teously / and he thought in hym silfe sayinge; whatt shall 1 do/ because I have noo roume where to bestowe my frutes ? And he sayde : This will I do. I will destroye my barnes/ and bilde greater / and ther in will I gadder all my fruetes / and all my goodes : and 1 will saye to my soule : Soule tliou hast moche goodes layde vp in stoore for many yeares / take thyne ease : eate/ drynke and be mery. But God sayde vnto hym: Thou fole / this nyght will they fetche awaye thy soule agayne from the. Then whose shall thoose thynges be which thou hast provided ? So is itt with hym thatt gaddreth ryches / and is not. ryche in God. And he spake vnto his disciples : Therfore I saye vnto you : Take no tought for youre lyfe / what ye shall eate / Nether for yourebody/ what ye shall putt on. The lyfe is moore then meate / and the body is moore then rayment. Marcke wele the ravens / for they nether sowe / nor repe/ which nether have stoore housse ner barne/ and yet God fedeth them. Howe moche are ye better then the foules. Which of you with takynge tought can adde to his stature won cubytt ? Yf ye then be nott able to do that thynge which is least: why take ye thought for the remnaunt? Consydere the lyhes howe they growe : They laboure nott : They spyn not : and I saye vnto you / Solomon in all his royalte was nott clothed lyke vnto one of these. Yf God then soo clothe the grasse Avhich is to daye in the feldes/ and to morowe shalbe cast into the fornace : howe moche moore wyll he clothe you / o ye endued with litell faith ? And axe nott what ye shall eate/ or what ye shall drynke/ nether clyme ye vp an hye / for all suche thynges the hethen people of the worlde seke for. Youre father knoweth that ye have nede off suche thynges. Wherfore seke ye after the kyngdome off heven/ and all these thynges shalbe ministred vnto you. dTol. Ivij. €l)t ^o^ptll of ^. It like. Feare not litell floocke / for it is youre fathers pleasure / to geve you a kyngdom. Sell that ye have/ aud geve almes. And make you bagges / which wexe noot olde / and treasure that fayleth nott in heven / where noo thefe comnijeth / nether moth corrupteth. For where youre treasure ys/ There will youre hertes be also. Lett youre loynes be gerdde about/ and youre lightes bren- nynge / and ye youre selves / lyke vnto men / that watche for their master when he woU returne from a weddynge : that as sone as he commeth and knocketh / they maye open vnto hym. Happy are thoose servauntes / which their lorde / when he commeth/ shall fynde wakynge/ verely I saye vnto you/ he will gerdde hym silfe about/ and make them sitt doune to meate/ and walke by them/ and minister vnto them. And yf he come in the seconde watche / ye yf he come in the thyrd watche / and shall fynde them soo/ happy are thoose servauntes. This shall ye vnderstonde / that yfF the good man of the housse/ had knowen what houre the thefe wolde have commen/ he wolde suerly have watched : and not have suffered his housse to have bene broken vppe. Be ye prepared therfore for the Sonne of man will come att an houre when ye thynke/ not. Then Peter sayde vnto him : Master tellest thou this similitude vnto vs / or to all men ? And the lorde saide : who is a faithfidl stewarde/ and a discrete/ whom liis lorde shall make ruler over his housholde/ to geve them their dueti of meate/ at due season. Happy is that servaunt / whom his master when he cometh shall finde soo doinge. Of a trueth I saye vnto you : that he will make him rueler over all that he hathe. But and if the evyll servaunt shall saye in his hert : My master wyll difFerre his commynge / and shall begyn to smyte the servauntes /'and maydens/ and to eate and drynke/ and to be dronken : the lorde off that servaunt wyll come in a daye / when he thynketh nott / and att an houre when he is not ware/ and wyll devyde hym/ and will geve him his rewarde / with the onbelevers. The servaunt that knewe his masters wyll / and prepared nott him silfe/ netlier did accordynge to his will/ shalbe beten with many strypes. Butt he that knewe nott/ and hath committed thynges worthy of strypes/ shalbe beaten with feawe strypes. For vnto whom moche ys geven : off him shalbe moche re- quyred. And to whom/ men moche commytt/ the moare of hym will they axe, I cam to sende fyre on erth : and what ys my desyre but that yt were all redy kyndled ? Nott with stondinge I muste be baptised with a baptism. And how am T payned till it be ended? Suppose ye that I am come to sende peace on ertli ? I tell you/ iiaye: but rather debate. For hence fbrthe there shalbe five in won housse devided/ thre agaynst two/ and two agaynst thre. The father shalbe devided agaynst the sonne/ and the sonne agaynst the father. The mother agaynst the doughter/ and the doughter agaynst the mother. The motherelawe agaynst the doughterelawe/ and the doughterelawe agaynst the mothere- lawe. Then sayde he to the people : when ye se a cloude ryse out ofF the west strayght waye ye saye : we shall have a shewer / and soo it is. And when ye se the south wynde blow/ ye saye: we shall have heet/ and it commeth to passe. Ypocrites/ ye can skyll of the fassion of the erth/ and of the skye : but what is the cause/ that ye cannot skyll of this tyme ? Ye and why iudge ye nott oft youre selves/ that which is rightewes. Whill thou goest with thyne adversary to the rueler : as thou arte in the waye/ geve diligence that thou mayst be delivered from hym/ least he brynge the to the iudge/ and the iudge deli- ver the to the ioylar / and the ioylar cast the in to preson. I tell the thou departest not thence / tyll thou have made goode the vtmose farthynge. Clje yii). Cj^apttr. T HERE were present at the same season/ that shewed liym of the galileans/ whose bloude Pilate mengled with their awne sacrifice. And Jesus answered/ and sayde vnto them: Suppose ye that these galileans/ were greater synners then all other galileans be cause they suffred suche pimysshment ? I tell you naye : but except ye repent / ye shall all in lyke wyse perysshe. Or thynke ye that those xviij. apon whom the toure in siloe fell and slewe them/ were synners above all men that dwell in Jherusalem ? I telle you naye : Butt excepte ye repent/ ye all shall lyke wyse perisshe. He put for the this similitude/ A certayne man had a fy gge tree in his vyneyarde/ and he cam and sought frute thereon/ and founde none. Then sayde he to the dresser of his vyne- yarde : Beholde / this thre yeare have I come and sought frute in this fygge tree/ and fynde none / cut it doune/ why cumbreth hit the grounde ? And he answered and sayde vnto him : lorde lett it alone this yeare also / till I digge rounde aboute it / and donge it/ to se whether it will beare frute. yf not/ then after that/ cut hym doune. He taught in won of their sinagogges on the saboth dayes / And beholde there was a woman which had a sprete off infirmi- tie .xviij. yeares : and was bowed to gether/ and coulde nott well lifte vp her silfe. When Jesus sawe her/ he called her to hym/ and sayde to her: woman thou arte delivered from thy disease. And he layde his hondes on her/ and immediatly she was made strayght/ and glorified God. The ruler off the sina- goge answered with indignacion (be cause that Jesus had healed on the saboth daye) And sayde vnto the people : There are sixe dayes in the weke / in which men ought to worke / in them come and be healed/ and nott on the saboth daye. Then answered hym the lorde and sayd : Ypocrite/ doth not cache one of you on the saboth daye. loose his oxe/ or his asse/ from the stall/ and leade hym to the water ? And shulde not this doughter of Abraham/ be loosed from this bonde on the saboth daye/ whom Sathan hath bounde loo/ xviij. yeares? And when he thus sayde/ all his adversaris were ashamed/ and all the people reioysed on all the excellent dedes / that were done by him. Then sayde he : What is the kyngdom of God like ? or where to shall I compare it? It is lyke a grayne of mustard seede/ which a man toke and sowed in his garden : and it grewe / and wexed a greate tree/ and the foules off the ayer bilt in the braunches of it. And agayne he sayde : where vnto shall I lyken the kyngdom of God ? it is lyke leven / which a woman toke / and hidde in thre busshels of floure/ till all was thorow le vended. And he went thorowe cities and tonnes teachynge/ and toke his iorney to- wardes Jerusalem. Then sayde won vnto hym : Lorde/ are there feawe that shalbe saved ? And he sayde vnto them / stryve with youreselves to enter in at the strayte gate : For many I saye vnto you / will seke to enter in/ and shall nott be able. When the good man of the housse is risen vp/ and hathe shett fast the dore/ and ye begyn to stonde with out / and to knocke at the dore saynge : Lorde / lorde / open vnto vs : and he shall answer and saye vnto you : I knowe nott whence ye are. Then shall ye begyn to saye. We have eaten/ and dronken in thy presence/ and thou hast taught in oure stretes. And he shall saye: I tell you/ I wott nott whence ye are : departe from me all ye workers off iniquytie. There shalbe wepynge / and gnasshynge of teth : when ye shall se Abraham/ and Ysaac/ and Jacob/ and all the prophetes in the kyngdom of God/ and youre selves thrust oute a dores. And Ci)e (SoiSp«n of ^. Hufef. Ci). yiii). they shall come from the east/ and from the weest/ and from the northe/ and from the southe/ and shall reest in the kyngdom of god. And beholde/ there are last/ which shalbe fyrst : And there are fyrst which shalbe last. The same daye there cam certaine of the pharises/ and sayde vnto hym : Gett the out of the waye / and departe hence : for 'Herode will kyll the. And he sayd vnto them : Goo ye and tell that foxer beholde I cast oute devils/ and heale the people to daye and to morowe/ and the thyrd daye I make an ende. Neverthelesse / I muste walke to daye and to morowe / and the daye fblowinge : For it cannott be / that a prophet perisshe eny other where/ save att Jerusalem. O Jerusalem/ Jerusalem/ which killest prophetes / and stonest them that are sent to the : howe often wolde I have gadered thy children to gedder / as the hen her nest vnder her wynges / and thou woldest nott. Beholde youre habitacion shalbe left vnto you desolate. For I tell you / ye shall not se me vntill the time come that ye shall saye / blessed ys he that commeth in the name off the lorde. A' W{)t yiiij. CI)apttr. ND it chaunsed that he went into the housse of won off the chefe pharises to eate breed/ on a saboth daye : and they watched hym. And beholde there was a man before hym/ which had the dropsy. And Jesus answered and spake vnto the lawears and pharises/ sayinge : is hit laufull to heale on the saboth daye ? And they helde their peace. He toke the man and healed him / and lett hym goo. An d answered them say- inge : whiche of you shall have an asse/ or an oxe/ fallen into a pitt/ and will nott straight waye pull him out on the saboth daye ? And they coulde not answer hym agayne to that. He putt forthe a similitude to the gestes/ when he marked howe they preased to the hyest roumes/ and sayd vnto them : When thou arte bidden to a weddynge of eny man/ sitt nott doune in the hyest rounie/ lest a more honorable man then thou be bidden of hym/ and he that badde both hym and the/ come and saye to the : geve this man roume. And thou then begyn with shame to take the lowest roume. But rather when thou arte bidden/ goo and sit in the lowest roume/ that when he that bade the commeth/ he maye saye vnto the: frende sitt vp hyer. Then shalt thou have preyase in the presence of them that sitt at meate with the. For whosoever exalteth hym silfe / Jfo. lyib. Cj^c (ilogprll of ^. Utifet. shalbe brought lowe : And he that humbleth him silfe shalbe exalted. Then sayde he also to him that bade him to diner : When thou makest a diner/ or a supper : call not thy frendes/ nor thy brethren/ nether thy kinsmen/ nor yet riche neghbours : lest they bidde the agyne / and make the recompence. Butt when thou makest a feast/ call the povre / the maymed/ the lame / and the blinde/ and thou shalt be happy : For they cannot recompence the. Butt thou shalt be recompensed at the resurreccion of the iuste men. When won of them that sate at meate also herde that/ he sayde vnto hym : happy is he that eateth breed in the kyngdome of god. Then sayd he to hym : A certayne man ordened a greate supper/ and bade many/ and sent his servaunt att supper time/ to saye to them that were bidden/ come : for all thynges are redy. And they all atonce began to make excuse. The fyrst sayd vnto hym : I have bought a ferme/ and I must nedes goo and se it/ 1 praye the have me excused. And another sayd : I have bought fyve yooke of oxen / and I must goo to prove them / I praye the have me excused. The thyrde sayd : I have maried a wyfe/ and therfore I cannot come. And the servaunt went agayne / and brought his master worde tliere of. Then was the good man of the housse displeased / and sayd to his servaunt: Goo out quickly into the stretes and quarters of the citie/ and brynge in bidder the povre/ and the maymed/ and the halt/ and the blinde. And the servaunt sayd : lorde it is done as thou commmaundest/ and yet there is roume. And the lorde sayd to the servaunt : Go out into the hie wayes and hedges/ and compell them to come in/ that my housse maye be filled. For I saye vnto you/ that none of those men which were bidden / shall tast of my supper. There went a greate company with him/ and he turned and saide vnto them : Yf a man come to me/ and hate not his father and mother/ and wyfe/ and children/ and brethren/ and sisters/ more over and hys awne life/ he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever beare nott hys crosse and come after me cannot be my disciple. Which of you is he that is desposed to bilde a toure/ and sitteth not doune before and counteth the cost Whether he have sufficient to performe it? lest after he hath layde the foundacion/ and is nott able to performe it/ all that beholde it/ begyn to moocke hym sayinge : This man began to bilde/ and was not able to make an ende. What kynge goeth to make batayle agaynst another kynge/ and sitteth not doune I'yrst/ and casteth in his niynde/ wether he be able with ten thousande to mete him that Cometh agaynst hym with twenty thousand/ or els whill the other is yett a greate waye off/ he will sende embasseatours / and desyre peace. Soo lyke wyse/ none of you that forsaketh nott all that he hathe/ can be my disciple. Salt is good/ but if salte be corupte/ what shalbe seasoned there with ? It is nether good for the londe / nor yet for the donge hill/ men cast it out at the dores. He that hath eares to heare/ let him heare. Ci)e v6. Cljaptrr. ' ^HEN resorted vnto him all the publicans and synners/ for to heare him. And the pharises/ and scribes grudged sainge : He receaveth to his company synners / and eateth with them. Then put he forthe this similitude to them sayinge : What man of you havynge an hundred shepe/ if he loose one of them doth not leave nynty and nyne in the wildernes / and goo after hym which is loost/ vntill he fynde hym ? And when he hath founde hym / he putteth hym on his shulders with ioye : And as sone as he commeth home he calleth to gedder his lovers/ and negh- bours sayinge vnto them : reioyse with me/ for I have founde my shepe which was loost. I say vnto you/ that lyke wyse ioye shalbe in heven over one synner that repenteth/ moore then over nynety and nyne iuste persons/ whiche nede noo repentaunce. Other what woman havynge .x, grotes/ if she loose won/ doth not light a candell/ and swepe the housse/ and seke diligently/ till she finde it? And when she hath founde it she calleth her lovers and her neghbours saynge : Reioyse with me/ for I have founde the groate which I had loost. Lykwyse I saye vnto you/ ioye shalbe in the presence ofl' the angels off God over one synner that repentheth. And he sayde: a certayne man had two sonnes/ and the yonger of them sayde to his father : lather geve me my parte off the goodes that to me belongeth. And he devided vnto them his substaunce. And not longe after/ the yonger sonne gaddered all that he had to gedder/ and toke his iorney into a farre countre/ and there he wasted his goodes with royetous livinge. And when he had spent all that he had / there rose a greate derth thorow out all that same londe. And he began to lacke. And he went / and clave to a citcsyn of that same countre : which sent hym to the felde/ to kepe his swyne. And he wold fayne dTo. Ivb. CJjt ©ogpcU of ^. Eufet. have filled his bely with the coddes / that the swyne ate : and noo man gave hym. Then he remembred hym silfe and sayde : howe many hyred servauntes at my fathers have breed ynough/ and I dye for hon- ger. I will a ryse/ and goo to my father/ and will saye vnto hym: father/ I have synned agaynst heven/ and before the: nowe am I not worthy to be called thy sonne / make me as one of thy heyred servauntes. And he arose/ and cam to his father. When he was yett a greate waye of/ his father sawe hym/ and had compassion on hym/ and ran vnto hym/ and fell on his necke/ and kyssed hym. And the sonne sayd vnto hym: father I have synned agaynst heven/ and in thy sight/ nether am I worthy hence forthe to be called thy sonne. Then sayde the father to his servauntes: bringe forthe that best garment/ and put it on him/ and put a rynge on his honde/ and shewes on his fete. And brynge bidder that fatted caulfe/ and kyll hym/ and letvs eate and be mery : for this my sonne was deed/ and is alive agayne. He was loste/ and ys nowe founde. And they began to make good cheare. The elder brother was in the felde / and when he cam and drewe nye to the housse / he herde minstrelcy / and daunsynge / and called one of his servauntes/ and axed what thoose thynges meante. He said vnto him: thy brother is come/ and thy father hath killed the fatted caulfe / be cause he hath receaved him safe and sounde. And he was angry / and wolde not goo in. Then cam his father out / and entreated him/ he answered and sayde to hys father : Loo these many yeares have I done the service/ nether brake at eny time thy commaundment / and yet gavest thou me never soo moche as a kyd to make mery with my lovers : but as sone as this thy sonne was come/ which hath devoured thy goodes wyth harloottes/ thou haste for his pleasure killed the fatted caulfe. And he sayd vnto hym : Sonne / thou wast ever with me / and all that I have is thine : it was mete that we shulde make mery and be glad : for this thy brother was deed / and is alive agayne : and was loste / and is founde. €l)t yb). €i)apUv. TTE sayd also vnto his disciples : There was a certayne riche ■*-^ man/ which had a stewarde / that was acused vnto him that he had wasted his goodes. And he called him/ and said vnto him : Howe is it / that I heare this of the ? Geve a comptes ofF thy steward shippe. For thou mayste be no longer my stewarde. €lft (©o^pfll of ^. 3£ufee. CJ). vbj. The stewarde said with in himsilfe: what sli all I do? for my master will take awaye from me my stewardeshippe. I cannot digge / and to begge/ I am ashamed. I woote what to do / that when I am put out of my stewardshippe / they maye receave me in to there houses. Then called he all his masters dettersr and sayd vnto the fyrst : howe moche owest thou vnto my master ? And he sayd : a hondred tonnes of oyle / and he sayd to him : take thy bill / and sitt doune quickly/ and write fiftie. Then said he to ano- ther : what owest thou ? And he sayde : an hondred quarters ofwheate. He sayd to him: Take thy bill/ and writte foure scoore. And the lorde commended the uniust stewarde / be- cause he had done wysly. For the chyldren of this worlde/ are in their kynde/ wyser then the chyldren off light. And I saye also vnto you : make you frendes of the wicked mammon / that when ye shall have nede they may receave you into everlastinge habitacions. He that is faitful in that wiche is leste : the same is faithful in moche : So then if ye have not byn faithful in the wicked mammon / who will beleve you in that which is true? and if ye have not bene faithfull in another mannes busines : whoo shall geve you youre awne ? No servaunt can serve two masters, for other he shall hate the one and love the other or els he shall lene to the one/ and despyse the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. All these thinges herde the pharises also which were coveteous. And they mocked him / and he sayd vnto them : Ye are they / which justifie youre selves before men : but God knoweth youre hertes. For that which men magnifie / is abhominable in the sight of god. The lawe/ and the prophettes raygned vntyll the tyme of Jhon : Sence that tyme/ the kyngdom of god is preached. And every man stryveth to goo in. Soner shall heven and erth perisshe / then won title of the lawe shall perisshe. Whosoever forsaketh his wyfe / and marieth another / breaketh matrimony. And every man which marieth her that isdivorsed from herhusbande committeth advoutry also. There was a certayne riche man / which was clothed in purple/ and fyne raynes/ and fared deliciously every daye. And there was a certayne begger / named Lazarus / whiche laye at hys gate full of soores desyrynge to be refresshed with the cromes whiche fell from the ryche mannes borde. Neverthelesse / the dogges cam/ and licked his soores. And yt fortuned that the K 4ro. lybj. Cl)c <©oSpcll of ^. Euitt. begger dyed / and was carryed by the angelles into Abrahams bosome. The riche man also died/ and was buried in hell. When he lifte vppe his eyes/ as he was in tourmentes/ he sawe Abraham a farre off/ and Lazarus in his bosome/ And cryed and sayd : father Abraham / have mercy on me / and sende Lazarus that he maye depe the tippe oft his fynger in water / and cole my tonge/ for I am tourmented in this flame. Abraham sayd vnto hym : Sonne / remembre / that thou in thy lyfe tyme receavedst thy pleasure / and contrary wyse Lazarus payne. Nowe therfore is he comforted/ and thowe art punysshed. Beyonde all this bitwene you and vs there is a greate space sett/ so that they which wolde goo from hence to you / cannot : nether from thence come bidder. And he sayd : I praye the therfore father / send him to my fathers housse. For I have fyve brethren : for to warne them / lest they also come into this place oft" tourment. Abraham sayd vnto hym / they have Moses and the prophettes / lett them heare them. And he sayd: naye father Abraham/ but yf won from the ded cam vnto them they wolde repent. He sayd vnto hym : Yf they heare not Moses and the prophettes nether woU they beleve / though won roose from deeth agayne. €i)t ybij. Ci^aptcr. ^HEN sayde he to his disciples / it can not be avoyded / but that occasions of evyll come Neverthelesse wo be to hym throw whom they come. It were better for hym if a mylstone wer hanged aboute his necke / and that he were cast into the see/ rather then he shulde offende won oft" this litle wons. Take hede to youre selves / if thy brother trespas agaynst the/ rebuke hym/ and if he repent/ forgeve hym. And though he syn agenst the seven tymes in won daye/ and seven tymes in a daye tourne agayne to the sayinge : it repenteth me / forgeve hym. And the apostles sayde vnto the lorde : in crease oure fayth. The lorde sayde : yf ye had fayth lyke a grayne off" mustard sede/ and shulde saye vnto thys sycamyne tree/ plucke thy silfe vppe by the rotes / and plant thy silfe in the see : he shoulde obey you. Which of you liavynge a servaunte a plowynge / or fedynge catell / wolde saye vnto hym when he were come from the felde : Goo quickly and sitt doune to meate / And rather sayeth not to hym/ dresse wherwith I maye suppe / and apoynt thy silfe and serve me / tyll 1 have eaten and dronken : and afterwarde/ eate W^t &oiptll of ^. Hufee. €'t). ybi}. thou / and drynke thou / Doeth he thanke that servaunt be cause be did that which was commaunded viito hym? I trowe not. Soo lykewyse ye / when ye have done all thoose thynges which are commaunded vnto you: Saye/ we are vnprofitable ser- vauntes. We have done that which was oure duety to do. And it chaunsed as he went to Jerusalem/ that he passed thorowe Samaria and Galile. And as he entered into a certayne toune/ there met hym ten men/ that were lepers/ which stode a farre 01/ and put forth their voices/ and sayde: Jesu master/ have mercy on vs. When he sawe them/ he sayde vnto them: Goo and shewe youreselves to the prestes. And hit chaunsed as they went / they were clensed. And won of them / when he sawe that he was clensed/ turned backe agayne/ and with a loude voice praysed God/ and fell doune on his face at his fete / and gave hym thankes. And the same was a Samaritan. Jesus answered and sayde : Are there not ten clensed ? But were are those nyne ? There are not founde that returned agane/ to geve God prayse / save only this straunger / And he sayde vnto hym : Aryse/ and goo thy waye/ thy fayth hath saved the. When he was demaunded off the pharises / when the kyng- dom off God shulde come : he answered them and sayde : The kyngdom of God cometh not with waytingefore. Nether shall man saye : Loo here/ loo there. For iDeholde/ the kyngdom of God is with in you. And he sayde vnto hys disciples: The dayes will come/ when ye shall desire to se won daye of the sonne of man / and ye shall not se it. And they shall saye to you. Se here/ Se there/ Goo not after them/ nor folowe them/ for as the lightenynge that apereth out of the one parte of the heven and shyneth vnto the other parte of the heven : Soo shall the sonne of man be in his dayes. But fyrst must he suffre many thinges / and be reproved of this nacion. As it happened in the tyme of Noe : Soo shall it be in the tyme of the sonne of man. They ate/ they dranke/ they maryed wyves/ and were maryed even vnto that same daye that Noe went into the arke/ and the floud cam/ and destroyed them all. Likewise also / as it chaunsed in the dayes of Lot. They ate / thei dranke/ thei bought/ thei solde/ thai planted/ they bilte. And even the same daye that Lot went out of Zodom/ hit rayned fyre and brymstone from heven/ and destroyed them all. After these ensamples/ shall the daye be / when the sonne of man shall apere. Att that daye he that is on the hoiisse toppe/ and his stuffe K 2 dFo. Ijrbij. €1)6 (©o^pcll of ^. Hufee. in the housse : lett hym nott come doune to take hit out. And lyke wyse lett not him that is in the feldes / turne backe agayne to that he lei'te behynde hym. Remember Lottes wyfe. Who- soever will goo about to save his lyfe/ shall loose it : And who- soever shall loose his hfe/ shall quycken it. I tell you : In that nyght/ there shalbe two in one bead/ the one shalbe receaved/ and the other shalbe forsaken. Two shalbe also agryndynge to gedder : the one shalbe receaved/ and the other forsaken. And they answered/ and sayde to him: wheare lorde ? And he said vnto them : whersoever the body shalbe/ thidther will the egles resoorte. TJ E put forth a similitude vnto them/ signifyinge that men ought alwayes to praye/ and not to be wery/ sayinge : There was a Judge in a certaine cite/ which feared not god nether regarded man. And there was a certayne widdowe in the same cite/ whych cam vnto hym sayinge: A venge me of myne adversary. And a greate whyle he wolde noott. After- warde he sayd vnto hym silfe : Though I feare nott god/ nor care for man/ yett be cause this widdowe troubleth me/ I woll a venge her/ lest at the last she come/ and rayle on me. And the lorde sayd : heare what the vnrightewes iudge sayeth. And shall not god avenge his elccte / which crye nyght and daye vnto him? Ye though he differre them: 1 tell you/ he will avenge them / and that quicly. Neverthelesse / when the sonne of man commeth / suppose ye/ that he shall fynde faithe on erthe. And he put forthe this similitude/ vnto certaine which trusted in them selves/ that they wer perfect/ and despysed other. Two men went vp into the temple to praye: the one a pharise/ and the other a publican. The pharise stode and prayed thus with hym silfe. God I tanke the that I am nott as other are / extorsioners / vniuste/ advoutres/ and even as this publican is. I fast twyse in the weke. I geve tythe of all that I possesse. And the publican stode afarre of/ and wolde not lifte vp his eyes to heven/ but smote hys brest/ sayinge : God be mercyfuU to me a sinner. I tell you : this man departed home to his housse iustified moore then the other. For every man that ex- alteth him silfe/ shalbe brought lowe : And he that humbleth hym silfe/ shalbe exalted. They brought vnto hym also babes/ that he shoulde touche them. When his disciples sawe that / they rebuked them. But €i)t (@0£(pcll of ^. Hufee. Cf). ybii). Jesus called them vnto him/ and sayde/ SufFre children to come vnto me/ and forbidde them not. For vnto souche belongeth the kyngdom of god. Verely I saye vnto yon : whosoever re- ceaveth not the kyngdom of god/ as a chylde : he shall not enter there in. And a certayne ruler axed him : sayinge : Goode Master : what ought I to do/ to obtaine eternall lyfe ? Jesus sayd vnto hym : \Vhy callest thou me goode/ No man is goode/ save god only. Thou knowest the commaundmentes : Thou shalt nott commit advoutry/ thou shalt nott kill/ thou shalt nott steale/ thou shalt not beare false witnes Honoure thy father/ and thy mother. And he sayde : AH these have I kept from my youlhe. When Jesus herde that/ he sayde vnto hym : Yett lackest thou one thynge. Sell all that thou hast/ and distribute it vnto te povre/ and thou shalt have treasure in heven / and come/ and folowe me. When he heerd that/ he was hevy/ for he was ryche. When Jesus sawe hym morne / lie sayde : with whath diffi- culte shall they that have ryches/ enter into the kyngdom off God : Esyer it is for a cammell to passe thorowe a nedles eye/ then for a ryche man to enter into the kyngdom off God. Then sayde they that herde that : And who shall then be saved ? He sayde : Thynges which are vnpossible with men : are possible with God. Then Peter sayde : Loo we have forsaken all / and have folowed the. He sayde vnto them ; Verily I saye vnto you / there is noo man that forsaketh housse / other father and mother/ other brethren / or wyfe / or children/ for the kyngdom of goddes sake / which same shall nott receave moche moore in this worlde : and in the worlde to come/ lyfe everlastynge. He toke vnto hym the twelve / and sayde vnto them : Loo we go vp to Jerusalem / and all shalbe fulfilled that are written be the prophettes oft' the sonne off man. He shalbe delivered vnto the gentyls / and shalbe mocked / and shalbe despyitfuUy entreated/ and shalbe spetten on : and when they have scourged hym / they will putt hym to deeth / and the thyrde dayc shall he aryse agayne. They vnderstode none of these thynges. And this sayinge was hid from them. And they perceaved nott the thynges which were spoken. Hit cam to passe / as they were come neye vnto Jerico / a certayne blynde man sate by the waye syde beggynge. And when he herde the people passe by/ he axed what it meant. They sayd vnto hym that Jesus off Nazareth/ went by. And he cryed / saynge : Jesus the sonne of David / have mercy on me. And they which went before rebucked hym / be cause he shulde holde his peace. And he moche the moare cryed / The sonne of David have mercy on me. Jesus stode styll / and commaunded him/ to be brought vnto hym. And when he was come neare/ he axed hym sayinge : What wih thou/ that I do vnto the ? And he sayde : Lorde/ that I maye receave my sight. Jesus sayde vnto hym : Receave thy sight. Thy faith hath saved the. And immediatly he sawe / and folowed liym / praysinge God. And all the people/ when they sawe it/ gave laude to God. Ci)e yiy, Cijapttr. \ ND he entred in/ and went thorow Jerico. And beholde/ "^^ there was a man named Zacheus/ and he was a rueler amonge the publicans / and ryche alsoo. And he made raeanes to se Jesus/ what he shulde be: and he coulde nott for the preace / be cause he was off a lowe stature. And he ran before/ and ascended vppe / into a sicomore tree/ to se hym. For he wolde come that same waye. And when Jesus cam to the place / he loked vp / and sawe him / and sayd vnto hym : Zache/ attonce come doune/ for to daye I muste abyde at thy housse. And hastely he cam doune / and receaved hym ioyfully. And when they sawe that/ they all groudged sayinge: He is gone/ into tary with a man that is a synner. Zache stode forthe and sayde vnto the lorde : Beholde lorde / the haulfe of my gooddes I geve to the povre / and if I have done eny man wronge / I Avyll restoore hym fower folde. Jesus sayd vnto hym : This daye is healthe come vnto this housse : for asmoche as it also is become the childe off Abraham. For the sonne off man is come to seke/ and to save that which was looste. As they herde these thynges / he added therto a similitude / be cause he was neye to Jerusalem/ And be cause also/ they thought that the kyngdom of God shulde shortely apere. He sayde therfore : A certayne noble man / went into a farre countre/ to receave a kyngdom / and then to come agayne. He called his ten servauntes / and delivered them ten pounde sayinge vnto them : By and sell till I come : But his citesens hated hym / and sent messengers after hym / saynge : We will not have this man to raigne over vs. And it cam to passe / when he was come agayne and had receaved his kyngdom / he commaunded his servauntes to be Cije ©o^ptll of ^. Hufee. Ci). yiy. called to hym (to whom he gave his money) to witt what every man had done. Then cam the fyrst sayinge : Lorde / thy pounde hath encreased ten pounde. And he sayde vnto hym : Well good servaunte/ because thou wast faithfull in a very litell thynge/ Take thou auctorite over ten cities. And the other cam sayinge / Lorde thy pounde / hath encreased fyve pounde. And to the same he sayde : And be thou alsoo rueler over fyve cities. And the thirde cam / and sayde : Lorde / beholde here thy pounde/ which I have kepte in a napkyn / for I feared the / be cause thou arte a strayte man : thou takest vp that thou laydest nott doune f And repest that thou diddest nott sowe. And he sayde vnto hym : Of thyne awne mougthe iudge I the thou evyll servaunt. Knewest thou that I am a strayte man / takynge vppe that I layde not doune / And repinge that I did not sowe ? Wherfore then gavest not thou my money into the banke ? And then at my commyng shulde I have required myne awne / with vauntage. And he sayde to tliem that stode by : Take from hym that pounde/ and geve it hym that hathe ten pounde. And they sayd to hym : Lorde he hath ten pounde. I saye vnto you / that vnto all them that have / it shalbe geven : and from hyme that hath not / even that he hath slialbe taken awaye. Morover thoose myne enemys/ which wolde not/ that I shulde raigne over them / brynge bidder / and slee them before me. And when he hadd thous spoken / he proceded forthe before them / and went vppe to Jerusalem. And it fortuned / when he was come noye to bethfage / and bethany / besydes mounte olivete / he sent two of his disciples sayinge: Goo ye into the toune which is over against you. In the which as sonne as ye are come / ye shall fynde a coolte tyed/ wher on/ yett never man sate, loose hym and brynge hym bidder. And if eny man axe you / why that ye loose hym : thus saye vnto hym / The lorde hath nede of hym. They that wer sent went their waye / and founde / even as he had sayde vnto them. And as they were aloosynge the coolte / the owners sayde vnto them: why loose ye the coolte? And they sayde : For the lorde hath nede of hym. And they brought hym to Jesus. And they cast their rayment on the coolte and sett Jesus theron. As he went they spredde their cloothes in the waye. When he was come wheare he shulde goo doune from the mount olivete/ the whole multitude of his disciples/ began to reioyce / and to lawde God with a loude voyce / for all the mira- cles that they had sene/ sayinge: Blessed be the kynge that Jfo. lyij:, €\)t (So^pcll of ^. iCufec. commeth in the name off the lorde/ Peace in heven / and glory in the hyest. And some off the pharises off the company/ sayde vnto him: Master rebuke thy disciples. He answered/ and sayde vnto them : I tell you/ yff these holde their peace/ the stones will crye. And when he was come neare / he behelde the citie/ and wept on hit sayinge : Yff thou haddest knowen thoose thynges whych belonge vnto thy peace / even att thys daye :• Butt nowe are they hidde from thyne eyes. For the dayes shall come apon the / and thyne enemys shall compas the about with a banke. And shall besege the rounde aboute/ and kepe the in on every syde / And make the even wyth the grounde / wyth thy chyldren whych are in the. And they shall nott leve in the one stone apon another / because thou knewest nott the tyme of thy visi- tacion. And he went into the temple/ and began to cast out them that solde therin/ and them that bought sayinge vnto them/ Hyt is written/ my housse is the housse off prayer: Butt ye have made it a den off theves. And he taught dayly in the temple. The hye prestes and the scrybes and the chefe off the people/ went about to destroye hym : Butt coulde nott fynde what to do. for all the people stocke by hym. And gave him audience. CIjc rr- Cijaptcr. A' ND yt fortuned in one off those dayes/ As he taught the people in the temple/ And preached the gospell. The hye prestes and the scrybes cam vnto hym wyth the seniours/ And spake vnto hym/ sayinge : Tell vs by what auctoritie thou doest these thynges ? Other who is he that gave the thys auctorite ? He answered and sayde vnto them : I also will axe you a ques- tion/ And answer me : was the baptem of Jhon/ from heven/ or of men ? They thought wyth in them selves sayinge : Yff we shall saye from heven : he will saye : Why then beleved ye hym not ? But and yff we shall saye of men/ all the people will stone vs. For they suerly beleved that Jhon was a prophett. And they answered that they coulde nott tell whence it was. And Jesus sayde vnto them : Nether tell I you by what auctorite I do these thynges. Then began he to put forthe to the people/ this similitude : A certayne man planted a vineyarde/ and lett it forthe to fermers/ and went hym silfe into a straunge countre for a greate season. And when the time cam/ he sent a servaunt to his tennauntes €))t (^ogptll of ^. ICitfef. €i}. n: that they shulde geve hym of the frutes/ of the vyneyarde. The tennauntes bett hym/ and sent hym awaye empty. And he ceased nott thereby but sent yett another servaunt. And they bett hym/ and foule entreated hym alsoo/ and sent hym awaye empty. Morover/ he sent the thyrde alsoo/ And hym they wounded/ and cast hym out. Then sayde the lorde off the vyne- yarde : what shall I do ? I wyll sende my deare sonne/ hym peradventure they wyll reverence/ when they se hym. When the formers sawe hym/ they thought in them selves/ sayinge : this is the heyre / come lett vs kyll hym / that the in- herytaunce maye be oures. And they cast hym out of the vyneyarde/ and kylled hym. Nowe what shall the lorde off the vyneyarde do vnto them ? He wyll come and destroye those fermers/ and will lett out his vyneyarde to other. When they herde that/ they sayde : God forbid. He behelde them and sayd : what meaneth thys then that is written : The stone that the bylders refused/ is made the heed cornerstone? whosoever stomble at that stone/ shalbe brused : but on whomsoever it faul/ it wyll alto breake hym And the hye prestes and the scrybes/ the same howre went about to laye hondes on him / but they feared the people. For they perceaved that he had spoken this simiUtude agaynst them. And they watched him / and sent forth spies / whych shulde fayne them selves perfecte/ to take hym in hys wordes/ and to delyvre hym vnto the power/ and auctorite off the presydent. And they axed hym sayinge: Master/ we knowe that thou sayest/ and teachest ryght/ nether considerest thou eny mannes degre / but teachest the waye of god truely. Ys it laufull for vs to geve Cesar tribute / or noo ? He perceaved their crafty- nes/ and sayde vnto them: Why tempt ye me? Shewe me a peny. Whoose ymage and superscripcion hath it? They an- swered and sayd : Cesars. And he sayde vnto them : Geve then vnto Cesar/ that which belondeth vnto Cesar : And to God/ that whych pertayneth to God. And they coulde nott reprove his sayinge before the people. And they marvayled at his answer/ and helde their peace. Then cam to hym certayne off the Saduces which denye that there is eny resurreccion. And they axed hym sayinge : Master Moses wrote vnto vs/ if eny mannes brother dye havinge a wyfe/ And the same dye wyth out issue : that then hys brother shulde take his wyfe/ and rayse vp seede vnto hys brother. There were seven brethren/ and the fyrst toke awyfe/ and died with out children. And the seconde toke the wyfe/ and he dyed iFo. lyy. Ci)e ©o^peU of ^. Hufer. chyldlesse. And the thyrde toke her/ and in lyke wyse the resydue off the seven / and leeft noo ehyldren be hynde them / and dyed. Last of all the woman dyed also. Nowe at the resurreccion whose wyfe of them shall she be? for vij. had her to wyfe. Jesus answered and sayd vnto them : The ehyldren off this worlde mary wyves/ and are maryed/ but they which shalbe worthy of that worlde/ and of the resurreccion from deeth/ nether mary wyves / nether are maryed/ nor yet can dye eny moare. For they are equall vnto the angels : and are the sonnes of god/ in as moche as they are the ehyldren off the resurreccion. And that the deed shall ryse agayne / even Moses signified be- sydes busshe/ when he sayde : the lorde god of Abraham/ and the god off Isaac/ and the god of Jacob. For he is not the god off the deed/ but off them whych hve. For all live in hym. Certayne ofFthe pharises answered and sayd: Master/ thou hast wele sayde. And after that durst they not axe hym eny question at all. Then sayd he vnto them : howe saye they that Christ ys Da- vides Sonne ? And David hym silfe sayth in the boke off the psalmes : The lorde sayde vnto my lorde/ Sytt on my ryght honde/ tyll I make thyne enemys thy fote stole. David then called hym lorde : Howe ys he also hys sonne ? Then in the audience off all the people/ he sayd vnto his disciples/ beware off the scrybes/ whych desyre to goo in longe clothynge : and love gretynges in the marketes/ and the hyest seates in the sinagoges/ and chefe roumes at feastes/ which devoure widdowes houses/ and praye longe vnder a coloure : The same shall receave greater damnacion. A S he behelde / he sawe the ryche men / howe they cast in -^^ their offeringes into the tresury. He sawe also a certayne povre widowe/ which cast in thydre two mytes. And he said : of a trueth I saye vnto you/ this povre widdowe hath putt in moare then they all. For they all have of their superfluyte added vnto the ofFerynge off God : But she/ of her penury/ hath cast in all the substaunce that she hadde. As some spake of the temple/ howe it was garnesshed with goodly stones/ and iewels/ he sayde. The dayes wyll come/ when off these thynges which ye se / shall nott be lefte stone apon stone/ that shall nott be throwen doune. And they axed hym/ sayinge : Master when shall these thynges be. And what signes will there be / when suche thynges shall come to passe. And he sayd : Take hede/ that ye be not deceaved. For many will come in my name/ saying of them selves/ I am he. And the tyme draweth neare. Folowe ye nott them therfore. Butt when ye heare of warre/ and dissencion : be not afrayd/ for these thynges must fyrst come : butt the ende foloweth not by and by. Then sayd he vnto them : Nacion shall ryse agaynst nacion/ and kyngdom agaynst kingdom. And greate erthquakes shalbe in all quarters/ and honger: and pestilence/ and fearfull thinges. And greate signes shall there be from heven. But before all these/ they shall laye their hondes on you/ and persecute you / dely verynge you vppe/ to the synagoges/ and into preson/ and brynge you before kynges/ And rulers for my names sake. And this shall chaunche you fFor a testimonial!. Lett it sticke therfore faste in youre hertes/ nott once to stody before/ whatt ye shall answere for youre selves: For I will geve you a mouth and wysdom/ were agaynste/ all youre adversarys shall not be able to speake nor resist Ye and ye shalbe betrayed of youre fathers and mothers/ and of youre brethren/ and kyns- men / and lovers. And some of you shall they put to deeth. And hated shall ye be off all men for my names sake. Yet there shall not one heer of your heeddes perisse. with your pa- cience/ possesse your soules. And when ye se Jerusalem beseged with an hoste / then vn- derstonde/ that the desolacion of the same is nye. Then lett them which are in iewry flye to the mountaynes. And let them which are in the myddes off hit/ departe oute. And lett not them that are in other countries/ enter there in. For these be the dayes of vengeaunce/ to fulfill all that are written. Butt wo be to them that be with chylde : and to them that geve sucke in those dayes for there shalbe greate trouble in the londe : and wrathe over all this people. And they shal fal on the edge of the swearde. And they shalbe leed captive in to all nacions/ And Jerusalem shalbe trooden vnder fote off the gentyls/ vntyll the tyme of the gentyls be fulfilled. And there shalbe signes / in the sunne/ and in the mone/ and in the starres : and in the erth the people shalbe in soche perplex- ite/ that they shall not tell which waye to turne them selves. The see and the waves shall roore/ and mennes hertes shall fayle them for feare/ and for lokynge after thoose thinges w^hich shall come on the erth. For the powers of heven shall move. And then shall they se the sonne of man come in a clowde with dTo. Ini' ^i)« <©0£ipcU of ^. Eufec. power and greate glory. When these thynges begyn to come to passe : then loke vppe / and hfte vppe youre heddes / for youre redemcion drawith neye. And he shewed them a simih'tude : beholde the fygge tree/ and all other trees/ when they shute forth their buddes/ ye se and knowe of youre awne selves that sommer is then neye att bond. Soo lyke wyse ye (when ye se these thynges come to passe) vnderstonde/ that the kyngdom of god is neye. Verely I sale vnto you : this generacion shall not passe/ tyll all be ful- filled. Heven and erth shall passe : but my wordes shall not passe. Take hede to youre selves / lest youre hertes be overcome / with surfettynge and dronkennes/ and cares of this worlde: and that/ that daye come on you vnwares. For as a snare shall hit come on all them that sit on the face of the erthe. Watche therfore continually and praye/ that ye maye scape all this that shal come/ And that ye maye stonde before the sonne of man. In the daye tyme taught he in the temple/ and at nyght/ he went out/ and had abydynge in the mounte olivete. And all the people cam in the mornynge to hym into the temple/ for to heare hym. ^HE feaste off swete breed drue nye whych is called ester / and the hye prestes / and scrybes sought howe to kyll Jesus/ but they feared the people. Then entred Satan into Judas/ whose syr name was iscariot (which was of the nombre off the twelve) and he went his waye / and commened with the hye prestes and officers / how he wolde betraye hym vnto them. And they were glad : and promysed to geve hym money. And he consented/ and sought oportunite to betraye hym vnto them/ when the people were awaye. Then cam that daye of swete breed/ when off necessite the ester lambe muste be offered. And he sent Peter/ and Jhon seiynge : Goo and prepare vs the ester lambe / that we maye eate. They sayde to hym : Where wilt thou / that we prepare ? And he sayde vnto them. Beholde as ye enter into the cite / there shall a man mete you bearynge a pitcher off water/ hym folowe into the same housse that he entreth in / and ye shall saye vnto the goode man off the housse / The master sayeth : Where is the gest chamber/ where I shall eate myne ester lambe wyth my dissciples ? And he shall shewe you a greate parloure Wi)t (©o^pcU of ^. Eufet. €1). nih paved. There make redy. They went and founde/ as he had sayde vnto them : and made redy the ester lambe. And wlien the houre -cam/ he sate doune and the twelve Apostles with hym. And he sayde vnto them : I have inwardly desyred/ to eate this ester lambe with you before that y sufFre. For I saye vnto you : hence forthe / I will nott eate of it eny moore/ vntill itt be fulfilled in the kyngdom of God. And he toke the cuppe/ and gave thankes/ and sayde: Receave this/ and devyde itt amonge you : For I saye vnto you: I will not drynke of the frute of the vyne/ vntill the kyngdom of God be come. And he toke breed/ and gave thankes/ and brake itt/ and gave it vnto them/ sayinge : Thys is my body which is geven for you / Thys do in the remembraunce of me. Lyke wyse alsoo / when they had supped / he toke the cuppe sayinge : This is the cuppe/ the newe testamentt/ in my bloud / which shall for you be shedde. Yet beholde / the honde off hym that betrayeth me / is with me on the table. And the sonne of man goeth as hit is ap- poynted : But wo be to that man by whom he is betrayed. And they began to enquyre amonge them selves / which off them it shulde be / that shulde do that. And there was a stryfe amonge them / which of them shulde seme greatest. And he sayde vnto them : The kynges of the gentyls raigne over them And they that beare rule over them / are called gracious lordes. But ye shall not be soo. But he that is greatest amonge you / shalbe as the yongest : And he that is chefe / shalbe as minister. For whether is greater / he that sitteth at meate : or he that serveth ? is not he that sitteth at meate : And I am amonge you / as he that ministreth. Ye are which have bidden with me in my temptacions. And I apoynt vnto you a kyngdom/ as my father hath apoynted to me. that ye maye eate / and drynke at my table in my kyngdome / and sit on seates / and iudge the twelve tribes of Israeli. And the lorde sayde : Simon / Simon / beholde Satan hath desired you/ to sifte you/ as it were wheate : But I have prayed for the that thy fayth fayle nott. And when thou arte converted/ strengthen thy brethren. And he sayd vnto hym : Lorde/ I am redy to goo with the in to preson/ and to deth. And he sayde: I tell the Peter/ the cocke shall nott crowe this daye/ till thou have thryse denyed that thou knewest me. And he sayde vnto them : when I sent you with out wallett/ and scrippe/ and shoues/ lacked ye eny thynge ? And they sayd/ nothynge. And he sayde to them ; But nowe he that hath a wallet dTo. lyyih ^\}> (©ojipcn of ^. Hufee. let him take itt/ and lyke wyse his scrippe. And he thatt hath noo swearde/ let hym sell his coote and bye won. I saye vnto you that yet/ that which is written must be performed in me (Even with the wicked was he nombred) for those thynges which are written of me have an ende. And they sayd : Lorde/ be- holde here are two sweardes. And he sayde vnto them : it is ynough. And he cam out/ and went as he was wonte to mounte ohvete. And his disciples folowed hym And when he cam to the place/ he sayde to them Praye lest ye fall into temp- tacion. And he gate hym silfe from them/ about a stones cast/ and kneled doune/ and prayed/ sayinge : Father if thou wilt/ with- drawe this cuppe from me. Neverthelesse/ nott my wyll/ Butt thyne be fulfilled. And there apered an angell vnto hym from heven/ comfortynge hym/ And he was in agony/ and prayed somwhat longer. And hys sweate was lyke droppes of blond/ tricklynge doune to the grounde. And he rose vppe from prayer / and cam to his disciples/ and founde them slepynge for sorowe/ and he sayde vnto them : Why slepe ye ? Ryse/ and praye lest ye fall into temptacion. Whyll he yet spake : beholde/ there cam a company/ and he that was called Judas / one off the twelve / went before them / and preased neye vnto Jesus to kysse hym. Jesus sayd vnto hym : Judas betrayest thou the sonne off man with a kysse ? When they which were about hym sawe what wolde folow/ they sayde vnto hym / Lorde/ shall we smyte with a swearde ? And one off them smote a servaunt off hym which was the chefe prest of all/ and smote off hys righte eare. Jesus answered and sayde : Soffre ye thus farre forthe. And he touched his eare/ and healed hym. Jesus sayde vnto the hye prestes and rulers off the temple and the senyours which were come to hym. Be ye come outt/ as vnto a thefe with sweardes and staves ? When I was dayly with you in the temple/ ye stretched not forth hondes agaynst me. Butt this is even youre very houre/ and the power off darknes. Then toke they hym/ and ledde hym/ and brought hym to the hye prestes housse. And Peter folowed afarre off. When they had kyndled a fyre in the myddes of the palys / and were sett doune to gedder/ Peter alsoo sate doune amonge them. And won off the wenches/ as he sate/ beholde him by the light and sett goode eyesight on hym / and sayde : This same was also with hym. Then he denyed hym sayinge : Woman I €l}t ^ojfpell of ^. Hufee. €i). nii^- knowe hym nott. And after a lytell whyle/ another sawe hym and sayde : Thou arte alsoo off them. And Peter sayd : Man I am nott. And aboute the space off an houre after another affirmed sayinge : Verely even this felowe was with hym/ for he is off gahle. Peter sayde : Man I woote nott what thou sayest. And immediately whill he yett spake/ the cocke crewe. And the lorde tourned backe and loked apon Peter. And Peter re- membred the wordes off the lorde / howe he sayde vnto hym / before the cocke crowe thou shalt denye me thryse. And Peter went out/ and wepte bitterly. And the men that stode about Jesus/ mocked hym/ and smoote hym/ and blyndfolded hym/ and smooote hys face. And axed hym sayinge. Arede who it is that smoote the? And many other thynges despytfully sayde they agaynst hym. And as sone as it was daye/ the seniours off the people/ and the hy prestes and scrybes / cam togedder and ledde hym into their counsell sayinge : Arte thou very Christ? tell vs. And he sayde vnto them : if I shall tell you / ye woll not beleve. And if alsoo I axe you/ ye will nott answere me. Nether lett me goo. Here after shall the sonne of man sit on the right honde of the power of God. Then sayde they all. Arte thou then the sonne of God ? He sayd : Ye saye that I am. Then sayde they : What nede we eny further Avitnes ? We oure selves have herde off his awne mouthe. C]^e yyii}. Cj^aptev. \ ND the whole multitude of them arose/ and ledde hym vnto "'^ Pilate. And they began to accuse hym sayinge : We have founde this folowe pervertynge the people/ and forbiddynge to paye tribute to Cesar : And sayeth that he is Christ a kynge. And Pilate apposed him saynge : Arte thou the kynge of the iewes ? He answered hym / and sayde thou sayest. Then sayde Pilate to the hye prestes / and to the people : I fynde noo faute in this man. And they were the moore fearce/ sayinge: He mooveth the people teachynge thoroout all iewry/ and began at galile/ even to this place. When Pilate herde mencion off galile/ he axed whether the man were off galile. And as sone as he knewe that he was of Herodes iurisdiccion/ he sent hym to Herode/ which was at that tyme in Jerusalem alsoo. When Herode sawe Jesus/ he was merveliously gladde. For he was desyrous to se hym off a longe season/ be cause he had hearde many thynges of liym/ dTo. lyyii). Wi)t (^ogptU of ^. ltufee» and trousted to have sene some myracle done by hym. Then questenned he with hym of many thynges : But he answered hym not won worde. The hye prestes and scrybes / stode forthe and accused hym straitly. And herod/ with his men ofF warre/ despysed hym/ and mocked hym/ And arayed hym in whyte/ and sent hym agayne to Pilate. And the same daye Pilate/ and Herod wer made frendes togedder. For before/ they were at variaunce. Pilate called to gedder the hye prestes/ and rulers/ and the people/ and sayde vnto them: Ye have brought this man vnto me / as won that peverted the people. And loo I examined hym before you / and founde noo faute in this man / off those thinges where of ye accuse hym. No nor yett Herode. For I sent you to him : and lo noo thynge worthy of deeth is done to him. I will therfore chasten hym and lett hym loosse. For off necessite / he must have lett one loosse vnto them at that feast. And all the people cryed at once / saynge : awaye with him / and delivre to vs Barrabas. (which for insurreccion made in the cite / and morther / was cast into preson) Pilate spake agayne to them willynge to lett Jesus losse. And they cryed / sayinge : Crucify hym / Crucify hym. He sayde vnto them the thyrde tyme : What harme hath he done ? I fynde noo cause off deeth in hym. I will therfore chasten hym / and lett hym goo losse. And they cryed with loude voyce / and requyred that he myght be crucifyed. And the cryinge off the hye prestes prevayled. And Pilate gave sentence that it shulde be as they requyred / and lett losse vnto them / hym that for insurreccion / and morther was cast into preson / whom they desyred : And delyvered Jesus to do with hym what they wolde. And as they ledde hym awaye / they caught won Simon of sirene / commynge out of the felde : And on hym layde they the crosse to beare it after Jesus. There folowed hym a greate company of people / and of wemen/ which wemen bewayled/ and lamented hym. Jesus turned backe vnto them / and sayde : Doughters of Jerusalem / wepe not for me : but wepe for youre selves / and for youre chyldren. For marke/ the dayes will come / when men shall saye ; happy are the baren and the wombes that never bare / and the pappes which never gave sucke. Then shall they begyn to saye to the mountaynes : fall on vs. And to the hilles cover vs. For yf they do this to a grene tree : what shalbe done / to the drye ? There were two evyll doers ledde with hym to be slayne. And when they vver come to the placer which is called calvary/ there they crucifyed hym/ and the evyll doars/ one on the right honde/ and the other on the lefte honde. Then sayde Jesus : Father forgeve them/ for they woot not what they do. And they parted his rayment/ and cast loottes. And the people stode and be- helde. And the rulers mocked hym with themsayinge: He holpe other men/ lett hym helpe hym silfe yf he be Christ the chosen of God. The soudiers alsoo mocked hym / and cam and gave hym veneger and sayde : yf thou be that kynge oft' the iewes / save thy silfe. His superscripcion was written over him/ in greke / latin / and ebrue letters : This is the kynge oft' the iewes. The one off" the malefactoures which hanged / rayled on hym / sayinge :_ Yf thou be Christ save thy silfe and vs. The other answered and rebuked hym sayinge: Nether fearest thou god be cause thou arte in the same damnacion ? We are righteously punnisshed/ for we receave accordynge to oure dedes : Butt this man hath done noo thynge amysse And he sayde vnto Jesus : Lorde remember me when thou commest into thy kyngdom. And Jesus sayde vnto hym: Verely I saye vnto the/ to daye shalt thou be with me in paradise. And it was about the sixt houre. And there cam a darcknes over all the londe/ vntyll the nynth houre/ and the sonne was darckened. And the vayle of the temple rent even thorow the myddes. And Jesus cryed with a greate voyce and sayd: Father / into thy hondes I commende my sprete. And when he thus had sayd / he gave vp the goost. When the centurion sawe/ what had happened/ he glorified god sayinge : Of a surtie this man was perfecte. And all the people that cam to gedder to that sight/ beholdynge the thinges which were done : smoote their brestes/ and returned home. All hys acquayntaunce stode a farre of/ and the wemen/ which folowed hym from galile. beholdynge these thynges. And beholde there was a man named Joseph a senatour/ which was a goode man and a iuste. He did nott consent to their counsell and dede / which was of Aramathia / a cite off" the iewes. Which same alsoo/ wayted for the kyngdom off" god. he went vnto Pylate/ and begged the boddy of Jesus. And toke it doune / and wrapped it in a lynnen clooth / and layed it in an heawen toumbe / wherin was never man before layed. And that daye was the saboth even / And the saboth driie on. The wemen that folowed after whych cam with hym from galile/ behelde the sepulcre and howe hys body was layed. L jFo. Iniiij. Cfje ©o^Spell of ^. ILufee. And returned / and prepared swete odoures / and oyntmentes f And the saboth days they rested / accordynge to the commaunde- ment. €^e }rf:iii}. €i)apUv. /^N the morowe after the saboth / erly in the mornynge/ they ^^ cam vnto the toumbe and brought the odoures whych they had prepared / and other wemen wyth them. And they founde the stone rouled awaye from the sepulcre. And went in and founde nott the body off the lorde Jesu. And it happened / as they were amased ther at : loo two men stode by them / in shynynge vestures. As they were a fraide / and bowed doune their faces to the erth : they sayd to them : why seke ye the livynge amonge the deed ? He is nott here : but is rysen. Re- member howe he spake vnto you / when he was yett with you in gahle / sayinge : that the sonne ofl' man must be delivered into the hondes off synfuU men/ and be crucified / and the thyrde daye ryse agayne. And they remembred his wordes/ and returned from the sepulcre / and tolde all these thynges vnto the eleven / and to all other. Hytt was Mary magdalen and Joanna/ and Mary Jacoby/ and other that were with them/ whych tolde these thynges vnto the Apostles / and their wordes senied vnto them fayned thynges/ nether beleved they them. Then aroose Peter and ran vnto the sepulcre / and stouped in / And sawe the lynnen cloothes layde by them sylfe. And de- parted wondrynge in hym sylfe att thatt whych hadd happened. And beholde/ two of them went that same daye to a toune / whych was from Jerusalem about thre score forlonges / called Emaus. and they talked togedder of all thinges which had hap- pened/ And it chaunsed/ as they commened togedder/ and rea- soned / that Jesus hym silfe drue neare / and went with them. But their eyes were holden/ that they coulde nott knowe hym. And he sayde vnto them: What maner of communicacions are these that ye have one to another as ye walke/ and are sadde. And the one off them named Cleophas/ answered/ and sayd vnto hym : Arte thou only a straunger in Jerusalem / and haste nott knowen the thinges which have chaunsed therin in these dayes? To whom he sayd : what thynges ? And they sayd vnto hym : of Jesus of Nazareth which was a prophet/ myghty in dede/ and worde/ before God/ and all the people. And howe the hye prestes/ and oure ruelers delivered hym to be condempned to deeth: and have crucified hym. we trusted that it shulde have €ift (©ogptU of ^. l£ufet. Ci). niiij. bene he that shulde have delivered Israhell. And as touchynge all these thynges / to daye is even the thyrd daye / that they were done. Ye and certayne wemen alsoo of oure company made vs astonyed/ whych cam eriy vnto the sepulcre / and founde nott his boddy. And cam sayinge^ that they had sene visions off angels which sayde that he was alive. And certayne of them which were with vs^ went their waye to the sepulcre/ and founde ytt even soo as the wemen had sayde : but hym they sawe nott. And he sayde vnto them : O foles/ and slowe of herte to beleve all that the prophetes have spoken. Ought not Christ to have suffered these thinges/ and to enter into his glory? And he began at Moses/ and at all the prophetes/ and interpreted vnto them / in all scriptures which were written of him. And they drue neye vnto the toune which they went to. And he made/ as though he wolde have gone further. And they con- strayned hym/ sayinge: Abyde with vs for it dravveth tawardes nyght/ and the daye is farre passed. And he went in to tary with them. And it cam to passe as he sate att meate wyth them / he toke breed and blessed yt/ and brake ytt and gave it vnto them. And their eyes were openned. And they knewe hym. And he vannisshed out of their syght/ and they sayde betwene them selves: did not oure hertes burne wyth in vs/ whyll he talked with vs by the waye/ and openned to vs the scriptures? And they roose vp the same houre / and returned agayne to Jerusalem/ and they founde the eleven gaddered to gedder / and them that were wyth them / sayinge : The lorde is risen in dede / and hath apered to Simon, and they tolde what was done in the waye/ and howe they knewe hym/ by the breakynge off breed. As they thus spake/ Jesus hym silfe stode in the myddes of them/ and sayde vnto them: peace be with you. And they were abasshed / and afrayde/ supposinge that they had sene a sprete. And he sayde vnto them : Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughtes aryse in youre hertes? Behold my hondes and my fete. For it ys even I my sylfe. handle me and se. For spretes have nott flesshe and bones/ as ye se me have. And when he had thus spoken/ he shewed them his hondes/ and his fete. And whyll they yett boleved nott for ioye/ and wondred/ he sayde vnto them: Have ye here eny meate/ And they gave hym a pece of a brouled fisshe / and of an hony combe. And he toke it/ and ate it before them. l2 dTo. lyyb. €^t (Sospell of &. Hufec. And he sayde vnto them : These are the wordes/ which I spake vnto your whill I was yett with you: that all must be fulfilled which were written of me in the la we of Moses/ and in the pro- phetes/ and in the psalmes. Then openned he their wyttes/ that they myght vnderstond the scriptures / and sayde vnto them : Thus ys yt written/ and thus it behoved Christ to sufFre/ and to ryse agayne from deeth the thyrde daye. And that repentaunce/ and remission of synnes/ shulde be preached in his name amonge all nacions. And the begynnynge must be at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these thynges. And beholde / I wyll sende the promes of my father apon you. Butt tary ye in the cite of Jerusalem/ vntyll ye be endewed with power from an hye. And he ledde them out into Bethany/ and lifte vp hys hondes/ and blest them. And it cam to passe/ as he blessed them/ he departed from them/ and was caryed vp in to heven. And they worshipped hym/ and returned to Jerusalem with greate ioye. And were continually in the temple / praysinge / and laudinge God. fine tntJeti; H)t <&o]^on. Ci). tj. Jesus/ was Andrew Simon Peters brother. The same founde hys brother Simon fyrst/ and sayde vnto hym : we have founde Messias/ whych ys be interpretacion announted : And brought hym to Jesus. And Jesus behelde hym and sayde : Thou arte Simon the sonne oft Jonas/ Thou shalt be called cephas : which is by interpretacion a stone. The daye folowynge Jesus wolde goo into galile/ and founde Philip/ and sayde vnto hym: folowe me. Philip was of Bet- saida the cite of Andrew and Peter. Philip founde Nathanael / and sayde vnto hym : We have founde hym off" whom Moses wrote in the lawe/ and the prophetes : Jesus the sonne of Joseph of Nazareth. And Nathanaell sayde vnto hym : Can there eny goode thynge come out off Nazareth ? Philip sayde to hym : come and se. Jesus sawe Nathanael commynge to hym/ and sayde of hym: Beliolde a right hisrahelite/ in whom is no gyle. Nathanael sayd vnto hym: From whence knewest thou me? Jesus answered and sayde vnto hym : Before that Philip called the / when thou wast vnder the fygge tre/ I sawe the. Nathanael answered and sayde vnto hym: Rabi/ thou arte the sonne off God/ Thou arte the kynge of Israhel. Jesus answered and sayd vnto hym : Be cause I sayde vnto the/ I sawe the vnder the fygge tree/ thou belevest. Thou shalt se greater thynges than these. And he sayde vnto hym : Verely / verely / I saye vnto you : here after/ shall ye se heven open/ and the angels off God ascendynge/ and descendynge over the sonne off man. ^l)t ^tcantit Ci)aptn-. A ND the thyrde daye/ was there a mariage in Cana a citie of "^^ Galile. And Jesus mother was there. Jesus was called also and his disciples vnto the mariage. And when the wyne fayled/ Jesus mother sayde vnto hym : they have no wyne. Jesus sayde vnto her : woman / what have I to do with the ? myne houre is not yett come. His mother sayde vnto the minis- ters : whatsoever he sayeth vnto you / do itt. There were stond- ynge sixe water pottes of stone after the maner of the purifyinge of the iewes/ contaynynge two or thre fyrkyns a pece. Jesus sayde vnto them : Fyll the water pottes with water/ and they fylled them vp to the harde brym. And he sayde vnto them: Drawe outt nowe/ and beare vnto the governer of the feaste. And they bare itt. When the ruler off the feast had tasted the water that was turned vnto wyne/ nether knewe whence it was (Butt the mynisters which drue the water knew) He called the brydegrome/ and sayde vnto hym : All men att the begynnynge/ sett forth goode wyne/ And when men be dronke/ then thatt which is worsse : Butt thou hast kept backe the goode wyne hetherto. Thys begynnynge off myracles did Jesus in Cana of Galile/ and shewed his glory/ and his disciples beleved on hym. After thatt descended he in to Capernaum/ and hys mother/ and hys brethren / and his disciples : But continued not longe there. And the iewes ester was even athonde/ And Jesus went vp to Jerusalem/ and founde in the temple those that solde oxen and shepe/ and doves/ and chaungers of money syttynge. And he made a scourge off small cordes/ and drave them all out off the temple/ bothe shepe and oxen/ and powred doune the changers money/ and overthrue their tables. And sayde vnto them that solde doves : Have these thynges hence/ and make nott my fathers housse/ an housse off marchandyse. Hys disciples remembred / howe that yt was written / The zele of thyne housse/ hath even eaten me. Then answered the iewes and sayde vnto him : what token shewest thou vnto vs/ seynge that thou dost these thynges? Jesus answered/ and said vnto them : destroye this temple/ and in thre dayes I will rayse it vppe agayne. Then sayde the iewes : In xlv). yeares this temple was bilt : and wylt thou rayse it vppe in thre dayes ? Butt he spake of the temple off hys boddy. As sone therfore as he was rysen from deeth agayne/ his disciples remembred that he thus sayde vnto them / And they beleved the scripture/ and the wordes whych Jesus had sayde. When he was at Jerusalem/ at ester in the feaste/ many beleved on his name : when they sawe the signes which he did : but Jesus put nott hym silfe in their hondes/ be cause he knewe all men/ and neded nott/ that eny man shulde testify off man. For he knewe what was in man. Wi)t ii}. Ci)aptfr. T^HERE was a man off the pharises named Nicodemus a ruler amonge the iewes. He cam to Jesus be nyght/ and sayde vnto him : Master/ we knowe that thou arte/ a teacher whyche arte come from god. For no man coulde do suche miracles as thou doest/ except God were wyth hym : Jesus answered/ and sayde vnto hym : Verely verely I saye vnto the : except that a man be boren a newe/ he cannot se the kingdom of god. Nicodemus EI)c (©o^pdl of ^. 3>I)on. CI), itj. sayde vnto hym : howe can a man be boren / when he is olde ? can he enter ijito hys moders body and be boren agayne ? Jesus answered : verely / verely I saye vnto the : except that a man be boren of water/ and of the sprete/ he cannot enter into the kyngdom of god. That whych is boren of the flesshe/ is flesshe. And that which is boren of the sprete/ is sprete. Marvayle nott that I sayd to the/ ye must be boren anewe. The wynde blow- eth wliere it Hsteth / and thou hearest his sounde : butt thou canst nott tell whence he commeth and whether he goeth. So is every man that is boren of the sprete. Nicodemus answered and sayde vnto him : howe can these thynges be? Jesus answered and sayde vnto hym : Arte thou a master in Israhell/ and knowest nott these thynges? Verely verely/ I saye vnto the/ we speake that we knowe/ and testify that we have sene : And ye receave not oure witnes. YfF I have tolde you erthely thynges and ye have not beleved : Howe shulde ye beleve if I shall tell you of hevenly thynges ? And noo man hath ascended vppe to heven/ butt he that cam doune from heven / that ys to saye the sonne of man / which is in heven. And as Moses lifte vppe the serpent in wyldernes/ even soo must the sonne off man be lifte vppe / that noo man which be- leveth in hym perisshe : but have eternall lyfe. God soo loved the worlde/ that he gave his only sonne for the entent/ that none that beleve in hym/ shulde perisshe: Butt shulde have everlastynge lyfe. For God sent not his sonne into the worlde/ to condempne the worlde: But that the worlde through him/ myght be saved. He that beleveth on hym shall not be condempned. But he that beleveth nott/ is condempned all redy / be cause he beleveth nott in the name off the only sonne off God. And this is the condempnacion : Light is come into the worlde/ and the men have loved darcknes more then light/ be cause their dedes were evyll. For every man that evyll doeth / hateth the light : nether commeth to light/ lest his dedes shulde be reproved. Butt he that doth the trueth/ commeth to the light / that his dedes myght be knowen / howe that they are wroght in God, After that cam Jesus and his disciples into the iewes londe/ and there abode with them and baptised/ and Jhon also bap- tised in Enon besydes Salim/ be cause there was moche water there/ and they cam/ and were baptised. For Jhon was not yet cast into preson. There a rose a question betwene Jhons disciples and the iewes a bout purifiynge. And they cam vnto Jhon/ and sayde vnto jTo. Inbii)' Ci)£ (So^pcll of ^. ^ffoxx. hym : Master/ beholde he that was with the beyonde iordan/ to whom thou barest witnes/ baptyseth/ and all men come to hym. Jhon answered/ and sayde : A man can receive nothynge at all except it be geven hym from heven. Ye youre selves are witnesses/ howe that I sayde/ I am nott Christ: butt am sent before hym. He that hath the bryde is the brydegrome : But the frende off the brydegrome which stondeth by and heareth hym/ reioyseth greately of the brydgromes voyce. Therfore this my ioye is fulfilled. He must increace : and I muste decreace. He that commeth from an hye is above all : he that is off the erth is of the erth/ and speaketh oft' the erth. He that commeth from heven / is above all : And testifyeth that he hath sene / and herde : and his testimony noo man receaveth. Whosoever re- ceavith his witnes/ the same hath sealed that God is true. For he whom God hath sent speaketh the wordes oft' God. For God geveth nott the sprete by measure. The father loveth the sonne/ and hath geven all thynges into his honde. He that beleveth on the sonne/ hath everlastyng lyfe. And he that beloveth nott the sonne/ shall nott se lyfe: but the wrathe of God bydeth on him. A' C!;c Hi). CI;aptn-. S sone as the lorde had knoweledge / howe that it was come to the eares off" the pharises/ that Jesus made and baptised moo disciples then Jhon (though' that Jesus hym silfe baptised not: butt his disciples) he lefte iewry/ and departed agayne into galile. And it was soo that he must nedes goo thorowe Sama- ria. Then cam he to a cite of Samaria called Sichar besydes the possession that Jacob gave to his sonne Joseph/ and there was Jacobs well. Jesus then weried in his iorney/ sate thus on the well. Hit was about the sixte houre : There cam a woman of Sa- maria to drawe water. Jesus sayde vnto her : Geve me drynke (for his disciples wer gone awaye vnto the toune to beye meate) The woman off" Samaria sayde vnto hym : howe is itt/ thatt thou beinge a iewe axest drynke of me/ which am a Samaritane ? (for the iewes medle not with the Samaritans) Jesus answered and sayde vnto her : if thou knewest the gyfte of God/ and who it is / that sayeth to the geve me drynke : thou woldest have axed of hym/ and he wolde have geven the water of lyfe. The woman sayde vnto hym : Syr thou hast noo thynge to drawe it with all / and the well is depe : from whenc then hast thou that water oft' lyfe ? Arte thou gretter then oure father Jacob/ which gave vs €i)t ©oipell of ^. 3>i)on. Ci). Hi). this well / and be hym silfe dranke there of and his chyldren and his cattell? Jesus answered and sayde vnto her: whosoever dry nketh of this water/ shall thurst agayne. But whosoever shall drynke of the water that I shall geve hym / shall never be moare a thyrst : But the water that I shall geve hym/ shalbe in hym a well of water spryngynge vp in to everlastynge lyfe. The woman sayde vnto hym: Syr geve me of that water/ that I thyrst not/ nether come hedder to drawe. Jesus sayde vnto her : Go and call thy husband/ and come hydder. The woman answered and sayde vnto hym : I have no husband. Jesus sayde to her: Thou hast well sayd/ I have no husbande. For thou haste had five husbandes/ and he whom thou nowe hast/ is not thy housband. That saydest thou truely. The woman sayde vnto hym : Syr 1 perceave that thou arte a prophet. Oure fathers worshipped in this mountayne : And ye say thatt in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to praye. Jesus sayde vnto her : woman trust me / The houre cometh / when ye shall nether in this mountayne/ nor yet att Jerusalem/ wor- shippe the father, ye worshippe ye wot neare what/ we knowe what we worshippe. For salvacion commeth of the iewes. But the houre commeth / and nowe is/ when the true worshippers shall worshippe the father insprete/ and in verite. For verily suche the father requyreth to worshippe hym. God is a sprete/ and they that worshippe hym/ must honoure hym/ in sprete and verite. The woman sayde vnto hym : I wot v/ell Messias shall come/ which is called Christ. When he is once come/ he will tell vs all thynges. Jesus sayde vnto her : I thatt spake vnto the/ am he. And even at that poynte/ cam his disciples/ and marvelled that he talked with the woman. Yet no man sayde vnto hym : what meanest thou/ or why talkest thou with her ? The woman lefte her water pott behynde her/ and went her waye into the cite/ and sayde to the men there : Come se a man whiche tolde me all thynges thatt ever I dyd. Is not he Christ ? Then they went out off the cite/ and cam vnto hym. In the meane whyle his disciples prayed hym saynge : Master eate. He sayde vnto them : I have meate to eate/ that ye knowe nott off. Then sayd the disciples betwene them selves : hath eny man brought hym meate ? Jesus sayd vnto them : My meate ys to fulfill the will off hym that sent me/ And to fyn- nysshe hys worcke. Saye not ye : There are yett foure monethes/ and then commeth harvest? Beholde I saye vnto you/ lyfte vppe youre eyes / and loke on the regions : For they are whyte allredy vnto harvest. And he that repeth receaveth rewarde / dTo. Wr- ®!)« (^o^pell of &. 3)i)on. and gaddereth frute vnto lyfe eternall : That bothe he that sow- eth/ myght reioyce also/ and he thatt repeth. And here in ys the sayinge true/ that won soweth/ And another repeth. I sent you to repe that wheron ye bestowed no laboure. O ther men laboured/ And ye are entred into their labours. Many off the Samaritans off the cite beleved on hym/ For the womans sayinge / whych testifyed : He told me all thynges that ever I did. Then when the Samaritans were come vnto hym/ They besought hym/ that he wolde tary wyth them. And he aboode there two dayes. And many moo beleved because off hys awne wordes. And sayde vnto the woman : Nowe we beleve nott be cause off thy sayinge. For we have herde hym oure selves/ and knowe thatt thys ys even in dede Christ the savioure oft' the worlde. After two dayes/ he departed thence/ and went awaye into galile. And Jesus hym silfe testifyed/ that a prophet hath none honoure in hys awne countre. Then as sone as he was come into Galile/ the Galileans receaved hym which had sene all thynges/ that he did at Jerusalem on the feast. For they went also vnto the feast daye. And Jesus cam agayne into Cana of Galile / where he tourned water into wyne. And there was a certayne rueler/ whose sonne was sicke at Capernaum. As sone as he herde that Jesus was come out of iewry into Galile he went vnto hym/ and besought him / that he wolde descende/ and heale his sonne : For he was even redy to deye. Then sayde Jesus vnto hym : Excepte ye se signes and wonders/ ye beleve not. The rueler sayde vnto hym : Syr come awaye or ever that my chylde deye. Jesus sayde vnto hym goo thy waye/ thy sonne hveth. And the man beleved the wordes that Jesus had spoken vnto hym/ and went his waye. And anon as he went on his waye/ his servauntes mett hym/ and tolde hym/ sayinge: Thy sonne liveth/ Then enquyred he of them the houre when he began to amende. And they sayde vnto hym : Yester daye the seventhe houre/ the fever lefte hym. And the father knew that it was the same houre when Jesus sayde vnto hym : Thy sonne liveth. And he beleved/ and all his houshold. Thys ys agayne the seconde myracle/ that Jesus did/ after he cam out of iewry into Galile. Wt^t 6. (adapter. vas a feast off" the 11. There is at Je terhousse a pole called in the ebrue tonge/ bethesda/ havynge A FTER that there was a feast off" the iewes/ and Jesus went vppe to Jerusalem. There is at Jerusalem/ by the slaugh- €f)t (©oipcU of ^. g>i)on. €i). b. five porches/ in them laye a greats multitude ofFsicke folke/ off blynde/ halt/ and wyddered/ vvaytynge for the movynge off the wather. For an angell went doune at a certayne ceason into the pole an stered the water, whosoever then fyrst after the ster- ynge off the water stepped doune/ was made whoale of whatso- ever disease he had. And a certayne man was there/ which had bene diseased xxxviij. yeares. When Jesus sawe hym lye/ and knewe that he noAve longe tyme had bene diseased / he sayde vnto hym : Wilt thou be whoale ? The syke answered hym : Syr I have no man when the water is moved/ to put me into the pole. Butt in the meane tyme/ whill I am about to come/ another stoppeth doune before me. Jesus sayde vnto hym/ ryse / take vp thy beed/ and walke. And immediatly that man was whole / and toke vp his beed / and went. And tlie same daye was the saboth daye. The iewes therfore sayd vnto hym that was made whole : It is the saboth daye/ it is nott laufull for the to cary thy beed. He answered them : he that made me whole / sayde unto me : Take vp thy beed/ and gett the hence. Then axed they hym: what man is that which sayd vnto the / take vp thy beed and walke. And he that was healed wist not who yt was. For Jesus gatt hym silfe awaye / be cause that there was preace of people in the place. After that/ Jesus founde hym in the temple/ and sayd vnto hym : Beholde thou arte made whole/ se thou synne no moore / lest a worsse thinge happen vnto the. The man departed / and tolde the iewes that yt was Jesus/ the whyche had made hym whole. And therfore the iewes did persecute Jesus/ and souo-ht the meanes to slee hym/ be cause he had done these thynges on the saboth daye. .Jesus answered them : My father worketh hidderto/ and I worke. Therfore the iewes sought the moore to kill hym/ not only be cause he had broken the saboth: but sayde alsoo that god was his father/ and made hym silfe equall with god. Then answered Jesus and sayde unto them: verely/ verely / I saye vnto you : the sonne can do noo thynge of hym silfe : but that he seyth the father do. For whatsoever he doeth / that doeth the sonne also. For the father loveth the sonne/ and slieweth hym all thynges'/ whatsoever he him silfe doeth. And he will shewe hym gretter thynges then these/ be cause ye shoulde marvayle. For lykwyse as the father rayseth vppe the deed/ and quyckeneth them/ even soo the sonne quyckeneth wiiom he woU. Nether iiidgeth the father eny man : but hath conunitted all iudgment vnto the sonne/ be cause that all men sliulde honoure the sonne/ even as they hoiioure the father. He that honoureth nott the sonne/ the same honoureth not the father which hath sent hym. Vyrely verely I saye vnto you : He that heareth my wordes / And beleveth on hym that sent me / hathe everlastynge lyfe / and shall not come in to damnacion : but is scaped from deth vnto lyfe. Verely/ verely I saye vnto you: the tyme shall come/ and nowe ys/ when the deed shall heare the voyce off the sonne of god. And they that heare/ shall live. For as the father hath life in hym silfe : soo lyke wyse hath he geven to the sonne to have lyfe in hym silfe. And hath geven hym power alsoo to iudge in that he is the sonne off man. Marvayle nott at this/ that the houre shall come/ in the whych all that are in the graves / shall heare his voice / and shall come forthe / they that have done goode vnto the resurreccion off lyfe. And they that have doneevyll/ vnto the resurreccion of dampnacion. I can of myne awne silfe do noo thynge at all. as I heare I iudge / and my iudgment ys iust/ be cause I seke nott myne awne wyll : Butt the will off the father which hath sent me. Yf I beare witnes off my silfe / my witnes ys nott true. There ys another thatt beareth witnes off me. And I am sure that the witnes whyche he beareth of me is true. Ye sent vnto Jhon / and he bare witnes vnto the trueth : but I receave no recorde of man. Neverthelesse/ these thyiiges I saye/ that ye myght be safe. He was a brennynge and a shyn- ynge light/ and ye wolde for a season have reioysed in his light. But I have gretter witnes/ then the witnes off Jhon. For the workes whych my father hath geven me to fynnyshe : The same workes whych I do / beare witnes off me / thatt my father sent me/ And my father hym silfe/ which hath sent me/ beareth witnes off me. Ye have nott herde hys voice att eny tyme/ nor yett have sene hys shape. And his wordes have ye nott abyd- ynge in you : For ye beleve not hym whom he hath sent. Searche the scriptures / for in them / ye thynke ye have eter- nal lyfe : And they are they whych testify off me. And yett will ye nott come to me that ye myght have lyfe. I receve nott prayse off men : But I knowe you/ that ye have nott the love off God in you. I am come in my fathers name/ and ye receave me not. Yff another shall come in hys awne name/ hym wyll ye receave. howe can ye beleve / whych receave prayse won of another / and seke not the prayse which commeth of god only ? Suppose nott/ that I wyll accuse you to my father/ There is won that accuseth you/ verely Moses in whom ye truste. For Cije ^0£!j)cU of ^. 3)i)on. Ci). b). had ye beleved Moses/ ye wolde have beleved me : For he wrote of me. But when ye beleve not hys writtynge : howe shall ye beleve my wordes. Wi)t bj. CI;apter. A FTER that went Jesus his waye over the see of gahle nye to a "^ cite called Tiberias. And a greate multitude folowed hym/ be cause they hadde sene the myracles that he did on them which were diseased. Jesus went vp into a mountayne/ and there he sate with his disciples (And ester a feast of the iewes/ was nye) Then Jesus lifte vppe hys eyes/ and sawe a greate company come vnto hym/ and sayde vnto Phillip: whence shall we bye breed that these might eate : This he sayde to prove hym. For he hym sylfe knewe what he wolde do. Philip answered him/ two hondred peny worthe of breed are not sufficient for them/ that every man have a litell. Then sayde vnto hym/ won off hys disciples (Andrew Simon Peters brother) There ys a ladde here/ whych hath fyve barly loves/ and two fisshes : butt what ys that amonge so many ? Jesus sayde : Make the people to sit doune. (There was moche grasse in the place) And the men sate doune/ in nombre/ about five thousande. Jesus toke the breed/ and gave thankes/ and gave to his disciples/ and his disciples/ to them that were sett doune. And likwyse of the fysshes/ as moche as they wolde. When they had eten ynought/ he sayde vnto his disciples : gadder vppe the broken meate that remayneth : that nothings be loost. They gaddered it togedder/ and filled twelve basketes wyth the broken meate/ of the five barly loves/ which broken meate remayned vnto them that had eaten. Then those men/ when they had sene te myracle that Jesus did/ sayde : This is off a trueth the same prophet which shall come into the worlde. Jesus knew wele ynough/ that they wolde come/ and take hym vppe/ to make hym kynge : and therfore departed he agayne/ into a mountayne/ hym silfe a lone. When even was come his disciples went vnto the see/ and entred into a shyppe. And went over the see vnto Capernaum. And anon it was darcke/ and Jesus was not come to them. And the see arose with a greate wynde. when they had rowed aboute a xxv. or a xxx. furlonges/ they sawe Jesus walke on the see/ and to drawe nye vnto the shyppe/ and they were afrayed. He sayd vnto them : Itt is 1/ be nott a frayde. Then wolde they have receaved hym into the shippe / and the shippe was by and by at the londe whyther they went. dTo. \mj- ®^f (©ojipell of ^. SHjon. The daye folowynge/ the people which stode on the other syde of the see/ sawe that there was none other shyppe there save that won wher in his disciples were entred/ and that Jesus went nott in with them into the shippe : butt that hys disciples were gone awaye alone (There cam other shippes from Tiberias nye vnto the place / where they ate breed / when the lorde had blessed) Then when the people sawe that Jesus was not there nether hys disciples/ They also toke shippynge and cam to Capernaum sekinge for Jesus. And when they had founde hym on the other syde of the see/ they sayd vnto hym : Master when earnest thou liidder ? Jesus answered them and sayde : verely verely I saye vnto you : ye seke me / nott be cause ye sawe the myracles : but be cause ye ate of the breed/ and were filled. Laboure not for the meate which perissheth/ but for the meate that endureth vnto ever- lastynge lyfe/ whiche meate the sonne of man shall geve vnto you. For hym hath god the father sealed. Then sayde they vnto hym : what shall we do^ that we myght Avorke the workes of god? Jesus answered and sayd vnto them : This is the worke of god/ that ye beleve on him/ whom he hath sent. They sayde vnto hym : what signe shewest thou then ? that we maye se and beleve the. What doest thou worke ? oure fathers did eate manna in the desert/ as yt ys written : He gave them breed from heven to eate. Jesus sayde vnto them : verely verely I saye vnto you : Moses gave you not breed from heven : but my father geveth you the true breed from heven. For he is the breed of God/ which commeth doune from heven/ and geveth lyfe vnto the worlde. Then sayde they vnto hym : Master ever moore geve vs this breed. And Jesus sayde vnto them : I am that breed of lyfe. He that commeth to me/ shall not honger : and he that beleveth on me shall never thurst. Butt I saye vnto you : that ye have sene me/ and yett beleve ye not. All that my father geveth me/ commeth to me : and hym that commeth to me/ cast I not out at the dores. For I cam doune from heven : nott to do myne awne will : butt his will whiche liathe sent me. And this is my fathers will which hath sent me/ that of all which lie hath geven me/ I shulde loose noo thynge : but shulde rayse it vp agayne at the last daye. And this is the wyll off hym that sent me/ That every man whych seith the sonne/ And beleveth on hym/ have everlastynge lyfe. And I wyll rayse hym vp att the last daye. The iewes murmured att itt/ be cause he sayde: I am thatt breed which is come doune from heven. And they sayde : Is €\)t (©osipdl of ^. 3)i)oit. €i). bj. nott this Jesus the sonne of Joseph/ whose father/ and mother we knowe? Howe ys yt then thatt he sayeth/ I cam doiine from heven ? Jesus answered and sayde vnto them : Murmur not betwene youre selves. No man can come to me except my father which hath sent me / drawe hym. And y will rayse hym vp at the last daye. Hit is written in the prophetes : And they shall all be taught of God. Every man which hath herde/ and learned of the father/ commeth vnto me/ not thateny man hath sene the father/ save he which is off God. The same hath sene the father. Verely verely I saye vnto you/ he that beleveth on me hath everlastynge lyfe. I am that breed of lyfe. Youre fathers did eate manna in the wildernes/ and are deed. This is that breed which commeth from heven / that he wich off it eateth / shulde also not deye. I am that livynge breed which cam doune from heven. Yf eny man eate of this breed/ he shall live for ever. And the breed that I will geve / is my flesshe/ which I will geve for the lyfe of the worlde. The iewes strove amonge them selves sayinge : Howe can this felowe geve vs his flesshe to eat? Jesus sayde vnto them : Verely / verely I saye vnto you / except ye eate the flesshe off the sonne of man/ and drynke his bloude/ ye shall not have lyfe in you. Whosoever ealeth my flesshe/ and drynketh my bloudde/ the same hath eternall lyfe : And I will rayse hym vp at the last daye. For my flesshe is meate in dede : and my bloudde is drynke in dede. He thatt eateth my flesshe and drynketh my bloudde/ dwelleth in me and I in hym. As my lyvynge father hath sent me/ even soo lyve I by my father : and he that eateth me/ shall live by me. This is the breed which cam from heven : Nott as youre Fathers have eaten manna and are deed : He that eateth of this breed/ shall live ever. These thinges sayd he in the sinagoge as he taught in caper- naum. Many of his disciples/ when they had herde this/ sayde : This is an herde sayinge. Who can abyde the hearinge of it? Jesus knew in hym silfe/ that his disciples murmured at hit/ and sayde vnto them : Doth this ofFende you ? What and if ye shall se the sonne ott' man ascende vp where he was before ? It is the sprete that quyckeneth/ the flesshe profTeteth nothynge. The wordes that I speake vnto you are sprete and lyfe. But there are some off" you that beleve not. For Jesus knewe from the begynnynge/ which they were that beleved not. And who shulde betraye hym. And he sayde : Therfore sayd I vnto you : that no man can come vnto me/ except it were geven vnto hym of my father. M dTo. lynH' ^i)c !;on. Cfj. v). her heere/ whose brother Lazarus was sicke/ and his sister sent vnto hym sayinge : Lorde beholde/ he whom thou lovest is sicke. When Jesus that herde he sayd : this infirmite is not vnto deth But for the laude of god/ that the sonne off god myght be praysed by the reason of it. Jesus loved Martha and her sister / and Lazarus. After he herde thatt he was sicke / then aboode he two dayes still in the same place where he was. Then after that sayd he to his disciples : lett vs goo into iewry agayne. His disciples sayde vnto hym: Master/ the iewes lately sought meanes to stone the: and wilt thou goo thither agayne? Jesus answered : are there not twelve houres in the daye? Yf a man walke in the daye he stombleth not/ because he seith the light of this worlde. yf a man walke in the nyght he stombleth / be cause there is no light in hym. This sayd he. And after that he sayde vnto them : oure frende Lazarus slepeth/ but I goo to wake hym outt of slepe. Then sayde his disciples : Lorde iff he slepe : then shall he do wele ynough. Jesus spake of his deeth : but they thought that he had spoken of the naturall slepe. Then sayde Jesus vnto them playnly/ Lazarus is deed / and I am gladde for youre sakes / that I was not there / be cause ye maye beleve. Neverthelesse let vs goo vnto hym. Then sayde Thomas (which is called Didimus) vnto the disciples : let vs also goo/ that we maye deye with him. Then went Jesus/ and founde / that he had lyne in his grave foure dayes alredy. Bethani was neye vnto Jerusalem / aboute .XV. furlonges of/ And many of the iewes cam to Martha and Mary / to conforte them over their brother. Martha as sone as she herde that Jesus was commynge / went / and met hym. Mary sate stille at home. Then sayde Martha vnto Jesus: Lorde yff thou haddest bene her / my brother had not bene deed : but neverthelesse / I knowe that whatsoever thou axest of God / God will geve it the. Jesus sayde vnto her: Thy brother shall ryse agayne. Martha sayde vnto hym : I knowe well / he shall ryse agayne in the resurreccion att the last daye. Jesus sayde vnto her : I am the resurreccion and lyfe. Whosoever beleveth on me : ye though he were deed/ yet shall he lyve : and whosoever liveth / and beleveth on me / shall never deye. Belevest thou this ? She sayde vnto hym / ye lorde : I beleve thatt thou arte Christ the sonne off God / which shall come in to the worlde. And as sone as she soo had sayde she went her waye / and called her sister secretly sayinge : The master is come and calleth for the. She as sone as she herde thatt / arose quickly / and cam vnto hym. Jesus was not yet come into the toune : but was in the place were Martha mett hym. The iewes then which were with her in the housse / and comforted her (when they sawe Mary that she rose vppehastely/ and went out) folowedher sayng: She goeth vnto the grave / to wepe there. Then when Mary was come / where Jesus was and sawe hym she fell doune at his fete / sayinge vnto hym : Lorde if thou haddest bene here / my brother had not bene deed. When Jesus sawe her wepe / and the iewes also wepe / whych cam with her. He groned in his spret / and vexed hym silfe and sayde : Where have ye layed hym ? They sayde vnto hym : Lorde come and se. And Jesus wept. Then sayde the iewes : Beholde howe he loved hym. Some off them sayde : Coulde not he which openned the eyes of the blynde/ have made also/ that this man shulde not have deyed ? Jesus agayne gronynge in hym silfe cam to the grave/ it was a cave / and a stone layde on it. Jesus sayd: Take ye awaye the stone. Martha (the sister of hym that was deed) sayde vnto him : Lorde by this tyme he stenketh. For he had bene deed foure dayes. Jesus sayde vnto her: Sayde I not vnto the/ that if thou diddest beleve/thou shuldest se the glory of God. Then they toke awaye the stone from the place where the deed was layde. Jesus lifte vppe his eyes and sayd : Father I geve the thankes be cause that thou hast herde me/ I knewe wele that thou hearest me all wayes : but because of the people that stonde by I sayde it / that they myght beleve/ that thou hast sent me. And when he thus hed spoken/ he cryed with a loud voyce/ Lazarus come forthe/ and he that was deed cam forth bounde hand and fote/ with bondes after the manner as they were wonte to bynde their deed with all. And his face was bounde with a napkyn. Jesus sayde vnto them : loose hym/ and lett hym goo. Then many of the Jewes which cam to mary/ and had sene the thynges which Jesus did/ beleved on hym. But some off them went their wayes to the pharises/ and tolde them what Jesus had done. Then gadered the hye prestes and pharises a counsell and sayde : what do we ? This man doeth many miracles. Yf we lett hym scape thus all men will beleve on hym. And the romaynes shall come and take awaye oure countre and people. And won of them named Cayphas : which was the hye prest that same yeare/ sayde vnto them: Ye perceave nothynge att all nor yett consider that it is expedient for vs / that won man deye for the people/ and not that all the people perisshe. This spake he nott of hym silfe: butt beynge hye preste that same yeare/ prophesied he that Jesus shulde deye for the people / and not for Ci)t (^o^pcll of ^. 3>i)on. €i). yi^. the people only : but what he shulde gadder to gedder in won the children of God which were scattered abroode. From that day kept they a counsell to gedder for to put hym to deeth. Jesus therfore walked no more openly amonge the iewes : butt went his waye thence vnto a countre ny to a wildernes into a cite called effraym/ and there haunted with his disciples. The iewes ester was neye att hond/ and many went out of the countre vppe to Jerusalem before the ester to purify them selves. Then sought they for Jesus, and spake bitwene them selves as they stode in the temple : What thynke ye seynge he commeth not to the feast. The hye prestes and pharises had geven a com- maundment that yf eny man knew where he were / he shulde shewe it that they myght take hym. %l)t yi). €i)apUv. T HEN Jesus before sixe dayesof ester/ cam to bethany where Lazarus (which was deed) was/ whom Jesus raysed from deeth. There they made him a supper/ and Martha served : butt Lazarus was won of them that sate at the table with hym. Then toke Mary a pounde off oyntment called nardus/ perfecte and precious/ and anoynted Jesus fete/ and wept his fete with her heer/ and all the housse smelled off the savre off the oyntment. Then sayde won of his disciples named Judas iscariot/ Simons sonne/ which afterwarde betrayed hym : why was not this oyntment solde for thre hondrede pence/ and geven to te povre ? This sayde he / not that he cared for the pover : butt be cause he was a thefe/ and kept the bagge/ and bare that which was geven. Then sayde Jesus : Lett her alone/ agaynst the daye off my bury- inge she kept it. The povre all wayes shall ye have with you/ butt me shall ye nott all wayes have. Moclie people off the iewes had knowledge that he was there. And they cam nott for Jesus sake only/ butt that they myght se Lazarus also whom he raysed from deeth. The hye prestes held a counsell that they myght put Lazarus to deeth also / be cause that for his sake many of the iewes went awaye/ and beleved on Jesus. On the morowe moche people which cam to the feast (when they herde that Jesus shulde come to Jerusalem) toke braunches off pahne trees and went and mett hym/ and cryed Hosianna/ blessed is he that in the name of the lorde commeth/ kynge of israhell. Jesus gott a yonge asse and sate theron/ acordynge to that wicli was written : feare nott doughter of Sion : beholde thy kynge commeth sittynge on an asses coolte. These thynges vnderstode not his disciples at the fyrst : but when Jesus was gloryfied/ then remembryd they that soche thynges were written of hym/ and that soche thynges they had done vnto hym. The people that was with hym/ when he called Lazarus out off his grave/ and raysed hym from deeth/ bare recorde. Therfore miet hym the peple/ be cause they herde that he had done soche a myracle. The pharises therfore sayde amonge them selves : Ye se that we prevayle no thynge : loo all the worlde goth after hym. There were certayne grekes amonge them / which cam to praye at the feast/ the same cam to Philip which was of Bethsayda a cite in galile/ and desired hym sayinge : Syr we wolde fayne se Jesus. Philip cam and tolde Andrew, and agayne Andrew and Philip tolde Jesus. And Jesus answered them sayinge: the houre is come that the sonne of man must be glorified. Verely verely I saye vnto you/ except the wheate corne fall into the grounde and deye/ it bydeth alone, yf it deye/ it brengeth forth moche frute. He that loveth his life shall destroye it: And he that hateth his lyfe in this worlde/ shall kepe it vnto lyfe eternall. Yf eny man mynister vnto me/ lett hym folowe me/ and where I am there shall also my minister be. And if eny man minister vnto me/ hym will my father honoure. Nowe is my soule troubled/ and what shall I saye? Father delyvre me from this houre : but therfore cam I vnto this houre. Father glorify thy name. Then cam there a voyce from heven / I have glorified it/ and will glorify it agayne. Then sayde the people that stode by and herde/ it thoundreth. O ther sayde: an angell spake to hym. Jesus answered and sayde : this voyce cam nott be cause of me : but for youre sakes. Nowe is the iudgement of this worlde. nowe shall the prynce off this worlde be cast out a dores. And I (yf I were lifte vppe from the erthe) will drawe all men vnto me. This sayde Jesus signifyinge what deeth he shulde deye. The people answered hym : We have herde of the lawe that Christ bydeth ever : and howe sayest thou then that the sonne of man must be lifte vppe? who is that sonne of man ? Jesus sayde vnto them : yet a lytell whyle is the light with you : walke whill ye have light/ lest the darcknes come on you. He that walketh in the darke/ wotteth not whither he goeth. Whyll ye have light/ beleve on the light that ye may be the children of light. These thynges spake Jesus and departed/ and hid hym silfe from them. And though he hade done soo many myracles before €l)t (So^pcU of ^. 3iion. CI), yiij. them/ yet beleved not they on hym / that the sayinge of Esayas the prophet myght be fulfilled / that he spake. Lorde who shall beleve cure sayinge ? And to whom ys the arme off the lorde declared? Therfore coulde they not beleve/ be cause that Esaias sayth agayne : He hath blinded their eyes/ and hardened their hertes/ that they shuld not se with their eyes/ and vnder- stonde with their hertes/ and shulde be converted and I shulde heale them. Soche thynges sayde Esaias when he sawe hys glory/ and spake of him. Neverthelesse amonge the chefe rulers many beleved on hym/ but be cause of the pharises they wolde not be knowenoffit/ lest they shulde be excommunicate. For they loved the prayse that is geven off men / more then the prayse / that commeth of god. Jesus cryed and sayd : he that beleveth on me beleveth nott on me/ butt on hym that sent me. And he that seeth me/ seeth hym that sent me. I am come a light into the worlds that whosoever beleveth on me shulde nott byde in darcknes/ and yf eny man heare my wordes and beleve nott/ I iudge hym not. For I cam not to iudge the worlde : but to save the worlde. He that putteth me awaye / and receaveth nott my wordes/ hathe won that iudgeth hym. The wordes that I have spoken shall iudge hym in the last daye. For I have not spoken off my silfe : but my father which sent me gave me a commaundment what I shulde saye/ and what I shulde speake. And I knowe wele that his commaundment ys lyfe everlastynge. Whatsoever I speake therfore/ even as my father bade me / so I speake. Cije yiij. Ci)aptti-. "DEFORE the feast ofF ester when Jesus knewethat hys houre was come/ thatt he shulde departe out of this worlde vnto the father. When he loved his which were in the worlde / vnto the ende he loved them. And when supper was ended/ after that the devyll had put in the hert off Judas iscariot Simons sonne / to be traye him. Jesus knowynge that the father had geven him all thinges into his hondes. And that he was come from God/ and went to God / he rose from supper/ and layde a syde hys vpper garmentes/ and toke a towell/ and gyrd hym silfe. After that poured he water into a basyn / and began to washe hys disciples fete/ and to wyppe them with the towell/ where with he was gyrde. Then cam he to Simon Peter. And Peter sayde to him : Lorde shalt thou wesshe my fete? Jesus answered and sayde vnto hym : what I do thou wottest nott nowe / thou shalt knowe here after. Peter sayd vnto hym : Thou shalt nott wesshe my fete whill the worlde stondeth. Jesus answered him : yfF I washe not thy fete/ thou shalt have no part with me. Simon Peter sayde vnto hym : Lorde nott my fete only / butt also my hondes and my heed. Jesus sayde to hym : he that is wesshed / nedeth not but to wesshe his fete/ but is clene every whit/ And ye are clene ; butt nott all. For he knewe his betrayer. Ther- fore sayde he : ye are not all clene. After he had wesshed their fete/ and receaved his clothes/ and was sett doune agayne/ he sayde vnto them : wot ye what I have done to you? ye call me master and lorde/ and ye saye well/ for soo am I. Yf I then youre lorde and master have wesshen youre fete/ ye alsoo ought to wesshe one anothers fete. For I have geven you an ensample / that ye shulde do as I have done to you. Verely verely I saye vnto you / the servaunt is not gretter then hys master. Nether the messenger gretter then he that sent hym. Yf ye vnderstonde these thynges/ happy are ye yf ye do them. I speake not off you all/ I knowe whom I have chosen. But that the scripture be fulfilled: he that eateth breed with me/ Hath lifte vppe his hele againste me. Nowe tell I you before it come : that when y t is come to passe / ye myght beleve that I am he. Verely verely I saye vnto you : He that receaveth whomsoever I sende / receaveth me. And he that receaveth me/ receaveth hym that sent me. When Jesus had thus sayde/ he was troubled in his sprete/ and testified sayinge : verely verely I saye vnto you / that won off you shall betraye me. Then the disciples loked won on another doutinge of whom he spake. There was one of his disciples which leaned on Jesus besome/ whom Jesus loved. To hym beckened Simon Peter that he shulde axe who it was off whome he spake. He then as he leaned on Jesus brest sayde vnto hym : Lorde who ys it? Jesus answered/ he yt ys to whom I geve a soppe/ when I have dept hit. And he wet a soppe/ and gave ytt to Judas iscarioth Simons sonne. And after the soppe Satan entred into hym. Then sayde Jesus vnto hym : thatt thou dost do quycly. Tliat wist noo man at the table/ for what intent he spake vnto hym. Some off them thought/ be cause Judas had the bagge / thatt Jesus had sayd vnto hym/ by those thynges that we have nede of against the feast: or that he shulde geve somethynge to the povre. As sone then as he had receaved the soppe / he went immediatly out. And it was nyght. When he was gone out/ Jesus sayde : nowe is the sone of man glorified. And God is glorified by hym. Yf God be glorified by him / God shall also glorify him / in him sylfe : and shall strayght waye glorify hym. Deare children/ yet a lytell whyle am I with you. Ye shall seke me/ and as I sayde vnto the iewes whither I goo/ thither can ye nott come. Alsoo to you saye I nowe. A newe com- maundment geve I vnto you/ that ye love to gedder/ as I have loved you / that even soo ye love one another. By thys shall men knowe that ye are my disciples/ yf ye shall have love won to another. Simon Peter sayd vnto hym : lorde whither goest thou ? Jesus answered hym : whither I goo thou canst not folowe me nowe/ thou shalt folowe me afterwardes. Peter sayd vnto hym lorde why cannot I folowe the nowe? I will geve my lyfe for thy sake. Jesus answered hym : Wilt thou geve thy lyfe for my sake ? Verely verely I saye vnto the / the cocke shall nott Crowe/ till thou have denyed me thryse, Cije jrtiij. Cijaptcr. A ND he sayde vnto hys disciples : Lett nott youre hertes be ■^-^ trubled/ beleve in God/ and beleve in me. In my fathers housse are many mansions. If it were not soo/ I wolde have tolde you. I goo to prepare a place for you. I will come agayne/ and receve you even vnto myselfe/ that where I am/ theare maye ye be also. And whither I goo ye knowe/ and the waye ye knowe. Thomas sayde vnto him : Lorde we knowe not whyther thou goest. Also howe is it possible for vs to knowe the waye ? Jesus sayde vnto hym I am the waye / verite / and lyfe. No man com- meth vnto the father/ but by me. Yf ye hadknowen me ye had knowen my father alsoo. And nowe ye knowe hym. And ye have sene hym. Phillip said vnto him: lorde shew vs thy father and it suffiseth vs Jesus sayde vnto hym : have I bene so longe time with you : and yet hast thou not knowen me? Philip/ he that hath sene me / hath sene the father. And howe sayest thou then : shewe vs the father? Belevest thou nott that I am in the father/ and the father in me ? The wordes that I speake vnto you/ I speake not of my silfe : but the father dwellinge in me is he that doeth the workes. Beleve that I am in the father/ and the father in me. Att the leest beleve me for the very workes sake. dFo. )f(. Cl)€ <©ogpcn of ^. 3>5^on. Verely verely I saye vnto you whosoever beleevethon me/ the workes that I doo/ the same shall he do/ and gretter workes then these shall he do / be cause I go vnto my father. And whatsoever ye axe in my name/ that will I do/ that the father might be glorified by the sonne. Yf ye shal axe eny thynge in my name I will do it. Yf ye love me kepe my commaundmentes/ and I will praye my father/ and he shall geve you a nother comforter/ that he maye byde with you ever/ which is the sprete of truthe whome the worlde cannot receave/ be cause the worlde seyth him not / nether knoweth hym. Butt ye knowe him / For he dwelleth with you/ and shalbe in you. I will nott leave you comfortlesse : I will come vnto you. Hit is yet a litell whyle and the worlde seyth me noo moare : but ye shall se me. For I live / and ye shall live. That daye shall ye knowe that I am in my father/ and my father in me/ and I in you. He that hath my commaundmentes and kepeth them / the same is he that loveth me/ and he that loveth me shalbe loved of my father/ and I will love him/ and will showe myne awne silfe vnto him. Judas sayd vnto him (not Judas iscarioth) lorde what is the cause that thou wilt shewe thy silfe vnto vs / and not vnto the worlde ? Jesus answered and sayde vnto hym : yf a man love me and wyll kepe my sayinges/ my father also will love him/ and we woU come vnto hym/ and wyll dwell wyth hym. He that loveth me not/ kepeth nott my sayinges. And the wordes which ye heare are nott myne / but my fathers / which sent me. This have I spoken vnto you beynge yett present with you. But that comforter which ys the holy gost (whom my father will sende in my name) shall teache you all thynges / and brynge all thynges to youre remembraunce / whatsoever I have tolde you. Peace I leve with you / my peace I geve vnto you. Nott as the worlde geveth / geve I vnto you. Lett not youre hertes be greved / nether feare ye. Ye have herde howe I saide vnto you : I goo and come agayne vnto you. Yf ye loved me/ ye wolde verely reioyce / be cause I sayde / I goo vnto the father. For the father is gretter then I / And nowe have I shewed you / before it come/ that when it is come to passe/ ye myght beleve. Here after will I not talke many wordes vnto you. For the chefe ruelar off thys worlde commeth / and hath nought in me. Ci)e ©o^pell of &. 3)]^on. €t). yb. But that the worlde maye knowe that I love my father / And as my father gave me commaundment / even soo do I. Ryse lett vs goo hence. Ci)c r^. Ci^apter. T AM the true vyne / and my father ys an husbande man. Every braunche that beareth nott frute in me f He will take awaye. And every braunce that beareth frute will he pourge that it maye bringe moare frute. Nowe are ye cleane f be the meanes of the wordes which I have spoken vnto you. Byde in me/ and I in you. As the braunche cannot beare frute off it sylfe/ excepte it byde in the vyne: no more can ye excepte ye abyde in me. I am the vyne / and ye are the braunches. He that abydeth in me r and I in hym / the same bryngeth forth moche frute. For without me can ye do nothynge. Yff a man byde nott in me / he ys cast forthe as a braunche / and is widdred : and men gadder them / and cast them into the fyre / and they burne. Yff ye byde in me/ and my wordes also bide in you : axe what ye will / and it shalbe geven you. Heare in is my father glorified / that ye beare moche frute / and be made my disciples. As my father hath loved me/ even soo have I loved you. Con- tinue in my love. Yf ye shall kepe my commaundmentes/ ye shall byde in my love / even as I have kept my fathers commaund- mentes / and byde in his love. These thinges have I spoken vnto you/ that my ioye myght remayne in you/ and that youre ioye myght be full. Thys ys my commaundment / that ye love togedder as I have loved you. Gretter love then this hath no man / then that a man bestowe his lyfe for his frendes. Ye are my frendes/ yf ye do whatsoever I commaunde you. Hence forth call I you nott servauntes : For the servaunt knoweth nott what hys lorde doeth. Butt you have I called frendes : For all thynges that I have herde of my father/ I have openned to you. Ye have not chosen me/ but I have chosen you and ordeyned you that ye goo/ and bringe forthe frute/ and that youre frute remayne/ that whatsoever ye shall axe off my father in my name he shulde geve it you. This commaunde I you / that ye love to gedder. Yf the worlde hate you/ ye knowe that he hated me before he hated you. Yf ye were of the worlde / the worlde wolde love his awne. Be cause ye are not of the worlde/ but I have chosen you out of the worlde/ therfore hateth you the worlde. Remember my sayinge/ that I sayde vnto you: the servaunte is not gretter then his lord^, n2 yf they have persecuted me/ so will they persecute you YfFthey have kept my saymge/ so will they kepe youres. But all these thyn2:es will they do vnto you for my names sake/ be cause they have nott knowen hym tliat sent me. Yf I had not come and spoken vnto them / they shulde have no synne : butt nowe have they nothynge to cloke theyr synne with all. He that hateth me / hateth my father. Iff I had nott done workes amonge them which none other man did/ they shulde be with oute synne. But nowe have they sene/ and yet have hated bothe me and my father : Even thatt the sayinge myght be fulfilled that is written in theyre lawe. They hated me ■withoutt a cause. Butt when the comforter is come/ whom I will sende vnto you from the father/ wich is the sprete of verite/ which proceadeth off the father/ he shall testifie off me. And ye shall beare witnes also / because ye have bene with me from the begynnynge. Cljt ybj. Cljaptn-. ^pHESE thynges have I sayde vnto you be cause ye shulde -^ nott be hurte in youre fayth. They shall excomunicat you / ye the tyme shall come/ thatt whosoever killeth you / will thynke that he doth God true service. And suche thynges will they do vnto you/ be cause they have not knowen the father nether yet me. These thynges have I tolde you/ that when that houre is come/ ye shulde remember them/ that I tolde you so. These thynges sayde I not vnto you at the begynnynge/ be cause I was present with you. Butt nowe goo I my waye to hym thatt sent me/ and none of you axeth me : whither goest thou ? but be cause I have sayde suche thynges vnto you/ youre hertes are full ofFsorowe. Never- thelesse I tell you the trueth it is expedient for you that I goo a waye. For yf I goo nott awaye/ that comforter will nott come vnto you. Yfl' I de parte I will sende hym vnto you. And when he is come / he will rebuke the worlde off synne / and of rightwes- nes / and of iudgement. Of synne / because they beleve not on me: Of rightwesnes/ be cause I goo to my father/ and ye shall se me no moare : And of iudgement/ be cause the chefe rueler of this worlde / is iudged alredy. I have yet many thynges to saye vnto you : but ye cannot beare them awaye nowe. When he is wons come (I meane the sprete of verite) he will leade you into all trueth. He shall nott speake of hym silfe : but whatsoever he shall heare / that shall €i)t (©ogpell of ^. ^])on. Ci). yb). he speake/ and he will shewe you thynges to come. He shall glorify me / for he shall receave of myne / and shall shewe vnto you. All thynges that my father hath ar myne. Therfore sayd I vnto you that he shal take of mine and shewe vnto you. After awhyle ye shall not se me / and agayne after a whyle ye shall se me : For I goo to my father. Then sayd some of his disciples bitwene them selves : what is this that he sayth vnto vs/ after a whyle ye shall not se me/ and agayne after a whyle ye shall se me : and that I goo to my father. They sayde ther- fore: what is this that he sayth after a while? we cannot tell what he saith. Jesus perceaved/ that they wolde axe hym / and sayde vnto them : This is it that ye enquyre of bitwene youre selves/ that I sayd / after a whyle ye shall nott se me/ and agayne after a whyle ye shall se me. Verely verely I saye vnto you : ye shall wepe and lament/ and the worlde shall reioyce. Ye shall sorowe : but youre sorowe shalbe tourned to ioye. A woman when she traveyleth hath sorowe/ be cause her houre is come : but as sone as she is delivered off her chylde she re- membreth no moare her anguysshe / for ioye that a man is borne in to the worlde. And ye nowe are in sorowe : butt I will se you agayne: and youre hertes shall reioyce/ and youre ioye shall no man take from you. And in that daye shall ye axe me no question. Verely verely I saye vnto you/ whatsoever ye shall axe the father in my name / he will geve it you. Hetherto have ye axed no thinge / in my name. Axe and ye shall re- ceave it: that youre ioye maye be full. These thinges have I spoken vnto you in proverbes. The tyme will come when I shall no moare spake to you in proverbes : but I shall shewe you playnly from my father. At that daye shall ye axe in myne name. And I saye not vnto you that I Avill speake vnto my father for you. For my father hym silfe loveth you/ be cause ye have loved me. and beleved that I cam out from god. I went out from the father/ and cam into the worlde : I leve the worlde agayne / and go to the father. His disciples sayd vnto hym: loo nowe speakest thou playnly/ and thou vsest no proverbe. Nowe knowe we that thou vnder- stondest all thinges / and nedest not that eny man shulde axe the eny question. Therfore beleve we that thou camst from god. Jesus answered them : Nowe ye do beleve. Beholdethe houre draweth nye / and ys alredy come / that ye shalbe scatered every man his wayes/ and shall leave me alone. And yet am I not alone. For my father is with me. These wordes have I spoken vnto you that in me ye myght have peace. In the worlde shall ye have tribulacion : but be of good cheare / I have overcome the worlde. Ci)e vbij. Ci)aptcr. T^HESE wordes spake Jesus and lifte vppe his eyes to heven/ and sayde : father the houre is come glorify thy sonne that thy sonne maye glorify the. As thou hast geven hym power over all flesshe/ that he shulde geve eternall life to as many as thou hast geven him. This is life eternall that they myght knowe the that only very God : and whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ. I have gloryfied the on the erth. I have fynyssheed the workes whych thou gavest me to do. And nowe glorify me thou father in thyn awne presence/ with the glory which I had with the yerre the worlde was. I have declared thy name vnto the men whych thou gavest me out off the worlde. Thyne they were/ and thou hast geven them me/ and they have kept thy sayinges. Nowe have they knowen that all thinges whatsoever thou hast geven me/ are of the. For I have geven vnto them the wordes which thou gavest me/ and they have receaved them/ and have knowen surely that I cam out from the : and have beleved that thou diddest send me. I praye for them. I praye not for the worlde: but for them which thou hast geven me/ for they are thyne/ and all myne are thyne/ and thyne are myne/ and I am glorifyed in them. And now am I no moare in the worlde / but they are in the worlde / and I come to the. Wholy father kepe in thyne awne name them which thou hast geven me/ that they maye be one as we are. Whyll I was with them in the worlde/ I kepte them in thy name. Those that thou gavest me / have I kepte / and none of them is lost / but that lost chylde/ that the scripture myght be fulfilled. Nowe come I to the/ and these wordes speake I in the worlde that they myght have my ioye full in them. I have geven them thy doctryne/ and the worlde hath hated them / be cause they are nott off the worlde / even as I am not of the worlde. I desyre not that thou shuldest take them out of the worlde: but that thou kepe them from evyll. They are not off the worlde/ as I am not of the worlde. Sanctify them in thy trueth. Thy sayinge is verite. As thou diddest send me into the worlde / even soo have I sent them into the worlde / and for their sakes sanctify I my silfe/ thattthey also myght be sanctified thorowe the trueth. €f)t (Sogptll of ^. S)I)on. CJ). vfatij. I praye not for tliem alone : butt for them also which shall beleve on me thorowe their preachynge / that they all maye be one / as thou father arte in me / and I in the / that they maye be alsoo one in vs/ that the worlde maye beleve that thou hast sent me. Andthat glory that thou gavest me I have geven them/ that they maye be wone / as we are wone. I am in them and thou arte in me / that they maye be made perfecte in won / and that the worlde maye knowe that thou hast sent me/ and hast loved them/ as thou hast loved me. Father I will that they which thou hast geven me/ be with me where I am/ that they maye se my glory which thou hast geven me. For thou hast loved me before the makynge of the worlde 0 righteous father the very worlde hath nott knowen the : butt 1 have knowen the/ and these have knowen that thou hast sent me. And I have declared vnto them thy name / and will declare it/ that the love wher with thou lovedst me/ be in them / and that I be in them. "Y1/"HEN Jesus had spoken these wordes/ he went forth with his disciples over the broke Cedron / where was a garden / into the which he entered with his disciples (Judas also wich be- trayed hym knewe the place/ for Jesus often tymes resorted thither with his disciples) Judas then after he had receaved a bonde otf men / and ministers of the hy prestes / and of the pha- rises cam thither with lanterns/ and fyerbrondes/ and wepens. Then Jesus knowynge all thynges that shulde come on hym/ went forth and sayde vnto them : whom seke ye ? They an- swered hym : Jesus off nazareth. Jesus sayde vnto them : I am he. Judas also which betrayed him stode by with them. As sone as he had sayd vnto them I am he/ they went backe wardesand fell to the grounde. He axed them agayne : whome seke ye ? They sayde : Jesus off Nazareth. Jesus answered/ I sayde vnto you/ I am he. Iff ye seke me/ lett these goo theyr waye / That the sayinge myght be fulfilled which he spake : of them which thou gavest have I not lost one. Simon Peter had a swearde/ and drue hym out/ and smote the hye prestes servaunt/ and cut off his right eare. The ser- vauntes name was Malchas. Then sayde Jesus vnto Peter : put vppc thy swearde into the sheath : shall I not drynke of the cuppe which my father had geven me ? Then the company / dFo. yciij. €:i)e (^oj^pell of §>. 3)i)on. and the Captayne/ and the ministers off the iewes/ toke Jesus and bounde hym/ and ledde hym awaye to Anna fyrst : For he was fatherelawe vnto Cayphas/ which was the hye preste thatt same yeare. Cayphas was he that gave counsel! to the iewes that it was expedient that won man shulde deye for the people. Simon Peter folowed Jesus/ and another disciple/ that disci- ple was knowen of the hye preste/ and went in with Jesus into the pallys of the hye preste. Peter stode att the dore with outt. Then wentt outt thatt other disciple which was knowen vnto the hye preste/ and spake to the damsell thatt kept the dore/ and brought in Peter. Then sayde the damsell that kept the dore vnto Peter: Arte nott thou wone off this mannes disciples? He sayde ; I am nott. The servauntes and the ministers stode there/ and had made a fyre off coles. For it was colde/ and they warmed them selves. Peter also stode amonge them and warmed hym silfe. The hye preste axed Jesus of his disciples/ and of his doctrine. Jesus answered hym : I spak openly in the worlde. I ever taught in the sinagoge and in the temple whither all the iewes resorted: and in secrete have I sayde nothynge : why axest thou me? Axe them whiche herde me what I sayde vnto them. Be- holde they can tell what I sayde. When he had thus spoken/ one off the ministers which stode by / smote Jesus on the face sayinge : Answrest thou the hye preste soo ? Jesus answered hym : Yf I have evyll spoken/ beare witnes of the evyll : yf I have well spoken/ why smytest thou me? Annas sent hym bounde vnto Cayphas as the hye preste. Simon Peter stode and warmed hym silfe/ and they sayde vnto hym : Arte not thou also won of his disciples ? He denyed itt / and sayde : I am not. Won of the servauntes of the hye preste (his cosyn whose eare Peter smote of) sayde vnto hym : did not I se the in the gardenwith hym? Peter denyed it agayne. And immediatly the cocke crewe. Then ledd they Jesus from Cayphas into the housse of iudge- ment. Hit was in the mornynge/ and they them selves went not into the iudgement housse lest they shulde be defyled/ butt that they myght eate Pascha. Pilate then went oute vnto them and sayde : What accusacion brynge ye agaynste this man? They answered and sayd vnto hym : Iff he were nott an evyll doar/ we wolde not have delyvered hym vnto the. Then sayd Pilate vnto them : take hym vnto you/ andiudgehym after youre awne lawe. The iewes sayde vnto hym. It is nott law- full for vs to putt eny man to deeth. That the wordes of Jesus myglit be fulfilled which he spake/ signifyinge what deeth he shulde deye. Then Pilate entred into the iudgement housse agayne/ and called Jesus/ and sayd vnto him : Arte thou kynge oftheievves? Jesus answered : sayst thou that off thy sylfe/ or did other tell ytt the of me ? Pilate answered : Am I a iewe ? Thyne avvne nacion an hye prestes have delivered the vnto me. What hast thou done ? Jesus answered : my kyngdome is not of this worlde. YfF my kyngdome were of this worlde then wolde my ministers suerly fight/ that I shulde not be delyvered to the iewes/ but nowe is my kyngdome not from hence. Pilate sayde vnto hym : Arte thou a kynge then ? Jesus answered : Thou sayst that I am a kynge. For this cause was I borne/ and for this cause cam I into the worlde / that I shulde beare witnes vnto the trueth. All that are of the trueth heare my voice. Pilate sayde vnto hym : what is trueth. And when he had sayde that/ he went out agayne vnto the iewes / and sayde vnto them : I fynde in him no cause at all. Ye have a costome araonge you/ that I shulde delyvre you won loosse at ester, will ye that I loose vnto you the kynge of the iewes. Then cryed they all againe sayinge : Not him/ but Bar- rabas. Barrabas was a Robber. €i)e riy- C!;aptcr. T HEN Pilate toke Jesus and scourged hym. And the soudiers wonde a croune ofi" thornes and put it on his heed. And they did put on hym a purple garment/ and sayd : hayl kynge off the iewes. And they smote hym on the face Pilate went forthe agayne/ and sayde vnto them : beholde I brynge him forth to you/ that ye maye knowe that I fynde no faute in hym. Then cam Jesus forthe wearynge a croune of thornes/ and a robe of purple. And Pilate sayd vnto them : Beholde the man. When the liye prestes and ministers sawe him/ they cryed sayinge: crucify him/ crucify hym. Pilate sayde vnto them. Take ye hym and crucify hym : For I fynde no cause in hym. The iewes answered hym: We have a lawe/ and by oure lawe he ought to deye : be cause he made hym silfe the sonne of God. When Pilate herde that sayinge/ he was the moare afrayde/ and went agayne in to the iudgment house / and sayde vnto Jesus : whence arte thou ? Jesus gave hym none answere. Then sayde Pilate vnto hym : Speakest thou not vnto me ? Knowest thou nott that I have power to crucify the/ and have power to loose the ? Jesus answered : Thou coudest have no power att all agaynst me / except it were geven vnto the from above. Ther- fore he that delivered me vnto the/ is moare in synne. And from thence forthe sought Pilate meanes to loose hym : but the iewes cryed sayinge : yf thou lett hym goo/ thou arte not Cesars frende. Whosoever maketh him silfe a kynge/ is agaynst Cesar. When Pilate herdethat sayinge he brought Jesus forthe/ and sate downe to geve sentence/ in a place called the pavement: Butt in the he brue tonge/ Gabbatha. (Hitt was the saboth even which falleth in the ester fest/ and aboute the sixte houre) And he sayde vnto the iewes : Beholde youre kynge. They cryed/ awaye with hym/ awaye with hym/ Crucify hym. Pilate sayde vnto them : Shall I crucify youre kynge ? The hye prestes answered : We have noo kynge but Cesar. Then delivered he hym vnto them to be crucified. And they toke Jesus and ledde hym awaye. And he bare his crosse/ and went forthe into a place called the place off deed menns seniles (which is named in hebrue/ Golgatha) where they crucified hym. And with hym two other: on ether syde won/ and Jesus in the myddes. Pilate wrote his title/ and put it on the crosse. The wrytynge was/ Jesus off nazareth/ kynge off the iewes. This tytle reed many off the iewes. Forthe place where Jesus was crucified / was neye to the cite. And it was written in hebrue/ greke/ and latyn. Then sayde the hye prestes off the iewes to Pilate : wryte nott / kynge ofi" the iewes : butt that he sayde/ I am kynge of the iewes. Pilate answered: what I have written/ that have I written. The soudiers/ when they had crucified Jesus/ toke his gar- mentes and made foure partes/ to every soudier a parte/ and also his coote. The coote was with out seme woven vppon thorowe and thorowe. And they sayde won to another : Let vs nott devyde it : butt cast lootes who shall have it. That the scripture myght be fulfilled which sayth : They parted my rayment amonge them / and on my coote did cast lottes. And the soudiers did soche thynges in dede. There stode by the cross of Jesus his mother/ and his mothers sister/ Mary the wyfe off Cleophas/ and Mary magdalene. When Jesus sawe his mother/ and the disciple stondynge whom he loved / he sayde vnto his mother : Woman beholde thy sonne. Then sayde he to the disciple : beholde thy mother. And from that houre the disciple toke her for his awne. After that when Jesus perceaved that all thynges were per- formed/ that the scriptures myght be fulfyled : he sayde: I Ci)e (So^pell of ^. 3Ji)on. €if, yv- thyrst. There stode a vessell full off veneger by. They filled a sponge with venegre/ and wonde it about with ysoppe/ and put it to his mougth. As sone as Jesus had receaved of the venegre/ he sayd : It is fynnesshed/ and bowed his heed/ and gave vppe the goost. The iewes then be cause it was the saboth even that the bodyes shuld not remayne apon the crosse on the saboth daye (For that saboth daye was an hye daye) besought Pilate that their legges myght be broken and that they myght be taken doune. Then cam the soudiers and brake the legges of the fyrst/ and of the other which was crucified with Jesus, When they cam to Jesus and sawe that he was deed alredy/ they brake not his legges : butt one off the soudiers with a speare / thrust hym into the syde / and forth with cam there out blude and water. And he that sawe it bare recorde/ and his recorde is true. And he knoweth that he sayth true that ye myght beleve also. These thinges were done that the scripture shulde be fulfilled : Ye shall not breake a boone of him. And agayne another scrip- ture sayeth : They shall loke on hym/ whom they pearsed. After that/ Joseph off Aramathia (whych was a disciple of Jesus : but secretly for feare off the iewes) besought Pilate that he myght take doune the boddy off Jesus. And Pilate gave him licence. And there cam also Nicodemus which att the begynn- ynge cam to Jesus by nyght/ and brought of mirre and aloes mingled to gedder aboute an hundred pounde wayght. Then toke they the body of Jesu and wonde it in lynnen clothes with those confeccions as the manner of the iewes is to bury. In the place where Jesus was crucified/ was a garden/ and in the gar- den a newe sepulcre/ wherin was never man layde. There layde they Jesus be cause of the iewes saboth even/ for the sepulcre was nye at honde. CJ)« yr. CljapUr. nPHE morowe after the saboth daye cam Mary magdalene erly ■*- when it was yet darcke/ vnto the sepulcre/ and sawe the stone rowled awaye from the toumbe. Then she ranne/ and cam to Simon Peter/ and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved/ and sayde vnto them : They have taken awaye the lorde out off the toumbe and we cannot tell where they have layde hym. Peter went forth and that other disciple/ and cam vnto the sepulcre. They ranne bothe to gether/ and that other dis- ciple did out runne Peter/ and cam fyrst to the sepulcre. And iffo. ycb. €i)t ^o^pell of ^. 3)i)on. he stouped doune and sawe the lynnen clothes / yet went he not in. Then cam Simon Peter folowynge hym/ and went into the sepulcre/ and sawe the lynnen clothes lye/ and the napkyn that was abonte hys heed nott lyinge wyth the lynnen clothes/ but wrapped togedder in a place by yt sylfe. Then went in also that other disciple whych cam fyrst to the sepulcre/ and he sawe and beleved. For as yett they knew nott the scriptures/ that he shulde ryse agayne from deeth. And the disciples went awaye agayne vnto their awne home. Mary stode with out att the sepulcre wepynge : As she wept/ she bowed her sylfe into the sepulcre and sawe two angels clothed in whyte sittyng the one att the heed / and the other at the fete / where they had layde the body of Jesus, They sayde vnto her : woman why wepest thou ? She sayde vnto them : They have taken awaye my lorde / and I wote not where they have layde him. When she had thus sayde/ she turned her sylfe backe and sawe Jesus stondynge / and knewe not that it was Jesus. Jesus sayde vnto her : woman why wepest thou ? Whom sekest thou? She supoosynge that he had bene the gardener/ sayde vnto hym : Syr if thou have borne him hence tell me where thou hast layde him/ and I will take hym awaye. Jesus sayde vnto her : Mary. She turned her sylfe/ and sayde vnto hym: Raboni which is to saye master. Jesus sayde vnto her : touche me not/ for I have nott yet ascended to my father. Butt goo to my brothren and saye vnto them / I ascende vnto my father / and youre father: my God/ and youre god. Mary magdalene cam and tolde the disciples that she had sene the lorde/ and that he had spoken soche thinges vnto her. The same daye at nyght/ whych was the morowe after the saboth daye/ when the dores were shutt (where the disciples were assembled to gedder for feare of the iewes) cam Jesus and stode in the myddes / and sayd to them : peace be with you. And when he liad so sayde/ he shewed vnto them his hondes and his fete/ and his syde. Then were the disciples glad when they sawe the lorde. He sayde vnto them agayne: peace be with you. As my father sent me/ even so sende I you. When he had sayde that/ he blewe on them/ and sayde vnto them: Receave the holy goost: whosoevers synnes ye remyt/ they are remitted vnto them : And whosoevers synnes ye retayne / they are retayned. Thomas one off the twelve/ called didimus / was not with them when Jesus cam. The other disciples sayd vnto hym : we have sene the lorde. And he sayde vnto them : except I se in his Ci)« (©o^pell of ^. 3)J)on. Ci). ni- hondes the prent of the neyles / and put my fynger in the holes off the nayles/ and thruste my honde into hys syde/ I will not beleve. And after viij. dayes agayne / the disciples Avere within / and Thomas was with them. Jesus cam when the dores were shet / and stode in the myddes and sayde : peace be with you. Then sayde he to Thomas: put in thy fynger here/ and se my hondes / and putt forth thy honde and thrust hym into my syde/ and be nott wyth out fayth : but beleve. Thomas answered and sayde vnto hym : my lorde/ and my God. Jesus sayde vnto hym : Thomas because thou hast sene me / therfore hast thou beleved : Happy are they that have not sene / and yet have beleved. And many other signes did Jesus in the presence of his disci- ples / which are not written in this boke. These are written that ye myght beleve that Jesus is Christ the sonne of God. and that ye in belevynge myght have life thorewe his name. Cljc n'h Ci;apUr. A FTER thatt Jesus shewed hym silfe agayneat the seeof tiberias. -^^ And on this wyse shewed he him silfe. There were to gedder Simon Peter and Thomas/ which is called Didimus: and Natha- nael of Cana a cite of galile / and the sonnes off Zebedei/ and two other off the disciples / Simon Peter sayde vnto them : I goo afysshynge. They sayde vnto hym / we also wyll goo wyth the. They went their wave and entred into a shippe strayght waye / and that nyght caught they noo thynge. When the mornynge was nowe come / Jesus stode on the shore / Neverthelesse the disciples knewe not that it was Jesus. Jesus sayde vnto thera : Syrs / have ye eny meate ? They answered hym noo. And he sayde vnto them : cast out youre nett on the right syde of the shippe/ and ye shall fynde. They cast out/ and anon they were not able to drawe it for the multitude of fysshes. Then sayde the disciple whom Jesus loved vnto Peter: It is the lorde. When Simon Peter herde that it was the lorde/ he gyrde his mantell to hym (for he was naked) and sprange into the see. The other disciples cam by shippe : For they were nott farre from londe/ butt as it were two hondred cubites/ And they drewe the net with fisshes. As sone as they were come to londe/ they sawe hoot coles layde and fisshe layc ther on/ and breed. Jesus sayde vnto them : brynge of the fisshes which ye have nowe caught. Simon Peter stepped forthe and drewe the nett to londe full of greate fisshes/ an hondred and .liij. And for all dTo. vc^' ^l)e ®0)3pen of ^. 3>i)on. there were so many/ yet was not the net broken. Jesus sayde vnto them : come and dyne. And none of the disciples durste axe hym : what arte thou ? For they knewe that it was the lorde. Jesus then cam and toke breed/ and gave them / and fisshe lykwyse. And this is nowe the thyrde tyme that Jesus apered to his disciples / after that he was rysen agayne from deeth. When they had dyned/ Jesus sayde to Simon Peter. Simon Joanna/ lovest thou me more then these? He sayde vnto hym: ye lorde/ thou knowest/ that I love the. He sayde vnto hym : fede my lambes. He sayde to hym agayne the seconde tyme : Simon Joanna/ lovest thou me? He sayde vnto hym : ye lorde thou knowest that I love the He sayde vnto hym : fede my shepe. He sayde vnto hym the thyrde tyme: Simon Joanna/ lovest thou me? Peter sorowed because he sayde the thyrde tyme/ lovest thou me/ and sayde vnto hym : Lorde/ thou know- est all thynge / thou knowest that I love the. Jesus sayde vnto hym. fede my shepe. Verely verely I saye vnto the / when thou wast yonge / thou gerdedst thy silfe/ and walkedst whither thou woldest. but when thou arte olde / thou shalt stretche forthe thy hondes / and a nother shall gyrde the / and ieade the whither thou woldest not. That spake he signifyinge by what deeth he shulde glorify God. And when he had sayde thus / he sayd to hym Folowe me. Peter turned about/ and sawe that disciple whom Jesus loved folowynge (which also lened on his brest at super) and sayde : lorde which is he that shall betraye the ? When Peter sawe hym / he sayde to Jesus : Lorde what shall he here do ? Jesus sayde vnto hym: Yf I will have hym to tary tyll I come/ what is that to the ? folowe thou me. Then went this sayinge a broode amonge the brethren/ that that disciple shulde nott deye. And Jesus sayde nott to hym / he shall not deye / butt yff I will that he tary tyll I come / what is that to the ? The same disciple is he / which testifieth off these thynges / and wrote these thynges. And we knowe / thatt hys testymony is true. There are also many other thynges which Jesus did: the which yfF they shulde be written every won / 1 suppose the worlde coulde not contayne the bokes that shulde be written. re mtJttij tj^f (©o£ipen off ^ainct SJijon. actc0 oft tije ^po^tlt^. IfJ^t my fyrst treatise (Deare frende Theo- philus) I have written off all that Jesus began to do and teache ^ vntill the daye in the whiche he was taken vp/ after that he thorowe the holy goost/ had geven commaundementes vnto the Apostles/ whiche he chose : to whom also he shewed hym silfe alive/ after his pas- sion by many tokens / aperynge vnto them fourty dayes/ and spake vnto them off the kyngdom of god/ and gaddered them to ged- der/ and commaunded them/ that they shulde not departe from Jerusalem : but to wayte for the promys of the father/ wher of ye have herde oiFme. For Jhon baptised wyth water butt ye shalbe baptised with the holy goost/ and that wyth in this feawe dayes. When they were come togedder/ they axed of hym/ sayinge : Master wilt thou at this tyme restore agayne the kyngdom of israhel ? He sayde vnto them : It is not for you to knowe the tymes or the seasons which the father hath putt in hys awne power : butt ye shall receave power off the holy goost which shall come on you. And ye shalbe witnesses vnto me in Jeru- salem/ and in all iewery/ and in samary/ and even vnto the worldes ende. And when he had spoken these thynges / whyll they behelde he was taken vp/ and acloude receaved hym vp out of their sight. And as they fastenned their eyes in heven/ as he went/ loo two men stode by them in white clothynge/ which also sayde : ye men of galile/ why stonde ye gasynge vp into heven? This same Jesus which is taken vp from you in to heven/ shall soo come/ even as ye have sene hym goo into heven. dFo. ycbi]. €i)t ^cU^ of tlje ^positlcs;. Then returned they vnto Jerusalem from mount ohvete/ which is neye to Jerusalem/ conteynynge a sabotlidayes iorney. And when they were come in/ they went vp into a parler/ where abode both Peter and James/ Jhon and Andrew/ Phillip and Thomas/ Bartlemew and Mathew/ James the sonne ofFAlpheus/ and Simon Zelotes/ and Judas James sonne. These all continued with one acoi'de/ in prayer/ and supplicacion with the wemen/ and Mary the mother off Jesu. And with his brethren. And in those dayes Peter stode vp in the myddes of the dis- ciples and sayde (The noumbre off names were aboute an hon- dred and twenty) Ye men and brethren / thys scripture must nedes be fulfilled which the holy g'oost thorow the mougth of David spake before of Judas/ wiiicli was gyde to them that toke Jesus. For he was noumbred with vs and obtayned felliship in this ministracion. And he hath nowe possessed a plott of grounde with the rewarde off iniquyte. And when he was hanged/ brast a sondre in the myddes/ and all his bowels gusshed out. And it is knowen vnto all the inhabiters off Jerusalem. In somoche that that felde is called in their mother tonge/ Acheldema/ that is to saye the bloud felde. Hit is written in the boke off psalmes /His habitacion be voyde / and noo man dwellynge therin : and his bishopricke lett another take. Wherfore off these men which have companyed with vs (all the tyme that the lorde Jesus went out and in amonge vs/ begynnynge att the baptim of Jhon vnto that same daye that he was taken vp from vs) must one be ordeyned to be a witnes with vs of his resurreccion. And they apoynted two/ Joseph called Barsabas (whose syr- name was Justus) and Mathias. And they prayed saynge : Thou lorde whiche knowest the hertes of all men/ shewe whether thou hast chosen of these two/ that the one maye take the roume of this ministracion/ and apostleshippe from the which Judas by transgression fell/ that he myght goo to his awne place. And they gave forthe their lottes/ and the lott fell on Mathias. And he was counted with the eleven apostles. Cl;c ^econKf Cijapter. W "HEN the fyftith daye was come/ they were all with one accorde gaddered togedder in won place. And sodenly there cam a sounde from heven as it had bene the commynge off a myghty wynde/ and it filled all the housse where they sate. And there apered vnto them cloven tonges/ as they had CIjc ^ctesi of tl)c Slpositleg. Ci). ij. bene fyre/ and it sate apon cache off them : and they were all tilled with the holy goost/ and began to speake with other tonges/ even as the sprete gave them vtteraunce. There were dwellynge at Jerusalem iewes/ devoute men/ which were off all nacions vnder heven. When this was noysed aboute/ the multitude cam togedder and were astonyed/ be cause that every man herde them speake in his awne tounge. They wondred all/ and raarveylled sayinge amonge them selves : Loke / are not all these which speake off galile ? And howe heare we every man his awne tounge wherein we were boren ? Parthians/ Medes/ and Elamytes and the inhabiters of Mesopo- tamia/ off Jury/ Capadocia/ Ponthus/ and of Asia/ Phrigia/ Pamphlia/ and of Egipte/ and off the parties off Libia/ which is besyde Syrene/ and straungers off Rome/ Jewes and Proselites/ Grekes and Arabians : We have herde them speake with oure awne tounges the greate workes off god. They were all amased / and w^ondred sayinge won to another : what meaneth this? O ther mocked them sayinge : They are full of new wyne. Peter stepped forth with the eleven/ and lift vp his voyce/ and sayde vnto them ; Ye men off Jewry/ and all ye that inhabit Jerusalem : be this knowen vnto you/ and with youre eares heare my wordes. these are nott dronken/ as ye wene/ For itt is yet butt the thyrde houre off the daye : but this is that which was spoken by the prophet Johell : Hit shalbe in the last dayes (sayth God) of my sprete I will poure out apon all flesshe. And youre sonnes/ and youre doughters shall prophesy/ youre yonge men shall se visions. And youre olde men shall dreme dremes. And on my servauntes / and on my honde maydens I will poure out off my sprete in those dayes/ And they shall prophesy. And I will shewe wonders in heven a bove/ and tokens in the erth be nethe/ bloud and fyre/ and the vapour off smoke. The sun shalbe turned into darknes/ and the mone into bloud/ before that greate/ and that notable daye of the lorde come. And the tyme shall come that whosoever shall call on the name of the lorde/ shalbe saved. Ye men off Israhel/ heare these wordes. Jesus of Nazareth/ a man approved off God amonge you with myracles and wondres/ and signes which God did by hym in the myddes off you/ as ye youre selves knowe : hym have ye taken by the liondes of vnrightewes persones/ after he was delivered by the determinat counsell and fore knoweledge of God/ and have crucified and slayne hym/ whom god hatli raysed vpp and lowsed the sorowes of decth/ be cause it was vnpossible that he shulde be holden of it. David speaketh of hym : Afore honde/ sawe o dTo. ytbii]. Ci)e ^cUi of tf)e apostles^ I God alwayes before me : For he is on my right honde/ that I shulde nott be moved. Therfore did my hert reioyce/ and my tonge was glad. Morover also/ my flesshe shall rest in hope be cause thou shalt not lave my soid in hell / nether shalt siifFre thy saynt to se corrupcion. Thou hast shewed me the wayes of lyfe/ Thou shalt make me full off ioye with thy countenaunce. Men and brethren / lett me frely speake vnto you of the patri- arke David : For he is both deed and buryed/ and his sepulcre remayneth with vs vnto this daye. Therfore sence he was a prophet/ and knewe that God had sworne with anothe to hym/ that the frute of his loynes shulde sit on his seate : He sawe before/ and spake of the resurreccion of Christ/ that his soule shulde not be lefte in hell : nether his flesshe shulde se corrup- cion. This Jesus hath God raysed vppe/ where of we all are witnesses. Sence nowe that he by the right honde of god exalted is/ and liath receaved off" the father the promys off" the holy goost/ he hath sheedforthe that which ye nowe se and heare. For David is not ascended into heven/ but he sayde : The lorde sayde to my lorde sit on my right honde/ vntill 1 make thy fooes/ thy fote stole. So therfore lett all the housse of Israhel knowe for asuerty/ that God hath made the same Jesus whome ye have crucifyed/ Lorde and Christ. When they herde this/ they were pricked in their hertes/ and sayd vnto Peter/ and vnto the other apostles: Ye men and brethren/ what shall we do ? Peter sayde vnto them : Repent and be baptised every one off" you in the name of Jesus Christ/ For the remission off" synnes/ and ye shall receave the gyfte off" the holy goost. For the promys was made vnto you/ and to youre chyldren/ and to all that are afarre/ even as many as oure lorde God shall call. And with many other wordes bare he wit- nes/ and exhorted them saying: Save youre selves from this vntowarde generacion. They that gladly receaved hys preach- ynge were baptised / And the same daye / there were added vnto them aboute a thre thousande soules. And they continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellyshippe/ and in breakynge of breed / and in prayer. And feare cam over every soule. And many wondres and signes were shewed by the apostles. All that beleved gaddered them togedder/ and had all thynges commen. And solde their possessions and goddes/ and parted them to all men/ as every man had nede. And they continued dayly with one acorde in the temple/ and brake breed in every housse / and ate their meate to gedder with Ci)e ^ctti of ti)c apo^tle^. €\). tij. gladnes/ and singlenes of heit praysynge god/ and had faveour with all people f and the lorde added to the congregacion dayly them that shulde be saved. C!)e ii). Cj^aptfr. "DETER and Jhon went vp to gedder into the temple at the nynthe houre of prayer : and there was a certayne man halt from his mothers wombe/ whom they brought and layde at the gate of the temple called beautifull/ to axe his almes of them that entred in to the temple. When he sawe Peter and Jhon/ that they wolde in to the temple / he desyred to receave an almes/ Peter fastened his eyes on hym with Jhon and sayde : loke on vs / and he gave hede vnto them / trustinge to receave some thynge of them. Then sayd Peter: Silver and golde have I none/ suche as I have geve I the. In the name of Jesu Christ off Nazareth/ ryse vppe and walke. And he toke hym by the right honde/ and lifte him vppe. And immediatly his fete and anclebones receaved strenght/ and he sprange / stode / and also walked/ and entred with them into the temple walkinge/ and leapynge/ and laudynge god. And all the people sawe hym walke and laude God. And they knewe hym / thatt ytt was he whiche sate and begged at the beautifull gate of the temple. And they wondred / and were sore astonnyed at that which had happened vnto him. As the halt whych was healed helde Peter and Jhon/ all the people ranne amased vnto them in Solomons hall. When Peter sawe that / he answered vnto the people : Ye men off Israhell/ why marvayle ye at this? Or why loke ye soo stedfastly on vs/ as though by oure avvne power/ or holynes we had made thys man goo? God off Abraham/ Ysaac/ and Jacob/ the God off oure fathers hath glorified hys sonne Jesus/ whom ye betrayed/ and denyed in the presence of Pilate/ when he had iudged hym to be lowsed : but ye denyed the holy and iust/ and desyred that he shulde geve you a mortherer / and kylled the lorde off lyfe whom god hath raised from deeth / of the which we are witnesses: And hys name thorovv the fayth off hys name hath made thys man sounde whom ye se and knowe. And the fayth which ys by him / hath to thys man geven thys health / in the presence of you all. And nowe brethren I wote wele that thorow ignoraunce ye have done ytt/ as did also youre heddes. Butt God which shewed before by the mougth off all hys prophetes that Christ o2 jTo. rciy. Ci)e Sifted of t\)t Slpogtlcg. shulde suffre/hath thus wyse fulfilled it. Repent ye therfore and turne that youre synnes mays be done awaye when the tyme of comforte commeth/ which we shall have of the presence of the lorde / and when god shall sende him / wliich before was preached vnto you / that is to wite Jesus Christ / whych must heven receave vntill the tyme that all thynges be restored agayne/ which god hath spoken by the mougth off all hys holy prophetes sence the worlde began. For Moses sayd vnto the fathers: A prophet shall youre lorde god rayse vp vnto you/ won of youre brethren/ lyke vnto me/ hym shall ye heare in all thinges whatsoever he shall saye vnto you. For the tyme will come / that every soule which shall not heare that same prophet / shalbe exyled from the people. Also all the prophetes from Samuell/ and tlience forth as many as have spoken / have in lykwyse tolde of these dayes. Ye are the chyldren of the prophetes / and to you pertayneth the testament that god hath made vnto oure fathers saying to Abraham : Even in thy seede shall all the kynredes of the erth be blessed. Fyrst vnto you hath god raysed vp his sonne Jesus/ and him he hath sent to blysse you / that every one off you shulde turne from his wickednes. Cijc Hi). CljapUr. \ S they spake vnto the people/ the prestes and the ruelar off -^ the temple / and the saduces cam apon them / takynge greveousy that they taught the people and preached in the name off Jesus the resurreccion from deeth. And they layde hondes on them / and put them in holde vntill the nexte daye. For itt was nowe even tyde. Many of them whicli herde the wordes beleved / and the noumbre off the men was aboute fyve thousande. Hyttchaunsed on the morowe that their ruelers/ and seniours/ and scribes/ as Annas the chefe prest/ and Cayphas / and Jhon and Alexander/ and as many as were off the kynred off the hye prest/ were gaddered to gedder at Jerusalem/ and set them in the myddes / and axed by what power/ or in what name have ye done this syrs? Then Peter full of the holy goost sayd vnto them. Ye ruelars of the people/ and seniours of israhel / if we this daye are examined of the goode dede done to the sycke man by what meanes he is made whoale: be ytt knowen vnto you all/ and to all the people of israhel/ that in the name of Jesus Christ of nazareth / whom ye crucified / and whom god raysed from deeth agayne / thys man stondeth heare present Cije ^ctei of ti^e Hpo^tleg. Cij. iitj. before you whoale. This is the stone cast a syde of you bylders which is sett in the chefe place of the corner. Nether is there health in eny other. Nor yet also is there eny other name geven to men wherin we must be saved. When they sawe the boldnes off Peter and Jhon / and knew that they were vnlerned men and laye people / they marveylled / and they knew them / that they were with Jesu. Seinge also the man whych was healed stondynge wyth them/ they coulde nott saye agaynst yt / but commaunded them to goo a syde out of the counsell / And commened amonge them selves sayinge : what shall we do to these men ? For a manyfest signe is done by them / and is openly knowen to all them that dwell in Jheru- salem/ and we cannott denye it: But that it be noysed no father amonge the people / lett vs threten and chaurge them that they speake hence forth to noo man in this name. And they called them / and commaunded them that in noo wyse they shulde speake or teache in the name ofF Jesu. Butt Peter and Jhon answered vnto them and sayde / whither yt be right in the syght of god to obeye you moare then god iudge ye. For we cannott butt speake that which we have sene and herde. Soo threatened they them and lett them goo/ And founde noo thynge howe to punnysshe them/ be cause of the people : For all men lauded God for the myracle whych was done. For the man was above fourty yeare olde / on whom this myracle of healinge was shewed. As sone as they where let goo they cam to their felowes / and shewed all thatt the hye prestes and seniours had sayde. When they herde that / with one mynde they lyfte vp their voyces to god and sayde : Lorde / thou arte God which hast made heven and erth / the see and all thatt in them ys / whych by the mougth off thy servaunt David hast sayd : Why did the hethen grudge/ and the people immagen vayne thynges. The kynges off the erth stode vp and the ruelars cam to gedder agaynst the lorde / And agaynst his Christ. For off a trueth agaynst thy holy chylde Jesus/ whom thou hast annoynted/ bothe Herode and also Poncius Pilate wyth the gentyls / and the people off Israhel / gaddered them selves to gedder for to do whatsoever thy honde and thy counsell deter- mened before to be done. And nowe lorde beholde their threat- enynges / and graunte vnto thy servauntes wyth all confydence to speake thy worde. So that thou stretche forth thy honde that healynge / and signes / and wonders be done by the name off thy holy chylde Jesus. And .as sone as they had prayed/ iFo. f. Ci)f ^cUi of ti)c ^po^tUg. the place moved wheare they were assembled to gedder/ and they were all filled with the holy goost / and they spake the worde of god boldely. The multitude of them that beleved/ were off won hertz and oft^won soule. Also none off them sayde/ that eny thynge off those whych he possessed was his awne : Butt had all thynges commen. And with greate power gave the Apostles witnes off the resurreccion off the lorde Jesu. And grett grace was with them all. Nether was there eny amonge them thatt lacked. For as many as were possessers of londes or housses/ solde them and brought the pryce off tho thynges whych were solde/ and layed ytt doune att the Apostles fete. And distribucion was made vnto every man accordynge as he hade nede. And Joses which was also called of the apostles Barnabas (that is to saye the sonne of consolacion/ beynge a levite/ and off the countre ofFCipers) had londe/ and solde itt/ and layde the pryce doune at the apostles fete. Ci)e b. Ci)apttv. A CERTAYNE man named Ananias with Saphira his wyfe "^^ solde a possession / and kepte awaye parte of the pryce (his wyfe also beynge of counsell) and brought a certayne parte and layde itt doune att the apostles fete. Then sayde Peter : Ananias how is it that satan hath filled thyne hertz thatt thou shuldest lye vnto the holy goostz and kept awaye parte off the pryce off the lyvelod : Pertayned it not vnto the only ? And after it was solde z was not the pryce in thyne awne power? Howe is it that thou hast conceaved this thynge in thyne herte ? Thou hast nott lyed vnto menz but unto God. When Ananias herde these wordesz he fell doune and gave up the goost. And grett feare cam on all them that these thynges herde. And the yonge men roose vp and put hym a parte z and caryed him out/ and buryed hym. Hit fortuned as it were aboute the space of iij. houres after z that his wyfe cam in ignoraunt of that which was done. Peter sayde vnto her : Tell mez solde ye the londe for so moche ? And she sayde : ye for so moche. Peter sayd vnto her : why have ye agreed to gederz to tempt the sprete off the lorde? Looz the fete oft them which have buryed thy husbande are at the dorez and shall cary the outez then she fell doune strayght waye at his fete and yelded up the goost. The yonge men cam in and founde her dedz and caryed her out and buryed her by her C{)e ^ctei of tift ^po^tU^. €t}. b. husbande. And grett feare cam on all the congregacion. And on as many as herde it. By the hondes of the Apostles were many signes and wondres shewed amonge the people. And they were all togedder wyth one acorde in Solomons hall. And of other durst noo man ioyne hym siUe to them : but the people magnyfyed them. The noiimbre of them that beleved in the lorde bothe of men and wemen grewe moare and moare in somoche that they brought their sicke into the strettes/ and layde them on beddes and palettes/ that at the lest waye the shadowe off Peter when he cam by/ myght shadowe some of them. There cam also a mul- titude out off the cites round about vnto Jerusalem/ bryngyng with them their sicke and them whych were vexed with vnclene sprettes. And they were healed every won. The chefe preste arose vp and they thatt were with hym (which is the secte of the Saduces) and were full ofFindignacion/ and layde hondes on the apostles/ and put them in the commen preson : but the angell of the lorde by night openned the preson dore/ and brought them forthe/ and sayde : goo steppe forthe/ and speake in the temple to the people all the wordes of this lyfe. When they herde that / they entred into the temple erly in the mornynge and taught. The chefe prest cam and they that were with him and called a counsel togedder/ and all the seniours off the chyldren off israhel/ and sent to the preson to fett them. When the minis- ters cam and founde them nott in the preson/ they cam agayne and tolde sayinge : The preson founde we shut with all diligence/ and the kepers stondynge with out before the dores : but when we had openned we founde no man with in. When the chefe prest of all and the rueler of the temple/ and the hye prestes herde these thynges/ they doubted off them/ where vnto this wolde growe. Then cam won and shewed them : Loo the men thatt ye putt in preson stonde in the temple/ and preache to the peple. Then went the rueler of the temple with ministers/ and brought them with out violence. For they feared the people lest they shulde have bene stoned. And when they had brought them/ they sett them before the counsell. And the chefe preste axed them sayinge : Did nott we straytely commaunde you that ye shulde not teach in this name? And beholde ye have filled Jerusalem with youre doctrine/ and ye intende to brynge this mans bloud apon vs. Peter and the other apostles answered / and sayde : We ought dfo. cj. Elje ^ctc^ of tift ^po^tU^. moare to obey God then men. The God of oure fathers raysed vp Jesus/ whom ye slewe and hanged on tre. Hym beinge a rueler and a savioure hath god exalted with his right honde/ for to geve repentaunce to Israhell and forgevenes of synnes. And we are his recordes as concernynge these thynges : and also the holy goost/ whom God hath geven to them that obey hym. When they herde that they clave asunder/ and sought meanes to slee them. Then stode there vp won in the counseill/ a pharisey named Gamaliell/ a doctour ofFlawe/ had in auctorite amonge the people and commaunded to put the apostles a syde a lytell space/ and sayde vnto them: Men of Israhell take hede to youre selves what ye entende to do as touchinge these men. Before these dayes rose vp one Theudas bostynge hym silfe / to whom resorted a nombre off men / about a tbure hon- dred/ which was slayn/ and they all which beleved hym were scatred a broode/ and brought to nought. After this man arose there vp won Judas off Galile/ in the tyme when tribute began/ and drewe awaye moche people after him. He also perisshed : and all even as meny as barkened to hym are scattered a brood. And nowe I saye vnto you : refrayne youre selves from these men/ and let them alone : For yff this counsell or werke be of men/ itt will come to nought : but if it be of God/ ye cannot destroye it/ lest haply ye be founde to stryve agaynst god. And to hym they agreed/ and called the apostles/ and bett them/ and commaunded that they shulde not speake in the name of Jesu / and lett them goo. And they departed from the counsell reioysynge that they were counted worthy to suffre rebuke for his name. And dayly in the temple/ and in every housse they ceased nott/ teachynge and preachynge Jesus Christ. Z^l)t bj. CijapUr. I N those dayes as the nombre of the disciples grewe / there arose a grodge amonge the grekes agaynste the ebrues/ because theyr wyddowes wer despysed in the dayly mynystracion. Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples to gedder and sayde : it is nott mete that we shulde leave the worde of god and serve at the tables/ wherfore brethren loke ye out ainonge you seven men of honest reporte / full of the holy goost and wis- dom / which we maye apoynte to this nedfuU busines : but we woll geve oure selves continually to prayer / and to the minis- tracion off the worde. And the sayinge pleased the whoale Cije ^cUi of ti)c Qpo^tlt^. Ci). Ijtj. multitude wele. And they chose Steven a man full ofFfayth/ and oif the holy goost / and Philip/ and Prochorus/ and Nichanor/ and Simon/ and Permenas/ and Nicholas a proselite of antioche/ which they sett before the apostles / and they prayed and layde their hondes on them. And the worde of god encreasyd / and the noumbre of the dis- ciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly / And a grett company of the prestes were obedient to the faythe. Steven full off faythe and powei' did grett wonders / and myracles amonge the people. Then there arose certayne off the Sinagoge / which are called lebertines / and Sirenens / and Alexandrians / and Cicilians / and Asians/ and disputed with Steven. And they coulde not resist the wisdom / and the sprete / with which sprete he spake. Then sent they in men which sayd : we have herde hym speake blas- phemous wordes agaynst Moses/ and against god/ and they moved the people/ and the seniours/ and the scribes : and they cam apon hym and caught hym / and brought him to the coun* sell / and brought forth falce witnesses whych sayde : This man ceasith not to speake blasphemous wordes agaynst thys holy place and the lawe / for we herde hym saye / This Jesus off Nazareth shall destroye this place/ and shall chaunge the ordi- nances whych Moses gave vnto vs. And all that sate in counsell loked stedfastly on hym / and sawe hys face as it had bene the face off an angell. €l)t bi). Cijaptcr. ^HEN spake the chefe prest : ys ytt even soo ? And he sayde : -*■ ye men / brethren / and fathers / harken to. The God off glory apered vnto oure father Abraham whill he was yet in meso- potamia / before he dwelt in charran / and sayd vnto hym : come oute of thy contre / and from thy kynred : and come into the londe whych I shall shewe vnto the. Then cam he out off the londe of caldey : and dwelt in charran. And after that as sone as his father was deed/ he brought him into this lande / where in ye nowe dwell/ and he gave him none inheritaunce in it/ no not one fote of grounde. And promised that he wolde geve it to hym and to hys seed after hym / when as yet he had no chylde. God verele spake on thys wyse / thy seed shalbe a dweller in a straunge londe / and they shall put them in bondage / and shall entreate them evyll .iiij. c. yeares. And the nacion to whom they shalbe in bondage / will I iudge (sayde god) and after that shall they come forthe / and serve me in this place. And gave dFo. cij. Ci)« 'BcUi of ti}t ^poiStU^. hym the testament of circumcision / and he begat Isaac / and circumcised hym the viij. daye / and Isaac begat Jacob, and Jacob the twelve patriarkes. And the patriarkes havinge indignacion solde Josepli into Egipte/ and God was wit hym and deHvered hym out off all his adversites. and gave hym faveour and wisdom in the sight off Pharao kynge off Egipte / And Pharao made hym governer over Egipte / and over all his housholde. Then cam there a derth over all Egipt / and Canaan / and grett affliccion / and our fathers founde no sustenaunce. When Jacob herde that there was corne in Egipte / he sent oure fathers fyrst/ and when he had sent them the secounde tyme/ Joseph was knowen off his brethren / and Josephs kynred was made knowne vnto Pharao. Then sent Joseph and caused his father to be brought and all his kynne/ thre score and .xv. soules. And Jacob descended into Egipte/ and deyed bothe he and oure fathers/ and were translated into Sichem / and were put in the sepulcre that Abraham bought for money of the sonnes of Emor / at Sichem. When the tyme off the promes drue nye (which God had promysed with an othe to Abraham) the people grewe and mul- tiplied in Egipte till another kynge arose which knewe nott off Joseph. The same dealte suttelly with oure kynred/ and evyll intreated oure fathers / and made them to cast awaye their chyl- dren / that they shulde not remayne alyve. The same tyme was Moses borne / and was a propper childe in the sight of God / which was norisshed vp in his fathers housse thre monethes. When he was cast out Pharoes doughter toke hym vp/ and norisshed hym vp for her awne sonne. And Moses was learned in all manner off wisdom of the Egipcians / and was mighty in dedes and in wordes. When he was full forty yeare olde/ it cam into his hert to visit his brethren/ the chyldren off Israhel. And when he sawe one off them suffre wronge / he defended hym/ and avenged his quarell that had the harme done to hym / and smote the egipcian. For he supposed hys brethren wolde have vnderstoude howe that God by his hondes shulde geve them health : butt they vnderstode nott. • And the next daye he shewed hym silfe vnto them as they strove / and wolde have sett them atone agayne saynge : Syrs ye are brethren why hurte ye won another ? but he that did his neghbour wronge / thrust hym awaye sayinge : Who made the a ruelar and a iudge amonge vs? What wilt thou kill me/ as thou diddest the egipcian yester daye ? Then fleed Moses at Cl)( ^cUi of t\)e ^poitUi. Ci). bt). that worde / and was a stranger in the londe off Madian / Where he begat two sonnes. When .xl, yeares were expired/ there apered to hym in the wildernes of mounte Sina the angell off the Lorde in a flam off fyre in a busshe. When Moses sawe itt he wondred at the sight/ and drue neare to beholde it. And the voyce off the Lorde spake vnto hym : I am the God of thy fathers / the God of Abraham / the God of Isaac and the God off Jacob. Moses trempled and durst not beholde. Then sayde the Lorde to hym Putt off thy shewes from thy fete / for the place where thou stondest is holy grounde. I have perfectly sene the affliccion off my people whych is in Egipte / and I have herde theyr gronynge / and am come doune to deliver them. And nowe come and 1 will sende the into Egipte. The same Moses whom they forsoke sayinge : who made the a ruelar and a iudge : God sent bothe a ruelar and a deliverer / by the hondes of the angell which apered to hym in the bousshe This man brought them outt shewynge wonders and signes in Egipte/ and in the reed see/ and in the wildernes xl. yeares. This is that Moses which sayde vnto the chyldren off Israhell : A prophet shall youre lorde God rayse vp vnto you of youre brethren lyke vnto me / hym shall ye heare. This is he that was in the congregacion / in the wildernes with the angell which spake to him in the mounte Syna. And with oure fathers. Thys man receaved the worde of lyfe to geve vnto vs / to whom oure fathers wolde not obeye : But cast it from them / and in their hertes turned backe agayne into Egypte / sayinge vnto Aaron : Make vs goddes to goo before vs. For we wote nott what is be come of this Moses that brought vs out of the londe off Egipte. And they made a calfe in those dayes / and offered sacrifice vnto the ymage / and reioysed in the workes of theyr awne hondes. Then God turned hym silfe / and gave them vp / that they shulde worshipp the starres of the skye / as it is written in the boke of the prophetes : O ye off the housse off Israhell : have ye geven vnto me offerynges or sacrifice / by the space off xl. yeares in the wildernes ? And ye toke vnto you the tabernacle off Moloch/ and the starre off youre god Remphan / figures which ye made to worshippe them. And I will translate you beyonde Babilon. Oure fathers had the tabernacle of testimony in wildernes/ as he had apoynted them speakynge vnto Moses / that he shulde make it acordynge to the fassion that he had sene / which taber- ^0. di). %\^t ^ttxi of ti)c Apostle*!. nacle oure fathers receaved/ and brought it in with Josue into the possession of the gentyls/ which gentylsgod draveout before the face of oure fathers vnto the tyme of David / which founde favour before god / and desired that he myght fynde a tabernacle for the God off Jacob. And Solomon bylt hym an housse. But he that is hyest of all dweleth not in temples made with hondes / as sayth the prophete : Heven is my seate / and erth is my fote stole/ what housse will ye bylde for me sayth the lorde ? or what is my restynge place ? hath nott my honde made all these thynges ? .Ye stiffenecked and of vncircumcised hertes and eares : ye have all wayes resisted agaynste the holy goost : as youre fathers did/ so do ye. Which off the prophetes have not youre fathers persecuted ? And they have slayne them / which shewed before off the commynge off that iust/ whom ye have betrayed and mordred. And ye also have receaved a lawe by the ordi- naunce off angels/ and have not kept itt. When they herde these thynges/ their hertes clove a sunder/ and they gnasshed on hym with their tethe. He beynge full of the holy goost loked up with his eyes into heven and sawe the maieste off God/ and "Jesus stondynge on the ryght honde of god/ and sayde : loo/ I se the hevens open/ and the sonne off man stonde on the ryght honde of god. Then they gave a shute with a loude voyce/ and stopped their eares and ranne apon hym all at once/ and caste hym out off the cite/ and stoned hym. And the witnesses layde doune their clothes atta yonge mannes fete named Saul. And they stoned Steven callynge on and sayinge : Lorde Jesu receave my sprete. And he kneled doune and cryed with a loude voyce : lorde impute not this synne vnto them/ For they wote not what they do. And when he had thus spoken he fell a slepe. Ci^e btii. Cijaptn-. ^AUL had pleasure in his deeth. At that tyme was there a grett persecucion agaynst the congregacion which was att Jherusalem / and they were all scattered abroade thorowout the regions of Jury and Samaria / except the apostles. Then devout men dressed Steven/ and made grett lamentacion over hym. Saul made havocke off the congregacion entrynge into every housse / and drewe out bothe man and woman / and thrust them into preson. They that were scattered abroade went every where preachyng the worde. Then cam Philip into a cite off €ife flftfsi of tl)e 2lpo£(tlts{. Ci). bit). Samaria and preached Christ vnto them. And the people gave hede vnto those thynges whych Philip spake wyth one acorde / in thatt they herde and sawe the miracles which he did. For vnclene spretes cryinge with loude voyce cam out of many which were possessed off them/ Many taken with palseys/ and many that halted were healed. And there was gret ioye in that cite- There was a certayne man called Simon / which before tyme in the same cite/ vsed witche crafte and be witched the people/ sayinge that he was a man that coulde do greate thinges. Whom they regarded/ from the lest to the grettest sayinge : thys ys that power of god/ which is called grett. Hym they sett moche by /because of longe tyme wyth sorcery he had deluded their wittes. As sone as they beleved Phillipes preachynge off the kyngdome off God and off the name of Jesu Christ/ they were baptised bothe men and wemen. Then Simon hym sylfe beleved and was baptised/ and continued with Phillip/ and wondered beholdynge the miracles and signes/ which were shewed. When the Apostles which were at Jerusalem herde saye that Samaria had receaved the worde of god : they sent vnto them Peter and Jhon/ which when they were come/ prayed for them/ that they myght receave the holy goost. For as yet he was come on none off them. Butt they were baptised only in the name off Christ Jesu. Then layde they their hondes on them/ and they receaved the holy goost. When Simon sawe thatt thorowe layinge on off the Apostles hondes on them / the holy goost was geven : he offered them money sayinge : Geve me also this power/ that on whomsoever I laye hondes / he maye receave the holy goost. Then sayde Peter vnto hym : Perissh thou and thy money togedder. For thou wenest that the gyfte of god may be obteyned with money ? thou hast nether parte nor fellishippe in this busines. For thy hert is not right in the sight of god. Repent therfore of this thy wickednes/ and praye God that the thought off thyne hert maye be forgeven the. For I perceave that thou arte full of bitter gall/ and wrapped in iniquyte. Then answered Simon and sayde : Praye ye to the lorde for me that none off these thynges whiche ye have spoken fall on me. And they when they had testified/ and preached the worde of the lorde returned to .Jerusalem and preached the gospell in many cites of the Samaritans. The angell of the lorde spake unto Phillip sayinge : Aryse and goo towardes midde daye vnto the Avaye which leadeth from Jerusalem vnto Gaza/ which is in the desert. He arose and dTo. ctiij. El)« ^ttti of ti)c ^postUg. went on/ and beholde a man ofFethiopia which was gelded/ and of grete auctorite with Candace qune of the ethiopians/ which had the rule off all her treasure/ cam to Jerusalem for to praye. as he returned home agayne sittynge in his charett he redde Esay the prophet. The sprete sayde vnto Philip : Goo neare and ioyne thy silfe to yonder charet. Philip ranne to hym/ and herde hym rede Esay the prophet and sayde : Vnderstondest thou what thou redest ? And he sayd : how can I / except I had a gyde ? And he desyred Philip that he wold come vp and sit with hym. The tener off the scripture which he redde was this. He was ledde as a shepe to be slayne : and lyke a lambe dom before his sherer/ so openned he nott his mougth/ in that he submitted hym silfe/ his iudgement was exalted: who shall declare his generation ? for his life is taken from the erthe. The gelded man answered Philip and sayde : I praye the off whom speaketh the prophet this ? of hym silfe ? or off some other man ? Philip openned his mougth/ and began at the same scripture/ and preached vnto hym Jesus. And as they went on their waye / they cam vnto a certayne water/ and the gelded man sayde: Se here is water/ what shall lett me to be baptised? Philip sayde vnto hym : Yf thou beleve with all thyne hert/ thou niayst. He answered sayinge : I beleve that Jesus Christe is the Sonne of God and commaunded the charet to stonde still. And they went doune bothe into the water : bothe Philip and also the gelded man. And he baptised hym. As sone as they were come out off the water the sprete off the lorde caught Philip. And the gelded man sawe hym no moore. And he went on his waye reioysynge : butt Philip was founde at Azotus. And he walked thorowe out the countre preachynge in their cites/ till he cam to Cesarea. Ci)f iy. Ci)apter. ^AUL yet brethynge out threatnynges and slaughter agaynst the disciples of the lorde/ went vnto the hye preste/ and de- sired of hym letters to damascon / to the sinagoges : that yf he founde eny of this waye whether they wer men or wemen/ he myiiht brynge them bounde vnto Jerusalem. As he went on his iorney/ hit fortuned that he drue neye to damascon / and sodenly there shyned rounde about hym a lyght from heven. And he fell to the erth/ and herde a voyce saynge to him : Saul/ Saul/ why persecutest thou me ? And he sayde what arte thou Lorde ? €i)t ^cUi of ti)e apositleg. CIj. iy. The lorde sayd/ I am Jesus whom thou p'ersecutest / it shalbe harde for the to kycke against the pricke. He bothe trem- blynge and astonyed sayde : Lorde what wilt thou have me to do ? And the lorde sayde vnto hym : Aryse and goo into the cite/ and ytt shalbe tolde the what thou shalt do. The men which acompanyed him on his waye stode amased/ for they herde a voyce/ buttsawe no man. Saul arose from the erth/ and when he had openned his eyes he.sawe noo man. Then ledde they hym by the honde/ and brought him into da- mascon. And he was iij. dayes wyth out sight/ and nether ate nor dranke. There was a certayne disciple att Damascon named ananias/ to hym spake the lorde in a vision : Ananias. And he sayde : I am here lorde. And the lorde sayde vnto hym : aryse and goo into the strete whych ys called strayght/ and seke in the housse off Judas after one called Saul of the cite of Tharsus. For beholde he prayeth/ and hath sene in a vision a man named Ananias commynge in vnto hym/ And puttynge hys hondes on hym/ thatt he myght receave his sight. Ananias answered : Lorde I have herde by many off thys man/ howe moche hurte he hath done to thy sanctes att Jheru- salem/ and in thys place he hath auctorite ofFthe hye prestes to bynde all that call on thy name. The lorde sayde vnto him : Goo thy wayes : for he is a chosen vessell vnto me / to beare my name before the gentyls/ and kynges/ and the chyldren off israhel. For I wyll shewe hym howe grelt thynges he must suffer for my names sake. Ananyas went hys waye and entryd into the housse and putt his hondes on hym and sayde : brother Saul the lorde that ap- peryd vnto the in the waye as thou camst/ sent me vnto the/ that thou myghtest receve thy sight and be filled with the holy goost. And immediatly there fell from his eyes as ytt had bene scales and he receaved his sight/ and arose and was baptised. And receaved meate and was comforted. Then was Saul a certayne dayes wyth the disciples which wer at Damascon. And streight waye he preached Christ in the Sinagoges howe that he was the sonne off God. All that herde hym wer amased and sayde : ys nott this he that spoylled them whych called on this name in Jerusalem ? And cam hydderfor the entent that he shulde brynge them bounde vnto the hye prestes? Saule encreased in strengthe/ And confounded the iewes which dwelte at damascon affirminge that this was very Christ. dTo. cb. Ki}e SlrtfsS of tije ^podtlesi. After a good while/ the iewes toke counsell amonge them- selves to kyll him. But there awayte wer knowen of Saul. And they watched att the gates daye and nyght to kyll hym. Then the disciples toke hym by nyght/ and putt hym thorowe the wall and lett hym doune in a basket. When Saul cam to Jerusalem he assayde to cople hym silfe with the apostles/ and they wer all afrayde of hym and beleved not that he was a disciple. But Bernabas toke hym and brought hym to the apostles and tolde them howe he had sene the lorde in the waye and had spoken wyth hym : and how he had done boldely at damascon in the name off Jesu/ And he had his couversacion with them att Jherusalem/ and quitt hym silfe boldly in the name off the lorde Jesu. And he spake and disputed wyth the grekes and they went aboute to slee hym. When the brethren knew of that/ they brought hym to cesarea/ and sent hym forth to tharsus. Then had the congregacions rest thorowoute all iewry and galile and samary/ and Aver edi- fied/ and walked in the feare of the lorde/ And multiplied by the comforte of the holy gost. Hit chaunsed that as Peter walked throughoute all quarters/ he cam to the sainctes which dwelt at lydda and there he founde a certaine man namyd Eneas/ whych had kepte hys bed viij. yere sicke of the palsey. Then sayde Peter vnto hym : Eneas/ the lorde Jesus Christ make the whole. Aryse and make thy beed. And he arose immedyatly. And all that dwelt at lydda and assaron/ sawe hym/ and tourned to the lorde. Ther was at Joppa a certayne woman (which was a disciple named Tabitha/ which by interpretacion is called dorcas) she was full off good warkes and almes dedes/ which she did. Hit chaunsed in those dayes thatt she was sicke and dyed. When they had wesshed her and layd her in a chamber : Be cause lydda was nye too Joppa/ and the disciples had herde that Peter was there/ they sent vnto hym/ desyrynge him that he wolde not be greved to come vnto them. Peter arose and cam with them : when he was come they brought hym in to the chamber/ and all the widdoos stode rounde aboute hym wepynge and shewynge the coottes and garmentes whych dorcas made whill she was with them. Peter putt them all forth and kneled doune and prayde and turned hym to the body/ and sayde : Tabitha aryse. She opened her eyes/ and when she sawe Peter she sat vppe/ And he gave her his honde and lyft her vppe / and called the sainctes and wyd- dooes and shewed her alyve. And hit was knowne throwout all Ci)e acte^ of tlje 'B^oitlti. Ci). y. Joppa/ and many beleved on the lorde. And hit fortuned that he taryed many days in Joppa with one Simon a tanner. T^HEREwasacertayne man in Cesarea called Cornelius/ acap- taine of the soudyers of ytaly/ a devoute man/ and won that feared God with all his houssolde/ which gave moche almes to the people / and prayde God alwaye. The same man sawe in a vysion evydently aboute the nynthe houre of the daye the angell of god commynge in vnto hym/ and sayinge vnto hym : Cornelius, when he loked on hym/ he was afrayde/ and sayde: what is it lorde ? He sayde vnto hym : Thy prayers and thy almeses ar come vppe in to remembraunce in the presence of God. And nowe sende men to Joppa/ and call for one Simon named also Peter, he lodgeth with won Simon a tanner/ whose housse is by the see syde. He shall tell the/ what thou oughtest to doo. When the angell which spake vnto Cornelius was departed / he called two of his housholde/ and a devoute soudier off them thatt wayted on hym/ to whom he tolde all the mater/ and sent them to Joppa. On the morowe as they went on their iorney and drewe nye vnto the cite/ Peter went vppe in to the vpermost parte of the housse to praye/ aboute the vj. houre. Then wexed he an hongred/ and wolde have eaten. "Whill they made redy for hym He fell into atraunce/ and sawe heven openned/ and a certayne vessell come doune vnto hym/ as it had bene a greate shete/ knytt at the iiij. corners/ and was lett doune to the erth/ where in wer all maner of iiij. foted beastes of the erth and vermen and wormes/ and foules off the ayer. And a voyce spake vnto hym from heven : Ryse Peter Kyll and eate. Peter sayde : God forbyd lorde/ for I have never eaten eny thynge that is commen or vnclene. And the voyce spake vnto hym agayne the seconde tyme : What God had clensed thatt make thou not commen. This was doune thryse And the vessell was receaved vppe agayne into heven. Whyle Peter mused in hym silfe what this vision which he had sene meant/ beholde/ the men which were sent from Cor- nelius/ had made inquyrance for Simons housse/ and stode befor the dore. And called oute won and axed whether Simon which was also called Peter/ were lodged there. Whyll Peter thought on this vysion/ the sprete sayde vnto hym : Loo/ men seke the. aryse therfore/ get the doune/ and goo with them/ and doute dfo. cb). Ei)e ^(Ui of t\)t ^positlcg. not. For I have sent them. Peter went doune to the men which were sent vnto hym from CorneHus/ and sayde : Loo/ I am her whom ye seke. what is the cause wherfore ye are come ? They sayde vnto hym : Cornelius the captayne a iuste man/ and won that feareth God/ and off good reporte amonge all the peo- ple of the iewes was warned by an holy angell/ to sende for the in to his housse/ and to heare wordes of the. Then called he them in/ and lodged them. On the morowe Peter went with them/ and certayne brethren from Joppa accompanyed hym. And the thyrde daye entred they into Cesaria. Cornelius wayted for them/ and had called to gedder his kynsmen/ and speciall frendes. And as it chaunsed Peter to come in/ Cornelius met hym/ and fell doune at his fete/ and worshipped hym. Peter toke hym vppe/ say- inge : Evyn I my silfe am a man. And as he talked with hym he cam in/ and founde many that were come to gedder/ And he sayde vnto them : Ye dooe knowe howe thatt hytt ys an vn- lawefuU thynge for a man beynge a iewe to company or come vn to an alient : But god hath shewed me that I shulde not call eny man commen or vnclene : therfore cam I vnto you with outen scruple/ as sone as I was sent for. I axe you therfore : for what intend / have ye sent for me ? And Cornehus sayde: This daye nowe .iiij. dayes I fasted/ and at the nynthe houre I prayde in my housse/ and beholde/ a man stode before me in bright clothynge/ and sayde: Cor- nelius/ thy prayer is herde/ and thyn almes dedes are had in remembraunce in the sight of God. sende therfore to Joppa/ and call for Simon which is also called Peter. He is lodged in the housse ofF won Simon a tanner by the see syde/ the which as sone as he is come/ shall speake vnto the. Then sent I for the immediatly/ and thou hast well done for to come. Nowe are we all here/ present before god to heare all thynges that are commaunded vnto the of God. Peter opened his mought and sayde : Of a trueth I perseave/ that God is not parciall/ but in all people he that feareth hym and worketh rightewesnes/ is accepted with hym. Ye knowe the preachynge that God sent vnto the chyldren off Israhell/ preachynge them peace by Jesus Christe (which is lorde over all thynges) which preachynge was publisshed thorow oute all iewery/ and began in galile/ after the baptim preached by Jhon / After thatt God had annoynted Jesus off Nazareth with the holy goost/ and with power/ he went aboute doinge goode/ and healynge all that were oppressed with dyvles/ for God was €\)t ^ftcjj of tf;e ^positlfg. CIj. yj, with hym. And we are witnesses off all thynges which he did in the londe of the iewes and at Jerusalem/ whom they slew/ and hounge on tree. Hym God reysed vppe the thyrde daye/ and shewed hym openly/ not to all the people/ butt vnto vs witnesses chosyn before off God/ which ate and dronke with hym/ after he arose frome deeth. And he commaunded vs to preache vnto the people and to testifie/ that it is he that is ordened of God a iudge off quycke and deed. To hym geveth all the prophetes witnes/ that throwe his name shall receave remission of synnes all that beleve in hym. While Peter yet spake these wordes/ the holy gost fell on all them which herde his preachynge And they of the circumcision which beleved were astonyed/ as many as cam with Peter/ be- cause that on the gentyls also was sheed oute the gyfte of the holy gost. For they herde them speake with tonges/ and mag- nify God. Then answered Peter : can eny man forbyd water that these shulde not be baptised/ which have receaved the holy gost as well as we ? And he commaunded them to be baptised in the name of the lorde. Then prayde they hym/ to tary a feawe dayes. Wi)e n- Cijaptfr. TTIT cam to the eares of the opostles and brethren which were in iewry/ that the hethen also had receaved the worde of God. When Peter was come vppe to Jerusalem/ they off the circumcysion disputed wyth hym/ sayinge : Thou wentest in vnto men vncircumcised/ and arest with them. Peter began and expounde the thynge in order to them saynge : I was in the cite of Joppa prayinge/ and in a traunce I sawe a vision/ A certen vessell descende as it had bene a large lynnyn clothe/ lett doune from hevyn by the fower corners/ And hit cam to me : into the which when I hade fastened myn eyes I con- sydered and sawe fowere foted beastes off the erth / and vermen and wormes/ and foules off the ayer. I herde also a voyce/ sayinge/ vnto me: Arise Peter/ sley and eate. And I sayd : God forbyd lorde/ for nothynge comen or vnclene hath att eny tyme entred into my mought. The voyce answered me agayne from heven count not thou those thynges comen / which God hath clensed. And this was done threy tymes. And all were takyn vppe agayne into heven. And beholde immediatly wer thre men come vnto the housse where I was/ sent from Cesarea vnto me. And the sprete sayde p2 dFo. fbij. Ci)c Sirtfg of t\)t ^positlc^. vnto me/ that I shulde goo with them/ witli out doutuige. morover these sixe brethren accompanyed me. And we entred into the mans housse. and he shewed us/ how he had sens an angell in his housse/ which stod and sayde to hym : Send men to Joppa/ and call for Symon/ named also Peter he shall tell the wordes/ wher by both thou and all thyn housse shalbe saved. As I began to preach/ the holy goost fell on them/ as he dyd on vs at the begynnynge. Then cam to my remem- braunce the wordes of the lorde/ howe he sayde: Jhon verily baptised with wather/ butt ye shalbe baptised with the holy goost. For as moche then as God gave them lyke giftes / as he dyd vnto us/ when we beleved on the lorde Jesus Christ: what was I that I shulde have withstoude God ? when they herde this/ they helde their peace and gloryfied God/ saynge : Then hath God also to the gentylles graunted repentaunce unto lyfe. The which were scattryd abroade thorowe the affliccion that arose aboute Steven/ walked thorowe oute tyll they cam vnto Phenices and Cypers and Antioche/ preachynge the worde to no man/ butt vnto the iewes only. Some off them were men off Cypers and off Syrene / which when they were come into An- tioche/ spake vnto the grekes/ and preached the lorde Jesus. And the honde off the Lorde was with them/ and a greate nom- bre beleved and turned vnto the lorde. Tydynges off this cam vnto the eares off the congregacion/ which was in Jerusalem/ and they sente forth Barnabas thatt he shulde goo vnto Antioche. Which when he was come/ and had sene the grace off the lorde/ was glad/ and exhorted them all/ thatt with purpose off hertt they wolde continually cleave vnto the lorde. For he was a perfaicte man/ and full of the holy goost and off faithe. And moche people was added vnto the lorde. Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus/ for to seke Saul/ and when he had founde him/ he brought him vnto An- tioche. Yt chaunsed thatt a whole yere they had their conver- sacion with the congregacion there / and taught moche people in somoche thatt the disciples off Antioche wer the fyrst that wer called Christen. In those dayes cam prophetes from Jerusalem vnto Antioche/ Ther stode vppe won off them named Agabus/ and signified by the sprete/ that there shulde be grett derth throughoute all the worlde/ which cam tu passe in the emproure claudius dayes. Then the disciples every man accordinge to his habilite / purposed to sende socour vnto the brethren which dwelt in iewry/ whych €i)t Tlctti of tl)e apositle^. Ci). yij. thynge they also did r and sent it to the seniours/ by the hondes of Barnabas and Saul. C]^e yi). Cl^apttr. TN that tyme Herode the kynge layed hondes on certayne of the congregacion / to vexe them. He kylled James the bro- ther off Jlion with a swerde : and be cause he sawe that it pleased the iewes/ he preceded forther/ to take Peter also. Then wer the dayes of vnlevended breed/ and when he had caught him/ he put hym in preson/ and delyvered hym to iiij. quaternions off soudiers to be kepte/ entendynge after ester to brynge hym forth to the people. Then was Peter kepte in preson. But prayer was made with out ceasynge off the congregacion vnto god for hym. When herod wolde have brought hym oute vnto the people/ the same nyght slepte Peter bitwene ij. soudiers/ bounde with two chaynes/ And the kepers before the dore kepte the preson. And beholde the angell off the lord was there present/ and a light shyned in the lodge. And he smote Peter on the syde/ and steryd him vppe sayinge : aryse vppe quycly. And the cheynes fell of from his hondes. and the angell sayd vnto him: gyrde thy silfe and bynde on thy sandalles/ And so he dyd. And he sayde vnto hym: cast on thy mantle aboute the/ and folowe me. And he cam oute and folowed him/ and wist not/ that it was truth which was done by the angell/ butt thought he had sene a vision. When they were past the fyrst and the seconde watche/ they cam vnto the yeron gate/ thatt ledeth vnto the cite / which opened to them by his awne accorde. And they went oute and passed thorowe won stret/ and by and by the angell departed from hym. And when Peter was come to hym silfe / he sayde : nowe I knowe off a surety/ that the lorde hath sent his angell/ and hath delyvered me from the honde off Herode / and from all the waytynge fore of the people of the iewes. And as he consydred the thynge/ he came to the liousse of Mary the mother of one Jhon/ which was called marke also/ where many were gaddered to gedder in prayer. As Peter knocked at the entry dore/ a damsell cam forth to herken/ named Rhoda, And when she knewe Peters voyce/ she opened nott the entry for gladnes/ but ran in and told howe Peter stode before the entrey. And they sayd vnto her: thou arte mad. and she bare them doune that hit was even so. Then sayde they : it is hys angell. Peter contynued knockynge. When they had openned the dore/ and sawe him/ they were astonyd. He bekened vnto them with his honde to holde their peace/ and tolde them by what meanes the lorde had brought hym oute of preson. And sayde : goo shewe thys vnto James and to the brethren. And he departed and went into a nother place. As sone as ytt was daye there was not lytell a doo amonge the soudiers/ what was becum off Peter. When Herode had called for hym/ and founde him not/ he examyned the kepers/ and comaunded to departe. And he descended from Jewry to Cesarea/ and there abode. Herode was displeased with them off Tyre and Sydon. And they cam all at once/ and made intercession vnto blastus the kynges chamberlein/ and desired peace/ because their countrey was norysshed be the kynges londe. Apon a daye apoynted/ the kynge arayed hym in royall apparell/ and set hym in his seate/ and made an oracion vnto them. And the people gave a shute/ sayinge: It is the voyce of a god and not of a man. And immediatly the angell of the lorde smote him/ be cause he gave not God the honoure/ and he was eatyn of wormes/ and gave vppe the goost. The worde off God grewe and multiplied. And Barnabas and Saul returned to Jerusalem/ and fulfilled their office/ and toke with them Jhon / which was also called Marcus. €ift yii}. Cl^apter. T^HERE were at antioche/ in the congregacion / prophetes anddoctours/ as Barnabas and Symon/ called Nyger/ And lucius of cerene/ and Manahen Herode the tetrarkes norsfelowe/ and Saul. As they served God/ and fasted/ The holy gost sayd : seperat me Barnabas and Saul/ for the worke where vnto I have called them. Then fasted they and prayed/ and put their hondes on them / and let them goo. And they after they were sent of the holy gost/ cam vnto seleutia/ and from thence they sayled to Cyprus. And when they wer come to salamine/ they shewed the worde off god in the sinagoges/ vnto the iewes. And they had Jhon to their minister. When they had gone over all the yle vnto the cite of Paphos/ they founde a certayne sorserer/ a falce prophet which was a iewe/ named Bariesu/ which was with the rueler off the countre won Sergius Paulus a prudent man. the same ruler called vnto hym Barnabas and Saul/ and desired to heare the worde of god The Sorserar Elemas (for so was his name by interpretacion) €i)( 'Bctti of t\)t 'Sipoitlti, CJ). yii). with stode them/ and sought to turne awaye the rueler from the faith. Then Saule which also is called Paul beinge full off the holy goost / set hys eyes on hym / and sayde : O full off all sutelte and disseytfulnes the chylde off the devyll / and the enemye of all lighteousnes thou ceasest not to pervert the strayght wayes oft the lorde. And nowe beholde the honde off" the lorde is upon the/ and thou shalt be blinde and not se the sunne for a season/ And immediatly fell on hym a myste and a darknes/ And he went about sekynge/ them that shulde leade hym by the honde. Then the rueler when he sawe what had hapened/ beleved/ and wondred at the doctryne of the lorde. When Paule and they that were with hym / had sliypped from Paphus/ they cam to Perga a cite of Pamplwlia. There departed Jhon from them/ and returned to Jerusalem. Butt they wandred thorowe the countres/ from Perga to Antioche a cite in the countre of Pisidia/ and went in to the synagoge on the saboth daye/and sate doune. After the lectur of the lawe and the prophetes / the ruelers of the synagoge sent vnto them saynge : Ye men and brethren/ yf ye have eny sermon to exhorte the people / say on Paul stode vppe and beckened with his honde and sayde : Men off Israhel/ and ye that feare God/ geve audience. The God off this people chose oure fathers/ and exalted the people/ when they dwelt as straungers in the londe of Egypt/ and with a mighty arme brought them outt off" it/ and aboute the tyme off" .xl. yeares suffred hi their maners in the wildernes. And destroyed vij. nacions in the londe of Canaan/ anddevided their londe to them by Lott. And afterwarde he gave vnto them iudges aboute the space of .iiij c. and .1. yeres vnto the tyme oft' Samuel the prophet. And after that they desyred a kynge/ and God gave vnto them Saul the sonne oft" Cis/ a man oft" the tribe of Beniamin / by the space off" xl. yeres. And after he had putt hym doune/ he set vppe David to be their kynge/ to whome he gave witnes / saynge : I have founde David the sonne of Jesse/ a man after myne awne hert/ he he shall fulfyll all my will. Of this manes sede hath God (according to his promes) brought forth to the people off" Israel a savour/ won Jesus/ when Jhon had fyrst preached before his commynge the baptim off"repentaunce to Israhel. When Jhon had fiilfylled his course/ he sayde: Whome ye thynke that I am? the same am I not/ but beholde there cometh won after me/ whose shewesof his fete I am not worthy to lose. iFo. ciy. €f)e '^ctti of ti)« ^pojJtlc^. Ye men and brethren/ childeren off the generacion of Abra- ham/ and whosoever amonge you feareth God/ to you is this worde of helth sent. The inhabiters of Jerusalem/ and their ruelers because they knewe hym nott/ nor yet the voyces of the prophetes which are redde every saboth day/ have fulfylled them in condempnynge hym And when they founde no cause of deeth in hym / yet desired they Pilate to kyll him. And when they had fulfylled all that were written of hym / they toke hym doune from the tree and putt him in a sepulcre : But God raysed him agayne from deeth/ and he was sene many dayes of them/ which cam with hym from galile to Jerusalem which are his witnesses vnto the people. And we declare vnto you/ howe that the promes made vnto the fathers/ god hath nowe fulfylled vnto vs the children/ in that he reysed vppe Jesus agayne/ even as it is written in the fyrste psalme : Thou arte my sonne/ this same daye begat I the. As concernynge that he so reysed hym vppe from deeth / nowe no more to returne to corrupcion/ he sayd on this wyse : The holy promyses made to David 1 will kepe faithfully. Wherfore he saith also in anotlier place : Thou shallt not soffre thy saincte to se corrupcion. For David after he had in his tyme fulfilled the will of god/ he slepte/ and was layd with hys fathers/ and sawe corrupcion. Butt he whom god reysed agayne/ sawe no cor- rupcion. Be hit knowne vnto you therfore ye men and brethren / that thorowe this man is preached vnto you»the forgevenes of sinnes/ And by him are all that beleve iustified from all thynges from the which ye coulde nott be iustified by the lawe off Moses. Be ware therfore lest that fall on you/ which is spoken off in the prophetes : Beholde ye despisers/ and wonder/ and perishe ye : for I do a worke in youre dayes/ which ye shall not beleve/ yf a man wolde declare it you. When the Jewes wer gone oute of the Sinagog / the gentyls besought them that they wolde preache the worde of god to them bitwene the saboth dayes. When the congregacion was broken vppe/ many of the iewes and verteous proselites folowed Paul and Barnabas / which spake to them and exhorted them to continue in the grace off God. And the nexte saboth daye cam Almoste the whole cite to gedder to heare the worde off God. When the iewes sawe the people/ they were full off indignacion and spake agaynst those thinges which wer spoken off Paul/ They spake agaynst it/ and dispraysed it/ raylinge on it. Then Paul and Barnabas wexed bolde/ and sayde : it was mete that Wt)t ^(tei of ti;c ^ps^ithi. €1). yiii). the worde off God shulde fyrst have bene preached to you / Butt seinge ye putt it from you / and thynke youre selfes onworthy off everlastynge lyfe/ loo/ we tourne to the gentyls. For so hath the lorde commaunded vs: I have made the a lyght to the gentyls/ that thou be helth vnto the eude of the worlde. The gentyls herde/ and were glad and glorified the worde of the lorde/ and beleved even as many as wer ordened vnto eter- nall lyfe. And the worde off the lorde was puplisshed thorowe oute all the region. Butt the iewes moved the worshypfull and honorable wemen/ and the chefe men of the cite. And reysed persecucion agaynst Paul and Barnabas / And expelled them oute off their costes. But they shuke of the duste of their fete agaynst them/ and cam vnto Iconium. And the disciples wer fylled with ioye and with the holy goost. C]^c yiiij. Ci)aptcr. TTIT fortuned in iconium that they went both to gedder in to the Sinagoge of the iewes/ and so spake/ that a gret mxd- titude both off the iewes and also off the grekes beleved. Butt the vnbelevinge iewes/ steryd vppe and vnquyeted the myndes off the gentyles agaynste the brethren. Longe time a bode they their and quit them selves boldly with the helpe of the lorde/ the which gave testimony vnto the worde off hys grace/ and causyd signes and wonders to be done by their hondes. The people off the cite were devided : and parte helde with the iewes/ and parte wyth the apostles. When there was a saute made both of the gentyls and also of the iewes with their rulers/ to put them to shame and to stone them/ they wer ware of it/ and fled vnto listra and derba/ cites off Licaonia/ and vnto the region that lyeth rounde aboute/ and there preached the gospell. And there sate a certayne man at hstra weake in his fete/ beinge halt from his mothers woombe/ and never walkyd. The same herde Paul preache/ which behelde hym and perceaved that he had faith to be whole/ and sayd with a loude voyce : stonde vppe right on thy fete. And he stertvppe/ and walked. when the people sawe what Paul had done/ they lifte vp their voyces/ sayinge in the speache of Lycaonia : Goddes are come doune to vs in the lyknes off men. And they called Barnabas/ Jupiter/ And Paul Mercurius/ be cause he was the preacher. Then Jupiters preste/ which dwelt before their cite/ brought oxen and garlondes vnto the churche porche/ and wolde have done sacrifise with the people. When the apostles/ Barnabas and Paul herde that/ they rent dfo. cy. C^e 'Ecus of tijc ^positle^. their clothes/ and ran in amonge the people/ cryinge and say- ings : Syrs / why do ye this ? We are men lyke vnto you / and preache vnto you/ that ye shulde turne from these vanities vnto the lyvynge god/ which made heven and erth and the see and all that in them is/ the which in times past suffred all nacions to walke in their owne wayes. Nevertlielesse he lefte not hym silfe with outen witnes/ in that he shewed hisbenefaictes/ in gevynge vs rayne from heven and frutfull ceasons/ fyllinge oure hertes with fode and gladnes. And with these sayinges/ scase refrayned they the people/ thatt they had not done sacrifice vnto them. Thether cam certayne iewes from Antioch and Iconium/ and optayned the peoples consent and stoned Paul/ and drew hym outeof the cite/ supposynge he had bene deed. As the disciples stode rounde aboute hym / he arose vppe and cam into the cite. And the nexte daye departed with Barnabas to Derba. After they had preached to that cite/ and taught many/ they returned agayne to Listra/ and to Iconium and Antioche/ and strengthed the disciples soules/ exhortinge them to continue in the faith/ afFyrminge that we muste throwe moche adversite entre into the kyngdom of god. And when they had ordened them seniours by eleccion in every congregacion / after they had preyde and fasted/ they commended them to god on whom they beleved. And they went over all Pisidia and cam into pamphilia/ and when they had preached the worde of god in perga/ they de- scended in to Attaha/ and thence departed by shippe to Antioche/ from whence they wer delyvered vnto the grace of god/ to the worke whiche they had fulfilled. When they wer come and had gaddered the congregacion to gedder/ they reharsed all that god had done by them/ and howe he had opened the dors of faith vnto the gentyls. And there they abode longe tyme with the disciples. €l)t yb. €!;aptci-. 4 ND there cam certayne from iewry and taught the brethren : "^^ excepte ye be circumcysed after the maner of Moses ye can not be saved. Then arose there dissencion and disputynge not a little vnto Paul and Barnabas agaynste them. And they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certayne other of them shulde ascende to Jerusalem vnto the apostles and seniours aboute this question. After they were brought on their waye by the congregacion/ they passed over Phenices and Samaria/ declarynge the conversacion oflT the gentyls/ and they brought gret ioye vnto all the brethren. When they were come to Jeru- Ei)c 'SicUi of ti)t Qpo^tUiS. €ff. yb. salem they were receaved of the cougregacion and of the apostles and seniours. And they declared what thynges God had done by them. Then arose there vppe certayne of the secte of the pharises/ which dyd beleve sayinge thatt itt was nedfull to cir- cumcise them and to inioyne them to kepe the lawe of Moses. The apostles and seniours cam to gedder to reason of this matter. When there was moche disputynge/ Peter rose vppe and sayd vnto them : Ye men and brethren / ye knowe howe that a goode while agoo/ God chose amonge vs that the gentyls by my mouthe shulde here the worde off the gospell and beleve. And God which knoweth the herte/ bare them witnes/ and gave vnto them the holy gost even as he dyd vnto vs/ And he putt no difference betwene them and vs/ and with fayth purified their hertes. Nowe therfore why tempte ye God/ thatt ye wolde putt a yoke on the disciples neckes which nether oure fathers nor we wer able to beare : Butt we beleve thatt thorow the grace of the Lorde Jesu Christ we shalbe saved as they doo. Then all the multitude was peased and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul which tolde what signes and wondres God had shewed amonge the gentyls by them. As sone as they helde their peace/ James answered sayinge : Men and brethren herken vnto me/ Simeon tolde howe God at the beginninge dyd visit the gentyls/ and receaved of them people vnto his name, and to this agreith the wordes of the prophetes/ as it is written : After this I will returne/ and will bylde agayne the tabernacle of David which is fallen doune/ and that wich is fallen in dekey of it will I bilde a gayne and I will set it vppe/ that the residue of men myght seke after the Lorde/ and also the gentyls vppon whom my name is called on sayth the lorde/ which doth all these thynges : knowne vnto God are all hys werkes from the beginnynge of the worlde. Wherfore my sentence is / that we trouble not them which of the gentyls are turned to God : but that we write vnto them that they abstayne them selves from filthines of ymages/ from forni- cacion/ from stranglyd/ and from bloude. For Moses of olde tyme in every cite hath them that preache hym / and he is reede in the synagoges every saboth daye. Then pleased it the apostles and seniours with the whole con- gregacion to send chosyn men of their owne company to An- tioche with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called also Barsabas and Silas which were chefe men among the brethren and gave them letters in their hondes after this maner. The apostles/ seniours and brethren send gretynges vnto the brethren which are of the gentyls in Antioche Siria and cilicia / For as moche as we have herde thatt certayne wich departed from vs/ have troubled you with wordes/ and combred youre myndes sayinge : Ye must be circumcised/ and kepe the lawe/ to whom we gave no soche commaundment. It semed therfore to vs a good thynge/ when we were come to gedder with won accorde/ to sende chosyn men vnto you/ with oure beloved Bar- nabas and Paul/ men that have ieoperded theyr lives/ for the name of oure lorde Jesus Christ. We have sent therfore Judas and Sylas/ which shall alsoo tell you the same thynges by mouth. For hitt semed goode to the holy gost and to vs to putt no grevous thynge to you more then these necessary thynges/ that is to saye that ye abstayne from thynges offered vnto the ymages/from bloud/ from strangled/ and fornicacion. From which if ye kepe youre selves / ye shall do well. Soo fare ye well. when they were departed/ they cam to Antioche and gad- dred the multitude to gedder and delivered the pistle. When they had redde it/ they reioysed off that consolacion. Judas and Sylas beinge prophetes/ exhorted the people with moche preachynge/ and strengthed them. After they hadde taryed there a certayne space/ they were lett goo in peace off the brethren vnto the apostles. Notwithstondynge it pleasyd Sylas to abyde there still. Paul and Barnabas continued in Antioche teachynge/ and preachynge the worde of the lorde whith other many. Butt after a certayne space Paul sayde vnto Barnabas : Lett vs goo agayne and visite oure brethren in every cite / where we have shewed the worde of the lorde/ and se howe they do. Barnabas gave counsell/ to take with them Jhon called also Marke : But Paul thought it not mete to take him vnto theyr company whiche departed from them at Pamphylia/ and went nott with them to the worke. Soo sharp was the dissencion bitwene them / thatt they departed asunder won from the other. And Barnabas toke Marke and sayled vnto Cypers. Paul chose Sylas and departed delivered off the brethren vnto the grace of God. And he went thorowe all Cyria and Cilicia/ stablisshynge the congregacions. €\)t vbj. Cijaptcv. T^HEN cam he to Derbaand to Listra/ and beholde a certayne discyple was there named Thimotheus a vvomans sonne whych was a iewas and beleved/ but his father was a greke of whom reported well the brethren of Listra/ and Iconium. Paul wolde thatt he shulde goo forth with hym/ and toke and circum-' €l)t 'Rati of t\)t Slpo^tlcs;. Ci). r^h cised hym because of the iewes which were in those quarters/ for they knewe all thatt his father was a greke. As they went thorow the cites/ they dehvered them the decrees for to kepe/ ordeyned oft" tlie apostles and seniours which were at Jerusalem. So were the congregacions stablisshed in the faith/ and en- creased in noumbre dayly. When they had goone thorowe out Phrigia and the region of Galacia/ and were forbidden oft" the holy goost to preach in Asia/ they cam to Misia/ and sought to goo into Bethinia/ and the sprete soft'ered them not. When they had gone over Misia/ they cam doune to Troada and a vision apered to Paul in the nyght. There stode a man off" Macedonia and prayed hym saynge : Come into Macedonia and helpe vs. After he had sene the vision immediatly we prepared to goo into Macedonia certi- fied that the lorde had called vs forto preache the gospell vnto them. Then losed we forth from Troada/ and with a strayght course cam we to Samothracia/ the nexte daye to Neapolim/ and from thence to Philippos/ which is the chefest cite in the parttes of Macedonia and a fre cite. We were in that cite abidinge a certayne dayes/ and on the saboth dayes we went out of the cite besydes a river where men were wont to praye / and we sate doune and spake vnto the women which thither resorted. And a certayne woman named Lidia/ a seller off purple/ of the cite oft" Thiatira which wor- shypped God/ gave vs audience/ whose hert god openned that she attended vnto the thynges which Paul spake. When she was baptised / and her houssolde / she besought vs sayinge : Yf ye thynke thatt I beleve on the lorde come into my housse / and abide there. And she constrayned vs. Hit fortuned as we went to prayer/ a certayn dam sell pos- sessed with a sprete that prophesyed met vs/ which brought her master and mastres moche vauntage with prophesyinge. The same folowed Paul and vs sayinge : These men are the ser- vauntes of the most hye god/ which shewe vnto vs the waye of helth. And this did she many deyes. Butt Paul nott content turned about and sayd to the sprete : I commaunde the in the name oft" Jesu Christ that thou come out oft' her. and he cam out the same houre. When her master and mastres sawe that the liope of their gaynes was gone/ they caught Paul and Silas/ and brought them into the market place vnto the ruelars/ and delivered them to the officers sayinge : These men trouble oure cite/ which are iewes and shewe newe decrees/ which are nott laufuU for vs to reAUL behelde the counsell and sayde : Men and brethren / I have lived in all goode concience before god vntill this daye. The hye prest Ananias commaunded them that stode by/ to smyte hym on the mought. Then sayde Paul to hym God shall smyte the thou payntyd wall. Sittest thou and iudgest me after the lawe : and commaundest me to be smitten contrary to the lawe ? And they that stode by sayde : Revylest thou Goddes hy preste? Then sayd Paul: I wist not brethren/ that he was the hye preste. For it is written thou shalt not speake evyll to the ruelar of thy people. When Paul percaved that the one parte were Saduces / and the other Pharises : He cryed oute in the counsell : Men and brethren I am a pharisaye / the sonne off a pharisaye. Of hope/ and of resurreccion from deeth I am iudged. And when he had soo sayde/ there a rose a debate bitwene the pharisayes and the saduces/ and the multitude was devided. For the saduces saye that there is no resurreccion / nether angell/ nor sprete But the phariseies graunt bothe. And there arose grett crye / and the €iit ^ctti of ti)e ^postleK. €if. yyiij. scribes which wer on the pharisais parte strove saynge : We fynde none evyll in this man. Though a sprete/ or an angell hath apered to hym / lett vs not stryve agaynst God. And when there arose greate de bate/ the captayne fearynge lest Paul shuld have bene pluckte asondre off them/ coramaunded the soudiers to goo doune / and to take hym from amonge them / and to brynge hym into the castle. The nyght folowyng god stode by hym and sayd : Be of goode cheare Paul: For as thou hast testified off me in Jerusalem / soo must thou beare witnes at Rome. When daye was come/ certayn of the iewes gaddered them- selves to gedder / and made a vowe sainge : that they wolde nether eate nor drynke till they had killed Paul. They were aboute .xl. which had made this conspiracion. And they cam to the chefe prestes and seniours / and sayde: we have bounde oure selves with a vowe / that we will eate nothynge vntill we have slayne Paul. Nowe therfore geve knowlege to the vpper captayne / and to the counsel! that he brynge hym forth vnto vs to morow / as though we wolde knowe some thinge more per- fectly of hym. But we (or ever he come neare) are ready in the mean season to kill him. When Pauls sisters sonne herde of their layinge awayte / he went and entred into the castle / and tolde Paul. And Paul called one off the vnder captaynes vnto hym/ and sayde : Brynge this younge man vnto the captayne. for he hath a certayne thynge to shewe hym. And he toke him / and ledde him vnto the hye captayne and said : Paul the presoner called me vnto hym and prayed me to brynge this younge man vnto the/ which hath a certayne matter to shewe the. The hye captayne toke hym by the hond/ and went a parte with hym out of the waye / and axed hym : what hast thou to saye vnto me ? And he said : the iewes are determined to desyre the that thou woldest brynge forth Paul to morowe into the counsell/ as thougth they wolde enquyre somwhat of him more parfectly. But folowe not their mindes : for there laye awayte for hym off them/ moo then xl. men/ which have bounde them selves with a vowe/ that they will nether eate nor drynke till they have killed hym. And nowe are they redy/ and loke for thy promes. The vpper captayne lett the yonge man departe and charged : Se thou tell no man that thou hast tolde me this. And he called vnto hym two vnder captaynes/ sayinge : Make redy two hondred soudiers to goo to Cesarea/ and horsmen threscore and ten. dTo. (m- t:f)« ^cUi of ti)« aipofitUs. And speare men two hondred/ at thethyrde houre off the nyght/ And delyvre them beastes that they maye putt Paul on/ and brynge hym safe vnto Felix the hyedebite/ and wrote a letter in this maner. Claudius Lisias vnto the most mighty ruelar Felix sendeth gretynges. This man was taken of the iewes/ and shulde have bene killed of them : Then cam 1 with soudiers/ and rescued him/ and perceaved that he was a Romayne. And when I wolde have knowen the cause/ wherfore they accused hym/ I brought ^ym forth into their counsell. There perceaved I that he was accused off questions of their lawe : but was not gilty of eny thinge worthy of death/ or of bondes. After warde when it was shewed me howe that the iewes layde wayte for the man / I sent hym strayght waye to the/ and gave commaundment to hys accusars/ yf they had aught agaynst hym/ to tell it vnto the : fare well. The soudiers as it was commaunded vnto them/ toke Paul and brought hym by nyght to Antipatras. On the morowe they lefte the horsmen to goo with hym/ and returned vnto the castle, when they cam to Cesarea / they delivered the pistle to the debite / and presented Paul before him. when the debite had redde the letter/ he axed off what countre he was/ and when he vnderstode that he was of Cicill/ I will heare the (sayde he) when thyne ac- cusars are come also. And commaunded hym to be kepte in Herodes pallys. Ci^e yyi^i. Ci)aptcr. A FTER V. dayes/ Ananias the hye preste descended/ with "^^ senioures/ and with a certayne oratour named Tartullus/ and enformed the ruelar agaynst Paul, when Paul was called forth/ Tartullus began to accuse him saying : Seynge that we live in gret quyetnes by the meanes of the and that many goode thynges are done vnto this nacion thorow thy providence : that alowe we ever and in all placis/ most myghty Felix with all thankes. Notwithstondynge / lest I be tedeous vnto the/ I praye the/ thatt thou woldest heare vs of thy curtesy a feawe wordes. We have founde this man a pestilent felowe/ and a mover of debate amonge the iewes thorowe out the worlde/ And a mayn- tayner off the secte off the Nazarens : which also hath enforsed to pollute the temple/ whom we toke and wolde have iudged acordynge to oure lawe : but the hye captayne Lisias cam apon vs/ and with grett violence toke hym out of oure hondes/ com- Cf)e ^(tesf of ti)e ^positles!. C^. yriii). maundynge his accusars to come vnto the/ off whom thou mayst (yff thou wilt enquyre) knowe tlie certaynte of all these thynges wher of we accuse hym. The iewes lyke wyse affermed/ sayinge that it was even so. Then Paul (after that the ruelar him silfe had beckened vnto him that he shulde speake) answered : I shall with a moare quyet minde answer for my silfe/ for as moche as I vnderstonde that thou hast bene off many yeares a iudge vnto thys people/ be cause that thou mayst knowe that there are yet butxij. dayes sence I went vppe to Jerusalem for to praye. And that they nether founde me in the temple disputinge with eny man/ other raysynge vp the people/ nether in the sinagoges nor in the cite. Nether can they prove the thinges wher of they accuse me. But this I confesse vnto the/ that after thatt waye (which they call heresy) so worshippe I the god of my fathers/ belevinge all thynges which are written in the lawe and the prophetess and have hope tewardes god/ that the same resurrecsion from derth (which they them selves loke for also) shalbe both of iust and vniust. And therfore stody I to have a cleare conscience towarde god/ and toward man also. Many yeres agoo I cam and brought almes to my people and offeringes/ in the which they founde me purified in the temple/ nether with multitude/ nor yett with vnquyetnes. There were certaine iewes out of Asia which ought to be here present before the/ and accuse me/ yf they had ought agaynst me : or els let thes same here saye/ if they have founde eny evyll doinge in me/ whill I stonde here in the counsell/ excepte it be for this one voyce/ that I cryed stondynge amonge them off the resurreccion from deeth am I iudged off you this daye. When Felix herde that he differde them/ for he knewe very well of that waye and sayde : when Lisias the captayne is come/ I will know the vt most of youre matters, and he commaunded an vndercaptayne to kepe Paul/ and that he shuld have rest/ and that he shulde forbyd none of his acquayntaunce to minister vnto him/ or to come vnto him. After a certayne dayes cam Felix/ and his wyfe Drusilla which was a iewes/ and called forth Paul/ and herde hym of the fayth which is toward Christ. And as he preached of Justice/ temperaunce/ and Judgement to come/ Felix trembled/ and answered : thou hast done ynough att this tyme/ departe/ when I have a convenient tyme/ I will sende for the. He hoped also that money shulde be geven hym off Paul that he myght lowse hym/ wherfore he called hym the oftenner/ and commened with jTo. cj:y. Eijc ^ctei of tl)e apostles. hym. After two yeare cam Festus Porcius into Felix routne/ and Felix willynge to shewe the Jewes a pleasure lefte Paul in preson bounde. Ci)c nh' CJ;aptcr. Xl/'HEN Festus was come into the province / after thredayes/ he ascended from Cesareavnto Jerusalem. Then enformed hym the hye prestes/ and the chefe off the iewes agaynst Paul, and they entreated hym/ and desired faveour agaynst hym that he wold sende for him to Jerusalem/ and layde awayte for hym in the waye to kill him. Festus answered that Paul shulde be kept at Cesarea : but that he hym silfe wold shortly departe thither. Lett them therfore (sayd he) whiche amonge you are able to do it come doune with vs and accuse hym / if there be eny faute in the man. When he had taried there moare then ten dayes he departed vnto Cesarea/ and the nexte daye sate doune in the iudgement seate/ and commaunded Paul to be brought. When he was come the iewes which were come from Jerusalem/ cam aboute hym and layde many and greveous complaintes agaynst Paul/ which they coulde nott prove aslonge as he answered for hym silfe/ that he had nether agaynst the lawe of the iewes/ nether agaynst the temple/ nor yet agaynst Cesar offended eny thynge att all. Festus willynge to do the iewes a pleasure/ answered Paul/ and sayde : Wilte thou goo to Jerusalem/ and there be iudged of these thynges before me ? Then sayd Paul : I stonde at Cesars iudgement seate/ where I ought to be iudged. To the iewes have I no harme done/ as thou very well knowest. If I have hurte them/ or committed eny thynge worthy of deeth/ I refuse not to deye. Yf none off these thynges are/ where off they accuse me/ no man ought to deliver me to them. I appeale vnto Cesar. Tlien spake Festus with deliberacion / and answered : Thou haste appealed vnto Cesar : vnto Cesar shalt thou goo. After a certayne dayes kynge Agrippa and Bernice cam vnto Cesarea to welcom Festus. And when they had bene there a good ceason/ Festus rehearsed Paules cause vnto the kynge sayinge : There is a certayne man lefte in preson off Felix about whom when I cam to Jerusalem the hye prestes/ and seniours of the Jewes enformed me/ and desyred to have iudgement agaynst hym. To whom I answered : It is nott the maner off the Romayns to delivers eny man thatt he shulde perisshe/ before that he which is accused /■ have hys accusars before hym / and liave licence to answer for hym silfe/ as pertaynynge to the cryme wher of he is accused, when they were come hidder/ with out delaye on the morowe I sate to geve iudgement/ and com- maunde the man to be brought forth, agaynste whom when the accusers stode vppe/ they brought none accusacion ofFsoche thynges as I supposed : But hadde certayne questions agaynst hym off their awne supersticion / and of one Jesus which was ded. whom Paul affirmed to be alive. Be cause I douted off the questions/ I axed hym whither he wolde goo to Jerusalem/ and there be iudged of these matters. Then when Paul had appealed to be kept vnto the knowledge off Cesar. I com- maunded hym to be kept till I myght sende hym to Cesar. Agrippa sayd vnto Festus : I wolde also heare the man my silfe. To morowe (sayde he) thou shalt heare hym. On the morowe when Agrippa was come and Bernice with greate pompe/ and were entrede into the counsell housse with the cap- taynes and chefe men of the cite/ at Festus commaundement Paul was brought forth/ and Festus sayde : Kynge Agrippa/ and all men which are heare present with vs : Ye se this man about whom all the multitude of Jewes hath bene with me / both at Jerusalem and also here/ cryinge that he ought not to live eny lenger. Yet founde I nothynge worthy of deeth that he had committed. Neverthelesse seinge that he hath appealed to Cesar/ I have determyned to sende hym. Off whom I have no certayne thynge to wryte vnto my lorde. Wherfore I have brought hym vnto you / and specially vnto the/ kynge Agrippa/ that after examinacion had/ I myght have sumwhat to write. For me thynketh it vnreasoneble forto sende a presoner/ and not to shewe the causes/ which are layde agaynst hym. Wi)t n'b)' Ci)apttr. A GRIPPA sayde vnto Paul : Thou arte permitted to speake -^^ for thy silfe. Then Paul stretched forth his honde/ and answered for hym silfe : I thynke my silfe happy kynge Agrippa/ be cause I shall answere this daye before the of all the thynges where of I am accused of the iewes/ namly be cause thou arte experte in all customes/ and questions/ which are amonge the iewes. wheerfore I besethe the to heare me paciently. My livynge off a chylde/ which was at the fyrst amonge myne awne nacion att Jerusalem knowe all the iewes which knew me from the begynnynge/ yf they wolde testifye it. For after the most straytest secte of oure lawe Uved I a pharisaye and nowe I stond and am iudged for the hope off the promes made off God vnto oure fathers vnto which promes/ oure ,xij. tribes instantly servynge God daye and nyght/ hope to come. For which hopes sake/ kynge Agrippa am I accused off the iewes. why shulde itt be thought a thynge vncredible vnto you/ if God rayse agayne the deed ? I also verely thought in my silfe/ that I ought to do many contrary thynges/ clene agaynst the name off Jesus off Nazareth : which thynge I alsoo did in Jerusalem. And many of the saynctes shut I in preson. morover I receaved auctorite off the hye prestes : And when they were putt to deeth I gave the sentence. And I punnysshed them often in every sinagoge/ and compelled them to blaspheme, and was yett more mad apon them and persecuted them/ even vnto straunge cites. About the which thynges as I went to Damascon whith auctorite/ and commission from the hye prestes/ even at myd daye (kynge Agrippa) I sawe in the waye a lyght from heven/ above the brightnes of the sunne/ shyne rounde about me and them/ which iorneyed with me. When we wer all fallen to the erth / 1 herde a voyce speakynge vnto me/ and sayinge in the ebrue tonge: Saul/ Saul/ why persecutest thou me? Hit is harde for the to kicke agaynste the pricke. And I sayde : "Who arte thou lorde? And he sayde : I am Jesus whom thou persecutest : But ryse and stond vppe on thy fete. For I have apered vnto the for this purpose/ to make the a mynister/ and a witnes both off the thynges whicli thou hast sene/ and off tho thynges in the which I will apere vnto the/ delyverynge the from the people/ and from the gen- tyls/ vnto the which nowe I sende the/ to open their eyes that they myght turne fFrom darcknes vnto lyght / and fFrom the power of Satan vnto God/ that they maye receave forgevenes of synnes/ and inheritaunce amonge them which are sanctyfyed by fayth in me. « Wherfore kynge Agrippa I was not disobedient vnto the hevenly vysion ; butt shewed fyrst vnto them off Damascon/ and att Jerusalem/ and thorow out all the costes off Jewry/ and to the gentyls/ that they shulde repent/ and turne to God/ and do the right werkes off repentaunce. For this cause the iewes caught me in the temple/ and went about to kill me. Ne- verthelesse I obtayned helpe off God/ and stond vnto this daye witnessynge bothe to small and to greate/ saying none other €i)t. ^cUi of ti)c ^po£itUs(. €t). vvbij. thynges/ then those which the prophetes and Moses did saye shuldecome/ that Christ shulde suffre/ and that he shnld be the fyrst that shulde ryse from deeth/ and shulde shewe lightt vnto the people/ and to the gentyls. As he thus answered for hym silfe : Festus sayde with a lowde voyce : Paul/ thou arte besides thy silfe. Moche learnynge hath made the mad. And Paul sayde : I am not mad most dere Festus : but speake the wordes of trueth and sobernes The kynge knoweth of these thynges/ before whom I speke frely. nether thynke I that eny of these thynges are hidden from hym. For this thynge was not done in a corner. Kynge Agrippa be- levest thou the prophetes? I wote wele thou belevest. Agrippa sayde vnto Paul : Sumwhatt thou bryngest me in mynde ffor to be come christen. And Paull sayd : I wolde to God that not only thou : but also all that heare me to daye/ were not sum- what only/ but altogedder soche as I am except these bondes. And when he had thus spoken/ the kynge rose vppe/ and the debite/ and Bernice/ and they that sate with them. And when they were gone aparte/ they talked betwene them selves sayinge: This man doetli nothynge worthy of deeth/ nor of bondes. Then sayde Agrippa vnto festus : This man myght have bene lowsed yf he had not apealed vnto Cesar. CIjc vvfttj. Ci>iptcr. X^THEN it was concluded that we shulde sayle into italy/ ^ they delivered Paul/ and certayne other presoners vnto won named Julius/ an vndercaptayne of Cesars soudiars. And we entred into a shippe of Adramicium / and lowsed from lond / apoynted to sayle by the costes off Asia/ won Aristarcus out of Macedonia/ of the cuntre of Thessalia / beinge with vs. The nexte daye cam we to sidon / and Julius courteously entreated Paul/ and gave him liberte to goo vnto his frendes / and to refresshe hym silfe. And from thence lanched we and sayled harde by Cypers/ be cause the wyndes were contrary. Then sayled we over the see oft' Cicill/ and Pamphylia / and cam to Myra a cite in Lycia. And there the vnder captayne founde a shippe oft' Alexandry redy to sayle in Italy / and put vs there in / and when we had sayled slowly many dayes / and scace were come over agaynst Gnydon (be cause the wynde with stode vs) we saled harde by the costes off Candy/ over agaynste Salmo/ and with moche worke sayled beyonde hytt/ and cam vnto a place called Goode R dFo. tyyi). Cljt ^ctcji of tj^e ^po^thi. porte. Neye where vnto was a citte called Lasea. When moche tyme was spent/ and saylynge was nowe ieoperdeous/ because alsoo thatt we had overlonge fasted / Paul put them in remembraunce / and sayde vnto them : Syrs I perceave that thys vyage wilbe with hurte and domage/ not off the ladynge and shippe only : but also off oure lyues. Butt the vndercaptayne beleved the gouerner r and the master better then thoo thynges which were spoken off Paul. And because the haven was nott commodius to wynter in/ many toke counsell to departe thence / yff by eny nieanes they myght atayne to Phenices and there to wynter/ whych haven pertayneth to Candy/ and servith to the sougthwest/ and northwest wynde. When the sougth wynde blewe / they supposynge to obtayne theyr purpose lowsed vnto Asson / and sayled paste all Candy, Butt anon after there arose (agaynste theyr purpose) a flawe off wynde out of the northeste When the shippe was caught / and coulde not resist the wynde / we lett her goo and drave with the wedder. We cam vnto an yle named Clauda / And had moche worke to come by aboote / which they toke vppe / and vsed helppe vndergerdynge the shippe / fearynge lest we shulde have fallen into Syrtes/ and we let doune a vessell and soo were caryed. The nexte daye when we were tossed with an excedynge tempest / they lightened the shippe / and the thyrde daye we cast out with oure awne hondes the tacklinge of the shippe. When at the last nether sunne nor starre in many dayes apered / And noo smale tempest laye apon vs / all hope thatt we shulde be saved / was taken awaye. Then after longe abstinence Paul stode forth in the myddes of them and sayde : Syrs ye shulde have herde me / and not have departed from Candy/ nether to have brought vnto vs this harme and losse. And nowe I exhorte you to be of goode chere / ffor there shalbe noo losse off eny mans lyfe amonge you : Butt off the shippe only. For there stode by me this nyght the angell off God whose I am/ and whom I serve/ saying : feare nott Paul / for thou must be brought before Cesar. And loo / God hath geven vnto the all thatt are in the shippe with the / wherfore Syrs be of good chere / for I beleve God that so it shalbe even as it was tolde me / and we must be cast into a certayne ylonde. But when the fourtenthe nyght was come as we were caryed in Adria/ about mydnyght the shipmen demed thatt there apered some countre vnto them/ and they sounded / and founde it xx. feddoms. they went a lytell further and sounded agayne/ and Cf)C ^cteji of ti)t ^po£itlf£;. C]^. yybiij. founde xv. feddoms. Then fearinge lest they shulde have fallen on some Rocke/ they cast iiij. ancres out of the sterne / and wysshed for the daye. As the shipmen were about to fle out of the shippe/ and had lett doune the bote into the see/ vnder a colour as though they wolde have cast ancres out off the for- shippe: Paul sayd vnto the vnder captayne and the soudiers : excepte these abyde in the shippe ye cannot be safe. Then the soudiers cut off the rope off the bote/ and lett yt fall awaye. And in the meane tyme/ bitwixt that and daye/ Paul be- sought them all to take meate/ sayinge: this is the fourtenthe daye that ye have taried and continued fastynge receavynge no thynge at all / wherfore I praye you to take meate. for this no dout is for youre helth / for there shall not an heere fall from the heed of eny of you. And when he had thus spoken he toke breed and gave thankes to God in presence off them all/ and brake it / and began to eate. Then were they all of Good cheare / and they also toke meate. We were all togedder in the shippe / two hondred and thre score and sixtene soules. When they had eaten ynough / they lightened the shippe and cast out the weate into the see. When ytt was daye, they knew not the lande/ butt they spied a certayne reache with a banke/ in to the which they were mynded (yfF ytt were possible) to thrust in the shippe. And when they had taken vppe the ancres/ they committed them selves vnto the see/ and lowsed the rudder bondes and hoysed vppe the mayne sayle to the wynde and drue to londe / and they fell into a place/ which had the see on bothe the sydes/ and thrust in the shippe/ and the foore parte stucke fast/ and moved not / and the hynderparte brake with the violence of the waves. The soudears counsel! was to kyll the presoners lest eny off them / when he had swome out shulde fle awaye : but the vnder captayne willinge to save Paul kept them from their purpose/ and commaunded that they that coulde swym shulde cast them selves fyrst into the see / and scape to londe. And the other he commaunded to goo / some on hordes / and some on broken peces off the shippe. And so cam it to passe/ that they cam all safe to londe, Cl)c n'biii' Ci)apta-. A ND when they were scaped they knewe that the yle was called Mileta. The people ofF the countre shewed vs no litell kyndnes/ for they kyndled a fyre and receaved vs every h2 dTo.c^ii}. Ct)e ScUs of ti)« 'B^oatUi. one be cause off the present rayne / and be cause off colde. When Paul had gaddered a boundle off stickes/ And putt them into the fyre/ a viper (be cause off the heet) creept out and lept on his honde. When the men off the centre sawe the worme hange on hys honde / they sayde amonge them selves : thys man must nedes be a mortherer/ Whom (though he have escaped the see) yet vengeaunce suffreth nott to Hve. and he shuke of the vermen into the fyre / and felt no harme. Tliey wayted when he shulde have swolne / or fallen doune deed sodently. But after they had loked a greate whyle / and sawe no harme come to hym / they chaunged their myndes / and sayde that he was a God. In the same quarters / the chefe man off the yle whose name was Publius/ had a lordshippe / whych receaved vs / and lodged vs thre dayes courteously. Hit fortuned that the father of Pubhus laye sicke off a fiever / and of a bltiddy flixe to whom Paul entred in and prayde / and layde his hondes on hym/ and healed hym. when this was done / other also which were diseased in the yle / cam and were healed : and they did vs grett honour. And when we departed / they laded vs with thynges necessary. After thre monethes we sayled in a shippe off Alexandry / which had wyntred in the yle f whose badge was Castor and pollux. And when we cam to Ciracusa / we taryed there iij. dayes / from whence we sayled about and cam to Regium. and after won daye the sougth wynde blewe / and we cam the nexte days to Putiolus where we founde brethren / and were desyred to tary with them seven dayes / and so cam we to Rome. And from thence / when the brethren herde of vs / they cam to Apiphorum / and thre taverns / and met vs. when Paul sawe them he thanked God / and wexed boolde. W^hen we cam to Rome / the vnder captayne delivered the presoners to the chefe captayne of the host : butt Paul was suffered to dwell alone with wone soudier that kept hym. Hit fortuned that after thre dayes Paul called the chefe of the iewes togedder. When they were come / he sayde vnto them : Men and brethren/ though I have committed noo thynge agaynst the people/ or lawes of oure fathers: yett was I delivered presoner from Jerusalem into the hondes of the romains. Which when they had examened me wolde have lett me goo / be cause they founde no cause of deeth in me : but when the iewes cried con- trary: I was constrayned to appeale vnto Cesar. Not be cause I had ought to accuse my people of For this cause have I called for you to se you / and to speake with you. Fori be cause off the hope off Israhel/ am bounde with this chayne. And they sayde vnto him : We nether receaved letters out of Jewry pertayniiige vnto the / nether cam eny of the bretliren thatt shewed or spake eny harme of the. Butt we woll heare of the what thou thynkest. For we have herde off this secte/' that every wheare it is spoken agaynst. When they had apoynted hym a daye/ there cam many vnto hym into his lodgynge: to whom he expouned and testifyed the kyngdom off God. and preached vnto them off Jesu : both by the lawe off Moses / and also by the prophetes from mornynge to nyght. And some beleved the thynges which were spoken / and some beleved not. When they agreed not amonge them selves/ they departed/ after thatt Paul had spoken one worde : well spake the holy goost by Esay the prophet vnto oure fathers/ sayinge : Goo vnto this people and saye : with youre eares shall ye heare/ and shall not vnderstonde. and with youre eyes shall ye se and shall not perceave. For the hert off this people is wexed grosse/ and their eares wexe thycke of hearinge/ and their eyes have they closed / lest they shulde se with their eyes / and heare with their eares/ and vnderstonde with their hertes / and shulde be converted / and I shulde heale them. Be it knowen therfore vnto you / that this consolacion of God is sent to the gentyls/ and they shall heare it. And when he had sayde that / the iewes departed from hym/ and had grete despicions amonge them selves. But Paul dwelt two yeares in his lodgynge. And receaved all that cam to hym / preachynge the kyngdome off God / and teachynge those thynges whych concerned the lorde Jesus wyth all confidence / noo man forbyddynge hym. fern cnU«ti)c tijt ^cteji off ti)e ^pojftleg. €f)t epistle off tfte apostle ?aaul to tfie Homagnc^, Cfte fprsst Cf)ajpten PS21plC the servaunte off Jesus Christ/ called vnto the office off an apostle/ putt a parte to preache the gospell of God/ which he promysed 1 1 afore by his prophetes / in the holy scriptures that make mension of his sonne/ the which was begotten of the seede of David as pertayn- ynge to the flesshe : and declared to be the sonne of God with power of the holy goost/ that sanctifieth/ sence the tyme that Jesus Christ oure lorde rose agayne from deeth/ by whom we have receaved grace and apostle shippe/ thatt all gentiles shulde obeye to the fayth which is in his name/ of the which noumbre are ye also/ which are Jesus Christes by vocacion. To all you of Rome beloved of God/ and sanctes bycallynge. Grace' be with you and peace from God oure father / and from the lorde Jesus Christ. Fyrst verely I thanke my god thorow Jesus Christ for you all/ be cause youre faith is publisshed through out all the worlde. For god is my witnes/ whom I serve in my sprete/ in the gospell of his sonne that with out ceasynge I make mencion of you all wayes in my prayers/ besechynge thatt at one tyme or another/ a prosperous iorney (by the will of god) myght fortune me to come vnto you. For I longe to see you/ that I myght bestowe amonge you some spirituall gifte/ to strengthe you with all (thatt Ci)e iSptsitU bnto tijc J^omayns:. CI), j. ys) that I myglit have consolacion togedder with you / through the commen fayth / which bothe ye and I have. I wolde that ye shulde knowe/ brethren/ howe that I have often tynies purposed to come vnto you (but have bene lett liidderto) to have some frute amonge you / as I have amonge other of the gentyls. For I am detter both to the grekes/ and to them which are no grekes/ vnto the learned and also vnto the vnlearned, Lykwyse/ as moche as in me is/ I am redy to preache the gospell to you of Rome also. For I am nott a shamed of the gospell of Christ/ because it is the power of God vnto salvacion to all that beleve/ namly to the iewe/ and also to the gentyle/ For by it the rightewesness which commeth of God is opened/ from faythe to faythe. As it is written : The iust shall live by fayth. For the wrath of god of heven apereth agaynst all vngodlynes and vnrightewesnes of men which withliolde the trueth in vn- rightewesnes/ seynge that that/ which maye be knowen of god/ is manifest amonge them. For God did shewe it vnto them. For his invisibile thynges (that is to saye/ his eternall power and godhed) are vnderstond and sene/ by the werkes from the cre- acion of the worlde. So that they are with out excuse/ in as moche as when they knewe God they gloryfied hym not as god / nether were thankfull / but wexed full of vanities in their imagina- cions. And their folisshe hertes were blynded. When they counted them selves wyse / they becam foles and turned the glory of the immortall god/ vnto the similitude of the ymage of mortall man/ and of byrdes/ and foure foted beastes and serpentes. For this cause god gave them vppe vnto their hertes lustes/ vnto vnclennes to defile their awne boddies bitwene them selves: which tourned his trueth vnto a lye/ and worshipped and served the creatures more then the maker/ which is blessed for ever Amen. For this cause god gave them vppe vnto shamfull lustes. For even their wemen did chaunge the naturall vse vnto the vnnaturall. And lyke wyse also the men lefte the naturall vse of the woman / and brent in lust won on another amonge them selves. And man with man wrought filthynes/ and receaved in them selves the rewarde of their errour as it was accordynge. And as it semed not good vnto them to be aknowen of god/ even so god deliveryd them vppe vnto a leawde mynd/that they shulde do tho thynges which wer not comly/ beynge full of all vnrighteous doynge/ off fornicacion/ wickednes/ coveteousnes/ maliciousnes/ full off envie/ morther/ debate/ dissayte/ cvyll condiciond/ whisperers/ backbyters/ haters off God/ dqers of dFo. cr>b. Ci)( iEpi^tlc of ^aul wronge/ proude/ bosters/ bryngers vppe of evyll thynges/ dis- obedient to their fathers and mothers/ with out vnderstondynge / covenaunte breakers/ vnlovynge/ stouborne and merciles. which men/ though they knew the rightewesnes of God/howe that they which soche thinges commyt are worthy off deeth / yett not only did the same/ but also had pleasure in them that did them, Cf)t ^cconte C]|)aptcr. ^HERFORE arte thou inexcusable o man whosoever thou be that iudgest. For in that same where in thou iudgest another/ thou condemnest thy silfe. For thou that iudgest doest even the same silfe thynges. But we are sure that the iudgement of God is accordynge to trueth/ agaynst them which commit soche tliynges. Thynkest thou O man that iudgest them which do soche thynges and yet dost even the very same / that thou shalt escape the iudgement of God : Other despisest thou the riches off his goodnes and pacience and longe sufferance and remembrest not how that the kyndnes of God ledith the to repentaunce ? But thou after thyne harde herte that cannott repent/ heap- est the togedder the treasure of wrath agaynste the daye of ven- geaunce/ when shalbe openned the rightewes iudgement of God/ whych wyll rewarde every man accordynge to hys dedes/ that is to saye prayse/ honoure/ and immortalite/ to them which continuynge in goode doynge/ seke eternall lyfe : Butt vnto them tliatt are rebellious/ and disobey the trueth/ yett folowe iniquytie/ shall come indignacion/ and wrathe/ tribulacion and anguysshe apon the soule of every mon that doth evyll. Of the Jewe fyrst And also off the gentyll. To every man that doeth good shall come prayse/ honoure and peace/ to the iewe fyrst/ and also to the gentyll. For there is no parcialite with god : But whosoever hath synned with out lawe/ shall perishe with out lawe. And as many as have synned vnder the lawe/ shalbe iudged by the lawe. For before God they are nott righteous which heare the lawe : but they which do the lawe shalbe iusti- fyed. For if the gentyls which have noo lawe/ do of nature the thynges contayned in the lawe : then they havynge noo lawe/ are a lawe vnto them selves/ which shewe the dede off the lawe written in theyr hertes/ whyll their conscience beareth witnes vnto them/ and also their thoughtes/ accusynge won another/ or excusynge at the daye wen God shall iudge the secretes off men/ by Jesus Christ accordynge to my Gospel). bnto tf)e MomaunfS. Ci). tij. Beholde / thou arte called a J ewe/ and trustest in the lawe and reioysist in God / and knowest his will / and hast experience of good and bad/ in that thou arte informed by the lawe : And belevest that thou thy silfe arte a gyde vnto the blynde/ a lyght to them which are in dercknes/ an informer off them which lacke discrecion / a teacher off the vnlearned / which hast the ensample off thatt which ought to be knowen / and off the trueth in the lawe. Howe teachest thou another : but teachest nottthy silfe. Thou preachest/ a man shulde not steale : and yet thou stealest. Thou sayst/ a man shulde nott commit advoutry : and thou breakest wedlocke. Thou abhorest ymages / and robbest God of his honours. Thou reioysest in the lawe / and thorow breakynge the lawe dishonourest God. For the name off God is evyll spoken off amonge the gentylls thorowe you as it is written. Circumcision verely avayleth if thou kepe the lawe : But if thou breake the lawe thy circumcision is made vncircumcision. Therefore yf the vncircumcised kepe the right thynges contayned in the lawe : shall nott his vncircumcision be counted for cir- cum^ion ? And shall not vncircumcision which ys by nature (yf itt kepe the lawe) iudge the/ which beynge vnder the lawe and circumcision / dost transgresse the lawe ? For he is not a Jewe/ which is a Jewe outwarde. Nether is that thy nge cir- cumcision / which is outwarde in the flesshe : But he is a Jewe which is hid within, and the circumcision of the herte is the true circumcision/ which is in the sprete/ and nott in the letter: whose prayse is not of men but of god. CI;e Cijtrtfc CijapUr. W "HAT preferment then hath the Jewe? other what avaunt- ageth circumcision? Surely very moche. Fyrst vnto them was committed the worde off God. What then though some off them did not beleve/ shall their vnbeleve make the promesof god without effecte ? god forbid. Lett God betrue / and all men lyars / as it is written : That thou myghtest be iustifyed in thy saynges and shuldest overcome when thou arte iudged. Yf oure vnrightewesnes make the rightewesnes off God more excellent : what shall we saye ? Ys God vnrighteous which taketh ven- geaunce? (I speake after the maner of men) god forbid. For howe then shall god iudge the worlde ? yf the veritie of god apere more excellent thorow my lye/ vnto his prayse/ why am I hence forthe iudged as a synner? and saye nott rather (as men dTa. cnhj. Ci)e (Bpi&tlc of ^aul evyll speake of vs / and as some afferine that we saye) lett vs do evyll / that good maye come tlierof. whose damnacion is iuste. What saye we then? Are we better then they? no/ in no wyse. For we have all redy proved how that both Jewes and gentyls are vnder synne / as it is written : There is none righ- teous / no nott one : There is none that vnderstondith / there is none that seketii after God/ they are all gone out of the waye/ they are all made vnproffitable / there is none that doeth good / no not won. Their throte is an open sepulcre / with their tounges they have disceaved : the poyson of Aspes is vnder their hppes. whose niouthes are full of coursynge and bitternes. There fete are swytfe to sheed bloud. Destruccion ande wretchednes are in their wayes. And the waye of peace have they nott knowen. There is no feare of God before their eyes. Ye and we knowe that whatsoever the lawe sayth / he sayth itt to them which are vnder the lawe : That all mouthes maye be stopped / and all the worlde be subdued to God / be cause that by the dedes of the lawe/ shall no flesshe be iustified in the sight off god. For by the lawe commeth the knowledge off synne. Nowe verely is the rightewesnes that commeth of God de- clared with out the fulfillinge of the lawe havynge witnes yet of the lawe / and of the prophetes. The rightewesnes no dout which ys goode before God commeth by the fayth off Jesus Christe vnto all/ and apon all them that beleve. For there is no difference/ all have synned/ and lacke the prayse that is ofFvaloure before God: but are iustified frely by his grace/ through the redemcion that is in Christ Jesu/ whom God hath made a seate of mercy thorow faith in his bloud / to shewe the rightewesnes which before hym is of valoure / in that he forgeveth the synnes thatt are passhed/ which God did sufFre to shewe at this tyme: the rightewesnes that is alowed off hym/ that he myght be counted iuste/ and a iustifiar of hym which belevith on Jesus. Where is then thy reioysynge ? Hitt is excluded. By what lawe ? by the lawe of workes ? Naye : but by the lawe of fayth. We suppose therfore that a man is iustified by fayth with out the dedes of the lawe. Ys he the god of the iewes only? Ys he not also the god off the gentyls ? He is noo doute / god also of the gentyls. For it is god only which iustifieth circumcision/ which is off faith: and vucircumcision throw favth. Do we Cl)c iEpi^tlc biito t1)t iaomaj)U£i. €1). ittj. then destroye the lawe throw tayth ? God forbid. We rather mayntayne the lawe. €i)t Hi]. Cj^aptrr. 'Vl/'HAT shall we saye then/ that Abraham oure father as pertayninge to the flesshe dyd fynde ? YfF Abraham were iustifyed by dedes/ then hath he wher in to reioyce : butt nott with god. For what sayth tlie scripture ? Abraham beleved god/ and it was counted vnto hym for rightewesnes. To hym that worketh ys the rewarde nott reckened off favour : but of duety. Tho him that worketh not/ but beleveth on him that iustifieth the vngodly/ is fayth counted for rightewesnes. Even as David desscribeth the blessedfulnes of a man/ vnto whom god ascrybeth rightewesnes with out dedes. Blessed are they / whose vnrightewesnes is forgeven / and whose synnes are covered. Blessed is that man to whom the lorde imputeth not synne. Cam this blessednes then apon the circumcised or apon the vncircumcised ? We saye verely howe that fayth was rekened to Abraham/ for rightewesnes. Howe was it reckened ? in the tyme of circumcision ? or in the tyme before he was circumcised ? Not in tyme of circumcision : but when he was yet vncircumcised. And he receaved the signe of circumcision as a seale of that rightewesnes whych is by fayth/ which fayth he had yett beynge vncircumcised/ that he shulde be the father of all them that beleve/ though they be nott circumcised/ that rightewesnes myght be imputed to them also / And that he myght be the father of the circumcised : not be cause they are circumcised only : but be cause they walke also in the steppes of fayth/ which was in oure father Abraham before the tyme of circumcision. For the promes that he shulde be the hey re of the worlde was not geven to Abraham/ or to hys seed thorowe the lawe : but thorow the rightewesnes which cometh of fayth. For yf they which are of the lawe be heyres/ then is fayth butt vayne/ and the promes of none effecte. Because the lawe causeth wrathe. For where no lawe is/ there is no transgression. Therfore by fayth is the enheritaunce geven/ that it myght come off faveour: and that the promes myght be sure to all the seed. Not to them only which are of the lawe : but also to them which are of the fayth of Abraham/ which is the father of vs all. As hit is writ- ten : I have ordeyned the a father to many nacions / before God whom thou hast beleved/ which quyckeneth the deed and calleth those thynges which be not as though they were. jTo. cnbi). Ci)c lEpi^tlc of ^aul Which Abraham/ contrary to hope/ beleved in hope/ that he shulde be the father of many nacions accordynge to thattwhyeh was spoken : So shall thy seed be / and he faynted nott in the fayth/ nor yet consydered hys awne boddy/ which was novve deed/ even when he was almost an hondred yeare olde. Nether considered he the barenes off Sara. He stackered nott at the promes off God thorowe vnbelefe : Butt was made stronge in the fayth/ and gave honour to God and stedfastly beleved/ that he whych had made the promes was able also to make it good, and therfore was it reckened to hym for rightewesnes. Hit is nott written for hym only/ that it was reckened to hym for rightewesnes : butt also for vs/ to whom ytt shalbe counted for rightewesnes so we beleve on hym thatt raysed vppe Jesus oure lorde from deeth. Which was deUvered for oure synnes/ and rose agayne forto iustifye vs. Cije 6. Ci;apttr. "DE cause therfore thatt we are iustifyed by fayth we are at "^ peace with god thorowe oure lorde Jesus Christ : by whom we have awaye in thorow faith vnto this faveour wherin we stonde and reioyse in hope of the prayse that shalbe geven of God. Nether do we so only : but also we reioyce in tribulacion : For we know that tribulacion bryngeth pacience/ pacience bryngeth felynge/ felynge bryngeth hope, and hope maketh vs not a shamed/ be cause the love that god hath vnto vs/ is sheed abrod in oure hertes/ by the holy gost/ which is geven vnto vs. For when we were yett weake accordynge to the tyme : Christ dyed for vs which were vngodly. Yett scace will eny man deye for a rightewes man. Paraventure for a good man durst a man deye. Butt God setteth out hys love thatt he hath to vs/ Sey- inge that whyll we were yett synners/ Christ deyed for vs, Moche more then nowe (seynge we are iustifyed in hys bloud) shall we be preserved from wrath thorow hym. For yf when we were enemys / we were reconciled to God by the deeth of hys sonne : moche more/ seynge we are reconciled/ we shalbe preservyd by his life. Not only so/ but we also joye in God by the meanes off oure lorde Jesus Christ/ by whom we have receavyd this attonment. Wherfore as by one man synne entred into the worlde/ and deeth by the meanes off synne. And so deeth went over all men/ in somoche that all men synned. For even vnto the tym? of the lawe was synne in the worlde : but synne was not regarded/ bnto ti)e Momapntf. Ci). bj. as longe as there was no lawe, neverthelesse deeth rayned from Adam to Moses/ even over them also that synned not/ with lyke transgression as did Adam : which is the simiHtude ofFhym that was to come. But the gyfte is not lyke as is the synne. For yf thorow the synne of one/ many be deed : moche more plenteous apon many was the faveour of God and gyfte by faveoure : which faveoure was geven by one man Jesus Christ. And the gyfte is nott over one synne/ as deeth cam tliorow one synne of one that synned. For damnacion cam off one synne vnto condemnacion : But the gyft cam to iustiiy from many synnes. For yfF by the synne off" one/ deeth raigned by the meanes of one/ moche more shall they which receave abound- ance off faveour and off the gyfte of rightewesnes raygne in lyfe by the meanes of one (that is to saye) Jesus Christe. Lyke wyse then as by the synne of one/ condemnacioij cam on all men : even so by the iastifyinge of one commeth the rightewesnes that bryngeth lyfe/ apon all men. For as by one mannes disobedience many be cam synners : so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. The lawe in the meane tyme entred in thatt synne shulde encrease. And where aboundaunce off synne was/ there was more plenteousnes of grace. That as sinne had raigned vnto deeth/ even so might grace raynge thorow rightewesnes vnto eternall lyfe/ by the helpe of Jesu Christ. €iit bj. Ci>iptcv. "Vl/^HAT shall we saye then ? shall we continue in synne/ that there maye be aboundaunce off grace ? God forbid. Howe shall we that are deed as touchynge synne live eny longer therin ? Remember ye nott that all we which are baptysed in the name off Christ Jesu/ are baptised to deye with hym ? We are buryed with him by baptim forto deye : That as Christ was raysed vp from deeth by the glory of the father : even soo we also shulde walke in a newe lyfe. For yff we be graft in deeth lyke vnto hym : even soo must we be in the resurreccion. Tliys we must remember/ that oure olde man ys crucified wyth hym also/ that the body of synne myght vtterly be destroyed/ that hence forth we shulde not be servauntes off synne. For he that is deed / ys iustified from synne. Wherfore yff we be deed with Christ/ we beleve that we shall live with hym : remembrynge that Christ once raysed from deeth / dTo. cn'bii), €f)i iEptStle of ^aiil dieth no more. Deeth hath no more power over hym. For as touchynge that he died/ he died as concernynge synne once. And as touchynge that he liveth/ he hvelh vnto God. Lyke- wyse ymmagen ye also/ that ye are deed as concernynge synne: but are ahve vnto God thorow Jesus Christ oure lorde. Lett nott synne raigne therfore in youre mortall bodyes/ thatt ye shulde there vnto obey in the lustes off it. Nether geve ye youre members as instrumentes off vnrightewesnes vnto synne : Butt geve youre selves vnto God/ as they that are alive from deeth. And geve youre members as instrumentes of rightewes- nes vnto god. Synne shall not have power over you. For ye' are not vnder the lawe/ but vnder grace. What then ? Shall we synne/ be cause we are not vnder the lawe : but vnder grace ? God forbid. Remember ye not howe that to whomsoever ye commit youre selves as servauntes to obey/ hys servauntes ye are to whom ye obey : whether it be of synne vnto deeth/ or of obedience vnto rightewesnes ? God be thanked. Ye were onc§ the servauntes of synne : Butt now have obeyd wyth youre hertes vnto the forme off doctryne where vnto ye were delyvered. ye are then made fre from synne/ and are be come the servauntes off rightewesnes. I wyll speake grossly because off the infirmitie off youre flesshe. As ye have geven youre members servauntes to vnclen- nes and to iniquitie/ from iniquytie vnto iniquytie: even so nowe geve youre members servauntes vnto rightewesnes/ that yemaye be sanctified. For when ye were the servauntes off synne/ ye were nott vnder rightewesnes. What frute had ye then in tho thynges/ where off ye are nowe ashamed. For the ende of tho thynges is deeth. Butt nowe are ye delivered from sinne/ and made the servauntes off God/ and have youre frute thatt ye shulde be sanctifyed/ and the ende everlastynge lyfe. For the rewarde off synne is deeth : butt eternall lyfe ys the gyft off God/ thorow Jesus Christ oure lorde. Ci)c bij. Cijapter. a 'EMEMBER ye not brethren (I speake to them thatt know the lawe) how thatt the lawe hath power over a man as longe as yt enduereth : For the woman which is in subieccion to a man/ is bounde by the lawe to the man/ as longe as he liveth. Yff the man be deed/ she is lowsed from the lawe of the man. So then yf whill the man liveth she couple her silfe with another man / she shalbe counted a wedlocke breaker. But yf the man bnto tljc J^omayng. CI), btj. be deed she is fre from the lawe : so that she is noo wedlocke breaker/ though she couple her sihe Avith another man. Even so my brethren/ ye also are niade deed as concernynge the lawe by the body off Christ/ that ye shulde be coupled to another (I meane to hym that is rysen agayne from deeth) that we shulde brynge forth frute vnto God. When we were in the flesshe/ the lustes off synne whyche were stered vppe by the lawe/ raigned in oure members/ to bringe forth frute vnto deeth. Butt now are we delivered from the lawe/ and deed from hit/ where vnto we were in bondage/ that we shulde serve in an newe conversacion of the sprete / and nott in the olde conversacion off the letter. What shall we saye then ? is the lawe synne ? God forbid : but I knewe nott what synne meand butt by the lawe. For I had nott knowne what lust hadde meant / excepte the lawe hadde sayde/ thou shalt not lust. But synne toke an occasion by the meanes off the commaundement / and wrought in me all manner off concupiscence. For verely with out the lawe sinne was deed. I once lived with out lawe: butt when the com- maundement cam / synne revived / and I was deed. And the very same commaundement which was ordeyned vnto lyfe / was founde to be vnto me an occasion of deeth. For synne toke occasion by the meanes of the commaundement and so dis- ceaved me / and by the silfe commaundement slewe me. wher- fore the lawe is holy / and the commaundement holy / iust / and good. Was that then which is good made deeth vnto me? God forbyd. Naye synne was deeth vnto me / that it myght apere how thatt synne by the meanes of that which is good / had wrought deeth in mee : that synne which is vnder the com- maundement / myght be out of measure synfidl. For we knowe that the lawe is spirituall : butt I am car nail / solde vnder synne : be cause I wote nott what I doo. For what I wold / that do I not : but what I hate / that do I. Yf I do nowe that which I wolde not/ I graunte to the lawe that yt ys good. So then nowe yt is nott I that do it/ butt synne that dwelleth in me. For I knowe that in me (that is to saye in my flesshe) dwelleth no good thynge. To will is present with me: butt I fynde no meanes to performe that which is good. For I doo not that goode thynge which I wold : but that evyll do I / which I wolde not. Finally / yff I do that I wolde not / then is it nott I that doo it/ but synne that dwelleth in me doeth it. I fynde then by the lawe that when I wolde do good / evyll is present with me. I dclite in the lawe off God / as concernynge the inner man. dfo. cyyiy. Clje 3£pt5tle of ^aul Butt I se another lawe in my members rebellynge agaynst the lawe off my mynde / and subduynge me vnto tlie lawe of synne / which is in my members. O wretched man that I am : who shall dely ver me from this boddy of deeth ? I ihanke God by Jesus Christ oure lorde : So then I my silfe in my mynde serve the lawe off God / and in my flesshe the lawe of synne. W^t bit). Ci)apttr. T^HERE is then no damnacion to them which are in Christ Jesu/ which walke not after the flesshe: butt after the sprete. For the lawe of the sprete / wherin is life thorowe Jesus Christ hath delivered me from the lawe off synne/ and deeth. For what the lawe coulde nott doo in as moche as itt was weake be cause off the flesshe : that performed God / and sent his sonne in the similitude of synfull flesshe/ and by synne damned synne in the flesshe: that the rightewesnes requyred of the lawe / myght be fulfilled in vs / whych walke not after the flesshe : butt after the sprete. For they that are carnall/ are carnally mynded. and they that are spirituall are goostly mynded. To be carnally mynded is deeth. and to be spiritually mynded is lyfe/ and peace: be- cause that the flesshly mynde is enmyte against God : For it is not obedient to the lawe of God/ nether can be. So then they that are geven to the flesshe/ cannot please god. But ye are not geven to the flesshe/ But to the sprete : Yff soo be that the sprett of God dwell in you. if there be eny man that hath not the sprete of Christ/ the same is none of his / Yf Christ be in you/ the body is deed be cause of synne : But the sprete is lyfe for rightewesnes sake. Wherfore if the sprete of hym that raysed vppe Jesus from deeth / dwell in you : even he that raysed vp Christ from deeth/ shall quicken youre mortall bodyes / be cause that his sprete dwelleth in you. Therfore brethren we are nowe detters/ not to the flesshe / to live after the flesshe : For iff ye live after the flesshe / ye must deye. But if ye mortifie the dedes off the body / by the helpe off the sprete ye shall live / for as many as are ledde by the sprete oft God / are the sonnes of god. For ye have not receaved the sprete of bondage to feare eny moare / but ye have receaved the sprete oft' adopcion wherby we crye abba fatther. The same sprete certifieth oure sprete that we are the sonnes of god, yf we be the sonnes / we are also the heyres (the heyres I meane of god) and heyres anexed with Christ/ yf so be that we suffer togedder/ that we maye be glorified togedder. bnto tije 3tiomawnj{. Ci). biij. For I suppose that the affliccions of this lyfe / are not worthy of the glory which shalbe shewed apon vs. also the fervent desire of the creatures abideth lokynge when the sonnes of God shall apere because the creatures are subdued to vanite agaynst their will : but for his will which subdued them in hope. For the very creatures shalbe delivered from the bondage off corrupcion / into the glorious libertie off the sonnes of god. For we knowe that every creature groneth with vs also / and travayleth in payne even vnto this tyme. Not they only / but even we also which have the fyrst frutes of the sprete morne in oure selves and wayte for the adopcion / and loke for the dehveraunce of oure bodies. For we are savyd by hope. But hope that is sene is no hope. For how can a man hope for that which he seyth ? but and if we hope for that we se not / then do we with pacience abyde for it. Lyke wyse the sprete also helpeth oure infirmities. For we knowe nott / what to desyre as we ought : but the sprete maketh intercession mightely for vs with gronynges which cannot be expressid with tonge. And he that searchith the herte knoweth what is the meanynge off the sprete : for he maketh intercession for the sayntes accordinge to the pleasure of god. For we knowe wele that all thynges worke for the best vnto them that love god / which also are called of purpose. For those which he knewe before / he also ordeyned before / that they shuld be like fassioned vnto the shape of his sonne / that he myght be the fyrst begotten sonne amonge many brethren. Morover which he apoynted before / them he also called. And which he called / them also he iustified. which he iustified/ them he also glorified. What shall we then saye vnto these thynges? yf god be on oure syde : who can be agaynst vs ? which spared nott his awne sonne / butt gave hym for vs all : Howe shall he nott with hym geve vs all thynges also ? Who shall laye eny thynge to the charge of goddes chosen ? Hit is God that iustifieth : who then shall condempne? Hytt is Christ which is deed/ ye rather which is rysen agayne / which is also on the right honde of god and maketh intercession for vs. Who shall seperate vs from goddes love ? shall tribulacion ? or anguysshe ? or persecucion/ other honger ? other nakednesse? other parell? other swearde ? As it is written: For thy sake are we kylled all daye longe/ and are counted as shepe apoynted to be slayne. Neverthelesse in all these thynges we overcome strongly thorow his heipe that loved vs. Ye and I am sure that nether deeth / nether lyfe/ nether angell/ nor rule/ nether power-' s dTo. cm- ^i^t 3£pi^tU' of iSatil nether thynges present / netlier thinges to come / nether heyth / nether lowth/ nether eny other creature shalbe able to departe vs from Goddes love/ which is in Clu'ist Jesii oure lorde. €\)t iy. Cijaptcr. T SAYE the thrueth in Christ and lye nott / in thatt wher of my concience beareth me witnes in the holy goost / tliat I have grett hevynes/ and continuall sorowe in my hert. For I have wysshed my silfe to be cursed from Christ for my brethren / which are my kynsmen as pertayninge to the flesshe. which are the israhelites / to whom pertayneth tlieadopcion / and the glory/ and the testamentes / and the ordinaunce off the lawe / and the service of God / and the promyses / whose also are the fathers / and they of whome (as concernynge the flesshe) Christ cam : which is God over all thynges blessed for ever Amen. I speake not these thynges as though the wordes of God toke none efFecte. For they are not all israhehtes which cam off Israhel / Nether are they all children stiayght way be cause they are the seede of Abraham : But in Isaac shall thy seede be called/ that is to saye / They which are the children of the flesshe / are not the children of God. But the children off promes are coun- ted the seede. For this is a worde off promes/ aboute this tyme will I come / and Sara shall have a sonne. Nether was it soo with her only : but also when Rebecca was with chylde by won / I nieane by oure father Isaac/ yeer the children were borne/ when they had nether done good nether bad (that the purpose off God which is by eleccion/ myght stonde) it was sayde vnto her/ not by the reason of workes/ but by grace of the caller/ the elder shall serve the yonger. As it is written : Jacob he loved / but Esau he hated. What shall we saye then ? ys there eny vnrightewesnes with god ? God forbid. For he sayth to Moses : I will shewe mercy to whom I shewe mercy : And will have compassion on whom I have compassion. So lieth it not then in a mans will/ or run- nynge/ butt in the mercy of God. For the scripture sayth vnto Pahrao : Even for thys same purpose have I stered the vppe / to shewe my power on the/ and that my name myght be declared thorow out all the worlde. Soo hath he mercy on whom he woll. And whom he woll he maketh herde herted. Thou wilt saye then vnto me : why then blameth he vs yett? For who can resist his will? Butt o man what arte thou/ which disputest with God ? shall the worke saye to the workeman : bnto tlje Momaunisi. C{). y. wliy hast thou made me on this fassion ? Hath nott the potter power over the claye/ even off' the same lompe to make one vessell vnto honoure/and a nother vnto dishonoure ? Evensoo/ God willynge to shewe his wrath/ and to make hys power knowen/ suffered with longe pacience the vessels of wrath/ ordeyned to damnacion/ that he niyglit declare the riches off" hys glory on the vessels off" mercy/ which he had prepayred vnto glory: that is to saye/ vs which he called/ nott off" the ievves only/ butt also off" the gentyls. As he sayth in Osee : I will call them my people which where not my people : and her beloved which was nott beloved. And it shall come to passe in the place where it was sayd vnto them: Ye are nott my people/ that there shalbe called the sonnes of the livynge god. But Esayas cryeth for Israhel/ though the noniber of the children of Israel be as the sonde of the see/ yet shall a reninaunt be saved. He finnyssheth the worde verely and maketh it short in rightewesnes. For a short worde will god make on erth And as Esayas sayd before : Excepte the lorde of sabaoth hadde left vs seede/ we had bene made as Zodoma/ and had bene lykened to Gomorra. What shall we saye then ? we saye that the gentyls which folowed not rightewesnes/ have overtaken rightewesnes 1 mane the rightewesnes which commeth of fayth. Butt Israel which folowed the lawe of rightewesnes/ coulde not attayne vnto the lawe of rightewesnes. And wherfore !* Because they sought it not by fath : but as it were by the workes of the lawe. For they have stombled at the stomblynge stone. As it is written Beholde I put in syon a stomblynge stone/ and a rocke which shall make men faule. and none that beleve on hym shalbe a shamed. Clje y. Ci^aptcr. X>RETHREN my hertis desyre/ and prayer to god for Israel is that they myght be saved. For I beare them recorde that they have a fervent mynde to god warde / but not acordynge to knowledge. For they are ignoraunt of the rightewesnes which is alowed before god/ and goo about to stablisshe their awne rightewesnes and thcrfore are not obedient vnto the rightewesnes which is of value before god. For Christ is the ende of the lawe to iustiHe all that beleve. Moses describeth the rightewesnes which couimeth ott^ the lawe/ howe that the man which doth the thynges of the lawe shall live therin. But the rightewesnes which commeth offfayth/ s 2 iffo. fvvn- ®i)« 3£pi£itlc of ^aul speaketh on this wyse : Saye nott in thyne hert : who shall ascencle into heven ? (That is nothynge els then to fetch Christ cloune). O ther who shall descende into the depe ? That is nothynge els but to fetch vppe Christ from deeth. Butt whatt sayth the scripture? The worde is nye the/ even in thy mougth and in thyn herth. This worde is the worde off fayth which we preache. For yf thou shalt knowledge whith thymought that Jesus is the lorde/ and shalt beleve with thyn hert that God raysed hym vppe from deeth/ thou shalt be safe. For the belefe oif the hert iustifieth: and to knowledge with the mougth maketh a man safe. For the scripture sayth : whosoever beleveth on hym/ shall not be ashamed. There is no difference bitwene the iewe and the gentyll. For won is lords of all/ which is riche vnto all that call on hym. For whosoever shall call on the name of the lorde shalbe safe. Howe shall they call on hym/ on whom they beleved not? how shall they beleve on hym off whom they have nott herde ? howe shall they heare with out a preacher ? And howe shall they preach except they be sent ? As hit is written : howe beautifull are the fete of them which brynge glad tydynges of peace/ and brynge glad tydynges of good thynges. But they have nott all obeyed to the gospell. For Esayas sayth : Lorde wo shall beleve oure sayinges ? So then fayth commeth by hearynge/ and hearynge commeth by the worde of god. But I axe : have they nott herde ? No dout / their sounde went out into all londes : and their wordes into the endes of the worlde. But I demaunde whether Israhel did knowe or nott ? Fyrst Moses sayth : I will provoke you forto envy by them that are no people / and by a folisshe nacion I will anger you. Esayas after that is bolde and sayth. I am founde off them thatt sought me nott/ and have apered to them that axed not after me. And against Israhel he sayth : All daye longe have I stretched forth my hondes vnto a people that beleveth not/ but speaketh agaynst me. Tt)t y). Cljapttr. T SAYE then : hath God cast awaye his people ? God forbid. For even I verely am an Israhelite of the seed of Abraham/ and off the tribe of beniamin. God hath not cast awaye his people which he knew before. O ther wote ye not what the scripture sayth by the mouth off Helias/ howe he spake to god bnto tl)t MomapiiiS. Cf). yj. agaynst Israhel/ sayinge : Lorde they have killed thy prophettes and digged doune thyn alters: and I am lefte only/ and they seke my deeth. Butt what saytli the answer off God to hym agayne ? I have reserved vnto me seven thousande men whych have nott bowed their knees to baal. Even so at this tyme ys there a remnaunt lefte thorow the eleccion of grace. YfF hit be of grace then is it not by the deservynge of workes. For then were faveour no faveour. YfF it be by deservynge of workes/ then is there no faveour. For then were deserving no deservynge. What then ? Israhel hath not obtayned that that he sought. No but yet the eleccion hath obtayned hit. the remnaunt are blynded. accordyngeas it is written : God hath geven them the sprete off vnquyetnes : eyes thatt they shulde nott se / and eares that they shulde nott heare / even vnto this daye. And David sayth : Lett their table be made a snare to take them with all / and an occasion to faule/ and a rewarde vnto them. Lett their eyes be blynded that they se nott : and ever bowe doune their backes. I saye then : Have they therfore stombled that they shulde but faule only ? God forbyd : but thorowe their taule is helth happened vnto the gentyls forto provoke them with all. Wherfore yf the faule of them / be the riches of the worlde : and the myn- nysshynge of them the riches of the gentyls : Howe moche more shulde it be soo yfthey all beleved. I speake to you gentyls/ in as moche as I am the apostle off the gentyls I will magnify myn office that I myght provoke them which are my flcsshe : and myght save some of them. For if the castynge awaye of them / be the reconcilynge of the worlde : what shall the re- ceavynge of them be/ but lyfe agayne from deeth? For yf one pece be holy / the whole heepe is holy. And if the rote be holy / the braunches are holy also. Though some of the braunches be broken of / and thou beynge a wylde olive tree arte graft in amonge them/ and made part taker of the rote/ and fatnes off the olive tree/ host not thy sylfe agaynst the braunches. For yf thou bost thy sylfe/ remember that thou bearest not the rote / but the rote the. Thou wilt saye then : the braunches are broken off/ thatt I myglit be grafte in. Thou sayest wele : be cause of vnbeleve they are broken of/ and thou stondest stedfast in fay the. Be not hye mynded / but ieare : seynge that god spared not the naturall braunches/ lest haply he also spare not the. Beholde the kyndnes and rigorousnes of god : on them wliich fell/ rigorousnes: but towardes tlie kyndnes/ yfthou continue in his kyndnes. or els thou shall be hewen of/ and they yf tliey dTo. cynih ^i)f lEpistlc of iPaul byde nott still in vnbeleve shalbe graffed in agayne. For God is of power to grafte them in agayne. For yf thou wast cut out of a naturall wilde olive tree/ and wast graffed contrary to nature in a true olyve tree : howe moche more shall the naturall braunches be graffed in their awne olyve tree agayne. I wolde not that this secrete shulde be hid from you my bre- thren (lest ye shulde be wyse in youre awne consaytes) that partly blyndnes ys happened in Israhell/ vntill the fulnes off the gentyls he come in. And so all Israhel shalbe saved, as it is written: There shall come oiite of Syon he that doth deliver/ and shall turne awaye the vngodlynes of Jacob. And this is my testament vnto them / when I shall take awaye their synnes. As concernynge the gospell / Tliey are enemies for youre sakes : but as tochynge the eleccion / they are loved for the fathers sakes. For verely the gyftes and callynge of god are soche/ that it cannot repent hym of them, for loke/ as ye in tyme passed have not beleved God/ yet have nowe obtained mercy thorow their vn- belefe : even so nowe have they nott beleved the mercy wliich is happened vnto you/ That they also maye obtayne mercy. God hath wrapped all nacions in vnbeleve/ that he myght have mercy on all. O the depnes off the aboundaunt wisdom and knowledge of God : howe incomprehensible are his iudgementes/ and hys wayes vnserchable. For who hath knowen the mynde off the lorde? or who was his counseller? other who hathe geven vnto hym fyrst/ that he myght be recompensed agayne? For of hym/ and thorowe hym / and vnto hym are all thynges. To hym be glory for ever Amen. Ci)e yi). Ci)aptfr. T BESECHE you therfore brethren by the mercifulnes of God/ that ye make youre bodyes a quicke sacrifise/ holy and exceptable vnto God wliich is youre resonable servynge off god. and fassion nott youre selves lyke vnto this worlde : But be ye chaunged in youre shape/ by the renuynge of youre wittes/ that ye maye fele what thynge that good / that acceptable / and per- faicte will of god is. For I saye (thorowe the grace that vnto me geven is) to every man amonge you/ that no man esteme off hym silfe more then it becommeth hym to esteme : But that he discretely iudge off hym silfe accordynge as god hath dealte to every man the measur of faith. Onto tift MomaDiiiS. €1). yiij. As we have many members in one body : and all members have not one office : So we beynge many are one body in Christ: and every man (amonge oure selves) one anothers members. Seynge that we have divers gyftes accordynge to the grace that is geven vnto vs / yf eny man have the gyft off prophesy / lett hyra have it that itt be agreynge vnto the faytli. Let hym that hath an office f wayte on his office. Let hym that teacheth take hede to his doctryne. Let hym that exhorteth geve attendaunce to his exhortacion. Yf eny man geve / lett hym do it with sin- glenes. Let hym that rueleth/ do it with dihgence. Yf eny man shewe mercy lett liym do itt with cherfulnes. Lett love be without dissimulacion. Hate that which is evyll/ and cleave vnto that which is good. Be kynde one to another / with brotherly love. In gevynge honoure goo one before ano- ther. Let not that busynes which ye have in honde be tedious to you. Be fervent in the sprete. Applye youre selves to the tyme. Reioyce in hope. Be pacient in tribulacion / continue in prayer. Distribute vnto the necesitte off the saynctes. Blesse them which persecute you. blesse but course nott. Be mery with them that are mery. wepe with them that wepe. Be off lyke affeccion one towardes another. Be nott hye mynded / but make youre selves equall to them off the lower sorte. Be not wyse in youre awne opinions. Recompence to no man evyll for evyll. Provyde afore honde thynges honest in the sight of all men. yf itt be posible/ yet on youre parte have peace with all men. Derly beloved avenge nott youre selves butt geve roume vnto the wrath of god. For it is written : vengeaunce is myne / and I will rewarde saith the lorde. Terfore yf thyn enemy honger fede hym : yf he thurst/ geve hym drynke. For in so doynge thou shalt heape coles off fyre on hys heed : Be nott overcome off evyll : Butt overcome evyll with goodnes. €i)t yii]. Cijaptev. T ET every soule submitt hym sylfe vnto the auctoritte off -*^ the hyer powers. There is no power but of God. The powers that be / are ordeyned off God. Whosoever therfore resysteth power/ resisteth the ordinaunce off God. They that resist/ shall receave to them silfe damnacion. For ruelars are nott to be feared for good workes but for evyll. Wilt thou be with out feare of the power ? Do wele then : and so shalt thou dFo. mm- ^i)f lEpi^tlc of ^aul be praysed off the same. For he is the minister of god / for thy welth. Butt and yfF thou do evyll / then feare. for he beareth not a swearde for nought, for he is the minister off god / to take vengeaunce on them that do evyll. Wherfore ye must nedes obey / nott for feare off vengeaunce only : but also be cause of conscience. Even for this cause paye ye tribute. For they are goddes ministers/ servynge for the same purpose. Geve to every man therfore his duetie : Tribute to whom tri- bute belongeth : Custom to whom custom is due : feare to whom feare belongeth : honoure to whom honoure pertayneth. Owe no thinge to eny man : but to love one another. For he that loveth another / fulfiUeth the lawe. For these commaunde- mentes : Thou shalt not committ advoutry : Thou shalt nott kill : Thou shalt nott steale : Thou shalt not beare falce witnes : Thou shalt nott desyre : and so forth yf there be eny other commaundement/ are all comprehended in this sayinge : Love thyne neglibour as thy silfe. Love hurteth nott his neghbour : therfore is love the fulfillynge off the lawe. This also we knowe/ I mean the season / howe that it is tyme that we shulde nowe awake oute off slepe. For nowe is oure helth nerer then when we beleved. The nyght is passed and the daye is come nye, Lett vs therfore cast awaye the dedes off darcknes/ and lett vs put on the armour off light, lett vs walke honestly as it were in the daye light : nott in eatynge and drynkynge : nether in chamburynge and wantannes: nether in stryfe and envyinge : but put ye on the lorde Jesus Christ. And make not provision for the flesshe / to fulfill the lustes off hit. €f)t yib. Ci;apter. TJ YM that is weake in the faith/ receave vnto you/ nott in -■"*- disputynge and troublynge hys conscience. One beleveth that he maye eate all thynge. Another whych ys weake eateth earbes. let nott hym thatt eateth / despyse hym thatt eateth nott. And lett nott hym whych eateth nott iudge hym thatt eateth. For God hath receaved hym. What arte thou that iudgest another mannes servaunt ? Whether he stonde orfaule/ thatt pertayneth vnto hys master. Yee/ he shall stonde. For God is able to make hym stonde. Thys man putteth difference bitwene daye and daye : another man counteth all dayes alyke. Se thatt no man waver in hys awne mynde. He that observeth one daye more then another/ doth ytt for the lordes pleasure. And he that observeth not one daye more then another/ doeth it to plase the lorde also. He that eateth doth it to plase the lorde/ for he geveth god thankes. and he that eateth not/ eateth not to please the lorde with all/ and geveth god thankes. For none of vs liveth his awne ser- vaunt. and also none of vs dyeth his awne servaunt. Yf we live/ we live to be at the lordes will, yf we dye/ we dye at the lordes will. Whether we live therfore or dye/ we are the lordes. For Christ therfore dyed and rose agayne/ and revived/ that he shulde be lorde both of deed and quicke. But why doest thou then iudge thy brother ? other why doest thou despyse thy brother ? We shall all be brought before the iudgement seate of Christ. For it is written : As truely as 1 live sayth the lorde/ all knees shall bowe to me/ and all tonges shall geve knowledge to god. Soo shall every one off vs geve a comptes off hym silfe to God. lett vs nott therfore/ iudge one another eny more. Butt iudge this rather/ thatt no man putt a stomblinge blocke/ or an occasion to faule in his brothers waye. For I knowe/ and surly beleve in the lorde Jesus/ that there is nothynge commen off hit silfe: but vnto hym that iudgeth it to be commen/ to hym it is commen. Yf thy brother be greved with thy meate/ now walkest thou not charitablye. Destroye not hym with thy meate/ for whom Christ dyed. Suffer ye not that youre treasure be evyll spoken of. For the kyngdom off god is not meate and drynke/ but rightewesnes/ peace and ioye/ in the holy goost. For whosoever in these thynges serveth Christ/ pleaseth well god : and is commended of men. Let vs folowe tho thinges which make for peace : and thynges wlierwith one maye edyfye another. Destroye not the worke off God for a lytell meates sake. All thynges are pure : butt it is evyll for that man / which eateth with hurte off his concience. Hit is good nether to eate flesshe/ nether to drynke wyne/ nether eny thynge/ wherby thy brother stombleth/ other falleth/ or is made weake. Hast thou fayth ? have it with thy silfe before god. Happy is he that condempneth not hym silfe in that thynge which he aloweth. For he that maketh conscience/ ys dampned if he eate : Because he doth it not off fayth. For whatsoever is not of fayth/ that same is synne. €ift yb. Ci^ajptfr. 'Yl/'E which are stronge ought to beare the fraylnes of them which are weake/ and not to stonde in oure awne con- dTo. cy\j:iii}. €i)t (JEpi'iStlc of ^aul saytes. Let every man please his neghbour vnto his weltii and edifyinge. For Christ pleased not hym silfe : but as it is writ- ten : The rebukes oft' them which rebuked the/ fell on me. Whatsoever thynges are written afore tynie/ are written for oiire learnynge thatt we thorowe pacience and comforte off" the scrip- ture shulde have hope. God which is lorde of pacience and consolacion/ geve vnto every one of you / that ye be lyke mynded won towardes another after the insample of Jesu Christ/ that ye all agreynge to gedder/ maye with one mouth eprayse god the father of oure lorde Jesus. Wherfore receave ye one another as Christ receaved vs/ to the prayse of god. And I saye that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the trueth of god/ to conferme the promyses made vnto the fathers. And let the gentyls prayse God for hys mercy. As itt is written : For this cause I will prayse the amonge the gentyls/ and singe in thy name. And agayne he sayth : ye gentyls reioyse with hys people. Agayne/ prayse the lorde all ye gen- tyls/ and laude hym all nacions. And in another place Esaias sayth : there shalbe the rote oft' Jesse/ and he that shall ryse to raygne over the gentyls : in him shall the gentyls trust. The god of hope fill you with all ioye and peace in belevynge/ that ye maye be ryche in hope thorowe the power of the holy goost. I my silfe am full certified of you my brethren that ye youre selves are full of goodnes/ and filled with all knowledge/ and are able to counsell won another. Neverthelesse brethren I have somwhat boldly written vnto you/ as won that putteth you in remembraunce/ ftbr the grace which is geven me off" God for this purpose that I shulde be the minister oflP Jesu Christ amonge the gentyls/ and shulde minister the gladde tydynges oft' God / that the gentyls myght be an acceptable ofterynge/ sanctyfyed by the holy goost. I have therfore wheroff" I maye reioyse in Christ Jesu/ in tho thynges whych pertayne to God. For I dare not speake oft" eny oft" tho thynges which Christ hath nott wrought by me (to make the gentyls obedient) with worde and dede/ in myghty sygnes and wonders /by the power of the sprete oft" God/ so that from Jerusalem and the costes rounde aboute/ vnto Illi- ricum/ I have filled all countres with the gladde tydynges of Christ. So have I enforsed my silfe to preache the gospell / not where Christ was named/ lest I shuld have bilt on another mannes foundacion : butt as it is written : To whom he was not spoken of/ they shall se : and they that herde nott/ shall vnderstonde. For this cause I have bene ofte let to come vnto you : l)ut now Ijuto t\)t %\omnm\i. €1). yb). seynge I have no moare to do in these countres/ and also have bene desyrous many yeares to come vnto you/ when I shall take my iorney mto spayne/ I will come to you. I trust to se you in my iorney/ and to be brought on my waye thither warde by you after that I have somwhat enioyed you. Nowe goo I to Jerusalem/ and minister vnto the saynctes. For it hath pleased them off Macedonia and Achaia/ to make a certayne distribucion apon the poore sanctes which are at Jeru- salem. Hitt hath pleased them verely/ and their detters are they. For yff the gentyls be made parte takers oft" their spirit- ual! thynges/ their diitye ys to menister vnto them in carnall thynges. When I have performed thys/ and have shewed them this frute/ I wyll come backe agayne by you into spayne. And I am sure when I come/ thatt I shall come with aboundaunce off the blessynge off" the gospell off Christ. I be seche you brethren for oure lorde Jesu Christes sake/ and for the love of the sprete/ that ye helpe me in my busynes/ with youre prayers to god for me/ that I maye be delyvered from them which beleve not in Jewry, and that this my service/ which I have to Jerusalem/ maye be accepted to the sanctes/ that I maye come vnto you with ioye/ by the will oft^ God/ and maye with you be refresshed. The God off peace be with all you Amen. C]^e rh). Cijaptcr. T COM M EN DE vnto you Phebe oure suster (which is a minister -*- of the congregacion of Chencrea) that ye receave her in the lorde as it becommeth saycntes/ and that ye assist her/ in what- soever busines she neadeth of youre ayde. For she hath suckered many/ and myne awne silfe also. Grete Prisca and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesu : which have for my lyfe layde doune their awne neckes. vnto whom not I only geve thankes : but also all the congregacions of the gentils. Lyke wyse grete all the company that is in their housse. Salute my welbeloved Epenetos / which is the fyrst frute amonge them of Achaia. Grete Mary which bestowed moche labour on vs. Salute An- dronicus/ and Junia my cosyns/ which were presoners with me also/ which are wele taken amonge the apostles/ and were in Christ before me. Grete Amplias my beloved in the lorde. Salute Vrban oure helper in Christ/ and Stachys my beloved. Salute Apellas approved in Christ. Salute them which are of Aristobolus houssholde. Salute Herodion my kynsnian. Grete dfo. rvJ^Tb. Cijc lEptj^tU of ^aul to ti)t aRomawiisi. them of the housholde of Narcissus which are in the lorde. Salute Triphena and Triphosa/ which wemen labour in the lorde. Salute the beloved Persis/ which laboured moch in the lorde. Salute Rufus chosen in the lorde/ and his mother and myne. Grete Asincritus/ Phlegon / Hermas/ Patrobas/ Mercurius/ and the brethren which are with them. Salute Philologus and Julia/ Nereus and his sister/ and Ohmpha/ and all the saynctes which are with them. Salute won another amonge youre selves with an holy kysse. The congregacions of Christ salute you. I beseche you brethren marke them which cause division/ and geve occasions of evill contrary to the doctryne which ye have learned : and avoyde them. For they that are suche serve nott the lorde Jesus Christ ; but their one bellyes. And by swete preachynges and flattery nge wordes deceave the hertes of the innocentes : for youre obedience ys spoken off amonge all men. I am glad no dout off you. But yet I wolde have you Avyse vnto that which is good. And to be innocent as concernynge evyll. The God off peace shall treade Satan vnder youre fete in shorte tyme. The grace off oure lorde Jesus Christ be with you. Thimotheus my worke felow/ and Lucius/ and Jason/ and Sopater/ my kynsmen salute you. I Tercius salute you/ which ■wrote thys epistle in the lorde. Gains myn hoste and the hoste off all the congregacions/ saluteth you. Erastus saluteth you/ the chamberlayne oft the cite. And Quartusa brother/ saluteth you. The grace off" oure lorde Jesu Christ be wyth you all Amen. To hym thatt is oft' power to stablysshe you accordynge to my gospell/ wher with I preache Jesus Christ/ in openynge oft" the mistery which was kept closse sence the worlde began / and nowe is openned at thys tyme and declared in the scriptures of prophesy/ by the commaundement of the everlastynge god/ to stere vppe obedience to the faythe publisshed amonge all nacions To the same god/ whych alone is wise/ be prayse thorowe Jesus Christ for ever Amen. Co tj^e IS^omaunii. Sent from Chorinthum by Phebe/ she thatt was the minister vnto the congregacion at Chenchrea. €f)t JFfir0t m^tlt of Paul tfte apostle to t!)e Cottintfigan^. Cf)e fprsit Chapter* SiZilli. by vocacion the Apostle of Jesus Christ thorowe the will of god / and brother Sostenes Vnto the congregacion of God which is at Cor- inthum. To them that are sanctifyed in Jesus Christ/ sanctes by callynge / with all them thatt call on the name of oure lorde Jesus Christ in every place / both of theirs and of oures. Grace be with you and peace from God oure father/ and from the lorde Jesus Christ. I thanke my god all wayes on youre behalfe for the faveour of god which is geven you by Jesus Christ/ that in all thinges ye are made ryche by him / in all speache and in all knowledge (even as the testimony of Jesus Christ was confermed in you) so that ye arebehynde in no gyft/and wayte for the aperynge ofFoure lorde Jesus Christ which shall strengthe you vnto the ende / that ye maye be blamlesse in the daye off oure lorde Jesus Christ. God is faythfull/ by whom ye are called vnto the fellishyppe off his sonne Jesus Christe oure lorde. I beseche you brethren in the name of oure lorde Jesus Christ/ that ye all speake one thynge/ and that there be no dissencion amonge you : but be ye perfecte in one mynde / and one mean- ynge. hit is shewed vnto me (my brethren) off you by them that are of the housse of Cloe / that there is stryfe amonge you / I speake of that which every one of you sayth : I holde of Paul / jTo. fmbj- ®i)f fl'^'^t 3£pt^tlc of iSaul Another saytli : I holde of Apollo : Another sayth : I holde off Cephas, and another sayth 1 holde of Christ. Ys Christ divi- ded ? was Paul crucified for you? other were ye baptised in the name of Paul? I thanke god that I cristened none of you / but Crispus and Gains/ lest eny shulde saye that I in myn awne name had baptised. I baptised also the housse of Ste- phana. Forthermore knowe I not whether I baptised eny man or noo. For Christ sent me not to baptise / but to preache the gos- pell / not with wisdom of wordes / lest the crosse of Christ shulde have bene made of none effecte. For the preachynge off the crosse is to them that perisshe folisshnes : but vnto vs which are saved / it is the power off God. For it is written : I will destroye the wisdome of the wyse and will cast awaye the vnder- stondynge of the prudent. Where is the wyse man? where is the scry be? where is the searcher of this worlde ? hath not god made the wisdom of this worlde folisshnes ? For when the worlde thorow wisdom knew not god / in the wisdom of god : it pleased god throw folisshnes off preachynge to save them that beleve. For the iewes requyre a signe / and the grekes seke after wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified / vnto the iewes an occasion of fallynge and vnto the grekes folisshnes. but vnto them which are called both of Jewes and grekes we preache Christ the power of god / and the wisdom of god. For Godly folysshnes is wyser then men : And godly weaknes is stronger then are men. Brethren loke on youre calhnge howe that not many wyse men after the flesshe / not many myghty/ not many of hye degre are called. But God hath chosen the folysshe thynges off the worlde /to confounde the wyse. and hath chosyn the weake thynges of the worlde/ to confounde thynges which are myghty. And vile thynges off the worlde / and thynges which are despysed / hath god chosen yee and thynges of no reputacion / forto brynge to nought thynges off reputacion / that noo flesshe shulde reioyce in his presence, and vnto him pertayne ye / in Christ Jesu / which off god is made vnto vs wisdom/ and also rightewesnes / and sanctifiynge/ and redempcion. that acordynge as it is writ- ten : he which reioyceth / shulde reioyce in the lorde. €\)t i). Chapter. A ND I brethren when I cam to you / cam not in gloriousnes •^-^ of wordes or of wisdom/ shewynge vnto you the testimony of God. Netlier shewed I my silfe tliat I knewe eny thynge to tijc ComntI;yan£{. €^. it). anionge you save Jesus Christ/ even the same that was cru- cified. And I was amonge you in weakness and in feare / and in moclie tremblynge. And my wordes/ and my preachinge were not with entysynge wordes of mannes wysdom : but in shewynge of the sprete and of power / that youre fayth shulde nott stonde in the wisdom off men/ but in the power of god. We speake that which is wisdom amonge them that are per- faicte : not the wisdom of this worlde nether oft^the ruelars off this worlde (which goeth to nought) but we speake the wisdom off" god / which is in secrete and lieth hid / which god ordeyued before the worlde vnto oure glory : which wisdom none of the ruelars of the worlde knewe. For had they knowen it/ they wolde not have crucified the lorde of glory : but as it is written The eye hath not sene / and the eare hath not hearde / nether have entred into the herte of man / the thynges which god hath prepared for them that love hym. But God hath opened them vnto vs by hys sprete. For the sprete searcheth all thynges/ yee the bottom of goddes secretes. For what man knoweth the thynges of a man : save the sprete oflPa man whiche is with in hym? Even so the thynges off god knoweth no man/ but the sprete of god. and we have nott re- ceaved the sprete off the worlde: but the sprete which commeth of god / for to knowe the thynges that are geven to vs of god / which thynges also we speake / not in the connynge wordes off mannes wisdom / but with the connynge wordes off the holy goost / makynge spretuall comparesons of spretuall thynges. For the naturall man perceaveth not the thynges off the sprete off god : For they are but folysshnes vnto hym. nether can he preceave them be cause he is spretually examyned : butt he that is sprituall discusseth all thynges : yet he hym silfe is iudged oft no man. For who knoweth the mynde of the lorde / other who shall informe hym ? but we vnderstonde the mynde oft' Christ. 1EA)e ii). Cf)apter. \ ND I coukle not speake vnto you brethren as vnto spiritual! : "^^ butt as vnto carnall / even as it were vnto babes in Ciirist. I gave you my Ike to drynke and not meate. For ye then were not stronge / noo nether yet are stronge. For ye are yet carnall. As longe verely as there is amonge you envyinge / stryfe/ and dissencion : are ye not carnall / and walke after the manner of men ? As longe as one sayth : I holde of Paul / and another / I am of apollo. are ye not carnall ? What is Paul ? whatthinge is apollo? but ministers by whom ye beleeved even as the lorde gave every man grace. I have planted : Apollo watred : but god gave the increase. So then / nether is he that planteth eny thynge / nether he that watreth : but god which gave the in- creace. He that planteth/ and he that watreth/ are nether better then the other. Every man yet shall receave his rewarde acordynge to his labour. We are goddis labourers : ye are goddis hus- bandrye/ ye are goddis byldynge. Acordynge to the grace of god geven vnto me/ as a wyse bilder have I layde the foundacion/ another hath bylt theron : but let every man take hede howe he bildeth apon. For other foundacion can no man laye/ then that which is layde/ which is Jesus Christ. Yft' eny man bilde on this foundacion / golde/ silver/ precious stones/ tymber/ haye/ or stuble : every mannes worke shall apere. for the daye shall declare it/ and it shalbe shewed in fyre/ and the fyre shall trye every mannes worke what it is. Yf eny mannes worke that he hath bylt apon byde/ he shall receave a rewarde. Yf eny mannes worke burne/ he shall sufFre losse : butt he shalbe safe hym sylfe. neverthelesse yet as itt were thorow fyre. Are ye nott ware that ye are the temple of god/ and howe that the sprete of god dwelleth in you ? Yf eny man defyle the temple of god/ hym shall god destroye. For the temple off God is holy/ which temple are ye. Lett no man deceave hym silfe/ yf eny man seme wyse amonge you/ let him be a fole in thys worlde/ that he maye be wyse. For the wisdom of this worlde is folyssnes with God. For it is written : He compaseth the wyse in their crafty nes. And agayne/ God knoweth the thoughtes of the wyse that they be vayne. Therfore let no man reioyce in men. For all thynges are youres/ whether it be Paul/ other Apollo/ other Cephas : wether it be the worlde/ other lyfe/ other deeth / whether they be present thynges or thynges to come : all are youres/ and ye are Christes/ and Christ is goddis. Ei)c tb. Ci)apter. T ET men this wyse esteme vs/ even as the ministers of Christ/ ■'-^ and disposers of the secretes of god. furthermore it is required of the disposers that they be founde faith full. With me is it but a very small thinge/ that I shulde be iudged of you/ other of mans daye. No I iudge not myn awne silfe. I know nought by my silfe : yet am I not therby iustified. hit is the to ti)e Com'ntJjwausi. - Cl^. b. lorde that iudgetli me. Therfore iuclo:e no thynge before the . tyme/ vntill the lorde come/ which will lighten thynges that are hid in darcknes : and open the counsels of the hertes. and then shall every man have prayse ottGod. These thinges brethren I have described in myn awne person f and Apollos : for youre sakes/ that ye myght learne by vs thatt no man counte off hym silfe beyonde that which is above written : that one swell nott agaynst another for eny mans cause. For who preferreth the ? What hast thou / that thou hast not receaved ? yf thou have receaved it : why reioysest thou as though thou haddest not receaved it ? Nowe ye are full : nowe ye are made rych. ye raygne as kynges with out vs: and I wold to god ye did raygne / that we myght raygne with you. My thynketh that god hath shewed vs which are apostles/ for the hynmost off all/ as it were men apoynted to deeth / for we are a gasyngstocke vnto the worlde/ and to the angels/ and to men/ we are foles for Christes sake/ and ye are wyse thorow Christ: we are weake/ and ye are stronge. ye are honorable and we are despised. Even vnto this daye we honger and thyrst/ and are naked/ and are boffetted with fistes/ and have no certayne dwellynge place/ and labour workynge with oure owne hondes. We are reviled/ and yet we blesse. we are per- secuted/ and suffer it. We are evyll spoken off/ and we praye. we are made as it were the filthynes off the worlde/ the of scowrynge of all thinges/ even vnto tliys tyme. I write not these thynges to shame you : but as my beloved sonnes I warne you. For though ye have ten thousande instructours in Christ : yet have ye nott many fathers. In Christ Jesu/ I have begotten you thorowe the gospell. Wher- fore I desyre you to connterfayte me. For this cause have I sent vnto you Timotheus/ which is my deare sonne / and faithfuU in the lorde/ which shall put you in remembraunce off my wayes which I have in Christ/ even as I teach every where in all con- gregacions. Some swell as though I wolde come no more at you: but I will come to you shortely/ yf god will/ and will knowe/ not the wordes off them whiche swell/ but the power. For the kyngdom off God is not in wordes/ but in power. What will ye ? Shall I come vnto you with a rodde/ or els in love/ and in the sprete of mekenes ? Ws^t b. Cljapttr. ^HERE goeth a commen saynge that there is fornicacion amonge you/ and soclie fornicacion as is not once named T dTo. cmbiij. t:i)c df^vit lEpisitlc of ^aiiX amonge the gentyls : that won shulde have his fathers wyfe. and ye swell and have not rather sorowed / that he which hath done this dede myght be put from amonge you. For I verely as absent in body/ even so present in sprete/ have determined all redy (as though I were present) of hym that hath done this dede/ in the name of oure lorde Jesu Christ/ when ye are gad- dered togedder/ and my sprete/ with the power off the lord Jesiis Christ/ to deliver hym vnto Satan/ for the destruccion of the flesshe that the sprete maye be saved in the daye off the lorde Jesus. Youre reioysynge is not good. Knowe ye not that a lytell leven sowereth the whole lompe of dowe ? pourge therfore the olde leven/ that ye maye be newe dowe as ye are swete breed. For Christ oure ester lambe is offered vppe for vs. Therfore let vs kepe holydaye/ not with olde leven/ nether with the leven of maliciousnes and wickednes but with the swete breed of purenes and trueth. I wrote vnto you in a pistle that ye shulde not company with fornicatours. And I meante nott atall of the fornicatoursof this world/ other off the coveteous/ or of extorsioners / other of the ydolaters : for then muste ye nedes have gone out of the worlde : but now I have written vnto you that ye company not togedder. Yf eny that is called a brother/ be a fornicator/ or coveteous/ or a worshipper of ymages/ other a raylar/ other a dronkard/ or an extorcionar: with hym that is soche se that ye eate not. For what have I to do to iudge them which are with out ? Do ye not iudge them that are with in ? Them that are with out/ god shall iudge. Put awaye from amonge you that evyll parsone. Ci;c \3). Cf)apttr. XTOWE dare one of you havynge busines with another/ goo to lawe vnder the wicked ? and not rather vuder the sanctes ? Do ye not know that the saynctes shall iudge the worlde ? Yf the worlde shalbe iudged by you : are ye nott goode ynought to iudge small tryfles. Knowe ye not howe that we shall iudge the angels ? Howe moche more maye we iudge thynges that pertayne to the lyfe ? yf ye have iudgementes off wordely matters/ take them which are despised in the congre- gacion/ and make them iudges. This I saye to youre shame Ys there vtterly nowyse man amonge you? what not one att all? that can iudge bitvvene brother and brother ? but one brother goeth to lawe with another : and that vnder the vnbelevers ? Nowe therfore is there vtterly a faute amonge you/ because ye to tt)e Cordntljpaujf. C!). bij. goo to lawe one with another Why rather suffer ye notwronge? why rather suffre ye not youre selves to be robbed ? Naye ye youre selves do wronge/ and robbe : and that the brethren. Do ye remember howe tliat the vnrighteous shall not inheret the kyngdom of god? Be not deceaved. For nether fornicators/ nether worshyppers off^ ymages/ nether whormongers/ nether weaklinges/ nether abusars of them selves with the mankynde/ nether theves/ nether the coveteous/ nether dronkardes/ nether cursed speakers/ nether pillers/ shall inheret the kyngdom off god. And soche ware ye verely : but ye are wesshed : ye are sanctified : ye are iiistified by the name off the lorde Jesus : And by the sprete of oure God. All thynges are lawfull vnto me : but all thynges are not profitable. I maye do all thynges: but I will be brought vnder nomans power, meates are ordeyned for the belly / and the belly for meates : but God shall destroye bothe hym and them. Lett nott the body be applied vnto fornicacion / butt vnto the lorde / and the lorde vnto the body. God hath raysed vppe the lorde / and shall rayse vs vppe by his power. O ther remember ye nott/ that youre bodyes are the members of Christe ? Shall I nowe take the members off" Christ/ and make them the members of an harlott? God forbid. Do ye nott vnderstonde thatt he whych coupleth hym silfe with an harlott/ is be come one body. For two (sayth he) shalbe one flesshe: butt he that is ioyned vnto the lorde is one sprete. Fie fornicacion. All synnes that a man dothe/ are with out the body. Butt he that is a fornicator/ synneth agaynst his awne body. Knowe ye not howe thatt youre boddyes are the temple off the holy goost/ which is in you/ whom ye have of God/ and howe that ye are not youre awne ? For ye are dearly bought. Therfore glorifye ye god in youre bodyes and in youre spretes/ for they are goddis. Cijc 61} . Cijaptcr. A S concernynge the thynges wher of ye wrote vnto me : Hitt -^^ isgood for a man / nott to touche a wo man. Neverthelesse to avode fornicacion/ lett every man have his wyfe : and lett every woman have her husbande. Let the man geve vnto the wyfe due benevolence. Lykwyse also the wyfe vnto the man. The wyfe hath nott power over her awne body : butt the hus- bande : And lykewyse the man hath not power over his awne body : but the wyfe. Withdrawe not youre selves one from T 2 another excepte itt be with consent for a tyme / forto geve youre selves to fastynge and prayer/ and afterwarde come agayne to the same thynge/ lest Satan tempt you for youre incontinency. This I saye of faveour/ not of commaundement. For I wolde that all men were as I my silfe am : but every man hath his proper gifte off god/ won after this manner/ a nother after that. I saye vnto the vnmaried men/ and widd owes : it is good for thern yf they abyde even as I do : but and yf they cannot abstayne/ let them mary. For it is better to Mary then to bourne. Vnto the maried commaunde not I / but the lorde : that the wyfe separate nott her silfe from the man. yf she separate her silfe/ let her remayne vnmaried/ or be reconciled vnto her hus- bande agayne. And lett not the husbande put awaye his wyfe from hym. To the remnaunt speake I / and nott the lorde : yff eny brother have a wyfe that beleveth nott/ yf she be content to dwell with hym/ lett hym not putt her awaye. And the woman which hath to her husbande an infidell/ yff he consent to dwell with her/ lett her nott putt hym away. For the vnbelevynge husbande is sanctifyed by the wyfe : and tlie vnbelevynge wyfe ys sancti- fyed by the husbande. Or els were youre chyldren vnclene : but nowe are they pure. Butt and yff the vnbelevynge departe/lett hym departe. A brother or a sister ys not in subieccion to soche. God hath called vs in peace. For howe knowest thou o woman/ whether thou shalt save thy husbande or not ? O ther howe knowest thou o man/ whether thou shalt save the wyfe or not ? but even as god hath distributed to every man. As the lorde hath called every person so let him walke : and so orden I in all congregacions. yf eny man be called beynge circumcised/ let hym adde nothynge therto. yf eny man be called vncircumcised : let hym not be circumcised. Circumcision is nothynge. vncircumcision is nothynge ; but the keppyng of the commaundmentes of god is altogedder. Let every man abide in the same state werin he was called. Arte thou called a ser- vaunt ? care not for hit. Neverthelesse if thou mayst be fre / vse it rather. For he that is called in the lorde beynge a ser- vaunt/ is the lordes freman. Lykwyse he that is called beynge fre/ is Christes servaunt. Ye are dearly bought/ be not mennes servauntes. Brethren lett evere man wherin he is called/ therin abyde with god. As concernynge virgins/ 1 have noo commaundment of the lorde : yet geve I counsell as won that hath obtayned off the lorde to be faithfull. I suppose that it is good for the present to tl)f €mTinti)i)an«i. €1). biij. necessite : for it is good tor a man so to be. Arte thou bounde vnto a wyfe ? seke nott to be lowsed. Arte thou lowsed from a wife ? sake not awyfe. but and yf thou take a wyfe / thou hast not sinned. Lykwyse if a virgin mary/ she hath not sinned: neverthelesse soche shall have trouble in their flesshe : but 1 faver you. This saye I brethren / the tyme is shorte. Hitt remayneth thai they which have wyves/ be as though they had none : and they that wepe/ be as though they wept not : and they that re- ioyce/ be as though they reioysed nott : and they that bye r be as though they possessed not : And they that vse this worlde r be as though they vsed it not : For the fassion of this worlde goeth awaye. I wolde have you with out care / the syngle man careth for the thynges of the lorde/ howe he maye please the lorde : but he that hath maried/ careth for the thynges off the worlde/ howe he maye please his wyfe. There is difference bitwene a virgen and a wyfe. The single woman careth for the thynges of the lorde/ that she maye be pure both in body and also in sprete : but she that is maried/ careth for thynges off the worlde/ howe she maye please her husband. This speake I for youre proffit / not to tangle you in a snare : but for that which is honest and comly vnto you And that ye maye quyetly cleave vnto the lorde with out separacion. Yf eny man thynke that it is vncomly for his virgen if she passe the tyme off mariage/ and iff so nede requyre/ let him do what he listeth/ he synneth not: let them be coupled in mariage. Neverthelesse/ he that purposeth surely in his herte/ havynge none nede : but hath power over his awne will : and hath so decreed in his herte that he will kepehis virgen/ doth wele. So then he that ioyneth his virgen in mariage doth wele. And he that ioyneth not his virgen in mariage doth better. The wyfe is bounde to the lawe as longe as her husband Hveth. Yf her hus- bande slepe/ she is at her liberte to mary with whom she woU only in the lorde. but she is happiar yf she so abyde/ in my iudgement. And 1 thynke verely that I have the sprete off God. €\)t bit). CT)npUr. T O speake off thynges dedicate vnto ydols/ we are sure that we all have knowledge. Knowledge maketh a man swell: but love edifieth. yf eny man thynke that he knoweth eny thynge/ he knoweth nothynge yett as he ought to knowe. but yffeny man love god/ the same is knowen of hym. To speake of meate dedicat vnto ydols/ we are sure tliat there dTo. cvl. €\)e dFui'iit eptsftU of 3Paul is none ydoll in the worlde : and that ther is none other god but one. And though there be that are called goddes/ whether in heven other in erth (as there be goddes many and lordes many) but vnto vs is there one god/ which is the father/ off whom are all thynges/ and we in hym : and one lorde Jesus Christ/ by whom are all thynges/ and we by hym. But every man hath not knowledge, for some suppost that their is an ydoll/ vntill this houre/ and eate as off a thynge offered vnto the ydole/ and so their consciences beynge yet weake are defyled. Meate maketh vs not accepted to god : nether yff we eate are we the better : Nether yf we eate not are we the worsse. Bat take hede that you re libertie cause nott the weake to faule. For yf some man se the which hast knowledge sitt at mate in the ydoles temple shall not the conscience off hym which is weake be boldened to eate those thynges which are offered vnto the ydole ? And so thorow thy knowledge shall the weake brother perisshe for whom christ dyed. When we synne so agaynst the brethren and wounde their weake consciences/ we synne agaynst Christ. Wherfore yf meate hurt my brother/ I will eate no flesshe whill the worlde stondeth/ be cause I will not hurte my brother. Cije iy. Cljapter. AMI not an Apostle ? Am I nott fre ? have I not sene Jesus "^^ Christ oure lorde ? Are not ye my worke in the lorde. Yf I be nott an Apostle vnto other/ yet am I vnto you. For the scale off myne Apostleshippe are ye in the lorde. Myne answer to them that axe me / is this : Have we not power to eate and to drynke ? other have we nott power to leade about a sister to wyfe as well as other Apostles/ and as the brethren off the lorde/ and Cephas ? O ther only I and Barnabas have not power this to do ? who goeth a warfare eny tyme att his awne cost ? who planteth a vynearde and eateth nott of the frute ? or who fedeth a flocke and eateth nott off the mylke. Saye I these thinges after the manner of men? or sayth nott the lawe the same also ? For itt ys written in the lawe of Moses : Thou shall not mosell the mouth of the oxe that treadeth out the corne. dotli god take thought for oxen ? other sayth he it nott all togedder for oure sakes? For oure sakes no doute this is written : that he which eareth shulde eare in hope : and that he which throssheth in hope / shulde be part taker of his hope. Yf we sowe vnto you spirituall thynges : is it a greate thynge yf we reepe to ti)t Comnti^gausl. €i). y, youre carnall thynges ? yf other be part takers of this power over you ? wherfore are not we rather. Neverthelesse we have not vsed this power: but sufFre all thinges lest we shulde hynder the gospell of Christ. Do ye not vnderstonde howe that they which minister in the temple : have their fyndynge of the temple? And they which wayte att the aulter are parttakers with the aultre ? Even so also dyd the lorde ordayne / thatt they whych preache the gospel!/ shulde live off the gospell : But I have vsed none of these thynges. Nether wrote I these thynges that it shulde be soo done vnto me. Hit were better for me to deye r then that eny man shulde take this reioysynge from me. In that I preache the gospell I have nothinge to reioyce of. For necessite is putt vnto me. wo is it vnto me yf I preache not the gospell, yf I do it with a good will / I have my rewarde. yf I do it agaynst my will / an office is committed vnto me. what is my rewarde then ? Verely that when I preach the gospell / I make the gospell of Christ fre / that I misvse not myne auctorite in the gospell. For though I be fre from all men / yet have I made my silfe servaunt vnto all men / that I myght wyn the mooe. And vnto the iewes/ I be cam as a iewe/ to wyn the iewes. To them that were vnder the lawe / was I made as though I had bene und' the lawe / to wyn them that were vnder the lawe. To them that were with out lawe/ becam I as though I had bene with out lawe (when I was not with out lawe as perteyninge to god/ but vnder a lawe as concernynge Christ) to wyn them thatt were with out lawe. To the weake be cam I as weake / to wyn the weake. In all thynge I fassioned my silfe to all men / to save att the lest waye some. And this I do for the gospels sake / that I myght have my parte tlier of. Perceave ye not howe that they which runne in a course/ runne all / yet butt one receaveth the rewarde. So runne that ye maye obtayne. Every man that proveth mastres abstaineth from all thynges. and they do itt to obtayne a corruptible croune : but we to obtayne an everlastynge croune. I therfore soo runne / nott as at an vncertayne thynge. So fyght I / not as won that beateth the aier: but I tame my body and brynge hym into subieccion / lest after that I have preached to other / I my silfe shulde be a castawaye. €\)t y. €i)aptcr. "ORETHREN I wolde not thatt ye shulde be ignoraunt off this / howe thatt oure fathers were all vnder a cloude/ and dTo. c)ilj. €i)s dfan5j. CIj. yii). many of them which have synned all redy/ and have nott re- pented of the vnclennes / and fornicacion/ and wantannes wliicli they have committed. CIjc yii). Cijaptcr. "VTOWE come I the thyrd tyme vnto you: In the mouth of ■^^ two or thre witnesses shall every worde stonde. I tolde you before/ and tell you before/ as I sayd when I was present with you the seconde tyme/ so wryte I nowe beynge absent to them whicli in tyme past have synned/ and to all wother : Yf I come agayne/ I will not spare seynge that ye seke experience of Christ which speaketh in me/ which amonge you is not weake/ but is myghty in you. And verely though it cam ofFweaknes that he was crucified/ yet liveth he thorowe the power of god : and we no dout are weake in hym : but we shall live with him/ by the myght that god gave vs to you warde. Prove youre selves whether ye are in the faytli or not. examen youre owne selves, knowe ye nott youre awne selves / howe that Jesus Christ is in you ? excepte ye be castawayes. I trust that ye shall knowe that we are not castawayes. I desyre before god that ye do none evyll / not that we shulde seme com- mendable : but that ye shulde do / that which is honest : and let vs be counted as Icawde persons. We can do no thynge agavnst the trueth/ but for the trueth. We are glad when we are weake/ and ye stronge. This also we wisshe fore/ even that ye were per- fect. Therfore write I these thynges beynge absent/ lest when I am present I shulde vse sharpnes accordynge to the power which the lorde hath geven me/ to edifie/ and not to destroye. Furthermore brethren fare ye wele / be perfect/ be of good comforte/ be of one niynde/ live in peace/ and the god of love and peace/ shalbe wit you. Grete one another in an holy kysse. All the saynctes salute you. The faveour of oure lorde Jesus Christ / and the love of god/ and the fellishippe of the holy goost/ be with you all Amen. The seconde pistle to the Corrinthyans Sent from Phillippos a citie in Macedonia by Titus and Lucas. (Bpx^tlt off i^attl bnto tfte ©allat1()8an0* Cfte fprst Cf)apter* 'SiW% an Apostle/ nott off men/ nether by man/ but by Jesus Christ/ and by god the father which raysed him from deeth / and all the brethren whych are with me. Vnto the congre- gacion off Galacia. Grace be with you and peace from god the father/ and from oure lorde Jesus Christ/ which gave him sylfe for oure synnes / to deliver vs from this present evill worlde/ thorowe the will of God oure father/ to whom be prayse for ever Amen. I marvayle that ye are so sone tourned from hym that called you in the grace of Christ/ vnto another gospell/ wliich is nothynge els/ but that there be some which trouble you/ and intende to pervert the gospell oft' Christ. Neverthelesse though we oure selves/ or an angell from heven/ preache eny other gospell vnto you then that which we have preached vnto you / holde hym as acursed. As I sayde before/ so saye I nowe agayne/yfene man preache eny other thinge vnto you/ then that ye have receaved/ holde hym acursed. Seke nowe the faveour off men / or off" God ? Other go 1 abut to please men ? Yf I stodyed to please men / I were not the servaunt of Christ. I certifie you brethren / that the gospell which was preached of me/ was not after the manner of men / nether receaved I it of man / nether was I taught it : but receaved it by the revelacion Cije (ifpigtU off 33aul to tijc (&aUaH)})mS. Ci). tj. of Jesus Christ, ye have herde of my conversacion hi tymes past in the Jewes wayes/ howe that be yoiide measure I perse- cuted the congregacion off god/ and spoyled it : and prevayled in the iewes lawe/ above many of my companions/ which were of myne awne nacion/ and moche more fervently mayntayned the tradicions of the elders. But when it pleased god/ which seperated me from my mothers wombe/ and called me by his grace/ forto declare his Sonne by me/ that I shulde preache hym amonge the hethen : Immediatly I commened not of the matter with flesshe and bloud / nether returned to Jerusalem to them which where Apos- tles before me : but went my wayes into Arabia/ and cam agayne vnto Damascon. Then after thre yeare I returned to Jerusalem vnto Peter and abode with Jiim .xv dayes/ no not her off the Apostles sawe 1/ save James tlie lordes brother. The thynges which I write/ beholde/ god knoweth I lye not. After that I went into the costes of Siria and Cicill : and was unknowen as touchynge my person vnto the congregacions of Jewry/ which were in Christ. But they herde only/ that he which persecuted vs in tyme past/ nowe preacheth the fayth/ which before he destroyed. And they glorifyed god in me. Ci)c £iccontJe Cljapter. nnHEN xiiij. yeares after that/ I went agayne to Jerusalem with Barnabas/ and toke with me Titus also. Yee/ and I went by revelacion/ and commened with them of the gospell/ which I preache amonge the gentyls : but apart with them which are counted chefe/ lest it shulde have bene thought that I shulde runne/ or had runne in vayne. Also Titus which was with me/ though he were a greke/ yet was not compelled to be circumcised/ and that be cause of incommers beynge falce bre- thren/ whicli cam in amonge wother to spye out oure libertie whych we have in Christ Jesus/ that they might brynge vs into bondage. To whom we gave no roume/ no not for the space of an houre/ as concernynge to be brought into subieccion : and thatt be cause that the trueth of the gospell myght continue with you. Of them which seme to be grett (what they were in tyme passed it maketli no matter to me : god loketh on no mans per- sone) neverthelesse they which seme grett/ added nothynge to me : Butt contrary wyse/ when they sawe that the gospell over the vncircumcision was committed vnto me/ as the gospell over X '?. dTo. c\b. m)t (Spittle off 33aut the circumcision was vnto Peter (For he that was myghty in Peter in the Apostle shippe over the circumcision/' the same was myg-hty in me amonge the gentyls) and as sone as James/ Ce- phas/ and Jhon/ which semed to be pillares/ perceaved the grace thatt was geven vnto me / they gave to me and Barnabas their hondes) and agreed with vs thatt we shulde preache amonge the hethen/ and they amonge the Jewes : warnynge only that we shulde remember the povre/ which thynge also I was diligent to do. When Peter was come to Antioche/ I withstode him in the face / for he was worthy to be blamed. For yerre that certayne cam from James/ he ate with the gentyls : butt when they were come/ he withdrue and seperated hym silfe/ fearynge them which were off the circumcision / and the wother Jewes dissem- bled lyke wyse / In so moche that Barnabas was brought into their simulacion also. Butt when I sawe/ thatt they went nott the ryght waye after the trueth off the gospell/ I sayde vnto Peter before all men / yff thou beynge a Jewe / livest after the manner off the gentyls/ and not as do the Jewes : why causest thou the gentyls to folowe the Jewes ? we which are Jewes by nature and not synners off the gentyls/ knowe thatt a man is nott iustified by the dedes off the lawe : but by the fayth of Jesus Christ: and we have beleved on Jesus Christ/ that we myght be iustified by the fayth of Christ and not by the dedes of the lawe : be cause that noo flesshe shalbe iustified by the dedes of the lawe. Yf then whill we seke to be made rightewes by Christ/ we oure selves are founde synners/ is not then Christ the minister of sinne ? god forbid. For yf I bilde agayne that which I de- stroyed/ then make I my silfe a treaspaser. But I thorowe the lawe am deed to the lawe/ that I myght live vnto God. I am crucified with Christ. 1 live verely/ yet nowe not 1/ but Christ liveth in me. The lyfe which I nowe live in the flesshe/ I live by the fayth of the sonne oft' god/ which loved me/ and gave hym silfe for me. I despyse not the grace of god : For if righ- tewesnes come of the lawe/ then is Christ deed in vayne. Cije it}. Cj^aptcr. i~i FOLISSHE Galathyans : who hath bewiched you / that ye ^^ shulde not beleve the trueth ? to whom Jesus Christ was described before the eyes/ and amonge you crucified? This only wolde I learne of you. receaved ye the sprete by the dedes to ti)C <&a\lat\)vimi. €i), iij. of the lawe ? or els by preacliinge of the faith ? Are ye so vn- wyse/ that after ye have begon in the sprete/ ye wolde nowe ende in the flesshe ? So many thynges ye have sufFred in vayne. Yf it be so that ye have suffered in vayne. Which ministered to you the sprete/ and worketh miracles anionge you doth he itt thorowe the dedes off the lawe ? or by preachinge of the faith ? Even as Abraham beleved god / and it was a scribed to him for rightewesnes. Vnderstonde therfore/ thatt they which are off fayth/ are the children of Abraham. The scripture sawe afore honde/ that god wolde iustifie the hethen thorow fayth / and shewed before honde glad tydynges vnto Abraham : In the shall all nacions be blessed. So then they which be of fayth/ are blessed with faythfull Abraham. For as many as are und' the dedes of tlie lawe/ are vnder male- diccion. For it is written : cursed is every man that continueth not in all thynges which are written in the boke of the lawe to fulfill them. That no man is iustified by the lawe in the sight of god is evident. For the iust shall live by faith. The lawe is not of fayth : butt the man that fulfilleth the thinges contayned in the lawe/ shall live in them. Christ hath delivered vs from the curse of the lawe/ and was made a cursed for vs (for it is written : Cursed is every one that hangeth on tree) that the blessynge of Abraham might come on the gentyls throwe Jesus Christ/ that we might receave the promes of the sprete thorowe fayth. Brethren I will speake after the manner of men : Though it be but a mans testament/ yet no man despyseth it/ or addeth eny thynge therto when it is once alowed. To Abraham and his seede were the promyses made. He saith not/ in thy seedes as in many : But in thy sede/ as in won/ which is Christ. This I saye that the lawe which began afterwarde/ beyonde iiij C. and XXX. yeares/ doth not disanuU the testament/ that was con- fermed of god vnto Christ ward/ to make the promes of none effect. For yf the inheritaunce come off the lawe/ hit commeth not of promes : but god gave it vnto Abraham by promes. Wherfore then serveth the lawe? The lawe was added be cause of transgression (till the seede cam vnto which seede the promes was made) and it was ordeyned by angels in the honde of a mediator. A mediator is nott a mediator of one. Butt god is one. Ys the lawe then agaynst the promes off god ? God forbid. Ytf there had bpne a lawe geven which coulde have geven lyfe : then no doute rightewesnes slmlde l)ave come by the lawe : but the scripture concluded all thinges vnder dTo. clbj. Ct)« (JBpifiitlc off ^aul sinne/ that tlie piomes by the faith of Jesus Christ/ shulde be !;^even vnto them that beleve. Before that fayth cam/ we were kept and shut vppe viider the lawe / vnto the fayth which shulde afterwarde be declared. Wherfore the lawe was oure scolemaster vnto the tyme of Christ/ that we myght be made rightewes by fayth. But after tliat faith is come/ nowe are we no lenger vnder a scolemaster. For ye are all the sonnes of god/ by the faith which is in Christ Jesus. For all ye thatt are baptised/ have put Christ on you. Nowe is there no Jewe/ nether greke : there is nether bonde/ nether fre : there is nether man / nether woman : for all are one thynge in Christ Jesu. yf ye be Christes/ then are ye Abrahams seede/ and heyres by promes. Cf;c ittj. Cfjaptcr. AND! saye that the heyre as longe as he ys a chylde difFerth "^^ not from a servaunt/ though he be lorde of all / but is vnder tuters and governers/ vntill the tyme apoynted of the father. Even so we/ as longe as we were children/ wer in bondage vnder the ordinacions of the worlde : but when the tyme was full come/ god sent his sonne borne of a woman/ and made bonde vnto the lawe/ to redeme them which were vnder the lawe : that we thorowe eleccion shulde receave the inheritau nee that belong- eth vnto the naturall sonnes. Be cause ye are sonnes/ God hath sent the sprete of his sonne in to oure hertes/ which cryetli abba father. Wherfore nowe arte thou not a servaunt/ but a sonne. yff thou be the sonne/ thou arte also the heyre of God thorowe Christ. Notwithstondynge/ when ye knewe not god /ye did service vnto them/ which by nature were not goddes : butt nowe seynge ye knowe god (ye rather are knowen of God) howe is it that ye toiirne agayne vnto the weake and bedgariy cerimones/ where vnto agayne ye desyre afresshe to be in bondage ? ye observe tlie dayes/ and monethes/ and tymes/ and yeares. I feare off you / lest 1 have bestowed on you laboure in vayne. Brethren 1 besech you/ be ye as 1 am : for I am as ye are. Ye have not hurte me. Ye knowe wele howe that thorowe infirmitie of the flesshe/ I preached the gospell vnto you at the fyrst : and my temptacion which I suffered by reason of the flesslie/ ye despysed not/ nether abhorred : but receaved me as an angell of God : ye as Christ Jesus. Howe happy were ye then ? for I beare you recorde that yf it hat bene possible/ ye to ti)c ©allatijganiJ. €l).b. wolde have digged out youre awne eyes / and have geven them to me. Am I so greatly become youre enmye/ be cause I tell you the trueth? They are gelous over you amysse. Ye they intende to exclude you that ye shulde be fervent to themwarde. lit is good alwayes to be fervent/ so it be in a good thynge/ and not only when I am present with you. My littel children (of whome I travayle in birth agayne vntill Christ be fassioned in you) I wolde I were with you nowe/ and coulde chaunge my voyce/ for I stonde in a doute of you. Tell me ye that desyre to be vnder the lawe : have ye not herde of the lawe ? For it is written that Abraham had two sonnes/ the one by a bonde mayde/ the wother by a fre woman. Yee and he which was of the bonde woman/ was borne after the flesshe : but he which was of the fre woman / was borne by promes. Which thynges betoken mistery. For these wemen are two testamentes/ the one from the mounte Sina/ which gendreth vnto bondage / which is Agar (For mounte Sina is called Agar in Arabia/ and bordreth apon the citie which is nowe Jeru- salem) and is in bondage with her Children. But Jerusalem/ which is above/ is fre : which is the mother of vs all. For it is written : reioyce thou baren / that bearest no children : breake forthe and crye/ thou that travelest not. For the desolate hath many moo children/ then she which hath an husband. Brethren we are after the maner off Isaac children of promes ; But as then he that was borne carnally/ persecuted hym that was borne spiritually. Even so is it nowe. Never- thelesse what sayth the scripture : Caste a waye the bonde woman and her sonne. For the sonne of the bonde woman shall not be heyre with the sonne off the fre woman. So then brethren we are not children of the bonde woman : but off the fre woman. Cije b. Cijaptcr. ^TOND fast therfore in the libertie wherwith Christ hath made vs fre/ and wrappe nott youre selves agayne in the yoke of bondage. Be holdc I Paul saye vnto you/ that if ye be circum- cised/ Christ shall proffit you nothynge at all. I testifie agayne to every man which is circumcised that he is bounde to kepe the whole lawe. Ye are gone quyte from Christ as many as are iustified by the lawe/ and are fallen from grace. We lokefor and hope to be iustified by the sprete which commeth of fayth. dTo. clbij. ®i)t €pi^tU of iSaul For in Jesu Christ/ nether is circumcision eny thynge worth / nether yet vncircumcision/ but fayth which by love is myghty in operacion. Ye did runne wele. Who was a lett vnto your that ye shulde not obey the trueth ? Even that counsell that is not of hym that called you. A lytel leven doth leven the whole lompe of dowe. I have trust towarde you in god/ that ye will be none other wyse mynded. He that troubleth you shall beare liis iudgement/ what soever hebe. Brethren yf I yet preache circumcision : why do I then sufFre persecucion ? For then had the offence which the crosse geveth ceased. I wolde to god they were sondred from you which trouble you Brethren ye were called in to libertie/ only lett not youre libertie be an occasion vnto the flesshe but in love serve one another. For all the lawe is fulfilled in one worde/ which is this : Thou shalt love thyne neghbour as thy silfe. Yf ye byte and devoure one another : take hede lest ye be consumed one of another. I saye walke in the sprete/ and fulfill not the lustes of the flesshe. For the flesshe lusteth contrary to the sprete/ and the sprete contrary to the flesshe. These are contrary one to the other/ so that ye cannot do that which ye wolde. But and yf ye be ledde off the sprete/ then are ye notvnder the lawe. The dedes of the flesshe are manyfest/ whiche are these/ advou- trie/ fornicacion/ vnclennes/ wantannes/ ydolatrie/ witchecraft/ hatred/ lawynge/ Zele/ wrath/ stryfe/ sedicion/ parte takynges/ envyinge/ murther/ dronkennes/ glottony/ and soche lyke : off the which I tell you before/ as I have tolde you in tyme past/ that they which commit soche tynges shall not be the in herit- ours of the kyngdom of God : but the frute off" the sprete is/ love/ ioye/ peace/ longe sufferynge/ gentlenes/ goodnes/ fayth- fulnes/ meknes/ temperancy : Agaynst suche is there no lawe. They that are Christis/ have crucified the flesshe with the appe- tites and lustes. Yf we live in the sprete let vs walke in the sprete. Lett vs nott be vayne glorious/ provokynge one another/ and envyinge one another. Ci;c t)j. Cijapter. B •RETHREN yfF eny man be fauUen by chaunce into eny faute : ye which are spretuall / helpe to amende hym / in the sprete of meknes : consyderynge thy silfe/ lest thou also be tempted. Beare one anothers burthen : and so fulfill ye the lawe of Christ. Yfl" a man seme to hvm silfe that he is somwhat to tl)t (©allatljuan^. Cf). bj. when in dede he is nothynge/ the same deceaveth hyin silfe in his yniaginacion. Let every man prove his awne worke/ and then shall he have reioysynge in his awne silte/ and not in an- other. For every man shall beare his awne burthen. Let hym that is taught in the worde / minister vnto hym that teacheth hym in all good thynges. Be not deceaved/ god is not mocked. For what soever a man soweth/ that shall he reepe. He that soweth in the flesshe/ shall of the flesshe reepe corrupcion: but he that soweth in the sprete/ shall of the sprete reepe lyfe everlastynge. Let vs do good/ and let vs not faynte. For when the tyme is come we shall repe with out werynes. Whill we have therfore tyme lett vs do good vnto all men / and specially/ vnto them which are off the housholde of fayth. Beholde liow large a letter I have written vnto you with myne awne honde. As many as desyre with vttwarde aperaunce to please carnally/ they constrayne you to be circumcised/ only be cause they wolde nott suffre persecucion with the crosse off Christ. For they them selves which are circumcised kepe not the lawe : but desyre to have you circumcised that they myght reioyce in youre flesshe. God forbid that I shulde reioyce but in the crosse of oure lorde Jesu Christ / wher by the worlde is crucified as touchynge me / and I as concernynge the worlde. For in Christ Jesu nether circumcision avayleth eny thynge at all nor vncircumcision : but a newe creature. And as many as walke acordynge to this rule/ peace be on them/ and mercy/ and apon Israhel that pertayneth to god. From hence forth/ let no man put me to busynes. For I beare in my bodye the markes of the lorde Jesu. Brethren the grace off oure lorde Jesu Christe be with youre sprete/ Amen, Vnto the Galathyans written from Rome. €i)t e^imt ot iPatil to tSr e^WinM^ €i)t fyrsst Cf)apUi% |i|a^«^l ^ M ^2UE an apostle off Jesu Christ / by the will off God. To the saynctesat Ephesus/ and to them whiche beleve on Jesus Christ. Grace be with you and peace from god oure father / and from the lorde Jesus Christ. Blessed be God the father of oure lorde Jesus Christ/ which hath blessed vs with all maner of spirituall bles- singes in hevenly thynges by Christ/ aeordynge as he had chosen vs in hym throwe love/ before the foundacion of the worlde was layde/ that we shulde be sayntes/ and with out blame in his sight. And ordeyned vs before vnto him silfe that we shulde be chosen to hey res throwe Jesus Christ/ accordynge to the pleasuer of his will/ to the prayse of his glorious grace/ where with he hath made vs accepted in the beloved. By whom we have redempcion thorow his blud/ that is to saye the forgevenes offsynnes/ accordynge to the riches of his grace/ which grace he shed on vs oboundantly in all wisdom/ and pru- dency. And hath openned unto vs the mistery of his will aeord- ynge to his pleasure / and perposed the same in hym silfe to have it declared when the tyme were full come / that all thynges/ bot the thynges which are in heven/ and also the thynges which are in erthe/ shulde be gaddered togedder / even in Christ : that is to saye in hym in whom we are made heyres/ and were therto pre- destinate accordynge to the purpose off hym which worketh all thinges after the purpose off his owne will/ that we shulde be vnto the prayse 5ff his glory/ which before hoped in Christ. In whom also ye (after that ye herde the worde off trueth/ €i)t (JEptiStU off 30aul to ti)c (JEpijcsiian^. €i). I'j. I mean tlie gospell off youre health / wherui ye beleved ) were sealed with that holy sprete off promes/ which is the ernest off oure inheritaunce/ to redeme the possession purchased vnto the laude of his glory. Wherfore even I (after that I herde off the fayth which ye have in the lorde Jesu/ and love vnto all the saynctes) cease not to geve thankes for you / makynge mencion off you in my prayers/ that the God off oure lorde Jesus Clirist/ and the father off glory/ myght geve vnto you the sprete of wisdom/ and open to you the knowledge of hym silfe/ and lighten the eyes of youre myndes/ that ye myght knowe what thynge that hope is/ where vnto he hath called you / and howe glorious the riches of his inheritaunce is apon the saynctes/ and what is the excedynge great nes off his power to vs warde / which beleve ac- cordynge to the workynge off that his mighty power/ which he wrought in Christ/ when he raysed hym from deeth/ and sett hym on his right honde in hevenly thynges / above all rule/ power/ and myght/ and dominacion/ and above all names that are named/ nott in this worlde only/ but also in the worlde to come. And hath put all thynges vnder his fete/ and hath made him above all thynges/ the heed of the congregacion / which is his body/ and fulnes of hym/ that filleth all in all thynges. €i)t i). Cj^aptcv. A' ND hath quickened you also that were deedd in treaspasse and synne/ in the which in tyme passed ye walked/ acord- ynge to the course of this worlde/ and after the governer/ that rueleth in the ayer/ the sprete that worketh in the children off vnbelefe/ amonge the which we also had oure conversacion in tyme past/ in the lustes of oure flesshe/ and fuUfilled the will off the flesshe/ and of the mynde : and were naturally the children of wrath/ even as wele as wother. But God which is rich in mercy thorow tlie greate love wher- with he loved vs/ even when we were deed by synne/ hath quickened vs with Christ (For by grace are ye saved) and with hym hath raysed vs vppe / and with hym hath made vs sitte in heevenly thynges/ thorowe Jesus Christ/ For to shewe in tymes to come the excedynge ryches of his grace/ in kyndnes to vs ■warde/ thorowe Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye made safe throwe fayth/ and that not off youre selves : For it is the gyfte of God/ and commeth not of workes/ lest eny man shuide bost hym silfe. For we are his worckmanshippe/ created in Christ dFo. diy. €i)t episitlc of 3Paul Jesu vnto good workes/ vnto the which god ordeynedvs before/ that we shulde walke in them. Wherfore remember that ye beynge in tyme passed gentyls in the flesshe/ and were called vncircumcision off them which are called circumcision in the flesshe/ which circumcision is made by hoiides : Remember I saye/ that ye were att that tyme with outen Christ/ and were reputed aliantes from the commen welth of Israhel/ and were freede from the testamentes of promes/ and had nohope/ and were with out god in this worlde. but nowe in Christ Jesu / ye whych a whyle agoo were farre off/ are made neye by the bloude off Christ. For he is oure peace/ whych hath made off both wone/ and hath broken doune the wall in the myddes/ that was a stoppe bitwene vs/ and hath also put awaye thorowe his flesshe/ the cause of hatred (thatt is to saye/ the lawe of commaundementes contayned in the lawe written) for to make of twayne wone newe man in hym silfe / so makynge peace : and to reconcile bothe vnto god in one body throwe his crosse/ and slewe hattred therby : and cam and preached peace to you which were a farre of/ and to them that were neye. For thorowe hym we bothe have an open waye in/ in one sprete vnto the father. Nowe therfore ye are no moare strangers and foreners : but citesyns with the saynctes/ and of the housholde of god: and are bilt apon the foundacion of the apostles and prophetes/ Jesus Christ beynge the heed corner stone/ in whom every bildynge coupled togedder/ groweth vnto an holy temple in the lorde/ in whom ye also are bilt togedder/ and made an habitacion for god in the sprete. Ci;c tij. C{;aptn-. Xj^OR this cause I Paul the servaunt of Jesus am in bondes/ For youre sakes which are gentyls. Yf ye have herde of the ministracion of the grace of god which is geven me to you warde : For by revelacion shewed he this mistery vnto me/ as I wrote above in feawe wordes/ wher by/ when ye rede ye maye knowe myne vnderstondynge in the mistery of Christ/ which mistery in tymes passed was nott opened vnto the sonnes of men as it is nowe declared vnto his holy apostles and prophetes by the sprete : that the gentyls shulde be inheritours also/ and of the same body/ and partakers off" his promis that is in Christ/ be the meanes of the gospell/ wherof I am made a minister/ by the gyfte of the grace of god geven vnto me/ after the workynge of his power. to ti)C ©pi)C£itan£i. Cl^. Hi). Vnto me the lest of all sayntes is this grace geven/ thatt I shulde preache ainonge the gentyls the vnsearchable ryches off Christ/ and to geve light to all men/ that they myght knowe what isthe felyshippe of the mistery/ which from the begynnynge ofl' the worlde hath bene hid in God which made all thynges thorowe Jesus Christ/ to the intent/ that nowe vnto the ruelars and powers in heven myght be knowen by the congregacion the manyfolde wisdom of god/ accordynge to the eternall purpose/ which he purposed in Christ Jesu oure lorde/ by whom we are bolde to drawe neye in that trust/ whiche we have by fayth on hym. Wherfore I desire/ that ye faynt not because of myne adversities which I siifiVe for you : which is youre prayse. For this cause I bowe my knees vnto the father of oure lorde Jesus Christ/ which is father over all thatt ys called father In heven and in erth/ that he wolde graunt you acordynge to tlie ryches of his glory/ thatt ye maye be strenghted with myght by his sprete in the inner man/ that Christ maye dwell in youre hertes by fayth/ that ye beynge roted and grounded in lowe/ myght be able to comprehende wyth all sayntes/ what ys thatt bredth and length/ deepth and heyth : and to knowe what is the love off Christ/ which love passeth knowledge: that ye might be fulfilled with all manner off fulnes which commeth off God. Vnto hym that ys able to do excedynge aboundantly/ above all that we axe or thynke/ accordynge to the power thatt worketh in vs/ be prayse in the congregacion by Jesus Christ/ thorowe out all generacions from tyme to tyme Amen. CI;e Hi). CI;aptcr. T THERFORE which am in bondes for the lordes sake ■*- exhorte you/ thatt ye walke worthy off the vocation wher with ye are called / in all humblenes of mynde/ and meknes/ and longe sufferynge/ forhearinge one another thorowe love /and that ye be dyligent to kepe the vnitie of the sprete in the bonde of peace/ beynge one body/ and one sprete/ even as ye are called in one hope of youre callynge. Let therbe but one lorde/ one fayth/ one baptim : one god and father of all/ which is above all/ thorowe all/ and in vs all. Vnto every one of vs is geven grace acordinge to the measure of the gyft of Christ, wherfore he sayth : He is gone vppe an hye/ and hath ledde captivitie captive/ and hath geven gyftes vnto men. That he ascended : what meaneth it / butt that he also descended fyrst into the lowest parties of the erth ? He dTo. dy. CI)t (Spittle of 33aul that descended/ is even the same also that ascended vppe/ even above all hevens / to fulfill all thynges. And the very same/ made some Apostles/ some prophetes/ some Evangelistes / some Shepperdes / some Teachers : that the samctes might have all thynges necessary to worke and minister with all/ to the edifyinge of the body of Christ/ tyll we every- wone (in the vnitie of fayth/ and knowledge of the sonne of god) growe vppe vnto a parfayte man / after the measure of age which is in the fulnes off Christ : Thatt we hence forth be no moare chyldren waverynge and caryed with every wynde of doctryne / by the wylynes of men and craftynes / wher by they laye awayte for vs to deceave vs. Butt lett vs folowe the trueth in lowe/ and in all thynges growe in hym which is the heed/ that ys to saye Christ/ in whom all the body ys coupled and knet togedder/ in every ioynt/ where- with one ministreth to another (acordynge to the operacion as every parte hath his measure) and increaseth the body/ vnto the edyfyinge of it silfe in love. This I saye therfore/ and testifie in the lorde/ that ye hence forth walke not as wother gentyls walke/ in vanities off their mynde/ blynded in their vnderstondynge / beynge straungers from the lyfe which is in god/ thorowe the ignorancy that is in them/ because off the blyndnes off their hertes : which beynge past repentaunce have geven them selves vnto wantannes / to worke all manner of vnclennes even with gredynes. But ye have not so learned Christ / Yf so be ye have herde off hym / and are taught in hym/ even as the trueth is in Jesu : so as concernynge the conversacion in tyme past/ laye from you that olde man/ which is corrupte thorowe the deceavable lustes/ and be ye renued in the sprete off youre myndes/ and put on that newe man/ which after a godly wyse/ is shapen in ryghtewesnes / and true holynes. Wherfore putt awaye lyinge/and speake every man trueth vnto his neghbour/ for as moche as we are members one off another. Be angry/ but synne nott: lett nott the sonne goo doune apon youre wrathe / geve noplace vnto the backbyter/ let hym that stole steale no moare/ but let hym rather laboure with his hondes some good thinge / that he maye have to geve vnto hym that nedeth. Let no filthy communicacion procede out of youre mouthes : but thatt whych is good to edefye with all / when nede ys : that it maye have faveour with the heares. And greve not the holy sprete off God / by whome ye are sealed vnto the daye of re- dempcion. Let all bitternes/ fearsnes and wrath/ rorynge and to tl)e (£p]^fgtflnsi. Cf). 6. cursyd speakynge / be put aAvaye from you / with all maliciousnes. be ye courteouse one to another/ be merciful! forgevynge one another/ even as God for Christes sake forgave you. Ci)« b. Cijapter. "DE ye counterfeters of god as dere children / and walke in love even as Christ loved vs / and gave hym silfe for vs/ an ofTerynge and a sacrifyce of a swete saver to god. So that for- nicacion / and all vnclennes/ or coveteousnes / be not once/ named anionge you / as it be commeth saynctes : nether filthy- nes/ nether folishe talkyng/ nether gestinge/ which are notconily : but rather gevynge of thankes. For this ye knowe/ that no whormonger/ other vnclene person/ or coveteous person (which is the worshipper off ymages) hath any inheritaunce in the kyng- dom of Christ / and of god. Lett no man deceave you with vayne wordes. For thorowe soche thynges commeth the wrath^ofF god apon the chyldren of vnbelefe. Be not therfore companions with them. Ye were once dercknes/ but are nowe light in the lorde. Walke as Children of light. For the frute off the sprete is/ in all goodnes/ rightewesnes/ and trueth. Accept thatt which is pleasynge to the lorde : and have no fellishippe with the vnfrutfull workes of dercknes : butt rather rebuke them. For it is shame even to name those thynges which are done of them in secrete: but all thinges/ when they are rebuked of the light/ are manifest. For whatsoever is manifest/ that same is light. Wherfore he sayth : awake thou that slepest/ and stond vppe from deeth / and Christ shall geve the light. Take hede therfore that ye walke circumspectly : not as foles : but as wyse/ redemynge the tyme : for the dayes are evyll : wherfore/ be ye nottvnwyse: but vnderstond what the will of the lorde is/ and be not dronke with wyne/ wherin is excesse: but be fulfilled with the sprete/ speakynge vnto youre selves in psalmes / andymmes/ and spretuall songes/ syngynge and play- inge to the lorde in youre hertes/ gevynge thankes all ways for all thynges in the name of oure lorde Jesu Christ to god the father : submittynge youre selves one to another in the feare of god. Wemen submit youre selves vnto youre awne husbandes / as vnto the lorde: For the liusbande is the wyves heed/ even as Christ is the heed ofi' the congregacion / and the same is the saveoure off the body. Therfore as the congregacion is in sub- ieccion to Christ/ lykwyse let the wyves be in subieccion to their husbandes in all thinges. Husbandes love youre wyves/ even as Christ loved the congregacion/ and gave him silf'e for it/ to sanctifie it/ and clensed it in the fountayne of water thorowe the worde/ to make it vnto hym silfe / a glorious congregacion with oute spote/ or wrynckle or eny soch thynge : but that it shulde be holy and with out blame. So ought men to love their wyves/ as their avvne bodies. He that loveth his wyfe/ loveth hym sylfe. For no man ever yet/ hated his awne flesshe: Butt norysshith/ and cherisith itt: even as the lorde doth the congregacion : for we ar members of hys body/ off his flesshe/ and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave father and mother/ and shall continue with hys wyfe/ and two shalbe made one flesshe. This is a grett secrete/ but I speake bitwene Christ and the congregacion. Neverthelesse do ye so that every one off you love hys wyfe truely even as hym sylfe : And lett the wyfe se that she feare her husbande. Cijc bj. Cljaptcr. /^HYLDREN obey youre fathers and mothers in the lorde : for so is it right. Honoure father and mother/ that is the fyrst commaundement that hath eny promes/ that thou mayest be in goodc estate/ and hve longe on the erthe. Fa- thers/ move not youre chyldren to wrath : butt brynge them vppe v/ith the norter and informacion off the lorde. Servauntes be obedient vnto youre carnall masters/ with feare and trem- blynge/ in synglenes of youre hertes/ as vnto Christ: not with service in the eye sight as men pleasars : butt as the servauntes of Christ/ doynge the wyll off god from the herte with good will/ even as though ye served the lorde/ and not men. And remember that what soever good thynge eny man doeth / thatt shall he receave agayne off the lorde/ whether he be bonde or fre. And ye masters/ do even the same thynges vnto them/ puttynge awaye threatenynges : and remember thatt even youre master also is in heven/ nether is there eny respecte off persone with hym. Finally/ my brethren be stronge in the lorde/ and in the power of his myght. Put on tlie armour of god/ that ye maye stonde stedfast agaynst the crafty assautes off the devyll. For we wrestle not agaynst flesshe and bloud : but agaynst ruele/ agaynst power/ and agaynst worldy ruelars of the darcknes of this worlde/ agaynst spretuall wickednes in hevenly thynges. to tijc (epl)c^pans', €1). 6). For this cause take vnto you the armoure ofF god/ that ye maye be able to resist in the evyll daye/ and to stonde perfect in all thinges. Stonde therfore and youre loynes gyrd aboute with veritie/ havynge on the brest plate of rightewesnes/ and shood with shewes prepared by the gospell of peace. Above all take to you the shelde otf fayth / wherwith ye maye quenche all the fyrie dartes of the wicked, and take the helmet off heelth/ and the swearde of the sprete/ which is the worde of god/ and praye all wayes with all manner prayer and supplicacion : and that in the sprete : and watch thervnto with all instance and supplicacion for all saynctes/ and for me that vtteraiince maye be geven vnto me/ that I maye open my mought boldly/ to vtter the secretes of the gospell/ wher of I am a messenger in bondes/ that there in I maye speake frely/ as it becommeth me to speake. But that ye maye also knowe what condicion I am in/ and what I do/ Tichicus my deare brother and faythfuU minister in the lorde/ shall shewe you otF all thynges/ whom I sent vnto you for the same purpose / that ye myght knowe what case I stonde in / and that he myght comfort youre hertes. Peace be with the brethren/ and love with fayth from god the father/ and from the lorde Jesu Christ. Grace be with all them which love oure lorde Jesus Christ in puernes/ Amen. Sent from Rome vnto the Ephe-- syans by Tichicus. Ciie m^tlt of ^aul to m Cf)e t^v&t Cf)aptei% H2EIC and Timotheus the servauntes of Jesu Christ, To all the saynctes in Christ Jesu which are at PhiUppos/ with the bisshaps/ and deacons. Grace be with you and peace from God oure father/ and from the lorde Jesus Christe. I thanke my god with all remembraunce off you/ all wayes in my prayers for you all/ and praye with glad- nes/ be cause of the fellowship which ye have in the gospell from the fyrst daye vnto nowe/ and am suerly certified off this/ that he which began a god worke in you shall performe it vntill the daye off Jesus Christ/ as it becommeth me so to iudge off you all/ because I have you in my herte/ and have you also every one companions off grace with me/ even in my bondes as J defende/ and stablisshe the gospell. God beareth me recorde howe greatly I longe after you all from the very herte rote in Jesus Christ. And this I praye/ that youre love maye increase more and more in knowledge/ and in all fealynge/ that ye myght accepte thinges most excellent/ that ye myght be pure and soche as shulde hurte nomannes con- science/ vntill the daye of Christ/ filled with the frutes of righ- tewesnes/ which frutes come by Jesus Christ vnto the glory and laude of God. I wolde ye vnderstode brethern that my busynes is happened vnto the gi-etter furtherynge oft the gospell. So that my bondes in Christ are manifest thorowe out all the iudgement hall : and in all wother places/ in so moche that many oft" the brethren in the lorde are boldned thorowe my bondes / and dare more Clje (iBptsitU of ^nul to tlje i9i)inippi)anfi!. Ci). tj. largely speake the worde with out feare. Some there are wliich preaclie Christ of en vie and stryt'e/ and some off' good will. The one parte preacheth Christ off" stryfe / and not purely i sup- posynge to adde more adversitie to my bondes. The wother parte of love/' be cause they se that I am sett to defend the gospell. What thynge is this? Notwithstondynge by all maner wayse/ whether it be by occasion or of trueth/ yet Christ is preached : and therfore I ioye. Yee and will ioye. For I knowe that this shalbe for my health/ thorowe youre prayer/ and minis- tringe of the sprete of Jesu Christ/ as I hertely loke fore and hope/ that in nothinge I shalbe ashamed: but that with all confidence/ as all wayes in tymes past/ even soo nowe Christ shalbe magnified in my body/ whether it be thorowe lyfe/ or els deeth. For Christ is to me lyfe/ and deeth is to me avauntage. Yf it chaunce me to live m the flesshe/ that is to me frutfuU forto worke/ and what to chose I wote not. I am constrayned of two thynges : I desyre to be lowsed/ and to be with Christ/ which thynge is best of all. Neverthelesse to abyde in the flesshe is moare nedfuU for you. And this am I sure of/ that I shall abyde/ and with you all continue/ for the furtheraunce and ioye of youre fayth/ that ye maye moare aboundantly reioyce in Jesus Christ throwe me/ by my commynge to you agayne. Only let your conversacion be/ as it be commeth the gospell of Christ : that whether I come and se you/ or els be absent/ I maye yet heare of you / that ye continue in one sprete / and in one soule labouryng as we do to mayntayne the fayth of the gospell/ and in nothynge fearynge youre adversaries: which is to them a token of perdicion / and to you a signe of health / and that of god For vnto you it is geven / that not only ye shulde beleve on Christ : but also suflTre for his sake / and have even the same fyght which ye sawe me have and nowe heare of me. Ci)« i}. €]^apter. TF there be amonge you eny consolacion in Christ/ yf there be eny comfortable love/ yf there be eny fellishippe of the sprete / yff" there be eny compassion on mercy/ fulfill ray ioye/ that ye drawe one waye/ havynge one love/ beynge of one acorde/ and of one mynde/ that nothynge bedone thorowe stryfe or vayne glory / but in meknes of mynde. Let every person thynke every other man better then hym silfe/ so that ye considre every man/ not what is in hym silfe : But what is in wother men. Y 2 iFo. dyiij. €ift dBptstle of ^m\ Let the same mynde be in you the which was in Christ Jesu : Which beynge in the shape off god / and thought it not robbery to be equall with god. Neverthelesse he made hym silfe of no reputacion/ and toke on hym the shape of a servaunte/ and be- cam lyke vnto men / and was founde in his aparell as a man. He humbled hym silfe and becam obedient vnto the deeth/ even the deeth of the crosse. Wherfore God hath exalted hym/ and geven hym a name above all names : that in the name off Jesus shulde every knee bowe/ both of thynges in heven / and thynges in erth and thynges vnder erth/ and that all tonges shulde con- fesse that Jesus Christ is the lorde vnto the prayse of god the father. Wherfore my dearly beloved / as ye have always obeyed / not when I was present only / but nowe moche more in myn absence f even so performe youre owne health with feare and tremblynge. For it is god which worketh in you/ both the will and also the dede/ even of good will. Do all thynge with out murmurynge and disputynge / that ye maye be faute lesse/ and pure/ and the sonnes of God/ with out rebuke/ in the middes of a croked/ and a perverse nacion/ amonge wliich se that ye shyne as lightes in the worlde/ holdinge fast tlie worde of lyfe/ vnto my reioysynge in the daye of Christ/ that I have not runne in vayne/ nether have labored in vayne. Yee and though I be offered vppe on youre sacrifice and youre servinge of god in the fayth : I reioyce and reioyce with you all. For the same cause also/ reioyce ye/ and reioyce ye with me. I trust in the lorde Jesus forto sende Timotheus shortly/ vnto you/ that I also maye be off good comforte / when I knowe what case ye stonde in. For I have no man that is so lyke mynded to me/ which with so pure affeccion careth for youre matters. For all wother seke their awne/ and not that which is Jesus Christes. Ye knowe the proffe of hym/ howe that as a sonne with the father/ so with me bestowed he his labour apon the gospell. Hym trust I to sende as sone as I knowe howe it will go with me. I trust in the lorde that I also my silfe shall come shortly. I supposed it necessary to sende brother Epaphroditus vnto you/ my companion in laboure and felowesodier / youre Apostle/ and my minister at my nedes. For he longed after you / and was full off hevines/ be cause that ye had herde saye that he shulde be sicke / and no doute he was sicke/ and that neye vnto deeth/ but god had mercy on hym : not on hym only/ but on me also/ lest I shulde have had sorowe opon sorowe. to ti)t ^IjiUippyausi. CI), iij. I sent hym therfore the diligentliar/ that when ye shulde se hym/ ye myght reioyce agayne/ and I myght be the lesse sorowfull, Receave hym therfore in the lorde with all gladnes/ and make nioche off' soche: be cause that for the worke off" Christ he went so farre/ that he was nye vnto deeth / and regarded not his lyfe/ to fulfill that service which was lakynge on youre parte towarde me. Cije it). CijaptJi'. IVI ORO^T^R brethren myne/ reioyce in the lorde/ It greveth -^ me not to write the very same thynges vnto you. For to you it is asure thynge. Beware of dogges/ beware oft' evyll workers Beware of dissencion : For we are circumcision which worshippe god in the sprete/ and reioyce in Christ Jesu/ and have no confidence in the flesshe : though I have wher off" I myght reioyce in the flesshe. Yf eny wother man thynketh that he hath wher off" he myght trust in the flesshe : moche moare I : circumcised the eyght daye/ oft' the kynred oftlsrahell/ off" the trybe of Beniamyn an Ebrue borne of the Ebrues : as concern- ynge the lawe/ a pharisaye/ and as concernynge ferventnes I persecuted the congregacion/ and as touchynge the rightewesnes which is in the la we I was soche a won as no man coulde com- playne on. But the thynges that were wynnynge vnto me I counted losse for Christes sake. Ye I thinke all thynges but losse for that excellent knowledges sake of Christ Jesu my lorde : For whom I have counted all thynge losse/ and do iudge them but donge/ that I myght wynne Christ/ and myght be founde in hym/ nott havynge myne awne rightewesnes which is off" the lawe : But that which spryngeth off" the fFayth which is in Christ. I mean the rightewesnes which comnieth of God throwe fayth in know- ynge hym/ and the vertue of his resurreccion/ and the fellow- shippe of his passions/ that I myght be conformable vnto his deeth/ yf by eny meanes I myght attayne vnto the resurreccion from deeth. Not as though I had all redy receaved it/ other were all redy parfect : but I folowe/ yfthat 1 niaye comprehende that/ wherin I am comprehended of Christ Jesu. Brethren I counte not my silfe that I have gotten it: but one thynge I saye: I forget that which is behynde me/ and stretche my silfe vnto that which is before me and preace vnto the marke apoynted / to obtayne the rewarde of the hye callynge of God in Christ Jesu. Let vs ther- dfb. clvitt). Ci)c (JBpisitIc of ^ml fore as many as be perfect be thus wyse minded : and yf ye be wother wyse minded/ I praye God open even this vnto you. Neverthelesse in that where vnto we are come / let vs procede by one rule/ that we maye be ofFone acorde. Brethren counterfayte me/ and loke on them which walke even so/ as ye have vs for an ensample. For many walke (off whom I have tolde you often/ and nowe tell you wepynge) that they are the enemyes off the crosse off Christ / whose ende is dampnacion/ whose God is their bely and glory to their shame/ which are worldely mynded. But oure conversacion is in heven / from whence we loke for the saveour Jesus Christ/ which shall chaunge into another fassion oure vile bodies/ that they maye be fassioned lyke unto his glorious body/ acordynge to the workynge wherby he is able to subdue all thinges vnto hym silfe, Ci;e iiij. Cfjaptcr. XTERFORE brethren dearly beloved and longed for/ my ioye and croune/ so continue beloved in the lorde. I praye Evodias/ and beseche Sintiches that they be of one acorde in the lorde. Yee and I beseche the faythfuU yockfelowe/ helpe the "wemen which labored with me in the gospell/ and with Clement also/ and with wother my labour felowes/ whose names are in the boke off lyfe. Reioyce in the lorde alwaye/ and agayne I saye reioyce. Lette youre softenes be knowenvnto all men. The lorde is even at honde. Be nott carfull : butt in all thynges shewe your peticion vnto god in prayer and suplecacion with gevynge of thankes. and the peace off god which passeth all vnderstondynge kepe youre hertes/ and myndes in Christ Jesu. Furthermore brethren/ whatsoever thynges are true/ whatso- ever thynges are honest/ whatsoever thynges are iust/ whatso- ever thynges are pure/ whatsoever thynges pertayne to love/ whatsoever thynges are off honest reporte/ yff there be eny verteous thynge/ yf there be eny laudable thynge/ those same have ye in youre mynde/ which ye have both learned and receaved/ herde and also sene in me : those thynges do/ and the god of peace shalbe with you. I reioysed in the lorde greatly/ that nowe at the last ye are revived/ and are wexed myndfull of me agayne in that wherin ye were also myndfull/ but ye lacked aportunitie. I speake not be cause of necessitie/ For I have learned in whatsoever estate I am / theiewith to be content. I can both cast doune my silfe/ I can also cxcede. to t\)t JPijiUipjpyansJ. CI). Hi). Every where /• and in all tliynges I am instructed / both to be full/ and to be hongry : to have plenty/ and to sufFre nede. I can do all thynges thorow the helpe off Christ/ which strengtheth me. Nott wistondynge ye have wele done/ that ye bare parte with me in my tribulacion. Ye of Phillippos knowe that in the begynnynge of the gospell/ when I departed from Macedonia / no congregacion bare parte with me as concernynge gevynge and receavynge but ye only. For when I was in Tessalonica/ ye sent once/ and afterwarde agayne/ vnto my nedes; nott that I desyre gyftes : butt I desyre aboundant frute on youre parte. I receaved all/ and have plentie. I was even filled after that I had receaved of Epa- phroditus/ that which cam from you/ an odour that smelleth swete/ a sacrifice accepted and plesaunt to God. My god ful- fill all youre nedes thorowe his glorious ryches in Jesu Christ. Vnto God and oure father be prayse for ever more Amen. Salute all the sanctes in Christ Jesu. The brethren which are with me grete you. All the sanctes salute you. and most of all they which are of the Emperours housholde. The grace off oure lorde Jesu Christ be with you all Amen. Sent from Rome by Epaphroditus. Cfte ^fetlc off ^aul bnto tie Colosiiggan-^. Cf)e fprsit Cftapten an Apostle off Jesu Christ by the will of god/ and brother Timotheus. To the sayntes which are at Colossa : and brethren that beleve in Christ. Grace be with you and peace from god oure father/ and from the lorde Jesus Christ. We geve thankes to god the father of oure lorde Jesus Christ alwayes for you in oure prayers/ sence we herde of youre fayth which ye have in Christ Jesu : and of the love which ye beare to all sayntes for the hopes sake which is layde vppe in store for you in heven/ of which hope ye have herde by the true wordeofFthe gospell/ which is come vnto you/ even as it is in to all the worlde/ and is frutfuU as it is amonge you/ from the fyrst daye in the which ye herde of it/ and had experience of the grace of god in the trueth/ as ye learned of Epaphra/ ouredeare felowe servaunt/ which is for you afaythfull minister in Christ/ which also declared vnto vs youre love/ which ye have in the sprete. For this cause we also/ sence the daye we herde of hit have not ceasyd prayinge for you / and desyringe that ye myght be fulfilled with the knowledge of his will/ in all wisdom and spret- uall vnderstondynge/ that ye myght walke worthy of the lorde in all thynges thatt please/ beynge frutfuU in all good workes and encreasynge in the knowledge of God strengthed with all myght/ throwe hys glorious power/ vnto all pacience/ and longe sufterynge/ with ioyfulnes/ gevynge thankes vnto the father which hath made vs mete to be part takers of the enheritaunce of saynctes in the light. which hath delivered vs from the power of dercknes/ and hath Cf)e dHpijJtU of ^aul to t\)t Colo^iiwaufi. €I> ij. translated vs in to the kyngdom of his dere sonne/ in whom we have redempcion thorowe his bloud / that is to saye forgevenes of sinnes/ which is the ymage of the invisible god/ fyrst begotten before all creatures : for by him were all thynges created / thynges that are in heven/ and thynges that are in erth : thynges visible/ and thynges invisible : whether they be maieste or lord- shippe/ other rule or power. All thinges are creatyd by hym/ and in hym / and he is before all thynges / and m hym all thynges have there beynge. And he is the heed of the body/ that is to wit of the congre- gacion/ he is the begynnynge and fyrst begotten of the deed/ that in all thynges he might have the preeminence. For it pleased the father that in hym shulde all fulnes dwell/ and by hym to reconcile all thynge vnto hym silfe/ and to set at peace by him throw the bloud of his crosse both thynges in heven and thynges in erth. And you (which were in tymes past straungers/ and enymes/ be cause youre myndes were set in evyll workes) hath he nowe reconciled in the body of his flesshe thorowe deeth/ to make you holy/ and soche as no man coulde complayne on/ and with out faut in his awne sight/ yf ye continue grounded and stablysshed in the fayth/ and be not moved awaye from the hope of the gos- pell / wherof ye have herde / howe that it is preached amonge all creatures/ which are vnder heven/ wher of I Paul am made a minister. Nowe ioye I in my passions which I sufFre for you/ and fulfill that which is behynde off the affliccions oft' Christ in my flesshe for his boddies sake/ which is the congregacion / wher of am I made a minister acordynge to the ordinaunce of god/ which ordi- naunce was geven me vnto you warde/ to fulfill the worde of god/ that mistery hid sence the worlde began/ and sence the begyn- nynge of generacions : But nowe is opened to his saynctes/ to whom god wolde make knowen the glorious riches of his mistery amonge the gentyls/ which riches is Christ in you/ the hope of glory/ whom we preach warnynge all men/ and teachynge all men in all wisdom/ to make all men parfait in Christ Jesu : Wherin T also labour and stryve/ even as farforth as hys workynge worketh in me myghtely. Ci)c iSccontc Cljapter. T WOLDE ye knewe what fyghtinge I have for youre sakes and for them of Ladicia/and for as many as have not scnc V 5 dPo. clyb). €'t)t €pistle of ^ml my parson in the flesshe/ that their Iiertes myght be comforted and knet togedder in love/ and in all ryches of full vnderstond- ynge/ forto knowe the mistery oft God the father and of Christ in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. This I saye lest eny man shulde begylde you with entysynge wordes. For though I be absent in the flesshe/ yet am I present with you in the sprete ioyinge and beholding the order that ye kepe/ and youre stedfast fayth in Christ. As ye have therfore receaved Christ Jesu the lorde / even so walke roted and bylt in hym/ and stedfaste in the fayth/ as ye have learned : and therin be plenteous in gevynge thankes. Beware lest eny man come and spoyle you thorowe philosophy and disceatfuU vanitie/ thorowe the tradicions of men/ and ordi- nacions after the worlde/ and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulnes of the godheed boddyly/ and ye are full in him/ which is the heed of all rule and power/ in whom also ye are circumcised with circumcision made with out hondes/ by puttynge of the sinfuU boddy of the flesshe/ thorowe the circum- cision that is in Christ/ In that ye are buryed with him thorowe baptim/ in whom ye are also rysen agayne thorowe faith/ that is wroght by the operacion of god which raysed hym from deeth. And hath with hym quyckened you olso which were deed in synne and in the vncircumcision of youre flesshe/ and hath for- geven vs oure trespases/ and hath put out the obligacion that was agaynst vs/ made in the lawe written/ and thatt hath he taken out of the waye/ and hath fastened it on his crosse/ and hath spoyled rule and power/ and hath made a shewe of them openly/ and hath triumphed over them in his awne persone. Let nomaii therfore trouble youre consciences aboute meate and dryncke. or for a pece of an holydaye/ as the holydaye of the newe mone or of the saboth daye/ which are nothinge but shaddowes of thynges to come : but the body is in Christ. Lett noo man make you shute at a wronge marke/ which after his awne ymaginacion walketh in the humblenes of angels/ thinges which he never sawe : causlesse puft vppe with his flesshly mynde/ and holdeth not the heed/ wher of all the body by ioyntes and couples receaveth norisshment/ and is knet to- gedder/ and encreaseth with the in creasynge that comraeth of god. Wherfore if ye be deed with Christ from doctrine of the worlde : Why as though ye yet lived in the worlde/ are ye ledde with tradicions of them that saye? Touche not/ Tast not/ Handle not: which all perysshe with the vsynge of them/ and are after the to ti)t €o\oiimni. €i). uj. comniauudnientes/ and doctryns of men : which thinges have the simihtude of wisdom in chosen holynes/ and humblenes / and in thatt they spare not the body f and do the flesshe no worshyppe vnto his nede. Clje tij. Cijaptfr. TF ye be then rysen agayne with Christ seke those thynges -^ which are above/ where Christ sitteth on the right honde of god. Set youreaffeccion on thynges that are above/ and not on thynges which are on the erth. For ye are deed/ and youre lyfe is hid with Christ in god. When Christ which is oure lyfe shall shewe hym silfe/ then shall ye also apere with hym in glory. Mortifie therfore youre members which are on the erth/ for- nicacion/ vnclennes/ vnnaturall lust/ evyll concupiscence/ and covetousnes which is worshippynge off ydols : for which thynges sakes the wrath of god falleth on the chyldren off vnbeleve. In which thynges ye walked once/ when ye lived in them. But nowe put ye also awaye from you all thynges/ wrath/ fearsnes/ maliciousnes/ cursed speakynge/ filthy speakynge out of youre mouthes. Lye not one to another/ seynge that ye have put off the olde man with his workes/ and have putt on the nue/ which is renued in knowledge of god/ after the ymage of hym that made hym/ where is nether greke ner iewe/ circumcision nor vncircumcision/ Barbarous or Sithian/ bonde or fre : Butt Christe is all inall thynges. Nowe therfore as elect of god/ holy and beloved/ put on tender mercie/ kyndnes/ humblenes of mynde/ meknes/ longe sufFerynge/ forbearynge one another/ and forgevynge one another (if eny man have a quarrell to a nother) even as Christ forgave you/ even so do ye. Aboye all these thynges put on love/ which is the bonde off parfectnes/ and the peace of god rule in youre hertes/ to the which peace ye are called in one body : and se thaye be thankfull. Let the worde of god dwell in you plenteously in all wysdom. Teache and exhorte youre awne selves/ in psalmes/ andhymnes/ and spretuall songes which have favour with them/ syngynge in youre hertes to the lorde. And all thinges (whatsoever ye do in worde or dede) do in the name of the lorde Jesu/ gevinge thankes to god the father by him. Wyves submit youre selves vnto youre awne husbandes/ as it is comly in the lorde. Husbandes love youre wyves and be nott bitter vnto them. Children obey youre fathers and mothers/ in Y 7 dFo. dybi). Ci^e (ifptStU of 3Paul all thinges/ for that is wele pleasynge vnto the lorde. Fathers rate not youre children/ lest they be of a desperate mynde. Servauntes be obedient vnto youre bodyly masters in all thynges: not with eye service as men pleasers/ but in synglenes of herte fearynge god. And whatsoever ye do/ do it hertely as though ye did it to the lorde/ and not vnto men/ remembrynge that of the lorde ye shall receave the rewarde of inheritaunce/ for ye serve the lorde Christ. But he that doth vpronge/ shall re- ceave for the wronge that he hath done : for there is no respect of persons. Ye masters do vnto youre servauntes that which is iust and eqall/ remembrynge that ye have also a master in heven. Clje Hi). Cl^aptfr. /CONTINUE in prayer and watch in the same with thankes ^-^ gevynge/ praynge also for vs that god open vnto vs the dore of vtteraunce/ that we maye speake the mistery of Christ (wherfore I am in bondes) that I mayevtterit/ as it becommeth me to speake. Walke wisely to them that are with out/ and redeme the tyme. Let youre speache alwaye have faveoure with it and be salted/ that ye maye knowe ho we to answer every man. The deare brother Tichicos shall tell you off all my busynes/ which is a faythfull minister/ and felowe servaunt in the lorde/ whom I have sent vnto you for the same purpose/ that he myght knowe howe ye do/ and myght comfort youre hertes/ with one Onesinius a faythfull/ and a beloved brother/ which is one of you. They shall shewe you of all thynges which are adoynge here. Aristarchus my preson felowe, saluteth you/ and Marcus Barnabassis sisters sonne : as touchynge whom/ ye receaved commaundementes. YfF he come vnto you receave hym : and Jesus which is called Justus/ which are of the circumcision. These only are my workfelowes vnto the kyngdom of god which were vnto my consolacion. Epaphras the servaunt of Christ/ which is one of you/ saluteth you/ and all wayes laboreth fer- vently for you in prayers that ye maye stonde perfet / and full in all that is the will off God. I beare hym recorde that he hath a fervent mynde towarde you/ and towarde them of Laodicia and them off Hierapolis. Deare Lucas the phisicion greteth you/ and Demas. Salute the brethren whicli are of Laodicia/ and salute Nymphas/ and the congregacion which is to tijc Colo£igj)an^. €1). Hi). in his liousse. And wlien the pistle is reed of you f make that it be reed in the congre2:acion of the Laodicians also : and that ye lyke wyse rede the pistle of Laodicia. And saye to Archippus : Take hede to thyne office that thou hast receaved in the lorde/ that thou fuUfill it. The salutacion by the honde of me Paul. Re- member my bondes Grace be with you/ Amen. Sent from Rome by Tichicus and Onesimus. ®e?(0alon8an0- ^2Fll, Silvanus/ and Timotheus. Vnto the congregacion of the Tessalonians/ in God the father/ and in the lorde Jesus Christ. Grace be with you / and peace from god oure father/ and from the lorde Jesus Christ. We geve god thankes all waye for you all/ makynge mension of you in oure prayers with outt ceasynge/ and call to remembraunce youre worke in the fay the/ and labour in love and perseveraunce in the hope of oure lorde Jesus Christ/ in the sight of God oure father: be cause we knowe brethren beloved of god/ howe that ye are electe For oure gospell cam not vnto you in worde only/ but also in power/ and also in the holygost and in moche certaynte/ as ye knowe howe that we behaved oure selves amonge you/ for youre sakes. And ye counterfaited vs/ and the lorde: and receaved the worde in moche affliccion/ with ioye of the holy gost : so that ye were an ensample to all that beleve in Macedonia/ and Achaia. For from you sounded out the worde off the lorde/ nott in Macedonia and Achaia only : but youre fayth also which ye have vnto god/ spred her silfe abroade in all quartars/ so gratly that it nedeth not vs to speake eny thynge at all : for they them selves shewe of you what maner of entrynge in we had vnto you/ and howe ye tourned to god from ymages forto serve the livynge and true god f and for to loke for his sonne from heven / whom he raysed from deeth : I mean Jesus which delivereth vs from wrath to come. Ci)c siffontSc CI)aptcr. Xj^OR ye youre selves brethren knowe of oure entraunce in ■'- vnto you / howe that it was not in vayne : but even after €i)t iTyvsit efpi^tU of 33aul to ti;e Cegfialonynn^. €Ij. ij. that we had suffered before and where shamfully entreated at Phillippos (as ye wele knowe) then were we bolde in oure God to speake vnto you the gospell off God/ with nioche strivynge. Oure exhortacion was not to brynge you to errour/ nor yet to vnclennes/ nether was it with gyle: but as we were alowed of God/ that the gospell shulde be commytted vnto vs: even so we speake/ not as though we entended to please men/ butt God/ which trieth oure hertes. Nether was oure conversacion at eny tyme with flatterynge wordes (as ye wele knowe) nether in cloked coveteousnes / God is recorde : nether sought we prayse of men / nether of you / nor yet of eny wother/ when we myght have bene chargeable/ as the apostles of Christ : but we were tender amonge you / even as a norsse cheressheth her children / so was oure affeccion towarde you oure goode will was to have dealte vnto you/ not the gospell off God only: but also oure owne soules / be cause ye were deare vnto vs. Ye remember brethren our laboure and travayle. For we labored daye and nyght/ be cause we wolde not be greveous vnto eny off you/ and preached you the gospell of God. Ye are witnesses/ and so is god/ howe holyly and iustly(that noman coulde blame vs) we behaved oure selves amonge you that be- leve/ as ye knowe howe that we exhorted and comforted/ and besought every one off you / as a father his children / that ye wolde walke worthy of the lorde/ which hath called you vnto his kyngdom and glory. For this cause thanke we god without ceasynge / be cause that when ye receaved of vs the worde/ wherwith God was preeched / ye receaved it not as the worde of man : but even as it was in dede/ the worde of God/ which worketh in you that beleve. For ye brethren did counterfaite the congregacions of god which in iewry are in Christ Jesu : for ye have suffered lyke thynges of youre kynsmen/ as we oure selves have suffered of the Jewes/ which as they kylled the lorde Jesus and their one prophetes/ even so have they persecuted vs/ and God they please not / and are contrary to all men : and forbid vs to preache vnto the gentyls/ that they myght be saved/ to fulfill their synnes : For the wrath off God is come on them / even to the vtmost. For as moch brethren as we are kept from you for a season / as concernynge the bodyly presence but not in the herte/ we enforsed the more to se you personally with great desire/ and therfore Ave wolde have come vnto you / I Paul once and agayne : dFo. dyiy. €i)t dF^rsIt e^iiih of 33aul but Satan withstode vs. For what is oure hope or ioye/ or croune off reioysynge ? are not ye in the presence ofFoure lorde Jesus Christ at his commynge ? yes ye are oure glory and ioye. Ci)€ iij. Ci^aptcr. "V17"HERF0RE sence we coulde no lenger forbeare/ hit pleased ' ' vs to remayne at Athens alone/ and sent Timotheus oure brother and minister of god/ and oure laboure felowe in the gos- pell of Christ/ to stablysshe you/ and to comforte you ovre youre fayth / that no man shulde be moved in these affliccions. For ye youre selves knowe that we are even apoynted there vnto. For verely when I was with you / I tolde you before that we shulde suffre tribulacion even as it cam to passe/ and as ye knowe. For this cause/ when I coulde no lenger forbeare/ I sent that I myght have knowledge of youre fath/ lest haply the tempter had tempted you/ and that oure labour had bene bestowed in vayne. Nowe latly when Timotheus cam from you vnto vs and de- clared to vs youre fayth/ and youre love/ and howe that ye have good remembraunce of vs all wayes/ desyringe to se vs/ as we desyre to se you. Therfore brethren had I consolacion in you/ in all oure adversite/ and necessite through youre fayth. For nowe are we alive if ye stonde stedfast in the lorde. For what thankes can we recompence to god agayne for you / over all the ioye that we ioye for youre sakes before oure god/ why le we nyght and daye praye excedyngly/ that we myght se you pre- sently/ and myght fulfill that which is lackynge in youre fayth. God hym siUe oure father/ and oure lorde Jesus Christ gyde oure iorney vnto you : and the lorde increace you/ and make you flowe over in love one towarde another/ and towarde all men/ even as we do towarde you / to stablysshe youre hertes that they myght be with out ought to be complayned on/ inholynes before God oure father/ at the commynge of oure lorde Jesu Christ/ with all is saynctes. Ci)t lit}. Ci)apUr. Tj^VRTHERMORE we beseche you brethren / and exhorte you in the lorde Jesus/ that ye increace more and more/ even as ye have receaved of vs/ howe ye ought to walke and to please God. Ye remember what commaundementes we gave you in the name of the lorde Jesu. For this is the will of god / which is youre sanctifiynge/ that ye shulde abstayne from fornicacion / to ti)c Crfii^alonyauji. €\). h. that every one of you shulde knowe howe to kepe his vessel in sanctifyinge and honoure/ and not in the lust of concupiscence/ as do the hethen / which knowe not god/ that no man goo be- yonde/ and defraude his brother in bargaynynge / be cause the lorde is a venger of all suche thynges : as we tolde you before tyme/ and testifyed vnto you. For god hath not called vs vnto vnclennes : but vnto sanctifyinge. He therfore that despiseth/ despiseth not man/ but God/ which hath sent his holy sprete amonge you. But as touchynge brotherly love/ ye nede not that I wryte vnto you. For ye are taught of god to love on another. Ye and that thynge verely ye do vnto all brethren / which are thorowe oute all Macedonia. We beseche you brethren thatt ye encreace/ more and more/ and that ye studdy to be quyet/ and to medle with youre owne busynes/ and to worke with youre owne hondes/ as we commaunded you: that ye maye behave youre selves honestly towarde them that are with out and that nothynge be lackynge vnto you. I wolde not brethren have you ignoraunt as concernynge them which are fallen aslepe / that ye sorowe not as wother do which have no hope For yf we beleve that Jesus died/ and rose agayne : even so them also which slepe by Jesus/ will god brynge agayne with hym. And this saye we vnto you in the worde of the lorde/ that we which live and are remaynynge in the com- mynge of the lorde/ shall not come yerre they/ which slepe For the lorde hym silfe shall descende from heven with a shute/ and the voyce off the archangyll/ and trompe of God. And the deed in Christe shall aryse fyrst : then shall we which live and remayne/ be caught vppe with them also in the cloudes to mete the lorde in the ayer. And so shall we ever be with the lorde. Wherfore comfort youre selves one another with these wordes. Wl)t t). Cijapter. O )F the tymes and seasons brethren ye have no nede that I write vnto you : for ye youre selves knowe parfectly/ that the daye of the lorde shall come even as a thefe in the nyght. When they shall saye peace and no daunger/ then commeth on them soden destruccion/ as the travalynge off a woman with childe / and they shall nott scape. But ye brethren are not in darcknes/ that that daye shulde come on you as it were a thefe. Ye are all the children of light/ and the chyldren of the daye : we are nott off the nyght/ nether off darcknes. z JFo. dyy. Ci;c dTwi-^t (iBpigtlc off ^miX to tl)t Cc^^alonpang. Therfore let vs not slepe as do wother : but let vs watch and be sober. For they that slepe/ slepe in the nyght : and they that be dronken/ are dronken in the nyght. But lett vs which are of the daye be sober/ anned with the brest plate of faytli and love/ and with hope of health / as an helmet. For god hath not apoynted vs vnto wrath : but to obtayne health by the nieanes off oure lorde Jesu Christ/ which died for vs : that whither we wake or slepe/ we shulde live togedder with him. Wherfore comforte youre selves togedder/ and edyfie one another/ even as ye do. We beseche you brethren / thatt ye knowe them which laboure amonge you/ and have the oversight of you in the lorde/ and geve you exhortacion/ that ye have them the more in love/ For their workes sake/ and be at peace with them. We desyre you brethren warne them that are vnruly/ comforte the feblemynded/ forbeare the weake have continuall pacience towarde all men. Se that none recompence evyll for evyll vnto eny man : but ever folowe that whiche is good/ both amonge youre selves/ and to all men. Reioyce ever. Praye continually. In all thynges geve thankes. For this is the will oft' God in Christ Jesu towarde you. Quenche not the sprete/ despise nott prophesyinge. examen all thynges. Kepe that which is good, abstayne from all sus- picious thynge. The very god of peace sanctifie you thorow out. And I praye God that youre whole sprete/ soule / and body/ be kept fautlesse vnto the commynge of oure lorde Jesus Christ. faythfuU is he/ which called you : which will also do it. Brethren / praye for vs. Grete all the brethren with an holy kysse. I charge you in the lorde/ that thispistle be redde vnto all the wholy brethren. The grace off the lorde Jesus Christ be with you Amen. The fyrst pistle vnto the Tessalonyans written from Athens. €f)t ^tf outre ^isstle off iPaul to tfte Ccjg^alouganss^ Cf)e fprst Cftapten ^^%r Silvanus/ and Timotlieus. Vnto the congregacion off the Tessalonyans/ which are in god oure father/ and in the lorde Jesus Christ. Grace be with you and peace from God oure father/ and from the lorde Jesus Christ. We are bounde to thanke god all wayes for you brethren/ as itt is mete/ be cause that youre fayth groweth excedyngly/ and every one of you swymmeth in love towarde another betwene youre selves/ so thatt we reioyce off you in the congre- gacions off god/ over youre pacience and faith in all youre per- secucions/ and tribalacions that ye sufFre : which is a token of the rightewes iudgement of god/ that ye are counted worthy of the kyngdom of god/ for which ye also sufFre. Hit is verely a rightewes thynge with god/ to recompence tribulacion to them that trouble you : and to you which are troubled rest with vs/ when the lorde Jesus shall shewe hym sylfe from heven/ wyth his myghty angels/ in flammynge fyre/ rendrynge vengeaunce vnto them that knowe not god/ and to them that obeye nott vnto the gospell off oure lorde Jesus Christ/ which shalbe punnysshed with everlastynge damnacion/ from the presence of the lorde/ and from the glory of his power/ when he shall come to be glory- fied in his saynctes/ and to be made marvelous in all them that beleve : be cause oure testimonye that we had vnto you/ was beleved even the same daye that we preched it. Wherforg we z 2 dTo. flvvj. Ci)f ^cmxtie (Spittle off ^aul praye all wayes for you that oure god make you worthy of the callynge/ and fulfill all delectacion off goodnes/ and the worke off fayth/ with power : that the name off oure lorde Jesus Christ maye be gloryfied in you/ and ye in hym/ thorowe the grace of oure God/ and of the lorde Jesus Christ. Ci^e gtconUe C!;aptcv. W "E beseche you brethren by the commynge of oure lorde Jesu Christ/ and in that we shall assemble vnto hym/ that ye be nott sodenly moved from youre mynde / and be not troubled / nether by sprete/ nether by wordes/ nor yet by letter/ which shulde seme to come from vs / as though the daye of Christ were at honde. Let no man deceave you by eny meanes/ for the lorde commeth not/ excepte there come a departynge fyrst/ and that that synfull man be opened/ the sonne of perdicion which is an adversarie/ and is exalted above all that is called god/ or that is worshipped : so that he shall sitt in temple of god/ and shewe hym silfe as god. Remember ye not/ that when I was yet with you/ I tolde you these thynges ? and now ye knowe what with holdeth : even thatt he myght be vttered at his tyme. For alredy the mistery off iniquytie worketh. Only he that holdeth/ let him nowe holde/ vntill hit be taken out of the waye/ and then shall that wicked be vttered / whom the lorde shall consume with the sprete off hys mouth/ and shall destroye with the aparence of his com- mynge/ even hym whose commynge is by the workynge off Satan/ with all lyinge power/ signes/ and wonders: and in all deceavablenes off vnrightewesnes / amonge them that perysshe : be cause they have nott receaved the love off the trueth / thatt they myght have bene saved. And therfore god shall sende them stronge delusion/ that they shulde beleve lyes: thatt all they myght be damned which beleved not the trueth/ but had pleasure in vnrightewesnes. We are bounde to geve thankes alwaye to god for you brethren beloved off the lorde/ for be cause that God hath from the be- gynnynge chosen you to health / thorowe sanctifyinge off the sprete/ and thorowe belevynge the trueth : where vnto he called you by oure gospell / to obtayne the glory that commeth of oure lorde Jesu Christ. Therfore brethren stonde fast and kepe the ordinacions/ which ye have learned : whether it were by oure preachynge/ or by oure pistle : Oure lorde Jesu Christ hym silfe/ and god oure to t^e Ct;S£(alonyan£i. CI), iij. father/ which hath loved vs/ and geven vs everlastynge consola- cion/ and goode hope thorowe grace/ comforte youre hertes/ and stablysshe you in all sayinge/ and goode doynge. Cfjc iij. Cijapter. "PVRTHERMORE brethren praye for vs/ that the worde of god maye have fre passage/ and be gloryfied/ as it is with you : and thatt we maye be delivered from vnresonable and evyll men. For all men have not fayth : but the lorde is fayth- fuU/ which shall stablysshe you / and kepe you from evyll. We have confidence throw the lorde to you warde/ that ye both do / and will do / that which we commaunde you. And the lorde gyde youre hertes vnto the love off God / and pacience of Christ. We requyre you brethren in the name of oure lorde Jesu Christ/ that ye withdrawe youre selves from every brother that walketh inordinatly/ and not after the institucion which ye re- ceaved of vs. Ye youre selves knowe howe ye ought to coun- terfayte vs. For we behaved not oure selves inordinatly amonge you. Nether toke we breed of eny man for nought : but we wrought with laboure and travayle nyght and daye/ be cause we wolde not be grevous to eny off you : nott butt that we had auctorite : butt to make oure selves an insample vnto you/ to counterfayte vs. For when we were with you/ this we warned you off/ that yf there were eny whicli wolde nott worke / that the same shulde not eate. We have herde saye no dout that there are some which vvalke amonge you inordinatly/ and worke not at all/ but are besy- bodies. Them that are soche/ we commaunde and exhorte in the name off oure lorde Jesu Christe/ that they worke with quyetnes / and eate their breed. Brethren be not weary in well doynge. Yff eny man obey nott oure sayinges/ sende vs worde off hym by a letter : and have no companie with hym / that he maye be a shamed : And count hym not as an enemy : but warne liym as a brother. The very lorde off peace / geve you peace all wayes / by all meanes. The lorde be with you all. The salutacion off me Paul wyth myne awne honde. This is the token in all pistles. So I write. The grace of oure lorde Jesus be with you all Amen. Sent from Athens. Jfer£(t ^i^ttt off ^aul bnto Wimofbm^. ^2^111 an Apostle of Jesus Christ/ by the com- maundement of god oure savioure/ and of the lorde Jesu Christ/ which ys oure hope. Vnto Timothe hys naturall sonne in the fayth. Grace mercy and peace from god oure father/ and from the lorde. Jesu Christ. As I besought the to abyde styll in Ephesus when I departed into macedonia/ even so do that thou warne some that they teache no nother wyse : nether geve hede to fables and genealo- gies/which are endlesse/ and brede doutes/ more then godly edyfyinge which is by faith ; for the ende of the comniaundement is love that commeth off a pure herte and of a good conscience/ and of fayth vnfayned : from the which Lhynges/ some have erde/ and have turned vnto vayne iangelynge/ be cause they wolde be doctours in the scripture and yett vnderstonde nott what they speake/ nether wherof they afferme. We knowe that the lawe is god / yf a man vse it lawfully / vnderstondinge this/ howe that the lawe is not geven vnto a righteous man/ butt vnto the vnrighteous and disobedient/ to the vngodly and to synners/ to vnholy and vnclean/ to murtherers of fathers and murtherers of mothers/ to manquellars and whor- mongers : to them that defile them selves with mankynde : to menstealers : to lyars and to periured/ and so forth yf there be eny wother thynge that is contrary to holsome doctryne accord- ynge to the glorious gospell off the holy god/ which gospell is committed vnto me. Cije dTovjit ffipistlc off ^atil to C»motI)cit£i. €i). ij. And I tliankc liym that hath made me stronge in Christ Jesu oure lorde: for lie counted me true/ and put me in office/ wlien before I was a blasphemar/ and a persecuter/ and a tyraunt. Neverthelesse I obtayned mercy because I did it ignorauntly/ in vnbelefe : but the grace of oure lorde was more aboundaunt/ with fayth and love/ which is in Christ Jesu. This is a true saynge/ and by all meanes worthy to be receaved / that Christ Jesus cam into the worlde to save synners/ of whom I am chefe : Notwithstondynge vnto me was mercy geven / that Jesus Christ shulde fyrst shewe on me all longe pacience/ vnto the ensaniple off them which shall in tyme to come beleve on hym vnto eternall lyfe. So then vnto god/ kynge everlastynge/ im- mortall/ invisible/ and wyse only/ be honoure and prayse for ever and ever Amen. This commaundement commit I vnto the sonne Timotheus/ accordynge to the prophesies which in tyme past were prophe- sied off the/ that thou in them shuldest fyght a good fyght/ havynge fayth and good conscience/ which some have put awaye from them/ and as concernynge fayth have made sliip- wracke. of whose nombre is Himeneus/ and Alexander/ which I have delivered vnto Satan / that they myght be taught not to blaspheme. Clje {}. Cj^apter. T EX HORTE therfore that above all thynges prayeers/ -*- supplicacions/ peticions/ and gevynge of thankes/ beliad for all men: for kynges/ and for all thatt are in preeminence/ thatt we maye live a fpiyet and a peasable life/ in all godlincs and honestie. For that is good and accepted in the sight of god oure savioure/ which wolde have all men saved/ and to come vnto the knowledge of the trueth. For there is one god/ and one mediator bitwene god and man / which is the man Christ Jesus/ which gave hym silfe a raunsom for all men / that it shulde be preached at his tyme / where vnto I am apoynted a preacher/ and an apostle (I tell te trueth in Christ and lye not) beynge the teacher of the gentyls in fayth and veritie. I well therfore that the men praye every where/ lyftynge vppe pure hondes without wrath/ or arguynge. Lykwyse also the wcmen that they arraye them selves in manerly aparell with shamfastnes/ and honest behaveour/ not with broyded lieare/ other goldc/ or pearles/ or costly araye : butt with suche as z 7 ■" dTo. dryiih ®i)f ^^^^^ (JBpi^tlc off 33aul becomnieth wemen tliat professe the worshippynge of God thorow good workes. Let the woman learne in silence with all subieccion. I sufFre not a woman to teache/ nether to have auctorite over a man : butt forto be in silence. For Adam was fyrst formed/ and then Eve. Also Adam was not de- ceaved/ butt the woman was deceaved/ and was in trangres- sion. Notwithstondynge they shalbe saved thorow bearynge off children/ yff they continue in the fayth and in love/ and in sanctifying. €i)t iij. Cfjaptcr. nPHIS is a true sayinge : YfF a man covet the office of a bisshope/ he desyreth a good worke. Ye and a bisshope must be fautlesse/ the husband of one wyfe/ sober/ of honest behaveoure/ honestly aparelled/ harberous/ apt to teache/ not dronken/ no fyghter/ not geven to filthy lucre: but gentle/ abhorrynge fightynge/ abhorrynge coveteousnes/ and won that rueleth his owne housse honestly/ havynge children vnder obe- dience/ with all honeste. For yf a man cannot rule his owne housse/ howe shall he care for the congregacion of god. He maye not be a yonge man/ lest he swell and faule into the iudgement of the evyll speaker. He must also be wele reported off amonge them which are with outforth/ lest he fall into re- buke/ and into the snare off the evyll speakar. Lykwyse must the deacons be honest/ not double tonged/ nott geven unto moche drynkynge/ nether vnto filthy lucre : butt havynge the mistery of the fayth in pure conscience. And let them fyrst be proved/ and then lett them minister/ yf they be founde fautlesse. Even so must their wyves be honest/ not evyll speakars : butt sober/ and faythfull in all thynges. Let the deacons be the husbandes of one wyfe and suche as rule their children wele/ and their owne housholdes. For they that minister well/ get them selves good degre/ and greate libertie in the fayth/ which is in Christ Jesu. These thynges write I vnto the/ trustynge to come shortly vnto the. And yff I come not/ that thou mayst yet have know- ledge howe thou oughtest to behave thy silfe in the housse off God/ which is the congregacion oft' the livynge God/ the pillar and grounde of trueth. And with out naye gret is that mistery of ofodlines. God was shewed in the flesshe/ was iustified in the iinto Ctmoti)ntsl. Ci). &. sprete/ was sene off angels/ was preached vnto the gentyls/ was beleved on in erth and receaved vppe in glory. Cije lb. Cl^apttr. ^T^HE sprete speaketh evydently that in the latter tymes some shall departe from the fayth/ and shall geve hede vnto spretes of errure/ and dyvlysshe doctryne off them which speake falce thorow ypocrisy / and have their consciences marked with an hott yeron/ forbyddynge to mary/ and commaundynge to ab- stayne from meates / which god hath created to be receaved with gevynge thankes / off them which beleve/ and have knowen the trueth/ for all the creatures of God are good : and nothynge to be refused/ yff it be receaved with thankes gevynge : For it is sanctified by the worde of god/ and prayer. Yff thou shalt put the brethren in remembraunce of these thynges/ thou shalt be a good minister of Jesu Christ which hast bene norisshed vppe in the wordes of fayth/ and good doctryne/ which doc- tryne thou hast continually followed. But cast awaye vngostly and olde wyves fables. Exercyse thy silfe vnto godlines. For bodely exercyse proffiteth lytell : Butt godlines is good vnto all thynges/ as a thynge which hath promyses of the lyfe that is nowe/ and off the lyfe to come. This is a sure saynge/ and of all parties worthy to be receaved. For therfore we laboure and suffre rebuke/ be cause we beleve in the livynge god/ which is the savioure off all men / butt specially of those that beleve. Suche thynges commaunde and teache. Let no man despyse thy youth : but be vnto them that beleve an insample/ in worde/ in conversa- cion/ in love/ in sprete/ in fayth and in purenes. Till I come geve attendaunce to redynge/ to exhortacion/ and to doctryne. Despyse not the gyfte that is in the/ which was geven the thorow prophesy/ and with leyinge on of the hondes ofaseniour. These thynges exercyse/ and geve thy silfe vnto them/ that all men maye se howe thou proffetes. Take hede vnto thy silfe and vnto learnynge/ and continue therin. For if thou shalt so do thou shalt save thy silfe/ and them that heare the. CIjc b. Cljaptn-. X>EBUKE not a seniour : but exhortc hym as a father/ and the yonger men as brethren/ the elder wemen as mothers/ tlie yonger as sisters/ with all purenes. Honoure widdowes dTo. dniii)- Cljc dTyist Cpi^tk off 3Paul which are true wyddowes. Yf eny wyddowe have children or neveus/ let them learne fyrst to ruele their owne houses godly/ and to recompence their elders. For that is good and exceptable before God. She that is a very wyddowe/ and frendlesse/ put- teth her trust in god/ and continueth in supplicacion and prayer nyght and daye : but she that liveth in pleasure/ is deed even yet alive. And suche thynges commaunde/ that they maye be without faut. Yf there be eny that provideth not for his owne/ and namly for them of his housholde the same denyeth the fayth/ and is worsse then an infydell. Let no wyddowe be chosen vnder threscore yere olde/ and soche a wone as was the wyfe off one man / and well reported off in good workes : yf she have noressed children/ yf she have bene liberall to straungers/ yf she have wesshed the saynctes fete/ yf she have ministred vnto them which were in adversitie/ yf she were continually geven vnto all maner good workes. The yonger widdowes refuse. For when they have begonne to wexe wan tan/ to the dishonoure of Christ/ then will they mary/ hav- ynge damnacion/ be cause they have despised their fyrst fayth. And also they learne to goo from housse to housse ydle/ ye not ydle only/ but also tryflynge and busy bodies/ speakynge thynges which are not comly. I will therfore that the yonger wemen mary and beare children / and gyde the housse / and geve none occasion to the adversary to speake evyll. For many of them are all redy turned bake/ and are gone after Satan. And yf eny man or woman that beleveth have widdowes/ lett them minister vnto them/ and let not the congregacion be charged : that hytt maye have sufficient for them that are widdowes in dede. The seniours that rule wele are worthy of double honoure/ most specially they which laboure in thewordeand in teachynge. For the scripture sayth : Thou shalt not musell the mouth of the oxe that treadeth out the corne. And the labourer is worthy of his rewarde. Agaynst a senioure receave none accusacion : but vnder two or thre witnesses. Them that synne rebuke openly that wother maye feare. I testifie before god/ and the lorde Jesus Christ/ and the elect angels/ that thou observe these thynges with* out hasty iudge- ment/ and do nothinge parcially. Laye hondes sodenly on no man nether be part taker of wother menes synnes. Kepe thy silfe pure. Drynke no lenger water/ but vse a lytell wyne/ for thy stommakes sake/ and thyne often diseases. Some mennes synnes are open before honde and goo before tmto CimotljcuiS. €f). bj. vnto iudgement : some mennes synnes folowe after, Lykwyse also good workes are manyfest before honde/ and they that are other wyse/ cannot be hid. C]^£ bj. Cljapter. T ET as many servauntes as are vnder the yoke counte their "^ masters worthy of all honour/ that the name of god/ and his doctrine be not evyll spoken off. Se that they which have belevynge masters despyse them nott be cause they are brethren : but so moche the rather do service / for as moche as they are belevynge and beloved and part takers of the benefite. These thynges teache and exhorte. Yf eny man teache other wyse/ and is not content with the wholsome wordes of thelorde Jesu Christ/ and with the doctrine off godlines/ he is pufte vpp and knoweth nothynge : but wasteth his braynes aboute ques- tions/ and stryfe off wordes/ wher off sprynge envie/ stryfe/ realinges/ evyll surmysinges superfluus disputynges in scolus of men with corrupte myndes/ and destitute of the trueth/ which thynke that lucre is godhnes. From soche seperate thy silfe. Godlines is great ryches/ yf a man be content with that he hath. For we brought nothynge into the worlde / and it is a playne case that we can cary nothynge out. When we have fode and rayment/ let vs theirwith be content. They that wilbe ryche/ faule into temptacion/ and snares/ and into many folysshe and noysome lustes/ which droune men in perdicion/ and destruccion. For coveteousnes is the rote of all evyll/ which whill some lusted after/ they erde from the feyth/ and tanglyd them selves with many sorowes. But thou which arte the man of god/ flye soche thynges. Folowe rightewesnes / godlines/ love/ pacience/ meknes. Fyght a good fyght of fayth. Laye honde on eternall lyfe/ where vnto thou arte called/ and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. I geve the charge in the sight off God / which quickneth all thynges/ and before Jesus Christ/ whych vnder Poncius Pilate witnessed a good witnessynge/ that thou kepe the commaunde- ment with out spott/ so that noman fynde faute wyth the/ vntyll the aperynge of oure lorde Jesus Christ/ which aperynge (when the tyme ys come) he shall shewe that is blessed and myghty only/ kynge of kynges / and lorde of lordes/ which only hath immortalitie/ and dwelleth in light tliatt no man can attayne/ whom never man sawe/ nether can se : vnto whom be honoure and rule everlastynge Amen. :ffo.drrb. Wi)t dTyv^t (iBpi^lf off 3^aul bnto Cimotijeiiji. Charge them that are ryche in this worlde/ that they be not excedynge wyse/ and that they trust not in the vncertayne ryches/ but in the Uvynge god/ which geveth vs aboundantly all thynges to enioye them /and that they do good and be ryche in good workes/ and redy to geve/ and to distribute/ layinge vppe in store for them selves/ a good foundacion agaynst the tyme to come/ that they maye obtayne eternall lyfe. O Timothe save that which is geven the to kepe/ and avoyde vngostly vanities of voyces/ and opposicions of science falsly so called/ which science/ whyll some professed/ they have erred as concernynge the fayth. Grace be with the Amen. Sent from Laodicia/ wliich is the chefest cite of Phrigia Pacaciana. ^ffOtttre ^isstle off ^atil bnto Cimotfte^ €i)t fprsst Chapter* ^WS. an Apostle of Jesu Christ/ by the will of god/ to preache the promes of lyfe/ which lyfe is in Christ Jesu. To Timothe his beloved sonne Grace/ mercy/ and peace/ from god the father/ and from Jesus Christ oure lorde. I thanke god/ whom I serve from myn elders with pure conscience/ that with out ceasynge I make mencion of the in my prayers nyght and daye/ desyrynge to se the/ myndfuU off thy teares : so that I am filled with ioye/ when I call to remembraunce the vnfayned fayth that is in the/ which dwelt fyrst in thy graunmoder Lois/ and in thy mother Evnica : and am assuered that itt dwelleth in the also. Wherfore I warne the that thou stere vppe the gyfte of god which is in the / by the puttynge on of my hondes. For god hath not geven to vs the sprete of feare : but of power / and of love/ and of honest behaveour. Be not a shamed to testyfye of oure lorde/ nether be ashamed of me/ which am bounde for his sake : but suflfre adversitie with the gospell also thorowe the power of god/ which saved vs/ and called vs with an holy call- ynge/ not after oure dedes/ but for his purpose and grace/ Avhich grace was geven vs thorowe Christ Jesu before the worlde was/ but is nowe declared openly by the apearynge off oure savioure Jesus Christ/ which hath put awaye deeth/ and hath brought lyfe and immortalite vnto light thorowe the gospell/ where vnto I am apoynted a preacher/ and an Apostle/ and a teacher off the gentyls : for the which cause I also suffre this, neverthelesse I dFol. dnhi- ®ijf ^cconKc (JEptsitlc off 39aul am not a shamed. For I knovve whom I have beleved/ and am sure that he is able to kepe that which I have committed to his kepynge agaynst that daye. Se thou have the ensample of the holsome wordes which thou herdest of me/ in fayth and love which is in Jesu Christ. That good thynge whichewas committed to thy kepynge/ kepe in the holy gost which dwelleth in vs. This thou knowest howe that all they which are in Asia be turned from me. of which sorte are Phigellos and Hermogenes. the lorde gave mercie vnto the housse ofFOnesiphoros/ for he ofte refresshed me/ and was not a shamed off my chayne : but when he was at Rome he sought me out very diligently/ and founde me. The lorde graunt vnto him that he maye fynde mercie with the lorde at that daye. And in howe many thinges he ministred vnto me at Ephesus thou knowest very wele. '€l)t SecoxiOt C]^aptcr. ^HOU therfore my sonne be stronge in the grace that is in Christ Jesu. And what thynges thou hast herde off me/ many bearynge witnes/ the same delivre to faythfull men/ whych are apte to teache wother. Thou therfore suffre afiliccion a sa good soudier oiF Jesu Christ. No man that warreth/ entanglith hym silfe wyth worldely busynes/ and thatt be cause he wolde please hym that hath chosen him to be a soudier. And though a man strive for a mastery / yett ys he not crouned / except he strive laufuUy. The husband man that laboreth must fyrst receave off the frutes. Consyder what I saye. The lorde geve the vnderstondynge in all thynges. Remember that Jesus Christ beynge off the sede of David / rose agayne from deth accordynge to my gospell/ where in I sufFre truble as an evill doar/ even vnto bondes. but the worde of god was not bounde. Herfore I sufFre all thinges/ for the electes sakes/ thatt they might also obtayne that helth which is in Christ Jesu/ with eternall glory. It is a true sayinge / if we be deed with him/ we also shall live with hymr Yf we be pacient/ we shall also raigne with him. If we denye him / he also shall denye vs. Yf we beleve not/ yet abideth he faithfull. He cannot denye hym silfe. Of these thynges put them in remembraunce. and testifie before the lorde/ that they stryve not about wordes/ which is to no proffet/ but to pervert the heares. Studdy to shewe thy silfe laudable vnto god / a workman that bnto Cimoti)fU£i. €1). ii). nedeth not to be a shamed/ divydynge the worde of trueth iustly. Vngostly and vayne voyces passe over. For they shall encreace vnto gretter vngodlynes/ and their wordes shall fret even as doeth a cancre. of whose nombre ys hymeneos/ and Philetos / which as concernynge the trueth have erred / sayinge tliat the resurreccion is past all redy/ and do destroye the fayth of divers persones. But the sure grounde of god remayneth/ and hath this scale: the lorde knoweth them that are his/ and lett every man that calleth on the name of Christ/ departe from iniquitie. Notwith- stondynge in a grete housse are not only vesselles off golde and of silver : but also of wood and of erthe : Some for honoure / and some vnto dishonoure. Yf a man pourdge hym silfe from suche felowes/ he shalbe a vessell sanctified vnto honoure mete for the lorde/ and prepayred vnto all good workes. Lustes of youth avoyde / and folowe rightewesnes / fayth / love / and peace/ with them that call on the lorde with pure herte. Folisshe and vnlearned questions put from the/ remembrynge that they do but make stryfe. But the servaunt of the lorde must not stryve : but must be peasable vnto all men/ and redy to teache/ and won that can suffre the evyll in meknes/ and can informe them"that resist / yf that god att eny tyme will geve them repentaiince for to knowe the trueth : thatt they maye wake out of slepe agayne / out oft" the snare off the devyll/ which are nowe taken off" hym at his will. Ci)(r if). C!japtcr. ^HIS vnderstond/ that in the last dayes shall come parelous tymes : For the men shalbe lovers of their awne selves/ Coveteous/ Bosters/ Proude / Cursed speakers/ disobedient to father and mother/ vnthankfull / vnholy/ churlisshe/ stubborn/ falce accusars/ ryatours/ fearce/ despysers of them which are good/ traytours/ heddy/ hye mynded/ gredy apon voluptousnes more then the lovers of god/ havynge a similitude off godly lyvynge/ but have denyed the power there of. Soche abhorre. For of this sorte are they which entre into houses/ and brynge into bondage wymmen laden with synne/ which wemen are ledde of divers lustes/ ever learnynge/ and never able to come vnto the knowledge of the trueth. As James and .Jambres withstode Moses/ even so do these resist the trueth. men they are oft' corrupt myndes/ and leawde as concernynge the fayth : but they shall prevayle no lenger. dTo. dyybij. Ci;e ^tmxtii ©pisitle off \Bw\ For there madnes shalbe vttered vnto all men as thers was : but thou hast sene the experience of my doctryne / ordinaunce/ pur- pose/ fayth/ longe sufferynge / love/ pacience/ persecuoions / and affliccions which happened vnto me att Anthioche/ at Iconium / and at lystra : which persecucions I suffered paciently/ and from them all the lorde delivered me. Ye and all that will live godly in Christ Jesu / must sufFre persecucions. But the evyll men and disceavers / shall wexe worsse and worsse / whill they deceave / and are deceaved them selves. But continue thou in the thynges which thou hast learned / which also were committed vnto the seynge thou knowest off whom thou hast learned them, and for as moche also as thou hast knowen holy scripture of a chylde/ which is able to make the wyse vnto health throwe fayth/ which ys in Christ Jesu. For all scripture geven by inspiracion of god/ is proffitable to teache/ to improve/ to informe/ and to instruct in rightewesnes / that the man of god maye be perfet/ and prepared vnto all good workes. Ci;c ill). CJ^apUr. T TESTIFIE therfore before god/ and before the lorde Jesu -^ Christ / which shall iudge quicke and deed at his aperynge in liis kyngdom/ preache theworde/ be fervent /be it in season/ or out of season. Improve/ rebuke/ exhorte with all longe sufFer- inge. For the tyme will come /when they wyll nott suffer wholsome doctryne : butt after their awne lustes shall they (whose eares ytche) gett them an heepe of teachers / and shall turne their eares from the trueth/ and shalbe geven vnto fables. Butt watch thou in all thynges/ and suffre adversitie/ and do the worke off an evangelist/ fulfill thyne office vnto the vtmost. For I am nowe redy to be offered/ and the tyme of my de- partynge is at honde. 1 have fought a good fight/ and have fulfilled my course / and have kept the fayth. From hence forth is layde vppe for me a croune of rightewesnes/ which the lorde that is a righteous iudge shall geve me at that daye. nott to me only : but vnto all them that love his commynge. Make spede to come vnto me atonce. For Demas hath left me/ and hath loved this present worlde/ and is departed into Tessalonica. Crescens is gone to Galacia/ and Titus vnto Dalmacea. Only Lucas is with me. Take Marke and bringe him with the/ for he is necessary vnto me forto min- ister, and Tichicus have I sent to Ephesus. the cloke that I bnto Cimotijc. €!;. tb. lefte at troada with Carpus when thou commest brynge with the/ and the bokes/ but specially the paitchement. Alexander the coppersmyth did me moche evyll/ the lorde rewaide him accordynge to his dedes/ of whom be thou ware also. For he with stode oure preachynge sore. At my fyrst answerynge for my silfe/ no man assisted me/ but all forsoke me. I praye god/ that it maye nott be layde to their charges : nott with stondynge the lorde assisted me/ and strengthed me/ that by me the preachyng shulde be fulfilled to the vtmost/ and that all the gentyls shulde heare/ And I was delivered out of the mouth of the lyon/ And the lorde shall delivre me from all yvell doynge/ and shall kepe me vnto his hevenly kyngdom. To whom be prayse for ever and ever Amen. Salute prisca and Aquila/ and the houssholde of Onesiphorus. Erastus abode at Corinthum. Trophimos I lefte at Miletum sicke. Make spede to come before winter. Eubolus gretith the / and Pudes / and Linus/ and Claudia/ and all the brethren. The lorde Jesus Christ be with thy sprete. Grace be with you Amen. The seconde pistle written from Rome vnto Timothe/ when Paul was presented the seconde tyme vppe / before the Emperoure Nero. €f)t fprgft CDaptm ^iHE the servaunt of god and an Apostle of Jesu Christ/ topreache the fayth of goddis elects/ and the knowledge off the tiueth/ which trueth is in servynge god in hope ofeternall lyfe/ which lyfe god that cannot lye/ hath promysed before the worlds began : but hath at the tyme apoynted openned his worde by preachynge/ which preach- ynge is committed vnto me/ by the comaundement of god oure saveoure. To Titus his naturall sonne in the commen fayth. Grace mercie and peace from God the father / and from the lorde Jesu Christ oure saveoure. For this cause left I the in Creta/ that thou shuldest performs that which was lackynge and shuldest ordeyne seniours in every citie as I apoynted the. Yf eny be soche as no man can com- playne on/ the husbande of one wyfe/ havynge faythfull chil- dren/ which are not sclandred ofFroyote/ nether are disobedient. For a bisshoppe must be soche as no man can complayne on / as it be commeth the minister off God not stubborne/ not angrye/ no dronkarde/ no fyghter/ not geven to filthy lucre : butt her- berous/ one that loveth goodnes/ of honest behaveour/ righteous/ holy temperat / and suche as cleaveth vnto the true worde of doctryne/ thatt he maye be able to exhorte with wholsom learn- ynge / and to improve them that says agaynst it. For there are many disobedient and talkers off vanitie / and disceavsrs off myndss / namly they off the circumcision/ whose mouthes must be stopped / which pervert whole houses / teach- ynge thynges which they ought nott/ be cause off filthy lucre. Won beynge of them selves / which was a poyet of their owne sayde: The Cretayns are alwayeslyars/ evyll bsastes/ and slowe belies. This witnes is true/ wherfors rebuke them sharply/ that they maye be sounds in the fayth/ and not takynge hede to €\)t (JEpt^tlc of 39atil bnto Citusi. CIj. ttj. iewes fables/ and commaundmentes of men/ which turne from tlie trueth. Vnto the pure/ are all thynges pure: but vnto them that are defiled/ and vnbelevynge / is nothynge pure : but even the very niyndes and consciences off them are defiled. They confesse that they knowe god : but with dedesthey de nye hym and are abhominable/ and disobedient/ and vnto all good workes discommendable. €i)t i). Cljaptcr. X>VT speake thou that which becommeth wholsome learnynge: That the elder men be sober/ honest/ discrete/ sounde in the fayth/ in love and in pacience. And the elder wemen lyke wyse that they be in soche rayment/ as be commeth holynes/ not falce accusars/ not geven to moche drinkynge/ but teachers of honest thynges/ that they nurter the yonge wemen forto love their husbandes/ to love their children/ to be of honest behave- oure/ chast/ huswyfly/ good/ and obedient vnto their aune husbandes/ that the worde of god be not evyll spoken of. Yonge men lykwyse exhorte that they be of honest manners. Above all thynges shewe thy silfe an insample of good workes in the doctryne/ shew vncorrupcion/ honestie/ and the wholsome worde which cannot be rebuked/ that he which withstondeth maye be ashamed/ havynge no thinge in yon that he maye dis- prayse. The servauntes exhorte to be obedient vnto their owne masters/ and to please in all thinges/ not answerynge agayne/ nether be pickers/ but that they shewe all good faythfulnes/ that they maye do worshippe to the doctryne ofl^" god oure saveoure in all thynges. For the grace of god/ that bryngeth health vnto all men / hath apered and teacheth vs that we shulde denye vngodlynes/ and wordly lustes/ and that we shulde live honestly/ righteously/ and godly in this present worlde/ lokinge for that blessed hope/ and glorious a perenge of the myghty god/ and of oure savioure Jesu Christ: which gave hym silfe for vs/ to re- deme vs from all vnrightewesnes/ and to pourdge vs a peculiar people vnto him silfe fervently geven vnto good workes. These thinges speake/ and exhorte/ and rebuke/ with all commaund- ynge. Se that no man despise tlie. Ci)c ii}. Cljaptfv. : they submit thei power/ to obey the officers/ that they be prompt vnto all Xl/'ARNE them that they submit them selves to ruele and power/ to obey the officers/ th? dFo. dniy- C!)e ©pi^tU of iSaul tinto Citus. good workes/ tliat they speake evyll off no man/ that they be no fyghters/ but softe/ shewynge all meknes vnto all men Foi* we oure selves also were in tymes past/ vnwyse/ disobedient/ deceaved/ in daunger to lustes/ and divers manners off voliip- tusnes/ livynge in maliciousnes/ and envie/ full of hate hatynge one another. But after that the kyndnes and love of oure saveoure to man- warde apered/ not of the dedes off rightewesnes which we wrought/ but off his mercie/ he saved vs/ by the fountayne of the nevve birth / and with the renuynge off the holy goost / which he shed on vs aboundantly/ tborow Jesus Christ oure saveoure/ that we once iustified by his grace/ shulde be heyres off eternall lyfe/ thorowe hope. This is a true sayinge. Off these thynges I wolde thou shuldest certifie/ that they which beleve God/ myght be stodius to go forwarde in goode workes. These thynges are good and proffetable vnto men. Folisshe questions/ and genealogies/ and braulinges and stryfe aboute the lawe avoyde/ for they are vnproffetable / and super- fluus. A man that is the auctor off sectes/ after the fyrst and the seconde amonicion avoyde/ remembrynge that he that is soche/ is perverted/ and synneth/ even damned by his awne iudgement. When I shall sende Artemas vnto the or Tichicus be diligent to come to me vnto Nichopolis For I have determined there to wynter. Brynge Zenas the lawear and Apollos on their iorney diligently/ that nothynge be lackynge vnto them. And let oures also learne to excelle in goode workes as farforth as nede requyreth/ that they be not vnfrutfull. All that are whith me salute the. Grete tliem that love vs in the fay the. Grace be with you all/ Amen. Written from Nichopolis a citie of Macedonia. €f)( ^m\t Off ^atil bnto ^ftilfmon. ^Wi% the presoner of Jesu Christ/ and brother Timotheus. Vnto Philemon beloved /and oure helper/ and to the beloved Appia/ and to Archippus oure felowe soudier/ and to the congregacion of thy housse. Grace be with you and peace / from God oure father and from the lorde Jesus Christ. I thanke my God alwayes makynge mencion off the in my prayers/ when I heare off thy love and faith/ which thou hast towarde the lorde Jesu / and towarde all saynctes : so that the feliishippe that thou hast in the fayth/ is frutfull thorowe know- ledge off all good thynges/ which are in you by Jesus Christ. And we have gret ioye/ and consolacion over thy love : For by the brother/ the saynctes hertes are comforted. Wherfore though I be bolde in Christ to enioyne the/ that which becommeth the : yet for loves sake I rather beseche the/ though I be as I am/ even Paul aged/ and now in bondes for Jesu Christes sake. I beseche the for my sonne Onesimus/ whom I begat in my bondes/ which in tyme passed was to the vnprofFetable : but nowe profFetable booth to the and also to me/ whom I have sent home agayne. Thou therfore receave hym/ that is to saye myne awne bowels/ whom I wolde fayne have retayned with me/ thatt in thy stede he myght have minis- tred vnto me in the bondes off the gospell. Neverthelesse/ without thy mynde/ wolde I do noo thynge/ that that goode which spryngeth off the shuld nott be as it wer off necessitie/ butt willyngly. dFo. clyyy. Cl)c dEpisitlc off ^aul \ihto 33ijilfmon. Haply he therfore departed for a season/ that thou shuldest receave hym for ever/ not nowe as a servaunt: butt above a servaunt/ I mean a brother beloved/ specially to me: but howe moche more vnto the/ both in the flesshe/ and also in the lorde? YfF thou count me a felowe receave hym as my silfe. Yff he have hurt the or oweth the ought/ that laye to my charge. I Paul have written it w^ith myne awne honde. I will recompence it. So that I do not saye to the howe that thou owest vnto me even thyne awne silfe. Even so brother/ let me enioye the in the lorde. Comforte my bowels in the lorde. Trustynge in thyne obedience/ I wrote vnto the/ knowynge that thou wilt do more then I saye fore. More over prepare me lodgynge : for I trust thorowe the helpe off youre prayers/ 1 shalbe geven vnto you. There salute the/ Epaphras my felowe presoner in Christe Jesu/ Marcus/ Aristarchus/ Denias/ Lucas/ my helpers. The grace of oure lorde Jesu Christ be with youre spretes/ Amen. Sent from Rome by One- simus a seruaunt. Snv^t ^i^tU off ^. ^etcr tje a#o£ltle- €i)t fprsit C!)apten ^3£Ci£2S. an Apostle of Jesu Christ/ to them that dwell here and there as straungers thorowe out/ Pontus/ Galacia/ Capadocia/ Asia/ and Bethinia / elect by the forknowledge off God the father/ thorowe the sanctifyinge off the sprete/ vnto obedience/ and sprynklynge of the bloud off Jesus Christ. Grace be with you / and peace be multiplied. Blessed be God the father off oure lorde Jesus Christ/ which thorowe his aboundant mercie begat vs agayne vnto a lively hope / by the resur- reccion off Jesus Christ from deeth/ to enioye an inheritaunce immortall/ and vndefiled/ and that putrifieth not/ reserved in he- ven for you which are kept by the power off god thorowe fayth / vnto helth/ which health is prepared all redy to be shewed in the last tyme/ in the which tyme ye shall reioyce/ though nowe for a season (iff nede requyre) ye are in hevines / throwe manyfolde temptacions/ that youre fayth once tried beynge moche more precious then golde that perissheth (though it be tried wyth fyre) myght be founde vnto lawde/ glory/ and honowre/ when Jesus Christ shall apere : whom ye have not sene and ye yet love hym/ in whom even nowe/ though ye so hym not/ yet ye beleve/ and reioyce with ioye in effable/ and glorious : re- ceavynge the ende of youre fayth/ the helth of youre soules. Of which health/ liave the prophetes enquyred and sought/ which prophesied of the grace that shulde come vnto you/ searchynge when/ or att what tyme the sprete of Christ which was in them shulde sigiiifie/ which sprete testified before/ the dTo. flmt- ^¥ xfi>i!^t epistle of ^. ^etcr. passions that shulde come vnto Christ/ and the glory that shulde folowe after : vnto which prophetes it was declared / thatt nott vnto them selves/ but vnto vs/ they sliulde minister the thinges which are nowe shewed vnto you/ off them which by the holy goost sent doune from lieven/ have preached vnto you the thynges which the angels desyre to beholde. Wherforfi gyrde vppe the loynes of youre myndes / be sober/ and trust parfectly one the grace that is brought vnto you / in that Jesus Christ is opened/ as obedient children/ not fassion- ynge youre selves vn to youre olde lustes of ignorancy : But as he which called you is holy/ even so be ye holy in all maner of conversacion / be cause itt is written : Be ye holy / for I am holy. And yff so be that ye call on the father which with out respect off person iudgeth accordynge to every niannes worke / se that ye passe the tyme off youre pilgremage in feare. For as moche as ye knowe liowe that ye were nott redemed wyth corruptible golde and silver from youre vayne conversacion/ which ye re- ceaved by the tradicions off the fathers : but with the precious bloud of Christ/ as of a lambe vndefiled/ and withouten spott/ which was ordeyned before the worlde was made ; but was de- clared in the last tymes for youre sakes / which by his meanes have beleved on god that raysed hym from deth/ and glorified hym/ that ye myght have fayth and hope towarde god. And for as moche as ye have purified youre soules thorowe the sprete/ in obeynge the trueth for to love brotherly withouten faynynge/ se that ye love one another with a pure hert fervently : for ye are borne a newe/ not of mortall seed/ but of immortal! seed/ by the worde of god which liveth/ and lasteth for ever/ be cause that all flesshe is as grasse/ and all the glory of man is as the floure of grasse/ the grasse is widdered/ and the flower is faded awaye/ but the worde of the lorde endureth ever. And this is the worde which by the gospell was preached amonge you. Ci)c I}. Cijapttr. TVrHERFORE laye a syde all maliciousnes/ and all gyle/ ' ' and dissimulacion/ and envie / and all backbytynge : and as newe borne babes/ desyre that reasonable mylke which is with out corrupcion/ that ye maye growe therin. Yf so be that ye have tasted howe pleasaunt the lorde is/ to whom ye come as vnto a livynge stone which is disalowed of men / but elect of god El)c dfpisit e^iitU of ^. ^tci*. CI), ij. and precious: and ye as lyvynge stones/ are made a spretuall housse/ and an holy presthode/ for to offer vppe spretuall sacry- fice/ acceptable to god by Jesus Christ. Wherfore it is contayned in the scripture: beholde/ I put in Sion an heed corner stone/ electe and precious : and he that beleveth on him shall nott be a sliamed. Vnto you therfore which beleve is he precious : butt vnto them which beleve not the same stone which the bylders refused/ is made the heed stone in the corner/ and a stone to stomble att/ and a rocke to offende them which stomble at the worde/ and beleve not that where on they were set. But ye are a chosen generacion/ a royall presthod/ an holy nacion/ and a peculiar peple/ that ye shulde shewe the vertues off hym that called you out off dark- nes into hys marvellous light/ which in tyme past were nott a people/ yett are ye nowe the people off God which were not vnder mercy : butt nowe have obteyned mercy. Derly beloved I beseche you as straungers/ and pilgrems/ abstayne from flesshly lustes whiche fyght agaynst the soule/ and se that ye have honest conversacion amonge the gentyls/ that they which backbyte you as evyll doars/ maye se youre good workes and prayse god in the daye offvisitacion. Submit youre selves vnto all manner ordinaunce of man for the lordes sake/ whether it be vnto the kynge as vnto the chefe heed: other vnto ruelars/ as vnto them that are sent of him/ for the punnysshment of evyll doars : butt for the laude of them that well do. For so is the will of god/ that with well doynge ye shulde stoppethe mouthes of ignorant men : as fre/ and nott as thougli ye toke libertie for a cloke of maliciousnes : but even as the servauntes off' god. Se that ye honoure all men. Love brotherly felishippe/ leare god/ honour the kynge. Servauntes obey youre masters with all feare/ not only yf they be good and courteous : but also though they be frowarde. For it commeth off grace/ yf a man for conscience towarde god endure grefe/ sufferynge wrongfully. For what prayse is it/ if when ye be buffetted for youre fautes/ ye take it paciently ? But and if when ye do well/ ye suffer wronge and take it paciently/ then is there thanke with god. Here vnto verely were ye called/ for Christ also suffered for oure sakes : levynge vs an insaniple that ye shulde folowe his steppes/ which did no sinne/ nether was there gyle founde in his mougth : which when he was reviled/ reviled not ugayne : when he sii tiered / he tlireatened not/ l»ut conunittcd the cause to him that iudgcth righteously/ which his awne silfe bare oure sinnes in his body on the tree/ that wc shulde be delivered from dTo. clyyyi). Eift ifyv^t (Jfpt^tlc of ^. IPeter. synne and sliulde live in rightewesnes. By whose strypes ye were healed. For ye were as shepe which goo astraye : but are nowe returned vnto the shepheerd/ and bisshoppe of youre soules. CIjc ii). CJ^apUr. T YKE wyse let the wemen be in subieccion to their hus- bandes/ that even they which beleve nott tlie worde/ maye without the worde be wonne by the conversacion of the wyves : whyll they beholde youre pure conversacion coupled with feare. Whose aparell shall not be outwarde with broyded heare/ and hangynge on of golde/ other in puttynge on of gorgious aparell: but lett the hid man of the lierte be vncorrupt/ with a meke and a quyet sprete/ which sprete is before god a thynge moche set by, fibr after this manner in the olde tyme did the wholy wemen which trusted in god tyre them selves/ and were obedient to their husbandes/ even as Sara obeyd Abraham and called him lorde : whose doughters ye are as longe as ye do wele. and be not afrayde of every shadowe. Lyke wyse ye men dwell with them accordynge to knowledge/ gevynge honoure vnto the wyfe/ as vnto the weaker vessel/ and as vnto them that are heyres also of the grace of lyfe/ that youre prayers be not lett. In conclusion / be ye all of one mynde/ one sufFre with another / love as brethren/ be petifull/ be courteous/ not rendrynge evyll for evyll: nether rebuke for rebuke : but contrary wyse/ blesse : remembrynge that ye are there vnto called/ even that ye shulde be heyres of blessynge. For who so listeth to love lyfe and to se good dayes/ let him refrayne his tonge from evyll/ and his lippes thatt they speake not gyle : Let hym eschue evyll and do good: let him seke peace/ and ensue it. For the eyes of the lorde are over the righteous/ and his eares are open vnto their prayers : butt the face off the lorde beholdeth them that do evyll. Moreover vv^ho is it that will liarme you yfF ye folowe that which is good? not with stondynge happy are ye yff ye sufFre for rightewesnessis sake. Neverthelesse feare not though they seme terrible vnto you/ nether be troubled : but sanctifie the lorde god in youre hertes. be redy all wayes to geve an answere to every man that axeth you a reson of the hope that ye have/ and that with meaknes and feare : havynge a good conscience/ that when they backbyte you as evyll doars / they maye be a sharped / for as moche as they have falcely accused youre god conversacion in Christ. Et)t dFur^t (gpi^tlc of ^. ^ftcr. €f). Hi). Hit is better (yf the wyll of god be so) that ye siiffre for well doynge/ then for evyll doynge. For as moche as Christ hath once suffered for sinnes/ the iuste for the vniuste/ forto brynge vs to god/ and was killed/ as pertaynynge to the flesshe : but was quyckened in the sprete. In which sprete/ he also went and preached vnto the spretes that were in preson/ which were in tyme passed disobedient/ when the longe sufferynge of god abode excedinge paciently in the dayes of noe/ whill the arcke was a preparynge/ wherein feavve (that is to saye viij. soules) were saved by water/ which signifieth baptim that nowe saveth vs/ not the puttynge awaye of the filth of the flesshe/ but in that a good conscience con- senteth to god/ by the resurreccion of Jesus Christ/ which is on the right lionde of god / and is gone into heven/ angels/ power/ and myght/ subdued vnto him. €i)t Hi). Cljaptcr. "p'OR as moche as Christ hath suffered for vs in the flesshe/ arme youre selves like wyse with the same mynde : for he which suftereth in the flesshe ceasith from synne / that he hence forwarde shulde live as moche tyme as remayneth in the flesshe / not after the lustes of men : butt after the will of God. For it is sufficient for vs that we have spent the tyme that is past of the lyfe/ after the will of the gentyls/ walkynge in wantannes lustes / dronkennes / in eatynge / drynkynge / and in abhominable ydolatrie. And it semeth to them a straunge thinge that ye runne not also with them vnto the same excesse of ryote/ and therfore speake they evyll off you / which shall geve a comptes to hym that is redy to iudge quycke and deed. For vnto this purpose verely was the gospell preached vnto the deed/ that they shulde be iudged after the manner off men in the flesshe/ but shulde live godly in the sprete. The ende of all thynges is at honde. Be ye therfore discrete/ and sober/ that ye maye be apte to prayres. Butt above all thynges have fervent love a monge you. For love covereth the multitude of sinnes. Be ye herbrous/ and that without grudginge. As every man hath receaved the gyfte/ minister the same one to another as good ministers of the many- folde grace of god. Yf eny man speake/ let him talke as thoughe he speake the wordes of god. Yf eny man minister/ let him do it as of the abilitie which god ministreth vnto him. That god in all thinges maye be gloryticd tiiorowe Jesus Christ/ to whom be dTo. dyyyiij. €i)t jTwrst lEpistlc of ^. ^ftfr. prayse and dominion tor ever and whyll tlie worlde stondeth Amen. Derly beloved/ be not troubled in this heate/ which nowe is come amonge you to trye you/ as though some straunge thynge had happened vnto you : but reioyce in as moche as ye are parte takers ofChristes passions / thatt when his glory apereth/ ye mave be mery and gladde. Happy are ye when ye suiFre rebuke for the name of Christ. For the sprete of glory and the sprete of god resteth apon you. On their parte he is evyll spoken of: but on youre parte he is glorified. Se that none of you sufl^er as a murtherer/ or as a thefe/ or an evyll doar/ or as a busybody in wother mens matters. YfFeny man sufFre as a Christen man / let hym not be ashamed : but let him glorifie god on this behalfe. For the tyme is come that iudgement must begyn at the housse otf god. Yf it fyrst begyn at vs/ what shall the ende be of them which beleve not the gos- pell off god ? And yf the righteous scasly be saved : where shall all the vngodly and the sinner apere? Wherfore let them that suffer accordynge to the will off god / committ their soules to hym with well doynge/ as vnto a faythfull creator. Cljf b. €I;aptn-. T^HE seniours which are amonge you I exhorte/ which am also a senioure/ and a witnes of the affliccions of Christ/ and also a part taker off the glory thatt shalbe opened : se thatt ye fede Christes flocke/ which is amonge you / takynge the oversyght off them / nott as though ye were compelled there to : butt wil- lyngly : Nott for the desyre of filthy lucre : but of a good mynde. Nott as though ye were lordes over the parisshes : but that ye be an insample to the flocke. and when the cliefe sliepheerde shall apere/ ye shall receave an incorruptible croune of glorye. Lykwyse ye yonger submit youre selves vnto the elder. Sub- mit youre selves every man/ one to another. Knet youre selves togedder in lowlines of mynde. For god resisteth the proude and geveth grace to the Immble. Submit youre selves therfore vnderthe myghty honde of god/ that he maye exalt you/ when the tyme is come. Cast all youre care to hym : for he careth for you. Be sober and watch/ for youre adversary the devyll as a ror- ynge lion walketh about/ sekynge whom he may devoure : whom resist stedfast in the faytli/ remembrynge that ye do but fulfill Cljc dTwv^t e}?iiilc of ^. Icter. Ci^. &. the same affliccions which are apoynted to yoiire brethren that are in the worlde. The God of all grace/ which called you vnto his eternall glory by Christ Jesus/ shall his awne silfe after a lytell affliccion make you parfet : shall settle/ strengthe/ and stublisshe you. To hym be glory and dominion for ever/ and whill the worlde endureth Amen. By Silvanus a faythfull brother vnto you (as I suppose) have I written brevely/ exhortynge and testifyinge howe that this is the true grace of god/ wherin ye stonde. The congregacion that is gaddered to gedder at Babilon/ saluteth you/ and Mar- cus my Sonne. Grete ye one another with the kysse off love. Peace be with you all which are in Christ Jesus/ Amen. Win €i)t fyrs;t CftapUi% 3)ilHi£®f^ Peter a seruaunt and an apostle of Jesus Christ / to them which have obtayned lyke precious fayth with vs in the rightewesnes that commeth offoure God/ and off the savioure Jesus Christ. Grace with you/ and peace be multiplied in the knowledge off God/ and off Jesus oure lorde. Accordynge as his godly power hath geven vnto vs all thynges that p'ertayne vnto lyfe and to serve god with all/ thorowe the knowledge of hym that liath called vs by vertue and glory/ by the meanes where off/ are geven vnto vs excellent and moste greatte pro- meses/ that by the helpe off them ye shulde be part takers off the godly nature/ in that ye flye the corrupcion offworldy lust. And here vnto geve all diligence : in youre fayth minister vertue/ and in vertue knovvledge/ and in knowledge temperancy/ and in temperancy pacience/ in pacience godlynes/ in godlynes brotherly kyndnes / in brotherly kyndnes love. For yf these thinges be amonge you / and are plenteous they woll make you that ye nether shalbe ydle nor vnfrutfuU vnto the knowledge off oure lorde Jesus Christ. He that lacketh these thynges is blynde and gropetli for the waye with his honde/ and hath forgotten that he was pourged from his olde synnes. Wherfore brethren geve the moare diligence forto make youre callynge and eleccion sure. For yf ye do soche thynges ye shall never erre. Ye and by this meanes an entrynge in shalbe ministred vnto you aboundantly in to the everlastynge kyngdom off oure lorde and saveoure Jesus Christ. Wherfore I will not be negligence to put you allwayes in remembrance of soche thynges/ though that ye knowe them youre selves and be also stablisshed in the present trueth. Not wilhstondynge I thynke yt mete (as longe as I am in this taber- nacle) to stere you vppe by puttynge you in remembraunce/ for as moch as I am sure howe that the tyme is at honde that I must put of this my tabernacle/ even as our lorde Jesus Christ hath shewed me. I will en foarce therfore/ that on every syde ye myght have wherwith to stere vppe the remembraunce off these thynges after my departynge. For we folowed not decevable fables when we openned vnto you the power/ and comrnynge of our lorde Jesus Christ: but with oure eyes we sawe his maiestie. Even then verely when he receaved of god the father honor and glory / and when there cam soche a voyce to hym from excellent glorie. This is my dere beloved sonne/ in whom I have delite/ this voyce we lierde when it cam from heven / beynge with hym in the holy mounte. We have also a more sure worde off prophesy / where vnto yff ye take hede / as vnto a lyght that shyneth in a darke place/ ye do wele / vntill the daye dawne and the daye starre aryse in your hertes. So that ye fyrst knowe this / that no prophesy in the scripture hath eny private interpretacion. For the scripture cam never by the will of man : but vvholy men of god spake as they were moved by the wholy goost. CIjc t). CJjapter. ^T^HERE were falce prophetes amonge the people even as there shalbe falce teachers amonge you : which prevely shall €\)t BtconOt epistle of ^. BtUv. €f). ij. brynge in daiimablc sectes / even denyinge the lorde that hath bonglit them/ and brynge on theier ovven heeddes swyft damna- cion / and many shall Iblowe their damnable wayes/ by which the waye off trueth shalbe evyll spoken off/ and thorowe cove- tonsnes shall they with fayned wordes make marchandyse of you / whose iudgement is not t'arre of/ and there dampnacion slepetli not. For yf god spared not the angels that synned but cast them doune into hell/ and putt them in chaynes of darcknes/ there to be kept vnto iudgement. nether spared the olde worlde : butt saved Noe the ayghte preacher of rightewesnes/ and brought in the flud into the worlde off the vngodly / and turned the cities of Zodom and Gomor into asshes : overthrewe them/ damned them/ and made them an ensample vnto all that after shulde hve vngodly. And iust Lot vexed with the vnclenly conversa- cion off the wicked/ delivered he. For he beynge ryghteous and dwellynge amonge them/ in seynge and hearynge / vexed his righteous soule from daye to daye with their vnrighteous dedes. The lorde knoweth howe to deliver the godly out off temptacion/ and howe to reserve the vniuste vnto the daye off iudgement for to be punnysshed : namly them that walke after the flesshe in the lust off vnclennes/ and despyse the ruelars. Presumpteous are they/ and stubborne and feare not to speake evyll off them that are in auctorite. When the angels which are gretter bothe in power and myght / receave not of the lorde raylynge iudgement agaynst them. But these as brute beastes/ naturally made to be taken and destroyed/ speake evyll of that they knowe not/ and shall perisshe through their owne destruc- cion/ and receave the rewarde of vnrightewesnes. They count it pleasure to live deliclously for a season. Spottes they are and filthynes : and off you they make a mockyng- stoke feastynge togedder in their deceavable wayes : havynge eyes full of advoutrie/ and that cannot cease to synne/ begyl- ynge vnstable soules. Hertes they have exercysed with cove- teousnes. They are cursed chyldren / and have forsaken the right waye/ and are gone astraye folowynge the waye of Balam the Sonne of Bosoc/ which loved the rewarde of vnrightewesnes : but was rebuked of his iniquitie. The tame and dom beast / speak- ynge with niannes voyce forbade the folisshnes of the prophet. These are wellcs without water/ and cloudes caried about of a tempest/ to whone the myst off darcknes is reserved for ever. For when they have spoken the swellynge wordes off vanytie / they begyle with wantannes thorowe the lustes off the flesshe them tliat were clene escaped : butt uowe are wrapped in errours. They promys them libertie/ and are them selves tlie bonde ser- vauntes of corrupcion. For of whom soever a man is over com/ vnto the same is he in bondage. For yf they/ after they liave escaped from the filthynes of the worlde thorowe the knowledge off tlie lorde/ and of the saviour Jesus Christ/ they are yet tangled agayne therin and over come : then is the latter ende worsse with them then the begynnynge. For it had bene better for them / not to have knowene the waye of righteousnes/ then after they have knowen it/ to turne from the holy commaundement geven vnto them. Hit is happened vnto them accordynge to the true proverbe : The dogge is turned to his vomet agayne/ and the sowe after she is wesshed / is returned to her wallowynge in the myre, €l)t iij. Ci)apUr. ^T^HIS is the seconde pistle that I nowe write vnto you/ my -■- derly beloved / wherwith I stere vppe and warne youre pure myndes/ to call to remembraunce the wordes were tolde before off the holy prophetes/ and also the commaundement of vs the apostles of the lorde and saveour. This fyrst vnderstonde/ that there shall come in the last dayes mockers/ which will walke after their awne lustes and saye: Where is the promes of his commynge ? For sence the fathers died all thynges continue in the same estate wherin they were at the begynnynge. This they knowe not (and that willyngly) howe that the hevens a grett whyle ago were/ and the erth that was in the water/ appered vppe out of the water by the worde of god: by the which thinges/ the worlde that then was pe- risshed over flowen with the fludde. But the hevens verely and erth which are nowe / are kept by the same worde in store / and reserved vnto fyre/ agaynste the daye of iudgement and perdicion of vngodly men. Derely beloved be not ignorant of this one thynge / howe that one daye is with the lorde / as a thousande yeare / and a thou- sand yeare as one daye. The lorde is not slake to fulfill his promes as some men count slacknes : but is pacient to vs warde and wolde have no man lost/ butt wolde receave all men to repentaunce. Neverthelesse the daye off the lorde will come as a thefe in the nyght/ in the which daye / the hevens shall perisshe with terrible noyse / and the elementes shall melt with heet. And the erth with the workes that are therin shall bornne. Ci)c ^cfonUe (JBpisftlc of ^. H^tttt. CI), iif. Yf all these thynges shall perisshe/ what maner persons ought ye to be in holy conversacion/ and godlines : lokyngefore/ and hastynge vnto the commynge off the daye off God / in which the hevens shall perisshe with tyre/ and the elementes shalbe con- sumed with heate. Neverthelesse we loke for a neue heven/ and a newe erth/ accordynge to his promes/ where in dwelleth righ- tewesnes. Wherfore derly beloved / seynge that ye loke for soche thynges/ be diligent that ye maye be founde of hym in peace / with out spott and vndefiled : And suppose that the longe suf- ferynge off the lorde is helth/ even as oure derely beloved brother Paul / accordynge to the wysdom geven vnto hym/ wrote to you / yee / almost in every pistle speakynge off soche thynges : amonge which are many thynges harde to be vnderstoude/ which they that are vnlearned/ and vnstable pervert/ as they do wother scriptures vnto their owne destruccion. Ye therfore dearly beloved seynge ye are warned/ Beware lest ye be also plucked awaye with the erroure of the wicked / and fall from youre owne stedfastnes : But growe in grace/ and in the knowledge off oure lorde/ and saveoure Jesus Christ. To whom be glory bothe no we and for ever/ Amen, Cf)f Jfersit ^li^tlc off #». aiion ftc apositle* Cfte fpreJt Cftaptm Cf^^C which was from the begynnynge de- p clare we vntoyou/ which we liave herde which ^ we have sene with oure eyes/ which we have loked apon/ and oure hondes have handled/ of the worde of lyfe. For the lyfe apered / and we have sene/ and beare witnes/ and shewe vnto you that eternall lyfe/ wliich was with the father/ and apered vnto vs. That which we have sene and herde declare we vnto you that ye maye have fellishippe with vs/ and that oure fellishippe maye be with the father/ and liis Sonne Jesus Christ. And this write we vnto you/ that youre ioye maye be full. And this is the tydynges which we have herde of him/ and declare vnto you/ that god is lyght/ and in him is no darknes at all. yf we saye that we have fellishippe with hym/ and yet walke in darknes/ we lye/ and do not the truth : but and yf we walke in lyght even as he is in lyght / then have we fellishippe with hym / and the bloud of Christ his sonne clenseth vs from all synne. Yf we shall saye that we have no synne/ we deceave oure selves/ and trueth is not in vs. yf we knowledge oure synnes/ he is faythfull and iust/ to for geve vs oure synnes/ and to dense vs from all vnrightewesnes. Yfwe saye we have not sinned/ we make hym a lyar/ and his worde is not in vs. Cj^c iSfcontre Ci;apttr. IVTY lytell children/ these thinges write I vnto you/ that ye shulde not sinne : and yf eny man synne/ yet we have an advocate with the father/ .lesus Christ/ which is righteous : and Cijc dfyr^t (JEpi^tlc of ^. ^ijon. Ci> tj. he itt is that obteyneth grace for oure synnes : not for oure sinnes only : but also for the sinnes of all the worlde. And herby we knowe that we have knowen Jiim/ yf we kepe his commaiinde- mentes. He that sayth I knowe hym/ and kepeth nott his com- maundementes is a lyar/ and the veritie is not in him. Whoso- ever kepeth his worde/ in hym is the love of god parfet in dede. And therin knowe we that we are in hym. He that sayth he bydeth in hym/ ouglit to walke even as he walked. Brethren I write no newe commaundement vnto you : but that olde commaundement which ye herde from the begynnynge. The olde commaundement is the worde which ye herde from the begynnynge. Agayne a newe commaundement I write vnto you/ a thynge that is true in hym/ and also in you : for the darknes is past/ and tlie true lyght nowe sliyneth. He that sayth howe that he is in the true light/ and yet hateth his brother/ is in darcknes even vntyll this tyme. He that loveth his brother/ abydeth in the light/ and there is none occasion of evyll in him. He that hateth his brother is in darknes/ and walketh in darknes : and cannot tell whither he goeth/ be cause tliatt darknes hath blynded his eyes. Babes I write vnto you howe that youre synnes are forgeven you for his names sake. I wryte vnto you fathers/ howe that ye have knowen him that was from the begynnynge. I wryte vnto you yonge men/ howe that ye have overcome the wicked. I wryte vnto you lyteil children/ hawe that ye have knowne the father. I write vnto you fathers/ howe that ye have knowen him that was from the begynnynge. I wryte vnto you yonge men/ howe that ye are stronge : and the worde of God abydeth in you / and ye have over come that wicked. Se that ye love not the worlde/ nether the thynges that are in tlie worlde. Yf eny man love the worlde/ the love of the father is not in him. For all that is in the worlde (as the lust of the flesshe/ the lust of the eyes/ and the pryde of gooddes) is not of tlie father : butt of the worlde. And the worlde vannyssheth awaye/ and the lust ther of: butt he that fulfiUeth the will of god/ abydeth ever. Lyteil children it is the last tyme/ and as ye have herde howe thatt Antichrist shall come : even nowe are there many Anti- rhristes come allredy wher by we knowe that it is the last tyme. They went oute from vs but they were nott of vs. For yf they had bene of vs/ they wolde no dout have continued with vs. Butt that fortuned that ytt myght apcre/ that they were not of vs. And ye have an oyntment of the holy gost/ and ye knowe all B B 2 thinges. I wrote not vnto you/ as though ye knewe not the trueth : but as though ye knewe it/ and knowe also that no lye commeth of trueth. who is a lyar : but he that denyeth that Jesus is Christ ? he is Antichrist that denieth the father and the Sonne, Whosoever denyeth the sonne/ the same hath not the father. Let therfore abyde in you that same which ye herde from the begynnynge. Yf that which ye herde from the begyn- nynge shall remayne in you / ye also shall continewe in the sonne / and in the father. And this is the promes that he hath promysed vs/ even eternall lyfe. This have I written vnto you / as eoncernynge them that disceave you. And the anoyntynge which ye have receaved of hym dwelleth in you. And ye nede not that eny man teache you : but as that annoyntynge teacheth you all thinges/ and is true/ and is no lye : and as it taught you/ even so byde therin. And nowe babes abyde in hym/ that when he shall apere/ we maye be bolde/ and nott be made a shamed of him at his com- mynge. Yff ye knowe that he is righteous/ knowe also that he whych foloweth rightewesnes/ is borne of hym. €l)t it}. Cj^apter. "OEHOLDE what love the father hath shewed on vs/ that we -^ shulde be called the sonnes of god. For this cause the worlde knoweth you not be cause it hath not knowen him. Derely beloved/ nowe are we the sonnes of god/ and yet it hath not apered what we shalbe. but we knowe that when it shall apere/ we shalbe lyke hym. For we shall se hym as he is. And every man that hath thys hope in hym/ pourgeth hym silfe/ even as he ys pure. Whosoever committeth synne/ committetli vnrightewesnes also/ and synne is vnrightewesnes. and ye knowe that he apered to take awaye oure synnes/ and in him is no synne. As many as byde in him/ synne not: whosoever synneth hath not sene hym/ nether hath knowen him. Babes let no man deceave you / He that doeth rightewesnes is righteous/ even as he is righteous. He that committeth sinne is of the devill : for the devyll synneth sence the begynninge. For this purpose apered the sonne of god / to lowse the workes of the devill. Whosoever is borne of god/ sinneth not : for his seede remayneth in hym/ and he cannot sinne/ be cause he is borne of god. In this are the children of god knowen/ and the children of the devill. Whosoever doeth not rightewesnes/ is not of god/ nether he that loveth not his brother. €i)t dFyi-^t (£ptStU of ^. SH;on. Cf> iiij. For this is the tydinges/ that ye herde from the begynnynge/ that ye shulde love one another : not as Cayn which was of the wicked and slewe hys brother. And wherfore slewe he him ? be cause hys awne workes were evyll/ and his brothers goode. Marveyle nott my brethren yfF the worlde hate you. We knowe that we are translated from deeth vnto lyfe/ be cause we love the brothren. He that loveth not his brother/ abydeth in deeth. Whosoever hateth his brother/ is a man slear. And ye knowe tliatt no man slear/ hath eternall lyfe abydynge in hym. Hereby perceave we love : for he gave his lyfe for vs : And we ought also to geve oure lives for oure brethren. Whosoever hath this worldes goode and seyth his brother in necessitie/ and shetteth vppe his compassion from him : howe dwelleth the love of god in him? My babes/ let vs not love in worde/ nether in tonge : but with dede / and in veritie. And herby we knowe that we are off the veritie/ and will before hym put oure hertes out of dout : For (yfF oure hertes condempne vs) god is gretter then oure hertes/ and knoweth all thinges. Tenderly beloved/ vf oure hertes condempne vs not/ then have we trust to god warde : and whatsoever we axe/ we shall receave of hym : be cause we kepe his commaundementes/ and do those thynges which are pleasynge in his sight. And this is his commaundment/ that we beleve on the name of his Sonne Jesus Christ/ and love one another/ as he gave commaundement. And he that kepeth hys commaundementes dwelleth in him/ and he in hym/ And herby we knowe that there abydeth in vs of the sprete which he gave vs. Ci;c titj. Cljapter. "T^ERELY beloved beleve not every sprete : but prove the '^'^ spretes whether they are of god/ or no : for many falce prophetes are gone out into the worlde. Herby shall ye knowe the sprete off god. Every sprete that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesshe/ is of god. And every sprete which confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesshe / is nott off god. And this is that sprete of Antichrist/ of whom ye have herde/ howe that he shulde come : and even nowe alredy is he in the worlde. Lytell children / ye are of god / and have overcome them : for gretter is he that is in you/ then he that is in the worlde. They are of the worlde / therfore speake they of the worlde / and the worlde heareth them. We are of god. He that knoweth god B B 3 heareth vs : He that is nott off God/^ heareth vs not. Herby knowe we the sprete of veritie/ and the sprete of erroure. Derely beloved/ lett vs love one another : for love commeth of god. And every one that loveth is borne of god/ and knoweth god. He that loveth nott/ hath nott knowen god : for god is love. In this apered the love of god to vs ward/ because that god sent his only begotten sonne into the worlde/ that we myght live thorowe him. Herin is love/ not that we loved god/ but that he loved vs / and sent his sonne to make agrement for oure sinnes. Derely beloved yf god so loved vs/ we ought also to love one another, no man hath sene god at eny tyme. Yf we love one another/ god dwelleth in vs/ and his love is parfet in vs. Herby knowe we/ that we dwell in hym/ and he in vs : be cause he hath geven vs of his sprete. And we have sene and do testifie that the father sent the sonne/ which is the saveour of the worlde. Whosoever confesseth that Jesus is the sonne of god/ in hym dwelleth god/ and he in god. And we have knowen and beleved the love that god hath to vs. God is love/ and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in god/ and god in hym. Herin is the love parfet in vs/ thatt we shulde have trust in the daye of iudgement / that as he is / even so are we in this worlde. There is no feare in love/ but parfet love casteth out all feare/ for feare hath paynfulnes. He that feareth is not parfet in love. We love him / for he loved vs fyrst. Yf a man saye / I love god/ and yet hateth his brother/ he is a lyar. Howe can he that loveth nott his brother whom he hath sene/ love god whom he hath not sene ? And this commaundement have we of hym : that he which loveth God / shulde love his brother also. €i)t b. Cfjapttr. TI/"HOSOEVER beleveth that Jesus is Christ/ is borne of god. and every one that loveth hym which begat/ loveth him also which was begotten of him. In this we knowe that we love the children of god/ when we love god/ and kepe his commaundementes. This is the love of god / that we kepe his commaundementes/ and his commaundementes are not greveous. For all that is borne of god/ over commeth the worlde. and this is the victory that over commeth the worlde/ even oure fayth. who is it that over commeth the worlde : but he which beleveth that Jesus is the sonne of god ? €^t dTuisit 6ou. THE senior vnto the beloved gayus/ whom I love in the trueth. Welbeloved I wysshe in all thynges thatt thou prosperedest and faredest well/ even as thy soule pros- pereth. I reioysed greatly when the brethren cam and testified off the trueth that is in the / howe thou in troth walkest. I have no gretter ioye then forio heare howe that my sonnes walke in veritie. Derely beloved thou doest faythfuUy whatt soever thou doest to the brethren/ and to straungers/ which bare witnes off thy love before all the congregacion. Which brethren when thou bryngest forwardes on their lorney (as it besemet God) thou shalt do wele : be cause that for his names sake they went forth / and toke no thynge off the gentyls. We therfore ought to receave soche/ that we also myght be helpers to the trueth. I wrote vnto the congregacion : but Diotrephes which loveth to have the preeminence amonge them/ receaveth vs not/ wher- fore yf I come I will declare his dedes which he doeth iestynge on vs with malicious wordes/ nether is therewith content. Not only he hym silfe receaveth not the brethren : but also he for- biddeth them thatt wolde/ and thrusteth them out off the congregacion. Derely beloved counterfait not thatt which is evyll / but that which is good : He that doeth well is off God : but he that doelh evyll seith not God. Demetrius hath good reporte off all men/ and of the trueth. Yee and we oure selves also beare recorde/ and ye knowe that oure recorde is true. I have many thynges to wryte : But I willnot with pen and ynke vvryte vnto the. For I trust I shall shortly se the/ and we shall speake mouth to mouth. Peace be with the The lovers salute tlie Crete the lovers by name. €l)t ^mit otf Haul Unto m Webiuc^. Cl)e f|)rsit €i)tiptn\ in tyme past diversly and many wayes/ M spake vnto the fathers by prophetes : but in these last dayes lie hath spoken vnto vs by his Sonne / whom he hath made heyre of" all thynges : by whom also he made the worlde. which sonne beynge the brightnes of his glory/ and very ymage off his substance/ bearynge vppe all thynges with the worde of his power/ hath in his awne person pourged oure synnes/ and is sytten on the right honde of the niaiestie an hye/ and is more excellent then the angels/ in as moche as he hath by inheritaunce obteyned an excellenter name then have they. For vnto which off the angels sayde he at eny tyme : Thou arte my sonne/ this daye begate 1 the? And agayne : I will be his father/ and he shalbe my sonne. And agayne when he bryngeth in the fyrst begotten sonne in the worlds/ he sayth : And all the angels of god shall worshippe hym. And vnto the angels he sayth : He maketh his angels spretes / and his minis- ters flammes of fyre. But vnto the sonne he sayth : God thy seate shalbe for ever/ and ever. The cepter of thy kyngdom is a right cepter/ Thou hast loved rightewesnes and hated iniquitie : Wherfore hath god / which is thy god / anoynted the with the oyle off gladnes above thy felowes. And thou lorde in the begynnynge hast layde the foundacion of the erth : And the hevens are the workes off thy hondes. They shall perisshe / but thou shallt endure. They all shall wexe olde €\)t episitlc off ^atil (into t\)c ?^fbnu5. Ci). i). as doth a garment : and as a vesture shalt thou chaunge them f and they shalbe chaunged : but thou arte the same/ and thy yeares shall not fayle. Vnto which off the angels sayde he at eny tyme? Sit on my right honde tyll I make thyne enemies tljy fote stole. Are they not all spretes to do service/ sent forto minister for their sakes/ which shalbe heyres of health ? ^'^t it. Ci)aptcv. T1I7HERF0RE we ought raoche more to attende vnto tho ' ' thynges which we have herde/ lest we be spilt. For yff the worde which was spoken by angels was stedfast : and every transgression and disobedience receaved a lust recompence to rewarde : howe shall we escape yf we despise so great helth ? which at the fyrst began to be preached off the lorde hym silfe/ and after warde was confermed vnto vs warde / by them that herde it/ god bearynge witnes there to / bothe with sygnes and wonders also/ and with divers miracles/ and gyftes off the holy gooste/ accordynge to his awne will. He hath not vnto the angels put in subieccion the worlde to come/ where of we speake : but one in a certayne place wit- nessed/ sayinge : What is man/ that thou arte myndfull of hym : other the sonne of man/ that thou visitest hym? After thou haddest for a season made hym lower then the angels : thou crounedst hym with honour and glory/ and hast set hym above the workes off thy hondes. Thou hast put all thynges in sub- ieccion vnder his fete. In that he put all thynges vnder hym / he left nothynge that is not put vnder him. Neverthelesse we yet se nott all thynges subdued vnto hym : but that Jesus which for a season was made lesse then the angels/ we se thorowe the punnyshment of deeth crouned with glory and honour/ that he by the grace of god/ shulde tast of deeth for all men. For hit becam hym/ for whom are all thynges/ and by whom are all thynges/ after that he had brought many sonnes vnto glory/ that he shulde make the lorde of their helth parfet thorowe affliiccions : For as moche as he which sanctifieth / and they which are sanctified/ are all off won. For which causes sake/ he is not a shamed to call them brethern sayinge : I will declare thy name vnto my brethren / in the myddes off the congregacion will 1 prayse the. And agayne : I will put my trust in hym. And agayne : beholde here am I and the children which god hath geven me. For as moche then as the children were paile takers of flesshe dFo. cyc). CI)e ept^tk off ^aul &nto ti)t ^tbvutsi. and bloud/ he also liym silfe lyke wyse toke parte with them/ forto put doune thorowe deeth liym that had lordsliippe over deeth that is to saye the devyll. And that he myglit delyver them which thorowe feare of deeth all their lyte tyme were in daunger of bondage. For he in no place taketh on hym the angels : but the sede of Abraham taketh he on hym. Wherfore in all thynges hit be cam hym to be made lyke vnto his brethren / that he myght be mercifull / and a faythfull hye preste in thynges concernynge god/ for to pourge the peoples synnes. For in that he hym silfe suffered/ and was tempted/ he is able to sucker them that are tempted. €i)t iij. C]^apter. TIT'HERFORE wholy brethren/ parttakers off the celestiall callinge/ consyder the embasseatour and hye prest of ourre profession Christ Jesus/ beynge faythfull to him that sent him/ even as was Moses in all his housse. And this man was counted worthy of more glory then Moses : In as moche as he which hath prepared the housse/ hath most honoure in the housse. Every housse is prepared of some man. But he that ordeyned all thynges is god. And Moses verely was faithfuU in all his housse as a minister / to beare witness of tho thynges which shulde be spoken afterwarde. But Christ as a sonne hath rule over the housse/ whose housse are we/ yf we kepe stedfast confydence and reioy- synge in the fayth vnto the ende. Wherfore as the holy goost sayth : to daye if ye shall heare his voyce/ harden notyoure hertes/ as when ye provoked in tyme of temptacion in the wildernes/ where youre fathers tempted me/ proved me/ and sawe my workes xl. yeare longe. Wherfore I was greved with that generacion and sayd : They ever erre in their hertes : they verely have not knovven my vvayes/ so that I sware in my wrathe/ that they shulde not enter into my rest. Take hede brethren that there be in none of you an evyll herte/ in vnbeleve/ that he shulde departe from the livynge god : but exhorte one another dayly / whill it is called to daye / lest eny of you wexe harde herted/ and be deceaved with synne. We are parte takers of Christ/ so that we kepe sure vnto the ende begynninge of the substance/ soo longe as it is said: to daye if ye heare his voyce/ herden not youre hertes/ as when ye provoked. For some/ when they herde/ provoked : but nott all that cam out of egypt vnder moses. But with whome was he depleased xl. yeares? was he not displeased with them that €i)t (QpiMe off 33aul bnto tlje ??ebiucg. CI> b. synned : whose boddies were over throwen in the desart ? To whom sware he that they shulde not enter into his rest : but vnto them that beleved nott ? And we se that they coulde not enter in/ be cause of vnbeleve. Cijf Hi). Cljaptcr. T ET vs feare therfore lest eny of vs forsakynge the promes -^ of entrynge into his rest / shulde seme to come behinde. For vnto vs was it declared/ as wele as vnto them. But hit proffited not them that tiiey herde the worde / be cause they which herde it coupled it not with fayth. we which have beleved/ do enter into his rest/ as contrary wyse he sayde to the wother : as I have sworne in my wrath/ they shall not enter into my rest, and that spake he verely longe after that the workes were made/ from the fundacion off the worlde layde : For he spake in a certayne place of the seventh daye/ on this wyse: And god did rest the seventh daye from all his workes. And in this place agayne : They shall not come into my rest, Seynge therfore it foloweth that some muste enter there into/ and they to whom it was fyrst preached/ entred not therin for vnbeleves sake. Agayne he apoynteth in David a certayne present daye after so longe a tyme/ sayinge as it is rehearsed : this daye if ye heare his voyce/ be not harde herted. For if Josue had geven them rest/ then wolde he not afterwarde have spoken of another daye. There remayneth therfore yet a rest vnto the people of god. For he that is entred into his rest doth cease from his awne workes/ as god did from his. Let vs study therfore to entre into that rest/ lest eny man faule into soche an ensample off vnbelefe : for the worde off god is quycke/ and myghty in operacion/ and sharper then eny two edged swearde: and entreth through/ even vnto the dividynge a sender of the soule and the sprete and of the ioyntes/ and the mary : and iudgeth the thoughtes and the intentes off the herte. Nether is there eny creature invisible in the sight ofi'hit : but all thynges are naked and bare vnto the eyes off hym/ off whom we speake. €\)t b. Ci^apter. ^EYNGE then thatt we have a grett hye prest whych hath ^^ entred heven (I mean Jesus the sonne off God) lett vs kepe oure profession. For we have nott an hye prest/ which cannot dTo. cycij. €i)t ©ptetic off 3Paul bnto tj^c f^fbruesi. have compassion on oure infirmities : butt was in all poyntes tempted/ in lyke manner: but yett with out synne. Let vs therfore goo boldely vnto the seate of grace/ that we maye receave mercy/ and fynde grace to helpe in tyme of nede. For every hye prest that is taken from amonge men / is ordeyned for men/ in thinges pertaynynge to god: to ofter gyftes and sacryfyses for synnes : which can have compassion on the igno- raunt/ and on them that are out oft' the hye waye/ be cause that he hym silfe also is compased with infirmitie : For the which infirmities sake/ he is bounde to offer for synnes/ as wele for hys awne parte/ as for the peoples. No man taketh honour vnto hym silfe/ but he that is called off God/ as was Aaron. even so lyke wyse Christ honored not hym silfe/ that he myght be the hye prest : butt he gloryfyed hym that sayde vnto hym : thou arte my sonne/ this daye begat I the. As he also in a nother place speaketh : Thou arte a prest for ever after the order of Melchisedech. Which in the dayes of his flesshe/ did oflPer vppe prayers and supplicacions/ with stronge cryingeand teares/ vnto hym that was able to save hym from deeth : and was also herde/ be cause he had God in reverence. And though he were goddes sonne/ yet learned he obedience/ by tho thynges whicli he sufl^ered/ and was made parfaite/ and the cause off eternall health vnto all them that obey hym : and is called of God the hye prest / after the order of Melchisedech. Wherof have we many thynges to saye which are harde to be vttred : be cause ye are dull off hearinge. For when as con- cerninge the tyme/ ye ought to be teachers/ yet have ye nede agayne that we teache you the fyrst principles of the worde of god : and are be come soche as have nede off'mylke/ and not of stronge meate : For every man that is feed with mylke is inexpert in the worde of rightewesnes : For he is but a babe. But stronge meate belongeth to them thatt are parfect/ which thorowe custome have their wittes exercised / to iudge both good and evyll also. €:i)f bt. Cljaptcv. "V17"HERF0RE let vs leave the doctryne pertaynynge to the begynnynge of a Christen man / and let vs go vnto perfec- cion/ and nowe no more laye the foundacion of repentaunce from deed workes/ and of fayth towarde god/ ofFbaptim / of doctryne/ and of layinge on of hondes/ and of resurreccion from deeth/ and of etei'nall iudgment. And so will we do/ yf god permitt. CI)f (J!Fpi£itlc off ^aul &nto t\)t ^thvxiti. €i). bij. For it is nott possible that tliey/ which were once lyg;hted/ and have tasted of the hcvenly g'yft/ and are be come part takers of tlie holy goost/ and have tasted of the good worde of god/ and oft' the power off* the worlde to come : yf they faule/ shulde be renued agayne vnto repentaunce : For as moche as they have (as concernynge them selves) crucified the sonne of god a fresshe/ makynge a mocke of hym. For that erth which drynketh in the rayne which commeth ofte apon it / and bryngeth forth erbes mete for them that dresse it/ receaveth blessynge of god : but that grounde/ which bsareth thornes and bryars/ is reproved/ and is nye vnto cursynge : whose ende is to be burned. Neverthelesse dears frendes/ we trust to se better of you/ and thynges whych a company helth/ though we thus speake. For god is not vnrighteous that he shulde forget youre worke/ and laboure that procedeth of love/ which love ye shewed in his name/ which have ministred vnto the saynctes/ and yett minister. Yee/ and wedesyre that every one off" you shewe the same diligence/ to the encreace off" the fayth/ even vnto the ende : that ye faynt not/ but counterfayte them/ which thorow fayth and pacience inheret the promyses. For when god made promes to Abraham/ be cause he had no gretter thinge to sweare by : he sware by hym silfe/ sayinge : Surely I will blesse the/ and multiply the in dede. And so after that he had taryed a longe tyme/ hs enioyed the promes. Men verely sweare by hym that is greater then them selves/ And an othe to confyrme the thynge/ ys amonge them an ende of all stryfe. So god willynge very aboundantly to shewe vnto the heyres of promes/ the stablenes of his counsayle/ he added an othe/ that by two immutable thynges (in which it was vnpossible that god shulde lye) we myght have parfect consolacion/ which have fled/ forto holde fast the hope that is set forth before oure faces/ which hope we have as an ancre oft" the soule/ both sure and stedfast. Which hope also entreth in/ into tho thyuges which are with in the vayle/ whither the fore runner is for vs entred in/ I mean Jesus that is made an hye prest forever/ after tb.e order of Melchisedech. Ci)e bij. Cijapttr. ^HIS Melchisedech kynge of Salem (which beinge prest of the ■ most hye god/ met Abraham/ as he returned agayne from the slaughter of the kynges/ and blessed iiim/ to whom also Abraham gave tythes of all thynges) first is by interpretacion dTo. cycii). €ift (Bpiitlt off ^an\ bnto tijc ^cbtuti. kynge of rightewesnes / after that kynge of Salem/ that is to saye kynge of peace/ with out father/ with out mother/ with out kynne/ and hath nether begynnynge of his tyme/ nether yet ende of his lyfe : but is lykened vnto the sonne off god/ and remayneth a prest for ever. Consyder what a man this was/ vnto whom the patriarke Abraham gave tythes off the spoyles. And verely those childdren off levy/ which receave the office of the prestes/ have a com- maundement to take a cordynge to the lawe/ tythes of the people/ that is to saye/ of their brethren/ yee though they spronge out of the loynes of Abraham. But he whose kynred is not counted amonge them/ receaved tythes of Abraham/ and blessed him that had the promyses. and no man denyeth but that which is lesse/ receaveth blessinge of that which is gretter. And here men that deye receave tythes. Butt there he receaveth tythes of whom it is witnessed/ that he liveth. And to saye the trueth / Levy hym silfe which receaveth tythes/ payed tythes in Abraham. For he was yet in the loynes of his father Abraham/ when Melchisedech met hym. Yf nowe therfore perfeccion cam by the presthod of the levites (for vnder that presthod the people receaved the lawe) what neded it further more that another prest shulde ryse/ after the order of Melchisedech / and nott after the order off Aaron ? Nowe no dout/ yf the presthod be translated/ then of necessitie must the lawe be translated also. For he of whom these thynges are spoken / pertayneth vntill a nother trybe/ off which/ never man served at the aultre. For 'it is evident that oure lorde spronge of the trybe of Juda/ of which trybe spake Moses no thynge as concerninge presthod. And it is yet a more evident thinge / yf after the similitude of Melchisedech there aryse a nother prest/ which is not made after the lawe of the carnall commaundment : but after the power of the endlesse lyfe. For he testifyeth : Thou arte a prest for ever/ after the order of Melchisedech. Then the com- maundment that went a fore/ is disanuUed/ be cause of his weaknes and vnproffitablenes. For the lawe made no thynge parfect : butt was an introduCcion of a better hope/ by which hope/ we drawe nye vnto god. And for this cause itt is a better hope/ that it was not pro- mysed with out an othe. Those prestes were made with out an oth : butt this prest with an oth/ by hym that sayde vnto hym : The lorde sware/ and will not repent: Thou arte a prest for Ci)f atfiitlt of %i\x\ ftnto tljr ^fbrueg. €\). bit). ever after tlie order of Melchisedech : and for tlmt cause was Jesus a stablysslier olf a better testament. And amonge them many were made prestes/ be cause tliey were not sufFred to endure by the reason of deeth. Butt this man f be cause he endureth ever/ hath an everlastynge prest- hod : Wherfore he is able also ever to save them that come vnto God by hym/ seynge he ever liveth/ to make intercession for vs. Soche an hye prest it becommeth vs to have/ which is wholy/ harmlesse/ vndefiled/ separat from synners/ and made hyar then hevens. Which nedeth not dayly (as yonder hie prestes) to offer vppe sacrifice/ fyrst for his awne synnes/ and then for the peoples synnes. For that did he at once for all / when lie offered vppe hym silfe : For the lawe maketh men prestes/ which have infirmitie : but the worde of the oth that cam sence the lawe/ maketh the sonne prest/ which isparfect forever more. Wi)t hiij. Cijapttr. /^F the thynges which we have spoken/ this is the pyth : ^^ That we have soche an hye preste that is sitten on the right honde of the seate of maiestie in heven/ and is a minister of wholy thynges/ and of the very tabernacle/ whiche God pyght/ and not man. For every hye prest is ordeyned to offer gyftes and sacryfises/ wherfore it is of necessitie/ that this man have some what also to offer. For he wernot a preste/ yf he were on the erth where are prestes that acordynge to the lawe offer giftes/ which prestes serve vnto the ensample and shadowe of hevenly thynges : even as the answer off God was geven vnto Moses when he was about to fynnishe the tabernacle : For take liede (sayde he) that thou make all thynges accordynge to the patrone shewed to the in the mount. Novve hath he obtayned a more excellent office/ in as moche as he is the mediator off a better testament/ which was made for better promyses. For yff that fyrst testament had bene soche a won that no man coulde have founde fault with it : then shulde no place have bene sought for the seconde. For in rebukynge them he sayth : Beholde the dayes will come (sayth the lorde) and I will fynnyshe apon the housse off Israhel/ and apon the housse off Juda/ a newe testament/ not lyke the tes- tament that I made with their fathers at that tyme/ when I toke them by the hondes/ to ledde them out off the londe off Egipte/ for they continued nott in my testament/ and I regarded them not sayth the lorde. dTo. fVftttj. Ci)f 3£pidtlf of |3aiil bnto tijc f^tbruts-. For this is the testament that I will make for the housse oft' Israhell : Afl\er those dayes (sayth the lorde) I will put my lawes in their myndes/ and in their hertes/ I will wryte them/ and I wilbe their God/ and they shalbe my people. And they shall not teache/ every man his neghboure/ and every man his brother/ sayinge : knowe the lorde: For they shall a knowe me/ from the lest to the moste off them : For I wilbe mercifull over their iniquyties : and on their synnes and on their vnrigh- tewesnes/ will I not thynke eny more. In that he sayth a newe testament/ he hath abrogat the olde. Nowe that which is dis- anulled and wexed olde/ is redy to vannysshe a waye. m)t ir. Cijaptn-. ^T^HAT fyrst tabernacle verely had iustifyinges/ and servynges off god/ and wordly holynes. For that fyrst tabernacle was made/ wherin was the candlesticke / and the table/ and the shewe breed/ which is called wholy. With in the seconde vayle was the tabernacle/ which is called holiest oft' all/ which had the golden senser/ and the arcke oft' the testament overlayde round about with golde / wherin was the golden pot with manna / and Aarons rodde that spronge/ and the tables oft" the testament. Over the arcke were the cherubyns off" glory shadowynge the seate oft' grace. Off" which thynges/ we woU nott nowe speake perticularly. When these thynges were thus ordeyned / the prestes went all wayes into the fyrst tabernacle which excuted the service of god: In to the secounnde went in the hye prest alone/ once every yeare : but not with out bloud / which he offered for hym silfe / and for the ignoraunce of the people : The holy goost this signifyinge/ that the w^aye oft' holy thynges was not yet openned/ whill as yet the fyrst tabernacle was stondynge/ which was a similitude off" this present tyme/ in which gyftes and sacrifises are offered/ which cannot make them that minister parfect/ as pertaynynge to the conscience/ with meates only and drinkes/ and divers wesshynges / and iustifyinges off" the flesshe / which were ordeyned vntyll the tyme off'reformacion. But Christ beynge the hye prest off" good thinges to come/ cam by a gretter/ and a more parfayct tabernacle/ not made with hondes: that is to saye/ not of this maner bildynge/ nether by the bloud of gotes/ and caulves : but by his owne bloud/ he entred once for all into the wholy place/ and founde eternall redempcion. For yf the bloud of oxen/ and off" Gotes/ and the ^'ifc ffipi^tlf of ^atil tjnto tije fecbrut^. CIj. y. usshes off an lieyfer/ when it was sprynckled/ puryfied the vn- clene/ as touchynge the purifiynge of the flesshe : Howe moche more shall the bloud of Christ (which thorowethe eternall sprete/ offered hym silfe with out spot to God) pourdge oure consciences from deed workes/ for to serve the hvynge god ? And for this cause is he the mediator off the newe testament / that as sone (as his deeth was fulfilled for the redempcion of those transgressions that were in the fyrst testament) they which were called/ myght receave the promes off eternall inheritaunce. For whersoever is a testament/ there must also be the deeth of hym that maketh the testament. For the testament taketh auctoritie when men are deed : For it is of no value as longe as he that made it is a live. For which cause also/ nether that fyrst testament was ordeyned with out bloud. For when all the commaundementes were redde of Moses vnto all the people/ he toke the bloud of calves/ and of Gotes/ whith water and purple woll and ysope/ and sprynkled both the boke and all the people/ sayinge this is the bloud off the testament/ which God hath apoynted vnto you. Moreover/ he sprenkled the taber- nacle with bloud also/ and all the ministrynge vessels. And almost all thynges/ accordynge to the lawe/ ar clensed with bloud/ and with out effusion of blond/ is no remission. Hit is then nede that the similitudes of hevenly thynges/ be purified with soche thynges : but the hevenly thynges them selves are purified with better sacrifices then are these. For Christ is not entred into the holy places/ that are made wit hondes/ which are but similitudes off true thynges : but is entred into very heven / for to apere nowe in the syght of God for vs. Not to offer hym silfe often/ as the hye prest entreth in to the holy place every yeare with straunge bloud : for then must he have often suffered sence the worlde began : Biitt nowe in the ende oft' the worlde/ hath he apered once for all/ to put synne to flyght/ by the offerynge vppe off hym silfe. And as it is apoynted vnto men that they shall once deye/ and then commeth the iudgement/ even so Christ was once offered to take a waye the synnes of many/ and vnto them that loke for hym/ shall he apeare agayne/ with out synne vnto their health. CIjc y. €i)aptcv. T^OR the lawe which hath but the shadewe of goode thynges to come / and not the thynges in their owne fassion / can never with the sacryfiscs whiche they ofler yeare by yeare con- c c 2 dTo. cycb. €l)t ©pintle of Bnul bnto tl^c f^tbruc^. tinually make the commers there vnto parfayte. For wolde not then those sacrifises have ceased to have bene offered? be cause that the offerers once pourged/ shidde have hadde no moare consciences of sinnes. Neverthelesse in thos sacrifises is there mencion made of synnes every yeare. For it is vnpossible that the bloud of oxen/ and oft" gotes shulde take awaye synnes. Wherfore when he commetli into theworlde/ he sayth : Sacri- fice and offeringe thou woldest not have : but a bodie hast thou ordeyned me/ holocaustes and sacrifice for synne thou hast not alowed. Then I sayde : Lo I come/ In the begynnynge off" the boke is it written of me/ that I shulde fulfill thy will/ o god. Above when he sayth sacrifice/ and offerynge/ and holocaustes/ and sacrifyce for synne/ thou woldest not have/ nether hast alowed (which are offered by the lawe) then he sayde : Lo I am redy to do thy will o god he taketh awaye the fyrst to stablisshe the latter By the which will we are sanctified/ by the offerynge of the body of Jesu Christe once for all. And every prest is redy dayly ministrynge/ and ofte tymes offereth one maner of offerynge/ which can never take awaye synnes : but this man after he had offered one sacrifyce for synnes/ sat hym doune for ever on the right honde of god/ and from hence forth tarieth till his foes be made his fote stole. For with one offerynge hath he made parfect for ever them that are sanctified. And the holy goost also beareth vs recorde off this/ even when he tolde before : This is the testament that I will make vnto them after those dayes sayth the lorde. And I will put my lawes in their hertes/ and in their myndes I will write them/ and their synnes and iniquyties will I remember no moare. And where remission of these thynges is/ there is no moare offer- ynge for synne. Seynge brethren that by the meanes off the bloud of Jesu/ we maye be bolde to enter into that holy place / by the nevve and livynge waye/ which he hath prepared for vs/ through thevayle/ that is to saye by his flesshe. And seynge also that we have an hye prest which ruler over the housse of god/ let vs drawe nye with a true herte in a full fayth sprynckled in oure hertes/ from an evyll conscience/ and wesshed in oure bodies with pure water/ and let vs kepe the profession of oure hope/ with oute waveringe (for he is faythfuU that promysed) and let vs consyder one an- other to provoke vnto love / and to good workes : and lett vs not forsake the felishippe thatt we have a monge oure selves/ as the maner of some is : but let vs exhorte one another / and that so moche the moare/ be cause ye se that the daye draweth nye. €l)t epistle of ^aul buto tlje ?^fbiucg. €i). y). For yff we synne willyngly after that we have receaved the knowledge off the trueth/ there remayneth no more sacrifice for synnes : but a feart'ull lokynge for iudgement/ and violent fyre^ which shall devoure the adversaries. He that despiseth Moses lawe/ dyeth without mercy vnder two or thre witnesses. Off howe moche sorer punnyshment suppose ye shall he be counted worthy/ which treadeth vnder fote the sonne of god : and count- eth the bloud off the testament as an vnholy thynge/ wherwith he was sanctified / and doth dishonoure to the sprete off grace. For we knowehym that hath sayde/ vengeaunce belongeth vnto me/ I will recompence sayth the loi'de And agayne : the lorde shall iudge his people. Hit is a fearfull thynge to faule into the liondes off the livynge God. Call to remembraunce the dayes that are passed in the which / after ye receaved light/ ye abode a grette fyght in adversities/ partly whill all men wondred and gased at you for the shame and tribulacion thatt was done vnto you/ and partly whill ye becam companyons of them which so passed their tyme. For ye suffered also with my bondes/ and toke a worth the spoylynge off youre goodes/ and that with gladnes/ remembrynge in youre selves howe that ye had in heven a better/ and an enduerynge substaunce. Cast not awaye therfore youre confydence/ which hath grett rewarde to recompence. For ye have nede of pacience/ that after ye have done the will of god/ ye myght re- ceave the promes. For yet a very lytell whyle/ and he thatt shall come will come / and will not tary : But the iust shall live by faith. And yf he withdrawe hym silfe/ my soule shall have no pleasure in hym. We are not whiche with drawe oure selves vnto dampnacion / butt partayne to fayth / forto wynne oure soules. Ci)e Vh Cljaptcr. Tj^AITH is a sure confidence off thynges which are hoped for/ and a certayntie off thynges which are not sene. By it the elders were well reported off. Thorowe fayth we vnderstonde that the worlde was ordeyned / by the worde off god : That by the mencs of thynges whych apeare/ thynges whych are invisyble myghte be knowen. By fayth Abell offered vnto god a more plenteous sacrifice then Cayn : by which / he obteyned witnes that he was righteous/ God testifyinge of his gyftes : by which also he beynge deed / yet speaketli. By fayth was Enoch translated that he shulde not se deeth : nether was he fouade : for god had taken hym awaye. Before dFo. cycii). €i)t (JEpt^tlc of ^Paitl bnto ti)e S>el)nicg. he was taken awaye/ he obtayned reccorde/ that he had pleased god : but with out faith it is vnpossible to please him. For he that commeth to god/ must beleve that god is/ and that he is a rewarder of them that seke him. By fayth Noe honored god/ after that he was warned of thinges which were not sene/ and prepared the arcke to the savinge of his houssholde/ throwe the which arcke/ he con- dempned the worlde / and be cam heyre of the rightewesnes which commeth by fayth. By fayth Abraham / when he was called obeyed to goo out into a place/ which he shulde afterwarde receave to enheritaunce / and he went out/ not knowynge whether he shulde goo. By fayth he removed into the londe that was promysed him / as into a straunge countre/ and dwelt in tabernacles : and so did Ysaac/ and Jacob/ heyres with him of the same promes. For he loked for a citie havynge a foundacion/ whose bylder and maker is god. Thorow fayth Sara also receaved strengthe to be with childe/ and was delivered of a childe when she was past age/ be cause she iudgeg him faythfull which had promysed. And therfore spronge there of one (and of one which was as good as deed) so many in multitude/ as the starres of the skye/ and as the sonde of the see shore which is in numerable. And they all deyed in fayth/ and receaved not the promyses : but sawe them a farre of/ and beleved them/ and saluted them ; and confessed that they were straungers and pilgrems on the erthe. They that saye soche thynges / declare that they seke a countre. Also yf they had bene myndfuU of that countre/ from whence they cam/ they had leasure to have returned agayne. Butt nowe they desyre a better/ that is to saye a celestiall. Wherfore god is not a shamed of them/ even to be called their god : for he hath prepared for them a citie. In fayth Abraham offered vppe Ysaac/ when he was tempted / and he offered hym beynge hys only sonne/ in whom he had receaved the promyses : Of whom it was sayde/ In Ysaac shall thy seed be called : for he considered / that God was able to rayse vppe agayne from deeth. Wherfore receaved he him / as an ensample of the resurreccion. In fayth Ysaac blessed Jacob and Esau / as concernynge thynges to come. By fayth Jacob when he was a deyinge/ blessed both the sonnes of Joseph/ and worshipped on the toppe of his ceptre. By fayth Joseph when he deyed / remembred the departynge of the children of Israhel / and gave commaundement of his bones. By fayth Moses when he was borne/ was hid thre monethes €\)t (JBpi^tlc of J^ml bnto tl;c f^cbrufS. CI), yi). of his father and mother/ be cause they sawe he was a proper childe : nether feared they the kynges commaiindement. By fayth Moses when he was of a gret age/ refused to be called the sonne of Pharaos doughter/ and chose rather to sufFre adversitie with the people of god/ then to enioye the pleasurs ofF synne for a ceason / and estemed the rebuke off Christ gretter then ryches/ then the treasure of Egipt. For he had a respecte vnto the rewarde. By fayth he forsoke Egipt/ and feared not the fearcenes of the kynge. For he endured/ even as he had sene hym which is in- visible. Thorowe fayth he ordeyned the ester lambe/ and the effusion of blud/ lest he that destroyed the fyrst borne shulde touche them. By fayth they passed thorowe the reed see as by drey londe/ which when the egipcians had esayed to do/ they were drouned. By fayth the walles of Jerico fell doune after they were com- pased a boute/ seven dayes. By fayth the harlot Raab perisshed not with them that beleved nott/ after she had receaved the spyes to lodgynge peasably. And what shall I more saye/ the tymewold be to short forme to tell of Gedeon/ oft' Barach/ and of Samson/ and of Jepthae. Also of David and Samuel/ and of the prophetes/ which thorowe fayth subdued kyngdoms/ wrought righteousnes/ obteyned the promyses/ stopped the mouthes of Lyons/ quenched the violence of fyre/ escaped the edge oft' the swearde/ off" vveake were made stronge/ wexed valiant in fyght/ turned to flyght the armees of the alientes. The wemen receaved their deed to lyfe agayne. Wother were racked/ and wolde not be delivered/ thatt they myght receave a better resurreccion. Wother tasted off mock- ynges/ and scourgynges/ moreover off bondes and presonment : were stoned/ were heawen a sunder/ were tempted/ were slayne with sweardes/ walked vppe and doune in shepes skynnes/ in gotes skynnes/ in nede/ tribulacion/ and vexacion/ which the worlde was not worthy of: They wandred in wildernes/ in mountaynes/ in dens and caves of the erth. And these all thorowe fayth obtayned good reporte / and re- ceaved not the promes/ god providynge a better thynge for vs/ that they with out vs shulde not be made parfect. CI)e yi). Cijaptcv. ^^s also (seynge that ide of witnesses) la^ seth vs doune/ and the sinne that hangeth on vs/ and let vs Xl/'HERFORE lettvs also (seynge that we are compased with so gret a multitude of witnesses) laye a waye all that pre- dfo. cychi]. €\)t (Ept^tlc of 33atil bnto ti)c ?^cl)nu^. runue with pacience/ vnto tlie battayle that is set before vs/ lokynge vnto Jesus/ the auctor and fynnyssher of oure fayth / which for the ioye that was set before hym/ abode the crosse/ and despysed the shame / and is sett doune on the right honde off the trone off God, Consider therfore howe that he endured suche speakinge agaynst liym of sinners/ lest ye shulde be weried and faynte in youre myndes. For ye have not resisted vnto bloud sheddynge/ stryvynge agaynst sinne. And ye have forgotten the consolacion which speaketh vnto you/ as vnto chil- dren : My Sonne despyse nott the chastenynge of the lorde / nether faynte when thou arte rebuked of hym : For whom the lorde loveth / hym he chasteneth : yee / and he scourgeth every Sonne that he receaveth. Yf ye shall endure chastnynge / god ofFereth him silfe vnto you/ as vnto sonnes. What sonne is that whom the father chasteneth not ? Yf ye be not vnder correccion (where of all are part takers) then are ye bestardes and not sonnes. Moreover seynge we had fathers of oure flesshe which corrected vs/ and we gave them reverence : shall nott we moche rather be in sub- ieccion vnto the father of spretuall gyftes and shall live ? And they verely for a feave dayes/ nurtred vs after their awne plea- sure : but he learneth vs vnto that Avhich is proffitable / that we myght receave off his holines. No manner learnynge for the present tyme semeth to be ioyeous / but greveous : neverthe- lesse afterwarde it bryngeth the quyet frute off rightewesnes vnto them which there in are exercysed. Stretch forthe therfore agayne the hondes which were let doune/ and the weake knees/ and se that ye have strayght steppes vnto youre fete /lest eny haltinge turne out of the waye: yee/ let hit rather be healed. Embrace peace with all men/ and wholynes : with out the which/ no man shall se the lorde. And se that no man be destitute of the grace of god/ lest eny rote of bitternes springe vppe and trouble : and therby many be de- filed. That there be no fornicator/ or vnclene person/ as Esau/ which for one breakfast solde his right that belonged vnto him/ in that he was the eldest brother. Ye knowe howe that after- warde when that he wolde have inherited the blessynge/ he was put by. His repentaunce founde no grace/ no though he de- syred that blessynge with teares. For ye are not come vnto the mounte that is touched/ and vnto burninge fyre/ nor yet to myst and darcknes and tempest of wedder/ nether vnto the sounde of a trompe and the voyce of wordes : which voyce they that herde it/ wisshed awaye/ that the communicacion shulde not be spoken to them. For they Cijf (^Bpisitlc of iSaul buto tlje f^cbvucji. €i). yiij. were not able to abyde that wliich was spoken. Yf a beast had touched the mountayne/ hit muste have bene stoned/ or thrust thorowe with a darte : even so terreble was the sight which apered. Moses sayde I feare and quake. But ye are come vnto the mounte Sion/ and to the citie off the hvynge god/ the celes- tiall Jerusalem : and to an innumerable sight of angels/ and vnto the congregacion of the fyrst borne sonnes/ which are written in heven/ and to god the iudge of all/ and to the spretes of Just and parfect men/ and to Jesus the mediator of the newe testa- ment/ and to the spryncklynge of bloud that speaketh better then the bloud of Abell. Se that ye despyse not him that speaketh. For yf they escaped not which refused him that spake on erth : Moche more shall we not escape/ yf we tui'ne awaye from him that speaketh from heven : whose voyce then shake the erth/ and nowe declareth sayinge : yet once more will I shake/ not the erth only/ but also heven. No dout that same that he sayth/ yet once more/ signifieth the removynge a waye of those thynges which are shaken/ as off thynges which have ended their course: thatt the thinges which are not shaken maye remayne. Wherfore if we receave the kyngdom which is not moved/ we have grace/ wherby we maye serve god and please hyni with reverence and godly feare. For oure god is consumynge fyre. Ci^e liij. CI;aptcr. T ET brotherly love continue, be not forgetfull to be kynde to straungers. For thereby have dyvers receaved angels into their houses vnwares. Remember them that are in bondes/ even as though ye were bounde with them. Be myndfull of them which are in adversitie/ as ye which are yet in youre bodies. Let wedlocke be had in pryce inall poyntes/ and let the chamber be vndefiled : for whore kepers/ and advoutrars god will iudge. Let youre conversacion be with outcoveteousnes/ and be content with that ye have allredy. For he verely said : I will not fayle the/ nether for sake the : that we maye boldly saye : The lorde is my helper/ and 1 will nott feare what man doeth vnto me. Remember them which have the oversight of you/ which have declared vnto you tlie worde of god: consider the conversacion oft' their livyngc/ and counterfet their fayth. Jesus Christ yesterdaye and todaye/and the same continueth for ever. Be not caryed bidder and thydder with divers and straunge learnynge. For it is a good thingc that the herte be dTo. cycbiij. Cije (iBpijitle of Paul bnto ti)f ^tfaruc^. stablisshed with grace/ and not with meates/ which have not proffeted them that have had their pastyme in them. We have an auhre wherof they maye nott eate which serve in the taber- nacle. For the bodies of those beastes (whose bloud is brought into the holy place by the hie prest to pourge sinne) are bournt with out the tentes. Therfore Jesus/ to sanctifyethe peple with his awne bloud/ suffered with out the gate. Let vs goo forth therfore out of the tentes/ and suffer rebuke with him. For here have we no continuynge citie : but we seke a cite to come. For by him offer we the sacrifice of laude all wayes to god : that is to saye the frute of those lyppes/ which confesse his name. To do goode/ and to distribute forget not/ for with suche sacri- fises god is pleased. O beye them that have the oversight of you/ and submit youre selves to them/ for they watche for youre soules/ even as though they shulde geve a coraptes for them : that they maye do it with ioye/ and not with grefe. For that is an vnproffitable thynge for you. Praye for vs. We have con- fidence be cause we have a good conscience in all thynges/ and desyre to live honestly. I desire you therfore somwhat the moare haboundantly / that ye so do/ that I maye be restored to you quycly. The god of peace that brought agayne from deeth oure iorde Jesus Christ / the gret shepherde of the shepe/ thorowe the bloud of the everlastynge testament/ make you pai'fet in all workes/ to do his will/ and brynge to passe/ that whatsoever ye do/ maye be accepted in his sight/ by the meanes of Jesus Christ. To whom be prayse for ever whill the worlde endureth Amen. I beseche you brethren / suffre the wordes of exhortacion : For we have written vnto you in feawe wordes. Knowe the brother Timothe / whom we have sent from vs / with whom (yf he come shortly) I will se you. Salute them that have the oversight of you / and all the saynctes. They off Italy/ salute you. Grace be with you all Amen. Sent from Italy by Timotheus. ^i^tle off ^. 3nmt^. M|Mi£^ the seruaunt ofF God/ and ofF the lorde Jesus Christ/ sendeth gretynge to the xij. trybes which are scattered here and there. My brethren / count it excedynge ioye when ye faule into divers temptacions/ remembrynge howe that the tryinge off youre fayth bringeth paci- ence : and let pacience have her parfect worke / that ye maye be parfect and sounde/ that no- thynge be lackynge vnto you. Yff eny that is amonge you lake wisdom / let hym axe off God (which geveth to all men with outendoublenes/ and casteth no man in the teth) and it shalbe geven hym : but let hym axe in faythe/ and waver not. For he that douteth is lyke the waves off the see/ tost off the wynde/ and caried with violence. Nether let that man thynke that he shall receave eny thynge off God. A waverynge mynded man is vnstable in all his wayes. Let the brother off lowe degre reioyce in that he is exalted / and the ryche in that he is made lowe. For even as the flower off the grasse shall he vanysshe awaye : The Sonne is rysen with heate/ and the grasse is widdered/and his flower is faulen awaye/ and the beautie off the fassion off it is perisshed: even so shall the riche man perisshe in his aboundance. Happy is the man that endureth in temptacion / for when he is tryed he shall receave the croune of lyfe/ which the lorde hath prepared for them that love hym. Let no man saye when he is tempted that he is tempted of god : for god tempteth not vnto evyll : he tempteth no man : dFo. cycir. €i)s (JBpt^tlc of ^. SJamcsf. But every man is tempted drawne a waye/ and entysed of his awne concupiscence. Then when lust hath conceaved/ she bryngeth forth synne/ and synne when it is fynnisshed bryngeth forthe deeth. Erre not my deare brethren. Every good gyfte/ and every parfait gyft/ is from above and commeth doune from the father oft' light/ with whom is no variablenes/ nether is he chaunged vnto darknes. Of his awne will begat he vs with the worde off lyfe/ that we shulde be the fyrst of his creatures, Wherfore deare brethren/ let every man be swyfte to heare/ slowe to speake/ and slowe to wrathe. For the wrathe off" man worketh not that which is righteous before God. Wherfore laye a parte ail filthynes/ all superfluite off mali- ciousnes/ and receve with meknes the worde that is grafted in you / which is able to save youre soules : And se that ye be doares of the worde and not hearesonly/ deceavinge youre owne selves. For yft"a man heare the worde/ and do it not/ he is lyke vnto a man that beholdeth his boddyly face in a glasse. For as sone as he hath loked on hym silfe / he goeth his waye/ and hath imme- diatly forgotten what his fassion was : but whosoever loketh in the parfait lawe oft'libertie/ and continueth there in (yf he benot a forgettfuU hearer/ but a doar off the worke) he shalbe happi in his dede. Yft'eny man amonge you seme devoute/ and refrayne not his tonge : but deceave his owne herte / this mannes devocion is in vayne. Pure devocion and undefiled before God the father/ is this: To vysit the frendlesse/ and widdowes in their adversite / and to kepe hym silfe vnspotted from the worlde. €\)t i). €i)nptcr. B' [RETHREN have not the fayth of oure lorde Jesus Christ the lorde off" glory in respecte off" persons. Yff" there come into youre company a man with a golden rynge/ and in goodly apar- rell and there come in also a poore man in vyle rayment/ and ye have a respecte to hym that weareth the gaye clothynge and saye vnto hym : Sit thou here in a goode place : and saye vnto the povre / stonde thou there/ or sit here vnder my fote stole: are ye not even parciall in youre selves/ and have iudged after evyll thoughtes? Harken my deare beloved brethren / hath not God chosen the povre off this worlde / which are ryche in fayth/ and hey res off" the kyngdom/ which he promysed to them that love hym? But €ift (SEpi^tle of ^. ^mxtS. Ci). ii). ye have despised the povie. Are not the ryche they which oppresse you : and they which drawe you before iudges ? Do not tliey speake evyll of that good name that is called on over you ? Yf ye fulfill the royall lawe accordynge to the scripture which sayth : Thou shalt love thyne neghbour as thy silfe/ ye do wele : but yf ye regarde one person more then another/ ye commit synne/ and are rebuked off the lawe as transgressours. Who- soever shall kepe the whole lawe a and yet fayle in one poynt/ he is gyltie in all. For the that sayde : Thou shalt not commit for- nicacion/ sayde also : thou shalt not kyll. Though thou shallt do no fornicacion/ yet yfFthou kill/ thou arte a transgresser off the lawe. So speake ye/ and so do as they that shalbe iudged by the lawe off libertie. For there shalbe iudgment merciles to hym that sheweth no mercy / and mercy reioyseth agaynst iudgement : What avayleth it my brethren/ though a man saye he hath fayth/ when he hath no dedes? Can fayth save hym? Yff a brother or a sister be naked or destitute off dayly fode/ and one of you saye vnto them : Departe in peace/ God sende you warm- nes and fode : not withstondynge ye geve them not tho thynges which are nedfull to the body: what helpeth it them ? Even so fayth / yf it have no dedes is deed in hit silfe. But one shall saye/ Thou hast fayth/ and I have dedes: Shewe me thy fayth by thy dedes : and I will shewe the my fayth by my dedes. Belevest thou that there is one god ? Thou doest wele. The devyls also beleve and tremble. Wilt thou vnderstonde o thou vayne man / that fayth with out dedes is deed? Was not Abraham oure father iustifyed off his dedes when he offered Ysaac his sonne apon the aultre ? Thou seyst howe that fayth wroght in his dedes/ and through the dedes was the fayth made parfet. And the scripture was fulfilled which sayth: Abraham beleved god/ and it was reputed vnto hym for rightewesnes : and he was called the frende off God. Ye se then howe that off dedes a man is iustified/ and nott off fayth only. Lyke wyse also was nott Raab the harlot iustifyed when she re- ceaved the messengers/ and sent them out a nother waye? For as the body/ with out the sprete is deed/ even so fayth with out dedes is deed. €i)t it). Cijaptcr. ly/TY brethren/ be not every man a master/ Remembrynge howe that we shall receave the more damnacion. For in many dTo. cc. €fft (J^pistlt of ^. S^ameg. thynges we synne all. YfF a man synne not in worde/ he is a parfect man and able to tame all the body. Beholde we put bittes into the horses mouthes that they shulde obeye vs/ and we turne aboute all the body. Beholde also the shippes/ which though they be so gret/ and are dryven oiFfearce windes/ yet are they turned about with a very smale helme/ whither soever the violence off the governes woll : even so the tonge is a littell member and bosteth grett thynges. Beholde howe gret a thynge a litell fyre kyndleth/ and the tonge is fyre/ and worlde off wickednes. So is the tonge set among oure members / that it defileth the whole body / and setteth a fyre all that we have off nature/ and is it silfe sett a fyre/ even off hell. All the natures off beastes/ and off byrdes/ and off serpentes/ and thynges of the see/ ar meked and tamed off the nature off man. But the tonge can nonian tame. Yt is an vnruely evyll full of deedly poyson. Therwitli blesse we God the father/ and therwith cursse we men which are made vnto the similitude off God. Out off one mought proceadeth bessynge and cursynge. My brethren these thynges ought not soo to be. Doth a ifoun- tayne sende forth at one place swete water/ and bytter also? Can the fygge tree/ my brethren/ beare olive berries: other a vyne beare fygges ? So can no fountayne geve bothe salt water and fresshe also. Who ys wyse and endued with learnynge amonge you ? Let hym shewe the workes of his good conversa- cion in meknes that ys coupled wyth wisdom. Ytf ye have bitter envyinge amonge you/ and stryfe in youre hertes/ reioyce not: nether be lyars agaynst the trueth. This wisdom descendeth not from above: but is erthy/ and naturall/ and divlysshe : For where envyinge and stryfe is/ there is vnsta- blenes/ and all manner of evyll workes : but the wisdom that is from above/ is fyrst pure/ then peasable/ gentle/ and easy tobe entreated/ full of mercy and good frutes/ with out iudgynge/ and with out simulacion: yee/ and the frute of rightewesnes issowen in peace/ of them that kepe peace. Ci)e Hi]. Cl^aptcr. Xj^ROM whence commeth warre/ and fightynge amonge you? come they not here hence? even off youre volupteousnes that rayneth in youre members. Ye lust/ and have not. Ye envie and have indignacion/ and cannot come by it. Ye fight and warre/ and have not/ be cause ye axe not. Ye axe and have not/ €i)t (ifptsltlc of ^. SJamcsf. Cf). &. be cause ye axe a mysse/ forto consume it apon youre volup- teousnes. Ye advoutrars/^ and wemen that breke matrimonie : knowe ye not howe that the frendshippe ofF the worlde is enmitie to god warde? Whosoever wilbe a frende of the worlde/ is made the enemie of god. Do ye suppose that the scripture sayth in vayne : The sprete that dwelleth in you / lusteth even contrary to envie : but geveth more grace. Submit youre selves to god/ and resist the devyll/ and he will flye from you. Drawe neye to god/ and he vrill drawe neye to you. Clense youre hondes ye synners/ and pourdge youre hertes ye waverynge mynded. Suffre affliccions : sorowe ye and v^'epe. Let youre laughter be turned to mornynge/ and youre ioye to hevynes. Cast doune yourselves before the lorde/ and he shall lift you vppe. Backbyte not one another/ brethren. He that backbyteth hys brother/ and he that iudgeth his brother/ backbyteth the lawe/ and iudgeth the lawe : but and if thou iudge the lawe/ ihou art not an observer of the lawe : but a iudge. There is one lawe gever/ which is able to save and to distroye. what art thou that iudgest another man. Go to nowe ye that saye : to daye and to morowe let vs go into soche a citie and continue there a yeare and beye/ and sell/ and wynne : and yet cannot tell what shall happen to morowe. For what thinge is youre lyfe ? hit is even a vapoure that apereth for a lytell tyme/ and then vanyssheth awaye : For that ye ought to saye : yfF the lorde will and yf we live/ let vs do this or thatt. Butt nowe ye reioyce in youre bostynges. All soche reioysynge is evyll. Tiierfore to hym that knoweth howe to do good/ and doth it not/ it is synne. Cijc b. Cljaptcv. G' 00 to nowe ye Ryche men. Wepe/ and howle on youre wretchednes that shall come apon you. Youre ryches is corrupte/ youre garmentes are moth eaten. Youre golde and youre silver are cankred/ and the rust off" them shalbe a witnes vnto you / and shall eate youre flesshe as it were fyre. Ye have heaped treasure togedder in youre last dayes : Beholde the hyer off" the laboures which have reped doune youre feldes (which hyer is of you kept backe by fraude) cryeth : and the cryes off" them which have reped/ are intred into the eares off" the lorde off" Sabaoth. Ye have lived in pleasure on the erth and in wantannes. Ye have norysshed youre hertes/ as in a daye off" slaughter. Ye have condempned and have killed the iuste/ and ho hath not resisted you. dTo. fcj. Ci)c (!Epi£StIc of ^. ^amtS. Be pacient therfore brethren/ vnto the commynge of the lorde. Beholde the husbande man wayteth for the precious frute off the erth/ and hath long pacience there vppon/ vntill he receave the yerly and the latter rayne. Be ye also pacient therfore/ and settle youre hertes/ for the commynge off the lorde draweth neye. Grodge not one agaynst another brethren/ lest ye be dampned. Beholde the iudge stondeth before the dore. Take (my brethren) the prophettes for an ensample of sufterynge adversitie/ and of longe pacience/ which spake in the name of the lorde. Beholde we counte them happy which endure. Ye have herde of the pacience of Job/ and have knowen what ende the lorde made/ For the lorde is very pitiful!/ and mercifull. Butt above all thynges my brethren/ sweare not/ nether by heven/ nether by erth/ nether by eny wother othe. Let youre sayinge be ye ye/ naye/ naye : lest ye faule into ypocrysy. Ys there eny amonge you that is evyll vexed ? let hym praye. Ys there eny man a monge you that is mery? let hym synge psalmes. Ys there eny man deseased a monge you ? Lett hym call for the seniours off the congregacion/ and lett them praye over hym/ and anoynte hym with oyle in the name off the lorde: and the prayer off fayth shall save the sicke/ and the lorde shall rayse hym vppe : and yf he have committed synnes/ they shalbe forge ven hym. Knowledge youre fautes one to another : and praye one for another / that ye maye be healed. The prayer off a ryghteous man -avayleth moche/ yf it be fervent. Helias was a man in daunger to tribulacion as we are/ and he prayed in his prayer/ that it myght not rayne : and it rayned nott on the erth by the space off thre yeares and sixe monethes. And agayne he prayed/ and the heven gave rayne/ and the erth brought forth her frute. Brethren if eny off you erre from the trueth/ and a nother con- vert hym/ let the same knowe/ thatt he whych converted the synner from goynge astraye out of his waye/ shall save a soule from deeth/ and shall hyde the multitude off synnes. The ende of the pistle off Saynct James. Cfte ^isitle off ^anct 3uiia£i, ifVS^^ the servaunt of Jesus Christ/ the brother off James-' To them which are called and sanctified in god the father/ and preserved in Christ Jesus. Mercy on yon/ and peace and love be multiplied. Beloved/ when I gave all diligence to write vnto you off the commen health : itt was ned- full for me to wryte vnto you / to exhorte you / that ye shulde continually labonre in the fayth/ ^^ which was once geven vnto the saynctes. For there are certayne craft ely crepte in/ of which it was written afore tyme vnto soche iudgement/ They are vngodly/ and turne the grace of oure lorde God vnto wantannes/ and denye God the only lorde/ and oure lorde Jesus Christ. My mynde is therfore to put you in remembraunce/ for as moche as ye once knowe this/ howe thatt the lorde (after thatt he had delivered the people out of Egipt) destroyed them which afterwarde beleved not. The angels also/ whicli kept not their fyrst estate : but lefte their owne habilacion/ he hath reserved in everlastynge chaynes vnder darknes vnto the iudgement of the greate daye. even as Zodom/ and Gomor/ and the cities aboute them (which in lyke maner defiled them selves/ with fornicacion / and folowed straunge flesshe) are set forth for an ensample/ and suffre the vengeaunce of eternail fyre, Lykwyse these dremers defyle the flesshe/ despise rulars/ and speake evyll of them that are in auctoritie. Yet Michael the archangell (when he strove against the devyll/ and disputed about the body of Moses) durst nott geve raylynge sentence/ butt sayde : The lorde rebuke the. Butt these speake evyll of those thinges which they knowe not. In tho thynges which they knowe naturally (as beastes which are with out reason) they oorrupto them selves. Wo be vnto them/ for they dTo. (cij. m^e (Spisth off ^. SJirtag. have folowed the wave of Cayn / and are spylt in the erroure of Balam for hikers sake r and are caste a waye in the treason of Core. These are spottes which of youre kindnes feast to gedder/ with out feare/ fedynge them selves. Cloudes they are with outen water/ caried about off wyndes : Trees rotten in authum/ vnfrutfull/ twyse deed/ and plucked vppe by the rotes. They are the ragynge waves off the see / fomynge out their awne shame. ' They are wandrynge starres/ to whom is reserved the myst of darcknes for ever. Enoch the seventh from Adam prophesied before of suche saying: Beholde/ the lorde shall come with thousandes of sayntes/ to geve iudgement agaynst all men/ and to rebuke all that are vngodly amonge them / of all their vngodly dedes/ which they have vngodly committed/ and of all their cruell speakynges/ which vngodly sinners have spoken agaynst hym. These are murmurcrs/ complayners/ walkynge after their awne lustes/ whose muthes speake proude thynges. They have men in greate reverence be cause off avaunlage. But ye derly beloved remember the wordes which were spoken before off the Apostles off oure lorde Jesus Christ/ liowe that they tolde you thatt there shulde be begylers in the last tyme/ which shulde waike after their owne vngodly lustes. These are makers off sectes/ naturall/ havynge no sprete. But ye derly beloved/ edyfie youre selves in youre mostwholy fayth/ prayinge in the wholy goost/ and kepe youre selves in the love of God/ lokinge for the mercy of oure lorde Jesus Christ/ vnto eternall lyfe. And have compassion on some/ separatynge them: and wother save with feare/ puUynge them out of the fyre/ and hate the fylthy vesture of the flesshe. Vnto hym that is able to kepe you/ thatt ye faule nott/ and to present you fautlesse before the presence off hys glory with ioye/ that ys to saye/ to God oure saveour whyche only ys wyse/ be glory/ maiestie/ dominion/ and power/ nowe and for ever Amen. Cf)e a^cbclacion off ^nnct 3^6on tftc iJcbmc* 0 CfijiE revelacion of Jesus Christe/ which god gave vnto him/ forto shewe vnto his servauntes thynges which muste shortly come to passe. And he sent and shewed by hys angell vnto hys servauntJhon/whychbare recorde ofFthe worde off god/ and ofFthe testimony off Jesus Christe/ and of all thynges that he sawe. Happy is he that redith/ and they that heare the wordes of the prophesy / and kepe thoo thynges which are written therin. For the tyme is at honde. Jhon to the vij. congregacions in Asya. Grace be with you and peace/ from hym which is/ and which was/ and which is to come : and from the vij. spretes which are present before his trone/ and from Jesus Christ which is a fayth- fuU witnes/ and fyrst begotten of the deed : and lorde over the kynges of the erth. Vnto hym that loved vs and wesshed vs from oure synnes in his awne bloud/ and made vs kynges and prestes vnto god his father/ be glory/ and dominion/ for ever more amen. Beholde he commeth with cloudes/ and all eyes shall se hym : and they also which peersed him. And all kyn- redes of the erth shall wayle. even so amen. I am Alpha and Omega/ the begynnynge and the endinge / sayth the lorde almyghty/ which is and which was and which is to come. Jhon you re brother and companyon in tribulacion/ and in the kyngdom and pacience which is in Jesu Christe/ was in the yle of Pathmos for the worde of god/ and for the witnessynge of Jesu Christe. I was in the sprete on a sondaye/ and lierde beliynde me/ a gret voyce/ as itt had bene of a trompe sayinge : * D D 2 iFo. cntj. E\)e ^tbtUcion of ^. 3)i)on. I am Alpha and Omega/ the fyrst and the laste. That thou seiste write in a boke/ and sende hit vnto the congregacions which are in Asia/ vnto Epliesus/ and vnto Smyrna/ and vnto Pargamos/ and vnto Thiatira/ and vnto Sardis/ and vnto Phi- ladelphia/ and vnto Laodicia. And I turned bake to se the voice that spake to me. And when I was turned : I sawe vij. golden candelstyckes/ and in the myddes of the candelstyckes/ one lyke vnto the sonne of man clothed with a lynnen garment doune to the ground/ and gyrd aboute the pappes with a golden gyrdle. His heed/ and his heares were whyte/ as whyte woU/ and as snowe : and his eyes were as a flame of fyre : and his fete lyke vnto brasse/ as though they brent in a fvrnace : and his voyce as the sounde of many waters. And he had in his right honde vij. starres. And out of his mougth went a twoo edged swearde. And his face shone even as the sunne in his strengthe. And when I sawe hym/ I fell at his fete/ even as deed. And he layde hys ryght honde apon me/ sayinge vnto me : feare not. I am the fyrst/ and the laste/ and am a lyve/ and was deed. And beholde I am a lyve for ever more/ and have the kayes off" hell and oft' deeth. Wryte therfore the thynges whych thou haste sene / and the thynges which are / and the thynges which shalbe fulfylled here after : and the misteri off the vij . starres which thou sawest in my ryght honde/ and the vij. golden can- delstyckes. The vij. starres are the angelles off the vij. congre- gacions : And the vij. candlestyckes which thou sawest are the vij. congregacions. Ci)c itcoYiOt Ci)aptfr. 'YT'NTO the angell oft' the congregacion off Ephesus wryte : These thynges sayth he that holdeth the vij. starres in his ryght honde/ and walketh in the myddes of the vij. golden can- dlestyckes. I knowe thy workes/ and thy labour/ and thy pacience/ and howe thou cannest not forbeare them which are evyll : and examinedst them which saye they are Apostles/ and are nott : and hast founde them lyars. and haste suffered/ and hast pacience : and for my names sake hast labored and hast nott faynted. Neverthelesse I have sumwhat agaynst the/ for thou haste lefte thy fyrst love. Remember therfore from whence thou art fallen/ and repent/ and do the fyrst workes. or elles I wyll come vnto the shortly/ and will remove thy candlestyke out of his place/ excepte thou repent. Butt this thou haste be Cljf 3li«bclanon of ^. 3)i)on. CI), tj. cause thou Imste hated the dedes oft' the Nicolaitans/ which dedes 1 also liate. Lett him that hath eares heare/ what the sprete sayth vnto the congregacions. To hym that overcommeth/ wyll I geve to eate oft" the tree of lyfe/ which is in the myddes oft' the paradice oft" God. And vnto the angell off" the congiegacion off Smyrna wryte : These tliynges sayth he that is fyrst/ and the laste/ wliich was deed and is ahve. 1 knowe thy workes and tribulacion and povertie/ but thou art ryche : And I knowe the blasphemy oflT them whiche call them selves iewes and ar not : but are the congregacion of sathan. Feare none off'thoo thynges which thou shalt soft"re. Beholde/ the devyll shall caste off" you into preson/ to tempte you/ and ye shall have tribulacion x. dayes. Be faythfull vnto the deeth and I wyll geve the a croune off" lyfe. Let hym that hath earis heare/ what the sprete sayth to the con- gregacions. He that overcommeth shall not be hurte off' the seconde deeth. And to the angell/ of the congregacion in Pergamos wryte : This sayth he which hath the sharpe swearde with two edges. I knowe thy workes and where thow dwelleste/ evyn where Sathans seate ys/ and thou kepeste my name and hast not denyed my fayth. And in my dayes Antipas was a faythfull witnes off" myne/ which was slayne amonge you where sathan dwelleth. Butt I have a fewe thinges agaynst the : that thou hast tkere/ they thatt mayntayne/ the doctryneoft" Balam which taught in balake/ to put occasion off' syn before the chylderne off" Israhell: thatt they shulde eate off" meate dedicat vnto ydoUes/ and to commyt fornicacion. Even so haste thou them that mayntayne the doctryne off" the Nicolaytans/ which thynge I hate. But repent or elles I will come vnto the shortly and will fyght agaynste them with the swearde of my mouglit. Lett hym that hath eares heare what the sprete sayth vnto the congrega- cions : To hym that over commeth will I geve to eate manna that is hyd. and will geve hym a whyte stone/ and in the stone a newe name wrytten/ which no man knoweth/ savinge he that receaveth hit. And vnto the angell off" the congregacion off" Theatira write : This sayth the sonne of god/ which hath his eyes lyke vnto a flame of fyre/ whose fete are lyke brasse : I knowe thy workes and thy love/ service/ and fayght / and pacience/ and thy dedes/ which are mooe at the laste then att the fyrste : Notwithstondinge I have a feawe thynges agaynste the/ that thou soff"erest that woman Jesabell/ which called her sylfe a prophetes to teache iTo. cciiij. Cijc SRcbeladoii of ^. S5!)on. and to deceave my servauntes/ to make them commyt fornica- cion/ and to eate meates offered vppe vnto ydolles. And I gave her space to repent off her fornicacion and she repented not. Beholde I will caste her into a beed/ and them that commyt fornicacion with her into gret adversite/ excepte they repent of their deades. And I will kyll her children with deeth. And all the cono-reofacions shall knowe that I am he which searcheth the reynes and hertes. And I will geve vnto every one of you accordynge vnto youre workes. Vnto you I saye/ and vnto other of them off Thiatyra as many as have nott this lernynge/ and which have not knowen the depnes of Satan (as they saye) I will put apon you none other burthen/ but that which ye have alreddy. Holde fast tyll I come/ and whosoever overcommeth and kepeth my workes vnto the ende/ to hyme will I geve power over nacions/ and he shall rule them with a rodde of yeron : and as the vessels off a potter/ shall he breake them to shevers. Evyn as I receaved off my father. And I will geve him the mornynge starre. Let hym that hath eares heare what the sprete sayth to the congregacions. €i)t ii). Cj^aptcr. \ ND wryte vnto the angell of the congregacion of Sardis: this "^^ sayth he that hath the sprete of god/ and the vij. starres. I knowe thy workes/ thou haste a name that thou lyveste/ and thou are deed. Be awake and strengthe the thynges which remayne/ that are redy to deye. For I have not founde thy workes perfayte before god. Remember therfore howe thou hast receaved and hearde/ and holde faste/ and repent. Yf thou shalt not watche/ I wyll come on the as a thefe/ and thou shalt not knowe what houre I wyll come apon the. Thou haste a feawe names in Sardis/ which have not defyled their garmentes/ and they shall walke with me in whyte/ for they are worthy. He that overcommeth shalbe clothed in whyte araye/ and I will not put out his name out of the boke of lyfe/ and I will con- fesse his name before my father/ and before his angelles. Let hym that hath earys heare what the sprete sayth vnto the con- gregacions. And wryte vnto the angell off Philadelphia : This sayth he that is holy and true/ which hath the kaye off David : which openyth and noman shutteth/ and shutteth and no man openeth. I knowe thy workes. Beholde I have set before the an open doore/ and no man can shutt hit/ for thou haste a lyttell strengthe/ and haste €l)t Mebdacion of ^. 3)i)on. C|^. Hi). kepe my saynges : and haste not denyed my name. Beholde. I put tliem of the congregacion of Sathan/ which call themselves Jewes and are not/ butt do lye. Beholde. I will make them that they shall come and worshippe before thy fete : and shall knowe that I have loved the. Be cause thou hast kept the wordes of my pacience/ and I wyll kepe the from the houre of temptacion/ which will come apon all the worlde/ to tempte them that dwell apon the erth. Beholde I come shortly. Holde that which thou haste/ that no man take awaye thy croune. Hym that overcommeth will I make a pyllar in the temple off niy God/ and he shall goo no more oute. And I will wry t apon hym / the name off my god / and the name off the cite off my god/ newe Jerusalem/ which commeth doune oute of hevyn from my god and I will wryte apon hym my newe name. Let hym that hath eares/ heare what the sprete sayth vnto the congregacions. And vnto the angell of the congregacion which is in Laodicia wryte : This sayth (amen) the faythfull and true witnes/ the be- gynnynge off the creatures off God. I knowe thy workes that thou arte nether colde ner hott : I wolde thou were colde or hotte. So then be cause thou arte bitwene bothe/ and nether colde ner hott/ I will spew the oute of my mought : be cause thou sayst thou arte riche and incresyd with gooddes/ and haste nede off nothinge/ and knowest not howe thou arte wretched and mise- rable/ povre/ blynde/ and nakyd. I consell the to bye off me golde tryed in the fyre/ that thou mayste be riche : and white rayment/ that thou mayste be clothed/ that thy fylthy nakednes do not apiere : and anoynt thyne eyes with eye salve/ that thou mayste se. As many as I love/ I rebuke and chasten. Be fervent ther- fore and repent. Beholde I stonde at the doore and knocke. Yff eny man heare my voice and opyn the dore/ I will come in vnto hym and will suppe with him/ and he with me. To hym that overcommeth will I gravnte to sytt with me in my seate/ evyn as I overcam and have sytten with my father/ in his seate. Lett hym that hath eares heare what the sprete sayth vnto the congreoracions. Ci;c ntj. €i)aptcr. / and beholde a doi yce which I harde/ trompet talkinge with me/ which said : come vppe hydder/ and A FTER this I loked/ and beholde a dore was opene in heven/ ■^^ and the fyrste voyce which I harde/ was as hit were of a Jfo. ccb. €i)e UtMacion of ^. SHjoit. I will shewe the thynges which muste be fulfyllyd here after. And immediatly I was in the sprete. and beholde/ a seate was put in heven and won sat on the seate. And he that sat was to loke apon lyke vnto a iaspar stone/ and a sardyne stone: And there was a rayne boll aboute the seate/ to loke apon/ lykevnto an emeralde. And aboute the seate were xxiiij. seates. And I sawe on the seates .xxiiij. seniours syttinge clothed in whyte ray- ment/ and had on their heddes crounes of gold. And out of the seate proceded lightnynges/ and thoundrynges/ and voices : and there were vij. lampes off fyre/ byrninge before the seate/ which are the vij. sprettes off God. And before the seate there was a see off glasse/ lyke vnto cristall/ and in the myddes of the seate/ and rounde aboute the seate/ wer iiij. biestes full off eyes before and behynde. And the fyrste biest was lyke a lion/ the seconde biest lyke a caulfe/ and the thyrde bieste had a face as aman/ and the fourthe bieste was lyke a flyinge egle. And the iiij. biestes had eche one off them vj. wynges aboute hym/ and they were full off eyes within. And they had noo reste daye nether nyght sayinge : holy/ holy/ holy/ lorde god almyghty/ which was/ and is/ and is to come. And when those beestes gave glory and honour and thankes to hym that sat on the seate/ which levith ever more/ the xxiiij. seniours fell doune before the trone/ before hym that sat on the trone/ and worshipped hym thatt levith ever/ and caste their crounes before the trone sayinge : thou arte worthy lorde to receave glory/ and honoure/ and power/ for thou haste created all thinges/ and for thy wyllis sake they are/ and were created. €i)t b. Ci^apter. A' ND I sawe in the right honde of hym/ that sat in the trone/ a boke written with in and on the backside/ sealyd with vij. scales. And I sawe a stronge angell which cryed with a loude voyce : Who is worthy to open the boke / and to loose the scales ther off. And no man in hevyn ner in erth/ nether vnder the erth/ was able to open the boke/ nether to loke thereon. And I wepte moche/ be cause/ no man was founde worthy to open/ and to rede the boke/ nether to loke thereon. And one off the seniours sayde vnto me : wepe not : Beholde a lion beinge off the tribe off Juda/ the rott off Dauid/ hath obtayned to open the boke/ and to lose the vij. scales theroff. And I behelde/ and loo/ in the myddes of the seate/ and off the iiij. biestes/ and in the myddes off the seniours/ stode a lambe as ^I)c licbdaciou of ^. ^l)o\\. C!). bj. though he had bene kylled/ which had vij. homes and vij. eyes/ which are the sprettes oft' God/ sent into all the worlde. And he cam and toke the boke oute oft' the right honde of hym that sate apon the seate. And when he had taken the boke/ the iiij. bestes and xxiiij. senioiirs fell doune before the lambe/ havynge harpes and golden vialles full oft' odoures/ which are the prayers oft'saynctes and they songe a newe songe saynge : thou art worthy to take the boke and to open the seales therof / for thou waste kylled and haste redemed vs by thy bloud/ out off all kynreddes/ and tonges/ and people/ and nacions/ and haste made vs vnto oure god/ kynges and prestes and we shall raygne on the erth. And I behelde/ and I herd the voyceoflPmany angylles aboute the trone/ and about the biestes and the seniours/ and I herde thousand thousandes/ saynge with a lowde voyce : Worthy is the lambe that was killed to receave power/ and riches and wisdom/ and strenghte/ and honour and glory/ and blyssynge. And all creatures/ which are in heven/ and on the erth/ and vnder the erth/ and in the see/ and all that are in them herd I saynge : blyssinge/ honour/ glory/ and power/ be vnto hym/ that sytteth apon the seate/ and vnto the lambe for ever more. And the .iiij. biestes sayd : amen. And the xxiiij. seniours fell apon their faces/ and worshypped hym that lyvetli for ever more. Wi)t bj. CJjaptcr. A ND I sawe when the lambe openyd one of the seales/ and I -^ herde one of the iiij. biestes saye/ as hit wer the noyse off thonder/ come and se. And I sawe/ and beholde there was a whyte horsse/ and he that sat on hym had abowe/ and a croune was gevyn vnto hym/ and he went forth conqueringe and forto overcome. And when he opened the seconde scale/ I herde the seconde bieste saye : come and se. And there went out another horsse that was red/ and power was geven to hym that satte there on/ to take peace from the erth/ and that they shulde kyll one another, and there was geven vnto hym a gret swearde. And when lie opened the thyrde scale/ 1 herde the thyrde bieste saye : come and se. And I behelde/ and loo/ a blacke hors: and he that sate on hym/ had a payre of balances in his honde. And I herd a voyce in the myddes off the iiij. bestes saye : a measure of whete for a peny/ and iij. measures of barly for a peny : and oyle and wyne se thou hurte not. And when he opened the fourthe scale/ 1 herde the voyce of ^0. ccbj. Ci)e J^cbclacioii of ^. 3>i)on. the fourthe beste saye : come and se. And I loked. and beholde a grene horsse/ and his name that satt on hym was deeth/ and hell folowed after hym/ and power was geven vnto them over the fourthe parte off the erthe/ to kyll with swearde/ and with honger/ and with deeth/ that cometh of vermen of the erth. And when he opened the fyfte seale/ I sawe vnder the aultre/ the soules of them that were kylled for the worde of God/ and for the testymony which they had/ and they cryed with a lawde voyce sayinge : Howe longe tariest thou lorde holy and true/ to iudge and to avenge oure bloud on them that dwell on the erth ? And longe whyte garmentes were geven vnto every one oft' them. And hit was sayde vnto them that they shulde reste for a lyttle season vntyll the nomber off their felowes/ and brethren/ and of them that shulde be kylled as they were/ were fulfylled. And I behelde when he opened the sixte seale/ and loo there was a grett erthquake/ and the sunne was as black as sacke clothe madeofheare. and the mone wexed even as bloud. and the starres of heven fell vnto the erth/ even as a fygge tree castith from her her fygges/ when she is shaken off" a myghty wynde. And heven vanysshed awaye/ as a scroll when hitt is rolled togedder. And all mountayns and yles/ were moved oute of their place's. And the kynges of the erth/ and the grett men/ and the ryche men/ and the chefe captaynes/ and the myghty men/ and every bond man/ and every free man/ hyd them selves in dennes/ and in rockes off" the hylles/ and sayde to the hylles/ and rockes : fall on vs/ and hyde us from the presence oft" hym that sytteth on the seate/ and from the wrath of the lambe/ for the grete daye off hys wrath ys come / And whoo can endure hit. Cfjf U). Cijaptet. 4 ND after that I sawe iiij. angels stonde on the iiij. corners of "^ the erth/ holdynge the iiij. wyndes oft' the erth/ that the wyndes shulde nott bio we on the erthe/ nether on the see/ nether on eny tree. And I sawe another angell ascende from the rysynge of the sunne/ which had the seale oft' the lyvynge god/ and he cryed with a loude voyce to the iiij . angelles (to whom power was geven to hurt the erth and the see) sayinge : Hurt not the erth nether the see/ nether the trees/ tyll I have sealed the servauntes of oure god in their forheades. And I herde the nombre of them which were sealed/ and there were sealed c. and xliiij. m. of all the trybes of the chyldren of Israhell. Of the trybe of Juda were sealed xij. m. Ofthetrybe CI;e aacbclacion of ^>. SI)on. €1). bttj. off Ruben were sealed xij. m. Of the trybe of Gad were sealed xij M. Of the trybe of Asser were sealed xij. m. Of the trybe of Neptalym were sealed xij. m. Of the trybe off Manasses were sealed xij. m. Of the trybe of Symeon were sealed xij. m. Of the trybe of Levy were sealed xij. m. Of the trybe off" Isacar were sealed xij. m. Of the trybe of Zabulon were sealed xij. m. Off the tribe of Joseph were sealed xij. m. Off the trybe of Beniamyn were sealed xij. thowsande. After this I behelde/ and lo a gret multitude (which noman culde nombre) off all nacions/ and people/ and tonge/ stode be- fore the seate/ and before the lambe/ clothed with longe whyte garmentes/ and palmes in there hondes/ and cryed with a lowde voyce/ saynge : Helth be to hym that syttith apon the seate of cure god/ and vnto the lambe. And all the angelles stode in the compace of the seate/ and off the seniours/ and off the iiij. bestes/ and fel before the seat on their faces/ and worshipped god/ sayinge / amen : Blessynge and glory / wisdom and thankes / and honour/ and power and myght/ be vnto oure god/ for evermore amen. And one off the seniours answered/ sayinge unto me : what are these which are arayed in longe whyte garmentes/ and whence cam they ? And I sayde vnto hym : lorde thou wottest. And he sayde unto me : these are they which cam oute off gret tribu- lacion and made their garmentes large and made them whyte in the bloud of the lambe : therfore are they in the presence off the seate off God and serve hym daye and nyght in hys temple / and he that sytteth in the seate wyll dwell amonge them. They shall lionger no more nether thyrst/ nether shall the sunne lyght on them / nether eny heate : For the lambe whych ys in the myddes off the seate shall fede them/ and shall ledde them vnto tbuntaynes of lyvynge water/ and god shall wyppe awaye all teares from their eyes. Cijc bttj. €i)aptcr. \ ND when he had opened the seventhe scale/ there was silence "^^ in heven aboute the space of halfe an houre/ And I sawe angelles stondynge before god/ and to them were geven vij. trom- pettes. And another angell cam and stode before the aultre havynge a golden senser/ and moche of odoures was geven vnto hym/ that he shoulde offre of the prayers of all saynctes apon the golden aultre/ which was before the seate. And the smoke of the odoures which cam off the prayers off all saynctes ascended vppe dTo. ccbi). Ci)f Mebelatiou of ^. ^ijou. before god out of the angelles honcle. And the angell toke tlie senser and fylled hit with fyre of the aultre and caste hit into the erth/ and voyces were made/ and thondrynges/ and hghtnynges/ and erth quake. And the vij. angelles which liad tlie vij trompettes prepared them selves to blowe. The fyrst angell blewe/ and there was made hayle and fyre/ which were myngled with bloud/ and they were caste into the erth ; and the thryd parte of trees was burnt/ and all grene grasse was brent, and the seconde angell blewe : and as hit were a grett mountayne : brynnynge wyth fyre was caste in to the see/ and the thyrde parte off the see tourned to bloud / and the thyrde parte of the creatures which had lyfe dyed / and the thyrde part off shyppes were destroyed. And the thyrde angell blewe/ and ther fell a grett starre from heven burnynge as hit wer a lampe/ and hit fell into the thyrde parte off the ryvers/ and into fountaynes of waters/ and the name of the starre is called wormwod. And the thyrde parte was turned to wormwod. And many dyed off the waters be cause they were made bytter. And the fourthe angell blew/ and the thyrde part of the sunne was smytten and the thyrde parte off the mone/ and the thyrde part off starres : so that the thyrde parte of them was derckned. And the daye was smytten that the thyrde part of hit shulde not shyne/ and lyke wyse the nyght. And I behelde and herd an angell flyinge thorowe the myddes of heven/ sayinge with a lowde voyce : Woo/ Woo/ to the inhabiters off the erth be cause of the voyces to come of the trompe of the iij. angels which were yet to blowe. Ci)c iy. Cijaptcr. A ND the fyfte angell blewe/ and I sawe a starre fall from "■^^ heven vnto the erth. And to him was geven the kaye of the bottomlesse pytt/ And he opened the botomlesse pytt/ and there arose the smoke of a grett fornace. And the sunne/ and the ayer wer darkned by the reason of the smoke of the pytt. And there cam out off the smoke locustes vpon the erth : And vnto them was geven power as the scorpions of the erth have power. And hit was sayde vnto them thatt they shulde nott hurt the grasse off the erth : nether eny grene thinge : nether eny tree : but only those men which have nott the seale in their forhedes/ and to them was commaunded that they shulde not kyll them/ but that they shulde be vexed v monethes/ and their payne was as the payne that commeth off a scorpion/ when he hath stonge a man. And in those dayes shall men seke deeth/ €f)e Idcbclacion of ^. 3Ji)on. Clj. y. and shall nott fynde liyt/ shall desyre to deye/ and deeth shall Hye from them. And the similitude off the locustes was lyke vnto horses pre- pared vnto battayll/ and on their heddes were as hit were crownes/ lyke vnto golde. and their faces were as hit had bene the faces of men. And they had heares as the heares of wemen. And their tethe were as the tethe oft' lyons. And they had habber- gions/ as hit were habbergions ofF yeron. And the sounde off" their wyng;es was as the sounde of charettes when many horsses ninne togedder to battayle. And they had tayles lyke vnto scorpions/ and there were stynges in their tayles. And their power was to hurt men v. monethes. And they had a kynge over them/ which is the angell of the bottomlesse pytt/ whose name in the hebrew tonge/ is Abadon : but in the greke tonge/ Apollion/ that ys to save a destroyer. Won woo is past/ and beholde two wooes come after this. And the sixte angell blewe/ and I herd a voyce from the iiij. corners of the golden aultre/ which is before god/ saying to the sixte angell which had the trompe: Loose the iiij. angelles/ which are bounde in the grett ryver Eufrates. And the iiij. ano-elles were loosed which wer prepared for an houre/ for a daye/ for a moneth/ and for a yeare/ for to slee the thyrde part oft' men. And the nombre of horsmen of warre/ were twenty tymes x m And I herde the nombre of them. And thus I sawe the horses in a vision and them that sate on them/ havynge fyry habbcigions of a Jacynct coloure/ and brymstony. and the heeddes of the horses were as the heeddes of lyons. And out of their mouthes went forth fyre and smoke and brymstone. And of these iij / was the thyrde parte of men kylled/ that is to saye/ of fyre/ smoke/ and brymstone/ which proceded out of the mouthes of them : For their power was in their mouthes and in their tayles : for their tayles were lyke unto serpentes/ and had heddes/ and with them they dyd hurtt : And the remnaunt off" the men which were not kylled by these plages repented not of the dedes of their hondes/ that they shulde not worshyppe devyls/ and ymages/ off golde/ and sylver/ and brasse/ and stone/ and of woode/ which nether can se/ nether heare/ nether goo Also they re- pented not of their murther/ and of their sorcery nether of their fornicacion nether of their thefte. €l)t V. Cf)apter. A ND I sawe another myghty angell come doune from heven/ "^ clothed with a clonde/ and the rayne boll apon his heed. dTo. cc&uj. CIjc iifbclarion of ^. Si^on. And hys face as hit were the sunne/ and his fete as hytt were pyllars of fyre/ And he had in his honde a lytell boke opyn: and he put his ryght fote apon the see/ and his lyfte fote on the erth. And cryed with a lowde voyce/ as when a lyon roreth. And when he had cryed/ seven thondres spake their voyces. And when the vij thondres had spoken their voyces/ I was aboute to wryte. And I herde a voyce from heven sayinge vnto me marke thoo thynges which the vij. thondres spake/ and write them not. And the angell which I sawe stonde apon the see/ and apon the erth/ lyfte vppe his honde to heven/ and swore by hym thatt hveth for ever more/ which created heven/ and the thynges that ther in are/ and the see/ and the thynges which therin are: that there shulde be no lenger tyme : but in the dayes of the voyce of the seventhe angell/ when he shalbegyn to bio we : even the mis- tery off god shalbe fulfilled/ as he preached by his servauntes the prophettes. And the voyce which I herde from heven spake vnto me agayne/ and sayde : goo and take the boke whych ys open in the honde off the angell/ which stondeth apon the see/ and apon the erth. and I went vnto the angell/ and sayde to hym : geve me the boke. and he sayd vnto me: take hit/ and eate it vppe/ and hit shall make thy belly byttre/ butt hit shalbe in thy mouth as swete as hony. and I toke the boke out of his honde/ and ate it vp/ and hit was in my mouth as swete as hony/ and as sone as I had eaten it/ my belly was bytter. And he sayde vnto me : thou muste prophesy agayne amonge the people/ and nacions/ and tonges/ and to many kynges. €\)t y). Cl;apt£r. A ND then was geven me a rede lyke vnto a rodd/ and hit was "^ sayd vnto me : Ryse and mete the temple of god/ and the aultre/ and them that worshippe therin/ and the quyre which is with in the temple castoute/ and mete hit not : for hit is gevyn vnto the gentyles/ and the holy cite shall they treade vnder fote xliij. monethes. And I will geve power vnto my two wytnesses/ and they shall prophesy m. ij*^. and Ix. dayes/ clothed in sack cloth. These are two olyve trees/ and two candlestyckes/ stond- inge before the god off the erth. And if eny man will hurtt them/ fyre shall procede out off their mouthes/ and consume their enmyes. And iff eny man will hurt them/ this wyse muste he be kylled. These have power to shut heven/ that hit rayne not in the dayes off their prophesyinge : and €\)t Mebdactoii of ^. SJi^on. €1). yij. have power over waters to turne them to bloud/ and to smyte the erth with alnianer plages/ as often as they will. And when they have fynesshed their testimony/ the beste that cam oute of the bottomlesse pytt shall make warre agaynst them : and shall overcome/ and kyll them. And their boddyes shall lye in the stretes off the grete cite / which spry tually is called Zodom and Egypt/ where oure lorde was crucify ed. And they off the people and kynredes/ and tonges/ and they off the nacions/ shall se their bodyes iij . dayes and an haulfe / and shall not suffre their boddyes to be put in graves. And they that dwell apon the erth/ shall reioyce over them and be glad/ and shall sende gyftes won to another : for these two prophettes vexed them that dwelt on the erth. And after iij . dayes and an halfFe the sprete off lyfe from god entred into them. And they stode vppe apon their fete : - and grett feare cam apon them which sawe them. And they herde a grett voyce from heven / saying vnto them : Come vppe hydder. And they ascended vppe into heven in a cloude/ and their enmyes sawe them. And the same houre was there a grett earth quake/ and the tenthe parte off the cite fell/ and in the erth quake were slayne names of men seven w. and the remnaunt were feared/ and gave glory to God off heven. The seconde woo is past/ and be- holde the thryd woo woU come anon. And the seventhe angel blewe/ and there were made grett voyces in heven/ sayinge : the kyngdoms off this worlde are oure lordes and his christes/ and he shall raygne for ever more. And the xxiiij. seniours/ which syt before god on their seates/ fell apon their faces/ and worshipped god sayinge : we geve the thankes lorde God omnipotent : which arte and wast/ and arte to come/ for thou haste receaved thy grett myght/ and hastraygned. And the nacions were angry/ and thy wrath is come/ and the tyme of the deed/ that thou shuldest iudge them : and shuldest geve re- warde vnto they servauntes prophettes and saynctes/ and to them that feare thy name smale and grett and shuldest destroye them/ which destroye the erth. And the temple of God was openyd in heven / and there was sene in his temple / the arke of his testa- ment : and there folowed lyghtnynges / and voyces / and thon- drynges and erth quake / and moche hayle. Wift yi)' C^apttr. AND there appered a gret wonder in heven. A woman clothed -^ with the sunne/ and the mone vnder her fete/ and apon her dFo. cciy. CJje Mebdadon of ^. Bl)on- heed a croune ofF xij. stanes. And she was with chylde and cryed travalhnge in byrth/ and payned redy to be delyvered. And there appered another wonder in heven/ and beholde a grett red dragon/ havynge vij. heddes/ and ten hoi'nes/ and seven crounes on his heddes : and his tayle drue the thyrde parte of the starres/ and cast them to the ertli. And the dragon stode before the woman which was reddy to be delyvred : forto devoure her cliylde as sone as hitt were borne. And she bronght forth a man chylde/ which shulde rule all nacions with a rodde off yeron. And her sonne was taken vppe vnto God/ and to his seate. And the woman fleed into wyldernes/ where she had a place/ prepared ofFGod/ that they shulde fede her there/ m. and xxvj. dayes. And there was grett battayll in heven/ Michael and his angelles fowght with the dragon and the dragon fowght and his angelles/ and prevaylled not : nether was their place founde eny more in heven. And the grett dragon/ thatt olde serpent called the devyll and Sathanas/ was cast out. which desceaveth all the worlde/ And he was cast into the erth/ and his angelles w'ere cast out also. And I harde a lowde voyce sayinge : in heven is nowe made helth and strengthe/ and the kyngdom of oure God/ and the power of his Christ : For he is cast doune which accused them before god daye and nyght : And they overcam hym by the bloudde otf the lambe/ and by the worde off their testimony/ and they loved nott their lyves vnto the deeth. Therfore reioyce hevens/ and ye that dwell in them. Woo to the inhabiters off the erth/ and of the see : for the devyll is come doune vnto you which hath grett wrath/ be cause he knoweth that he hath but a shortt tyme. And when that the dragonde sawe that he was caste vnto the erth/ he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man chylde. And to the woman were geven two wyges off a grett egie/ that she myght flye into the wyldrenes/ into her place/ where she is norysshed for a tyme/ tymes/ and halffe a tyme/ from the presence of the dragon. And the serpent cast out of his mought water affter the woman as hit had bene a ryver be cause she hulde have bene caught of the floud And the erth holppe the woman/ and the erth opened her mought, and swa- lowed vppe the rever which the dragon cast out off hys mowth. And the dragon was wroth with the woman : and went and made warrewith the remnaunt ofhyr sede/ which kepe the commaund- C]^c Mtbflanon of ^. 3>]^on. CI), yiij. mentes of god/ and have the testimony off Jesus Christe. And I stode on the see sonde. Ci)c yii). Cljaptcr. A ND I sawe a best rise out of tlie see/ havinge vij. heddes/ -^^ and X homes/ and apon hys liornes x. crownes/ and apon his heed/ the name of blasphemy. And the best wliich I sawe/ was lyke a catt off the movmtayne/ and his fete were as the fete of a bear/ and his mowth as the niowthe of. a lyon. And tlie dragon gave liym liis power and his seate/ aad grett auctorite : and I sajjve won off his heddes as hit wer wonded to deth/ and his dedly wonde was healed. And all the worlde wondred at the beest/ and they worshipped the dragon/ wliich gave power vnto the beest/ and they worshipped the beest sayinge : who is lyke vnto the beeste? who is able to war re with liyni ? And there was a niowth geven vnto hym that spake grett thynges/ and blasphemyes/ and power was geven vnto him/ to continue xlij. monethes. And he opened his mowth vnto blas- phemy agaynste God/ to blaspheme hys name/ and his taber- nacle/ and them that dwell in heven. And hit was geven vnto hyni to make warre witli the saynctes/ and to overcome them. And power was geVen hym over all kynred/ tonge/ and nacion : and all that dwell apon the erth worsliept hym : whose names are not written in the boke of lyfe off the lambe/ which was kylled from the begynnynge of the worlde. Yff eny man have an eare/ lett hym lieare. Ho that leadeth into captivite/ shall goo into captivite : he that kylleth with a swearde/ must be kylled with a swearde. Heare is- the pacience/ and the fayght off the saynctes. • » ■ And I behelde another best commynge vpp oute off tlie erth/ and he had two homes lyke a lambe/ and he spake as dyd the dragon. And he dyd all that the fyrste beest coulde do in his presence/ and he caused the erth/ and them wich dwell therin/ to worshippe the fyrst beest/ whose dedly wonde was healed. And he dyd grett wonders/ so that he made fyre come doune from heven in the syght off men. And deceaved them that flwelt on the erth / by the meanes of those signes which he had power to doo in the sight off the beest / sayinge to them that flwelt on the erth : that they shulde make an ymage vnto the beest/ which had the wonde off a swearde/ and dyd lyve. And he had power to geve a sprete vnto the ymage off the beest/ and that the ymage off the beest shulde speake/ and dTo. ccy. Ci;e Mefielacion of ^. :^i)on. shulde cause thc^t as many as wolde not worshyppe the ymage of the beest/ shulde be kylled. And he made all men/ small and grett/ ryche and poore/ fre and bond/ to receave a marke in their right hondes/ or in their forheddes. And that no man myght by or sell/ save he that had the marke/ or the name off the beest/ other the nombre off his name. Here is wisdome. Let hym that hath wytt count the nombre of the beest. For hit is the nombre off a man/ and his nombre is sixe hondred/ thre- score and sixe. Cfjc >tb. Ci;aptcr. • A ND I loked/ and loo a lambe stode on the mount Syon/ and "^^ with hym c. and xliiij. thousande havynge his fathers name written in their forhedes. And I herde a voyce from heven/ as the sounde off many waters/ and as the voyce off a grett thoun- dre/ And I herde the voyce off harpers harpynge with their harpes. And they songe as hit were a newe songe/ before the seate/ and before the foure beestes/ and the seniours/ and no man could learne that songe/ but the hondred and xliiij m. which were redemed from the erth. These are they/ which were not defyled with wemen/ for they are virgyns. These folowe the lambe whither soever he goeth. These were redemed from men beynge the fyrste fructes vnto God and to the lambe/ and in tlieir mouthes was founde no gyle. For they are with outen spott before the trone off God. And I sawe an angell flye in the myddes off heven havynge an everlastynge gospell/ to preache vnto them that sytt and dwell on the erth/ and to all nacions/ kinreddes/ and tonges/ and people/ saynge Avith a lowde voyce: Feare God and geve honour to hym/ for the houre off his iudgment is come : and worshyppe hym/ thatt made heven and erth/ and the see/ and fountaynes off water. And there folowed another angell/ saynge: Babilon is fallen is fallen thatt gret cite/ for she made all nacions drynke of the wyne of hyr fornicacion. And the thyrde angell folowed them sayinge with aloude voyce : Yff eny man worshippe the beest and his ymage/ and receave his marke in his forhed/ or on his honde/ the same shall drynke off the wyne of the wrath of God/ which is powred in the cuppe of his wrath. And he shalbe punnysshed in fyre and brymstoner before the holy Angels/ and before the lambe. And the smoke of their turment ascendeth vppe evermore. And they have no rest daye ner nyght: which worshyppe the Clje atlt&elflnon of ^. 3H;on. Clj. yb. heestf and his ymage/ and whosoever leceaveth.the prynt of his name. Here is the pacience off saynctes. Heare are they tliat kepe the commaundnientes and the fayght of Jesu. And I herde a voyce from heven sayinge vnto me : wryte. Blessed are the deed/ which here after dye in the lorde/ even soo sayth the sprete : that tliey maye rest from their laboures / but their workes shall folowe them. And I loked and beholde a whyte clowde: and apon the clowde one syttynge lyke vnto the Sonne off man/ havynge on his heed a golden crowne/ and in his honde a sharppe sycle. And another angell cam oute of the temple/ cryinge with a lowde voyce to hym that sate on the clowde. Thruste in thy sycle and repe : for the tyme is come to repe/ for the corne of the erth is rype. And he that sate on the clowde thrust in hys sycle on the erth/ and the erth was reped. And another angell cam oute off the temple/ which is in lieven/ havynge also a sharppe sycle. And another angell cam oute from the aultre/ which had power over fyre/ and cryed with a lowde crye to hym that had the sharppe sycle / and sayde : thrust in thy sharppe sycle/ and gaddre the clustres of the erth: for her grapes are rype. And the angell tlirust in his sycle on the erth/ and cut downe the grapes of the vyneyarde off the erth : and cast them into the grett wynfatt off the wrath of God/ and the wyne fatt was trodden with out the cite/ and bloud cam out off the fatt/ even vnto the hors brydles by the space off a thowsande and iiij. score furlonges. Ci)c yb. Cljaptcv. A ND I sawe another signe in heven grett and mervellous/ vij "^^ angels havynge the seven laste plages/ for in them is fulfilled tlie wratli off God. And I sawe as hitt were a glassi see / myngled with fyre/ and them that had Gotten victory off the beest/ and off his ymage/ and off his marke/ and off the nombre off his name/ stonde on the glassy see/ havynge the harpes of God and they songe the songe off Moses the servaunt off God/ and the songe off the lambe/ sayinge : Grett and marvellous are thy workes lorde god almyglity/ histe and true are thy wayes/ kynge off saynctes. WIio shall not feare o lorde/ and gloryfy thy name ? For thou only arte holy/ and all gentyls shall come and worshippe before the/ for thy iudgmentes are manifest. And affter that I loked/ and beholde the temple off the taber- nacle off testimony was opyn in heven/ and the seven angelles cam out off the temple/ which had the seven plages/ clothed in E E 2 1^0. ccyj. Wt)t ^ebdndon of ^. ^]^on. pure and bryght lynnen/ and havynge their brestes gyrded with golden gerdelles. And won off the f'ov.'re beestes gave vnto the seven angels vij golden vyalles / full oft" the wrath oft' God v/hich lyveth for ever more. And the temple was full off the smoke oft' the glory off' God/ and oftMiis power/ and no man was able to entre into the temple/ tyll the seven plages oft" the seven angels were fulfilled. €i)e vJjj- Cl)aptcr. A ND I herde a gret voyce out of the temple/ sayinge to the seven angels : goo youre wayes/ poure out youre vialles of wrath apon the erth. And the fyrst went/ and poured out his viall apon the erth/ and there fell anoysom and a sore botche apon the men/ which had the marke of the best/ and apon them which worshipped his ymage And the seconde angell shed out hys viall apon the see/ and hit turned as hit were into the bloud off a deed man/ and every lyvynge thynge dyed in the see. And the thyrde angell shed out hys viall apon the ryvers and fountaynes off waters/ and they turned to bloud. And I herde an angell saye : lorde whych arte/ and wast/ thou arte ryghteous and holy/ be cause thou hast geven soche iudgmentes/ for they shed out the bloude off saynctes/ and prophettes/ and therfore hast thou geven them bloud to drynke : for they are worthy. And I herde another out off the aultre saye : even soo lorde God almyghty/ true and righteous are thy iudgmentes. And the fourth angell poured out hys viall on the suiine/ and power was geven vnto hym to vex men wyth heate off fyre. And the men raged in grett heate/ and spake evyll off the name of God which had power over those plages/ and they repented nott/ to geve hym glory. And the fifte angell poured out hys vyall apon the seate off the beste/ and hys kyngdome wexed derke/ and they gnewe their tonges for sorowe/ and blasphemed the God off heven for sorowe/ and payne off their sores/ and repented not of their dedes. And the sixte angell poured out his vyall apon the grett ryver Euphrates/ and the water dryed vppe/ that the wayes off the kynges off the este shulde be prepared. And I sawe thre vnclene sprettes lyke frogges come out off the mouthe off the dragon/ and out off the mouthe off the beeste/ and out off the mouthe oft" the falce prophett. For they are the sprettes off devyls workynge myracles/ to go outt vnto the kynges off" the erth and off the whole worlde to gaddre them to the battavle off that grett daye Ci)e lactjclacion of ^. 3i)on. CI), ybi). off God allmyghty. Beholde I come as a thefe. Happy is he thatt watcheth and kepeth his garmentes/ Lest he be founde naked/ and men se his filthynes. And he gaddered them togedder into a place called in the hebrue tonge Armagedon. And the seventhe angell poured out his viall in to the ayre. And there cam a voyce out off heven from the seate/ sayinge : Hit is done. And there folowed voyces/ thondringes/ and light- nynges/ and there was a grett erth quake/ soche as was not sence men were apon the erth/ so myghty an erthquake and so grett. And the greate cite was devyded into thre parties/ And the cities off nacions fell. And grett Babilon cam in remem- braunce before God/ to geve vnto hyr the cuppe ofFwyne off the fearcenes off wrathe. Every yle fled awaye/ and the moun- taynes were not founde. And there fell a grett hayle/ as hit had bene talentes/ out off heven apon the men/ and the men blas- phemed God/ be cause of the plage of the hayle/ for hit was grett and the plage of hyt sore. €i)t r^i]. Cijapttr. A ND there cam one of the seven angels/ which had the seven "^ vialles/ and talked with me/ sayinge vnto me : come I will shewe the the iudgment of the grett whore/ that sytteth apon many waters/ wyth whome have commytted fornicacion the kynges of the erth/ so thatt the inhabiters off the erth/ are dronken with the wyne off her fornicacion. And he carryed me awaye into the wildernes in the sprete. And I sawe a woman sytt apon a rose colored best full off names off blasphemy/ which had ten homes. And the woman was arayed in purple and rose color/ and decked with golde/ precious stone/ and pearles/ and had a cuppe off golde in her honde/ full off abhominacion/ and fylthynes of her fornycacion. And in her forhed was a name wrytten/ a mister y/ gret Babylon the mother of whordome/ and abomi- nacions off the erth. And I sawe the wyfe dronke with the bloud of saynctes/ and wyth the bloud off the wytnessesoff Jesu. And when I sawe her/ I wondred wyth grett mervayle. And the angell sayde vnto me : wherfore mervayllyst thou ? I wyll shewe the the mistery off the woman/ and of the best that berith her/ which hath seven heddes/ and ten homes. The best that thou seest/ was/ and is not/ and shall ascende out of the bottomlesse pytt/ and shall goo into perdicion. and they thatt dwell on the erth sliall wondre (whose names are nott wrytten in the boke ofl'lyfc from the begynnynge oft" the worlde) when they beholde the best that was/ and ys nott. And here ys a mynde thatt hath wisdome. The seven heddes are seven mountaynes/ on which the woman sytteth : they are also seven kynges. Fyve are fallen/ and on ys/ and another is nott yett come. When he commeth he muste contynewe a space. And the best that was/ and ys not/ is even the aygth/ and ys one of the seven/ and shall goo into destruccion. And the ten homes which thou seist/ are ten kynges/ which have receaved no kyngdome/ butt shall receave power as kynges att one houre with the beest. These have one mynde/ and shall geve their power and strengthe vnto the best. These shall fyght with the lambe/ and the lambe shall over come them. For he is lorde oflMordes/ and kynge off kynges : and they that are on hys syde/ are called/ and chosen/ and faygthfull. And he sayde vnto me : the waters which thou sawest/ where the whore syttith/ are people/ and folke/ and nacions/ and tonges. And the ten homes/ whych thou sawest apon the best/ are they that shall hatte the whoare/ and shall make her desolatt/ and naked/ and shall eat her flesshe/ and burne her with fyre. For God hathe putt in their hertes/ to fulfyll hys wyll/ and to do wyth one consent/ for to geve her kyngdom vnto the best/ vntill the wordes off God be fulfylled. And the woman which thowe sawest/ ys that grett cite/ whych raignetli over the kynges of the erth. '€\)s jibii}. Ci)apter. A' ND after that I sawe another angell come doune from heven/ havinge gret power/ and the erth was lyghtned with hys bryghtnes. And he cryed myghtyly wyth a stronge voyce say- inge : Grett Babilon is fallen ys fallen/ and ys becum the habita- cion of devels/ and the holde off all fowle sprettes/ and a cage off all vnclene and hatfull byrdes / for all nacions have dronken of the wyne of the wrath off her fornycacion. And the kynges off the erth have committed fornicacion with her/ and her merchauntes are wexed ryche off the habundance off her pleasures. And I herde another voyce from heven saye : come a waye from her my people/ that ye be nott part takers in her synnes/ thatt ye receave nott of her plages. For her synnes are gon vppe to heven/ and God hath remembred her wyckednes. Rewarde her even as she rewarded you/ and geve her dubble accordynge to her workes. And poure in dubble to her in the same cuppe whych she fylled vnto you. And as moche as she gloryfied her silfe and lyved wantanly/ so moche poure ye in for her off punnysshment/ Cf)c Mebclacton of ^. gjijon. CIj. ybiij. and sorowe/ for she saycle in her herte: I sytt beinge a quene and am no wyddowe and shall se no sorowe. Therfore shall her plages come at one daye/ deeth/ and sorowe/ and honger/ and she shalbe brent with fyre : for stronge ys the lorde god which iudgeth her. And the kynges off the erth shalbe wepe her/ and wayle over her/ which have committed fornicacion wyth her/ and have lyved wantanly wyth her/ when they shall se the smoke off her burn- ynge/ and shall stonde afarre off/ for feare off her punnyshment/ sayinge : Alas ! Alas ! that gret cite Babilon / thatt myghty cite : For att won houre is her iudgment come. And the marchaimtes oft the erth shall wepe and wayle in tliem selves/ for no man wyll bye their ware eny more/ the ware of golde/ and sylver/ and pre- cious stones/ nether off pearle/ and raynes/ and purple/ and Scarlett/ and all thyne wodde/ almanner vessels of yvery/ and almanner vessels oft most precious wodde/ and off" brasse/ and off yeron/ and synamon. and odours/ and oyntmenttes/ and frankyn sence/ and wyne/ and oyle/ and fyne floure/ and wheate/ bestes/ and shepe/ and horsy s/ and charrettes/ and boddyes and soUes of men. And the apples that thy soil lusted after/ are departed from the. And all thynges which were deyntie/ and had in pryce ar departed from the/ and thou shalt fynde them no moare. The marchauntes oft' these thynges which were wexed ryche shall stonde a farre of from her/ for feare of the punnyshment of her/ wepynge and waylinge/ and saying: alas alas/ that grett cite/ that was clothed in raynes/ and purple/ and scarlett/ and decked with golde/ and precious stone/ and pearles ; for at one houre so grett ryches ys come to nought. And every shippe governer/ and all they that occupied shippes/ and shippmen which worke in the see/ stode a farre of/ and cryed/ when they sawe the smoke of her burnynge/ sayinge: what cite is lyke vnto this grett cite? And they cast dust on their heddes/ and cryed wepynge/ and waylinge/ and saying : Alas Alas that grett cite wherin were made ryche all that had sliyppes in the see/ by the reason of her ware/ for att one houre is she made desolate. Reioyce over her thou heven/ and ye holy Apostles/ and pro- phettes : for god hath geven youre iudgement on her. And a myghty angell toke vppe a stone lyke a grett mylstone/ and cast liitt into .the see/ sayinge : with snche violence shall thatt grett cite Babilon be cast/ and shalbe foiuidc no more. And the voyce off harpers/ and musicions/ and off pypers/ and trompetters/ shalbe herde no more in the : and no craftes man/ off" whatsoever dTo. ccyii}. Cije S^ebriacuin of ^. S^fjon. craft he be/ shalbe founde eny more in the. and the sounds off a myll shalbe herde no more in the/ and the voyce of the bryde grome and of the bryde/ shalbe herde no more in the: for thy marchauntes were the grett men of the erth. And with thyne inchantment were deceaved all nacions : and in her was founde the bloude of the prophettes/ and of the say notes/ and off all that were slayne apon the erth. Cj^e riy. Ci)apttr. A ND after that I herde the voyce off moche people in heven "^^ sayinge : Alleluia. Helth and glory and honour/ and power be vnto oure lorde god/ for true and ryghteous are his iudgmentes/ for he hath iudged the grett whore/ which did corrupt the erth with her fornicacion/ and hath avenged the bloud of his servauntes of her hond. And agayne they said : AUeluya. And smoke rose vppe for ever more. And the xxiiij. seniours/ and the iiij. bestes fell doune/ and worshypped god that sate on the seate sayinge : Amen AUeluya. And a voyce cam out of the seate/ saying : prayse oure lorde god all ye that are his servauntes/ and •ye that feare hym both smale and grett. And I herde the voyce off moche people/ even as the voyce off many waters/ and as the voyce off stronge thondrynges/ sayinge : AUeluya/ for god omnipotent hath raigned. Let vs be glad and reioyce and geve honour to hym: for the mariage off the lambe is come/ and hys wyffe made her sylfe reddy. And to her was graunted/ that she shulde be arayed with pure and goodly raynes. For the raynes is the rightewesnes off saynctes. And he sayde vnto me : happy are they which are called vnto the Lambes supper. And he sayde vnto me : these are the true sayinges off God. And I fell at his fete/ to worshyppe him. And he sayde vnto me : se thou do hit not. For I am thy felowe servaunt/ and one off thy brethern/ and off them thatt have the testimony off Jesus. Worshyppe God. For the testymony off Jesus ys the sprete off prophesy. And I sawe heven open/ and beholde a wliyte horsse : and he that satt apon hym was fayhtfuU and true/ and in ryghtewesnes dyd iudge and make battayle. His eyes were as a flame oft' fyre : and on his heed were many crounes : and he had a name written/ that noman knewe butt hym sylfe. And he was clothed with a vesture dept in bloud/ and hys name ys called the worde off God. And the warriers which were in heven/ folowed hym apon vvhyte horses/ clothed witlr whyte and pure raynes : and out off hys mouthe went out a sharppe swerde/ that with hyt he shiilde smyte the hethen. And he shall rule them with a rodde off yeron/ and he trode the wynefatt oft' fearsnes and wrath oft' almyghty god. And hath on his vesture and on his thygh : kynge of kynges/ and lord of lordes. And I sawe an angell stonde in the sunne/ and he cryed with a lowde voyce/ sayinge to all the fowles that flye by the myddes of heven : come and gaddre youre selves to gedder vnto the supper off" the gret god/ that ye may eate the flesshe oft' kynges/ and oft' hye captaynes/ and the ftesshe of myghty men/ and the flesshe oft' horses/ and oft" them thatt sytt on them/ and the flesshe of all free men and bond men/ and of smale and gret. And I sawe the beste. and the kynges of the erth/ and their warriers gaddred to gedder to make battayle agaynste hym that satt on the horsse and agaynste his sowdiers. And the best was taken/ and with hym thatt falce prophett that wroght myracles before hym/ with which he desceaved them that receaved the beestes marke/ and them that worshypped hys ymmage. These bothe were cast into a ponde off fyre burnynge with brymstone : and the remnaunte were slayne witla the swearde of hym that satt apon the horsse/ which swearde proceded out oft' his mouthe/ and all the foules were fultiUed with their fleshe. Wi)t ry. Cj^aptcr. A= ND I sawe an angell come doune from heven/ havynge the kaye oft" the bottomlesse pytt/ and a grett chayne in hys honde. And he toke the dragon that olde serpent/ which is the devyli and satanas/ and he bounde him a thousand yeares : and cast liym into the bottomlesse pitt/ and he bounde hym/ and set a seale on hym/ that he sluilde desceve the people no moare/ tyll the M. yeares were fulfylled. And after that he muste be lowsed for a lytell season. And 1 sawe seattes/ and the satt apon them/ and iudgment was geven vnto them : and I sawe the soules oft" them thatt were behedded for the wytnes oft" Jesu/ and for the word off" God: which had not worshypped the best/ netlier his ymage/ nether had taken his marke apon their forheddes : or on their hondes : and they lyved/ and reygned with Christ a m. yere : but the wother off" the deed men lyved not agayne/ vntyll the m, yere were fynisshed. This is that fyrst resurreccion. Blessed and holy is he thatt hath parte in the fyrst resurreccion. For on suche dFo. ajrib. Ci)« l^c&cladon of ^. Siijon. shall the seconde deeth have no power / for they shalbe the prestes off God and off Christ/ and shall raigne with hym a m. yere. And when the m. yere are expiered/ Satan shalbe lowsed out off hys preson/ and shall goo oute to deceave the people which are in the foure quarters of the erth gog and Magog/ to gadder them to gedder to battayle whose nombre is as the sonde off the see : and they went vppe on the playne off the erth/ and com- pased the tentes off the saynctes about/ and the beloved cite. And fyre cam doune from God/ out off heven/ and devoured them : and the devyll that desceaved them/ was cast into a lake off fyre and brymstone/ where the beest and the falce prophett were and shalbe tormented daye and nyght for ever more. And I sawe a grett whyte seate and hym that sate on hit/ from whose face fleed awaye both the erth and heven / and their place was no more founde. And I sawe the deed/ both grett and smale stonde before God: And the bokes were opened/ and another boke was opened/ which is the boke of lyfe/ and the deed were iudged of thoo thynges which were wrytten in the bokes accordinge to their dedes : and the see gave vppe her deed / which were in her/ and deth and hell delyvered vppe the deed/ which were in them : and they were iudged every man accordinge to his dedes. And deth and hell were cast into the lake of fyre. this is that second deeth. And wliosoever was nott founde written in the boke off lyfe/ was cast into the lake off fyre. €i)t n'L Ci;aptfr. A ND I sawe a newe heven/ and a neweerth. For the fyrst "^^ heven/ and the fyrst erth / were vanysshed awaye/ and there was no more see. And I Jhon sawe that holy cite newe Jerusalem come doune from God oute off heven prepard as a bryde gar- nysshed for hyr husband. And I herde agrett voyce from the trone/ saynge : be holde/ the tabernacle off God is with men/ and he wyll dwell with them. And they shalbe his people/ and God hym sylffe shalbe with them and be their god. And God shall wyppe awaye all teares from their eyes. And there shalbe nomore deeth/ nfither sorowe/ nether cryinge/ nether shall there be eny more payne/ for the olde thynges are gone. And he that sate apon the seate/ sayde : Behold I make all thynges newe. And he sayde vnto me: wryte/ for these wordes ar faygthfull and true. And he sayde vnto me : hit is done. I am Alpha and Omega/ Ci)C Itvfbelanon of ^. 3)i)on. Ci). yy). the begynynge/ and the ende. I will geve to hym that is a thyist of the well of the water of lyfe fre. He that overcom- meth shall inheret all thynges/ and I wyll be his God/ and he shalbe my sonne. But the fearfull and vnbelevynge/ and the abhominable/ and murdres/and whormongers/ andsorceres/ and ydolatrers/ and all lyars shall have their parte in the lake which burnyth with fyre and brymstone/ which is the seconde deth. And there cam vnto me one the vij. angels which had the vij. vyalls full of the vij. laste plages: and talked with me sayinge : come hydder I will shewe the the bryde/ the lambes wyfe. And he caryed me awaye in the sprete to a grett and an hye moun- tayne/ and he shewed me the grett cite/ holy Jerusalem des- cendinge out off heven from God/ havynge the brightnes off God. And her shynynge was lyke vnto a stone moste precious / even a Jaspar cleare as cristall: and had walles grett and hye/ and had xij gattes/ and att the gattes xij angels: and names wrytten / which are the xij trybes of Israeli : on the est parte iij gatis/ and on the north syd iij gates/ and to wardes the south iij gates/ and from the west iij gates : and the wall off the cite had xij foundacions/ and in them the names off the lambes .xij. Apostles. And he that talked with me/ had a golden rede to measur the cite with all and the gates.therofF and the wall ther off. And the cite was bylt iiij. square/ and the length was as large as the bredth of hitt/ and he measured the cite with the rede .xij m. fur longes : and the lenght/ and the breth/ and the lieyght off hit/ were equall. And he measured the wall therof. an cxliiij. cubittes : the measure tliat the angell had was after the measur that man vseth. And the byldinge of the wall of hit was of iaspar. And the cite was pure gold lyke vnto cleare glasse/ and the foundacions off the wall of the cite was garnisshed with all maner off precious stones. The fyrste foundacion was iaspar/ the seconde saphyre/ the thyrde a calcedony/ the fourth an emeralde: the fift sardonix : the sixt sardeos : the sevente cryso- lite/ the ayghte berall : the nynthe a topas : the tenthe a cryso- prasos : the elevenths a iacyncte / the twelfe an amatist. The xij gattes were xij pearles/ every gate was of one pearle/ and the strete of the cite was pure golde/ as thorowe shynynge glasse. And there was no temple therin. For the lord god allmyghty and the lambe are the temple of hit/ And the cite hath no nede of the sunne nether of the mone to lyghten Ijit. For the bryghtnes off God dyd light hitt : and the iambe was tlic light off hit. And the peojjle which are saved shall walke dFo. ccyb. €ift MtbtUcion of ^. gUjon. in the light off hit : and the kynges off the erth shall brynge their glory vnto hit. And the gattes off hit are nott shutt by daye. For there slialbe no nyght there. And there shall entre into hit nonevnclene thinge : nether what soever worketh abho- minacion : or maketh lyes : but they only which are wrytten in the lambes boke off lyfe. €f)t ni)- Cijapter. A' ND he shewed me a pure ryver off water off lyfe pure as cristall : procedynge oute of the seate off God and off the lambe. In the myddes off the strete off hit/ and off ether syde off the ryver was there wode off lyfe : which bare xij manner off frutes : and gave frute ever moneth : and the leves off the wodde served to heale the people with all. And there shalbe no more cursse but the seate of god and the lambe shalbe in hit : and his servauntes shall serve hym : And shall se his face/ and his name shalbe in their for heddes. Ande there shall be no moare nyghte there and they nede no candle/ nether light off the sunne : for the lorde God geveth them light/ and they shall raynge for evermore. And he sayde vnto me : these sayinges are fayghtfull / and true. And the lorde god of saynctes^and prophettes sentt his angell to shewe vnto his servauntes/ the thynges wich muste shortly be fulfylled. Beholde I come shortly. Happy is lie that kepeth the sayinge of the prophesy off this boke. I am Jhon/ which sawe these thyngeS and herde them. And when I had ■ herde and sene/ I fell doune/ to worshippe before the fete of the angell which shewed me these thynges. And he sayd vnto me : se thou do hit not/ for I am thy felowe servaunt and the felowe servaunt of thy brethren the prophettes and of them which kepe the sayinges off this boke. But worshippe God. And he sayde vnto me : scale nott the sayinges off prophesy off this boke. For the tyme is at honde. He that doeth evle/ lett hym do evle still : and he which is fylthy/ lett hym be fylthy still : and he that is righteous/ lett hym be more righteous : and he that is holy/ lett hym be more holy. And beholde I come shortly/ and my rewarde with me/ to geve every man acordinge as his dedes shalbe. I am Alpha and Omega/ the begynnynge and the end/ the fyrst and the last. Blessed are they that do hys commaundmentes/ that their power maye be in the tree off lyfe/ and maye entre in thorowe the gates into the cite. For with out shalbe dogges and inchanters/ and whormongers/ and CIjc 3^fl)flaaon of ^. 3Ji)on. Ci^. yyi). morthrers/ and ydolatres/ and whosoever loveth or maketli lesynges. I Jesus sent myne angell/ to testyfye vnto you these thynges in the congregacions. I am the rote and the generacion of David/ and the bright mornynge starre. And the sprete and tlie bryde sayde come. And lett hym that heareth/ saye also come. And let hym that is a tliyrst come. And let whosoever wyll/ take of the water of lyfe fre. I testifye vnto every man thatt heareth the wordes of prophesy of thys boke. yf eny man shall adde vnto these thynges/ god shall adde vnto hym the plages that are wrytten in this boke. And yf eny man shall mynnyshe of the wordes off the boke of this prophesy/ god shall take awaye his parte out of the boke of lyfe/ and oute of the holy cetie/ and from thoo thynges which are written in this boke. He which testi- fyith these thinges sayth : be hit/ I come quyckly/ Amen, even soo : come lordeJesu. The grace of on re lorde Jesus Christ be with you all Amen. STTjp enOe at tfjc neiue testtmrnt. Co tj)f mrtcn /"^ EVE diligence Reder (I exhorte the) that thou come with a pure mynde/ and as the scripture sayth with a syiigle eye/ vnto the wordes of health/ and of eternall lyfe : by the which (if we repent and beleve them) we are borne a newe/ created a fresshe/ and enioye the frutes off the bloud of Christ. Whiche bloud cryeth not for vengeaunce/ as the bloud of Abel : but hath purchased/ lyfe/ love/ faveour/ grace/ blessynge/ and whatso- ever is promysed in the scriptures/ to them that beleve and obeye God : and stondeth bitwene vs and wrathe / vengeaunce / cursse/ and whatsoever the scripture threateneth agaynst the vnbelevers and disobedient/ which resist/ and consent not in their hertes to the lawe of god / that it is ryght/ wholy/ iuste/ and ought soo to be. Marke the playne and manyfest places of the scriptures/ and in doutfull places/ se thou adde no interpretacion contrary to them : but (as Paul sayth) let all be conformable and agreyiige to the fayth. Note the difference of the lawe/ and of the gospell. The one axeth and requyreth/ the wother perdoneth and forgeveth. The one threateneth/ the wother promyseth all good thynges/ to them thattsett their trust in Christ only. The gospell signifieth gladde tydynges/ and is nothynge butt the promyses off good thynges. All is not gospell that is written in the gospell boke : For if the lawe were a waye/ thou couldest not know what the gospell Co ti)c meter. meantc. Even as thou couldest not se perdon/ favour/^ and grace/ excepte the lawe rebuked the/ and declared vnto the thy sinne/ mysdede/ and treaspase. Repent and beleve the gospell as saytli Christ in the fyrst of Marke. Applye all waye the lawe to thy dedes/ whether thou finde luste in the bottom of thyne herte to tlie lawe warde ; and soo shalt thou no dout repent/ and feale in the silfe a certayne sorowe/ payne/ and grefe to thyne herte : be cause thou canst nott with full luste do the dedes off the lawe, Applye the gos- pell/ that is to saye the proniyses/ vnto the deservynge off Christ/ and to the mercye of god and his trouth/ and soo shalt thou nott despeare : butt shalt feale god as a kynde and a mercifull father. And his sprete shall dwell in the/ and shall be stronge in the : and the promises shalbe geven the at the last (though not by and by/ lest thou shuldest forgett thy sylfe/ and be negligent) and all threatenynges shalbe forgeven the for Christis blouddis sake/ to whom commit thy silfe all togedder/ with out respect/ other of thy good dedes or of thy badde. Them that are learned Christenly/ I beseche : for as moche as I am sure/ and my conscience beareth me recorde/ that of a pure entent/ singilly and faythfuUy I have interpreted itt/ as farre forth as god gave me the gyfte of knowledge/ and vnderstond- ynge : that the rudnes oft' the worke nowe at the fryst tyme/ ofFende them not : but that they consyder howe that I had no man to counterfet/ nether was holpe with englysshe of eny that had interpreted the same/ or soche lyke thinge in the scripture before tyme. Moreover/ even very necessitie and combraunce (God is recorde) above strengthe/ which I will not rehearce/ lest we shulde seme to bost oure selves/ caused that many thynges are lackynge / whiche necessaryly are requyred. Count it as a thynge not havynge his full shape/ but as it were borne afore hys tyme/ even as a thing begunne rather then fynnesshed. In tyme to come (yf god have apoynted vs there vnto) we will geve it his full shape: and putt out yf ought be added superfluusly: and adde to yff ought be oversene thorowe negligence : and will enfoarce to brynge to compendeousnes/ that which is nowe translated at Co t!)e mUtx. the lengthe/ and to geve lyght where it is requyrecl/ and to seke iiucertayne places more proper englysshe/ and with a table to expounde the wordes which are nott commenly vsed / and shewe ho we the scripture vseth many wordes/ which are wother wyse vnderstonde of the commen people : and to helpewith a declara- cion where one tonge taketh nott another. And will endever oureselves/ as it were to sethe it better/ and to make it more apte for the weake stomakes : desyrynge them that are learned / and able/ to remember their duetie/ and to helpe there vnto : and to be stowe vnto the edyfyinge of Christis body (which is the congregacion of them that beleve) those gyftes whych they have receaved of god for the same purpose. The grace that commeth of Christ be with them that love hym. Praye for vs. LONDON . STEVENS AND PARDON, PRINTERS 37, Bell Yard, Temple Bar. Date Due A'.; ■> ' rN'W?'5^^WPBPi L h.