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 FROM   THE   LIBRARY   OF 
 
 REV.   LOUIS    FITZGERALD    BENSON.   D.  D. 
 
 BEQUEATHED   BY   HIM   TO 
 
 THE   LIBRARY  OF 
 
 PRINCETON  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY 
 
REMAINS 
 
 BISHOP  COVERDALE. 
 
Cije   jjatU^r  ^octtt^. 
 
 £}ii0titutC0    ^.13.    m-BOtiS^a^-.X^. 
 
 dFcr  tt)e  i^ttWication  of  tfje  212Horfe0  of  tl^c  ^atljer 
 anU  iParlp  affiJritcr^  of  tfie  l^rfonneH 
 
REMAINS 
 
 SEP  95  1931 
 
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 oeicn  Fiv^$ 
 
 <?■ 
 
 ■^V 
 
 MYLES     COVER  DALE, 
 
 BISHOP  OF   EXETER. 
 
 CONTAINING 
 
 PROLOGUES   TO   THE  TRANSLATION   OF   THE  BIBLE. 
 
 TREx\.TISE   ON  DEATH. 
 
 HOPE   OF   THE  FAITHFUL. 
 
 EXHORTATION  TO  THE   CARRYING  OF   CHRIST'S   CROSS. 
 
 EXPOSITION  UPON  THE  TWENTY-SECOND  PSALM. 
 
 CONFUTATION   OF  THE   TREATISE   OF  JOHN  STANDISH. 
 
 DEFENCE   OF  A  CERTAIN  POOR  CHRISTIAN  MAN. 
 
 LETTERS. 
 
 GHOSTLY  PSALMS   AND   SPIRITUAL   SONGS. 
 
 EDITED   FOR 
 
 BV   THE 
 
 i/' 
 
 REV.   GEORGE   PEARSON,    B.D. 
 
 RECTon   OF   CASTLE   CAMPS, 
 AND    LATR    ClIltlSTIAN     ADVOCATE    IN    THE    UNIVEnSITY    OF    CAM  BRI  DC  l-.. 
 
 CAMBRIDGE: 
 
 PRINTED   AT 
 
 THE    UNIVERSITY    PRESS. 
 
 M.DCCC.XLVI. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Biographical  notice  of  JBishop  Coverdale   vii 
 
 Addenda  et  Corrigenda xxiv 
 
 Dedications  and  Prologues  to  the  Translation  of  the  Bible 1 
 
 to  the  New  Testament  23 
 
 Treatise  on  Death  37 
 
 The  Hope  of  the  Faithful 135 
 
 An  Exhortation  to  the  Carrying  of  Christ's  Cross 227 
 
 Exposition  upon  the  Twenty-second  Psalm 279 
 
 A  Confutation  of  the  Treatise  of  John  Standish..    320 
 
 The   Defence  of  a  certain   poor  Christian  Man  who   else  should 
 
 have  been  condemned  by  the  Pope's  law 451 
 
 Letters 490 
 
 Ghostly  Psalms  and  Spiritual  Songs 533 
 
 Appendix,  containing  the  Originals  of  the  Letters  written  in  Latin..  591 
 
 Index Oil 
 
BIOGRAPHICAL  NOTICE 
 
 BISHOP  COVERDALE. 
 
 The  early  history  of  eminent  persons  is  often  involved 
 in  much  obscurity :  and  this  observation  is  remarkably 
 verified  in  the  instance  of  the  illustrious  subject  of  this 
 memoir.  Bishop  Myles  Coverdale  is  supposed  to  have  been 
 born  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  1488,  in  the  district  of 
 Coverdale  in  the  parish  of  Coverham,  near  Middleham,  in  the 
 North  Riding  of  Yorkshire ;  and  it  is  the  opinion  of  the 
 learned  historian  of  Richmondshire',  that  it  is  an  assumed, 
 and  not  a  family  name.  Whatever  may  be  the  truth  in  this 
 respect,  it  is  perhaps  impossible  in  the  present  day  accurately 
 to  determine  it. 
 
 Of  the  history  of  his  early  Ufe  every  thing  is  equally 
 obscure.  When  he  was  of  a  proper  age  for  an  academical 
 education,  he  was  sent  to  the  monastery  of  the  Augustines  at 
 Cambridge,  of  which  the  celebrated  Dr  Robert  Barnes  was 
 at  that  time  Prior ;  from  whom  he  imbibed  those  sound  prin- 
 ciples of  learning  and  religion,  which  fitted  him  afterwards  to 
 take  so  conspicuous  a  lead  in  the  events  connected  with  the 
 Reformation ;  and  his  name  is  mentioned  amongst  the  princi- 
 pal persons  in  the  University  at  this  period  who  favoured  these 
 opinions,  the  most  celebrated  of  whom  were  Bilney,  Staff'ord, 
 and  Latimer  2.  He  appears  even  at  this  early  period  to  have 
 attracted  the  notice  of  lord  Crumwell;  and  during  the  time  that 
 he  was  an  inmate  of  this  house,  we  find  him  in  correspondence 
 with  him,  and  enjoying  the  confidence  of  this  eminent  person^. 
 He  is  said  by  Tanner  to  have  been  admitted  to  Priests' 
 Orders  by  John  Bishop  of  Chalcedon  at  Norwich,  a.  d. 
 1514^  and  to  have  taken  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Canon 
 Law  at  Cambridge,  a.  d.   1531.      He  is  stated  on  the  same 
 
 1  Whitaker,  History  of  Richmondshire,  Vol.  i.  p.  17. 
 -  Strype's  Parker,  Vol.  i.  p.  12.  Ed.  1822;   Mcmonals,  Vol.  i.  p. 
 o68. 
 
 •^  Sco  Letters  I.  II. 
 
 '  Tanner,  Bibliotheca  Britaiino-IIibcrnica. 
 
Vlll  BIOGRAPHICAL     NOTICE    OF 
 
 authority  to  have  been  admitted  to  the  degree  of  D.D.  at 
 Tubingen. 
 
 Upon  the  occasion  of  Dr  Barnes  being  arrested  in  the 
 Convocation-house  and  carried  before  Wolsey  for  preaching 
 heretical  doctrines,  we  find  Coverdale  accompanying  him,  to 
 support  him  under  his  trials.  The  next  intelligence  that 
 we  hear  of  him  is  amongst  the  earlier  leaders  of  the  Refor- 
 mation in  the  northern  parts  of  Essex.  Among  the  parishes 
 in  this  part  of  the  country,  which  are  mentioned  as  having 
 been  favourable  to  the  cause  of  the  Reformation,  are  those  of 
 Birdbrook,  Stceple-Bumpstead',  and  the  adjoining  parish  of 
 Stoke-Clare  in  the  county  of  Suffolk ;  and  this  effect  seems 
 to  have  been  produced  by  the  circulation  of  portions  of  the 
 jVew  Testament,  which  had  existed  in  manuscript  long  before 
 the  publication  of  Tyndale's  New  Testament,  and  had  prepared 
 the  minds  of  men  for  the  reception  of  it,  when  it  appeared 2. 
 In  one  of  these  parishes,  Steeple-Bumpstead,  Richard  Foxe,  the 
 minister  of  the  parish,  was  among  the  most  zealous  preachers 
 of  the  doctrines  of  the  Reformation  in  this  district^ ;  and  we 
 
 1  Anciently  called  Bumpstead  ad  Turrim,  as  having  one  of  the 
 round  towers,  so  common  in  Norfolk  and  Suffolk.  Some  account  of 
 these  towers  is  contained  in  the  Archseologia,  Vol.  i.  pp.  305 — 7, 
 and  II.  pp.  80,  82. 
 
 2  Anderson,  Annals  of  the  English  Bible,  Vol.  i.  p.  176.  In 
 alluding  to  this  valuable  work,  and  with  a  desire  to  acknowledge  in 
 the  fullest  manner  the  great  learning  and  research,  which  he  has 
 brought  to  bear  on  the  history  of  our  English  Bible,  the  Editor  feels 
 it  to  be  due  to  the  memory  of  Coverdale  to  protest  against  the  view 
 which  ho  has  given  of  Coverdale's  character;  a  view,  which  he  be- 
 lieves not  to  be  borne  out  by  an  impartial  estimate  of  his  life,  and 
 of  the  transactions  in  which  he  was  engaged. 
 
 3  An  interesting  account  is  given  by  Anderson,  ibid.  p.  177,  from 
 the  Register  of  bishop  Tunstall,  (which  contains  the  confessions  of 
 various  persons,  who  were  apprehended  on  different  charges  of 
 heresy,  and  for  being  concerned  in  the  circulation  of  the  scriptm-es,) 
 of  the  events  connected  with  the  progress  of  the  reformed  doctrines 
 in  this  district,  and  of  the  conversion  of  Foxe,  and  also  of  Toj^ley  and 
 Gardiner,  two  Augustine  friars  of  Stokc-Clare,  from  the  perusal  of 
 Tyndale's  New  Testament ;  of  which  copies  had  been  procured  by  two 
 countrymen,  who  travelled  to  London  from  this  place  on  purpose, 
 where  they  procured  them  from  Dr  Barnes.  The  following  is  the 
 interesting  narrative,  which  is  given  by  Toplcy,  of  his  conversion,  and 
 of  the  coimexion  of  Coverdale  with  it:  "It  fortuned,"  he  relates, 
 "  about  half  a  year  ago,  that  the  said  Sir  Richard  Foxe  went  forth. 
 
BISHOP    COVERDALE. 
 
 find  the  name  of  Coverdale  mentioned  in  a  prominent  manner 
 in  connexion  with  these  transactions,  and  with  the  distribution 
 of  the  scriptures  at  this  period. 
 
 WickHffe's  translation  of  the  scriptures  had  now  for 
 nearly  two  centuries  been  before  the  public,  and  two  editions 
 of  Tyndale's  New  Testament  had  been  published  at  Worms 
 as  early  as  a.  d.  1525  ;  and  in  1530  he  published  his  trans- 
 lation of  The  five  books  of  Moses.  There  appears  to  be  no 
 foundation  for  the  story,  which  was  circulated  by  Foxe,  and 
 has  since  that  time  been  adopted  by  many  other  writers,  that 
 in  this  work  he  was  assisted  by  Coverdale.  They  do  not 
 appear  to  have  been  associated  together  during  this  period; 
 and  it  is  probable  that  Coverdale  was  labouring  by  himself 
 in  retirement  in  the  same  vocation,  as  we  lose  sight  of  him 
 almost  entirely  after  the  year  1528  till  1535,  when  he  pub- 
 lished, on  the  fourth  of  October,  his  translation  of  the  whole 
 Bible ;  a  work,  on  which  it  is  probable  that  he  had  been 
 employed  for  some  years,  although  we  have  no  evidence  at 
 what  time  he  commenced  it.  There  is  great  uncertainty  also 
 with  regard  to  the  place  at  which  this  Bible  was  printed : 
 
 and  desired  me  to  serve  his  cure  for  him;  and  as  I  was  in  his  chamber, 
 I  found  a  certain  book  called  "Wickliflfe's  Wicket,"  whereby  I  felt  in  my 
 conscience  a  great  wavering  for  the  time  that  I  did  read  upon  it,  and 
 afterwards  also,  when  I  remembered,  it  wounded  my  conscience  very 
 sore.  Nevertheless  I  consented  not  to  it,  till  I  heard  him  preach,  and 
 that  was  upon  St  Anthony's  day.  Yet  my  mind  was  much  troubled 
 with  the  said  book,  (which  did  make  the  sacrament  of  Christ's  body  in 
 the  form  of  bread  but  a  remembrance  of  Chi-ist's  passion,)  till  I  heard 
 Sir  Miles  Coverdale  preach;  and  then  my  mind  was  sore  withdrawn 
 from  the  blessed  sacrament,  insomuch  that  I  took  it  then  but  for  the 
 remembrance  of  Christ's  body.  Furthermore  he  said  and  confessed, 
 that  in  the  Lent  last  passed,  as  he  was  walking  in  the  fields  at  Bump- 
 stead  with  Sir  Miles  Coverdale,  late  friar  of  the  same  order,  going  in 
 the  habit  of  a  secular  priest,  who  had  preached  the  fourth  Sunday  in 
 Lent,  (29th  March  1528,)  at  Bumpstead,  they  did  commune  together  of 
 Erasmus's  works,  and  also  upon  Confession.  This  Sir  Miles  said,  and 
 did  hold,  that  it  was  sufficient  for  a  man  to  be  contrite  for  his  sins 
 betwixt  God  and  his  conscience,  without  confession  made  to  a  priest; 
 which  opinion  this  respondent  thought  to  be  true,  and  did  affii'm  and 
 hold  the  same  at  that  time.  Also  ho  saith,  that  at  the  said  sermon 
 by  the  said  Sir  Miles  Coverdale  at  Bumpstead,  he  heard  him  preach 
 against  worshipping  of  images  in  the  church,  saying,  that  men  should 
 in  no  wise  honour  or  worship  them ;  which  likewise  he  thought  to  bo 
 true,  because  he  had  no  learning  to  defend  it." 
 
 r  1  ^ 
 
 [COVERDALE,    II.j 
 
BIOGRAPHICAL   NOTICE    OF 
 
 but  the  best  and  most  approved  opinions  assign  it  to  Fros- 
 chover,  a  learned  bookseller  at  Zurich,  one  of  the  earliest 
 and  most  eminent  publishers  of  writings  connected  with  the 
 Reformation. 
 
 It  has  been  a  subject  of  dispute,  whether  the  translation 
 of  Coverdale  ever  had  the  express  sanction  of  the  king. 
 From  a  review  of  the  circumstances,  as  they  have  been 
 related  by  Coverdale  himself,  and  from  the  fact,  that  in 
 the  following  year,  in  June  1536,  we  find  the  Convocation 
 petitioning  the  king  for  a  new  translation,  it  would  appear 
 probable  that  it  never  had  this  sanction  ^ 
 
 In  1537,  two  years  afterwards,  two  other  editions  of 
 Coverdale's  Bible  were  pubhshed  by  James  Nycolson,  a 
 bookseller  in  Southwark. 
 
 In  the  same  year  also  the  Bible  appeared,  which  bears 
 the  name  of  Thomas  Mathewe,  but  which  was  really  edited 
 by  John  Rogers,  the  friend  and  fellow-labourer  of  Tyndale. 
 This  book,  to  the  end  of  the  books  of  Chronicles,  is  Tyndale's 
 translation,  and  from  thence  to  the  end  of  the  Apocrypha, 
 with  the  exception  of  the  book  of  Jonah,  which  is  Tyndale's, 
 is  Coverdale's  version ;  and  the  whole  of  the  New  Testament 
 is  Tyndale's  translation.  This  Bible  appears  to  have  been 
 a  private  speculation  of  Grafton,  the  printer :  the  publication 
 of  it  was  a  subject  of  great  joy  to  Cranmer,  and  through  his 
 interest  with  the  king  it  obtained  the  royal  sanction,  and 
 is  said  to  have  been  "  set  forth  with  the  king's  most  gracious 
 licence  2." 
 
 In  1538  we  find  Coverdale  in  Paris,  engaged  there 
 under  Lord  Crumwell's  direction  with  Grafton,  in  carrying 
 through  the  press  another  edition  of  this  Bible  ;  and  we  have 
 letters  written  at  this  period  from  Coverdale  and  Grafton  to 
 Crumwell  with  respect  to  annotations,  which  it  was  proposed 
 to  annex  to  this  Bible,  and  other  matters  connected  with 
 it.  But  the  printing  of  it  was  suddenly  interrupted  by 
 an   order  from  the  Inquisition,  before  which  Regnault,  the 
 
 1  Sec  Memorials  of  Coverdale,  chap.  v. ;  Fulke,  Defence  of  the 
 Enghsh  Translations  of  the  Bible,  p.  98.  Parker  Soc.  Ed. ;  Strype's 
 Cranmer,  Vol.  i.  p.  638;  Jenkyns,  Preface  to  Cranmer's  Remains, 
 p.  xxviii. 
 
 2  Lewis,  Histoiy  of  Translations,  p.  105 ;  Strype's  Cranmer,  Book 
 I.  c.  21 ;  Annals  ii.  i.  p.  324 ;  Memorials  of  Coverdale,  chap.  vi. 
 
BISHOP    COVERDALE.  XI 
 
 printer,  Wcas  summoned  to  appear  on  the  seventeenth  of 
 December.  However  by  the  activity  of  Coverdale  the 
 greater  part  of  the  impression,  together  with  the  types,  was 
 removed  to  London,  where  it  was  pubhshed  in  April  1539, 
 and  was  presented  by  Cranmer  to  the  king.  This  edition 
 of  the  Bible  must  be  distinguished  both  from  the  former 
 edition  of  1537,  and  from  those  which  were  set  forth  in 
 1540  and  the  following  years,  under  the  express  patronage 
 and  authority  of  Cranmer.  It  appears  to  have  been  under- 
 taken and  carried  through  the  press  at  the  sole  risk  and 
 charo-e  of  lord  Crumwell :  and  is  a  noble  instance  of  his  zeal 
 in  the  cause  of  the  scriptures^. 
 
 About  this  period,  and  during  his  absence  at  Paris,  the 
 first  New  Testament  of  Coverdale  was  pubhshed  by  Nycolson 
 of  Southwark,  professing  to  contain  Coverdale's  translation 
 and  the  Latin  in  parallel  columns.  It  appears,  that  Cover- 
 dale  wrote  a  Dedication  to  Henry  VIII.  and  a  Prologue  to 
 the  reader,  to  be  prefixed  to  this  volume,  entrusting  the  task 
 of  carrying  the  work  through  the  press  to  Nycolson.  But 
 upon  its  appearance  it  was  found  to  be  so  full  of  errors,  that 
 Coverdale  pubhshed  in  December  a  new  edition  at  Paris, 
 which  was  printed  by  Regnault  under  his  own  immediate 
 direction ;  to  which  he  prefixed  a  Dedication  to  Lord  Crum- 
 well and  a  Prologue  to  the  reader,  complaining  of  the  errors 
 of  the  first  edition^.  Nycolson  pubhshed  in  1538  another 
 edition  of  this  Testament,  (although  without  the  sanction  of 
 Coverdale,)  in  which  the  mistakes  of  the  former  edition  were 
 corrected,  with  the  name  of  John  Ilolybushe  prefixed  to  it ; 
 who  probably  was  also  the  real  editor  of  the  former  edition. 
 
 In  the  early  part  of  the  year  1539  we  find  Coverdale 
 resident  at  Newbury  in  Berkshire,  and  engaged  under  Lord 
 Crumwell's  directions  in  the  detection  of  popish  books  and 
 other  abuses  connected  with  religion  in  that  neio-hbourhood^ 
 
 In  1540  Cranmer  set  forth  his  Bible,  and  in  the  same 
 year  Lord  Crumwell  was  executed  and  Dr  Barnes  brought 
 to  the  stake.      It  is  probable  from  a  letter  written  in  1548 
 
 3  For  a  full  account  of  the  cii-cumstances  connected  with  tliis 
 Bible,  see  Anderson's  Annals  of  the  English  Bible,  Vol.  ii.  pp.  22,  &c. 
 Compare  also  Letters  III,  IV,  V,  VII. 
 
 4  See  pp.  32—36. 
 
 5  Sec  Letters  IX.,  X.,  pp.  408,  500. 
 
 b2 
 
XIV  BIOGRAPHICAL    NOTICE    OF 
 
 appear  before  the  council  at  Richmond.  On  the  31st  of  the 
 same  month  he  appeared  in  obedience  to  the  summons,  and 
 on  the  first  of  September  he  was  directed  to  wait  the  council's 
 further  pleasured 
 
 It  has  been  mentioned,  that  Coverdale,  during  his  first 
 exile,  had  married  a  lady  of  Scotch  descent,  named  Macheson. 
 A  sister  of  this  lady  had  married  Dr  John  Macbee,  or,  as  he 
 was  better  known  abroad,  Machabieus,  who  was  chaplain  to 
 the  king  of  Denmark,  and  high  in  his  favour,  having  had  a 
 very  prominent  share  in  the  Danish  version  of  the  scriptures. 
 Through  the  intercession  of  this  person  with  the  king  of 
 Denmark,  his  majesty  personally  interceded  with  queen  Mary 
 for  the  release  of  Coverdale.  The  queen  pretended,  that  he 
 was  not  detained  on  the  ground  of  any  reasons  connected 
 with  religion,  but  for  a  personal  debt  due  to  her  majesty ; 
 and  for  some  time  no  notice  was  taken  of  the  application. 
 However,  upon  a  second  application  from  the  king,  after 
 some  delays,  an  order  was  finally  made  out  for  his  release 
 in  February  1555  2.  Upon  this  Coverdale  retired  to  Den- 
 mark ;  but  was  subsequently  appomted  preacher  to  the  exiles 
 at  Wesel  in  Friesland^,  where  he  remained  for  a  short  time,- 
 till  he  was  invited  by  the  duke  of  Deux-ponts  to  his  former 
 charge  at  Bergzabern. 
 
 In  1555  the  works  of  Coverdale  were  included  in  a  ge- 
 neral proscription,  which  was  issued  against  the  writings  of 
 several  of  the  Reformers,  including  those  of  Cranmer,  Latimer, 
 Becon,  Frith,  and  others'*. 
 
 In  1558  he  was  at  Geneva ;  from  whence  he  joined  in 
 the  letter  addressed  by  the  exiles  at  that  place  to  those  at 
 Basle,  Strasburgh,  Frankfort,  and  other  places,  for  peace 
 and  an  amicable  agreement  on  their  return  home  in  such 
 measures  as  should  be  agreed  upon  by  authority  with  re- 
 ference to  religion^;  and  afterwards  in  the  same  year  he 
 returned  to  Eno-iand. 
 
 1  Minutes  of  Privy  Council,  MSS.  Cecil,  Vol.  i.  pp.  177—8. 
 
 2  The  circumstances  connected  with  this  discharge  are  related  by 
 Strype,  Memorials,  Vol.  iii.  i.  p.  240;  by  Foxe,  Acts  and  Monuments, 
 Vol.  III.  pp.  102,  &c. ;  in  the  Memorials  of  Coverdale,  pp.  157,  &e.; 
 and  by  Anderson,  Annals  of  the  English  Bible,  Vol.  11.  p.  293. 
 
 3  Strype,  Memorials,  Vol.  iii.  i.  pp.  233,  410. 
 
 4  Strype,  Memorials,  Vol.  iir.  i.  pp.  417 — 18. 
 
 ■5  Strype,  Annals,  Vol.  i.  i.  chap.  vii.  jip.  150 — 4. 
 
BISHOP    COVERDALE.  XV 
 
 The  fact  of  liis  returning  to  England  in  this  year,  appears 
 to  be  conclusive  against  the  supposition  that  he  was  engaged 
 in  the  Geneva  version  of  the  bible,  wliich  was  not  published 
 till  1560. 
 
 We  find  him  spoken  of  on  his  return  in  terms  of  great 
 respect  as  preaching  on  different  occasions  at  Paul's  Cross  ^; 
 and  on  the  17th  of  December  he  assisted  with  bishops  Barlow, 
 Scorj,  and  Hodgkin,  the  suifragan  of  Bedford,  at  the  con- 
 secration of  archbishop  Parker". 
 
 In  1563  he  was  recommended  to  secretary  Cecil  by 
 bishop  Grindal  for  the  bishoprick  of  Llandaif,  in  a  letter  in 
 which  the  bishop  states  that  he  had  offered  him  different 
 pieces  of  preferment,  which  had  been  declined  by  him* :  and 
 it  is  probable  that  he  refused  this  also.  But  in  1564  he  was 
 presented  by  the  bishop  to  the  Hving  of  St  Magnus,  London 
 bridge,  the  first-fruits  having  been  remitted  to  him  by  the 
 queen  on  account  of  his  poverty,  on  the  intercession  of  arch- 
 bishop Parker  and  secretary  CeciF.  This  Uving  he  resigned 
 in  1566 1«. 
 
 In  1563  he  took  the  degree  of  D.  D.  at  Cambridge, 
 having  previously  taken  it  at  Tubingen ;  and  in  April  1564 
 he  was  commissioned  by  the  vice-chanceUor  of  Cambridge  to 
 admit  bishop  Grindal  to  the  same  degree  ^^ 
 
 When  Coverdale  returned  from  his  second  exile,  he  felt 
 the  scruples  relating  to  the  habits,  which  had  been  adopted 
 by  many  of  the  reformers.  It  does  not  however  appear, 
 that  he  experienced  any  molestation  on  this  account  ^^;  and 
 
 6  Strype,  Annals,  Vol.  l.  i.  pp.  200,  300,  408 ;  Grindal,  p.  40. 
 
 '^  Strype,  Parker,  Vol.  i.  Book  ir.  c.  1.  pp.  107,  &c. ;  where  the 
 account  of  this  consecration  is  given  from  the  original  MS.  in  the 
 library  of  Corpus  Christi  College,  Cambridge,  which  has  been  pub- 
 lished in  a  separate  form  by  the  Cambridge  Antiquarian  Society- 
 See  also  archbishop  Bramhall's  Works,  p.  449. 
 
 8  See  this  letter  XXXVI.  p.  529.  note  2. 
 
 9  The  letters  relating  to  this  transaction  are  found  pp.  529 — 32. 
 The  real  date  of  his  presentation  is  1564,  i.  e.  1563  old  style. 
 
 10  September  24,  1566,  John  Young  is  mentioned  as  having  been 
 appointed  to  St  Magnus,  on  the  resignation  of  M.  Coverdale.  New- 
 court's  Repertorium,  Vol.  i.  p.  398. 
 
 11  Strype,  Grindal,  pp.  139,  140. 
 
 12  Strype,  Parker,  Vol.  i.  p.  483.  See  also  Coverdale's  Letter  to  the 
 Rev.  Mr  Robinson,  chaplain  to  archbishop  Parker,  Letter  XXXIX. 
 p.  532,  which  appears  to  relate  to  this  subject. 
 
XVI  BIOGRAPHICAL    NOTICE    OF 
 
 he  was  much  followed  as  a  preacher  by  persons  attached  to 
 these  opinions  ^  Nevertheless,  whatever  might  have  been 
 his  scruples  with  respect  to  vestments  and  other  subjects 
 of  controversy  at  this  period,  it  is  evident  that  he  never 
 renounced  his  episcopal  character ;  as  his  signature  always 
 retains  the  addition  of  his  former  dignity  to  the  time  of  his 
 death  ^.  He  died  in  February,  1569  ^  at  the  age  of  eighty- 
 one  years,  and  was  buried  in  the  church  of  St  Bartholomew 
 behind  the  Exchange,  on  the  19th  of  the  same  month. 
 This  church  having  been  taken  down  in  1840,  to  make 
 room  for  the  new  Exchange,  the  remains  of  bishop  Co- 
 verdale  were  removed  to  St  Magnus,  where  they  were 
 finally  interred. 
 
 We  will  conclude  this  memoir  with  some  brief  remarks, 
 
 I.  First,  On  the  writings  of  bishop  Coverdale  ; 
 
 II.  And  secondly,  on  his  Translation  of  the  scriptures. 
 I.     The  writings  of  bishop  Coverdale  are  partly  original, 
 
 and  partly  translations.  It  does  not  appear  certain,  that 
 any  of  them  were  pubhshed  before  the  completion  of  his 
 bible,  in  1535.  One  of  the  earliest  of  his  writings  appears 
 to  have  been  the  Old  Faith,  which  is  translated  from  a 
 treatise  of  Bullinger,  and  which  is  expressly  alluded  to  in  his 
 Confutation  of  Standish  '^;  and  it  is  probable,  that  during 
 his  first  residence  abroad  the  principal  part  of  his  writings 
 was  pubhshed.  But  as  most  of  the  earlier  editions  are 
 without  the  name  either  of  the  author  or  the  printer,  and 
 bear  neither  the  date  nor  place  of  their  pubUcation,  the 
 exact  period  of  their  first  pubhcation  is  involved  in  great 
 uncertainty ;  and  the  circumstances  of  Coverdale's  writings 
 having  been  proscribed  in  the  reign  of  queen  Mary  will 
 probably  account  for  the  great  scarcity  of  some  of  them, 
 and  renders  it  probable  that  others  may  be  altogether  lost. 
 The  works  of  bishop  Coverdale  are  some  of  them  historical ; 
 others  are  connected  with  the  religious  controversies  of  the 
 time ;  and  others  again  are  of  a  strictly  practical  character, 
 
 1  Strypo,  Parker,  Vol.  i.  p.  480. 
 
 2  Myles  Coverdale,  quondam  Eocon. 
 
 3  "Myles  Coverdale,  Doctor  of  Divinity,  was  buried  anno  1668,  the 
 19th  of  February."  Kegister  of  burials  of  St  Bartholomew  behind 
 the  Exchange.     The  date  being  of  the  old  style,  is  correctly  1569. 
 
 4  P.  340. 
 
BISHOP    COVERDALE.  XVU 
 
 although  bringing  to  bear  upon  the  subject  in  question  much 
 varied  and  recondite  learning.  It  is  a  distinguishing  mark 
 of  the  humility  of  this  great  man,  that  he  has  not  scrupled 
 to  adopt  the  labours  of  others,  where  he  thought  them  supe- 
 rior to  his  own :  but  even  in  these  he  has  shewn  the  hand 
 of  a  master,  and  has  generally  improved  upon  his  original 
 author. 
 
 II.  With  respect  to  the  merits  of  bishop  Coverdale,  as 
 a  translator  of  the  scriptures,  it  does  not  appear  that  he  de- 
 rived assistance  from  any  person  in  his  labours,  whatever 
 countenance  and  support  he  may  have  received  in  other 
 respects  from  lord  Crumwell,  who  appears  to  have  been  his 
 constant  and  steady  friend :  and  making  every  allowance 
 for  the  greatest  possible  time  that  he  could  have  devoted  to 
 the  task,  considered  as  the  unassisted  work  of  an  individual, 
 it  must  be  regarded  as  a  very  remarkable  effort  of  industry 
 and  learning.  With  regard  to  the  supposition  of  his  having 
 assisted  Tyndale  in  his  labours,  it  appears,  as  we  have  seen, 
 to  have  been  satisfactorily  established  that  this  is  a  mistake; 
 that  during  this  period  they  scarcely  met^;  and  that  while 
 Tyndale  was  pursuing  his  labours  abroad  amidst  trials  and 
 persecution,  Coverdale  was  probably  labouring  at  home  in 
 privacy  and  retirement.  Indeed,  even  a  cursory  examination 
 will  convmce  us,  that  the  two  translations  are  cast  in  an 
 entirely  different  mould. 
 
 It  is  not  consistent  with  the  object  of  the  present  pub- 
 lication, to  enter  into  an  elaborate  discussion  of  the  merits 
 of  Coverdale  as  a  translator ;  yet  it  may  be  permitted  to 
 remark,  that  although  he  professes  to  have  consulted  both 
 the  Latin  and  German  translations,  his  version  through- 
 out bears  marks  of  a  close  attention  to  the  original:  and 
 ample  justice  has  been  done  to  his  qualifications,  and  to 
 the  general  abihty  with  which  he  has  executed  his  task^. 
 
 s  This  appears  to  bo  clearly  established  by  Anderson,  Annals  of 
 the  English  Bible,  Vol.  i.  pp.  240,  554. 
 
 6  Coverdale's  translation  is  expressly  mentioned  in  the  directions 
 to  king  James's  translators,  as  one  of  those  which  were  to  be  used  by 
 them  in  preparing  the  new  translation.  Lewis,  History  of  the  Trans- 
 lations, p.  318.  And  ample  justice  is  done  to  his  merits,  in  an  ex- 
 amination of  different  passages,  by  Dr  Whittaker,  vicar  of  Black- 
 burn, in  his  Historical  and  Critical  Enquiry  into  the  Interpretation  of 
 the  Hebrew  Scriptures,  pp.  48,  &c. 
 
XVIU  BIOGUAPHICAL    NOTICE    OP 
 
 When  Rogers,  who  had  been  the  friend  and  fellow-labourer 
 of  Tyndale,  brought  forth  the  bible  which  bears  the  name 
 of  Mathewe,  it  was  natural,  even  independently  of  other 
 considerations,  that  he  should  adopt  the  translation  of  Tyn- 
 dale, as  far  as  it  went :  but  it  still  remains  to  the  honour 
 of  Coverdale,  that  his  version  was  selected  to  supply  the 
 portion,  and  that  no  inconsiderable  and  unimportant  portion, 
 which  was  wanting  to  the  completion  of  that  great  work : 
 and  when  lord  Crumwell  determined  upon  the  reprint  of 
 this  edition,  we  find  Coverdale  engaged  with  Grafton  the 
 printer  in  the  laborious  task  of  carrying  it  through  the 
 press.  To  the  energy  which  he  shewed  in  this  work,  and 
 his  ability  for  the  task,  his  letters  written  to  lord  Crum- 
 well at  this  period  bear  ample  testimony ;  and  he  would 
 gladly  see  his  own  labours  in  some  degree  overlooked  in  the 
 accomplishment  of  so  important  a  work,  as  the  presenting 
 another  edition  of  the  scriptures  under  so  high  a  sanction  to 
 his  countrymen.  It  does  not  appear  that  Cranmer  was  in 
 any  way  concerned  in  bringing  forth  Mathewe's  bible,  which 
 he  describes  as  having  come  upon  him  in  the  way  of  de- 
 lightful surprise;  but  upon  its  appearance  he  took  it  up  with 
 great  energy,  and  pleaded  its  cause  both  with  lord  Crumwell, 
 and  with  the  king^:  nor  are  we  exactly  aware,  how  far  he 
 countenanced  the  reprint  of  Mathewe's  bible  under  lord 
 Crumwell's  direction  at  Paris ;  but  it  seems  probable  that 
 it  had  his  sanction,  as  in  the  year  following  its  publication 
 the  same  book  came  out  again  under  his  own  immediate 
 sanction.  If  he  gave  this  preference  deliberately  to  Tyn- 
 dale's  translation,  (which  in  truth  forms  the  basis  of  our 
 present  authorised  version.)  he  only  anticipated  the  judgment 
 of  posterity ;  although  the  eminent  persons,  who  had  the 
 conduct  of  our  present  version,  have  done  ample  justice  to 
 the  merits  of  Coverdale.  The  merits  of  eminent  men,  and 
 especially  of  persons  who  have  been  placed  under  the  trying 
 circumstances  which  marked  the  age  in  which  Coverdale 
 lived,  must  be  estimated  by  an  impartial  survey  of  their 
 conduct  under  the  various  trials  to  Avhich  they  were  ex- 
 posed:   and  whatever   different   opinions  may  prevail  with 
 
 1  This  point  appears  to  be  clearly  established  by  Anderson,  Annals, 
 Vol.  I.  p.  576.  Cranmer's  correspondence  on  this  subject  is  contained 
 in  Strype's  Cranmer,  Book  i.  c.  15. 
 
BISHOP    COVRRDALE.  XIX 
 
 regard  to  him,  yet  when  we  consider  his  character  in  all 
 its  different  bearings,  and,  above  all,  his  labours  in  pre- 
 senting to  the  inhabitants  of  this  country,  and  all  the  nations 
 of  the  world  who  speak  the  English  language,  the  scriptures 
 in  their  native  tongue ;  the  name  of  Coverdale  is  one  which 
 will  be  al^vays  mentioned  with  veneration  and  respect. 
 
 The  following  account  of  bishop  Coverdale  and  his  works 
 has  been  given  by  bishop  Tanner  in  his  Bihliotheca  Bri- 
 tannico-Hibernica  ^  : 
 
 Coverdalus  [Milo]  patria  Eboracensis  in  Cantabrigiensi 
 academia  studia  philosophica  et  theologica  sedulo  cxcoluit. 
 Dein  unus  ex  primis  doctrina?  reformatte  praedicatoribus. 
 Frater  eremita  Augustinianus  A.  mdxciv.  ISTorwici  per  Jo. 
 Calcidonensem  episcopum  suffrag.  ordinatus  presbyter.  [A. 
 MDXLvii.  in  ecclesia  S.  Pauli  London,  prasdicabat,  cum  multi 
 AnabaptistJB  pahnodiam  canebant.  Stow,  Hist.  p.  596.  Et 
 A.  MDXLix.  dominum  Russel  comitatus  est  in  expeditione 
 contra  rebelles  Devon.  Hooker  ad  Hollinsh.  iii.  1023.]  S. 
 theol.  doctor  TubingsB  in  Germania  creatus.  A.  mdli.  20 
 Aug.  consecrabatur  episcopus  Exon.  Post  biennium  in  car- 
 cerem  detrusus,  a3gre,  Danorum  regis  opera,  flammas  evasit, 
 et  solum  vertit  (Fox,  i.  edit.  1081).  Post  obitum  regiufe 
 Marias  e  Germania  in  patriam  rediit,  sedem  vero  suam  re- 
 petere  non  curavit,  quia  Calvinistarum  dogmatibus  in  Ger- 
 mania imbutus,  ceremoniis  et  vestibus  sacris  in  ecclesia  An- 
 ghcana  infensissimus  erat.  A.  mdlxiii.  per  episcopum  Grindal 
 ad  episcopatum  Landavensem  commendabatur  (Strype  in  Vita 
 Grindall.  p.  91.)  Et  hoc  anno  3  Martii  collatus  fuit  ad 
 ecclesiam  S.  Magni  ad  pedem  pontis  Londin.  quam  resignabat 
 A.  MDLXvi.  Reg.  Grind.  Newc.  i.  396.  A.  mdlxiv.  15  April. 
 Edmundum  Grindall.  episc.  Londinensem  ad  gradum  doc- 
 toratus  virtute  mandati  procancellarii  universitatis  admisit, 
 Strype  in  Vita  Grindall.  p.  95.  Scripsit  Anglice,  Confu- 
 tation of  J.  Standish  his  treatise  made  against  the  -pro- 
 testation of  Dr  Barnes,  anno  mdxl.  Marp.  mdxlvii.  8vo. 
 Foxius  hunc  inter  libros  prohibitos  recenset,  1  edit.  573. 
 Calvinum  de  eucharistia  cmn   constitutionibus   quibusdam 
 
 2  In  the  preceding  volume  of  bishop  Coverdale's  works  a  list  of  his 
 writings  is  given  in  a  more  compendious  form,  for  which  the  Editor 
 was  principally  indebted  to  "Memorials  of  Bishop  Coverdale,"  London, 
 1838. 
 
XX  BIOGRAPHICAL    NOTICE    OF 
 
 ecclesice.  Danicoi  in  sermonem  Anglicanum  transtulit.  Longam 
 epistolam  lectori  praefixit:  Pr.  "As  the  author  of  this  httle 
 book."  Pr.  Lib.  "For  as  muche  as  the  hoh."  Lend. . .  12mo. 
 Baleus  tractatum  hunc  h.  t.  insignivit :  Ordinem  rectum 
 ccencB  Domini,  Lib.  i.  Defensionem  pmipa^is  cujusdam  Chris- 
 tiani,  qui  lege  pontificia  damnari  dehuit,  transtuht  in  Anghc. 
 Noriberg£e  mdxlv.  8vo.  Novi  Testamenti  concordantias, 
 Lib.  I.  Catechismum  Christianum,  Lib.  i.  De  Christiana 
 matrimonii  statu,  Lib.  i.  c.  25.  "  Whan  our  Lorde  Jesus 
 Christ."  MDXLi.  8vo. . .  mdxliii.  24to.  et  Lond.  mdlii.  24to. 
 Pr.  pr.  edit.  Lond.  mdlxxv.  24to.  "  Among  other  grieveous 
 syns  and."  Original  of  wedlock  or  matrimony  [a  Baleo 
 liber  hie  Bullingero  attribuitur,  et  a  Coverdalio  versus  fuisse 
 in  linguam  Anglicam  dicitur]  Lond.  mdlii.  8vo.  An  exhor- 
 tation to  accustomahle  swearers;  also  what  a  right  and 
 lawful  oath  is.  Pr.  pr.  "In  the  Lord's  vineyard,  dear 
 friend."  Lond.  mdlxxv.  8vo.  2  edit. . .  mdxliii.  24to.  A 
 short  instruction  to  all  estates  of  men  in  the  world.  Pr.  "  Be 
 learned,  ye  kings,  and  understand."  Ad  finem  libri.  An  ex- 
 hortation to  accustomahle  sivearers.  The  manner  of  saying 
 grace  after  the  doctryne  of  the  holy  Scripture.  Pr.  "  The 
 eyes  of  all  loke."  Ibidem.  Fruitful  lessons  upon  the  jyassion, 
 burial,  resurrection,  ascension,  and  of  the  sending  the  Holy 
 Ghost ;  gathered  out  of  the  four  evangelists,  with  a  plain 
 exposition  of  the  same.  Pr.  pr.  "  Since  our  human  imper- 
 fections." Marp.  mdxl.  . .  mdxlvii.  8vo.  Lond.  mdxciii.  4to. 
 Christian  rule  of  the  world  for  every  one  to  please  God  in 
 his  calling.  Printed  with  the  christian  state  of  matrimony. . . 
 mdxli.  8vo.  An  evident  declaration  out  of  the  holy  Scrip- 
 tures, that  the  christian  faith  Jiath  endured  since  the  be- 
 ginning of  the  tuorld,  and  that  through  it  all  virtuous  men 
 jjleased  God,  and  were  saved,  c.  11.  Pr.  pr.  "  Like  as 
 the  almighty  eternal  God."  Pr,  Lib.  "  I  suppose  plainly 
 that  many  simple."  Lond.  mdxlvii.  8vo.  et  mdcxxiv.  4to. 
 Epistolam  tempore  Marioi  reg.  Anglicam.  Pr.  "  It  moch 
 rejoyceth  my  poore  heart."  MS.  Eman.  coll.  Cantabr.  inter 
 epist.  martyrum.  A  faithful  and  true  prognostication  upon 
 the  year  mdxxxvi.  translated  out  of  high  German.  Inter 
 libros  prohibitos  memoratur  a  Foxio  1  edit.  p.  573.  Con- 
 futationem  concionis  doct.  Weston  apud  crucem  PauUnam 
 20  Octob.  mdliii.  MS.  olim  penes  Jo.  Fox.  p.  1466.     Edidit 
 
BISHOP    COVERDALE.  XXI 
 
 Certain  most  godly  letters  of  the  protestant  martyrs  here 
 written  in  the  tyme  of  their  imprisonment.  Pr.  pr.  "  The 
 more  nigh  that  men's  wordes  and  workes."  Lend,  mdlxiv. 
 4to.  TranstuHt  in  sermonem  Anglicum  Biblia  tota ;  cum 
 praefatione  ad  Henr.  VIII.   extant   mdxxxv.   et   mdxxxvii. 
 
 Vetus  Testamentum  hiijus  translationis.  Pr.  epist.  ad  Edw. 
 VI.  "Caiaphas  being  byshop  that  yeare."  In  fine  hujus 
 epistolsB  ait  se  translationem  hane  ante  annos  16  patri  Henr. 
 VIII.  dicasse.  Pr.  pr.  lectori.  "  Consydering  how  excellent." 
 In  prref.  ait  se  banc  translationem  A,  mdxxxiv.  inchoasse 
 roffatu  doctorum  amicorum.  Pr.  transl.  "  In  the  bcffinnino-," 
 &c.  Lond.  MDL.  MDLiii.  4to.  Principium  epistolae  dedicatorire 
 et  pra3fationis  hujus  impressionis  idem  est  cum  epist,  et  pr?efat. 
 principio  editionis  Southwark,  mdxxxvii.  fol.  Novum  Tes- 
 tamentum. Pr.  ded.  dom.  Cromwell.  "  I  was  never  so  wyl- 
 linge  to  labour."  Lond.  mdxxxviii.  8vo.  Htec  editio  anni 
 MDXxxviii,  accurata  est ;  in  praefatione  de  erroribus  in  alia 
 editione  conqueritur.  Impr.  Lat.  et  Anghce  Lond.  mdxxxix. 
 8vo.  Translatio  hsec  collata  cum  versione  Gul.  Tindalli. 
 Lond.  MDL.  8vo.  Bullvngerum  de  antiqua  fide,  Lib.  i.  "  An 
 old  book  called  the  old  faith  by  Miles  Coverdale."  Fox,  1 
 edit.  573.  Reprinted  mdlxxx.  Eundem  de  matrimonio 
 Christi,  Lib.  i.  Lutheri  expositioneni  in  psalmum  xxii.  vel 
 xxiii.  Pr.  "  The  Lord  is  my  shepherd."  Pr.  "  In  this 
 psalme  doth  David,"  Southwark.  mdxxxvii.  12mo.  ex  Ger- 
 raanico.  Osiandrum  super  qui  habitat,  Lib.  i.  Psalteriwn 
 Joannis  Campensis,  Lib.  i.  Psalms  and  songs  drawn  as  is 
 jnctended  out  of  the  Holy  Scripture  by  Miles  Coverdale.  Inter 
 Libros  p>rohibitos,  Fox.  1  edit.  573.  Apologiani  adversus 
 concilium  Mantum,  Lib.  i.  Erasmi  paraphrases  in  Paulum 
 ad  Romanos.,  Corinthios  et  Galatas,  Lib.  iv.  Lond.  mdxlix. 
 fol.  Secundum  earum  volumen,  nomine  translatoris  et  typo- 
 graphi  dicavit  regi  Edwardo  VI.  Pr.  "  So  mercifully  did 
 almighty  God."  Supplicationem  plebis  Austriacensis  ad 
 regem  Ferdinandum  in  causa  religionis  cum  regis  responso... 
 Svo.  Epitomen  enchiridii  Erasmi.,  Ausborough,  mdxlv.  Svo. 
 Prognosticationem  in  A.  mdxlix.  c.  17,  et  kalendarium  spl- 
 rituale,  Lond.  mdxlix.  Svo.  Gemmam  pretiosam  (Calvini) 
 docentem  omnes  crucem  amare  et  amplecti,  c.  31.  Pr.  "I  call 
 that  trouble  and  affliction."  Lond.  mdlxix.  16mo.  Mortis 
 librum,  quomodo  in  mortis  periculo  Christianus  se  gerere 
 
XXU  BIOGRAPHICAL    NOTICE    OF 
 
 debet,  Lend,  mdlxxix.  16mo.  ex  Germanico.  M.  Buceri  ct 
 Phil,  Melanchtonis  acta  disjnitationis  in  concilio  Ravens- 
 27iirf/ensi... MDXhii.  8vo.  Pr.  ded.  M.  Buceri..  "Whansoever 
 any  councell  or."      Sjjem  fidelium,  sc.  de  resurrectione  turn 
 
 Cliristi,  turn  corporum  7iostrorum... mdlxxix.  16mo 24to. 
 
 ex  Germ.  Pr.  pr.  transl.  "  Every  man  must  nedes  confess." 
 Justificationem  esse  ex  libera  Dei  misericordia,  non  ex  bonis 
 operibus,  mdlxxix.  16mo.  ex  German.  Ordinem  baptismi 
 et  ccence  Dominicce  in  Dania  et  quibusdam  Germanice  ec- 
 clesiis...  12mo.      Concionem  in  psalm,  xci.  de  fuga  a  p)este, 
 
 Lond 8vo,   Southwark.   mdxxxvii.   12mo.  ex  Germ.     An 
 
 exposition  iipon  JSIagnificat  ex  Lat.  tempore  Henr.  VIII. 
 Fox.  1  edit.  574.  The  original  and  spring  of  all  sects ; 
 ex  Germ.  Ibidem.  The  old  God  and  the  new;  ex  Germ. 
 Ibidem.  Londini  grandasvus  a3tatis  80,  vel  81,  obiit  Jan.  20, 
 MDLXXx.  Fuller,  Eccl.  Hist.  ix.  64,  65.  A.  mdlxv.  juxta 
 Strype  in  Vita  Parher,  p.  149.  attamen  juxta  pag.  241  ejus- 
 dem  libri  in  vivis  adhuc  erat  A.  mdlxvii.  Et  in  ecclesia  S. 
 BartholomaBi  humatus  jacet.  Godwin,  i.  476.  Bal.  ix.  61. 
 
 To  this  may  be  added  the  account  given  by  Bale,  his 
 contemporary  and  friend,  in  his  Scriptores  illustres  majoris 
 Britannice : 
 
 Milo  Coverdalus,  patria  Eboracensis,  ex  Augustiniano  fra- 
 terculo  Christianus  minister  factus,  ex  primis  unus  erat,  qui 
 renascente  Anglorum  ecclesia,  cum  Roberto  Barnso,  suje  pro- 
 fessionis  doctore,  Christum  pure  docuit.  Alii  partim,  hie  se 
 totum  dedidit  ad  propagandam  Evangelii  regni  Dei  gloriam,  ut 
 patet  in  utriusque  Testamenti  laboriosissima  versione.  Ex- 
 aravit  etiam  vir  plus  et  doctus,  in  native  sermone,  Confuta- 
 tionem  Joann.  Standicii,  Lib.  i.  Septimo  die  Decembris  trad. 
 Ordinem  rectum  ccence  Do.  Lib.  i.  Omnibus  qui  csuriunt  et 
 sit.  Defensionem  cujusdam  Christiani,  Lib.  i.  Cogit  amor 
 cequi  judices.  Novi  Testamenti  concordantias,  Lib.  i.  Ca- 
 techismnm  Christiamim,  Lib.  i.  Transtulit  in  Anglicum 
 sermonem,  praeter  BibUa  tota,  BulUngerum  de  antiqua  fide, 
 Lib.  I.  Eundem  de  matrimonio  Christiano,  Lib.  i.  Lu- 
 therum  super  Dominus  regit,  Lib.  i.  Osiandrum  super  qui 
 habitat,  Lib.  i.  Psalterium  Joannis  Campensis,  Lib.  i. 
 Cantiones  Witenbergensium,  Lib.  i.  Apologiam  adversus 
 concilium  Mantua>,  Lib.  i.   Erasmi  paraphrases  in  Paulum, 
 
BISHOP    COVERDALE.  XXUl 
 
 Lib.  IV.  Aliaque  plura  fecit.  Claruit  episcopus  Excestri- 
 ensis  sub  rege  Edwardo  sexto,  anno  Domini  1552,  nunc 
 autem  in  Germania  pauper  ac  peregrinus  manet. 
 
 In  concluding  this  portion  of  the  Tvorks  of  bishop  Cover- 
 dale,  the  editor  is  desirous  of  acknowledging  his  obligations 
 to  different  persons  for  the  use  of  scarce  copies  of  his  works ; 
 to  the  Very  Reverend  the  Dean  and  Chapter  of  Peterborough ; 
 the  Reverend  the  Warden  and  Fellows  of  All  Souls  College, 
 and  the  Provost  and  Fellows  of  Queen's  College,  Oxford ;  to 
 the  Reverend  the  Master  and  Fellows  of  St  John's  College, 
 Cambridge ;  to  the  Reverend  Dr  Thackeray,  Provost  of  King's 
 College ;  to  the  Very  Reverend  the  Dean  of  Bristol,  Master, 
 and  the  Reverend  H.  Goodwin,  Fellow  of  Corpus  Christi 
 College,  Cambridge,  for  the  privilege  of  access  to  the  MS. 
 Library  of  that  college ;  to  George  Offer,  Esq.  of  Hackney ; 
 to  John  Matthew  Gutch,  Esq.  of  Claines,  Worcestersliire ; 
 and  to  the  Reverend  S.  R.  Maitland,  for  valuable  assistance 
 derived  from  the  archiepiscopal  Library  at  Lambeth. 
 
ADDENDA  ET   CORRIGENDA. 
 
 4.    1.  11.     For  throughout,  read  thoroughout. 
 
 1.  9  and  20.     Your  grace.     Note  (4)  is  here  transposed. 
 6.    1.  11.     For  the,  A.  B.  read  this. 
 12.    1.  18,  19.     For,  I  have  been  the  inore  glad  to  follow  for  the  most 
 part,  CD.  read,  /  have  been  glad  to  follow. 
 
 —  1.  23.     After  we,  C.  D.  read,  in  ours. 
 
 —  1.  24.     And  that  with  a  good  will,  omitted  C.  D. 
 
 lo.  1.  2.  Vulgarius,  i.  e.  Tlieophylact,  as  he  was  called  by  Erasmus, 
 by  a  singular  mistake,  in  the  first  and  second  editions  of  his 
 New  Testament ;  from  whom  it  appears  to  have  been  borrowed 
 by  bishop  Coverdale.  It  was  corrected  by  Erasmus  in  the  sub- 
 sequent editions.  For  an  account  of  the  origin  of  this  mistake, 
 see  Wetstein  Prolog,  ad  N.  T.,  and  Jortin's  Life  of  Erasmus, 
 Vol.  II.  pp.  230—5.  Ed.  1560. 
 
 14.   n.  3.  did:  so  also  A.  B. 
 
 25.   1.  5.  for  sinisterly,  read  sinistrally. 
 
 —  1.  25.  dele  a. 
 
 40.    n.  1.  1.  for  philosopher,  read  philosophers. 
 
 276.   1.  7.  for  him,  read  us. 
 
 281.    1.  1,  2.  for  paraphrase,  read  exposition. 
 
 348.  1.  21.  for  Lutice's  error,  read  Eutyches'  error,  the  reading  of  the 
 old  edition  being  Eutice's  error;  and  for  n.  2.  substitute  the 
 following:  "The  opinions  of  Eutyches  on  this  subject  are  al- 
 luded to  in  the  note  of  Dr  Grabe  on  Irenreus,  Lib.  i.  cap.  13, 
 which  is  referred  to  in  the  preceding  note.  In  this  note  the 
 learned  writer  refers  to  Vigilius  Tapsensis,  who  in  his  work 
 Adversus  Nestoriuni  et  Eutychem  pro  defensione  Synodi  Chalce- 
 donensis.  Lib.  iii.,  has  especially  noticed  the  errors  of  Eutyches 
 on  this  subject:  and  he  also  corrects  an  error  committed  by 
 some  -vvi-iters,  (and  amongst  them  by  om'  author,  Hope  of  the 
 Faithful,  p.  154,)  who  speak  of  him  as  Vigihus,  the  martyr; 
 a  title  which  belongs  to  another  person.  See  Cave,  Hist.  Lit. 
 Vol.  I.  p.  370.  For  some  further  account  of  the  opinions  of 
 Eutyches,  see  August,  de  Hajresibus,  Opera,  Tom.  x.  p.  8.  A. 
 1541,  and  bishop  Pearson  On  the  Creed,  Art.  iii.' 
 
 520.  n.  5.  Fagius  was  not  Professor  of  Divinity  at  Cambridge,  but 
 of  Hebrew,  the  Divinity  chair  being  filled  at  the  same  time  by 
 Bucer. 
 
 528.    1.  28.  for  relating  to,  read  from. 
 
DEDICATIONS   AND  PROLOGUES 
 
 TO 
 
 THE    TRANSLATIONS 
 
 OF     THE 
 
 BIBLE  AND  NEW  TESTAMENT. 
 
 [COVERDALE,   II.] 
 
[DEDICATION  AND  PROLOGUE   TO   THE   BIBLE. 
 
 The  Dedication  and  Prologue  to  the  Bible  are  taken  from  the  fii-st 
 edition  of  Bishop  Coverdale's  Bible  of  the  year  1535.  They  are  here 
 printed  from  a  copy  in  the  University  Library,  Cambridge,  and  have 
 been  collated  with  the  following  editions,  viz. : 
 
 1.  The  folio  edition  of  1537,  published  by  James  Nycolson  of 
 Southwark,  in  the  Cathedral  Library  at  Lincoln.  Another  copy  of 
 this  edition  is  in  the  Baptist  College  Library  at  Bristol.     A. 
 
 2.  The  quarto  edition,  published  by  Nycolson  in  the  same  year, 
 in  the  library  of  Earl  Spencer  at  Althorp.     B- 
 
 3.  The  edition  of  1550,  published  by  Andi'ew  Hester,  in  the  Uni- 
 versity Library,  Cambridge.     C. 
 
 4.  The  edition  of  1553,  published  by  Richard  Jugge,  also  in  the 
 University  Library,  Cambridge.     D. 
 
 These  last  two  are  in  fact  the  same  edition ;  the  last  edition 
 consisting  of  copies  of  the  original  edition,  which  was  printed  by 
 Christopher  Froschover  at  Zm-ich  in  1550,  and  re-issued  in  London, 
 with  a  new  Title  and  Calendar,  and  with  the  Dedication  and  Prologue 
 reprinted,  by  Richard  Jugge,  in  1553.] 
 
DEDICATION  AND  PROLOGUE 
 
 TRANSLATION  OF  THE  BIBLE. 
 
 UNTO   THE   MOST   VICTORIOUS   PRINCE  AND   OUR  MOST 
 GRACIOUS   SOVEREIGN  LORD 
 
 KING   HENRY    THE    EIGHTH, 
 
 KING   OF   ENGLAND    AND   OF   FRANCE,   LORD   OF   IRELAND,    &C.^, 
 
 DEFENDER  OF   THE   FAITH,    AND    UNDER   GOD    THE   CHIEF 
 
 AND   SUPREME   HEAD    OF    THE   CHURCH   OF    ENGLAND. 
 
 H  The  right  and  just  administration  of  the  laws  that 
 God  gave  unto  Moses  and  unto  Josua :  the  testimony 
 of  faithfidness  that  God  gave  of  David :  the  jilenteous 
 abundance  of  ivisdom  that  God  gave  unto  Salomon : 
 the  lucky  and  prosperous  age,  ivith  the  nmltij^lication 
 of  seed,  which  God  gave  unto  Abraham  and  Sara  his 
 wife:  be  given  unto  you,  most  gracious  p)rince^,  ivith  your 
 clearest  just  ivife,  and  most  virtuous  princess,  queen 
 Anne^.     Amen. 
 
 Caiphas,  being  bishop  of  that  year,  like  a  blind  pro- 
 phet, not  understanding  what  he  said,  prophesied  thatJoh.  xi. 
 it  was  better  to  put  Christ  unto  death,  than  that  all  the 
 people  should  perish :  he  meaning  that  Christ  was  an  heretic, 
 a  deceiver  of  the  people,  and  a  destroyer  of  the  law,  and 
 that  it  was  better  therefore  to  put  Christ  unto  death,  than  to 
 suffer  him  for  to  hve,  and  to  deceive  the  people,  &c.  ;  where 
 in  very  deed  Christ  was  the  true  prophet*,  the  true  Messias, 
 and  the  only  true  Saviour  of  the  world,  sent  of  his  heavenly 
 Father  to  suffer  the  most  cruel,  most  shameful,  and  most 
 necessary  death  for  our  redemption,  according  to  the  mean- 
 ing of  the  prophecy  truly  understand. 
 
 [1  King  Edward  VI,  king  of  England,  France,  and  of  Ii-eland,  C.  D.] 
 [2  C.  D.  omit  all  after  "  most  gracious  prince."] 
 [3  Queen  Jane,  A.  B.]  \}  Omitted,  C.  D.] 
 
 1—2 
 
DEDICATION    TO    THE 
 
 Even  after  the  same  manner  the  blind  bishop  of  Rome, 
 (that  Wind  Baalam,  I  say,)  not  understanding  what  he  did, 
 gave  unto  your  grace  ^  this  title.  Defender  of  the  faith,  only 
 because  your  highness-  suffered  your^  bishops  to  burn  God's 
 word,  the  root  of  faith,  and  to  persecute  the  lovers  and 
 ministers  of  the  same:  where  in  very  deed  the  blind  bishop 
 (though  he  knew  not  what  he  did)  prophesied,  that  by  the 
 righteous  administration  and  continual  dihgence  of  your 
 grace*  the  faith  should  so  be  defended,  that  God's  word,  the 
 mother  of  faith,  with  the  fruits  thereof,  should  have  his  free 
 course  throughout  all  Christendom,  but  specially  in  your  realm. 
 
 If  your  highness  now,  of  your  princely  benignity,  will 
 pardon  me  to  compare  these  two  bishops  (I  mean  bishop 
 Caiphas  and  the  bishop  of  Rome)  and  their  prophecies 
 together,  I  doubt  not  but  we  shall  find  them  agree  like 
 brethren,  though  the  one  be  a  Jew,  and  the  other  a  coun- 
 terfeit Christian.  First,  Caiphas  prophesied  that  it  was 
 better  to  put  Christ  unto  death  than  that  the  people  should 
 perish.  The  bishop  of  Rome  also,  not  knowing  what  he 
 prophesied,  gave  your  grace  this  title.  Defender  of  the  faith. 
 The  truth  of  both  these  prophecies  is  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
 (as  was  Baalam's  prophecy),  though  they  that  spake  them 
 knew  not  what  they  said.  The  truth  of  Caiphas's  pro- 
 phecy is,  that  it  was  necessary  for  man's  salvation  that 
 Christ  by  his  death  should  overcome  death,  and  redeem 
 us.  x\nd  the  truth  of  our  Baalam's  prophecy  is,  that  your 
 grace  in  very  deed  should  defend  the  faith,  yea,  even  the 
 true  faith  of  Christ ;  no  dreams,  no  fables,  no  heresy,  no 
 papistical  inventions,  but  the  uncorrupt  faith  of  God's  most 
 holy  word ;  which  to  set  forth  (praised  be  the  goodness  of 
 God,  and  increase  your  gracious  purpose!)  your  highness, 
 with  your  most  honourable  council,  applieth  all  his  study  ^ 
 and  endeavour 
 
 These  two  blind  bishops  now  agree  in  the  understanding 
 of  their  prophecies  :  for  Caiphas  taketh  Christ  for  an  heretic, 
 our  Baalam  taketh  the  word  of  Christ  for  heresy.  Caiphas 
 judgeth  it  to  be  a  good  deed  to  put  Christ  unto*  death,  that 
 
 [1  your  grace's  most  noble  progenitors,  C.  D.] 
 
 [2  they,  C.  D.]  [3  the,  C.  D.] 
 
 [4  your  grace's  most  noble  father,  C.  D.j 
 
 [5  all  study,  A.  B.j  [6  to,  A.  B.] 
 
TRANSLATION    OP    THE    RIBLE. 
 
 he  should  not  deceive  the  people:  our  Baalam  calleth  defend- 
 ing of  the  faith  the  suppressing,  keeping  secret,  and  burning 
 of  the  word  of  faith,  lest  the  hght  thereof  should  utter 
 his  darkness;  lest  his  own  decretals  and  decrees,  his  own 
 laws  and  constitutions,  his  own  statutes  and  inventions,  should 
 come  to  none  effect ;  lest  liis  intolerable  exactions  and  usurp- 
 ations should  lose  then"  strength;  lest  it  should  be  known 
 what  a  thief  and  murtherer  he  is  in  the  cause  of  Christ,  and 
 how  heinous  a  traitor  to  God  and  man,  in  defrauding  all 
 christian  kings  and  princes  of  their  due  obedience ;  lest  we, 
 your  grace's  subjects,  should  have  eyes  in  the  word  of  God, 
 at  the  last  to  spy  out  his  crafty  conveyance  and  jugghngs ; 
 and  lest  men  should  see,  how  sore  he  and  his  false  apostles 
 have  deceived  all  Christendom,  specially  your  noble  realm  of 
 England. 
 
 Thus  your  grace  seeth  how  brotherly  the  Jewish  bishop 
 and  our  Baalam  agree  together,  not  only  in  mitre  and  out- 
 ward appearance  ;  but,  as  the  one  persecuted  the  Lord  Jesus 
 in  his  own  person,  so  doth  the  other  persecute  his  word, 
 and  resisteth  his  holy  ordinance  in  the  authority  of  his 
 anointed  kings.  Forsomuch  now  as  the  word  of  God  is 
 the  only  truth  that  driveth  away  all  lies,  and  discloseth  all 
 juggling  and  deceit,  therefore  is  our  Baalam  of  Borne  so 
 loath  that  the  scripture  should  be  known  in  the  mother- 
 tongue  ;  lest,  if  kings  and  princes,  specially  above  all  other, 
 were  exercised  therein,  they  should  reclaim^  and  challenge 
 again  their  due  authority,  which  he  falsely  hath  usurped  so 
 many  years,  and  so  to  tie  him  shorter;  and  lest  the  people, 
 being  taught  by  the  word  of  God,  should  fall  from  the  false 
 feigned  obedience  of  him  and  his  disguised  apostles  unto 
 the  true  obedience  commanded  by  God's  own  mouth ;  as 
 namely,  to  obey  their  prince,  to  obey  father  and  mother, 
 &c.,  and  not  to  step  over  father  and  mother's  belly  to  enter 
 into  his  painted  religions,  as  his  hypocrites  teach.  For 
 he  knoweth  Avell  enough,  that  if  the  clear  sun  of  God's 
 word  come  once  to  the  heat  of  the  day,  it  shall  drive  away 
 all  the  foul  mist  of  his  devilish  doctrines.  Therefore  were 
 it  more  to  the  maintenance  of  antichrist's  kingdom,  that  the 
 world  were  still  in  ignorance  and  blindness,  and  that  the 
 scripture  should  never  come  to  light.  For  the  scripture, 
 ['  claim,  C.  D.] 
 
DEDICATION    TO    THE 
 
 Matt,  xvii 
 Tit.  iii. 
 
 Exocl.  xxii. 
 Psal.  Ixxxii 
 
 both  in  the  old  testament  and  in  the  new,  declareth  most 
 abundantly,  that  the  office,  authority,  and  power  given  of 
 God  unto  kings  is  in  earth  above  all  other  powers :  let  them 
 call  themselves  popes,  cardinals,  or  whatsoever  they  will,  the 
 word  of  God  declareth  them  (yea,  and  commandeth  them 
 under  pain  of  damnation),  to  be  obedient  unto  the  temporal 
 sword,  as  in  the  old  testament  all  the  prophets,  priests,  and 
 Levites  were.  And  in  the  new  testament  Christ  and  his 
 apostles  both  were  obedient  themselves,  and  taught  obe- 
 dience of  all  men  unto  their  princes  and  temporal  rulers ; 
 which  here  unto  us  in  the  world  present  the  person  of  God, 
 and  arc  called  gods  in  the  scripture,  because  of  the  excel- 
 lency of  their  office.  And  though  there  were  no  more  autho- 
 rities but  the  same,  to  prove  the  pre-eminence  of  the  temporal 
 sword;  yet  by  this  the  scripture  declareth  plainly,  that  as 
 there  is  nothing  above  God,  so  is  there  no  man  above  the 
 
 ipet.  ii.  ]^;iig  in  his  realm,  but  that  he  only  under  God  is  the  chief 
 head  of  all  the  congregation  and  church  of  the  same.  And 
 in  token  that  this  is  true,  there  hath  been  of  old^  antiquity, 
 and  is  yet  unto  this  day,  a  loving  ceremony  used  in  your 
 realm  of  England,  that  when  your  grace's  subjects  read  your 
 letters,  or  begin  to  talli  or  commune  of  your  highness,  they 
 move  their  bonnets  for  a  sign  and  token  of  reverence  unto 
 your  grace,  as  to  their  most  sovereign  lord  and  head  under 
 God :  which  thing  no  man  useth  to  do  to  any  bishop ;  whereby 
 (if  our  understanding  were  not  blinded)  we  might  evidently 
 perceive,  that  even  very  nature  teacheth  us  the  same  that 
 scripture  commandeth  us ;  and  that,  like  as  it  is  against  God's 
 word  that  a  king  should  not  be  the  chief  head  of  his  people, 
 even  so,  I  say,  is  it  against  kind,  that  we  should  know  any 
 other  head  above  liim  under  God. 
 
 And  that  no  priest  nor  bishop  is  exempt,  nor  can  be 
 lawfully,  from  the  obedience  of  his  prince,  the  scripture  is 
 full  both  of  strait  commandments  and  practices  of  the    ho- 
 
 Numb.xii.  liest  men.  Aaron  was  obedient  unto  Moses,  and  called 
 him  his  lord,  though  he  was  his  own  brother.  Eleasar  and 
 Phineas  were  under  the  obedience  of  Josua.  Nathan  the 
 prophet  fell  down  to  the  ground  before  king  David;  he 
 had  his  prince  in  such  reverence:  he  made  not  the  king 
 for  to  kiss  his  foot,  as  the  bishop  of  Rome  maketh  empe- 
 [1  all,  CD.] 
 
 Josh.  iv. 
 I  Kiiifrs  i 
 
TRANSLATION    OF    THE    BIBLE. 
 
 rors  to   do  ;   notwithstanding  he  spared  not  to  rebuke  him,  2  sam.  xu. 
 
 and  that  right  sharply,  when  he  fell  from  the  word  of  God 
 
 to  adultery  and  manslaughter.     For  he   was  not  afraid  to 
 
 reprove  him  of  his  sins,  no  more  than  Helias  the  prophet 
 
 stood  in  fear  to  say  unto  king  Achab,  "It  is  thou  and  thy  1  Kings xviu. 
 
 father's  house  that  trouble  Israel,  because  ye  have  forsaken 
 
 the  commandments  of  the  Lord,  and  walk  after  Baal;"  and 
 
 as  John  Baptist   durst   say  unto  king  Herode,   "  It  is  not  Levit.  xviu. 
 
 ^  "^  .  Matt.  xiv. 
 
 lawful  for  thee  to  take  thy  brother's  wife."     But  to  my  pur- 
 pose.   I  pass  over  innumerable  more  ensamples  both  of  the 
 old  testament  and  of  the  new,  for  fear  lest  I  be  too  tedious 
 unto  your  grace.      Summa,    In  all  godly  regiments  of  old 
 time  the   king  and   temporal  judge   was   obeyed   of   every 
 man,   and   was    alway   under   God   the    chief   and   supreme 
 head  of  the   whole   congregation,  and  deposed  even   priests  1  King;  ii. 
 when  he  saw  an  urgent  cause,  as  Salomon  did  unto  Abia- 
 thar.     Who  could  then  stand  against  the    godly  obedience 
 of  his  prince,  except  he  would  be  at  defiance  with  God  and 
 all  his  holy  ordinances,  that  were  well  acquainted  with  the 
 holy  scripture,  which  so  earnestly   commendeth  unto  every 
 one  of  us  the  authority  and  power  given  of  God  unto  kings 
 and    temporal   rulers?     Therefore    doth   Moses    so   straitly 
 forbid    the    Israelites   to   speak   so    much  as   an   evil    word  Exod.  xxii. 
 against   the   prince    of  the   people,   much   less   then   to    dis- 
 obey him,    or    to    withstand   him.      Doth  not   Jeremy    the  Jer.  xxix. 
 prophet,   and    Baruc    also,   exhort    the   people    in   captivity,  Bar.  ii. 
 to  pray  for  the  prosperous  welfare  of  the  king  of  Babylon, 
 and  to  obey  him,  though  he  was  an  infidel?     In  the  new 
 testament,    when    oiu*   Saviour   Christ,   being   yet  free    and 
 Lord   of   all  kings   and   princes,    shewed    his    obedience  in 
 paying  the  tribute   to   our   ensample,  did   he  not  a  miracle  Matt.  xvii. 
 there    in  putting  the  piece  of   money  in    the  fish's  mouth, 
 that  Peter  might  pay  the  customer  therewith ;    and  all    to 
 stablish  the  obedience  due  unto  princes  ?     Did  not  Joseph,  Luice  ii. 
 and  Mary,  the   mother  of  our  Saviour  Christ,  depart  from 
 Nazareth  unto  Bethleem,  so  far  from  home,  to  shew  their 
 obedience   in  paying  the  tax  to    the  prince?     And    would 
 not    our    Saviour   be   born  in  the  same  obedience?     Doth 
 not  Paul  pronounce  him  to   resist  God  himself,  that  resisteth  Rom.  xiii. 
 the  authority  of  his  prince?     And  to  be  short,  the  apostle 
 Peter    doth    not  only   stabUsh    the    obedience    unto    princes  i  Pet.  ii. 
 
8  DEDICATION    TO    THE 
 
 and  temporal  rulers,  but  affirmetli  plainly  the  king,  and 
 no  bishop,  to  be  the  chief  head.  Innumerable  places  more 
 are  there  ^  in  scripture,  which  bind  us  to  the  obedience  of 
 our  prince,  and  declare  unto  us,  that  no  man  is  nor  can 
 be,  lawfully  except  from  the  same ;  but  that  all  the  ministers 
 of  God's  word  are  under  the  temporal  sword,  and  princes 
 only  to  owe  obedience  unto  God  and  his  word. 
 
 And  whereas  antichrist  unto  your  grace's"  time  did  thrust 
 his  head  into  the  imperial  crown  of  your  highness,  (as  he 
 doth  yet  with  other  noble  princes  more^,)  that  learned  he 
 of  Sathan,  the  author  of  pride ;  and  therein  doth  he  both 
 against  the  doctrine,  and  also*  against  the  ensample  of  Christ ; 
 which,  because  his  kingdom  was  not  of  this  world,  meddled 
 with  no  temporal  matters,  as  it  is  evident  both  by  his  words 
 and  practice,  Luke  xii..  Matt,  xxvi.,  John  vi.  xviii. ;  where 
 he  that  hath  eyes  to  see  may  see,  and  he  that  hath  ears 
 to  hear  may  hear,  that  Christ's  administration  was  nothing 
 temporal,  but  plain  spiritual,  as  he  himself  affirmeth  and 
 proveth  in  the  fourth  chapter  of  St  Luke  out  of  the  prophet 
 Esay :  where  all  bishops  and  priests  may  see,  how  far  their 
 binding  and  loosing  extendeth,  and  wherein  their  office  con- 
 sisteth,  namely^,  in  preacliing  the  gospel,  &c. 
 
 Wherefore,  most  gracious  prince,  there  is  no  tongue,  I 
 think,  that  can  fully  express  and  declare  the  intolerable 
 injuries,  which  have  been  done  unto  God,  to  all  princes,  and 
 to  the  commonalties  of  all  christian  realms,  since  they  which 
 should  be  only  the  ministers  of  God's  word  became  lords 
 of  the  world,  and  thrust  the  true  and  just  princes  out  of 
 their  rowmes*'.  Whose  heart  would  not  pity  it,  (yea,  even  with 
 lamentation,)  to  remember  but  only  the  untolerable  wrong 
 done  by  that  antichrist  of  Rome  unto  your  grace's  most 
 noble  predecessor  king  John?  I  pass  over  his  pestilent 
 picking  of  Peter-pence  out  of  your  realm ;  his  stealing  away 
 of  your  money  for  pardons,  benefices,  and  bishopricks;  his 
 deceiving  of  your  subjects'  souls  with  his  devilish  doctrines  and 
 sects  of  his  false  religious ;  liis  blood-shedding  of  so  many 
 of  your  grace's  people  for  books  of  the  scripture :  whose  heart 
 would  not  be  grieved,  (yea,  and  that  out  of  measure.)  to  call 
 
 [1  there  be,  C.  D.]  [2  grace's  most  noble  father's,  C.  D.] 
 
 [3  omitted,  C.  D.]  [*  omitted,  A.  B.] 
 
 [5  namely,  &c.  omitted,  C.  D.]        [c  rowmes:  i.  c.  realms.] 
 
TRANSLATION    OF    THE     BIBLE.  9 
 
 to  remembrance,  how  obstinate  and  disobedient,  how  pre- 
 sumptuous and  stubborn  that  antichrist  made  the  bishops  of 
 your  realm  against  your  grace's  noble  predecessors  in  times 
 past,  as  it  is  manifest  in  the  chronicles?  I  trust,  verily, 
 there  be  no  such  now  within  your  realm :  if  there  be,  let 
 them  remember  these  words  of  scripture :  Presumptuousness  Prov.  .wi. 
 goetli  before  destruction,  and  after  a  proud  stomach  there 
 followeth  a  fall. 
 
 What  is  now  the  cause  of  all  these  untolerable  and  no 
 more  to  be  suffered  abominations  ?  Truly,  even  the  igno- 
 rance of  the  scripture  of  God.  For  how  had  it  else  been 
 possible,  that  such  bhndness  should  have  come  into  the  world, 
 had  not  the  light  of  God's  word  been  extinct?  How  could 
 men,  I  say,  have  been  so  far  from  the  true  service  of  God 
 and  from  the  due  obedience  of  their  prince,  had  not  the  law 
 of  God  been  clean  shut  up,  depressed,  cast  aside,  and  put 
 out  of  remembrance  ?  as  it  was  afore  the  time  of  that 
 noble  king  Josias,  and  as  it  hath  been  also"  among  us  unto 
 your  grace's  time*,  by  whose ^  most  righteous  administration, 
 through  the  merciful  goodness  of  God,  it  is  now  found  again, 
 as  it  was  in  the  days  of  that  most  virtuous  king  Josias.  2  Kings  xxii. 
 And  praised  be  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  xxiv. 
 world  without  end,  which  so  excellently  hath  endued  your 
 princely  heart  with  such  ferventness  to  his  honour,  and  to 
 the  wealth  of  your  loving  subjects,  that  I  may  righteously, 
 by  just  occasions  in  your  person,  compare  your  highness 
 unto  that  noble  and  gracious  king,  that  lantern  of  light 
 among  princes,  that  fervent  protector  and  defender  of  the 
 laws  of  God ;  which  commanded  straitly,  as  your  grace 
 doth,  that  the  law  of  God  should  be  read  and  taught  unto 
 all  the  people ;  set  the  priests  to  their  office  in  the  word 
 of  God ;  destroyed  idolatry  and  false  idols '" ;  put  down  all 
 evil  customs  and  abusions  ;  set  up  the  true  honour  of  God ; 
 apphed  all  his  study  and  endeavour  to  the  righteous  admi- 
 nistration of  the  most  uncorrupt  law  of  God,  &c.  0  what 
 fehcity  was  among  the  people  of  Jerusalem  in  his  days ! 
 And  what  prosperous  health,  both  of  soul  and  body,  fol- 
 loweth the  like  ministration  in  your  highness,  we  begin  now 
 (praised  be  God!)  to  have  experience.     For   as  false   doc- jer.  xiiv. 
 
 ["  omitted,  C.  D.]      [^  your  grace's  most  noble  father's  time,  C.  D.] 
 
 [9  by  whose  and  by  your  majesty's,  C.  D.] 
 
 [^^  the  mountains  of  idolatry,  superstition,  and  hypocrisy,  C.  D.] 
 
10  DEDICATION    TO    THE 
 
 trine  is  the  original  cause  of  all  evil  plagues  and  destruction, 
 so  is  the  true  executing  of  the  law  of  God,  and  the  preach- 
 ing of  the  same,   the  mother  of  all  godly  prosperity.      The 
 
 wisd  vii.  only  word  of  God,  I  say,  is  the  cause  of  all  fehcity  :  it 
 bringeth  all  goodness  with  it,  it  bringeth  learning,  it  gen- 
 dereth  understanding,  it  causeth  good  works,  it  maketh  chil- 
 dren of  obedience ;  briefly,  it  teacheth  all  estates  their  oflEice 
 and  duty.  Seeing  then  that  the  scripture  of  God  teacheth 
 us  everything  sufficiently,  both  what  we  ought  to  do,  and 
 what  we  ought  to  leave  undone,  whom  we  are  bound  to 
 obey,  and  whom  we  should  not  obey  ;  therefore,  I  say,  it 
 causeth  all  prosperity,  and  setteth  everything  in  frame ; 
 and  where  it  is  taught  and  known\  it  lighteneth  all  dark- 
 nesses, comforteth  all  sorry  hearts,  leaveth  no  poor  man 
 unhelped,  suffereth  nothing  amiss  unamended,  letteth  no 
 prince  be  disobeyed,  permitteth  no  heresy  to  be  preached ; 
 but  reformeth  all  things,  amendeth  that  is  amiss,  and  setteth 
 everything  in  order.  And  why  ?  because  it  is  given  by 
 the  inspiration  of  God,  therefore  is  it  ever  bringing  profit 
 and   fruit,   by   teaching,    by    improving,    by   amending   and 
 
 2Tiin.  iii.  reforming  all  them  that  will  receive  it,  to  make  them  per- 
 fect and  meet  unto  all  good  works. 
 
 Considering  now,  most  gracious  prince,  the  inestimable 
 treasure,  fruit,  and  prosperity  everlasting,  that  God  giveth 
 with  his  word,  and  trusting  in  his  infinite  goodness,  that 
 he  would  bring  my  simple  and  rude  labour  herein  to  good 
 effect ;  therefore'-,  as  the  Holy  Ghost  moved  other  men  to 
 do  the  cost  hereof,  so  was  T  boldened  in  God  to  labour  in 
 the   same.      Again,    considering    your   imperial    majesty    not 
 
 [1  truly  taught  and  thankfully  received,  C.  D.] 
 
 [2  The  remainder  of  this  paragraph  stands  thus  in  C.  D :  "  Therefore 
 was  I  boldened  in  God  sixteen  yeare  ago,  not  only  to  labour  faithfully 
 in  the  same,  but  also  in  most  humble  wise  to  dedicate  this  my  poor 
 translation  to  your  grace's  most  noble  father ;  as  I  do  now  submit  this 
 and  all  other  my  poor  corrections,  labours,  and  enterprises,  to  the  gra- 
 cious spirit  of  true  knowledge,  understanding,  and  judgment,  which  is 
 in  your  highness ;  most  humbly  beseeching  the  same,  that  though  this 
 volume  be  small,  and  not  wholly  the  text  appointed  for  the  churches, 
 it  may  yet  be  exercised  in  all  other  places,  so  long  as  it  is  used  within 
 the  compass  of  the  fear  of  God,  and  due  obedience  to  your  most 
 excellent  majesty ;  whom  the  same  eternal  God  save  and  preserve 
 evermore !  Amen.  Your  grace's  most  humble  and  faithful  subject, 
 Myles  Covebdale."] 
 
TRANSLATION    OF    THE    BIBLE.  11 
 
 only  to  be  my  natural  sovereign  liege  lord,  and  chief  head 
 of  the  church  of  England,  but  also  the  true  defender  and 
 maintainer  of  God's  laws,  I  thought  it  my  duty,  and  to 
 belong  unto  my  allegiance,  when  I  had  translated  this  Bible, 
 not  only  to  dedicate  this  translation  unto  your  highness, 
 but  wholly  to  commit  it  unto  the  same ;  to  the  intent,  that 
 if  anything  therein  be  translated  amiss,  (for  in  many  things 
 we  fail,  even  when  wo  think  to  be  sure,)  it  may  stand  in 
 your  grace's  hands  to  correct  it,  to  amend  it,  to  improve 
 it,  yea,  and  clean  to  reject  it,  if  your  godly  wisdom  shall 
 think  it  necessary.  And  as  I  do  with  all  humbleness  sub- 
 mit mine  understanding  and  my  poor  translation  unto  the 
 spirit  of  truth  in  your  grace ;  so  make  I  this  protestation, 
 having  God  to  record  in  my  conscience,  that  I  have  neither 
 wrested  nor  altered  so  much  as  one  word  for  the  main- 
 tenance of  any  manner  of  sect,  but  have  with  a  clear  con- 
 science purely  and  faithfully  translated  this  out  of  five  sundry 
 interpreters,  having  only  the  manifest  truth  of  the  scripture 
 before  mine  eyes,  trusting  in  the  goodness  of  God,  that  it 
 shall  be  unto  his  worship,  quietness  and  tranquiUity  unto 
 your  highness,  a  perfect  stablishment  of  all  God's  ordinances 
 within  your  grace's  dominion,  a  general  comfort  to  all  chris- 
 tian hearts,  and  a  continual  thankfulness  both  of  old  and 
 young  unto  God  and  to  your  grace,  for  being  our  Moses,  and 
 for  bringing  us  out  of  this  old  Egypt  from  the  cruel  hands 
 of  our  spiritual  Pharao.  For  where  were  the  Jews,  by 
 ten  thousand  parts,  so  much  bound  unto  king  David  for  i  sam.  xvii. 
 subduing  of  great  Goliath  and  all  their  enemies,  as  we  are 
 to  your  grace  for  delivering  us  out  of  our  old  Babylonical 
 captivity?  For  the  which  deliverance  and  victory  I  be- 
 seech our  only  Mediator  Jesus  Christ  to  make  such  means 
 for  us  unto  his  heavenly  Father,  that  we  never  be  unthank- 
 ful unto  him,  nor  unto  your  grace ;  but  that  we  ever  increase 
 in  the  fear  of  him,  in  obedience  unto  your  highness,  in  love 
 unfeio-ned  unto  our  neighbours,  and  in  all  virtue  that  cometh 
 of  God.  To  whom,  for  the  defending  of  his  blessed  word 
 by  your  grace's  most  rightful  administration,  be  honour 
 and  thanks,  glory  and  dominion,  world  without  end !    Amen. 
 
 Your  grace's  humble  subject  and  daily  orator, 
 
 MYLES  COVEllDALE. 
 
A  PROLOGUE. 
 
 MYLES  COVERDALE  UNTO  THE  CHRISTIAN 
 READER. 
 
 Considering  liow  excellent  knowledge  and  learning  an 
 Interpreter  of  scripture  ought  to  have  in  the  tongues,  and 
 pondering  also  mine  own  insufficiency  therein,  and  how  weak  I 
 am  to  perform  the  office  of  a  translator,  I  was  the  more  loath 
 to  meddle  with  this  work.  Notwithstanding,  when  I  considered 
 how  great  pity  it  was  that  we  should  want  it  so  long,  and 
 called  to  my  remembrance  the  adversity  of  them  which  were 
 not  only  of  ripe  knowledge,  but  would  also  with  all  their 
 hearts  have  performed  that  they  began,  if  they  had  not 
 had  impediment ' ;  considering,  I  say,  that  by  reason  of  their 
 adversity  it  could  not  so  soon  have  been  brought  to  an 
 end,  as  our  most  prosperous  nation  would  fain  have  had 
 it ;  these  and  other  reasonable  causes  considered,  I  was  the 
 more  bold  to  take  it  in  hand.  And  to  help  me  herein,  I 
 have  had  sundry  translations,  not  only  in  Latin,  but  also 
 of  the  Dutch '^  interpreters^,  whom,  because  of  their  singular 
 gifts  and  special  dihgence  in  the  Bible,  I  have  been  the 
 more  glad  to  follow  for  the  most  part,  according  as  I  was 
 required.  But,  to  say  the  truth  before  God,  it  was  neither 
 my  labour  nor  desire  to  have  this  work  put  in  my  hand : 
 nevertheless  it  grieved  me  that  other  nations  should  be  more 
 plenteously  provided  for  with  the  scripture  in  their  mother- 
 tongue,  than  we :  therefore,  when  I  was  instantly  required, 
 though  I  could  not  do  so  well  as  I  would,  I  thought  it  yet 
 my  duty  to  do  my  best,  and  that  with  a  good  will^. 
 
 Whereas  some  men  think  now  that  many  translations 
 make  division  in  the  faith  and  in  the  people  of  God,  that 
 is  not  so :  for  it  was  never  better  with  the  congregation  of 
 God,   than  when   every  church  almost  had  the  Bible   of  a 
 
 [1  impediments,  C.  D.]  [2  Dutch,  i.  e.  German.] 
 
 [3  in  other  languages,  C.  D.] 
 
 [4  that  the  scripture  might  wholly  come  forth  in  English,  C.  D.] 
 
PROLOGUE    TO    THE    TRANSLATION    OF    THE     BIBLE.  13 
 
 sundry  translation.  Among  the  Greeks  had  not  Origen  a 
 special  translation  ?  Had  not  Vulgarius  one  peculiar,  and  like- 
 wise Chrysostom  ?  Beside  the  seventy  interpreters,  is  there 
 not  the  translation  of  Aquila,  of  Theodotio,  of  Symmachus, 
 and  of  sundry  other?  Again,  among  the  Latin  men,  thou 
 findest  that  every  one  almost  used  a  special  and  sundry  trans- 
 lation ;  for  insomuch  as  every  bishop  had  the  knowledge  of 
 the  tongues,  he  gave  his  diligence  to  have  the  Bible  of  his  own 
 translation.  The  doctors,  as  Hireneus,  Cyprianus,  TertulHan, 
 St  Hierome,  St  Augustine,  Hilarius,  and  St  Ambrose,  upon 
 divers  places  of  the  scripture,  read  not  the  text  all  ahke. 
 
 Therefore  ought  it  not  to  be  taken  as  evil,  that  such 
 men  as  have  understanding  now  in  our  time,  exercise  them- 
 selves in  the  tongues,  and  give  their  dihgence  to  translate 
 out  of  one  language  into  another.  Yea,  we  ought  rather 
 to  give  God  high  thanks  therefore,  which  through  his  Spirit 
 stirreth  up  men's  minds  so  to  exercise  themselves  therein. 
 Would  God  it  had  never  been  left  off  after  the  time  of  St 
 Augustine !  then  should  we  never  have  come  into  such  blind- 
 ness and  ignorance,  into  such  errors  and  delusions.  For  as 
 soon  as  the  Bible  was  cast  aside,  and  no  more  put  in  exercise, 
 then  began  every  one  of  his  own  head  to  write  whatsoever 
 came  into  his  brain,  and  that  seemed  to  be  good  in  his  own 
 eyes ;  and  so  grew  the  darkness  of  men's  traditions.  And 
 this  same  is  the  cause  that  we  have  had  so  many  writers, 
 which  seldom  made  mention  of  the  scripture  of  the  Bible ; 
 and  though  they  sometime  alleged  it,  yet  was  it  done  so 
 far  out  of  season,  and  so  wide  from  the  purpose,  that  a  man 
 may  well  perceive,  how  that  they  never  saw  the  original. 
 
 Seeing  then  that  this  diligent  exercise  of  translating  doth 
 so  much  good  and  edifieth  in  other  languages,  why  should  it 
 do  evil  in  om's  ?  Doubtless,  like  as  all  nations  in  the  diversity 
 of  speeches  may  know  one  God  in  the  unity  of  faith,  and  be 
 one  in  love;  even  so  may  divers  translations  understand  one 
 another,  and  that  in  the  head  articles  and  ground  of  our  most 
 blessed  faith,  though  they  use  sundry  words.  Wherefore 
 methink  we  have  great  occasion  to  give  thanks  unto  God, 
 that  he  hath  opened  unto  his  chm*ch  the  gift  of  interpretation 
 and  of  printing,  and  that  there  are  now  at  tliis  time  so  many, 
 which  with  such  diligence  and  faithfulness  interpret  the  scrip- 
 ture, to  the  honour  of  God  and  edifying  of  his  people:  whereas. 
 
14  PROLOGUE    TO    THE 
 
 like  as  when  many  are  shooting  together,  every  one  doth  his 
 best  to  be  nighest  the  mark ;  and  though  they  cannot  all 
 attain  thereto,  yet  shooteth  one  nigher  than  another,  and 
 hitteth  it  better  than  another ;  yea,  one  can  do  it  better  than 
 another.  Who  is  now  then  so  unreasonable,  so  desjiiteful,  or 
 envious,  as  to  abhor  him  that  doth  all  his  diligence  to  hit 
 the  prick,  and  to  shoot  nighest  it,  though  he  miss  and  come 
 not  nighest  the  mark?  Ought  not  such  one  rather  to  be 
 commended,  and  to  be  helped  forward,  that  he  may  exercise 
 himself  the  more  therein  ? 
 
 For  the  which  cause,  according  as  I  was  desired  \  I  took 
 the  more  upon  me  to  set  forth  this  special  translation,  not  as 
 a  checker,  not  as  a  reprover,  or  despiser  of  other  men's  trans- 
 lations, (for  among  many  as  yet  I  have  found  none  without 
 occasion  of  great  thanksgiving  unto  God ;)  but  lowly  and  faith- 
 fully have  I  followed  mine  interpreters,  and  that  under  cor- 
 rection ;  and  though  I  have  failed  anywhere  (as  there  is  no 
 man  but  he  misseth  in  some  tiling),  love"  shall  construe  all  to 
 the  best,  without  any  perverse  judgment.  There  is  no  man 
 living  that  can  see  all  things,  neither  hath  God  given  any  man 
 to  know  everything.  One  seeth  more  clearly  than  another, 
 one  hath  more  understanding  than  another,  one  can  utter  a 
 thing  better  than  another;  but  no  man  ought  to  envy  or  despise 
 another.  He  that  can  do  better  than  another,  should  not  set 
 him  at  nought  that  understandeth  less.  Yea,  he  that  hath 
 the  more  understanding  ought  to  remember,  that  the  same 
 gift  is  not  his,  but  God's,  and  that  God  hath  given  it  him  to 
 teach  and  inform  the  ignorant.  If  thou  hast  knowledge  there- 
 fore to  judge  where  any  fault  is  made,  I  doubt  not  but  thou 
 wilt  help  to  amend  it,  if  love  be  joined  with  thy  knowledge. 
 Howbeit,  whereinsoever  I  can^  perceive  by  myself,  or  by  the 
 information  of  other,  that  I  have  failed  (as  it  is  no  wonder),  I 
 shall  now  by  the  help  of  God  overlook  it  better,  and  amend  it*. 
 
 Now  will  I  exhort  thee,  whosoever  thou  be  that  readest 
 scripture,  if  thou  find  ought  therein  that  thou  understandest 
 not,  or  that  appeareth  to  be  repugnant,  give  no  temerarious 
 nor  hasty  judgment  thereof;  but  ascribe  it  to  tliine  own 
 ignorance,  not  to  the  scripture:  think  that  thou  understandest 
 
 [1  Anno,  1534,  C.  D.]  [2  christian  love,  C.  D.] 
 
 [3  did,  CD.] 
 
 [•*  I  have  now  . . .  overlooked  and  amended  it,  A.  B.  C.  D.] 
 
TRANSLATION    OP    THE    BIBLE.  15 
 
 it  not,  or  that  it  hath  some  other  meaning,  or  that  it  is  haply- 
 overseen  of  the  interpreters,  or  wrong  printed.  Again,  it 
 shall  greatly  help  thee  to  understand  scripture,  if  thou  mark 
 not  only  what  is  spoken  or  written,  but  of  whom,  and  unto 
 whom,  with  what  words,  at  what  time,  where,  to  what  intent, 
 with  what  circumstance,  considering  what  goeth  before,  and 
 what  followeth  after.  For  there  be  some  things  which  are 
 done  and  written,  to  the  intent  that  we  should  do  likewise; 
 as  when  Abraham  believeth  God,  is  obedient  unto  his  word, 
 and  defendeth  Loth  his  kinsman  from  violent  wrong.  There 
 be  some  things  also  wliich  are  written,  to  the  intent  that  we 
 should  eschew  such  like ;  as  when  David  Ueth  Avith  Urias' 
 wife,  and  causeth  liim  to  be  slain.  Therefore,  I  say,  when 
 thou  readest  scripture,  be  wise  and  circumspect ;  and  when 
 thou  comest  to  such  strange  manners  of  speaking  and  dark 
 sentences,  to  such  parables  and  similitudes,  to  such  dreams  or 
 visions,  as  are  liid  from  thy  imderstanding,  commit  them  unto 
 God,  or  to  the  gift  of  his  Holy  Spuit  in  them  that  are  better 
 learned  than  thou. 
 
 As  for  the  commendation  of  God's  holy  scripture,  I  would 
 fain  magnify  it,  as  it  is  worthy,  but  I  am  fer  unsufficient  thereto : 
 and  therefore  I  thought  it  better  for  me  to  hold  my  tongue, 
 than  with  few  words  to  praise  or  commend  it ;  exhorting  thee, 
 most  dear  reader,  so  to  love  it,  so  to  cleave  unto  it,  and  so 
 to  follow  it  in  thy  daily  conversation,  that  other  men,  seeing 
 thy  good  works  and  the  fruits  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  thee,  may 
 j)raise  the  Father  of  heaven,  and  give  his  word  a  good  report: 
 for  to  live  after  the  law  of  God,  and  to  lead  a  virtuous  con- 
 versation, is  the  greatest  praise  that  thou  canst  give  unto  his 
 doctrine. 
 
 But  as  touching  the  evil  report  and  dispraise  that  the 
 good  word  of  God  hath  by  the  corrupt  and  evil  conversation 
 of  some  that  daily  hear  it  and  profess  it  outwardly  with  their 
 mouths,  I  exhort  thee,  most  dear  reader,  let  not  that  offend 
 thee,  nor  withdraw  thy  mind  from  the  love  of  the  truth, 
 neither  move  thee  to  be  partaker  in  like  unthankfulness ;  but 
 seeing  the  light  is  come  into  the  world,  love  no  more  the 
 works  of  darkness,  receive  not  the  grace  of  God  in  vain. 
 Call  to  thy  remembrance,  how  loving  and  merciful  God  is  unto 
 thee,  how  kindly  and  fatherly  he  helpeth  thee  in  all  trouble, 
 teacheth  thine  ignorance,  healeth  thee  in  all  thy  sickness. 
 
16  PROLOGUE    TO    THE 
 
 forgiveth  thee  all  thy  sins,  feedeth  thee,  giveth  thee  drink, 
 helpeth  thee  out  of  prison,  nourisheth  thee  in  strange  countries, 
 eareth  for  thee,  and  seeth  that  thou  want  nothing.  Call  this 
 to  mind,  I  say,  and  that  earnestly,  and  consider  how  thou 
 hast  received  of  God  all  these  benefits,  yea,  and  many  more 
 than  thou  canst  desire;  how  thou  art  bound  likewise  to  shew 
 thyself  unto  thy  neighbour,  as  far  as  thou  canst,  to  teach  him, 
 if  he  be  ignorant,  to  help  him  in  all  his  trouble,  to  heal  his 
 sickness,  to  forgive  him  his  offences,  and  that  heartily,  to  feed 
 him,  to  cherish  him,  to  care  for  him,  and  to  see  that  he  want 
 nothing.  And  on  this  behalf  I  beseek  thee,  thou  that  hast 
 the  riches  of  this  world,  and  lovest  God  with  thy  heart,  to 
 lift  up  thine  eyes,  and  see  how  great  a  multitude  of  poor 
 people  run  through  every  town ;  have  pity  on  thine  OAvn 
 flesh,  help  them  with  a  good  heart,  and  do  with  thy  counsel  all 
 that  ever  thou  canst,  that  this  unshamefaced  begging  may  be 
 put  down,  that  these  idle  folks  may  be  set  to  labour,  and  that 
 such  as  are  not  able  to  get  their  living  may  be  provided  for. 
 At  the  least,  thou  that  art  of  counseP  with  such  as  are  in 
 authority,  give  them  some  occasion  to  cast  their  heads  together, 
 and  to  make  provision  for  the  poor.  Put  them  in  remem- 
 brance of  those  noble  cities  in  other  countries,  that  by  the 
 authority  of  their  princes  have  so  richly  and  well  provided 
 for  their  poor  people,  to  the  great  shame  and  dishonesty  of 
 us,  if  we  likewise,  receiving  the  word  of  God,  shew  not  such 
 like  fruits  thereof.  Would  God  that  those  men,  whose  office  is 
 to  maintain  the  commonwealth,  were  as  diligent  in  this  cause, 
 as  they  are  in  other !  Let  us  beware  bytimes,  for  after  un- 
 thankfulness  there  followeth  ever  a  plague.  The  merciful 
 hand  of  God  be  with  us,  and  defend  us,  that  we  be  not  par- 
 takers thereof! 
 
 Go  to  now,  most  dear  reader,  and  sit  thee  down  at  the 
 Lord's  feet,  and  read  his  words,  and,  as  Moses  teacheth  the 
 Jews,  take  them  into  thine  heart,  and  let  thy  talking  and  com- 
 munication be  of  them,  when  thou  sittest  in  thine  house,  or  goest 
 by  the  Avay,  when  thou  best  down,  and  when  thou  risest  up. 
 And,  above  all  things,  fashion  thy  life  and  conversation  ac- 
 cording to  the  doctrine  of  the  Holy  Ghost  therein,  that  thou 
 may  est  be  partaker  of  the  good  promises  of  God  in  the  Bible, 
 and  be  heir  of  his  blessing  in  Christ :  in  whom  if  thou  put 
 [1  of  the  council,  A.  B.] 
 
TRANSLATION     OF    THE     DIBLE.  l7 
 
 thy  trust,  and  be  an  unfeigned  reader  or  hearer  of  his  word 
 with  thy  heart,  thou  shalt  find  sweetness  therein,  and  spy 
 wondrous  things,  to  thy  understanding,  to  the  avoiding  of 
 all  seditious  sects,  to  the  abhorring  of  thy  old  sinful  hfe,  and 
 to  the  stablishing  of  thy  godly  conversation. 
 
 In  the  first  book  of  Moses,  called  Genesis,  thou  mayest 
 learn  to  know  the  almighty  power  of  God  in  creating  all  of 
 nought,  his  infinite  wisdom  in  ordering  the  same,  his  right- 
 eousness in  punishing  the  ungodly,  his  love  and  fatherly 
 mercy  in  comforting  the  righteoas  with  his  promise,  &c. 
 
 In  the  second  book,  called  Exodus,  we  see  the  mighty 
 arm  of  God  in  delivering  his  people  from  so  great  bondage 
 out  of  Egypt,  and  what  provision  he  maketh  for  them  in  the 
 wilderness ;  how  he  teacheth  them  with  his  wholesome  word, 
 and  how  the  tabernacle  was  made  and  set  up. 
 
 In  the  third  book,  called  Leviticus,  is  declared,  what 
 sacrifices  the  priests  and  Levites  used,  and  what  their  ofiico 
 and  ministration  was. 
 
 In  the  fourth  book,  called  JSTumerus,  is  declared,  how  the 
 people  are  numbered  and  mustered,  how  the  captains  are 
 chosen  after  the  tribes  and  kindreds,  how  they  went  forth 
 to  the  battle,  how  they  pitched  their  tents,  and  how  they 
 brake  up. 
 
 The  fifth  book,  called  Deuteronomium,  sheweth  how  that 
 Moses,  now  being  old,  rehearseth  the  law  of  God  unto  the 
 people,  putteth  them  in  remembrance  again  of  all  the  wonders 
 and  benefices  that  God  had  shewed  for  them,  and  exhorteth 
 them  earnestly  to  love  the  Lord  their  God,  to  cleave  unto 
 him,  to  put  their  trust  in  him,  and  to  hearken  unto  his  voice. 
 
 After  the  death  of  Moses  doth  Josua  bring  the  people 
 into  the  land  of  promise,  where  God  doth  wonderous  things 
 for  his  people  by  Josua,  which  distributeth  the  land  unto 
 them,  unto  every  tribe  their  possession.  But  in  their  wealth 
 they  forgat  the  goodness  of  God,  so  that  ofttimes  he  gave  them 
 over  into  the  hand  of  their  enemies.  Nevertheless,  whenso- 
 ever they  called  faithfully  upon  him,  and  converted,  he  de- 
 livered them  again,  as  the  book  of  Judges  declareth. 
 
 In  the  books  of  the  Kings  is  described  the  regiment  of  good 
 and  evil  princes,  and  how  the  decay  of  all  nations  cometh  by 
 evil  kings.  For  in  Jeroboam  thou  seest  what  mischief,  what 
 idolatry,  and  such  like  abomination  followeth,  when  the  king 
 
 1_C0VERDALE,   II. J 
 
18  PROLOGUE    TO    THE 
 
 is  a  malntainer  of  false  doctrine,  and  causeth  tlie  people  to 
 sin  against  God ;  which  faUing  away  from  God's  word  in- 
 creased so  sore  among  them,  that  it  was  the  cause  of  all  their 
 sorrow  and  misery,  and  the  very  occasion  why  Israel  first, 
 schion.xvii.  and  then  Jiida,  were  carried  away  into  captivity.  Again,  in 
 Josaphat,  in  Ezechias,  and  in  Josias,  thou  seest  the  nature 
 of  a  virtuous  king.  He  putteth  down  the  houses  of  idolatry, 
 seeth  that  his  priests  teach  nothing  but  the  law  of  God,  com- 
 mandeth  his  lords  to  go  Avith  them,  and  to  see  that  they  teach 
 the  people.  In  these  kings,  I  say,  thou  seest  the  condition 
 of  a  true  defender  of  the  faith ;  for  he  spareth  neither  cost 
 nor  labour  to  maintain  the  laws  of  God,  to  seek  the  wealth 
 and  prosperity  of  his  people,  and  to  root  out  the  wicked. 
 And  where  such  a  prince  is,  thou  seest  again,  how  God 
 defendeth  him  and  his  people,  though  he  have  never  so  many 
 enemies.  Thus  went  it  with  them  in  the  old  time,  and  even 
 after  the  same  manner  goeth  it  now  with  us.  God  be  praised 
 therefore,  and  grant  us  of  his  fatherly  mercy  that  we  be  not 
 unthankful ;  lest  where  he  now  giveth  us  a  Josaphat,  an 
 Ezechias,  yea,  a  very  Josias,  he  send  us  a  Pharao,  a  Jero- 
 boam, or  an  Achab ! 
 
 In  the  two  first  books  of  Esdras,  and  in  Hester,  thou 
 seest  the  deliverance  of  the  people,  which  though  they  were 
 but  few,  yet  is  it  unto  us  all  a  special  comfort ;  forsomuch  as 
 God  is  not  forgetful  of  his  promise,  but  bringeth  them  out 
 of  captivity,  according  as  he  had  told  them  before. 
 
 In  the  book  of  Job  we  learn  comfort  and  patience,  in 
 that  God  not  only  punisheth  the  wicked,  but  proveth  and 
 trieth  the  just  and  righteous  (howbeit  there  is  no  man 
 innocent  in  his  sight,)  by  divers  troubles  in  this  life;  declaring 
 thereby,  that  they  are  not  his  bastards,  but  his  dear  sons, 
 and  that  he  loveth  them. 
 
 In  the  Psalms  we  learn  how  to  resort  only  unto  God 
 in  all  our  troubles,  to  seek  help  at  him,  to  call  only  upon 
 him,  to  settle  our  minds  by  patience,  and  how  wc  ought 
 in  prosperity  to  be  thankful  unto  him. 
 
 The  Proverbs  and  the  Preacher  of  Salomon  teach  us 
 wisdom,  to  know  God,  our  own  selves,  and  the  world,  and 
 how  vain  all  things  are,  save  only  to  cleave  unto  God. 
 
 As  for  the  doctrine  of  the  Prophets,  what  is  it  else, 
 but  an  earnest  exhortation  to  eschew  sin,  and  to  turn  unto 
 
TRANSLATION    OF    THE    BIBLE.  19 
 
 God ;  a  faithful  promise  of  the  mercy  and  pardon  of  God 
 unto  all  them  that  tm'n  unto  him,  and  a  threatening  of  his 
 wrath  to  the  ungodly?  saving  that  here  and  there  they 
 prophesy  also  manifestly  of  Christ,  of  the  expulsion  of  the 
 Jews,  and  calling  of  the  heathen. 
 
 ^Thus  much  thought  I  to  speak  of  the  old  Testament, 
 Avherein  Almighty  God  openeth  unto  us  his  mighty  power, 
 his  wisdom,  his  loving  mercy  and  righteousness :  for  the 
 which  cause  it  ought  of  no  man  to  be  abhorred,  despised, 
 or  lightly  regarded,  as  though  it  were  an  old  scripture  that 
 nothing  belonged  unto  us,  or  that  now  were  to  be  refused. 
 For  it  is  God's  true  scripture  and  testimony,  which  the  Lord 
 Jesus  commandeth  the  Jews  to  search.  Whosoever  believeth  John  v. 
 not  the  scripture,  beheveth  not  Christ;  and  whoso  refuseth 
 it,  refuseth  God  also. 
 
 The  new  Testament,  or  Gospel,  is  a  manifest  and  clear 
 testimony  of  Christ,  how  God  performeth  his  oath  and  pro- 
 mise made  in  the  old  Testament,  how  the  new  is  declared 
 and  included  in  the  old,  and  the  old  fulfilled  and  verified 
 in  the  new. 
 
 Now  whereas  the  most  famous  interpreters  of  all  give 
 sundry  judgments  of  the  text;  so  far  as  it, is  done  by  the 
 spirit  of  knowledge  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  methink  no  man 
 should  be  offended  thereat,  for  they  refer  their  doings  in 
 meekness  to  the  spirit  of  truth  in  the  congregation  of  God  : 
 and  sure  I  am,  that  there  cometh  more  knowledge  and  un- 
 derstanding of  the  scripture  by  their  sundry  translations, 
 than  by  all  the  glosses  of  our  sophistical  doctors.  For  that 
 one  interpreteth  something  obscurely  in  one  place,  the  same 
 translateth  another,  or  else  he  himself,  more  manifestly  by 
 a  more  plain  vocable  of  the  same  meaning  in  another  place. 
 Be  not  thou  offended,  therefore,  good  reader,  though  one 
 call  a  scribe  that  another  calleth  a  lawyer ;  or  elders,  that 
 another  calleth  father  and  mother ;  or  repentance,  that  an- 
 other calleth  penance  or  amendment.  For  if  thou  be  not 
 deceived  by  men's  traditions,  thou  shalt  find  no  more  diver- 
 sity between  these  terms,  than  between  fourpence  and  a  groat. 
 And  this  manner  have  I  used  in  my  translation,  calling  it 
 in  some  place  jyenance,  that  in  another  place  I  call  rej)ent- 
 ance;  and  that  not  only  because  the  interpreters  have  done 
 
 [1  This  paragraph  is  omitted,  A.  B.  C.  D.] 
 
 2—2 
 
20 
 
 PROLOGUE    TO    THE 
 
 Josh.  i. 
 Deut.  xvii. 
 
 Deut.  xxiv. 
 
 Rom.  xii. 
 1  PeU  iv. 
 
 SO  before  me,  but  that  the  adversaries  of  the  truth  may 
 see,  how  that  we  abhor  not  this  word  penance,  as  they  untruly 
 report  of  us,  no  more  than  the  interpreters  of  Latin  abhor 
 pcenitere,  when  they  read  7^esi2nscere.  Only  our  heart's  de- 
 sire unto  God  is,  that  his  people  be  not  blinded  in  their 
 imderstanding,  lest  they  believe  penance  to  be  ought  save 
 a  very  repentance,  amendment,  or  conversion  unto  God,  and 
 to  be  an  unfeigned  new  creature  in  Christ,  and  to  live  accord- 
 ing to  his  law.  For  else  shall  they  fall  into  the  old  blas- 
 phemy of  Christ''s  blood,  and  believe  that  they  themselves 
 are  able  to  make  satisfaction  unto  God  for  their  own  sins  : 
 from  the  which  error  God  of  his  mercy  and  plenteous  good- 
 ness jJreserve  all  his ! 
 
 Now  to  conclude :  forsomuch  as  all  the  scripture  is  writ- 
 ten for  thy  doctrine  and  ensample,  it  shall  be  necessary 
 for  thee  to  take  hold  upon  it  while  it  is  offered  thee,  yea, 
 and  with  ten  hands  thankfully  to  receive  it.  And  though 
 it  be  not  worthily  ministered  unto  thee  in  this  translation, 
 by  reason  of  my  rudeness ;  yet  if  thou  be  fervent  in  thy 
 prayer,  God  shall  ^  not  only  send  it  thee  in  a  better  shape 
 by  the  ministration  of  other  that  began  it  afore,  but  shall 
 also  move  the  hearts  of  them  which  as  yet  meddled  not 
 withal,  to  take  it  in  hand,  and  to  bestow  the  gift  of  their 
 understanding  thereon,  as  well  in  our  language,  as  other 
 famous  interpreters  do  in  other  languages".  And  I  pray 
 God,  that  through  my  poor  ministration  herein  I  may  give 
 them  that  can  do  better  some  occasion  so  to  do  ;  exhorting 
 thee,  most  dear  reader,  in  the  mean  while  on  God's  behalf, 
 if  thou  be  a  head,  a  judge,  or  ruler  of  the  people,  that  thou 
 let  not  the  book  of  this  law  depart  out  of  thy  mouth,  but 
 exercise  thyself  therein  both  day  and  night,  and  be  ever 
 reading  in  it  as  long  as  thou  livest :  that  thou  mayest  learn 
 to  fear  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  not  to  turn  aside  from  the 
 commandment,  neither  to  the  right  hand  nor  to  the  left ; 
 lest  thou  be  a  knower  of  persons  in  judgment,  and  wrest 
 the  right  of  the  stranger,  of  the  fatherless,  or  of  the  widow, 
 and  so  the  curse  to  come  upon  thee.  But  what  office  so  ever 
 thou  hast,  wait  upon  it,  and  execute  it  to  the  maintenance 
 of  peace,  to  the  wealth  of  thy  people,   defending  the  laws 
 
 [1  God  shall  move  the  hearts  of  them  which,  &c.  C.  D.] 
 [2  tongues,  C.  D.] 
 
TRANSLATION    OF    THE    BIBLE. 
 
 21 
 
 of  God  and  the  lovers  thereof,  and  to   the   destruction  of 
 the  wicked. 
 
 If  thou  be  a  preacher,  and  hast  the  oversight  of  the  f  ^'^'j"^- 
 flock  of  Christ,  awake  and  feed  Christ's  sheep  with  a  good 
 heart,  and  spare  no  labour  to  do  them  good :  seek  not  thy- 
 self, and  beware  of  filthy  lucre;  but  be  unto  the  flock  '"in^Tim.iv. 
 ensample  in  the  word,  in  conversation,  in  love,  in  fcrvcnt- 
 ness  of  the  spiz'it,  and  be  ever  reading,  exhorting,  and  teach- 
 ing in  God's  word,  that  the  people  of  God  run  not  unto 
 other  doctrines,  and  lest  thou  thyself,  when  thou  shouldcst 
 teach  other,  be  found  ignorant  therein.  And  rather  than 
 thou  wouldest  teach  the  people  any  other  thing  than  God's 
 word,  take  the  book  in  thine  hand,  and  read  the  words,  even 
 as  they  stand  therein;  for  it  is  no  shame  so  to  do,  it  is  more 
 shame  to  make  a  lie.  This  I  say  for  such  as  are  not  yet 
 expert  in  the  scripture;  for  I  reprove  no  prcachmg  Avithout 
 the  book,  as  long  as  they  say  the  truth. 
 
 If  thou  be  a  man  that  hast  wife  and  children,  first  love  Eph.  v. 
 thy  wife,  according  to  the  ensample  of  the  love  wherewith 
 Christ  loved  the  congregation ;  and  remember  that  so  doing 
 tliou  lovest  even  thyself:  if  thou  hate  her,  thou  hatcst  thine 
 own  flesh ;  if  thou  cherish  her  and  make  much  of  her,  thou 
 cherishest  and  makest  much  of  thyself;  for  she  is  bone  of 
 thy  bones,  and  flesh  of  thy  flesh.  And  whosoever  thou 
 be  that  hast  children,  bring  them  up  in  the  nurture  and  Eph.  vi. 
 information  of  the  Lord.  And  if  thou  be  io-norant,  or  art 
 otherwise  occupied  lawfully,  that  thou  canst  not  teach  them 
 thyself,  then  be  even  as  dihgent  to  seek  a  good  master  for 
 thy  cliildren,  as  thou  wast  to  seek  a  mother  to  bear  them ; 
 for  there  lieth  as  great  weight  in  the  one,  as  in  the  other. 
 Yea,  better  it  were  for  them  to  be  unborn,  than  not  to  fear 
 God,  or  to  be  evil  brought  up;  which  thing  (I  mean  bringing 
 up  well  of  children)  if  it  be  diligently  looked  to,  it  is  the 
 upholding  of  all  commonwealths;  and  the  negligence  of  the 
 same,  the  very  decay  of  all  realms. 
 
 Finally,  whosoever  thou  be,  take  these  words  of  scrip- 
 ture into  thy  heart,  and  be  not  only  an  outward  hearer,  but 
 a  doer  thereafter,  and  practise  thyself  therein;  that  thou 
 niaycst  feel  in  thine  heart  the  sweet  promises  thereof  for 
 thy  consolation  in  all  trouble,  and  for  the  sure  stabhshing 
 of  thy  hope  in  Christ ;  and  have  ever  an  eve  to  the  words 
 
22  PROLOGUE    TO    THE    TRANSLATION    OF    THE    BIBLE. 
 
 of  scripture,  that  if  thou  be  a  teacher  of  other,  thou  mayest 
 be  within  the  bounds  of  the  truth ;  or  at  the  least,  though 
 thou  be  but  an  hearer  or  reader  of  another  man's  doings  S 
 thou  mayest  yet  have  knowledge  to  judge  all  spirits,  and 
 be  free  from  every  error,  to  the  utter  destruction  of  all 
 seditious  sects  and  strange  doctrines;  that  the  holy  scripture 
 may  have  free  passage,  and  be  had  in  reputation,  to  the 
 worship  of  the  author  thereof,  which  is  even  God  himself; 
 to  whom  for  his  most  blessed  word  be  glory  and  dominion 
 now  and  ever  !     Amen. 
 
 [1  doing,  C.  D.] 
 
[DEDICATIONS  AND  PROLOGUES  TO  THE  NEW 
 TESTAMENT. 
 
 Three  editions  of  Bishop  Coverdale's  translation  of  the  New  Tes- 
 tament were  published  in  1538: 
 
 1.  That  by  James  Nycolson,  with  a  Dedication  to  Henry  VIII. 
 and  a  Preface  to  the  reader.  These  are  here  pi'esented  from  a  copy 
 of  this  edition  in  the  British  Museum. 
 
 2.  Another  edition  of  the  same  year,  with  a  Dedication  to  Lord 
 Cromwell,  and  an  Address  to  the  reader,  printed  by  Francis  Regnault 
 at  Paris,  under  the  immediate  direction  of  Bishop  Coverdale,  and 
 published  in  London  by  Grafton  and  Whitchurch,  which  are  here 
 presented  to  the  reader  from  a  copy  in  the  Library  of  St  John's  Col- 
 lege, Cambridge.  This  edition  was  afterwards  re-issued  in  London  in 
 the  following  year,  with  a  new  title,  by  Grafton  and  Whitchurch. 
 
 3.  Another  edition  of  the  same  year,  published  by  Nycolson,  and 
 said  to  be  translated  by  John  HoUybushe,  which  however  was  pub- 
 lished without  the  concurrence  of  Coverdale  2,  and  therefore  does  not 
 call  for  any  notice  in  the  present  work. 
 
 ^  Anderson's  Annals  of  the  English  Bible,  Vol.  II.  p.  38.] 
 
DEDICATION   AND    PROLOGUE 
 
 TO 
 
 THE    NEW    TESTAMENT. 
 
 Printed  by  Nycolson,  ad.  1538. 
 
 DEDICATION  TO  HENRY  VIII. 
 
 TO   THE   MOST   NOBLE,   MOST   GRACIOUS,    AND   OUR   MOST    DREAD    SOVEREIGN 
 
 LORD,    KING    HENRY    THE    EIGHTH,     KING    OF    ENGLAND     AND     OF 
 
 FRANCE,    &C.,    DEFENDER   OF   CHRISt's    TRUE    FAITH,    AND 
 
 UNDER    GOD     THE    CHIEF    AND     SUPRE5IE    HEAD    OP 
 
 THE   CHURCH    OF   ENGLAND,    IRELAND,    &C. 
 
 Considering,  most  gracious  sovereign,  how  lovinglj, 
 how  favourably,  and  how  tenderly  your  higlmcss  hath  taken 
 mine  infancy  and  rudeness  in  dedicating  the  whole  bible  in 
 English  to  your  most  noble  grace ;  and  having  sure  expe- 
 rience also,  how  benign  and  gracious  a  mind  your  highness 
 doth  ever  bear  to  all  them  that  in  their  calhng  are  willing  to 
 do  their  best ;  it  doth  even  animate  and  encouraofe  me  now 
 likewise  to  use  the  same  audacity  toward  your  grace,  never 
 intending  nor  purposing  to  have  been  thus  bold,  if  your  most 
 noble  kindness  and  princely  benignity  had  not  forced  me  here- 
 unto. This,  doubtless,  is  one  of  the  chiefest  causes,  whv  I  do 
 now,  with  most  humble  obedience,  dedicate  and  offer  this  trans- 
 lation of  the  New  Testament  unto  your  most  royal  majesty. 
 And,  to  say  the  truth,  I  cannot  perceive  the  contrary,  but  as 
 many  of  us  as  intend  the  glory  of  God  have  all  need  to  com- 
 mit unto  your  gracious  protection  and  defence,  as  well  our 
 good  doings,  as  ourselves :  our  good  doings  I  mean,  and  not 
 our  evil  works.  For  if  we  went  about  evil,  God  forbid  that 
 we  should  seek  defence  at  your  grace !  But  even  our  well- 
 doings, our  good-wills,  and  godly  purposes,  those  with  all 
 humble  obedience  must  we,  and  do,  submit  to  your  grace\^ 
 most  sure  protection.  For  as  our  adversary  the  devil  walketh 
 about  like  a  roaring  lion,  and  seekcth  whom  he  may  devour; 
 
DEDICATION  TO  THE  TRANSLATION  OF  THE   NEW   TESTAMENT.        25 
 
 and  as  the  enemies  of  Christ  went  about  to  tangle  himself  in 
 his  words,  and  to  hunt  somewhat  out  of  his  own  mouth ;  even  so 
 do  not  the  enemies  of  God's  words  cease  yet  to  pick  quarrels, 
 and  to  seek  out  new  occasions,  how  they  may  deprave  and 
 sinisterly  interpret  our  well-doings.  And  whereas  with  all 
 faithfulness  we  go  about  to  make  our  brethren,  your  grace's 
 loving  subjects,  participant  of  the  fruits  of  our  good-wills;  they 
 yet,  not  regarding  what  profit  we  would  be  glad  to  do  them, 
 report  evil  of  us,  slander  us,  and  say  the  Avorst  of  us :  yea, 
 they  are  not  ashamed  to  affirm,  that  we  intend  to  pervert  the 
 scripture,  and  to  condemn  the  common  translation  in  Latin, 
 which  customably  is  read  in  the  church ;  whereas  we  purpose 
 the  clean  contrary.  And  because  it  grieveth  them  that  your 
 subjects  be  grown  so  far  in  knowledge  of  their  duty  to  God, 
 to  your  grace,  and  to  their  neighbours,  theu'  inward  mahce 
 doth  break  out  into  blasphemous  and  uncomely  words;  inso- 
 much that  they  call  your  loving  and  faithful  people  heretics, 
 new-fangled  fellows,  English  biblers,  coblers  of  divinity,  fel- 
 lows of  the  new  faith,  &c.,  with  such  other  ungodly  sayings. 
 
 How  needful  a  thing  is  it  then  for  us  to  resort  unto  the 
 most  lawful  protection  of  God,  in  your  grace's  supreme  and 
 imperial  authority  under  him !  without  the  which  most  law- 
 ful defence,  now  in  these  turbulent  and  stormy  assaults  of  the 
 wicked,  we  should  be  but  even  orphans,  and  utterly  desolate 
 of  comfort.  But  God,  whom  the  scripture  calleth  a  father  of 
 the  comfortless  and  defender  of  widows,  did  otherwise  pro-  Psai.  uvui. 
 vide  for  us,  when  he  made  your  grace  his  high  and  supreme 
 minister  over  us. 
 
 To  come  now  to  the  original  and  first  occasion  of  this  my 
 humble  labour,  and  to  declare  how  little  I  have  or  do  intend 
 to  despise  this  present  translation  in  Latin,  or  any  other  in 
 Avhat  language  soever  it  be,  I  have  here  set  it  forth,  and  the 
 English  also  thereof, — I  mean  the  text  Avhich  commonly  is 
 called  St  Hierome's,  and  is  customably  read  in  the  church. 
 And  this,  my  most  gracious  sovereign,  have  I  done,  not  so 
 much  for  the  clamorous  importunity  of  evil  speakers,  as  to 
 satisfy  the  just  request  of  certain  your  grace's  faithful  sub- 
 jects; and  specially  to  induce  and  instruct  such  as  can  but 
 English,  and  are  not  learned  in  the  Latin,  that  in  comparing 
 these  two  texts  together,  they  may  the  better  understand  the 
 one  by  the  other.     And  I  doubt  not  but  such  ignorant  bodies 
 
26  DEDICATION    TO    THE 
 
 as,  having  cure  and  charge  of  souls,  are  very  unlearned  in 
 the  Latin  tongue,  shall  through  this  small  labour  be  occa- 
 sioned to  attain  unto  more  knowledge,  and  at  the  least  be  con- 
 strained to  say  well  of  the  tiling  which  heretofore  they  have 
 blasphemed.  The  ignorance  of  which  men,  if  it  were  not  so 
 exceeding  great,  a  man  would  wonder  what  should  move  them 
 to  make  such  importune  cavillations  against  us.  It  is  to  be 
 feared,  that  frowardness  and  malice  is  mixed  with  their  igno- 
 rance. For,  inasmuch  as  in  our  other  translations  we  do  not 
 follow  this  old  Latin  text  word  for  word,  they  cry  out  upon 
 us,  as  though  all  were  not  as  nigh  the  truth  to  translate  the 
 scripture  out  of  otlier  languages,  as  to  turn  it  out  of  the  Latin ; 
 or  as  though  the  Holy  Ghost  were  not  the  author  of  his 
 scripture  as  well  in  the  Hebrew,  Greek,  French,  Dutch,  and 
 in  EngUsh,  as  in  Latin,  The  scripture  and  word  of  God  is 
 truly  to  every  christian  man  of  like  worthiness  and  authority, 
 in  what  language  soever  the  Holy  Ghost  speaketh  it.  And 
 therefore  am  I,  and  will  be  while  I  live,  under  your  most 
 gracious  favour  and  correction,  alway  wilhng  and  ready  to 
 do  my  best  as  well  in  one  translation  as  in  another. 
 
 Now  as  concerning  this  present  text  in  Latin,  forasmuch 
 as  it  hath  been  and  is  yet  so  greatly  corrupt,  as  I  think  none 
 other  translation  is;  it  were  a  godly  and  a  gracious  deed,  if 
 they  that  have  authority,  knowledge,  and  time,  would,  under 
 your  grace's  correction,  examine  it  better  after  the  most  an- 
 cient interpreters  and  most  true  texts  of  other  languages. 
 For  certainly,  in  comparing  divers  examples  together,  we  see 
 that  in  many  places  one  copy  hath  either  more  or  less  than 
 another,  or  else  the  text  is  altered  from  other  languao-es. 
 
 To  give  other  men  occasion  now  to  do  their  best,  and  to 
 express  my  good-will,  if  I  could  do  better,  I  have,  for  the 
 causes  above  rehearsed,  attempted  this  small  labour,  submit- 
 ting, with  all  humbleness  and  subjection,  it  and  all  other  my 
 like  doings  to  your  grace's  most  noble  majesty :  not  only 
 because  I  am  bound  so  to  do,  but  to  the  intent  also,  that 
 through  your  most  gracious  defence  it  may  have  the  more 
 freedom  among  your  obedient  subjects,  to  the  glory  of  the 
 everlasting  God.  To  whom  only  for  your  grace,  for  your 
 most  noble  and  dear  son  prince  Edward,  for  your  most  ho- 
 norable council,  and  for  all  other  his  singular  gifts,  that  we 
 daily  receive  in  your  grace ;  to  him,  I  say,  which  is  the  only 
 
TRANSLATION    OF    THE    NEW    TESTAMENT.  27 
 
 giver  and  granter  of  all  this  our  wealth,  be  honour  and  praise 
 for  evermore ;  to  your  grace,  continual  thankfulness  and  due 
 obedience,  with  long  life  and  prosperity ;  finally,  to  us,  the 
 receivers  of  God's  good  gifts,  be  daily  increase  of  grace  and 
 virtue  more  and  more  !     Amen, 
 
 Your  grace's  humble 
 
 and  faithful  subject, 
 
 MYLES  COVERDALE. 
 
PROLOGUE. 
 
 TO  THE  READER. 
 
 I  MUST  needs  advertise  thee,  most  gentle  reader,  that 
 this  present  text  in  Latin,  which  thou  seest  set  here  with  the 
 Enghsh,  is  the  same  that  customably  is  read  in  the  church, 
 and  commonly  is  called  .St  Hierome''s  translation.  Wherein 
 though  in  some  places  I  use  the  honest  and  just  liberty  of  a 
 grammarian,  as  needful  is  for  thy  better  understanding ; 
 yet,  because  I  am  loath  to  swerve  from  the  text,  I  so  tem- 
 per my  pen,  that,  if  thou  Avilt,  thou  mayest  make  plain  con- 
 struction of  it  by  the  Enghsh  that  standeth  on  the  other 
 side.  This  is  done  now  for  thee  that  art  not  exactly  learned 
 in  the  Latin  tongue,  and  wouldest  fain  understand  it.  As 
 for  those  that  be  learned  in  the  Latin  already,  this  our 
 small  labour  is  not  taken  for  them,  save  only  to  move  and  ex- 
 hort them,  that  they  likewise,  knowing  of  whom  they  have 
 received  their  talent  of  learning,  Avill  be  no  less  grieved  in 
 their  calling  to  serve  their  brethren  therewith,  than  we  are 
 ashamed  here  with  this  our  small  ministration  to  do  them 
 good.  I  beseech  thee  therefore,  take  it  in  good  worth  :  for  so 
 well  done  as  it  should  and  might  be,  it  is  not ;  but  as  it  is, 
 thou  hast  it  with  a  good-Avill. 
 
 AVhereas  by  the  authority  of  the  text  I  sometime  make  it 
 clear  for  thy  more  understanding,  there  shalt  thou  find  this 
 mai'k  [  ],  which  Ave  have  set  for  thy  warning,  the  text  never- 
 theless neither  wrested  nor  perverted.  The  cause  whereof 
 is  partly  the  figure  called  eclipsis,  divers  times  used  in  the 
 scriptures,  the  which  though  she  do  garnish  the  sentence  in 
 Latin,  yet  will  not  so  be  admitted  in  other  tongues  ;  where- 
 fore of  necessity  we  are  constrained  to  inclose  such  Avords  in 
 this  mark :  partly,  because  that  sundry,  and  sometime  too 
 I'ash  Avriters  out  of  books  have  not  given  so  great  diligence 
 as  is  due  in  the  holy  scripture,  and  have  left  out,  and  some- 
 time altered,  some  Avord  or  Avords,  and  another,  using  the  same 
 book  for  a  copy,  hath  committed  like  fault.  Let  not  there- 
 fore this  our  diligence  seem  more  temerarious  unto  thee,  gen- 
 
PROLOGUE  TO  THE   TRANSLATION   OF  TIIK   NEW   TKSTAMKNT.        29 
 
 tie  reader,  than  was  the  diligence  of  St  Jerome  and  Origen 
 unto  learned  men  of  their  time;  which,  using  sundry  marks  in 
 their  books,  shewed  their  judgment,  what  were  to  be  abated 
 or  added  unto  the  books  of  scripture,  that  so  they  might  be 
 restored  to  the  pure  and  very  original  text.  Thy  knowledge 
 and  understanding  in  the  word  of  God  shall  judge  the  same  of 
 us  also,  if  it  be  joined  with  love  to  the  truth.  And  though  I 
 seem  to  be  all  too  scrupulous,  calUng  it  in  one  place  penance 
 that  in  another  I  call  repentance,  and  gelded,  that  another 
 calleth  chaste;  this  methink  ought  not  to  offend  thee,  seeing 
 that  the  Holy  Ghost,  I  trust,  is  the  author  of  both  our  doings. 
 If  I  of  mine  own  head  had  put  into  the  new  Testament  these 
 words,  Nisi  pcenitueritis,  panitemini,  sunt  enim  eunuchi, 
 poenitentiam  agite,  etc. ;  then,  as  I  were  worthy  to  be  re- 
 proved, so  should  it  be  right  necessary  to  redress  the  same. 
 But  it  is  the  Holy  Ghost  that  hath  put  them  in,  and  there- 
 fore I  heartily  require  thee  think  no  more  harm  in  me  for 
 calling  it  in  one  place  penance  that  in  another  I  call  repent- 
 ance, than  I  think  harm  in  him  that  calleth  it  chaste,  which 
 I  by  the  nature  of  this  word  eunuchus  call  gelded.  Let 
 every  man  be  glad  to  submit  his  understanding  to  the  Holy 
 Ghost  in  them  that  be  learned;  and  no  doubt  we  shall  think 
 the  best  one  by  another,  and  find  no  "less  occasion  to  praise 
 God  in  another  man  than  in  ourselves.  As  the  Holy  Ghost 
 then  is  one,  working  in  thee  and  me  as  he  will ;  so  let  us  not 
 swerve  from  that  unity,  but  be  one  in  him.  And  for  my 
 part,  I  ensure  thee,  I  am  indifferent  to  call  it  as  well  with  the 
 one  term  as  with  the  other,  so  long  as  I  know  that  it  is  no 
 prejudice  nor  injury  to  the  meaning  of  the  Holy  Ghost  : 
 nevertheless  I  am  very  scrupulous  to  go  from  the  vocable  of 
 the  text. 
 
 And  of  truth  so  had  we  all  need  to  be :  for  the  world  is 
 captious,  and  many  there  be  that  had  rather  find  twenty 
 faults,  than  to  amend  one.  And  ofttimes  the  more  labour  a 
 man  taketh  for  their  commodity,  the  less  thank  he  hath. 
 But  if  they  that  be  learned,  and  have  wherewith  to  maintain 
 the  charges,  did  their  duty,  they  themselves  should  perform 
 these  things,  and  not  only  to  look  for  it  at  other  men's 
 hands.  At  the  least,  if  they  would  neither  take  the  pain 
 of  translating  themselves,  nor  to  bear  the  expenses  thereof, 
 nor  of  the  printing;  they  should  yet  have  a  good  tongue. 
 
30  PROLOGUE    TO    THE 
 
 and  help  one  way  that  they  cannot  do  another.  God  grant 
 this  world  once  to  spy  their  unthankfulness !  This  do  not  I 
 say  for  any  lucre  or  vantage  that  I  look  for  at  your  hands, 
 ye  rich  and  wealthy  belhes  of  the  world :  for  he  that  never 
 failed  me  at  my  need,  hath  taught  me  to  be  content  with 
 such  provision  as  he  hath,  and  will  make  for  me.  Of  you 
 therefore,  that  be  servants  to  your  own  riches,  require  I 
 nothing  at  all,  save  only  that  which  St  James  saith  unto  you 
 in  the  beginning  of  his  fifth  chapter ;  namely,  that  ye  weep 
 and  howl  on  your  Avretchedness  that  shall  come  upon  you. 
 For  certainly  ye  have  great  cause  so  to  do;  neither  is  it  un- 
 like but  great  misery  shall  come  upon  you,  considering  the 
 gorgeous  fare  and  apparel  that  ye  have  every  day  for  the 
 proud  pomp  and  appetite  of  your  stinking  carcases,  and  ye 
 be  not  ashamed  to  suffer  your  own  flesh  and  blood  to  die 
 at  your  doors  for  lack  of  your  help.  0  sinful  belly-gods! 
 O  unthankful  wretches!  0  uncharitable  idolaters!  With 
 what  conscience  dare  ye  put  one  morsel  of  meat  into  your 
 mouths?  0  abominable  hell-hounds,  what  shall  be  worth  of 
 you  ?  I  speak  to  you,  ye  rich  niggards  of  the  world,  which 
 as  ye  have  no  favour  to  God's  holy  word,  so  love  ye  to  do 
 nothing  that  it  commandeth.  Our  Lord  send  you  worthy 
 repentance ! 
 
 But  now  will  I  turn  my  pen  unto  you  that  be  lords  and 
 rulers  of  your  riches.  For  of  you,  whom  God  hath  made 
 stewards  of  those  worldly  goods;  of  you,  whom  God  hath 
 made  plenteous,  as  well  in  his  knowledge,  as  in  other  riches; 
 of  you,  I  say,  would  I  fain  require  and  beg,  even  for  his 
 sake  that  is  the  giver  of  all  good  things,  that  at  the  last 
 ye  would  do  but  your  duty,  and  help,  as  well  with  your 
 good  counsel,  as  with  your  temporal  substance,  that  a  perfect 
 provision  may  be  made  for  the  poor,  and  for  the  virtuous 
 bringing  up  of  youth :  that  as  we  now  already  have  cause 
 plentiful  to  give  God  thanks  for  his  word,  and  for  sending 
 us  a  prince,  with  thousands  of  other  benefits ;  even  so  we, 
 seeing  the  poor,  aged,  lame,  sore,  and  sick  provided  for, 
 and  our  youth  brought  up  as  well  in  God's  knowledge,  as  in 
 other  virtuous  occupations,  may  have  likewise  occasion  suffi- 
 cient to  praise  God  for  the  same.  Our  Lord  grant  that  this 
 our  long  begging  and  most  needful  request  may  once  be 
 heard !     In  the  mean  time,  till  God  bring  it  to  pass  by  his 
 
TRANSLATION    OF    THE    NEW    TESTAMENT.  Si 
 
 ministers,  let  not  thy  counsel  nor  help  be  beliincl,  most  gentle 
 
 reader,  for  the  fm'therance  of  the  same.     And  for  that  thou 
 
 hast  received  at  the  merciful  hand  of  God  already,  be 
 
 thankful  alway  unto  him,  loving  and  obedient  unto 
 
 thy  prince.  And  live  so  continually  in  helping 
 
 and  edifying  of  thy  neighbour,  that 
 
 it  may  redound  to  the  praise 
 
 and  glory  of  God 
 
 for  ever. 
 
 Amen. 
 
DEDICATION    AND    PROLOGUE 
 
 TO 
 
 THE     NEW     TESTAMENT. 
 
 Printed  by  Francis  Regnault,  and  published  by 
 Grafton  and  Whitchurch,  a.d.  1538. 
 
 DEDICATION    TO    LORD    CROMWELL. 
 
 TO   THE    RIGHT    HONOURABLE    LORD   CROMWELL,    LORD    PRIVY    SEAL,    VICE- 
 GERENT   TO    THE    king's    HIGHNESS,    CONCERNING     ALL     HIS 
 JURISDICTION    ECCLESIASTICAL    WITHIN     THE 
 REALM    OF     ENGLAND. 
 
 I  WAS  never  so  willing  to  labour  and  travail  for  the  edify- 
 ing of  my  brethren,  right  honourable,  and  my  singular  good 
 lord,  but  I  am,  and  purpose  to  be  while  I  live,  by  God's 
 grace,  even  as  ready  to  amend  and  redress  any  manner  of 
 thing,  that  I  can  espy  to  be  either  sinistrally  printed,  or 
 negligently  correct.  And  no  less  do  I  esteem  it  my  duty  to 
 amend  other  men's  faults,  than  if  they  were  my  own.  Truth 
 it  is,  that  this  last  Lent  I  did  with  all  humbleness  direct  an 
 epistle  unto  the  king's  most  noble  grace ;  trusting  that  the 
 book,  whereunto  it  was  prefixed,  should  afterward  have  been 
 as  well  correct  as  other  books  be.  And  because  I  could  not 
 be  present  myself,  by  the  reason  of  sundry  notable  impedi- 
 ments ;  therefore  inasmuch  as  the  new  Testament,  which  I 
 had  set  forth  in  Enghsh  before,  doth  so  agree  with  the 
 Latin,  I  was  heartily  well  content,  that  the  Latin  and  it 
 should  be  set  together;  provided  alway,  that  the  corrector 
 should  follow  the  true  copy  of  the  Latin  in  any  wise,  and 
 to  keep  the  true  and  right  English  of  the  same.  And  so 
 doing,  I  was  content  to  set  my  name  to  it.  And  even  so 
 I  did,  trusting,  that  though  I  were  absent  and  out  of  the 
 land,  yet  all  should  be  well ;  and,  as  God  is  my  record,  I 
 knew  none  other,  till  this  last  July,  that  it  was  my  chance 
 here  in  these  parts  at  a  stranger's  hand  to  come  by  a  copy 
 
DEDICATION  TO  THE  TRANSLATION   OF  THE   NEW  TESTAMENT.      S3 
 
 of  the  said  print :  which  when  I  had  perused,  I  found  that 
 as  it  was  disagreeable  to  my  former  translation  in  English, 
 so  was  not  the  true  copy  of  the  Latin  text  observed,  neither 
 the  English  so  correspondent  to  the  same  as  it  ought  to  be ; 
 but  in  many  places,  both  base,  insensible,  and  clean  contrary, 
 not  only  to  the  phrase  of  our  language,  but  also  from  the 
 understanding  of  the  text  in  Latin.  Whereof  though  no 
 man  to  this  hour  did  write  nor  speak  to  me,  yet,  forasmuch 
 as  I  am  sworn  to  the  truth,  I  will  favour  no  man  to  the 
 hinderance  thereof,  nor  to  the  maintaining  of  anything  that 
 is  contrary  to  the  right  and  just  fm'therance  of  the  same.  And 
 therefore  as  my  duty  is  to  be  faithful,  to  edify,  and  with  the 
 utmost  of  my  power  to  put  away  all  occasion  of  evil,  so  have 
 I,  though  my  business  be  great  enough  beside,  endeavoured 
 myself  to  weed  out  the  faults  that  were  in  the  Latin  and 
 English  before ;  trusting  that  this  present  correction  may  be 
 unto  them  that  shall  print  it  hereafter  a  copy  sufficient.  But 
 because  I  may  not  be  mine  own  judge,  nor  lean  to  mine  own 
 private  opinion  in  this  or  any  like  work  of  the  scripture ; 
 therefore,  according  to  the  duty  that  I  owe  unto  your  lord- 
 ship's office  in  the  jurisdiction  ecclesiastical  of  our  most  noble 
 king,  I  humbly  offer  it  unto  the  same,  beseeching  you  that, 
 whereas  this  copy  hath  not  been  exactly  followed  before,  the 
 good  heart  and  will  of  the  doers  may  be  considered,  and  not 
 the  neghgence  of  the  work :  specially,  seeing  they  be  such 
 men,  which  as  they  are  glad  to  print  and  set  forth  any 
 good  thing,  so  will  they  be  heartily  well  content  to  have  it 
 truly  correct,  that  they  themselves  of  no  mahce  nor  set  pur- 
 pose have  overseen.  And  for  my  part,  though  it  hath  been 
 damage  to  my  poor  name,  I  heartily  remit  it,  as  I  do  also 
 the  ignorance  of  those  which  not  long  ago  reported,  that  at 
 the  printing  of  a  right  famous  man's  sermon  I  had  depraved 
 the  same ;  at  the  doing  whereof  I  was  thirty  miles  from 
 thence,  neither  did  I  ever  set  pen  to  it,  though  I  was  de- 
 sired. 
 
 Now  as  concerning  this  text  of  Latin,  because  it  is  the 
 same  that  is  read  in  the  church,  and  therefore  commonly  the 
 more  desu^ed  of  all  men,  I  do  not  doubt  but  after  that  it  is 
 exammed  of  the  learned,  to  whom  I  most  heartily  refer  it,  it 
 shall  instruct  the  ignorant,  stop  the  mouths  of  evil  speakers, 
 and  induce  both  the  hearers  and  readers  to  faith  and  good 
 
 [COVERDALE,   II. J 
 
34        DEDICATION  TO  THE  TRANSLATION   OF  THE  NEW  TESTAMENT. 
 
 works ;  which  thing  as  it  is  most  acceptable  to  God,  so  shall 
 it  please  right  well  not  only  the  king's  highness,  but  your 
 lordship  also,  and  all  other  members  of  godliness.  And  if  it 
 so  come  to  pass,  (as  I  doubt  not  but  it  shall,)  then  have  I  my 
 whole  desire,  and  all  the  gains  that  I  seek  therein. 
 
 To  be  short,  I  might  have  dedicate  unto  yoiu*  lordship 
 some  other  little  treatise  touching  some  part  of  the  adminis- 
 tration of  the  commonwealth,  as  prudence,  policy,  or  some 
 other  private  virtue.  But  forasmuch  as  in  the  New  Testa- 
 ment is  contained  the  very  pith  and  substance  of  all  virtue, 
 and  the  pattern  of  all  good  governance ;  considering  also  that 
 your  lordship  doth  advance  nothing  so  much  as  the  true  wor- 
 ship of  God,  the  king's  honour,  the  wealth  of  his  realm,  and 
 increase  of  all  virtue,  which  this  New  Testament  doth  teach ; 
 I  thought  nothing  meeter  to  send  unto  you  than  that  which 
 ye  be  daily  occupied  withal,  and  that  all  your  chief  study  and 
 pleasure  is  in.  In  the  which  estate  Almighty  God,  that 
 brought  you  thereto,  grant  your  lordship  long  to  endure  I 
 Amen. 
 
 Your  lordship's  humble 
 
 and  faithful  servitor, 
 
 MYLES  COVERDALE. 
 
PROLOGUE. 
 
 TO  THE  READER. 
 
 This  translation,  most  dear  reader,  have  I  with  a  right 
 good-will  set  forth  for  thy  edifying,  trusting  that  if  thou  use 
 it  well,  it  shall  move  thee  to  increase  and  grow  in  all  such 
 virtuous  ways,  as  Almighty  God  hath  begun  in  thee.  And 
 whereas  it  hath  not  been  set  forth  unto  thee  heretofore  so 
 exactly,  and  in  all  points  so  perfectly,  as  might  have  been,  I 
 pray  thee  conster^  all  to  the  best,  and  blame  neither  the 
 printer  nor  me,  considering  that  we  bear  no  worse  mind  unto 
 thee  than  thou  dost  to  thyself.  Let  christian  love  have  some 
 governance  in  thy  judgment,  and  think  not  the  contrary  in 
 us ;  but  as  we  see  peradventure  to-day  that  we  did  not  yes- 
 terday, so  will  we  be  right  glad  to  do  for  thee  to-morrow 
 that  we  cannot  do  to-day. 
 
 And  for  my  part,  I  will  desire  nothing  of  thee  again,  but 
 that  (as  thou  art  graciously  Hcensed,  by  the  goodness  of  God 
 in  our  prince,  to  read  and  enjoy  this  and  all  the  other  parts  of 
 the  lively  word  of  God)  thou  wilt  so  embrace  it,  follow  it,  and 
 practise  it  in  thy  daily  hving,  that  thou  even  marry  thy- 
 self to  the  fruits  of  the  Holy  Ghost  therein ;  and  so  to  use 
 it,  that  thou  be  sober  in  the  knowledge  thereof;  not  only 
 avoiding  all  contention  and  strife,  but  also  with  all  humble- 
 ness, and  under  correction,  to  require  of  them  that  be  learned 
 in  scripture  the  true  sense  and  understanding  of  such  places 
 as  unto  thee  be  yet  dark  and  obscure. 
 
 As  touching  this  text  in  Latin,  and  the  style  thereof, 
 which  is  read  in  the  church,  and  is  commonly  called  St 
 Jerome's  translation,  though  there  be  in  it  many  and  sundry 
 sentences,  whereof  some  be  more  than  the  Greek,  some  less 
 than  the  Greek,  some  in  manner  repugnant  to  the  Greek, 
 some  contrary  to  the  rules  of  the  Latin  tongue  and  to  the 
 right  order  thereof,  (as  thou  mayest  easily  perceive,  if  thou 
 compare  the  diversity  of  the  interpreters  together ;)  yet  for- 
 
 [1  Constev:  construe,  interpret.] 
 
36  PROLOGUE,     &C. 
 
 asmuch  as  I  am  but  a  private  man,  and  owe  obedience  unto 
 the  higher  powers,  I  refer  the  amendment  and  reformation 
 hereof  unto  the  same,  and  to  such  as  excel  in  authority  and 
 knowledge.  Only  in  this  one  thing  thus  bold  I  am,  under 
 correction,  that  whereas  the  Greek  and  the  old  ancient 
 authors  read  the  prayer  of  our  Lord  in  the  eleventh  chapter 
 of  Luke  after  one  manner,  leaving  out  no  petition  of  the 
 same,  I  follow  their  lecture,  though  sundry  copies  of  the 
 vulgar  translation  do  the  contrary,  omitting  two  petitions 
 thereof. 
 
 Now  for  thy  part,  most  gentle  reader,  take  in  good  worth 
 that  I  here  offer  thee  with  a  good-will,  and  let  this  present 
 translation  be  no  prejudice  to  the  other  that  out  of  the  Greek 
 have  been  translated  before,  or  shall  be  hereafter.  For  if 
 thou  open  thine  eyes  and  consider  well  the  gift  of  the  Holy 
 Ghost  therein,  thou  shalt  see  that  one  translation  declareth, 
 openeth,  and  illustrateth  another,  and  that  in  many  places 
 one  is  a  plain  commentary  unto  another.  I  pray  God,  whose 
 Spirit  is  the  author  of  all  good  doing,  that  as  his  scripture  is 
 •written  and  set  forth  unto  thee,  thou  mayest  have  a  true 
 understanding  therein,  and  be  thankful  unto  him  therefore, 
 loving  and  obedient  unto  thy  prince,  and  shew  no  less  favour 
 and  charity  to  thy  neighbour,  than  thou  thyself  art  glad  to 
 receive.  And  shortly  to  conclude  :  if  when  thou  readest  this 
 or  any  other  like  book,  thou  chance  to  find  any  letter  altered 
 or  changed,  either  in  the  Latin  or  English  (for  the  turning  of 
 a  letter  is  a  fault  soon  committed  in  the  print),  then  take  thy 
 pen  and  mend  it,  considering  that  thou  art  as  much  bound  so 
 to  do,  as  I  am  to  correct  all  the  rest.  And  what  edifying 
 soever  thou  receivest  at  any  man's  hand,  consider  that  it  is  no 
 man's  doing,  but  cometh  even  of  the  goodness  of  God. 
 To  whom  only  be  praise  and  glory,  thanks 
 and  dominion,  now  and  ever ! 
 Amen. 
 
 [1  The  passages  alluded  to  are  (l)  that  in  the  second  verse,  Tevr]- 
 6r]Tco  TO  deXrjud  aov  as  iv  ovpavu>  kul  fVt  t)]s  yrjs,  and  (2)  that  in  the 
 fourth  verse,  dXXa  pvcrai  7jjj.as  otto  tov  novrjpov.  With  regard  to  the 
 authorities  which  have  been  alleged  for  the  omission  of  these  passages, 
 compare  Griesbach  ad  locum.] 
 
TREATISE    ON    DEATH. 
 
i  a  most 
 
 fnitefull  pitl^tftpe 
 
 anti  haxmti  twatgs£,  j^oto  a  cj^ri 
 
 sten  man  ougj^tc  to  hzltmit  \)vm= 
 
 selfe  in  tj^e  bauger  of  titatlb :  anlj 
 
 Soto  tiieg  art  to  bee  xtltmti  antr 
 
 comforted,  tojbose  t(£avc  frtnks 
 
 are  bcpartcii  outc  of  tj^is 
 
 toorlUe,  mostc  neassaru 
 
 for  tj^is  our  bnfortu= 
 
 nat£  age  antr  sor= 
 
 robJtfull 
 
 tagEs. 
 
 (ci-Sol^n.  6. 
 
 SFcrrtu  facreltj,  3>  Sage  bnto  gou, 
 
 ]^c  tl)at  ftclcuctf)  in  mc,  l^ati^  f' 
 
 ucrlaiStgnsE  Igfe. 
 
[THE  TREATISE   ON  DEATH. 
 
 This  is  the  second  of  the  four  treatises  of  Otho  Wermullerus  i,  or 
 Vierdmullerus,  which  were  translated  by  Bishop  Coverdale,  and  of 
 which  an  account  is  given  in  the  preface  to  the  Spiritual  Pearl.  This 
 treatise  was  reprinted  by  Hugh  Singleton:  but  of  this  edition  no 
 copy  has  been  met  with.  Of  the  old  edition  in  the  Swiss  angular 
 type  there  are  copies  in  the  Bodleian  library  at  Oxford,  and  in  the 
 library  of  St  John's  college,  Cambridge;  which  latter  copy  formerly 
 belonged  to  the  learned  Thomas  Baker,  B.D.,  fellow  of  the  college, 
 and  contains  his  autograph.  This  copy  however  wants  the  last  page 
 of  the  preface.  The  present  edition  has  been  printed  from  the  copy 
 in  the  library  of  St  John's  college,  by  permission  of  the  Master  and 
 Fellows  of  that  society;  the  deficiency  in  the  preface  having  been 
 supplied  from  the  Bodleian  copy.] 
 
 ['  Mention  is  made  of  this  learned  person  in  a  letter  of  Caspar  Thoman  to 
 Caspar  Waser.    Zurich  Letters,  Second  Series.    Letter  CXXXVIIL  p.  328.] 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 UNTO    ALL    THOSE    THAT    UNFEIGNEDLY    DESIRE 
 
 TO    LIVE    UNDER   THE    FEAR    OF    GOD,    AND    WITH 
 
 PATIENCE  ABIDE  THE  COMING  OF  OUR  LORD 
 
 AND  SAVIOUR  JESUS  CHRIST,  THROUGH 
 
 THE    WORKING    OF    THE    HOLY 
 
 GHOST,  GRACE  AND  PEACE 
 
 BE  MULTIPLIED. 
 
 Though  all  kinds  of  beasts  have  some  tliins's  in  common 
 one  with  another,  as  in  that  they  see,  hear,  feel,  desire,  move 
 from  one  place  to  another ;  yet  hath  every  beast  also  his  own 
 special  property,  as  the  bird  hath  another  nature  than  the 
 fish,  the  lion  another  disposition  than  the  wolf.  Even  so  in 
 other  my  books,  heretofore  by  me  published,  I  have  set  forth 
 a  general  comfort  concerning  trouble,  sickness,  poverty,  dis- 
 pleasure, dearth,  war,  imprisonment,  and  death,  under  which 
 I  have  comprehended  all  the  cross  and  affliction  of  man. 
 Nevertheless  every  mischance  or  adversity  hath  also  his  own 
 special  consideration  :  and  forasmuch  as  among  terrible  things 
 upon  earth  death  is  esteemed  the  most  cruel  of  all,  and  it 
 can  yet  with  no  wisdom  of  man  be  rightfully  judged,  how  it 
 goeth  with  a  Christian  in  and  after  death ;  therefore  the 
 greatest  necessity  requireth,  that  we  Christians  be  diligently 
 instructed  by  the  infalhble  word  of  God  in  especial,  touching 
 the  end  and  conclusion  of  our  life.  For  when  the  last  hour 
 drawcth  nigh,  which  we  every  day,  yea,  every  twinkhng  of 
 an  eye  look  for ;  whether  the  soul  after  it  be  departed  do 
 live,  whether  the  corrupted  body  shall  rise  again,  whether 
 eternal  joy  and  salvation  be  at  hand,  and  which  way  con- 
 ducteth  and  leadeth  to  salvation ;  thereof  hath  the  most  subtle 
 worldly-wise  man  by  his  own  natural  reason  no  knowledge 
 at  all.  Plato,  Aristotle,  Cicero,  the  greatest-learned  and 
 wisest,  write  of  these  high  weighty  matters  very  childishly 
 and  foolishly  ^ ;  and  as  for  consolation  that  they  give,  it  is  in 
 
 [1  With  respect  to  the  opinions  of  the  ancient  philosopher  on  the 
 immortality  of  the  soul  and  a  future  state,  those  who  wish  to  ex- 
 
PREFACE.  41 
 
 no  sort  nor  wise  to  be  compared  unto  the  holy  divine  scrip- 
 ture, which  only  ministereth  the  true  christian  comfort  in  life 
 and  death.  And  though  every  man  ought  daily  to  consider 
 his  end,  and  at  all  times  to  make  himself  ready  for  death, 
 seeing  that  he  knoweth  not  how,  where,  and  when  God  shall 
 lay  his  hand  upon  liim ;  yet  nevertheless  at  this  present  time 
 we  have  more  occasions  to  talk  and  treat  thereof,  now  that 
 Almighty  God  doth  with  diverse  and  sundry  plagues,  more 
 grievously  than  heretofore,  visit  our  unrepentant  life,  for  that 
 he  all  this  while  hath  perceived  in  us  but  little  amendment ; 
 neither  need  we  to  think,  that  these,  that  rain,  and  other 
 plagues  shall  over-leap  us.  Considering  now  that  I,  though 
 unworthy  and  unmete,  was  called  by  authority,  but  specially 
 of  God,  to  teach,  to  exhort,  and  to  comfort ;  I  have,  with 
 great  labour,  out  of  the  holy  scripture  and  out  of  old  and 
 new  authors  collected,  how  a  man  should  prepare  himself  unto 
 death,  how  he  is  to  be  used  that  hetli  a  dying,  and  how  they- 
 ought  to  be  comforted,  whose  dear  friends  are  departed. 
 Which  things,  as  they  be  orderly  set  in  this  book,  right 
 dearly  beloved  and  loving  reader,  I  do  present,  dedicate,  and 
 ofier  unto  thee.  And  though  I  can  consider,  that  this  little 
 book  is  so  small  and  slender  a  gift,  because  of  my  person ; 
 yet  is  it  neither  little,  nor  to  be  despised,  for  the  fountain's 
 sake  that  it  floweth  out  of,  and  by  reason  of  the  matter 
 whereof  it  is  written.  For  herein  out  of  the  unchangeable 
 word  of  God  are  noted  the  head  articles  of  our  last  conflict 
 and  battery,  whereupon  dependeth  either  eternal  victory, 
 honour,  and  joy,  or  else  everlasting  loss  and  endless  pain;  of 
 the  which  things  we  can  never  think,  talk,  nor  treat  suffici- 
 ently. Wherefore,  whereas  this  little  book  goeth  forth  unto 
 thy  use,  that  art  an  unfeigned  Christian,  and  to  the  comfort 
 of  all  such  as  are  afraid  of  death ;  I  pray  thee,  for  Christ's 
 sake,  not  only  to  accept  it  as  the  testimony  of  a  wilUng  and 
 loving  mind  toward  thee,  but  also  to  have  still  an  earnest 
 desire  to  that  that  it  hath  pleased  God  by  me  at  this  time  to 
 communicate   unto   thee ;    that   with  thy   thankfulness  thou 
 
 amine  the  subject  may  consult  Bishop  Warburton's  Divine  Legation, 
 Book  III.,  where  the  opinions  of  the  ancient  philosophers  are  investi- 
 gated.] 
 
 [2  From  this  place  to  the  end  of  the  preface  is  supplied  from  the 
 Bodleian  copy.] 
 
42  PREFACE. 
 
 mayest  move  other  to  the  like,  that  can  do  better,  and  by  thy 
 
 profit  stir  the  harvest-lord  to  send  more  harvest-men  into  liis 
 
 harvest.  Which  he  cannot  but  do,  except  he  could  deny 
 
 himself,  that  came  into  the  world,  neither  to 
 
 put  out  the  flax   that  smoketh,    nor  to 
 
 break  the  reed  that  is  but  bruised, 
 
 but  to  open  to  them  that  knock 
 
 to  him.  Vale.  Love  God, 
 
 leave  vanity,  and 
 
 live  in  Christ. 
 
THE    TABLE. 
 
 THE  CONTENTS  OF  THE  FIRST  PART. 
 CHAPTER  I. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Declaring  what  death  is    47 
 
 CHAPTER  II. 
 That  the  time  of  death  is  uncertam    48 
 
 CHAPTER  III. 
 That  it  is  God  which  hath  laid  the  burden  of  death  upon  us  ...      49 
 
 CHAPTER  rV. 
 That  God  sendeth  death  because  of  sin  ib. 
 
 CHAPTER  V. 
 That  God  turneth  death  unto  good 61 
 
 CHAPTER  VI. 
 That  death  in  itself  is  giievous  to  the  body  and  the  soul ib. 
 
 CHAPTER  VII. 
 That  we  aU  commonly  are  afraid  of  death 54 
 
 CHAPTER  VIII. 
 
 The  commodity  of  death,  when  it  delivereth  us  from  this  short 
 
 transitory  time   56 
 
 CHAPTER  IX. 
 
 Another  commodity,  when  death  delivereth  us  from  this  miserable 
 
 life-time  57 
 
 CHAPTER  X. 
 Witness  that  this  life  is  miserable    59 
 
 CHAPTER  XI. 
 That  consideration  of  death  beforehand  is  profitable  to  all  virtues...      60 
 
 CHAPTER  XII. 
 In  death  we  learn  the  right  knowledge  of  ourselves  and  of  God, 
 
 and  arc  occasioned  to  give  ourselves  xmto  God 61 
 
 CHAPTER  XIII. 
 
 That  the  dead  ceaseth  from  sin    62 
 
 CHAPTER  XIV. 
 
 That  the  dead  is  delivered  from  this  vicious  world,  having  not 
 only  this  advantage,  that  he  sinneth  no  more,  but  also  is 
 discharged  from  other  sins  63 
 
41  THE    TABLE, 
 
 CHAPTER  XV. 
 
 PAOE 
 
 That  the  dead  obtaineth  salvation 64 
 
 CHAPTER  XVI. 
 Similitudes,  that  death  is  wholesome    ib. 
 
 CHAPTER  XVn. 
 
 Witness  that  death  is  wholesome 67 
 
 CHAPTER  XVIII. 
 That  death  cannot   be   avoided.      Item,  of  companions  of  them 
 
 that  die    ib. 
 
 CHAPTER  XIX. 
 Of  natural  help  in  danger  of  death 69 
 
 CHAPTER  XX. 
 
 That  God  is  able  and  wUl  help  for  Christ's  sake 70 
 
 CHAPTER  XXI. 
 
 That  God  hath  promised  his  help  and  comfort 73 
 
 CHAPTER  XXII. 
 
 God  setteth  to  his  own  helping  hand,  in  such  ways  and  at  such 
 
 time,  as  is  best  of  all  75 
 
 CHAPTER  XXIII. 
 Examples  of  God's  help  76 
 
 CHAPTER  XXIV. 
 
 That  it  is  necessary  to  prepare  for  this  journey  77 
 
 CHAPTER  XXV. 
 Provision  concerning  temporal  goods,  cliildren,  and  friends,  which 
 
 must  be  left  behind , 78 
 
 CHAPTER  XXVI. 
 
 Preparation  concerning  ghostly  matters ;  with  what  cogitations  the 
 
 mind  ought  most  to  be  exercised 79 
 
 CHAPTER  XXVII. 
 Of  repentance  and  sorrow  for  sin 81 
 
 CHAPTER  XXVIII. 
 Of  true  faith ib. 
 
 CHAPTER  XXIX. 
 
 Of  hope    86 
 
 CHAPTER  XXX. 
 Of  the  sacraments ^ ib. 
 
THE    TABLE.  "45 
 
 CHAPTER  XXXI. 
 
 Of  prayer    87 
 
 CHAPTER  XXXn. 
 The  form  of  prayer  88 
 
 CHAPTER  XXXIH. 
 A  form  of  prayer  and  thanksgiving  91 
 
 CHAPTER  XXXIV. 
 That  the  prayer  is  heard ih. 
 
 CHAPTER  XXXV. 
 
 That  the  word  of  God  is  to  be  practised  and  used  92 
 
 CHAPTER  XXXVI. 
 Amendment  of  life  necessary  93 
 
 CHAPTER  XXXVII. 
 Exhortation  unto  patience  94 
 
 CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 
 
 The  original  and  fruit  of  patience 96 
 
 CHAPTER  XXXIX. 
 
 That  a  man,  while  he  is  yet  in  health,  ought  to  prepare  himself 
 
 beforehand  ib. 
 
 CHAPTER  XL. 
 
 That  the  foresaid  things  ought  by  time,  and  in  due  season,  to  be 
 
 taken  in  hand     99 
 
 THE  CONTENTS  OF  THE  SECOND  PART. 
 CHAPTER  I. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 How  the  sick  ought  to  be  spoken  unto,  if  need  shall  require  ...     103 
 
 CHAPTER  II. 
 
 Of  the  burial,  and  what  is  to  be  done  towards  those  that  are 
 
 departed  hence    1^^ 
 
46  THE    TABLE. 
 
 THE  CONTENTS  OF  THE  THIRD  PART. 
 CHAPTER  I. 
 
 PAGF, 
 
 How  they  ought  to  be  comforted,  whose  dear  friends  are  dead  ..     Ill 
 
 CHAPTER  II. 
 
 That  unto  such  as  die  it  is  profitable  to  depart  out  of  this  life 114 
 
 CHAPTER  III. 
 What  profit  the  death  of  friends  bringeth  to  such  as  are  left 
 
 behind  alive 117 
 
 CHAPTER  IV. 
 Companions  that  suffer  like  heaviness  of  heart 120 
 
 CHAPTER  V. 
 Through  God's  help  all  heart-sorrow  is  eased    ib. 
 
 CHAPTER  VI. 
 We  must  furnish  ourselves  with  prayer  and  patience 121 
 
 CHAPTER  VII. 
 Ensamples  of  patience  in  like  case 123 
 
 CHAPTER  VIII. 
 The  commodity  of  patience 125 
 
 CHAPTER  IX. 
 We  ought  so  to  love  our  children  and  friends,  that  we  may  forsake 
 
 them 127 
 
 CHAPTER  X. 
 Of  the  death  of  young  persons  in  especial ib. 
 
 CHAPTER  XI. 
 Of  the  death  of  the  aged    130 
 
 CHAPTER  XII. 
 Of  strange  death    131 
 
 An  exhortation  written  by  the  Lady  Jane,  the  night  before  she 
 suffered,  in  the  end  of  the  New  Testament  in  Greek,  which 
 she  sent  to  her  sister  Lady  Katherine 183 
 
THE 
 
 FIRST    BOOK    OF    DEATH. 
 
 CHAPTER  I. 
 
 DECLARING    WHAT    DEATH    IS. 
 
 Holy  scripture  maketh  mention  of  four  manner  of  deaths 
 and  lives. 
 
 1.  The  first  is  called  a  natural  life,  so  long  as  the  soul 
 remaineth  with  the  body  upon  earth.  The  natural  death  is  it 
 that  separateth  the  soul  from  the  body. 
 
 2.  The  second  is  a  spiritual  unhappy  death  here  in  time 
 of  life,  when  the  grace  of  God,  for  our  wickedness'  sake,  is 
 departed  from  us ;  by  means  whereof  we  were  dead  from  the 
 Lord  our  God  and  from  all  goodness,  although  as  yet  we 
 have  the  Hfe  natural.  Contrary  unto  this  there  is  a  ghostly 
 blessed  life,  when  we,  through  the  grace  of  the  Lord  our  God, 
 live  unto  him  and  to  all  goodness.  Hereof  writeth  St  Paul 
 after  this  manner :  "  God,  which  is  rich  in  mercy,  through  his  Eph.it 
 great  love  wherewith  he  loved  us,  even  when  we  were  dead 
 
 in  sins,  hath  quickened  us  together  in  Christ." 
 
 3.  The  third  is  a  ghostly  blessed  death  here  in  time, 
 when  the  flesh  being  ever,  the  longer  the  more,  separated  from 
 the  spirit,  dieth  away  from  his  own  wicked  nature.  Contrary 
 hereunto  is  there  a  ghostly  unhappy  life,  when  the  flesh  with 
 his  wicked  disposition  continually  breaketh  forth,  and  hveth 
 in  all  wilfulness.     Against  this  doth  Paul  exhort  us,  saying : 
 
 "  Mortify  therefore  your  members  which  are  upon  earth,  for-  coioss.  m. 
 nication,  uncleaimess,  unnatural  lust,  evil  concupiscence,  covet- 
 ousness,  &c." 
 
 4.  The  fourth  that  the  scripture  maketh  mention  of,  is 
 an  everlasting  life,  and  an  everlasting  death.     Not  that  the 
 body  and  soul  of  man  shall  after  this  time  lose  their  sub-    * 
 stance,  and  be  utterly  no  more.    For  we  believe  undoubtedly, 
 that  our  soul  is  immortal,  and  that  even  this  present  body 
 
48  FIRST    BOOK    OF    DEATH.  [cHAP. 
 
 shall  rise  again.  But  forasmuch  as  we  ourselves  grant  that 
 life  is  sweet,  and  death  a  bitter  herb,  this  word  life  hy  a 
 figurative  speech  is  used  for  mirth  and  joy ;  this  word 
 death,  for  heaviness  and  sorrow.  Therefore  eternal  hfe  is 
 called  eternal  joy  ;  and  eternal  death  eternal  damnation. 
 
 Of  these  manifold  deaths  have  we  commonly  a  perverse 
 judgment.  We  abhor  the  death  of  the  body,  and  haste  on 
 apace  to  the  unhappy  ghostly  death,  which  yet  in  itself  is 
 a  thousand  times  more  terrible  than  any  death  corporal.  For 
 when  a  man  delighteth  in  his  own  wickedness,  though  as  yet 
 he  Hve  upon  the  earth,  he  is  nevertheless  dead  before  God, 
 and  the  soul  must  continue  still  damned  for  evermore. 
 
 In  this  book  my  handling  is  of  natural  death,  which  be- 
 fore our  eyes  seemeth  to  be  an  utter  destruction,  and  that  there 
 is  no  remedy  with  the  dead,  even  as  when  a  dog  or  horse 
 dieth ;  and  that  God  hath  no  more  respect  unto  them.  Yea, 
 the  world  swimmeth  full  of  such  ungodly  people,  as  have 
 none  other  meaning.  Else,  doubtless,  would  they  behave 
 themselves  otherwise  towards  God.  Death  verily  is  not  a 
 destruction  of  man,  but  a  deliverance  of  body  and  soul. 
 Wherefore  as  the  soul,  being  of  itself  immortal,  doeth  either 
 out  of  the  mouth  ascend  up  mto  heaven,  or  else  from  the 
 mouth  descendeth  into  the  pit  of  hell ;  the  body,  losing  his 
 substance  till  doomsday,  shall  then  by  the  power  of  God  be 
 raised  from  death,  and  joined  again  to  the  soul ;  that  after- 
 ward the  whole  man  with  body  and  soul  may  eternally  in- 
 herit either  salvation,  or  else  damnation. 
 
 CHAPTER  II. 
 
 THAT    THE    TIME    OF    DEATH    IS    UNCERTAIN. 
 
 The  body  of  man  is  a  very  frail  thing.  Sickness  may 
 consume  it,  wild  beasts  may  devour  it,  the  fire  may  burn  it, 
 the  water  may  drown  it,  the  air  may  infect  it,  a  snare  may 
 choke  it,  the  pricking  of  a  pin  may  destroy  it.  Therefore 
 when  his  temporal  life  shall  end,  he  cannot  tell. 
 
 The  principal  cause  why  we  know  not  the  time  of  death. 
 
II,]  THE    TIME    OF     DEATH     IS     UNCERTAIN.  49 
 
 is  even  the  grace  of  God ;  to  the  intent  that  we  by  no  occa-  Luke  xii. 
 sion  should  hnger  the  amendment  of  om*  lives  until  age,  but 
 alway  fear  God,  as  though  we  should  die  to-morrow. 
 
 But  as  soon  as  the  hour  cometh,  no  man  shall  overleap 
 it.      Hereof  speaketh  Job,  Avhen  he  saith,  that    "  God  hath  Job  x'v. 
 appointed  unto  man  his  bounds  which  he  cannot  go  beyond." 
 
 CHAPTER  HI. 
 
 THAT    IT    IS    GOD    WHICH    HATH    LAID    THE    BURDEN 
 OF    DEATH    UPON    US. 
 
 It  becometh  all  Christians  not  only  to  suffer,  but  also  to 
 commend  and  praise,  the  will  of  the  heavenly  Lord  and 
 King.  Now  is  it  his  will  that  we  die.  For  if  the  sparrows, 
 whereof  two  are  bought  for  a  farthing,  fall  not  on  the  ground 
 without  God  the  Father,  much  less  we  men,  whom  God  him- 
 self esteemeth  to  be  of  more  value  than  many  sparrows,  yea, 
 for  whose  sakes  other  things  were  created,  do  fall  to  the 
 ground  through  death  without  the  will  of  God :  like  as  the 
 soldier  tarrieth  in  the  place  Avherein  he  is  appointed  of  the 
 chief  captain  to  fight  against  the  enemies,  and  if  he  call  him 
 from  thence,  he  willingly  obeyeth;  even  so  hath  the  heavenly 
 Captain  set  us  upon  earth,  where  we  have  to  fight,  not  with  Ephes. 
 flesh  and  blood,  but  with  wicked  spirits.  Therefore  if  he  give 
 us  leave,  and  call  us  from  hence,  we  ought  by  reason  to  obey 
 him.  Like  as  one  should  not  withdraw  himself  from  paying 
 what  he  oweth,  but  gently  to  restore  the  money  ;  so  hath  God 
 lent  us  this  life,  and  not  promised  that  we  may  alway  enjoy 
 it.  Therefore  is  death  described  to  be  the  payment  of  na- 
 tural debt. 
 
 CHAPTER  IV. 
 
 THAT    GOD    SENDETH    DEATH    BECAUSE    OF    SIN. 
 
 According  hereunto  ponder  thou  the  just  judgment  of 
 God ;  for  out  of  the  third  chapter  of  the  first  book  of  Moses 
 it  is  evidently  perceived,  that  death  is  a  penalty  deserved, 
 
 r  n  ^ 
 
 [COVERDALE,  II.] 
 
50  FIRST    BOOK    OP    DEATH.  [cHAP. 
 
 laid  upon  us  all  for  the  punishment  of  sin.  As  the  little  worm 
 that  groweth  out  of  the  tree  gnaweth  and  consumeth  the  tree 
 of  whom  it  hath  his  beginning ;  so  death  groweth,  waxeth 
 out  of  sin,  and  sin  with  the  body  it  consumeth:  and  specially 
 the  venomous  sickness  which  they  call  the  pestilence,  is  sent 
 of  God  as  a  scourge  for  the  punishment  of  our  naughtiness. 
 Hereof  speaketh  the  word  of  God  in  the  fifth  book  of  Moses 
 
 Deut.  xxviii.  after  tliis  manner :  "If  thou  wilt  not  hearken  unto  the  voice 
 of  the  Lord  thy  God,  to  keep  and  to  do  all  liis  command- 
 ments and  ordinances,  which  I  command  thee  this  day,  then 
 shall  all  these  curses  come  upon  thee,  and  overtake  thee :  the 
 Lord  shall  make  the  pestilence  to  cleave  unto  thee,  until  he 
 have  consumed  thee  from  the  land,  whither  thou  goest  to 
 enjoy  it.  The  Lord  shall  smite  thee  with  swelling,  with 
 fevers,  heat,  burning,  withering,  with  smiting  and  blasting. 
 And  they  shall  follow  thee  till  thou  perish." 
 
 2  Sam.  xxiv.  Yct  among  the  most  gracious  chastenings  is  the  pestilence 
 reckoned  of  the  holy  prophet,  and  king  David ;  who,  after 
 that  he  of  a  pride  had  caused  the  people  to  be  numbered, 
 when  the  election  was  given  liim,  whether  he  would  rather 
 have  seven  years'  dearth,  three  months'  overthrow  in  war,  or 
 
 ichron.xxii.  three  days'  pestilence  in  the  land,  made  this  answer  :  "  I  am 
 in  a  marvellous  strait.  But  let  me  fall,  I  pray  thee,  into  the 
 hands  of  the  Lord,  for  much  is  his  mercy ;  and  let  me  not 
 
 2  Sam.  xxiv.  fall  iuto  tho  hands  of  men.  Then  sent  the  Lord  a  pestilence 
 on.xxii.  .^^^  Israel,  that  there  died  of  them  seventy  thousand  men." 
 Wherefore,  if  God  overtake  thee  with  tliis  horrible  disease,  be 
 not  thou  angry  with  Saturnus  and  Mars,  nor  with  the  corrupt 
 air  and  other  means  appointed  of  God ;  but  be  displeased  with 
 thine  own  sinful  life.  And  when  any  fearful  image  of  death 
 Cometh  before  thee,  remember  that  thou  with  thy  sins  hast 
 deserved  much  more  horrible  things,  which  God  nevertheless 
 hath  not  sent  unto  thee. 
 
GOD    TURNETH    DEATH    INTO    GOOD.  51 
 
 CHAPTER  V. 
 
 THAT    GOD    TURNETH    DEATH    INTO    GOOD. 
 
 Although  thou  hast  deserved  an  hundred  thousand 
 greater  plagues,  yet  shalt  thou  comfort  thyself  beforehand 
 after  this  manner :  A  father  doth  his  children  good,  and  not 
 evil.  Now  is  my  belief  in  God,  as  in  my  gracious  Father, 
 through  Jesus  Christ ;  and  sure  I  am,  that  Christ  upon  the 
 cross  hath  made  a  perfect  payment  for  all  my  sins,  and  with 
 his  death  hath  taken  away  the  strength  of  my  death ;  yea, 
 for  me  hath  he  deserved  and  brought  to  pass  eternal  life. 
 Wherefore  though  death  in  the  sight  of  my  eyes  and  of 
 natural  reason  be  bitter  and  heavy ;  yet  by  means  of  the  pas- 
 sion and  death  of  Jesus  Christ  it  is  not  evil  or  hurtful,  but  a 
 benefit,  a  profitable  and  wholesome  thing,  even  an  entrance 
 
 into  everlasting  joy. 
 
 CHAPTER  VI. 
 
 THAT    DEATH    IN    ITSELF    IS    GRIEVOUS    TO    THE    BODY 
 AND    SOUL. 
 
 What  grief  and  hurt  death  doth  bring  with  it,  I  will  now 
 declare,  to  the  intent  that  when  we  have  considered  the  same, 
 before  trouble  come,  we  may  in  our  distress  be  the  less  afraid, 
 holdins:  ao-ainst  it  the  great  commodities  of  death  that  Christ 
 hath  obtained  for  all  faithful.  It  grieveth  a  man  at  his  death 
 to  leave  the  pleasant  beholding  of  heaven  and  earth,  his  own 
 young  body  and  cheerful  stomach,  his  wife  and  children,  house 
 and  lands,  fields  and  meadows,  silver  and  gold,  honour  and 
 authority,  good  friends  and  old  companions,  his  minstrelsy, 
 pastime,  joy,  and  pleasure,  that  he  hath  had  upon  earth. 
 
 Afterward,  when  death  loiocketh  at  the  door,  then  be- 
 ginneth  the  greatest  trouble  to  work.  When  the  diseases 
 be  fallen  upon  the  body  of  man  in  greater  number,  they 
 are  against  all  the  members  in  the  whole  body,  breaking 
 in  by  heaps  with  notable  griefs ;  so  that  the  power  of  the 
 body   is  weakened,   the  mind   cumbered,   the   remembrance 
 
 4—2 
 
52  FIRST    BOOK    OF    DEATH.  [cHAP. 
 
 astonished,  reason  blinded,  sleep  hindered,  the  senses  all-to 
 broken :  by  means  whereof  the  eyes  are  darkened,  the  face 
 is  pale,  the  feet  are  cold,  the  hands  black,  the  members  out 
 of  course,  the  brow  hardened,  the  chin  falleth  down,  the 
 breath  diminisheth,  the  deadly  sweat  breaketh  out ;  yea, 
 the  whole  man  is  taken  in  and  disturbed,  in  such  sort  that 
 he  is  now  past  minding  any  other  thing.  Death  also  is  so 
 much  the  more  bitter  and  terrible,  because  that  the  feeble 
 discomfited  nature  doth  print  the  horrible  image  of  death  too 
 deep  in  itself,  and  feareth  it  too  sore.  And  hereunto  is  the 
 devil  hkewise  busy,  to  set  before  us  a  more  terrible  evil  death 
 than  ever  we  saw,  heard,  or  read  of;  to  the  intent  that  we, 
 being  oppressed  with  such  imaginations  or  thoughts,  should 
 fly  and  hate  death,  and  be  driven  to  the  love  and  carefulness 
 of  this  life,  forgetting  the  goodness  of  God,  and  to  be  found 
 disobedient  at  our  last  end.  Moreover,  whoso  of  himself  is 
 not  thoroughly  assured,  and  knoweth  yet  sin  by  himself,  he 
 is  not  astonished  for  nought ;  forasmuch  as  sin  carrieth  with 
 it  the  wrath  of  God  and  eternal  damnation.  Now  not  only 
 the  evil,  but  also  the  good,  have  grievous  and  manifold  sins, 
 (yea,  more  than  they  themselves  can  think  upon,)  with  the 
 which,  in  dangers  of  body  and  life,  then*  mind  is  oppressed, 
 as  it  were,  with  a  violent  water  that  fiercely  rageth  and 
 gushcth  out ;  yea,  even  the  same  praiseworthy  and  commend- 
 able thing  which  the  godly  have  practised  ah'eady,  that  do 
 they  yet  perceive  not  to  be  perfect,  but  mixed  with  unclean- 
 
 isai.  ixiv.  ness.  Hereof  speaketh  Isaiah  in  this  wise  :  "  We  offend  and 
 have  been  ever  in  sin,  and  there  is  not  one  whole.  We  are 
 all  as  an  unclean  thing,  and  all  our  righteousnesses  are  as 
 filthy  rags." 
 
 Psai.  cxiiii.  David  prayed :  "  Lord,  enter  not  into  judgment  with  thy 
 
 servant ;  for  in  thy  sight  shall  no  man  living  be  justified." 
 
 Gregory  writeth :  "  Woe  unto  the  commendable  life  of 
 men,  if  it  be  led  without  mercy!" 
 
 1  Pet.  V.  Item,  the  apostle  Peter  giveth  warning  :  "  Your  adver- 
 
 sary, the  devil,  goeth  about  as  a  roaring  lion,  seeking  whom 
 he  may  devour." 
 
 If  one  that  is  about  to  shoot  a  gun  be  unsteady  at  the 
 letting  of  it  go,  he  misseth  altogether,  and  aU  that  he  prepared 
 for  it  before  is  in  vain :  even  so,  at  the  end  of  this  life,  are 
 devils  most  busy  to  turn  us  from  the  right  mark,  that  our 
 
VI.]  DEATH    IS    GRIEVOUS    TO    THE    BODY    AND    SOUL.  53 
 
 former  travail  and  labour  may  be  lost ;  forasmuch  as  they 
 knoAv  that  there  remaineth  but  a  very  small  time  of  life ;  so 
 that  if  the  soul  escape  them  now,  they  shall  afterward  go 
 without  it  for  evermore. 
 
 Even  as  mighty  enemies  do  besiege  and  lay  assault  to  a 
 city,  so  the  devils  compass  the  soul  of  man  with  violence  and 
 subtlety,  to  take  possession  of  the  poor  soul,  to  apprehend  it, 
 and  bring  it  to  hell.  When  we  are  yet  in  prosperity,  the 
 devils  would  have  us  to  make  but  a  small  matter  of  it,  as 
 though  we  were  in  no  danger  to  God-ward,  albeit  we  blas- 
 pheme, be  drunken,  and  commit  whoredom,  break  wedlock, 
 &c.  But  in  the  danger  of  death  they  bring  forth  those 
 wicked  sins  in  most  terrible  wise,  putting  us  in  mind  of  the 
 wrath  of  God,  how  he  in  times  past  here  and  there  did 
 punish  and  destroy  wicked  doers, — to  the  intent  that  our  souls 
 might  be  hindered,  snared,  shut  up,  bound,  and  kept  in  prison 
 from  repentance  and  faith,  and  never  to  perceive  any  way 
 how  to  escape  and  to  be  delivered ;  and  by  reason  thereof 
 wholly  to  despair,  and  to  become  the  devil's  portion. 
 
 Furthermore,  good  friends  and  companions  are  loth  to 
 depart  asunder,  specially  such  as  are  new  knit  and  bound 
 together  one  to  another,  as  two  married  persons.  Now  is 
 the  body  and  soul  nearest  of  all  bound  and  coupled  one  to 
 the  other ;  but  in  the  distress  of  death  the  pain  is  so  great, 
 that  it  breaketh  this  unity,  and  parteth  the  soul  from  the 
 body :  for  the  which  cause  a  man  at  his  death  doth  naturally 
 sigh  in  himself.  Good  companions  upon  earth,  though  they 
 depart  one  from  another,  have  an  hope  to  come  together 
 again ;  but  when  the  soul  once  departeth  from  the  body,  it 
 hath  no  power  to  return  again  to  the  body  here  in  this  time. 
 Whereof  Job  giveth  two  similitudes :  "  A  tree,  if  it  be  cut  Job  xiv. 
 down,  there  is  some  hope  yet,  and  it  will  bud  and  shoot  forth 
 the  branches  again.  Likewise  the  floods,  when  they  be  dried 
 up,  and  the  rivers,  when  they  be  empty,  are  filled  again 
 through  the  flowing  waters  of  the  sea.  But  when  man  sleep- 
 eth,  he  riseth  not  again,  until  the  heaven  perish."  This  un- 
 derstand, that  after  the  common  course  one  cometh  not  again 
 in  this  present  hfe ;  one  cannot  die  twice,  and  after  death 
 cannot  a  man  accomphsh  any  more  that  he  neglected  afore- 
 time. 
 
 How  goeth  it  now  both  with  the  body  and  soul  after 
 
54  FIRST    BOOK    OF    DEATH.  [cHAP. 
 
 death  ?  As  soon  as  the  soul  from  the  body  is  departed,  the 
 body  is  spoiled  of  all  his  powers,  beauty,  and  senses,  and  be- 
 come a  miserable  thing  to  look  upon.  Augustine  saitli :  "  A 
 man  that  in  his  hfetime  was  exceeding  beautiful  and  pleasant 
 to  embrace,  is  in  death  a  terrible  thing  to  behold  \"  How 
 nobly  and  preciously  soever  a  man  hath  lived  upon  earth,  liis 
 body  yet  beginneth  to  corrupt  and  stink,  and  becometh  worms' 
 meat :  by  means  whereof  the  world  is  of  tliis  opinion,  that 
 the  body  cometh  utterly  to  nought  for  ever.  The  world  also 
 knoweth  nothing  concerning  the  immortahty  of  the  soul ;  and 
 they  which  already  beheve  that  the  soul  is  immortal,  doubt 
 yet  whether  it  shall  be  saved ;  yea,  they  say  plainly,  it  were 
 good  to  die,  if  one  wist  what  cheer  he  should  have  in  yonder 
 world.  To  them  is  death  hke  unto  a  misty  and  dark  hole, 
 where  one  woteth  not  what  will  become  upon  him. 
 
 CHAPTER  VII. 
 
 THAT    WE    ALL    COMMONLY    ARE    AFRAID    OF    DEATH. 
 
 By  means  of  the  occasions  aforesaid,  certain  heathen  men 
 have  given  uncomfortable  and  desperate  judgments  concerning 
 the  passage  of  death.    In  the  poet  Euripides,  in  Orestes'"^,  one 
 
 [1  The  author  appears  to  refer  to  the  treatise  entitled,  Exliortatio 
 de  salutaribus  documentis ;  which  is  falsely  attributed  to  Augustine, 
 and  is  given  by  the  Benedictine  editors  on  the  authority  of  MSS. 
 to  Paulinus,  bishop  of  Aquileia,  a.d.  776 ;  with  whom  Cave  agrees. 
 Hist.  Lit.  Vol.  I.  pp.  250,  495.  "  Die  milii,  qupeso,  frater  mi,  qualis 
 profectus  est  in  pulcliritudine  carnis?  Nonno,  sicut  foenum  sestatis 
 ardore  percussum  arescit,  et  paulatim  decorem  pristinum  amittit? 
 Et  cum  mors  vonerit,  die  mihi,  quaiso,  quanta  remanebit  in  cor- 
 pore  pulchritude  ?  Tunc  recognosces,  quia  vanum  est,  quod  antea 
 inaniter  diligebas.  Cum  videris  totum  corpus  intumescere,  et  in 
 foetorem  esse  conversum,  nonne  claudes  nares  tuas,  ne  sustineas 
 fcetorem  foetidissimum  ?  ....  Ille  est  finis  pulchritudinis  carnis  et 
 oblectationis."— Augustin.  Vol.  iv.  254  D.  Ed.  1541.] 
 
 [2  The  passage  is  in  the  Iphigenia  in  Aulide,  w.  1250 — 2 : 
 TO   (pas  ToS'   avOpaTTOicnv   7]8i(rrov  /3Xe7retv 
 TCI   vepde   8    ovdev.   [j.aiveTai  S'    os   nx'^fai 
 Bavelv.    KUKas   Clj^   Kpelcraov   7]    6avelv   /caXcoy.] 
 
VII.]  WE     ALL    COMMONLY    ARE    AFRAID    OF    DEATH.  55 
 
 saith :  "  It  is  better  to  live  ill,  than  to  die  well."  Which 
 words  are  very  unchristianly  spoken.  Yet  are  there  found 
 examples,  even  of  holy  men,  that  they  had  a  natural  fear  of 
 death.  The  holy  patriarch  Abraham,  thinking  that  he  stood 
 in  danger  of  death  by  reason  of  his  wife's  beauty,  would 
 rather  suffer  all  that  else  was  exceeding  heavy  and  bitter. 
 He  judged  it  a  smaller  matter  to  call  his  wife  his  sister,  than 
 to  be  destroyed  himself. 
 
 Hezekiah,  an  upright  valiant  king,  when  the  prophet  told  isai.  xxxviii. 
 him  he  should  not  live,  was  afraid  of  death,  and  prayed 
 earnestly  that  his  hfe  might  be  prolonged.  In  the  new  Tes- 
 tament, when  the  Lord  Jesus  drew  near  to  his  passion  and 
 death,  he  sweat  blood  for  very  anguish,  and  said :  "  My  soul 
 is  heavy  even  unto  the  death."  And  thus  he  prayed  :  "  Fa-  Matth.  xxvi. 
 ther,  if  it  be  possible,  take  this  cup  from  me." 
 
 The  Lord  saith  unto  Peter:  "Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  John  xxi. 
 thee.  When  thou  wast  young  thou  girdedst  thyself,  and 
 walked  whither  thou  wouldest :  but  when  thou  art  old,  thou 
 shalt  stretch  forth  thine  hands,  and  another  shall  gird  thee, 
 and  lead  thee  whither  thou  wouldest  not."  Lo,  Peter  being 
 excellently  endowed  with  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  stedfast  in 
 faith,  had  yet  in  his  age  a  natural  fear  of  death ;  for  the 
 Lord  said  unto  him  before,  that  another  should  lead  him 
 whither  he  would  not.  Therefore  writeth  Gregory  not  up- 
 right, when  he  saith :  "If  the  pillars  tremble,  what  shall  the 
 boards  do  ?  Or  if  the  heavens  shake  for  such  fear,  how  will 
 that  be  unmoved  wliich  is  under?"  That  is,  if  famous  saints 
 did  fear  to  die,  it  is  much  less  to  be  marvelled  at,  when  we 
 poor  Christians  are  afraid. 
 
 Experience  witnesseth  how  feebly  we  set  ourselves  against 
 death.  Many  an  old,  or  otherwise  vexed  man,  can  neither 
 Hve  nor  die :  for  in  his  adversity  he  ofttimes  wisheth  death ; 
 and  when  death  approacheth,  he  would  rather  suffer  whatso- 
 ever else  upon  earth,  if  he  might  thereby  escape  death.  Many 
 of  us  have  heard  the  gospel  a  long  season,  and  studied  it 
 thoroughly,  so  to  say  ;  yet  are  we  so  afraid  of  the  death  of 
 ourselves  and  of  our  friends,  as  though  there  were  none  other 
 life  more  to  look  for ;  even  like  as  they  that  be  of  Sardana- 
 palus'  sort  do  imagine,  or  else  mistrust  the  promise,  comfort, 
 and  help  of  God,  as  though  he  were  not  able,  or  would  not 
 succour  and  deliver  us.  Yea,  some  there  be,  that  if  death  be 
 but  spoken  of,  they  are  afraid  at  it. 
 
56  FIRST    BOOK     OF     DEATH.  [« 
 
 CHAPTER  VIIL 
 
 THE    COMMODITY    OF    DEATH,    WHEN    IT    DELIVERETH    US 
 FROM    THIS    SHORT    TRANSITORY    TIME. 
 
 All  the  aforesaid  dlsprofits  and  griefs  do  justly  vanish, 
 and  are  nothmg  esteemed,  in  comparison  of  these  commodities, 
 when  death  dehvereth  us  from  this  ruinous  miserable  life, 
 from  all  enormities  and  vicious  people,  and  conducteth  us  to 
 eternal  joy  and  salvation :  which  thing  shall  hereafter  be 
 plainly  declared. 
 
 First,  a  short,  transitory,  and  shifting  life  ought  not  to 
 make  us  sorry.  Though  this  life  had  nothing  else  but  plea- 
 sure, what  is  yet  shorter  and  more  in  decay  than  the  life  of 
 man  ?  Half  the  time  do  we  sleep  out ;  childhood  is  not  per- 
 ceived ;  youth  flieth  away  so,  that  a  man  doth  little  consider 
 it ;  age  creepeth  on  unawares,  before  it  is  looked  for.  We 
 can  reckon  well,  that  when  children  grow,  they  increase  in 
 years  and  days ;  but  properly  to  speak,  in  their  growing  are 
 their  days  diminished.  For  let  a  man  live  threescore  or  four- 
 score years,  look  now,  how  much  he  hath  lived  of  the  same 
 days  or  years,  so  much  is  abated  of  the  time  appointed. 
 A  lively  Is  it  not  now  a  folly,  that  a  man  can  consider  how  his 
 
 smiuituae.  ,  ...  . 
 
 wine  diminisheth  in  the  vessel,  and  yet  regardeth  not  how 
 his  life  doth  daily  vanish  away  ? 
 
 Among  all  tilings  most  undurable  and  most  frail  is  man's 
 life,  which  innumerable  ways  may  be  destroyed.  It  is  com- 
 pared unto  a  candle-hght,  that  of  the  wind  is  soon  and  easily 
 Psai.  ciii.  blown  out.  A  man  in  his  time  is  as  the  grass,  and  flourisheth 
 as  a  flower  of  the  field ;  for  as  soon  as  the  wind  goeth  over 
 it,  it  is  gone. 
 
 The  heathen  poet  Euripides  called  the  life  of  mortal 
 men  Dieculam,  that  is,  a  little  day.  But  the  opinion  of 
 Phalerius  Demetrius  is,  that  it  ought  rather  to  be  called  one 
 point  of  this  time.  This  similitude  soundeth  not  evil  among 
 Christians.  For  what  is  the  whole  sum  of  our  life,  but  even 
 one  point,  in  comparison  of  the  eternity  that  undoubtedly 
 Psai.  xc.  followeth  hereafter  ?  David  himself  saith,  "  that  our  years 
 Psai.  cxiiv.  pass  away  suddenly."  "  Man  is  like  unto  a  thing  of  nought : 
 his  time  goeth  away  as  doth  a  shadow." 
 
IX.]  THE    COMMODITY    OF    DEATH.  57 
 
 CHAPTER  IX. 
 
 ANOTHER    COMMODITY,    WHEN    DEATH    DELIVERETH    US 
 FROM    THIS    MISERABLE    LIFE-TIME. 
 
 Our  desire  is  to  be  free  from  all  weariness  and  misery; 
 yea,  the  more  we  consider  this  present  wretched  life,  tlie  less 
 fear  shall  we  have  of  death,  which  dehvereth  us  from  all 
 mischances  and  griefs  of  this  time :  heaps  of  troubles  happen 
 unto  us  and  unto  other  men,  yea,  to  special  persons  and 
 whole  nations,  in  body,  soul,  estimation,  goods,  wives,  chil- 
 dren, friends,  and  native  countries. 
 
 Bodily  health  is  soon  lost,  but  hard  to  obtain  again ;  and 
 when  it  is  already  gotten,  the  doubt  is,  how  long  it  will  con- 
 tinue. There  be  more  kinds  of  diseases  than  the  best  learned 
 physicians  do  know :  among  the  same  some  are  so  horrible 
 and  painful,  that  if  one  do  but  hear  them  named,  it  maketh 
 him  afraid;  as  the  falHng  sickness,  the  gout,  frenzy,  the  sud- 
 den stroke,  and  such  like.  Besides  sickness,  a  man  through- 
 out his  whole  life  cometh  into  danger  by  a  thousand  means 
 and  ways.  Consider,  with  how  great  carefulness  the  child  is 
 carried  in  the  mother's  womb ;  how  dangerously  it  is  brought 
 forth  into  the  world.     The  whole  childhood,  what  is  it  else  Man-s  whole 
 
 life. 
 
 but  a  continual  weeping  and  wailing  ?  After  seven  years  the 
 child  has  his  tutors  and  schoolmasters  to  rule  him,  and  beat 
 him  with  rods.  When  he  is  come  to  man's  stature,  all  that 
 he  suffered  in  his  youth  doth  he  count  but  a  small  travaU,  in 
 comparison  of  it  tliat  he  now  from  henceforth  must  endure. 
 The  old  man  thinketh  that  he  carrieth  an  heavy  burden  or 
 mountain  upon  liis  neck.  Therefore  weigh  well  the  miserable 
 body  and  the  miry  sack  of  thy  flesh  towards  thy  helper, 
 and  be  not  so  sore  afraid  of  death,  that  easeth  thee  of  this 
 wretched  carcase.  According  hereunto  is  the  mind  cumbered 
 and  vexed,  through  sicloiess  and  griefs  of  the  body,  by  rea- 
 son that  the  body  and  soul  are  joined  together.  And  how 
 precious  a  thing,  I  pray  you,  is  our  natural  reason  I  Child- 
 hood knoweth  nothing  concerning  itself.  Young  folks  take 
 vain  and  unprofitable  things  in  hand,  supposing  all  shall  be 
 gold,  and  consider  neither  age  to  come,  neither  yet  death ; 
 
58  FIRST    BOOK    OF    DEATH.  [ 
 
 CHAP. 
 
 and,  even  as  the  common  saying  is,  thus  will  the  world  be 
 beguiled.  Whereas  a  man,  the  longer  he  liveth,  should  ever 
 be  the  more  and  more  wise,  it  cometh  oft  to  pass  that  the 
 more  he  groweth  in  years,  the  more  he  doteth,  and  afterward 
 becometh  even  a  very  cliild,  yea,  twice  a  child, 
 nesl  of  man's  '^^®  mind  is  tempted,  the  lust  rageth,  the  hope  deceiveth, 
 ''^^-  heaviness  vexeth,  carefulness  is  full  of  distress,  fear  disquiet- 
 
 eth ;  yea,  the  terror  of  death  is  more  grievous  than  death 
 itself.  It  cannot  be  expressed,  how  a  man  is  sometimes 
 plagued  with  worldly  favour ;  afterward  vexeth  he  himself 
 with  care  of  temporal  things.  Many  one  marreth  himself 
 with  vice  and  wickedness,  getteth  liim  an  evil  conscience  and 
 a  gnawing  heart. 
 
 The  virtuous  also  have  their  blemishes  and  temptations, 
 which  unto  them  are  heavier  and  more  hurtful  than  the  ble- 
 mishes of  the  body.  Wherefore  in  the  misery  of  this  time 
 this  must  not  be  esteemed  the  least  portion,  that  we  and 
 other  folks  do  daily  commit  grievous  sins  against  God.  Which 
 thing  thoroughly  to  consider  maketh  a  good-hearted  person 
 the  more  desirous  of  death,  which  delivereth  us  from  this 
 The  griefs  of  siuful  life.  Morcovor,  all  conditions  and  estates  of  men  have 
 their  griefs.  Riches,  that  with  great  care  and  travail  are 
 gathered  together  and  possessed,  be  sometimes  lost  by  storm, 
 hre,  water,  robbery,  or  theft.  He  that  is  in  honour  and  pro- 
 sperity hath  enemies  and  evil  willers.  Wlioso  hath  the 
 governance  and  rule  of  many  must  also  stand  in  fear  of 
 many  things.  And  what  occupation  or  handicraft  can  a 
 man  use,  but  he  hath  in  it  whereof  to  complain  ? 
 
 Not  only  hath  a  man  trouble  on  his  own  behalf,  but  a 
 very  stony  stomach  and  an  iron  heart  must  it  be,  that  is  not 
 sorry  when  hurt  doth  happen  to  his  father  and  mother,  to 
 his  own  wife,  children,  friends,  or  kinsfolk. 
 
 Furthermore,  the  universal  trouble  is  manifold  and  piteous, 
 specially  now  at  this  present,  with  noisome  diseases,  divisions, 
 wars,  seditions,  uproars :  like  as  one  water-wave  followeth 
 upon  another,  and  one  can  scarce  avoid  another ;  even  so  oft- 
 times  cometh  one  mischance  in  another's  neck :  and  in  this 
 short  life  upon  one  only  day  to  have  no  trouble,  is  a  great 
 advantage.  Therefore  ought  we  to  be  the  less  sorry,  when 
 the  time  of  our  deliverance  approacheth. 
 
IX.]        DEATH    DELIVEKETH    US    FROM    THIS    MISEKABLE    LIFE.  59 
 
 Now  might  one  object  against  this,  and  say,  that  this  our  troubles 
 present  life  hath  many  pleasures  and  pastimes  withal.    Never-  joysf 
 theless  a  man  must  open  the  other  eye  also,  and  behold,  that 
 in  tliis  life  there  is  ever  more  sorrow  than  joy  behind.  Worldly 
 joy  is  mixed,  defiled,  spotted,  and  perverted  with  sorrow  and 
 bitterness.     It  may  well  begin  in  a  sorrowful  matter,  to  bring 
 a  short  fugitive  pleasure ;  but  suddenly  it  endeth  to  a  man's 
 greater  heaviness.    Not  in  vain  doth  the  wise  man  say:  "  The  Prov.  xiv. 
 heart  is  sorrowful  even  in  laughter,  and  the  end  of  mirth  is 
 heaviness." 
 
 Philip,  the  king  of  the  Macedonians,  when  he  upon  one 
 day  had  received  three  glad  messages ;  one  that  the  victory 
 was  his  in  the  stage-play  of  Olympus;  the  second,  that  his 
 captain  Parmenio  had  Avith  one  battle  overcome  the  Dardanes; 
 the  third,  that  the  queen  his  wife  was  delivered  of  a  son ;  he 
 held  up  his  hands  to  heaven  and  said :  "  O  ye  Gods,  I  be- 
 seech you,  that  for  so  great  and  manifold  prosperity  ye  will 
 appoint  me  a  competent  misfortune."  The  "\vise  prudent  king 
 feared  the  inconstancy  of  fortune,  which,  as  the  heathen  talk 
 thereof,  envieth  great  prosperity.  And  therefore  his  desire 
 was,  that  his  exceeding  welfare  might  be  sauced  with  a  little 
 trouble. 
 
 Experience  itself  teacheth  us.  Where  did  ever  one  live 
 the  space  of  a  month,  or  one  whole  day,  in  pleasure  and  ease 
 so  thorouglily,  but  somewhat  hath  offended  or  hindered  him  ? 
 Therefore  earthly  joy  is  not  so  great,  so  durable,  nor  so  pure, 
 but  that  the  whole  hfe  of  man  may  well  be  called  a  vale  of 
 misery. 
 
 CHAPTER  X. 
 
 WITNESS    THAT    THIS    LIFE    IS    MISERABLE. 
 
 Testimony  of  the  scripture :  "  Man  is  born  to  misery  as  job  v. 
 the  bird  is  to  fly'."     "  The  days  of  man  are  like  the  days  of  jobvu. 
 
 [1  So  also  Gov.  Bible,  following  the  lxs.  Syi'.  Vulg.  The  autho- 
 rised version,  following,  as  appears,  the  Chaldee  paraphrase  and  some 
 of  the  Hebrew  commentators  :  "  Man  is  born  to  trouble,  as  the  sparks 
 fly  upwards."] 
 
60  FIRST    BOOK    OF    DEATH.  [cHAP. 
 
 an  hired  servant,  even  a  breath,  and  nothmg  but  vain."  Look 
 through  the  whole  book  of  Ecclesiastes,  the  Preacher.  Augus- 
 tine writeth :  "  If  a  man  were  put  to  the  choice,  that  either 
 he  must  die,  or  else  live  again  afresh,  and  suffer  like  things 
 as  he  had  suffered  already  before,  he  would  rather  die,  speci- 
 ally if  he  thoroughly  consider  how  many  dangers  and  mis- 
 chances he  scarce  yet  hath  escaped." 
 
 Whoso  now  knoweth  hkewise,  that  God  tlirough  death 
 doth  make  an  end  of  misery  upon  earth,  it  bringeth  him 
 great  comfort  and  ease.  Yea,  he  shall  rather  desire  death 
 than  fear  it.  For  even  holy  Job  himself  also,  when  he  was 
 robbed  of  his  health,  riches,  and  children,  and  rebuked  of  his 
 wife  and  friends,  wished  rather  to  die  than  to  live. 
 
 1  Kings  xix.  Elias,  being   sure  in  no  place,  desired  to  die.     Tobias, 
 
 being  stricken  with  bhndness,  and  misentreated  of  his  wife, 
 
 [Tobitiii.]  prayed  thus:  "  0  Lord,  deal  with  me  according  to  thy  will, 
 and  command  my  spirit  to  be  received  in  peace ;  for  more 
 expedient  were  it  for  me  to  die  than  to  live."  If  holy  men 
 now  by  reason  of  their  great  troubles  desired  death ;  it  is 
 no  marvel  if  we,  that  are  weaker  and  of  more  imperfection, 
 be  weary  of  this  life.  Yea,  an  unspeakable  folly  is  it,  a  man 
 to  wish  for  to  continue  still  in  the  life  of  misery,  and  not  to 
 prepare  himself  to  another  and  better  hfe. 
 
 CHAPTER  XI. 
 
 THAT    THE    CONSIDERATION    OF    DEATH    BEFOREHAND    IS 
 PROFITABLE    TO    ALL    VIRTUES. 
 
 A  VERY  mad  and  unhappy  man  must  he  needs  be,  Avhich 
 thoroughly  considereth,  that  undoubtedly  he  must  depart 
 hence,  he  knoweth  not  how  nor  when ;  and  whether  he  shall 
 then  have  his  right  mind,  directing  himself  to  God  and  de- 
 siring grace,  he  cannot  tell;  and  will  not  even  now  out  of 
 hand  begin  to  fear  God,  and  serve  him  more  diligently. 
 
 As  the  peacock,  when  he  looketh  upon  liis  own  feathers, 
 is  proud,  but  when  he  beholdeth  his  feet,  letteth  the  feathers 
 
Xr.]  CONSIDERATION    OF    DEATH    PROFITABLE.  61 
 
 down ;  even  so  doth  man  cease  from  pride,  when  he  consider- 
 eth  his  end.     For  in  the  end  he  shall  be  spoiled  of  all  tem- 
 poral beauty,  strength,  power,  honour,  and  goods.     "  jN'aked  Job  i. 
 came  I  out  of  my  mother's  womb,  and  naked  shall  I  turn 
 thither  again." 
 
 Through  the  consideration  of  death  may  a  man  despise 
 all  fleshly  lust  and  worldly  joy.  For  even  the  same  flesh 
 that  thou  so  pamper  est  with  costly  dainties  and  vain  orna- 
 ments, must  shortly  be  a  portion  for  worms :  neither  is  there 
 a  more  horrible  carrion  than  of  man. 
 
 Many  one  through  fear  of  death  giveth  alms,  exerciseth 
 charity,  doth  his  business  circumspectly.  To  be  short ;  the 
 consideration  of  death  is  even  as  a  scourge  or  spur  that  pro- 
 voketh  forward,  and  giveth  a  man  sufficient  occasion  to  avoid 
 eternal  death,  whereof  the  death  of  the  body  is  a  shadow. 
 Therefore  the  Ninevites,  fearing  their  own  overthrow  and  Jonas  a. 
 destruction,  repented  and  fell  to  a  perfect  amendment. 
 
 CHAPTER  XII. 
 
 IN  DEATH  WE  LEARN  THE  RIGHT  KNOWLEDGE  OF  OURSELVES 
 AND  OF  GOD,  AND  ARE  OCCASIONED  TO  GIVE  OURSELVES 
 UNTO    GOD. 
 
 Many  a  man  in  his  lifetime  can  dissemble  and  shew  a  fair 
 countenance ;  but  at  the  point  of  death  no  hypocrisy  or  dis- 
 simulation hath  place.  There  verily  shall  we  be  proved  and 
 tried,  what  manner  of  faith,  love,  conscience,  and  comfort  we 
 have,  and  how  much  we  have  comprehended  out  of  the  doc- 
 trine of  Christ. 
 
 Then  doth  God  let  us  see  our  own  strength,  how  that  all 
 worldly  strength  is  a  thousand  times  less  than  we  ever  would 
 have  thought  all  the  days  of  our  hfe.  Then  perceive  we 
 seeingly  and  feehngly  (so  to  say),  that  we  stand  in  the  only 
 hand  and  power  of  God,  and  that  he  alone  endureth  still 
 Lord  and  Master  over  death  and  life.  Then  learn  we  right 
 to  feel  the  worthiness  of  the  passion  and  death  of  Christ,  and 
 in  ourselves  to  have  experience  of  the  things,  whereof  we 
 never  took  so  dihsrent  heed  before  in  our  hfetime. 
 
62  FIRST    BOOK    OF    DEATH.  T 
 
 CHAP. 
 
 Then  come  the  fits  of  repentance  for  sins  committed,  that 
 we  tliink :  "  0,  if  I  had  known  that  God  would  have  been 
 so  earnest,  I  would  have  left  many  things  undone,  which  I 
 (alas  therefore !)  have  committed."  Then  are  we  forced  to 
 receive  and  love  the  gospel,  wliich  else  heretofore  might  not 
 come  to  such  stout  and  jolly  youngsters.  Then  begin  we  to 
 run  to  God,  to  call  upon  him,  to  magnify  and  praise  him, 
 faithfully  to  cleave  unto  him,  and  uprightly  to  serve  him. 
 
 CHAPTER  XIII. 
 
 THAT  THE  DEAD  CEASETH  FROM  SIN. 
 
 All  Christians  desire  to  be  free  from  sin :  for  sin  and 
 vice  doth  far  far  vex  the  faithful,  more  than  all  misfortunes 
 of  the  body.  Now  though  one  do  keep  himself  from  sin,  yet 
 standeth  he  in  a  slippery  place ;  the  flesh  is  weak,  strong  is 
 the  devil,  of  whom  it  is  easily  overcome :  "  Whoso  standeth, 
 let  him  look  that  he  fall  not." 
 
 While  the  captain  yet  fighteth,  it  is  uncertain  whether  he 
 shall  have  the  victory  and  triumph :  even  so,  though  a  man 
 do  vahantly  defend  himself  against  the  lusts  of  the  flesh  and 
 temptations  of  the  devil,  he  may  yet  fall  and  lose  the 
 victory.  Yea,  if  we  always  lived,  we  should  do  more  evil : 
 sin  ceaseth  not,  till  we  come  to  be  blessed  with  a  shovel. 
 Death  cutteth  away  sin  from  us,  and  dehvereth  us  from  un- 
 clean senses,  thoughts,  words,  and  deeds.  For  though  death 
 in  Paradise  was  enjoined  unto  man  for  a  penalty  of  sin ;  yet 
 through  the  grace  of  God,  in  the  merits  of  Christ,  it  is  be- 
 come unhurtful;  yea,  a  medicine  to  purge  out  sin,  and  a  very 
 workhouse,  wherein  we  are  made  ready  to  everlasting  righte- 
 ousness. 
 
 Like  as  terrible  Gohath  with  liis  own  sword  was  destroyed 
 of  David ;  even  so  with  death,  that  came  by  the  means  of  sin, 
 is  sin  overcome  and  vanquished  of  Christ.  If  it  grieved  us 
 from  our  hearts,  that  we  daily  see  and  find  how  we  continu- 
 ally use  ourselves  against  the  most  sweet  will  of  our  most 
 dear  Father,  and  were  assured  withal,  that  in  death  we  cease 
 
XIII.]  THE    DEAD    CEASETH     FKOM    SIN.  63 
 
 from  sm,  and  begin  to  be  perfect  and  righteous ;  how  were  it 
 possible,  that  we  should  not  set  little  by  death,  and  patiently 
 take  it  upon  us  ?  Out  of  such  a  fervent  jealousy  and  godly 
 displeasure  Paul,  after  he  had  earnestly  complamed  that  he 
 found  another  law,  which  strove  against  the  law  of  God, 
 sighed  and  cried :  "  Oh  wretched  man  that  I  am  !  who  shall  Rom.  vii. 
 dehver  me  from  the  body  of  this  death?"  Again,  so  lono- 
 as  death  hath  so  evil  a  taste  in  us,  and  we  will  perforce  con- 
 tmue  still  in  the  life  of  the  flesh ;  we  bewray  ourselves,  that 
 we  do  not  well,  nor  sufficiently  understand  our  own  defaults, 
 neither  feel  them  deep  enough,  nor  abhor  them  so  much  as 
 we  should;  yea,  that  we  be  not  earnest  desirers  of  inno- 
 cency,  nor  fervent  lovers  of  our  heavenly  Father. 
 
 CHAPTER  XIV. 
 
 THAT  THE  DEAD  IS  DELIVERED  FROM  THIS  VICIOUS  WORLD, 
 HAVING  NOT  ONLY  THIS  ADVANTAGE,  THAT  HE  SINNETH 
 NO   MORE,    BUT  ALSO    IS    DISCHARGED    FROM  OTHER   SINS. 
 
 Whoso  leaveth  nothing  else  worthy  behind  him,  but  that 
 he  is  quiet  from  vicious  people,  may  well  be  the  gladder  to 
 depart  hence ;  partly,  for  that  he  can  be  no  more  tempted  of 
 them,  nor  enticed  by  their  evil  examples;  partly,  for  that, 
 though  he  could  not  be  deceived  by  others,  yet  it  grieveth 
 him  at  the  heart  to  see  other  folks  practise  their  wilfulness. 
 Now  hath  vice  and  sin  everywhere  gotten  the  upper  hand ; 
 the  truth  is  despised,  God  himself  dishonoured,  the  poor  op- 
 pressed, the  good  persecuted,  the  ungodly  promoted  to  autho- 
 rity, antichrist  triumphing.  Great  complaining  there  is,  that 
 the  world  is  ever  the  longer  the  worse.  Forasmuch  then  as 
 through  death  we  be  discharged  of  so  vicious  a  world,  whom 
 should  it  dehght  to  live  here  any  more  ?  This  meaning  doth 
 the  preacher  set  forth  in  the  fourth  chapter  of  Ecclesiastes, 
 saying :  "So  1  turned  me,  and  considered  all  the  violent 
 wrong  that  is  done  under  the  smi.  And  behold,  the  tears  of 
 such  as  were  oppressed,  there  was  no  man  to  comfort  them, 
 or  that  would  dehver  and  defend  them  from  the  violence  of 
 
64  FIRST    BOOK    OF    DEATH.  [cHAP. 
 
 their  oppressors."  There  is  at  this  day,  by  the  grace  of 
 God,  many  a  worthy  Christian  that  desireth  rather  to  die, 
 than  to  be  a  looker  upon  such  devihsh  wilfuhiess  as  commonly 
 goeth  forward. 
 
 CHAPTER  XV. 
 
 THAT    THE    DEAD    OBTAINETH    SALVATION. 
 
 As  for  vicious  unrepentant  people,  when  they  die,  I  know 
 no  comfort  for  them.  Their  bodies  indeed  shall  rise  at  the 
 last  day,  but  foul  and  marked  to  eternal  pain.  Their  souls 
 shall  be  dehvered  unto  the  devil,  to  whom  they  have  done 
 Luke  xvi.  service.  An  example  hereof  standeth  of  the  rich  man  :  again, 
 there  is  the  example  of  good  Lazarus,  that  all  Christians  are 
 taken  up  of  the  angels  into  eternal  joy  and  salvation.  We 
 must  not  first  be  purged  in  purgatory  ;  but  through  death  we 
 escape  the  devil,  the  world,  and  all  misfortunes  that  this  time 
 is  oppressed  withal. 
 
 If  we  now  should  lose  our  bodies,  and  not  have  them 
 ao-ain,  then  were  death  indeed  a  terrible  thing,  neither  pre- 
 cious nor  much  worth.  But  our  body  is  not  so  little  regarded 
 before  God :  for  even  unto  the  body  also  hath  he  already 
 prepared  salvation.  Yea,  even  for  this  intent  hath  he  laid 
 upon  our  necks  the  burden  of  natural  death,  that  he  might 
 afterward  clothe  us  with  a  pure,  renewed,  and  clear  body, 
 and  to  make  us  glorious  in  eternal  life.  Therefore  death 
 also,  which  is  a  beginning  of  the  joyful  resurrection,  ought 
 to  be  esteemed  dear  and  precious  in  our  eyes.  After  death 
 verily  is  the  soul  in  itself  cleansed  from  all  sins,  and  endowed 
 with  perfect  holiness,  wisdom,  joy,  honour,  and  glory  for 
 evermore. 
 
 CHAPTER  XVI. 
 
 SIMILITUDES    THAT    DEATH    IS    WHOLESOME. 
 
 If  an  old  silver  goblet  be  melted,  and  new-fashioned  after 
 a  beautiful  manner,  then  is  it  better  than  before,  and  neither 
 
XVI.]  SIMILITUDES    THAT    DEATH    IS    WHOLESOME.  65 
 
 spilt  nor  destroyed.  Even  so  have  we  no  just  cause  to  com- 
 plain of  death,  whereby  the  body  being  delivered  from  all 
 filthiness,  shall  in  his  due  time  be  perfectly  renewed. 
 
 The  egg-shell,  though  it  be  goodly  and  fair-fashioned, 
 must  be  opened  and  broken,  that  the  young  chick  may  slip 
 out  of  it.  None  otherwise  doth  death  dissolve  and  break  up 
 our  body,  but  to  the  intent  that  we  may  attain  unto  the  life 
 of  heaven. 
 
 The  mother's  womb  carrieth  the  child  seven  or  nine 
 months,  and  prepareth  it  not  for  itself,  but  for  the  world 
 wherein  we  are  born.  Even  so  this  present  time  over  all 
 upon  earth  serveth  not  to  this  end,  that  we  must  ever  be  here, 
 but  that  we  should  be  brought  forth  and  born  out  of  the 
 body  of  the  world  into  another  and  everlasting  life.  Here- 
 unto behold  the  words  of  Christ:  "A  woman,  when  she  John xvt. 
 travaileth,  hath  sorrow  because  her  hour  is  come:  but  as 
 soon  as  she  is  delivered  of  the  child,  she  remembereth  no 
 more  the  anguish,  for  joy  that  a  man  is  born  into  the  world." 
 Namely,  hke  as  a  child  out  of  the  small  habitation  of  his 
 mother's  womb,  with  danger  and  anguish  is  born  into  this 
 wide  world ;  even  so  goeth  a  man  through  the  narroAV  gate 
 of  death  with  distress  and  trouble,  out  of  the  earth  into  the 
 heavenly  life. 
 
 For  this  cause  did  the  old  Christians  call  the  death  of  the 
 saints  a  new  birth.  Therefore  ought  we  to  note  well  this 
 comfort,  that  to  die  is  not  to  perish,  but  to  be  first  of  all  born 
 aright. 
 
 The  death  of  the  faithful  seemeth  indeed  to  be  hke  unto 
 the  death  of  the  unbelievers  :  but  verily  this  is  as  great  a 
 difference  as  between  heaven  and  earth.  Our  death  is  even 
 as  a  death-image  made  of  wood,  which  grinneth  with  the 
 teeth,  and  feareth,  but  cannot  devour.  Our  death  should  be 
 esteemed  even  as  Moses'  brasen  serpent ;  wliich,  having  the 
 form  and  proportion  of  a  serpent,  was  yet  without  biting, 
 without  moving,  without  poisoning.  Even  so,  though  death 
 be  not  utterly  taken  away,  yet  tlirough  the  grace  of  God  it 
 is  so  weakened  and  made  void,  that  the  only  bare  proportion 
 remaineth.  When  the  master  of  the  ship  thinketh  he  is  not 
 wide  from  the  place  where  he  must  land  and  dischai'ge,  he 
 sailoth  on  forth  the  more  cheerfully  and  gladly :  even  so,  the 
 nearer  we  draw  unto  death,  where  we  must  land,  the  more 
 
 [COVEUDALE,   II.] 
 
66  FIKST    BOOK    OF    DEATH.  [cHAP. 
 
 stoutly  ought  we  to  fight  against  the  ghostly  perils.  Like  as 
 he  that  goeth  a  far  journey  hath  uncertain  lodging,  travail, 
 and  labour,  and  desireth  to  return  home  to  his  own  country, 
 to  his  father  and  mother,  wife,  children  and  friends,  among 
 whom  he  is  surest,  and  at  most  quiet ;  by  means  whereof  he 
 forceth^  the  less  for  any  rough  careful  path  or  way  homeward: 
 
 1  chron.      even  so  all  we  are  strangers  and  pilgrims  upon  earth.     Our 
 
 XXIX.  _  .  .  -TO  1  ^ 
 
 cxfx  ^^^^^'  home  is  paradise  in  heaven  ;  our  heavenly  father  is  God,  the 
 
 2  Cor!  V.'  eartlily  father  of  all  men  is  Adam ;  our  spiritual  fathers  are 
 HebixL'xui.  the  patriarchs,  prophets,  and  apostles,  which  altogether  wait 
 1  Cor.  XV.     ^^^  i^^^g  £^j,  ^g^     Seeing  now  that  death  is  the  path  and  way 
 
 unto  them,  we  ought  the  less  to  fly  it,  to  the  intent  that  we 
 may  come  to  our  right  home,  salute  our  fathers  and  friends, 
 Heb.  xiii.      embrace  them,  and  dwell  with  them  for  ever.     We  have  here 
 Phii.iii.       no  remaining  city,  but  we  seek  one  to  come.     Our  conver- 
 sation and  burghersliip  is  in  heaven. 
 
 But  if  any  man  be  afraid  of  death,  and  force  not  for 
 the  country  of  heaven,  only  because  of  temporal  pleasures, 
 the  same  dealeth  imhonestly ;  even  as  do  they,  that  whereas 
 they  ought  to  go  the  next  way  home,  set  them  down  in  a 
 pleasant  place,  or  among  companions  at  the  tavern ;  where 
 they  lying  still,  forget  their  own  country,  and  pass  not  upon 
 their  friends  and  kinsfolks.  How  evil  this  becometh  them, 
 every  man  may  well  consider  by  himself. 
 
 The  Lord  Jesus  giveth  this  simiHtude :  "  Except  the  wheat 
 corn  fall  into  the  ground  and  die,  it  bideth  alone:  but  if  it  die, 
 1  Cor.  XV.  it  bringcth  forth  much  fruit."  Likewise  Paul  compareth  us 
 men  unto  grains  of  corn,  the  churchyard  to  a  field.  To  die, 
 he  saith,  is  to  be  sown  upon  God's  field.  The  resurrection, 
 with  the  life  that  followeth  after,  resembleth  he  to  the  pleasant 
 green  corn  in  summer. 
 
 If  a  man  lie  in  a  dark  miserable  prison,  with  this  condition 
 that  he  should  not  come  forth,  till  the  walls  of  the  tower  were 
 fallen  down,  undoubtedly  he  would  be  right  glad  to  see  the 
 walls  begin  to  fall :  our  soul  is  kept  in  witliin  the  body  upon 
 earth,  as  in  captivity  and  bonds.  Now  as  soon  as  the  body 
 is  at  a  point  that  it  must  needs  fall,  why  would  we  be  sorry  ? 
 For  by  tliis  approacheth  the  dehveranco,  when  we  out  of  the 
 prison  of  misery  shall  be  brought  before  the  most  amiable 
 countenance  of  God,  into  the  joyful  freedom  of  heaven.  Ac- 
 [1  To  force :  to  lay  stress  upon.    Johnson.] 
 
XVI.]  SIMILITUDES    THAT    DEATH    IS    WHOLSESOME.  67 
 
 cording  to  this  did  David  pray:  "Bring  my  soul  out  of psai. cxiu. 
 prison,  0  Lord,  that  I  may  give  thanks  unto  thy  name." 
 Item,  in  many  places  of  scripture,  to  die  is  called  to  sleep  ; 
 death  itself,  a  sleep.  Like  as  it  is  no  grief  for  a  man  to  go 
 to  sleep,  nor  when  he  seeth  his  parents  and  friends  lay  them 
 down  to  rest;  (for  he  knoweth  that  such  as  are  asleep  do 
 soon  awake  and  rise  aijain  ;)  so  when  we  or  our  friends  depart  i  cor.  xv. 
 away  by  death,  we  ought  to  erect  and  comfort  ourselves  with 
 the  resurrection. 
 
 CHAPTER  XVII. 
 
 WITNESS    THAT    DEATH    IS    WHOLESOME. 
 
 For  the  strengthening  of  our  faith,  I  will  allege  evident 
 testimony  of  God's  word.  The  preacher  saith  :  "  The  day  ecci.  vii. 
 of  death  is  better  than  the  day  of  birth."  As  if  he  would 
 say  :  In  the  day  of  thy  birth  thou  art  sent  into  the  cold, 
 into  the  heat,  into  hunger  and  tliu'st,  wherein  is  sin  and 
 wretchedness  :  in  the  day  of  thy  death  thou  shalt  be  deh- 
 vered  from  all  evil.  Again  we  read  :  "  Though  the  righteous  wisd.  iv. 
 be  overtaken  with  death,  yet  shall  he  be  in  rest." 
 
 "Verily,  verily,  I  say  mito  you,  he  that  hearcth   my  John  v. 
 words,  and  beheveth  on  him  that  sent  me,  hath  everlasting 
 life,  and  shall  not  come  into  damnation,  but  is  escaped  from 
 death  into  hfe."     "  If  we  live,  we  Hve  unto  the  Lord :  if  we  Rom.  xiv. 
 
 c  ^•  T       -Cor-"'- 
 
 die,  we  die  unto  the  Lord.  Therefore  whether  we  live  or  die, 
 we  are  the  Lord's."  Behold,  how  comfortably  this  is  spoken 
 of  all  Christians. 
 
 CHAPTER  XVIII. 
 
 THAT    DEATH    CANNOT    BE     AVOIDED.       ITEM,     OF    COMPANIONS 
 OF    THEM    THAT    DIE. 
 
 Upon  this  condition  are  we  born  into  the  world,  into  this 
 hght,  not  to  continue  alway  therein  ;  but  when  God  will, 
 through  temporal  death  to  lay  aside  and  put  off  the  travail  of 
 
 5 — 2 
 
'68  FIRST    BOOK    OF    DEATH.  [cHAP. 
 
 this  miserable  life.  Witty  men  have  found  out,  how  hard 
 stones  may  be  broken  and  mollified,  and  how  wild  beasts  may 
 bo  tamed :  but  nothing  could  they  invent,  whereby  death 
 might  be  avoided.  It  is  not  unwisely  said :  "  God's  hand 
 may  a  man  escape,  but  not  death." 
 
 Metrodorus  writeth,  that  against  bodily  enemies  there 
 may  be  made  fortresses,  castles,  and  bulwarks ;  but  so  far  as 
 concerneth  death,  all  men  have  an  unfenced  city.  In  other 
 dangers,  power,  money,  flight,  counsel,  and  policy  may  help : 
 but  as  for  death,  it  can  neither  be  banished  with  power,  nor 
 bought  with  money,  nor  avoided  with  flying  away,  nor  pre- 
 vented with  counsel,  nor  turned  back  with  pohcy.  And 
 though  thou  be  now  delivered  from  sickness,  yet  within  a 
 little  Avhile  thou  must,  whether  thou  wilt  or  no,  depart  hence 
 to  death"'s  home ;  for  the  highest  lawgiver  of  all  told  our  first 
 Gen. ii.  father  so  before  :  "In  what  day  soever  thou  eatest  thereof, 
 thou  shalt  die  the  death."  Understand,  that  the  death  of  the 
 soul  bringeth  with  it  the  death  of  the  body. 
 
 Whoso  now  grudgeth,  and  is  not  content  to  die,  what  is 
 that  else,  but  that  he,  forgetting  liimself  and  his  own  nature, 
 complaineth  of  God  in  heaven,  that  he  suffered  him  to  be  born, 
 and  made  him  not  an  angel  ? 
 
 Why  should  we  refuse  the  thing  that  we  have  common 
 with  other  men?  Now  doth  death  touch  not  only  us,  but 
 high  and  low  estate,  young  and  old,  man  and  woman,  master 
 and  servant. 
 
 As  many  as  came  of  the  first  man  must  lay  down  their 
 necks.  Death  is  an  indifferent  judge,  regardeth  no  person, 
 hath  no  pity  on  the  fatherless,  careth  not  for  the  poor,  dis- 
 ponseth  not  with  the  rich,  fcareth  not  the  mighty,  passeth  not 
 for  the  noble,  honoureth  not  the  aged,  spareth  not  the  wise, 
 pardoneth  not  the  foolish. 
 
 For  like  as  a  river  is  poisoned  in  the  well-spring,  or 
 fountain,  so  was  the  nature  of  man  altogether  in  our  first 
 parents.  And  forasmuch  as  they  themselves  were  maimed 
 through  sin,  they  have  begotten  unright  and  mortal  children. 
 Bom. V.  Touching  this  saith  Paul:  "By  one  man  came  death  upon 
 all  men." 
 
 Now  let  us  consider,  what  excellent  companions  and  holy 
 fellowship  they  also  have  that  are  dead.  Paul  writeth,  that 
 "  we  must  be  like  shapcn  unto  the  image  of  the  Son  of  God." 
 
XVIIl.]  DEATH    CANNOT    CE    AVOIDED.  69 
 
 If  he  now  that  of  nature  was  immortal  and  innocent,  became 
 mortal  for  om^  sakes,  even  Jesus  Christ  our  Saviour  ;  why 
 would  we  then,  that  many  and  sundry  ways  have  deserved 
 death,  continue  here  still,  and  not  die  ?  Abraliam  the  faithful, 
 Sampson  the  strong,  Solomon  the  wise,  Absolom  the  fair  one, 
 yea,  all  the  prophets  and  apostles,  kings  and  emperors,  through 
 death  departed  out  of  tliis  life.  A  very  dainty  and  tender 
 body  must  that  be,  which,  considering  so  great  multitudes  of 
 corpses,  doth  yet  out  of  measure  vex  himself,  because  the 
 like  shall  happen  unto  him.  That  were  even  like  as  if  one 
 would  take  upon  himself  to  be  bettor  than  all  righteous  and 
 holy  men,  that  ever  were  since  the  beginning  of  the  world. 
 
 CHAPTER  XIX. 
 
 OF  NATURAL  HELP  IN  DANGER  OF  DEATH. 
 
 Whoso  will  help  himself  from  the  pestilence  with  flying 
 away,  leaving  his  own  wife,  friends,  and  neighbours ;  he  dc- 
 clareth  unperfectness  of  faith,  and  standeth  not  with  christian 
 charity,  where  we  owe  unto  others  the  same  that  we  in  hke 
 case  would  gladly  have  at  their  hands. 
 
 Grant  that  the  pestilence  is  such  an  infectious  sickness,  as 
 one  taketh  of  another.  What  then  ?  If  one  stand  in  battle 
 array  to  fight  for  his  country,  must  not  he  also  look  for  a 
 gun-stone  to  be  sent  him  into  his  bosom  to  carry  home  ?  doth 
 it  therefore  beseem  him  to  break  the  array  and  to  fly  ?  Like 
 as  there  the  enemies  of  the  body  are  at  hand  ;  so  here  do 
 the  ghostly  adversaries  besiege  the  soul  of  him  that  is  a 
 dying,  where  one  Christian  should  help  another  with  worthy 
 talk.  Therefore  is  that  a  foolish  unadvised  counsel,  when  we 
 with  neglecting  of  our  own  members  will  flee  from  the  wrath 
 of  God,  thinldng  through  sin  to  escape  the  punishment  of  sin. 
 Experience  also  doth  shew,  that  such  folks  do  oft  perish,  as 
 well  as  other ;  yea,  sooner  than  they  that  fled  not  at  all. 
 But  physic  is  permitted  of  God,  as  in  the  time  of  pestilence 
 with  fires  and  perfumes  to  make  the  air  more  wholesome  from 
 poison,  and  to  receive  somewhat  into  the  body,  for  the  con- 
 suming of  evil  humours,  and  to  hinder  the  infection.  Item, 
 when  one  is  taken  with  a  disease,  to  be  let  blood,  to  sweat,  to 
 
70 
 
 FIKST    BOOK    OF    DEATH. 
 
 [chap. 
 
 follow  the  physician's  instruction ;  such  things  are  in  no  wise 
 to  be  reprehended,  so  that,  whether  it  turn  to  death  or  life, 
 the  heart  only  and  hope  hang  upon  God.  The  physician 
 should  neither  be  despised  nor  worshipped.  For  to  think 
 scorn  to  use  medicine  in  sickness,  what  were  that  else  but  even 
 to  tempt  God  ? 
 
 CHAPTER   XX. 
 
 Matt.  X. 
 Luke  xii. 
 Psal.  xxxiv. 
 Psal.  Ix. 
 1  Pet.  V. 
 
 Mark  xvi. 
 Jjuke  xxii. 
 Acts  vii. 
 Kom.  viii. 
 Eph.  i.  jv. 
 Philip,  ii. 
 
 THAT    GOD    IS    ABLE    AND    WILL    HELP   FOR    CHRIST'S   SAKE. 
 
 Specially  when  death  is  at  hand,  a  man  findeth  no  help 
 in  any  creature  of  heaven  and  earth,  whereby  he  might 
 fortunately  suppress  the  exceeding  great  fear  of  death,  but 
 only  in  God  the  Father,  in  Christ  his  Son,  and  in  the  Holy 
 Spirit  of  them  both. 
 
 It  is  God  that  knoweth  the  perils  of  thy  death,  and  can 
 meddle  withal.  Through  his  power  shalt  thou  get  through, 
 and  di^ink  the  bitter  draught.  Though  we  die,  yet  liveth 
 God  before  us,  with  us,  after  us,  and  is  able  to  preserve  us 
 for  ever.  Christ  sayetli:  "Weep  not,  the  damsel  is  not 
 dead,  but  sleepeth."  Faithless  reason  understandeth  not  the 
 mystery  of  God,  and  laugheth :  but  Christ,  the  true  God, 
 hath  both  the  word  and  work  together,  and  saith  no  more 
 but  "  Aiise ;"  and  the  soul  came  again  to  the  body,  and  she 
 arose.  Out  of  this,  and  such  like  examples,  oughtest  thou, 
 faint-hearted  man,  to  understand  the  infinite  power  of  God, 
 who  can  receive  thy  soul  also  and  preserve  it. 
 
 Not  only  is  God  able,  but  wiU  also  help  graciously.  Wliy 
 should  not  he  lay  upon  thee  some  great  thing,  as  death  is, 
 seeing  he  addeth  so  great  advantage,  help,  and  strength 
 thereto,  to  prove  what  liis  grace  and  power  may  do  ?  For 
 he  hath  numbered  all  the  hairs  of  our  head :  that  is,  he 
 alway  hath  liis  eyes  upon  us,  and  careth  ever  for  us. 
 
 Yea,  that  he  loveth  us  more  than  we  love  ourselves,  and 
 maketh  better  provision  for  us  than  we  can  wish,  he  hath 
 openly  and  evidently  testified  in  liis  own  dear  Son ;  whom  he 
 caused  to  take  our  miserable  nature  upon  him,  and  therein 
 for  the  sins  of  all  the  world  to  suffer,  to  die,  to  rise  again,  to 
 ascend  up  to  heaven,  where  he  sitteth  at  the  right  hand  of 
 
XX.]  GOD  IS  ABLE  AND  WILL  HELP  FOR  CHRISt''s  SAKE.  71 
 
 God  the  Father  Almighty.     Among  the  which  articles,  every  coi.  iii... 
 one  doth  help  and  comfort  such  as  are  a  dying.  Heb.i.ii.x, 
 
 The  natural  Son  of  God  himself  from  heaven  became  a  Psai.  ex. 
 
 The 
 
 mortal  man,  to  the  intent  that  man's  mortal  nature,  through  humanity 
 
 /•     1         /^      n  1  of  Christ. 
 
 the  unitinsr  thereof  with  the  immortal  nature  of  the  Godhead 
 in  his  own  only  person,  might  be  exalted  to  an  immortal  hfe. 
 
 He,  having:  a  natural  fear  of  death,  said:  "My  soul  is  The  passion 
 
 11  TT  T-1      1  'J"  •      1       ofChrist. 
 
 heavy,  even  unto  death."    He  prayed  also :  "  r  ather,  it  it  be  Matt.  xxvi. 
 possible,  take  this  cup  from  me."     But  this  fear  and  terror  John  xii.' 
 did  he  overcome ;  for  he  added  thereto  and  saith  :  "  Father, 
 not  my  will,  but  thine  be  fulfilled."    Through  tliis  victory  of 
 Christ,  may  all  Christians  also  overcome  such  terror  and  fear 
 as  they  be  in. 
 
 Item,  though  the  Jews  blaspheme  never  so  much,  and 
 say,  "  Let  him  come  down  from  the  cross  :  he  hath  helped 
 other,  let  him  now  help  himself;"  as  though  they  would  say, 
 "  There,  there,  seest  thou  death,  hke  a  wretch  must  thou  die," 
 and  no  man  is  able  to  help  thee  ;   yet  did  the  Lord  Jesus 
 hold  his  peace  there-to,  as  if  he  heard  and  saw  them  not. 
 He  made  no  answer  again,  but  only  regarded  the  good  will 
 and  pleasure  of  his  Father.     Therefore  though  we  have  an 
 horrible  temptation  of  death,  as  though  there  were  neither 
 comfort  nor  help  for  us  any  more,  yet  in  Christ  and  with 
 Clirist  we  may  endure  aU,  and  wait  still  upon  the  gracious 
 good  will  of  God.     He  did  not  only  suffer  the  horror  and 
 temptation  of  death,  but  death  itself;  yea,  the  most  horrible 
 death,  whereby  he  took  from  us  the  death  eternal,  and  some 
 deal  moUified  and  assuaged  our  temporal  death :  yea,  besides 
 tliis,  he  made  it  profitable  and  wholesome  ;    so  that  death, 
 which  of  itself  should  else  be  a  beginning  of  everlasting  sor- 
 row, is  become  an  entrance  into  eternal  salvation.    According 
 to  this  meaning  are  the  words  of  Paul,  when  he  saith,  that 
 "  Christ,  by  the  grace  of  God,  tasted  death  for  all  men."         phiu."^'. 
 Item,  "  He  became  partaker  of  flesh  and  blood,  to  put  Heb.'ii.  ' 
 down  thi'ough  death  him  that  had  the  lordship  over  death, 
 that  is  to  say,  the  devil;  and  that  he  might  dcUver  them, 
 which  through  fear  of  death,  were  all  their  hfe-time  in  danger 
 of  bondage." 
 
 Moreover,  that  Christ  is  the  living  and  immortal  image 
 against  death,  yea,  the  very  power  of  our  resurrection  and 
 of  life  everlasting,  he  himself  hath  testified  with  his  own  joy-  ^^f^fj^J^- 
 
72  FIRST    BOOK    OF    DEATH.  [cHAP. 
 
 ful  and  victorious  resurrection ;  and  also  with  that,  that  in 
 
 Matt,  xxvii.  his  resurrection  many  other  saints  that  were  dead  rose  from 
 death  ao;ain. 
 
 Again,  how  full  is  it  of  comfort  and  pure  treasure,  that 
 St  Paul  joineth  our  resurrection  unseparably  to  the  resur- 
 rection of  Jesus  Christ !    Likewise  doth  St  Paul  comfort  his 
 
 B^m'vt  <^'isciple  Timothy  with  the  resurrection,  and  saith :  "  If  we 
 die  with  Christ,  we  shall  live  with  him ;  if  we  be  patient,  we 
 shall  also  reign  with  him." 
 
 No  less  must  the  fruit  of  the  ascension  of  Christ  be  con- 
 sidered.     For   the   Son   of  God  hath   promised   and   said: 
 
 [John  xvii.]  "  Father  I  will,  that  where  I  am,  they  also  be  whom  thou 
 hast  given  me."  Seeing  that  Christ  now  with  body  and  soul 
 is  gone  up  to  heaven,  what  can  be  thought  more  comfortable 
 for  a  man  at  his  death,  than  that  we  Christians  shall  also 
 after  death  be  taken  up  into  the  joy  of  heaven  ? 
 
 In  heaven  sitteth  Christ  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  Lord 
 and  King  over  sin,  devil,  death,  and  hell.  Him  we  have  in 
 that  heavenly  life  with  God  an  assured  faithful  mediator  and 
 helper.  Though  we  must  fight  in  extremity  of  death,  yet 
 are  we  not  alone  in  this  conflict  or  battle ;  even  the  valiant 
 heavenly  captain  himself,  who  upon  the  cross  overcame  death 
 and  all  misfortune  for  our  sakes,  hath  respect  unto  us  from 
 
 Deut.i.xx.    time  to  time,  goeth  before  us  in  our  battle,  and  fifjhteth  for 
 
 Exod.  XIV.  o  '  O 
 
 1  chronl'vi.    ^^^'  keepeth  us  from  all  mischances  in  the  way  to  salvation ; 
 schron.xx.  gg  ^[^r^^^  ^g  jjgg^j  ^^^  g^^^g  ^^^  £g^j.^  ^j^^j^  ^g  ^Yis\\  sink  or  fall 
 
 zed"x?'"     tlown  to  the  bottom. 
 
 He  shall  cause  us  with  om^  own  bodily  eyes  to  see  the 
 glorious  victory  and  triumph  in  the  resurrection  of  the  dead, 
 and  to  have  experience  thereof  in  our  own  body  and  soul. 
 Death  is  even  as  a  dark  cave  in  the  ground :  but  whoso 
 taketh  Christ's  light  candle,  putteth  his  trust  in  him,  and 
 goeth  into  the  dim  dark  hole,  the  mist  flieth  before  him,  and 
 the  darkness  vanisheth  away. 
 
 In  Christ  have  we  a  mighty  effectuous  image  of  grace,  of 
 life,  and  of  salvation,  in  such  sort,  that  we  Christians  should 
 fear  neither  death  nor  other  misfortune.  Summa,  he  is  our 
 hope,  our  safeguard,  our  triumph,  our  crown. 
 
 johnxi.  Witness  of  scripture:    "I  am  the  resurrection  and  the 
 
 hfe :  he  that  beheveth  on  me,  yea,  though  he  were  dead,  yet 
 shall  he  live ;  and  whosoever  liveth  and  believeth  in  me  shall 
 
XX.]  GOD   IS   ABLE  AND   WILL  HELP   FOR  CHRISt''s  SAKE.  73 
 
 never  die."  Forthwith,  after  he  had  spoken  these  words, 
 raised  he  up  Lazarus,  who  had  lain  four  days  in  the  grave, 
 and  began  to  corrupt  and  stink. 
 
 "As  by  Adam  all  die,  so  by  Christ  shall  all  be  made  i  cor.  xv. 
 alive,  every  one  in  his  order."  Item,  "  Our  burghership  is  in  Phii.  iii. 
 heaven :  from  whence  we  look  for  a  Saviour,  even  Jesus 
 Christ ;  wliich  shall  change  our  vile  bodies,  that  they  may 
 be  fashioned  like  unto  his  glorious  body,  according  to  the 
 working  whereby  he  is  able  to  subdue  all  things  unto  him- 
 self," Also  :  "  Ye  are  dead,  and  your  life  is  hid  with  Christ  coi.  iii. 
 in  God.  But  when  Christ  your  life  shall  shew  himself,  then 
 shall  ye  also  appear  with  him  in  glory."  Here  doth  Paul 
 declare,  that  our  life  is  not  in  this  world,  but  hid  with  Christ 
 in  God,  and  shall  through  Christ  in  his  time  be  gloriously 
 opened.  After  this  manner  should  Christ  be  printed  into  the 
 feeble,  troubled,  and  doubtful  consciences  of  the  sick.  And 
 with  all  diligence  ought  the  office  of  Clirist  to  be  considered, 
 how  that  he,  according  unto  the  scripture,  coming  into  this 
 world  for  our  wealth,  did  also  for  our  wealth  preach,  wrought 
 miracles,  suffered,  and  died,  to  deliver  us  out  of  this  false  un- 
 happy world,  to  open  unto  us  the  right  door  into  eternal  life, 
 and  to  bring  us  with  body  and  soul  into  heaven ;  wherein 
 neither  sin,  death,  nor  devil  shall  be  able  to  hinder  us  for 
 evermore. 
 
 Who  shall  ever  be  able  sufficiently  to  praise  and  magnify 
 the  infinite  glory  of  the  grace  of  God  ?  What  would  we  have 
 the  Lord  our  God  to  do  more  for  us,  to  make  us  lustily  step 
 forth  before  the  face  of  death,  manfully  to  fight  in  all  trouble, 
 and  wilhngly  to  wait  for  the  deliverance  ? 
 
 CHAPTER    XXL 
 
 THAT  GOD  HATH  PROMISED  HIS  HELP  AND  COMFORT. 
 
 Out  of  this  exceeding  grace  of  God,  for  the  blessed  Seed's 
 sake,   proceed   God's   comfortable  promises   in  the  old  and 
 new  Testament.      "Mine  eyes  shall  still  be  upon  thee,  that  Psai. xci. 
 thou  perish  not.     The  Lord  shall  deliver  thee  from  the  snare 
 of  the  hunter,  and  from  the  most  noisome  death.     With  his 
 
74  FIRST   BOOK    OF    DEATH.  [cHAP. 
 
 own  wings  shall  he  cover  thee ;  so  that  under  his  feathers  thou 
 shalt  be  safe.  His  truth  and  faithfulness  shall  be  thy  shield 
 and  buckler  :  so  that  thou  shalt  neither  need  to  fear  any  in- 
 convenience by  night,  neither  swift  arrow  in  the  day-season ; 
 neither  the  pestilence  that  creepeth  in  darlmess,  nor  yet  any 
 hurt  that  destroyeth  by  day-time.  Though  a  thousand  fall 
 on  thy  left  hand,  and  ten  thousand  on  thy  right,  yet  shall  it 
 not  touch  thee." 
 
 Here  doth  God  evidently  promise,  that  he  will  graciously 
 preserve  his  own  cliildren,  first,  from  such  temptation,  phan- 
 tasy, and  deceivableness,  as  come  upon  a  man  by  night  in 
 the  dark :  secondly,  from  the  violence  of  wicked  unthrifts, 
 and  all  mischances  that  overtake  men  openly  in  the  day- 
 season,  yea,  sometimes  suddenly  and  unawares :  thirdly,  from 
 the  pestilence,  that  we  need  not  to  fear  it,  though  there  die 
 of  it  a  thousand  on  the  left  hand  and  ten  thousand  on  the 
 right :  the  pestilence  shall  either  not  take  us,  or  not  wound 
 us  unto  death,  or  else  serve  to  our  everlasting  welfare: 
 fourthly,  from  hot  feverish  sicknesses,  such  as  commonly 
 grow  in  hot  countries,  when  the  sun  shineth  most  strongly. 
 Under  these  four  plagues  are  all  mischances  comprehended. 
 
 In  the  end  of  this  psalm  stand  these  words ;  "  I  am  with 
 him  in  trouble,  I  will  deliver  him,  and  bring  him  to  honour." 
 When  God  saith,  "  I  am  with  him,"  consider  not  thou  tliine 
 own  powers ;  for  they  help  notliing  at  all :  behold  much  more 
 the  power  of  him  that  is  with  thee  in  trouble.  When  thou 
 hearest,  "  I  will  deUver  him,"  thou  must  not  be  faint-hearted, 
 though  the  trouble  do  seem  long  to  contmue.  When  thou 
 hearest,  "  I  will  bring  him  unto  honour,"  be  thou  sm'e,  that 
 as  thou  art  partaker  of  the  death  of  Christ,  so  shalt  thou  be 
 also  of  his  glory. 
 
 Matt.  xi.  Christ  calleth  thee  to  liim,  and  crieth  yet  still :  "  Come 
 
 to  me,  all  ye  that  labour  and  are  laden,  and  I  will  ease  you. 
 Take  my  yoke  on  you,  and  learn  of  me,  that  I  am  meek  and 
 lowly  in  heart,  and  ye  shall  find  rest  unto  your  souls."  Again: 
 
 [johnviii.]  "  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you;  If  any  man  keep  my  say- 
 ings, he  shall  never  see  death."  Understand,  that  the  hght 
 of  life  doth  shine  clearer,  than  the  darkness  of  death  can 
 bhnd.  For  the  faitliful,  through  his  belief,  is  after  such  sort 
 incorporated  and  joined  unto  the  Lord  Christ,  the  true  life, 
 that  he  shall  not  be  separated  from  him.     Though  body  and 
 
XXI.]  GOD    HATH    PROMISED    HIS    HELP    AND    COMFORT.  75 
 
 soul  depart  asunder  now  for  a  season ;  yet  is  that  done  in  an 
 assured  undoubted  hope  of  the  blessed  resurrection,  that  very 
 shortly  both  body  and  soul  shall  come  together  again  to 
 eternal  joy.  And  thus  the  christian  believer  neither  seeth, 
 feeleth,  nor  tasteth  the  everlasting  death  of  his  body  and 
 soul,  that  is  to  say,  eternal  damnation. 
 
 CHAPTER    XXII. 
 
 GOD  SETTETH  TO  HIS  OWN  HELPING  HAND  IN  SUCH  WISE  AND 
 AT  SUCH  TIME  AS  IS  BEST  OF  ALL. 
 
 God  now,  through  Christ,  doth  not  only  promise  most 
 graciously  his  comfort  and  help,  but  faitlifully  performeth  he 
 the  same  in  due  season,  so  far,  and  after  such  sort  as  is 
 expedient.  The  very  right  time  undoubtedly  doth  not  he 
 omit.  Death  indeed  is  a  narrow  way ;  but  God  shorteneth  it. 
 The  bitterness  of  death  passeth  aU  the  pains  that  we  have 
 felt  upon  earth ;  but  it  cndureth  not  long.  Death  must  make 
 quick  speed  with  us,  as  Ilezekiah  the  king  of  Judah  saith  : 
 "  He  shall  cut  off  my  life,  as  a  weaver  doth  his  web."  And  isai.  xxxvui. 
 when  the  pain  is  greatest  of  all,  then  is  it  near  the  end. 
 Hereunto  may  be  appUed  that  Christ  said,  "It  is  but  ajohnxiv. 
 modicum,  a  very  little  while."  Though  it  were  so  that  the 
 troubles  of  death  did  long  endure,  yet  towards  the  eternity 
 that  followeth  after  is  the  same  scarce  as  one  point  or  prick 
 in  comparison  of  a  whole  circle.  In  the  mean  season,  God 
 can  more  comfort  and  help,  than  the  most  horrible  death  of 
 all  is  able  to  disturb  or  grieve.  Sometime  taketh  he  from 
 us  the  grievous  enemy  or  mortal  sickness,  and  so  dehvereth 
 us  out  of  the  perils  of  death.  Else  giveth  he  some  ease  or 
 refreshing  outwardly :  or  if  the  trouble  go  on  still,  he  sendeth 
 his  sweet  gracious  comfort  inwardly,  so  as  the  patient  through 
 the  working  of  the  Holy  Ghost  doth  feel  a  taste,  a  proof 
 and  beginning  of  the  heavenly  joy ;  by  means  whereof  he  is 
 able  willingly  to  forsake  all  that  earthly  is,  and  to  endure  all 
 manner  of  pain  and  smart  until  the  end. 
 
 "  The  Spirit  of  God  certifieth  our  spirit,  that  wo  are  the  Rom.  viii. 
 
7G 
 
 FIRST    BOOK    OF    DEATH. 
 
 [chap. 
 
 children  of  God.  If  we  be  children,  we  are  also  heirs,  the 
 heirs,  I  mean,  of  God,  and  heirs  annexed  with  Christ,  if  so  be 
 that  we  suffer  with  him,  that  we  may  also  be  glorified  with 
 him."  God  commandeth  his  angels,  that  they  with  him  do 
 look  unto  thee,  O  man,  when  thou  diest,  and  to  take  heed 
 unto  thy  soul,  to  keep  it,  and  to  receive  it,  when  it  shall 
 depart  out  of  the  body.  Witness  this  is  :  "  The  angel  of  the 
 Lord  pitcheth  round  about  them  that  fear  him,  and  deUvereth 
 them."  And:  "He  hath  given  his  angels  charge  concerning 
 thee,  that  they  keep  thee  in  all  thy  ways,  and  bear  thee  in 
 their  hands,  that  thou  hm^t  not  thy  foot  against  a  stone." 
 
 The  angels,  wliich  are  many  without  number,  be  minister- 
 ing spirits,  sent  to  do  service  for  their  sakes,  which  shall  be 
 heirs  of  salvation.  Therefore  a  Christian  at  his  last  end 
 must  be  thoroughly  assured,  that  in  his  death  he  is  not  alone, 
 but  that  very  many  eyes  look  unto  him :  first,  the  eyes  of 
 God  the  Father  himself,  and  of  his  Son  Jesus  Christ ;  then 
 the  worthy  angels,  and  all  Christians  upon  earth. 
 
 Then,  according  to  the  contents  of  the  sacrament  of  bap- 
 tism and  of  the  supper  of  the  Lord,  all  Christians,  as  a  whole 
 body  to  a  member  thereof,  resort  unto  him  that  is  a  dying, 
 by  having  compassion  and  prayer  to  help  him  by,  that  at  his 
 death  he  may  overcome  death,  sin,  and  hell. 
 
 CHAPTER    XXHL 
 
 EX^UIPLES    OF    GODS    HELP. 
 
 Gen.  XXXV, 
 
 In  the  time  of  the  prophets  and  apostles  God  raised 
 certain  from  death ;  to  the  intent  that  our  weak  feeble  nature 
 might  have  the  more  help  to  believe  the  resurrection  and 
 eternal  life.  For  the  dead  could  not  have  been  raised,  if 
 death  did  bring  man  utterly  to  nought.  Abraham  fell  sick, 
 and  died  in  a  good  age,  when  he  was  old,  and  had  lived 
 enough,  and  was  put  unto  his  people ;  that  is,  liis  soul  came 
 to  the  soul  of  the  other  saints,  which  died  before.  So  is  it 
 also  of  Isaac.  Word  was  brought  to  king  Hezekiah,  that  he 
 should  live  no  longer;  but  after  he  had  made  his  earnest 
 prayer  unto  God,  there  were  added  fifteen  years  unto  life. 
 
XXIII.]  EXAMPLES    OF    GOd's    HELP.  77 
 
 When  Lazarus  died,  his  soul  was  carried  of  the  angels  into  n.ke  xvi. 
 Abraham's  bosom.      The  murderer  upon  the  cross  heard  in 
 his  extreme  trouble  that  Christ  said  unto  him:    "This  day  mke  xxiu. 
 shalt  thou  be  with  me  in  paradise." 
 
 Daily  experience  testifieth,  that  God  forsaketh  not  his 
 own.  Therefore  undoubtedly  he  that  hath  begun  his  king- 
 dom in  us,  shall  graciously  perform  and  finish  it. 
 
 CHAPTER  XXIY. 
 
 THAT    IT    IS    NECESSARY    TO    PREPARE    FOR    THIS    JOURNEY. 
 
 If  we  could  find  in  our  hearts  gladly  for  to  hear,  how 
 unhurtful,  yea,  wholesome  and  vincible  death  is  become 
 through  Christ,  we  would  not  be  idle,  and  linger  still  till  the 
 time  came  that  we  must  needs  die. 
 
 A  good  householder  maketh  provision  for  himself  and  his 
 family,  and  buyeth  beforehand  fuel  and  victuals,  and  such 
 things  as  he  hath  need  of  for  a  whole  year,  or  for  a  month, 
 &c.,  according  as  he  is  able.  Much  more  ought  a  Christian 
 to  provide  that,  which  concerneth  not  only  one  month  or  one 
 year,  but  an  eternity  that  hath  no  end.  Like  as  faithful 
 servants  wait  for  their  master,  so  ought  we  to  look  for  the 
 coming  of  Christ,  when  he  shall  call  us  out  of  this  time.  "If  mkexn. 
 the  householder  knew  what  hour  the  thief  would  come,  he 
 would  watch,  and  not  suffer  his  house  to  be  broken  up. 
 Therefore  be  ye  also  ready ;  for  in  the  hour  that  ye  think  Matt,  xxi 
 not,  will  the  Son  of  man  come." 
 
 Whoso  hath  perfect  knowledge  of  death,  as  it  is  hitherto 
 described  and  set  forth,  he  in  making  provision  beforehand 
 hath  first  this  advantage,  that  it  is  good  fighting  with  a 
 known  enemy.  Contrariwise,  on  the  other  side,  what  shall 
 an  unmeet  warrior  do,  that  knoweth  not  the  nature,  subtlety, 
 weapons,  and  policy  of  the  enemy  ? 
 
78  FIRST    BOOK    OP    DEATH.  PcHAP. 
 
 CHAPTER  XXV. 
 
 PROVISION    CONCERNING    TEMPORAL    GOODS,    CHILDREN,    AND 
 FRIENDS,    WHICH    MUST    BE    LEFT    BEHIND. 
 
 Again,  concerning  temporal  goods:  Let  the  rich  who 
 hath  wife  and  children,  or  other  heirs,  make  provision  for 
 them  in  good  order  under  writing,  according  as  in  every 
 place  the  custom  is.  But  if  honour  and  authority,  substance 
 or  goods,  go  too  near  thy  stomach,  then  consider  that  they  be 
 not  true,  but  imcertain,  transitory,  and  vain  goods,  wliich 
 bring  more  unquietness  than  rest.  Consider  also,  that  many 
 more  rich  mighty  princes,  Idngs,  and  lords  must  be  spoiled  of 
 all  their  glory,  and  be  fain  to  content  themselves  with  a  short 
 narrow  place  of  the  grave. 
 
 Though  we  here  lose  all,  yet  do  we  scarce  lose  one 
 farthing.  And  in  the  other  Hfe  we  have  not  kingdoms,  nor 
 empires,  but  God  himself  and  everlasting  goods ;  in  com- 
 parison whereof,  all  minstrelsy,  pastime,  pomp,  mirth,  and 
 cheer  upon  earth  is  scarce  to  be  esteemed  as  casting  counters 
 towards  the  finest  coins  of  gold.  Therefore  ought  we  to  learn, 
 specially  in  sickness,  to  give  all  temporal  goods  their  leave, 
 and  to  bid  them  farewell.  And  if  any  man  will  furthermore 
 disquiet  and  trouble  us  in  telling  us  still  of  them,  then  must 
 we  require  him  to  depart  and  let  us  alone.  Whoso  hath  a 
 train  hanging  upon  him,  as  father,  mother,  sisters,  brothers, 
 wife,  children,  and  friends,  the  same  is  the  sorer  laid  at :  for 
 naturally  we  all  are  loth  to  depart  from  them.     Here  must 
 
 Matt.x.  "we  remember  the  words  of  Christ:  "He  that  loveth  father 
 or  mother  more  than  me,  is  not  worthy  of  me.  And  he  that 
 loveth  son  or  daughter  more  than  me,  is  not  meet  for  me. 
 And  whoso  taketh  not  up  liis  cross  and  foUoweth  me,  is  unapt 
 for  me."  Therefore  must  thou  break  thine  own  will,  take  up 
 thy  cross,  and  give  over  thyself  unto  the  will  of  God ;  spe- 
 cially, forasmuch  as  even  they  whom  thou  art  loth  to  leave 
 behmd  thee  upon  earth,  shall  shortly  come  to  thee.  And  in 
 the  mean  season,  when  thou  departest  from  thy  friends,  thou 
 goest  the  next  way,  and  speedest  thee  unto  better  and  more 
 loving  friends.     And  therefore  the  holy  patriarch  Jacob  said. 
 
 Gen.  xiix.     wlicu  lic  should  die :  "  I  shall  be  gathered  unto  my  people." 
 
.XXV.]  PROVISION    CONCERNING    TEMPORAL    GOODS.  79 
 
 Item,  unto  Moses  and  Aaron  said  God :  "  Thou  shalt  eo  to  [Numb. 
 thy  people  and  unto  thy  fathers."  Hereby  is  it  declared, 
 that  death  is  a  passage  to  many  more  folks  and  better  friends 
 than  we  leave  here.  There  is  God  our  Father,  his  Son  our 
 Brother,  liis  heaven  our  inheritance,  and  all  angels  and  saints 
 our  brethren,  sisters,  and  kinsfolks,  with  whom  we  shall  enjoy 
 eternal  goods  for  ever. 
 
 Again,  whoso  leaveth  behind  him  a  poor  wife,  children 
 not  brought  up,  and  friends  that  are  in  necessity,  must  also 
 do  his  best,  committing  them  to  the  protection,  help,  and 
 comfort  of  God,  with  an  earnest  prayer  that  he  will  graci- 
 ously take  the  governance  of  them.  For  our  wives,  cliildren, 
 and  posterity  doth  the  second  commandment  set  in  God's 
 tuition,  when  it  saith :  "  Mercy  and  kindness  shew  I  unto  [Exod.  xx.] 
 thousands  of  them  that  love  me,  and  keep  my  command- 
 ments." 
 
 Item,  God  writeth  himself  a  father  of  the  widows  and  ^xod.  xxii. 
 
 Psal.  exlv. 
 
 fatherless,  and  taketh  them  mto  his  own  protection. 
 
 Now  if  thou  receive  not  this  godly  consolation  and  com- 
 fort, then,  to  thine  own  great  notable  hurt,  thou  disquietest 
 thyself  so  grievously,  that  thou  canst  consider  nothing  that 
 is  right  and  just,  eternal  or  heavenly. 
 
 CHAPTER  XXVI. 
 
 PREPARATION    CONCERNING    GHOSTLY    MATTERS,     WITH    WHAT 
 COGITATIONS  THE  MIND  OUGHT  MOST  TO  BE  EXERCISED, 
 
 Moreover,  the  sick  must  give  all  other  worldly  matters 
 their  leave,  that  the  soul  be  not  tangled  with  any  earthly 
 business,  but  directed  upward  into  heaven,  where  it  desu-eth 
 everlastingly  to  live. 
 
 Here  shall  it  be  needful,  that  our  mind  have  an  assured 
 understanding  of  the  holy  gospel.  In  this  consideration  en- 
 dure thou  still;  hang  thou  thereupon  with  stedfast  faith, 
 whereout  grow  these  fruits,  prayer,  righteousness,  patience, 
 and  all  goodness. 
 
 After  the  doctrine  of  the  true  gospel,  without  thine  own 
 
80  FIRST    BOOK    OF    DEATH.  [cHAP. 
 
 and  religious  men's  works,  without  the  merits  of  saints,  art 
 thou  justified,  made  righteous,  and  saved  only  through  Christ, 
 who  alone  is  thy  mediator,  advocate,  helper,  satisfaction,  hope, 
 comfort,  and  life.  It  is  Christ's  will  to  convey  thee  away 
 from  sin,  from  the  world,  from  the  devil,  and  from  hell,  and 
 to  take  thee  to  his  grace  into  the  eternal  paradise,  though  all 
 creatures  were  against  thee. 
 
 John  xvii.  Probation  out  of  the  scripture  :  "  This  is  the  life  eternal, 
 
 that  they  know  thee  to  be  the  only  true  God,  and  whom  thou 
 hast  sent,  Jesus  Christ."  With  this  evangelical  doctrine,  and  with 
 nothing  else,  must  our  hearts  be  occupied,  what  temptations 
 soever  happen,  which  undoubtedly  will  not  tarry  behind. 
 
 While  we  go  about  yet  merry  and  in  health,  it  bringeth 
 exceeding  great  profit,  if  we  exercise  ourselves  with  the  cogi- 
 tations of  death.  But  in  sickness,  and  when  we  must  die, 
 that  is,  when  the  horrible  image  of  death  would  make  us 
 afraid,  we  must  not  unquiet  ourselves  with  heavy  remem- 
 brance of  death.  We  should  not  behold  or  consider  death 
 in  itself,  nor  in  our  own  nature,  neither  in  them  that  are  slain 
 through  the  wrath  of  God ;  but  principally  in  Christ  Jesu, 
 and  then  in  his  saints,  wliich  through  him  overcame  death, 
 and  died  in  the  grace  of  God.  From  this  fight  may  not 
 we  suff'er  ourselves  to  be  driven,  though  all  angels  and  all 
 creatures,  yea,  though  God  liimself,  in  our  opinion,  would  lay 
 other  things  before  our  eyes,  which  they  do  not ;  howbeit, 
 the  evil  spirit  maketh  such  an  appearance.  For  Christ  Jesus 
 is  nothing  else  but  life  and  salvation.  Yea,  the  more  deeply 
 and  stedfastly  we  do  set,  print,  and  behold  Christ  before  us, 
 the  more  shall  death  be  despised  and  devoured  in  life ;  the 
 heart  also  hath  the  more  rest,  and  may  quietly  die  in  Christ. 
 
 johnxvi.  Therefore  saith  Christ:  "In  the  world,  that  is,  also,  in  your- 
 selves, ye  shall  have  trouble ;  but  in  me  peace.  Be  ye  of 
 good  comfort,  T  have  overcome  the  world." 
 
 Rev. xiv.  "Blessed  are  they  that  die  in  the  Lord."     This  afore- 
 
 time was  figured  and  signified,  when  the  cliildren  of  Israel, 
 being  bitten  of  fiery  serpents,  might  not  struggle  with  them, 
 but  behold  the  brasen  serpent,  namely  Christ.  So  the  quick 
 serpents  fell  away  of  themselves,  and  vanished. 
 
 When  we  now  behold  death  and  the  pangs  of  death  in 
 itself  with    our  own  feeble  reason,  without   Christ,   without 
 
XXVI.]        PREPARATIONS    CONCERNING    GHOSTLY    MATTERS.  81 
 
 God's  word,  specially  out  of  season,  that  is  to  say,  in  the 
 danger  of  death ;  then  hath  death  his  whole  power  and 
 strength  in  our  feeble  nature,  and  killeth  us  with  the  greater 
 pain,  so  that  we  forget  God,  and  are  lost  for  ever. 
 
 CHAPTER  XXVIT. 
 
 OF    REPENTANCE    ,AXD    SORROW    FOR    SIN. 
 
 To  the  intent  that  our  will,  heart,  and  mind  may  right 
 and  truly  receive  and  apprehend  the  Lord  Christ,  we  must 
 first  be  thoroughly  sorrowful  for  our  sinful  life,  and  confess 
 that  there  was  no  remedy,  but  of  ourselves  we  should  have 
 been  damned  for  ever.  This  shrift  or  confession  of  sins  must 
 not  forthwith  be  done  to  the  priest,  but  unto  God,  with 
 hearty  sorrow  and  repentance,  after  the  example  of  the  poor 
 sinner  and  of  the  pubhcan.  Therefore  must  we  also  acknow- 
 ledge, that  with  all  our  own  power  and  works  we  are  able  to 
 prevail  neither  against  death,  nor  other  mischance.  For  how 
 were  it  possible,  that  we,  poor  silly  worms,  feeble  and  weak 
 in  body  and  soul,  should  be  able  to  endure  the  stormy  waves 
 and  intolerable  burden  of  death,  if  the  right  hand  of  God 
 himself  were  not  present  to  help  our  infirmity  ?  Full  truly 
 spake  a  certain  king  in  France,  when  he  lay  on  his  death- 
 bed :  "I  have  been  very  rich,  I  have  had  exceeding  much 
 honour,  my  power  was  passing  great;  and  yet  for  all  my 
 riches,  power,  and  friends,  I  am  not  able  to  obtain  of  death 
 so  much  as  one  hour's  respite." 
 
 CHAPTER  XXVlII. 
 
 OF    TRUE     FAITH. 
 
 To  such  a  confession  belongeth  the  christian  belief,  that 
 we  turn  om^selves  away  from  all  comfort  of  man,  yea,  from 
 all  creatures,  to  the  only  Creator  through  Jesus  Christ,  and  to 
 give  ourselves  over  wholly  unto  him.  With  all  our  natural 
 reason  and  wisdom  shall  we  never  be  able  to  comprehend,  how 
 
 LCOVERDALE,  II.J 
 
82  FIRST    BOOK    OF    DEATH.  [cHAP^ 
 
 it  Cometh  to  pass,  that  the  soul  must  depart  out,  and  yet  be 
 preserved ;  that  worms  consume  the  body,  and  that  the  same 
 yet  shall  rise  again  and  Uve  for  ever.  Therefore  is  there  re- 
 quired faith  in  Clirist  and  in  his  word.  The  sum  hereof  have 
 we  in  the  twelve  articles  of  the  old  ancient  undoubted  chris- 
 tian behef 
 
 And  though  it  be  our  duty  alway,  specially  at  the  time 
 of  death,  earnestly  to  consider  aU  the  articles,  yet  principally, 
 when  we  die,  we  ought  to  exercise  the  four  last  articles  ;  "  the 
 
 t^th!^^^"^  communion  of  saints,  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  the  resurrection 
 of  the  body,  and  the  hfe  everlasting."  For  these  four  in  them- 
 selves comprehend  all  the  power,  commodity,  and  fruit  of 
 faith :  namely,  whosoever  doth  stedfastly  look  for  all  grace 
 and  help  at  God's  hand  through  the  conception  and  birth, 
 death  and  passion,  resurrection  and  ascension,  intercession  and 
 merits  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  standeth,  Uveth,  and  dieth  in  the 
 same  faith  ;  though  all  sins,  devUs,  death,  and  hell  would  fall 
 upon  him  and  oppress  him,  yet  can  they  not  hurt  him. 
 
 To  be  short,  it  is  not  otherwise  possible :  he  must  needs 
 have  fellowship  with  God  and  the  elect,  and  be  quite  dis- 
 charged from  all  sins,  and  joyfully  rise  again  to  eternal  hfe. 
 Yea,  whatsoever  the  Son  of  God  himself  hath,  can  do,  and  is 
 able,  that  same  hath  this  behever  also  obtained ;  neither  can 
 it  go  otherwise  with  him  but  prosperously  in  life  and  death, 
 here  and  in  the  world  to  come,  temporally  and  eternally. 
 
 Witness:  whoso  hath  Christ,  hath  already  the  true  life 
 and  all  blessing ;  for  Christ  is  the  life,  the  resurrection,  and  a 
 
 Eph.ui.  plentiful  sufficiency  of  all  good  things.  Through  faith  doth 
 Christ  dwell  in  our  hearts.  Therefore  through  faith  we 
 obtain  all  consolation  and  blessing. 
 
 That  faith  is  the  true  absolution,  it  may  be  perceived  by 
 the  words  of  Christ,  when  he  saith  so  oft  in  the  gospel :  "Be 
 it  unto  thee  according  to  thy  behef." 
 
 Item,  God  will  constantly  stand  to  his  word  and  promise ; 
 
 Luke  xxi.  he  is  of  nature  the  truth  itself.  Heaven  and  earth  shall  pass, 
 but  his  words  shall  not  pass. 
 
 John  iii.  What  are  now  the  promises  of  God  ?     "  So  God  loved 
 
 the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only-begotten  Son,  that  whosoever 
 beheveth  on  him,  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life." 
 0  how  blessed  a  promise  is  this,  that  if  we  beheve  in  Christ 
 the  Son  of  God,  we  shall  through  him  inherit  eternal  hfe  ! 
 
XXVIII.]  OF    TRUE    FAITH.  83 
 
 Item :  "  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  he  that  heareth 
 my  words,  and  believeth  on  him  that  sent  me,  hath  everlasting 
 life,  and  shall  not  come  into  damnation,  but  is  escaped  from 
 death  unto  life."  Lord,  how  comfortable  a  tiling  is  this,  that 
 a  faithful  behever  by  temporal  death  escapeth  through,  yea, 
 is  already  escaped  into  everlasting  life ! 
 
 Again :  "  This  is  the  will  of  my  Father,  which  hath  sent  john  vi. 
 me,  that  every  one  which  seeth  the  Son  and  beheveth  on  him, 
 have  eternal  hfe  ;  and  I  shall  raise  him  up  at  the  last  day." 
 As  though  he  said :  "  This  is  the  most  gentle  good-will  of 
 God  the  Father,  and  of  God  the  Son,  that  such  a  man  as 
 still  endureth  in  stedfast  confidence  upon  the  grace  and  word 
 of  God,  shall  be  preserved  and  saved  for  ever.  And  even 
 as  httle  shall  sin,  hell,  and  the  devil  be  able  to  hurt  him,  as 
 they  could  hurt  Christ  liimself.  When  the  darkness  of  the  a  puhy 
 night  falleth  down,  it  covereth  the  whole  world,  dimmeth  the 
 colour  and  fashion  of  all  creatures,  feareth  and  discomforteth 
 them ;  yet  is  it  not  of  such  power,  as  to  darken,  suppress, 
 and  quench  the  least  hght  of  all  that  is  found  in  the  world. 
 For  the  darker  the  night  is,  the  clearer  do  the  stars  shine  ; 
 yea,  the  least  light  of  a  candle  withstandeth  the  whole  night, 
 and  giveth  light  round  about  in  the  midst  of  darkness.  A 
 Httle  spark  also  of  a  coal  cannot  the  darkness  cover,  much 
 less  is  it  able  to  quench  it.  Now  is  God  the  true,  everlasting,  uohni. 
 and  heavenly  light.  And  all  they  that  put  their  trust  in  him 
 are  as  a  burning  candle.  For  through  faith  doth  God  dwell 
 in  our  hearts,  and  we  are  the  Hving  temple  of  God,  and 
 Christ's  disciples  are  called  the  hghts  of  the  world.  Hereout 
 followeth  it,  that  though  the  prince  of  spiritual  darkness 
 thrust  in  with  his  noisome  poison  and  plagues ;  yet  shall  we 
 behold  in  faith,  that  he  with  his  poison  and  plagues  can  neither 
 apprehend  nor  destroy  any  true  faithful  man  or  woman,  but 
 shall  be  smitten  back  and  driven  away  perforce. 
 
 A  httle  vein  of  water  breaketh  forth  out  of  the  ground  An  apt 
 
 •ij  similitude. 
 
 sometime  scarce  a  finger  big ;  and  when  the  water  is  gathered 
 into  a  ditch  or  pond,  it  springeth  nevertheless.  And  though 
 the  water  become  heavy  of  certain  hundred  weight,  and  move 
 about  the  fountain,  yet  can  it  not  drive  back  the  fountain,  but 
 it  driveth  the  whole  weight  of  the  water  backward  and  for- 
 ward, and  springeth  still  continually,  tiU  the  ditch  be  so  full 
 that  it  go  over.    And  if  the  other  water  be  foul  and  troubled, 
 
 6 — 2 
 
Jer.  ii. 
 Psal.  xxxvi 
 
 84  FIKST    BOOK    OF    DEATH.  [oFIAP. 
 
 it  cannot  mingle  itself  among  the  fresh  clear  water  of  the 
 fountain ;  but  the  same  remaineth  pure  and  fair,  till  in  time  it 
 come  far  from  the  head  spring. 
 
 Now  is  God  the  only  plentiful  fountain  of  all  Hfe.     And 
 
 johnvii.  the  faithful  are  very  flowing  wells.  For  Christ  saith  :  "Whoso 
 belicveth  on  me,  out  of  his  body,  as  saith  the  scripture,  shall 
 flow  streams  of  the  water  of  Hfe."  Which  words  "  he  spake 
 of  the  Spirit,  that  they  which  believe  on  him  should  receive." 
 Thus  no  mischance  of  this  world  can  spoil  any  faithful  man  of 
 his  comfort  and  life  ;  forasmuch  as  God,  the  eternal  well-spring 
 of  life,  dwelleth  and  floweth  in  his  heart,  and  driveth  all 
 noisome  things  far  away  from  it. 
 
 The^exercise  To  the  iutcut  uow  that  thou  mayest  be  partaker  of  all 
 
 the  fruits  of  faith,  thou  must  manfully  strive  and  exercise  thy 
 belief  after  this  manner.  If  any  imagination  or  thought  con- 
 cerning sin  or  death  will  fear  thee,  though  flesh  and  blood  tell 
 thee  otherwise,  and  thouo;h  thine  own  natural  reason  would 
 make  thee  to  believe  none  other,  and  thou  thyself  feelest  not 
 the  contrary,  but  that  God  of  very  wrath  will  kill  thee  and 
 damn  thee  for  ever ;  yet  let  no  despair  pluck  the  noble  com- 
 fort of  the  Saviour  out  of  thine  heart ;  let  not  thy  heart 
 waver  in  the  loving  and  fatherly  promises  of  God ;  let  the 
 terrible  cogitations  pass,  as  much  as  is  possible.     Remember 
 
 Blessed  of     tlio  comfortablo  gracious  word  of  the  Lord  Jesu.  Comprehend 
 
 God  is  he  that         ,,  .  °     .  it/.  n  ■,  ii 
 
 hath  this  and  keep  it  sure  m  a  stediast  behef,  confidence,  and  hope. 
 Pluck  up  thine  heart,  and  say :  0  death,  thy  false  fear  would 
 fain  deceive  me,  and  with  lying  cogitations  pull  me  away 
 from  Christ,  the  worthy.  I  may  not  hearken  to  thy  fear, 
 neither  accept  it,  I  know  of  a  dear,  valiant,  worthy,  and 
 victorious  man,  that  said  :  "  Be  of  good  comfort,  I  have  over- 
 come  the  world ; "  that  is  to  say,  sin,  death,  devil,  hell,  and 
 
 John  vi.  whatsoever  cleaveth  to  the  world  ;  and,  "  Verily,  verily,  he 
 that  beheveth  and  putteth  his  trust  in  me,  hath  eternal  life." 
 With  the  which  words  the  same  dear,  valiant,  worthy,  and 
 victorious  man  doth  apply  also  unto  me  his  victory  and  power. 
 With  him  will  I  continue,  and  keep  me  to  his  word  and  com- 
 fort, whether  I  live  longer,  or  must  die.  Here  ought  we 
 perfectly  to  be  sure,  that  the  greater  the  battle  of  death  is, 
 the  nearer  is  Jesus  Christ,  to  crown  us  with  mercy  and  loving- 
 kindness. 
 
 Evident   examples  out  of  the  new  and  old  Testament. 
 
XXVIII.]  OF    TRUE    FAITH.  85 
 
 Paul  rejoiceth,    and   boasteth   against   the   terror    of  death : 
 "Death   is   swallowed  up  in  victory.     Death,  where  is  thyicor.xv. 
 victory  ?  Hell,  where  is  thy  sting  ?  "     As  though  he  would 
 say  :  0  death,  thou  mayest  well  make  one  afraid,  as  a  death-  to  the  faith- 
 image  of  wood  may  do ;  but  to  devour  thou  hast  no  might,  comfOT* "  * 
 For  thy  victory,   sting,  and   power   is   swallowed  up  in  the 
 victory  of  Christ.     And  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord  hath 
 God  given  us  the  victory  against  thee,  so  that  aU  true  faithful 
 Christians  are  become  lords  over  death  and  hell.    But  of  such 
 a  faith  is  Paul  not  afraid  to  say  :  "  Whether  we  live  or  die,  Rom.  xiv. 
 Ave  are  the  Lord's." 
 
 And    again    thus    he    speaketh    exceeding    comfortably : 
 "  Christ  is  to  me  life,  and  death  is  to  me  advantage."    For  phii. ;. 
 hereby  go  we  from  labour  to  rest,   from  shame  to  honour,  SOTds'^wM?^ 
 from  heaviness  to  joy,  from  death  to  life.      "  We  know  that  ouThelru. 
 we  are  translated  from  death  unio  hfe."     "  Though  I  walk  in  r^ai.  xxiii. 
 the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death,  yet  fear  I  no  evil ;  for 
 thou.  Lord,  art  with  me." 
 
 Therefore  let  them  fear  death,  that  know  not  Christ,  nei-  unbeiiei. 
 ther  beheve  in  him ;  even  such  as  from  temporal  death  pass 
 unto  death  everlasting.     For  God  giveth  charge  and  com- 
 mandment, that  we  should  receive  comfort  in  the  Lord  Jesu, 
 as  the  words  sound  :  "  Be  of  good  comfort,  I  have  overcome 
 the  world."    Whoso  now  will  not  be  comforted  with  the  Lord  How  God  is 
 Jesu,  doth  unto  God  the  Father  and  the  Son  the  greatest  dis-  by  ourTfr 
 honour  ;  as  though  it  were  false  that  he  biddeth  us,  "  Be  of  a 
 good  comfort ; "  and  as  though  it  were  not  true,  that  he  "  hath 
 overcome  the  world."    And  by  this,  whereas  the  devil,  sin,  and  The  fearer  of 
 death  is  overcome  already,  we  strengthen  them  to  be  our  own  thedevu"^ 
 
 T  t>   •   ^   !>   ^     ,  o*  Tx  i»  1  against  him- 
 
 tyrants   agamst  the  laithiul  true  feaviour.     Hereoi  proceed  seif. 
 such  words  as  these  :  "  I  wot  not  how  to  endure  and  abide  it : 
 alas !  what  shall  become  of  me  ?"  What  is  that  else,  but  to  have  Trust  incur 
 respect  unto  our  own  strength,  as  though  Christ  were  not  at  u'the^^ay  w 
 hand   to  take  our  part,   and  to  finish  the  matter?     Item,  ^°'"''^^'°°' 
 through  unbelief  a  man  desireth  to  remain  here  longer,  whe- 
 ther God  be  content  withal,  or  no.      In  the  sight  of  the  world 
 he  is  taken  to  be  no  honest  man,  that  vilely  forsaketh  his 
 bodily  master  :  doth  not  he  then  procure  unto  himself  ever- 
 lasting shame,  that  in  trouble  of  death  picketh  liimself  away 
 from  Christ,  the  heavenly  master  ?     Witness  :  "He  that  be-  Mark xvi. 
 
86  FIRST    BOOK    OP    DEATH.  [cHAP. 
 
 johniii.  lieveth  not  shall  be  damned.  He  that  beheveth  not  on  the 
 Son  of  God,  shall  not  see  life,  but  the  wrath  of  God  abideth 
 on  him." 
 
 CHAPTER  XXIX. 
 
 OF    HOPE. 
 
 The  work  ^  Faith,  thougli  it  be  no  greater  than  a  little  spark,  gen- 
 
 faith'"'"^'^   dereth  hope,  which  looketh  and  waiteth  for  the  deliverance 
 Psai.  xxxvii.  to  come,  and  shall  undoubtedly  not  come  to  confusion.    "  Com- 
 mit thy  cause  mito  the  Lord,  hope  upon  him ;  and  he  full  well 
 shall  bring  it  to  pass."     Ipse  faciei,  he  himself  will  be  the 
 doer. 
 
 The  good  patriarch  Abraham  is  set  forth  unto  us  for  an 
 example  of  faith  and  hope.  Like  as  he  hoped  against  hope, 
 that  is  to  say,  there  as  nothing  was  to  hope ;  even  so  must 
 our  hope  stand  fast  and  sure  against  aU,  that  our  own  natural 
 reason  or  the  wicked  enemy  can  object  or  cast  m  our  way. 
 
 CHAPTER  XXX. 
 
 OF    THE    SACRAMENTS. 
 
 To  the  confirmation  of  faith  and  hope  serve  the  holy 
 sacraments  of  Baptism  and  of  the  Supper  of  the  Lord.  Bap- 
 tism is  an  undoubted  true  token  and  evidence  of  the  grace  of 
 God,  fastened  even  upon  the  body ;  with  the  which  God 
 promiseth  and  bindeth  himself,  that  he  will  be  thy  God  and 
 Father  for  his  Son's  sake,  and  will  also  preserve  thee  with 
 his  own  Spirit  in  thy  greatest  perils  for  evermore. 
 
 The  sacrament  of  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ  must  be 
 
 The  place  of  exorcisod  and  practised  only  in  the  coming  together  of  the 
 
 anu  persons,  whole  cougrogation  and  church,  according  to  the  example  of 
 
 the  apostles.     Therefore  let  the  sick  satisfy  himself  with  the 
 
 general  breaking  of  bread,  whereof  he  was  partaker  with  the 
 
 whole  congregation  ^     But  let  him  diligently   consider  the 
 
 [1  The  same  opinion  is  maintained  by  Bishop  Hooper  in  his  An- 
 swer to  the  Bishop  of  Winchester's  Book.     Early  Writings  of  Bishop 
 
XXX.]  OP    THE    SACRAMENTS.  87 
 
 fruit  thereof,  after  this  manner :  God  hath  promised  me  his  The  fmit  of 
 grace  in  Christ,  and  given  me  an  assured  token  from  heaven 
 in  tliis  sacrament,  that  Christ's  life  hath  in  his  death  overcome 
 my  death,  and  that  his  obedience  in  his  passion  hath  destroyed 
 my  sins.  This  godly  promise,  token,  and  evidence  of  my 
 salvation  shall  not  deceive  me.  I  will  not  suffer  tliis  to  be 
 taken  from  me,  to  die  for  it.  I  will  rather  deny  all  the  world 
 and  myself  also,  than  to  doubt  in  God's  token  and  promise. 
 Here  the  devil  tempteth  a  man  to  say :  "  Yea,  but  through 
 my  unworthiness  I  may  spill  the  gifts  of  God  that  are  offered 
 me  by  the  word  and  token,  and  so  be  spoiled  of  the  same  for 
 ever."     Answer :    God  giveth  thee   notliino;  for   tliine   own  our  wortw- 
 
 "  .  '-'  ness  to  com- 
 
 wortliiness'  sake ;  yea,  he  buildeth  thee  unworthy  upon  the  municate. 
 worthmess  of  his  own  Son:  if  thou  believe  on  the  Son  of 
 God,  thou  art  and  continuest  worthy  before  the  face  of  God. 
 Item:  Forasmuch  as  thou  hast  gone  heretofore  unto  the 
 Supper  of  the  Lord,  thou  art  through  the  same  sacrament  in- 
 corporated and  conjoined  with  all  them  that  are  sanctified  in 
 God,  and  art  already  come  into  the  fellowship  of  the  saints, 
 so  that  they  with  thee  in  Christ  die  and  overcome. 
 
 CHAPTER  XXXI. 
 
 OF    PRAYER. 
 
 No  man  should  presume  to  exercise  faith,  and  hope,  or 
 other  spiritual  gifts,  out  of  his  own  power ;  but  humbly  to 
 pray  unto  God  for  all  such  things  as  are  needful.  And  seeing 
 we  have  need  of  one  mediator  and  advocate,  God  hath  given  oursura- 
 
 °  ciencyisfrom 
 
 us  his  Son  Jesus  Christ.     Neither  is  any  of  our  prayers  ac-  God. 
 ceptable  unto  God,  but  such  as  we  offer  through  Jesus  Christ,  ueb.  xiii. 
 Therefore  must  we  withdraw  ourselves  from  all  creatm'es, 
 praying  and  desiring  all  things  at  God's  hand  only  through 
 the  name  of  Jesu. 
 
 How  ought  a  man  to  call  upon  God  through  Christ  ?  whaUs^to^^ 
 With  beUef  that  we  doubt  not  but  our  prayer  is  heard  ah^eady. '"  Christ. 
 
 Hooper,  pp.  170—173.  Parker  Soc.  Ed.  The  objection  to  the  isrivate 
 celebration  of  the  Lord's  Supper  prevailed  at  a  very  early  period,  as 
 we  learn  from  the  second  Apology  of  Justin  Martyr,  c.  98.] 
 
88  FIRST    BOOK    OF    DEATH,  [cHAT. 
 
 To  such  a  faith  and  confidence  are  we  occasioned,  in  that  God 
 hath  commanded  us  to  pray,  and  promised  that  he  will  gra- 
 ciously hear  us :  "  Knock,  and  it  shall  be  opened  unto  you, 
 &c." 
 
 For  what  thing  ought  we  to  make  our  prayer  unto  God? 
 
 For  the  understanding  of  his  word,  for  remission  of  sins,  for 
 
 increase  of  faith,  for  love  even  toAvards  our  enemies,  for  help, 
 
 Themodera-  paticuce,  comfort,  and  all  spiritual  gifts.     To  pray  for  health 
 
 for  temporal  and  long  Hfc,  is  not  unriffht,  so  far  as  we  commit  and  refer  it 
 
 things.  °  .  ^  .      , 
 
 unto  the  holy  will  of  God.  For  we  cannot  make  it  better 
 than  the  faithful  Father,  that  knoweth  best  of  all.  And  to 
 pray  for  a  long  life  is  ofttimes  nothing  else  than  to  desire  to 
 isai.  xxxviii.  bo  kept  loug  ill  misei'y.  Good  Hezekiah  yet  prayed  with 
 tears,  that  he  might  Jive  for  a  season. 
 
 Christ,  the  most  perfect  example  of  all,  did  pray ;  "  Fa- 
 ther, if  it  be  possible,  take  this  bitter  draught  from  me ; 
 nevertheless,  not  my  will,  but  thine  be  done."  Like  as  he 
 now  prayed,  as  the  second  and  third  time  most  earnestly ;  so 
 ought  we  also  without  ceasing  to  call  upon  God.  Some  ap- 
 point God  beforehand,  what  death  he  must  suffer  them  to  die. 
 But  they  do  best  of  all,  that  prescribe  unto  the  Lord  their 
 God  neither  fashion  of  death,  nor  time,  neither  other  circum- 
 stance ;  but  refer  all  unto  him,  who  knoweth  what  is  profitable 
 and  good,  better  than  we  ourselves. 
 
 Moreover,  we  must  pray  for  wife  and  child,  for  friend 
 and  enemy,  and  for  the  whole  congregation  of  the  Christians, 
 that  God  may  graciously  take  them  all  into  his  own  protec- 
 tion. Unto  prayer  belongeth  it  also,  cheerfully  to  give  God 
 thanks  for  all  bodily  and  ghostly  benefits. 
 
 CHAPTFFt  XXXIL 
 
 THE    FORM    OF    PRAYEK. 
 
 Prayer  to  0  Almighty  evei'lasting  God,  merciful  Father  of  heaven. 
 
 God  the 
 
 Father.  thou  liast  Created  me  after  thine  own  image,  and  endowed  me 
 with  exceeding  plentiful  gifts.  Yet  notwithstanding  all  thy 
 benefits,  I  have  many  and  sundry  ways  contemned  and  trans- 
 gressed thy  commandments.     All  my  days  are  passed  forth 
 
XXXII.]  THE    FORM    OP    PRAYER.  89 
 
 with  grievous  siiis.  I  fear  and  flee  from  thee,  as  from  a  confession, 
 righteous  judge.  All  this,  whatsoever  it  be,  I  freely  acknow- 
 ledge and  confess,  and  am  sorry  for  it  from  the  ground  of 
 my  heart.  But,  0  heavenly  Father,  I  cry  and  call  for  thy  Desire  of 
 large  and  great  mercy  :  0  enter  not  with  me  into  judgment ; 
 remember  not  the  sins  of  my  youth.  0  think  upon  me  ac- 
 cording to  thy  mercy,  for  thy  name's  sake,  and  for  thy  good- 
 ness, which  hath  been  from  everlasting.  Vouchsafe  to  grant 
 me  thy  mercy,  which  thou  according  to  the  contents  of  the 
 gospel  hast  promised  and  opened  through  thy  beloved  Son,  in 
 such  sort,  that  whoso  beheveth  on  him  shall  have  everlasting 
 life.  Now  is  my  belief  in  Jesu  Christ,  even  in  the  only 
 Redeemer  of  the  whole  world.  I  utterly  refuse  all  other 
 comfort,  help,  and  assistance ;  and  my  hope  is  only  through 
 Christ  to  have  pardon  of  my  sins  and  eternal  hfe.  Thy 
 words  are  true ;  be  it  unto  me  according  to  thy  words :  0  let 
 me  enjoy  the  passion  and  death  of  thine  only -begotten  Son. 
 Take  for  my  sins  the  satisfaction  and  payment  of  our  Lord 
 Jesus  Christ,  according  to  the  tenor  of  my  beUef.  Of  this 
 my  faith  thou  shalt  thyself,  0  Lord,  be  witness,  and  all  thine 
 elect.  My  last  will  also  shall  it  be,  upon  thy  mercy  to  die  in 
 this  faith.  Though  I  now,  by  occasion  of  pain,  lack  of  reason, 
 or  through  temptation  should  happen  or  would  fall  away  ; 
 suffer  me  not  yet,  0  Lord,  to  stick  fast  in  unbehef  and  blas- 
 phemy ;  but  help  mine  imbelief,  strengthen  and  increase  my 
 faith,  that  sin,  death,  the  devil,  and  hell  do  me  no  harm. 
 Thou  art  stronger  and  mightier  than  they :  that  is  only  my 
 trust  and  confidence. 
 
 0  Lord,  the  flesh  is  feeble  and  impatient :  lay  not  thou  Patience  and 
 
 ,,  ..,  ,  lowliness  is 
 
 my  weakness  to  my  charge,  but  burn,  smite,  prick,  and  thesign of 
 plague,  as  thou  wilt  thyself;  only,  I  beseech  thee,  grant  me 
 patience  and  lowliness  of  mind.  Be  thou  the  strength  of  my 
 soul  in  tliis  far  journey,  which  I  have  now  to  go  in  an  un- 
 known land.  Now  shew  thyself  unto  my  poor  soul^  so  as  it 
 may  feel  that  thou  art  my  refuge,  my  help,  protection,  de- 
 fence, comfort,  castle,  my  sm'e  stony  rock,  my  safeguard,  my 
 treasure,  prosperity,  health,  and  Avelfare.  I  yield  myself 
 wholly  unto  thee  with  soul  and  body ;  let  me  never  be  con- 
 founded.    Help  also,  0  heavenly  Father,  that  according  unto  Prayerfor 
 
 1  IT  1  •  •  li"'*'^  enemy. 
 
 thy  commandment   1  may  love  mine  enemies,  and  pray  lor  Matt.  v. 
 them  that  have  hurt  me  ;  and  bring  to  pass,  through  thy  holy 
 
90  FIRST    BOOK    OF    DEATH.  [ 
 
 CHAP. 
 
 Spirit,  that  all  they  whom  I  have  done  harm  unto,  may  also 
 forgive  me,  to  the  commodity  and  health  of  their  own  souls. 
 For  it  rueth  me,  and  sorry  I  am,  that  at  any  time  I  have 
 broken  christian  love  and  charity,  and  beguiled,  deceived,  or 
 offended  any  man  with  evil  example,  or  with  too  few  benefits. 
 I  beseech  thee,  0  Lord,  through  Jesus  Clu-ist,  forgive  thou 
 aU  them  that  ever  have  hurt  me  in  thought,  word,  or  deed. 
 Prayer  for  To  thv  faithfulnoss  and  protection,  O  dearest  Father,  I 
 
 every  man.  ^  ''  •■■  ' 
 
 commit  all  that  concerneth  me,  especially  wife,  children, 
 friends,  and  all  such  as  thou  hast  put  under  my  governance. 
 Comfort  and  help  thou  all  those  that  he  in  bonds,  and  are 
 persecuted  for  thy  word's  sake. 
 
 Have  mercy  upon  all  such  as  are  in  prison,  poverty, 
 sickness,  and  heaviness.  0  bring  thou  the  whole  world  to 
 the  knowledge  of  thy  holy  word,  that  they  may  live  accord- 
 ing to  thy  godly  will,  and  throughout  all  troubles  to  endure 
 and  continue  still  in  the  christian  faith. 
 GS'the*°son  ^  Lord  Jcsu  Christ,  I  beseech  thee,  through  thine  own 
 
 merits,  have  mercy  upon  me.  Seeing  I  myself  cannot  make 
 satisfaction  or  sufficient  amends  towards  the  Father  for  my 
 sins,  I  lay  them  upon  thee,  in  hope  that  thou  hast  already 
 taken  them  away.  For  thou  hast  paid  that  we  ought,  and 
 our  wounds  hast  thou  healed.  O  increase  thou  in  me  and 
 other  men  faith,  patience,  and  consolation,  what  adversity  or 
 trouble  soever  we  be  in.  Thou,  Lord  Jesu,  in  thy  passion 
 didst  pray :  "  Father,  if  it  be  possible,  let  this  cup  pass  from 
 me :  nevertheless,  not  my  will,  but  thine  be  done :"  and  that 
 is  my  prayer  also.  Upon  the  cross  thou  didst  pray  :  "  Father, 
 forgive  them."  Even  so,  Lord,  forgive  I  all  those  that  ever 
 have  done  any  thing  against  me.  Thou  didst  cry :  "  My 
 God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me  ?"  0  Lord,  for- 
 sake not  thou  me  then  in  my  deadly  trouble.  Upon  the 
 cross  thou  saidst :  "  Into  thy  hands  I  commend  my  spirit." 
 Even  so  now,  Lord,  commend  I  my  poor  soul  into  thy 
 hands. 
 Prayer  to  0  thou  Holy  Spirit,  great  is  the  anguish  and  distress 
 
 Ghost.  of  my  heart;  have  mercy  upon  me  for  Jesus  Christ's  sake, 
 I  am  afflicted,  and  so  are  many  more :  0  vouchsafe  thou 
 to  illuminate,  comfort,  and  strengthen  me  and  them  unto  all 
 goodness ;  convey  thou  and  bring  us  out  of  all  trouble,  and 
 fail  us  not,  neither  forsake  us  for  evermore.     Amen. 
 
XXXIir.]  A    FORM    OF    PRAYER    AND    THANKSGIVING.  91 
 
 CHAPTER  XXXIII. 
 
 A    FORM    OF    PRAYER    AND    THANKSGIVING. 
 
 O  Almighty,  eternal,  merciful  God  and  Father,  I  laud  Thanksgiving 
 and  praise  thee,  that  thou  hast  created  me  a  reasonable  man.  Father. 
 and  as  a  Father  hast  preserved  me  to  this  hour ;  keeping  me 
 from  great  dangers  ever  since  I  was  born,  and  doing  me  more 
 good  than  ever  I  was  or  am  worthy.  Especially  I  give  thee 
 thanks  for  thy  endless  grace,  which  thou  shewest  unto  me 
 and  all  faithful,  through  thy  most  dear  beloved  Son ;  in  that 
 he  for  my  sins  would  be  tempted  so  many  ways,  and  suffer 
 so  vile  a  death,  to  the  intent  that  I  from  henceforth  might 
 be  assured  of  faithful  assistance. 
 
 Magnified  and  blessed  be  thy  name,  that  thou  sufferest 
 me  not  to  die  without  knowledge  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  I  thank 
 thee  also,  dearest  Father,  that  thou,  visiting  me  with  this 
 sickness  and  danger,  dost  not  forget  me.  For  in  the  mean 
 season  also  thou  comfortest  and  helpest,  and  full  graciously 
 shalt  thou  bring  the  matter  to  an  end. 
 
 Honour,  praise  and  thanks  be  unto  thee,  my  most  dear  Thanksgiving 
 Lord  Jesu  Christ,  for  thy  holy  incarnation,  for  thy  martyr- 
 dom and  bitter  passion ;  whereby  I  am  perfectly  assured,  that 
 thou  art  my  Redeemer  and  Saviour.      Upon  that  only  set  I 
 my  building  ;  thitherward  standeth  my  hope  ;  there  will  I  be 
 found  cheerfully  and  gladly;  with  thy  help  will   I   depart  Rom. vi. 
 hence ;    trusting  that  as  I  am  partaker  of  thy  troubles,  so  2  xini.  ii.' 
 shall  I  also  have  my  part  in  thy  everlasting  glory;  namely, 
 that  at  the  last  day  thou  shalt  raise  up  this  my  poor  mortal 
 body,  taking  my  soul  unto  thee  immediately  at  my  departing 
 hence.      0  thou  Holy  Spirit,  I  render  unto  thee  praise  and  fo'^fi^g'^g'j'"^ 
 thanks  for  the  true  imderstanding,  behef,  comfort,  patience,  *^'^°*-- 
 and  all  gifts,  which  thou  graciously  dost  minister  and  give  by 
 the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
 
 CHAPTER   XXXIV. 
 
 THAT    THE    PRAYER    IS    HEARD. 
 
 Hereunto  serve  all  psalms  of  prayer  and  thanksgiving. 
 Howbeit,  whatsoever  concerneth  prayer,  it  is  all  comprehended 
 
92  FIRST    BOOK     OF    DEATH.  [cHAP. 
 
 with  few  words  in  the  holy  Fater-noster,  if  it  be  dihgently 
 and  earnestly  considered.  Notwithstanding  no  christian  prayer 
 can  be  done  in  vain,  that  it  should  not  be  faithfully  heard. 
 
 Psai.  xci.  Qq(J  ga^jth  :  "  He  hath  a  desire  unto  me,  and  I  will  dehver  him  : 
 when  he  calleth  upon  me,  I  shall  hear  him ;  yea,  I  am  with 
 him  in  his  trouble,  whereout  I  will  dehver  him,  and  bring 
 him  to  honour.  He  knoweth  my  name,  therefore  will  I 
 defend  him ;  with  long  life  will  I  satisfy  him,  and  shew  him 
 my  salvation."  Yea,  the  whole  Psalter  is  full  of  such  com- 
 fortable promises.     Example  :  if  thou  pray  with  the  murderer 
 
 Lukexxiii.  upon  the  cross,  that  Christ  will  "remember  thee  in  his 
 kingdom,"  thou  shalt  also  in  thy  heart  hear  the  gracious 
 comfort,  "  Tliis  day  shalt  thou  be  with  me  in  paradise." 
 Nevertheless,  whosoever  is  in  trouble,  heaviness,  or  adversity, 
 ought  earnestly  to  desire  the  intercessions  and  prayers  of 
 faithful  behevers. 
 
 CHAPTER    XXXV. 
 
 THAT  THE  WORD  OF  GOD  OUGHT  TO  BE  PRACTISED  AND 
 
 USED. 
 
 Furthermore  he  ought  always  to  have  God's  word 
 before  his  eyes,  and  fervently  to  exercise  liimself  therein. 
 For  whereas  he  faithfully  calleth  unto  God,  he  doeth  it  upon 
 his  Avord ;  and  in  the  word  of  God  he  is  taught  how  to 
 behave  himself  towards  all,  whatsoever  cometh  in  his  way. 
 If  a  man  now  cannot  give  himself  true  information  out  of  the 
 holy  scripture,  whether  it  be  concerning  sins  committed,  or 
 other  temptations ;  then  ought  he  to  ask  counsel  of  his 
 learned  soul-shepherd,  or  of  some  other  men  of  godly  under- 
 john  X.  standing.  The  Lord  sayeth  not  for  nought :  "  My  sheep 
 hear  my  voice,  and  I  know  them,  and  they  follow  me,  and  I 
 give  them  eternal  hfe,  and  they  shall  never  perish." 
 
XXXVI.]  AMENDMENT    OF    LIFE    NECESSARY.  93 
 
 CHAPTER    XXXVI. 
 
 AMENDMENT    OF    LIFE    NECESSARY. 
 
 The  true  faith  bringeth  with  it  naturally  a  stedfast  pur- 
 pose to  live  from  henceforth  according  unto  all  the  com- 
 mandments of  God. 
 
 Christ  also  exhorteth  every  man  rightly  to  exercise  and 
 ■well  to  use  the  gifts  of  God.  Hereof  bringeth  he  in  a  para- 
 ble :  "  A  certain  man,  taking  a  journey  into  a  strange  country,  [Matt,  xxv.] 
 called  his  servants,  and  delivered  unto  them  his  goods.  And 
 unto  one  he  gave  five  talents,  to  another  two,  and  to  the 
 third  one,  &c."  Upon  the  same  doth  the  Lord  appoint  the 
 faithful  servant  his  reward,  and  punisheth  the  sluggish  and 
 evil  servant.  The  righteousness  of  faith  comprehendeth  the 
 fear  of  God,  love  of  thy  neighbour,  patience,  and  all  virtue. 
 Of  this  fear  it  is  written  :  "  The  fear  of  God  is  a  fountain  of  Prov.  xiv. 
 life,  to  avoid  the  snares  of  death."  Neighbourly  love  doth 
 first  and  principally  require,  that  we  friendly  and  unfeignedly, 
 for  God's  sake,  forgive  all  them  that  ever  have  offended  us ; 
 and  again  to  undertake,  as  much  as  lieth  in  us,  to  reconcile 
 all  our  enemies.  Then  doth  charity  require  to  give  alms,  to 
 comfort  the  heavy-hearted,  and  to  practise  all  works  of 
 mercy :  and  look,  who  hath  done  thee  good  in  thy  sickness,  it 
 is  requisite  that  thou  give  them  thanks.  Among  benefits  this 
 is  not  the  least,  when  one  moveth  and  exhorteth  another  to 
 keep  himself  from  all  filthiness.  As  for  bodily  things,  the 
 sick  should  dispatch  them  with  few  words ;  but  such  as  con- 
 cern our  honesty,  the  fear  of  God,  safeguard  in  him,  and 
 the  homage  which  is  due  unto  him,  that  ought  to  be  done 
 with  more  dehberation.  For  look,  what  one  speaketh  at  the 
 point  of  death,  the  same  goeth  deeper  to  the  heart  of  such  as 
 hear  it ;  partly,  because  it  cannot  be  thought,  that  a  man  on 
 his  death  bed,  being  in  greatest  trouble,  will  use  hypocrisy, 
 or  dissemble ;  partly,  for  that  when  the  soul  beginneth  to  be 
 discharged  of  the  body,  it  ofttimes  sheweth  some  token  of 
 the  freedom  and  joy,  with  the  wliich  it  shall,  even  now  forth- 
 with, be  perfectly  endowed.  Example :  the  dear  worthy 
 patriarchs  in  the  old  Testament,  before  their  departing  out 
 of  this  life,  sent  and  called  for  their  children  and  other  folks, 
 instructing  and  exhorting  them  to  submit  themselves  unto  the 
 
94  FIRST    BOOK    OF    DEATH.  [cHAP. 
 
 [1  Mace,  ii.]  law  of  God,  and  diligently  to  walk  therein.  How  faithfully 
 did  Mattathias  at  his  death  speak  to  his  noble  sons,  comfort- 
 ing them  out  of  God's  word  against  all  their  enemies. 
 
 CHAPTER    XXXVn. 
 
 EXHORTATION    UNTO    PATIENCE. 
 
 Finally,  we  cannot  do  better  than  with  God's  help, 
 being  patient  in  all  adversity,  and  stedfast  in  all  tempta- 
 tions, most  gently  and  meekly  to  give  over  our  wills  into  the 
 will  of  God.  I  speak  not  of  such  a  patience  and  vahantness, 
 as  utterly  to  feel  no  more  terror  of  death;  for  that  is  a 
 very  blockish  unsensibleness  of  wild,  mad,  barbarous  people  : 
 but  all  such  feebleness  as  is  felt,  must  a  christian  man  over- 
 come, and  with  faithful  confidence  upon  the  grace  of  God 
 cheerfully  step  forth  before  the  eyes  of  death. 
 
 In  the  passion  and  death  of  Christ  we  have  a  perfect 
 example,  not  only  of  patience,  but  also  of  every  other  thing, 
 that  hitherto  is  vrritten  concerning  preparation  unto  death. 
 
 For  he  is  given  unto  us  of  God  not  only  to  be  our  re- 
 icor.  i.       demption;  but  also  to  be  imto  us  wisdom,  whereby  we  must 
 learn  all  that  is  necessary  for  our  health. 
 
 The  seven  words  that  the  Lord  spake  upon  the  cross, 
 are  specially  to  be  pondered,  weighed,  and  considered. 
 
 The  first ;  "  Father,  forgive  them,  for  they  wot  not  what 
 they  do." 
 
 The  second  :  "  "Woman,  lo !  there  is  thy  son." 
 
 The  third:  "This  day  shalt  thou  be  with  me  in  paradise." 
 
 The  fourth :  "  My  God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken 
 me?" 
 
 The  fifth :  "  I  am  athirst." 
 
 The  sixth :  "  It  is  finished." 
 
 The  seventh :  "  Father,  into  thy  hands  I  commend  my 
 spirit." 
 Examples  of  Througli  the  knowledge  of  Jesus  Christ  did  all  holy 
 fathers  and  servants  of  God  in  the  old  and  new  Testament 
 give  over  themselves  wilhngly  unto  death,  the  way  of  all 
 Luke  ii.  flesh.  Holy  Simeon  saith  :  "  Lord,  now  lettest  thou  thy 
 servant  depart  in  peace,  according  to  thy  word :    for  mine 
 
XXXVII.]  EXHORTATION    UNTO    PATIENCE.  95 
 
 eyes  have  seen  thy  salvation,  which  thou  hast  prepared  before 
 the  face  of  all  people,  &c." 
 
 Seeing  then  that  every  faithful  Christian  doth  no  less  see  a  lesson  to 
 Christ  with  the  eyes  of  his  heart;  he  ought  with  praise  and  ^^*°'^'^' 
 thanks  to  say ;  "  Forasmuch  as  I  am  assured  and  do  con- 
 stantly beheve,  that  I  am  redeemed  and  delivered  by  Jesus 
 Christ,  and  not  destroyed,  but  only  changed  through  the 
 death  of  the  body ;  I  am  right  willing  and  well  content  to 
 depart  hence  and  to  die,  whensoever  now  it  shall  please  the 
 Lord  my  God." 
 
 The  murderer  upon  the  cross  did  willingly  suffer  the 
 death  that  he  had  deserved ;  and  so  he  obtained  the  ever- 
 lasting triumph  of  a  martyr. 
 
 Holy  Steven  was  content  to  suffer  the  fierce  cruelty  of 
 the  enemies ;  for  in  his  last  trouble  he  knelt  down  and  cried 
 with  a  loud  voice  :  "  Lord  Jesu,  receive  my  spirit ;  Lord,  lay  Acts  vii. 
 not  this  sin  to  their  charge." 
 
 Paul,  the  chosen  vessel  of  God,  speaketh  thus  very  com- 
 fortable :   "  My  desire  is  to  be  loosed,  to  depart  hence  out  of  Phii.  i. 
 misery,  and  to  be  with  Christ,  which  thing  is  best  of  all :  for 
 Christ  is  to  me  life,  and  death  is  to  me  advantage." 
 
 These  and  such  noble  examples  of  other  holy  martyrs 
 should  by  reason  provoke  us  feeble  sluggish  Christians  to 
 be  the  more  hardy  and  stout,  and  to  think  thus :  Well,  go  to, 
 thou  hast  as  yet  suffered  no  great  thing  for  the  Lord  Christ's 
 sake ;  therefore  now,  even  as  a  lamb,  give  over  thyself 
 cheerfully  unto  death  for  his  name's  sake. 
 
 Thou  hast  daily  made  thy  prayer,  as  Christ  hath  tauo-ht  Prayer  re- 
 
 _t/  ./    r       ./       '       ^  _  p        quireth 
 
 thee,  that  God  will  take  thee  out  of  this  wicked  world  into  patience. 
 his  kingdom,  and  that  his  will  be  done.     Now  if  he  will  Matt.  vi. 
 graciously  convey  thee  into  his  kingdom,  thou  oughtest  from 
 the  bottom  of  thy  heart  to  rejoice,  and  as  his  own  child, 
 willingly  to  obey  them. 
 
 Forasmuch  as  the  famous  heathen  man,  Socrates,  being 
 before  the  seat  of  judgment,  where  the  matter  touched  his 
 body  and  life,  desired  no  advocate,  neither  submitted  himself 
 to  the  judges,  but  vahantly  disputed  before  them,  and  proved 
 that  there  is  no  evil  in  death ;  it  should  sound  very  evil,  if 
 we  (which  out  of  the  infalUble  word  of  God  are  instructed 
 concerning  a  better  life)  should  forsake  this  life  of  misery 
 with  less  patience,  and  with  more  unquietness  of  mind,  than 
 died  the  heathen  man. 
 
96  FIRST    BOOK    OF    DEATH.  [cHAP. 
 
 CHAPTER  XXXVIIL 
 
 THE    ORIGINAL    AND    FRUIT    OF    PATIENCE. 
 
 To  the  intent  that  the  feebleness  of  our  nature,  which 
 quaketh  at  death  as  at  a  thing  terrible,  may  shew  christian 
 patience,  we  must  cleave  unto  Jesus  Christ  with  true  faith, 
 which  shall  warm  our  hearts  to  have  a  love  and  desire  after 
 the  heavenly  glory  and  everlasting  salvation;  yea,  rather  to 
 lose  an  hundred  bodies,  if  it  were  possible,  than  to  be  destitute 
 of  the  holy  gospel,  whereby  we  are  assured  of  deliverance 
 from  sin,  devil,  and  hell,  by  means  of  the  blood-shedchng  of 
 Jesus  Christ. 
 
 Impatient  folks  grudge  against  God,  pouring  out  all  un- 
 
 thankfulness,  for  that  they  were  not  created  immortal ;  and  so 
 
 imagine  they  in  themselves  a  terrible  cruel   God  ;  yea,  all 
 
 Gen.  XV.       manner   of  vices   grow   out  of  impatiency.      Abraham,   who 
 
 GTiih  ■      other Avise  is  set  forth  for  an  example  of  faith  and  righteous- 
 
 andxxv'i.   '  ucss,  fearing  death  too  sore,  sinned  grievously,  denying  Sara 
 
 to  be  his  wife. 
 Note  this  In   these  latter  clays   (the  more  pity,  God  be  merciful 
 
 well.    What  ,,      ...  ./v  r^' 
 
 christian       unto  US  !)   it  IS  bocomo  a  common  thmo;,  lor  tear  oi  death,  to 
 
 heart  can  .  . 
 
 wuhom^       carry  the  true  belief  only  in  heart  secret,  outwardly  to  deny 
 ''^^'■''         the  holy  gospel,  and  with  mouth,  behaviour,  and  gesture  to 
 serve  antichrist. 
 
 CHAPTER  XXXIX. 
 
 THAT    A    MAN,    WHILE    HE    IS    YET    IN    HEALTH,    OUGHT    TO 
 PREPARE    HIMSELF    BEFOREHAND. 
 
 This  preparation  ought  no  man  to  Hnger  or  defer  till 
 another  time,  though  he  be  never  so  whole  and  sound  ;  but 
 every  one  forthwith  and  daily  to  begin  to  make  himself  for 
 death,  to  the  intent  that  at  aU  hours  he  may  be  found  ready. 
 Like  as  a  stout  and  vahant  soldier,  when  he  must  be  up  and 
 fight  with  the  enemies,  oversleepeth  not  himself,  but  keepeth 
 his  standing,  and  hath  his  weapons  and  harness  already  upon 
 him  ;  so  much  more  ought  we  Christians  at  all  times  to  wait 
 
XXXIX.]  A   MAN   IN   HEALTH  OUGHT  TO   PREPARE  HIMSELF.  97 
 
 upon  our  heavenly  Captain,  when  he  bloweth  the  trump,  that 
 we  may  be  ready  to  pass  forth  with  him.  "  Let  your  loins  L-jkexii. 
 be  girded  about  and  your  lights  burning,  and  ye  yourselves 
 like  unto  men  that  wait  for  their  master,  when  he  will  return 
 from  the  Avedding ;  that  as  soon  as  he  cometh  and  knock- 
 eth,  they  may  open  unto  him  immediately.  Happy  are 
 those  servants,  whom  the  Lord,  when  he  cometh,  shall  lind 
 waking." 
 
 With  this  similitude  doth  Christ  exhort  every  man,  that 
 at  all  times  we  prepare  ourselves  against  his  coming,  Avhen  he 
 knocketh  through  sickness  and  other  dangers  ;  when  he  calleth 
 us  out  of  this  life ;  and  when  he  shall  come  again  out  of  his 
 heavenly  palace  to  judge  the  living  and  the  dead.  The  right 
 preparation  is  true  faith,  fervent  love  and  charity,  the  clear 
 shine  of  all  virtues,  and  specially  a  gentle  willing  mind  to 
 open  unto  the  Lord,  to  let  him  in,  and  with  him  to  pass  into 
 his  royal  and  matrimonial  palace  of  the  everlasting  joyful 
 kingdom. 
 
 The  preacher  saith:  "Remember  thy  Maker  in  thy  youth,  Eed.xii. 
 or  ever  the  days  of  adversity  come,  and  before  the  years 
 draw  nigh,  when  thou  shalt  say,  I  am  weary  of  my  Hfe." 
 Again  we  read :  "  Examine  and  correct  thyself,  before  the  wisd  xviiu 
 judgment  come  :  so  shalt  thou  find  grace  in  the  sight  of  God. 
 Humble  thyself  before  thou  be  sick,  and  declare  in  season 
 that  thou  wilt  cease  from  sin.  Be  not  hindered  to  \n-aj  in 
 due  time,  and  defer  not  thy  amendment  until  death."  No  man 
 knoweth  the  time,  place,  or  manner,  how  he  shall  end  this 
 life.  Many  one  hopetli  yet  long  to  live,  and  thinketli,  "I  am 
 yet  yomig,  I  will  follow  the  world.  When  I  am  old,  or  have 
 a  wife  and  keep  house,  then  will  I  begin  to  frame  myself." 
 But,  O  thou  fool !  who  hath  promised  thee  that  thou  shalt  be 
 an  old  man,  yea,  that  thou  shalt  live  to-morrow  ?  As  nothing 
 is  more  certain  than  death,  so  is  nothing  more  uncertain  than 
 the  hour  of  death,  which  the  Lord  hath  not  opened  to  his 
 best  friends.  Therefore  every  day  think  thou  none  other  a  friendly 
 in  thy  mind,  but  that  thy  glass  is  run  out :  let  every  day  be 
 unto  thee  the  last  day,  seeing  thou  wotest  not  whether  thou 
 shalt  live  till  to-morrow.  Learn  to  beware  by  the  example  of 
 other  men,  upon  whom  stretch-leg  came  suddenly,  and  slew 
 them,  even  when  they  thought  nothing  less  than  to  die. 
 
 Yea,   of  death   ouq-lit  ^\c  to   think,  as  of  that  which  is 
 
 r  .  7 
 
 [COVERDALE,  ILj 
 
98  FIRST    BOOK    OF    DEATH.  [cHAP. 
 
 present :  for  we  have  death  by  the  foot,  and  carry  him  about 
 with  us  in  our  whole  body. 
 
 Like  as  one  in  a  ship,  whether  he  sit,  stand,  awake  or 
 asleep,  is  ever  still  borne  and  carried  forward,  although  he 
 mark  it  not  greatly,  neither  feel  it ;  so  our  life  m  a  continual 
 motion  doth  every  twinkling  of  an  eye  steal  forth,  and  privily 
 creep  to  the  end,  though  we  mark  not  how  the  time  passeth. 
 David  saith :  "  Our  time  goeth  forth  swiftly,  as  though  we 
 did  fly."  As  if  he  would  say,  there  can  nothing  run  or  fly 
 away  more  swiftly.  And  Sirac  saith  :  "  Remember  that  death 
 tarrieth  not." 
 
 Paul  saith  :  "  I  die  daily."  For  even  "  in  the  midst  of 
 life  are  we  in  death:"  yea,  death  daily,  as  soon  as  we  are 
 born,  taketh  away  somewhat  of  our  life.  After  tliis  meaning 
 writeth  Augustine  :  "  The  time  of  this  life  is  nothing  else  but 
 a  rounding  unto  death  ^." 
 
 Moreover,  death  is  daily  set  before  our  eyes  :  we  hear 
 the  sighing  and  lamentable  voices  of  them  that  die ;  we  see 
 the  corses  carried  to  the  burial ;  we  go  by  the  graves  of  the 
 dead ;  we  be  still  talking  of  those  that  are  dead  and  buried. 
 
 If  the  example  of  others  touch  us  but  a  little,  then  let  us 
 consider  ourselves.  Where  is  there  one  of  us,  that  hath  not 
 sometime  been  in  danger  of  life,  either  through  tempest,  sick- 
 ness, pestilence,  murder,  war,  or  other  misfortune  ?  Therefore 
 seeing  death  waiteth  for  us  on  every  side  ;  we  do  wisely,  when 
 we  also  on  every  side  wait  for  him,  that  he  take  us  not 
 unprepared,  or  catch  us  suddenly.  Though  a  man  perfectly 
 knew,  (as  no  man  doth  indeed,)  that  it  should  be  long  before 
 he  died ;  yet  were  it  exceeding  dangerous  to  defer  the  pre- 
 paration till  then.  And  more  profitably  could  not  one  handle 
 the  matter,  than  by  time  and  in  due  season  to  direct  himself 
 unto  that  place,  where  he  desireth  everlastingly  to  remain. 
 For  uncertain  he  is,  when  the  last  hour  cometh,  whether  he 
 shall  convert  himself  to  God,  and  whether  he  shall  have  his 
 right  mind,  or  not. 
 
 Though  he  be  not  robbed  of  his  right  mind,  yet  in  deadly 
 sickness  he  hath  so  much  to  do  with  the  trouble,  that  it  is 
 hard  then  for  him  to  learn  that  he  hath  not  comprehended 
 and  learned  before.     The  unspeakable  pain  of  the  body,  the 
 
 [1  Prsesens  vita  fragilis  est,   et  in  mortem  proclivis. — Augustin. 
 De  verbis  Domini.  Sermo  xxv.  Opera,  Vol.  x.  24.  E.    Ed.  1541.] 
 
XXXIX.]         A   MAN  IN   HEALTH  OUGHT  TO  PREPAKE  HIMSELF.  99 
 
 horrible  sight  of  thine  own  sins,  the  terrible  fear  of  God's 
 judgment,  and  the  cruel  temptation  of  the  devil,  come  al- 
 together upon  one  heap  in  the  perturbance  and  cumbrance 
 of  death,  and  hmder  exceeding  much  in  every  thing  that  one 
 ought  to  think,  speak,  or  do.  If  thou  now  hast  hghtly  re- 
 garded all  warning,  and  so  diest  in  thy  sins,  thou  shalt  not  be 
 able  after  death  to  amend  any  more.  All  repentance  and 
 sorrowing  from  that  time  forth  shall  be  in  vain.  When  the 
 ungodly  dieth,  his  hope  is  gone.  Forasmuch  then  as  it  is  so, 
 that  in  death  we  must  abide  the  sorest  and  most  dangerous 
 conflict  and  battle ;  every  reasonable  man  may  well  perceive, 
 that  we  ought  by  time  and  season,  yea,  all  our  hfe-time,  to 
 prepare  beforehand  against  the  said  battle. 
 
 CHAPTER  XL. 
 
 THAT    THE    FORESAID    THINGS    OUGHT    BY    TIME    AND.   IN 
 DUE    SEASON    TO    BE    TAKEN    IN    HAND. 
 
 Thy  last  will  and  testament  being  made,  while  thy  body  The  fruit  of 
 is  whole  and  sound,  causeth  not  thee  to  die  the  sooner,  as  fetament  m 
 
 -,...■,,.  .  ,  time  of 
 
 our  feeble  understandmg  imagineth ;  but  is  an  occasion  that  health. 
 thou  diest  the  more  quietly,  and  that  thou  then  goest  not 
 first  about  such  thorns,  when  thou  liest  upon  thy  death-bed. 
 Well  done  is  it,  when  one  that  dieth  doth  restore  evil-gotten 
 goods :  but  unto  God  it  is  a  hundred  times  more  acceptable, 
 if  thou  restore  it  thyself,  while  thou  art  whole  and  sound  in 
 body.  It  is  well  done  to  bestow  one  portion  of  goods  for 
 the  relief  of  the  poor :  but  yet  it  is  a  much  more  accept- 
 able offering  unto  God,  when  one  himself  in  his  lifetime  giveth 
 unto  the  poor.  For  that  which  thou  upon  thy  deatli-bed 
 appointest  for  them,  is  not,  always  distributed ;  and  though 
 it  be,  yet  is  it  no  more  thine.  Some  do  even  as  the  wife, 
 that  would  give  none  of  her  pottage  to  any  body,  till  her 
 pot  was  overthrown ;  then  called  she  the  poor  unto  it. 
 
 It  is  well  done  in  the  end  to  forgive  all  men,  and  to 
 pray  unto  God  that  he  also  will  forgive  all  thine  enemies  : 
 
 7—2 
 
T  00  FIRST    BOOK    OF    DEATH.  [cHAP. 
 
 but  much  more  commendable  is  it  to  forgive  them  before, 
 while  thou  hast  thy  health,  and  not  do  it  for  fear  of  death, 
 but  for  the  very  love  of  Christ.  As  for  other  weighty 
 matters  wherewith  thou  art  wrapped,  concerning  wife,  chil- 
 dren, neighbours,  debts,  friends,  or  enemies,  those  likewise 
 oughtest  not  thou  to  defer  till  the  last  day,  wherein  thou 
 liast  enough  to  do  with  the  world,  which  thou  art  loath  to 
 forsake ;  with  death,  whom  naturally  thou  hatest ;  with  the 
 devil,  who  practiseth  all  his  crafty  falsehood  and  subtlety ; 
 with  the  fear  of  hell,  the  terror  whereof  is  horrible.  By 
 means  of  such  things  an  unprepared  man  doth  oft  forget  the 
 grace  of  God  and  the  soul's  health.  For  if  thou,  having 
 alway  a  loving  friend  in  estimation,  doest  contrariwise  httle 
 regard  a  poor  neighbour ;  it  were  no  wonder,  if  thou  shouldst 
 forget  the  same  neighbour  in  the  mean  season,  when  thy 
 dear  friend  is  departed.  Even  so,  when  one  now  hath  alway 
 cast  what  may  do  the  body  good,  howsoever  it  goeth  with 
 the  soul,  no  marvel  that  the  soul's  health  is  neglected,  when 
 the  body  faileth. 
 
 After  this  meaning  doth  holy  Augustine  earnestly  threaten, 
 saying  :  "  With  this  penalty  is  a  sinner  punished,  that  when 
 he  dieth  he  forgetteth  himself,  who  in  his  life-time  thought 
 not  upon  God."  Therefore  while  a  man  is  in  his  flowers  of 
 health,  he  ought  in  such  sort  to  learn  the  comfortable  sayings 
 of  the  gospel,  that  in  his  trouble  they  may  of  themselves  fall 
 into  his  mind ;  or  if  other  men  advertise  him  of  them,  ho 
 may  be  the  better  acquainted  with  them,  and  have  them  on 
 his  finger's  end,  as  them  that  he  hath  known,  exercised,  and 
 used  before. 
 
 Moreover  faith,  whereby  we  overcome  death  and  hell, 
 hath  her  beginning,  increase,  and  strength,  and  is  du^ect  not 
 only  above,  but  also  against  all  the  natural  reason  of  man, 
 that  the  infinite  eternal  God  should  freely,  of  a  very  gracious 
 favour  through  his  dear  Son,  take  our  part  that  are  most 
 grievous  sinners.  Therefore  by  times  and  in  due  season, 
 through  the  preaching  of  the  word,  through  the  prayer  and 
 sacrament,  should  faith  in  us  be  planted,  increased,  practised, 
 and  made  perfect. 
 
 In  the  mean  time,  as  long  as  we  live,  ought  we  to  pray 
 and  beseech  God  of  a  gracious  hour  and  blessed  end ;  and 
 
XL.]         THINGS    IN    DUE    SEASON    TO    BE    TAKEN     IN     HAND.  101 
 
 when  the  end  drawcth  nigh,  to  put  God  in  remembrance  of 
 the  same  prayer,  as  well  as  of  his  commandment  and  pro- 
 mise, in  that  he  hath  not  only  charged  ns  to  pray,  but 
 promised  also  that  he  'will  graciously  hear  us. 
 
 Daily  ought  we  to  have  remorse  of  conscience,  where  as  oh  most 
 we  have  failed,  to  repent  and  be  sorry,  to  crave  of  God  for- |[?e'Srpra°ce 
 p-iveness,  and  to  take  upon  us  immediately  to  amend  all  such  and  with  im- 
 
 .  .  .  .      .  feigned 
 
 thinp-s  as  are  amiss.     For  m  the  sip-ht  of  God  it  is  a  thou-  ^e.a>■ts  to  put 
 
 o    ^  ~  _  _  It  in  practice. 
 
 sand  times  more  acceptable  to  cease  from  evil  by  time  in  due 
 season,  before  trouble  come,  than  that  present  danger  and 
 fear  should  force  us  to  amendment. 
 
 He  that  is  fallen  into  a  deep  foggy  well,  and  sticketh 
 fast  in  it,  will  he  not  straightway  call  unto  every  man  to 
 help  him  out  one  way  or  another  ?  Will  he  not  make  a  sore 
 moan,  howsoever  men  haste  to  deliver  him?  Out  of  doubt 
 he  that  goeth  above  with  sin  and  vice,  hangeth  by  a  bare 
 weak  thread,  so  to  say,  above  the  pit  of  hell ;  yea,  he  is 
 now  in  hell  already,  forasmuch  as  he  turneth  not  from  sin 
 to  the  grace  of  God. 
 
 Then  must  it  needs  be  an  horrible,  devilish,  and  obstinate 
 blindness,  when  one  sticketh  fast  in  such  a  state  of  hfe,  as  is 
 altogether  cursed,  and  yet  will  appoint  a  day  a  great  while 
 hence  for  to  come,  and  therein  think  to  begin  to  give  the 
 devil  his  leave;  when  he  knoweth  not  himself,  whether  he 
 shall  live  till  that  day,  and  whether  he  shall  then  have  a  mind 
 to  convert. 
 
 For  to  have  a  will  unto  true  repentance,  is  a  free  gift 
 of  God,  which  ought  of  him  daily  to  be  desired,  that  the 
 common  j)roverb  be  not  verified  in  us :  "  Vicious  life,  unhappy 
 death."  He  that  will  lie  well  and  soft,  must  make  his  bed 
 hereafter.  Yet  for  all  this  it  is  not  my  mind  to  shut  up 
 the  grace  of  God  into  a  narrow  strait,  or  to  bid  any  man 
 despair.  When  an  evil-disposed  man,  that  feareth  not  God, 
 lieth  upon  his  death-bed,  being  afraid  of  hell  and  damnation, 
 he  may  happen  to  desire  of  God  longer  life,  for  this  intent 
 that  he  may  afterward  amend,  become  a  better  man,  and  more 
 directed  to  die.  But  let  not  such  vain  thoughts  trouble  thee. 
 For  though  thou  shouldst  live  yet  an  hundred  years  longer, 
 thou  mightest  through  thine  own  perfectness  deserve  nothing 
 toward  God.      But  be  thou  of  this  assured  without  all  doubt. 
 
102  FIRST    BOOK    OP    DEATH.  [cHAP.   XL.] 
 
 that  there  can  no  true  repentance  come  too  late.  Turn  thee 
 yet,  even  this  present  day,  unto  God ;  be  heartily  and  un- 
 feignedly  sorry  for  thy  sins ;  be  of  a  good  mind  and  whole 
 purpose,  that  if  God  help  thee  up  again,  thou  wilt  amend 
 all  things.  Nevertheless  comfort  thyself  by  that  only  mean 
 which  God  hath  prescribed ;  namely,  the  Lord  Jesus.  So 
 shalt  thou  be  sure,  with  the  murderer  upon  the  cross,  to  have 
 gracious  favour  for  ever. 
 
THE 
 
 SECOND   BOOK  OF   DEATH. 
 
 CHAPTER  I. 
 
 HOW    THE    SICK    OUGHT    TO    BE    SPOKEN    UNTO,    IF    NEED 
 SHALL    REQUIRE. 
 
 Hitherto  have  we  declared,  how  one  ought  to  use  him- 
 self in  the  dangers  of  body  and  life. 
 
 Now  followeth,  how  we  should  behave  ourselves  towards 
 them  that  be  in  like  ease.  Hereof  did  David  sing  these 
 words  in  the  41st  Psalm :  "  Blessed  is  he  that  considereth 
 or  thinketh  upon  the  poor ;  for  in  the  time  of  trouble  the 
 Lord  shall  deliver  him.  The  Lord  shall  preserve  him  and 
 save  his  life ;  he  shall  make  him  prosper  upon  earth,  and 
 shall  not  deliver  him  into  the  will  of  his  enemies.  When  he 
 himself  lieth  sick  upon  his  bed,  the  Lord  shall  refresh  him ; 
 yea,  thou,  Lord,  makest  his  bed  in  all  his  sickness."  Item, 
 he  that  is  judge  of  us  all  shall  at  the  latter  day  pronounce 
 this  sentence :  '•'  Come,  ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  possess  the 
 kingdom  that  hath  been  prepared  for  you  from  the  beginning 
 of  the  world.  For  I  was  sick,  and  ye  visited  me."  O  what 
 a  wicked  unbelief  is  this,  that  we  are  more  afraid  at  a  httle 
 adversity  and  uncertain  danger,  than  encouraged  by  such  a 
 godly,  sure,  and  faithful  promise  ! 
 
 Therefore  among  the  greatest  works  of  mercy  this  is 
 reckoned,  to  visit  the  sick,  to  have  compassion  on  them,  to 
 give  them  good  counsel,  and  to  comfort  them.  Which  thing- 
 must  be  done  with  reason  and  chscretion,  to  the  intent  that 
 neither  too  little  nor  too  much  be  meddled  withal.  Too 
 little  were  it,  to  cause  the  sick  still  to  beheve,  that  he  shall 
 shortly  come  up  again  and  recover.  For  such  fond  hope 
 have  men  already  of  their  own  nature,  and  thereby  sometime 
 they  oversee  themselves. 
 
]04?  SHCOND    BOOK    OF    DEATH.  [cHAP. 
 
 Again,  it  were  too  iniicli  to  deal  rouglily  with  one  that 
 is  weak  of  faith,  and  suddenly  to  fear  him  with  death  :  that 
 were  even  as  much  as"  to  break  the  bruised  reed,  and  utterly 
 to  quench  the  smoking  flax,  contrary  to  the  example  of 
 Christ  our  Lord. 
 
 A  whole  instruction  ought  to  be  given  unto  such  sick 
 persons  as  have  need  thereof,  to  make  them  strong  and 
 willing  unto  the  cross  and  death.  And  so  should  they  also 
 be  put  in  mind,  what  death  is,  whence  it  came,  and  where- 
 fore, what  it  docth  through  the  grace  of  God  for  Christ's 
 sake,  by  whose  Spirit  and  power  the  most  horrible  death  of 
 all  is  overcome.  Hereof  is  spoken  sufficiently  in  the  chapters 
 p'oino;  before. 
 
 Out  of  the  which  foundation,  it  may  thus  be  spoken  unto 
 the  sick :  "  Thou  hast  the  Almighty  God  thy  dear  Father, 
 and  Jesus  Christ  thine  intercessor  and  Saviour,  who  hath 
 taken  all  thy  cause  in  hand ;  let  him  alone  withal ;  he  will 
 not  suffer  thee  to  perish,  but  give  thee  his  holy  Spirit, 
 which  shall  conduct  thee  into  eternal  joy  and  salvation. 
 Only  direct  thou  thyself  even  now  at  this  present,  and  pre- 
 pare thee  to  depart,  giving  all  temporal  things  their  leave, 
 having  a  right  understanding  of  the  holy  gospel,  and  exer- 
 cising the  true  belief  thereof  by  fervent  prayer,  charitable 
 love,  and  patience. 
 
 "  Turn  thee,  for  God's  sake,  fiH)m  all  creatures  to  the 
 Creator  and  Maker;  turn  thee  from  wife  and  child,  turn  thee 
 from  temporal  goods  and  honour,  considering  that  none  of 
 them  can  help  thee,  neither  from  sin,  nor  from  death.  All 
 that  thou  leavest  behind  thee,  the  Lord  according  to  his 
 almighty  providence  shall  well  and  fatherly  take  care  for 
 them.  He  that  hath  created  thy  wife  and  children,  shall 
 also  provide  them  a  living,  as  he  hath  sent  unto  thee  all 
 things  necessary,  even  unto  this  hour." 
 
 Afterward  ought  not  the  mind  of  the  sick  to  be  disturbed 
 or  pointed  hither  and  thither,  up  and  down,  as  (the  more 
 pity!)  they  use  to  do  in  the  papistry;  but  only  unto  God  the 
 Father  through  Jesus  Christ,  according  to  the  contents  of 
 The  spiritual  the  wliolc  gospcl,  after  this  meanino- :  "Dost  thou  believe 
 and  confess  from  the  ground  of  thy  heart,  that  there  is  but 
 one  only  God,  who  hath  given  thoe  body  and  soul,  meat 
 and  drink,  lodging  and  clothing,  Avith  all  other  necessaries, 
 
I.]  HOW    THE    SICK     OUGHT    TO     BE    SPOKEX     UNTO.  105 
 
 and  graciously  helped  thee  out  of  many  grievous  mischances 
 
 and    miseries?"      Then    let   the    sick  say:    "Yea,    that    I  The  sick. 
 
 acknowledo;e  and  confess." 
 
 "Dost  thou  also  confess  that  thou  oughtest,  above  allThecom- 
 things,  to  ■  have  feared  and  worshipped  this  thy  gracious 
 Maker  and  Father,  and  to  have  loved  him  with  all  thy 
 heart,  with  all  thy  soul,  with  all  thy  strength,  and,  for  his 
 sake,  thy  neighbour  as  thyself?  Hath  not  God  deserved 
 that  at  thy  hand?"  Then  let  him  say:  "O  Lord  God,  I  The  sick. 
 should  indeed  have  done  so." 
 
 "  Acknowledge  thou  likewise,  that  thou  oft  and  many  a  The  com- 
 time  hast  wittingly  and  willingly,  of  very  ungraciousness, 
 done  against  God  and  thy  neighbour ;  by  means  whereof 
 thou  hast  justly  deserved  the  everlasting  wrath,  plague,  and 
 indignation  of  God  in  body  and  soul."  Then  let  him  say  : 
 "  O  sir,  it  is  all  too  true;  I  yield  myself  guilty,  and  confess  The  sick. 
 it  before  God."     "Well,  g-reater  and  more  horrible  sins  than  Thecom- 
 
 ~       .  .  forter. 
 
 these  couldst  not  thou  do,  if  thou  wouldst  still  not  regard 
 the  wrath  and  rigorous  judgment  of  God,  as  thou  hast  done 
 heretofore.  How  art  thou  minded?  Dost  thou  desire  and 
 pray  from  the  ground  of  thy  heart,  that  God  will  preserve 
 thee  from  such  slender  regarding  of  thine  own  sins,  and  of 
 his  just  wrath  and  judgment?  Desirest  thou  also  with  thy 
 whole  heart,  that  God  will  not  deal  with  thee  after  his  divine 
 judgment  and  justice,  but  according  to  his  fatherly  mercy, 
 and  that  he  will  remit  and  forgive  thy  sins  and  trespasses  ?" 
 Then  let  him  say  :  "  Yea,  that  is  my  desire  from  the  bottora  The  sick. 
 of  my  heart." 
 
 "  God  from  heaven  did  send  unto  thee  his  dear  and  only-  The  com- 
 begotten  Son,  who  took  upon  him  the  nature  of  man,  and 
 in  his  death  upon  the  cross  he  bare  not  only  our  trespass, 
 but  the  pain  also  and  punishment  due  for  the  same,  maldng 
 full  payment  and  satisfaction  for  us.  John  the  Baptist  with 
 his  linger  pointeth  unto  Christ,  and  sayeth :  '  Lo,  this  is 
 God's  Lamb,  that  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world.'  And 
 John  the  evangelist  saith :  '  The  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  i  John  i. 
 cleanseth  us  fix)m  all  sin."  Dost  thou  now  confess,  that 
 Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  died  and  rose  again  for 
 thee  also?  And  wilt  thou,  as  one  parcel  of  the  world, 
 one  broken  reed,  one  piece  of  smoking  flax,  and  one  lost 
 sheep,   cast  all  thy  sins  upon  him;   embracing  this  comfort 
 
106  SECOND    BOOK     OF    DEATH.  [cHAP. 
 
 of  the  gospel  in  thy  heart,  and  comprehending  it  with  a 
 strong  stedfast  behef  ?"  Then  let  him  say  :  "  O  Lord  Jesu, 
 my  heart's  desire  is  of  thee  to  be  healed,  comforted,  and 
 refreshed.  And  thanks  be  unto  God  for  evermore,  that  I 
 may  have  him  my  mediator  and  redeemer !  I  will  wholly 
 commit  and  yield  myself  unto  him." 
 
 "  Then,  upon  this,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  by  his  godly 
 word  and  gospel  sendeth  thee  this  message ;  '  Thy  sins  are 
 forgiven  thee,  and  in  his  sight  are  all  taken  away :  not  only 
 the  sin,  but  the  pain  also  due  for  the  same ;  namely,  ever- 
 lastins:  death,  hell,  and  damnation :  so  that  thou  shalt  be 
 received  again  as  a  dear  acceptable  child,  and  heir  of  eternal 
 life.'  BeHevest  thou  this  comfortable  promise  of  Jesu  Christ  ?" 
 Then  let  him  say :  "  Yea,  but,  O  merciful  God,  strengthen 
 thou  my  weak  behef." 
 
 The  sum  of  all  this  is  contained  in  the  articles  of  the 
 christian  belief,  which,  with  the  aforesaid  interpretation,  may 
 be  rehearsed  unto  the  sick. 
 
 "And  to  the  intent  that  thy  heart  may  be  set  at  rest, 
 and  thou  assured  in  thy  faith,  therefore  hath  Christ  instituted 
 his  holy  Supper  and  sacrament  of  his  body  and  blood ;  wherein 
 he  doth  signify,  witness,  and  put  to  his  seal,  that  even  thou  also 
 art  one  of  those  many,  for  whom  he  gave  his  body  and  shed 
 his  blood.  ISTow  when  sin,  death,  hell,  devil,  and  God's  wrath 
 tempteth  and  turmoileth  thy  conscience,  thou  must  with  the 
 same  sacrament,  as  with  the  word  of  God,  comfort  thy  con- 
 science, that  Christ  Jesus  with  his  body  and  hfe  is  thy  surety ; 
 and  that  his  soul  and  blood,  and  all  that  he  is,  standeth  for  thee 
 and  on  thy  side,  against  all  bodily  and  ghostly  enemies."" 
 
 Moreover,  thou  must  bid  the  sick  call  upon  God  for  faith, 
 patience,  and  other  spiritual  gifts. 
 
 Some  time  recite  before  him  the  Lord's  Prayer,  with  a 
 short  exposition,  that*he  may  direct  his  prayer  the  better. 
 
 Exhort  also  all  such  as  stand  about  the  sick  to  pray  for 
 him,  considering  that  our  Lord  hath  made  a  rich  and  faithful 
 promise:  "Where  two  or  three  are  assembled  in  his  name,  he 
 himself  will  be  in  the  midst  among  them,  and  grant  them 
 their  desire." 
 
 And  forasmuch  as  all  instructions  must  be  taken  of  the 
 word  of  God,  therefore  before  the  sick  these  parcels  following- 
 may  be  read. 
 
I.]  HOW    THE    SICK    OUGHT    TO    BE    SPOKEN     UNTO.  107 
 
 The  vi.  Psalm,  which  beginneth :  "  Lord,  rebuke  me  not 
 in  thine  anger,"  &c. 
 
 The  xxii.   "  My  God,  my  God,"  &c. 
 
 The  XXV.   "  Unto  thee,  0  Lord,"  &c. 
 
 The  xxvii.   ''  The  Lord  is  my  Mght,"  &c. 
 
 The  xlii.   "  Like  as  the  hart  longeth,"  &c. 
 
 The  h.   "  Have  mercy  upon  me,"  &c. 
 
 The  xci.  "  Whoso  dwelleth,"  &c. 
 
 The  cxvi.  "  I  am  well  pleased,"  &:c. 
 
 The  cxxxix.  "  0  Lord,  thou  searchest  me,"  &c. 
 
 The  cxliii.   "  Hear  my  prayer,  0  Lord,"  &c. 
 
 The  Prayer  of  King  Hezekiah :  Isaiah  xxxviii. 
 
 The  Psalm  of  Simeon  :  "  Nunc  dimittis."     Luke  ii. 
 
 The  xi.  chapter  of  John  ;  of  Lazarus. 
 
 The  xiv.  and  xvii.  of  St  John's  gospel. 
 
 The  Passion  of  Christ,  and  specially  concerning  the  one 
 of  the  two  murderers. 
 
 The  viii.  chapter  to  the  Romans. 
 
 The  1  Corinthians  xv.  All  which  places  serve  to  make 
 the  prayer  fervent,  and  to  strengthen  true  belief. 
 
 Furthermore,  the  sick  ouo-ht  to  be  told  of  the  fruits  of 
 faith,  because  of  provoking  thankfulness  for  the  unspeakable 
 grace  of  God ;  with  exhortation  to  forgive  his  enemies,  to 
 do  every  man  good  according  to  his  power,  and  in  every 
 point  to  amend  his  own  life  and  conversation ;  but  especially 
 with  a  patient,  gentle,  quiet,  and  good  willing  mind  to  wait 
 for  deliverance. 
 
 Namely  thou  mayest  say  thus :  "  Take  up  thy  cross 
 upon  thy  neck  patiently,  and  follow  Christ  thy  Lord.  Re- 
 member, and  behold  Christ  hanging  in  great  martyrdom  upon 
 the  cross.  He  suffered  patiently  until  his  Father's  will  was 
 fulfilled  in  him.  Even  so  thou  also  hold  still  unto  the  Lord 
 thy  God,  that  he  may  perform  his  will  in  thee :  if  it  be  his 
 good  pleasure  now  to  take  the  stinking  transitory  flesh  from 
 thee,  to  purify  it,  and  to  make  an  eternal  glorified  body  of 
 it,  thou  hast  great  cause  to  rejoice." 
 
 When  the  sick  is  drawino;  away,  and  speechless,  having  At  the  point 
 
 1  T  1  O  .7'  1  •  1  1        oi' death. 
 
 yet  understandmg,  thou  mayest  speak  unto  hnn  these  Avords : 
 "  Fight  valiantly,  as  a  worthy  Christian,  and  despair  not ;  be 
 not  afraid  of  the  rigorous  judgment  of  God ;  hold  thee  fast 
 to  the  comfortable  promise  of  Christ,  thereas  he  saith :    '  I 
 
108  SECOND    BOOK    OF    DEATH.  [ciIAP. 
 
 am  the  Eesurrection  and  the  Life.  He  that  beheveth  on  me 
 shall  live,  though  he  were  dead ;  and  whoso  liveth  and  be- 
 lieveth  on  me,  shall  never  die.'  In  him  is  thy  behef ;  there- 
 fore shalt  thou  live  with  him  for  ever.  Christ  thy  Saviour 
 joiinx.  shall  never  forsake  thee.  There  can  no  man  pluck  thee  out 
 Luhexxi.  of  his  hand.  Heaven  and  earth  shall  pass,  but  God's  word 
 endureth  for  ever.  Have  thou  therefore  no  doubt,  thou  shalt 
 after  this  battle  receive  the  crown  of  everlasting  life," 
 
 Ask  now  the  man,  whether  he  understand  and  believe ; 
 desire  a  token  of  him,  and  cry  unto  him  fair  and  softly  : 
 "  Good  brother,  upon  thy  soul's  health  depart  not,  shrink  not 
 away  from  Jesus  Christ ;  commit  thy  soul  unto  thy  faithful 
 God  and  loving  Father.  Speak  from  thy  heart-root  with 
 Christ  thy  brother  upon  the  cross :  'Father,  into  thy  hands, 
 into  thy  protection  and  defence,  I  commit  my  spirit.'" 
 
 When  his  understanding  is  past,  commit  him  unto  God. 
 Make  thy  prayer  alone,  or  with  others,  that  God  will  take 
 this  sick  man  into  eternal  life,  and  grant  him  a  joyful  re- 
 surrection at  the  last  day,  only  for  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ's 
 sake.     Amen. 
 
 CHAPTER   IL 
 
 OF    THE    BURIAL,    AND    WHAT    IS    TO    BE    DONE    TOWARDS 
 THOSE    THAT    ARE    DEPARTED    HENCE. 
 
 The  soul  of  the  dead,  as  soon  as  It  is  departed  from 
 hence,  cometh  Into  a  state  there,  as  prayers  (if  one  would 
 make  them  for  him  afterward)  have  no  place,  and  are  either 
 unprofitable,  or  else  vain ;  yea,  offensive  also,  and  hindrance 
 to  our  christian  belief. 
 
 The  body  of  him  that  is  departed  ought  reverently  and 
 soberly  to  be  conducted  unto  the  earth,  and  buried.  For  that 
 is  the  last  service  that  we  can  do  for  such  as  are  departed, 
 and  thereby  may  we  declare  our  charitable  love  towards  them. 
 In  the  mean  season,  when  we  reverently  commit  the  body, 
 as  the  wheat  corn,  unto  the  earth,  we  testify  our  belief  of 
 the  resurrection  for  to  come.  The  scripture  also  commendeth 
 those  that  faithfully  will  have  to  do  with  burying  of  the  dead, 
 
U.I        OF  THE  RURIAL   OF  THOSE  WHO   ARE  DEPARTED  HENCE.       109 
 
 after  the  example  of  Tobias.  Of  inisordering  the  bodies  of 
 the  dead  writeth  Plato,  the  heathen  philosopher :  "  Is  it  not 
 a  bond,  greedy  and  voluptuous  thing,  to  spoil  the  dead  corpse, 
 and  to  rage  against  the  body  as  an  enemy,  when  the  enemy 
 that  fought  in  the  body  is  departed  away  ?  What  differ 
 they  from  dogs,  which  bite  the  stone  that  is.  cast  at  them, 
 and  let  him  go  free  that  cast  it  ?  There  is  no  diiference. 
 Of  such  points  ought  we  to  beware,  for  they  bring  hurt  unto 
 victory." 
 
 Of  gorgeous  graves  and  sepulchres,  it  is  written  in  the 
 poet  Euripides :  "  Men's  minds  are  mad,  when  they  bestow 
 vain  cost  upon  dead  bodies'."  For  if  we  consider  the  matter 
 right,  we  must  needs  greatly  marvel,  that  ever  a  man  should 
 fall  into  such  a  frensy,  as  to  use  pride  after  death. 
 
 Touching  the  place  of  burial,  it  is  to  be  noted,  that  by 
 such  ordinary  means  as  be  permitted  us  we  are  bound  to 
 avoid  sickness  and  all  hurt.  Now  out  of  graves  there  come 
 naturally  evil  savours  or  vapours,  which  alter  and  change 
 the  air,  and  increase  the  disease  of  the  pestilence,  when  the 
 church-yard  or  place  of  burial  standeth  in  the  midst  of  cities 
 or  towns.  Therefore  both  the  Jews,  heathen,  and  Christians, 
 were  wont  to  have  their  burials  without  the  cities.  For  what 
 time  as  Christ  raised  the  widow's  son  from  death,  the  evan- 
 gelist saith:  "When  he  came  nigh  unto  the  gate  of  the  city,  Lukevn. 
 behold,  there  was  carried  out  one  dead,  who  was  the  only 
 son  of  his  mother,  she  being  a  widow,  and  much  people  of 
 the  city  with  her."  Moreover  the  sepulchi'e  of  our  Lord 
 Jesus  Christ  was  without  the  city.  But  the  pope  and  his 
 adherents  with  their  money  market  found  here  a  treasure 
 bag,  otherwise  persuading  the  people ;  as  though  to  lie  hero 
 or  there  did  further  or  hinder  salvation. 
 
 Afterward  let  the  dead  rest  quietly,  no  evil  being  spoken  Good 
 of  them  of  malice,  but  good,  though  they  were  our  enemies : 
 of  malice,  I  say ;  for  otherwise  must  vice  and  sin,  as  well  of 
 the  dead  as  of  the  living,  be  declared  and  rebuked,  that  others 
 may  beware.  The  old  poet  Mimnermus  writeth  :  "  We  are 
 all  inchned  to  envy  an  excellent  famous  man,  but  after  death 
 
 [}  'Avdpanrcov   Se   fjLaLvovTai   cf)peves, 
 danavas   otuv   Bavovcn  neinrcoaiv   Kevds. 
 
 Euripides,  Polyid.  Fragm.  v.] 
 
110  SECOND    ROOK    OF    DEATH.  [cHAP.   II,] 
 
 to  praise  him\"  Therefore  do  tliey  not  only  against  christian 
 charity,  but  also  against  man's  nature,  that  disdain  to  give 
 unto  the  dead  their  due  praise  and  commendation. 
 
 Especially  when  one  that  hath  shewed  us  friendship  and 
 kindness  is  departed,  we  ought  never  to  forget  his  benefits, 
 but  to  declare  our  thankfulness  to  his  kinsfolks  or  friends. 
 But  if  we  carry  the  remembrance  of  them  to  the  grave,  and 
 bury  it  with  the  corpse,  thinking  no  more  upon  their  gentle- 
 ness ;  then  are  we  like  unto  wild  beasts,  that  are  hot  and 
 burning  in  desire,  but  as  soon  as  the  thing  desired  is  out  of 
 sight,  the  love  is  quenched.  Hereof  complaineth  the  poet 
 Euripides  :  "  Seldom  are  there  found  faithful  constant  friends 
 after  death,  though  aforetime  they  were  joined  never  so  near 
 together,"  The  thankfulness  that  is  shewed  to  him  that  is 
 present  passeth  away  and  vanisheth,  when  one  is  carried  out 
 of  the  house. 
 
 [1  Aeivol  yap   dvSpl   Tvavres  ecrpev   ei/cXeet 
 ^wvTt   (j)6ovTJ(Tai,    Kardavovra   S'    alvecrai. 
 
 Mimnermiis  apud  Brunck.  Analecta.] 
 
THE 
 
 THIRD   BOOK   OF   DEATH. 
 
 CHAPTER  I. 
 
 HOW    THEY    OUGHT    TO    BE    COMFORTED,    WHOSE    DEAR 
 FRIENDS    ARE    DEAD. 
 
 Naturally  we  mourn,  weep,  and  lament,  when  om'  kins- 
 follv  and  friends  depart.  When  father  and  mother  dieth,  the 
 son  and  the  daughter  remembereth,  how  many  a  footstep  the 
 elders  went  faithfully  and  worthily  to  provide  them  their 
 living :  yea,  if  it  had  been  possible,  they  would  have  shewed 
 the  child  their  own  soul,  and  given  them  the  heart  in  their 
 body. 
 
 Again,  the  parents  consider  how  good  obedient  children 
 they  have  had  of  their  sons  or  daughters ;  and  what  honour 
 and  joy  fulness  more  they  might  have  had  of  their  children, 
 if  they  should  have  lived  longer. 
 
 The  sisters  and  brothers  remember,  that  they  came  of 
 one  father,  being  born  under  one  motherly  heart,  brought 
 up  in  one  house,  eating  and  drinking  at  one  table.  If  it 
 ■were  else  a  man's  companion,  he  thinketh,  he  was  my  faithful 
 dear  friend,  he  did  no  man  hurt  nor  harm,  but  desired  to  do 
 every  man  service,  and  that  so  honestly,  that  a  man  might 
 have  trusted  him  with  his  own  soul. 
 
 If  he  were  a  good  ruler,  we  thmk  he  was  to  his  own 
 native  counti'y  true  and  faithful,  and  excellently  well  inclined 
 to  the  welfare  thereof;  who  hath  not  then  good  cause  to  be 
 sorry  for  his  departing  ?  This  is  the  cause,  that  the  blood 
 naturally  gathereth  together,  so  that  we  are  sorrier  for  the 
 death  of  such  one  than  of  another  private  man.    • 
 
 Such  heaviness,  pity,  and  compassion  doth  God  allow. 
 For  he  hath  not  created  us  to  be  stones  and  blocks,  but  hath 
 given  us  five  senses,  and  made  us  an  heart  of  flesh,  that  we 
 might  have  feeling,  and  love  our  friends,  being  sorry  when 
 
112  THIRD  ROOK  OF  DEATH.  [cHAP. 
 
 tliey  suffer  trouble  and  die :  yea,  God  hateth  unfriendly  and 
 unmerciful  people,  and  whose  hearts  are  not  moved,  when 
 their  friends  are  vexed  and  taken  away  from  them.      There- 
 Gen,  xxiii.     fore  the  holy  patriarch  Abraham  lamented  and  mourned  for 
 
 Sarah  his  wife,  when  she  was  dead. 
 Gen  1.  Good  Josopli  made  great  lamentation  for  Jacob  his  father. 
 
 Piiii.ii.  Paul  likewise   writeth  thus:    "My   helper    and   fellow- 
 
 soldier  Epaphroditus  was  deadly  sick :  but  God  had  mercy 
 upon  him,  and  not  only  upon  him,  but  also  upon  me,  that  I 
 should  not  have  one  heaviness  upon  another."  But  as  in  all 
 things,  so  in  this  there  ought  a  measure  to  be  kept,  that  we 
 continue  not  in  fleshly  inordinate  heaviness,  but  still  resist 
 the  sorrow,  and  comfort  ourselves  with  this  account  following : 
 What  do  we  mean  thus  to  mourn  and  lament?  What  will 
 we  do  ?  The  Lord  is  great,  and  doeth  no  man  wrong.  And 
 the  same  is  an  honest  good  will,  that  conformeth  itself  to  the 
 will  of  God. 
 
 For  the  good  heathen  man  Seneca  wrote  unto  his  scholar 
 A  notable     Lucillus   aftcr   this  manner:    "A  man   ought  to  be  content 
 with  everv  thing  that  God  is  pleased  withal,  only  because  it 
 pleased  God." 
 
 Now  in  every  thing  ordered  by  the  providence  of  God, 
 Lib.  V.  cap.  as  holy  Augustine,  De  Civitate  Dei,  saith,  "  Without  an 
 orderly  division  and  convenient  joining  together  of  the  parts 
 hath  not  God  left  so  much  as  the  bowels  of  any  beast,  how 
 vile  or  small  so  ever  the  same  be,  nor  the  feathers  of  a  bird, 
 nor  the  flower  of  the  herb,  neither  the  leaf  of  the  tree :  so 
 that  there  can  nothing  be  found,  that  is  not  subject  to  the 
 providence  of  God^ ;  neither  can  there  any  little  bird  die, 
 without  his  device,  charge,  and  commandment." 
 
 [1  The  author,  according  to  his  custom,  has  applied  the  passage 
 of  Augustine,  to  which  reference  is  made  by  him,  to  the  pm-poses 
 of  his  argument :  Deus  summus  et  verus  cum  Verbo  suo  et  Spiritu 
 sancto,  qure  tria  unum  sunt,  Deus  unus  et  omnipotens,  creator  et 
 factor  omnis  animre  atque  omnis  corporis, .  . .  qui  non  solum  ccelum 
 et  terram,  ncc  solum  angelum  et  hominem,  sed  nee  exigui  et  con- 
 temptibilis  anjraantis  viscera,  nee  avis  pennulam,  nee  herb^  flosculum, 
 nee  arboris  folium  sine  suarum  partium  convenientia  et  quadam  veluti 
 pace  dereliquit,  nuUo  modo  est  credendus  regna  hominum  eorumque 
 dominationes  et  servitutes  a  sua?  providentijB  legibus  alienas  esse  vo- 
 luisse.  Augustin.  De  Civitate  Dei.  Lib.  v.  cap.  11.  Oper.  Vol.  v.  p.  44. 
 D.    Ed.  Par.  1541.] 
 
 saying. 
 
 2. 
 
i.J  FRIENDS    OF    THE    DEAD    TO    BE    COMFORTED.  113 
 
 If  God  now  have  so  diligent  respect  to  such  small  things, 
 how  then  could  thy  friend,  whom  thou  mournest  for,  depart 
 away  by  death  without  the  providence  of  God?  Therefore 
 if  we  speak  against  the  Lord's  works,  and  cry  against  his 
 will,  what  is  that  else,  but  even  as  though  we  therefore  lived 
 upon  earth,  that  we  as  lords  and  rulers  should  prescribe 
 laws  for  the  Almighty  ?  Which  thing  to  think,  I  Avill  not 
 say  to  speak,  were  yet  horrible. 
 
 When  thou  givest  forth  thy  child  to  a  nurse,  and  she 
 hath  kept  it  long  enough,  thou  takest  it  home  again ;  the 
 nurse  having  no  reasonable  cause  to  complain  upon  thee, 
 for  taking  again  thine  own.  Yet  much  less  cause  have  we 
 to  grudge  against  God  our  creditor,  when  he  by  death  taketh 
 his  own  again.  For  as  for  father  and  mother,  brother  and 
 sister,  wife  and  child,  friend  and  lover,  yea,  and  all  other 
 things  that  we  have,  Avhat  are  they  else  but  lent  goods  and 
 free  gifts  of  God,  which  he  hath  committed  unto  us,  and 
 which  we,  as  long  as  he  lendeth  us  them,  ought  to  esteem  as 
 advantage  ? 
 
 AVhen  a  lord  hath  lent  us  a  fair  costly  table,  whether 
 should  we  gladly  with  thanks  restore  it  him  again  when  he 
 requireth  it,  or  brawl  with  him  after  this  manner  :  O  thou 
 terrible  lord,  how  happeneth  it  that  thou  hast  robbed  us  of  so 
 costly  a  table?  How  cometh  it  that  thou  hast  taken  it  from 
 us  again  so  suddenly  ?  Upon  such  a  complaint  might  he  not 
 with  good  right  answer:  Is  that  now  my  reward  for  lending 
 you  so  costly  a  table,  which  I  did  of  love,  undeserved  on 
 your  part,  that  ye  might  have  commodity  and  pleasure 
 thereof  for  a  while?  Yea,  the  more  worthy  the  gift  was 
 that  I  lent  you  to  use,  the  more  thankful  should  you  be  unto 
 me.  Yea,  with  rougher  words  might  God  justly  rebuke  us 
 that  be  so  impatient.  When  the  house  fell  upon  Job's  ten 
 living  children,  seven  sons  and  three  daughters,  and  when 
 his  seven  thousand  sheep  were  burned  with  fire  from  heaven, 
 and  his  enemies  carried  away  his  five  hundred  yoke  of  oxen 
 and  five  hundred  asses,  as  the  other  enemies  drove  away 
 three  hundred  camels,  and  slew  also  his  servants ;  in  all  this 
 misery  and  hurt  Job  comforteth  himself,  and  thanketh  God, 
 who  had  lent  him  such  things,  and  taken  them  away  again. 
 "The  Lord,"  saith  he,  "hath  given  them,  the  Lord  hath  Job i 
 taken  them ;  even  as  it  hath  pleased  the  Lord,  so  is  it  come 
 
 8 
 
 [COVERDALE,   II.] 
 
Ill  THIRD    BOOK    OF     DEATH.  [cHAP, 
 
 to  pass :  blessed  be  the  name  of  the  Lord."  Let  us  there- 
 fore also  say  with  Job  :  "  The  Lord  gave  us  this  father,  that 
 child,  such  a  friend;  the  Lord  hath  taken  him  again;  blessed 
 be  his  name." 
 
 But  when  thou  shouldst  laud  and  praise  God,  it  hindereth 
 thee  exceedingly,  if  thou  fear  that  God  of  a  wrath  and  en- 
 mity against  thee  hath  taken  away  from  thee  thy  son  or 
 thy  wife,  &c.  Such  an  opinion  cometh  not  of  God,  but  is 
 even  a  practice  of  the  devil.  And  herewith  agrceth  our 
 feeble  nature :  whatsoever  is  sung  or  said,  we  think  in 
 trouble,  that  God  is  angry,  and  that  our  will  is  good  and 
 profitable,  and  not  God's  will. 
 
 Contrary  hereunto  are  we  instructed  by  holy  scripture, 
 that  though  we  know  not  perfectly  for  what  cause  God 
 sendeth  us  this  or  that  punishment,  yet  ought  we  to  be  sa- 
 tisfied in  this,  that  God  is  gracious  and  favourable  unto  us 
 for  his  beloved  Son  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ's  sake.  Never- 
 theless, to  the  intent  that  we  may  both  the  better  understand, 
 and  be  the  more  glad  to  receive,  the  good-will  of  God,  I  will 
 declare  what  profit  such  a  death  bringeth  to  him  that  de- 
 parteth  and  to  those  that  remain. 
 
 CHAPTER  IL 
 
 THAT    UNTO    SUCH    AS    DIE,    IT    IS    PROFITABLE    TO    DEPART 
 OUT    OF    THIS    LIFE. 
 
 If  they  that  be  dead  from  hence  had  not  suffered  trouble 
 in  this  world  when  they  were  alive,  it  were  no  marvel  to  see 
 us  mourn  out  of  measure  for  their  departing.  As  for  all  their 
 joy  and  pastime  upon  earth,  they  are  scarce  to  be  accounted 
 dreams,  in  comparison  of  the  true  joys  and  treasures  above. 
 Again  :  who  will  undertake  to  number  the  adversities  that 
 all  men,  of  what  estate  soever  they  be,  must  be  possessors 
 [jobxiv.]  of?  We  may  well  say  with  Job:  "Man  that  is  born  of  a 
 woman,  liveth  but  a  short  time,  and  is  replenished  with  many 
 miseries."  Against  the  which  there  helpeth  neither  gold  nor 
 silver,  neither  poAver  nor  nobiUty,  neither  pohcy  nor  natural 
 wit.  To-day  we  are  whole  and  sound,  to-morrow  sick ;  to- 
 day merry,  to-morrow  sorry ;  to-day  rich,  to-morrow  poor ; 
 
II.]  DEATH    IS    PROFITABLE.  115 
 
 to-day  honoured,  to-morrow  despised;  to-day  alive,  to-morrow 
 dead. 
 
 Moreover,  vice  commonly  liath  so  the  upper  hand,  that 
 none  can  live  upon  earth,  but  he  must  displease  cither  God  or 
 man,  or  else  them  both.  Therefore  seeing  thy  loving  friend 
 is  gotten  out  of  the  mire,  and  gone  out  of  the  sweat-bath  that 
 thou  yet  sittest  in ;  art  thou  sorry  now  that  he  is  released 
 and  unburdened  of  so  much  misery  ?  Thou  shouldst  rather 
 give  thanks  and  praise  unto  God  for  it ;  specially  forasmuch 
 as  death  doth  utterly  destroy  neither  body  nor  soul,  neither 
 honesty  nor  virtue,  wherein  he  that  is  now  departed  did  here 
 exercise  himself  in  time.  For  look,  what  good  thing  one 
 hath  done,  it  shall  not  be  quenched  out  through  death ;  but 
 the  praise  and  commendation  thereof,  among  all  such  as  are 
 good,  doth  rather  increase  than  diminish  after  death.  The  soul 
 departing  in  true  faith,  passeth  straight  to  the  joy  of  heaven. 
 
 The  least  parcel  of  the  body  doth  not  utterly  perish,  but 
 the  whole  body  shall  at  the  last  day  be  called  to  immortality, 
 where  our  friends  shall  be  a  thousand  times  better,  richer, 
 more  pleasant,  and  more  blessed,  than  ever  they  were  upon 
 earth ;  when  we  all  shall  come  to  them  again,  see  them, 
 know  them,  and  have  perpetual  company  with  them  and  all 
 saints.  After  this  sort  did  Adam  and  Eve  trust  that  Abel, 
 who  was  slain,  should  be  restored  again  unto  them,  because  of 
 the  Seed  that  was  promised. 
 
 A  similitude :  if  a  great  lord  had  called  thee  and  thy 
 son,  and  promised  you  much  wealth  and  good,  shouldst  thou 
 weep  when  thy  son  goeth  to  him,  and  thou  thyself  wilt 
 shortly  follow  after  ?  No,  verily ;  but  thou  wouldst  order  thy 
 matter  so  that  thou  mightest  be  there  out  of  hand.  Why 
 unquietest  thou  thyself  then  so  sore  for  the  death  of  thy  son 
 or  friend?  The  Almighty  Lord  hath  called  him  and  thee 
 to  his  eternal  kingdom,  to  place  thee  and  him  among  the 
 princes  of  heaven.  Thy  son  passeth  hence  through  the  gates 
 of  death;  he  shall  rise  again  to  honour.  Why  vexest  thou 
 then  thyself?  Why  orderest  not  thou  thyself,  joyfully  to 
 follow  him  ?  for  thou  hast  not  lost  him,  but  only  sent  him 
 before. 
 
 If  it  were  possible  that  thy  son  knew  of  thy  immea- 
 surable waihng  and  howling,  and  could  speak  unto  thee, 
 without   all   doubt   he   himself  would   rebuke   it,   and   say: 
 
 8—2 
 
116  THIRD    BOOK    OF    DEATH.  [cHAP. 
 
 "  Why  will  you  vex  your  age  with  unprofitable,  yea,  with 
 unreasonable  mourning  ?  Wherefore  will  you  blame  God, 
 his  ordinance,  and  providence  ?  Will  ye  envy  me  the  great 
 honour  and  joy  that  I  am  promoted  unto  ?  Think  ye  it  is 
 a  thing  to  be  bewailed  and  lamented,  that  I  am  brought  out 
 of  danger  into  safeguard,  out  of  misery  into  welfare,  and  out 
 of  the  wicked  world  into  the  company  of  angels  ?  I  will  go 
 somewhat  nearer  unto  you :  I  pray  you,  if  it  lay  in  your 
 strength  and  power  to  send  for  me  into  the  temporal  life 
 again,  would  ye  call  me  down  again  into  the  misery  of 
 yours  ?  With  what  great  fault  have  I  deserved  such  un- 
 faithfulness at  your  hands  ?  And  if  ye  should  not  call  me 
 again,  why  mourn  ye  then  so  and  lament?"  Upon  such 
 words,  we  must  needs  be  ashamed  of  our  unmeasurable  sor- 
 row and  heaviness.  That  we  ought  thus  to  judge  of  faithful 
 christian  men  that  are  departed,  we  may  learn  by  the  words 
 johnxi.  of  Christ,  who  testifieth  unto  Martha:  "I  am  the  resurrection 
 and  the  life.  He  that  believeth  on  me  shall  live,  although 
 he  die ;  and  he  that  liveth  and  believeth  on  me,  shall  never 
 Psai.  cxvi.  die."  "  How  dear  and  precious  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord  is 
 the  death  of  his  saints!"  Understand,  that  God  doth  faith- 
 fully take  them  into  his  protection,  and  hath  respect  unto 
 their  souls,  to  receive  them  into  eternal  hfe. 
 
 Now  say  est  thou :  Alas !  if  I  knew  that  ray  wife,  child, 
 or  friend  were  saved,  I  could  then  better  away  with  his 
 death.  As  for  a  thief,  he  need  not  to  be  glad,  when  he  is 
 carried  from  prison  to  the  gallows.  This  man  hath  been 
 all  his  life  a  child  of  the  world ;  he  never  feared  God,  but 
 died  in  sin,  haply  without  repentance,  and  perad venture 
 from  the  cart  of  this  misery  he  is  yoked  in  the  chariot  of 
 eternal  fire. 
 
 Answer :  no  man  can  tell,  how  he  behaved  himself  at  his 
 last  end :  happily  he  repented,  and  is  pardoned.  We  ought 
 ever  to  hope  the  best,  till  we  have  sufficient  evidences  that 
 the  man  is  lost. 
 
 Secondly :  though  his  damnation  were  open  and  manifest, 
 yet  ought  a  faithful  man  to  rejoice  in  the  righteousness  of 
 God.  The  ravens  must  have  dog's  garbage ;  partridges  must 
 be  set  upon  the  board  before  lords;  a  murderer  must  be  laid 
 upon  a  wheel.  It  is  as  meet  for  Judas  to  sit  in  hell,  as  for 
 St  Peter  to  be  in  heaven. 
 
II.]  DEATH    IS    PROFITABLE.  117 
 
 Thirdly,  thou  sayest:  if  he  had  Hved  longer,  he  would 
 peradventure  have  amended.  Whereupon  take  this  answer : 
 he  might  have  happened  as  soon  to  be  worse.  A  prudent 
 man  looketh  for  no  better,  but  feareth  the  worse  in  this  blas- 
 phemous world. 
 
 St  John  Chrysostom  testifieth  plainly,  that  "  as  soon  as 
 God  taketh  away  a  man  through  death,  the  same  man  from 
 thenceforth  should  never  have  been  better'." 
 
 Verily,  God  is  to  be  praised  and  thanked,  when  he  taketh 
 away  the  ungodly.  For  the  more  a  man  heapeth  up  sin  upon 
 sin,  the  greater  punishment  must  he  suifer  afterward,  for  God's 
 righteous  justice  sake.  The  ungodly  sinneth  ever  the  longer, 
 the  more  upon  earth :  but  by  death  doth  God  pluck  him 
 down  from  his  sinful  life  ;  though  not  spiritually  and  inwardly, 
 yet  with  external  members,  the  same  must  cease  from  sin. 
 Therefore  to  such  as  are  hard-hearted  and  disordered,  there 
 is  nothino:  better  than  to  die  the  sooner. 
 
 CHAPTER    III. 
 
 WHAT    PROFIT    THE    DEATH    OF    FRIENDS    BRINGETH    TO    SUCH 
 AS    ARE    LEFT    BEHIND    ALIVE. 
 
 That  the  death  of  the  ungodly  doth  profit  other  men,  it 
 is  easy  to  perceive ;  for  thereby  are  the  wicked  upon  earth 
 somewhat  diminished  and  swept  out,  and  other  poor  wretches 
 fare  the  better. 
 
 But  that  the  death  of  the  righteous  should  bring  any 
 commodity  to  such  as  remain  ahve,  it  soundeth  strange  in 
 our  ears :  therefore  shall  it  be  declared. 
 
 When  a  man  endowed  with  excellent  gifts  is  made  an 
 idol.  Almighty  God  cannot  suffer  it.  For  God  himself  will 
 be  he,  of  whom  all  good  things  undoubtedly  must  be  hoped 
 and  looked  for ;  and  unto  his  dishonour  it  serveth,  if  the 
 heart  cleave  not  only  unto  him.  And  blessed  is  the  man, 
 that  setteth  his  love,  comfort,  and  hope  upon  the  Lord. 
 Again,  "Cursed  be  the  man,"  as  the  prophet  saith,  "  that  [J^r.  xvii.i 
 upon  man  doth  put  his  trust."     Now  cometh  it  lightly  to 
 
 [1  The  sentiment'  is  found  in  Chrysostom,  Homil.  ad  Matthseum 
 xxxL  in  fine.     Opera,  Tom.  vii.  p.  3G4.  B.  Ed.  Paris.  1727.] 
 
118  THIRD    ROOK    OF    DEATH.  [cHAP. 
 
 pass,  that  we  set  too  much  by  rich  parents,  by  fair  children, 
 honourable  friends,  and  men  of  good  properties.  Therefore 
 God  plucketh  them  away  from  us,  to  draw  us  away  from 
 creatures,  and  that  we  might  perceive  his  fervent  love  towards 
 us,  in  that  he  is  jealous  over  us,  that  he  taketh  out  of  our 
 sight  whatsoever  we  gape  upon  besides  himself;  and  also 
 to  the  intent  that  we  might  perceive,  that  whatsoever  is  in 
 the  world,  it  is  but  temporal,  and  lasteth  but  the  twinkling 
 of  an  eye  ;  and  that  only  the  Father  of  heaven  will,  can,  and 
 may  help  in  all  troubles. 
 
 Moreover,  what  a  number  is  there  of  them,  that  of  an 
 inordinate  love  toward  their  children,  parents,  and  friends, 
 to  make  provision  for  them,  and  to  bring  them  aloft,  jeopard 
 their  souls  for  them,  fall  into  great  unquietness,  being  un- 
 merciful, covetous,  bribers,  usurers,  liars,  deceivers!  Franciscus 
 Petrarcha  Avriteth :  "  Thou  hast  lost  thy  son  ;  yea,  but  thou 
 hast  lost  with  him  also  much  fear,  and  an  infinite  matter 
 of  careful  sorrows :  by  reason  of  the  which  cares,  that  thou 
 mightest  be  delivered  from  them,  it  behoved  either  thee  or 
 thy  son  to  die," 
 
 Therefore  give  God  thanks  for  his  grace,  when  he  dis- 
 chargeth  thee  of  those  things  that  hinder  thee  in  his  free 
 service ;  and  when  he  taketh  from  thee  thy  wife,  child, 
 friend,  or  others  upon  whom  thou  hast  hanged  too  much, 
 and  for  whose  sakes  thou  hast  done  wrong  many  a  time. 
 
 That  thou  mayest  understand  this  thing  the  better,  take 
 for  example  mercy  towards  the  poor.  We  see  that  they 
 whose  children  and  friends  are  departed  give  alms  richly, 
 which  while  their  wives,  children,  and  friends  were  alive, 
 would  not  have  given  one  penny,  for  fear  that  their  friends 
 after  their  death  should  have  had  need,  and  been  destitute 
 of  money  themselves.  Yea,  rich  folks,  which,  as  God  some- 
 time appointeth,  have  no  children,  nor  heirs  of  their  own 
 bodies,  become  fathers  and  upholders  of  many  poor  men. 
 Which  thing  unto  them  and  unto  all  Christendom  is  more 
 profitable  and  more  worthy  of  commendation,  than  ten  sons 
 of  a  naughty  life,  such  as  commonly  there  be  many :  among 
 whom  scarce  one  of  ten  speedeth  well,  I  mean  of  those  that 
 inherit  their  father's  riches  and  goods ;  for  shamefully  they 
 waste  and  consume  them,  to  the  hurt  of  themselves  and  of 
 others. 
 
III.]  DEATH    OF    FRIENDS    PROFITABLE    TO    THE    LIVING.  119 
 
 Item,  though  one  know  that  he  ought  to  love  no  man  in 
 such  sort,  as  to  displease  God  for  his  sake ;  yet  many  a  time 
 is  one  moved  through  his  friends  to  do  against  his  own  con- 
 science, if  he  will  not  displease  them.  Therefore  graciously 
 doth  God  pluck  avray  those  friends,  whose  presence  serveth 
 unto  thy  destruction. 
 
 Moreover  thou  sayest :  How  should  not  I  mourn,  seeing 
 I  am  now  robbed  of  such  help  and  succour,  as  I  should  still 
 have,  if  he  were  yet  alive  ?  Answer  :  such  complaining  cometh 
 not  of  a  free  love  towards  the  dead,  but  of  a  servile  and  bond 
 stomach,  that  looketh  and  hath  respect  to  itself,  and  desireth 
 to  work  his  own  profit  with  another  man's  hurt.  Now  if 
 thy  son  or  friend,  that  might  have  been  thy  comfort  in  thine 
 age,  be  departed,  God  may  send  thee  others  in  their  place ; 
 yea,  there  be  some  at  hand  already,  that  offer  their  help  and 
 counsel  to  thee  and  thine,  and  will  not  fail  thee  at  thy  need. 
 And  thouo-h  it  were  so,  that  thou  hadst  none  other  child  nor 
 friend  in  their  stead,  but  were  destitute  of  all  bodily  help ; 
 yet  hast  thou  a  gracious  God  through  Jesus  Christ,  with  the 
 spiritual  gifts  which  shall  continue  with  thee  for  ever. 
 
 But  some  say,  and  especially  great  youngsters.  My  mourn- 
 ing and  sorrow  is  because  my  kindred,  name,  and  stock,  mine 
 arms  and  badge  perisheth,  now  that  I  leave  no  heu^s  of  my 
 body  behind  me.  O  thou  great  idiot !  thou  lamentest  that 
 thy  name  and  honour  perisheth  in  this  transitory  world,  and 
 forcest  little,  how  thy  name  and  honour  may  continue  for 
 evermore  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 
 
 What  is  become  of  the  mighty  kings  and  emperors, 
 which  fought  for  the  greatest  honour  and  magnificence,  that 
 they  might  never  be  forgotten  upon  earth?  The  memorial 
 of  them  is  past  long  ago;  they  have  their  reward  already, 
 as  our  Lord  sayeth.  Contrariwise,  the  dear  worthy  saints, 
 which  despised  all  glory  of  this  mortal  life,  have  at  this  day 
 greater  honour,  praise,  and  commendation,  than  they  that 
 travailed  to  obtain  the  glory  of  this  world.  Now  therefore 
 will  God  help  thee,  not  to  pass  upon  temporal  honour  and 
 pomp ;  but  most  of  all  to  care,  how  thy  name  may  remain  in 
 remembrance  before  God,  with  those  that  unto  him  have  done 
 faithful  service. 
 
120  THIRD    BOOK    OF    DEATH.  [cHAP. 
 
 CHAPTER  IV. 
 
 COMPANIONS    THAT    SUFFER    LIKE    HEAVINESS    OF    HEART. 
 
 If  any  thing  were  practised  against  thy  child  or  friend, 
 that  necessarily  must  not  come  to  pass,  so  that  he  might 
 well  have  escaped  it,  then  hadst  thou  just  cause  to  howl  and 
 lament.  But  now  behoved  it  him,  as  a  mortal  man,  to  end 
 this  hfe  even  according  to  the  first  ordinance  of  God.  Thou 
 hast  thousands  and  thousands  of  companions,  whose  dear 
 friends  departed  hence  by  death :  why  wilt  thou  then  dis- 
 quiet thyself?  What  time  as  Abraham  was  commanded  of 
 God  to  sacrifice  his  own  only  beloved  son,  what  mind  had  he, 
 thinkest  thou,  when  he  now  drew  the  sword,  and  thought  to 
 slay  his  son?  Greater  sorrow  had  he  for  his  son  that  yet 
 was  alive,  than  thou  for  thy  son  that  is  dead.  In  what  case 
 was  the  holy  patriarch  Jacob's  heart,  when  tidings  came  to 
 him,  that  his  dear  son  Joseph  was  torn  of  Avild  beasts?  Where 
 was  there  ever  father  in  greater  heaviness  than  even  David, 
 when  by  his  own  son  Absalom,  whom  he  yet  exceedingly 
 loved,  he  was  expelled  from  his  kingdom?  Doubtless  he 
 was  in  none  other  case,  than  as  though  the  heart  in  his  body 
 shrunk  and  melted  like  wax.  These  and  such  like  examples 
 oughtest  thou  to  set  before  thine  eyes ;  whereby  thou  shalt 
 perceive,  that  thy  sorrow  is  to  be  esteemed  but  small  towards 
 these ;  and  therefore  through  the  contemplation  thereof  un- 
 doubtedly it  shall  be  assuaged. 
 
 CHAPTER  V. 
 
 THROUGH    god's    HELP    ALL    HEART-SORROW    IS    EASED. 
 
 Unhandsome  physicians  are  they,  that  well  can  see  the 
 greatness  of  the  sickness,  and  brawl  Avith  the  patient  for  his 
 excess,  but  cannot  shew  a  remedy  whereby  the  blemish  may 
 be  healed.  Therefore  now  that  I  have  hitherto  reproved 
 unmeasurable  sorrow  and  heaviness,  I  will  not  leave  the 
 matter  so  bare ;  but  declare  now  also  a  medicine,  whereby 
 
v.]  THROUGH  GOli'ii  HELP  ALL   HEART-SORROW   IS  EASED,  121 
 
 unreasonable  mourning,  if  it  be  not  clean  taken  away,  may 
 yet  be  eased  and  diminished. 
 
 The  time  of  itself  maketh  all  cumbrance  lighter.  For 
 there  be  many  men  and  women  which  in  times  past  have 
 set  finger  in  the  eye,  knocked  upon  their  breasts,  pulled  the 
 hair  out  of  their  own  heads,  ran  against  the  wall,  disfigured 
 their  whole  bodies,  and  horribly  howled  for  the  dead.  But 
 now  they  have  their  pastime  in  all  kinds  of  minstrelsy,  as 
 though  they  never  had  ailed  anything.  Notwithstanding 
 to  wait  still  till  heaviness  forget  itself,  is  a  womanish  thing : 
 and  again,  to  bridle  it  betimes,  beseemeth  the  natural  reason 
 and  soberness  of  a  man.  What  is  then  to  be  done  ?  It 
 lieth  not  in  thy  power,  without  the  special  help  of  God,  to 
 expel  sorrowful  mourning.  First  and  principally,  ponder 
 thou  the  power  and  grace  of  God :  the  power,  in  that 
 the  Almighty  is  able  many  hundred  ways  faithfully  to  ease 
 thee  of  thy  sorrow ;  the  grace,  in  that  he  is  wiUing  and 
 ready,  for  the  worthiness  of  his  Son,  to  make  thee  joyful 
 again  here  and  in  the  world  to  come,  so  as  is  most  for  thy 
 profit  and  wealth.  Adam  and  Eve  had  unspeakable  sorrow, 
 when  their  obedient  and  righteous  son  Abel  was  murdered : 
 God  then  did  well  put  them  in  remembrance  of  their  sin. 
 But  they  being  also  mindful  of  the  promise  of  the  blessed 
 Seed,  were  thereby  erected  and  comforted  again  :  howbeit 
 in  such  an  exceeding  heaviness  it  was  very  hard  to  with- 
 stand desperation,  and  to  overcome  all  mischance.  Therefore 
 let  us  consider,  that  though  we  Christians  be  not  altogether 
 called  to  the  pleasures  of  this  time,  but  stoutly  to  strive  and 
 vahantly  to  fight  against  them;  yet  shall  not  Christ  leave 
 us  comfortless,  but,  according  to  his  promise,  he  shall  faith- 
 fully be  with  us  unto  the  end  of  the  world. 
 
 CHAPTER  VI. 
 
 WE  MUST  FURNISH   OURSELVES  WITH  PRAYER  AND  PATIENCE. 
 
 To  the  intent  that  God  may  assist  us  with  his  might 
 and  grace,  we  must  earnestly  pray  unto  him,  that  with  his 
 holy  Spirit  through  his  godly  word  he  will  comfort  us,  that 
 we  may  render  thanks  imto  him  when  he  hath  deHvered  our 
 
122  THIRD    BOOK    OF    DEATH.  [cHAP. 
 
 friends  from  the  daily  battle  of  the  soul  against  the  flesh, 
 the  devil,  and  the  world,  and  from  all  discommodities  of  this 
 vale  of  misery. 
 
 For  like  as  one  that  hath  fared  well  at  a  dinner,  doth 
 thank  his  host,  though  the  host  let  him  depart  again,  yea, 
 the  guest  rejoiceth  afterwards  to  remember  it;  even  so,  foras- 
 much as  God  for  a  season  hath  lent  us  wife,  child,  and  friends 
 (which  is  more  than  he  owed  us),  though  he  suffer  them  to 
 depart,  we  ought  nevertheless  to  give  him  most  high  thanks. 
 
 Especially  there  is  required  a  willing  and  stout  mind  : 
 whereof  holy  St  Paul  hath  Avritten  this  very  comfortably  : 
 iThess.  iv.  "  I  would  Hot,  brethren,  that  ye  should  be  ignorant  concern- 
 ing them  which  are  fallen  asleep,  that  ye  sorrow  not  as 
 other  do  which  have  no  hope.  For  if  we  believe  that  Jesus 
 died  and  rose  again,  even  so  them  also  which  sleep  by  Jesus 
 will  God  bring  again  with  liim." 
 
 By  these  words  may  we  perceive,  that  there  be  two 
 manner  of  mourners  for  the  dead.  The  heathen  and  unbe- 
 lievers mourn  without  hope  of  the  resurrection  :  their  opinion 
 is,  that  seeing  their  near  friends  are  dead,  there  is  no  more 
 of  them,  but  that  they  have  utterly  lost  them  for  ever.  Tliis 
 heathenish  sorrow  will  not  St  Paul  have  of  Christians. 
 
 The  Christians  mourn  also,  but  with  a  living  hope  of  the 
 joyful  resurrection.  For  like  as  God  the  Father  left  not 
 Christ  the  Lord  in  death,  but  raised  him  up  again,  and 
 placed  him  in  eternal  life ;  even  so  us  that  beUeve  shall  not 
 he  leave  in  death,  but  bring  us  out  into  everlasting  life.  For 
 this  cause  doth  the  Apostle  speak  of  the  dead,  as  of  those 
 that  sleep,  which  rest  from  all  travail  and  labour,  that  they 
 may  rise  again  in  better  case. 
 
 Like  as  the  flowers  with  all  their  virtue,  smell,  and 
 beauty,  lieth  all  the  winter  in  the  root,  sleeping  and  resting 
 till  they  be  awaked  with  the  pleasant  time  of  May,  when 
 they  come  forth  with  all  their  beauty,  smell,  and  virtue ; 
 even  so  ought  not  we  to  think  that  our  friends  which  be  de- 
 parted are  in  any  cumbrance  or  sorrow,  but  their  strength 
 and  virtue  being  drawn  in,  liveth  in  God  and  with  God. 
 They  lie  and  rest  till  the  last  day,  when  they  shall  awake 
 again,  fair,  beautiful,  and  glorious,  in  soul  and  body.  Who 
 will  not  now  rejoice  at  this  comfort  of  Paul,  and  set  aside 
 all  unprofitable  sorrow,  for  this  exceeding  joy's  sake  ? 
 
VI.j  PRAYER    AND    PATIENCE    NECESSARY.  123 
 
 Faith  that  is  confessed  with  the  mouth,  must  not  be  de- 
 stroyed with  a  contrary  deed.  Now  is  our  behef  set  thus : 
 "  I  beheve  forgiveness  of  sins,  the  resurrection  of  the  body, 
 and  the  hfe  everlasting."  Therefore  remaineth  there  nothing 
 behind,  for  the  wliich  the  soul  of  the  faithful  should  be 
 tormented  in  the  world  to  come,  or  shut  out  from  everlastinsr 
 joy.  In  the  law  xiii.  9,  2,  Ubicunque,  it  is  noted :  "  Un- 
 seemly heaviness  for  the  dead  springeth  out  of  despair  of 
 the  resurrection  for  to  come ;  and  rather  of  faintness  of 
 mind,  than  of  mercy  or  godliness  ^" 
 
 CHAPTER  VII. 
 
 ENSAMPLES    OF    PATIENCE    IN    LIKE    CASE. 
 
 If  the  wise  famous  heathen  could  be  numbered,  which 
 took  the  death  of  their  friends  and  children  in  good  part  and 
 with  a  stout  stomach,  should  it  not  be  counted  a  shame  unto 
 us  christian  men,  that  declare  less  constancy  in  that  behalf  ? 
 
 Pericles,  the  captain  of  the  Athenians  (who  for  his 
 wisdom  and  virtue  was  called  Olympius,  one  of  heaven), 
 when  he  had  lost  liis  two  sons,  Paralius  and  Zantippus,  within 
 the  space  of  four  days,  was  no  more  sorry  nor  imquieted 
 in  the  same  sudden  chance,  but  that  on  the  day  following 
 he  came  clothed  in  white  before  the  whole  multitude,  and 
 consulted  of  the  present  wars  so  discreetly  and  manfully, 
 that  every  man  wondered  at  him  and  honoured  him^. 
 
 Xenophon,  a  disciple  of  Socrates,  when  he  understood 
 that  his  only  son  Gryllus  had  fought  valiantly,  and  upon  the 
 same  was  slain  of  the  enemies,  he  said  unto  those  that 
 brought  him  the  message :  "  I  made  my  prayer  unto  the 
 gods,  not  that  they  should  give  me  an  immortal  son,  or  that 
 he  might  be  a  long  liver,  (for  I  knew  not  whether  that  were 
 profitable  for  him,)  but  that  of  my  son  they  would  make  a 
 good  man,  and  a  lover  of  his  own   native  country ;  which 
 
 [1  Lugere  autem  et  deplorare  et  lamentari  eos,  qui  de  hac  vita 
 decedunt,  ex  pusillanimitate  contingit.  Hoc  autem  ex  desperatione 
 futui'se  resurrectionis  intelligitui-.  Corpus  Juris  Canon.  Tom.  I. 
 p.  1042.  Ed.  Lugd.  1661.] 
 
 [2  Valerius  Maximus,  Lib.  v.  cap.  10.] 
 
]24  THIRD  ROOK  OF  DEATH.  [cHAP. 
 
 prayer,  as  I  perceive,  they  have  granted  ;  and  therefore  I 
 thank  them^" 
 
 If  thou  hadst  rather  hear  examples  of  the  Romans,  then 
 consider  Paulus  Emihus,  who  overcame  the  Macedonians, 
 and  triumphed  gloriously  over  them.  When  he  within  seven 
 days  had  lost  both  his  sons,  he  was  not  therefore  broken- 
 minded  ;  but  as  he  went  forth  to  the  multitude  without  both 
 his  sons,  (which  beforetime  always  led  him  and  stayed  him, 
 the  one  on  the  right  hand,  the  other  on  the  left,)  the  people 
 of  Rome,  having  pity  on  the  old  honom^able  man,  began  to 
 lament  and  weep.  But  he,  being  nothing  moved,  stood 
 there  and  said :  "I  besought  the  gods,  if  our  commonwealth, 
 for  the  great  prosperity  thereof,  have  any  evil  will  among 
 those  which  be  in  heaven,  that  I  myself,  and  not  the  whole 
 multitude,  might  recompense  and  bear  it :  and  seeing  it  is 
 so,  I  give  God  great  thanks^,"  M.  Fabius  Maximus  also, 
 not  without  just  cause,  belongeth  unto  the  number  of  dear 
 worthy  men.  When  he  upon  a  time  had  to  do  with  the 
 office  of  the  master  of  works,  there  came  unto  him  a  mes- 
 sage, first,  that  liis  house  was  fallen  down,  and  had  also 
 bruised  his  wife,  a  virtuous  honourable  woman ;  secondly, 
 slain  his  mother,  who  in  weighty  affairs  had  oft  given  him 
 good  counsel,  which  he  followed  to  the  great  commodity  of 
 the  commonwealth :  thu'dly,  it  was  told  him  the  same  day, 
 that  his  young  son,  of  whom  he  had  an  expectation  and 
 hope  of  all  goodness,  was  dead  in  Umbria.  The  friends  and 
 lovers  of  this  Fabius,  that  stood  about  him,  when  they  heard 
 this,  wept  very  sore :  but  he  alone  being  unmoved,  went  for- 
 ward stoutly  in  the  business  that  concerned  the  commonwealth^. 
 
 [1  Valer.  Max.     Ibid.]  • 
 
 [2  The  circumstances  of  this  history  are  related  by  Livy,  Lib, 
 XLV.  c.  xl.  xli.  Postquam  omnia  secundo  navium  cursu  in  Italiam 
 pervenerant,  neque  erat  quod  ultra  precarer ;  illud  optavi,  ut  quum 
 ex  summo  retro  voni  fortuna  consuesset,  mutationem  ejus  domus 
 mea  potius  quam  respublica  sentiret.  Itaque  defunctam  esse  fortu- 
 nam  publicam  mea  tam  insigni  calamitate  spero.  Compare  also  Valer. 
 Max.  Lib.  v.  cap.  10.] 
 
 [3  It  does  not  appear  from  what  source  the  learned  writer  has 
 borrowed  this  history.  Plutarch,  in  his  life  of  Fabius  Maximus,  (ed. 
 Bryan.  1729.  Vol.  I.  p.  407),  relates  the  account  of  the  fortitude  of 
 Fabius  on  the  death  of  his  son ;  but  omits  all  mention  of  the  other 
 circumstances  of  the  history.] 
 
VII.]  ENSAMPLKS    OB"    PATIENCE    IN     LIKE   CASE.  125 
 
 Here,  because  of  shortness,  I  leave  out  a  multitude  of 
 examples  of  sundry  men,  named  Galli,  Pisones,  Scsvolaj, 
 Metelli,  Scauri,  Marcelli ;  whom  in  such  points  to  follow,  it 
 is  laudable  and  worthy  of  commendation, 
 
 I  will  yet  shew  one  example,  of  the  virtuous  woman 
 Cornelia,  which  was  daughter  unto  Scipio  Africanus.  When 
 she  understood  that  her  two  sons,  Tiberius  Gracchus  and 
 C.  Gracchus  (who,  being  magistrates,  had  honourably  and 
 well  behaved  themselves),  were  slain,  and  she  of  her  friends 
 was  called  miserable,  she  said :  "  I  will  never  think  myself 
 a  miserable  woman,  forasmuch  as  I  have  brought  forth  such 
 men\" 
 
 This  woman  now  overcame  her  own  natural  feebleness 
 and  motherly  heart :  should  not  then  a  man  (which  word 
 noteth  the  stronger  kind  and  more  valiant  stomach)  declare 
 himself  even  as  stout?  That  an  heathenish  unbeUeving  woman 
 could  despise,  should  that  make  a  faithful  christian  man  so 
 utterly  faint-hearted  ?  That  she  willingly  gave  again  unto 
 nature,  wilt  not  thou  suffer  God  to  have  it,  when  he  requireth 
 it  of  thee  ?  She  took  upon  her,  with  an  unbroken  mind,  the 
 death  of  many  children ;  and  wilt  not  thou,  that  foregoest 
 but  one  child,  be  comforted  again  ?  The  heathenish  woman 
 knew  none  other,  but  that  after  death  there  remaineth 
 nothing  behind;  yet  made  not  she  an  unmeasurable  howhno-. 
 Thou  knowest  that  after  this  time  there  remaineth  an  ever- 
 lasting life :  so  much  the  worse  then  beseemeth  it  a  christian 
 man  to  unquiet  himself  with  excess  of  heaviness. 
 
 CHAPTER  VIH. 
 
 THE    COMMODITY    OF    PATIENCE. 
 
 Unseemly  sorrow  for  their  sakes  that  are  dead  is  un- 
 profitable and  hurtful.  Unprofitable :  for  as  soon  as  the 
 soul  is  once  departed  out  of  the  body,  it  cometh  either  into 
 heaven  or  into  hell,  and  with  no  crying  shall  it  be  called 
 back  again,  or  altered.  ISleither  canst  thou  servo  the  dead 
 with  any  thing  more,  than  that  liis   remembrance   be  dear 
 
 [^  See  Plutarch,  Vit.  C.  Gracchi.  Vol.  iv.  p.  400.  ed.  Bryan.] 
 
126  THIRD    ROOK     OF    DEATH.  j^CHAP. 
 
 and  had  in  honour  with  thee.  The  heathenish  poet  Sophocles 
 writeth  :  "If  the  dead  might  with  tears  be  called  again, 
 then  should  weeping  be  counted  more  worthy  than  gold. 
 But,  0  my  good  old  man,  it  may  not  be,  that  he  which  once 
 is  buried  should  come  again  to  the  light.  For  if  weeping- 
 might  help,  my  father  had  been  alive  again \"  Hurtful: 
 hereof  hath  the  heathenish  poet  Philemon  written  right 
 wisely :  "  Many  of  them  through  their  own  fault  increase 
 misfortune  to  themselves,  and  make  the  same  more  grievous 
 than  it  is  of  nature.  Example  :  when  one  hath  his  mother, 
 child,  or  friend  dead,  if  he  thought  thus.  He  was  a  man,  and 
 therefore  he  died ;  this  adversity  should  be  no  greater,  than 
 nature  bringeth  with  it.  But  if  he  cry,  '  I  am  undone,  I 
 shall  see  him  no  more,  he  is  gone  and  lost  for  ever ; '  such 
 one  heapeth  up  yet  more  sorrow  to  that  he  hath  already. 
 But  whoso  considereth  everything  with  discretion,  maketh 
 the  adversity  to  be  less  unto  himself,  and  obtaineth  the  more 
 quietness"."  ^  , 
 
 It  were  a  very  scornful  thing,  if  when  a  man  hath  hurt 
 one  foot,  he  would  therefore  mar  the  other  also ;  or  if,  when 
 one  part  of  his  goods  is  stolen  away,  he  would  cast  the  rest 
 
 [1  This  passage  is  found  amongst  the  Fragments  of  Sophocles, 
 and  is  taken  fi-oni  the  lost  play  of  the  2KYPIAI : 
 
 'AXX'  fl  fxev  7]v  KXaiovcrip  lacrdai  kuko, 
 
 Kol  Tov  Bavovra  8aKpvois  dvidTavai, 
 
 6  )(pva6s  y]<Tcrov  KTrjpu  rov  KXaieiv  uv  i]v. 
 
 vvv  S  ,  o)  yepate,  ravr   avrjvvras  f'x^h 
 
 TOV  pev  Tacpai  Kpv(p6evTa  rrpos  to  (})a)S  ayeiv 
 
 Kapol  yap  av  TTUT^p  ye  daKpvcop  X'^P*'' 
 
 avtJKT   av  els  (f)as. 
 
 Sophocl.  ed.  Brunck.  Vol.  ii.  pp.  51,  52.] 
 [2  Mei'^co  Ta  KUKct  noioiiai  TroXXot,  deanoTa, 
 
 avTo\  8i   avTovs,  »;  TrefpvKe  Trj  (pvcrei. 
 
 oiov,  TedvqKev  vlos  rj  p'^TTjp  Tivl, 
 
 T)  vri  At"  aXXojj'  Tav  avayKciioov  ye  Tii' 
 
 et  pev  Xa/3_?7  tovt,  'Airedav,  Iwdpairos  yap  r)v, 
 
 ToaovTo  yeyove  to  KaKov,  i^Xikov  nep  i]v. 
 
 eav  d',  'A/3t WToy  6  /3ios,  ovk  'It  oy\ropai, 
 
 OTToXcoX', — ev  eavTU)  tovt   eav  CTKonfi,  Kaica 
 
 Tvpos  Tols  KaKolaiv  ovTos  eTepa  avWeyei. 
 
 6  8e  TW  XoyicrpM  iruvTa  irap    eavToi  aKOTTcov 
 
 TO  KOKov  a.<paLpe'L,  Tayadov  8e  Xap^uvei. 
 Philemon  ap.  Stobrci  Florileg.  Tom.  III.  p.  379,  ed.  Gaisford.] 
 
VIII,]  THE    COMMODITY    OF    PATIENCE.  127 
 
 into  the  sea,  and  say  that  he  so  bewaileth  his  adversity.  No 
 less  foohshly  do  they,  that  enjoy  not  such  goods  as  are 
 present,  and  regard  not  their  friends  that  be  ahve ;  but  spoil 
 and  mar  themselves,  because  their  wives,  cliUdren,  or  friends, 
 be  departed. 
 
 Though  one  of  the  husbandman's  trees  doth  wither  away, 
 he  heweth  not  down  therefore  all  the  other  trees ;  but 
 regardeth  the  other  so  much  the  more,  that  they  may  win 
 the  thing  again,  which  the  other  lost.  Even  so  learn  thou 
 in  adversity,  with  such  goods  as  are  left  thee  to  comfort 
 and  refresh  thyself  again. 
 
 CHAPTER    IX. 
 
 WE    OUGHT    SO    TO    LOVE    OUR    CHILDREN    AND    FRIENDS, 
 THAT    WE    MAY    FORSAKE    THEM. 
 
 All  such  things  ought  of  us  to  be  considered,  taken  in 
 hand,  and  exercised,  while  our   wives  and  friends  are  still 
 alive.     Namely,  if  thou  have  father  or  mother,  husband  or 
 wife,  child  or  friends,  lay  not  thine  heart,  love,  and  affection 
 too    much    upon    them,    how  good,    profitable,    and    honest  ^^^^l^\g 
 soever  they  be ;    but  remember  alway  that  they  are  tran-  htth^com'^ 
 sitory  things,  which  thou  mayest  lose  and  forego,  when  time  ["'love'them, 
 requireth.     Love  him  most  of  all,  whom  thou  canst  not  lose,  3ffectioi/t*o 
 even  thy  Redeemer ;  who,  to  draw  thee  unto  his  love,  and  then  wtu 
 to    deliver   thee  from  the  love  of  the  world,  stretched  out  contented 
 
 with  God's 
 
 his  arms,  and  suffered  the  most  vile  death  for  thee  upon  the  s°°a''5  "j.^'  ^"'' 
 cross. 
 
 Seneca  saith  not   unwisely:    "I  lend  myself  unto   the  fJigVanS- 
 things  of  the  world,  but  I  do  not  give  myself  to  them."     He  ^eati^^to 
 saith  moreover,  that  "nothing  is  possessed  as  it  ought  to  be,  °"'''''"' ' 
 except  one  be  ready  at  all  times  to  lose  it." 
 
 But  if  we  fasten  our  hearts  (so  to  say)  upon  our  chil- 
 dren and  friends ;  that  is,  if  we  love  them  too  much,  and 
 not  God  above  all  things ;  then  hath  our  sorrow  no  measure 
 as  ought,  as  they  are  altered  or  taken  away.  Therefore  if 
 thou  hast  not  prepared  thyself  to  adversity  by  times,  and 
 art  once  overtaken  with  indiscreet  heaviness,  then  let  it  be 
 unto  thee  a  warning  from  henceforth  to  keep  thee  from  the 
 
128  THIRD    BOOK    OF     DEATH.  [cHAP. 
 
 greater  love  of  transitory  things,  which  hath  brought  thee 
 into  such  heart-sorrow  ;  to  the  intent  that  at  other  times 
 thou  mayest  take  the  death  of  thy  wife  and  children  in  good 
 part,  and  with  more  constancy  of  mind. 
 
 CHAPTER    X. 
 
 OF    THE    DEATH    OF    YOUNG    PERSONS    IN    ESPECIAL. 
 
 After  the  general  instruction  concerning  death,  must 
 certain  objections  be  answered  that  hitherto  are  not  resolved. 
 If  a  young  man,  or  if  a  young  daughter  die.  Lord,  what 
 a  great  mourning  beginneth  there  to  be  !  'Alas !  he  is  taken 
 away  in  his  young  days  before  his  time ;  he  should  first  have 
 been  married,  and  had  a  good  wife  upon  earth,  and  in  his 
 last  age  have  died  in  peace  and  rest.'  Hereof  cometh  it  that 
 we  think  the  death  of  children  to  be  unnatm^al,  even  as 
 when  the  flame  of  fire  through  water  is  violently  quenched. 
 The  death  of  the  aged  we  think  to  be  natural,  as  when  the 
 fire  quencheth  of  itself,  according  to  the  saying  of  Cicero'. 
 
 Item,  the  death  of  young  persons  is  compared  to  unripe 
 apples,  that  with  violence  are  plucked  off  from  the  tree :  the 
 death  of  the  aged  is  thought  to  be,  as  when  ripe  apples  fall 
 down  of  themselves. 
 
 Item,  as  it  is  hard  to  undo  two  boards  newly  glued  toge- 
 ther, but  old  joinings  are  lightly  broken  asunder;  so  we 
 complain  that  young  folks  die  with  greater  pain  than  the 
 old :  yea,  it  grieveth  the  father's  and  mother's  heart,  when, 
 as  they  count  it,  that  matter  is  turned  upside  down,  that 
 children  depart  out  of  this  world  before  old  folks.  The 
 answer  is  taken  out  of  the  before  rehearsed  ground.     If  God, 
 
 The  will  of  who  hath  all  in  his  own  power,  had  promised  every  one  a 
 long  life,  then  mightest  thou  complain  at  the  shortening  of 
 the  life  of  thyself  or  of  thy  friends  against  God's  promise. 
 Now  hath  God  compared  and  clothed  the  soul  with  the  body, 
 that  what  day  or  what  twinkling  of  an  eye  soever  he  com- 
 mandeth  it  to  depart,  it  keepeth  the  same  time  wherein  one 
 finisheth  his  course.      Therefore  hath  no  man  cause  to  com- 
 
 Theshortness  plain  of  au  Untimely  death  ;  but  look,  whatsoever  one  hath  lived 
 
 of  this  time.     ^  ii-iip  i  I'l-i-i-- 
 
 over  and  beside  the  first  day  oi  his  birth,  it  is  an  increase. 
 [1  De  St'iiectute.  c.  19.] 
 
X.]  OF    THE    DEATH    OP    YOUNG    PERSONS    IN    ESPECIAL.  ]  29 
 
 Moreover,  God  knoweth  much  better  than  thou  and  we 
 all,  when  it  is  best  for  every  one  to  die.  And  so  faithful  is 
 he  for  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ's  sake,  that  he  in  no  wise  will 
 be  too  hasty  upon  us. 
 
 Secondly,  though  we  remain  a  long  season  in  this  fickle 
 transitory  life,  yet  is  all  our  time  but  short,  specially  towards 
 the  endless  eternity.  Therefore  it  hath  but  a  slender  differ- 
 ence, to  depart  hence  in  youth,  or  in  age. 
 
 Thirdly,  through  death  is  a  young  person  withdrawn 
 away  from  many  troubles,  which  else  were  at  his  door.  For 
 commonly,  the  longer  a  man  liveth,  the  more  miserable  is  he. 
 
 Take  examples  out  of  old  stories.  If  Themistocles,  after 
 the  most  glorious  victory  against  Xerxes,  when  all  the  Greeks 
 acknowledged  and  commended  him  for  their  redeemer  and 
 deliverer,  had  died,  should  it  not  have  served  him  to  a 
 perpetual  praise  and  honour  ?  Then  should  not  he  afterward 
 have  been  rated  as  a  betrayer  of  Greece ;  then  needed  not 
 he  to  have  been  in  bondage,  nor  to  have  fallen  down  at 
 the  foot  of  the  king  of  Barbary,  as  before  a  God,  whom 
 he  before  had  driven  out  of  Greece.  How  thrall  and  vile 
 a  thing  was  it  to  be  esteemed  before  the  world,  that 
 Themistocles  must  needs  come  before  king  Xerxes ! 
 
 What  is  to  be  said  of  Marcus  Cicero,  who  confesseth 
 himself,  that  if  he  had  died  sooner,  he  had  escaped  exceeding 
 great  troubles?  And  forasmuch  as  he  so  said,  while  the 
 matter  was  yet  tolerable ;  how  would  he  first  have  thought 
 and  lamented  in  his  age,  to  see  with  his  eyes  the  drawn 
 swords  over  the  senators'  and  citizens'  heads,  and  when  the 
 most  principal  men's  goods  were  parted  among  murderers ; 
 yea,  when,  whereas  beforetime  there  was  one  Catiline,  the  catiime 
 city  was  now  become  full  of  such  seditious  persons  !  man.' 
 
 The  examples  of  daily  experience  declare  sufficiently 
 before  our  eyes,  whereby  we  may  evidently  perceive,  that 
 death,  though  they  call  it  untimely,  deUvereth  yet  from 
 great  misfortune  and  adversity. 
 
 Fourthly,  the  innocency  and  cleanness  of  youth  is  of  their 
 own  nature,  and  through  evil  example,  defiled  and  stained  with 
 the  life  and  conversation  that  followeth  after.  Augustine 
 saith,  "The  older  the.  worse ^" 
 
 [2   The  following  passage  appears  to  contain  the  sentiment  of 
 Augustine,  which  is  here  refeiTed  to :   Quisquis  igitur  es  amator  vitse 
 
 9 
 
 [COVERDALE,   II.] 
 
 was 
 a  seditious 
 
130  THIRD    BOOK    OP    DEATH.  [cHAP. 
 
 Therefore  when  a  young  man  falleth  on  sleep,  know  thou 
 that  God  sheweth  great  grace  unto  liim,  in  that  he  suffereth 
 him  not,  as  many  other,  to  remain  long  in  this  blasphemous 
 world,  to  the  intent  he  should  no  more  be  hindered  and  de- 
 filed with  it ;  but  hath  called  him  from  hence  to  a  right  good 
 state,  that  with  himself  and  all  the  elect  he  might  possess  the 
 Hespeaketh  Mugdom  of  lieaveu.  Witness  of  the  scripture:  "Suddenly 
 wisd.  iv.  '  was  he  taken  away,  to  the  intent  that  wickedness  should  not 
 alter  his  understanding.  His  soul  pleased  God,  therefore 
 hasted  he  to  take  him  away  from  among  the  wicked." 
 
 Similitudes.  He  that  is  upon  the  sea,  and  with  a  good 
 strong;  wind  is  carried  soon  to  the  haven  or  land  where  he 
 would  be,  is  happier  than  he,  that  for  lack  of  wind  is  fain  to 
 sail  still  many  years  and  days  upon  the  sea  with  much  trouble 
 and  weariness.  Even  so  the  more  happy  is  he,  whom  death 
 taketh  away  from  the  stormy  and  raging  sea  of  this  world. 
 Seeing  there  is  set  before  us  an  universal  native  country,  and 
 he  that  is  long  in  going  thither,  obtaineth  no  more  than  he 
 that  is  speedily  gone  thither  before-hand  ;  should  not  one 
 wish,  that  he  had  soon  overcome  the  foul  dangerous  way 
 that  leadeth  to  the  heavenly  harbour  ? 
 
 The  sooner  one  payeth  his  debt,  the  better  it  is.  If 
 there  were  none  other  remedy,  but  that  with  an  hundred 
 more  thou  must  needs  be  beheaded,  and  thou  art  the  first 
 that  is  put  to  execution,  art  thou  not  then  the  first  that  is 
 despatched  of  the  pain? 
 
 Finally,  if  thou  consider  the  mischances  of  other  folks,  thou 
 hast  the  less  cause  to  complain.  One  dieth  in  the  mother's 
 womb,  before  he  be  born.  Another  dieth  in  the  very  birth. 
 The  third  in  his  flourishing  youth,  when  he  first  delighteth 
 to  live,  falleth  away  as  a  beautiful  rose.  Among  a  thousand 
 is  there  not  one  that  cometh  to  the  perfect  age. 
 
 longse,  esto  potius  bonse  vitse.  Nam  si  male  vivere  volueris,  longa 
 vita  non  erit  verum  bonum,  sed  erit  longum  malum.  August,  de 
 Verbis  Apostol.  Homil.  i.  Opera,  Vol.  x.  p.  90.  G.  Ed.  1541.] 
 
XI. j  OP  THE  DEATH  OP  THE  AGED.  131 
 
 CHAPTER  XI. 
 
 OF  THE  DEATH  OF  THE  AGED. 
 
 When  old  aged  folks  are  greedy  of  this  wretched  life, 
 they  do  even  as  those  that,  when  the  wine  is  all  spent,  will 
 needs  drink  out  the  wine-lees  also.  Whoso  dwelleth  in  an 
 old  rotten  house  that  sinketh  down,  needeth  not  long  to  seek 
 props  to  underset  it,  but  should  rather  be  glad  to  get  him 
 out  of  it :  even  so  old  aged  folks,  by  reason  of  their  decayed 
 body,  should  rather  be  content  to  depart  from  it.  And  this 
 advantage  they  have,  that  their  death  is  not  so  fierce  and 
 painful  as  the  death  of  young  folks. 
 
 This  is  chiefly  to  be  considered,  that  the  Lord  our  God 
 will  not  have  us  careful,  (which  thing  belongeth  unto  him 
 alone,)  but  to  be  faithful  and  true,  and  dihgently  to  labour.' 
 Old  fathers  and  mothers  are  not  able  to  travail  any  more ; 
 and  yet  with  earnest  carefulness  they  think  to  bring  all  things 
 to  pass.  This  special  fault  they  have,  that  they  think  they 
 shall  ever  lack.  Therefore  unto  them  verily  it  is  best,  that 
 God  take  them  away  from  all  care,  sorrow,  and  trouble,  and 
 place  them  in  quiet  rest  with  other  faithful  christian  folks. 
 
 CHAPTER  Xll. 
 
 OF    STRANGE    DEATH. 
 
 Whoso  is  taken  with  the  pestilence,  or  dieth  else  of  sick- 
 ness in  his  bed,  ought  gladly  to  suffer  the  hand  of  God ;  for 
 everybody  hath  deserved  a  far  worse  death.  And  a  very 
 small  rod  is  this  towards  it  that  God  sendeth  over  the  un- 
 godly, yea,  ofttimes  over  his  own  dear  children,  when  one 
 is  beheaded,  another  burned,  the  third  disowned,  &c. ;  where  Ps.  xuv, 
 
 '  '  Rom.  viii. 
 
 they  altogether  may  sing  with  David:    "For  thy  sake  are2Cor.iv. 
 we  killed  every  day,  and  counted  as  sheep  appointed  to  be 
 slain."     But  if  one  die  an  unwonted  death,  (as  one  is  de- 
 stroyed by  the  hangman,  another  dieth  a  sudden  death,  the 
 third,  as  happily  a  man's  child  falleth  down  dead  from  an 
 
 9—2 
 
132  THIRD    BOOK    OF    DEATH.  [cHAP.   XII.] 
 
 high  place,)  this  take  we  for  a  terrible  death,  and  cannot  tell 
 else  what  to  say  of  it ;  as  though  every  kind  of  death  in  itself 
 were  not  terrible  unto  the  nature  of  man.  Though  one  dieth 
 upon  the  wheel  for  murder,  there  is  sometime  more  hope  of 
 him,  that  he  hath  found  grace  at  God's  hand,  than  of  many 
 one  that  dieth  at  home  in  his  bed.  Examples  also  are  to  be 
 considered :  for  a  great  sort  of  God's  elect  died  not  a  right 
 death,  as  we  use  to  term  it.  Abel  was  murdered  of  his  own 
 natural  brother.  The  prophet,  being  sent  to  Jeroboam,  was 
 destroyed  of  a  lion.  Isaiah  was  sawn  asunder  through  the 
 middle.  Jeremiah,  Uke  as  Steven  also,  was  stoned  to  death. 
 James,  being  thrown  down  from  the  pulpit,  was  slain  of  a 
 fuller  ^  Peter  at  Rome  was  fastened  to  a  cross.  Upon  Paul 
 was  execution  done  with  the  sword".  Such  like  examples  hast 
 thou. 
 
 Item,  the  most  excellent  heathen  men  came  miserably  out 
 of  this  world.  The  good  Socrates  was  poisoned ;  Euripides 
 was  all-to  torn  of  dogs  ;  Sophocles  was  choked  with  a  little 
 stone  of  a  grape  berry ;  very  sorrowful  cumbrance  did  fret 
 out  the  heart  of  Homer.  Innumerable  examples  declare,  that 
 there  happeneth  no  new  thing  unto  us,  what  death  soever 
 we  or  our  friends  die. 
 
 Especially  let  us  observe  this  rule:  death  is  terrible  to 
 them  that  have  no  God;  but  of  us  that  are  God's  children 
 ought  not  the  horrible  image  of  death  to  be  feared,  but  to  be 
 welcome  unto  us.  For  God  himself  comforteth  us  with  these 
 words  following :  "  I  live,  and  ye  also  shall  live."  Of  this 
 are  we  assured  in  Christ  Jesu,  who  upon  the  cross  died  the 
 most  horrible  death  for  our  sakes :  to  whom  with  the  Father, 
 and  the  Holy  Ghost,  be  all  honour  and  glory  for  ever  and 
 ever.     Amen. 
 
 Only  unto  God  give  the  praise. 
 
 [1  Euseb.  Hist.  Eccles.  Lib.  n.  c.  23.  p.  30.  ed.  Reading,  1720;  and 
 Hegesippi  Fragmcnta  apud  Routh.  Rel.  Sacr.  Vol.  i.  p.  195.] 
 
 [2  With  respect  to  the  martyrdom  of  St  Peter  and  St  Paul,  compare 
 Euseb.  Hist.  Eccles.  Lib.  ii.  c.  25.  p.  83.  S.  Petri  Alexandrini  Frag- 
 menta  apud  Routh.  Rel.  Sacr.  Vol.  m.  p.  332 ;  and  Pearson.  Annales 
 Paulini  ad  annum  Christi  68,  Neronis  14.] 
 
AN  EXHORTATION   WRITTEN  BY  THE   LADY  JANE, 
 
 THE   NIGHT   BEFORE  SHE   SUFFERED,   IN  THE 
 
 END    OF    THE    NEW   TESTA3IENT   IN 
 
 GREEK,  WHICH   SHE   SENT    TO 
 
 HER  SISTER,  LADY 
 
 KATHARINE. 
 
 I  HAVE  here  sent  you,  good  sister  Katherine,  a  book ; 
 ■which  although  it  be  not  outwardly  trimmed  with  gold,  yet 
 inwardly  it  is  more  worth  than  precious  stones.  It  is  the 
 book,  dear  sister,  of  the  law  of  the  Lord ;  it  is  his  testament 
 and  last  will,  which  he  bequeathed  to  us  wretches,  which  shall 
 lead  you  to  the  path  of  eternal  joy.  And  if  you  with  a  good 
 mind  read  it,  and  with  an  earnest  desire  follow  it,  it  shall 
 bring  you  to  an  immortal  and  everlasting  life.  It  will  teach 
 you  to  hve,  and  learn  you  to  die ;  it  shall  win  you  more 
 than  you  should  have  gained  by  the  possessions  of  your 
 woeful  father's  lands.  For  as,  if  God  had  prospered  him, 
 you  should  have  inherited  his  lands;  so  if  you  apply  dili- 
 gently this  book,  seeking  to  direct  your  life  after  it,  you 
 shall  be  an  inheritor  of  such  riches,  as  neither  the  covetous 
 shall  withdraw  from  you,  neither  the  thief  shall  steal,  neither 
 yet  the  moths  corrupt. 
 
 Desire  with  David,  good  sister,  to  understand  the  law 
 of  the  Lord  your  God.  Live  still  to  die ;  that  you  by  death 
 may  purchase  eternal  life,  or  after  your  death  enjoy  the  life 
 purchased  you  by  Christ's  death.  And  trust  not,  that  the 
 tenderness  of  your  age  shall  lengthen  your  life :  for  as  soon, 
 if  God  call,  goeth  the  young  as  the  old.  And  labour  alway 
 to  learn  to  die,  deny  the  world,  defy  the  devil,  and  despise 
 the  flesh,  and  dehght  yourself  only  in  the  Lord.  Be  penitent 
 for  your  sins,  and  yet  despair  not.  Be  strong  in  faith,  and 
 yet  presume  not.  And  desire  with  St  Paul  to  be  dissolved 
 and  to  be  with  Christ,  with  whom  even  in  death  there  is  life. 
 Be  like  the  good  servant,  and  even  at  midnight  be  waking ; 
 lest  when  death  cometh  and  stealeth  upon  you,  lilvO  a  thief 
 in  the  night,  you  be  with  the  evil  servant  found  sleeping  ; 
 and  lest  for  lack  of  oil  ye  be  found  like  the  five  foolish 
 women,  and  like  him  that  had  not  on  the  wedding-garment ; 
 and  then  be  cast  out  from  the  marriage.     Rejoice  in  Chiist, 
 
134  AN     EXHORTATION,     &€. 
 
 as  I  trust  ye  do.  And  seeing  ye  have  the  name  of  a  Chris- 
 tian, as  near  as  ye  can,  follow  the  steps  of  your  master  Christ, 
 and  take  up  your  cross,  lay  your  sins  on  his  back,  and  always 
 embrace  liim.  And  as  touching  my  death,  rejoice  as  I  do, 
 good  sister,  that  I  shall  be  dehvered  of  this  corruption,  and 
 put  on  incorruption.  For  I  am  assured  that  I  shall,  for  losing 
 of  a  mortal  life,  win  an  immortal  hfe.  The  which  I  pray  God 
 grant  you ;  send  you  of  his  grace  to  Hve  in  his  fear,  and  to 
 die  in  the  true  christian  faith :  from  the  which,  in  God's 
 name,  I  exhort  you  that  you  neither  swerve,  neither  for  hope 
 of  life,  nor  fear  of  death.  For  if  ye  will  deny  his  truth  to 
 lengthen  your  life,  God  will  deny  you,  and  yet  shorten  your 
 days.  And  if  ye  will  cleave  to  him,  he  wiU  prolong  your 
 days  to  your  comfort  and  his  glory.  To  the  which  glory 
 God  bring  me  noAv,  and  you  hereafter,  when  it  shall  please 
 God  to  call  you!  Farewell,  good  sister,  and  put  your  only 
 trust  in  God,  who  only  must  help  you. 
 
 Your  loving  sister, 
 
 Jane  Dudley. 
 
THE 
 
 HOPE  OF  THE  FAITHFUL. 
 
tittimn^t  iuEfclg  anti  rleaulg  t^c  l^tsurrection  of 
 
 our  %oxti  ^tsus  (ZTj^n'st  past,  anlr  of  our  true 
 
 tsscntiall  botrits  to  come :  antr  plagnclg  ton= 
 
 futing  tjbe  cjbiffc  errors  tl)at  j^abc  sprong 
 
 thereof  out  of  t\tt  Scripture  antr  5Boc= 
 
 tors.    Wiitff  an  ebitrent  probatio 
 
 tj^at  tfiert  IS  an  eternall  life  of 
 
 tj^e  faitMul,  anlj  eberlasting 
 
 Jjamnation  of  tj^e 
 
 bJirfietr. 
 
.     [THE  HOPE  OF  THE  FAITHFUL. 
 
 This  is  the  third  of  the  treatises  of  Otho  Wennullerus,  or  Vierd- 
 mullerus,  translated  by  Bishop  Coverdale;  for  an  account  of  which 
 the  reader  is  referred  to  the  preface  to  the  Spiritual  Pearl.  Of  this 
 work  there  are  copies  of  the  edition  printed  by  Hugh  Singleton  in 
 1579  in  the  libraries  of  Christ  Church,  Oxford,  and  of  Trinity  college, 
 Dublin.  The  present  edition  is  printed  from  a  copy  of  the  old  edition 
 without  date  in  the  Swiss  angular  tj^ie,  (exactly  resembling  that  in 
 which  the  preceding  treatise  is  printed,  and  both  of  them  probably 
 under  the  immediate  superintendence  of  Coverdale  himself,)  in  the 
 possession  of  George  OfFor,  Esq.] 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 TO  THE  CHRISTIAN  READER, 
 GRACE  AND  PEACE. 
 
 Every  man  must  needs  confess,  that  this  is  now  a 
 lamentable  time,  in  the  which  the  world  is  not  only  un- 
 quieted  with  wars,  dearth,  sickness,  and  such  like ;  but  also 
 standeth  ever  more  and  more  in  greater  peril,  through  vices 
 every  where  bearing  the  sway :  so  that  it  is  to  be  feared, 
 if  we  banish  them  not  the  sooner,  we  and  our  posterity 
 shall  yet  come  into  far  greater  sorrow,  than  we  are  already 
 wrapped  in.  For  if  one  should  barely,  and  without  all  rhe- 
 torical amplifications,  rehearse  only  the  great  pomp,  vain 
 glory,  riot,  fornication,  open  idolatry,  perjury,  &c.  of  mighty 
 men  and  rulers,  which  waste  the  world  miserably,  the  space 
 even  of  many  days  would  scarce  be  any  thing  sufficient 
 thereunto. 
 
 And  what  heaps  of  wickedness  private  persons  do  add 
 unto  the  same,  all  wise  men  can  ponder  by  themselves. 
 For  if  we  go  into  our  own  bosoms,  we  find  that  we  alto- 
 gether will  wholly  fashion  and  frame  our  lives  after  the 
 world ;  seeking  vain  pomp  and  private  commodity  for  our 
 own  lust,  with  sure  shame  and  public  discommodity  to 
 others'  loss. 
 
 Which  all  are  undoubted  tokens,  that  the  law  and  love 
 of  God  is  little  esteemed  among  us ;  which  with  grievous 
 threats  forbiddeth  the  aforesaid  and  other  vices,  by  strait 
 commandment  forcing,  and  sure  rewards  alluring  us  to  the 
 contrary  dealing.  Neither  may  we  think,  but  that  such 
 vices  daily  will  increase,  until  the  time  they  overwhelm  us, 
 except,  the  contempt  of  God's  law  set  apart,  (being  the  only 
 sufiicient  well-spring  of  all  wickedness,  for  which  the  wrath 
 of  God  is  enkindled  and  his  bitter  curses  fall  upon  us,)  the 
 same  would  be  had  in  greater  price  and  reverence.  For 
 why  ?  what  godliness  can  be  hoped  for  of  them  which  hold 
 
PREFACE.  139 
 
 nothing  of  God,  the  only  fountaui  of  goodness,  and  laugh  his 
 word  to  scorn,  of  whom  we  can  know  nothing  but  is  there 
 shewed  us,  save  the  small  knowledge  there  is  of  beholding  of 
 the  creatures ;  which  nevertheless  declareth  rather,  that  there 
 is  a  God,  than  what  he  is,  and  how  he  will  be  pleased  ?  And 
 though  all  the  scriptures  serve  us  to  enjoy  God's  blessings, 
 yet  as  in  a  compound  medicine  all  the  simples  being  whole- 
 some, some  one  may  less  be  spared  than  the  other ;  so  the 
 article  of  resurrection,  clear  and  oft  inculcated  in  scripture, 
 is  most  available,  so  that  it  is  known  all  vices  swarm  and 
 roost  in  us.  For  we  not  considering  our  end,  wherein  salva- 
 tion and  life  standeth,  or  pains  prepared  for  the  accursed, 
 will  but  stain  ourselves  in  voluptuousness.  For  who  knoweth 
 but  the  flesh  in  this  life,  why  should  he  not  think  as  good 
 take  it,  as  leave  it,  and  best  to  make  the  most  of  that  which 
 at  last  ceaseth  ?  In  this  case  the  Ethnics  being,  said : 
 "  Live  merrily  while  ye  be  in  the  world,  and  eat  we  and 
 drink  we  lustily ;  to-morrow  we  shall  die :"  which  all  the 
 epicures  protest  openly,  and  the  Italian  atheoi  in  like 
 practice;  and  no  worse  man  than  a  pope  in  our  days  hath 
 given  the  like  definitive  sentence  among  his  court  divines  of 
 the  soul's  immortahty  ^ :  the  story  is  known.  Contrariwise 
 the  learned  in  God's  word,  knowing  that  this  life  is  a  death 
 from  sin,  and  a  way  to  the  life  to  come,  which  Christ  with 
 his  cross  hath  opened  unto  them,  for  desire  thereof  run  forth 
 in  the  race  of  godliness,  assured  of  the  reward ;  since  Christ 
 therefore,  by  doing  death  battle,  that  we  might  live,  hath 
 broken  her  bonds,  and  risen  again.  For  goods  are  not  the 
 possessor's,  as  the  philosopher  saith,  and  Christ  alludeth  in 
 
 [1  Allusion  is  probably  made  to  Leo  X. ;  who  lias  often  been 
 charged  not  only  with  holding  infidel  opinions,  but  also  with  giving 
 utterance  to  them.  Compare  with  what  is  here  stated,  what  is  written 
 concerning  Leo  by  Waterland,  in  his  Charge  on  Christianity  defended 
 against  Infidelity;  Works,  Vol.  vm.  p.  77.  Ed.  1823:  also  the  remarks 
 which  are  made  on  his  character  by  Seckendorf,  Commentarius  de 
 Lutheranismo,  (Lib.  I.  sect.  47.  §  cxvni.  Vol.  i.  p.  190,)  who  thus 
 gives  his  opinion  of  Leo :  Hsec  et  alia  ad  mores  Leonis  pertinentia 
 Varillasius  nuper  in  Arcana  historia  Florentina  prodidit,  ex  quibus  et 
 ex  silentio  Pallavicini  judicium  Pauli  Veneti  de  Pontiftce  hoc  con- 
 firmatiu-,  quod  duobus  maximis  vitiis  laboraverit  ignorantia  reUgionis, 
 et  impietate,  sive  atheismo.  See  Ulyr.  Flac.  Catalog.  Test.  Genev. 
 1608.  col.  2103.     Also  Bale,  Pageant  of  Popes,  Lond.  1574.  fol.  179.] 
 
1 40  PREFACE. 
 
 the  parable  of  the  two  strong  men,  but  the  more  valiant 
 man's.  Wherefore,  gentle  reader,  I  having  this  httle,  but 
 absolute  work  of  Christ's  and  our  resurrection,  and  that  there 
 is  an  eternal  hfe  and  damnation,  wherein  the  devil  hath  sore 
 assaulted  the  church  by  men  (this  only  excepted)  of  great 
 authority  and  learning,  thought  it  my  duty  to  put  it  in  print, 
 not  keeping  that  private,  which  might  do  such  good  common. 
 The  matter  is  plain  in  scripture ;  yet  learn  we  better  things 
 called  in  question,  and  forced  to  us  by  reason  :  wherefore 
 not  to  stir  up  God's  grace  in  us  by  embracmg  such  treatises, 
 were  to  tempt  God,  and  extinct  the  Spirit. 
 
 For  the  scholar  learneth  of  his  schoolfellow,  what  he 
 perceived  not  by  his  more  learned  master,  and  understandeth 
 him  ever  after  the  better;  and  so  men  further  one  another 
 in  scripture :  which,  as  I  mean  in  printing,  if  thou  desire 
 in  reading,  the  Lord,  no  nay,  shall  grant  our  request, 
 which  giveth  blessings  plenteously  to  all  such 
 as  ask  it  constantly.     To  whom  give 
 honour  and  thanks  from  heart, 
 for  the  good  that  thou 
 reapest  in  his  crea- 
 tures.   Farewell. 
 
THE 
 FIRST  PART  OF  THIS  BOOK, 
 
 ENTITLED 
 
 THE  HOPE  OF  THE  FAITHFUL, 
 
 WHICH   ENTREATETH   OF   THE   RESURRECTION  AND 
 
 ASCENSION  OF  CHRIST,  WITH  THE  FRUIT 
 
 AND  COMMODITY  THEREOF. 
 
 CHAPTER  I. 
 
 THE    CONTENTS    OF    THIS    BOOK,    AND    THE    AUTHORS 
 PURPOSE. 
 
 Considering  that  by  the  evangelists  and  by  all  the 
 apostles  there  is  nothing  written  more  diligently,  than  touch- 
 ing the  resurrection  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  my  purpose  is 
 somewhat  more  largely  to  talk  of  the  same,  and  of  the 
 glorious  ascension  of  his  body  into  heaven :  item,  of  the 
 resurrection  and  ascension  of  our  own  bodies,  of  the  dam- 
 nation of  unbelievers,  of  the  hope  and  eternal  life  of  the 
 blessed.  And  this  I  mind  to  do  only  unto  the  honour,  laud, 
 and  praise  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  that  the  mystery  of  the 
 holy  gospel  may  be  set  forth  and  opened  to  the  commodity 
 and  edifying  of  the  faithful,  and  that  of  every  man  it  may 
 be  plainly  understanded,  how  great  things  are  prepared  and 
 given  us  of  Christ.  This  matter  also  doth  specially  belong- 
 to  the  declaration  of  the  holy  gospel;  forasmuch  as  the  best 
 state  of  the  gospel  is  contained  and  taught  therein.  There- 
 fore if  I  write  aught  herein  more  largely,  I  do  nothing  that 
 concerneth  not  my  purpose.  Yet  I  intend  also  to  keep  a 
 measure,  and  not  to  open  every  thing  that  hereof  might  be 
 written,  but  only  that  which  is  chiefest  and  most  necessary 
 of  all. 
 
142  HOPE    OF    THE    FAITHFUL.  [cHAP 
 
 CHAPTER  II. 
 
 THAT    THE    LORD    VERILY    AROSE    WITH    HIS    BODY. 
 
 That  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  with  his  own  very  true  body 
 did  verily  arise  from  the  dead,  it  shall  be  expedient  before 
 all  things  to  testify  and  prove.  Therefore  let  the  first  wit- 
 ness, even  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  himself,  come  forth  now,  and 
 bear  us  record  out  of  the  prophets  concerning  his  true  re- 
 Matt,  xii.  surrection  :  "  Like  as  Jonas,"  saith  he,  '•  was  three  days  and 
 three  nights  in  the  whale's  belly,  so  shall  the  Son  of  man  be 
 three  days  and  three  nights  in  the  heart  of  the  earth."  Now 
 did  not  the  fish  cast  up  to  the  dry  land  any  other  for  Jonas, 
 •  but  even  the  same  Jonas  himself,  whom  he  had  swallowed. 
 Therefore  the  very  same  true  body  of  the  Lord  also,  that  was 
 buried,  arose  again.  Which  thing  the  holy  apostle  Paul 
 1  Cor. XV.  minding  perfectly  to  express,  said:  "First  of  all  I  delivered 
 unto  you,  or  taught  you,  that  which  I  received ;  how  that 
 Christ  died  for  our  sins  according  to  the  scriptures ;  and  that 
 he  was  buried,  and  that  he  rose  again  the  third  day  according 
 to  the  scriptm'es." 
 
 Lo,  what  can  be  spoken  more  evident  and  plain?  He 
 that  died  for  our  sins,  and  was  buried,  even  he  himself  the 
 very  same  rose  also  again.  Of  this  now  it  followeth,  that 
 the  very  true  substantial  body  of  our  Lord  did  rise  again ; 
 for  even  the  same  died,  and  was  buried.  But  to  the  intent 
 that  it  might  the  sooner  be  believed,  Paul,  the  holy  teacher, 
 declareth  furthermore,  that  he  speaketh  thus  according  to 
 the  contents  of  scripture,  and  that  the  same  was  taught  in 
 the  scriptures  afore,  meaning  undoubtedly  the  law  and  the 
 prophets. 
 
 Nevertheless  we  will  now  bring  forth  the  true  and  evident 
 Matt,  xxviii.  testimonies  of  the  angels,  who  in  Mark,  Luke,  and  Matthew, 
 
 Mark  xvi.  i 
 
 Luke  xxiv.  gpeak  unto  the  women  that  came  to  the  sepulchre  :  "  Ye  seek 
 Jesus  of  Nazareth,  him  that  was  crucified.  Why  seek  ye 
 the  living  among  the  dead  ?  He  is  risen,  he  is  not  here. 
 Behold  the  place  where  they  had  laid  him.  Remember,  how 
 he  spake  unto  you,  while  he  was  yet  in  Gahlee,  saymg,  that 
 the  Son  of  man  must  be  delivered  into  the  hands  of  sinful 
 men,  and  be  crucified,  and  the  third  day  rise  again.     There- 
 
II.]  THAT    THE    LORD    VERILY     AROSE    WITH    HIS    BODY.  143 
 
 fore  go  quickly  and  tell  this  to  his  disciples,  that  he  is  risen 
 from  the  dead.  And  behold,  he  shall  go  before  you  into 
 Galilee ;  there  shall  ye  see  him,  as  he  himself  told  you." 
 
 These  are  the  words  of  the  angels,  which,  if  all  circum- 
 stances be  thoroughly  Avell  considered,  do  plainly  declare, 
 that  the  very  true  body  of  the  Lord  did  verily  arise  from 
 the  dead.  The  women  come  and  seek  the  body  of  the  Lord, 
 desiring  to  anoint  it ;  therefore  the  question  is  touching  the 
 body  of  Christ.  The  angels  also  speak  of  the  true  body  of 
 Christ,  and  make  answer,  saying,  "  Ye  seek  Jesus  of  Naza- 
 reth ;"  whereunto  they  add  distinctly,  "  him  that  was  cru- 
 cified." Now  are  we  sure,  that  his  very  true  body  was 
 crucified,  and  died.  He,  say  they  namely,  that  died,  even 
 Jesus  of  Nazareth,  the  same  is  become  alive  again.  "  Why 
 seek  ye  the  living  among  the  dead?"  The  Lord  died  of  a 
 truth ;  but  death  must  not  have  dominion  over  him,  neither 
 must  his  body  putrefy  or  corrupt,  as  other  men's  bodies  do ; 
 according  as  holy  David  said  before ;  "  Aforehand  I  saw  God  Psai.  xvi. 
 always  before  me ;  for  he  is  on  my  right  hand,  that  I  should 
 not  be  moved.  Therefore  did  my  heart  rejoice,  and  my 
 tongue  was  glad  ;  moreover  my  flesh  also  shall  rest  in  hope  ; 
 because  thou  wilt  not  leave  my  soul  in  hell,  neither  wilt  thou 
 suffer  thy  Holy  One  to  see  corruption.  Thou  hast  shewed  me 
 the  ways  of  life,  thou  shalt  make  me  full  of  joy  with  thy 
 countenance;  and  at  thy  right  hand  there  is  pleasure  for 
 evermore."  These  words  extend  wholly  unto  Christ,  ac- 
 cording as  the  two  excellent  apostles,  namely,  Peter  in  the  Acts  ii.  xii 
 second,  and  Paul  in  the  thirteenth  of  the  Acts,  do  declare. 
 Out  of  the  angels'  words  also  is  it  come  into  the  articles  of 
 the  Creed,  as  we  all  confess  with  these  words,  "  he  rose 
 AGAIN  FROM  THE  DEAD."  This  word,  "  froiu  the  dead," 
 doth  truly  express  the  death  and  resurrection  after  this  sense  : 
 He  died,  as  other  men  also  do,  according  to  the  law  of 
 nature;  and  even  in  the  same  flesh,  which  he  therefore  took 
 upon  him  that  he  might  die,  received  the  immortality,  and 
 took  it  unto  liim  again.  Therefore,  say  the  angels,  "he  is 
 risen  again."  But  that  thing  riseth  not  up,  which  fell  not 
 afore;  therefore  even  the  same  body  of  Chi'ist,  that  fell  to 
 death,  is  from  death  risen  up  again. 
 
 Moreover,  they  name  also  the  place  where  he  was  laid, 
 to  express  perfectly,  that  the  very  true  body  was  risen,  saying : 
 
144  HOPE    OF    THE    FAITHFUL.  [cHAP. 
 
 "  Behold  the  place  where  they  laid  him."  The  mortal  body 
 of  the  Lord  hath  his  certain  place,  yea,  his  own  place,  (that 
 the  logicians  call  uhi,  that  is  to  say,  where,)  in  the  which  he 
 was  laid ;  and  as  he  now  is  become  immortal,  he  hath  his 
 own  place  again.  For  if  the  body  that  was  raised  up  were 
 every  where,  then  had  not  the  angels  said :  "  Behold  the 
 place  where  they  laid  him."  Yea,  they  had  not  been  able 
 to  shew  any  one  place,  where  he  was  not;  for  the  immortal 
 body  must  be  every  where.  But  now  they  shew  a  place,  in 
 which  the  immortal  body  was  not,  and  that  with  plain  express 
 words,  saying :  "  He  is  not  here."  Of  this  now  it  followeth, 
 that  the  body  of  Christ,  which  is  but  in  one  place,  did  verily 
 rise  again.  In  the  gospel  of  St  John  also  the  sepulchre- 
 clothes  wherein  the  Lord  was  wrapped  (as  the  head-cloth 
 and  that  which  was  about  his  body)  are  mentioned  as  strong 
 testimonies  of  the  body  risen  up ;  which  clothes  Peter  and 
 John  did  perfectly  see. 
 
 Furthermore,  the  angels  prove  his  very  true  resurrection 
 out  of  the  word  of  God,  and  say :  "  Remember  what  he  said 
 unto  you,  while  he  was  yet  in  Galilee :  The  Son  of  man 
 must  be  delivered  into  the  hands  of  sinful  men,"  &c.  With 
 these  words  will  they  instruct  us,  that  the  Son  of  man,  in  a 
 very  true  body,  is  truly  risen  again.  They  say  moreover : 
 "  Go  quickly,  tell  the  disciples,  that  he  is  risen  from  death." 
 Now  was  the  body  dead,  and,  as  all  men's  bodies  that  die, 
 laid  in  the  grave.  And  even  the  same  body  was  made  im- 
 mortal, and  rose  again  from  the  dead.  "  He  shall  go  before 
 you  into  Galilee,"  yea,  before  you  shall  he  go  with  a  true 
 body,  that  moveth  from  one  place  unto  another ;  "  there,"  as 
 in  a  certain  plaoe,  "  shall  ye  see  him."  "  Ye  shall  see  him," 
 I  say ;  for  with  a  visible  and  palpable  body  is  he  risen,  as 
 ye  are  told  by  the  Lord  himself,  who  can  neither  lie  nor 
 deceive. 
 
 CHAPTER  III. 
 
 APPEARINGS    OF    THE    BODY    RAISED    UP. 
 
 Hereunto    extend   the  manifold   appearings,   or   open- 
 shewings  of  Christ,  mentioned  by  the  evangehsts.     In  ]\Iark 
 
hi]  APPEAKINGS    OF    CHRIST    RAISED     UP.  145 
 
 it  is  written  thus :  "  When  Jesus  was  risen  early  the  first  ^ark  xvi. 
 day  after  the  Sabbath,  he  appeared  first  to  Mary  Magdalen ; " 
 to  whom  in  the  gospel  of  St  John  he  saith :  "  Go  to  my  john  xx. 
 brethren,  and  tell  them,  I  go  up  to  my  Father  and  your 
 Father,  to  my  God  and  your  God.     JSTow  when  she  came  to 
 the  chsciples,  she  told  them  that  she  had  seen  the  Lord,  and 
 that  he  had  spoken  such  tilings  unto  her."     In  Matthew  ho 
 meeteth  the  women,  and  saith  :  "  All  hail.      Fear  not :   go  Matt,  xxvin. 
 and  tell  my  brethren,  that  they  go  into  Gahlee ;  there  shall 
 they  see  me."     In  holy  St  LulvO  is  mention  made  of  two 
 appearings :   the   first,  when  he  shewed  himself  to  the  two 
 that  went  to  Emaus,   and   opened  unto  them   the  true  re-  Luke  xxiv. 
 surrection  of  his  body ;   the  second,  when  they  were  gone 
 again  from  Jerusalem,  they  came  to  the  disciples,  minding  to 
 shew  them,  and  to  give  them  to  understand,  what  they  had 
 seen  and  heard.    Then  prevented  they  them,  and  said:  "The  Luke  xxiv. 
 Lord  is  truly  risen  indeed,  and  hath  appeared  unto  Simon." 
 "  Now  while  they  were  talking  of  such  things  among  them- 
 selves, Jesus  stood  in  the  midst  of  them,  and  said.  Peace  be 
 imto  you.     But  when  they  saw  him,  they  were  sore  afraid, 
 thinking  that  they  had  seen  a  spirit,  or  some  other  vision. 
 Then  said  the  Lord  unto  them.  Why  are  ye  troubled,  and 
 why  do  thoughts  arise  in  your  hearts?    behold  my  hands 
 and  my  feet." 
 
 CHAPTER    IV. 
 
 THE    BODY    OF    CHRIST    ROSE    AGAIN,    NOT    A    SPIRIT,    BUT 
 A    TRUE    BODY. 
 
 Now,  that  no  man  should  think  it  to  be  another  body, 
 which  he  had  not  afore  his  resurrection,  he  addeth  thereto 
 immediately:  "It  is  even  I  myself;  handle  me,  and  see;  a 
 spirit  hath  not  flesh  and  bones,  as  ye  see  me  have.  And 
 with  that  he  shewed  them  his  hands  and  his  feet." 
 
 With  this  evident  testimony  of  the  Lord  was  St  Augus-  "^  Agone 
 tine  moved  boldly  to  say,  that  "they  ought  not  to  be  heard,  «'ap.24. 
 which  deny  the  body  of  the  Lord  to  have  risen  again,  as  it 
 was  laid  in  the  sepulchre.     For  if  it  were  not  so,  ho  would 
 
 10 
 
 [COVERDALE,  II.] 
 
146  HOPE    OF    THE    FAITHFUL.  [cHAP. 
 
 not  have  said  to  his  disciples  after  the  resurrection :  'Handle 
 me  and  see ;  for  a  spirit  hath  not  flesh  and  bones,  as  ye  see 
 me  have.'  Now  is  it  as  much  as  to  rob  God  of  his  honour, 
 if  any  man  -would  think  that  the  Lord,  who  is  the  truth 
 itself,  had,  in  anything  that  he  spake,  not  said  the  truth'." 
 
 Thomas  was  not  there,  when  the  Lord  shewed  himself  alive 
 unto  his  disciples ;  but  when  he  came  again,  they  told  him  with 
 great  joy  what  they  had  seen  and  heard.     Nevertheless  he 
 
 John XX.  thought  it  had  not  been  as  they  spake,  and  he  said:  "Except 
 I  see  in  his  hands  the  print  of  the  nails,  and  put  my  fingers 
 into  the  holes  of  them,  and  my  hand  into  his  side,  I  wUl  not 
 believe  it.  Therefore  after  eight  days,  when  the  disciples 
 were  assembled  together  again,  and  Thomas  with  them, 
 Jesus  Cometh  in,  while  the  doors  were  shut,  and  standeth  in 
 the  midst  among  them,  and  saith.  Peace  be  unto  you.  After- 
 wards said  he  unto  Thomas,  Reach  hither  thy  finger,  and 
 behold  my  hands ;  put  thy  hand  here  also,  and  lay  it  in  my 
 side ;  and  be  not  faithless  but  behoving.  Thomas  answered 
 and  said  unto  him.  My  Lord,  and  my  God."  For  St  Paul 
 also,  in  the  first  chapter  of  the  epistle  to  the  Romans,  doth 
 out  of  the  resurrection  of  the  Lord  prove  the  Godhead  thus  : 
 
 Kom  i.  "  Which  was  born  of  the  seed  of  David  after  the  flesh,  and 
 evidently  declared  to  be  the  Son  of  God  after  the  Spirit  that 
 sanctifieth,  and  by  that  he  rose  again  from  the  dead ; "  namely, 
 Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.  What  can  be  spoken  more  plain, 
 more  evident,  or  more  certain?  For  freely  did  the  Lord  set 
 before  their  eyes  his  body  wliich  was  hanged  upon  the  cross, 
 that  they  might  see  it  and  handle  it.  For  the  body  was 
 pierced  with  nails,  and  marred  with  the  pruits  thereof.  Out 
 of  this  now  it  foUoweth,  that  the  Lord  with  his  true  body 
 did  verily  rise  again,  and  was  not  a  spirit.  And  further,  the 
 Lord  also  sheweth  himself  unto  the  seven,  which  then  were 
 
 johnxsi.  in  Gahlee,  fishing  at  the  Sea  of  Tiberias.  The  evangehst 
 addeth  likewise  thereunto,  that  it  was  not  expedient  for  any 
 
 [1  Nee  eos  audiamus,  qui  negant  tale  corpus  Domini  resurrexisse, 
 quale  positum  est  in  monumento.  Si  cnim  tale  non  fuisset,  non  ipse 
 dixisset  post  resurrectionem  discipulis,  Palpate  et  videte,  quoniam 
 spiritus  ossa  et  carnem  non  habet,  sicut  me  videtis  habere.  Sacri- 
 legum  est  enim  credere,  Dominum  nostrum,  cum  ipse  sit  Veritas,  in 
 aliquo  fuissementitum.  August.  De  Agone  Christiano.  cap.  24.  Opera, 
 Tom.  ni.  p.  74.  F.  ed.  Paris.  1541.] 
 
IV.]  CHRIST    ROSE    AGAIN    A    TRUE    BODY.  147 
 
 of  the  disciples  to  ask  him  who  he  "was ;  for  they  knew  that 
 it  was  the  Lord.  In  the  twenty-eighth  chapter  of  JMatthew, 
 the  eleven  apostles  "  saw  the  Lord,  and  worshipped  him,"  as  Matt,  xxvui. 
 it  is  declared  afore.  Some  think,  that  the  same  was  the  ex- 
 cellent appearing  that  Paul  speaketh  of,  saying :  "Afterwards  icor.  xv. 
 was  he  seen  of  more  than  five  hundred  brethren  at  once,  of 
 whom  many  are  ahve  this  day,  but  some  are  asleep,"  or  dead. 
 And  in  the  same  place  doth  the  apostle  make  mention  yet 
 of  two  more  appearings,  saying :  "  After  this  was  he  seen  of 
 James,  then  of  all  the  apostles,  and  last  of  all  he  was  seen  of 
 me,  as  of  one  that  was  born  out  of  due  time." 
 
 Luke  the  Evangehst,  in  the  beginning  of  the  Acts  of  the 
 Apostles,  hath  in  manner  collected  all  the  probations  toge- 
 ther. "The  Lord,"  saith  he,  "shewed  himself  alive  unto  Acts i. 
 his  apostles  after  his  passion ;  and  that  by  many  tokens, 
 appearing  unto  them  forty  days,  and  speaking  of  the  king- 
 dom of  God."  St  Peter  also,  instructing  Cornelius  in  the 
 faith  of  Christ,  said  :  "  We  are  witnesses  of  all  things  which  Matt.  x. 
 he  did  in  the  land  of  the  Jews,  and  at  Jerusalem;  whom 
 they  slew  and  hanged  on  a  tree  :  him  God  raised  up  the  third 
 day,  and  shewed  liim  openly,  not  to  all  the  people,  but  unto 
 us  witnesses  chosen  before  of  God,  for  that  intent,  which  did 
 eat  and  drink  with  him  after  he  arose  from  death."  With 
 these  plain  probations  and  testimonies,  as  I  suppose  it,  it  is 
 evidently  declared  and  sufficiently  shewed,  that  our  Lord 
 Jesus  Christ,  with  his  own  very  true  body  which  hanged  on 
 the  cross,  did  verily  rise  from  the  dead.  As  touching  the 
 glorification,  I  shall  speak  thereof,  when  I  come  to  the  resur- 
 rection of  the  bodies ;  and  there  will  I  shew  more,  that  the 
 glorification  doth  nothing  minish  the  verity  or  truth  of  the 
 body.     Read  the  sixth  chapter. 
 
 CHAPTER  Y. 
 
 THE    FRUIT    OF    THE    RESURRECTION    OF    CHRIST. 
 
 Now  will  I  declare  the  occasion,  why  I  have  with  such 
 dihgence  and  so  earnestly  pressed  on  to  this,  that  Jesus 
 Christ  with  his  true  body  did  truly  rise  again:  that  is, 
 how  profitable  and  necessary  it  is  so  to  beUeve,  and  what 
 
 10—2 
 
148  HOPE    OF    THE    FAITHFUL.  [cHAP. 
 
 fruit  the  true  resurrection  of  Christ  doth  bring  and  engender 
 unto  us.  And  albeit  that  hereof,  as  of  a  plentiful  treasure, 
 much  might  be  spoken,  yet  will  I  comprehend  it  all  in  a 
 short  sum.  Though  we  be  complete  and  made  perfect 
 through  the  death  of  Christ,  while  the  just  judgment  of  God 
 is  satisfied,  the  curse  taken  away,  and  the  penalty  recom- 
 
 1  Peter i.  pouscd  and  paid;  yet  saith  Peter,  that  "  we  are  born  again 
 through  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ  unto  a  living  hope." 
 For  like  as  Christ  with  his  resurrection  overcame  death,  so 
 standeth  also  the  triumph  and  victory  of  our  faith  in  the 
 resurrection  of  Christ.  Therefore  through  his  death  is  sin 
 taken  away,  by  his  resurrection  is  righteousness  brought 
 again.  For  how  could  he  with  his  death  have  delivered  us 
 from  death,  if  he  himself  had  of  death  been  overcome  ?  or 
 how  could  he  have  obtained  the  victory  for  us,  if  he  had 
 been  destroyed  in  the  battle  himself?  Therefore  through 
 death  is  death  discomfited,  and  with  the  resurrection  is  life 
 to  us  restored. 
 
 1  Cor.  XV.  Hereof  cometh  it  that  Paul  saith  :  "If  Christ  bo  not  risen, 
 
 then  is  your  faith  in  vain,  and  ye  are  yet  still  in  your  sins ; 
 and  so  they  that  be  asleep  in  Christ  are  lost ;"  and  to  the 
 
 Bom.  iv.  Romans  :  "  Christ,"  saith  he,  "  was  delivered  up  for  our 
 sins,  and  rose  again  for  our  justification." 
 
 Bom.x.  Hereunto  cometh  it   also  that  he  writeth  in  the  tenth 
 
 chapter :  "If  ye  confess  the  Lord  Jesus  with  thy  mouth, 
 and  behove  in  thine  heart,  that  God  raised  him  from  the 
 dead,  thou  shalt  be  saved." 
 
 Piiii.  iii.  To  the  Philippians   he   saith  moreover :    "  I    count    all 
 
 things  but  loss  for  the  excellent  knowledge  sake  of  Jesus 
 Christ." 
 
 Out  of  all  this  is  there  yet  another  thing  concluded, 
 namely,  that  not  only  life  is  restored  unto  us,  but  also  that 
 in  the  resurrection  of  the  Lord  the  immortahty  of  the  soul 
 is. grounded  fast  and  sure.      For  so  saith  the  Lord  himself 
 
 John  xi.  in  the  Gospel :  "  I  am  the  resurrection  and  the  life  :  he  that 
 believeth  on  me,  though  he  were  dead,  he  shall  live;  and 
 whosoever  liveth  and  believeth  on  me  shall  never  die." 
 
 Yet  another  fruit  also  receive  we  out  of  the  resurrection 
 of  the  Lord,  namely,  that  we  are  assured  and  out  of  doubt, 
 even  as  if  we  had  received  writing  and  seal  thereof,  that  our 
 own  bodies  likewise  shall  rise  from  death ;  forasmuch  as  in  the 
 
V,]  THE    FRUIT    OF    THE    RESURRECTION    OF    CHRIST.  149 
 
 true  resurrection  of  the  body  of  Christ  our  resurrection  hath 
 a  fast  and  immoveable  ground.  For  Paul  saith  :  "  Christ  i  cor.  xv. 
 rose  from  the  dead,  and  is  become  the  first-fruits  of  them  that 
 sleep.  For  by  one  man  came  death,  and  by  one  man  came 
 the  resurrection  of  the  dead.  For  as  by  Adam  all  die,  so  by 
 Christ  shall  all  be  made  aUve.  But  every  one  in  his  own 
 order  :  the  first  is  Christ,  then  they  that  are  Christ's."  Now 
 he  that  is  the  first  cannot  be  alone  ;  the  head  also  shall  not 
 forsake  the  members.  Seeing  then  that  Christ  the  head  is 
 risen,  it  must  needs  follow,  that  we  also  as  members  must 
 rise  again.  For  even  in  the  same  place  doth  Paul  conclude : 
 "  If  the  dead  rise  not  again,  then  is  not  Christ  risen  again." 
 
 And  finally,  out  of  the  words  of  the  holy  apostle  Paul  we 
 learn,  that  through  the  ensample  of  Christ  that  was  raised 
 up,  we  are  not  only  provoked  to  take  upon  us  a  new  life ;  Rom.  vs. 
 but  that  we  also,  through  the  power  of  Christ,  are  renewed, 
 that  we  might  lead  an  innocent  and  holy  life.  And  thus 
 have  I  briefly  comprehended  and  declared  the  principal  fruits 
 of  the  resurrection  of  the  Lord. 
 
 CHAPTER  VI. 
 
 OF  THE  TRUE  ASCENSION  OF  THE  LORDS  BODY,  THAT  AROSE 
 A  BODY,  AND  NO  SPIRIT  ;  AND  OF  HIS  PLACE  WHITHER 
 HE    WENT    TO    BE    IN. 
 
 Moreover  it  shall  be  expedient  to  know,  to  what  place 
 the  true  body  of  the  Lord  was  carried,  or  came ;  whether  it 
 was  laid  in  the  earth  again,  or  vanished  away,  or  turned 
 into  the  nature  of  the  Godhead,  or  otherwise  changed  into  a 
 spirit.  In  tliis  point  we  affirm  thus.  The  right  old  chris- 
 tian faith,  the  upright  holy  scripture,  and  the  ancient  doc- 
 trine of  the  christian  church,  doth  teach,  hold,  and  confess, 
 that  Jesus  Christ,  very  God  and  man,  hath  not  laid  away, 
 nor  mixed  together,  nor  yet  put  off  liis  natures,  the  Godhead 
 and  the  manhood  ;  but  that  he  kecpcth  still  both  the  natures 
 in  their  properties  unblemished,  and  that  he  ascended  up  to 
 heaven  very  true  God  and  man.  For  so  we  acknowledge 
 and  confess  in  the  Creed  :  "  he  ascended  up  to  heaven." 
 
150  HOPE    OF    THE    FAITHFUL.  [cHAP. 
 
 Mark  xvi.  Wg  find  also  in  the  Gospel  of  Mark :  "  So  then  when  the 
 Lord  had  spoken  unto  them,  he  was  received  into  heaven, 
 
 Ruffinus.  and  sitteth  at  the  right  hand  of  God."  Item,  Euffinus,  an 
 old  writer,  who  hath  declared  the  articles  of  the  faith,  saith : 
 "  He  ascended  into  the  heavens,  not  thither  where  the  Word 
 that  is  God  was  not  afore,  (for  he  was  ever  still  in  heaven, 
 and  continued  in  his  Father ;)  but  thither  where  the  Word 
 that  became  man  sat  not  afore ^"  Yet  will  we  declare  this 
 more  plainly  out  of  the  Gospel  of  Luke,  where  it  is  written 
 
 Lukexxiv.  thus:  "And  he  led  them  out  into  Bethany,  and  lift  up  his 
 hands,  and  blessed  them :  and  it  came  to  pass,  as  he  blessed 
 them,  he  departed  from  them,  and  was  •  carried  up  into 
 heaven." 
 
 Now  if  thou  ponder  everything  here  thoroughly,  thou 
 must  needs  acknowledge,  and  being  overcome  with  the  truth 
 thou  must  needs  confess,  that  the  very  true  body  of  the  Lord 
 was  not  laid  away,  neither  turned  into  the  nature  of  the 
 Godhead^;  but  he  a  very  true  man,  who  at  one  time  is  but  in 
 one  place,  ascended  and  was  taken  up  into  heaven,  as  into 
 one  place :  "  He  led  them  out,"  saith  he.  Who,  I  pray 
 thee  ?  Even  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  which  until  then,  by  the 
 space  of  forty  days  had  in  very  deed  truly  shewed  himself 
 unto  liis  disciples,  that  he  was  risen  from  the  dead  with  a  very 
 true  essential  body, — even  he,  the  very  same  that  had  taken 
 unto  him  a  true  body,  led  his  disciples  out  unto  Bethany, 
 and  from  thence  brought  he  them  further  to  moimt  Olivet ; 
 and  in  the  same  place  lifting  up  his  hands,  (no  doubt  bodily 
 and  human  hands,  yea,  with  the  prints  and  tokens  of  the 
 wounds,)  he  blessed  them,  namely,  his  disciples,  that  is,  he 
 saluted  them,  as  the  manner  is  of  those  that  take  their  leave 
 of  us;  and  so  departed  he  from  them,  and  set  his  body 
 corporally  in  heaven,  as  in  one  place.  For  afterwards  it 
 followeth  yet  more  plain :  "  he  departed  from  them,"  that  is, 
 
 [1  Ascendit  ergo  ad  coelos,  non  ubi  Verbum  Deus  ante  non  fuerat ; 
 quippe  qiii  erat  semper  in  coelis,  et  manebat  in  Patre ;  sed  ubi 
 Verbum  caro  factum  ante  non  fuerat.  Ruffini  Expositio  in  Symbolum 
 Apostolicum  apud  Cypriani  Opera,  edit.  Fell ;  also  Opuscula,  p.  185, 
 ed.  1580.] 
 
 [2  Some  account  of  the  Apellitee,  and  of  other  persons  who  held 
 heretical  opinions  on  om-  Lord's  ascension,  are  found  in  bishop  Pear- 
 son, On  the  Creed.  Art.  VI.] 
 
VI.]  OF  THE  TRUE  ASCENSION  OF  THE  LORd's  BODY.  J  51 
 
 he  was  carried  into  heaven.  For  to  be  carried  may  here  be 
 spoken  only  of  the  body ;  and  in  such  sort  departed  he  from 
 them,  that  his  body  was  from  the  earth  taken  up  into  heaven. 
 
 And  though  all  this  be  evident  and  plain  in  itself,  yet  by 
 the  Evangehst  Luke  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  is  it  set  Acts  i. 
 forth  and  opened  more  manifestly.  So  afore  all  things  he 
 testifieth,  that  the  Lord  arose  with  his  own  true  body,  and 
 that  by  the  space  of  forty  days  with  many  tokens  and  evi- 
 dences he  plainly  proved  and  declared  his  resurrection  unto 
 the  disciples;  and  immediately  he  addeth  thereunto,  and 
 even  the  very  same  body  was  taken  up  into  heaven :  "  for 
 when  he  had  spoke  these  things,"  saith  he,  "  while  they 
 beheld  him,  he  was  taken  up  on  high,  and  a  cloud  received 
 him  up  out  of  their  sight."  So  the  Lord  was  taken  up,  yea, 
 even  in  their  eye-sight  was  he  taken  up  on  high ;  so  that  a 
 cloud  received  his  very  true  body  away  from  the  sight  of 
 their  eyes.  I  beseech  you,  what  can  be  more  aptly  or  more 
 conveniently  spoken  of  an  essential  body? 
 
 It  foUoweth  further  in  the  evangelist  Luke :  "  And  while 
 they  looked  stedfastly  up  towards  heaven,  as  he  went,  (mark 
 that  well),  behold,  two  men  stood  by  them  in  white  apparel, 
 wliich  also  said,  Ye  men  of  Galilee,  why  stand  ye  gazing  up 
 into  heaven?  This  same  Jesus,  who  is  taken  up  from  you 
 into  heaven,  shall  so  come,  even  as  ye  have  seen  him  go  into 
 heaven."  Wherefore  our  Lord  Jesus  is  departed  up  into 
 heaven  with  his  own  true  essential  body,  yea,  even  with  the 
 same  which  he  raised  up  from  death.  For  even  with  the 
 same  very  true  human  body  shall  he  come  again  unto  judg- 
 ment, according  as  the  Lord  himself  said,  and  the  prophet  Mattxxvi 
 Zachary,  whose  words  St  John  allegeth  :  "  They  shall  look  zech.  xii. 
 on  him  whom  they  have  pierced." 
 
 Thus,  I  trust,  is  sufficiently  proved  and  declared,  that  the 
 Lord  Jesus  with  his  own  very  true  body,  which  he  raised 
 from  death,  is  gone  up  into  heaven.  But  to  the  intent  that 
 no  man  mistake  this  word,  heaven,  or  otherwise  imagine 
 anything  that  is  dark  or  not  understood,  whereby  the  simple, 
 being  in  error,  may  scarce  know  at  the  last  where  heaven  is, 
 or  where  Christ  liath  his  dwelling ;  it  shall  therefore  be 
 needful  briefly  to  declare,  what  the  heaven  is,  and  that  the 
 Lord  with  his  own  true  body  doth  dwell  in  heaven,  as  in  one 
 place :  for  heaven  is  a  certain  assured  place,  and  not   only 
 
152  HOPE    OF    THE    FAITHFUL.  [cHAP. 
 
 a  name  and  declaration  of  the  estate  and  being  in  heaven. 
 Therefore  when  it  is  said,  "  Christ  is  gone  up  into  heaven," 
 it  is  not  so  much  as  only  to  say,  he  hath  taken  upon  him  an 
 heavenly  estate  or  being ;  but  also,  he  dwelleth  bodily  in 
 heaven,  as  in  one  place. 
 
 CHAPTER  VII. 
 
 THE    DIVERS    SIGNIFICATIONS    OF    THIS    WORD    HEAVEN,    AS    IT 
 IS    USED    IN    SCRIPTURE. 
 
 This  word,  heaven,  in  the  scripture  is  used  divers  and 
 
 sundry    ways.     First,    for   the  whole   firmament,   which  is 
 
 called  the  heavenly  host,  or  beautiful  apparel  of  the  heavens. 
 
 Psalm  viii.    Hereof  hast  thou  record  in  the  eighth  and  nineteenth  Psalms. 
 
 xix.  .  ... 
 
 It  is  taken  also  for  the  air,  which  is  above  us,  as  the  prophet 
 Psalm  cxivi.  saith  :  "  He  covereth  the  heaven  with  clouds,  to  prepare  rain 
 for  the  earth."     Hereof  cometh  it,  that  the  fowls  which  fly 
 in  the  air  are  called  fowls  or  birds  of  heaven,  that  is  to  say, 
 birds  in  the  air.     The  heaven  also  is  used  for  a  seat,  habita- 
 Psaimciii.     tion,  or  dwelling,  as:  "The  Lord  hath  prepared  his  seat  in 
 Matt.  V.       heaven ;"  and,   "  Ye  shall  not  swear  by  heaven,  for  it  is 
 God's    seat :"  and    though   God  be  infinite,  and  cannot  be 
 compassed  about  with  any  place,  as  the  most  wise  Salomon 
 1  Kings  viii.  said  :  "  The  heavens  and  the  heavens  of  all  heavens  are  not 
 able  to  contain  thee,  and  how  should  then  this  house  do  it, 
 that  I  have  builded  ?  "  yet  the  scripture  calleth  the  heaven 
 that    is   above   us   a   dwelling   of  God;    which  dwelling  is 
 ordained  for  all  faithful  and  virtuous  beUevers,  and  is  named 
 2Cor. V.       the  heaven.      This  doth  Paul  witness,  saying:   "We  know 
 that  if  our  earthly  mansion  of  this  dwelling  were  destroyed, 
 we  have  a  building  of  God,   an  habitation  not  made  with 
 hands,  but  eternal  in  heaven."     There  is  now  heaven  taken 
 for  the  kingdom  of  God,  for  the  kingdom  of  the  Father,  or 
 joy  and  eternal  life,  which  is  peace  and  rest.     The  heaven, 
 I  say,  is  a  seat  and  dwelling  of  the  faithful,  or  blessed  be- 
 lievers ;  a  determinate  place  also,  into  which  the  Lord  Jesus 
 was  received,  when  he  was  taken  up  into  the  heaven.     And 
 this  doth  the  scripture  plainly  declare  unto  us,  namely,  that 
 
VII.]  DIVERS    SIGNIFICATIONS    OP    THE    WORD    HEAVEN.  153 
 
 above  us  there  is  a  certain  determinate  place  prepared  for 
 us.  For  Luke  saith  :  "  He  was  received  up  on  high,  and  a  Actst 
 cloud  took  him  up  away  out  of  their  sight."  Item :  "  And 
 while  they  looked  stedfastly  up  towards  heaven,  the  angels 
 said,  This  same  Jesus,  which  is  taken  away  from  you  into 
 heaven,  shall  so  come,  even  as  ye  have  seen  him  go  into 
 heaven."  Who  is  so  ignorant  now,  that  he  wotteth  not 
 where  heaven  is,  or  the  clouds,  or  into  which  heaven  the 
 apostles  looked  so  stedfastly  ?  Besides  this,  the  holy  apostle 
 Paul  saith :  "  Also  our  conversation,  free  burghership,  or  Pini.  iu. 
 dwelling,  is  in  heaven,  from  whence  we  look  for  the  Saviour, 
 even  the  Lord  Jesus."  Lo,  "  in  heaven,"  saith  the  apostle, 
 "  is  our  dwelHng."  In  which  heaven,  I  pray  you  ?  Even  in 
 the  same,  whence  we  look  for  the  Saviour.  Now  is  it 
 evident,  from  whence  we  wait  and  look,  seeing  that  the 
 apostle  saith  again :  "  We  which  shall  live  and  remain,  shall  i  xhess.  iv. 
 be  caught  up  with  him  also  in  the  clouds  to  meet  the  Lord 
 in  the  air,  and  so  shall  we  ever  be  with  the  Lord."  He 
 saith  also  in  another  place :  "If  ye  be  risen  again  with  coi. m. 
 Christ,  then  seek  those  things  which  are  above,  where  Christ 
 sitteth  at  the  right  hand  of  God."  And  therefore  is  the 
 Lord  Jesus  gone  up  into  the  heaven  that  is  above  us,  namely, 
 into  that  sure  certain  place,  which  is  prepared  for  the  blessed. 
 
 And  in  the  same  heaven,  as  in  a  sure  certain  place,  doth 
 Christ  now  dwell  bodily. 
 
 Of  this  opinion  also  was  holy  Augustine,  as  indeed  it  is 
 right  and  agreeable  unto  holy  scripture.  His  words  are 
 found  in  the  book  Ad  Dardanum  deprcesentia  Dei^.  Holy 
 Fulgentius,  in  the  second  book  that  he  wrote  unto  king  Tra-  Fuigentius. 
 simundus,  is  earnest  to  bring  every  man  unto  this  under- 
 standing, that  the  human  kind  and  nature  of  Christ,  which 
 now  dwelleth  in  heaven,  is  circumscribed  and  in  one  place  ^. 
 
 {}  Noli  itaque  dubitare,  ibi  nunc  esse  hominem  Jesum  Christum, 
 unde  venturus  est ;  memoriterque  recole,  et  fideliter  tene  Christianam 
 confessionem ;  quoniam  resurrcxit  a  mortuis,  ascendit  in  coelum,  sedet 
 ad  dexteram  Patris,  nee  aliunde  quam  inde  venturus  est  ad  vivos 
 mortuosque  judicandos.  Et  sic  venturus  est,  ilia  angelica  voce  testante, 
 quemadmodum  ire  visus  est  in  ccelum  ;  id  est,  in  eadem  carnis  forma 
 et  substantia,  cui  profecto  immortalitatem  dedit,  naturam  non  abs- 
 tulit.  August.  Epistolee.  Ad  Dardan.  Epist.  Ivii.  Opera,  Tom.  ii.  p.  56. 
 M.  ed.  Par.  1541.] 
 
 [2  Fulgentii  Opera,    pp.  88,  &c.  ed.  1684,  particularly  cap.  xviii.] 
 
154  HOPE    OP    THE    FAITHFUL.  [cHAP. 
 
 vigiiius.  With  him  also  accordeth  uniformly  the  holy  martyr  Vigihus  ^ ; 
 whose  testimony  I  will  now  omit,  and  come  again  to  the 
 holy  scripture. 
 
 The  scripture,  minding  to  shew  what  is  become  of  the 
 body  that  rose  again  from  death  and  ascended  up,  and  where 
 he  hath  his  dweUing,  saith  simply  and  plainly  :  "He  sitteth 
 at  the  right  hand  of  God,  the  Father  Almighty.""  Thus  now 
 is  the  body  of  Christ  come  to  the  right  hand  of  God ;  there 
 sitteth  he.  But  here  it  shall  be  expedient  to  declare  what 
 the  right  hand  of  God  is,  and  what  it  is  to  sit  at  God's  right 
 hand. 
 
 CHAPTER   Vni. 
 
 WHAT  god's    right  HAND    IS,    AND  TO   WHOM  IT  IS 
 REFERRED. 
 
 First,  the  right  hand  of  God  is  not  referred  unto  God 
 himself,  but  unto  men  that  are  on  the  right  hand.  So  that 
 first  the  right  hand  of  God  doth  signify  the  eternal  salvation, 
 and  the  place  of  those  that  be  saved.  This  did  holy  Augustine 
 teach,  whose  words  I  may  well  allege ;  forasmuch  as  he  also 
 doth  confirm  and  prove  his  opinion  by  the  divine  and  holy 
 scriptures.  In  his  book  De  Agone  Christiano  he  saith : 
 Augustinus    "  We  ouo;ht  uot  to  hear  them  that  deny  the  Son  to  sit  at 
 
 De  Agone  . 
 
 Christiano.  the  right  hand  of  God.  For  they  say.  Hath  God  the  Father 
 also  a  right  or  left  side,  as  bodies  have?  Neither  do  we 
 understand  that  of  the  Father.  For  with  no  bodily  propor- 
 tion can  God  be  described  or  comprehended.  As  for  the 
 right  hand  of  the  Father,  it  is  nothing  else  but  the  eternal 
 salvation,  which  he  shall  give  to  all  godly  and  faithful  be- 
 lievers. In  like  manner  is  the  left  hand  rightly  taken  for 
 the  everlasting  damnation  that  shall  come  upon  the  imbe- 
 lievers.  So  that  not  of  God,  but  of  the  creatures,  it  must 
 be  expounded  what  is  written  of  the  right  or  left  hand. 
 For  even  the  body  of  Christ  also,  which  is  the  church,  shall 
 come  to  the  right  hand,  that  is,  unto  salvation,  as  the  apostle 
 
 Ephes.  ii.  saith  to  the  Ephesians :  '  He  hath  raised  us  up  together  with 
 him,   and  made  us  sit  together  with  him  among   them   of 
 
 [1  Vigilii  Opera.     Contra  Varimadum,  Lib.  r.  cap.  37.  ed.  1564.] 
 
VIII.]  WHAT    god's    right    HAND    MEANETH.  155 
 
 heaven.'     For  though  our  bodies  as  yet  be  not  there,  our 
 hope  nevertheless  is  there  already^." 
 
 The  same  holy  Augustine  saith  also  further  in  the  book 
 De  Fide  et  Symholo :  "By  the  right  hand,"  saith  he,  DeFideet 
 "must  be  understood  the  highest  salvation,  where  righteous- ca" 7°°' 
 ness,  peace,  and  joy  is :  like  as  the  goats  also  shall  be  set  on 
 the  left  hand;  that  is,  by  reason  of  their  sins  and  wickedness, 
 they  shall  come  into  great  calamity,  trouble,  and  misery"." 
 All  these  are  the  words  of  holy  Augustine. 
 
 CHAPTER  IX. 
 
 WHAT    IT    IS    TO    SIT    AT    THE     RIGHT     HAND    OF    GOD.       HOW 
 CHRIST    SITTETH    THERE,    AND    WHAT    HE    DOETH. 
 
 And  thus  now  to  sit  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  is  even 
 as  much  as  to  be  in  rest,  that  is  to  say,  all  wickedness  and 
 misery  set  aside,  to  Uvc  in  a  godly  life,  and  to  be  partaker 
 of  eternal  joy. 
 
 Now  that  this  word,  to  sit,  is  used  in  scripture  for  rest, 
 these  places  declare.  In  the  fourth  book  of  Moses  it  is 
 written  thus :    "  Shall  your  brethren  go  to  war,  and  would  Num.  xxxii. 
 
 [2  Nee  eos  audiamus,  qui  negant  ad  dexteram  Patris  sedere 
 Filium.  Dicunt  enim,  Numqiud  Deus  Pater  habet  latus  dexterum 
 aut  sinistrum,  sicut  corpora?  Nee  nos  hoc  de  Deo  sentimus:  nulla 
 enim  forma  corporis  Deus  definitur  et  concluditur.  Sed  dextera 
 Patris  est  beatitudo  perpetua,  quse  Sanctis  datur;  sicut  sinistra  ejus 
 rectissime  dicitur  miseria  perpetua,  quse  impiis  datiu*:  ut  non  in 
 ipso  Deo,  sed  in  creaturis,  hoc  modo  quo  diximus  intelligatur  dextera 
 et  sinistra ;  quia  et  corpus  Christi,  quod  est  ecclesia,  in  ipsa  dextera, 
 hoc  est,  in  ipsa  beatitudine  futurum  est,  sicut  apostolus  dixit.  Quia  et 
 simid.  nos  suscitavit,  et  simul  nos  sedere  fecit  in  coelestibus.  Quamvis 
 enim  corpus  nostrum  nondum  ibi  sit,  tamen  spes  nostra  ibi  jam  est. 
 August.  De  Agon.  Chi-istian.  cap.  26.  Opera,  Tom.  in.  p.  174.  G.] 
 
 [3  Credimus  etiam,  quod  sedet  ad  dexteram  Patris:  nee  ideo  tamen 
 quasi  humana  forma  circumscriptum  esse  Deum  Patrem  arbitrandum 
 est,  ut  de  illo  cogitantibus  dexterum  aut  sinistrum  latus  animo  oc- 
 
 currat Ad  dexteram  igitur  intelligendum   est  dictum  esse  in 
 
 summa  beatitudine,  ubi  et  justitia,  et  pax,  et  gaudium  est:  sicut  ad 
 sinistram  heedi  constituuntur,  id  est,  in  miseria,  propter  iniquitates  et 
 labores  et  cruciatus.  Id.  de  Fide  et  Symbolo.  cap.  7.  Opera,  Tom.  iii. 
 p.  33.  F.] 
 
156 
 
 HOPE    OF    THE    FAITHFUL. 
 
 [c 
 
 Micah  iv. 
 
 Ruffinus. 
 
 Acts  ii.  iii. 
 
 ye  sit  here  ?"  and  in  Micah,  "  Every  one  shall  sit  under 
 his  vine  and  fig-tree."  Many  more  such  places  there  be. 
 Wherefore  now,  when  the  scripture  saith,  that  the  Lord 
 Jesus  sitteth  at  the  right  hand  of  his  Father,  it  under- 
 standeth  it  chiefly  of  his  human  nature  which  he  took  upon 
 him,  that  the  same,  being  discharged  and  free  from  all  travail 
 and  misery  of  man,  is  now  all  in  joy,  and  partaker  of  the 
 Idngdom  everlasting. 
 
 Thus  saith  also  Ruffinus  in  his  exposition  of  the  Creed  ; 
 "  To  sit  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Father  is  convenient  for 
 the  manhood  received,  wliich  is  received  through  a  mystery. 
 For  to  ascribe  it  to  the  divine  nature  is  unseemly,  as  though 
 it  bad  a  seat  in  heaven ;  but  of  the  human  nature  it  is  pro- 
 perly understood  and  spoken  \" 
 
 And  the  hke  yet  did  holy  Saint  Peter  teach  afore  Ruffi- 
 nus's  time,  as  it  is  to  see  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles. 
 
 But  now  might  one  ask.  What  doeth  the  Son  at  the  right 
 hand  of  the  Father?  must  he  always  sit  there,  and  be  as 
 much  as  made  fast  and  bound  unto  it? 
 
 Answer.  The  Lord  Jesus,  after  his  human  nature  that  he 
 took  upon  him,  and  which  he  put  not  from  him  in  heaven, 
 hath  now  eternal  joy  with  his  elect ;  he,  as  the  head  with  his 
 members,  ruling  and  reigning  with  all  faithful  behevers  for 
 evermore.     Whereof  we  shall  speak  more  afterward. 
 
 A  very  superfluous  and  unprofitable  question  also  is  it, 
 when  one  will  so  curiously  inquire  and  know,  what  God 
 doeth  in  heaven. 
 
 For  God  will  only  teach  us  with  his  holy  word,  that  he 
 liveth  and  ruleth  eternally  in  the  glory  of  his  heavenly 
 Father.  Holy  Augustine  saith  also  in  the  book  De  Fide  et 
 Symbolo :  "To  go  about  for  to  seek  and  inquire,  where  and 
 how  the  body  of  our  Lord  is  in  heaven,  it  is  a  point  of  nice 
 people,  and  bringeth  no  profit.  Only  we  ought  to  believe, 
 that  he  is  verily  in  heaven.  For  truly  it  standeth  not  Avith 
 our  weakness  to  comprehend  and  discern  the  privity  of  the 
 heavens ;  but  it  bcseemeth  our  faith  to  have  the  worthy  and 
 
 [1  Sedere  quoquo  ad  dexteram  Patris  carnis  assumtaj  mysterium 
 est ;  neque  enim  incorporea?  illi  natura;  convenientex-  ista  absque  as- 
 sumtiono  carnis  aptantur;  neque  sedis  coelestis  profectum  divina 
 natura,  sed  humana  conquirit.  Ruffini  Expos,  in  Symbolum  apud 
 Cyprian,  p.  163.  ed.  Fell.  Oxon.  1700.] 
 
IX.]  WHAT  IT  IS  TO  SIT   AT   GOd's  RIGHT  HAND,    SlC.  157 
 
 glorious  body  of  the  Lord  in  high  and  worthy  estimation"." 
 Hitherto  Augustine. 
 
 CHAPTER  X. 
 
 THAT  CHRIST  SITTETH  AT  THE  RIGHT  HAND  OF  GOD  BY 
 HIS  HUMANITY,  BUT  CIRCUMSCRIBED  IN  PLACE,  AND  IS 
 NOT    EVERY    WHERE. 
 
 Now,  though  the  heavenly  honour  and  glory  be  high, 
 and  may  not  be  expressed ;  yet  the  place  where  he  dwelloth 
 is  certain,  and  the  body  that  is  in  heaven  cannot  be  every 
 where.  For  the  right  hand  of  God,  in  and  after  this  first 
 signification  thereof,  is  not  infinite.  Else  must  all  faithful  be- 
 lievers also,  and  they  that  are  saved,  be  every  where,  seeing 
 they  are  with  the  Son  of  God,  who  is  taken  up  into  heaven. 
 For  the  Lord  himself  saith :  "  Now  from  henceforth  shall  I  John  xvu. 
 be  no  more  in  the  world ;  but  they  are  in  the  world :  and  I 
 come  unto  thee."  Upon  this  he  saith  :  "  Father,  whom  thou 
 hast  given  unto  me,  I  will  that  where  I  am  they  also  bo 
 with  me,  that  they  may  see  my  glory  which  thou  hast  given 
 me."  Item,  "  He  that  doth  me  service,  let  him  follow  mo :  John  xii. 
 and  where  I  am,  there  also  shall  my  servants  be."  Seeing 
 now  that  our  souls,  and  our  bodies  also,  after  the  resurrection 
 of  the  flesh  shall  be  in  heaven,  as  in  a  place  certain ;  it  fol- 
 loweth,  that  the  body  of  the  Lord,  which  into  heaven  is  taken 
 up,  hath  also  a  place  certain  in  heaven,  and  that  the  right 
 hand  of  God  in  this  signification  cannot  be  every  where. 
 
 In  this  upright  matter  let  it  trouble  no  man  that  is  read 
 in  St  Paul,  how  that  "  Christ  ascended  up  above  all  the  Ephes.  iv. 
 heavens : "  by  means  whereof  a  curious  body  might  perad- 
 venture  conclude,  if  Christ  our  Lord  be  taken  up  above  the 
 heavens,  then  can  there  no  place  certain  be  ascribed  unto 
 him ;  seeing  there  is  no  place  about  or  without  the  heaven. 
 
 [2  Seel  ubi  et  quomodo  sit  in  coelo  corpus  Dominicum,  curiosissimum 
 et  supervacaneum  est  quocrero :  tantummodo  in  ccelo  esse  credendum 
 est.  Non  enim  est  fragilitatis  nostra3  coelorum  secreta  discutere,  sed 
 est  nostrse  fidei  do  Dominici  corporis  dignitate  sublimia  ct  honesta 
 sapere.  August.  De  Fide  et  Symbolo  cap.  6.  Opera,  Tom.  ui.  p.  33. 
 E.  ed.  1541.] 
 
158  HOPE    OF    THE    FAITHFUL.  T 
 
 CHAP. 
 
 Neither  ought  it  to  offend  any  man  that  is  written,  how  that 
 [Phil. ii.]  "unto  Christ  there  is  given  a  name,  which  is  above  all 
 icor. ii.  names;"  and  that  Paul  saith :  "Neither  eye  hath  seen, 
 neither  ear  heard,  nor  is  come  into  the  heart  of  man,  what 
 God  hath  prepared  unto  them  that  love  him."  For  the 
 scripture  of  God  throughout  doth  witness  constantly  and 
 sure,  that  Jesus  Christ  is  taken  up  into  heaven,  and  sitteth 
 at  the  right  hand  of  his  Father.  Whereby  it  is  out  of  doubt, 
 that  the  Apostle  thought  not  to  set  Christ  without  heaven; 
 but  therefore  proponeth  he  the  matter  with  so  high  and  ex- 
 cellent words,  to  shew  and  declare  imto  us,  that  the  body  of 
 our  Lord,  which  afore  was  despised  and  shamefully  defaced, 
 is  now  in  the  supreme  and  brightest  glory ;  and  that  meaneth 
 he,  when  he  saith,  "  above  all  heavens."  For  [whoso]  doth 
 thoroughly  cons[ider  the]  place  of  Paul  to  the  [Ephesians], 
 findeth  that  Paul  [doth  set  the]  two  parts  of  his  oration, 
 [the]  one  against  the  other.  For  he  saith  thus :  "  That 
 he  ascended,  what  meaneth  it,  but  that  he  also  descended 
 first  into  the  lowest  parts  of  the  earth?"  Against  this 
 setteth  he  now :  "  He  that  descended,  is  even  the  same 
 also  that  ascendeth  up,  even  above  all  heave^is."  Therefore 
 is  here  the  one  set  against  the  other ;  namely,  to  descend 
 into  the  lowest  parts  of  the  earth,  and  to  ascend  above  all 
 heavens.  But  who  would  here  conclude,  Christ  descended 
 into  the  lowest  parts  of  the  earth ;  ergo,  he  had  no  place 
 upon  earth  ?  For  every  man  understandeth  well,  that  Paul 
 with  these  words  mmded  to  declare  the  true  coming  of  the 
 Lord  upon  earth,  and  the  great  humihty  and  meekness  of 
 our  Lord  Jesus  Chi'ist.  Therefore  who  would  then  in  the 
 other  part  of  the  oration  conclude,  Christ  ascended  up  above 
 all  heavens ;  ergo,  he  is  not  in  heaven,  or  in  any  other 
 place  ?  For  is  there  also  any  one  place  without  the  heaven  ? 
 Who  understandeth  not  now,  that  Paul  here  minded  to  say 
 nothing  else,  than  that  wliich  he  uttereth  more  plainly  to 
 Phil.  ii.  the  Philippians,  "He  hath  exalted  him  on  high?  "  And  though 
 this  height  of  heavenly  honour  be  greater  and  more  glorious, 
 than  any  man's  tongue  can  or  may  express,  yet  the  heaven 
 is  and  doth  contain  still  the  dwelling  of  the  faithful;  and 
 therefore  is  it  a  place  certain.  Wherefore  after  my  plain 
 and  simple  understanding,  which  is  not  curious,  I  believe 
 constantly,  that  the  glorified  body  of  Christ  is  ascended  up 
 
X.]  CHRIST    SITTETH    ETC.    IN    HIS    HUMANITY.  159 
 
 above  all  heavens,  that  is,  above  all  compass,  or  sphere,  or 
 height  of  heaven;  and  so  even  in  heaven,  that  is,  in  the 
 dweUing  of  the  faithful;  and  there  remauieth,  and  is  not,  as 
 they  say,  passed  by  on  the  outside  of  heaven. 
 
 For  the  truth  witnesseth  evidently  :  "  Where  I  am,  there  John  xii. 
 shall  also  my  servants  be."     Now  shall  the  servants  of  God 
 be  in  heaven,  and  not  without,  or  above  the  heaven,  that  is 
 to  say,  in  no  place.     For  Paul,  the  chosen  man  of  God,  saith 
 to  the  PhiHppians :  "  Our  dwelhng  is  in  heaven,  from  whence  Phu.  iu. 
 we  look  for  the  Saviour  Jesus  Christ."     Plainly  also   and  jcsuschrist. 
 evidently   doth    the    true   word   of   God   declare,    that   the 
 heaven,  into  the  which  Christ  ascended,  is  a  place  certain ; 
 for   the   Lord    saith :     •'  In    my   Father's    house    are    many  john  xiv. 
 dwelHngs :  if  it  were  not  so,  I  would  have  told  you :  I  go 
 to  prepare  a  place  for  you.     And  if  I  go  to  prepare  a  place 
 for  you,  I  will  come  to  you  again,  and  receive  you  even  unto 
 myself;  that  where  I  am,  there  you  may  be  also." 
 
 There  indeed  could  notliing  be  brought  forth  more  meet 
 and  convenient  to  our  purpose.  For  the  thing  that  we  now 
 treat  of  is  the  heaven,  which  is  the  dwelhng  and  native 
 country  of  the  blessed,  and  which  here  is  called  a  dwelling, 
 or  mansion,  or  place ;  yea,  a  dweUing  and  place  in  the  house 
 of  God  the  Father. 
 
 Who  is  now  any  more  so  malapert  or  arrogant,  as  to 
 undertake  to  deny  that  heaven  is  a  place?  For  thus  saith 
 the  Lord :  '  In  my  Father's  house  already  there  are  many 
 mansions,  that  not  only  I,  but  all  mine  also  have  a  place  and 
 dwelling.  If  it  were  not  so,  then  had  I  told  you,  that  I  would 
 go  to  prepare  the  same  for  you.  But  now  it  is  not  needful ; 
 seeing  they  be  prepared  already,  and  wait  for  you.  Whereas  I 
 now  go  away,  and  must  be  from  you  a  little  season,  it  is  not 
 that  I  would  prepare  mansions  for  you,  for  they  are  prepared 
 already ;  but  that  I  through  my  death  may  make  the  way  for 
 you  into  heaven,  and  open  the  street  to  the  said  dwelling.' 
 
 Now  to  the  intent  no  man  shaU  say,  that  we  haply 
 have  a  place  in  heaven,  as  men,  but  Christ  hath  not  so  a 
 place ;  therefore  doth  the  truth  of  God  plainly  express,  that 
 the  place  where  Christ  is  is  a  place  indeed.  For  he  saith : 
 "I  will  take  you  unto  me;"  yea,  not  only  unto  me,  but  unto 
 myself:  for  immediately  upon  the  same  doth  he  yet  add  it 
 more  plain,  "  that  where  I  am,  there  you  may  be  also." 
 
cians  error. 
 
 160  HOPE    OF    THE    FAITHFUL.  [cHAP. 
 
 Christ  then,  as  a  very  true  man,  is  in  heaven,  as  in  one 
 place :  wherefore  it  followeth,  that  we  also  shall  be  in  heaven, 
 as  in  one  place  certain.  This  the  Truth  saith :  therefore  must 
 it  needs  be  even  so,  and  can  be  none  otherwise. 
 
 The  same  also  doth  the  human  kind  and  nature  require ; 
 "which  God,"  as  Augustine  saith,  "did  endue  with  immor- 
 tahty,  but  took  not  away  the  nature  and  kind'." 
 ThcSeieu-  Tho  Seleuciaui,  or  Hermiani,  denied  our  Saviour  Christ 
 
 after  the  flesh  to  sit  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Father^.  But 
 the  true  faithful  believers  have  ever  still  confessed  and  taught, 
 that  the  very  true  body  or  flesh  of  our  Lord  doth  sit  at  the 
 Father's  right  hand.  For  verUy,  if  the  body  and  flesh  of  our 
 Lord  have  not  his  place  given  him,  or  if  that  be  withdrawn 
 from  liim,  then  is  this  the  plain  meaning,  that  om'  Lord  had 
 no  true  body. 
 
 For  holy  Augustine  saith,  and  saith  right :  "  Take  all 
 room  and  place  from  the  bodies,  that  they  have  no  place  to 
 be  in,  and  they  are  no  where ;  if  they  be  no  where,  then  are 
 they  nothing  at  alP."  As  for  the  place  of  Paul  to  the  Philip- 
 pians  in  the  second  chapter,  it  teacheth  nothing  at  all,  that  with 
 the  exaltation  and  ascension  of  Christ  any  thing  is  withdrawn 
 from  the  nature  human,  or  that  we  ought  to  speak  nothing 
 more  of  it,  or  we  should  or  might  ascribe  no  name  and  place 
 unto  it ;  but  hke  as  with  the  words  going  before,  which  serve 
 much  to  the  matter,  he  thought  to  express  the  lowest  hu- 
 mility of  Christ,  even  so  is  it  now  his  mind,  with  very  ho- 
 nourable and  high  excellent  words   to  set  forth  his   glory. 
 
 [1  Carnis  forma  et  substantia. .  .cui  profecto  immortalitatcm  dedit, 
 natvu'am  non  abstulit.  August.  Epistolre.  Ad  Dardanum  Epist.  Ivii. 
 Opera,  Tom.  n.  p.  56.  M.      See  above,  p.  154,  note  1.] 
 
 [2  The  Seleuciani  and  Ilermiani  taught  that  the  body  of  Christ 
 ascended  no  farther  than  the  sun,  in  which  it  was  deposited,  as  we  arc 
 informed  by  Augustine :  Seleuciani  vel  Hermiani  ab  auctoribus  Se- 
 leuco  et  Hermia .  . .  negant  Salvatorem  in  carne  sedere  ad  dextram 
 Patris;  sed  ea  se  exuisse  perhibent,  eamque  in  sole  posuisse,  accipi- 
 entes  occasionem  do  Psalmo,  ubi  Icgitur,  In  sole  posuit  tahernaculuni 
 suimi.  Do  Ha3r.  Opera,  Tom.  vi.  p.  6.  I.  ed.  1541.  See  bishop 
 Pearson  on  the  Creed,  Art.  vi.,  who  mentions  that  the  same  heresy 
 was  held  by  the  Manichees,  and  also  by  Hcrmogcncs.] 
 
 [3  Nam  spatia  locorum  telle  corporibus,  nusquam  ermit ;  et  quia 
 nusquam  erunt,  nee  erunt.  August.  Epist.  Ivii.  ad  Dardanum. 
 Opera,  Tom.  n.  p.  57.  G.  cd.  1541.] 
 
X.]  CHRIST    SITTETH     AT    THE    RIGHT    HAND    OF    GOD.  161 
 
 Yea,  he  declareth  himself  in  the  words  following,  and  saith : 
 "  In  the  name  of  Jesus  shall  all  knees  bow,  both  of  things  Phii.  ii. 
 that  are  in  heaven,  of   things   that  are   on  the  earth,  and 
 things  that  are  under  the  earth." 
 
 And  thus  hath  the  Father  exalted  the  name  of  Jesus  The  name  of 
 
 1  .  Ill-  IX  •     Christ  is 
 
 above  all  names,  even  in  shewmg  and  declaring  that  Jesus  is  above  aii 
 
 '  ~     ,  "^  names. 
 
 the  same,  whom  all  they  that  are  in  heaven,  upon  earth,  and 
 under  the  earth,  ought  by  right  to  know,  worship,  and  fear, 
 as  Lord  of  all  things  and  creatures ;  yea,  and  that  all  tMngs 
 should  confess  that  Jesus  is  the  Lord,  to  the  praise  of  God 
 the  Father.  For  verily  we  must  needs  acknowledge  that 
 Jesus  Christ  is  Lord,  yea.  Lord  of  all  things.  King,  Defender, 
 and  Redeemer,  of  like  power  and  honour  with  the  Father : 
 which  thing  extendeth  not  to  the  Father's  derogation  or  chs- 
 honour,  as  the  Arians  foolishly  thought,  but  to  the  greater  Ariani. 
 glory  of  the  Father. 
 
 The  Lord  saith  himself  in  the  gospel :  "  The  Father  hath  John  v. 
 committed  all  judgment  unto  the  Son ;  because  that  all  men 
 should  honour  the  Son  even  as  they  honour  the  Father. 
 He  that  honoureth  not  the  Son,  the  same  honoureth  not  the 
 Father  which  hath  sent  him."  Moreover  there  he  saith : 
 "And  now  glorify  thou  me,  0  Father,  with  thine  own  self,  John  xvii. 
 with  the  glory  which  I  had  with  thee  or  ever  the  world  was." 
 From  the  beo-inning  had  he  the  honourable  name  of  God, 
 which  is  glorious  and  far  excellent  above  all  names. 
 
 iS'ow  through  the  incarnation,  and  by  reason  of  the  con- 
 temned and  despised  cross  of  Christ,  the  godly  honour  in 
 Christ  was  thought  to  be  somewhat  darkened.  But  that  did 
 the  Father  restore  and  bring  to  glory,  in  that  he  raised  up 
 his  Son  from  death,  and  took  him  up  into  heaven.  And  thus 
 gave  he  him  a  name  which  is  above  all  names ;  for  so  he 
 declared  that  he  is  Lord  of  all  things. 
 
 Holy  Peter  also,  a  fellow-helper  of  St  Paul,  in  the  second  Acts  ii. 
 chapter  of  the  Acts  of  the  iVpostles,  did  in  Uke  manner  utter 
 the  same.  For  after  he  hath  opened  and  declared  the  true 
 resurrection  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  from  death,  and  his 
 glorious  ascension  into  heaven,  he  saith :  "  Lo,  therefore  let 
 all  the  house  of  Israel  know  for  a  surety,  that  God  hath 
 made  this  same  Jesus,  whom  ye  have  crucified.  Lord  and 
 Christ."  And  to  be  short,  Paul  by  the  name  of  Christ 
 that    is    above   all   names   understood   the  blessed  name  of 
 
 11 
 
 [COVERDALE,    II.] 
 
162  HOPE    OF    THE    FAITHFUL.  [cHAP. 
 
 God  the  Lord,  which  cannot  be  altered,  and  is  above  all 
 names. 
 
 But  seeing  our  Lord  is  a  true  man,  like  as  he  is  also  very 
 God,  both  together,  and  hath  with  the  glorification  not  put 
 off  the  kind  and  nature  of  man,  neither  consumed  it  through 
 the  Godhead ;  therefore  remaineth  he  still  a  true  creature, 
 that  is,  a  very  true  man,  and  therefore  may  he  also  right  well 
 be  named  after  the  same  nature,  and  hath  hkewise  a  place 
 certain. 
 1  Cor.  ii.  Finally,  as  for  the  words  of  the  apostle  Paul,  "  The  eye 
 
 hath  not  seen,  the  ear  hath  not  heard,  neither  have  entered 
 into  the  heart  of  man,  the  things  which  God  hath  prepared 
 for  them  that  love  him ; "  these  matters,  I  say,  must  not  be 
 referred  to  the  place  of  those  that  are  saved.  For  they  are 
 written  of  the  unoutspeakable  greatness  of  the  joy,  as  the 
 whole  text  of  the  words  sufficiently  doth  declare. 
 
 Briefly,  forasmuch  as  it  is  open  and  manifest  to  us,  that 
 the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  after  his  nature  that  he  took  upon  him, 
 is  a  very  true  man  in  glory ;  it  folio  weth  that  the  true 
 human  body  of  Christ  hath  his  own  place :  whereof  I  have 
 hitherto  spoken  so  much  not  without  cause,  namely,  to  the 
 intent  all  godly  persons  may  know  that  this  is  a  place  certain, 
 prepared  for  them  in  heaven,  and  that  they  may  constantly 
 behove,  that  in  heaven  they  have  a  brother,  namely,  the 
 Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Touchino-  the  fruit  of  the  ascension  of 
 our  Lord,  I  shall  more  largely  speak  of  it  afterward. 
 
 CHAPTER  XL 
 
 ANOTHER  SIGNIFICATION  OF  SITTING  AT  THE  RIGHT  HAND  OF 
 GOD,  BY  WHICH  MANNER  OF  SITTING  CHRIST  IS  EVERY 
 WHERE,  SITTING  THERE  IN  SUCH  SORT  AFTER  HIS  GOD- 
 HEAD. 
 
 Thus  come  I  again  to  the  former  part,  what  the  right 
 hand  of  God  signifieth  and  is  called.    It  is  taken  in  the  scrip- 
 ture for  strength,  protection,  power,  and  for  the  incompre- 
 Exod.xT.     hensible  honour  or  glory.    And  therefore  it  is  written:  "Thy 
 right  hand,  Lord,  is  become  glorious  in  power;  thy  right  hand 
 
XI.]  ANOTHER    SIGNIFICATION,    &C.  163 
 
 also  hath  dashed  the  enemy."     Item,  in  the  Psalm :  "  Thou  Psai.  xviii. 
 hast  given  me  the  defence  of  thy  salvation ;  thy  right  hand 
 also  shall  hold  me  up."     Moreover  :  "  The  right  hand  of  the  psai.  cxvui. 
 Lord  hath  the  pre-eminence;  the  right  hand  of   the  Lord 
 bringeth  mighty  things  to  pass."     After  this  signification  of 
 the  right  hand  soundeth  the  name,  to  sit,  to  rule,  to  govern, 
 to  defend,  to  behave  himself  as  a  prince  or  regent  diligently 
 in  his  office,  and  faithfully  to  execute  the  same.     For  in  the 
 third  book  of  Kings  saith  David:   "Solomon  shall  sit  upon  i  Kings  i. 
 my  seat,  and  shall  reign  after  me."     And  so  in  the  Psalm  he 
 saith :  "  The  Lord  said  unto  my  Lord,  Sit  thou  at  my  right  Psai.  ex. 
 hand,  till  I  make  thine  enemies  thy  footstool."     And  Paul 
 saith :   "  Christ  must  reign,  till  he  hath  put  all  his  enemies  i  cor.  xv. 
 under  his  feet."     Item,   in  the  prophet  Zachary  :  "  Behold  zech.  vi. 
 the  man,  whose  name  is  the  Branch,  and  he  that  shall  spring 
 up  after  him  shall  build  up  the  temple  of  the  Lord ;  yea,  even 
 he  shall  build  up  the  temple  of  the  Lord,  he  shall  bear  the 
 praise,  he  shall  sit  upon  the  Lord's  throne,  and  have  the 
 domination ;  a  priest  shall  he  be  also  on  his  throne."     This 
 kind  of  speech  is  taken  of  the  use  and  custom  of  kings  and 
 princes,  which  have  their  deputies,  to  whom  they  freely  give 
 all  authority  to  rule  and  govern.    Even  so  is  Christ,  in  whom 
 the  Father  will  be  honoured  ;  and  through  his  authority  and 
 power  it  is  his  pleasure  to  rule.     He  is  taken  up  to  the  right 
 hand  of  the  Father,  that  is  to  say,  to  have  the  dominion  or 
 governance  in   heaven   and  in   earth;    and  this  commission 
 is    given    him  faithfully   to    execute,   and  to  be  Lord    and 
 Governor  of  all  things. 
 
 Thus  the  right  hand  of  God  is  infinite,  neither  may  it  be 
 shut  in;  for  God's  might  and  power  is  incomprehensible. 
 The  kingdom  of  Christ  also,  which  is  everlasting,  is  a  king- 
 dom of  all  worlds ;  and  so  is  he  of  one  substance,  of  one 
 power  and  honour,  with  the  Father,  not  bound  to  one  place, 
 but  is  every  where ;  who  in  all  things  ruleth  and  worketh, 
 seeing  he  is  not  only  a  very  true  man,  but  also  the  very  true 
 God ;  after  the  manhood  finite,  but  after  his  Godhead  infinite 
 and  incomprehensible ;  and  that  in  one  undivided  person  he 
 containeth  very  true  God  and  man.  King  and  Lord  of  all 
 things.  For  St  Peter  saith  :  "  Christ  is  at  the  right  hand  i  Pet  ui, 
 '  of  God,  gone  up  into  heaven,  angels,  might,  and  power  bcmg 
 subdued  unto  him."    Item,  Paul  to  the  Ephesians  :  "  God  the 
 
 11—2 
 
]  64  HOPE  OF    THE    FAITHFUL.  [cilAP. 
 
 Father  raised  up  Christ  from  the  dead,  and  hath  set  him  on 
 his  right  hand  in  heavenly  things,  above  all  rule,  power, 
 might,  and  domination,  and  above  all  names  that  are  named, 
 not  in  this  world  only,  but  also  in  the  world  to  come ;  and 
 hath  put  all  things  under  his  feet,  and  hath  made  him  above 
 all  thmgs,  and  head  of  the  congregation,  which  is  his  body, 
 and  the  fulness  of  him  that  lilleth  all  in  all  things."  Thus 
 much  concerning  the  right  hand  of  God,  and  concerning  hea- 
 ven, that  is,  the  place  certain  or  dwelling  of  the  blessed ;  in 
 the  which  also  our  Lord  Jesus  with  his  body  hath  his  man- 
 sion and  seat. 
 
 CHAPTER    XII. 
 
 THE  FRUIT  AND  COMMODITY  OF  THE  CORPORAL  ASCENSION 
 OF  CHRIST,  BOTH  IN  THAT  HE  DOTH  NOW  FOR  US,  AND 
 IN    THAT    WE    LEARN    BY    IT. 
 
 After  this  from  henceforth  will  I  speak  of  the  fruit  and 
 profit  of  the  corporal  ascension  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and 
 of  his  seat  and  place  at  the  right  hand  of  his  Father.  Afore 
 all  things  we  must  know,  that  our  Lord  ascended  up  with  his 
 very  true  body,  that  he,  as  mediator  between  God  and  man, 
 being  very  God  and  man  himself,  and  high  priest  in  his 
 own  temple,  might  before  his  heavenly  Father  make  inter- 
 cession for  us,  and  wholly  take  upon  himself  our  necessities 
 
 Heb.ix.  and  griefs.  For  Paul  saith  to  the  Hebrews:  "Christ  is 
 not  entered  into  the  holy  places  that  are  made  with  hands, 
 which  are  similitudes  of  true  things,  but  is  entered  into  the 
 new  heaven,  to  appear  now  in  the  sight  of  God  for  us." 
 
 1  John  i.  ii.  Thereto  also  pertain  other  sentences  and  testimonies  of  John 
 in  his  first  epistle. 
 
 Rom.  viii.  Item,  of  Paul  to  the  Romans,  wherein   he   saith :    Ac- 
 
 cording to  the  same  did  our  Lord  ascend  up  bodily,  that  he 
 with  his  flesh  taken  up  into  heaven  might  stay  and  direct 
 upon  the  Holy  Ghost  all  worshipping  and  God's  service  of 
 those  that  are  his.  For  no  corporal  worshipping  doth  from 
 henceforth  please  him,  but  such  as  is  done  to  his  spiritual 
 body. 
 
XII.]  THE    FRUIT    OP    CHRISt"'s    ASCENSION.  165 
 
 He  salth  in  the  gospel  of  John :  "  The  poor  have  je  John  xii. 
 alway  with  you,  and  when  ye  will,  ye  may  do  them  good ; 
 but  me  have  ye  not  alway."     Thereunto  also  serveth  the 
 saying  of  Paul:  "Although  we  have  known  Christ  after  the  scor. v. 
 flesh,  yet  know  we  him  so  no  more." 
 
 Moreover  the  Lord  with  his  resurrection  hath  taught  us, 
 that  we  also  should  lift  up  our  minds  unto  heaven,  seeking 
 no  salvation  at  all  upon  earth,  seeing  that  heaven  is  our  right 
 native  country.     Therefore  ought  we  to  use  the  world  as  i  cor.  vii. 
 though  we  used  it  not,  and  to  direct  all  our  care  and  thought 
 unto   heavenly  things.     For  Paul  saith  to  the   Colossians : 
 "  Set  your  affection  on  things  which  are  above,  and  not  on  coioss.  iii. 
 things  which  are  on  earth.     For  ye  are  dead,  and  your  life 
 is  hid  with  Christ  in  God."     Item,  to  the  Philippians  :  "  Our  phiiip.  m. 
 dwelling  is  in  heaven,  from  whence  we  look  for  the  Saviour, 
 even  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord." 
 
 Christ  also   with  his  ascension  into  heaven  thouo-ht  to 
 
 o 
 
 declare  unto  us  his  power  and  might,  wherein  consisteth  our 
 strength,  our  power,  riches,  triumph  against  sin,  death,  world, 
 devil,  and  hell. 
 
 For  he  ascending  up  on  high  led  captivity  captive,  and  Ephes.  iv. 
 when  he  had  spoiled  the  enemies,  he  gave  gifts  unto  his 
 people,  and  endueth  them  yet  daily  with  spiritual  riches. 
 Therefore  sitteth  he  now  on  high,  to  the  intent  that  with 
 his  own  strength,  which  he  daily  bestoweth  upon  us,  he  may 
 regenerate  us  unto  a  spiritual  life,  and  quicken  us  with  his 
 holy  Spirit,  garnishing  the  church,  that  is  to  say,  the  faith- 
 ful, with  manifold  gifts  of  thanks,  defending  them  against 
 all  evil,  suppressing  the  terror  of  his  enemies,  but  preserving 
 and  saving  us,  as  those  that  do  truly  honour  and  worship 
 him.  For  he,  as  having  the  victorious  triumph,  is  the  King, 
 Saviour,  and  head  of  all  faithful  believers. 
 
 Finally,  also  with  his  resurrection  he  hath  prepared  us  a 
 place,  and  made  the  way  and  opened  it  into  heaven.  Thus 
 in  heaven  hath  he  placed  the  true  man,  that  we  might  have 
 an  assured  true  testimony,  that  our  flesh  also  shall  rise  again, 
 and  that  the  whole  perfect  man,  the  body  and  soul,  shall  be 
 carried  into  heaven.  For  the  members  shall  be  like  unto 
 the  head.  Therefore  as  the  cloud  took  up  the  very  true 
 body  of  the  Lord,  yea,  even  the  Avhole  perfect  man,  Christ ; 
 so  shall  all  godly  persons  be  taken  up  into  the  air  to  meet 
 
166  HOPE    OF    THE    FAITHFUL.  [cHAP.   XII.] 
 
 the  Lord,  that  they  may  Hve  in  Christ  their  Lord  and  head 
 1  Th.ss.  iv.  for  evermore.  For  Paul  saith  :  "  The  dead  in  Chinst  shall 
 arise  first.  Then  we  wliich  live  and  remain  shall  be  caught 
 up  with  them  also  in  the  clouds,  to  meet  the  Lord  in  the 
 air,  and  so  shall  we  ever  be  with  the  Lord."  Item,  to  the 
 Heb.x.  Hebrews:  "By  the  means  of  the  blood  of  Jesu  we  have 
 free  entrance  into  the  holy  place,  by  the  new  and  Hving  way, 
 which  he  hath  prepared  for  us  through  the  veil,  that  is  to 
 say,  by  his  flesh."  Unto  this  meaning  agreeth  very  well 
 the  godly  and  excellent  sentence  of  the  old  writer  Tertulhan, 
 who  in  the  booli  of  Tlte  resurrection  of  the  flesh  saith  thus  : 
 TertuUian.  "  Clirist,  wliich  is  Called  the  arbiter  and  mediator  between 
 God  and  man,  hath  of  the  same  that  is  set  and  committed 
 unto  him  of  both,  reserved  also  unto  himself  the  adding  to 
 of  the  flesh,  for  an  earnest-penny  of  the  whole  sum.  For 
 like  as  he  hath  left  us  the  pledge  of  the  Spirit,  even  so 
 contrariwise  hath  he  received  of  us  the  earnest-penny  of 
 the  flesh,  and  carried  it  up  with  him  into  heaven ;  a  true 
 evidence  or  pledge,  that  he  will  bring  thither  also  the  whole 
 sum,  body  and  soul'."  For  this  great  and  high  benefit, 
 declared  unto  us  by  his  own  mercy  without  our  deserving, 
 be  laud  and  praise,  honour  and  thanks  unto  our  King,  our 
 victorious  triumpher,  head,  and  Redeemer,  even  our  Lord 
 Jesus  Christ,  from  henceforth,  now,  for  evermore.     Amen. 
 
 \}  Hie  sequester  Dei  atque  hominum  appellatus,  ex  utriusque  partis 
 commisso  deposito  sibi,  camis  quoque  depositum  servat  in  semetijiso, 
 arrliabonem  summse  totius.  Quemadmodum  enim  nobis  arrhabonem 
 Spiritus  reliquit,  ita  et  a  nobis  arrhabonem  camis  accepit,  et  vexit  in 
 ccelum,  pignus  totius  summa?  illuc  quandoque  redigendse.  Tertull. 
 De  ResuiT.  Carn.  cap.  51,  p.  357.     Ed.  Rigalt.  1564.] 
 
THE 
 SECOND  PART   OF  THIS  BOOK, 
 
 ENTITLED 
 
 THE   HOPE   OF   THE   FAITHFUL, 
 
 ENTREATING  OF  OUR  BODIES, 
 
 CHAPTER  Xni. 
 
 OF    THE    TRUE    RESURRECTION    OF    OUR    FLESH. 
 
 Now  Cometh  it  to  the  point,  that  we  must  also  speak  of 
 the  true  raising  up  of  our  bodies,  or  resmTection  of  this  our 
 flesh ;  for  the  same  followeth  out  of  the  resurrection  and 
 ascension  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  This  word,  to  rise  up, 
 as  TertuUian  De  resurrectione  carnis  declareth,  extendeth  to 
 nothing  more,  than  unto  that  which  was  fallen-;  For  nothing 
 can  arise,  save  only  it  that  fell.  For  when  a  thing  was  fallen 
 and  standeth  up  again,  we  say,  it  is  risen.  Forasmuch  as 
 this  term,  to  rise  up,  hath  a  relation,  St  Paul  useth  the 
 word  Anistemi  {dvicxTTjui),  which  signifieth  to  erect,  to  rise 
 tip,  to  set  up  again,  and  to  stand.  Egeiromai  ex  hypnou 
 ('  Ey eipoiuai  e^  virvov),  I  arise  up  and  awake  from  sleep.  The 
 Hebrews  use  the  word  Kum  (D^p),  which  signifieth  not  only 
 to  rise  up,  but  also  to  endure,  to  continue,  and  to  remain 
 upright.  For  in  the  book  of  Joshua  we  read :  "  The  children  josh.  vii. 
 of  Israel  could  not  stand  before  their  enemies,"  that  is,  they 
 might  not  endure  and  continue  before  them.  Furthermore, 
 in  the  book  of  Genesis :  "  Every  thing  was  destroyed,  that  Gen.  vu. 
 remained  (that  is,  whatsoever  there  was  that  stood  upright, 
 or  erected  itself)  upon  the  face  of  the  earth."  Thereof  it 
 Cometh,  that  to  stand  up,  and  to  raise  up,  is  called  the  im- 
 mortaUty,  or  the  everlasting  and  perpetual  continuance  of  the 
 
 [2  De  Resurr.  Carn.  cap.  18,  p.  336 ;  also  Adr.  Marcion.  Lib.  v. 
 cap.  9,  p.  471.] 
 
168  HOPE    OF    THE    FAITHFUL.  [cH 
 
 \P. 
 
 johnvi.  soul.  As  Avhen  the  Lord  saith  in  the  Gospel  of  John :  "I 
 will  raise  him  up  at  the  last  day."  For  if  by  the  last  day 
 the  hour  of  every  man's  death  be  understood,  then  doth  the 
 Lord  raise  up,  that  is,  he  preserveth,  the  soul  in  the  state 
 that  it  dieth  not,  neither  perisheth  in  death.  Now  if  by  the 
 last  day  be  understood  doomsday,  then  raiseth  he  up  the 
 body  from  the  earth  at  the  last  day  in  the  general  judg- 
 ment. Therefore  the  words,  to  stand  up,  and  rise  up,  signify 
 either  the  conservation  of  a  thing  which  is,  that  it  be  not 
 destroyed  and  perish,  or  else  the  restoring  of  a  thing  that 
 was  fallen  to  his  right  case  and  estate  ag-ain. 
 
 CHAPTER  XIV. 
 
 OUR  FLESH  OR  BODY  ITSELF  SHALL  RISE  AGAIN,  THOUGH 
 IT  BE  HARD  TO  BELIEVE,  AND  WHAT  THE  FLESH  OR 
 BODY    IS. 
 
 Now  will  we  speak  also  of  these  terms,  flesh  and  body, 
 or  corpse.    We  believe  the  resurrection  of  the  body  or  flesh. 
 
 The  scripture  commonly  calleth  it  the  resurrection  of  the 
 dead,  to  declare  evidently,  that  the  resurrection  must  not  be 
 referred  to  the  soul  nor  to  the  spirit,  but  directly  unto  the 
 body  and  to  the  flesh.  Cyprianus,  or  Ruffinus,  saith,  that 
 the  church  towards  the  west  did  express  and  acknowledge 
 the  article  in  the  holy  apostohcal  creed  after  this  manner  : 
 "  I  believe  the  resurrection  of  the  flesh :"  and  so  they  added 
 thereunto  manifestly  this  term,  the,  to  the  intent  that  no  man 
 should  understand  any  other  flesh,  save  only  the  same  natural 
 and  essential  flesh  which  we  carry  about'."    So  saith  Augustine 
 
 \}  Satis  provida  et  cauta  adjectione  fidem  symboli  ecclesia  nostra 
 docet,  quae  in  eo  quod  a  ceteris  traditur,  carnis  resurrectlonem,  uno 
 addito  pronomine  tradit,  hiijus  carnis  resurrectionem ;  hujus  sine  dubio, 
 quam  is,  qui  profertur,  signaculo  crucis  fronti  imposito  contingit ;  quo 
 sciat  unusquisque  fidelium,  carnem  suam,  si  mundam  servaverit  a  pec- 
 cato,  futuram  esse  vas  honoris,  utile  Domino,  ad  omne  opus  bonum 
 paratum ;  si  vero  contaminata  fuerit  in  peccatis,  futuram  esse  vas  irse 
 ad  interitum.  Ruffin.  Expos,  in  Symbol.  Apostol.  apud  Cyprian. 
 Edit.  Fell.] 
 
XIV.]  THE    RODY    ITSELF    WILL    RISE,  169 
 
 also  in  the  book  of  the  articles  of  the  creed :  "  The  same 
 visible,  which  properly  is  called  flesh,  shall  without  doubt 
 and  assuredly  rise  up  again  ^." 
 
 Methinketh  that  Paul  the  apostle  minded  to  point  unto  i  cor.  xv. 
 the  flesh,  as  with  a  finger ;  and  therefore  said :  "  This  cor- 
 ruptible must  put  on  incorruption."     With  the  term,  tlds, 
 pointeth  he,  as  with  a  finger,  to  our  flesh. 
 
 Holy  Jerome  forceth  and  compelleth  John,  the  bishop  of 
 Jerusalem,  to  confess  and  acknowledge  the  resurrection,  not 
 only  of  the  body,  but  also  of  the  flesh,  and  saith :  "  The 
 flesh  and  the  body  are  two  things.  Every  flesh  is  a  body, 
 but  every  body  is  not  flesh ;  namely,  a  wall  is  a  body,  but 
 flesh  it  is  not.  For  flesh  is  properly  called  a  substance  of  what  the 
 blood,  sinews,  bones,  and  veins  set  together.  As  for  a  body,  corps°L 
 though  the  name  thereof  also  be  used  for  flesh,  and  most  Latinists. 
 part  for  a  substance  that  may  be  seen  or  handled ;  yet  it 
 betokeneth  sometimes  a  subtle  state,  that  can  neither  be 
 handled  nor  seen,  as  namely  the  air^."  But  at  all  times 
 it  hath  been  a  hard  thing  for  man  to  believe,  that  bodies 
 which  are  buried  and  resolved  to  corruption,  should  wholly, 
 without  imperfection  or  blemish,  be  brought  again  and  re- 
 stored. Therefore  the  Athenians,  when  they  heard  of  the 
 holy  apostle  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  they  mocked  and 
 laughed  his  doctrine  to  scorn.  For  who  would  hghtly  credit, 
 that  the  bodies  which  now  are  corrupt  and  returned  to  earth, 
 or  otherwise  torn  and  devoured  of  wild  beasts  and  fowls, 
 yea,  sometimes  burnt  and  brought  to  ashes,  or  drowned  with 
 water,  should  perfectly  be  brought  again,  and  wholly  restored? 
 
 [2  Et  ideo  credimus  et  camis  resurrectionem,  non  tantum  quia 
 reparatur  anima,  quse  nunc  propter  carnales  aflfectiones  caro  nostra 
 nominatur;  sed  etiam  hsec  visibilis  caro,  quse  naturaliter  est  caro, 
 cujus  nomen  anima  non  propter  naturam,  sed  propter  affectiones 
 caraales  accepit.  Hsec  ergo  visibilis,  quse  proprie  caro  dicitur,  sine 
 dubitatione  credenda  est  resiu-gere.  August,  de  Fid.  et  Symb.  cap.  10. 
 Opera,  Tom.  m.  p.  34.  G.    Ed.  1541.] 
 
 [3  Alia  carnis,  alia  corporis  definitio  est :  omnis  enim  caro  corpus 
 est,  non  omne  coi-pus  est  caro.  Caro  est  proprie,  quse  sanguine,  venis, 
 ossibus,  neiTisque  constringitur.  Corpus,  quanquam  et  caro  dicatur, 
 interdum  tamen  setherium  aut  aereum  nominatur,  quod  tactui  visuique 
 subjacet,  et  plerumque  visibile  est  et  tangibile.  Hieron.  Epist.  xxxviii. 
 ad  Pammach.  adversus  errores  Joannis  Hierosolymitani.  Opera,  Tom. 
 IV.  p.  322.     Ed.  1706.] 
 
170  HOPE    OF    THE     FAITHFUL.  [cHAP. 
 
 But  God,  willing  to  make  that  easy  and  light,  which  is  hard 
 unto  us,  hath  in  the  resurrection  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
 set  before  our  eyes  an  open,  plain,  and  sure  trial,  declaration, 
 or  evidence  of  the  true  imdoubted  resurrection :  whereunto, 
 as  to  an  ensample  and  sure  strength  of  the  resurrection,  we 
 ought  to  have  respect,  as  much  and  as  oft  as  we  think  upon 
 it,  and  wonder  how  our  bodies  should  rise  again. 
 
 Therefore  with  so  many  testimonies  and  arguments  have 
 I  declared  afore,  that  Christ  our  Lord  with  his  own  body 
 rose  truly  again  from  death.  He  carried  up  Elias  also  living, 
 body  and  soul,  into  heaven,  and  many  one  raised  he  up  from 
 the  dead;  that  we,  concerning  the  resurrection  of  the  dead, 
 should  have  utterly  no  doubt  at  all.  Finally,  with  plain  and 
 evident  testimonies  of  the  scripture  hath  he  opened  and 
 shewed,  as  I  now  will  declare :  wliich  testimonies  and  argu- 
 ments truly  do  teach,  that  the  flesh  of  men  shall  rise  again 
 from  the  dead,  that  is,  that  our  bodies  shall  at  the  last  day 
 be  truly  raised  up  unto  judgment.  Holy  Job  saith  thus  in 
 The  true       chapter  xix. :  "  0  that  my  words  now  were  written  !  0  that 
 
 resurrection  ■*•  ,  " 
 
 "rovecf'^^'*  they  were  put  into  a  book!  would  God  they  were  graven 
 with  an  iron  pen  in  lead  or  in  stone  to  continue !  For  I  am 
 sure  that  my  Redeemer  liveth ;  and  that  he  shall  stand  over 
 the  dust,  or  earth,  in  the  latter  day ;  that  I  shall  be  clothed 
 again  with  this  skin,  and  see  God  in  my  flesh.  Yea,  I  my- 
 self, or  for  myself,  shall  behold  him,  not  another,  but  with 
 these  same  eyes.     My  reins  are  consumed  within  me."    Job's 
 
 Antagonistai  adversaries  complained  of  him,  as  though  he  knew  not  God, 
 and  as  though  he  set  nothing  by  him.  Upon  this  great 
 slander  and  blasphemy,  he  answereth  and  declareth  his  faith, 
 desiring  that  his  belief  were  written  in  lead  and  in  hard  stone, 
 that  is,  he  wisheth  his  faith  to  be  known  to  those  that  come 
 after,  wliich  he  also  declareth  with  few  words  after  this  man- 
 ner :  '  I  am  of  you  complained  upon  and  accused,  as  though 
 I  knew  not  God ;  now  do  I  know  right  well  in  my  heart, 
 yea,  I  behove  and  am  certified  assuredly,  that  my  Redeemer, 
 or  Avenger,  liveth.'  The  holy  Job  useth  an  Hebrew  word 
 called  GoeU,  which  some  have  expounded  a  Redeemer :  it 
 signifieth  a  rescuer,  and  an  avenger;  such  one  as  is  more  friend 
 of  ours,  such  as  were  they,  to  whom  in  the  law  of  the  Jews 
 
XIV.]  THE    BODY    ITSELF    WILL    RISE,  l7l 
 
 it  appertained  to  redeem  the  goods,  and  to  rescue  them ;  as 
 we  may  learn  further  out  of  Ruth,  and  of  the  fourth  hook  of  Ruth  iv. 
 Moses  :  and  with  the  aforesaid  name,  Goel,  hath  Job  set 
 forth  and  specified  the  Messias,  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  that 
 he  Hveth,  namely,  that  he  is  the  true  hving  God,  the  life  and 
 resurrection  of  men ;  and  that  he  is  also  the  rescuer  and 
 avenger,  doubtless  even  the  same  that  is  our  very  near 
 friend ;  namely,  a  very  true  man,  such  one  as  hath  taken 
 our  own  flesh  and  blood  upon  him,  suJBFered  death,  and  with 
 his  death  hath  made  us  living.  Moreover  he  saith :  "  At 
 the  last  shall  he  stand  over  the  dust."  For  our  Lord  Jesus 
 Christ,  with  his  very  true  body,  shall  come  at  the  last  day 
 to  judge,  and  then  shall  he  stand  over  the  dust.  This  say- 
 ing declareth  evidently,  that  he  will  undertake  and  do  some- 
 what, namely,  that  he  shall  put  to  his  mighty  hand,  so  order 
 and  bring  to  pass,  that  the  dust  shall  come  to  life  again. 
 The  dust  calleth  he  here  our  flesh,  and  that  according  to  the  Gen.  m. 
 scripture ;  and  with  this  doth  he  wonderful  well  express  the 
 truth  of  our  flesh,  namely,  that  our  own  very  true  flesh  shall 
 rise  again.  For  he  will  certify  us,  that  even  the  very  same 
 body,  wliich  at  the  first  was  made  of  dust,  and  now  into  dust 
 is  sown,  and  through  the  corruption  is  become  dust  again, 
 yea,  even  that  same  very  body,  and  none  other,  shall  be 
 raised  up. 
 
 But  to  the  intent  that  no  man  should  draw  or  refer  the 
 dust  to  any  other  thing,  than  to  the  body  of  man,  it  followeth 
 moreover  in  holy  Job,  that  after  they,  namely,  the  Father, 
 the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  have  with  my  skin  (not  with 
 a  strange,  but  with  mine  own  skin)  clothed  the  body,  even 
 mine  own  body  wliich  I  now  have,  called  dust,  (and  thereby 
 understandeth  he  the  flesh,  the  sinews  and  the  bones ;)  then 
 shall  I  see  God  in  my  flesh,  that  is,  fully  and  perfectly  shall 
 I  be  restored  and  made  whole  again.  For  to  see  God  is 
 nothing  else  but  to  be  partaker  of  eternal  joy  and  salvation ; 
 and  to  see  God  in  or  from  out  of  the  flesh,  is  to  be  taken  up 
 corporally  into  everlasting  joy.  Besides  this,  he  doth  yet 
 more  evidently  express  the  perfectness  of  the  resurrection  of 
 the  flesh,  and  saith :  "  Whom  I  for  myself  shall  see,"  that  is, 
 to  my  commodity  and  salvation,  mine  eyes  shall  see  him, 
 even  I  myself  shall  see  him,  and  none  other  for  me.  In  the 
 which  words  it  is  principally  to  be  noted,  that  he  saith,  "  I 
 
172  HOPE    OF    THE    FAITHFUL.  [cHAP. 
 
 shall  see  him,"  yea,  even  I  myself.  Then,  "  mine  eyes  shall 
 see  him."  Finally,  "  I,  and  else  none  other."  As  he  would 
 say,  '  Even  I  that  now  have  true  flesh  and  bone,  and  look 
 now  upon  you  with  mine  eyes,  shall  with  the  very  same  eyes 
 behold  God  also.'  Therefore  in  the  resurrection  of  the  dead 
 we  shall  with  the  essential  substance  and  nature  be  even  the 
 same  that  we  were  before  death,  namely,  we  shall  have  our 
 members,  as  head,  eyes,  bones,  belly,  arms,  legs,  hands,  feet, 
 &c.  Now  where  this  distinction  is,  there  must  be  also  cir- 
 cumscription, there  must  the  same  have  compass  and  limits. 
 
 It  foUoweth  yet  further  in  Job :  "  My  reins,"  namely, 
 my  desire  and  lust,  "  are  wasted  away,  and  consumed  within 
 me,"  that  is,  within  me,  namely,  in  my  heart,  or  ceased  all 
 other  desires,  lusts,  and  pleasures,  in  comparison  of  this  my 
 hope  towards  the  resurrection ;  yea,  in  comparison  thereof 
 they  all  are  nothing,  neither  worthy  to  be  esteemed  :  for 
 in  the  only  resurrection  resteth  all  my  hope  and  dehght. 
 So  said  Paul  also :  "  I  have  counted  all  things  but  loss,  and 
 do  judge  them  but  dung,  that  I  might  win  Christ,  to  know 
 him  and  the  virtue  of  his  resurrection."  And  therefore  the 
 old  translator  of  the  book  of  Job  hath  evil  interpreted  these 
 words  after  the  sense,  "this  hope  is  laid  up  in  my  heart'." 
 
 After  all  this,  doth  holy  Job  add  hereunto  that  maketh 
 the  understanding  perfect,  and  concludeth  his  saying  thus : 
 "  Seeing  I  thus  acknowledge  and  confess,  why  hold  ye  me 
 for  ungodly  ?  Why  do  ye  persecute  and  vex  me  thus  with 
 spiteful  words  of  reproach  and  slander?  Yet  is  the  root 
 of  the  word  found  in  me."  And  he  calleth  the  root  of  the 
 word  the  right  foundation  and  ground  of  godliness :  as  if 
 he  would  say :  "  Forasmuch  as  the  true  head  article  of 
 salvation  is  found  in  me."  For  like  as  the  root  giveth  all 
 virtue  and  sap  unto  the  tree,  even  so  is  the  matter  of  the 
 resurrection  of  the  dead  through  Christ  the  chiefest,  great- 
 est, and  true  principal  point  of  the  word  and  aifairs  of  God. 
 '•'  Kepent  therefore,"  saith  Job :   "  for  Avratli  humbleth,  and 
 
 [1  The  original  is :  pn^L  T>"''?3  ^^3  ;  of  which  the  meaning  is 
 expressed  in  the  Latin  Vulgate  by,  reposita  est  hcec  spes  in  sinu  meo ; 
 adopting,  as  RosenmuUer  has  observed,  a  meaning  of  the  word  1172, 
 
 ■which  is  found  in  different  passages,  "  de  vehenuntissimo  desiderio,  quo 
 quis  consmnitur  quasi  et  dejicit."  Comp.  Psalm  Ixxxiv.  3,  cxix.  81,  82, 
 123,  cxliii.  7.] 
 
XIV.]  THE    BODY    ITSELF     WILL    RISE.  173 
 
 doth   nothing   right,  but  rather   provoketh   God   unto   ven- 
 geance." 
 
 The  prophet  Isaiah  doth  testify  the  resurrection  after 
 this  manner :  "  Thy  dead  shall  live,  even  with  my  body  isai.  xxvi. 
 shall  they  arise.  Stand  up  and  be  glad,  ye  that  rest,  or 
 dwell,  in  the  dust ;  for  the  dew  of  the  herbs  is  thy  dew, 
 and  the  ground  of  tyrants  shalt  thou  cast  down."  "  Thy 
 dead,  0  God,"  saith  the  prophet,  "shall  live;"  namely,  the 
 souls  that  for  thy  sake  are  slain,  and  that  have  worshipped 
 thee.  Nevertheless  their  bodies  shall  not  prevent  my  body 
 in  the  resurrection;  but  at  the  last  judgment,  or  upon  dooms- 
 day, shall  they  arise  again  with  my  body.  Likewise  saith 
 also  St  Peter,  that  the  souls  of  such  as  died  aforetime  do  i  ret.  iv. 
 live  with  God ;  but  with  the  flesh  they  shall  be  judged  as 
 other  men. 
 
 Therefore  did  the  holy  prophet  Isaiah  beheve  and  con- 
 fess the  general  resurrection  of  all  bodies  at  the  last  day. 
 In  the  which  resurrection,  he  openly  acknowledgeth,  that  his 
 own  body  also  shall  rise  again.  Afterward  bringeth  he  in 
 an  archangel,  blowing  the  trumpet,  and  saying :  "  Stand  up, 
 and  be  glad,  ye  that  rest  in  the  dust."  To  rest  in  dust  is  xo  rest  in 
 nothing  else  but  a  description  of  man's  body.  For  the  souls 
 and  spirits  do  not  rest  or  he  in  dust ;  but  the  bodies  are 
 buried  therein,  and  are  become  dust.  Therefore  men,  ac- 
 cording to  the  substance  and  state  thereof  wherein  they  rise 
 again,  are  called  inhabiters,  or  indwellers  of  dust,  or  such  as 
 rest  in  dust.  Then  declareth  he  with  a  similitude,  how  our 
 bodies,  that  putrefy  and  corrupt,  shall,  through  the  power  of 
 God,  from  death  and  corruption  be  safely  raised  up  again. 
 
 The  power  of  God,  that  chargeth  and  commandeth  us  to 
 rise  up  from  death,  doth  he  compare  to  the  dew,  which,  when 
 it  falleth  down,  quickeneth  and  reviveth  the  dead  herbs. 
 Likewise  also  doth  the  power  of  God  to  our  dead  bodies, 
 which  it  quickeneth  and  raiseth  up  again.  Contrary  to  this 
 he  setteth  another  sentence,  saying :  "  The  earth  of  tyrants, 
 that  is,  the  bodies  of  tyrants,  shalt  thou  raise  up,  0  God ; 
 but  thou  shalt  cast  them  down,"  that  is,  thou  shalt  overthrow 
 them  into  hell  and  eternal  pain.  Moreover,  touching  the 
 true  resurrection  of  our  bodies,  the  vision  of  the  prophet 
 Ezekiel  is  so  evident  and  plain,  that  it  is  not  needful  to  speak  Ezeh.xxxvu. 
 aught  thereof. 
 
174 
 
 HOPE    OF    THE    FAITHFUL, 
 
 [chap. 
 
 John  xL 
 
 Acts  iv. 
 
 And  of  this  have  we  many  testimonies  and  witnesses  in 
 the  prophets,  which  might  here  well  have  served ;  but  seeing 
 it  is  not  necessary,  I  have  because  of  shortness  omitted 
 them,  and  now  will  I  come  to  the  sentences  of  the  new 
 Testament. 
 
 The  Lord  saith ;  "  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  the 
 hour  shall  come,  and  now  it  is,  that  the  dead  shall  hear  the 
 voice  of  the  Son  of  God,  and  they  that  hear  it  shall  live." 
 And  immediately  after  he  saith :  "  The  hour  shall  come,  in 
 the  which  all  they  that  are  in  the  graves  shall  hear  his  voice, 
 and  shall  come  forth."  Now  is  it  manifest,  that  neither  the 
 souls,  nor  spirits,  but  the  bodies  are  in  the  graves ;  and  if 
 other  bodies  should  rise  up  for  ours,  what  needed  he  alway 
 to  make  mention  of  the  graves,  but  to  the  intent  that  he 
 immediately  in  the  gospel  might  declare  the  evident,  plain, 
 and  undoubted  resurrection  of  our  bodies?  He  forthwith,  by 
 his  mighty  and  wonderful  power,  raised  up  Lazarus  from  death, 
 who  now  did  stink,  and  had  lain  four  days  in  the  grave.  This 
 marvellous  act  had  the  Lord  himself  declared  unto  Martha  with 
 these  words  :  "  Thy  brother  shall  rise  again.  Then  answered 
 she,  I  know  that  he  shall  rise  in  the  resurrection  at  the  last 
 day."  Lo,  how  common,  manifest,  and  known  unto  every 
 man  was  the  general  resurrection  of  our  bodies.  The  Lord 
 saith  more  unto  Martha :  "I  am  the  resurrection  and  the 
 life :  he  that  believeth  on  me,  though  he  were  dead,  yet  shall 
 he  live ;  and  every  one  that  liveth  and  believeth  on  me,  shall 
 never  die."  But  what  needeth  me  to  collect  so  many  testi- 
 monies of  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  considering  that  the 
 apostles  were  upon  no  article  more  fervent  and  earnest  than 
 upon  this?  He  that  will  allege  all  the  sentences  and  wit- 
 nesses, must  write  out  almost  the  whole  new  Testament. 
 Luke  saith  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles :  "  With  great  power 
 did  the  apostles  bear  witness  of  the  resurrection  of  the  Lord 
 Jesus  Christ."  And  in  the  same  book  saith  Paul :  "  For 
 the  hope  and  resurrection  of  the  dead  am  I  judged."  And 
 yet  again :  "  For  the  hope  sake  of  Israel  am  I  bound  with 
 this  chain."  In  many  places  hath  the  holy  apostle  Paul 
 brought  forth  evident  ensamples  and  testimonies  of  our  resur- 
 rection; concerning  the  which  we  shall  speak  in  due  time. 
 He  saith  moreover :  "  We  which  live  are  always  delivered 
 unto  death  for  Jesus'  sake,  that  the  life  of  Jesus  might  ap- 
 
XIV.]  THE    BODY    ITSELF    WILL    lUSE.  175 
 
 pear  in  our  mortal  bodies."  What  could  he  have  spoken 
 more  evident  and  plain  ?  For  immediately  upon  the  same  he 
 saith  :  "Thus  we  have  behaved:  therefore  have  we  spoken; 
 and  know,  that  he  which  raised  up  the  Lord  Jesus,  shall 
 through  Jesus  raise  us  up  also."  Wherefore  our  true  bodies, 
 which  now  are  mortal,  shall  verily  rise  again ;  howbeit  after 
 the  resurrection  they  shall  no  more  be  mortal,  but  immortal. 
 To  these  witnesses  out  of  God's  word,  and  therefore  in- 
 vincible, I  will  also  add  the  testimony  of  one  man,  namely, 
 out  of  the  fourth  book  of  John  Damascen  De  orthodoxa  fide,  Johannes 
 
 1     11     1  1  •         Damascenus. 
 
 Cap.  28.  "  The  resurrection,"  saith  he,  "  shall  be  nothing 
 else  but  a  true  conjunction  of  soul  and  body,  and  another 
 laudable  restitution  of  it  that  was  fallen  away,  and  brought 
 to  nought.  Therefore  the  same  body  that  perisheth  is  dis- 
 solved and  fallen  asunder,  and  the  very  same  riseth  up  again 
 indissoluble.  For  he  that  in  the  beginnino*  created  man  out 
 of  the  dust  of  the  earth,  and  then  brought  him  again  to  earth 
 and  dust,  that  he  was  taken  of,  the  same,  I  say,  is  mighty 
 and  of  power,  according  to  his  word,  to  raise  up  the  selfsame 
 man  again  from  death'."  Thus  much  Damascenus.  And 
 truly  every  man  now  may  well  think,  that  God  principally 
 for  this  cause  did  not  create  the  first  man  of  nought,  as  he 
 did  other  things,  but  out  of  the  dust  of  the  earth ;  that  as 
 concerning  the  resurrection  of  our  bodies,  though  they  turn 
 to  dust  and  earth  again,  we  should  have  no  doubt.  Now, 
 as  I  suppose,  I  have  sufficiently  and  plainly  declared,  that  the 
 true  flesh  of  all  men,  yea,  even  our  own  body,  and  else  none 
 for  it,  yea,  even  the  human  true  body  shall  rise  again  from 
 death,  namely,  formed  and  fashioned  with  his  own  right  pro- 
 portion, measure,  and  property,  as  a  true  body ;  so  that  the 
 measure  and  property  of  the  true  body,  which  now  is  divided 
 and  parted  in  his  members  and  joints,  remaineth,  that  is,  he 
 shall  have  true  flesh,  blood,  bones,  sinews,  joints,  members,  &c. 
 
 {}  'AvcKTTacris  ecm  iravTcos,  avva(j)eia  ttoXiu  '^vx^^  ''"^  *■"'  aafiaros, 
 Koi  BevTepa  tov  biaXvdevros  Koi  tt€(t6vtos  ^dov  crTaais.  avro  ovv  to  (rco/xa 
 TO  (pdeipofjLevov  Koi  diaXvofxevov,  aiiTo  avacrnqcreTai  a(p6apT0v  ovk  a8vvaTei 
 yap  6  iv  apxjj  eK  tov  p^oos  ttjs  yrjs  avTo  (TV(TTr}(Tap.evoi,  ttoXiv  avakvvev  kul 
 anoijTpa^e.v  els  Tr)v  yrjv,  (^  rjs  (\rj<p0T],  Kara  ti]v  tov  br]p.Lovpyov  anocpacrit', 
 ■koKlv  dvaa-Trja-ai  avTo.  Joann.  Daniasc.  Do  Ortliod.  Fide,  Lib.  iv- 
 cap.  27.     Opera,  Tom.  i.  p.  321.  Ed.  1712.] 
 
176  HOPK    OF    THE    FAITHFUL. 
 
 CHAPTER  XV. 
 
 THE    MANNER    HOW    THE    BODIES    SHALL    RISE    AGAIN,    AND 
 THE    KIND    THAT    THEY    SHALL    BE    OF. 
 
 But  to  the  intent  that  this  may  yet  be  more  plainly 
 understood,  I  will  now  tell  how  our  bodies  shall  rise,  and 
 what  nature  and  kind  they  shall  be  of  in  the  resurrection. 
 At  the  end  of  the  world  shall  the  Lord  come  with  great 
 majesty  and  judgment,  and  shall  declare  and  shew  himself 
 in  and  with  a  right  true  essential  body.  Hither  also  too 
 •  shall  he  be  brought,  and  shall  stand  in  the  clouds  of  heaven, 
 that  all  flesh  may  see  him ;  yea,  all  men  that  are  upon  earth 
 shall  behold  him,  and  know  him  by  his  glory.  In  the  mean 
 season  also  shall  he  send  his  archangel  to  blow  the  trump. 
 Then  shall  all  the  dead  hear,  and  perceive  the  voice  and 
 power  of  the  Son  of  God.  And  so  all  men  that  died,  from 
 the  first  Adam,  shall  immediately  arise  out  of  the  earth. 
 
 And  all  they  that  live  until  the  last  day  shall,  in  the 
 twinkhng  of  an  eye,  be  changed.  And  thus  all  men,  every 
 one  in  his  own  flesh,  shall  stand  before  the  judgment-seat 
 of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  shall  wait  for  the  last  judg- 
 ment and  sentence  of  the  Lord  ;  which  sentence  being  given, 
 quickly,  and  without  delay,  (he)  shall  call  one  part  into  hea- 
 ven, and  thrust  out  the  other  into  hell. 
 
 This  fashion  and  manner  of  the  resurrection  have  not  I 
 imagined  of  myself,  but  written  it  all  out  of  the  evangelists 
 
 Matth.xxiv.  and  scriptures  of  the  holy  apostles.  For  thus  we  read  :  "  The 
 power  of  heaven  shall  move  in  the  last  time,  and  then  shall 
 appear  the  sign  of  the  Son  of  man  in  heaven ;  and  then  shall 
 all  the  kindreds  of  the  earth  mourn,  and  they  shall  see  the 
 Son  of  man  come  in  the  clouds  of  heaven  with  power  and 
 great  glory.  And  he  shall  send  his  angels  with  the  great 
 voice  of  a  trumpet,  and  they  shall  gather  together  his  chosen 
 from  the  four  winds,  and  from  the  one  end  of  the  world  to 
 
 M.itth.  XXV.   the  other,"  &c.      Thereunto  add  that  he  spake  in  Matthew 
 
 JuLn  V.  ,  ^  i 
 
 and  John,     And  Paul  in  the  first  to  the  Thessalonians  saith  : 
 
 1  Thess.  iv.    "  xhis  say  we  unto  you  in  the  word  of  the  Lord ;  that  we 
 
 which  hve  and  are  remaining  in  the  coming  of  the   Lord, 
 
XV 
 
 ]  HOW    THE    BODIES    SHALL     RISE.  177 
 
 shall  not  come  before  them  which  sleep.  For  the  Lord  hhii- 
 self  shall  descend  from  heaven  with  a  shout,  and  the  voice  of 
 the  archangel,  and  trump  of  God :  and  the  dead  in  Christ 
 shall  rise  first.  Then  shall  we  that  live  and  remain  be 
 caught  up  with  them  also  in  the  clouds,  to  meet  the  Lord 
 in  the  air ;  and  so  shall  we  ever  be  with  the  Lord."  Fur- 
 thermore to  the  Corinthians  saith  Paul :  "  Behold,  I  shew  i  cor.  xv 
 you  a  mystery :  we  shall  not  all  sleep,  but  we  shall  all  be 
 changed,  and  that  in  a  moment,  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye, 
 at  the  time  of  the  last  trump.  For  the  trump  shall  blow, 
 and  the  dead  shall  rise  incorruptible,  and  we  shall  be  changed. 
 For  this  corruptible  must  put  on  incorruption,  and  this  mortal 
 must  put  on  immortality."  This  is  now  the  manner  of  the 
 resurrection  of  our  bodies,  and  in  what  nature  and  Idnd  they 
 shall  rise  again.  But  in  the  resurrection  they  shall,  through 
 the  power  of  God,  be  made  immortal  and  incorruptible.  For 
 the  apostle  saith  expressly :  "  The  dead  shall  rise  again." 
 After  that  he  saith :  "  This  corruptible  and  mortal  must  put 
 on  incorruption  and  immortality."  In  the  which  words  the 
 term  "  this''  pointeth  directly,  as  with  a  finger,  to  our  living 
 and  human  body. 
 
 And  so  Job  said :  "  Even  I  myself  shall  see  him,  and  Job  xix. 
 none  other."  Wherefore  our  bodies,  after  they  be  risen 
 again  from  death,  shall  remain  even  in  their  own  right  state 
 and  substance,  as  afore.  Yea,  even  the  very  same  men  shall 
 keep  still  this  nature  and  kind,  as  they  did  afore ;  saving 
 that  they  which  aforetime  were  subject  to  frailty  shall  from 
 thenceforth  be  pure,  clean,  perfect,  immortal,  of  a  sincere  and 
 purified  nature,  subject  and  obedient  unto  the  spirit. 
 
 Such  bodies  raised  from  death  did  the  old  writers  call  what  a 
 
 glonned 
 
 glorified,  purified,  or  glorious  bodies ;  and  that  according  to  ^'"^^  ''• 
 the  doctrine  of  the  holy  apostles.  Albeit  there  were  some 
 which  abused  that  word,  and  therefore  made  the  verity  of 
 the  bodies  void  and  of  none  eifect,  beginning  to  dispute  of 
 glorified  bodies,  as  of  the  pure  substance  and  estate  of  a 
 spirit.     Whereof  we  shall  speak  shortly,  if  God  will. 
 
 r  1  12 
 
 l_COVERDALE,  II.J 
 
HOPE    OF    THE     FAITHFUL.  [cHAP. 
 
 CHAPTER  XVI. 
 
 THAT     PAUL     SPAKE     RIGHTLY     OF     A     GLORIFIED     BODY,     AND 
 WHAT    A    GLORIFIED    BODY    IS,    AND    WHAT    A    NATURAL. 
 
 But  now  will  I  declare,  that  Paul  did  rightly  and  well 
 use  this  word  glorious,  or  glorified  body,  even  as  it  is  truly 
 
 Phil.  iii.  in  itself.  For  to  the  Philippians  he  saith  :  "  Our  dwelling 
 is  in  heaven:  from  whence  we  look  for  the  Saviour,  even 
 Jesus  Christ  the  Lord ;  which  shall  change  our  vile  earthy 
 body,  that  it  may  be  fashioned  like  unto  his  own  glorious 
 body,  according  to  the  working  whereby  he  is  able  to  subdue 
 all  things  unto  himself."  In  this  sentence  thou  hast  that 
 term,  glorified  body ;  thou  hast  also  of  what  nature  and  kind 
 the  glorified  body  shall  be,  namely,  whole,  and  as  the  body 
 of  Christ  that  rose  again  from  death.  And  thus  shall  it 
 not  be  a  body  utterly  made  void  or  brought  to  nothing,  or 
 altogether  turned  into  a  spirit,  and  therefore  having  no  room 
 and  place,  incomprehensible  and  invisible ;  but  it  shall  be  an 
 upright,  very  true  human  body,  as  it  is  sufficiently  declared 
 afore,  where  I  spake  of  the  true  resurrection  of  the  Lord.  In 
 the  which  place  we  understand,  that  when  the  Lord's  disciples 
 thought  they  had  seen  a  spirit,  when  they  saw  the  Lord, 
 
 Lukexxiv.  he  said  unto  them :  "A  spirit  hath  not  flesh  and  bones,  as  ye 
 see  me  have.  Handle  me  and  see ;  for  it  is  even  I  myself." 
 The  Lord  also  after  his  resurrection  set  before  them  some 
 fashion  or  evidence  of  his  glorification,  namely,  when  he  was 
 transfigured  before  them ;  and  at  the  time  remained  the  right 
 essential  substance  of  the  body  ;  but  in  form  and  fashion 
 it  was  altered,  in  that  it  became  glorious.  So  standeth  it 
 plainly,  "he  was  transfigured,"  and  not  that  he  was  made  void 
 or  brought  to  nothing,   or   altered  into  another  substance. 
 
 Phil.  iii.  Thus  saith  Paul  also :  "  He  shall  change  our  body,"  &c. 
 Wherefore  even  the  right  true  substance  of  the  glorified 
 body  shall  remain  still.  As  for  the  change  or  alteration, 
 it  shall  be  in  the  infirmities  that  happen  unto  us ;  so  that 
 when  the  body  taketh  upon  it  the  glorification  and  immor- 
 tality, they  shall  be  wholly  removed  and  fall  away. 
 
XVI,]  PAUL    SPAKE    RIGHTLY    OF    A     GLORIFIED    BODY.  l79 
 
 Howbeit  this  shall  be  more  evident  and  plain  to  under- 
 stand, if  it  be  thoroughly  and  with  diligence  considered  and 
 declared,  what  this  word  glory  or  glorification  meaneth. 
 
 For  transfiguration,  glory,  and  glorification,  is  one  thing. 
 So  saith  holy  Augustine^  in  his  book  against  the  Arians :  cor.tra  Am. 
 "  To  bring  to  glory,  to  make  glorious,  and  to  glorify,  are 
 three  words,  yet  is  it  but  one  thing.      The  Greeks  call  it 
 So^d^eiv,  doxazein ;  but  the  translators  in  Latin  have  other- 
 wise interpreted  it."    Thus  much  saith  Augustine.    But  glory 
 in  scripture  is  taken  for  light,  brightness,  and  shine,  as  St 
 Paul  speaketh  to  the  Corinthians :  "  If  the  ministration  that  2  cor.  iii. 
 through  the  letter  killeth,  and  was  graven  in  stone,  hath 
 glory,  so  that  the  children  of  Israel  could  not  behold  the 
 face  of  Moses  for  the  glory  of  his  countenance,"  &c.     And 
 hereunto  serveth  this  sentence  of  Daniel  the  wise :  "  Such  as  Dan.  xii. 
 have  taught  others  shall  shine  as  the  brightness  of  heaven, 
 and  they  that  have  instructed  multitudes,  or  many,  unto  god- 
 liness, shall  be  as  the  stars  world  without  end."     Much  after 
 the  same  wise  doth  the  Lord  himself  also  use  it,  saying  ; 
 "  Then  shall  the  righteous  shine  as  the  sun  in  the  kingdom  Matth.  xiii. 
 of  their  Father." 
 
 Wherefore  the  glorified  bodies  shall  be  clear,  bright,  and 
 shining  bodies,  even  as  the  body  of  Christ  was  in  his  trans- 
 figuration upon  the  mount  of  Thabor ;  of  whom  it  is  specified 
 in  the  gospel,  that  "  his  face  was  as  bright  as  the  sun,  and  ji^tth.  xvii. 
 his  clothes  did  shine  as  the  light."  After  the  resurrection 
 did  the  Lord  shew  unto  his  disciples  his  palpable  and  visible, 
 that  is,  his  very  true  substantial  body :  but  the  brightness 
 and  shine  he  reserved,  to  teach  and  instruct  the  weak  here 
 beneath.  Like  as  also  after  the  resurrection  he  did  eat  and 
 drink,  not  that  he  needed  any  such  thing,  but  that  he  so 
 would  declare  and  prove  the  true  resurrection  of  his  body. 
 The  glorification  also  is  set  directly  against  the  low  estate 
 and  dishonour,  as  Paul  evidently  declareth,  saying :  "  He 
 shall  change  our  vile  body,  that  he  may  make  it  like  unto 
 his  own  glorious  and  glorified  body."  This  word  Immilitij, 
 low  estate,  or  dishonour,  comprehendeth  all  that  is  called 
 
 \}  Gloriflcare,  et  honorificare,  et  clarificare,  tria  quidem  verba,  sed 
 res  una  est,  quod  Greece  dicitur  ho^a^eLv :  intei-pretum  autem  varietate, 
 aliter  atque  aliter  positum  est  in  Latino.  August.  Contr.  Serm.  Arian. 
 cap.  .31.   Opera,  Tom.  vi.  p.  146,  E.   Ed.  1541.] 
 
 12—2 
 
180  HOPE    OF    THE    FAITHFUL.  [cHAP. 
 
 earthy,  frail,  miserable,  and  mortal.  For  by  means  of  our 
 sins  we  are  brought  low  and  into  misery ;  so  that  we  must 
 needs  feel  and  suffer  sickness,  hunger,  thirst,  cold,  heat,  pain, 
 vexation,  manifold  lusts  and  affections,  fear,  wrath,  heaviness, 
 and  such  Hke  things  innumerable,  yea,  and  death  also  at 
 the  last. 
 
 Again,  glorification  comprehendeth  deliverance,  that  is, 
 the  laying  away  and  clear  discharge  of  all  these  miseries 
 and  sorrows.  So  that  now  glorification  is  called  (and  so  it 
 is  in  very  deed)  pureness,  perfect  strength,  immortality,  and 
 joy;  yea,  a  sure,  quiet,  and  everlasting  life.     For  Paul  saith: 
 
 2  Cor.  V.  "  We  that  are  in  this  tabernacle  sigh  and  are  grieved ;  because 
 we  would  not  be  unclothed,  but  we  would  be  clothed  upon, 
 that  mortality  might  be  swallowed  up  of  life."     And  to  the 
 
 LRom.  viii.]  Romans  he  saith  thus  :  "I  suppose  that  the  afflictions  of  this 
 life  are  not  worthy  of  the  glory  which  shall  be  shewed  upon 
 us.  For  the  fervent  desire  of  the  creature  abideth  waiting 
 for  the  appearing  of  the  children  of  God." 
 
 In  all  these  words  it  is  sufficiently  declared,  what  glori- 
 fication meaneth,  and  what  is  understood  by  it ;  namely,  a 
 freedom  or  discharge  from  this  frail  servitude  and  bondage, 
 and  a  deliverance  into  the  glorious  and  comfortable  liberty 
 of  God's  children.  By  the  which  freedom  we  are  delivered 
 from  all  sickness  and  frailty,  and  from  all  thraldom  of  weak- 
 ness, that  is,  from  all  that  which  bringeth  sickness,  heaviness, 
 and  frailty.  From  all  such  are  we  free  discharged  and  de- 
 livered, having  now  the  perfect  fruition  of  God,  and  made 
 
 ijoiiniii.     of  like  shape  unto  his  Son  Jesus  Christ,  as  holy  St  John 
 
 1  Cor.  XV.  declareth.  Hereunto  serveth  it  well  that  Paul  saith  :  "  When 
 this  corruptible  hath  put  on  incorruption,  and  this  mortal  hath 
 put  on  immortality,  then  shall  be  brought  to  pass  the  saying 
 that  is  written.  Death  is  swallowed  up  in  the  victory." 
 
 Therefore  the  glorified  body,  after  the  signification  of 
 glory,  shall  be  a  purified  body,  which  is  purged  and  cleansed 
 from  all  frailty  and  vileness,  and  now  is  clothed  upon  and 
 apparelled  with  cleanness,  pureness,  joy,  and  rest,  and  finally, 
 with  the  glory  of  eternal  life.  That  this  is  now  the  kind 
 and  nature  of  the  glorified  body,  the  holy  apostle  Paul  more 
 largely  and  more  perfectly  declareth  with  these  words :  "  It 
 is  sown  in  corruption,  and  riseth  in  incorruption ;  it  is  sown 
 in  dishonour,  and  riseth  in  glory;  it  is  sown  in  weakness,  and 
 
XVI.]  PAUL    SPAKE    RIGHTLY    OF    A    GLORIFIED    I30DY.  ISl 
 
 riseth  in  power ;  it  is  sown  a  natural  body,  and  risetli  a  spi- 
 ritual body."  Item,  what  he  meaneth  by  the  natural  and 
 by  the  spiritual  body,  he  declareth  immediately  upon  the 
 same,  and  saith  farther :  '"  If  there  be  a  natural  body,  there  a  natural 
 is  also  a  spiritual  body,  as  it  is  written :  The  first  man  Adam  body.'""'"'' 
 is  made  into  a  natural  life,  and  the  last  man  Adam  into  a 
 spiritual  life.  Yet  is  not  the  spiritual  body  the  first,  but 
 the  natural ;  and  afterward  the  spiritual.  The  first  man  is 
 of  the  earth  earthy,  the  second  man  is  the  Lord  from  heaven. 
 As  is  the  earthy,  such  are  they  that  are  earthy ;  and  as  is 
 the  heavenly,  such  are  they  that  be  heavenly.  And  as  we 
 have  borne  the  image  of  the  earthy,  so  shall  we  bear  also 
 the  image  of  the  heavenly."  This  the  holy  apostle  declareth 
 yet  more  evidently,  and  saith :  "  By  one  man  came  death,  i  cor.  xv. 
 and  by  one  man  cometh  the  resurrection  of  the  dead.  For 
 like  as  in  Adam  they  all  die,  so  in  Christ  shall  they  all 
 revive."  Thus  Paul  calleth  animale  corpus  the  soulish  body,  Animaie  et 
 which  is  interpreted,  the  natural  body,  the  same  that  hath  corpus. 
 his  virtue,  strength,  power,  and  hfe  of  the  soul;  which  body 
 we  have  of  Adam ;  and  it  is  earthy,  frail,  and  mortal.  The 
 spiritual  body  he  calleth  not  it  that  is  become  or  made  a 
 spirit :  but  therefore  nameth  he  the  glorified  body  a  spiritual 
 body,  because  it  liveth  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ;  which  spiritual 
 body,  that  is,  incorruptible,  indissoluble,  and  immortal,  we 
 have  received  of  Christ  our  Lord.  Of  all  this  is  sufiiciently 
 spoken  in  our  expositions  of  the  epistles  of  St  Paul'. 
 
 CHAPTER  XVIL 
 
 THE    CASE    OF    OUR   MEMBERS    IN    THE    BODY  S    RESURRECTION, 
 AND    OF    THEIR    FUNCTIONS. 
 
 But  here  might  some  man  say  :  If  our  very  true  bodies, 
 with  their  members,  shall  be  in  heaven,  then  it  follows,  that 
 the  use  and  exercise  of  the  members  shall  be  in  heaven  also. 
 
 [1  The  author  alhules  to  the  translation  of  Erasmus's  i^araphrase 
 of  the  epistles  of  St  Paul,  part  of  which  was  made  by  Bishop 
 Coverdalc.] 
 
182 
 
 HOPK    OF    THE    FAITHFUL. 
 
 b 
 
 CHAP, 
 
 Matth.  xxii. 
 
 Augustine, 
 de  tide  et 
 symbolo, 
 cap.  6. 
 
 To  this  I  give  like  answer  as  now  is  said,  namely,  that  we 
 shall  have  even  those  members  and  this  body,  which  we  now 
 carry ;  but  seeing  that  through  the  glorification  they  shall 
 be  made  heavenly,  they  shall  not  need  earthy  exercise,  neither 
 shall  they  use  any  frail  thing  at  all.  Hereof  cometh  it  that 
 Paul  saith :  "  Flesh  and  blood  may  not  possess  the  kingdom 
 of  God,  neither  may  corruption  inherit  incorruption."  By 
 flesh  and  blood  he  meaneth,  not  the  true  essential  body,  but 
 bodily  frail  lusts  and  temptations,  which  he  now  calleth  the 
 earthy  and  frail  body.  Such  temptations  and  lusts,  saith  he, 
 shall  not  be  in  the  glorified  bodies,  neither  shall  there  any 
 frail  bodies  be  in  heaven.  For  he  saith  immediately  upon 
 the  same :  "  Corruption  shall  not  inherit  incorruption ;"  for 
 in  the  kingdom  of  God  there  shall  be  no  corruption  nor 
 frailty.  For  the  heavenly  joy  is  far  of  another  kind  and 
 nature,  than  that  it  can  receive  or  suffer  such  vile  and  un- 
 clean lusts  and  temptations,  yea,  such  a  stained  and  defiled 
 flesh.  For  before  the  bodies  of  men  come  in  heaven,  they 
 must  be  wholly  and  perfectly  altered,  that  is,  cleansed  and 
 purified  from  all  filthiness  and  frailty. 
 
 Thus  did  our  Saviour  teach  also,  when  he  answered  to 
 the  question  of  the  Sadducees,  who  denied  the  resurrection 
 of  the  dead.  Upon  which  I  have  written  much  in  the  gospel 
 of  Matthew.  Holy  Augustine  saith  also :  "  This  doth  sore 
 hinder  the  ethnics  and  heretics,  that  we  believe  that  the 
 earthy  body  is  taken  up  into  heaven;  for  they  tliink,  that 
 into  heaven  can  come  no  earthy  thing.  But  they  know  not 
 our  scripture,  neither  understand  how  it  is  spoken  of  Paul : 
 '  It  is  sown  a  natural  body,  and  shall  rise  a  spiritual  body.' 
 For  this  is  not  spoken,  to  the  intent  as  though  the  body 
 should  become  a  spirit,  or  be  changed  into  a  spirit.  For 
 even  now  also  our  body,  which  is  called  natm-al,  or  souhsh, 
 and  is  natural  indeed,  is  not  changed  into  the  soul,  and 
 become  the  soul.  But  therefore  is  the  body  called  a  spiritual 
 body,  that  it  may  so  be  prepared  to  dwell  in  heaven.  Which 
 thing  cometh  to  pass,  when  all  feebleness  and  earthy  blemish 
 is  changed  into  a  heavenly  pureness  and  stedfastness\"  All 
 these  are  the  words  of  holy  Augustine. 
 
 [1  Solet  autem  quosclam  offendere  vel  impios  gentiles  vel  hsere- 
 ticos,  quod  credamus  assuraptum  terrenum  corpus  in  ccelum.  At 
 gentiles  plerumque  pliilosophorum  argumentis  nobiscum  agere  solent. 
 
XVIII.]  DIVERS  ERRORS  CONCERNING  THE  RESURRECTION.  183 
 
 CHAPTER   XVIII. 
 
 THE    DIVERS    ERRORS    THAT    SPRUNG    ABOUT    THE    ARTICLE    OF 
 THE    body's    RESURRECTION. 
 
 Hitherto  have  I  told  what  the  scripture  of  the  prophets 
 and  apostles  doth  hold  and  testify  concerning  the  resurrection 
 of  the  dead,  and  of  our  body,  that  is  to  say,  of  our  own  true 
 flesh ;  namely,  that  our  true  flesh  and  body  shall  rise  from 
 death,  and  be  glorified  in  the  resurrection;  and  that  the 
 glorification  doth  not  therefore  take  away  the  verity  of  the 
 body,  or  make  it  nothing,  but  doth  translate  and  bring  it 
 into  a  more  upright  and  better  state ;  so  that  nevertheless 
 the  true  essential  substance  of  the  body  remaineth  still. 
 Upon  this  now,  to  the  commodity  of  the  reader,  and  for  a 
 more  evident  declaration  and  understanding  of  the  aforesaid 
 words,  I  will  shew  what  errors  sprung  up  concerning  the  Errors  touch- 
 resurrection  of  the  dead;  that  any  good  faithful  Christian  reftion  of  the 
 may  the  better  avoid  the  same.  That  there  have  been  many 
 which  denied  the  resurrection  of  our  bodies,  and  had  it 
 utterly  in  derision,  all  histories  declare.  In  the  which  re- 
 gister the  philosophers  for  the  most  part  are  reckoned  and  phiiosoph. 
 esteemed;  the  Hymeneus  and  Philetus,  of  whom  Paul  maketh  2Tim. u. 
 mention.  In  like  manner  are  there  many  recited  of  Irenaeus, 
 TertuUian,  Eusebius,  Epiphanius,  Philastrius,  and  Augustine ; 
 namely   these,    the   Simonians",  Valentinians^    Marcionites'', 
 
 ut  dicant,  terrenum  aliquid  in  ccelo  esse  non  posse:  nostras  enim 
 scripturas  non  noverunt,  nee  sciunt  quomodo  dictum  sit,  Seminatur 
 corpus  animale,  sm'get  corpus  spiritale.  Non  enim  dictum  est,  quasi 
 corpus  vertatiu"  in  spiritum  et  spii'itus  fiat :  quia  et  nunc  coi-pus  nos- 
 trum, quod  animale  dicitur,  non  in  animam  versum  est  et  anima 
 factum.  Sed  spiritale  corpus  intelligitur,  quia  ita  coaptandum  est, 
 ut  coelesti  habitationi  conveniat,  omni  fragilitate  ac  labe  terrena  in 
 ccelestem  puritatem  et  stabilitatem  mutata  ac  conversa.  August,  de 
 Fid.  et  Symb.  cap.  6.    Opera,  Vol.  in.  p.  33.  E.    Ed.  1641.] 
 
 [2  Simonians.     August.  De  Hseres.  Opera,  Tom.  vi.  p.  3.  K.] 
 [3  Valentinians.     Id.  Ibid.  p.  4.  C.    TertuU.  De  Preescript.  Hteret. 
 cap.  33.] 
 
 [i  Marcionites.     TertuU.  De  Preescript.  Hajret.  lb.] 
 
184  HOPE    OF    THE    FAITHFUL.  [cHAP. 
 
 Cerdonians',  Carpocratians^,  Caines^,  Archontici^  Generians^ 
 Hierarchies'',  Seleueians",  Apellysts^  and  Maniehees^  Among 
 the  Greeks  also  and  Latinists  there  were  excellent  men,  that 
 turned  themselves  to  the  golden  and  yet  earthy  Jerusalem, 
 promising  much,  I  know  not  what,  of  a  kingdom  of  the  world 
 to  come  after  the  resurrection,  ascribing  unto  us  such  bodies 
 as,  bemg  partakers  of  the  kingdom,  should  also  behold  with 
 these  earthy  desires^".  To  these  there  is  found  yet  the  third 
 part,  which  as  touching  the  substance  and  state  of  the  glori- 
 fied bodies  so  said  and  taught,  that  they  utterly  took  away 
 and  overthrew  the  bodily  nature,  and  gave  unto  it  no  more 
 nor  other  thing  than  a  spirit.  Against  the  second  sort 
 speaketh  holy  Jerome,  that  forasmuch  as  they  were  carnal, 
 they  have  also  loved  only  the  flesh.  Against  the  third 
 speaketh  the  said  Jerome,  that  they,  being  unthankful  for 
 the  benefits  of  God,  would  not  have  and  bear  the  flesh, 
 wherein  Christ  yet  was  born  and  rose  again.  Whereupon 
 he  giveth  very  godly  counsel,  that  we  tarry  in  the  mean 
 
 [1  Cerdonians.  Tertull.  De  Prsescript.  Ilseret.  cap.  51.  August.  De 
 Haeres.  Opera,  Tom.  vi.  p.  4.  F.] 
 
 [2  Carpocratians.  Tertull.  Do  Prajscript.  Hajret.  cap.  48.  August- 
 De  Haires.  lb.  p.  4.  B.] 
 
 [3  Caines.     August.  De  Heeres.  lb.  p.  4.  E.] 
 
 [4  Arcbontici.     Id.  Ibid.  p.  4.  F.] 
 
 [5  Generians.     The  nature  of  their  oi^inions  does  not  appear.] 
 
 [c  Hierarchies.     August.  De  Hasres.  lb.  p.  6.   C] 
 
 [7  Seleueians.     Id.  Ibid.  p.  6.  I.] 
 
 [8  Apellysts.     Tertull.  De  Prsescript.  Hseret.  cap.  33.] 
 
 [9  Manichees.  August.  Contr.  Faustum  Manich.  Lib.  iv.  cap.  2, 
 Lib.  V.  cap.  10.    Opera,  Tom.  vi.] 
 
 [10  Ceriuthus  appears  to  have  been  the  leader  and  chief  of  the 
 persons,  who  held  these  opinions  concerning  the  earthly  Jerusalem, 
 as  we  learn  from  the  fragments  of  Caius,  (Euseb.  Hist.  Eccles.  Lib.  iii. 
 cap.  28,  and  Caii  Fragmenta  apud  Routh,  Rel.  Sacr.  Vol.  n.  p.  6,  and 
 the  notes  on  this  passage,)  who  thus  explains  the  opinions  propounded 
 by  Cerinthus,  on  the  ground  of  a  pretended  divine  revelation:  fxeTa 
 TTjv  dvd(TTa(Tt.v  eTTiyeiov  eivai  to  jBaa-iKeiov  rov  Xpurrov,  /cat  ttoXiv  eiridvixiais 
 Koi  ^Bovais  iv  'ifpova-oKrjjj,  rrjv  aapKa  noKiTevofieprjv  bovXfVfiv.  Compare 
 also  Gennadius  De  ccclesiasticls  dogmatihus,  cap.  55.  A  learned  ac- 
 count of  the  opinions  of  the  ancients  and  moderns  concerning  the 
 Millenium  may  be  found  in  Mosheim  De  rebus  Christianorum  ante 
 Constantinum  Magnum,  pp.  720 — 728 ;  in  Whitby,  Treatise  on  the  true 
 Millenium;  and  in  Medo's  works,  passim.'[ 
 
XVIII.]        DIVEKS  ERRORS  CONCERNING  THE  RESURRECTION.  185 
 
 way,  namely,  that  we  esteem  and  make  the  glorified  bodies 
 no  more  spiritual,  than  the  perfectness,  property,  and  truth 
 ci  the  bodies  may  permit  and  suffer :  contrariwise,  that  we 
 make  them  not  altogether  so  carnal  and  unghostly,  that  it 
 might  be  thought  how  that  natural  and  frail  bodies  shall 
 be  in  the  glory".  Old  writers  say  also,  that  Origen  did 
 not  perfectly  confess  the  resurrection  of  the  flesh,  but  that 
 in  the  resurrection  he  fantasied  and  imagined  such  a  body, 
 as  hath  little  difference  from  a  spirit.  And  therefore  in 
 Definitionihus  Ecclesiasticis  there  is  a  chapter  against  the  nefin.  Eccies. 
 said  Origen,  in  manner  following :  "  If  that  which  falleth  do 
 stand  up  again,  then  shall  our  flesh  truly  rise  again :  for 
 the  same  falleth  in  very  deed,  and  shall  not  come  to  nothing, 
 as  Origen's  opinion  was,  that  there  should  be  made  a  sifting 
 and  change  of  the  bodies,  namely,  that  there  should  be  given 
 us  a  new  body  for  the  flesh ;  but  even  the  same  frail  flesh 
 that  falleth  of  the  just,  and  vanisheth,  shall  with  our  feeble- 
 ness rise  again,  that  because  of  sin  it  may  suffer  pain,  or 
 else,  according  to  his  deserts,  continue  in  eternal  honoui* 
 and  glory'-." 
 
 [11  Jerome  speaks  strongly  against  these  opinions  in  different  parts 
 of  his  writings,  and  especially  in  those  against  Origen  and  John 
 bishop  of  Jerusalem.  The  allusion  in  the  text  appears  to  be  to  a 
 passage  in  his  letter  Ad  Pa/mmachmni  et  Oceamtm  de  erroribus  Origcnis, 
 Epist.  Lxv.  where  to  the  heretics  who  denied  the  resurrection  of  the 
 body,  and  who  asked.  Quid  nobis  prodest  resurrectio,  si  fragile  cor- 
 pus resurget,  et  futuri  angelorum  similes  habebimus  et  natm'am  ?  he 
 answers :  Dedignantur  videlicet  cum  carne  et  ossibus  resurgere,  cum 
 quibus  resurrexit  et  Christus.  In  another  letter  (Epist.  xxxviii.) 
 against  the  errors  of  John  bishop  of  Jerusalem,  he  writes :  Heec  est 
 vera  resurrectionis  confessio,  qua;  sic  gloriam  carni  tribuit,  ut  non 
 auferat  veritatem.     See  below.  Chap.  xx.  p.  190.] 
 
 [12  The  work  here  referred  to  is  a  work  of  Gennadius,  which  has 
 been  improperly  ascribed  to  Augustine,  entitled.  Liber  de  dcfinitionibus 
 orthodoxce  jidei,  sive  ecclesiasticis  dogmatibus:  Si  id  resurgere  dicitur 
 quod  cadit,  caro  ergo  nostra  in  veritate  resurgit,  sicut  in  veritate 
 cadit.  Et  non  secundum  Origenem  immutatio  corporum  erit,  id  est, 
 aliud  novum  corpus  pro  carne :  sed  eadem  caro  corruptibilis,  quae 
 cadit,  tarn  justorum  quam  injustorum,  incorruptibilis  resurget,  qum 
 vel  pcenam  sufFerro  possit  pro  peccatis,  vel  in  gloria  rcterna  manere 
 pro  meritis.  August.  Op.  Tom.  iii.  p.  45.  D.  Cave,  Hist.  Literaria.- 
 Vol.  I.  p.  376.  Ed.  1688.] 
 
186  HOPE    OF    THE    FAITHFUL.  [cHAP. 
 
 CHAPTER  XIX. 
 
 THE  ERRORS  OF  ORIGEN  CONCERNING  THE  RESURRECTION 
 CONFUTED  BY  JEROME. 
 
 But  forasmuch  as  I  have  once  recited  Origen's  opinion 
 touching  the  resurrection  of  the  body,  and  somewhat  recited 
 the  errors  of  some  that  denied  the  resurrection,  declaring  the 
 scornful  opinion  of  those  whom  they  call  Chiliasts^ ;  I  will 
 shew  now  more  largely  what  holy  Jerome  held  of  the  resur- 
 rection of  the  dead,  and  how  he  confessed  the  true  upright 
 belief.  He  speaketh  to  Pammachius  concerning  the  errors 
 of  John  bishop  of  Jerusalem,  and  in  the  same  writing  he 
 comj)rehendetli  the  doctrine  and  opinion  of  Origen  concerning 
 the  resurrection  in  manner  following.  Origen  saith,  that 
 "in  the  church  there  be  sprung  up  two  errors,  the  one  from 
 us,  the  other  from  the  heretics;  namely,  that  we,  as  the 
 simple  and  lovers  of  the  flesh,  say,  that  even  these  bones, 
 this  blood,  and  this  flesh,  that  is,  that  our  face,  members, 
 and  all  the  proportions  of  the  body,  and  the  whole  body 
 itself,  shall  rise  again  at  the  last  day,  so  that  we  shall  also 
 go  with  the  feet,  work  with  the  hands,  see  with  the  eyes, 
 Hieromead  and  hear  with  the  ears."  "This,"  saith  he,  "we  speak  as 
 chium.  Simple,  homely,  gross,  and  ignorant  people.  But  the  here- 
 tics, as  Marcion,  Apelles,  Valentinus^  and  mad  Manes,  deny 
 wholly  and  utterly  the  resurrection  of  the  flesh,  or  body, 
 giving  salvation  only  unto  the  soul ;  and  saying,  that  our 
 words  are  nothing,  when  we  affirm  that,  according  to  the 
 ensample  and  pattern  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  we  shall 
 rise  again ;  saying,  that  the  Lord  himself  rose  in  a  fantasy, 
 or  spirit,  and  that  not  only  his  resurrection,  but  also  his  bu'th 
 came  to  pass  more  in  the  imagination,  than  in  very  truth ; 
 
 [1  With  respect  to  the  heretics,  who  denied  the  resurrection  of 
 the  body,  see  Irenajus  adv.  Ha3r.  Lib.  v.  cap.  2,  p.  395.  col.  2,  and 
 Dr  Grabe's  note  ad  loc.  Ed.  Oxf.  1702.] 
 
 [2  Compare  Tertullian,  De  Came  Christi,  cap.  1,  and  passim;  also 
 his  treatise  De  Resurrectione  Carnis:  and  for  the  opinions  of  the 
 Manichees,  August.  Contra  Faustum  Manicheum,  Lib.  iv.  Opera, 
 Tom.  VI.  p.  48.  K.    Ed.  1541,  and  his  works,  passim.] 
 
XIX.]       origen's  errors  concerning  the  resurrection.         187 
 
 that  is,  that  he  was  not  born  in  very  deed,  but  supposed  to 
 be  born." 
 
 "  Now  for  the  opinion  and  mind  of  both  these  parties," 
 Origen  saith,  "  it  pleased  him  not ;  namely,  that  he  abhorreth 
 the  flesh  on  our  side,  and  the  fantasy  on  the  heretics'  part ; 
 for  each  of  them  doth  too  much :  and  namely  they  of  our 
 side,  for  that  they  would  be  again  the  same  they  were  afore ; 
 and  for  the  other,  that  they  utterly  deny  the  resurrection  of 
 the  bodies  ^" 
 
 And  after  certain  words  doth  Jerome  set  forth  Oriffcn's 
 opinion,  what  he  held  of  the  resurrection,  and  saith  :  "  There 
 is  promised  us  another  body,  namely,  a  spiritual  and  heavenly, 
 that  cannot  be  comprehended  nor  seen  with  eyes,  nor  having 
 any  weight,  and  that,  according  to  the  circumstance  and 
 diversity  of  the  place  that  it  shall  be  in,  shall  be  changed*." 
 And  after  certain  words  doth  Jerome  set  forth  the  opinion  of 
 Origen  yet  more  plainly,  saying :  "  O  ye  simple,  the  resur- 
 rection of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  ought  not  to  deceive  you, 
 in  that  he  shewed  his  hands  and  feet,  stood  on  the  sea  shore, 
 went  over  the  field  with  Cleophas,  and  said  he  had  flesh  and 
 bones.  This  body,  that  was  not  born  of  the  seed  of  man, 
 and  of  lust  or  pleasure  of  the  flesh,  is  endued  with  greater 
 
 [3  Dicit  ergo  Origenes . . .  duplicem  eiTorem  versari  in  ecclesia, 
 nostrorum  et  hsereticonim.  Nos  simplices  at  philosarcas  dicere, 
 quod  eadem  ossa  et  sanguis  et  care,  id  est,  vultus  et  membra  totius- 
 que  compago  corporis,  resurgat  in  novissima  die;  scilicet  ut  pedibus 
 ambulemus,  operemur  manibus,  videamus  oculis,  auribus  audiamus . . . 
 Hsec  nos  innocentes  et  rusticos  asserit  dicere.  Hsereticos  vero,  in 
 quorum  parte  sunt  Marcion,  Apelles,  Valentinus,  Manes,  nomen  in- 
 sanite,  penitus  et  camis  et  corporis  resurrectionem  negare,  et  salutem 
 tantum  tribuere  animse.  Frustraque  nos  dicere  ad  similitudinem 
 Domini  resurrecturos,  quum  ipse  quoque  Dominus  in  phantasmate 
 resurrexerit ;  et  non  solum  resurrectio  ejus,  sed  et  ipsa  nativitas 
 T«  SoKeij/,  id  est,  putative  visa  magis  sit,  quam  fuerit.  Sibi  autem 
 displicere  utramque  sententiam,  fugere  se  et  nostrorum  et  hsereti- 
 corum  pbantasmata ;  quia  utraque  pars  in  contrarium  nimia  sit; 
 aliis  idem  volentibus  se  esse  quod  fuerunt ;  aliis  resurrectionem  cor- 
 poris omnino  denegantibus.  Hieron.  Epist.  xsxvni.  ad  Pammach. 
 adv.  errores  Joannis  Hierosol.  Opera,  Tom.  iv.  Pars  2,  p.  320.  Edit. 
 Paris.  1693—1706.] 
 
 [^  Aliud  nobis  spirituale  et  setlierium  promittitur,  quod  nee  tactui 
 subjacet,  nee  oculis  cernitm-,  nee  pondere  pragravatur,  et  pro  locorum, 
 in  quibus  futurum  est,  varietate  mutabitur.    lb.  pp.  321,  322.] 
 
error. 
 
 188  HOPE    OF    THE    FAITHFUL.  [cHAP. 
 
 freedom  than  another  body,  and  with  his  nature  is  not  unhke 
 the  spiritual  and  heavenly  body.  For  when  the  doors  were 
 shut  he  entered,  and  in  breaking  of  bread  vanished  he  away 
 from  their  sight  \"  &c.  But  at  the  last,  Jerome  answereth 
 The  con-  uuto  Origon's  foundation,  and  saith :  "Like  as  he  shewed 
 origJnv"  his  true  hands  and  his  true  sides,  so  did  he  truly  eat  with 
 them,  went  truly  with  Cleophas,  spake  to  them  truly  with 
 his  mouth,  sat  truly  at  the  table  with  them  at  supper,  took 
 the  bread  with  his  true  hands,  gave  thanks,  brake  it,  and 
 reached  it  them.  And  whereas  he  immediately  vanished  out 
 of  their  sight,  that  is  ascribed  to  the  power  of  God,  and  to 
 no  fantasy,  or  false  body.  When  he  afore  his  resurrection 
 was  brought  out  from  Nazareth,  that  they  might  throw  him 
 down  from  the  top  of  the  hill,  he  passed  through  the  midst 
 of  them,  that  is,  he  escaped  out  of  their  hands.  May  wq 
 then  talk  with  Marcion,  that  his  birth  was  therefore  but  a 
 iimtasy,  because  that  he  against  nature  escaped  those  that 
 had  him  ?  How  say  est  thou  ?  did  they  not  know  him  in 
 the  way,  when  he  yet  had  the  body  that  he  had  afore? 
 Upon  this  hear  the  scripture :  *  Their  eyes  were  holden, 
 that  they  should  not  know  him.'  But  was  he  any  other 
 -when  they  knew  him  not,  or  was  he  any  other  when  they 
 knew  him  ?  Verily  he  was  always  one  and  like  himself. 
 And  therefore  to  know,  and  not  to  know,  is  given  to  the 
 eyes,  and  not  to  him  that  is  seen,  although  it  be  ascribed 
 unto  him  also,  that  he  held  their  eyes,  lest  they  should 
 know  him-." 
 
 [1  Nee  vos,  O  simplices,  resurroctio  Domini  decipiat,  quod  latiis  et 
 nianus  monstraverit,  in  litoi'e  steterit,  in  itinere  cum  Cleopha  ambu- 
 laverit,  et  carnes  et  ossa  habere  se  dixerit.  Illud  corpus  aliis  poUet 
 privilegiis,  quod  de  viri  semine  et  carnis  voluptate  non  natum  est. 
 Comedit  post  resuiTectionom  suam  et  bibit,  et  vestitus  apparuit,  tan- 
 gendum  se  pra3buit;  ut  dubitantibus  apostolis  fidem  faceret  resur- 
 rectionis.  Sed  tamen  non  dissimulat  naturam  aerei  corporis  et 
 spiritualis.  Clausis  enim  ingreditur  ostiis,  et  in  fractione  panis  ex 
 oculis  evanescit.     lb.  p.  322.] 
 
 [2  Quomodo  veras  manus  et  verum  ostcndit  latus ;  ita  vere  come- 
 dit cum  apostolis  et  discipulis;  vere  ambulavit  cum  Cleopha;  vere 
 lingua  locutus  est  cum  hominibus ;  vero  accubitu  discubuit  in  coena ; 
 veris  manibus  acccpit  panem,  benodixit  ac  frogit,  et  porrigebat  illis. 
 Quod  autem  ab  oculis  repente  evanuit,  virtus  Dei  est,  non  umbrse  et 
 phantasmatis.    Alioquin  et  ante  resurrcctioncm,  quum  eduxissent  cum 
 
XIX.]  ORIGEN*'s  ERRORS  CONCERNING  THE  RESURRECTION.  IS!) 
 
 Afterward  with  many  words  giveth  he  answer  to  that, 
 that  the  Lord  entered  when  the  doors  were  shut^.  Yet 
 doth  he  briefly  answer  thereunto  in  his  commentaries  on  the 
 last  chapter  of  Isaiah,  and  saith :  "I  marvel  that  some  after 
 Christ's  ascension  will  give  and  measure  him  a  body  made 
 of  the  air,  and  soon  returned  to  air  again,  because  the  Lord 
 by  the  power  of  his  majesty  came  in  to  the  apostles,  when 
 the  doors  were  shut ;  considering  that  afore  his  resurrection 
 also  he  went  upon  the  water  of  the  sea,  permitting  the 
 same  unto  holy  Peter,  who  at  the  first  through  faith  walked 
 upon  the  water,  but  afterward  when  he,  being  faint  in  faith, 
 began  to  sink  and  go  under,  he  said  unto  him,  '  0  thou  of 
 little  faith,  why  hast  thou  doubted^?'"  Thus  much  wrote 
 Jerome  against  Origen,  and  many  other  more  yet  in  this 
 book  written  to  Pammachius  against  John  bishop  of  Jeru- 
 salem, which,  because  of  greatness  and  length,  I  have  omitted 
 to  put  here  in  writing. 
 
 fie  Nazareth,  ut  prcccipitarcnt  de  supercilio  mentis,  transivit  per 
 medics,  id  est,  elapsus  est  do  manibus  eoruin.  Numquid  juxta  Mar- 
 cioncm  dicere  possmnus,  quod  ideo  nativitas  ejus  in  phantasmato 
 fuerit,  quia  contra  naturam  qui  tenebatur  elapsus  est  ?. . .  Et  quomodo, 
 inquies,  non  cognoscebant  eum  in  itinere,  si  ipsum  habebat  corpus 
 quod  ante  habuit  ?  Audi  scripturam  dicentem :  Oculi  eorum  tenebantur, 
 tie  eum  agnoscerent.  Et  rursum :  Aperti  sunt  oculi  eorum,  inquit,  et 
 cognoverunt  eum.  Numquid  alius  fuit  quando  non  agnoscebatur,  et 
 alius  quando  agnitus  est  ?  Certo  unus  atque  idem  erat.  Cognoscero 
 ergo  ct  non  cognoscero  oculorum  fuit,  non  ejus  qui  videbatur,  licet 
 et  ipsius  fuerit :  oculos  enim  tcnebat  eorum,  ne  se  cognoscerent. 
 lb.  p.  328.] 
 
 [3  lb.  p.  329.] 
 
 [}  Miror  quosdam  aercum  corpus,  et  paulatim  in  auras  tenues 
 dissolvendum,  post  resurrcctionem  inti'oducere  ;  quia  Dominus  poton- 
 tia  sua  clausis  ingressus  est  januis.  Qui  certe  et  ante  resurrcctionem 
 pendulo  super  mare  ambulavit  incossu,  et  hoc  ipsum  apostolo  pi-ajbuit 
 Petro ;  ut  qui  fide  ambulavit,  inftdelitate  postea  mergeretur,  cui  dictum 
 est :  Quare  dubitasti,  modicce  fidei  ?  Hieron.  Comment.  Lib.  xviii.  in 
 Isai.  Proph.  cap.  66.  Op.  Tom.  iii.  p.  514.  Ed.  Paris.  1693—1706.] 
 
190  HOPE    OF    THE    FAITHFUL.  [cHAP. 
 
 CHAPTER    XX. 
 SAINT  Jerome's  opinion  of  the  resurrection  of  the 
 
 FLESH. 
 
 Yet  in  the  same  book  hath  the  said  Jerome  set  his  own 
 opinion  touching  the  resurrection  of  the  flesh,  directing  the 
 oration  unto  Bishop  John,  and  saying :  "If  you  will  now 
 confess  the  resurrection  of  the  flesh  after  the  truth,  and  not 
 after  fantasy,  as  thou  sayest,  then  look  that  unto  the  words 
 which  thou  hast  spoken  to  content  the  simple,  that  even  in 
 the  body,  wherein  we  die  and  are  buried,  we  shall  rise 
 again,  thou  add  these  words  also,  and  say.  Seeing  the  spirit 
 hath  not  flesh  and  hones,  as  ye  see  me  have:  and  forasmuch 
 as  it  was  so  distinctly  spoken  unto  Thomas,  Put  thy  finger 
 in  my  hands,  and  thy  hand  in  my  side,  and  be  not  faith- 
 less, hut  believing;  therefore  say  thou,  that  we  also  after 
 the  resurrection  shall  have  even  the  same  members  that  we 
 daily  use,  yea,  the  very  same  flesh,  blood,  and  bone ;  the 
 works  whereof  the  holy  scripture  condemneth  and  rejecteth, 
 and  not  their  nature.  And  this  is  the  right  and  true  acknow- 
 ledging of  the  resurrection ;  which  so  giveth  honour  unto  the 
 flesh,  that  therewith  it  minisheth  nothing  the  verity  of  the 
 flesh\" 
 
 Afterward  speaketh  he  yet  more  evidently :  "  I  will  freely 
 confess,  though  ye  wry  your  mouths  at  it,  scratch  your  head, 
 and  scrape  with  your  feet,  yea,  and  though  ye  should  stone  me 
 to  death  forthwith,  yet  will  I  manifestly  and  plainly  acknow- 
 
 [1  Vis  resnrrectionem  carnis  veritate  et  non  putative,  ut  loqueris, 
 confiteri  ?  Post  ilia,  quibus  audientium  blanditus  es  auribus,  quod 
 in  ipsis  corporibus,  in  quibus  mortui  sumus  et  sepulti,  resurgamus; 
 hoc  potius  adjunge,  et  die,  Quoniam  spiritus  carnem  et  ossa  non 
 habet,  sicut  me  videtis  habere ;  et  proprie  ad  Thomam :  Lifer  digitum 
 ttmm  in  manus  meas,  et  manuin  tuani  in  latus  incimi,  et  noli  esse  in- 
 credulus,  sed  fideJis.  Sic  et  nos  post  resuiTCctionem  eadem  habebimus 
 membra,  quibus  nunc  utimm*,  easdem  cames,  et  sanguinem,  et  ossa; 
 quorum  in  scripturis  Sanctis  opera,  non  natura  damnatui'....Hsec  est 
 vera  resmTCctionis  confessio,  quae  sic  gloriam  cami  tribuit,  ut  non 
 auferat  veritatem.  Hieron.  Epist.  sxxvin.  ad  Pammach.  adv.  errores 
 Joannis  Hierosol.  Opera,  Tom.  iv.  p.  323.  Ed.  ]693— 1706.] 
 
XX.]  Jerome's  opinion  of  the  resurrection.  191 
 
 ledge  and  confess  the  faith  of  the  church  or  congregation  of 
 God;  and  boldly  pronounce,  that  the  right,  profound,  chris- 
 tian truth  of  the  resurrection  can  utterly  not  be  understood 
 without  flesh,  bones,  blood,  and  members.  Where  flesh,  bones, 
 blood,  and  members  are,  there  must  needs  be  a  difference  of 
 kind,  as  of  man  and  woman ;  and  where  these  both  are  dis- 
 tinct the  one  from  the  other,  there  John  must  be  John,  and 
 Mary  must  be  Mary.  But  thou  needest  not  bo  astonished 
 at  the  matter,  as  though  a  wedding  also  were  there  to  be 
 kept  in  all  the  past,  seeing  that  before  they  died  they  lived 
 without  the  work  of  their  kind,  that  is,  without  the  act  of 
 marriage." 
 
 "  It  is  promised  us,  that  we  shall  be  like  unto  the  angels, 
 that  is,  partakers  of  the  salvation,  in  the  which  salvation  the 
 angels  are  without  flesh  and  distinction  of  kind ;  and  yet 
 it  is  given  unto  us  in  our  flesh  and  kind.  Thus  beheveth 
 my  simpHcity,  and  under standeth,  that  the  kind  must  be 
 understood,  howbeit  without  the  works  of  the  kind ;  yea, 
 that  men  must  rise  again,  and  so  become  like  unto  the  angels 
 of  God." 
 
 "  Neither  ought  the  resurrection  of  members  forthwith 
 therefore  to  be  esteemed  unprofitable  and  superfluous,  be- 
 cause they  shall  not  do  their  office,  but  stand  idle.  For 
 while  we  are  yet  in  this  life,  we  endeavour  ourselves  not  to 
 perform  the  works  of  our  members.  As  for  the  comparison 
 towards  the  angels,  it  is  not  a  changing  of  men  into  angels, 
 but  it  is  an  increasing  of  the  immortality  and  glory"." 
 
 Thus  much  have  I  spoken  of  the  confessions  of  holy 
 Jerome. 
 
 [2  Ego  libera  dicam,  et  quamquam  torqueatis  ora,  trahatis  capil- 
 lum,  applaudatis  pede,  Judseorum  lapides  requiratis,  fidem  ecclesise 
 apertissime  confitebor.  Resuirectionis  Veritas  sine  carne  et  ossibus, 
 sine  sanguine  et  membris,  intelligi  non  potest.  Ubi  care  et  ossa  et 
 sanguis  et  membra  sunt,  ibi  necesse  est  ut  sexus  diversitas  sit.  Ubi 
 sexus  diversitas  est,  ibi  Joannes  Joannes,  et  Maria  Maria.  Noli  timere 
 eorum  nuptias,  qui  etiam  ante  mortem  in  sexu  sue  sine  sexus  opera 
 vixerunt....Angelorum  nobis  similitudo  promittitur;  id  est,  beatitude 
 ilia,  in  qua  sine  cai-ne  et  sexu  sunt  angeli,  nobis  in  carne  et  sexu  nostro 
 donabitur.  Mea  rusticitas  sic  credit,  et  sic  intelligit  sexum  confiteri 
 sine  sexuum  operibus ;  homines  resurgere,  et  sic  eos  angelis  adsequari. 
 Nee  statim  superflua  videbitur  membrorum  resurrectio,  qua?  caritura 
 sint  officio  suo ;  quum  adhuc  in  hac  vita  positi,  nitamur  opera  non 
 
192  HOPE    OF    THE    FAITHFUL. 
 
 CHAPTER  XXL 
 SAINT  Augustine's  mind  of  the  resurrection  of 
 
 THE    FLESH. 
 
 Touching  the  resurrection  of  our  flesh,  not  only  did 
 holy  Jerome  believe  thus,  who  yet  testifieth  that  he  acknow- 
 ledgeth  and  confesseth  the  universal  christian  faith ;  but  also 
 St  Austin  wholly  agreeth  unto  St  Jerome,  and  namely, 
 Lib.  II.  Retractat.  cap.  3,  For  in  repeating  and  correcting 
 certain  points  out  of  the  thirty-second  chapter  in  the  book 
 De  Agone  Christiano^,  he  saith ;  "I  said  it  shall  not  be 
 flesh  and  blood,  but  an  heavenly  body.  This  ought  no  man 
 to  understand,  that  therefore  there  shall  be  no  true  substance 
 of  the  flesh ;  but  with  the  names  of  flesh  and  blood  must 
 the  infirmity  of  the  flesh  and  blood  be  understood^."  Item, 
 Lib.  I.  Retractat.  cap.  17,  in  repeating  and  correcting  cer- 
 tain points  which  he  had  written  long  afore  in  the  book 
 [Cap.  10.]  De  fide  et  symholo  :  "In  the  time  of  the  angelical  change," 
 saith  he,  "  it  shall  not  be  flesh  and  blood,  but  only  a  body, 
 &c."  This  I  spake  of  the  changing  of  earthy  bodies  into 
 heavenly,  &c.  But  if  one  would  understand  it  so,  that  the 
 earthy  body  which  we  now  have  should  so  in  the  resurrection 
 be  altered  and  changed,  that  these  members  and  the  substance 
 of  this  flesh  shall  not  remain,  no  doubt  he  is  not  in  the  right 
 way,  but  ought  better  to  be  instructed,  considering  that  he 
 
 implero  membrorum.  Similitudo  autem  ad  angelos  non  hominum 
 in  angelos  dcmutatio,  sed  profectus  immortalitatis  et  gloria)  est.  lb. 
 p.  325.] 
 
 [1  Opera,  Tom.  m.  p.  175.  E.   Ed.  1541.] 
 
 [2  In  quo  illud  quod  positum  est, — "  Nee  eos  audiamus  qui  camis 
 resurrectionem  futuram  negant,  et  commemorant  quod  ait  apostolus 
 Paulus,  Care  et  sanguis  regnum  Dei  non  possidebunt,  non  intelli- 
 gentes  quod  ipse  dicit  Apostolus,  Oportet  corruptibile  hoc  induere 
 incorruptionem,  et  mortale  hoc  induere  immortalitatem :  cum  eiiim 
 hoc  factum  fuerit,  jam  non  erit  caro  et  sanguis,  sed  coeleste  corpus," 
 — non  sic  accipiendum  est,  quasi  carnis  non  sit  futura  substantia,  sed 
 carnis  et  sanguinis  nomine  ipsam  coiTuptionem  carnis  et  sanguinis 
 intelligendus  est  apostolus  nuncupasse,  quse  utique  in  regno  illo  non 
 erit,  ubi  caro  incorruptibilis  erit.  August.  Retractat.  Lib.  ii.  cap.  3. 
 Opera,  Tom.  i.  p.  10.  D.] 
 
x\i.]       al"gustine''s  mind  concerning  the  resurrection.       193 
 
 is  warned  and  monislied  through  the  body  of  our  Lord, 
 which  after  the  resurrection  appeared  even  with  the  same 
 members,  not  onlj  that  he  might  be  seen  with  eyes,  but 
 handled  also  and  touched  with  hands.  Besides  this  he 
 testifieth,  that  he  hath  true  flesh  upon  him,  when  he  saith, 
 '  Handle  me,  and  see :  for  a  spirit  hath  not  flesh  and  bones 
 as  ye  see  me  have."*  Therefore  it  is  evident  and  plain,  that 
 the  holy  apostle  Paul  denied  not,  that  the  true  substance 
 of  the  flesh  should  be  in  the  kingdom  of  God ;  but  rather 
 with  these  words,  fiesh  and  blood,  he  understood,  that  either 
 men  which  hve  after  the  flesh  should  not  have  the  inheritance 
 of  heaven,  else  that  there  should  be  in  heaven  no  infirmity 
 of  the  flesh  at  all.  This  is  a  grievous  matter  for  unbelievers, 
 and  hardly  are  they  persuaded  to  believe  the  resurrection; 
 but  most  dihgently,  and  after  my  power,  have  I  treated 
 thereof  in  the  last  book  De  Civitate  DeP." 
 
 Yet  handleth  he  of  the  resurrection  not  only  in  the  last 
 book,  but  also  in  the  thirteenth  book  De  Civitate  Dei  he  De  civiute 
 writeth  thus:  "The  christian  faith  doubteth  verily  nothing  xni. cap. 22 
 
 •^  o  et  23. 
 
 at  all  to  confess  of  our  Saviour,  that  also  after  the  resur- 
 rection, though  now  in  the  spiritual  flesh,  yet  also  in  his 
 true  flesh  he  did  eat  and  drink  with  his  disciples.  Hereof 
 are  they  called  also  spiritual  bodies ;  not  that  they  therefore 
 cease  to  be  bodies,  but  that  through  tlie  spirit  which  giveth 
 
 [3  In  hoc  libro  (scil.  de  Fide  et  Symbolo)  cum  dc  resurrectione 
 cariiis  ageretm*,  "  Resm-get,"  inquam,  "  corpus". . .  Quod  cui  videtur  in- 
 credibile,  qualis  sit  nunc  caro  attendit;  qualis  autem  tunc  futura  sit 
 non  considerat,  quia  illo  tempore  mutationis  angelicse  non  jam  caro 
 orit  et  sanguis,  sed  tantum  corpus . . .  Sed  quisquis  ca  sic  accipit,  ut 
 cxistimet  ita  corpus  terrenum,  quale  nunc  habemus,  in  corpus  cceleste 
 resurrectione  mutari,  ut  nee  membra  ista  nee  carnis  sit  futura  sub- 
 stantia ;  proculdubio  corrigendus  est,  commonitus  de  corpore  Domini, 
 qui  post  resurrectionem  in  eisdem  membris,  non  solum  conspiciendus 
 oculis,  verum  etiam  manibus  tangondus  (al.  tractandus)  apparuit. 
 Carnemque  se  habere  etiam  sermone  firmavit,  dicens :  Palpate,  et 
 videte;  quia  spiritus  carnem  et  ossa  non  habet,  sicut  me  videtis 
 habere.  Undo  constat  apostolum  non  carnis  substantiam  negasse  in 
 Dei  regno  futuram;  sed  aut  homines,  qui  secundum  carnem  vivunt, 
 carnis  et  sanguinis  nomine  nuncupasse,  aut  ipsam  corruptionem,  qua? 
 
 tunc  utique  nvdla  erit De  qua  re  ad  persuadendum  infidelibus 
 
 difficili,  diligonter  quantum  potui  nie  disseruisse  repcriet,  quisquis  De 
 Civitate  Dei  librum  Icgerit  novissimum.  August.  Ketractat.  Lib.  i. 
 (jap.  17,  Tom.  i.  p.  6.  I.] 
 
 o 
 
 [COVERDALE,  II.] 
 
l-*^4  HOPE    OF    THE    FAITHFUL.  [cHAP. 
 
 And  the  same  life  thcv  shall  be  preserved  and  remain  ^"      "For  like  as 
 
 is  again,  Re-  it 
 
 iraitax.ub.  thcse  our  bodies  which  have  a  living  soul,  and  yet  be  not 
 named  a  spirit  that  giveth  life,  but  natural  or  soulless  bodies, 
 and  therefore  are  not  souls,  but  bodies ;  so  shall  the  glorified 
 bodies  be  called  spiritual.  Yet  God  forbid  we  should  there- 
 fore believe  that  they  shall  be  spirits ;  but  bodies  shall  they 
 be,  which  shall  have  the  substance  of  the  flesh.  And  foras- 
 much as  they  are  preserved  and  made  alive  through  the 
 spirit,  they  shall  suffer  no  grief  or  infirmity.  Then  shall 
 not  man  be  earthy,  but  heavenly ;  not  that  the  body  which 
 is  made  of  the  earth  shall  no  more  continue  the  same  body, 
 but  that  through  the  heavenly  gift  and  grace  he  shall  be  so 
 from  henceforth,  that  being  such  a  kind  and  nature  as  can- 
 not perish,  and  altered  from  all  infirmities,  he  shall  be  able 
 to  dwell  commodiously  in  heaven^." 
 
 Furthermore  saith  St  Austin  in  the  twenty-second  book, 
 the  thirtieth  chapter :  "  How  the  bodies  there  shall  move, 
 I  dare  not  rashly  define  ;  for  I  cannot  comprehend  it,  it 
 passeth  my  understanding.  Yet  shall  their  moving  and  state, 
 even  as  also  their  proportion,  be  altogether  beautiful ;  and 
 howsoever  it  shall  be,  it  shall  be  in  the  place  where  nothing 
 can  be  but  that  which  is  beautiful  and  holy ;  yea,  where  the 
 spirit  will,  there  straight  shall  the  body  be  also.  Neither  will 
 the  spirit  any  thing,  that  is  not  very  seemly  and  comely  both 
 for  him  and  it^."  Thus  have  I  hitherto  recited  St  Augustine's 
 belief,  to  conclude  this  matter  of  the  resurrection. 
 
 [1  Fides  Christiana  de  ipso  Salvatore  non  dubitat,  quod  etiam  post 
 resurrectionem  jam  quidem  in  spiritali  came,  sed  tamen  vera,  cibum 
 ac  potum  cum  discipulis  sumpsit.  Non  enim  potestas,  sed  egestas 
 edendi  talibus  corporibus  auferetur.  Unde  et  spiritalia  erunt;  non 
 quia  corpora  esse  desistent,  sed  quia  spiritu  vivificante  subsistent. 
 August,  de  Civ.  Dei.  Lib.  xni.  cap.  22.     Opera,  Tom.  v.  p.  112.  L.] 
 
 [2  Nam  sicut  ista,  quae  habent  animam  viventem,  nondum  spiritum 
 vivificantem,  animalia  dicuntur  corpora,  nee  tamen  anima3  sunt,  sed 
 corpora :  ita  ilia  spiritalia  vocantur  corpora.  Absit  tamen  ut  spiritus 
 ea  credamus  futura,  sed  corpora  carnis  habitura  substantiam,  sed  nul- 
 1am  tarditatem  corruptionemque  cai'nalem  spiritu  vivificante  passura. 
 Tunc  jam  non  terrenus,  sed  ccelestis  homo  erit;  non  quia  corpus,  quod 
 de  terra  factum  est,  non  ipsum  erit,  sed  quia  dono  coelesti  jam  tale 
 erit,  ut  etiam  coelo  incolendo,  non  amissa  natui-a,  sed  mutata  qualitate 
 conveniat,     lb.  cap.  23.  p.  113.  A.] 
 
 [3  Qui  motus  illic  talium  corporum  sint  futuri,  temere  defmire 
 
XXII.]     WHAT  AURELIUS  PRUDENTIUS  THOUGHT  OF  THE  SAME.     195 
 
 CHAPTER  XXII. 
 
 WHAT    AURELIUS    PRUDENTIUS    THOUGHT    OF    THE    SAME. 
 
 I  WILL  hereunto  add  the  verses  of  the  excellent  and 
 christian  man,  Aurelius  Prudentius,  which  do  wonderfully 
 express  unto  us  the  resurrection  of  our  flesh,  and  set  it 
 before  our  eyes : 
 
 My  body  in  Christ 
 Shall  rise  ag-ain : 
 
 I  speak  it  earnest ; 
 For  it  is  plain. 
 
 Why  wouldst  thou  then 
 I  should  despair, 
 
 0  flesh,  when  I 
 Do  see  so  far  ? 
 
 The  way  that  Jesus 
 Christ  my  Lord, 
 
 Went  after  his  death. 
 As  saith  his  word; 
 
 This  is  the  ground 
 And  foundation, 
 
 My  heart  believeth 
 With  confession: 
 
 That  I  am  sure. 
 And  know  certain. 
 
 My  body  shall  rise 
 Wholly  again. 
 
 Not  one  be  less 
 Than  was  before, 
 
 Neither  in  greatness 
 Any  more ; 
 
 With  strength  and  shape, 
 As  it  lived  here. 
 
 Afore  they  it 
 
 To  grave  did  bear. 
 
 There  is  no  tooth. 
 Nor  nail  so  small, 
 
 No  ear  so  little. 
 But  though  it  fall. 
 
 Yet  perish  it  shall 
 
 Not  finally. 
 But  out  of  grave 
 
 Hise  certainly. 
 
 God  which  afore, 
 
 Created  me. 
 With  shape  and  strength 
 
 Undoubtedly, 
 
 Wherewith  I  here 
 
 On  earth  should  live. 
 
 No  feeble  nor  weak 
 Thing  me  shall  give. 
 
 For  where  any  thing- 
 Shall  perish  at  all. 
 
 It  is  old,  feeble — 
 So  do  not  then  call 
 
 non  audeo,  quod  excogitare  non  valeo.  Tamen  et  motus  et  status, 
 sicut  ipsa  species,  decens  erit,  quicumque  erit,  ubi  quod  non  decebit 
 non  erit.  Certe  ubi  volet  spiritus,  ibi  protinus  erit  corpus;  nee  volet 
 aliquid  spiritus,  quod  nee  spiritum  possit  decere  nee  corpus. 
 Ibid.  Lib.  xxii.  cap.  30.     Opera,  Tom.  v.  p.  217.  K.J 
 
 13—2 
 
196 
 
 HOPE    OF    THE    FAITHFUL. 
 
 [CHAI 
 
 Oui  bodies  at 
 the  resurrec- 
 tion shall  not 
 be  feeble  nor 
 weak. 
 
 Of  our  bodies 
 The  renovation. 
 
 Therefore  is  this 
 My  expectation ; 
 
 What  sickness,  pain, 
 And  adversity. 
 
 What  death,  in  this, 
 Vale  of  misery, 
 
 Out  of  this  world 
 Now  taketh  away, 
 
 Shall,  when  I  rise 
 At  the  last  day, 
 
 From  death  to  life 
 Anew  certain 
 
 Be  given  me  all 
 Together  again. 
 
 Forseeing  that  death 
 
 Is  overcome, 
 It  ever  beseemeth 
 
 Us  all  and  some. 
 
 Quietly  to  trust 
 With  stedfastness, 
 
 Our  God  will  keej) 
 With  us  promise; 
 
 Lest  when  we  come 
 Into  the  grave, 
 
 A  man  no  hope 
 Then  after  have ; 
 
 When  he  to  life 
 Cometh  eternal, 
 
 That  he  for  his 
 Body  mortal. 
 
 Which  here  so  full 
 Of  faultes  was. 
 
 As  brittle  and  frail 
 As  any  glass, 
 
 Shall  have  a  body 
 
 Of  perfectness. 
 That  cold  can  not 
 
 Nor  hunger  press ; 
 
 Thouo-h  weakness  be 
 
 At  all  season 
 The  strength  of  death 
 
 And  operation. 
 
 Thereby  in  us 
 
 What  is  consumed. 
 When  it  again 
 
 Shall  be  restored ; 
 
 Then  through  the  power 
 Whereby  we  rise, 
 
 We  go  to  the  Father 
 In  perfect  wise. 
 
 This  should  right  well 
 Content  our  heart ; 
 
 Therefore  my  body 
 Regardeth  no  smart. 
 
 In  Christ  my  trust 
 
 Is  constantly, 
 Who  proraiseth  us 
 
 Assuredly, 
 
 To  raise  us  up 
 
 From  earth  at  last : 
 Therefore  be  thou 
 
 Nothing  aghast, 
 
 For  sickness  nor 
 
 Adversity ; 
 Nor  yet  let  thou 
 
 The  grave  fear  thee. 
 
 Let  this  ever 
 Thy  comfort  be, 
 
 That  Christ  prepareth 
 The  way  for  thee; 
 
XXII,]     WHAT   AURELIUS  PRUDENTIUS  THOUGHT  OP  THE  SAME.      197 
 
 Wherein  himself 
 Is  gone  before  : 
 
 Follow  thou,  and  live 
 For  evermore'. 
 
 CHAPTER   XXIIL 
 
 THE    BODIES    OF    UNBELIEVERS    SHALL    VERILY    RISE    AGAIN. 
 
 But  to  the  intent  that  no  man  doubt  touching  the 
 resurrection  of  the  flesh  of  the  unbelievers,  I  will  bring  forth 
 certain  testimonies  of  holy  scripture,  which  do  manifestly 
 declare  that  the  unbelievers,  or  ungodly,  shall  with  their 
 own  true  bodies  rise  again.  The  prophet  Isaiah,  in  the  last 
 chapter  of  his  book,  saith :  "  They  shall  go  forth  and  look  isai.  ixvi. 
 upon  the  bodies  of  them  that  have  vilely  behaved  themselves 
 against  me :  for  their  worms  shall  not  die,  neither  shall  their 
 lire  be  quenched,  and  all  flesh  shall  abhor  them."     With 
 
 [^   Nosco  meum  in  Christo  coi-pus  consui'gere :   quid  me 
 Desperare  jubes?  veniam  quibus  ille  revenit 
 Calcata  de  morte  viis.     Quod  credimus  hoc  est. 
 Et  totus  veniam,  nee  enim  minor  aut  alius  quam 
 Nunc  sum,  restituar:   vultus,  vigor,  et  color  idem 
 Qui  modo  vivit,  erit;   nee  me  vel  dente  vel  ungue 
 Fraudatum  removet  patefacti  fossa  sepulcliri. 
 Qui  jubet  ut  rodeam,  non  reddet  debile  quicquam; 
 Nam  si  debilitas  redit,  instauratio  non  est. 
 Quod  casus  rapuit,  quod  morbus,  quod  dolor  hausit, 
 Quod  truncavit  edax  senium,  populante  veterno, 
 Omne  revertenti  reparata  in  membra  redibit. 
 Debet  enim  mors  victa  fidem,  ne  fraude  sepulchri 
 Reddat  curtum  aliquid;   quamyis  jam  curta  voraris 
 Corpora,  debilitas  tamen  et  violentia  morbi 
 Virtus  mortis  erat,  reddet  quod  particulatim 
 Sorbuerat  quoevmque  modo,  ne  mortuus  omnis 
 Non  redeat,  si  quid  pleno  de  corpore  desit. 
 Pellite  corde  metum,  mea  membra,  et  credite  vosmet 
 Cum  Christo  reditm-a  Deo;  nam  vos  gerit  ille 
 Et  secum  revocat:  morbos  ridete  minaces, 
 Infiietos  casus  contemnite,  tetra  sepulchra 
 Despuite;  exsm-gens  quo  Chi'istus  provocat,  ite. 
 Aurel.  Prudent.   Apotheosis.     De  resurrectione  carnis  humaiiie. 
 Opera,  p.  38.  Ed.  Paris.  1687.] 
 
198  HOPE    OF    THE    FAITHFUL.  [cHAP. 
 
 this  sentence  doth  the  prophet  play,  after  the  manner  and 
 custom  of  those  that  have  soon  gotten  the  victory ;  which 
 with  great  desire,  after  the  battle  is  won,  get  them  out  of 
 the  city  into  the  field,  to  view  and  look  upon  the  bodies  of 
 such  as  are  slain,  and  how  fortunately  they  have  fought. 
 Forasmuch  now  as  Christ  also  hath  fought  prosperously, 
 overcome  his  enemies  on  dooms-day,  and  made  them  his 
 footstool,  the  faithful  shall  go  out  to  see  the  bodies  of  the 
 ungodly.  The  prophet  doth  for  this  cause  call  them  bodies, 
 even  to  declare,  that  the  bodies  raised  up  from  death  shall 
 be  very  true  flesh.  He  continueth  further  also  in  the  recited 
 sentence,  and  saith,  "  Their  worms  shall  not  die :"  for  the 
 bodies,  or  corpses,  are  full  of  worms,  neither  are  they  aught 
 but  worm's  meat. 
 
 All  this  is  spoken  after  the  custom  and  property  of  man, 
 and  weakness  of  this  time ;  and  herewith  is  described  imto 
 us,  and  set  before  our  eyes,  eternal  punishment,  and  how  it 
 shall  go  in  the  life  to  come. 
 
 Dan.  xii.  In  Daniel  we  read  thus :  "  Many  of  them  that  sleep  in 
 
 the  dust  of  the  earth  shall  awake,  some  to  everlasting  life, 
 some  to  perpetual  shame  and  reproof."  The  whole  multitude 
 of  bodies,  saith  he,  that  are  become  dust,  yea,  all  flesh  shall 
 through  the  power  of  God  rise  again,  but  not  in  like  case 
 and  sort :  for  the  good  shall  arise  to  eternal  life,  the  evil 
 to  everlasting  death. 
 
 John  V.  After  this  manner  spake  the  Lord  also  :  "  Verily,  verily, 
 
 I  say  unto  you,  the  hour  cometh,  in  the  which  all  they  that 
 are  in  the  graves  shall  hear  his  voice,  and  shall  come  forth ; 
 they  that  have  done  good  to  life,  and  they  that  have  done 
 evil  to  death."  Who  is  so  ignorant  but  he  perceiveth,  that 
 to  sleep  in  the  earth,  as  the  prophet  Daniel  said,  and  to  bo 
 in  the  graves,  as  Christ  said,  is  one  manner  of  speech,  and 
 of  like  effect  ?  Now  forasmuch  as  they  that  are  in  the  dust 
 of  the  earth,  and  in  the  graves,  come  forth  and  rise  again, 
 and  only  the  bodies  are  in  the  graves  wherein  they  corrupt ; 
 it  followeth  that  men's  true  bodies,  not  only  of  the  good,  but 
 also  of  the  evil,  shall  truly  rise  again.  And  the  same  doth 
 the  Lord  yet  declare  more  evidently,  Matth.  x. :  "  Fear  not 
 ye  them  that  kill  the  body,  and  are  not  able  to  kill  the  soul ; 
 but  rather  fear  him,  which  may  destroy  soul  and  body  into 
 hell."    Not  only  the  souls,  but  also  the  bodies  of  unbelievers 
 
XXIII.]        THE   BODIES  OF    UNBELIEVERS  SHALL  BISE  AGAIN.  199 
 
 doth  the  Lord  destroy.  Out  of  the  which  it  foUoweth,  that 
 they  shall  rise  again :  for  if  they  should  not  rise  again,  they 
 could  not  be  tormented  and  plagued.  Neither  shall  any 
 other  body  rise  again  to  pain  and  punishment,  but  even  the 
 same  that  with  his  vile  works  hath  deserved  the  plague. 
 
 And  hereunto  serveth  also  the  descl^iption  of  the  last 
 judgment,  Matth.  xxv.  And  St  Paul  saith,  2  .Cor.  v.  "  We 
 must  all  appear  before  the  judgment-seat  of  Christ,  tha/t 
 every  one  may  receive  in  his  body  according  as  he  hath  ' 
 done,  whether  it  be  good  or  bad."  See  how  manifestly  and 
 expressly  the  holy  apostle  testifieth,  that  the  body  shall  rise 
 again. 
 
 In  the  same  terrible  judgment  of  God,  saith  he,  must 
 every  one  take  his  body  to  him  again.  And  why  must  he 
 take  the  body  upon  him  again?  Even  to  the  intent,  that 
 when  any  one  hath  received  his  body  again,  he  may  likewise 
 receive  the  reward  that  he  by  and  with  his  living  body  hath 
 deserved.  Now  hath  the  body  something  to  do  with  godli- 
 ness and  ungodhness,  with  virtue  and  vice :  for  the  body  is 
 an  instrument  or  vessel,  wherewith  somewhat  is  done,  and 
 therefore  in  the  last  judgment  of  God  the  body,  according 
 to  the  divine  righteousness,  shall  not  be  omitted,  neither  for- 
 gotten at  all.  For  if  it  have  been  obedient  and  subject  unto 
 the  Spirit,  if  it  have  suffered  much  trouble  for  the  name  of 
 Jesus  Christ,  if  it  hath  been  an  earnest  follower  of  righteous- 
 ness, then  shall  it  be  worthy  also  to  be  glorified.  Again, 
 if  it  hath  been  given  over  to  worldly  voluptuous  pleasures, 
 or  transitory  things  of  this  world,  then  with  the  soul  that 
 wrought  with  it  shall  it  justly  go  to  eternal  damnation. 
 Therefore  the  unbelievers  shall  truly  rise  again  in  their  own 
 flesh;  yea,  even  in  the  same,  which  they  here  in  this  time 
 have  fed  and  pampered  with  all  voluptuous  pleasure  and 
 excess.  And  like  as  they  in  this  time  have  with  their  body 
 taken  their  own  pleasure,  joy,  and  dehght ;  so  in  the  life  to 
 come  they  shall  be  plagued  and  punished  with  everlasting 
 pain  and  torment  in  the  same  body. 
 
 For  St  Paul  witnesseth  further  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apos- 
 tles, and  saith :  "  I  worship  the  God  of  my  fathei's,  behaving  Acts  xxiv. 
 all  things  which  are  written  in  the  law  and   the  prophets, 
 and  have  hope  towards  God,  that  the  same  resurrection  of 
 
200  HOPE    OF    THE     FAITHFUL.  [cHAP.  XXIII.] 
 
 the  dead,  which  they  themselves  look  for,  shall  be  of  the  just 
 and  unjust. 
 De  Fuie  Therefore  holy  Augustine,  in  the  book  De  fide  ad  Petrum 
 
 ad  Petnim,  .  ...  v  i 
 
 cap.  V.  Diaconum,  said  well  and  christianly,  according  to  the  nature  of 
 the  apostle's  doctrine:  "The  unrighteous  shall  have  a  common 
 resurrection  of  the  flesh  with  the  righteous ;  but  the  grace  of 
 the  change,  or  glorification,  they  shall  not  have.  For  frailty 
 and  misery  shall  not  be  taken  away  from  the  bodies  of  the 
 ungodly,  neither  the  shame  and  reproach,  sickness  and  feeble- 
 ness, in  the  which  they  are  sown ;  which  therefore  through 
 death  are  not  extinct  and  taken  away,  that  they  may  belong 
 to  eternal  death,  pain,  and  punishment,  everlastingly  to  be 
 plagued,  body  and  soul,  with  continual  torment  that  never 
 ceaseth^"     These  are  Augustine's  words.      And  after  like 
 
 John  V.  sort  did  the  Lord  also  say  in  the  gospel :  "  They  that  have 
 done  evil  shall  rise  to  the  resurrection  of  judgment,  or  dam- 
 nation." As  if  he  would  say,  The  ungodly  that  with  their 
 bodies  shall  rise  again,  shall  rise  with  such  property  and 
 proportion  of  their  body,  that  their  bodies  may  suffer  the 
 pain  and  torment,  namely  that  they,  now  being  made  ever- 
 lasting, may  not  be  wasted  and  consumed  away  through  any 
 pain  or  trouble,  how  great  and  horrible  soever  it  be.  And 
 so  the  bodies  of  the  ungodly  that  rise  again  from  death,  shall 
 after  the  said  manner  be  altered  and  changed.  For  the 
 bodies,  that  might  afore  through  pain  or  trouble  be  broken 
 and  consumed,  are  now  altogether  as  iron,  yea,  such  as  can- 
 not be  broken,  and  yet  painful  and  passible ;  so  that  from 
 henceforth  the  more  they  be  tormented,  the  harder  they 
 become,  and  through  God's  vengeance  more  unapt  to  be 
 destroyed,  and  yet  made  the  more  able  to  suffer  misery. 
 
 [1  Habebunt  ergo  iniqui  cum  justis  resurrectionem  carnis  com- 
 munem;  immutationis  tamen  gratiam  non  habebunt,  quce  dabitur 
 justis.  Quoniam  a  corporibus  impiorum  non  auferetui*  corruptio,  et 
 ignobilitas,  et  infirmitas  in  quibus  seminantur;  quse  ob  mortem  non 
 extinguentur,  ut  illud  juge  tormentum  corpori  atque  animse  sit  mortis 
 seternee  supplicium.  August,  de  Fide  ad  Petrum  Diac.  cap.  3.  Opera, 
 Tom.  III.  p.  51.  B.  Ed.  1541. — This  is  not  a  genuine  work  of  Augus- 
 tine: it  belongs  to  Fulgentius.    See  Cave,  Hist.  Lit.  Vol.  i.  p.  385.] 
 
THE 
 THIRD  PART   OF  THIS  BOOK, 
 
 ENTITLED 
 
 THE   HOPE   OF   THE    FAITHFUL, 
 
 TOUCHING   THE   DAMNED'S  PERDITION   AND   THE 
 BLESSED'S  SALVATION. 
 
 CHAPTER  XXIV. 
 
 THE  DEATH  AND  DAMNATION  OF  THE  UNGODLY. 
 
 Now  seeing  the  onset  is  given  and  the  oration  come  so 
 far,  I  must  also  speak  somewhat  of  the  eternal  death  and 
 damnation  of  the  unbelievers,  that  this  matter  may  be  wholly, 
 uprightly,  and  perfectly  brought  to  an  end.  I  will  therefore 
 briefly  declare,  that  the  death  and  damnation  of  the  unbe- 
 lievers and  ungodly  is  enjoined  unto  them  of  God.  Item, 
 that  the  souls  are  passible.  Moreover,  where  the  scripture 
 declareth  the  place  of  damnation  to  be,  and  after  what  sort 
 damnation  shall  torment  the  unbelievers.  Finally,  I  will 
 declare,  whether  the  punishment  of  the  ungodly  be  ever- 
 lasting, or  whether  it  shall  cease  at  length. 
 
 Holy  scripture  doth  oft  and  many  times  make  mention  xhe  death  of 
 of  the   death   of  the   soul;    which   yet   concerneth   not  the*"^^^""'' 
 substance,   but  the  state  thereof.      For  holy  Augustine   in 
 his  book  De  Fide  et   Symholo  speaketh  thereof  very  well  oe  Fide  et 
 and  christianly  :    "  Like  as  the  soul,"  saith  he,  "  by  reason  mi'^^uI"' 
 of  vices  and  wicked   manners  is   frail,   so   may  it  also   bo 
 called  mortal.     For  the   death  of  the  soul  is  to  fall  from 
 God,  and  not  to  keep  itself  unto  God :    which   is  also  the 
 first  sin  committed   in  paradise,  as  it   is   contained  in  holy 
 scripture^."      Moreover   the   soul    dieth,   when   it  is   verily 
 
 [2  Potest  enim  et  anima,  sicut  corruptibilis  propter  morum  ritia, 
 ita  etiam  mortalis  dici.  Mors  quippe  animse  est  apostataro  a  Deo, 
 quod  primum  ejus  peccatum  in  paradiso  sacris  Uteris  continetur. 
 August,  de  Fide  ot  Symb.  cap.  10.  Opera,  Tom.  in.  p.  34.  H.] 
 
202  HOPE    OF    THE     FAITHFUL.  [cHAP. 
 
 spoiled  of  eternal  life,  and  cast  into  everlasting  sorrow, 
 trouble,  and  misery  ;  and  therefore  saitli  Augustine  further  : 
 "  The  soul  also  hath  her  death,  namely,  when  it  lacketh 
 and  is  destitute  of  the  eternal  and  godly  life,  which  truly 
 and  justly  is  called  the  life  of  the  soul :  but  undeadly  or 
 immortal  is  it  called,  because  it  never  ceaseth  to  live,  how 
 miserable  soever  the  life  of  it  be.  What  bodily  death  is, 
 every  man  knoweth  well ;  but  eternal  death,  when  a  man 
 dieth  the  second  time,  is  this,  when  the  flesh  riseth  again, 
 and  so  is  placed  in  everlasting  torment.  For  after  the  last 
 sentence  or  judgment  of  God  the  whole  man,  and  not  the 
 half,  shall  be  either  saved  or  damned  ^"  The  eternal  death 
 Rev.ii.  20.  also  hath  St  John  in  his  Revelation  called  the  second  death. 
 This  is  appointed  because  of  sin,  and  is  not  a  resting  or 
 ceasing,  but  a  continual  pain.  This  death  is  called  also 
 damnation,  that  is,  a  judgment;  because  the  ungodly  is 
 adjudged  imto  pain,  and  for  that  there  is  appointed  him  a 
 torment,  sorrow,  and  trouble  that  never  ceaseth,  and  that, 
 as  touching  the  greatness  thereof,  can  never  be  expressed 
 with  tongue. 
 
 CHAPTER  XXV. 
 
 THAT    THERE    IS    AN    ETERNAL    DEATH    AND    DAMNATION,    AND 
 THAT    THE    SOUL    IS    PASSIBLE. 
 
 Now  that  there  is  an  eternal  damnation,  the  truth  and 
 righteousness  of  God  testifieth.  For  how  could  God  be 
 righteous,  if  he  had  no  punishment  wherewith  to  torment 
 and  plague  the  vicious  and  wicked?  Therefore  out  of  doubt 
 an  eternal  death  and  damnation  there  is,  though  the  ungodly 
 do  mock  and  laugh  it  to  scorn,  and  pause  not  upon  it. 
 
 The  godly  sacred  bible,  which  is  an  assured  witness  of 
 the  truth,  saith  evidently :  "  Death  is  the  stipend,  or  re- 
 ward of  sin."  And,  "By  one  man  came  sin  into  the  world, 
 and  by  sin  death."  Item,  "  Through  the  sin  of  one  man  is 
 the  evil  fallen  by  inheritance,  and  come  upon  all  men  unto 
 
 [1  The  substance  of  this  passage  is  found  in  De  Civ.  Dei:  Lib. 
 xnr.  cap.  2.  Opera,  Tom.  v.  p.  108.  C— E.] 
 
XXV.]  THAT    THERE    IS    AN    ETERNAL    DEATH,    &C.  203 
 
 damnation  :"    for  in  the  book  of  Genesis  God  saith  :    "  In  cen.  m. 
 what  day  soever  thou  eatest  of  this  tree,  thou  shalt  die  the 
 death."     Now  did  he   eat  thereof,   and  therefore    he   also 
 died,   and   was  even    condemned,   appointed,   and  adjudged 
 unto   eternal  death.     The  Lord   saith   also   in  the  Gospel : 
 "If  ye  beheve  not  that  it  is  I,  ye  shall  die  in  your  sins." John viiu 
 Item,  "He  that  believeth  not  is  condemned  already,"     Such  John  iii. 
 like  testimonies  are  found  in  holy  scripture   innumerable ; 
 out  of  the  which  we  finally  conclude,  that  death  and  dam- 
 nation is  enjoined,  appointed,  and  adjudged  of  God  unto  all 
 unbelievers  and  ungodly. 
 
 But  forasmuch  as  there  be  some  which  think,  that  seeing 
 the  soul  is  a  spirit,  it  cannot,  neither  may  suffer,  yea,  that  it 
 is  not  subdued  unto  any  passion  at  all ;  therefore  against  such 
 curious  teachers  I  will  set  now  the  soul  of  the  gorgeous  rich 
 man  in  the  Gospel,  which  expressly  and  plainly  saith :  "  O 
 send  Lazarus,  that  he  may  dip  the  tip  of  his  finger  in  water, 
 and  cool  my  tongue :  for  I  am  tormented  in  this  flame." 
 Lo,  the  rich  man's  soul  is  tormented  in  the  fire.  Hereon  now 
 it  followeth,  that  the  souls  are  passible,  and  subject  to  suffer. 
 And  though  this  be  shewed  us  of  the  Lord  as  a  parable,  yet 
 it  is  done  for  this  intent,  even  to  describe  and  to  declare  unto 
 us  the  state  and  case  of  the  souls  that  are  separated  from 
 the  bodies.  And  how  pain  and  punishment  is  appointed  unto 
 the  souls,  it  is  found  expressed,  not  only  in  the  similitudes, 
 but  also  in  the  holy  Gospel  of  Matthew.  The  truth  itself 
 saith:  "Fear  ye  him  rather,  wliich  may  destroy  soul  and  [Matt,  x.] 
 body  into  hell."  What  the  mouth  of  God  speaketh  must  needs 
 be  true :  yea,  a  shameful  and  strange  thing  were  it  for  any 
 man  henceforth  to  doubt  in  this,  that  with  so  evident  testi- 
 monies is  witnessed.  We  ought  rather  to  beware,  that  with 
 our  vicious  life  we  deserve  not  to  learn  and  feel  by  experience 
 the  righteous  judgment  of  God,  concerning  the  which  we 
 now  doubt  and  demand  so  foohshly,  as  though  there  shall  be 
 nothing  of  it.  Now  what  I  have  spoken  of  the  souls  already 
 departed  from  the  body,  must  be  understood  also  of  the 
 bodies  which  come  again  to  the  souls  in  the  resurrection. 
 
204 
 
 HOPE    OF    THE    FAITHFUL. 
 
 [chap. 
 
 CHAPTER  XXVL 
 
 THE    BODIES    Or    THE    UNBELIEVERS    BEING     RAISED    ARE 
 PASSIBLE. 
 
 For  that  the  bodies,  which  come  again  to  the  souls,  and 
 are  raised  up,  are  passible,  it  may  well  be  undei'stood  and 
 perceived  by  that  which  is  treated  of  already. 
 
 St  Augustine,  Lib.  xxi.  De  Civitate  Dei,  cap.  4\  sheweth 
 by  many  natural  examples  and  evidences,  that  living  bodies 
 may  well  remain  and  continue  in  the  fire.  But  touching 
 the  place  of  the  punishment,  or  where  the  souls  with  their 
 bodies  shall  be  tormented,  the  scripture  saith  simply  and 
 plainly,  that  the  unbeUevers  go  down  into  hell.  Hereof  is 
 it  easy  to  perceive,  that  hell  is  under  us  in  the  earth :  not- 
 withstanding to  go  about  to  describe,  to  shew  and  compare 
 precisely  the  place  and  the  room  where  it  lieth,  and  to  print 
 it,  becometh  not  us  verily,  but  is  a  foolish  presumption. 
 The  testimonies  of  the  scripture  are  simple  and  plain.      For 
 
 Psalm iv.  the  prophet  David  saith:  "Let  death  fall  suddenly  upon 
 them,  and  let  them  go  down  quick  into  hell ;  for  wickedness 
 
 Numb. xvi.  is  in  their  houses  and  privy  chambers."  Item,  "With  all 
 their  substance  went  they  down  quick  into  hell,  and  the 
 earth  covered  them,  and  they  perished  from  out  of  the 
 congregation."      Hereunto   serveth  also   right  well  the   de- 
 
 Gen.  xix.  structioH  of  Sodom,  and  that  which  the  prophet  Ezekiel 
 declareth,  namely,  that  all  cruel  people  are  gone  down  and 
 
 Ezek.  xxxii.  dcsceuded  into  hell ;  as  the  Elamites,  which  are  the  Persians, 
 Edomites,  and  others :  and  therefore  concludeth  he  farther, 
 that  even  Pharao  the  king  of  Egypt,  seeing  that  he  also 
 is  a  tyrant,  must  be  thrust  down  into  hell,  and  be  gathered 
 unto  other  uncircumcised,  that  is  to  say,  unbelievers. 
 
 Item,  in  Luke  is  the  hell  placed  beneath,  downwards  : 
 
 Lukexvi.  for  thus  is  it  written  in  the  evangehst :  "Between  us  and 
 you  there  is  a  great  space  set;  so  that  they  which  would 
 go  down   from  hence   to    you  cannot."      The  holy  apostle 
 
 2  Peter  ii.      Petcr,  spcaking  of  the  angels  that  fell,  saith  evidently,  that 
 they  are   cast   down  into   hell,   kept,   and  bound   with  the 
 [1  August.  Opera.  Toin.  iv.  p.  198.  B.  G.  Ed.  li^41.J 
 
XXVI.]        THE   BODIES  OF  THE  UNBELIEVEUS  AUE  I'ASsIBLt:.  205 
 
 chains  of  darkness  for  ever.  Isaiah  also  speaketh  of  hell, 
 and  saith :  "  The  Lord  hath  set  hell  in  the  deep,  and  isau  xxx. 
 made  it  wide,"  As  for  the  manner,  fashion,  and  measure 
 of  the  damnation,  and  how  great  the  torment  of  hell  is  upon 
 unbeUevers,  I  suppose  no  tongue  is  able  to  express  the 
 terrible  and  hugesome  pain  and  punishment  thereof;  for 
 Virgil  the  old  poet,  though  he  were  an  heathen  man,  yet  virguius. 
 when  he  had  recited  divers  and  sundry  vices,  and  what 
 punishment  is  ordained  for  them  of  God,  he  said,  in  the 
 sixth  book  of  his  iEneid  : 
 
 An  hundred  tongues, 
 
 And  mouths  as  many 
 Although  I  had, 
 
 With  eloquence  high  ; 
 And  though  my  voice 
 
 All  iron  were 
 In  strength;    yet  could 
 
 I  not  declare 
 The  vices  of  men, 
 
 Nor  yet  can  tell, 
 What  pains  therefore 
 They  suffer  in  hell-. 
 
 CHAPTER    XXVII. 
 
 THE  PAINS  OF  HELL  AND  THE  MATTER  FOR  THE  CONTINUANCE 
 OF  THE  TORMENTS,  WITH  THE  SPACE  OF  THE  PLACE,  AND 
 KINDS  OF   PUNISHMENTS. 
 
 Yea,  though  the  holy  scripture  itself  cannot  with  suf- 
 ficient words  express  the  pains  of  hell  and  punishment  of 
 the  damned,  yet  doth  it  partly  describe  the  same  with 
 outward  and  corporal  things;  giving  us  occasion  thereby  to 
 consider  far  greater  things,  and,  so  to  say,  out  of  the  small 
 
 ['  Virgil  ^neid.  Lib.  vi.  624—626  : 
 
 Non,  mihi  si  linguae  centum  sint,  oraque  centum, 
 Ferrea  vox,  omncs  scelerum  comprondcrc  formas, 
 Omnia  pcenarum  pcrcurrcre  nomina  possim.] 
 
206 
 
 HOPE    OF    THE     FAITHFUL. 
 
 [chap. 
 
 Ezek.  xxxii. 
 
 TapaTTU'. 
 
 Matth.  xxii. 
 Isai.  XXX. 
 
 to  ponder  and  weigh  the  greater.  As  when  it  calleth  the 
 pains  of  hell  the  outward  darkness,  that  is,  most  terrible 
 sorrow  and  trouble;  calling  the  pain  also  weeping  and 
 gnashing  of  teeth.  Item,  cold,  and  continual  fire,  that  never 
 quencheth,  and  the  perpetual  gnawing  worm ;  as  every  one 
 that  hath  read  the  gospel  is  well  informed.  The  prophet 
 Ezekiel  saith,  that  in  hell  there  is  a  great  multitude  of 
 graves ;  and  so  by  a  figurative  and  borrowed  speech  he 
 declareth  the  horror,  mourning,  weeping,  and  lamentation  of 
 the  damned.  The  Greeks  in  their  language  named  hell  of 
 darkness,  cold,  trembhng,  and  quaking.  For  Hades  cometh 
 of  a  and  e'iSeiv,  that  is,  of  not  seeing ;  or  Tartarus,  of  the 
 word  tartarizein,  that  is,  to  shudder  for  cold,  or  of  taratto, 
 that  is,  to  he  in  heaviness,  put  in  fear,  or  out  of  quiet.  But 
 for  the  opening  of  this  matter  we  will  take  the  testimonies  of 
 the  scripture  in  hand  again.  The  Lord  saith  :  "  At  the  end 
 of  the  world  shall  the  Son  of  man  send  forth  his  angels,  and 
 they  shall  gather  out  of  his  kingdom  all  things  that  offend, 
 and  them  which  do  iniquity,  and  shall  cast  them  into  the 
 fiery  oven ;  there  shall  be  waihng  and  gnashing  of  teeth." 
 And  even  the  said  words  doth  the  Lord  use  ao-ain  in  the 
 same  evangelist.  Item,  Isaiah  saith :  "  For  he  from  the 
 beginning  hath  prepared  Tophet,  that  is,  hell,  even  for 
 kings ;  and  hath  made  it  deep  and  wide.  The  mansions 
 or  chambers  thereof  are  of  fire  and  exceeding  much  wood, 
 which  the  breath  of  the  Lord,  as  a  river  of  brimstone,  doth 
 kindle."  The  place  of  the  prophet  have  I  partly  declared 
 in  the  exposition  of  the  fifth  chapter  of  Matthew,  and  here 
 will  I  now  partly  expound  it. 
 
 The  prophet  truly  with  these  words  declareth  an  assured, 
 and  a  very  wide  and  broad  place  of  hell,  when  he  saith : 
 "  He  hath  made  it  deep  and  wide."  Hereof  then  it  folio weth, 
 that  hell  is  in  the  depth,  and  that  the  place  itself  is  an  hor- 
 rible depth ;  for  that  whoso  doth  once  sink  down  into  it, 
 shall  come  no  more  thereout :  neither  needeth  any  man  to 
 think  that  the  place  is  not  great  and  wide  enough ;  for 
 touching  wideness,  it  shall  be  able  enough  to  hold  all 
 damned  persons.  "  For  the  wideness  and  greatness  thereof," 
 saith  the  prophet,  "is  exceeding  horrible."  The  terrible 
 pain  and  torment,  wherewith  the  ungodly  are  punished,  hath 
 the   prophet  described  with   these  words,  and  said :    "  The 
 
XXVII.]        THE    PAINS    OF    HELL    AND    CONTINUANCE,    &C,  207 
 
 mansions  and  chambers  thereof  are  of  fire."  As  if  he  would 
 say :  "  The  pain  of  hell  is  greater  than  can  be  expressed ; 
 for  the  fire  noteth  an  unoutspeakable  trouble."  As  for  stuff 
 to  be  tormented  withal,  it  shall  never  lack,  neither  shall  the 
 pain  have  ever  any  end.  Therefore  saith  he,  that  "  there 
 is  much  wood."  It  followeth  moreover,  that  the  Lord's 
 breath,  which  is  as  a  river  of  brimstone,  doth  kindle,  and 
 as  a  bellows  blow  the  fire,  quickening  it,  and  ever  renewing 
 it  to  burn  evermore.  Therefore  we  ought  not  to  think  that 
 that  fire  is  kept  in  by  natural  causes ;  for  by  the  power  of 
 God  is  it  kindled  and  kept  in.  The  same  prophet  saith  also : 
 "  They  shall  go  forth,  and  look  upon  the  bodies  or  coi'ses  ofisai.  iwi. 
 them  that  have  vilely  behaved  themselves  against  me ;  for 
 their  worms  shall  not  die,  neither  shall  their  fire  be  quenched, 
 and  all  flesh  shall  abhor  them."  And  unto  these  words  hath 
 the  Lord  respect,  when  he  saith  in  the  Gospel  of  Mark : 
 "Better  is  it  for  thee  to  go  halt  or  lame  into  life,  than  [Mark  ix.] 
 having  two  feet  to  be  cast  into  hell,  into  the  fire  that  never 
 shall  be  quenched ;  where  their  worm  never  dieth,  and  their 
 fire  never  goeth  out." 
 
 Herein  therefore  consisteth  the  punishment  and  damna- 
 tion, that  the  ungodly,  which  here  upon  earth  would  not 
 know  God  and  receive  the  light  of  the  gospel,  shall  be  cast 
 out  from  the  face  of  God,  wherein  only  yet  is  the  fulness 
 and  perfectness  of  all  joy ;  and  then  shall  they  be  shut  up 
 in  the  great  thick  and  perpetual  darkness.  For  the  Judge 
 commandeth  them  to  depart  from  him,  and  to  go  into  the 
 eternal  pain  and  damnation.  Yea,  the  ungodly  shall  go  into 
 themselves,  and  shall  know  the  equity  of  the  Judge ;  and 
 therefore  fret  and  gnaw  their  own  heart  with  sighing,  with 
 unspeakable  pain,  great  sorrow,  and  trouble.  This  is  called, 
 and  so  it  is  indeed,  the  gnawing  worm  that  in  the  hearts  of 
 the  ungodly  never  dieth.  For  St  Paul  saith  plainly,  that 
 "at  the  righteous  judgment  of  God  the  consciences  of  all  Bom.  ii. 
 men  shall  bear  witness,  and  that  the  thoughts  in  themselves 
 shall  either  accuse  or  excuse  them."  The  same  St  Paul  also, 
 speaking  of  the  judgment  of  God,  saith :  "  Praise,  honour, 
 and  immortality  shall  be  given  unto  them  that  continue  in 
 good  doing,  and  seek  eternal  life:  but  unto  them  that  are 
 rebellious,  disobeying  the  truth,  and  follow  iniquity,  shall 
 come  indignation  and  wrath,  trouble  and  anguish." 
 
208 
 
 HOPE    OF    THE    FAITHFUL. 
 
 [chap. 
 
 Matth.  XXV. 
 
 [Dan.  xii.] 
 
 Besides  all  this  shall  the  ungodly  be  in  the  fellowship  of 
 most  foul  spirits,  with  whom  they  had  their  lust  in  this  life. 
 There  shall  all  be  full  of  confusion,  loathsome  and  great  tor- 
 ment, and  so  shall  all  burn  together  for  eternity.  For  thus 
 shall  the  Judge  give  sentence  with  plain  and  express  words : 
 "Depart  from  me,  ye  cursed,  into  everlasting  fire,  which 
 is  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  angels."  The  prophet 
 Daniel  saith  also :  "The  wicked  shall  rise  to  perpetual  shame 
 and  rebuke."  Item,  Isaiah:  "All  flesh  shall  abhor  them." 
 And  holy  scripture  saith,  that  the  ungodly  are  given  over 
 to  the  devil  to  burn  perpetually. 
 
 CHAPTER  XXVIII. 
 
 THE  REFUTATION  OF  THEM  THAT  DENIED  THE  PUNISHMENT 
 OF  THE  UNGODLY  TO  BE  ETERNAL. 
 
 Moreover  St  Augustine  saith  in  the  last  book  De  Civi- 
 tate  DeV,  that  some  heretofore  have  been  so  merciful,  that 
 they  durst  promise  grace,  deliverance,  and  life,  even  unto 
 those  that  are  damned,  and  adjudged  unto  eternal  deatli. 
 The  same  witnesseth  also  St  Jerome  in  his  writing  upon  the 
 last  chapter  of  Isaiah '^.  But  no  man  ought  to  be  moved  by 
 such  a  foolish  and  erroneous  opinion  of  certain  unbelievers ; 
 which  opinion  hath  of  all  faithful  men  been  ever  still  rejected 
 and  condemned.  For  the  testimonies  or  witness  of  the 
 scripture,  which  wholly  without  all  contradiction  are  to  be 
 credited,  speak  simply  and  plainly,  that  the  punishment  and 
 damnation  of  th(^  ungodly  or  unbelievers  is  everlasting ;  and 
 not  only  of  long  continuance,  as  some  expound  it,  but  so 
 great,  that  it  cannot  be  expressed,  and  so  perpetual,  that  it 
 is  without  end.  Hereupon,  for  the  opening  of  the  matter, 
 we  will  shew  more  testimonies.      Isaiah  saith :  "  Thy  rivers 
 
 [1  Lib.  XXI.  cap.  17.  Opera,  Tom.  v.  p.  202.  I.  K.  Ed.  1541.] 
 [2  Ilieron.  Comment.  Lib.  xviii.  in  Isai.  Pioph.  cap.  lxvi.    Opera, 
 Tom.  m.  p.  514.     Ed.  1706.] 
 
XXYIII.]  THE    REFUTATION,     &C.  209 
 
 shall  become  resin,  and  the  dust  brimstone,  the  earth  burnino- 
 pitch,  not  able  to  be  quenched  day  nor  night.  The  smoke 
 shall  eternally  go  up ;  from  generation  to  generation  shall 
 there  be  a  destruction ;  neither  shall  any  man  be  able  to 
 walk  there  in  everlasting  eternity."  The  prophet  doubtless 
 spcaketh  of  hell,  minding  with  many  words  to  declare,  that 
 the  punishment  and  pain  of  hell  is  eternal  and  without  end. 
 For  first  he  saith :  "  Day  and  night  shall  it  not  quench :" 
 then  saith  he  further :  "  The  smoke  shall  go  up  for  ever- 
 more." Item,  yet  more  plainly  :  "  From  generation  to  gene- 
 ration shall  there  bo  a  destruction ;"  namely,  a  dwelling, 
 wherein  is  nothing  but  pain  and  undoing.  And  at  the 
 end  he  addeth :  "  Neither  shall  any  man  be  able  to  walk 
 there  in  the  everlasting  eternity :"  which  is  such  a  manner 
 of  speech,  that  scarce  there  can  be  any  other  found,  that 
 more  distinctly,  evidently,  and  plainly  expresseth  the  eternity. 
 For  what  is  the  everlasting  eternity  else,  but  a  time  without 
 end?  But  to  be  able  to  dwell  or  walk  there  signifieth  not, 
 that  no  man  shall  dwell  in  hell ;  but  that  it  is  a  loathsome 
 horrible  place,  wherein  every  man  desireth  neither  to  dwell, 
 nor  walk. 
 
 Other  prophets  also,  speaking  of  the  destruction  of  lands 
 and  cities,  have  with  such  like  manner  of  speech  described 
 a  very  foul  and  horrible  subversion.  Therefore  would  the 
 holy  prophet  Isaiah  also  express  here  nothing  else,  but  an 
 everlasting  loathsomeness,  that  never  ceaseth. 
 
 In  the  holy  prophet  Daniel  it  is  written  thus :  "  They  Dan.  xii. 
 that  have  instructed  the  multitude  unto  godliness,  shall  shine 
 as  the  stars  in  seculum  et  in  perpetuum,  for  ever  and  ever." 
 Now  lest  by  this  word  seculum  any  man  understand  a  long- 
 season,  as  an  hundred,  or  a  thousand,  or  ten  thousand  years, 
 he  addeth  thereto  immediately,  in  perpetuum,  that  is,  to  the 
 eternity,  or  for  evermore.  And  like  as  the  eternity  is  ap- 
 pointed for  the  righteous,  so  is  there  an  everlasting  eternity 
 ordained  for  the  wicked.  For  the  Lord  saith  plamly :  "  They  joim  v. 
 that  have  done  good  shall  come  forth  to  the  resurrection 
 of  life,  and  they  that  have  done  evil  to  the  resurrection  of 
 judgment."  Note  here  the  manner  of  speech,  "  to  the  resur- 
 rection of  life,  and  to  the  resurrection  of  judgment."  Now 
 have  I  shewed  afore,  that  this  saying,  "  to  rise  up  unto  the 
 resurrection  of  judgment,"  is  as  much  as  to  rise  to  a  continual 
 
 [COVERDALE,  II.J 
 
210  HOPE    OF    THE     FAITHFUL.  [cHAP. 
 
 and  still  remaining  state,  in  the  which  the  bodies  raised  up 
 endure  perpetually  in  torment.  We  find  also  the  like  in  the 
 johniii.  same  gospel  of  John,  that  the  Lord  saith  :  "  Whoso  believeth 
 on  the  Son  hath  eternal  life ;  but  he  that  believeth  not  the 
 Son  shall  not  see  life,  but  the  wrath  of  God  abideth  upon 
 him."  Lo,  what  could  be  more  evidently  and  pithily  spoken  ? 
 "  He  shall  not  see  life,"  saith  the  Lord.  Item,  "  the  wrath 
 of  God  remaineth  upon  him."  If  he  shall  not  see  life,  how 
 shall  he  then,  as  yonder  men  say,  be  preserved  or  saved? 
 Item,  if  "  the  wrath  of  God  abide  upon  him,"  then  surely 
 the  vengeance,  which  is  the  pain  and  punishment,  shall  not 
 be  taken  away  from  him.  And  note  that  he  saith :  "  The 
 wrath  of  God  abideth,  yea,  abideth  on  him."  As  if  he 
 would  say,  the  punishment  hangeth  upon  him,  sticketh  fast, 
 moveth  not  away,  altereth  not,  but  worketh  in  the  unbe-^ 
 hevers  without  ceasing  for  evermore. 
 Markiii.  The  Lord  saith:  "All  sins  shall  be  forgiven  the  children 
 
 of  men,  and  also  the  blasphemies  Avherewith  they  blaspheme ; 
 but  whoso  blasphemeth  the  Holy  Ghost,  hath  no  forgiveness 
 for  evermore,  but  is  guilty  of  eternal  judgment."    "  For  ever- 
 more," saith  he,  "  hath  he  no  remission."     And  hereunto  he 
 addeth  :  "  He  is  in  danger  of  eternal  judgment ;"  that  is,  he 
 shall  be  punished  with  everlasting  continual  punishment.    The 
 Mark  ix.       Lord  saitli  moroovor  in  the  same  evangelist :  "  Better  it  is 
 for  thee  to   enter  into  life  halt  or  lame,  than  having  two 
 feet  to  be  cast  into  hell  fire,  the  fire  that  never  quencheth, 
 where  their  worm  dieth  not  and  their  fire  goeth  not  out." 
 Wherein  he  repeateth  once  again,  "the  fire  never  quencheth," 
 and  addeth  thereto,  that  "  the  worm  never  dieth."     Where- 
 fore, as  the  bodies  ever  continue,  so  endureth  their  Avorm 
 also  perpetually.     For  the  worm  liveth  and  is  sustained  only 
 of  the  body  or  carrion.    St  John  also  saith  in  his  Revelation  : 
 Rev.  xiv.       "  If  any  man  worship  the  beast  and  his  image,  and  receive 
 his  mark  in  his  forehead,  or  in  his  hand,  the  same  shall 
 drink  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of  God,  which  is  poured  in 
 the  cup  of  his  wrath ;  and  he  shall  be  punished  in  fire  and 
 brimstone  before  the  holy  angels  and  before  the  Lamb.    And 
 the  smoke  of  their  torment  ascendeth  up  for  evermore,  and 
 they  have  no  rest   day  nor   night,  &c."     And  the  like  is 
 repeated  in  the  twentieth  chapter. 
 Thus  much  of  eternal  damnation. 
 
XXIX.]  OF    ETERNAL    LIFE    AND    SALVATION,    &C.  211 
 
 CHAPTER    XXIX. 
 
 OF    ETERNAL    LIFE    AND    SALVATION,    AND    THAT    THERE    IS 
 AN    ETERNAL    LIFE. 
 
 Now  resteth,  that  in  the  end  of  this  book  we  collect 
 somewhat  out  of  the  scripture  concerning  everlasting  life  and 
 the  most  perfect  salvation  of  all  elect,  which  is  our  only  ex- 
 pectation and  only  hope  that  we  undoubtedly  look  for,  and 
 trust  to  inherit ;  and  that  through  the  benefits  and  merits 
 of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  That  there  is  a  blessed  and 
 eternal  hfe,  no  man  can  deny,  unless  he  be  altogether  an 
 enemy  of  God,  and  except  there  be  in  him  no  life  at  all. 
 For  if  there  be  no  everlasting  life  and  no  everlasting  salva- 
 tion, then  is  there  also  no  God;  or,  though  there  were  one, 
 yet  were  he  neither  true  nor  just,  seeing  that  to  all  righteous 
 and  faithful  he  hath  promised  eternal  hfe.  But  a  God  there 
 is,  who  is  true  and  righteous :  therefore  is  there  also  an 
 eternal  life  and  salvation,  which  he  hath  promised  to  faithful 
 believers.  This  doth  holy  scripture  record  with  these  wit- 
 nesses. David  saith  :  "  I  believe  and  trust  to  see  the  riches  Psaimxxvii. 
 of  the  Lord."  And  in  the  gospel  the  Lord  saith :  "  Come,  Matt.  xxv. 
 ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  and  possess  the  kingdom,  which 
 hath  been  prepared  for  you  from  the  beginning  of  the 
 world."  Item :  •'  0  thou  good  and  faithful  servant,  that  hast 
 been  faithful  in  a  httle,  I  Avill  make  thee  ruler  over  much. 
 Enter  into  the  joy  of  thy  Lord."  Paul  also  saith  :  "  If  i  cor.  xv. 
 we  have  a  sure  hope  in  Christ  Jesus  only  in  this  hfe,  then 
 are  we  of  all  people  the  most  wretched."  And  in  many 
 words  to  the  Hebrews  treateth  he  of  the  everlasting  rest.  Heb.  \v. 
 But  in  the  second  chapter  he  speaketh  of  the  hope  of  the  Heb.  xi. 
 faithful :  "  They  desire  a  better  country,  that  is  to  say,  an 
 heavenly."  Item,  Hebrews  xiii :  "  We  have  here  no  re- 
 maining city,  but  we  seek  one  for  to  come."  For  holy 
 scripture  calleth  eternal  life  the  kingdom  of  God,  the  king- 
 dom of  the  Father,  the  native  country  of  heaven,  the  joy 
 of  the  Lord,  the  blessed  rest  and  everlasting  life.  St  Peter 
 speaketh  very  evidently  and  plain :  "  Praised  be  God,  the  i  Pet.  i. 
 
 14—2 
 
212  HOPE    OF    THE    FAITHFUL.  [cHAP. 
 
 Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  which  according  to  his 
 abundant  mercy  hath  begotten  us  again  unto  a  Hvely  hope, 
 by  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ  from  death,  to  an 
 inheritance  immortal,  undefiled,  and  that  perisheth  not, 
 reserved  in  heaven  for  you,  Avhich  are  kept  by  the  power 
 of  God  throuo-h  faith  unto  salvation,"  &c. 
 
 CHAPTER   XXX. 
 
 WHERE    THE    PLACE    OF    THE    FAITHFUL    IS. 
 
 Yet  are  there  some  that  ask,  where  the  region  or  place 
 of  the  blessed  and  faithful  believers  is  ?  Of  this  have  all 
 virtuous  and  godly  men  had  ever  one  opinion,  namely,  that 
 the  dwelling  of  the  living  shall  be  with  God,  according  to 
 
 Matth.  V.  that  which  the  Lord  saith  in  the  gospel :  "  Blessed  are  they 
 which  be  of  a  pure  heart:  for  they  shall  see  God."  And 
 though  God  be  every  where,  yet  will  he  not  be  seen  in  this 
 time,  but  principally  in  the  time  to  come,  and  in  heaven, 
 
 [Exod.  according  as  Moses  hath  written :  "  No  man  shall  be  able 
 to  see  God  and  live."  Therefore  is  it  necessary  for  us  to 
 depart  out  of  this  time,  and  to  be  brought  elsewhere,  namely, 
 
 \  Tim.  vi.  to  the  place  that  is  above  us ;  where  "  God  dwelleth  in  a 
 light  that  no  man  can  attain  unto,"  as  Paul  saith :  for 
 there  will  he  be  perfectly  seen  of  his.  In  St  Luke  it  is 
 read,  that  Abraham's  lap  or  bosom  is  above  in  the  height, 
 but  the  harbour  or  dwelling  of  the  damned  beneath  in  the 
 depth.     It  is  found  also,  that  Elias  was  in  a  hery  chariot 
 
 2  Kings  ii.     taken  hence,   and  carried   upwards  into  heaven.       And  in 
 
 John  xvii.  John  doth  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  pray,  saying :  "  Father, 
 those  whom  thou  hast  given  me,  I  will  that  where  I  am, 
 they  also  be  there  with  me,  that  they  may  see  mine  honour 
 and  glory."  But  in  this  that  I  have  treated  of  afore,  it  is 
 manifestly  declared,  that  the  heaven  is  the  same  room  and 
 place  of  Jesus  Christ,  into  the  which  he  is  bodily  taken  up  in 
 his  glory.  Whereof  then  it  foUoweth  of  necessity,  that  the 
 heaven,  into  Avhich  Christ  ascended  with  his  true  bodv,  is 
 
XXX.]  WHERE    THE    PLACE    OF    THE    FAITHFUt,    IS.  213. 
 
 even  the  same  place  and  rest,  that  faithful  believers  are 
 taken  up  into.  And  into  the  same  heaven  desired  Stephen 
 to  be  received,  when  he  lift  up  his  eyes  into  heaven,  and 
 sa,w  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Father  Jesus  standing ;  to 
 whom  .  he  committed  his  soul,  and  said,  "  0  Lord  Jesus, 
 receive  my  spirit." 
 
 CHAPTER  XXXI. 
 
 now    THE    SALVATION    SHALL    BE. 
 
 But  what  the  same  life,  and  of  what  sort,  fashion,  and 
 manner  the  salvation  of  the  faithful  shall  be,  or  what  the 
 elect  do  or  occupy  in  heaven,  can  of  mortal  men  not  perfectly 
 be  spoken.     For  St  Augustine  also  in  his  twenty-second  book 
 De  Civitate  Dei,  cap.  29,  saith  :  "  If  I  will  say  the  truth,  I  nccivuate 
 cannot  tell  after  what  manner  the  operation,  rest,  and  quiet-  xxn.  cap.  29. 
 ness  of  the  blessed  in  heaven  shall  be.     For  the  peace  of 
 God  excelleth  and  passeth  all  understandmg'."    And  hkewise 
 speaketh  also   St  Paul  out  of  the  prophet,  concerning  the  1  cor.  w. 
 quality,  fashion,  and  manner  of  eternal  life :   "  The  eye  hath  "^'^  ^'^' 
 not  seen,  and  the  ear  hath  not  heard,  neither  have  entered 
 into  the  heart  of  man,  the  things  which  God  hath  prepared 
 for  them  that  love  him."     Wherefore  touching  the  excellency 
 of  eternal  life,  though  all  were  spoken  that  the  tongues  of 
 men  were  able,  yet  should  it  be  hard  for  them  to  attain,  and 
 by  words  to  express,  the  least  and  smallest  portion  thereof. 
 For  albeit  we  hear  that  the  kingdom  of  Christ  be  filled  with 
 glory,  joy,   and  salvation,   yet  the  things   that  are  named 
 continue  still  far  from  our  understanding ;  yea,  they  remain 
 wrapped,  as  it  Avere,  in  a  dark  speech  and  in  a  mist,  until 
 the  day  come,  wherein  he  will  open  and  give  unto  us  his 
 glory.     Therefore  when   the   holy  prophets   could  with  no 
 words  express  the  spiritual  salvation,  as  it  is  in  itself,  yoi, 
 
 [1  Ilia  quidem  actio,  vol  potius  quies  ct  otium,  quale  futurum  sit^ 
 si  verum  vclim  dicere,  nescio....Ibi  cnim  est  pax  Dei,  qua),  sicut  ait 
 apostolus,  supcrat  omncm  intollectum.  August,  de  Civ.  Dei,  Lib.  xxn. 
 cap.  29.     Opera,  Tom.  v.  p.  216.  L.  cd.  1541.] 
 
214 
 
 HOPE    OF    THE    FAITHFUL. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
 as  much  as  was  possible  they  described,  and  set  it  forth  by 
 outward  and  bodily  things.  Therefore  we  may  also,  I  sup- 
 pose, by  outward  and  corporal  things  get  up,  as  it  were, 
 by  steps  to  things  invisible,  and  purchase  unto  ourselves  an 
 understanding  of  spiritual  and  everlasting  good  things.  For 
 St  Paul  to  the  Romans,  speaking  of  the  knowledge  of  the 
 true,  only,  and  eternal  God,  saith,  that  "  God's  invisible 
 things,  namely,  his  eternal  power  and  Godhead,  are  under- 
 stood, if  liis  works  be  pondered  and  considered."  And  out 
 of  the  good  things  that  here  upon  earth  are  given  unto  men, 
 hath  the  poet  Marcellus  very  goodly  and  well  concluded  and 
 counted,  that  the  good  things  which  for  the  blessed  are  pre- 
 pared in  the  life  to  come,  shall  be  such  as  now  cannot  be 
 considered  and  expressed ;  and  thus  he  saith : 
 
 Marcellus  de 
 Piscibus '. 
 
 0  heaven,  that  art 
 
 The  throne  most  high, 
 A  beautiful  crown, 
 
 Fair  and  worthy ; 
 How  wonderful,  pure, 
 
 And  excellent, 
 Art  thou  beset 
 
 In  firmament 
 With  stars,  with  sun. 
 
 And  moon  doubtless. 
 Replete  with  joy. 
 
 And  much  gladness ; 
 Which  God  for  us 
 
 Hath  prepared, 
 
 And  cattle  to  give 
 
 Hath  not  spared; 
 Waters  and  wood. 
 
 With  many  a  hill, 
 Vineyards,  meadows, 
 
 Fair  fields  to  till, 
 Pleasant  on  earth. 
 
 And  commodious : 
 Thy  dwelling,  0  Lord, 
 
 How  precious 
 Is  it,  all  full  of 
 
 Honour  and  glory 
 For  thy  celestial 
 
 Hast  with  thee. 
 
 Moreover  holy  scripture  speaketh  very  simply  and 
 plainly,  that  eternal  life  consisteth  herein,  that  we  shall  see 
 God,  and  have  the  fruition  of  him,  in  whom  is  the  fulness  of 
 all  good,  and  without  whom  nothing  can  be  desired  or  found 
 
 [1  The  person  who  is  here  apparently  refeiTed  to,  is  Marcellus 
 Sidetes,  a  physician  of  Side  in  Pamphylia,  who  lived  in  the  time  of 
 M.  Antoninus,  and  the  few  remaining  fragments  of  whose  works 
 have  been  edited  by  Fabricius  in  his  Bibliotheca  Grseca,  Lib.  i. 
 eap.  3.  ed.  2da.  Edit.  Harles,  Lib.  xin.  But  there  is  nothing  in 
 these  fragments  resembling  these  verses,  nor  in  the  fragments  of  a 
 Latin  poet  of  the  same  name  contained  in  Maittaire's  Corpus  Poetarum 
 Latinorimi,  Vol.  ii.] 
 
XXXr.]  HOW    THE    SALVATION    SHALL    RE.  215 
 
 that  is   good,   beautiful,   or   pleasant.      For  eternal  life,  or 
 eternal  sah^ation,  is  nothing  else  but  man's  everlasting  and 
 alway  continuing  state,  which  by  means  of  the  best  things 
 of  all  is  fully  perfect.     This  state  is  given  us  through  the 
 beholding   or  sight,   through   the  fruition,  and  through  the 
 communion    or    fellowship,    which   we  shall    have  with   the 
 blessed   God  in  the  world  to  come.     Hereof  is  it  that  St 
 Augustine  saith,  Lib.  xxii.  De   Civitate  Dei,  cap.  29:   "  If  ce  civitate 
 I  be   demanded,  what  the  blessed  shall  do  in  this  spiritual  xxn^clp. 
 body,  I  shall  not   say   that  I   now  see,  but  that   which  I 
 believe.      Therefore  I  say,  that  even  in  this  body  they  shall 
 see  God^."     Thus  also  did  holy  Job  hold  thereof,  and  said  : 
 "  I  shall  see  him  to  myself,  and  mme  own  eyes  shall  see  him,  job  xix. 
 yea,  I  and   none  other."      Even   of  this  occasion  spake  St 
 Augustine  in  the  last  chapter  of  this  twenty-second  book^,  Lib.  xxn. 
 that  "  the  corporal  eyes  of  the  body  raised  up  shall  execute 
 their  office,"  that  is,   "  they  shall  see."      What  he  further 
 treated  of  the  beholding  of  God,   it  is  penned  at  large  in  Epist.  112. 
 the    112th  epistle    which   he  wrote  Ad  Paulinam*.      Our  ^ 
 Lord  Jesus  saith  also  in  the  holy  gospel :  "  This  is  the  eter-  John  xvu. 
 nal  life,  that  they  knoAv  thee  to  be  the  only  true  God,  and 
 whom  thou  hast  sent,  Jesus  Christ."     This  knowledge  is  not 
 only  belief  and  the  knowledge  of  understanding,  but  also  the 
 present  beholding  and  fruition    of  God,   and  the  fellowship 
 with  God,  which  after  this  life  shall  happen  unto  all  faithful 
 believers.     For  Paul  said  :    "  We  see  now  through  a  glass  1  cor.  xui. 
 in  a  dark  speaking,  but  then  face  to  face."     For  faith  is  a 
 stedfast  substance  of  things  that  we  hope  for,  and  as  a  be- 
 
 [2  Cum  ex  me  quseritm',  quid  acturi  sint  sancti  in  illo  corpore 
 spiritali,  non  dico  quod  jam  video,  sed  dice  quod  credo.  Dico  itaque, 
 quod  visuri  sint  Deum  in  ipso  corpore.  August,  de  Civ.  Dei,  Lib. 
 XXT.  cap.  29.     Opera,  Tom.  v.  p.  217.  A.  ed.  1541.] 
 
 [3  Augustine,  in  a  long  passage  immediately  following  that  which 
 he  had  cited  before,  goes  on  to  discuss  the  question, — "In  what 
 manner  the  righteous  shall  see  God?"  and  he  thus  concludes:  "Ita 
 Deus  erit  nobis  notus  atque  conspicuus,  ut  videatur  spiritu  a  sin- 
 gulis nobis  in  singulis  nobis,  videatur  ab  altero  in  altero,  videatur 
 in  seipso,  videatur  in  coelo  novo  et  in  terra  nova,  atque  in  omni 
 quae  tunc  fuerit  creatm-a;  videatm-  et  per  corpora  in  omni  corpore, 
 quocunque  fuerint  spiri talis  corporis  ocvdi  acie  perveniente  directi. 
 lb.  p.  217.  H.] 
 
 [4  August.  Opera,  Tom.  n.  pp.  109-114.] 
 
216  HOPE  OF    THE    FAITHFUL.  [ciIAP. 
 
 holding  or  sight  of  God  ;  albeit  somewhat  more  dark,  and  not 
 so  evident  and  clear  as  shall  be  that,  which,  as  a  reward  of 
 faith,  shall  be  given  to  the  faithful  in  the  world  to  come.  "To 
 see  face  to  face,"  is  nothing  else  but  to  use,  enjoy,  and  have 
 the  fruition  of  all  things  presently ;  also  to  behold  the  pro- 
 mise, and  perfectly  to  be  partaker  thereof.  Therefore  saith 
 John  iii.  the  holy  apostle  John  yet  more  evidently  :  "  Dearly  beloved, 
 we  are  now  the  cliildren  of  God,  and  yet  it  doth  not  appear 
 what  we  shall  be ;  but  we  know  that  when  he  shall  appear, 
 we  shall  be  like  him ;  for  we  shall  see  him  as  he  is."  With 
 the  which  words  St  John  will  declare  three  things :  namely, 
 that  even  now  in  this  very  present  time  we  are  God's  chil- 
 dren, and  therefore  also  heirs.  And  though  this  be  a  great 
 foredeal,  and  an  excellent  jewel,  yet  the  great  and  unspeak- 
 able glory,  that  in  time  to  come  shall  be  declared  in  us, 
 hath  not  yet  appeared.  "  For  we,"  saith  he,  "  shall  be  hkc 
 him,"  namely,  our  Lord  Jesu  Christ,  who,  according  to  the 
 saying  of  Paul,  "  shall  alter  and  change  our  vile  body,  that 
 he  may  make  it  like  unto  his  own  glorious  body."  Besides 
 this,  "  even  as  he  is,  shall  we  see  him,"  namely,  Christ  the 
 Lord  ;  not  only  as  man,  but  also  as  very  God.  Therefore 
 shall  we  see  God  as  he  is,  namely,  God  as  the  chief  and 
 brightest    good    in   whom    we   have  all  good  things.      For 
 
 1  Cor. XV.  Paul  saith:  "When  all  things  are  subdued  unto  the  Son, 
 then  shall  the  Son  also  be  subject  unto  him  who  unto  him 
 hath  subdued  all  things,  that  God  may  be  all  in  all."     And 
 
 John XVII.  therefore  said  he  also  in  the  gospel,  that  "they  know  thee 
 to  be  the  only  true  God."  Not  that  Christ  is  not  very 
 God,  but  that  the  mystery  ^ind  the  entreating  of  the  Son, 
 our  mediator  and  reconciler,  shall  after  the  judgment  be  no 
 more  so  in  heaven,  as  it  hath  been  afore  upon  earth  ;  but 
 the  only  God  in  the  holy  Trinity  shall  be  of  all  good  the 
 full  perfect  sufficiency  to  all  faithful.  For  all  that  we  can 
 wish,  think,  and  desire,  shall  only  God  give  and  be  in  all 
 things. 
 
 And  that  is  also  the  meaning  and  understanding  of  Paul, 
 
 1  Cor. XV.  ^hen  he  saith,  "God  shall  be  all  in  all."  And  hereunto 
 scrveth  now  the  goodly  sentence  of  St  Augustine,  who  saith 
 
 De  civitate    thus :  "  God  shall  be  the  end  of  all  our  lonoino;  and  desire ; 
 
 Del,  Lib.  ^  iD      ^  ^ 
 
 xxu.cap.  iiim  shall  we  perpetually  sec;  him  shall  we  love  without 
 tediousness   and   grief;    and    him    shall    we    praise    without 
 
XXXI.]  HOW    THE    SALVATION    SHALL    BE.  217' 
 
 ceasing^"  For  tediousness  and  grief  runneth  customably 
 with  saturation  or  fulness.  As  for  us,  we  shall  with  the 
 beholding  of  God  be  filled  to  the  bodily  satisfying ;  which 
 filling  shall  be  as  little  tedious  or  grievous,  as  we  are  grieved 
 at  the  waters  and  rivers  that  still  run  into  the  sea,  and  yet 
 out  of  the  ground  of  the  earth  spring  forth  again.  For  the 
 same  cometh  to  pass  without  all  men's  tediousness,  yea, 
 rather  with  great  joy  and  commodity,  seeing  they  water 
 and  moisture  all  things,  and  make  them  fruitful.  And  here- 
 unto serve  now  those  testimonies  of  the  scripture.  The  prophet 
 David  saith :  "  In  thy  presence  is  the  fulness  of  joy,  and  at  Psaim  xvi. 
 thy  right  hand  there  is  pleasure  for  evermore :"  that  is,  in 
 the  beholding  of  thee  is  and  consisteth  all  joy,  and  in 
 heaven  shall  everlasting  pleasure  be.  Item  :  "  In  thy  right-  Psaim  xvii. 
 eousness  shall  I  behold  thy  face;  and  when  I  awake,  with 
 thy  righteousness  shall  I  be  satisfied."  Unto  the  Lord 
 saith  also  the  holy  apostle  Philip :  "  Lord,  shew  us  the 
 Father,  and  it  sufRccth  us."  Therefore  the  poet  Marcellus- 
 spake  very  christianly  and  well  in  these  his  verses  : 
 
 Hereof  hath  God 
 His  name  truly. 
 
 Because  the  highest 
 Good  is  he. 
 
 For  where  he  is. 
 There  is  present 
 
 And  what  in  the  air 
 
 Is  beautiful, 
 That  may  dehght, 
 And  be  fruitful ; 
 There  is  in  all  that 
 Number  not  one. 
 Much  honour  and  I       Which  is  not  seen 
 
 Glory  excellent.  At  all  season 
 
 And  therefore  every  |       Within  the  circle 
 
 Pleasant  thing,  j  Of  heaven,  I  wis, 
 
 That  water  and  earth  !       Where  the  highest 
 
 Doth  here  forth  bring ;    j  Father's  dwelling  is. 
 
 The  blessed  also  and  elect  shall,  in  the  heavenly  and 
 eternal  country,  with  continual  praise  incessantly  laud  and 
 
 [1  Sic  enim  et  illud  recte  intclligitur,  quod  ait  apostolus,  Ut  Deus 
 sit  omnia  in  omnibus.  Ipso  finis  crit  omnium  desideriorum  nostro- 
 rum,  qui  sine  fine  videbitur,  sine  fastidio  amabitur,  sine  fatigationo 
 laudabitur.  August,  do  Civ.  Dei,  Lib.  xxii.  cap.  3.  Opera,  Tom.  v. 
 p.  218.  L.  ed.  1541.] 
 
 [2  Compare  p.  214,  and  the  note  on  that  passage.] 
 
218  HOPE    OF    THE    FAITHFUL.  [cHAP. 
 
 magnify  the  name  of  God.  For  what  St  John  in  his  Eeve- 
 Rev.  V.  xiv.  lation  thought  to  signify  and  shew,  thus  he  said :  "  I  heard 
 the  voice  of  many  angels  which  were  about  the  throne,  and 
 about  the  beasts,  and  the  elders.  And  I  heard  many  thou- 
 sands that  sung  a  new  song,  saying,  Worthy  is  the  Lamb 
 that  was  killed  to  receive  power,  and  riches,  wisdom  and 
 strength,  honour,  glory,  and  blessing,  &c."  Moreover,  the 
 same  eternal  hfe  shall  be  altogether  free,  and  discharged 
 from  all  heaviness,  sickness,  and  temptations,  whereas  tem- 
 poral joy,  rest,  and  welfare  of  men  is  mixed  with  sorrow; 
 as  also  the  holy  apostle  John  doth  witness  :  "  I  John,"  saith 
 he,  "  saw  that  holy  city  new  Jerusalem  coming  down  from 
 God  out  of  heaven,  prepared  as  a  bride  garnished  for  her 
 husband.  And  I  heard  a  great  voice  out  of  heaven,  saying, 
 Behold,  the  tabernacle  of  God  is  with  men,  and  he  will 
 dwell  with  them,  and  they  shall  be  his  people,  and  God 
 himself  shall  be  with  them,  and  shall  be  their  God.  And 
 God  shall  wipe  away  all  tears  from  their  eyes,  and  there 
 shall  be  no  more  death,  neither  sorrow,  neither  crying, 
 neither  shall  there  be  any  more  pain ;  for  the  old  things  are 
 gone.  And  he  that  sat  upon  the  seat  said.  Behold,  I  make 
 all  things  new :  and  he  said  unto  me.  Write,  for  these  words 
 are  faithful  and  true."  And  hereunto  in  manner  serveth  all 
 that  followeth  after  in  the  21st  chapter  to  the  end  of  the 
 book. 
 
 CHAPTER  XXXII. 
 
 THE     SOULS     DEPARTED     WOT     NOT     WHAT     THEY     DO     THAT 
 ARE    ALIVE,    THEREBY    ANY    THING    TO    BE    DISQUIETED. 
 
 De  cura  pro  THEREFORE  did  liofy  Augustiue  also  teach,  that  the  souls 
 
 ^enda!  of  thoso  that  are  departed  wot  not  what  they  do  which  are 
 cap.  3.  ahve.  Yet  will  I  recite  his  words.  Thus  saith  Augustine  : 
 "  If  the  souls  of  those  that  are  departed  were  among  the 
 doings  of  such  as  are  alive,  they  should,  when  we  see  them 
 in  sleep,  talk  with  us  and  them.  I  will  not  speak  of  others 
 at  all,  lest  my  good  and  faithful  mother,  that  by  water  and 
 land  followed  me  so  far  to  be  with  me,  should  now  not  for- 
 
XXXII.]      SOULS  DEPARTED  KNOW  NOT  WHAT  THE  LIVING  DO.      219 
 
 sake  me.      For  God  forbid  that  lie  should  have  made  that 
 blessed  life  more  unfriendly  or  more  terrible.      God  forbid, 
 that  when  my  heart  doth  any  thing  press  and  unquiet  me, 
 she  should  not  comfort  me  her  son,  whom  she  yet  so  entirely 
 loved,  that  she  could  never  suffer  or  see  me  heavy.     Un- 
 doubtedly it  must  needs  be  true  that  the  holy  psalmist  saith: 
 '  My  father   and   my  mother  have   forsaken    me  ;    but   the  Psaim  xxvu. 
 Lord  hath  taken  the  care  to  keep  me.'     If  our  fathers  now 
 and  mothers  have  forsaken  us,  how  can  they  be  then  in  our 
 cares  and  doings?  and  if  father  and  mother  do  nothing  at 
 all  in  our  business,  how  can  we  then  think  that  the  other 
 dead  meddle  ought  with  us,  or  know  what  we  do  or  suffer  ? 
 The  prophet  Isaiah  saith  :  '  Thou,  0  God,  art  our  Father ; 
 for  Abraham   wotteth    not    of   us,   and   Israel    knoweth   us 
 not.'     Seeing  then  that  such  honourable  patriarchs  wist  not 
 what  was  done  concerning  their  people,  which  came  of  them- 
 selves, to  whom  yet,  as  to  God's  faithful  believers,  the  same 
 people  was  promised  out  of  their  own  stock  ;  how  can  then 
 the  dead  open  themselves  the  door,  to  know  and  further  the 
 doings  and  not  doings  of  them  that  are  alive?     And  how 
 shall  we  be  able   to    say,  that  they  which  are  dead  were 
 helped  and  eased   afore  the  evil   came  that  followed   upon 
 their  death,  when  they  after  death  feel  all  the  calamity  and 
 misery  of  man's  hfe  that  here  happeneth  unto  us  ?     Or  be 
 we  in  error  that  speak  such  things,  and  count  them  to  be  in 
 rest ;  or  doth  he  err,  that  maketh  the  unquiet  way  of  the 
 hving  so  careful  and  full  of  cumbrance  ?     I  pray  thee,  what 
 great  benefit  is  it  then,  that  our  Lord  God  promised  the  vir- 
 tuous king  Josiah,  namely,  that  he  should  die,  because  he  2  Kings  xxii. 
 should  not  see  the  great  misery,  which  God  threatened  unto 
 all  the  land  and  people  of  Israel  ?     The  words  of  the  Lord 
 unto  Josiah  are  these :  '  Thus  saith  the  Lord  God  of  Israel, 
 Seeing  that  by  reason  of  my  words  which  thou  hast  heard, 
 thy  heart  hath  melted,  and  thou  hast  humbled  thyself  before 
 the  Lord,  when  thou  heardest  what  I  had  threatened  unto 
 this  place,  and  to  the  inhabitants  thereof,  namely  how  they 
 shall  be  destroyed,  destitute,  and  accursed ;  and  thou  there- 
 upon hast  rent  thy  garment,  and  wept  before  my  sight; 
 behold,  I  have  heard  thee,  saith  the  Lord  God  of  hosts,  the 
 plague   shall  not  touch  thee.     Behold,  I  will  gather  thee 
 unto  thy  fathers,  and  into  thy  grave  shalt  thou  be  laid  in 
 
220  HOPE    OF    THE    FAITHFUL.  [cHAP. 
 
 peace,  and  thine  eyes  shall  not  see  all  the  plagues  that  I  will 
 bring  upon  this  land,  and  upon  those  that  dwell  therein/ 
 Lo,  this  king,  standing  in  awe  at  the  threatening  of  God,  did 
 weep  and  rend  his  clothes,  and  through  death  that  came 
 aforehand  was  he  in  safety  from  all  misery  to  come.  For 
 he  must  afore  depart  in  peace  and  take  rest,  lest  he  should 
 see  the  great  calamity.  Therefore  the  souls  of  those  that 
 are  departed  must  needs  be  in  such  a  place,  where  they  see 
 not  all  which  is  done  and  happeneth  in  the  life  of  men*." 
 All  this  have  we  taken  and  written  out  of  the  13  th  chapter 
 
 [1   Si  rebus  vivcntium  intcrcssent  animsc  mortuorum,  et  ipssc  nos, 
 quando  eas  vidcmus,  alloqucrentur  in  somniis,  ut  de  aliis  taccam,  me- 
 ipsum  pia  mater  nulla  nocto  desererct,  qua)  terra  marique  secuta  est, 
 ut  mecum  viveret.     Absit  enim,  ut  facta  sit  vita  meliore  crudelis 
 usque  adeo,  ut  quando  aliquid  angit  cor  meum,  nee  tristem  filium  con- 
 soletur,  quem  dilexit  unice,  quem  nunquam  voluit  moestum  videre. 
 Sed  profecto  quod  saccr  psalmus  personat,  verum  est:    Quoniam pater 
 nieus  et  mater  mca  dereliquerunt  me,  Domimis  autem  assumpsit  me.     Si 
 ergo  dereliquerunt  nos  patres  nostri,  quomodo  nostris  curis  et  rebus 
 intersunt  ?     Si  autem  parentes  non  intersunt,  qui  sunt  alii  mortuorum, 
 qui  noverunt  quid  agamiis,  quidvc  patiamur  ?     Esaias  prophcta  dixit  t 
 Tu  es  enim  Pater  noster ;  quia  Abraham  nos  nescivit,  et  Israel  non  cog~ 
 novit  nos.     Si  tanti  patriarchs;  quid  erga  populum  ex  his  procreatum 
 ageretur,  ignoraverunt,  quibus  Deo  credentibus  populus  iste  de  eorum 
 stirpo  promissus  est;  quomodo  mortui  vivorum  rebus  atquc  actibus 
 cognoscendis  adjuvandisque  miscentur  ?     Quomodo  dicimus  eis  fuisse 
 consultum,  qui  obierunt  antequam  venirent  mala,  quae  illorum  obitum 
 consecuta  sunt ;  si  et  post  mortem  sentiunt  qua^cunque  in  vita;  hu- 
 manac  calamitate  contingunt  ?  An  forte  nos  errando  ista  dicimus,  et  hos 
 putamus  quietos,  quos  inquieta  vita  vivorum  soUicitat  ?    Quid  est  ergo, 
 quod  piissimo  regi  Josia)  pro  magno  beneficio  promisit  Deus,   quod 
 csset  ante  moritm'us,  ne  videret  mala,  qua;  ventura  illi  loco  et  populo 
 minabatur?     Qua)  Dei  verba  hsec  sunt:   Hcec  dicit  Dominus  Israel, 
 Verba  mea  quoi  audisti,  et  veritus  es  a  facie  mea  cum  audisti,  quce  locutus 
 sum  de  isto  loco,  et  qui  comm.orantur  in  eo,  ut  deseratur,  et  in  maledicto 
 sit ;  et  conscidisti  vestimenta  tua,  et  Jlevisti  coram  conspectu  meo,  et  ego 
 audivi,  dixit  Dominus  Deiis  Sabaoth:  non  sic  (I.  idcirco)  ego  apponam  te 
 ad  patres  tuos,  et  apponeris  cum  pace ;  et  non  videbunt  ocidi  tui  omnia 
 mala,  quce  ego  induco  in  locum  hunc,  et  qui  commorantur  in  eo.     Ter- 
 ritus  iste  Dei  comminationibus  fleverat,  et  sua  vestimenta  consciderat ; 
 et  fit  omnium  malorum  futurorum  de  properatura  morte  securus,  quod 
 ita  requietmais  csset  in  pace,  ut  ilia  omnia  non  videret.     Ibi  ergo  sunt 
 spiritus  defunctorum,  ubi  non  vidcnt  qua;cumque  aguntur  aut  evcniunt 
 in  ista  vita  hominibus.     August.  De  Cura  pro  mortuis  agenda,  c.  13. 
 Opera,  Tom.  iv.  p.  215,  L.  M.  et  216,  A.  ed.  1641.] 
 
XXXII.]    SOULS  DEPAUTED  KNOW  NOT  WHAT  THE  LIVING  DO.         221 
 
 of  Augustme*'s  book,  De  cur  a  pro  mortuis  agenda.  If  the 
 souls  now  in  everlasting  salvation  have  a  perfect  rest,  yea, 
 such  a  rest  as  their  body  which  they  have  put  off  hath  not 
 received  again ;  and  seeing  that  they  are  yet  alive,  whom 
 they  specially  loved,  while  they  were  with  them  in  body; 
 how  much  more  perfect  joy  shall  they  then  first  have  and 
 possess,  when  their  bodies  shall  come  again,  and  when  they 
 shall  sec  that  all  their  brethren,  whom  they  in  this  life  had 
 loved  so  entirely  afore,  are  together  in  honour  and  glory, 
 when  now  the  time  of  frailty  hath  ceased,  and  when  in  the 
 eternal  time  there  can  now  no  cause  of  heaviness  and  grief 
 be  thought  upon,  nor  found  any  more  at  all !  Therefore  the 
 glory  and  joy,  which  the  mercy  of  God  shall  after  the  last 
 judgment  give  unto  men  that  are  made  whole  again  of  body 
 and  soul,  shall  be  without  sorrow,  and  in  all  points  perfect. 
 And  like  as  the  ungodly  and  unbehevers  shall  be  gathered 
 together  with  the  devil  and  all  his  companions ;  so  shall  also 
 the  righteous  and  elect  have  the  joyful  fruition  of  the  com- 
 pany and  fellowship  of  their  head  Jesus  Christ,  and  of  his 
 members,  that  is,  of  all  faithful  behevers. 
 
 CHAPTER  XXXIII. 
 
 THE    FAITHFUL    SHALL    KNOW    ONE    ANOTHER    IN    HEAVEN, 
 
 Then  also  shall  the  blessed  know  one  another  again, 
 having  joy  together,  and  rejoicing  in  the  obtained  health. 
 For  if  there  should  be  no  knowledge,  to  what  end  then 
 should  the  bodies  rise  again ;  or  what  fruit  and  profit  should 
 the  resurrection  have ;  or  how  might  the  sentence  of  Daniel  [Daniei  xii.] 
 the  prophet  be  verified,  when  he  saith,  "  They  that  have 
 instructed  and  taught  others  unto  godliness,  shall  shine,  and 
 be  as  hght  as  the  stars  in  the  firmament?" 
 
 When  the  Lord  was  risen  again  from  death,  and  had 
 taken  upon  him  his  glorified  body,  the  apostles  knew  him;  yea, 
 so  perfectly  and  thoroughly  well  knew  they  him,  that,  as 
 St  John  witnesseth,  "  none  durst  say.  Who  art  thou  ?  for  [John  xxi.] 
 they  all  knew  that  it  was  the  Lord."  I  pass  over  that  the 
 Lord  spake  in  the  gospel,  saying,  "  When  the  Son   of  man  [Lukexxii.i 
 
222  HOPE    OF    THE    FAITHFUL.  [cHAP. 
 
 shall  sit  upon  the  seat  of  his  majesty,  then  shall  ye  also  sit 
 upon  twelve  seats,  and  judge  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel." 
 For  if  they  that  rise  again  shall  not  know  one  another, 
 how  shall  then  the  apostles  judge  and  give  sentence  upon 
 those,  to  whom  they  preached  here  in  their  hfetime  ?  Note, 
 that  the  apostles  shall  not  judge  in  the  room  and  place  of 
 their  Lord,  to  whom  only  is  given  all  power  to  judge ;  but 
 this  understanding  it  hath,  that  the  apostles  do  then  judge, 
 when  they  are  there  at  the  judicial  court,  as  witnesses  of  the 
 righteous  judgment  of  God,  with  the  wliich  he  condemneth 
 the  unbehevers.  For  whereas  the  unbelievers  would  not  give 
 credence  to  the  apostles,  that  is  to  say,  their  preachers,  but 
 cried  out  upon  them,  as  upon  ungodly  heretics ;  when  they 
 now  shall  see  those  present  with  the  Judge  of  all  men,  they 
 shall  immediately  be  overcome  by  the  apostles,  and  have 
 witness  in  themselves,  that  they  shall  be  and  are  justly  con- 
 demned. 
 
 And  for  this  matter  read  the  4tli  and  5th  chapters  of  the 
 Book  of  Wisdom;  which  serveth  very  well  to  this  purpose. 
 And  seeing  it  is  manifest,  that  in  the  hfe  to  come  even  the 
 wicked  shall  know  the  good,  how  much  more  then  shall 
 one  good  person  know  another,  and  one  faithful  another ! 
 In  the  transfiguration  of  the  Lord  upon  the  moimt  appeared 
 ]\Ioses  and  Elias,  and  were  known  of  the  three  disciples  of  the 
 Lord ;  yea,  they  knew  the  Lord  himself,  though  he  was  now 
 Hcb.  xii.  transfigured.  Hereunto  serveth  it  also  that  Paul  saith  :  "Ye 
 are  come  to  the  city  of  the  living  God,  to  the  celestial  Jeru- 
 salem, and.  to  an  innumerable  multitude  of  angels,  and  to  the 
 congregation  of  the  firstborn  sons  which  are  written  in  heaven, 
 and  to  the  spirits  of  the  perfect  righteous,"  &c.  Besides  this, 
 we  have  for  us  the  uniform  and  universal  opinion  of  all  faithful, 
 which  also  witnesseth,  that  in  the  life  to  come  the  blessed  shall 
 know  one  another.  For  Avhen  we  talk  of  death  and  of  the 
 state  and  ease  of  the  life  to  come,  we  say,  though  now  we 
 must  depart  asunder,  yet  shall  we  see  one  another  again  in 
 the  eternal  country. 
 
 Socrates  also,  the  right  famous  and  most  excellent  among 
 
 all  the  wise  men  of  the  heathen,  marked  such  a  like  thing, 
 
 and  saw  it  as  in  a  dream,  when,  as  Cicero  witnesseth  of  him, 
 
 he  was  of  death  condemned  of  the  judges  or  council,  and  now 
 
 inTiiscui.     should  drink  the  poison.    For  he  said  :  "0  how  much  better 
 
 Qua;st.[i.  4i.]  ^ 
 
XXXIII.]        THE  FAITHFUL  KNOW  EACH  OTHER  IN    HEAVEN.  223 
 
 and  more  blessed  is  it  to  go  unto  them,  that  well  and  up- 
 rightly lived  here  in  time,  than  to  remain  here  in  tliis  hfe 
 upon  earth !  0  how  dear  and  worthy  a  thing  is  it,  that  I 
 may  talk  with  Orpheus,  Museus,  Homerus,  Hesiodus,  with 
 those  excellent  men !  Verily,  I  would  not  only  die  once,  but 
 many  and  sundry  times  also,  if  it  were  possible,  to  obtain 
 the  same,"  &c.  After  this  sort,  like  as  in  a  dream,  did  the 
 good  philosopher  imagine  in  himself  joys  vain  and  of  none 
 effect. 
 
 But  we  promise  to  ourselves  true  assured  joy,  in  that  we 
 hope  and  know,  that  in  the  eternal  and  everduring  country, 
 after  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  we  shall  see  Adam,  our  Adam. 
 first  father;  Noah,  the  dearly  beloved  friend  of  God;  Abra-  Noah. 
 ham,  to  whom  God  made  special  great  promises ;  Moses,  the  Moses. 
 most  gentle-hearted  man,  and  one  that  had  greatest  expe- 
 rience  of  all  the  mysteries  of  God ;  Samuel,  the  friendly  samuei. 
 and  loving  prophet ;  David,  the  king  and  prophet,  who  was  David. 
 God's  elect,  according  to  his  own  will  and  desire ;   Josiah,  Josiah. 
 the  most  godly  and  best  among  all  the  kings  of  Judah ;  and 
 also  John  the  Baptist,  holier   than  whom  there   was   none  .Tohn  the 
 born  of  woman  ;  and  with  all  these  the  holy  virgin  Mary, 
 the    mother    of    God,    and   highly    replenished    with    grace  Mary, 
 among   all   women :    item,  Peter,  John,  James,   chiefest    of  J^^^- 
 the  apostles,  with  the  other  disciples  of  Christ ;  Paul,  the  •^^'"^^• 
 famous  teacher  of  the  heathen,  and  all  the  holy  congrega-  Paui. 
 tion  of  the  patriarchs,  prophets,  apostles,  martyrs,  and  faith- 
 ful believers. 
 
 As  for  our  glorified  and  pure  understanding  and  memory, 
 now  endued  with  immortahty,  the  multitude  and  infinite 
 number  of  the  blessed  in  our  said  native  country  shall  neither 
 grieve  nor  entangle  the  same. 
 
 From  the  beginning  of  the  creation  there  Avas  in  Adam 
 a  wonderful  and  excellent  efiicacy  of  understanding  and 
 remembrance  ;  forasmuch  as  unto  all  things  and  to  every 
 one  in  especial,  whatsoever  was  witliin  the  whole  compass  of 
 the  world  created,  yea,  in  paradise  also,  he  gave  their 
 names,  and  knew  every  one.  A  much  more  excellent,  more 
 pure,  and  more  clear  understanding  shall  God  give  to  the 
 raised  up  and  glorified  bodies,  so  that  they  shall  not  lack 
 nor  be  destitute  of  any  thing  at  all.  And  whereas  the 
 blessed  shall  rejoice  and  have  joy  together  one  with  another; 
 
224  HOPE    OP    THE    FAITHFUL.  [cHAP.  XXXHI.] 
 
 yet  shall  their  delight  be  In  the  only  God,  who  shall  be  all 
 in  all. 
 
 Of  these  everlasting  and  heavenly  things  more  and  further 
 to  write  I  have  not  at  this  present.  Howbelt  there  shall  be 
 graciously  given  us  things  far  greater,  much  more  glorious, 
 more  joyful,  and  more  divine,  than  we  can  comprehend ; 
 namely,  salvation,  as  It  Is  In  Itself,  In  that  day  when  we, 
 after  the  overcoming  and  treading  down  of  death  through 
 our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  shall  be  carried  up  and  taken  to 
 heaven  into  eternal  joy  and  salvation.  Touching  the  which 
 I  have  hitherto  written,  not  according  to  the  majesty  and 
 worthiness  thereof,  but  after  my  small  ability  In  most 
 humble  wise.  God  the  Father  of  all  mercy,  through  his 
 dear  Son  our  Lord  and  Redeemer  Jesus  Christ,  vouchsafe 
 graciously  to  take  us  poor  sinners  up  to  his  glory,  and  after 
 the  joyful  resurrection  of  our  body,  that  we  long  for,  to 
 give  and  shew  us  the  unoutspeakable  joy,  which  he  hath 
 prepared  for  all  faithful  believers ;  that  wc,  ever  living  and 
 having  joy  In  hira,  may  praise  him  for  ever  and  ever,  that 
 is  from  eternity  to  eternity  !     Amen. 
 
 With  Christ  even  in  death  is  life. 
 
THE   TABLE. 
 
 THE    CONTENTS    OF    THE    FIRST    PART. 
 
 CHAPTER  '"^'^^ 
 
 1.       The  Author's  purpose  141 
 
 II.      The  Lord  rose  with  his  body  142 
 
 III.  Appearings  of  the  body  raised  up  144 
 
 IV.  Christ  rose  not  a  spirit,  but  a  true  body 145 
 
 V.  The  fruit  of  Clirist's  resurrection 147 
 
 VI.  The  true  ascension  of  the  Lord's  real  body,  and  the  place 
 that  he  went  to  be  in 149 
 
 VII.  The  divers  significations  of  this  word  heaven  152 
 
 VIII.  What  God's  right  hand  is,  and  whereto  it  is  referred 154 
 
 IX.     What  it  is  to  sit  at  the  right  hand  of  God  ;  how  Christ 
 
 sitteth  there,  and  what  he  doeth... 155 
 
 X.      Christ,  as  man  sitting  at  God's  right  hand,  is  circumscribed 
 
 of  place 157 
 
 XI .  Manner  of  sitting  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  by  the  which 
 Christ  is  every  where 162 
 
 XII.  The  fruit  of  the  corporal  ascension  of  Christ,  both  in 
 that  he  doth  for  us,  and  in  that  we  learn  thereby 164 
 
 THE    CONTENTS    OF    THE    SECOND    PART. 
 
 XIII.  Of  the  true  resurrection  of  our  flesh 167 
 
 XIV.  Our  flesh  or  body  itself  shall  rise  again,  though  it  be 
 hard  to  believe,  and  what  the  flesh  or  body  is 168 
 
 XV.     The  maimer  how  the   bodies  shall  rise  again,  and  the 
 
 kind  that  they  shall  be  of  176 
 
 XVI.  That  Paul  spake  rightly  of  a  glorified  body,  and  what  a 
 glorified  body  is,  and  what  a  natural 178 
 
 XVII.  The  case  of  our  members  in  the  body's  resurrection,  and 
 
 of  their  functions ^°^ 
 
 15 
 
 [COVERDALE,  II.] 
 
226  THE    TABLE. 
 
 CHAPTER  PAGE 
 
 XVIII.    The  divers  errors  that  spmng  about  the  article  of  the 
 
 body's  resurrection  183 
 
 XIX.      The  errors  of  Origen  concerning  the  resurrection  con- 
 futed by  Jerome    186 
 
 XX.       St  Jerome's  opinion  of  the  resurrection  190 
 
 XXI.  St  Augustine's  mind  of  the  same  192 
 
 XXII.  AureKus  Prudentius  of  the  same  195 
 
 XXIII.  The  bodies  of  unbelievers  shall  verily  rise  again 197 
 
 THE  CONTENTS  OF  THE  THIRD  PART. 
 
 XXIV.  The  death  and  damnation  of  the  ungodly  201 
 
 XXV.  That  there  is  an  eternal  damnation,  and  the  soul  is 
 passible  202 
 
 XXVI.  The  unbelievers'  bodies  being  raised  are  passible 204 
 
 XXVII.  The  pains  of  hell,  matter  for  continuance  of  them,  vsdth 
 
 the  space  of  the  place  and  kinds  of  the  punishments 205 
 
 XXVIII.  The  refutation  of  such  as  denied  the  pain  of  the  damned 
 
 to  be  eternal  208 
 
 XXIX.  That  there  is  an  eternal  life  and  salvation • 211 
 
 XXX.  Where  the  place  of  the  faithful  is 212 
 
 XXXI.  How  their  salvation  shall  be 213 
 
 XXXII.  The  dead  wot  not  what  the  quick  do 218 
 
 XXXIII.  The  faithful  shall  know  one  another  in  heaven  221 
 
AN    EXHORTATION 
 
 TO   THE 
 
 CARRYING  OF  CHRIST'S  CROSS. 
 
 15 — 2 
 
tation  to  tJ)e  ran-- 
 
 t\m  of  ©j^rjjstcs  crosse  bi^t\)  a 
 
 true  antr  hxtk  confutation 
 
 of  false  anU  papisticall 
 
 troctrgne. 
 
 03-2  Ctm0.  3. 
 
 ^SXl,  tijat  ImdH  Imuc  flDlrlri 
 
 jSuffer  j)cr^ccucg0n. 
 
[AN  EXHORTATION  TO  THE  CARRYING  OF  CHRIST'S 
 
 CROSS. 
 
 This  scarce  treatise  of  Bishop  Coverdale  is  here  reprinted  from 
 a  copy  in  the  possession  of  George  Offer,  Esq.  With  respect  to  the 
 authority  on  which  tliis  work  is  attributed  to  Coverdale,  it  rests  on 
 the  following  evidence.  Strype  says  in  his  Memorials,  (Vol.  iii.  Part  i. 
 pp.  239, 40.  Ed.  1822,)  Anno  1554:  "About  this  time  there  came  forth 
 a  little  pious  work,  entitled  An  Exhortation  to  the  Cross.  The  author's 
 name  is  not  set  to  it ;  but  it  appears  that  he  was  a  preacher  under 
 king  Edward,  and  then  an  exile :  I  beHeve  him  to  be  Coverdale.  To 
 this  was  joined  another  little  book,  of  the  same  volume,  entitled.  The 
 Hope  of  the  Faithful,  and,  as  it  seems,  by  the  same  author.  And  I  verily 
 think  the  work  to  be  Coverdale's."  Now  the  authorship  of  The  Hope 
 of  the  Faithful  has  been  established  on  conclusive  evidence ;  and  it 
 therefore  leaves  little  doubt,  but  the  present  treatise  also  belongs  to 
 Coverdale. 
 
 To  this  may  be  added  the  internal  evidence,  derived  from  the 
 treatise  itself,  which  exhibits  a  striking  similarity  of  style  and  senti- 
 ments to  Coverdale's  other  writings.  There  is  also  evidence  from  the 
 title-page  of  this  work,  that  it  was  not  printed  separately,  but  formed 
 part  of  a  volume :  and  in  addition  to  this,  on  the  blank  leaf  at  the 
 conclusion  of  The  Hope  of  the  Faithful,  is  the  set-off  or  impression  of 
 the  title  to  The  Exhortation;  evidently  proving,  that  the  two  treatises 
 were  originally  bound  together,  although  they  now  appear  in  a 
 separate  form.  These  particulars,  which  have  been  obligingly  com- 
 municated to  the  Editor  by  the  possessor  of  this  volume,  will  pro- 
 bably be  considered  conclusive  in  support  of  the  former  arguments 
 for  attributing  this  treatise  to  Coverdale.] 
 
AN   EXHORTATION 
 
 TO   THE 
 
 CARRYING   OF   CHRIST'S    CROSS. 
 
 THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  OF  GOD,  WHICH  IS  HIS  EARNEST  PLEDGE 
 
 GIVEN  TO  HIS  PEOPLE  FOR  THEIR  COMFORT  AND 
 
 CONSOLATION,  BE  POURED  INTO  OUR  HEARTS 
 
 BY  THE  MIGHTY  POWER  AND  MERITS 
 
 OF  OUR  ALONE  SAVIOUR  JESUS 
 
 CHRIST,  NOW  AND  FOR 
 
 EVER.     AMEN, 
 
 Because  I  perceive  plainly,  that  unto  the  evils  fallen  upon 
 us  which  profess  Christ's  gospel  greater  are  most  like  to 
 ensue,  and  after  them  greater,  till  the  measure  of  iniquity  be 
 
 Gen.  ix.  upheaped,  (except  we  shrink,  and  having  put  our  hand  to  the 
 plough,  do  look  back,  and  so  with  Lot's  wife  fall  into  God's 
 heavy  displeasure  incurably,  all  which  God  forbid !)  and  be- 
 cause I  am  persuaded  of  you,  my  dearly  beloved  brethren 
 and  sisters  throughout  the  realm  of  England,  wliich  have 
 professed  unfeignedly  the  gospel  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour 
 Jesus  Christ,  (for  unto  such  do  I  write  this  Epistle  or  Book,) 
 how  that,  as  you  have  begun  to  take  part  with  God's  gospel 
 and  truth,  so  through  his  grace  ye  will  persevere  and  go  on 
 forwards,  notwithstanding  the  storms  risen  and  to  arise ;  I 
 cannot  but  write  some  things  unto  you,  to  encourage  you  to 
 go  on  lustily  in  the  way  of  the  Lord,  and  not  to  become 
 faint-hearted   or  fearful   persons,  whose  place   St   John  ap- 
 
 Rev.  xxi.  pointed  with  unbelievers,  murderers,  and  idolaters  in  eternal 
 perdition  ;  but  cheerfully  to  take  the  Lord's  cup  and  drink 
 
 Psai  ixxv.  of  it,  afore  it  draw  towards  the  dregs  and  bottom ;  whereof 
 at  length  they  shall  drink  with  the  wicked  to  eternal  de- 
 struction, which  will  not  receive  it  at  the  first  with  God's 
 
 1  Pet.  iv.      children,  with  whom  God  beginneth  his  judgment ;  that,  as 
 
 johnxvi.  the  Avicked  world  rejoiceth  when  they  lament,  so  they  may 
 rejoice  when  the  wicked  world  shall  mourn,  and  without  end 
 feel  woe  intolerable. 
 
I.]  WHAT    WE    BK,    AND    WHERE    WE    BE.  231 
 
 CHAPTER  I. 
 
 WHAT    WE    BE,    AND    WHERE    WE    BE. 
 
 First,  therefore,  my  dearly  beloved  in  the  Lord,  I  be- 
 seech you  to  consider,  that  though  ye  be  in  the  world,  yet  John  xw. 
 you  are  not  of  the  world.     You  are  not  of  them  which  look  psai.  xvu. 
 for  their  portion  in  this  life,  whose  captain  is  the  god  of  this  2  cor.  iv. 
 world,  even  Satan,  who  now  ruffleth  it  apace,  as  he  were 
 wood,  because  his  time  on  earth  is  not  long.     But  you  are  Rev.  xu. 
 of  them  which  look  for  a  city  of  God's  own  building.     You  Heb.  xs. 
 are  of  them  wliich  know  themselves  to  be  here  but  pilgrims  1  Pet.  a. 
 and  strangers ;  for  here  you  have  no  dwelhng-place.     You  Heb.  xiii. 
 are  of  them  whose  portion  is  the  Lord,  and  which  have  their  Psai.  xvi. 
 hope  in  heaven ;  whose  captain  is  Christ  Jesus,  the  Son  of     " 
 God,  and  governor  of  heaven  and  earth.     Unto  him  is  given  Matt,  xxviii. 
 all  power ;  yea,  he  is  God  Almighty  with  the  Father  and 
 the  Holy  Ghost,  praise- worthy  for  ever.     You  are  not  ofuohny. 
 them  which  receive  the  beast's  mark ;   which  here  rejoice,  Luke  vi.' 
 laugh,  and  have  their  heart's  ease,  joy,  paradise,  and  plea- 
 sure :  but  you  are  of  them  which  have  received  the  ano-el's  Ezek.  ix. 
 
 •^  .  °  Matt.  V. 
 
 mark,  yea,   God's  mark ;  which  here  lament,  mourn,  sigh, 
 
 sob,  and  have  your  wilderness  to  wander  in,  your  purgatory, 
 
 and  even  hell.     You  are  not  of  them  which  cry,  Let  us  eat  isai.  xxii. 
 
 and  drink,  for  to-morrow  we  shall  die.     You  are  not  of  that  1  cor.  xv. 
 
 number  which  say,  they  have  made  a  covenant  with  death  and  isai.  xxviii. 
 
 hell  for  hurting  them.    You  are  not  of  them,  which  take  it 
 
 but  for  a  vain  thing  to   serve  the  Lord.     You  are  not  ofjiai.  lii. 
 
 them  which  are  lulled  and  rocked  asleep  in  Jezebel's  bed,  [Rev.  a.  22.] 
 
 a  bed  of  security.     You  are  not  in  the  number  of  them  that 
 
 say,  Tush,  God  is  in  heaven  and  seeth  us  not,  nor  much  Ezek.  viii. 
 
 t*  '  Psai.  Ixxiii. 
 
 passeth  what  we  do.     You  are  not  of  the  number  of  them 
 which  will  fall  down  for  the  muck  of  the  world,  to  worship  Luke  iv. 
 the  fiend,  or  for  displeasing  of  men  to  worship  the  golden 
 image.      Finally,  you  are  not  of  the  number  of  them  which  Dan.  m. 
 set  more  by  their  pigs,  than  by  Christ ;  which  for  ease  and  Matt^  vi". 
 rest  in  this  life  will  say  and  do  as  Antiochus  biddeth  them  1  Mac.  i.  ii. 
 do   or  say ;    and  will  follow  the  multitude  to   do   evil  with  Prov.  xxiii. 
 Zedekiah  and  the  three  hundred  false  prophets  ;  yea,  Achab,  1  Kings  xxii. 
 Jezebel,  and  the  whole  court  and  country. 
 
232  THE    CARRYING    OF    CHRISt's    CROSS.  [cHAP. 
 
 Rom.  vi.  But  you  be  of  the  number  of  them  which  are  dead  ah:*eady, 
 
 or  at  least  in  dying  daily  to  yourselves  and  to  the  world.  You 
 are  of  them  which  have  made  a  covenant  with  God  to  forsake 
 themselves  and  Satan  in  this  world.     You  are  of  them  which 
 
 Mai.iii.  say,  Nay,  the  Lord  hath  all  things  written  in  his  memorial 
 book  for  such  as  fear  him  and  remember  his  name.     You 
 
 Lukcxii.  are  of  them  which  have  their  loins  girded  about,  and  their 
 lights  burning  in  their  hands,  hke  unto  men  that  wait  for 
 their  Lord's  coming.      You  are  in  the  number  of  them  that 
 
 Psai.  xiv.      say.  The  Lord  looketh  down  from  heaven  and  beholdeth  all 
 
 xxxiii.  ci.  ^j^^  children  of  men,  from  the  habitation  of  his  dwelhng  he 
 considereth  all  them  that  dwell  upon  the  earth.     You  are  of 
 
 Deut.  vi.       them  which  will  worship  the  only  Lord  God,  and  will  not 
 
 Matt.  IX.  .  1 
 
 Dan.  iii.       worship  the  works  of  man's  hands,  though  the  oven  burn 
 
 never  so  hot.     You  are  in  the  number  of  them,  to  whom 
 
 ]  Pet.  ii.       Christ  is  precious  and  dear ;  which  cry  out  rather,  because 
 
 Psai.  cxx.     your  habitation  is  prolonged  here,  as  David  did,  which  Mat- 
 
 1  Mac.  ii.      tathias  followed,  and  the  godly  Jews,  which  knew  the  way 
 
 Matt.  vii.      to  life  to  be  a  strait  way,  and  few  to  go  tlirough  it ;  which 
 
 1  Kings  xxii.  will  not  sticlv  to  follow  poor  Micheas,  although  he  be  racked 
 
 and  cast  into  prison,  having  the  sun,  moon,  and  seven  stars, 
 
 and  all  against  him. 
 
 Thus,  therefore,  dearly  beloved,  remember  first  that,  as 
 I  said,  you  are  not  of  this  world ;  Satan  is  not  your  captain, 
 your  joy  and  paradise  is  not  here,  your  companions  are  not 
 the  multitude  of  worldhngs,  and  such  as  seek  to  please  men 
 and  to  live  here  at  ease  in  the  service  of  Satan.  But  you 
 are  of  another  world :  Christ  is  your  captain ;  your  joy  is 
 Phil.  iii.       in  heaven,  where  your  conversation  and  civility  ^  is ;  your 
 
 Heb.  xiii.  ,  IP,  .1  1  , 
 
 companions   are  the  lathers,   patriarchs,  prophets,   apostles, 
 
 martyrs,   virgins,   confessors,  and  the   dear   saints   of   God, 
 
 Rev.  vii.       which  followed  the   Lamb  whithersoever  he  went,    dipping 
 
 Job  vii.  viii.  their  garments  in  his  blood ;  knowing  tliis  life  and  world  to 
 
 Psai.xe.cii.  bo  full  of  cvil,  a  Warfare,  a  smoke,  a  shadow,  a  vapour,  and 
 
 James  iv.  ^  '  ...  .        . 
 
 as  replenished,  so  environed  with  all  kind  of  miseries. 
 [1  Civility:  citizenship.] 
 
II.]  PERSECUTION    IS    NOT    STRANGE.  233 
 
 CHAPTER  II. 
 
 PERSECUTION    IS    NOT    STRANGE. 
 
 This  is  the  first  tiling  I  would  give  you  often  and  dili- 
 gently with  yourselves  to  consider  and  muse  upon,  namely, 
 wha.t  you  be,  and  where  you  be.      Then,  secondarily,  forget 
 not  to  call  to  mind,  that  you  ought  not  to  think  it  any  strange 
 thing,  if  misery,  trouble,  adversity,  persecution,  and  displea- 1  Pct.  iv. 
 sure  come  upon  you.     For  how  can  it  otherwise  be,  but  that 
 trouble  and  persecution  must   come   upon   you?     Can  thejohnxiv. 
 world  love  you,  which  are  none  of  his?     Worldly  men  are 
 the  soldiers  of  your  chief  enemy,  and  can  they  regard  you  ? 
 Can  Satan  suffer  you  to  be  in  rest,  which  will  not  do  him  i  Pet.  v. 
 homage  ?     Can  this  way  be  easy,  which  of  itself  is  strait  ?  Matt.  vii. 
 Will  you  look  to  travel,  and  have  no  foul  way,  nor  rain  ? 
 Will  shipmen  shrink,  or  sailors  of  the  sea,  if  storms  arise  ? 
 Do  they  not  look  for  such  ? 
 
 And,  dearly  beloved,  did  not  we  enter  into  God's  ship  i  Pet.  lii. 
 and  ark  of  baptism  at  the  first?     Will  you  then  count  it 
 strange,  if  perils  and  tempests  blow  ?    Are  not  you  travelhng 
 to  your  heavenly  city  of  Jerusalem,  where  is  all  joy  and 
 feUcity  ?    and  will  you  now  tarry  by  the  way  for  storms  or 
 showers  ?     The  mart  and  fair  will  then  be  past ;  the  night  John  ix. 
 will  fall ;  ye  cannot  travel ;  the  door  will  be  sparred,  and  Matt.  xxv. 
 the  bride  will  be  at  supper.     Therefore  away  with  dainty 
 niceness.     Will  you  think  the  Father  of  heaven  will  deal 
 more  gently  with  you  in  this  age,  than  he  hath  done  with 
 other  his  dearest  friends  in  other  ^  ages  ?    What  way  and 
 weather,  what  storms  and  tempests,  what  disease,  trouble, 
 and  disquietness  found  Abel,  Noe,   Abraham,  Isaac,  Jacob,  oen.  iv.  vi. 
 and  good  Joseph!     Which  of  these  had  so  fair  a  life  and&c.""'^'" 
 restful  times   as   we    have  had?     Moses,    Aaron,    Samuel, 
 David  the  king,  and  all  the  good  kings,  priests,  and  prophets 
 in  the  old  Testament,  at  one  time  or  another,  if  not  through- 
 out their  hfe,  did  feel  a  thousand  parts  more  misery  than  we 
 have  felt  hitherto.     As  for  the  new  Testament,  Lord  God, 
 how  great  was  the  affliction  of  Mary,  Joseph,  Zachary,  Eli-  Matt.  ii. 
 zabeth,  John  the  Baptist,  than  whom  among  the  children  of 
 [2  Old  edition,  our.] 
 
234  THE    CARRYING    OF    CHRIST's    CROSS.  [cHAP. 
 
 men  none  arose  greater,  of  all  the  apostles  and  evangelists ; 
 
 yea,  of  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord,  the  dear  Son  and  dearling  of 
 
 God !    And  since  the  time  of  the  apostles,  how  many  and 
 
 Eusebius      great  are  the  martyrs,  confessors,  and  such  as  suffered  the 
 
 Eccles.  Hist.    ^  ,  . 
 
 H?storia  shcdding  of  their  blood  in  this  life,  rather  than  they  would 
 be  stained  in  their  journey,  or  lodge  in  any  of  Satan's  inns, 
 so  that  the  storms  or  winds  which  fell  in  their  travellings 
 might  not  touch  them.  Wherefore,  dearly  beloved,  let  us 
 think,  what  we  are,  and  how  far  meet  to  be  matched  with 
 these,  whom  yet  we  look  to  be  placed  in  heaven. 
 
 But  with  what  face  can  we  look  for  this,  that  are  so 
 fearful,  unwilling,  and  backward  to  leave  that  which,  will  we, 
 nill  we,  we  must  leave,  and  that  so  shortly,  as  we  know  not 
 the  time  when?  Where  is  our  abrenoimcing  and  forsaking 
 of  the  world  and  the  flesh,  which  we  solemnly  sware  in 
 baptism  ?  Ah,  shameless  cowards  that  we  be !  which  will  not 
 follow  the  trace  of  so  many  fathers,  patriarchs,  kings,  priests, 
 prophets,  apostles,  evangelists,  and  saints  of  God,  yea,  even 
 of  the  very  Son  of  God.  How  many  now  go  with  you 
 lustily,  as  I  and  all  your  brethren  in  bonds  and  exile  for  the 
 gospel  ?     Pray  for  us ;   for,  God  willing,  we  will  not  leave 
 
 2Pet.  i.  you  now,  we  will  go  before  you.  You  shall  see  in  us,  that 
 we  preached  no  hes  nor  tales  of  tubs ;  but  even  the  very 
 true  word  of  God,  for  which  we,  by  God's  grace  and  help 
 of  your  prayers,  will  Avillingly  and  joyfully  give  our  blood 
 to  be  shed  for  the  confirmation  of  the  same,  as  already  we 
 have  given  liberally  our  goods,  living  friends  and  natural 
 country.  For  now  we  are  certain,  that  we  be  in  the  high 
 way  to  heaven's  bUss  ;  as  Paul  saith,  "  By  many  tribulations 
 and  persecutions  we  must  enter  into  God's  kingdom."  And 
 because  we  would  go  thither  ourselves,  and  bring  you  tliither 
 also,  therefore  the  devil  stirreth  up  the  coals.  And  forasmuch 
 as  we  all  loitered  in  the  way,  he  therefore  hath  received 
 power  of  God  to  overcast  the  weather  and  to  stir  up  storms, 
 that  we,  God's  children,  might  go  faster,  making  more  speed 
 and  haste  to  go  on  forwards.  As  for  counterfeits  and  hypo- 
 crites, they  will  tarry  and  linger  till  the  storm  be  past.  And 
 so  when  they  come,  the  market  will  be  done,  and  the  doors 
 sparred,  it  is  to  be  feared.  Read  Matthew  xxv.  This  wind 
 will  blow  God's  children  forward,  and  the  devil's  darlings 
 backward.     Therefore,  like  God's  children,  let  us  go  on  for- 
 
II.]  PERSECUTION    IS    NOT    STRANGE.  235 
 
 ward  apace ;  the  wind  is  on  our  back,  hoist  up  the  sails,  hft 
 up  your  hearts  and  hands  unto  God  in  prayer,  and  keep 
 your  anchor  of  faith  to  cast  in  time  on  the  rock  of  God's  Heb.  ■ 
 word,  and  in  his  mercy  in  Christ ;  and  I  warrant  you. 
 
 And  thus  much  for  you,  secondly,  to  consider,  that  affliction, 
 persecution,  and  trouble  is  no  strange  thing  to  God's  children ; 
 and  therefore  it  should  not  dismay,  discourage,  or  discomfort 
 us,  being  none  other  thing  than  all  God's  dear  friends  have 
 tasted  in  their  journey  to  heavenward.  As  I  would  in  this 
 troublesome  time,  that  ye  should  consider  what  you  be  by 
 the  goodness  of  God  in  Christ,  even  citizens  of  heaven,  though 
 you  be  presently  in  the  flesh,  even  in  a  strange  region,  on 
 every  side  full  of  fierce  enemies,  and  what  weather  and  way 
 the  dearest  friends  of  God  have  found ;  even  so  would  I  have 
 you,  thirdly,  to  consider  for  your  further  comfort,  that  if  you 
 shrink  not,  but  go  on  forward  pressing  to  the  mark  appointed, 
 all  the  power  of  your  enemies  shall  not  overcome  you,  neither 
 in  any  point  hurt  you. 
 
 CHAPTER  III. 
 
 TROUBLE    CANNOT    HURT    GOD'S    CHILDREN. 
 
 But  this  must  you  not  consider  according  to  the  judg- 
 ment of  reason  and  her  sense,  but  after  the  judgment  of 
 God's  word  and  the  experience  of  faith ;  else  you  mar  all. 
 For  to  reason  and  experience  or  sense  of  the  outward  man 
 we  poor  souls,  which  stick  to  God's  word  to  serve  him  as  he 
 requu^eth  only,  are  counted  to  be  vanquished  and  overcome, 
 in  that  we  are  cast  into  prison,  lose  our  hvings,  friends, 
 goods,  country,  and  life  also  at  length  concerning  this 
 world.  But,  dearly  beloved,  God's  word  teacheth  otherwise, 
 and  faith  falleth  accordingly.  Is  it  not  written,  "  Who 
 shall  separate  us  from  the  love  of  God  ?  shall  tribulation,  Rom.  viiu 
 or  anguish,  or  persecution,  either  hunger,  either  nakedness, 
 either  peril,  either  sword  ?  As  it  is  written,  For  thy  sake 
 are  we  killed  all  day  long,  and  be  counted  as  sheep  ap-  Psai.  xiiv. 
 pointed  to  be  slain.  Nevertheless  in  all  these  things  we 
 overcome  through  him  that  loved  us.     For  I  am  sure  that 
 
236 
 
 THE    CARRYING    OF    CHRIST  S    CROSS. 
 
 [[chap. 
 
 2  Tim.  ii. 
 
 2  Cor.  ii. 
 
 neither  death,  neither  life,  neither  angels,  nor  rule,  neither 
 power,  neither  things  present,  neither  things  to  come,  neither 
 height,  nor  loweth,  neither  any  other  creature,  shall  be  able 
 to  part  us  from  that  love,  wherewith  God  loveth  us  in  Christ 
 Jesus  our  Lord."  This  spake  one,  which  was  in  affliction, 
 as  I  am,  for  the  Lord's  gospel's  sake ;  his  holy  name  be 
 praised  therefore,  and  he  grant  me  grace  with  the  same  to 
 continue  in  like  suffering  unto  the  end !  This,  I  say,  one 
 spake,  which  was  in  affliction  for  the  gospel ;  but  yet  so  far 
 from  being  overcome,  that  he  rejoiced  rather  of  the  victory 
 which  the  gospel  had.  For  though  he  was  bound,  the  gospel 
 was  not  bound ;  and  therefore  rendered  he  thanks  unto  God, 
 who  always  giveth  victory  in  Christ,  and  openeth  the  savour 
 of  his  knowledge  by  us  and  such  as  suffer  for  his  truth ; 
 although  they  shut  us  up  never  so  much,  and  di4ve  us  never 
 so  far  out  of  om*  natural  country  in  every  place. 
 
 The  world  for  a  time  may  deceive  itself,  aye  thinking  it 
 hath  the  victory ;  but  yet  the  end  will  try  the  contrary.  Did 
 not  Cain  think  he  had  the  victory,  when  Abel  was  slain  ?  But 
 how  say  ye  now  ?  Is  it  not  found  otherwise  ?  Thought  not 
 the  old  world  that  they  were  wise  and  well,  and  Noe  a  fool, 
 which  would  creep  into  an  ark,  leaving  liis  house,  lands,  and 
 possessions?  For  I  think  he  was  in  an  honest  state.  As 
 for  the  world,  they  judged  that  he  was  a  dastard  and  a 
 fool :  but  I  pray  you,  who  was  wise  when  the  flood  came  ? 
 Abraham,  I  trow,  was  counted  a  fool  to  leave  his  own 
 country  and  friends,  kith  and  kin,  because  of  God's  word. 
 But,  dearly  beloved,  we  know  it  proved  otherwise.  I  will 
 leave  all  the  patriarchs,  and  come  to  Moses  and  the  children 
 of  Israel.  Tell  me,  were  they  not  thought  to  be  overcome, 
 and  stark  mad,  when  for  fear  of  Pharao,  at  God's  word, 
 they  ran  into  the  Red  Sea?  Did  not  Pharao  and  the 
 Egyptians  think  themselves  sure  of  the  victory  ?  But,  I 
 trow,  it  proved  clean  contrary.  Saul  was  thought  to  be 
 well,  and  David  m  evil  case  and  most  miserable,  because  he 
 had  no  hole  to  hide  him  in ;  but  yet  at  length  Saul's  misery 
 was  seen,  and  David's  felicity  began  to  appear.    The  prophet 
 
 1  Kings  xxii.  Michaias,  being  cast  into  prison  for  telling  Achab  the  truth, 
 was  thought  overcome  of  Zedechias  and  other  false  prophets : 
 but,  my  good  brethren,  and  sisters,  the  holy  history  telleth 
 
 jer.xx.        otherwise.      Who   did  not  think  the  prophets  unhappy  in 
 
 Gen.  iv. 
 
 Gen.  vii. 
 viii. 
 
 Exod.  xiv. 
 
 1  Sam.  xvi. 
 
III.]  TROUBLE    CANNOT    HURT    GOd''s    CHILDREN,  237 
 
 their  time?  for  they  were  slain,  imprisoned,  laughed  to 
 scorn,  and  jested  at  of  every  man.  And  so  were  all  the  i  cor.  iv. 
 apostles ;  yea,  the  dearly  beloved  friend  of  God,  John  the 
 Baptist,  who  was  beheaded,  and  that  in  prison,  even  at  a 
 dancing  damsel's  desire.  As  all  these,  to  the  judgment  of 
 reason,  were  then  counted  heretics,  runagates,  unlearned, 
 fools,  fishers,  publicans,  &c.,  so  now  unhappy  and  overcome 
 in  deed,  if  God's  word  and  faith  did  not  shew  the  contrary. 
 
 But  what  speak  I  of  those  ?  Look  upon  Jesus  Christ ;  Rom.  vui. 
 to  whom  we  must  be  fasliioned  here,  if  we  will  be  like  him 
 elsewhere.  How  say  you,  was  he  not  taken  for  almost  a 
 fool,  a  seditious  person,  a  new  fellow,  an  heretic,  and  one 
 overcome  of  every  body,  even  forsaken  both  of  God  and 
 men  ?  But  the  end  told  them  and  telleth  us  another  tale ; 
 for  now  is  he  in  majesty  and  glory  joyful.  When  he  was 
 led  to  Pilate  or  Herod,  or  when  he  was  in  prison  in  Caiphas' 
 house,  did  not  their  reason  think  that  he  was  overcome? 
 When  he  was  beaten,  buffeted,  scourged,  crowned  with 
 thorns,  hanged  upon  the  cross,  and  utterly  left  of  all  his 
 disciples,  taunted  of  the  high  priests  and  holy  fathers, 
 cursed  of  the  commons,  railed  on  of  the  magistrates,  and 
 laughed  to  scorn  of  the  lewd  heathen ;  would  not  a  man  then 
 have  thought,  that  he  had  been  out  of  the  way,  and  his 
 disciples  to  follow  and  believe  him  ?  Think  you,  the  whilst 
 he  lay  in  his  grave,  men  did  not  point  with  their  fingers, 
 when  they  saw  any  that  had  loved  and  behoved  in  him 
 and  his  doctrine,  saying.  Where  is  their  master  and  teacher 
 now?  What!  is  he  gone?  Forsooth,  if  they  had  not  been 
 fools,  they  might  well  have  known  this  learning  he  taught 
 could  not  long  continue.  Our  doctors  and  Pharisees  are  no 
 fools,  now  they  may  see.  On  this  sort  men  either  spake  or 
 might  have  spoken  against  all  such  as  loved  Christ  or  his 
 doctrine :  but  yet  they  and  all  such  were  proved  fools  and 
 wicked  wretches.  For  our  Saviour  arose  maugre  their 
 beards,  and  published  his  gospel  plentifully,  spite  of  their 
 heads  and  the  heads  of  all  the  wicked  world,  with  the 
 great  powers  of  the  same ;  always  overcoming,  and  then  most 
 of  all,  when  he  and  his  doctrine  was  thought  to  have  the 
 greatest  fall. 
 
 Now,   dearly  beloved,    the  wicked   world  rejoiceth,  the 
 papists  are  puffed  up  against  poor   Christ   and  his  people : 
 
238  THE    CARRYING    OF    CHRISt's    CROSS.  [cHAP. 
 
 after  their  old  kind  now  cry  they,  Where  are  these  new- 
 found preachers?  Are  they  not  in  the  Tower,  Marshal- 
 sea,  in  the  Fleet,  in  Newgate,  &c.,  and  beyond  the  seas? 
 Who  would  have  thought  that  our  old  bishops,  doctors, 
 and  deans  were  fools,  as  they  would  have  made  us  believe, 
 and  indeed  have  persuaded  some  already,  which  are  not 
 of  the  Avisest,  specially  if  they  come  not  home  again  to 
 the  holy  church?  These  and  such  like  words  they  have 
 to  cast  in  our  teeth,  as  triumphers  and  conquerors.  But, 
 dearly  beloved,  short  is  their  joy.  They  beguile  themselves ; 
 this  is  but  a  hghtning  before  their  death.  As  God,  after 
 he  had  given  the  wicked  Jews  a  time  to  repent,  visited  them 
 
 Eusebius,      by  Vespasian  and  Titus  most  horribly,  to  their  utter  sub- 
 
 L?b.  HI.  cap.  version,  delivering  first  of  all  his  people  from  among  them ; 
 even  so,  my  dear  brethren,  will  he  do  with  this  age.  When 
 he  hath  tried  liis  children  from  amongst  them,  as  now  he 
 beginneth,  and  by  suffering  hath  made  us  like  to  his  Christ, 
 and  by  being   overcome  to  overcome  indeed  to  our  eternal 
 
 1  Thess.  iv.  comfort ;  then  will  he,  if  not  otherwise,  come  himself  in  the 
 clouds :  I  mean,  our  dear  Lord,  whom  we  confess,  preach, 
 and  beheve  on.  He  will  come,  I  say,  with  the  blast  of  a 
 trump  and  shout  of  an  archangel,  and  so  shall  we  be  caught 
 up  in  the  clouds  to  meet  him  in  the  air ;  the  angels  gathering 
 
 Matt.  iii.  together  the  wicked  wretches,  which  now  welter  and  wallow, 
 as  the  world  and  wind  bloweth,  to  be  tied  in  bundles,  and 
 cast  into  the  fire  which  biu-neth  for  ever  most  painfully. 
 There  and  then  shall  they  see,  who  hath  the  victory,  they 
 
 Luke  xvi.  or  we.  When  they  shall  see  us  afar  off  in  Abraham's  bosom, 
 then  will  they  say,  Alas !  we  thought  these  folks  fools,  and 
 
 [wisd.  v.]  had  them  in  derision ;  we  thought  their  life  madness,  and 
 their  end  to  be  without  honour.  But  lo !  how  are  they 
 counted  among  the  children  of  God,  and  their  portion  is 
 with  the  saints.  Alas !  we  have  gone  amiss,  and  would  not 
 hearken.  Such  words  as  these  shall  the  wicked  say  one 
 day  in  hell,  though  now  they  triumph  as  conquerors. 
 
 And  thus  much  for  you,  thirdly,  to  look  often  upon; 
 namely,  that  whatsover  is  done  unto  you,  yea,  even  very 
 death,  shall  not  baffle  or  hurt  you  no  more  than  it  did  Abel, 
 David,  Daniel,  John  the  Baptist,  Jesiis  Christ  our  Lord,  with 
 other  the  dear  saints  of  God,  which  have  suffered  for  his 
 name's  sake.     Let  not,  therefore,   reason  be  judge  in  this 
 
in.]  TROUBLE    CANNOT    HURT    GOd's    CHILDREN.  239 
 
 matter,  but  faith  and  God's  word ;   in  the  which  if  we  set 
 before  our  eyes  the  shortness  of  this  present  time  wherein  The  time  of 
 we  suffer,  and  consider  the  eternity  to  come,  we  shall  findbutatrme. 
 it  most   certain  that  our  enemies   and  persecutors  shall  be 
 helpless  in  intolerable  pains,  and  we,  if  we  persevere  unto 
 the  end,  shall  be  dangerless  in  such  fehcity  and  joy,  as  the 
 very  heart  of  man  in  no  point  is  able  to  conceive.      Consider-  i  cor.  ii. 
 ing  this,  I  say,  we  cannot  but  even  contemn  and  set  nothmg 
 by  the  sorrows  and  griefs  of  the  cross,  and  lustily  go  through 
 thick  and  thin  with  good  courage, 
 
 Now  have  I  declared  unto  you  three  things  necessary 
 to  be  much  mused  upon  of  every  one,  which  will  abide  in 
 Christ  and  his  gospel  in  these  troublesome  times,  as  I  trust 
 you  all  will :  namely,  first,  to  consider,  that  we  are  not  of 
 this  world,  nor  of  the  number  of  the  worldlings,  nor  any 
 retainer  to  Satan ;  that  we  are  not  at  home  in  our  own 
 country,  but  of  another  world,  of  the  congregation  of  the 
 saints  and  retainers  to  Christ,  although  as  yet  in  a  region  Heb.  xu. 
 replete  and  full  of  untractable  enemies.  Secondly,  that  we 
 may  not  think  it  a  strange  thing  to  be  persecuted  for  God's 
 gospel,  from  the  which  the  dearest  friends  of  God  were  in 
 no  age  free;  as  indeed  it  is  impossible  they  should  be  any 
 long  time,  their  enemies  being  always  about  them,  to  destroy 
 them  if  they  could.  And  thirdly,  that  the  assaults  of  our 
 enemies,  be  they  never  so  many  and  fierce,  shall  in  no  point 
 be  able  to  prevail  against  our  faith,  albeit  to  reason  it 
 seemeth  otherwise ;  wherethrough  we  ought  to  conceive  a 
 good  courage  and  comfort :  for  who  will  be  afraid,  when 
 he  knoweth  that  the  enemies  cannot  prevail? 
 
 CHAPTER  IV. 
 
 THE    CROSS    IS    COMMODIOUS    AND    PROFITABLE. 
 
 Furthermore,  for  the  more  encouraging  of  you  unto  the 
 cross,  1  will  give  you  a  fourth  memorandum,  namely,  of  the 
 commodities  and  profits  which  come  by  the  trouble  and  afllic- 
 tion  now  risen,  and  hereafter  to  arise,  unto  us  which  be  God's 
 children,  elect  through  Jesus  Christ.  But  here  ye  may  not  look 
 to  have  [from]  me  a  rehearsal  of  all  the  commodities  which 
 
240 
 
 THE    CARRYING    OF    CHRIST  S    CROSS. 
 
 [chap. 
 
 The  first 
 commodity 
 of  the  cross. 
 
 Amos  iii. 
 Matt.  X. 
 Isai.  xlv. 
 Psalm  cxlv. 
 
 Psalm  li. 
 Heb.  xii. 
 
 Gal   V. 
 
 Psalm  li. 
 
 Gen.  viii. 
 Jer.  xvii. 
 Ephes.  ii. 
 I  Kings  viii. 
 
 Gen.  xlii. 
 
 The  second 
 commodity 
 of  the  cross. 
 
 come  by  the  cross  to  such  as  are  well  exercised  therein ;  for 
 that  were  more  than  I  can  do,  I  will  only  speak  of  a  few ; 
 thereby  to  occasion  you  to  gather,  and  at  the  length  to  feel 
 and  perceive  more. 
 
 First,  there  is  no  cross  which  cometh  upon  any  of  us 
 without  the  counsel  of  our  heavenly  Father.  As  for  the 
 fancy  of  fortune,  it  is  wicked,  as  many  places  of  scripture 
 do  teach.  We  must  needs,  to  the  commendation  of  God's 
 justice,  who  in  all  things  is  righteous,  acknowledge  in  our- 
 selves that  we  have  deserved  of  the  hands  of  our  heavenly 
 Father  this  his  cross  and  rod,  now  fallen  upon  us.  We  have 
 deserved  it,  if  not  by  our  own  unthankfulness,  sloth,  negli- 
 gence, intemperance,  and  our  sins  done  often  by  us,  (whereof 
 our  consciences  can  and  wUl  accuse  us,  if  we  call  them  to 
 council,  with  the  examination  of  our  former  life ;)  yet  at  least 
 by  our  original  and  birth  sin,  as  by  doubting  of  the  greatness 
 of  God's  anger  and  mercy,  by  self-love,  concupiscence,  and 
 such  like  sins,  which  as  we  brought  with  us  into  this  world, 
 so  do  the  same  ever  abide  in  us,  and,  even  as  a  spring,  they 
 alway  bring  forth  something  in  act  with  us,  notwithstanding 
 the  fight  of  God's  good  Spirit  in  us  against  it.  The  first 
 commodity,  therefore,  that  the  cross  bringeth,  is  knowledge, 
 and  that  double,  of  God,  and  of  ourselves :  of  God,  that  he 
 is  just,  pure,  and  hateth  sin ;  of  ourselves,  that  we  are  born 
 in  sin,  and  from  top  to  toe  defiled  with  concupiscence  and 
 corruption,  out  of  the  which  have  sprung  all  the  evil  that 
 ever  at  any  time  we  have  spoken  and  done.  The  greatest 
 and  most  special  whereof  we  are  by  the  cross  occasioned  to 
 call  to  mind,  as  did  the  brethren  of  Joseph  their  evil  fact 
 against  him,  Avhen  the  cross  once  came  upon  them.  And  so 
 by  it  we  come  to  the  surest  step  to  get  health  for  our  souls ; 
 that  is,  we  are  driven  to  know  our  sins,  original  and  actual, 
 by  God's  justice  declared  in  the  cross. 
 
 Secondly,  the  end,  wherefore  God  declareth  liis  justice 
 against  our  sin  original  and  actual,  and  would  have  us  by  his 
 cross  to  consider  the  same,  and  to  call  to  mind  our  former 
 evil  deeds ;  the  end  thereof,  I  say,  is  this,  namely,  that  we 
 may  lament,  be  sorry,  sigh,  and  pray  for  pardon ;  to  the 
 intent,  that  so  doing  we  might  obtain  and  have  the  same  by 
 the  means  of  faith  in  the  merits  of  Jesus  Christ  his  dear  Son ; 
 and  that  we,  being  humbled  because  of  the  evil  that  dwelleth 
 
IV.J  THE    CROSS    IS    COMMODIOUS    AND     PROFITABLE.  241 
 
 in  us,  might  also  become  thankful  for  God's  goodness,  living 
 in  continual  vigilance  and  wariness,  and  suppressing  the  evil 
 which  liveth  in  us,  that  it  brincr  not  forth  fruit  unto  death  at  James  i. 
 any  time.  This  second  commodity  of  the  cross,  therefore, 
 must  not  we  count  to  be  only  a  knowledge,  but  also  a  great  Note. 
 gain  of  God's  mercy  with  wonderful  rich  and  precious  virtues 
 of  faith,  repentance,  remission  of  sins,  humility,  thankfulness, 
 mortification,  and  diligence  in  doing  good.  Not  that  properly 
 the  cross  worketh  these  things  of  itself;  but  because  the  cross 
 is  the  mean  and  way  by  the  which  God  worketh  the  know- 
 ledge and  feeling  of  these  things  in  his  children :  as  many 
 both  testimonies,  and  also  ensamples  in  scripture,  are  easily 
 found  of  them  that  diligently  weigh  what  they  hear  or  read 
 therein. 
 
 To  these  two  commodities  of  the  cross  join  this  third,  of  The  third 
 
 "  _  commodity 
 
 God's  singular  wisdom,  that  it  may  be  coupled  with  his  justice  of  the  cross. 
 and  mercy.     On  this  sort  let  us  overcome  it.     When  we  sec 
 the  gospel  of  God  and  his  church  persecuted  and  troubled, 
 as  now  it  is  with  us,  thus,  I  say,  let  us  receive  the  matter; 
 namely,  that  because  the  great  learned  and  wise  men  of  the 
 world  use  not  their  wisdom  to  love  and  serve  God,  as  to 
 natural  reason  he  openeth  himself  manifestly  in  his  visible  Kom.  i. 
 creatures,    therefore    doth    God   justly   infatuate   them,    and 
 maketh  them  foolish,  giving  them  up  to  insensibleness,  espe- 
 cially herein.     For  concerning  the  affliction  which  cometh  for 
 the  gospel  upon  the  gospellers,  they  reason  on  this  manner. 
 If  this  were  God's  word,  say  they,  if  this  people  Avere  God's  Man's  reason 
 children,  surely  God  would  then  bless  and  prosper  them  and  the  affliction 
 
 ,         ''  .  _  ^  ^   .  of  the  church. 
 
 their  doctrine.    But  now  in  that  there  is  no  doctrine  so  much 
 
 hated,  no  people  so  much  persecuted  as  they  be,  therefore  it 
 
 cannot  be  of  God.     This  is  of  God,  which  our  queen  and  old 
 
 bishops  have  professed.      For  how  hath  God  prospered  and 
 
 kept  them !     What  a  notable  victory  hath  God  given  to  her ;  success.. 
 
 whereas  else  it  was  impossible  that  things  so  should  have 
 
 come  to  pass,  as  they  have  done !     And  did  not  the  great  The  book  of 
 
 captain  confess  his  fault,  that  he  was  out  of  the  way,  and  not 
 
 of  the  faith  which  these  gospellers  profess'?     How  many  are  ii^e relenting 
 
 oil  ''of  many. 
 
 come  agam  from  that  which  they  professed  to  be  God's  word! 
 
 [1  Allusion  is  here  made  to  the  duke  of  Northumberland.  An 
 account  of  the  circumstances  mentioned  may  bo  fomid  in  Strype's  Life 
 of  archbishop  Cranmer,  Book  in.  chap.  iii.  pp.  450 — 4.  Ed.  Oxf.] 
 
 r  1  1^ 
 
 [COVERDALE,    II. J 
 
242 
 
 THE    CARRYING    OF    CHRIST  S    CROSS. 
 
 b 
 
 The  cause 
 of  our  per- 
 secution. 
 
 Causes  of 
 victory. 
 
 The  most  part  of  tliis  realm,  notwithstanding  the  dihgence  of 
 preachers  to  persuade  them  concerning  this  new  learning 
 which  now  is  persecuted,  never  consented  to  it  in  heart,  as 
 experience  teacheth.  And  what  plagues  have  come  upon  this 
 realm  since  this  gospel,  as  they  call  it,  came  in  amongst  us ! 
 Afore  we  had  plenty ;  but  now  there  is  nothing  like  as  was. 
 But,  to  let  this  pass,  all  the  houses  of  the  parliament  have 
 overthrown  the  laws  made  for  the  stablishing  of  the  gospel, 
 and  new  laws  are  erected  for  the  continuance  of  that  which 
 is  contrary,  and  was  had  before.  All  these  things  do  teach 
 plainly,  that  this  their  doctrine  is  not  God's  word. 
 
 Thus  reason  the  worldly-wise,  which  see  not  God's  wisdom. 
 For  else,  if  they  considered  that  there  was  with  us  unthank- 
 fulness,  no  amendment  of  life,  but  all  kind  of  contempt  of 
 God,  all  kind  of  shameless  sinning  against  the  preaching  of 
 the  gospel,  they  must  needs  see  that  God  could  not  but 
 chastise  and  correct;  and  that,  as  he  let  Satan  loose  after 
 he  had  bound  him  a  certain  time,  so  for  men's  un  thank  fulness, 
 and  to  punish  the  same,  he  hath  let  those  champions  of  Satan 
 run  abroad  to  plague  us  by  them.  Great  was  God's  anger 
 against  Ahab  because  he  saved  Benadad  the  king  of  Syria, 
 when  he  had  given  him  into  his  hands ;  and  afterwards  it 
 turned  to  his  own  destruction.  God  would  that  double  sorrow 
 should  have  been  repaid  unto  them,  because  of  the  sorrow 
 that  they  did  to  the  saints  of  God.  Read  Rev.  xviii.  As  to 
 the  victory  given  to  the  queen's  highness,  if  men  had  any 
 godly  wit,  they  might  see  many  tilings  in  it.  First,  that 
 God  hath  done  it  to  win  her  heart  with  kindness  unto  his 
 gospel;  and  as  well  because  that  they  which  went  against 
 her,  put  their  trust  in  horses  and  power  of  men,  and  not  in 
 God,  as  because  in  their  doctrine  they  sought  not  the  pro- 
 pagation of  God's  gospel.  Which  tiling  is  easily  now  seen 
 by  the  confession  of  the  captain ;  his  heart  loved  popery, 
 and  hated  the  gospel.  Besides  this,  men  may  easily  see  he 
 was  purposed  never  to  have  furthered  the  gospel,  but  so  to 
 have  handled  the  livings  of  ministers,  that  there  should  never 
 have  been  any  minister  in  manner  hereafter.  And  what  one 
 of  the  councillors,  which  would  have  been  taken  as  gospellers 
 in  one  of  our  good  king's  days,  declare  now  that  even  they 
 loved  the  gospel  ?  Therefore  no  marvel  Avhy  God  fought 
 against  them.      They  were  hypocrites,  and  under  the  cloke 
 
IV,]  THE    CROSS    IS    COMMODIOUS    AND    PROFITABLE.  243 
 
 of  the  gospel  would  have  debarred  the  queen's  highness  of 
 her  rio-ht.      But  God  would  not  so  cloke  them. 
 
 Now  for  the  relentinff,  returning,  and  recanting  of  some  why  many 
 
 °  °^  lilt  relent  and 
 
 from  that  which  they  have  once  protessed  or  preached,  alasliecant. 
 who  would  wonder  at  it  ?     For  they  never  came  to  the  gos- 
 pel,  but  for   commodity  or  gain's  sake;  and  now  for  gain 
 leave  it.     The  multitude  is  no  good  argument  to  move  a  wise  The  greater 
 man.      For  who  knoweth  not  more  to  love  this  world  better 
 than    heaven ;    themselves    better    than    their    neighbours  ? 
 "Wide  is  the  gate,"  saith  Christ,   "and  broad  is  the  way  Matt.  vu. 
 that  leadeth  to  destruction,  and  many  there  be  which  go  in 
 thereat.     But  strait  is  the   gate,  and  narrow  is   the  way 
 which  leadeth  unto  hfe,  and  few  there  be  that  find  it."     All 
 the  whole  multitude  cried  out  upon  Jesus,  Crucify  him,  truss 
 him  up ;  but  I  trow  they  were  not  the  better  part,  although 
 they  were  the  bigger.     All   Chaldeans   followed   still   their 
 false   gods ;    only   Abraham  followed   the   true   God.     And  oen.  xu. 
 whereas  they  say  that  greater   plagues   are   fallen  on  the  piagnes. 
 realm  in  poverty  and  such  gear  than  afore,  it  is  no  argument 
 to  move  others  than  such  as  love  their  swine  better  than  Matt.  vui. 
 Christ.     For  the  devil  chiefly  desireth  his  seat  to  be  in  re- 
 hgion.     If  it  be  there,  then  will  he  meddle  with  nothing  that 
 we  have ;    all  shall  be  quiet   enough :    but  if  he  be   raised 
 there,  then  will  he  beg  leave  to  have  at  our  pigs.      As  long 
 as  with  us  he  had  the  ruling  of  religion,  which  now  he  hath 
 gotten  again,  then  was  he  a  Robin  Goodfellow  ;  he  would  do 
 no   hurt :    but  when  he  was  tumbled  out  of  his  throne  by 
 the   preaching   of  the   gospel,  then  steered  he  about  as  he 
 hath  done.     Notwithstanding,  to  be  short,  surely  effectual  he 
 hath  not  been,  but  in  the  children  of  unbehef :  them  indeed 
 he  hath  stirred  up  to  be  covetous,  oppressors,  blasphemers, 
 usurers,  whoremongers,  thieves,  murderers,  tyrants. 
 
 And  yet  perchance  he  suffered  them  to  profess  the  gos- 
 pel, the  more  thereby  to  hinder  it,  and  cause  it  to  be  slan- 
 dered. How  many  do  now  appear  to  be  true  gospellers? 
 As  for  the  parUament  and  statutes  thereof,  no  man  of  wisdom  The  pariia- 
 can  thmk  otherwise,  but  that  look  what  the  rulers  will,  the 
 same  must  there  be  enacted.  For  it  goeth  not  in  those 
 houses  by  the  better  part,  but  by  the  bigger  part.  It  is  a 
 common  saying,  and  no  less  true,  Major  pars  vincit  meliorem; 
 the  greater  part  overcometh  the  better.     So  they  did  in  con-  johnvu. 
 
 16—2 
 
244 
 
 THE    CARRYING    OF    CHRIST  S    CROb'S. 
 
 [cflA 
 
 Job  xxxiv. 
 
 The  igno- 
 rance of 
 vvorltlly 
 wisdom. 
 
 Lulic  xiii. 
 
 Pliilipp.  i. 
 
 2  Thes^.  i. 
 2  Pel.  li. 
 
 Job  i. 
 Acts  xvi. 
 xvii.  xvjii. 
 
 HiC. 
 
 demning  Christ ;  Nicodemus'  counsel  not  being  regarded. 
 So  did  they  in  many  general  councils,  which  purposely  I  will 
 not  recite ;  for  all  wise  men  know  that  acts  of  parliament 
 are  not  for  God's  law  in  respect  of  God's  law,  but  in  respect 
 of  the  people. 
 
 Now  what  we  are,  God  knoweth,  and  all  the  world  seeth ; 
 more  meet  a  great  deal  to  have  the  devil's  decrees,  than 
 God's  rehgion ;  so  great  is  our  contempt  in  it.  And  there- 
 fore justly  for  our  sins,  as  Job  saith,  God  hath  set  hypocrites 
 to  reign  over  us ;  which  can  no  more  abide  God's  true  re- 
 ligion, than  the  owl  the  light,  or  bleared  eyes  the  bright  sun. 
 For  it  will  have  them  to  do  their  duties,  and  walk  in  diligent 
 doing  of  the  works  of  their  vocation.  If  God's  word,  I  mean, 
 had  place,  bishops  could  not  play  chancellors  and  idle  pre- 
 lates, as  they  do ;  priests  should  bo  otherwise  known  than 
 by  their  shaven  crowns  and  appetites.  But  enough  of  this. 
 I  will  noAv  return  to  the  third  commodity  coming  by  the 
 cross. 
 
 Here  let  us  see  the  wisdom  of  God,  in  making  the 
 wisdom  of  the  world  foolish.  For  it  knoweth  little  of  man's 
 corruption,  how  foul  it  is  in  the  sight  of  God,  and  displeaseth 
 him.  It  knoweth  little  the  portion  of  God's  people  to  be  in 
 another  world.  It  knoweth  little  the  portion  of  Christians, 
 Christ  Jesus.  It  knoweth  little  the  judgments  of  God,  the 
 great  malice  of  Satan  to  God's  people,  the  price  and  estima- 
 tion of  the  gospel.  And  therefore  in  the  cross  it  seeth  not, 
 as  God's  wisdom  would  men  should  see,  namely,  that  God 
 in  punishing  them  which  sin  least,  would  have  his  anger 
 against  sin  better  considered  and  feared ;  and  that  in  punish- 
 ing his  people  here,  he  kindleth  their  desire  towards  their 
 restful  and  peaceable  home.  For  in  punishing  his  servants 
 in  this  life,  he  doth  by  these  means  conform  and  make  them 
 like  to  Christ ;  that  as  they  be  like  in  suifering,  so  they  may 
 be  partakers  in  reigning.  In  punishing  his  church  in  the 
 world,  he  doth  thereby  give  even  a  demonstration  of  his 
 judgment,  which  shall  come  on  all  men,  when  the  godly 
 shall  there  find  rest,  though  now  they  be  afflicted ;  and  the 
 wicked  now  wallowing  in  wealth  shall  be  wrapped  in  woe 
 and  smart.  In  punishing  the  professors  of  his  gospel  on 
 earth,  he  doth  by  the  same  set  forth  the  malice  of  Satan 
 against  the  gospel  and  his  people,  for  the  more  confirming 
 
IV.]  THE    cnOSS    IS    COMMODIOUS    AND    PROFITyVBLE.  245 
 
 of  their  faith,  and  the  gospel  to  be  God's  word  indeed,  and 
 them  to  bo  God's  people :  for  else  the  devil  would  let  them 
 alone.  In  punishing  the  lovers  of  his  truth  more  than 
 others  which  care  not  for  it,  he  thereby  putteth  them  in 
 mind,  how  they  have  not  had  in  price,  as  they  should  have  Psaim  cxtx. 
 had,  the  rule  of  his  word  and  gospel.  Before  such  trial  and 
 experience  by  trouble,  perchance  they  thought  they  had 
 believed  and  had  had  faith;  which  now  they  see  was  but 
 a  lip  faith,  a  mock  faith,  or  an  opinion.  All  which  things 
 we  see  are  occasions  for  us  to  take  better  heed  by  means 
 of  the  cross. 
 
 Therefore,  thirdly,  let  us  sec  the  cross  to  be  commodious 
 for  us  to  learn  God's  wisdom,  and  Avhat  is  man's  foolishness, 
 God's  displeasure  at  sin,  how  the  elect  desire  to  be  witli 
 God,  and  their  conformity  with  Christ,  the  general  judgment, 
 the  mahce  of  Satan,  hatred  of  sin,  the  gospel  to  be  God's " 
 word,  and  how  it  is  much  to  be  esteemed,  &c.  Thus  much 
 for  this. 
 
 Now  will  I  briefly  shew  you  the  cross  to  be  profitable  The  fourth 
 
 ^  fi  >-  commodily 
 
 for  us,  to  learn  and  behold  better  the  providence,  presence,  of  t'»ccrobs. 
 and  power  of  God ;  that  all  these  may  be  coupled  together, 
 as  in  a  chain,   to   hang   about   our   necks :    I   mean  God's 
 justice,  mercy,  wisdom,  power,  presence,  and  providence. 
 
 When  all  things  be  in  rest,  and  men  be  not  in  trouble, 
 then  arc  they  forgetful  of  God  commonly,  and  attribute  too 
 much  to  their  own  wisdoms,  policies,  provisions  and  diligence ; 
 as  though  they  were  the  procurers  of  their  own  fortune  and 
 the   workers   of   their    own   wealth.       But   when   the   cross 
 coraeth,  and  that  in  such  sort  as   their  wits,    policies,    and 
 friends  cannot  help   them,  then  though  the  wicked  despair 
 and  run  from  God  to  their  anodynes,  saints,  and  unlawful 
 means,  yet  do  the  godly  therein  behold  the  presence,  provi- 
 dence, and  power  of  God.     For  the  scripture  teacheth,  that 
 all  things,  weal  and  woe,  should  be  considered  as  God's  work,  Amos  ui. 
 although  Satan,  the  devil,  be  the  instrument  by  whom  God  Mattii.  x. 
 worketh  justly  and  mercifully ;  justly  to   the   wicked,  and 
 mercifully  to  the  godly  ;  as  by  the  ensamples  of  wicked  Saul  xhedrvii 
 and  godly  Job  we  may  easily  see  God's  work  by  Satan  his  strumeiu. 
 instrument  in  them  both. 
 
 The  children  of  God,  therefore,  which  before  forgat  God 
 in  prosperity,  arc  now  in  adversity  awalicd  to  sec  God  and 
 
246 
 
 THE    CARRYING    OF    CHRIST  S    CROSS. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
 Isai.  xlv. 
 Hos.  li. 
 1  Kings  ii, 
 Luke  i. 
 Psaim 
 exxxix. 
 
 his  work ;  and  no  more  to  hang  on  then*  own  forecasts, 
 power,  friends,  wisdom,  riches,  &c. ;  but  learn  to  commit 
 themselves  unto  God's  providence  and  power,  whereby  they 
 are  so  preserved  and  governed,  and  very  often  even  miracu- 
 lously delivered,  that  the  very  wicked  cannot  but  see  God's 
 providence,  presence,  and  power  in  the  cross  and  affliction 
 of  his  children ;  as  these  (his  children,  I  mean)  to  their  joy  do 
 feel  it,  thereby  learning  to  know  God  to  be  the  governor  of 
 all  things.  He  it  is  that  giveth  peace,  he  it  is  that  sendeth 
 war,  he  giveth  plenty  and  poverty,  he  setteth  up  and  casteth 
 down,  he  bringeth  to  death,  and  after  giveth  hfe  ;  his  presence 
 is  everywhere,  his  providence  is  within  and  without,  his 
 power  is  the  pillar  whereby  the  godly  stand,  and  to  it  they 
 lean,  as  to  a  thing  no  less  able  to  set  up  than  to  cast  down. 
 
 Which  thing  full  well  the  apostle  saw  in  his  afflictions, 
 and  therefore  rejoiced  greatly  in  them,  that  eminentia  vir- 
 tutis  Dei,  God's  power  might  singularly  be  seen  therein; 
 
 Concerning  this  I  might  bring  forth  innumerable  en- 
 samples  of  the  affliction  of  God's  children,  both  in  the  old 
 and  new  Testament,  wherein  we  may  see  how  they  felt 
 God's  presence,  providence,  and  power  plentifully.  But  I 
 will  omit  ensamples ;  because  every  one  of  us  that  have 
 been  or  be  in  trouble,  cannot  but  by  the  same  the  rather 
 remember  God's  presence,  which  we  feel  by  his  hand  upon 
 Providence.  US  presently ;  his  providence,  which  leaveth  us  not  uncared 
 Power.  for,  without  any  of  our  own  provision ;  his  power,  which 
 both  preserveth  us  from  many  other  evils,  that  else  would 
 come  upon  us,  and  also  maketh  us  able  to  bear  more  than 
 we  thought  we  could  have  done.  So  very  often  doth  he 
 deliver  us  by  such  means  as  have  been  thought  most  foolish, 
 and  little  to  be  regarded. 
 
 And,  therefore,  we  spake  of  our  sleep  of  security  and 
 forgetting  of  Cod,  our  trust  and  shift  in  our  own  policy,  our 
 hanging  on  men  and  on  our  own  power.  So  that  the 
 cross,  you  see,  is  commodious,  fourthly,  for  us,  to  see  God's 
 presence,  providence,  and  power ;  and  our  own  negligence, 
 forgetfulness  of  God,  security,  love,  trust,  and  confidence 
 in  ourselves  and  in  things  of  this  hfe  to  be  cut  off,  as  the 
 other  are  to  be  taken  hold  upon. 
 
 And  this  shall  suffice  for  the  commodities  that  come  by 
 the  cross;  wherethrough  we  may  be  in  love  for  it  for  the 
 
 Presence. 
 
IV.]  THK    CROSS    IS    COMMODIOUS     AND    PROFITAOI.E.  247 
 
 commodities''  sake,  which  at  length  we  shall  find,  though 
 presently  in  sense  we  feel  them  not.  "  No  castigation  or  Heb.  xii. 
 punishment  is  sweet  or  joyous  for  the  present  time,  but 
 grievous ;  nevertheless  afterward  it  bringeth  the  quiet  fruit 
 of  righteousness  unto  them  which  are  exercised  therein." 
 As  we  see  in  medicines,  the  more  wholesome  they  be,  the 
 more  unpleasant  oftentimes  is  the  taste,  as  in  purgations, 
 pills,  and  such  like  bitter  things ;  yet  upon  the  physician's 
 word  we  will  gladly  drink  them  for  the  profit  which  cometh 
 of  them.  And,  dearly  beloved,  although  to  lose  life,  goods, 
 or  friends  for  God's  gospel's  sake  seem  a  bitter  and  sour 
 thing ;  yet  seeing  our  Physician  which  cannot  lie,  Jesus 
 Christ,  I  mean,  telleth  me,  that  it  is  very  wholesome,  how- 
 soever it  be  toothsome  \  let  us  with  good  cheer  take  the 
 cup  at  his  hand,  and  drink  it  merrily.  If  the  cup  seem 
 unpleasant,  and  the  drink  is  bitter,  let  us  put  some  sugar 
 therein,  even  a  piece  of  that  which  Moses  cast  into  the  bitter  Exod.xv. 
 water,  and  made  it  pleasant ;  I  mean  an  ounce  or  quantity  of 
 Christ's  afflictions  and  cross,  which  he  suffered  for  us.  i  Pet.  iv. 
 
 If  we  call  these  to  mind,  and  cast  of  them  into  our  cup, 
 considering  what  he  was,  what  he  suffered,  of  whom,  for 
 whom,  to  what  end,  and  what  came  thereof;  surely  we 
 cannot  loathe  our  medicine,  but  mix  and  drink  it  lustily. 
 Lustily,  therefore,  drink  the  cup ;  Christ  giveth  it,  and  will 
 give  it  unto  you,  my  good  brethren  and  sisters :  I  mean, 
 prepare  yourselves  to  suffer  whatsoever  God  may  lay  upon 
 you  for  the  confession  of  his  holy  name ;  if  not  because  of 
 these  three  things,  that  you  be  not  of  this  world,  that  ye 
 suffer  not  alone,  and  yom*  trouble  shall  not  hurt  you ;  yet 
 because  of  the  commodities  that  come  of  the  cross,  I  beseech 
 you  heartily  to  embrace  it. 
 
 [1  Probably  a  mistake  for  tmtoothsome.] 
 
248  THE    CARRYING    OF    CHRISx's    CROSS. 
 
 CHAPTER  V. 
 
 now    THE    PAPISTS    HOLD    THEIR    FOUR    SPECIAL    ARTICLES, 
 THAT    THEY    CHIEFLY    PERSECUTE    FOR. 
 
 And  here,  because  the  persecution  and  cross  which  is 
 come  and  will  come  upon  us,  is  specially  for  these  four  points 
 of  religion,  namely,  of  the  sacrament  of  Christ's  body  and 
 blood,  and  for  the  sacrifice  of  Christ,  for  praying  for  the 
 dead,  and  for  praying  to  the  dead,  that  is,  to  saints ;  I 
 am  purposed  by  God's  grace  to  write  hereof  a  httle  unto 
 you,  thereby  to  confirm  you  in  the  truth,  to  your  comfort 
 in  the  cross  about  the  same.  And  first,  concerning  the  first 
 doctrine,  what  they  would  have  us  believe  on  these  points. 
 Of  the  Sacra-         This  is  their  doctrine.      The  cathohc  church  hath  taught, 
 
 ment.  .  .  . 
 
 as  she  hath  learned  and  received  of  Christ,  how  that  he  in 
 johnvi.  his  last  supper,  according  to  his  promise,  when  he  promised 
 to  give  a  bread,  even  his  flesh,  in  instituting  the  sacrament 
 of  the  altar  (as  they  call  it)  performed  the  same,  and  that 
 as  in  all  things  which  he  promised  he  was  found  true,  so  in 
 this  the  catholic  *  church  hath  believed  and  doth  beheve  no 
 less.  And  therefore  so  soon  as  the  priest  in  th&  mass  hath 
 fully  spoken  these  words,  "  This  is  my  body,"  if  he  purpose 
 or  his  intention  be  as  he  speaketh,  (for  that  is  requisite, 
 teach  they,)  then  that  which  before  was  bread,  and  seemeth 
 to  the  eye  to  be  bread,  is  made  in  very  deed  Christ's  body, 
 flesh,  blood,  and  bone,  even  the  selfsame  which  was  crucified, 
 rose  again,  and  ascended  up  into  heaven.  So  that  he  which 
 bclieveth  not  this,  is  a  most  heinous  heretic,  and  cut  oif  from 
 the  catholic  church,  and  is  not  meet  to  receive  this  holy 
 sacrament ;  because  he  cannot  without  this  faith  of  Christ's 
 natural,  real,  corporal,  and  carnal  body,  under  the  form  or 
 accident  of  bread  and  wine,  otherwise  receive  this  sacrament 
 than  unworthily  and  to  eternal  damnation.  This  is  a  short 
 sum  of  their  doctrine  concerning  the  supper. 
 
 Now  concerning  the  sacrifice  they  teach,  that  though 
 our  Saviour  himself  did  indeed  make  a  full  and  perfect  sacri- 
 fice, propitiation,  and  satisfaction  for  the  sins  of  all  the  whole 
 
v.]  now    THE    PAPISTS    HOLD    FOUR    SPECIAL    ARTICLES.  2i9 
 
 world,  never  more  so,  that  is  to  say,  bloodily,  to  be  offered 
 again ;  yet  in  the  supper  he  offered  the  same  sacrifice  to  liis 
 Father,  but  unbloodily,  that  is  to  say,  in  will  and  desire; 
 which  is  accounted  often  even  for  the  deed,  as  this  was. 
 AVhich  unbloody  sacrifice  he  commanded  his  church  to  offer 
 in  remembrance  of  his  bloody  sacrifice,  as  the  principal  mean 
 whereby  his  bloody  sacrifice  is  applied  both  to  the  quick  and 
 dead ;  as  baptism  is  the  mean  by  the  which  regeneration  is 
 apphed  by  the  priest  to  the  infant  or  child  that  is  baptized. 
 For  in  that  the  supper  of  Christ  is  to  them  not  only  a  sacra- 
 ment, but  also  a  sacrifice,  and  that  not  only  applicatory,  but 
 also  propitiatory,  because  it  applieth  the  propitiatory  sacrifice 
 of  Christ  to  whom  the  priest  or  minister  will,  be  he  dead  or 
 aUve ;  and  in  that,  even  from  the  beginning,  the  fathers  were 
 accustomed  in  the  celebration  of  the  supper  to  have  a  me- 
 morial of  the  dead^;  and  also  in  that  this  sacrifice  is  a  sacri-  praycrror 
 fice  of  the  whole  church;  the  dead  being  members  of  the 
 church,  of  charity,  as  they  cannot  but  offer  for  them,  even 
 so  they  cannot  but  pray  for  them  after  the  ensample  of  the 
 catholic  church ;  because  it  is  a  wholesome  thing;,  saith  Judas  [2  Mac  xii. 
 
 .  4-1.   ■iH   1 
 
 Maccabeus,  to  pray  for  the  dead,  that  they  may  bo  delivered 
 from  their  sins.  Whereunto  all  the  doctors  do  consent,  say 
 they. 
 
 Now,  as  for  praying  to  saints,  they  teach,  that  albeit  Prayer  to 
 there  is  but  one  Mediator  of  redemption,  yet  of  intercession 
 the  holy  saints  of  God  departed  this  life  may  well  be  counted 
 mediators.  And,  therefore,  it  is  a  point  of  a  lowly  heart  and 
 humble  spirit,  which  God  well  liketh,  to  call  upon  the  saints 
 to  pray  for  us  first,  lest  by  our  presumption  to  come  into 
 God's  presence,  we  being  so  unworthy,  and  God  being  so 
 excellent  and  full  of  majesty,  we  more  anger  and  displease 
 God ;  whereas  by  their  help  God  may  be  entreated  to  make 
 us  more  worthy  to  come  unto  him,  and  the  sooner  to  grant 
 us  our  petitions.  For  if  the  holy  saints  of  God,  here  being 
 upon  the  earth,  could  and  would  pray  for  the  people,  obtain- 
 ing many  things  at  God's  hand ;  it  is  much  more  to  be  be- 
 lieved now,  say  they,  that  they  can  and  will,  if  we  pray  to 
 them,  obtain  for  us  our  humble  and  godly  desires.  And 
 therefore  to  the  end  their  sacrifice  propitiatory,  which  in  the 
 
 [1  On  this  subject  see  Bingham's  Origines  Ecclesiasticce,  Lib.  xv. 
 chap.  iii.  sect.  15 — 17.] 
 
250  THE    CARRYING    OF    CHRISt\s    CROSS.  [cHAP. 
 
 mass  they  offer,  may  be  the  more  available,  they  use  about 
 it  much  praying  to  saints.  So  of  these  four,  as  of  four  pil- 
 lars, the  mass  standeth.  The  which  mass,  you  may  see  what 
 it  is,  and  how  precious  and  worthy  a  piece  of  work  it  is,  by 
 their  doctrine  concerning  the  Supper,  the  sacrifice,  the  pray- 
 ing for  the  dead  and  to  the  dead ;  whereof  I  have  given  you 
 a  sum  in  the  most  honest,  godly,  and  religious  wise,  that  the 
 best  of  them  do  set  it  forth  in.  For  else,  if  I  should  have 
 shewed  you  this  their  doctrine,  as  some  of  them  set  it  forth, 
 as  I  know  you  would  abhor  it,  so  the  subtle  papists  would 
 say  that  I  railed  and  misrepresented  them.  Therefore  be- 
 cause they  shall  have  no  such  occasion,  nor  you  by  their  most 
 subtle  colours  be  deceived,  I  have,  in  the  best  manner  I  can, 
 repeated  a  sum  of  their  doctrine.  The  which  to  the  end 
 you  might  the  better  consider  and  have,  I  will  now  tell  you, 
 as  God's  word  teacheth,  how  these  four  points  are  to  be 
 believed  and  received;  and  then  will  I  open  the  filthiness 
 and  abomination,  which  in  this  their  doctrine  is  devilishly 
 contained. 
 
 CHAPTER    VI. 
 
 HOW  god's  word  teacheth  of  the  supper,  with  con- 
 futation OF  THE  papists'  HERESY  OF  TRANSUBSTAN- 
 TIATION    ABOUT    THE    SAME. 
 
 Concerning  the  supper  of  our  Lord,  which  Christ  Jesus 
 
 did  institute  to  be  a  sacrament  of  his  body  and  blood,  we 
 
 believe  that  his  words  in  the  same  supper  accordingly  are 
 
 to  be  understood,  that  is,  sacramentally,  as  he  meant  them  ; 
 
 and  not  simply,  contrary  to  his  meaning,  as  the  papists  wrest 
 
 them.      And  this  is  taught  us,  not  only  by  innumerable  such 
 
 Titus  iii.       like  placcs,  as  where  baptism  is  called  regeneration,  because 
 
 Gen.  xvii.     it  is  a  sacramont  of  it ;  circumcision  is  called  God's  covenant, 
 
 because  it  is  a  sacrament  of  it ;  but  also  by  the  plain  circum- 
 
 Matth.  xxvi.  stauccs  of  the  text,  as  thereof  the  evangelists  with  the  apostle 
 
 Mark  xiv.  .  .  '^  ^ 
 
 I'co? ''x^'xi    ^^  ^3i\il  do  write  plainly,  affirming  that  our  Saviour   Christ 
 did  give,  and  his  disciples  did  eat,  that  which  he  took  and 
 
VI.]       now  rjoD''s  woRO  tkachetit  of  the  supper.   &c,       251 
 
 brake,  and  bade  them  divide  among  themselves,  that  is,  bread 
 and  wine.  For  we  may  not  think  that  Christ's  natural  body 
 was  broken,  nor  that  his  blood  can  be  divided.  And  plainly, 
 our  Saviour  saith  concernina;  the  cup,  that  he  would  not  drink  Matth.  xxvi. 
 
 p  ...  .         ,  Mark.  xiv. 
 
 any  more  of  the  fruit  of  the  vine,  (which  is  not  his  blood,  I 
 trow,  but  wine,)  until  he  should  drink  it  new  with  them  after 
 his  resurrection. 
 
 But  to  make  this  matter  more  plain,  like  as  many  things 
 in  Christ's  supper  were  figuratively  done  and  spoken,  as  the 
 washing  of  the  disciples"'  feet,  the  paschal  lamb  was  called  the  john  x\u. 
 passah,  Judas  was  said  to  have  Hfted  up  his  heel  against 
 him ;  so  doth  Luke  and  Paul  plainly  alter  the  words  con- 
 cerning the  cup,  calling  that  the  new  Testament,  which  Mat- 
 thew and  Mark  call  his  blood ;  yea,  expressly  five  times  the 
 apostle  calleth  the  sacrament  of  Christ's  body  after  the  con- 
 secration spoken  (as  they  term  it)  bread.  "  Is  not  the  bread,  i  cor.x.  xi. 
 which  we  break,"  saith  he,  "  the  communion  of  Christ''s  body?" 
 Whose  exposition  I  will  more  boldly  stick  unto,  than  unto  all 
 the  papists'  dreams,  as  long  as  I  sleep  not  with  them,  by 
 God's  grace.  They  have  none  other  sentence  but  these  four 
 words,  "  This  is  my  body."  But  ask  them,  what  this  is,  and 
 they  will  not  say,  as  the  apostle  doth,  namely,  that  it  is  bread. 
 No ;  then  they  will  say,  that  we  hang  all  by  reason,  the 
 matter  being  a  matter  of  faith.  Whereas  they  themselves 
 altogether  hano;  on  reason,  as  thouo-h  Christ  cannot  be  able 
 to  do  that  which  he  promiseth,  (bread  still  in  substance  re- 
 maining, as  the  accidents  do,)  except  it  be  transubstantiate. 
 Is  not  tliis,  trow  you,  to  make  it  a  matter  of  reason,  and  to 
 hedge  God's  power  in  within  the  limits  of  reason?  If  Christ's 
 words  that  follow,  "  which  is  given  for  you,"  be  to  be  under- 
 stood for,  "  which  shall  be  given,  or  shall  be  betrayed  for  you," 
 and  not  so  precisely,  as  they  be  spoken,  (for  that  were  to 
 make  Christ  a  har;)  why  is  it  so  heinous  a  matter  with  the 
 papists,  because  we  do  not  so  precisely  take  the  words  im- 
 mediately going  before,  namely,  "  This  is  my  body,"  as  to 
 admit,  that  if  there  be  bread,  then  Christ  is  a  liar  ?  Might 
 not  we  reason  and  say.  Then  if  Christ's  body  at  the  time 
 was  not  betrayed,  (as  indeed  it  was  not,)  nor  his  blood  shed, 
 then  is  Christ  a  har.  But  here  they  will  say,  All  men  may 
 know  that  Christ  by  the  present  tense  meant  the  future  tense ; 
 and  in  the  scripture  it  is  a  most  usual  thing  so  to  take  tense 
 
252  THE    CARRYING    OF    CIICISt's    CROSS.  [ciIAP. 
 
 for  tense.  And..  I  pray  you,  why  may  not  we  say,  that  all 
 men  may  know  it  is  most  common  in  scripture  to  give  unto 
 signs  the  names  of  the  things  which  they  signify  ?  And  no 
 man  is  so  foohsh,  but  he  knoweth  that  Christ  then  instituted 
 a  sacrament,  wholly  sacramentally  to  be  understood ;  that  is, 
 that  the  sign  or  visible  sacrament  should  have  not  only  the 
 name  of  the  thing  signified,  but  also  some  similitude  there- 
 with, or  else  it  were  no  sacrament.  But  take  bread  away, 
 as  the  papists  do,  leaving  there  but  the  accidents  only,  which 
 do  not  feed  the  body ;  and  then  what  shall  resemble  and 
 represent  unto  us  Christ's  body  broken  for  the  food  of  the 
 soul?  As  wine  comforteth  the  heart,  so  doth  Christ's  blood 
 shed  on  the  cross  comfort  the  soul.  But  take  wine  away 
 by  transubstantiation,  as  the  papists  do,  and  tell  me,  what 
 similitude  remaineth  ?  None  at  all :  so  no  sacrament  at  all. 
 So  Christ's  institution  is  taken  away.  Well  do  they  reject 
 God's  commandment  for  their  tradition''s  sake. 
 
 Our  faith,  therefore,  is,  that  the  supper  of  the  Lord  is 
 the  sacrament  of  Christ's  body  and  blood.  These  words, 
 "  This  is  my  body,  which  is  broken  for  you ;  this  is  my  blood 
 of  the  new  Testament,  which  is  shed  for  your  sins,"  are 
 most  true  words,  and  plain  according  to  Christ's  meaning  to 
 all  them  which  do  as  he  biddcth  them,  that  is,  to  all  such 
 as  take,  eat,  and  drink.  Which  words  the  papists  keep  in 
 their  purse,  or  else  their  private  masses  could  not  stand.  To 
 such,  I  say,  as  take  and  eat  this  sacrament,  in  sorrowing  for 
 their  sinful  life  past,  and  purposing  to  amend,  above  all 
 things  remembering  and  believing  that  Christ's  body  was 
 broken  for  their  sins,  and  his  blood  shed  for  their  iniquities ; 
 all  such,  I  say,  as  verily  as  they  see,  take,  taste,  and  cat 
 bread,  and  drink  wine,  which  gocth  into  their  body,  fccdcth 
 it,  and  nourisheth  it ;  even  so  verily  the  soul  and  spirit  by 
 faith  receiveth,  not  only  Christ's  body  broken,  or  his  blood 
 shed,  (for  "the  flesh  profitcth  nothing,  it  is  the  spirit  that 
 quickeneth,"  saith  Christ ;)  but  even  whole  Christ,  into  whom 
 they  are  incorporate  and  made  one  with  him,  flesh  of  his 
 flesh,  and  bone  of  his  bones.  That  is  to  say,  as  Christ's 
 body  is  immortal  and  glorious,  even  so  are  theirs  now  by 
 iaith  and  hope,  and  at  the  [last]  day  they  shall  be  in  very 
 deed.  Than  which  thing  what  can  be  greater?  This  we 
 teach  and  believe  concerning  this  sacrament,  detesting  and 
 
VI.]      now   gov's  word  teaciietii  of  the  suppeu,  &c.      253 
 
 abhorring  the  horrible  error  of  transubstantiation,  which 
 maketh  bread  and  wine  our  God  and  Christ;  and  causeth 
 men  to  be  gazers,  gapers,  and  worshippers,  yea,  idolaters, 
 rather  than  tasters  and  eaters,  as  Christ  commandeth ;  and 
 Avhich  maketh  Christ's  sacrifice  of  none  effect,  as  now  shall 
 be  shewed  by  God's  grace. 
 
 For  this  shall  suffice  to  the  declaration  of  our  faith  con- 
 cerning the  Lord's  supper ;  whereunto  agreeth  the  cathohc 
 church,  and  all  the  fathers ;  as  full  well  thou  mayest  see 
 in  the  bishop  of  Canterbury's  book,  which  is  far  from  being 
 answered  either  by  the  bishop  of  Winchester  his  book  in 
 English,  or  Marcus  Constantius  in  Latin  \  which  thou  needest 
 no  more  to  confirm  thy  faith  in  this  matter,  than  to  read 
 them  with  an  indifferent  mind,  not  being  addict  otherwise 
 than  to  the  desire  of  the  truth.  As  for  this  doctrine  of 
 transubstantiation,  it  is  a  new-found  thing  about  six  hundred 
 years  old ;  even  then  brought  out,  when  Satan  was  let  loose  Rev.  xx. 
 after  a  thousand  years  that  was  bound.  Even  then  was  it 
 established,  when  there  was  more  mischief  among  the  pre- 
 lates, specially  the  popes,  about  the  see  of  Rome,  who  could 
 catch  it,  than  ever  there  was  among  the  emperors  for  the 
 empire.  In  the  primitive  church  popes  were  martyred  for 
 Christ's  spouse's  sake,  that  is,  the  church ;  but  now  one 
 poisoned  another,  and  one  slew  another,  for  the  rose-coloured 
 whore  of  Babylon's  sake,  that  is,  the  popish  church.  In  one  Rev.  xvii 
 hundred  and  sixty  years  there  was  near  hard  fifty  popes- ; 
 whereas  in  no  such  time  there  were  above  thirty-three  em- 
 perors. And  in  the  midst  of  this  miserable  state  and  time 
 this  doctrine  of  transubstantiation  was  the  pope's  beginning, 
 as  they  might  have  leisure  from  conspiring  against  princes, 
 and  one  against  another,  to  establish  it  as  the  very  principal 
 pillar  of  all  their  power.  And  no  marvel :  for  this  being- 
 admitted,  then  have  they  power  over  Christ  the  King  of  all 
 kings,  that  he  be  where  they  will,  when  they  will,  and  as 
 long   as  they  will,   under   their   power ;    wherethrough   the 
 
 [1  By  Mai'cus  Constantius  is  meant  bishop  Gardiner,  who  under 
 this  fictitious  name  published  his  Confutatio  cav'dlatlonum,  S)'c.  See 
 archbishop  Cranmer's  writings  and  disjjutations  relative  to  the  Lord's 
 supper.     Parker  Soc.  Ed.  j).  419.  note.] 
 
 ['■i  The  period  alluded  to  is  probably  contained  between  the  be- 
 ginning of  the  tenth  and  the  latter  part  of  the  eleventh  century.] 
 
254  THE    CARRYING    OF    CHRISt''s    CROSS.  [cHAP. 
 
 other  must  needs  follow,  that  if  they  have  power  over  Christ, 
 and  that  in  heaven,  to  bring  him  down  at  their  pleasure, 
 much  more  then  over  all  earth,  emperors,  kings,  princes, 
 and  people ;  yea,  even  over  the  devil,  purgatory,  and  hell, 
 have    they  full  power  and  jurisdiction,   being  now  gods  on 
 
 sThess.  ii.  earth,  which  sit  in  the  holy  place,  even  as  God,  yea,  above 
 God;  to  make  what  article  of  faith  shall  please  them,  as 
 they  have  done  this  of  transubstantiation ;    which  might  as 
 
 scotus  super  woll  be  denied   as   granted,   saith  Duns,  one   of  their   own 
 
 4.  Scnten.  ~  ' 
 
 Gabriel'  doctors,  and  master  Gabriel  also,  if  it  so  pleased  the  holy 
 missLTe°c"'  father,  and  his  spouse  the  church  of  Rome\  Before  this 
 *'•  time  all  the  fathers'  diligence,  labour,  and  care  was  to  call 
 
 men  to  the  receiving  of  this  sacrament  for  the  confirmation 
 of  their  faith;  that  as  verily  as  they  did  eat  bread  and  drink 
 wine  here,  so  should  they  not  doubt  but  that  by  faith  they 
 did  feed  on  the  body  of  Christ,  broken  for  their  sins,  and 
 on  his  blood  shed  for  their  iniquities.  And  therefore  some- 
 times would  they  call  the  sacrament  bread,  a  figure  or  a 
 sign;  sometime  would  they  call  it  the  body  and  blood  of 
 our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  as  the  nature  of  sacraments  is  to 
 be  called  with  the  name  of  the  things  which  they  do  signify ; 
 that  thereby  men's  minds  might  be  withdrawn  from  the 
 consideration  of  sensible  and  visible  things  to  things  heavenly, 
 which  they  do  signify  and  represent.  And  their  care  and 
 crying  unto  the  people  was  to  receive  it ;  and  therefore  they 
 made  decrees  that  such  as  would  not  receive  and  be  present, 
 should  be  spurned  out  of  the  church.  Oh,  how  earnest  was 
 Chrysostom  herein !  Read  his  sixty-first  homily  unto  the 
 people  of  Antioch-.  But  after  that  this  decree  and  doctrine 
 of  transubstantiation  came  in,  no  crying  out  hath  there  been 
 to  receive  it,  (no,  that  is  the  prerogative  of  the  priest  and 
 
 [1  Joanii.  Duns  Scoti  Opera,  Lugd.  1639,  in  Lib.  iv.  Sentent. 
 Dist.  XI.  Qufcst.  3.  Tom.  vm.  pp.  6,  16,  18,  19;  and  Gabriel  Biel. 
 Canon.  Miss.  Expos,  Basil.  1515.  Lect.  xl.  fol.  94,  2.  The  passages 
 are  referred  to  by  archbishop  Cranmer  in  his  second  book  against 
 Transubstantiation,  p.  302,  Parker  Society's  Edition;  and  they  are 
 given  at  length  in  his  Defensio  verce  et  CatJwlicce  doctrinw  de  Sacramento 
 corporis  et  sanguinis  Christi  Servatoris  nostri,  p.  34.     lb.] 
 
 [2  The  homily  referred  to  is  the  61st  ad  Pop.  Antioch.  in  the 
 Latin  edition  of  Chrysostom,  and  will  be  found  Toui.  v.  p.  336.  ed. 
 Paris.  1570.] 
 
VI.]         HOW    GOD^S    WORD    TEACHETH    OF    THE    SUPPER,    &C.        255 
 
 shaven  shorelings ;)  but  altogether  the  end  of  their  crying 
 out  was  as  now  to  beheve  transubstantiation,  Christ  to  be 
 their  flesh,  blood,  and  bone  at  every  altar,  between  every 
 priest's  hands,  yea,  in  every  priest's  mouth,  when  it  pleaseth 
 
 them The  crying  and  teaching  of  the  clergy  continually 
 
 hath  been  to  believe  transubstantiation,  and  then  to  come  to 
 church  to  see  their  Maker  once  a  day,  to  hold  up  their  hands, 
 to  knock  on  their  breasts,  to  streak  their  faces,  to  mutter 
 with  their  Latin  prayers,  to  take  holy  water  and  holy  bread, 
 to  live  in  obedience  to  holy  father,  and  holy  church  his 
 spouse.  This  was  all  they  required.  Drink,  dice,  card, 
 fight,  swear,  steal,  no  matter;  so  that  in  the  morning  they 
 see  their  God,  all  is  well ;  good  cathoHc  people ;  no  man 
 shall  hurt  them,  or  persecute  them.  But  if  any  man  should 
 not  allow  nor  worship  this  God  of  their  making,  although  he 
 lived  a  most  godly  life,  and  were  a  man  full  of  charity, 
 sobriety,  and  very  rehgious,  0,  such  is  an  heretic  or 
 schismatic.  Nothing  would  please  these  wolves  but  even 
 the  blood  and  life  of  such  a  poor  sheep ;  as  men  have  felt 
 before,  and  now  begin  to  feel.  Let  all  the  pack  of  them 
 burthen  those  justly,  whom  now  they  imprison  and  cause 
 to  fly  the  realm,  of  any  other  thing  than  only  of  this,  that 
 we  will  not  serve  their  God  of  bread  and  wine,  and  then 
 will  we  suffer  shame.  But  I  have  been  too  long  herein. 
 Now  to  our  doctrine  and  belief,  for  the  second  point  con- 
 cerning  Christ's  sacrifice. 
 
250  THE    CARRYING    OF    CIIIUSt''s    CROSS.  [ciIA 
 
 CHAPTER  VII. 
 
 now   god's   word   teacheth   of   Christ's   sacrifice,   axd 
 
 THE    pope's    blasphemy    THEREIN    REVEALED. 
 
 The  doctrine  and  faith  in  this  behalf  is  as  in  the  other, 
 that  is,  according  to  God's  holy  word ;  namely,  that  Jesiis 
 Christ,  the  Son  of  God  and  second  Adam,  by  whom  we 
 receive  righteousness  unto  life,  as  by  the  first  Adam  we 
 received  sin  unto  death, — our  faith  is,  I  say,  that  this  Christ 
 in  om'  flesh,  which  he  took  of  the  substance  of  the  virgin 
 Mary,  but  pure  and  without  sin,  for  the  satisfying  of  God's 
 just  cUspleasure  deservedly  and  in  our  flesh,  did  in  the  same 
 suffer  unjustly  all  kinds  of  misery  and  affliction,  and  offered 
 up  himself  unto  his  eternal  Father  with  a  most  wilhng 
 obedient  heart  and  ready  mind,  when  he  was  crucified  upon 
 the  cross.  And  thereby  as  he  satisfied  God's  justice,  so  he 
 merited  and  procured  his  mercy,  peace,  and  favour  for  all 
 them  which  either  before  that  time  were  dead,  either  were 
 at  that  time  present,  either  that  should  afterwards  come  and 
 believe,  by  and  in  that  offering  done  for  them  and  their 
 sins;  so  that  God  the  eternal  Father,  I  say,  would  be,  in 
 this  their  Christ,  their  God  and  Father,  and  not  lay  their 
 sins  committed  to  their  charge  to  condemnation. 
 
 This  doctrine  the  holy  scripture  teacheth  almost  every 
 
 where ;  but  specially  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  chaps,  i. 
 
 vii.  viii.  ix.      This  is  most  lively  for  faith,  how  that  by  one 
 
 oblation  once  offered  by  this  Christ  himself  all  that  be  God's 
 
 people  are  sanctified.      For  as  in  respect  of  them  that  died 
 
 in  God's   covenant  and   election  before   Christ   suffered   his 
 
 death,  and  offered  his  sacrifice,  one,  alone,  and  omnisuificient, 
 
 Rev.xiii.      never  more  to  be  offered,  he  is  called  the  Lamb  slain  from 
 
 1  Tim.  ii.      the  beginning   of  the   world,   and  the  one  alone  Mediator 
 
 Mic.  lii.  V.     between   God  and   man,   whose  forthcoming   was   from   the 
 
 beginning ;   even  so  in  respect  of  the  virtue  and  efiicacy  of 
 
 this  one  sacrifice  to   all  God's   people   continually  unto   the 
 
 world's  end,  the  Holy  Ghost  doth  tell  us,  that  thereby  he 
 
 hath  made  holy  such  as  be  children  of  salvation :   and  saith 
 
 not,  shall   make   holy,   or   doth  make  holy ;   lest  any  man 
 
VII.  J      HOW  god's  word  TEACHETH  Ol'  CHRISx'^s;  SACHinCE,  &c.      257 
 
 should  with  the  papists  indeed  reiterate  this  satisfaction 
 again :  although  in  words  they  say  otherwise,  as  anon  we 
 shall  see,  if  hereunto  I  shew  you  the  means  whereby  to 
 apply  this  sacrifice ;  which  I  will  do  very  briefly. 
 
 For  in  the  seventeenth  of  John  our  Saviour  doth  very 
 plainly  shew  this  in  these  words :  "  For  their  sakes,"  saith 
 he,  "  I  sanctify  myself,  that  they  also  might  be  sanctified 
 through  the  truth.  I  pray  not  for  them  alone,  but  for  those 
 also  which  shall  beheve  on  me  through  their  preaching." 
 Here  our  Saviour  applieth  his  sacrifice  in  teaching  and 
 praying  for  them.  And  as  he  teacheth  them  as  ministers 
 to  do  the  hke,  that  is,  to  preach  and  pray  for  the  application 
 of  his  sacrifice  to  the  church,  so  doth  he  teach  them  and 
 all  the  church  to  apply  it  unto  themselves  by  believing  it 
 and  by  faith.  The  which  thing  the  apostle  St  Paul  in  many 
 places,  but  more  plainly  in  the  second  to  the  Corinthians, 
 the  first  chapter  in  the  latter  end,  doth  teach.  Read  it  and 
 see.  So  that,  as  ye  have  now  Christ's  one  only  sacrifice, 
 which  he  himself  on  the  cross  ofi'ered  once,  as  suflicient  for 
 all  that  do  believe,  and  never  more  to  be  reiterated ;  so 
 have  you,  that  for  the  applying  of  it  to  his  church  the 
 ministers  should  preach,  and  pray  that  their  preaching  might 
 be  effectual  in  Christ.  And  as  Paul  was  ready  himself  to 
 suffer  death  for  the  confirmation  of  the  faith  of  the  elect, 
 so  should  the  church  and  every  member  of  the  same,  which 
 is  of  years  of  discretion,  by  believing  in  Christ  through  the 
 minister's  preaching,  apply  it  to  themselves.  As  for  infants, 
 I  need  not  in  this  place  to  speak  of  God's  election.  It  is 
 most  certain  this  kind  of  applying,  as  it  killcth  the  papistical 
 priests,  which  hate  not  the  dead  worse  than  true  preach- 
 ing, so  doth  it  cast  down  all  their  soul-massing  and  foolish 
 foundations  for  such  as  be  dead  and  past  the  ministry  of 
 God's  word.  And  also  it  putteth  away  the  opinion  of  opus 
 operatiim,  and  perseverance  in  impiety,  from  such  as  would 
 enjoy  the  benefits  of  Christ's  death. 
 
 |_COVERDALE,    II.] 
 
258  THE    CARRYING    OF    CHRISt''s    CROSS.  [cHAP. 
 
 CHAPTER   VIII. 
 
 OF  PRAYING  FOR  THE  DEAD,  THE  TRUE  DOCTRINE. 
 
 Now  as  concerning  the  third,  that  is,  praying  for  the 
 dead  and  sacrificing  for  them,  as  in  the  other  we  confess, 
 teach,  and  beheve  according  to  God's  word,  so  do  we  in  this; 
 namely,  that  in  holy  scripture,  throughout  the  canonical  books 
 of  the  old  and  new  Testament,  we  find  neither  precept  nor 
 ensample  of  praying  for  any,  when  they  be  departed  this 
 
 Eccies.  xi.  life ;  but  as  men  die,  so  shall  they  arise :  if  in  faith  in  the 
 Lord  towards  the  south,  then  need  they  no  prayers ;  then 
 are  they  presently  happy,  and  shall  arise  in  glory :  if  in 
 unbehef  without  the  Lord  towards  the  north,  then  are  they 
 
 johnv.  past  all  help,  in  the  damned  state  presently,  and  shall  rise 
 to  eternal  shame.     Wherefore  according  to  the  scripture  we 
 
 Gal.  V.         exhort  men  to  repent,  and  while  they  have  time,  to  work 
 
 coioss.  iii.     well.     Every  man  shall  bear  his  own  burthen ;  every  man 
 
 Bom.  xiv.  ,  «'  .  (• 
 
 shall  give  account  for  himself,  and  not  for  John,  nor  for 
 Thomas,  that  sing  and  pray  for  him.      Every  man  shall  re- 
 
 2  Cor.  V.  ceive  according  to  that  he  himself  doetli  in  this  body,  while 
 he  is  here  alive,  be  it  good  or  bad ;  and  not  according  to 
 that  his  executors,  or  this  chantry  priest  and  that  fraternity 
 doth  for  him.  Whereby  we  may  well  see,  if  we  will,  that 
 as  prayer  for  the  dead  is  not  available  or  profitable  to  the 
 dead,  so  is  it  of  us  not  allowable,  or  to  be  excused.  For  as 
 they  that  are  departed  are  past  our  prayers,  being  either  in 
 joy  or  in  misery,  as  is  above  shewed ;  even  so  we,  having  for 
 
 Eom.  X.  xiv.  it  no  word  of  God,  whereupon  faith  leaneth,  cannot  but  sin 
 in  doing  it,  in  that  we  do  it  not  of  faith,  because  we  have 
 no  word  of  God  for  it.  Therefore  with  Abraham,  Isaac, 
 Jacob,  Moses,  the  prophets,  Christ  Jesus,  and  the  apostles, 
 we  bury  the  dead  in  a  convenient  place,  and  mourn  in  mea- 
 
 iThess.  iv.  suro,  as  men  having  hope  of  the  resurrection,  not  because  of 
 them,  for  that  were  a  great  point  of  ingratitude,  they  being 
 
 Rev.  xiv.  departed  out  of  miserable  condition  unto  a  most  blessed  state. 
 Therefore  we  give  thanks  to  God  for  them,  praise  his  name 
 for  his  power  and  might  shewed  in  them,  and  pray  that  we 
 may  depart  in  the  same  faith,  and  joyfully  rise  with  them  in 
 
VIII,  I  OF    PRAYING    FOR    THE    DEAD.  259 
 
 the  resurrection ;  which  we  desire  and  wish  the  Lord  would 
 hasten.  We  mourn,  I  say,  not  because  of  them,  but  of  our- 
 selves, that  have  lost  the  company  of  such  our  helpers,  and 
 further  us  in  spiritual  and  temporal  benefits,  by  them  being- 
 admonished  of  our  immortality  and  of  the  vanity  of  this  life, 
 that  we  might  the  more  contemn  it,  and  desire  the  everlasting 
 life,  where  they  and  we  shall  never  be  separated. 
 
 This  is  our  faith  and  doctrine  for  them  that  be  departed ; 
 who  though  they  be  members  of  the  same  holy  mystical  body 
 of  Christ  that  we  be  of,  yet  should  they  in  this  case  be  dis- 
 cerned from  the  militant  members,  they  being  at  rest,  and  2  Tim.  iv. 
 having  finished  their  course  and  fight,  in  no  point  needing  any 
 of  our  help,  unless  we  should  too  arrogantly  set  up  our  own 
 merits  and  prayers,  and  pull  down  Christ,  as  though  we  were 
 able  to  get  pardon  and  higher  crown  in  heaven  for  others ; 
 where  all  our  righteousness  and  the  best  thing  we  do  is  so  far 
 from  helping  others,  that  thereby  we  cannot  help  ourselves;  but 
 had  need  to  cry,  Dimitte  nobis  debita  nostra,  being  no  better 
 in  God's  sight  than  a  defiled  woman's  cloth,  although  to  the  Luke  xi. 
 sight  of  men  they  may  seem  gorgeous  and  gay.  For  if  the 
 papists  would  say,  (as,  when  they  are  pressed  with  blasphemy 
 in  extolling  their  own  merits  and  works  of  supererogation 
 against  Christ,  they  use,)  that  our  prayers  do  them  no  good 
 in  respect  of  the  worthiness  of  their  prayers,  but  in  respect 
 of  God's  goodness,  in  that  God's  goodness  is  not  to  be  looked 
 for  otherwise  than  he  hath  promised ;  let  them  either  give 
 men  his  promise,  or  else  in  this  behalf  keep  silence,  and  ex- 
 ercise themselves  better  in  doing  their  duties  to  their  bre- 
 thren that  be  alive;  towards  whom  their  charity  is  very 
 cold,  although  when  they  are  dead,  then  they  will  pretend 
 much,  then  will  they  pray  for  them,  but  yet  not  for  nought 
 and  freely,  as  true  charity  worketh ;  for  no  penny,  no  pater- 
 noster. Give  nothing,  and  then  they  will  neither  sing  nor 
 say  requiem,  nor  placebo,  I  warrant  you.  But  of  this  suf- 
 ficient. Now  to  the  last,  of  praying  to  the  dead,  or  to  saints 
 departed  this  hfe. 
 
 17—2 
 
260  THE    CARRYING    OF    CHRIST's    CROSS.  [cHAP. 
 
 CHAPTER  IX. 
 
 OF    PRAYING    TO    SAINTS. 
 
 Here  wc  confess,  teach,  and  believe,  as  before  is  said, 
 
 James  i.       accoi'ding  to  God's  holy  word,  that  as  all  and  every  good 
 
 thing  Cometh   only  from  God  the  Father  by  the  means  of 
 
 Jesus  Christ,  so  for  the  obtaining  of  the  same  we  must  call 
 
 Psai.  I.        upon  his  holy  name,  as  he  by  himself  commandeth  very  often. 
 
 1  Tim.  vi.      But  forasmuch  as  God   dwelleth   in   light   inaccessible,   and 
 
 Hcb.  xiii.      is  a  consuming  fire,  and  hateth  all  impiety  and  uncleanness, 
 
 and  we  be  blind,  stubble,  grass,  hay,  and  nothing  but  filth, 
 
 unclean,  and  sinful ;  and  because  that  therefore,  as  we  may 
 
 not,  so  we  dare  not  approach  to  his  presence ;  it  hath  pleased 
 
 this  good  God  and  Father  of  his  love  to  send  a  spokesman 
 
 and  mediator,  an  intercessor  and  advocate  between  him  and 
 
 us,  even  Jesus  Christ,  his  dearly  beloved  Son;  by  Avhom  we 
 
 might  have  free  entrance  with  boldness  to  come  before  his 
 
 presence  and  throne  of  mercy,  to  find  and  obtain  grace  and 
 
 Heb.  ii.  iv.    help  in  time  of  need.      For  this  our  Mediator  and  Advocate 
 
 is   with  his  Father  of  the  same  substance,  power,  wisdom, 
 
 and  majesty,  and  therefore  may  weigh  well  with  him  in  all 
 
 things;  and  with  us  he  is  of  the  same  substance  which  we 
 
 are  of,  even  flesh  and  man,  but  pure  and  without  sin,  in  all 
 
 Heb.  iii.  iv.    things  being  tempted  like  unto  us,  and  having  experience  of 
 
 our  infirmities ;  that  he  might  be  merciful  and  faithful  in  our 
 
 1  Pet.  ii.       behalf,  to  purge  us  from  our  sins,  and  to  bring  us  into  such 
 
 Matt.  iii.       favour  with  the  Father,  that  we  might  be  not  only  dearly 
 
 Matt.  vii.      beloved  through  him,  the  only  dearling  of  the  Father,  but 
 
 1  John  V.      also  obtain  whatsoever  we  shall  ask,  according  to  his  word 
 
 johnxiv.      and  will,  in  the  name  of  this  same  our  Mediator,  Saviour, 
 
 Intercessor  and  Advocate.      So  that  easy  it  is  to  see,  that 
 
 Psai.  1.         as  it  is  an  obedient  service  to  God  the  Father,  to  call  always 
 
 upon  him  in  all  our  need;  so  to  come  to  his  presence  through 
 
 Christ  is  to  the  honour  of  Christ's  mediation,  intercession, 
 
 and  advocateship.     And  therefore,  as  it  cannot  bo  but  against 
 
 the  Almighty  God  and  Father,  to  ask  or  look  for  any  thing 
 
 elsewhere,  at  the  hands  of  any  that  be  departed  this  life,  as 
 
 though   he   were    not  the   giver    of  all   good   things,    or   as 
 
 though  he  had  not  commanded  us  to  come  unto  him ;  so  we 
 
IX.]  OF    PRAYING    TO    SAINTS.  261 
 
 see  it  is  manifestly  against  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord,  by  any 
 other  saint,  angel,  or  archangel,  to  come  and  move  any  thing 
 at  onr  Father's  hands,  as  though  he  Avere  not  our  Mediator, 
 Advocate,  and  Intercessor,  or  else  not  a  sufficient  IMediator, 
 Advocate,  or  Intercessor,  or  at  least  not  so  merciful,  meek, 
 gracious,  loving,  and  ready  to  help,  as  others :  whereas  he 
 only  so  loved  us,  as  the  very  hearts  of  all  men  and  angels 
 never  were  able  to  conceive  any  part  of  the  height,  depth,  Ephes. 
 breadth,  and  length  of  the  same,  as  it  is.  If  his  own  heart- 
 blood  Avas  not  too  dear  for  us,  being  his  very  enemies,  and 
 never  desirous  to  do  his  will ;  how  is  it  possible  that  he  will 
 contemn  us  for  coming  unto  him  with  purpose  and  desire  to 
 serve  him  ? 
 
 Many  other  reasons  I  could  give  you,  wherefore  the 
 saints  are  not  to  be  prayed  unto;  for  that  pulleth  from 
 faith  in  Christ :  it  maketh  them  gods ;  it  is  idolatry,  &c. 
 But  this  may  suffice.  So  that  now  you  see  by  God's  word, 
 what  our  iiiith  is  concerning  these  four  things.  Which  that 
 you  may  the  more  love,  embrace,  and  be  content  to  carry 
 with  you  through  fire  and  water,  I  will  now  go  about 
 with  God's  grace,  as'  briefly  as  I  can,  to  shew  how  abomi- 
 nable their  doctrine  is,  even  out  of  the  short  sum  thereof 
 already  before  by  me  rehearsed. 
 
 CHAPTER    X. 
 
 THE  POPISH  DOCTRINE  OF  THE  SACRAMENT  CONFUTED 
 MORE  LARGELY. 
 
 First,  where  they  allege  the  catholic  church  to  have 
 taught  concerning  the  supper  the  doctrme  of  transubstantia- 
 tion,  of  Christ's  real  and  carnal  presence,  dearly  beloved,  know 
 that  this  is  a  manifest  he.  For  as  the  catholic  church  never 
 knew  of  it  for  nine  hundred  years  at  the  least  after  Christ's  Transubstan- 
 ascension ;  so  after  that  time  no  other  church  did  obstinately 
 defend,  cruelly  maintain,  and  wilfully  wrest  the  scriptures 
 and  doctors  for  the  establishing  of  it,  save  only  the  popish 
 church,  and  their  own  doctors,  Duns  and  Gabriel,  do  teach'. 
 
 [1  See  above,  p.  '254.] 
 
 tiation  is 
 a  new  doc- 
 trine. 
 
262  THE    CARRYING    OF    CHRISt's    CROSS.  [ciIAP. 
 
 Read  the  bishop  of  Canterbury's  book  against  Winchester', 
 and  see.  Whereas  they  say,  that  Christ  in  his  supper  by 
 taking  bread  and  speaking  the  words  of  consecration  did 
 make  it  his  flesh,  according  to  his  promise  in  John,  when  he 
 
 John  vi.  saith,  "  And  the  bread  which  I  will  give  is  my  flesh,  &c. ;" 
 so  that  they  would  thereby  seem  to  have  two  places  of 
 scripture  for  this  their  doctrine  of  transubstantiation  and 
 real  or  carnal  presence;  although  diversly  I  could  improve^ 
 this,  yet  because  for  that  I  would  not  be  over  tedious  unto 
 you,  even  by  the  same  their  sentence  you  shall  see  how 
 learnedly  they  lie. 
 
 The  sentence  is  this :  "  And  the  bread  that  I  will  give  is 
 my  flesh,  which  I  will  give  for  the  life  of  the  world."  First 
 mark  that  he  saith,  "  The  bread  is  my  flesh."  He  saith 
 not,  "  shall  be  my  flesh,"  but  it  "  is  my  flesh."  This,  I  trow, 
 maketh  against  them ;  for  the  sacrament  a  year  after  at  the 
 least  was  not  instituted.  Again  he  saith,  that  the  bread  is 
 his  flesh,  which  he  will  give  for  the  life  of  the  world.  Here 
 would  I  ask  them,  whether  Christ's  death  was  for  the  life  of 
 the  world,  or  in  vain.  If  they  say  it  was  for  the  life  of  the 
 world,  then  why  do  they  apply  and  give  it  to  the  sacrament  ? 
 Was  it  crucified  ?  Or  if  it  be  the  same  sacrifice,  (for  so  they 
 say,)  either  it  was  efi"ectual,  or  not.  If  it  was  effectual,  then 
 Christ's  death  needed  not.  If  it  was  not  effectual,  then 
 Christ  was  not  God,  and  could  not  do  that  he  would.  Thus 
 ye  may  see  their  ungodly  fooUshness,  or  foolish  ungodliness, 
 
 in^tent^"^^''  I  canuot  tcll  whicli  to  call  it  well.  Whereas  they  require 
 the  intent  of  the  priest  to  consecrate  Christ's  body ;  for- 
 asmuch as  we  know  not  any  man's  intent,  (God  only  knoweth 
 the  heart,)  yea,  the  words  we  know  not,  they  are  so  spoke 
 in  hucker  mucker ;  I  pray  you,  in  what  a  doubtfulness  are 
 we  brought  whether  it  be  the  sacrament  or  not !  In  what 
 peril  are  we  of  worshipping  a  piece  of  bread  for  our  Christ ! 
 Is  not  this,  trow  you,  sweet  and  comfortable  gear,  that  a 
 man  shall  always  stand  in  doubt  whether  he  have  received 
 the  sacrament  or  not  ?  Whereas  they  will  have  it  bread 
 to  the  eye,  and  not  to  the  mouth,  judge  then,  whether  a  dog 
 may  not  eat  Christ's  body ;  judge  whether  the  devil,  if  he 
 would  come  in  the  likeness  of  a  priest,  might  not  swallow  up 
 
 [1  Archbishop  Cranmer's  Ansiver  to  a  Crafty  and  Sophistical  Cavil- 
 lalion  devised  by  Stephen  Gardiner.] 
 [-  Improve :  disproA^e.] 
 
X.]  THE    POPISH    DOCTRINE    CONFUTED    MORE    LARGELY.  263 
 
 Christ,  and  so  bring  him  into  hell,  from  ivhence,  because 
 there  is  no  redemption  there,  Christ's  body  should  never 
 come,  but  be  damned.  Judge,  whether  the  taste  of  thy 
 mouth  is  not  as  much  to  be  credited,  as  the  sight  of  the  eye ; 
 specially  in  that  the  scripture  so  often  calleth  it  bread  after 
 the  consecration,  as  before  I  have  shewed.  Judge,  whether 
 Christ's  body  be  not  very  petty,  that  it  can  be  in  so  little  a 
 room.  Judge,  whether  Christ  hath  more  bodies  than  one, 
 when  perchance  the  priest  hath  twenty  or  a  hundred  before 
 him.  Judge,  whether  the  priest  brake  not  Christ's  body 
 in  breaking  of  it.  Judge,  whether  it  be  seemly  to  chew 
 Christ's  body  with  the  teeth.  Judge,  whether  Christ  did 
 eat  his  own  body ;  yea,  or  no  ?  Christ  did  eat  the  sacrament 
 with  Ms  disciples.  Judge,  whether  it  be  seemly  that  Christ 
 should  be  kept  so  in  prison,  as  they  keep  him.  Judge, 
 whether  it  be  seemly  that  Christ's  body  should  be  so  dindle- 
 dandled  and  used,  as  they  use  it.  Judge,  whether  the 
 people,  knocking  and  kneeling  at  the  elevation  of  that  they 
 see,  (for  they  see  but  the  forms  of  bread  and  wine,  and  not 
 Christ's  body,  if  it  be  as  the  papists  feign ;)  judge,  I  say, 
 whether  the  people  by  the  papists'  own  doctrine  be  not 
 made  idolaters. 
 
 Many  more  absurdities  there  be,  which  I  purposely 
 omit.  This  little  is  enough  hereby  to  give  you  occasion  to 
 know  the  more.  Where  they  say  that  the  bread  is 
 made  Christ's  body,  flesh,  blood,  &c.,  that  is,  that  Christ's 
 body  is  made  of  the  bread ;  as  the  bishop  of  Winchester 
 in  his  book  for  this  matter  of  the  Devil's  Sophistry  and 
 elsewhere  doth  afiirm ;  you  may  see  how  shamelessly,  yea, 
 blasphemously  they  speak.  For  Christ's  body  crucified 
 was  born  of  the  virgin  Mary,  even  of  her  substance ;  but 
 they  say  the  supper  is  that  body  which  was  crucified. 
 Now,  I  trow,  bread  is  one  thing,  and  the  virgin's  flesh 
 another  tiling :  therefore  indeed  they  deny  Christ  in  the 
 flesh,  that  they  may  stablish  their  Christ  in  the  bread ;  which 
 is  the  very  root  of  antichrist.  Last  of  all,  whereas  they 
 say  that  they  receive  the  sacrament  to  damnation,  which 
 do  not  believe  their  transubstantiation ;  if  with  Paul  their 
 words  were  conferred,  you  should  see  otherwise.  For  he 
 saith,  they  receive  this  bread  (for  so  he  calleth  it  after  the 
 words    of    consecration)    unworthily,    which    do   not    esteem 
 
2G4  THE    TARRYING    OF    CHRISt\s    CROSS.  [ciIAP. 
 
 Christ's  body  :  as  indeed  the  papists  do  not,  which  would 
 bring  Christ  down  out  of  heaven  for  thieves  and  whores  to 
 chew  and  eat,  for  moths  to  corrupt,  and  to  be  in  danger  of 
 moulding;  as,  if  they  kept  their  hosts  long,  indeed  they 
 will  mould,  and  then  will  they  burn  them.  Do  these  men, 
 trow  you,  esteem  Christ's  body?  Paul  plainly  sheweth  in 
 the  same  place,  that  the  wicked  man  which  receiveth  the 
 sacrament  unworthily,  eateth  not  Christ's  body,  but  his  own 
 damnation,  which  I  trow  be  not  Christ's  body.  And  this 
 shall  serve  for  this  time  to  shew  you,  how  shameless,  filthy, 
 and  abominable  this  their  doctrine  of  transubstantiation  is. 
 If  in  so  short  a  sum  of  their  doctrine  there  be  so  many 
 abominations,  I  pray  you,  how  much  is  in  the  whole  sum  of 
 the  same?     Now  for  the  sacrifice. 
 
 CHAPTER   XI. 
 
 THE    POPISH    DOCTRINE    OF    THE    SACRIFICE    CONFUTED. 
 
 First,  in  that  they  grant  Christ's  sacrifice  on  the  cross 
 done  by  himself  to  be  full  and  perfect  enough,  we  may  well 
 see  that  we  need  not  this  which  they  have  found  out,  indeed 
 to  make  the  other  imperfect;  for  else  it  needed  no  reiteration. 
 But  seeing  they  reiterate  it  by  this,  and  make  it  needful 
 even  as  baptism,  easily  may  all  men  know,  that  though  they 
 speak  one  thing,  they  mean  another,  and  so  are  dissemblers 
 and  destroyers  of  Christ's  sacrifice,  little  considering  the  great 
 pain  that  Christ  suffered,  seeing  they  weigh  it  no  better. 
 
 Whereas  they  say,  that  it  is  the  same  sacrifice  which 
 Christ  offered  on  the  cross,  but  unbloodily,  (wherein  they 
 seem  to  deny  transubstantiation ;  for  else  I  trow  it  must 
 needs  be  bloody,)  I  would  thus  reason  with  them.  Inasmuch 
 as  Christ's  sacrifice  on  the  cross  was  the  only  perfect  and 
 all-sufiicient  propitiatory  sacrifice  for  the  sins  of  the  world, 
 as  they  confess ;  this  could  not  be  the  same,  because  it  was 
 done  before  that  upon  the  cross.  Or  else  the  full  perfect 
 sacrifice  was  then  in  the  supper  finished,  and  so  Christ's  death 
 is  in  vain,  and  a  foohsh  thing.  If  Christ's  death  be  not  fool- 
 ish, but  indeed,  as  it  is,  the  full  and  perfect  sacrifice  for  the 
 
XI.]        THE    POPISH    DOCTRINE    OF    THE    SACRIFICE    CONFUTED.        265 
 
 sins  of  the  world ;  then  this,  which  they  feign  he  offered  in 
 his  last  supper,  is  not  the  same,  prate  what  pleaseth  them ; 
 or  else  it  is  not  of  value,  take  whether  they  will.  Whereas 
 they  prate  of  Christ's  will,  that  it  was  accepted  before  his 
 Father  for  the  deed ;  as  they  shall  never  be  able  to  shew  one 
 word  to  prove  that  Christ  would  in  his  supper  sacrifice  him- 
 self to  his  Father  for  the  sins  of  the  world,  (for  there  is  not 
 one  Avord  thereof  throughout  the  whole  bible,)  so  do  they 
 belie  God  the  Father,  which  would  indeed  have  his  Son  to 
 drink  the  cup  that  he  prayed  to  be  taken  from  him,  or'  else 
 make  Christ's  death  frustrate  and  more  than  need ;  which  is 
 the  only  thing  that  all  their  doctrine  tendeth  unto.  For  if 
 the  Father  alloweth  his  will  for  the  deed,  I  pray  you,  who 
 seeth  not  now  the  deed  to  be  more  than  needeth  ? 
 
 Where  they  say,  that  Christ  commanded  his  church  to 
 offer  this  sacrifice  to  his  Father  in  remembrance  of  his  bloody 
 sacrifice ;  I  would  pray  them  to  shew  me,  where  he  commanded 
 it,  and  then  good  enough.  But,  dearly  beloved,  they  can  never 
 shew  it.  If  they  will  say,  hoc  facite,  to  take  facers  for  to 
 sacrifice,  as  some  teach  it ;  then  will  I  say,  that  a  boy  of 
 twelve  years  old  can  tell  they  he.  For  hoc  facite,  do  you 
 this,  pertaineth  to  the  whole  action  of  Christ's  supper,  of 
 taking,  eating,  and  drinking  of  the  sacrament,  &c.,  and  as 
 well  spoken  to  the  laymen  as  the  priests  :  but  I  trow  they  will 
 not  suffer  the  laymen  to  say  mass  another  while  for  them. 
 No,  this  were  too  much  against  their  honour  and  gain  also. 
 
 But  if  one  would  ask  them,  Avhat  they  offer  to  the  Father, 
 then  a  man  should  see  their  abommations.  For  if  they 
 should  say  nothing,  then  men  would  take  them  as  they 
 be,  liars.  If  they  say,  bread  and  wine,  as  indeed  they  do 
 in  their  mass  horribly ;  then  in  that  they  say  they  offer  the 
 same  thing  which  Christ  offered  on  the  cross,  and  he  offered 
 his  body,  bread  must  needs  be  Christ's  body,  and  so  Christ's 
 body  is  bread  and  wine.  If  they  say,  that  they  offer  up 
 Christ,  in  that  the  offerer  must  needs  be  as  good  at  the  least, 
 yea,  a  better  than  the  thing  offered,  then  must  they  needs 
 shew  themselves  open  antichrists.  For  they  make  themselves 
 equal  with  Christ,  yea,  better  than  he :  which  thing  indeed 
 their  holy  father  and  grandsire  the  pope  doth.  For  where 
 Christ  would  take  upon  him  to  teach  nothing,  but  that  he 
 had  received  of  his  Father,  and  therefore  willed  men  to  search 
 
266  THE    CARRYING    OF    CHRIST's    CROSS.  [cHAP. 
 
 the  scriptui'es,  as  all  his  apostles  did,  whether  their  doctrine 
 was  not  according  thereunto ;  the  pope  and  his  prelates  will 
 be  bold  to  teach  what  please  them  more  than  God  biddeth, 
 yea,  clean  contrary  to  that  which  God  biddeth ;  as  it  is  plain 
 by  all  these  four  points,  transubstantiation,  sacrifice,  praying 
 for  the  dead,  and  to  the  dead.  But  see,  I  pray  you,  these 
 abominations.  The  sacrifice  of  Christ  for  the  redemption  of 
 the  world  was  not  simply  his  body  and  his  blood,  but  his 
 body  broken  and  his  blood  shed,  that  is,  all  his  passion  and 
 sufi^eving  in  his  body  and  flesh.  In  that  therefore  they  offer, 
 as  they  say,  the  same  sacrifice  which  Christ  offered,  dearly 
 beloved,  do  they  not,  as  much  as  in  them  is,  kill,  slay,  whip, 
 and  crucify  Christ  again  with  wretches  and  antichrists  ?  Who 
 would  not  desire  to  die  for  his  master  Christ's  cause  against 
 this  their  heinous  and  stinking  abomination? 
 
 Whereas  they  call  this  sacrifice  of  the  mass  the  principal 
 
 mean  to  apply  the  benefit  of  Christ's  death  to  the  quick  and 
 
 dead,  I  would  gladly  have  them  to  shew,  where  and  of  whom 
 
 they  learned  it.      Sure  I  am  they  learned  it  not  of  Christ. 
 
 MM.  xxviii.  For  when  he  sent  his  disciples  abroad  to  apply  unto  men  the 
 
 Alark  xvi.  .  ^  .    '' 
 
 Luke  xxiv.    benefit  of  his  death,  he  bade  them  not  mass  it,  but  preach  the 
 
 gospel,  as  the  mean  by  the  which  God  had  appointed  behevers 
 
 Actsx.        to  be  saved.     The  which  thing  Peter  told  Cornelius  plainly; 
 
 Col.  i.  ii.       as  Paul  also  teacheth  almost  every  where  in  his  epistles.    But 
 
 o  Cor,  V.  .  . 
 
 indeed  preaching  they  may  not  away  with,  as  well  for  that 
 it  is  too  painful,  as  for  that  it  is  nothing  so  gainful,  nor  of 
 authority  and  estimation  in  the  world.  Nothing  so  dis- 
 pleaseth  the  devil  as  preaching  the  gospel,  as  in  all  ages 
 easily  we  may  well  see,  if  we  will  mark  to  our  comfort  in 
 this  age.  And  therefore  by  giving  his  daughter  idolatry, 
 with  her  dowry  of  worldly  wealth,  riches,  and  honour,  to 
 the  pope  and  his  shaven  shorelings,  they  have  by  this  means 
 in  many  years  been  begetting  a  daughter,  which  at  length 
 was  delivered  to  destroy  preaching,  even  the  minion  Missa ; 
 mistress  Missa,  who  danced  daintily  before  the  Herods  of  the 
 world,  and  is  the  cause  even  why  John  the  Baptist  and  the 
 preachers  be  put  into  prison  and  lose  theu*  heads.  This  dancing 
 damsel,  the  darling  of  her  mother,  the  fair  garland  of  her 
 fathers  (for  she  hath  many  fathers),  the  gaudy  gallant  of 
 her  grandsire,  is  trimmed  and  tricked  in  the  best  and  most 
 holv  manner  or  wise  that  can  be,  even  with  the  word  of  God, 
 
Xl.]        THE    POPISH    DOCTRINE    OF    THE    SACRIFICE    CONFUTED,        267 
 
 the  epistle  and  the  gospel,  with  the  sacrament  of  Christ's 
 body  and  blood,  with  the  pomander^  and  perfumes  of  prayer, 
 and  all  goodly  things  that  can  be ;  but  blasphemously  and 
 horribly  abused  to  be  a  mermaid  to  amuse  and  bewitch  men, 
 sailino'  in  the  seas  of  this  life  to  be  enamoured  on  her.  And 
 therefore  besides  her  aforesaid  goodly  apparel,  she  hath  all 
 kinds  of  sweet  tunes,  ditties,  melodies,  singing,  playing,  ring- 
 ing, knocking,  kneeling,  standing,  hfting,  crossmg,  blessing, 
 blowing,  mouthing,  incensing,  &c.  Moreover  she  wanteth  no 
 gold,  silver,  precious  stones,  jewels,  and  costly  silks,  velvets, 
 satins,  dumasties,  &c.,  and  all  kind  of  things  wliich  are  gor- 
 geous in  the  sight  of  men ;  as,  if  you  call  to  mind  the  chalices, 
 copes,  vestments,  crucifixes,  &c.,  you  cannot  but  see.  And 
 hereto  is  she  beautified  yet  more,  to  be  shewed  and  set  forth 
 in  lying  words  and  titbs  given  to  her ;  that  she  hath  all 
 power  in  heaven,  earth,  and  hell,  that  she  hath  all  things  for 
 soul  and  body,  for  quick  and  dead,  for  man  and  beast.  And 
 lest  men  should  think  her  too  coy  a  dame,  lo,  sir,  she  off'ereth 
 herself  most  gently  to  all  that  will  come,  be  they  never  so 
 poor  and  stinking  and  foul,  to  have  their  pleasure  on  her. 
 Come  who  will,  she  is  '-'Hail,  good  fellow;"  and  that  not  only 
 to  make  herself  common  to  them  that  will,  but  also  to  ply 
 them  plentifully  with  most  pleasant  promises  falsely,  and 
 giving  most  licentious  liberties  to  all  her  lovers,  and  great 
 fees  and  wages  to  her  diligent  servants  and  ministers ;  so 
 that  there  needeth  no  preaching  of  the  gospel.  She  hath  all 
 things,  she  will  give  all  things ;  the  death  of  Christ  she  will 
 apply  and  can  to  whom  she  will,  and  when  she  will.  For 
 this  daughter  the  mothers,  the  fathers,  and  the  grandfathers 
 watch  night  and  day,  as  the  only  mean  whereby  Herod  and 
 
 Herodias  may  live  as  they  lust But,  dearly  beloved,  as 
 
 from  the  devil's  dearling  indeed,  fly  from  her ;  and  know 
 that  the  true  and  only  way  to  apply  the  benefit  of  Christ's 
 death  and  sacrifice,  is  in  the  minister's  behalf  by  preaching, 
 and  in  your  behalf  by  believing. 
 
 This  is  a  sacrament,  and  not  a  sacrifice ;  for  in  this,  using 
 it  as  we  should,  we  receive  of  God  obsignation  and  full  cer- 
 tificate of  Christ's  body  broken  for  our  sins,  and  his  blood 
 shed  for  our  iniquities.  As  in  baptism  we  are  confirmed,  and 
 settle  ourselves  in  possession  of  the  promise  of  salvation  to 
 [1  Pomander:  a  ball  made  up  of  several  perfumes.] 
 
268  THE    CARRYING    OF    CHRISx's    CROSS.  [cHAP. 
 
 appertain  unto  us,  God  to  be  our  God,  Christ  to  be  our 
 Christ,  and  we  to  be  God's  people ;  the  promise  of  the  word 
 of  God  giveth  and  offereth,  faith  in  us  appHeth  and  receiveth 
 the  same,  and  the  sacraments  do  confirm  and  (as  it  were)  seal 
 up :  baptism,  that  we  are  regenerated  with  the  Spirit  of  God, 
 made  his  children,  brethren  to  Christ,  and  engrafted  into 
 him ;  the  supper,  that  we  are  fed  with  Christ  spiritually,  with 
 his  body  and  blood,  yea,  that  we  be  incorporated  into  Christ, 
 to  be  flesh  of  his  flesh  and  bone  of  his  bones,  as  he  by  being 
 born  of  the  virgin  Mary  was  flesh  of  our  flesh  and  bone  of 
 our  bones.  Away  therefore  with  their  abominable  doctrine, 
 that  the  sacrifice  of  the  mass  is  the  principal  means  to  apply 
 Christ's  death  to  the  quick  and  dead ;  wherein  all  men  may 
 see  that  they  lie  boldly.  For  as  the  word  of  God  in  the 
 ministry  pertaineth  not  to  the  dead,  (for  who  will  be  so  mad 
 as  to  go  and  preach  on  dead  men's  graves,  that  the  dead 
 men  may  hear  ?)  so  likewise  do  not  the  sacraments.  Little 
 beholden  were  men  to  Christ  and  to  the  apostles,  if  this  were 
 the  principal  mean  to  apply  salvation,  that  they  would  use 
 it  so  little,  and  preach  so  much.  Paul,  having  respect  to  the 
 chiefest  end  wherefore  he  was  sent,  said,  that  he  was  not  sent 
 Rom.  i.  to  baptize,  but  to  preach.  And  often  saith  he,  that  he  was 
 an  apostle  segregate  of  God  to  preach  the  gospel.  And  the 
 bishop  Timothy  did  he  warn  to  preach  in  season  and  out  of 
 season,  speaking  never  a  word  of  this  massing  or  sacrificing 
 Christ's  body. 
 
 Last  of  all,  where  they  make  a  similitude,  that  as  by 
 baptism  the  minister  appUeth  to  the  child  regeneration,  so 
 in  this,  &c.  0  that  this  similitude  were  well  looked  on ! 
 then  would  it  make  them  to  bluster ;  for  they  are  no  more 
 like  than  an  apple  like  an  oyster.  In  baptism  the  child 
 is  ahve,  but  here  the  man  is  dead:  in  baptism  the  child 
 is  present,  but  here  the  man  is  perchance  forty  miles  off",  if 
 he  sacrifice  for  the  quick,  yea,  hundred  miles  from  him :  in 
 baptism  the  child  receiveth  the  sacrament,  but  here  you  must 
 look  and  gape ;  but  beware  you  take  not ;  for  ye  may  receive 
 but  once  a  year,  and  then  also  you  must  receive  but  the  one 
 half,  the  cup  he  will  keep  from  you.  In  baptism  is  required 
 God's  election,  if  he  be  an  infant ;  or  faith,  if  he  be  of  age ; 
 and  therefore  he  reciteth  the  promise,  that  it  may  be  heard  : 
 but  here  is   no   Mth   required;    for  how   can  men  believe, 
 
 Gal.  i. 
 
Xl.l        THE    POPISH    DOCTUINE    OF    THE    SACRIFICE    CONFUTED.        269 
 
 ■when  they  are  dead  ?  No  promise  is  then  preached  or  heard. 
 So  that  even  this  their  simiHtude  maketh  the  matter  plain 
 enough :  for  baptism  all  men  know  to  be  no  sacrifice.  But 
 of  this  I  have  spoken  a  little  before,  that  if  applying  come 
 by  the  priest's  massing,  then  were  preaching  in  vain,  believing 
 in  vain,  godly  life  in  vain ;  the  priest  were  God's  fellow,  yea, 
 Christ's  superior,  as  is  aforesaid.  Now  for  the  third,  of  pray- 
 ing for  the  dead ;  wherein  I  will  be  brief. 
 
 CHAPTER  XII. 
 
 THE    CONFUTATION    OF ,  THE    PAPISTS'    SACRIFICING    AND 
 PRAYING    FOR    THE    DEAD. 
 
 First,  when  they  say,  this  applicatory  sacrifice  may  be 
 called  a  propitiatory  sacrifice,  because  it  applieth  the  pro- 
 pitiatory sacrifice  to  whom  the  priest  will,  be  he  dead  or 
 alive ;  as  I  would  have  you  to  note,  how  they  grant,  that  of 
 itself  it  is  not  a  propitiatory  sacrifice,  whereby  they  vary 
 from  that  which  they  elsewhere  teach,  that  it  is  the  selfsame 
 sacrifice  which  Christ  offered  on  the  cross  unbloodily ;  so, 
 I  pray  you,  forget  not,  that  the  priest  is  God's  fellow,  for  he 
 may  apply  it  to  whom  he  will.  Therefore  honour  sir  John, 
 and  make  much  of  sir  Thomas :  for  though  God  could  make 
 thee  alone,  yet  alone,  without  the  priest,  he  cannot  save  thee. 
 Again,  if  sir  John  be  thy  friend,  care  neither  for  God  nor 
 the  devil ;  live  as  thou  wilt,  he  will  bring  thee  to  heaven, 
 although  thou  slip  into  hell.  So  they  write,  that  Gregory 
 by  massing  did  with  Trajan  the  emperor.  It  maketh  no 
 matter  how  thou  live  here,  so  thou  have  the  favour  of  the 
 pope  and  his  shaveHngs. 
 
 Whereas  they  say,  that  the  fathers  from  the  beginning 
 were  accustomed  to  make  memorials  for  the  dead ;  this  I  grant 
 to  be  true,  as  we  do  in  our  communion.  But  to  gather  that 
 therefore  they  prayed  for  them,  it  no  more  followeth,  than 
 to  say,  that  our  English  service  doth  allow  it,  where  it  doth 
 not.  For  ye  must  note,  that  there  is  a  memorial  for  the 
 dead,  as  well  in  giving  thanks  to  God  for  them,  as  in  pray- 
 ing for  them ;  for  to  say,  to  pray  for  the  dead,  is  a  general 
 word,  including  in  it  giving  of  thanks.     And  therefore  when 
 
270  THE    CARRYING    OF    CHRISt's    CROSS.  [cHAP. 
 
 we  read  in  the  ancient  fathers  of  the  primitive  church  of 
 memorials  for  the  dead\  or  praying  for  the  dead,  it  is  not 
 to  be  understood  that  they  prayed  for  to  dehver  them  from 
 purgatory,  (for  that  was  not  found  out  then.)  or  from  hell, 
 (as  our  papists  do  in  their  prayers  of  the  mass,)  for  there  is  no 
 redemption  ;  or  for  pardon  of  their  sins,  as  though  they  had 
 it  not ;  for  if  they  depart  without  it,  they  are  damned ;  or 
 for  to  get  them  a  higher  place  in  heaven,  for  that  were  in- 
 jurious to  Christ,  that  we  should  purchase  places  and  higher 
 crowns  in  heaven  for  others :  but  either  for  the  desire  of  the 
 more  speedy  coming  of  Christ,  to  hasten  the  resurrection ; 
 either  that  they  might  not  be  thought  negligent  or  careless 
 over  the  dead;  either  that  the  living  might  be  occasioned  to 
 increase  in  love  to  the  church  here  in  earth,  who  still  follow- 
 eth  with  good  will  and  love  even  men  when  they  be  departed ; 
 either  to  admonish  the  church  to  be  diligent  over  such  as 
 live,  and  careful  to  extend  her  love,  if  it  were  possible,  even 
 to  the  dead.  On  this  wise  should  we  expound,  not  only 
 the  former,  but  also  the  later  fathers,  as  Austin,  Chrysostom, 
 and  others ;  Avhich  though  in  some  places  they  seem  very 
 manifestly  to  allow  praying  for  the  dead,  yet  they  are  not 
 to  be  understood  otherwise  than  I  have  said  for  them.  For 
 never  knew  they  of  our  merits  and  purgatory ;  for  if  they 
 had  but  dreamed  thereon,  surely  they  would  have  been 
 much  more  circumspect  in  their  speakings  and  writings  of 
 this,  than  they  were. 
 
 Where  they  say,  that  because  this  sacrifice  is  the  sacrifice 
 of  the  whole  church,  whereof  the  dead  be  members,  therefore 
 they  should  be  prayed  for ;  as  before  I  have  shewed,  that 
 Ave  must  put  a  difference  between  the  members  of  the  church 
 miUtant  here  on  earth,  and  those  which  be  now  at  rest  and 
 peace  with  God;  so  would  I  have  you  to  note  here,  that  they 
 should  pray  for  none  other  dead,  than  such  as  be  members 
 of  Christ's  chm'ch.  JN'ow  in  that  all  such  die  in  the  Lord, 
 and  therefore  are  happy,  I  would  gladly  learn,  what  good 
 such  prayer  doeth  to  those  so  departed.  As  for  purgatory 
 pike-purse,  they  pass  not  upon  it.  But  that  this  is  a  sacrifice 
 apphcatory  or  propitiatory,  the  papists  can  never  prove. 
 
 Where  they  say,  charity  requireth  it;  I  answer,  that 
 inasmuch  as  charity  followeth  faith,  and  will  not  go  a  foot 
 i  \}  See  above,  p.  249.] 
 
XII.]  papists'  praying  for  the  dead  confuted.  271 
 
 further  than  faith  sheweth  the  way ;  seeing  faith  is  not  Rom.  x. 
 but  of  the  word  of  God,  and  God's  word  for  this  they  have 
 not,  easy  it  is  to  perceive  that  this  praying  thus  for  the 
 dead  is  not  of  christian  charity.  But  be  it  that  charity 
 required  it,  I  then  marvel  why  they  are  so  uncharitable, 
 that  will  do  nothing  herein  without  money.  Why  will 
 they  not  pray  without  pence  ?  If  the  pope  and  his  prelates 
 were  charitable,  they  would,  I  trow,  make  sweep-stake  at 
 once  with  purgatory. 
 
 Where  they  allege  the  sentence  of  the  Maccabees ;  as  all 
 men  of  learning  know,  the  Fathers  allow  not  that  book  to  be 
 God's  Spirit  or  cathohc,  so  do  I  wonder  that  in  all  the  old 
 Testament  this  sacrificing  for  the  dead  was  never  spoken  of 
 before.  In  all  the  sacrifices  that  God  appointed,  we  read  of 
 never  one  for  the  dead. 
 
 This  gear  came  not  up  till  the  rehgion  was  wonderfully 
 
 corrupt  among  the  Jews :  as  with  us  it  was  never  found  out 
 
 till  horrible  corruption  of  rehgion  and  ignorances  of  God's  word 
 
 came  into  the  church  of  God,  when  preaching  was  put  down, 
 
 and  massing  came  up.    Then  faith  in  Christ  was  cold,  penance 
 
 became  popish,  and  trust  was  taught  in  creatures,  ignorance 
 
 abounded,  and  look,  what  the  clergy  said,  that  was  believed. 
 
 Then  came  up  visions,   miracles,    dead   spirits  walking,  and 
 
 talking  how  they  might  be  released  by  this  mass,  by  that 
 
 pilgrimage  gate-going.     And  so  came  up  this  pelf  of  praying 
 
 for  the  dead,  which  Paul  the  apostle  and  all  the  prophets 
 
 never  spake  one  word  of;  for  all  men  may  easily  sec,  that  it 
 
 is  a  thing  which  helpeth  much  vice,  and  hindereth  godliness. 
 
 Who  wiU  be  so  earnest  to  amend,  to  make  restitution  of  that 
 
 he  hath  gotten  unjustly,  and  live  in  a  godly  life,  and  true 
 
 fear  of  God,  being  taught  that  by  prayers,  by  masses,  by 
 
 founding  of  chauntries,  &c.,  when  he  is  gone,  he   shall  find 
 
 ease  and  release,  yea,  and  come  to  joy  eternal  ?     Christ's 
 
 doctrine   is,   that   the  way   of  salvation  is  strait ;    but   this 
 
 teaching,  heaping  of  masses  one  upon  another,  when  we  are 
 
 dead,  maketh  it  wide.     Christ's  teacliing  is,  that  we  should 
 
 live  in  love  and  charity,  the  sun  should  not  go  down  on  our 
 
 wrath ;  but  this  doctrine,  to  pray  for  the  dead  to  be  delivered 
 
 out  of  purgatory,  teacheth  rather  to  live  in  little  love,  in 
 
 wrath  even  to  our  death's  day :  for  sir  John  can  and  will 
 
 help ;  sir  Thomas,  by  a  mass  of  scala  coeli  will  bring  us  into 
 
272  THE    CARRYING    OF    CHRISt's    CROSS.  FcHAP. 
 
 heaven.  Chrisfs  doctrine  is,  that  he  is  the  way ;  but  this 
 doctrine  maketh  the  massing  priest  the  way :  a  way  indeed 
 it  is,  but  to  hell  and  to  the  devil.  Dearly  beloved,  therefore 
 take  good  heart  unto  you  for  this  gear,  rather  than  you 
 would  consent  unto  it,  to  lose  life  and  all  that  ever  you  have. 
 You  shall  be  sure  Avith  Christ  to  find  it,  and  that  for  ever, 
 with  infinite  increase. 
 
 Last  of  all,  when  they  allege  the  catholic  church  and 
 consent  of  all  the  doctors  on  this  matter ;  as  I  wish  you 
 should  know  that  to  be  the  true  and  catholic  church  which  is 
 grounded  upon  God's  word,  which  word  they  have  not  for 
 them  in  this  matter ;  so  would  I  ye  should  know  that  there 
 is  no  member  of  the  church,  but  he  may  err ;  for  they  be 
 men,  and  "  all  men  be  liars,"  as  David  saith.  Now  if  all  the 
 members  may  err,  then  you  may  easily  see,  whereto  your 
 faith  ought  to  lean,  even  unto  God's  Aveighty  word.  Hear 
 the  church  and  the  doctors  of  the  church  ;  but  none  otherwise, 
 than  as  teachers,  and  try  their  teaching  by  God's  word.  If 
 they  teach  according  to  it,  then  believe  and  obey  them ;  if 
 contrary,  then  know  they  be  but  men,  and  always  let  your 
 faith  lean  to  God's  word. 
 
 Howbeit,  for  this  matter  of  praying  for  the  dead,  know  of 
 truth  that  there  be  no  doctors  of  four  hundred  or  five  hundred 
 years  after  Christ's  ascension,  but  if  they  in  some  places  seem 
 to  allow  praying  for  the  dead,  yet  they  would  be  taken  in 
 some  of  the  senses  which  1  have  specified.  In  many  places 
 do  they  by  divers  sentences  declare  it  themselves.  But  of 
 this  enough. 
 
 CHAPTER  XIII. 
 
 THE    REFUTATION     OF     THE     HERESY     OF    PRAYING    TO    SAINTS 
 DEPARTED    OUT    OF    THIS    WORLD. 
 
 Now  to  the  last,  of  praying  to  saints.  First,  where 
 they  say,  there  be  more  mediators  of  intercession  than  Christ, 
 making  a  distinction  not  learned  out  of  God's  book,  in  such 
 sense  and  for  such  purpose  as  they  allege ;  I  wish  they  would 
 look  on  the  epistle  to  the  Romans,  and  1  John  ii.  and  there 
 shall  they  learn  to  take  better  heed.  The  one  saith,  "  Christ 
 [Rom.  viii.]  sitteth  on  the  right  hand  of  his  Father,  and  prayeth  for  us :" 
 
XIII.]  REFUTATION    OF    PRAYING    TO    SAINTS.  273 
 
 the  other  saith,  "He  is  our  advocate,"  that  is,  a  spokesman, 
 comforter,  intercessor,  and  mediator.    Now  would  I  ask  them, 
 seeing  that  Christ  is  a  mediator  of  intercession,  (as  I  am  sure 
 they  will  grant,)  whether  he  be  sufficient  or  no.    If  they  say, 
 no ;  then  all  men  will  know  that  they  lie.     But  if  they  say, 
 yes ;  then  may  I  ask,  why  they  are  not  content  with  suffi- 
 cient ?     What  fault  find  ye  with  liim  ?     Is  there  any  more 
 merciful  than  he,  any  more  desirous  to  do  us  good  than  he  ? 
 any  that  knoweth  our  grief  and  need  so  much  as  he  ?  any 
 that  knoweth  the  way  to  help  us  so  well  as  he  ?     No,  none 
 so  well.     He  crieth:  "Ask,  and  ye  shall  have  ;  come  to  me.  Matt.  vh. 
 and  I  will  help  you;  ask,  that  your  joy  may  be  full.    Hitherto  Matt.  xi. 
 ye  have  not  asked  any  thing  in  my  name."     Therefore,  my  john  xvi. 
 good  brethren  and  sisters,  let  us  thank  God  for  this  mediator  ; 
 and  as  he  is  our  alone  mediator  for  redemption,  let  us  take 
 him  even  so  for  intercession.    For  if  by  his  work  of  redemp- 
 tion of  enemies  we  are  made  friends  ;  surely  we  being  friends, 
 and  having  him  above  on  the  right  hand  of  his  Father,  shall  Rom.  v. 
 by  him  obtain  all  things. 
 
 Where  they  call  it  a  point  of  a  lowly  and  an  humble 
 spirit  to  go  to  saints,  that  they  may  pray  for  them ;  you 
 may  easily  see,  it  is  a  point  of  an  arrogant  heart  and  a  false 
 untrue  spu'it.     For  inasmuch  as  God  plainly  biddeth  thee.  Dent.  xii. 
 that  thou  put  nought  to  his  word,  nor  take  aught  therefrom ; 
 in  that  his  word  is,  "Thou  shalt  call  upon  him  in  thy  need ;"  Psai.i. 
 why  art  thou  so  arrogant  and  proud,  that  you  will  go  to 
 Peter  or  Paul  to  pray  for  thee?    Where  hast  thou  God's 
 word?    Dost  thou  tliink  God  is  true  of  his  promise?    Why 
 then  dost  thou  not  go  unto  him  ?    Dost  thou  think  that  God 
 at  any  time  receiveth  thee  for  thy  worthiness  ?    Upon  whom 
 be  his   eyes,   but   upon   him  that  trembleth  at  his   word  ?  isai.  ixv. 
 Blessed  are  they  that  be  poor  in  spirit,  and  think  themselves  Matt.  v. 
 unworthy  of  God's  help.     Wherefore  hath  God  sworn  that 
 he  will  not  the  death  of  a  sinner,  but  that  sinners  might  be  Ezeu.  xxxi 
 most  certain  of  his  love  and  mercy  to  be  much  greater  than 
 they  be  able  to  conceive  ?     His  mercies  are  above  all  his  psai.  cxiv. 
 works.     But  thou,  that  runnest  to  saints,  thinkest  that  it  is 
 not  so ;  for  else  wouldest  thou  go  to  him  thyself,  that  thou, 
 seeing  liis  so  much  goodness,  mightest  the  more  love  him, 
 which  thou  canst  not,  if  thou  use  other  means  than  by  Christ 
 only. 
 
 [COVERDALE,  II.J 
 
274  THE    CARRYING    OF    CHRlSx's    CROSS.  [cHAP. 
 
 Where  they  bring  in  the  ensample  of  saints  praying  for 
 the  people,  and  obtaining  benefits  for  them,  whilst  they  were 
 living  here  on  earth,  and  so  gather,  that  much  more  they 
 will  and  can  do  it  now  for  us,  in  that  they  be  with  God,  if 
 we  will  pray  unto  them ;  very  easily  may  we  put  this  away 
 by  many  reasons.  Fu^st,  that  the  cases  be  not  like.  For 
 when  they  were  ahve,  they  might  know  the  need  of  the 
 people :  but  now  who  can  tell  whether  they  know  any  thing 
 isai. ixiii.  of  our  Calamities  and  need?  Isaiah  saith,  Abraham  did  not 
 know  them  that  were  in  his  age.  Again,  if  the  people  had 
 come  to  them  to  have  desired  their  prayers,  as  they  would 
 have  taken  this  for  an  admonishment  of  their  duty  to  the 
 people,  so  would  they  again  have  warned  the  people  of  their 
 duty,  that  with  them  they  also  would  pray  unto  God  them- 
 selves. Whereas  there  be  no  such  reciprocal  and  mutual 
 offices  between  the  dead  and  the  living.  Now  cannot  we 
 admonish  them,  and  tell  them  of  our  needs ;  or  if  we  should 
 go  about  it,  surely  we  should  still  stand  in  a  doubt,  whether 
 they  did  perceive  us  or  no.  But  if  they  did  perceive  the 
 miseries  of  their  brethren,  surely  their  rest  would  not  be 
 without  great  grief;  and  of  this  we  are  sure,  that  they  can 
 tell  us  nothing  also.  Besides  this,  this  their  reasoning  smell- 
 1  Cor.  i.  eth,  as  it  that  went  before,  of  man's  reason,  which  is  a  fool 
 Rom.  X.  in  God's  service,  and  of  a  good  intent  which  is  not  according 
 to  knowledge.  We  may  not  do  after  that  which  is  good  in 
 Deut.  xi.  our  own  eyes,  but  according  to  that  which  God  biddeth  us 
 do.  In  our  eyes  it  seemeth  good,  that  as  to  kings  and 
 great  men  we  use  means  by  men,  which  are  of  theu*  privy 
 chambers,  or  are  about  them,  either  to  come  to  their  speech, 
 or  to  attain  our  suits,  so  we  should  do  to  God  by  his  saints. 
 But  to  dream  on  this  sort  with  God,  to  use  saints  so,  were 
 and  is  unto  faith  very  foolish :  for  God  useth  no  such 
 privy  chambers  to  hide  liimself  in.  "  He  is  at  hand,"  saith 
 Psai.  cxiv.  David,  "  to  all  that  call  upon  him."  And  Moses  said  before 
 Deut. iv.  him  :  "God  is  near  thee  in  all  thy  prayers.  No  nation  hath 
 their  gods  so  nigh  unto  them  as  our  God  is  unto  us  in  all 
 our  prayers."  He  needeth  none  to  put  him  in  remembrance 
 Heb.  iv.  of  US ;  for  he  hath  all  things  open  to  his  eyes :  the  height 
 Psai.xxxiii.  of  the  hills  and  the  bottom  of  the  depths  are  in  his  sight. 
 Nothino'  can  hide  itself  from  his  knowledo-e.  He  hath  or- 
 dained  Christ  Jesus  alonely  to  be  the  mean  by  whom  we 
 
 xcv. 
 
XIII.]  REFUTATION    OF    PRAYING    TO    .SAINTS.  275 
 
 shall  speed  and  receive  our  requests,  which  be  according  to  i  xim.  a. 
 his  will,  if  we  open  our  purse-mouth,  that  he  may  pour  into 
 the  same  ;  I  mean  faith.  For  as  a  thing  poured  upon  a 
 vessel  or  other  thing,  the  mouth  being  closed,  is  spilt  and 
 lost;  so  if  we  ask  any  thing  according  to  God's  will  by 
 Christ,  the  same  doth  us  no  good,  except  the  purse-mouth 
 of  our  hearts  be  opened  by  faith  to  receive  it. 
 
 But  to  make  an  end.     St  Paul  telleth  plainly,  that  with-  Rom.  x. 
 out  faith  prayer  is  not  made.     Now  in  that  faith  is  due  only 
 to  God,  (for  cursed  is  he  that  hath  his  faith  in  man,  saint, 
 or  angel,)  to  God  only  let  us  make  our  prayers,  but  by 
 Jesus  Christ,  and  in  his  name  only ;  for  only  in  him  is  the 
 Father  well  pleased.    This  if  we  do,  and  that  often,  as  Christ  Ma«-  "'■ 
 willeth,  oportet  semper  orare,  we  must  pray  alway ;  then  Luke  xvui. 
 shall  we  undoubtedly  in  all  thmgs  be  directed  by  God's  holy 
 Spirit,  whom  Christ  hath  promised  to  be  our  doctor,  teacher,  John  xiv. 
 
 and  comforter.     And  therefore  need  we  not  to  fear  what  Psai. 
 
 XXVI 1. 
 
 man  or  devil  can  do  unto  us,  either  by  false  teaching  or 
 cruel  persecution :  for  our  pastor  is  such  one,  that  none  can  John  x. 
 take  his  sheep  out  of  his  hands.     To  him  be  praise  for  ever. 
 Amen. 
 
 CHAPTER  XIV. 
 
 THE  KNITTING  UP  OF  THE  MATTER,  AND  CONCLUSION  OR 
 PERORATION,  WITH  THE  AUTHOR's  DESIRE  AND  PRAYER 
 FOR    THE    PERSECUTED    BRETHREN. 
 
 And  thus  much,  my  good  brethren  and  sisters,  on  our 
 dear  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ  I  thought  good  to  wi'ite 
 unto  you  for  your  comfort  in  these  troublesome  days,  and 
 for  the  confirmation  of  the  truth  that  ye  have  already  re- 
 ceived :  from  the  which  if  you  for  fear  of  man,  loss  of  goods, 
 friends,  or  life,  do  swerve  or  depart,  you  depart  and  swerve 
 from  Christ,  and  so  snare  yourself  in  Satan's  sophistry  to 
 your  utter  subversion.  Therefore,  as  Peter  saith  :  "  Watch,  i  pet. 
 and  be  sober :  for  as  a  roaring  lion  he  seeketh  to  devour 
 you."     But  be  ye  strong  in  faith,  that  is,  stagger  not,  waver 
 
 18—2 
 
276 
 
 THE    CAFiRYING    OF    CHRIST  S    CROSS. 
 
 [chap. 
 
 Acfsii. 
 Dent.  XX. 
 
 Matt.  xxvi. 
 Luke  xxii. 
 
 Heb.  vi.  X. 
 
 Matt.  X. 
 Mark  viii. 
 Luke  xi. 
 Gen.  xix. 
 
 not  in  God's  promises,  and  be  assured  that  they  pertain  unto 
 Yoii,  that  God  is  your  God,  that  he  is  with  you  in  trouble, 
 and  Avill  dehver  you  and  glorify  you.  But  yet  see  that  ye 
 call  upon  him,  specially  that  you  enter  not  into  temptation, 
 as  he  taught  his  disciples  to  pray,  even  at  such  time  as  he 
 saw  Satan  desire  to  sift  them,  as  now  he  hath  desired  to 
 sift  us.  0  most  dear  Saviour,  prevent  him  now,  as  thou 
 didst  then,  with  thy  prayer,  we  beseech  thee,  and  grant  that 
 our  faith  faint  not ;  but  strengthen  us  to  confirm  the  weak, 
 that  they  deny  not  thee  and  thy  gospel,  that  they  return 
 not  to  their  vomit  and  puddle  of  mire  in  popery  and  super- 
 stition, as  massing,  praying  to  saints,  praying  for  the  dead, 
 or  worshipping  the  work  of  men's  hands  instead  of  thee  their 
 Saviour.  Oh,  let  us  not  so  run  down  headlong  into  perdition, 
 stumbling  on  those  sins,  from  the  which  there  is  no  recovery, 
 but  a  causing  of  thee  to  deny  us  before  thy  Father,  making 
 our  latter  end  worse  than  the  beginning ;  as  chanced  to  Lot's 
 wife,  Judas  Iscariot,  Franciscus  Spira'  in  these  our  days, 
 and  to  many  others :  but  rather  strengthen  us  all  in  thy 
 grace,  and  in  those  things  which  thy  word  teacheth ;  that 
 we  may  here  hazard  our  life  for  thy  sake.  And  so  shall 
 we  be  sure  to  save  it ;  as,  if  we  seek  to  save  it,  we  can  but 
 lose  it :  and  it  being  lost,  what  profit  can  we  have,  if  we 
 win  the  whole  world?  Oh,  set  them  always  before  our  eyes, 
 not  as  reason  doth  this  life,  or  the  pleasures  of  the  same, 
 death  of  the  body,  prisonment,  &c. ;  but  everlasting  life,  and 
 those  unspeakable  joys,  which  undoubtedly  they  shall  have, 
 that  take  up  their  cross  and  follow  thee.  Set  ever  before 
 us  also  the  eternal  fire,  and  perpetual  destruction  of  soul  and 
 body,  that  they  must  needs  at  length  leap  into,  which  are 
 afraid  of  the  hoar-frost  of  adversity,  that  man  or  the  devil 
 stirreth  up  to  stop  and  hinder  us  from  going  forward  in  our 
 journey  to  heaven's  bliss;  to  the  which,  0  Lord,  do  thou  bring 
 us  for  thy  name's  sake.      Amen. 
 
 Pray  for  all  your  brethren  which  be  in  prison  and  exile, 
 and  so  absent  from  you  in  body,  but  yet  present  with  you 
 
 [1  An  eminent  lawyer  of  Citadella  near  Padua,  who  embraced, 
 and  afterwards  renounced,  the  reformed  faith,  a.  d.  1546.  Some 
 account  of  him  may  be  found  in  Seckendorf,  Hist.  Lutheranismi, 
 Lib.  ni.  sect,  cxxix.  Vol.  n.  p.  601,  and  Sleidan,  History  of  the  Re- 
 formation, Book  XXI.] 
 
XIV.]  THE    KNITTING    UP    OP    THE    MATTER,     &C.  277 
 
 in  spirit ;  and  heartily  pray  God  once  to  prove  us,  and  trust 
 us  again  with  his  holy  word  and  gospel;  that  we  may  be 
 suffered  to  speak,  and  you  to  hear  his  voice,  as  heretofore 
 we  and  you  have  done,  but  unthankfully  and  negligently,  I 
 may  say,  yea,  very  unworthily  and  carnally.  And  therefore 
 is  his  most  just  anger  fallen  now  upon  us.  He  remember 
 his  mercy  towards  us  in  his  time,  we  beseech  him !    Amen. 
 
THE    CONTENTS    OF    THIS    BOOK 
 
 AS  THEY   FOLLOW   IN  EVERY  CHAPTER. 
 
 CHAPTER 
 
 PAGE 
 
 The  Preface  to  the  christian  reader  280 
 
 1.       What  we  be,  and  where  we  be  231 
 
 IL      Persecution  must  not  be  strange  unto  us 233 
 
 in.      Trouble  cannot  hurt  God's  children 235 
 
 IV.     The  cross  is  commodious  and  profitable  239 
 
 V.  How  tlie  papists  hold  their  four  special  articles,  which 
 they  so  grievously  persecute  for 243 
 
 VI.  How  God's  word  teacheth  of  the  supper,  with  confutation 
 
 of  transubstantiation  250 
 
 VII.  How  God's  word  teacheth  of  Christ's  sacrifice,  with  the 
 Romish  blasphemy  therein  reproved    256 
 
 VIII.  Of  praying  for  the  dead,  the  true  doctrine  258 
 
 IX.     Of  praying  to  saints    260 
 
 X.      The    Romish    doctrine  of  the  sacrament  confuted  more 
 
 largely    261 
 
 XI.  The  popish  doctrine  of  the  sacrifice  in  massing  confuted...     264 
 
 XII.  The  confutation  of  the  papists'  sacrificing  and  praying  for 
 
 the  dead 269 
 
 XIII.  The  confutation  of  the  heresy  of  praying  to  saints  departed 
 
 out  of  this  world  272 
 
 XIV.  The  knitting  up  of  the  matter,  and  conclusion  or  perora- 
 tion, with  prayer  for  the  help  of  God  in  this  time  of  danger 
 
 and  divers  temptations    275 
 
EXPOSITION 
 
 TWENTY-SECOND  PSALM. 
 
A   very 
 
 excellent  and  swete 
 
 exposition  upon  the  two 
 
 and  twentye  Psalme  of 
 
 David,  called, 
 
 in  latyn, 
 
 Dominus  regit  me,  et  nihil. 
 
 Translated  out  of 
 
 hye  Almayne 
 
 in  to  En- 
 
 glyshe 
 
 by 
 
 Myles  Coverdale. 
 1537. 
 
[PARAPHRASE    OF   THE   TWENTY-SECOND   PSALM. 
 
 The  original  of  this  Treatise,  which  is  entitled  a  Paraphrase  on 
 the  twenty-second  Psahn,  according  to  the  Septuagint  Version,  or  the 
 twenty-third,  according  to  the  notation  of  the  Hebrew  text,  is  found 
 in  the  Latin  edition  of  Luthei-'s  Works,  Vol.  ii.  pp.  226 — 254,  ed.  Jena?, 
 1600,  among  his  "  Operationes  in  Psalmos  xxii.  priores."  The  present 
 edition  of  Coverdale's  translation  is  printed  from  a  copy  in  the  Bod- 
 leian Library,  Oxford.] 
 
UPON  THE  TWENTY-SECOND  PSALM. 
 
 The  effect  of  In  tliis  psalm  dotli  David  and  every  christian  heart  give 
 thanks  and  praise  unto  God  for  his  most  principal  benefit, 
 namely,  for  the  preaching  of  his  dear  and  holy  word,  whereby 
 we  are  called,  accepted,  and  numbered  among  the  multitude, 
 which  is  the  congregation  or  church  of  God;  where  only,  and 
 in  no  place  else,  the  pure  doctrine,  the  true  knowledge  of 
 God's  will,  and  the  right  service  of  God  is  found  and  had. 
 
 But  this  same  noble  treasure  doth  holy  David  praise  and 
 extol  marvellous  excellently,  with  goodly,  sweet,  fair,  and 
 pure  words,  yea,  and  that  with  likenesses  borrowed  out  of 
 the  God's  service  of  the  old  Testament. 
 
 A  sheep.  First,  he  likeneth  himself  to  a  sheep,  whom  God  himself, 
 
 as  a  faithful  diligent  shepherd,  doth  wondrous  well  take  heed 
 unto,  feedeth  him  in  a  pleasant  green  pasture,  wliich  standeth 
 full  of  good  thick  grass ;  where  there  is  abundance  also  of 
 
 Theshep-  fresh  water,  and  no  scarceness.  Item,  he  likeneth  God  also 
 unto  such  a  shepherd,  as  with  his  staff  leadeth  and  bring- 
 eth  the  sheep  the  plain  right  way,  that  it  cannot  go  amiss, 
 and    defendeth  his   flock  so  with  the  sheep-hook,  that  the 
 
 A  guest.  wolf  cannot  break  in.  After  this  doth  he  make  himself  a 
 guest,  for  whom  God  prepareth  a  table,  where  he  findeth 
 both  strength  and  comfort,  refreshing  and  joy,  and  that 
 plenteously. 
 
 The  word  of  Aud  tlius  the  prophet  giveth  the  word  of  God  divers 
 
 many  names,  uames,  calloth  it  goodly  plcasaut  green  grass,  fresh  water, 
 the  right  way,  a  staff,  a  sheep-hook,  a  table,  balm,  or  pleasant 
 oil,  and  a  cup  that  is  alway  full.  And  this  he  doth  not 
 without  a  cause:  for  the  power  of  God's  word  is  manifold. 
 For  why  ?  Like  as  a  sheep  in  a  fair  pleasant  meadow, 
 beside  the  green  grass  and  fresh  water,  in  the  presence  of 
 his  shepherd  which  leadeth  it  with  the  staff  or  rod,  so  that 
 it  cannot  go  astray,  and  defendeth  it  so  with  the  sheep-hook, 
 that  no  harm  can  happen  unto  it,  hath  his  food  and  pleasure 
 in  all  safeguard ;  or  like  as  a  man  lacketh  nothing  that 
 sitteth  at  a  table,  where  there  is  plenty  of  meat  and  drink. 
 
EXPOSITION    UPON    THE    TWENTY-SECOND    PSALM.  283 
 
 and  all  manner  of  comfort  and  gladness :  so  much  more 
 they  that  be  the  sheep  of  this  shepherd,  whereof  this  psalm 
 singeth,  lack  no  good  thing,  are  richly  provided  for,  not  only 
 in  sold,  but  also  in  body;  as  Christ  saith  in  the  sixth  of 
 JVIatthew :  "  Seek  first  the  kingdom  of  God  and  the  righte- 
 ousness thereof;  so  shall  all  these  things  be  ministered  unto 
 you."  For  as  they  that  want  bodily  food  Uve  in  great 
 straitness  and  pensiveness,  not  being  able  to  fulfil  the  body's 
 request  in  this  behalf;  even  so  also  those  that  want  this 
 wholesome  and  necessary  word  of  God,  cannot  rejoice  nor 
 be  pacified  inwardly.  Yea,  even  as  bread  and  wine  refresh 
 a  man's  fleshly  heart,  and  make  him  joyful;  even  so  the 
 word  of  God  quickeneth  and  refresheth  a  man's  soul  in- 
 wardly. 
 
 For  when  the  word  of  God  is  truly  and  sincerely  The  preach- 
 preached,  look  how  many  divers  names  the  prophet  giveth  word  bring-' 
 it  here,  so  many  commodities  and  fruits  doth  it  bring.  Unto  penty. 
 them  that  are  diligent  and  earnest  to  hear  it,  whom  our  Lord 
 God  knoweth  only  for  his  own  sheep,  it  is  a  pleasant  green 
 grass,  a  fresh  water,  wherewith  they  are  satisfied  and  re- 
 freshed. It  keepeth  them  also  in  the  right  way,  and  pre- 
 serveth  them,  that  no  misfortune  nor  harm  happen  unto  them. 
 Moreover,  it  is  unto  them  a  continual  wealth,  where  there  is 
 abundance  of  meat  and  drink,  and  all  manner  of  joy  and 
 pleasure :  that  is,  they  are  not  only  instruct  and  guided, 
 refreshed,  strengthened,  and  comforted  by  the  word  of  God, 
 but  ever  more  and  more  preserved  in  the  right  way,  de- 
 fended in  all  manner  of  trouble  both  of  body  and  soul.  And 
 finally  they  have  the  victory,  and  prevail  against  all  tempta- 
 tions and  troubles,  whereof  they  must  abide  right  many,  as 
 the  fourth  verse  doth  specify.  Shortly,  they  live  in  all 
 mamier  of  safeguard,  as  they  unto  whom  no  misfortune  can 
 happen,  forasmuch  as  their  shepherd  doth  feed  them  and  pre- 
 serve them. 
 
 Therefore  should  we  take  instruction  out  of  this  psalm.  The  doctrine 
 not  to  despise  the  word  of  God,  but  gladly  to  hear  and  ofthispsaim. 
 learn  the  same,  to  love  it,  and  to  make  much  of  it,  and  to 
 resort  unto  the  little  flock  where  we  may  have  it ;  and 
 again,  on  the  other  side,  to  fly  and  eschew  those  that  do 
 blaspheme  and  persecute  it :  for  where  this  blessed  light 
 doth    not    shine,    there    is    neither    prosperity    nor    health, 
 
manes. 
 
 284  EXPOSITION    UPON 
 
 neither  strength  nor  comfort,  either  in  body  or  soul ;  but 
 utter  disquietness,  terror,  and  despair,  specially  when  trouble, 
 distress,   and   painful   death  is   at  hand.      Howbeit  the   un- 
 
 isai.  ivii.  godly,  as  the  prophet  saith,  have  never  rest,  whether 
 they  be  in  wealth  or  woe.  For  if  they  be  in  prosperity, 
 then  are  they  presumptuous,  proud,  and  high-minded,  forget 
 our  Lord  God  utterly,  boast  and  crack  only  of  their  own 
 power,  riches,  wisdom,  &c. ;  and  take  thought  beside,  how 
 they  may  maintain  and  increase  the  same,  and  how  they 
 may  persecute  and  oppress  other  men  that  lie  in  their  ways. 
 But  if  the  leaf"  turn  about  with  them,  as  doubtless  it  must 
 
 Deposuit  po-  needs  do  at  the  last ;  (for  that  sweet  virgin  Mary  is  a  very 
 
 vuesdi^misit  ^^^®  prophetess,  which  yet  hath  not  failed  in  her  song;)  then 
 are  they  of  all  the  most  miserable  and  carefullest  people, 
 which  immediately  fall  to  despair  and  mistrust.  What  aileth 
 them?  They  know  not  where  nor  how  they  shall  seek 
 comfort,  seeing  they  have  not  the  word  of  God,  which  only 
 teach  eth  the  right  way  how  to  be  patient,  and  to  have  a 
 good  hope  even  in  adversity.     Rom.  xv. 
 
 An  ensampie         This   thino"   oufflit   to  wam   us  and   move  us,   that  we 
 
 for  us.  .  , 
 
 esteem  nothing  more  excellent  nor  worthy  upon  earth,  than 
 this  benefit,  namely,  to  have  that  dear  blessed  word,  and 
 that  we  can  be  in  a  place  where  it  may  be  freely  preached 
 and  professed  openly.  A  christian  man  therefore,  that  be- 
 longeth  unto  a  church  wherein  the  word  of  God  is  taught, 
 as  oft  as  he  goeth  in,  should  think  upon  this  psalm,  and  out 
 of  a  joyful  heart  with  the  prophet  to  give  God  thanks  for 
 his  unoutspeakable  grace,  that  he  hath  set  him,  as  his  own 
 sheep,  in  a  pleasant  green  meadow,  where  there  is  plenty  of 
 good  grass  and  fresh  water ;  that  is,  that  he  may  be  in  a 
 place  where  he  may  hear  and  learn  the  word  of  God,  and 
 conceive  rich  comfort  thereout,  both  in  body  and  soul. 
 
 This  blessed  David  did  well  understand,  how  worthy  a 
 
 treasure  it  is,  when  it  may  be  so  had :  therefore  can  he  boast 
 
 and  sing  so  well  of  it,  and  magnify  this  benefit  above  all  that 
 
 What  we      is  iu  auy  estimation  or  worship  upon  earth.     At  him  ought 
 
 learn  here  of  wo  to  loam  tWs  scienco,  and  accordino;  to  his  ensampie   not 
 
 David.  ^  ^ 
 
 only  to  be  thankful  unto  God  our  loving  and  faithful  shep- 
 herd, and  to  magnify  his  unoutspeakable  gift,  which  he  of 
 very  loving-kindness  hath  given  us,  as  David  doth  here  in 
 the  first  five  verses ;  but  also  earnestly  to  desire  and  pray 
 
THE    TWENTY-SECOND    PSALM.  285 
 
 him,  as  he  doth  in  the  last  verse,  that  he  may  abide  by 
 his  riches,  and  never  to  fall  away  from  his  holy  christian 
 church. 
 
 And  such  a  prayer  is  exceeding  necessary :  for  we  are 
 very  weak,  and,  as  the  apostle  St  Paul  saith,  we  carry  this2Cor.  v. 
 treasure  about  in  earthen  vessels.  The  devil  also,  our  ad- 
 versary, beareth  deadly  hate  unto  us  for  this  treasure's  sake. 
 Therefore  doth  he  not  rest,  but  goeth  about  as  a  roaring  lion, 
 and  seeketh  how  he  may  devour  us.  Beside  all  this,  he  hath  a 
 quarrel  unto  us,  because  of  our  old  sack  which  we  carry  yet 
 upon  our  necks,  wherein  there  be  yet  also  divers  concu- 
 piscences and  sins.  Moreover,  the  dear  flock  of  Christ  is 
 spotted  and  filled  Avith  so  many  horrible  offences,  or  slanders, 
 that  because  of  the  same  there  do  many  fall  away  from  them. 
 Therefore,  I  say,  it  is  necessary  that  we  pray,  and  put  this 
 uncorrupt  doctrine  still  in  practice,  and  defend  ourselves 
 therewith  against  all  slanders,  that  we  may  continue  unto  the 
 end,  and  be  saved. 
 
 This  mad  and  Wind  world  knoweth  utterly  nothing  of  The  blindness 
 this  treasure  and  precious  stone,  but  imagineth  only,  even  "  ^  ""^  • 
 as  a  swine  or  unreasonable  beast,  how  they  may  here  fill  the 
 belly ;  or  else,  when  it  cometh  to  the  point,  they  follow  lies 
 and  hypocrisy  :  as  for  the  truth  and  faith,  they  let  it  pass. 
 Therefore  do  they  sing  no  psalm  unto  God  for  his  holy  word ; 
 but  rather,  when  he  offereth  it  unto  them,  they  blaspheme 
 it  and  condemn  it  for  heresy.  And  as  for  those  that  teach  it 
 or  will  be  known  of  it,  the  world  persecuteth  them  and 
 putteth  them  to  death,  like  as  if  they  were  deceivers,  and  the 
 most  ungracious  wretches  that  are  in  the  world.  It  shall  be 
 good  therefore  for  this  small  flock  to  knowledge  such  a 
 benefit,  and  with  the  prophet  to  sing  a  psalm  or  song  of 
 thanksgiving  unto  God  for  it. 
 
 But  what  say  ye  of  them  that  cannot  have  the  preach-  or  them  that 
 ing  of  God's  word ;   as  namely,  they  that  dwell  here  and  Tannot'h'ave 
 there  among  tyrants  and  enemies  of  the  truth  ?    No  doubt,  God. 
 where  as  the  word  of  God  is  preached,  there  can  it  not  pass 
 away  without  fruit,  as  Esay  saith  in  the  fifty-fifth  chapter. 
 The  good  christian  people  also  of  the  same  place  have  one 
 vantage,  which  indeed  is  dear  unto  them :  for  they  that  be 
 christian  men  count  it  a  very  great  thing,  that  they  may  be 
 in  a  place  where  the  word  of  God  is  freely  and  openly  taught 
 
286  EXPOSITION     UPON 
 
 and  knowledged,  and  the  sacraments  ministered  after  Christ's 
 institution.  But  as  for  those,  they  be  sown  very  thin.  The 
 false  Christian  are  always  more  than  the  good.  The  great 
 multitude  careth  notliing  for  God's  word,  neither  do  they 
 knowledge  it  for  a  benefit,  that  they  may  hear  it  without 
 all  harm  and  peril.  Yea,  they  are  soon  filled  and  weary  of 
 it,  and  esteem  it  but  a  pain  to  hear  it,  and  to  receive  the 
 holy  sacrament. 
 
 Again,  they  that  suffer  under  tyrants  complain  day  and 
 night,  and  long  greatly  for  it.  And  if  a  small  morsel  of  our 
 bread,  that  Christ  hath  given  us  so  richly,  doth  come  unto 
 them,  they  receive  it  with  great  joy  and  thankfulness,  and 
 do  themselves  much  good  withal ;  whereas  our  swine  in  the 
 mean  season,  having  that  worthy  bread  themselves  so  richly, 
 and  many  whole  baskets  full  thereof,  cannot  reach  unto  it, 
 they  are  so  weary  of  it.  Yea,  they  cast  it  down,  wallow 
 themselves  therein,  tread  it  under  their  feet,  and  run  over  it. 
 Men  wear  Therefore   goeth  it   even  after  the  proverb.      When    a 
 
 weary  of  the  .  °  .      .  •"• 
 
 word  of  God.  thing  bcgmueth  to  be  common,  it  is  no  more  set  by,  but  de- 
 spised, be  it  never  so  precious.  And  such  proverbs  are 
 specially  found  true  in  the  word  of  God.  Where  men  have 
 it,  there  will  they  not  away  withal.  Again,  where  men 
 have  it  not,  there  would  they  be  glad  to  have  it.  AVhere 
 men  have  a  church  at  their  doors  wherein  the  word  of 
 God  is  taught,  there  go  they  up  and  down  in  the  market 
 in  the  preaching  time,  and  lurk  about  the  graves.  Where 
 they  be  ten  or  twenty  miles  from  it,  there  would  they 
 be  glad  to  go  with  the  multitude,  and  to  pass  over  with  them 
 unto  the  house   of   God  with  joy  fulness   and  thanksgiving, 
 
 [Psalm  xiii.]  as  it  is  in  the  forty-first  psalm. 
 
 Of  them  that         Therefore  shortly  this  is  mine  answer  unto  the  question 
 
 tyranu.  conceming  them  that  dwell  under  tyrants.  Blessed  be  they 
 which  are  now  scattered  abroad  under  the  Turk  or  pope, 
 being  destitute  of  God's  word,  and  would  yet  be  glad  with 
 all  their  hearts  to  have  it,  and  in  the  mean  season  receive 
 with  thanlvsgiving  such  morsels  as  they  can  get,  till  the  meal 
 be  better.  Now  if  they  be  not  far  from  the  place  where 
 the  word  of  God  is  preached,  and  the  blessed  sacrament 
 ministered  according  unto  Christ's  institution,  they  may  well 
 go  thither  and  enjoy  the  same  treasure,  like  as  many  do,  and 
 are  therefore  pmiished  of  their  wicked  rulers,  both  in  body 
 
THE    TWENTY-SECOND    PSALM.  287 
 
 and  goods.  But  if  they  dwell  far  from  such  places,  yet  do 
 they  not  cease  at  the  least  to  sigh  thereafter.  No  doubt 
 Christ  our  Lord  will  hear  their  siglimg,  and  in  process  of 
 time  will  he  turn  back  their  captivity.  Again,  unhappy,  yea, 
 and  unhappy  again  are  they  that  have  this  treasure  plen- 
 teously  at  their  doors,  and  yet  care  not  for  it.  On  them 
 shall  the  word  of  Christ  be  fulfilled,  where  he  saith  :  "  Many  Matt  vm. 
 shall  come  from  the  east  and  west,  and  shall  sit  with 
 Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven ;  but 
 the  children  of  the  kingdom  shall  be  cast  out,"  &c. 
 
 Let  this  be  said  for  an  introduction.  Now  will  we  shortly 
 go  over  the  psalm. 
 
 The  Lord  is  my  shepherd  :  I  shall  lack  nothing. 
 
 First  of  all,  the  prophet  and  every  faithful  heart  calleth 
 God  his  shepherd.  Now  though  the  scripture  giveth  God  a  sweet 
 many  loving  names,  yet  this  which  the  prophet  giveth  here 
 unto  God  is  a  much  more  sweet  and  gracious  name,  where 
 he  calleth  him  a  shepherd,  and  saith :  "  The  Lord  is  my 
 shepherd." 
 
 It  is  very  comfortable,  when  the  scripture  calleth  God  our 
 hope,  our  strength,  our  stony  rock,  our  castle,  our  shield,  our 
 comfort,  our  deliverer,  our  king,  &c. ;  for  verily  he  declareth 
 the  thing  so  still  indeed  unto  his  own,  that  he  is  even  so 
 as  the  scriptui'e  describeth  him.  But  exceeding  comfortable 
 is  it,  that  he  is  called  here,  and  many  times  else  in  the 
 scripture,  a  "  shepherd."  For  in  this  only  word,  "  shep- 
 herd," is  almost  all  comprehended  together,  what  good  and 
 comfortable  thing  soever  is  spoken  of  God. 
 
 Therefore  doth  the  prophet  speak  this  word  with  a  joyful  The  cause 
 and  sorrowless  heart,  which   is  full  of  faith,  and  for  very  the  iirophet 
 great  gladness  and  comfort  exceedeth ;  and  saith  not,   "  The  his  shepherd. 
 Lord  is  my  strength,  castle,"  &c.,   which  were  a  marvellous 
 comfortable  saying;  but,  "the  Lord  is  my  shepherd."    As  if  he 
 would  say :  If  the  Lord  be  my  shepherd  and  I  his  sheep, 
 then  am  I  wondrous  well  provided  for,   both  in  body  and 
 soul :  he  shall  get  me  a  competent  living ;  he  shall  defend 
 me  and  keep  me  from  misfortune ;   he  shall  care  for  me ; 
 he  shall  help  me  out  of  all  trouble ;   he  shall  comfort  me ; 
 he  shall  strengthen  me,  &c.      Summa,  he  shall  do  for  me 
 whatsoever  a  good  shepherd  ought  to  do.    All  these  benefits 
 
288  EXPOSITION    UPON 
 
 and  more  doth  he  comprehend  in  this  only  word  "  shepherd," 
 as  he  expoundeth  it  himself  immediately,  where  he  saith : 
 "I  shall  lack  nothing." 
 
 Besides  this,  some  of  the  other  names  which  the  scripture 
 ascribes  unto  God,  sound  partly  too  glorious  and  too  high,  and 
 bring  in  a  manner  a  fear  with  them,  when  men  hear  them 
 to  be  named ;  as  when  the  scripture  calleth  God  our  Lord, 
 King,  Maker,  &c. 
 
 Of  such  a  nature  is  not  this  word  "  shepherd,"  but 
 soundeth  very  friendly ;  and  unto  them  that  be  godly  it 
 bringeth  in  a  manner  a  confidence,  comfort,  and  trust  with 
 it,  when  they  read  or  hear  it ;  like  as  this  word  "  Father,"' 
 and  other  more,  when  they  be  appropriated  unto  God. 
 A  wry  Therefore  is  this  one  of  the  most  loving  and  comfortable 
 
 comfortable        ...  .  . 
 
 similitude,  similitudcs,  and  yet  very  common  in  the  scripture,  that  it 
 likeneth  the  majesty  of  God  to  a  virtuous,  faithful,  or,  as 
 Christ  saith,  a  good  shepherd ;  and  us  poor,  weak,  and 
 wretched  sinners  to  a  sheep. 
 
 Now  cannot  this  comfortable  and  loving  simihtude  be 
 better  understand,  than  to  go  into  the  creatures  themselves, 
 whereout  the  prophets  take  this  and  such  other  like  simi- 
 litudes ;  and  to  learn  diligently  thereby,  what  the  condition 
 and  property  of  a  natural  sheep  is,  and  the  office,  labour, 
 and  dihgence  of  a  good  shepherd.  Whoso  takcth  good  heed 
 thereunto,  may  not  only  with  ease  understand  this  and  other 
 similitudes  in  the  scripture  concerning  the  shepherd  and  the 
 sheep ;  but  also  they  shall  be  unto  him  exceeding  sweet  and 
 comfortable. 
 
 Tiic  con-  A  sheep  must  Uve  only  by  the  help,  defence,  and  diligence 
 
 ditionofa  ^  ,  .        •■         ,         ,  a  •      i  i     i  •  •      •  i 
 
 siieep.  of  his  shepherd.     As  soon  as  it  leaveth  him,  it  is  compassed 
 
 about  with  all  manner  of  peril,  and  must  needs  perish ;  for 
 it  cannot  help  itself.  For  why  ?  it  is  a  poor,  weak,  and  inno- 
 cent beast,  that  can  neither  feed  nor  guide  itself,  nor  find 
 the  right  way,  nor  keep  itself  against  any  unhappiness  or 
 misfortune ;  seeing  this,  that  of  nature  it  is  fearful,  flieth 
 and  goeth  astray.  And  if  it  go  but  a  little  out  of  the  way, 
 and  come  from  his  shepherd,  it  is  not  possible  for  itself  to 
 find  him  again,  but  runneth  ever  farther  and  farther  from 
 him.  And  though  it  come  to  other  shepherds  and  sheep, 
 yet  is  it  nothing  helped  therewith :  for  it  knoweth  not  the 
 voice  of  strange   shepherds;   therefore  flieth  it  from  them, 
 
THE    TWENTY-SECOND    PSALM.  289 
 
 and  runneth  so  long  astray,  till  the  wolf  ravish  it,  or  till  it 
 perish  some  other  ways. 
 
 Nevertheless,  as  weak  a  beast  as  it  is,  yet  has  it  this  The  property 
 condition,  that  with  all  diligence  it  bideth  with  his  own "  ^  '^^'^''' 
 shepherd,  and  seeketh  comfort  at  his  help  and  defence ;  and 
 how  or  wliither  soever  he  leadeth  it,  it  followeth.  And  if 
 it  can  but  be  with  him,  it  careth  for  no  more,  neither  feareth 
 it  any  man,  but  is  careless  and  merry;  for  it  lacketh  nothing. 
 It  hath  also  this  good  virtue  in  it,  which  is  well  to  be 
 marked,  (for  Christ  doth  specially  praise  the  same  in  his 
 sheep ;)  this  virtue,  I  say,  it  hath,  that  it  will  be  earnest 
 and  sure  to  hear  and  know  the  voice  of  his  shepherd,  and 
 ordereth  itself  thereafter,  and  will  for  nothing  go  from  it, 
 but  followeth  straight  the  same.  Again,  it  regardeth  no 
 strange  shepherd's  voice :  and  though  they  call  and  whistle 
 upon  it  never  so  friendly,  yet  careth  not  it  therefore  ;  much 
 less  doth  it  follow  them. 
 
 Again,  this  is  the  office  of  a  good  shepherd,  that  he  The  office  of 
 doth  not  only  provide  for  his  sheep  pasture,  and  other  more  ^  *  ^^ ''"' 
 things  that  belong  thereto,  but  defendeth  them  also,  that 
 no  harm  chance  unto  them.  Besides  this,  he  taketh  dihgent 
 heed  that  he  lese  none.  If  any  go  astray,  he  runneth  after 
 it,  seeketh  it,  and  fetcheth  it  again.  As  for  such  as  be 
 young,  feeble,  and  sick,  he  dealeth  gently  with  them, 
 keepeth  them,  holdeth  them  up,  and  carrieth  them,  till  they 
 be  old,   strong,  and  whole,   &c. 
 
 Even  thus  goeth  it  also  in  the  spiritual  sheepfold,  that  how  it  goetu 
 is  to  say,  in  the  flock  of  Christ.  Look,  how  little  a  natural  foidofchnst. 
 sheep  can  keep,  guide,  rule,  save,  or  defend  itself  against 
 danger  and  misfortune,  (for  it  is  a  feeble  and  weaponless 
 beast ;)  so  little  can  we  poor,  weak,  and  miserable  people 
 keep  and  rule  ourselves  spiritually,  walk  and  endure  in  the 
 right  way,  or  of  our  own  strength  to  defend  us  against  all 
 evil,  and  to  get  us  help  and  comfort  in  trouble  and  distress. 
 
 For  how  should  he  have  skill  to  guide  himself  after  a  The  misery  ot 
 godly  fashion,  that  knoweth  nothing  of  God,  that  is  conceived 
 and  born  in  sin  (as  we  all  are),  and  of  nature  the  child  of 
 wrath  and  the  enemy  of  God?  How  should  we  find  the 
 right  way,  and  continue  therein,  seeing  that  (as  the  prophet 
 Esay  saith)  we  can  do  nothing  but  go  astray  ?  How  is 
 it  possible  that  we  should  defend  ourselves  fi'om   the  devil, 
 
 [COVEUDALE,   II.] 
 
290 
 
 EXPOSITION     UPOX 
 
 parison. 
 
 shepherd. 
 
 which  Is  a  prince  and  lord  of  this  world,  whose  prisoners 
 also  we  be  every  one,  seeing  that  with  all  power  and  might 
 we  cannot  do  so  much  as  to  hinder  a  small  leaf  to  hm't  us, 
 or  a  poor  flea  from  grieving  us  ?  AVhy  will  we  poor  wretched 
 people  boast  so  much  of  great  comfort,  help,  and  counsel 
 against  the  judgment  of  God,  against  God's  wrath  and 
 everlasting  death,  seeing  that  by  ourselves  and  other  we  have 
 experience  daily  and  hourly,  how  we  can  neither  counsel 
 nor  comfort  ourselves  in  small  bodily  necessities  ? 
 
 A  plain  com-  Tliercfore  conclude  thus  hardly :  as  little  as  a  natural 
 sheep  can  help  itself  in  the  things  that  be  least  of  all,  but 
 must  look  for  all  benefits  at  his  shepherd's  hand;  much  less 
 can  a  man  rule,  comfort,  help,  or  give  counsel  unto  himself 
 in  things  belonging  to  salvation,  but  must  look  for  all  such 
 at  the  only  hand  of  God  his  shepherd ;  which  to  fulfil  any- 
 thing for  his  sheep  that  is  to  be  done  is  a  thousand  times 
 more  willing  and  diligent,  than  any  other  virtuous  shepherd 
 in  the  world. 
 
 Christ  is  our  As  for  this  shepherd,  of  whom  the  prophet  had  spoken 
 
 so  long  before,  it  is  even  Christ  our  loving  master,  which 
 is  far  another  manner  of  shepherd  than  Moses,  which  is  hard 
 and  extreme  unto  his  sheep,  and  driveth  them  back  into  the 
 wilderness,  Avhere  they  find  neither  pasture  nor  water,  but 
 plain  scarceness,  Exod.  iii.  But  Christ  is  the  gracious  and 
 loving  shepherd,  which  runneth  after  the  famished  and  lost 
 sheep  in  the  wilderness,  and  seeketh  it  there ;  "  and  when 
 he  findeth  it,  he  taketh  it  up  gladly  upon  his  shoulders," 
 Luke  XV. ;  yea,  "  and  giveth  his  life  also  for  his  sheep," 
 John  X.  This  must  needs  be  a  loving  shepherd.  Who 
 would  not  be  glad  then  to  be  a  sheep  of  his? 
 
 Theshep-  This  sheplicrd's  voice,  wherewith  he  speaketh  and  calletli 
 
 unto  his  sheep,  is  the  holy  gospel,  whereby  we  be  taught 
 that  we  obtain  grace,  remission  of  sins,  and  everlasting  salva- 
 tion, not  by  Moses'  law,  (wherethrough  he  putteth  us  in  the 
 more  fear,  dread,  and  despair,  which  were  too  fearful,  too 
 sore  afraid,  and  despaired  too  much  afore,)  but  by  Christ, 
 which  is  "  the  shepherd  and  bishop  of  our  souls,"  1  Pet.  ii. ; 
 which  hath  sought  us  miserable  and  lost  sheep,  and  fetched 
 us  out  of  the  wilderness,  that  is  to  say,  from  the  law,  from 
 sin,  from  death,  from  the  power  of  the  devil,  from  everlasting 
 damnation ;   and  in  that  he  gave  his  life  for  us,   obtained 
 
 herd's  voice. 
 
THE    TWENTY-SECOND    PSALM.  291 
 
 he  us  grace,  remission  of  sins,  comfort,  help,  and  strength 
 against  the  devil  and  all  misfortune,  yea,  and  everlasting  life 
 also.  This  is  now  unto  the  sheep  of  Christ  a  loving  sweet 
 voice,  which  they  are  heartily  glad  to  hear,  Avhich  they 
 know  right  well,  and  order  themselves  thereafter.  '•  As  for 
 a  strange  voice  that  soundeth  otherwise,  they  neither  know 
 it  nor  hearken  unto  it,  but  avoid  and  fly  away  from  it,"  &c. 
 John  X. 
 
 The  pasture,  wherewith  Christ  feedeth  his  sheep,  is  also  The  pasture, 
 the  comfortable  gospel,  whereby  the  souls  are  fed  and 
 strengthened,  kept  from  error,  comforted  in  all  temptations 
 and  troubles,  defended  against  the  craft  and  power  of  the 
 devil,  and  finally  delivered  out  of  all  trouble.  Nevertheless, 
 forasmuch  as  his  sheep  are  not  all  alike  strong,  but  some 
 yet  lost  and  scattered  here  and  there  abroad,  Avounded, 
 sick,  young,  and  feeble;  he  doth  not  therefore  cast  them 
 away,  but  hath  much  more  respect  unto  them,  and  careth 
 more  diligently  for  them,  than  for  the  other  that  have  no 
 such  need.  For  as  the  prophet  Ezekiel  saith  in  the  xxxivth 
 chapter:  "He  sceketh  them  that  be  lost,  brlngeth  together 
 them  that  be  scattered  abroad,  bindeth  up  such  as  be 
 wounded,  looketh  to  them  that  be  sick."  And  the  weak 
 iambs  that  be  but  young  at  the  first,  saith  Esay,  "  he  taketh 
 up  in  his  arms,  and  beareth  them,  and  such  as  be  with 
 young  ones  doth  he  drive  forth  fair  and  softly."  All  this 
 doth  our  loving  master  Christ  by  the  office  of  preaching 
 and  distributing  of  the  holy  sacrament ;  as  it  is  oft  and  with 
 many  words  taught  in  other  places.  For  to  set  it  forth 
 here  word  by  word  as  need  should  require,  it  were  too  long. 
 The  prophet  also  himself  will  declare  it  afterward  in  the 
 psalm. 
 
 By  this  then  may  we  easily  perceive,  how  shamefully  we  have 
 we  have  been  seduced  under  the  papacy.  For  Christ  was  ceived. 
 not  so  lovingly  set  forth  unto  us  as  the  dearly  beloved 
 prophets,  apostles,  and  Christ  himself  doth :  but  so  fearfully 
 was  he  described  unto  us,  that  we  have  been  more  afraid  of 
 him  than  of  Moses ;  yea,  we  thought  Moses'  doctrine  much 
 more  lighter,  and  to  have  much  more  sweetness  in  it,  than 
 the  doctrine  of  Christ.  And  so  we  knew  nothing  else,  but 
 that  Christ  had  been  a  wrathful  judge,  whose  displeasure  we 
 might  have  reconciled  with  our  good  works  and  with  our 
 
 19—2 
 
292  EXPOSITION    UPON 
 
 holiness,  and  whose  pardon  Ave  might  have  obtained  through 
 the  merits  and  intercessions  of  saints.  This  is  not  only  a 
 shameful  lesson,  and  a  miserable  deceiving  of  poor  consciences, 
 but  also  the  highest  blasphemy  of  the  grace  of  God,  a  deny- 
 ing of  the  death,  resurrection,  and  ascension  of  Christ,  &c., 
 and  of  all  his  unoutspeakable  benefits,  slandering  and  con- 
 demning of  his  holy  gospel,  a  destroying  of  faith,  and  in- 
 stead thereof  a  setting  up  of  utter  abominations,  lies,  and 
 errors,  &c. 
 
 Blindness.  If  this  be  uot  darkucss,  then  cannot  I  tell  what  darkness 
 
 is.  Yet  could  no  man  in  a  manner  perceive  it,  but  every  man 
 took  it  for  the  plain  verity;  and  yet  unto  this  day  Avill  our 
 papists  needs  take  it  for  the  right  way,  and  shed  much  in- 
 nocent blood  for  the  same.  Go  to  then,  if  we  can  preserve 
 ourselves  from  error,  if  we  can  obtain  grace  and  remission 
 of  sins,  resist  the  devil  and  all  misfortune,  overcome  sin  and 
 death  by  our  own  merits ;  then  must  all  the  scripture  be 
 false,  which  testifieth  of  us,  how  that  of  ourselves  we  are  but 
 lost,  scattered  abroad,  wounded,  weak,  and  feeble  sheep. 
 And  so  should  we  have  no  need  of  Christ  to  be  shepherd, 
 to  seek  us,  to  bring  us  together,  to  guide  us,  to  bind  us  up, 
 to  look  upon  us,  and  to  strengthen  us  against  the  devil.  And 
 so  hath  he  also  given  his  life  for  us  in  vain.  For  if  we  can 
 bring  all  this  to  pass,  and  obtain  it  through  our  own  strength 
 and  goodness,  then  have  we  no  need  of  Christ's  help. 
 
 Mark  this  But  here  thou  hearest  the  contrary,  namely,  that  thou 
 
 art  but  a  lost  sheep,  and  of  thyself  canst  not  come  to  the 
 shepherd  again ;  but  to  go  astray,  only  that  canst  thou  well 
 do.  And  if  Christ  thy  shepherd  did  not  seek  and  fetch  thee 
 again,  thou  must  needs  be  a  prey  unto  the  wolf.  But  now 
 he  Cometh,  seeketh,  findeth,  and  bringeth  thee  unto  his  fold, 
 that  is  to  say,  into  his  christian  congregation,  through  the 
 Avord  and  sacrament ;  giveth  his  life  for  thee,  and  holdeth 
 thee  still  by  the  right  hand,  lest  thou  shouldest  fall  into  any 
 error.  There  hearest  thou  nothing  of  thine  own  strength, 
 of  thine  own  good  works  and  merits ;  except  thou  wilt  call 
 it  strength,  a  good  work,  and  merit,  to  go  astray,  to  be 
 feeble  and  lost.  Christ  worketh,  deserveth,  and  sheweth 
 here  his  power  only.  It  is  he  that  seeketh,  beareth,  and 
 guideth  thee.  He  through  his  death  deserveth  life  for  thee. 
 He  only  is  strong,  and  defendeth  thee,  lest  thou  shouldest 
 
THE    TWENTY-SECOND    PSALM.  293 
 
 perish  and  be  taken  away  out  of  his  hands.  John  x. 
 Unto  all  this  canst  thou  do  nothing,  save  apply  thine  ears 
 to  hear,  and  with  thanksgiving  to  receive  such  an  unout- 
 speakable  treasure,  and  to  learn  to  know  well  the  voice  of 
 the  shepherd,  to  follow  him,  and  to  eschew  the  voice  of 
 strangers.  Wherefore,  if  thou  wilt  be  richly  provided  for,  Take  heed  to 
 both  in  body  and  soul,  above  all  things  take  good  heed  then  herds  voice. 
 to  the  voice  of  this  shepherd ;  hearken  well  what  he  saith 
 unto  thee ;  let  him  feed  thee,  rule  thee,  guide  thee,  defend 
 thee,  comfort  thee,  &c. :  that  is  to  say,  keep  thee  unto  his 
 word,  be  glad  to  hear  it  and  to  learn  it,  and  so'  no  doubt 
 thou  shalt  be  well  provided  for,  both  in  body  and  soul. 
 
 By  this  that  hath  been  spoken  of  hitherto,  I  think  it 
 but  easy  to  understand  these  words,  "  The  Lord  is  my 
 shepherd;"  yea,  and  all  the  whole  psalm  beside.  They 
 are  but  few  words :  "  The  Lord  is  my  shepherd  ;"  but 
 a  great  weight  and  pith.  The  world  maketh  great  boasting 
 and  cracking  of  honour,  power,  riches,  favour  of  men,  &c. 
 But  the  prophet  maketh  his  boast  of  none  of  these ;  for  they 
 be  all  uncertain  and  transitory.  He  speaketh  but  few  words 
 and  good :  "  The  Lord  is  my  shepherd."  Thus  speaketh 
 a  sure  and  constant  faith ;  which  turneth  her  back  upon 
 everything  that  is  temporal  and  transitory,  how  high  and 
 precious  soever  it  be ;  and  turneth  the  face  and  heart 
 straight  unto  the  Lord,  which  is  only  and  altogether,  and 
 doth  it  himself  alone.  Even  he,  and  else  none,  whether  he 
 be  king  or  emperor,  saith  he,  "is  my  shepherd."  Therefore 
 goeth  he  forward  in  all  quietness,  and  saith : 
 
 /  shall  lack  notliing. 
 This  doth  he  speak  in  general  of  all  the  benefits  bodily  a  general 
 
 sentence. 
 
 and  ghostly,  that  we  receive  by  the  office  of  preaching.  As 
 though  he  would  say :  That  the  Lord  be  my  shepherd,  then 
 doubtless  I  shall  lack  nothing ;  I  shall  have  abundance  of 
 meat,  drink,  clothing,  a  living,  defence,  peace,  and  all  manner 
 of  necessaries,  whatsoever  serveth  for  the  sustentation  of  this 
 life :  for  I  have  a  rich  shepherd,  which  shall  not  suffer  me 
 to  lack.  Nevertheless  he  doth  speak  most  specially  of  the 
 spiritual  goods  and  gifts,  that  the  word  of  God  bringeth 
 Avith  it,  and  saith :  '  Forasmuch  as  the  Lord  hath  taken  me 
 among  his  flock,  and  provideth  for  me  with  his  own  pasture. 
 
294  EXPOSITION     UPON' 
 
 that  is,  forasmuch  as  he  hath  richly  given  me  his  holy  word, 
 he  shall  not  suffer  me  to  have  scarceness  in  any  thing.  He 
 shall  give  his  blessing  unto  the  word,  that  it  may  have 
 strength,  and  bring  forth  fruit  in  me.  He  shall  likewise 
 give  me  his  Spirit,  to  stand  by  me  and  to  comfort  me  in  all 
 temj^tations  and  troubles,  to  make  my  heart  also  sure  and 
 certain,  and  that  I  doubt  not  therein,  but  that  I  am  one 
 of  my  shepherd's  dear  sheep,  and  he  my  faithful  shepherd, 
 which  will  deal  gently  with  me,  as  with  a  poor  weak  sheep, 
 and  will  strengthen  my  faith,  endue  me  also  with  other 
 spiritual  gifts,  comfort  me  in  all  troubles,  hear  me  when  I 
 call  upon  him,  defend  me  from  the  wolf,  that  is,  from  the 
 devil,  so  that  he  shall  not  be  able  to  do  me  harm ;  and 
 finally  deliver  me  from  all  misfortune.' 
 
 I  shall  lack  nothing. 
 
 An  objection.  Thou  wilt  Say,  Yca,  and  whereby  shall  I  perceive  that 
 the  Lord  is  my  shepherd  ?  I  cannot  perceive  that  he  dealeth 
 so  lovingly  with  me,  as  the  psalm  speaketh  ;  yea,  the  con- 
 trary do  I  well  perceive.  David  was  an  holy  prophet,  and 
 a  man  dearly  beloved  unto  God :  therefore  could  he  easily 
 talk  of  the  matter,  and  beHeve  well  as  he  said.  As  for 
 me,  I  shall  not  be  able  to  do  it  after  him ;  for  I  am  a  poor 
 sinner. 
 
 An  answer.  I   have   declared  above,   that  a  sheep   hath   this   good 
 
 condition  and  proper  virtue  in  it,  that  it  knowetli  well  the 
 voice  of  his  shepherd,  and  ordereth  itself  rather  after  the 
 ears,  than  after  the  eyes.  The  same  virtue  doth  Christ 
 praise  also  in  his  sheep,  when  he  saith,  (John  x.)  "  My 
 sheep  know  my  voice."  Now  his  voice  soundeth  after  this 
 manner :  "  I  am  a  good  shepherd,  and  give  my  life  for  my 
 sheep.  And  I  give  them  everlasting  life,  and  they  shall 
 never  perish,  and  no  man  shall  pluck  them  out  of  my  hand." 
 Take  good  heed  now  unto  this  voice,  and  order  thyself 
 thereafter :  if  thou  do  so,  then  be  sure  that  thou  art  one 
 of  Christ's  sheep,  and  he  thy  shepherd,  which  knoweth  thee 
 right  well,  and  can  call  thee  by  name.  Now  if  thou  hast 
 him  for  thy  shej)herd,  then  shalt  thou  verily  lack  nothing; 
 yea,  thou  hast  already  that  thou  shouldest  have,  even  ever- 
 lasting life.  Item,  thou  shalt  never  perish,  neither  shall 
 there  be  any  power  so  great  and  mighty,  as  to  be  able  to 
 
THE    TWENTY-SECOND    PSALM.  295 
 
 pluck  thee  out  of  his  hand.  Only  be  thou  sure  of  this: 
 for  doubtless  this  shepherd's  voice  shall  never  fail  thee. 
 "What  -wilt  thou  more?  But  if  thou  lettest  this  voice  go,  Leave  not 
 and  orderest  thyself  after  the  sight  of  the  eyes  and  after  Ihyshepherf. 
 the  feelino-  of  that  old  Adam ;  then  leseth  thou  the  faith  and 
 confidence,  which  thou  as  a  sheep  shouldest  have  unto  him, 
 as  to  thy  shepherd.  And  so  falleth  thee  upon  the  now  one 
 imagination,  now  another,  so  that  thou  canst  not  be  in  quiet, 
 but  disputest  by  thyself,  and  sayest :  If  the  Lord  be  my 
 shepherd,  why  suffereth  he  then  the  world  to  plague  me 
 and  persecute  me  too  miserably,  contrary  to  all  my  de- 
 serving ?  I  sit  among  wolves,  and  am  not  sure  of  my  life 
 the  twinkling  of  an  eye ;  but  I  see  no  shepherd  that  will  ^ 
 defend  me.  Item,  why  giveth  he  the  devil  licence  to  do  me 
 so  much  harm  with  fear  and  despair?  Besides  this,  I  find 
 myself  all  unapt,  feeble,  unpatient,  and  laden  yet  with  many 
 sins ;  I  find  no  certainty,  but  doubtfulness ;  no  consolation, 
 but  fearfulness  and  Quaking  for  the  wrath  of  God.  When 
 beginneth  he  to  declare  to  me,  that  he  is  my  shepherd? 
 
 Such   and   many  other    no   wonderful    cogitations    shalt 
 thou  have,  if  thou   let   his   voice   and  word  pass.      But  if 
 thou  cleave  still  fixst  unto  it,  then  sufferest  thou  neither  the  what  good 
 deceitfulness  of  the  devil,  the   displeasure   and   madness   of  when  one 
 
 •     c         •  1  !•  cleaveth  fast 
 
 the  world,  neither  thme  own  mfirmity  and  unworthmess,  to  to  ood-s 
 
 ^  '1  words. 
 
 overcome  thee  by  temptation ;  but  goest  on  boldly,  and 
 sayest,  W'hether  the  devil,  the  world,  or  mine  own  conscience 
 do  take  part  against  me  never  so  fiercely,  yet  will  not  I 
 therefore  take  overmuch  thought.  It  must  and  shall  be 
 thus,  that  whosoever  is  a  sheep  of  the  Lord,  he  cannot 
 remain  untempted.  Let  it  go  with  me  as  it  may,  yea, 
 Avhether  they  seethe  me  or  roast  me,  yet  is  this  my  comfort, 
 that  my  shepherd  hath  given  his  life  for  me.  Besides  this, 
 he  hath  also  a  sweet  and  loving  voice,  wherewith  he  com- 
 forteth,  and  saith,  I  shall  never  perish,  neither  shall  there 
 any  man  pluck  me  out  of  his  hand,  but  I  shall  have  ever- 
 lasting life.  This  promise  will  be  faithfully  kept  with  me, 
 whatsoever  become  of  me.  And  though  sometime  there 
 chance  a  sin  or  other  impediment  by  the  reason  of  mine 
 infirmity,  yet  will  he  not  therefore  cast  me  away ;  for  he 
 Is  a  loving  shepherd,  which  looketh  to  the  weak  sheep, 
 bindeth  up  then-  wounds,   and  healeth   them.     And  to  the 
 
296  EXPOSITION     UPON 
 
 intent  that  I  should  be  the  surer  of  this,  and  not  to  doubt 
 thereon,  he  hath  left  me  here  the  holy  sacrament,  for  a 
 token  that  it  is   so  indeed. 
 
 Even  thus  hath  the  prophet  done.  He  was- not  merry 
 alway,  neither  could  he  at  all  hours  sing,  "  The  Lord  is 
 my  shepherd,  I  shall  lack  nothing."  He  hath  been  sometime 
 at  many  a  great  exigent,  yea,  all  too  many ;  so  that  he 
 neither  felt  the  righteousness,  comfort,  nor  help  of  God,  but 
 plain  sin,  the  wrath  of  God,  fearfulness,  despair,  the  pains 
 of  hell,  &c. ;  as  he  complaineth  himself  in  many  psalms. 
 Nevertheless  he  turneth  him  from  his  own  feeling,  and 
 taketh  hold  of  God  by  his  promise  concerning  Messias  that 
 then  was  for  to  come,  and  casteth  this  in  his  mind :  '  How- 
 soever it  stand  with  me,  yet  is  this  the  comfort  of  my 
 heart,  that  I  have  a  gracious  and  merciful  Lord,  which  is 
 my  shepherd,  whose  word  and  promise  doth  strengthen  and 
 comfort  me ;  therefore  shall  I  lack  nothing.'  And  even 
 therefore  hath  he  written  this  and  other  psalms,  to  the 
 intent  that  we  should  be  sure,  that  in  very  temptations 
 there  is  elsewhere  no  counsel  and  comfort  to  be  found ;  and 
 that  this  is  the  only  golden  science,  namely,  to  cleave  unto 
 the  word  and  promise  of  God,  and  to  judge  after  the  same, 
 and  not  after  the  feehng  of  the  heart.  And  so,  no  doubt, 
 there  shall  follow  help  and  comfort,  and  not  fail  in  anything. 
 
 Now  followeth  the  second  verse. 
 
 He  feedeth  me  in  a  green  pasture,  and  leadeth  me  to 
 the  fresh  water. 
 
 In  the  first  verse  hath  the  prophet  shortly  comprehended 
 the  meaning  of  the  whole  psalm,  namely,  that  whosoever 
 hath  the  Lord  for  his  shepherd  shall  lack  nothing.  More 
 than  this  doth  not  he  teach  in  this  psalm ;  but  only  setteth 
 lorth  the  same  more  at  large  with  goodly  ornate  words  and 
 similitudes,  how  it  chanceth  that  they  which  are  the  Lord's 
 sheep  lack  nothing,  and  saith  :  "  He  feedeth  me,"  &c.  But 
 almost  throughout  the  whole  psalm  (as  his  manner  is  ofttimes 
 to  do)  he  useth  words,  which  signify  somewhat  else  than  they 
 sound.  As  when  he  maketh  mention  of  the  shepherd,  of  the 
 feeding  of  the  green  pasture,  of  the  fresh  water,  the  staff, 
 the  sheep-hook,  &c.,  it  is  easy  to  perceive,  that  he  will  have 
 somewhat  else  understood  thereby  than  we  men  use  to  speak 
 
THE    TWENTY-SECOND    PSALM.  297 
 
 thereof.  Such  manner  of  speakmg  is  very  common  in  the 
 scripture;  and  therefore  should  man  take  dihgent  heed  there- 
 unto, that  they  may  be  accustomed  withal,  and  learn  to  un- 
 derstand it. 
 
 But  see  how  well-favouredly  he  can  speak.  I  am,  saith 
 he,  a  sheep  of  the  Lord's,  which  feedeth  me  in  a  green  pas- 
 ture, &c.  A  natural  sheep  cannot  be  better  than  when  the 
 shepherd  feedeth  it  in  a  pleasant  green  pasture,  and  beside 
 fresh  water.  If  it  can  have  this,  it  thinketh  no  man  upon 
 earth  is  more  rich  or  happier  than  it ;  for  there  it  findeth 
 every  thing  that  it  can  desire :  a  goodly  thick  plentiful 
 grass,  whereof  it  waxeth  strong  and  fat ;  a  fresh  water, 
 wherewith  it  can  refresh  and  quicken  itself.  There  hath  it 
 pleasure  and  joy.  Even  so  will  David  say  here  hkewise, 
 that  God  never  shewed  him  a  greater  grace  and  benefit  upon 
 eartii  than  this,  that  he  might  be  in  the  place  and  among 
 the  people,  where  the  word  and  dwelling  of  God  and  the 
 right  God's  service  was.  For  where  that  treasure  is,  there 
 goeth  it  well  both  in  the  spiritual  and  worldly  regiment. 
 As  if  he  would  say:  'All  the  nations  and  kingdoms  upon 
 earth  are  nothing.  They  are  indeed  richer,  mightier,  and 
 more  glorious  than  we  Jews,  and  make  great  boasting  thereof. 
 They  boast  also  of  their  wisdom  and  holiness,  for  they  have 
 gods  also  whom  they  serve :  yet  with  all  their  pomp  and 
 glory,  they  are  but  even  a  plain  wilderness  and  desert.  For 
 there  is  neither  shepherd  nor  pasture ;  therefore  must  the 
 sheep  needs  stray,  be  famished,  and  perish.  As  for  us,  though 
 we  have  many  wildernesses  about  us,  yet  sit  we  here  at  rest, 
 safe  and  merry  in  paradise,  and  in  a  pleasant  green  pasture, 
 where  there  is  plenty  of  grass  and  fresh  w^ater,  and  have 
 with  us  our  shepherd,  which  feedeth  us,  leadeth  us  to  the 
 drink,  defendeth  us,  &c.     Therefore  can  we  lack  nothing.' 
 
 This  man  had  ghostly  eyes,  and  therefore  saw  he  right  The  chiefest 
 well  what  is  the  best  and  noblest   good   upon  earth.      He  fanhyi't'o" 
 maketh  no  boast  of  his  kingly  worship  and  power :  he  know-  ^ord. 
 ledgeth  well,  that   such   goods   are  also   the  gifts  of  God; 
 neither    runneth   he   from   them,   and  letteth  them  lie,  but 
 useth  them  unto  the  honour  of  God,  and  giveth  him  thanks 
 therefore.    But  of  this  maketh  he  specially  his  boast,  namely, 
 that  the  Lord  is  his  shepherd,  and  he  in  his  pasture  and 
 feeding;    that  is,  that  he  hath   God's  word.     This   benefit 
 
298  EXPOSITION     UPON 
 
 can  he  never  forget ;  but  speaketh  thereof  marvellous  excel- 
 lently, and  with  great  joy,  and  praiseth  it  far  above  all  the 
 goods  upon  earth.     And  this  he  doth  in  many  psalms,  as 
 
 [Psai.  cxix.]  in  the  118th,  where  he  saith :  "The  law  of  thy  mouth  is 
 dearer  unto  me  than  thousands  of  gold  and  silver."  Item : 
 "  I  love  thy  commandments  above  gold  and  precious  stone. 
 0  how  sweet  are  thy  words  unto  my  throat !  Yea,  more 
 than  honey  unto  my  mouth." 
 
 AVhatwe  This   scienco  should  we  learn  also,  namely,  to  let  the 
 
 ought  here  _  _  '  e/  ' 
 
 toiearn.  "world  boast  of  their  great  riches,  honour,  power,  &c.  For 
 it  is  loose,  uncertain,  and  transitory  ware,  which  God  casteth 
 into  the  dungeon.  It  is  a  small  matter  for  him  to  give  an 
 ungracious  person,  that  blasphemeth  and  dishonoureth  him 
 again,  for  his  reward,  a  kingdom,  a  dukedom,  or  any  other 
 worship  and  good  upon  earth.  These  worldly  goods  are  his 
 draff  and  swillings,  wherewith  he  filleth  the  hogs'  bellies,  that 
 he  is  disposed  to  kill.  But  unto  his  children,  as  David  speak- 
 eth here  thereof,  he  giveth  the  right  treasure.  Therefore 
 should  we,  as  the  dear  children  and  heirs  of  God,  neither 
 boast  oiu'selves  of  our  wisdom,  strength,  nor  riches,  but  of 
 this,  that  we  have  the  precious  pearl,  even  that  worthy 
 word,  whereby  we  know  God  our  loving  Father,  and  Jesus 
 The  word  of  Christ  wliom  he  hath  sent.  This  is  our  treasure  and  in- 
 treasure.  lieritauce,  which  is  sure  and  everlasting,  and  better  than  all 
 the  good  of  the  world.  AVhoso  hath  this,  let  him  suffer 
 other  men  to  gather  money  together,  to  live  voluptuously, 
 to  be  proud  and  high-minded :  but  though  he  himself  be 
 despised  and  poor  in  the  sight  of  the  world,  yet  let  not  that 
 tempt  him ;  but  let  him  thank  God  for  his  unoutspeakable 
 gift,  and  pray  that  he  may  abide  thereby.  It  maketli  no 
 matter  how  rich  and  glorious  we  be  here  upon  earth ;  if  we 
 keep  this  treasure,  we  have  plenty  of  riches  and  honour. 
 St  Paul  was  a  man  of  light  reputation,  and  poor  upon  earth, 
 having  the  devil  and  the  world  very  fierce  against  him :  but 
 in  the  sight  of  God  he  was  a  man  right  dear,  and  greatly 
 set  by.  Besides  this,  he  was  so  poor,  that  he  was  fain  to 
 get  his  living  with  the  labour  of  his  hands.  And  yet  for  all 
 that  great  poverty  he  was  richer  than  the  emperor  of  Rome ; 
 having  nevertheless  none  other  riches  but  the  knowledge  of 
 Christ.  "  For  the  which,"  saith  he,  Phil.  iii.  "  I  count  all 
 things  nothing  upon  earth,  except  very  loss  and  dung." 
 
THE    TWENTY-SECOND    PSALM.  299 
 
 The  God  of  mercy  grant  us  grace,  that  Ave  also,  after 
 the  ensample  of  David,  Paul,  and  other  holy  men,  may  count 
 our  treasure,  which  is  even  the  same  that  they  had,  as  great, 
 and  magnify  it  above  all  the  goods  upon  earth,  and  heartily 
 to  give  God  thanks  therefore,  that  he  hath  vouchsafed  it  upon 
 us  afore  many  thousands  of  other!    He  might  have  suffered  God  hath 
 
 n  imi-n*  t  i  ^one  more 
 
 us  to  go  astray,  as  well  as  the  iurks,  Egyptians,  Jews,  and  ^0^"^ than 
 other  idolaters,  which  know  not  of  that  treasure ;  or  else  he  °^^^^- 
 might  have  suffered  us  still  to  be  hard-hearted,  as  are  the 
 papists,  that  blaspheme  and  condemn  this  treasure  of  ours : 
 whereas  he  hath  set  us  now  in  his  own  green  meadow,  and 
 provided  us  so  richly  with  good  pasture  and  fresh  Avater.  It 
 Cometh  even  of  his  grace ;  therefore  have  Ave  the  more  to 
 thank  him  for. 
 
 As  for  the  people  of  God,  or  the  holy  congregation  of  xhe  meadow. 
 Christ,  the  prophet  callcth  it  a  green  meadow.     For  it  is 
 a  pleasant  garden,  garnished  and  beautified  with  all  manner 
 of  spu'itual  gifts.      The  pasture  or  grass  therein  is  the  word  The  grass. 
 of  God,  whereby  the  consciences  are  strengthened  and  re- 
 freshed.    In  the  same   green  meadoAV  doth  our  Lord  God 
 gather  his  sheep  together,  feedeth  them  therein  with  good 
 grass,   and  refresheth  them   with  fresh   water :    that  is,   he 
 committeth  unto   the   holy   christian   church  the   shepherd's 
 office,   delivereth  and  giveth   her   the  holy  gospel  and  the 
 sacraments,  to  take  charge  and  look  to  his  sheep  therewith, 
 that  they  may  be  richly  provided  for  Avith  doctrine,  with 
 comfort,  with  strength,  and  with  defence  against  all  evil,  &c. 
 As  for  those  that  preach  the  laAv  of  Moses,  or  the  command-  what  they 
 ments  of  men,  they  feed  not  the  sheep  in  a  green  pasture,  sheeiAn  tL 
 
 wil(lcrn6ss» 
 
 but  in  the  wilderness,  where  they  famish,  and  lead  them  to 
 foul  stinking  waters,  Avhereof  they  perish  and  die. 
 
 By  this  allegory  of  the  green  pasture  will  the  prophet 
 declare  the  great  abundance  and  riches  of  the  holy  gospel  The  great 
 and  of  the  knoAvledge  of  Christ  among  the  faithful.  For  like  as  blueve"'^ 
 as  the  grass  in  a  green  meadow  standeth  goodly  thick  and 
 full,  and  ever  groweth  more  and  more ;  even  so  have  the 
 faithful  not  only  God\s  Avord  Avith  all  plenteousness,  but  also 
 the  more  they  use  and  meddle  withal,  the  more  it  increaseth 
 and  groweth  among  them.  Therefore  setteth  he  the  words 
 marvellous  plainly. 
 
 He  saith  not,  he  bringeth  me  once  or  oft  into  a  green 
 
300  EXPOSITION     UPON 
 
 pasture ;  but  feedeth  me  still  therein,  that  I  may  lie,  take  my 
 rest,  and  dwell  even  in  the  midst  of  the  grass,  and  need  never 
 to  suffer  hunger  or  any  scarceness  beside.  For  the  word 
 that  he  here  useth  may  be  called  lying,  or  resting,  as  a  beast 
 lieth  and  resteth  upon  his  four  feet.     After  the  same  manner 
 
 [Psai.  ixxii.]  doth  Solomon  speak  also  in  the  seventy-first  psalm,  where 
 he  prophesieth  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ  and  the  gospel,  that 
 it  should  mightily  go  through  and  come  into  all  places,  and 
 saith :  "  There  shall  be  an  heap  of  corn  in  the  earth  high 
 upon  the  hills,  &c.,  and  shall  be  green  in  the  city,  hke  grass 
 upon  the  earth."  That  David  also  in  this  psalm  speaketh 
 likewise  of  the  gospel,  he  declareth  himself  afterward,  when 
 he  saith  :  "  He  quickeneth  my  soul."  Item  :  "  Thy  staff  and 
 thy  sheep-hook  do  comfort  me." 
 
 The  first  This  is  now  the  first  fruit  of  the  word  of  God,  that  the 
 
 Ir.iit  of  God's     ...  .  i        ^  t  ^  ^  • 
 
 word.  christians  are  so  instructed  thereby,   that  they  increase  in 
 
 faith  and  hope,  learn  to  commit  all  their  doings  unto  God, 
 and  whatsoever  they  have  need  of,  either  in  soul  or  body, 
 to  look  for  it  at  his  hand,  &c. 
 
 And  leadeth  me  to  the  fresh  water. 
 The  second  This  is  the  sccoud  fruit  of  God's  word.     It  is  unto  the 
 
 fruit  of  God's 
 
 word.  faithful  not  only  pasture  and  grass,  whereby  they  are  filled 
 
 and  strengthened  in  faith ;  but  it  is  also  unto  them  a  goodly 
 cold  fresh  water,  whereby  they  take  refreshing  and  comfort. 
 Therefore  leaveth  he  not  there  where  he  said,  "  He  feedeth 
 me  in  a  green  pasture ;"  but  addeth  this  also  unto  it,  "  And 
 leadeth  me  to  the  fresh  water."     As  if  he  would  say:  In  the 
 
 LPsai.  cxxi.]  great  heat,  when  the  sun  doth  sore  burn  (Psal.  cxx.),  and  I 
 can  have  no  shadow,  then  leadeth  he  me  to  the  fresh  water, 
 giveth  me  drink  and  refresheth  me :  that  is,  in  all  manner  of 
 troubles,  anguishes,  and  necessities,  ghostly  and  bodily,  when 
 I  know  not  elsewhere  to  find  help  or  comfort,  I  hold  me  unto 
 the  word  of  grace.  There  only,  and  nowhere  else,  do  I  find 
 the  right  consolation  and  refreshing,  and  that  plenteously. 
 Now,  whereas  he  speaketh  here  of  this  comfort  with  garnished 
 Avords,  he  talketh  of  it  in  another  place  with  plain  and  raani- 
 
 r,s:i!.  cxviii.  test  words,  and  saith :  "  If  thy  word  were  not  my  comfort 
 and  dehght,  I  should  perish  in  my  trouble."  "  I  will  never 
 forget  thy  word,  for  in  my  trouble  it  is  my  consolation ;  yea, 
 thy  word  quickeneth  me." 
 
THE    TWENTY-SECOND    PSALM.  301 
 
 Nevertheless  he  contmueth  still  in  the  similitude  of  the  why  the 
 shepherd  and  of  the  sheep ;  and,  no  doubt,  it  is  common  in  rehears^h 
 all  the  prophets.  For  of  the  sheep  and  other  cattle  had  the  similitude. 
 Jews  their  best  living,  and  were  commonly  shepherds,  as 
 was  David  and  the  patriarchs.  Therefore  is  this  simihtude 
 ofttimes  spoken  of  in  the  scripture.  But  David  speaketh  of 
 this  matter  after  the  nature  of  the  country.  For  the  land 
 of  promise  is  an  hot,  dry,  sandy,  and  stony  land,  which  hath 
 many  wildernesses  and  little  water.  Therefore  in  the  first 
 book  of  jSIoses  it  was  more  than  once  declared,  how  that  the 
 heathen  shepherds  strove  with  the  shepherds  of  the  patriarchs 
 because  of  water.  For  the  which  cause  in  the  same  country 
 they  take  it  for  a  special  treasure,  if  they  might  have  water 
 for  their  cattle.  In  our  countries  we  know  not  thereof;  for 
 there  is  water  enough  every  where.  Of  this  did  David  see,  and 
 he  rehearseth  it  for  a  special  benefit,  to  be  under  the  custody 
 of  the  Lord,  which  should  not  only  feed  him  in  a  green  pas- 
 ture, but  also  in  the  heat  brinG:ino;  him  to  the  fresh  water,  &c. 
 
 Shortly,  his  meaning  is  to  declare,  that  as  little  as  a  man 
 can  come  to  the  knowledge  of  God  and  the  truth,  and  to  the 
 right  faith,  without  the  word  of  God  ;   so  little  can  there  any  without 
 comfort  and  peace  of  conscience  be  found  without  the  same,  can  no  mans 
 The  worldly  have  also  their  comfort  and  joy;  howbeit  that  Meatiest, 
 endureth  but  the   twinkling  of  an  eye  :    when  trouble  and 
 anguish  cometh,  and  specially  the  last  hour,  it  goeth  away; 
 as  Solomon  saith  :  "  After  laughter  cometh  sorrow,  and  after  prov.  xiv. 
 joy  cometh  heaviness."    But  as  for  them  that  drink  of  this 
 fresh  and  living  water,   they  may  well  suffer  trouble  and 
 disease  in  the  world ;  but  they  shall  never  lack  the  true  con- 
 solation.     And  specially  when  it  cometh  to  the  point,  the 
 leaf  turneth  over  with  them:  which  is  as  much  to  say  as, 
 '  After  short  weeping  cometh  everlasting  laughter,  and  after 
 a  little  sorrow  cometh  excellent  joy."*     2  Cor.  v.     For  they 
 shall  not  weep  and  mourn  both  here  and  there ;  but,  as  Christ 
 saith  :  "  Blessed  are  you  that  weep  here,  for  ye  shall  laugh." 
 Luke  vi. 
 
 He  qidcheneth  my  soul,  and  hringeth  me  forth  in  the 
 way  of  righteousness  for  his  name's  sake. 
 
 Here  doth  the  prophet  declare  himself,  of  what  manner  spiritual 
 of  pasture  and  fresh  water  he  spake,  namely,  even  of  the '^^ater'"'*"'^ 
 
S02  EXPOSITION    UPON' 
 
 same  that  strengtheneth  and  quickeneth  the  soul.  This  can 
 be  nothing  else  but  God's  word.  But  forasmuch  as  our  Lord 
 God  hath  two  manner  of  words,  the  law  and  the  gospel,  the 
 prophet,  when  he  saith,  "  lie  quickeneth  my  soul,"  giveth 
 sufficiently  to  understand,  that  he  speaketh  not  here  of  the 
 
 The  law.  law,  but  of  tlic  gospol.  The  law  cannot  quicken  the  soul; 
 for  it  is  a  word  that  requireth  and  coramandeth  us  to  love 
 God  with  all  our  hearts,  &c.,  and  our  neighbour  as  ourselves. 
 Whoso  doth  not  this,  him  it  condemneth,  and  speaketh  this 
 sentence  over  him :  "  Cursed  be  every  man  which  doth  not 
 all  that  is  written  in  the  book  of  the  law."  Deut.  xxvii. 
 Gal.  iii.  Now  is  it  certain,  that  no  man  upon  earth  doth 
 this  ;  therefore  cometh  the  law  with  his  judgment,  fearing 
 and  vexing  the  consciences :  and  if  there  be  no  help,  it 
 goeth  through ;  so  that  they  must  needs  fall  into  despair, 
 and  be  condemned  for  ever.     Of  this  occasion  doth  St  Paul 
 
 Rom.  iii.       Say  :  "  By  the  law  cometh  but  the  knowledge  of  sin."     Item, 
 
 Rom.  iv.       "  The  law  causeth  but  wrath." 
 
 The  gospel.  As  for  tlio  gospcl,  it  is  a  blessed  word;  it  requireth  none 
 
 such  of  us,  but  bringeth  us  tidings  of  all  good,  namely,  that 
 God  hath  given  us  poor  sinners  his  only  Son,  to  be  our  shep- 
 herd, to  seek  again  us  famished  and  dispersed  sheep,  and  to 
 give  his  life  for  us,  that  he  might  so  deliver  us  from  sin, 
 from  everlasting  death,  and  from  the  power  of  the  devil. 
 This  is  the  green  grass,  and  the  fresh  water,  wherewith  the 
 Lord  quickeneth  our  souls.  And  thus  are  we  made  loose 
 from  evil  consciences  and  heavy  thoughts.  Of  this  shall  we 
 speak  more  in  the  fourth  verse. 
 
 He  bringeth  me  forth  in  the  ivay  of  righteousness. 
 
 Here,  saith  he,  doth  not  the  Lord  my  faithful  shepherd 
 leave,  that  he  feedeth  me  in  a  green  meadow,  and  leadeth  me 
 to  the  fresh  water,  and  so  quickeneth  my  soul ;  but  he  bringeth 
 me  forth  also  in  the  right  way,  that  I  depart  not  aside,  go 
 To  be  led  in  astray,  and  so  perish :  that  is,  he  holdeth  me  fast  to  the 
 wha7!t  is!^''^  pure  doctrine,  that  I  be  not  deceived  by  false  spirits,  and 
 that  I  fall  not  away  by  any  other  temptation  or  offence; 
 item,  that  I  may  know  how  I  ought  to  lead  mine  outward 
 conversation  and  life,  and  that  I  suffer  not  myself  to  be 
 persuaded  by  the  holiness  and  strait  life  of  hypocrites ;  item, 
 what  is  the  true  doctrine,  faith,  and  service  of  God,  &c. 
 
THE    TWENTY-SECOND    PSALM.  303 
 
 This  is  now  again  a  goodly  fruit  and  virtue  of  the  word  An  excellent 
 of  God,  that  they  which  cleave  fast  thereunto,  do  not  only  God-sword, 
 receive  strength  and  comfort  of  soul  thereby,  but  are  pre- 
 served also  from  untrue  doctrine  and  false  holiness.  Many 
 men  obtain  this  treasure,  but  they  cannot  keep  it.  For  as 
 soon  as  a  man  is  too  bold  and  presumptuous,  and  thinketh 
 himself  sure  of  the  matter,  it  is  done  with  him :  or  ever  he 
 can  look  about  him,  he  is  deceived.  For  the  devil  also  can 
 pretend  holiness,  and  transform  himself  into  an  angel  of  light, 
 as  St  Paul  saith :  and  even  so  likewise  can  his  ministers 
 shew  themselves,  as  though  they  were  the  preachers  of 
 righteousness,  and  come  in  sheep's  clothing  among  the  flock 
 of  Christ,  but  inwardly  are  they  ravening  wolves.  There- 
 fore is  it  good  here  to  watch  and  pray,  as  the  prophet  doth 
 in  the  last  verse,  that  our  shepherd  may  keep  us  by  this 
 treasure  which  he  hath  given  us.  They  that  do  not  this, 
 certainly  they  shall  lese  it.  "And  the  end  of  that  man,"  as  Lukexi. 
 Christ  saith,  '•  shall  be  worse  than  the  beginning."  For  they 
 shall  afterward  become  the  most  poisoned  enemies  of  Christ's 
 flock,  and  do  more  harm  with  their  false  doctrine  than  the 
 tyrants  with  the  sword.  This  had  St  Paul  well  proved  by 
 the  false  apostles,  that  made  the  Corinthians  and  Galatians 
 to  err  so  soon,  and  afterward  made  division  in  all  Asia.  We 
 see  it  ourselves  also  this  day  by  the  anabaptists  and  other 
 false  spirits. 
 
 For  his  name's  sake. 
 
 The  name  of  God  is  the  preaching  of  God,  whereby  he  The  name 
 is  magnified  and  known  to  be  gracious,  merciful,  long-suffer- 
 ing, true,  faithful,  &c. ;  which,  notwithstanding  that  we  be 
 the  children  of  wrath,  and  guilty  of  everlasting  death,  for- 
 giveth  us  all  our  sins,  and  taketh  us  for  his  own  children 
 and  -  inheritors.  This  is  his  name,  this  doth  he  cause  to  be 
 proclaimed  by  his  word.  Thus  will  he  be  known,  magnified, 
 and  honoured ;  and,  according  unto  the  first  commandment, 
 he  will  even  thus  declare  himself  toward  us,  as  he  hath 
 caused  it  to  be  preached  of  him :  like  as  he  doth  still, 
 strengtheneth  and  quickeneth  our  souls  spiritually,  and  keep- 
 eth  us  that  we  fall  not  into  error,  getteth  us  living  for  our 
 body,  and  preserveth  us  from  all  misfortune. 
 
 This  honour,  that  he  so  is  as  we  have  now  said,  is  given 
 
204 
 
 EXPOSITION     UPON 
 
 him  only  of  them  that  cleave  fast  unto  his  word :  these  believe 
 and  confess  plainly,  that  all  the  gifts  and  goods  which  they 
 have,  ghostly  and  bodily,  they  receive  them  of  God,  even  of 
 his  mere  grace  and  goodness ;  that  is  to  say,  '•  For  his 
 name''s  sake,"  not  for  their  own  work  and  deservings.  For 
 this  do  they  give  thanks  unto  him,  and  declare  the  same 
 unto  other.  This  honour  cannot  be  given  unto  God  of  any 
 presumptuous  justiciaries,  as  heretics  and  false  spirits,  or  ene- 
 mies and  blasphemers  of  God's  word ;  for  they  magnify  not 
 his  name,  but  their  own. 
 
 What  the 
 jirophet 
 le:icheth  in 
 tliis  verse. 
 
 And  though  I  walk  in  the  valley  of  the  shadoiv  of 
 death,  yet  fear  I  no  evil ;  for  thou  art  ivith  me :  thy  staf, 
 thy  sheep-hook  do  comfort  me. 
 
 Hitherto  hath  the  prophet  declared,  that  they  which  have 
 and  love  the  word  of  God  can  lack  nothing.  For  the  Lord 
 is  their  shepherd,  which  doth  not  only  feed  them  in  a  green 
 pasture  and  leadeth  them  to  the  fresh  water,  that  they  may 
 be  fat,  strong,  and  refreshed  both  bodily  and  ghostly ;  but 
 also  taketh  such  care  for  them,  that  they  be  not  Aveary  of 
 the  good  pasture  and  fresh  water,  leaving  the  green  meadow, 
 and  depart  again  from  the  right  way  into  the  wilderness. 
 This  is  the  first  part  of  this  psalm.  Now  teacheth  he  farther, 
 how  that  they  which  are  the  sheep  of  this  shepherd  be  com- 
 passed about  with  many  jeopardies  and  misfortunes.  Never- 
 theless the  Lord,  saith  he,  not  only  defendeth  them,  but 
 delivereth  them  also  out  of  all  temptations  and  troubles  : 
 for  he  is  among  them.  Now  after  what  manner  he  is  with 
 them,  he  declareth  likewise  well-favouredly. 
 
 Here  thou  seest,  that 
 forth,  and  as  soon  as  there  be  any  that  receive  it,  and  abide 
 by  it,  immediately  the  devil  and  all  his  angels  step  forth  and 
 move  the  world  with  all  the  power  thereof  against  it,  to 
 put  it  down,  and  utterly  to  destroy  them  that  have  it  and 
 knowledge  it.  For  look,  what  our  Lord  God  speaketh  or 
 doth,  it  must  be  tried  and  go  through  the  fire.  This  is  very 
 needful  for  christian  men  to  know ;  else  might  they  fail  and 
 think  thus  in  their  minds :  How  standeth  this  together  ? 
 The  prophet  saith  afore,  "  The  Lord  is  my  shepherd,  Lshall 
 lack  nothing."  And  here  he  saith  contrary,  namely,  that  he 
 must  walk  in  the  dark  valley.     And  in  the  next  verse  follow- 
 
 as  soon  as  the  word  of  God  goeth 
 
THE    TWENTY-SECOND    PSALM.  305 
 
 ing  he  confesseth,  that  he  hath  enemies :  whereby  he  giveth 
 sufficiently  to  understand,  that  he  lacketh  many,  yea,  all  things. 
 For  he  that  hath  enemies,  and  lieth  in  a  dark  valley,  seeth 
 no  light ;  that  is  to  say,  he  hath  neither  comfort  nor  hope, 
 but  is  forsaken  of  every  man,  and  every  thing  is  black  and 
 dark  before  his  eyes,  yea,  even  the  fair  clear  sun.  How  is 
 this  true  then,  that  he  should  lack  nothing  ? 
 
 Here  must  thou  not  order  thyself  after  thine  own  eyes,  we  may  not 
 and  follow  natural  reason,  as  doth  the  world,  unto  whom  it  selves  after 
 
 .  p     ,      .      .         tlie  outward 
 
 is  impossible  to  see  this  rich  and  glorious  comfort  of  christian  sight. 
 men,  that  they  should  lack  nothing.  Yea,  certainly  they 
 hold  that  the  contrary  is  true,  namely,  that  there  are  no 
 people  upon  earth  more  poor,  more  miserable,  and  more  un- 
 happy than  christian  men :  yea,  with  all  their  diligence  and 
 courage  help  they  thereto,  that  they  may  be  most  abominably 
 persecuted,  banished,  shamed,  and  put  to  death :  and  in  so 
 doing  they  think  they  do  God's  service  therein.  It  appear- 
 eth  therefore  outwardly,  as  though  christian  men  were  but 
 sheep  driven  away  and  forsaken  of  God,  and  given  over 
 already  into  the  wolves'  mouths,  and  to  be  even  such  as  lack 
 nothing  but  altogether  ^ 
 
 Again,  they  that  serve  that  great  god  Mammon,  or  the  The  servants 
 belly,  appear  in  the  world  to  be  those  good  sheep,  which,  as 
 the  psalm  saith,  lack  nothing ;  being  richly  provided  for  of 
 God,  comforted,  and  preserved  from  all  peril  and  misfortune. 
 For  they  have  their  own  heart's  desire,  honour,  good,  joy, 
 pleasure,  every  man's  favour,  &c.  Neither  need  they  be 
 afraid  to  be  persecuted  or  put  to  death  for  the  faith's  sake. 
 For  as  long  as  they  put  not  then'  trust  in  Christ,  the  only 
 true  Shepherd,  nor  knowledge  him ;  whether  they  believe 
 on  the  devil  or  his  dam,  or  do  whatsoever  they  will  beside 
 with  covetousness,  &c.,  they  are  taken  not  only  for  well- 
 doers therein,  but  also  for  the  living  saints,  which  bide  still 
 by  the  old  faith,  and  will  not  be  deceived  through  heresy ; 
 which  is,  as  David  teacheth  here,  that  the  Lord  only  is  the 
 shepherd.  Bo  abominable  and  grievous  mortal  sin  is  it  to 
 beheve  on  this  shepherd,  and  to  knowledge  him,  that  there 
 came  never  such  a  sin  upon  earth.  For  even  the  pope's  The  pope  wiu 
 holiness,  which  else  can  dispense  with  all  sins  and  forgive  him  that 
 
 •T  "  putteth  his 
 
 them,  cannot  remit  this  only  crime.  ui'rifri'J^'' 
 
 [1  Perhaps  for,  lack  not  one  thing,  hut  all  together.'} 
 
 r  -1  20 
 
 [COVERDALE,  II.J 
 
.306 
 
 EXPOSITION     UPON 
 
 Therefore,  I  say,  in  this  thing  do  not  thou  follow  tlie 
 world  and  thine  own  reason,  which,  while  they  judge  after 
 the  outward  appearance,  become  foohsh,  and  hold  the  prophet 
 but  for  a  Har  in  that  he  saith,  "  I  shall  lack  nothing."  But, 
 as  I  said  afore,  hold  thou  thee  fast  unto  the  word  and  pro- 
 mises of  God ;  hearken  unto  thy  shepherd,  how  and  what  he 
 saith  unto  thee ;  and  order  thyself  according  unto  his  voice, 
 not  according  to  that  which  the  eye  seeth,  or  the  heart 
 How  the       feeleth  :  and  so  hast  thou  the  victory.      Thus  doth  the  pro- 
 
 propnet  «'  >■ 
 
 hfmsefnn  P^^^t :  ho  confesseth  that  he  walketh  in  the  valley  of  the 
 and  uouwe.  shadow  of  death,  that  is,  that  he  is  compassed  about  with 
 trouble,  heaviness,  anguish,  necessity,  &c. ;  as  thou  mayest 
 see  at  more  large  in  his  stories  and  other  psalms.  Item, 
 that  he  hath  need  of  comfort ;  whereby  it  is  sufficiently  de- 
 clared, that  he  is  in  heaviness.  Item,  that  he  hath  enemies ; 
 and  yet  he  saith :  Though  my  temptations  were  more  and 
 greater,  and  though  I  were  in  a  worse  case ;  yea,  though  I 
 Avere  in  death's  mouth  already,  yet  do  not  I  fear  any  mis- 
 fortune. Not  that  I  am  able  to  help  myself  through  mine 
 own  provision,  travail,  labour,  or  succour ;  neither  do  I  trust 
 to  mine  own  wisdom,  virtue,  kingly  power,  and  riches :  for 
 in  this  matter  the  help,  counsel,  comfort,  and  power  of  all 
 men  is  far  too  Uttle.  But  this  is  it  that  doth  it,  even  that 
 the  Lord  is  with  me.  As  if  he  would  say  :  Certainly  of  mine 
 own  behalf  I  am  feeble,  in  heaviness,  vexed,  and  compassed 
 about  with  all  manner  of  peril  and  misfortune.  My  heart  also 
 and  conscience  is  not  quiet,  because  of  my  sins.  I  feel  an 
 horrible  fearfulness  of  death  and  hell,  so  that  I  might  in  man- 
 ner despair.  But  though  all  the  world,  yea,  and  the  gates  of 
 hell  be  set  against  me,  yet  wiU  I  therefore  not  be  discouraged. 
 Yea,  I  will  not  be  afraid  for  all  the  misfortune  and  pain  that 
 they  are  able  to  lay  upon  me.  The  Lord  is  with  me :  the 
 Lord,  I  say,  which  made  heaven  and  earth,  and  all  that 
 therein  is,  unto  whom  all  creatures,  angels,  devils,  men,  sin, 
 death,  &c.,  are  Ksubject.  Summa,  he  that  hath  all  things  in  his 
 own  power,  is  my  counsel-giver,  my  comforter,  my  defender, 
 and  helper.  Therefore  am  I  afraid  of  no  misfortune. 
 Asaph.  After  this  manner  doth  Asaph  speak  also  in  the  seventy- 
 
 [Psai.  ixxiii.]  second  Psalm,  where  he  comforteth  the  Christian  against  that 
 gr6at  stumbling-block,  that  the  ungodly  have  such  prosperity 
 upon  earth,  and  that  the  beloved  saints  of  God,  on  the  other 
 
THE    TWENTY-SECOND    PSALM.  307 
 
 side,  are  ever  plagued,  &c.,  and  saitli :  "  If  I  have  but  thee, 
 
 0  Lord,  I  pass  not  upon  heaven  nor  earth.  Though  both 
 body  and  soul  should  perish,  yet  thou,  0  God,  art  the  com- 
 fort of  my  heart,  and  my  portion." 
 
 Kow  after  what  manner  the  Lord  is  with  him,  he  shew- 
 eth  farthermore,  and  saith  : 
 
 Thy  staff  and  thy  sheep-hook  do  comfort  me. 
 The  Lord,  saith  he,  is  with  me ;  but  not  bodily,  that  I  how  the 
 
 ,  ''  Lord  is  pre- 
 
 may  see  or  hear  him.     This  presence  of  the  Lord,  whereof  ^^'^ntwj'h 
 
 </  A  many  taitli- 
 
 1  speak,  is  not  comprehended  with  the  five  wits.  Only  faith  *'"'  '"^"• 
 seeth  it.  The  same  is  sure,  that  the  Lord  is  nigher  unto  us 
 than  we  are  to  ourselves.  Whereby?  even  by  the  word. 
 Therefore  saith  he :  "  Thy  staff  and  thy  sheep-hook  comfort 
 me."  As  if  he  would  say :  In  all  my  troubles  and  neces- 
 sities I  find  nothing  upon  earth,  whereby  I  may  be  helped 
 
 to  be  at  rest.  Only  the  word  of  God  is  my  staff  and  sheep- 
 hook,  whereby  I  hold  me,  and  stand  up  again.  And  sure  I 
 am  hkewise  by  it,  that  the  Lord  is  with  me,  and  doth  not 
 only  strength  and  comfort  me  by  the  same  word  in  all 
 troubles  and  temptations,  but  also  deUvereth  me  from  all 
 mine  enemies,  spite  of  the  devil  and  the  world. 
 
 With  these  words,  "  Thy  staff  and  thy  sheep-hook  do 
 comfort  me,"  eometh  he  again  imto  the  similitude  of  the  The  simiii- 
 shepherd  and  the  sheep,  and  will  say  thus  much :  Like  as  a  shepherd. 
 bodily  shepherd  ruleth  liis  sheep  with  the  staff  or  sheep- 
 hook,  and  leadeth  them  to  the  pasture  and  to  fresh  water, 
 where  they  find  meat  and  drink,  and  defendeth  them  with 
 the  sheep-hook  against  all  peril ;  even  so  doth  the  Lord, 
 that  true  shepherd,  guide  and  rule  me  with  his  staff,  that  is 
 to  say,  with  his  word  ;  to  the  intent  that  in  his  sight  I  should 
 walk  with  a  good  behef  and  a  merry  conscience,  and  know 
 to  beware  of  untrue  doctrine  and  false  holiness.  Besides  this, 
 he  defendeth  me  also  against  all  jeopardy  and  misfortune, 
 bodily  and  ghostly,  and  delivereth  me  from  all  mine  enemies 
 with  his  staff;  that  is  to  say,  with  the  same  word  doth  he 
 strength  and  comfort  me  so  richly,  that  there  is  no  mis- 
 fortune so  great,  whether  it  be  bodily  or  ghostly,  but  I  am 
 able  to  come  out  of  it,  and  to  overcome  it. 
 
 By  this  thou  seest,  that  the  prophet  speaketh  here  of  no  This  goeth 
 help,  defence,  or  comfort  of  man.     I^either  draweth  he  out  to  work. 
 
 20—2 
 
308  EXPOSITION    UPOiV 
 
 any  sword,  &c.  It  goeth  here  all  secretly  and  privily  to 
 work,  even  by  the  word :  so  that  no  man  can  spy  this 
 defence  and  comfort,  but  only  they  that  believe.  And  here 
 doth  David  write  a  general  rule  for  all  christian  men,  which 
 is  well  to  be  noted ;  namely,  that  there  is  none  other  mean 
 way  upon  earth  for  any  man  to  be  delivered  out  of  all  temp- 
 tations, save  only  to  cast  all  his  burden  upon  God,  and  to 
 hold  him  fast  by  liis  word  of  grace,  to  cleave  surely  unto  it, 
 and  in  no  wise  to  suffer  it  to  be  taken  from  him.  Whoso 
 doth  this  can  be  content,  whether  he  be  in  prosperity  or 
 adversity,  whether  he  live  or  die.  And,  finally,  he  can  en- 
 dure, and  must  needs  prosper  against  all  devils,  the  world, 
 and  misfortune.  This,  methink,  is  a  great  praise  of  that 
 good  Avord  of  God ;  and  a  greater  power  is  ascribed  here 
 unto  it,  than  is  the  power  of  all  angels  and  men.  Thus  doth 
 St  Paul  praise  it  also,  Rom.  i. :  "  The  gospel,"  saith  he,  "  is 
 the  power  of  God  for  the  salvation  of  all  them  that  believe 
 thereon." 
 The  office  of  And  witli  this  doth  the  prophet  touch  the  office  of  preach- 
 ing :  for  by  the  monthly  preaching  of  the  word,  which  goeth 
 in  at  the  ears,  and  that  the  heart  taketh  hold  upon  by  faith, 
 and  by  the  holy  sacraments,  doth  our  Lord  God  bring  all 
 this  to  pass  in  his  christian  congregation ;  namely,  to  the 
 intent  that  the  people  may  have  faith,  be  strengthened  in 
 belief,  and  preserved  in  the  true  doctrine :  item,  that  they 
 may  finally  endure  against  all  temptations  of  the  devil  and 
 the  world.  For  since  the  beginning  of  the  world  hath  God 
 dealt  thus  with  all  his  saints  by  his  word,  and  beside  the 
 same  hath  he  given  them  outward  tokens  of  grace.  This 
 I  say,  because  that  no  man  should  take  upon  him  without 
 these  means  to  meddle  with  God,  or  to  choose  himself  a 
 peculiar  way  unto  heaven;  else  shall  he  fall  and  break  his 
 neck,  as  the  pope  and  his  hath  done,  and  as  the  anabaptists 
 and  other  seditious  spirits  do  yet  this  day.  And  with  these 
 words,  "  Thy  staff  and  thy  sheep-hook  do  comfort  me,"  will 
 the  prophet  shew  some  special  thing.  As  if  he  would  say  : 
 Moses  is  a  shepherd  likewise,  and  hath  also  a  staff  and  a 
 sheep-hook :  nevertheless  he  doth  nothing  else  but  compel  and 
 punish  his  sheep,  and  overladeth  them  with  an  untolerable 
 burthen.  Acts  xv.  Isai.  ix.  Therefore  is  he  a  fearful  and 
 a  terrible  shepherd,  of  whom  the  sheep  are  afraid,  and  fly 
 
THE    TWENTY-SECOND    PSALM.  309 
 
 from  him.  Nevertheless  thou,  Lord,  with  thy  staff  and 
 sheep-hook  compellest  not  thy  sheep,  neither  makest  them 
 afraid,  nor  overchargest  them,  but  giveth  them  comfort. 
 
 Therefore  speaketh  he  here  of  the  office  of  preaching  the 
 new  Testament,  whereby  tiding  is  brought  unto  the  world, 
 that  Christ  came  upon  earth  to  save  sinners,  and  thereby 
 hath  obtained  them  such  a  salvation,  that  he  hath  given  his 
 life  for  them.  All  they  that  believe  this  shall  not  perish, 
 but  have  everlasting  life,  John  iii.  This  is  the  staff  and  xhe  staff 
 sheep-hook,  whereby  the  souls  take  refreshing,  comfort,  and  sheep-hook, 
 joy.  Wherefore  in  the  spiritual  sheepfold,  that  is  to  say, 
 in  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  there  ought  none  other  law  to  be 
 preached,  but  the  gospel ;  which  the  prophet  with  ornate 
 words  calleth  the  staff  and  sheep-hook  of  comfort,  whereby 
 they  be  strengthened  in  faith,  refreshed  in  their  hearts,  and 
 receive  consolation  in  all  manner  of  troubles,  and  even  at  the 
 point  of  death. 
 
 They  that  so  preach  use  the  spiritual  shepherd's  office  what  thev 
 
 •    ^  }.       ^       1  1  ^    /-.I     .  •  1  be  that  lead 
 
 aright,  leed  the  sheep  oi  Christ  m  a  green  meadow,  lead  christs sheep 
 
 °  '^  _         "='  in  a  green 
 
 them  to  the  fresh  water,  refresh  their  souls,  keep  them  that  meadow, 
 they  be  not  deceived,  and  comfort  them  with  the  staff  and 
 sheep-hook  of  Christ,  &c.  And  where  thou  hearest  such  one, 
 be  sure  thou  hearest  Christ  himself.  Such  men  also  ought 
 to  be  taken  for  true  shepherds,  that  is  to  say,  for  the  minis- 
 ters of  Christ  and  the  stewards  of  God.  Neither  ought  it  to 
 be  regarded,  that  the  world  crieth  out  upon  them,  and  calleth 
 them  heretics  and  deceivers.  Again,  they  that  teach  any 
 thing  else  contrary  to  the  gospel,  causing  men  to  trust  to 
 their  own  works,  merits,  and  to  their  own  feigned  holiness, 
 these  no  doubt,  though  they  boast  never  so  much  to  be 
 successors  of  the  apostles,  and  deck  themselves  with  the  name 
 and  title  of  the  christian  church,  yea,  though  they  raised  up 
 dead  men,  yet  are  they  wolves  and  murderers ;  which  spare 
 not  the  flock  of  Christ,  scatter  them  abroad,  torment  them, 
 and  kill  them  not  only  spiritually,  but  bodily  also,  as  men 
 may  see  now  before  their  eyes. 
 
 Like  as  the  prophet  here  afore  doth  call  God's  word,  or  The  names 
 
 ..'■'■  rt.  1  1  '*'^'  ^^^  word 
 
 the  gospel,  grass,  water,  the  right  way,  a  staff,  and  a  sheep- o^  god  hath^ 
 hook;  even  so  afterward  in  the  fifth  verse  he  calleth  it  a 
 table  prepared,  an  ointment,  a  full  cup.     And  this  similitude 
 of  the  table,  ointment,  and  cup,  doth  he  take  out  of  the  old 
 
SIO  EXPOSITION    UPON 
 
 Testament  from  the  God's  service  of  the  Jews,  and  saith 
 even  in  a  manner  the  same  that  he  had  said  afore,  namely, 
 that  they  which  have  the  word  of  God  are  richly  provided 
 for  in  all  points,  both  concerning  the  soul  and  body,  save 
 only  that  he  speaketh  it  here  with  other  figures  and  alle- 
 gories. First,  bringeth  he  in  the  similitude  of  the  table, 
 whereupon  the  shewbread  lay  continually.  Exod.  xxv.  xl. 
 And  then  declareth  he  what  the  same  did  signify,  and  saith : 
 
 TJiou  2^reparest  a  table  before  me  against  mine  enemies. 
 Thou  anohitest  mine  head  luith  oil,  and  fillest  my  cuj)  full. 
 
 Here  doth  he  knowledge  plainly,  that  he  hath  enemies. 
 But  he  saith,  he  keepeth  him  from  them,  and  driveth  them 
 back  by  this  means,  namely,  because  the  Lord  hath  prepared 
 a  table  before  him  against  those  his  enemies.  Is  not  this 
 a  wonderful  defender  ?  I  would  have  thought  he  should 
 have  prepared  before  him  a  strong  wall,  a  mighty  bulwark, 
 deep  ditches,  armour,  and  other  harness  and  weapons,  whereby 
 he  might  be  sure  from  liis  enemies,  and  discomfit  them.  And 
 now  cometh  he  and  prepareth  liim  a  table,  to  eat  and  to 
 drink  on,  and  so  to  smite  his  enemies. 
 
 There  could  I  be  content  to  fight  also,  if  the  enemies 
 might  be  overcome  without  any  jeopardy,  care,  travail,  and 
 labour,  and  I  too  do  nothing  else  but  to  sit  at  a  table,  to 
 eat  and  drink  and  be  merry. 
 
 With  these  words,  "  Thou  preparest  a  table  before  me 
 against  mine  enemies,"  will  the  prophet  declare  the  great. 
 The  great  excellcnt,  and  wonderful  power  of  the  word  of  God.  As  if 
 Godl'^ward.  he  would  say :  Thou  oiferest  me  such  kindness,  0  Lord, 
 and  feedest  me  so  well  and  richly  at  thy  table  which  thou 
 hast  prepared  for  me,  that  is,  thou  enduest  me  so  plenteously 
 with  the  exceeding  knowledge  of  thy  good  word,  so  that 
 through  the  same  I  have  not  only  plenteous  consolation  in- 
 wardly in  my  heart,  against  mine  own  evil  conscience,  against 
 fear  and  dread  of  death,  and  the  wrath  and  judgment  of  God ; 
 but  outwardly  also,  through  the  same  word,  I  am  become  so 
 valiant  and  so  invincible  a  giant,  that  all  mine  enemies  can 
 bring  nothing  to  pass  against  me.  The  more  wroth,  mad, 
 and  unreasonable  they  are  against  me,  the  less  I  regard  it  : 
 yea,  I  am  so  much  the  more  quiet  in  myself,  glad,  and  con- 
 tent ;  and  that  of  none  other  occasion,  save  only  that  I  have 
 
THE    TWENTY-SECOND    PSALM.  Sll 
 
 thy  word.  The  same  giveth  me  such  power  and  courage 
 against  all  mine  enemies :  so  that  when  they  rage  fiercely 
 and  are  most  mad  of  all,  I  am  better  content  in  my  mind, 
 than  if  I  sat  at  a  table  where  I  might  have  all  that  my  heart 
 could  desire,  meat,  drink,  mirth,  pleasure,  minstrelsy,  &c. 
 
 There  hearest  thou  asiain,  how  highly  this  holy  David  Anhighcom- 
 
 o         ^  O      «/  t/  mendationof 
 
 magnifieth  and  praiseth  the  good  word  of  God ;  namely,  how  Gods  word. 
 that  by  the  same  they  that  believe  overcome  and  win  the 
 victory  against  the  devil,  the  world,  the  flesh,  sin,  a  man's 
 own  conscience,  and  against  death.  For  if  a  man  have  the 
 word,  and  take  more  hold  of  it  by  faith,  then  must  all  these 
 enemies,  which  else  are  invincible,  be  fain  to  give  back  and 
 to  yield  themselves.  And  it  is  a  marvellous  victory  and 
 power,  yea,  and  a  very  stout  boasting  of  such  as  beUeve, 
 that  they  subdue  and  overcome  all  these  horrible,  yea,  and 
 in  manner  almighty,  enemies  ;  not  with  raging,  not  with 
 biting,  not  with  resisting,  not  with  striking  again,  not  with 
 taking  of  vengeance,  not  with  seeking  of  counsel  and  help 
 here  and  there ;  but  with  eating,  drinking,  pleasure,  sitting, 
 being  merry,  and  taking  of  rest.  Which  things,  as  it  is  said 
 afore,  come  all  to  pass  through  the  word.  For  to  eat  and 
 drink  is  called  in  the  scripture,  to  beheve,  to  take  sure  hold 
 on  God's  word,  whereout  there  foUoweth  peace,  joy,  comfort, 
 strength,  &c. 
 
 Natural  reason  can  give  no  judgment  in  this  wonderful  The  natural 
 
 w        O  reason  of 
 
 victory  of  the  faithful ;  for  here  cometh  the  matter  to  pass  man. 
 clean  contrary  to  the  outward  senses  of  man.  The  world 
 doth  alway  persecute  and  slay  the  Christian,  as  the  most 
 hurtful  people  upon  earth.  Now  when  natural  reason  saith 
 this,  it  cannot  think  otherwise,  but  that  the  Christian  lie 
 under ;  and  again,  that  their  enemies  prevail  and  have  the 
 victory.  Thus  did  the  Jews  entreat  Christ,  the  apostles, 
 and  the  faithful,  and  put  them  ever  to  execution.  When 
 they  had  slain  them,  or  at  the  least  banished  them,  then 
 €ried  they,  Now  have  we  the  victory ;  these  followers  that 
 have  hurt  us  shall  now  trouble  us  no  more.  Noav  shall  we 
 handle  every  thing  as  we  will.  But  when  they  thought 
 themselves  to  have  been  surest  of  all,  our  Lord  God  sent 
 upon  them  the  Romans,  which  dealt  so  horribly  with  them, 
 that  it  is  a  terrible  thing  to  hear.  Then  after  certain  hun- 
 dred years,  as  for  the  Romans,  (which  throughout  all  the 
 
312  EXl'OaiTION     UPON 
 
 empire  of  Kome  had  slain  many  thousand  martyrs,)  God  re- 
 warded them  afterward,  and  suffered  the  city  of  Rome  in 
 a  few  years  to  be  four  times  spoiled  by  the  Gothics  and 
 Vandals,  and  finally  to  be  burnt,  destroyed,  and  the  empire 
 to  decay.  Who  had  now  the  victory  ?  The  Jews  and 
 Romans,  that  shed  the  blood  of  saints  like  Avater;  or  the 
 poor  Christians,  that  suffered  themselves  to  be  ordered  hke 
 slaughter-sheep,  and  had  none  other  harness  and  weapon, 
 but  the  good  Avord  of  God  ? 
 Howitgoeth         Thus  doth  David  declare  with  these  words,  how  it  p-oeth 
 
 with  the  '  O 
 
 them  timt°^  witli  tho  lioly  christiau  congregation,  (for  he  speaketh  not 
 chnsr '"  here  of  his  own  person  only,)  setteth  her  forth  in  her  colours, 
 and  describeth  her  well-favouredly ;  namely,  how  that  in  the 
 sight  of  God  she  is  even  as  a  pleasant  green  meadow,  which 
 hath  plenty  of  grass  and  fresh  water :  that  is  to  say,  that 
 she  is  the  paradise  and  pleasant  garden  of  God,  garnished 
 with  all  his  gifts,  and  hath  his  unoutspeakable  treasure,  the 
 holy  sacraments,  and  that  good  word,  wherewith  he  instruct- 
 eth,  guideth,  refresheth,  and  comforteth  his  flock.  But  in 
 the  sight  of  the  world  hath  this  congregation  a  far  other 
 appearance,  even  as  though  she  were  a  black  dark  valley, 
 where  a  man  can  see  neither  pleasure  nor  joy,  but  trouble, 
 sorrow,  and  adversity.  For  the  devil  with  all  his  power 
 setteth  himself  against  it,  for  this  treasure  sake.  luAvardly 
 plagueth  he  the  congregation  of  God  with  his  venomous  fiery 
 darts :  outwardly  treadeth  he  her  down  by  sects  and  of- 
 fences. Then  kindleth  he  also  his  brand  upon  her,  even  the 
 world,  which  ministereth  unto  her  all  sorrow  and  heaviness 
 of  heart,  with  persecuting,  slandering,  blaspheming,  condem- 
 ning, and  murdering ;  insomuch  that  it  were  no  wonder  that 
 dear  flock  of  Christ  were  utterly  destroyed  in  the  twinkling 
 of  an  eye,  by  such  great  subtilty  and  might  both  of  the 
 devil  and  of  the  world.  For  she  cannot  keep  herself  from 
 her  enemies;  they  are  far  too  strong,  too  deceitful,  and  too 
 mighty  for  her.  She  is  even  as  the  prophet  doth  here 
 describe  her,  an  innocent,  simple,  and  Aveaponless  lamb, 
 Avhich  neither  will  nor  can  do  any  man  harm,  but  is  alway 
 ready,  not  only  to  do  good,  but  also  to  take  evil  for  good. 
 m?ck!!F  ^^^^^  happcneth  it  then,  that  the  congregation  of  Christ  in 
 vvmneth.  ^uch  wcaknoss  can  escape  the  craftiness  and  tyranny  of  the 
 devil  and  the  Avorld  ?     Tlic  Lord  is  her  shepherd ;  therefore 
 
THE    TWENTY-SECOND    PSALM.  313 
 
 lacketli  she  nothing.  He  fecdeth  and  refresheth  her  ghostly 
 and  bodily;  he  keepeth  her  in  the  right  way;  he  giveth  her 
 also  his  staff  and  sheep-hook  instead  of  a  sword,  which  she 
 beareth  not  in  the  hand,  but  in  the  mouth ;  and  not  only 
 comforteth  the  sorrowful  therewith,  but  driveth  away  the 
 devil  also  and  his  apostles,  be  they  never  so  subtle  and  spite- 
 ful. Besides  this,  the  Lord  hath  prepared  for  her  also  a 
 table  and  Easter  lamb.  When  her  enemies  are  very  wroth- 
 ful,  gnash  their  teeth  together  over  her,  are  mad,  unreason- 
 able, in  a  rage,  and  out  of  their  wits,  and  take  all  their 
 subtilty,  power,  and  might  to  help  them  for  to  destroy  her 
 utterly ;  then  doth  the  beloved  Bride  of  Christ  set  her  down 
 at  her  Lord's  table,  eatcth  the  Easter  lamb,  drinketh  of  the 
 fresh  water,  is  merry,  and  singeth :  "  The  Lord  is  my  shep- 
 herd, I  shall  lack  nothing." 
 
 These  are  her  weapons  and  guns,  wherewith  she  hath 
 hitherto  smitten  and  overcome  all  her  enemies ;  and  after  the 
 same  manner  shall  she  have  the  victory  still  unto  doomsday. 
 The  more  also  that  the  devil  and  the  world  doth  hurt  and 
 vex  her,  the  better  is  it  with  her.  For  her  edifying  and 
 increase  standeth  in  persecution,  affliction,  and  death.  Out 
 of  this  occasion  did  one  of  the  old  fathers  say  :   "  The  blood  a  notable 
 
 .  -11  •  1  •  saying. 
 
 ot  martyrs  is  a  seed;  where  one  is  cast,  there  rise  an  hundred 
 up  again  ^"  Of  this  wonderful  victory  sing  certain  psalms, 
 as  the  ninth,  tenth,  &c. 
 
 After  this  same  manner  have  I  also,  through  the  grace  The  author 
 of  God,  behaved  myself  these  eighteen  years :  I  have  ever  ° 
 suffered  mine  enemies  to  be  wroth,  to  threaten,  to  blaspheme 
 and  condemn  me ;  to  cast  their  heads  still  ao-ainst  me,  to 
 imagine  many  evil  ways,  and  to  use  divers  unthirsty  points. 
 I  have  suffered  them  to  take  wondrous  great  thought,  how 
 they  might  destroy  me,  and  mine,  yea,  God's  doctrine. 
 3Ioreover,  I  have  been  glad  and  merry,  (but  more  at  one 
 time  than  at  another,)  and  not  greatly  regarded  their  raging 
 and  madness,  but  have  holden  me  by  the  staff  of  comfort, 
 and  had  recourse  unto  the  Lord's  table ;  that  is,  I  have  com- 
 
 [1  The  sentiment  is  found  in  Augustine,  Enarrat.  in  Psalm  Iv.  (Ivi.) 
 Pars  I.  Opera,  Tom.  vm.  p.  128.  C.  Ed.  1541.  EfFusus  est  multus  et 
 magnus  martyrum  sanguis :  quo  eflfuso,  tanquam  seminata  seges 
 ecclesiaj  fertilius  pullulavit. — Compare  also  Enarrat.  in  Psalm,  cxl. 
 <cxli.)    lb.  p.  354.  I.     Tertull.  Apol.  adv.  Gentes,  c.  50.] 
 
014  EXPOSITION     UPON 
 
 mitted  the  cause  unto  God,  wherein  he  hath  so  led  me,  that 
 I  have  obtained  all  my  will  and  mind.  And  in  the  mean 
 time  have  I  done  little  or  nothing,  but  spoken  unto  liim  a 
 Paternoster,  or  some  little  psalm.  This  is  all  my  harness, 
 wherewith  I  have  defended  me  hitherto,  not  only  against 
 mine  enemies;  but  also  through  the  grace  of  God  brought 
 so  much  to  pass,  that  when  I  look  behind  me,  and  call  to 
 remembrance,  how  it  hath  stood  in  the  papistry,  I  do  even 
 wonder  that  the  matter  is  come  so  far.  I  Avould  never  have 
 thought  that  the  tenth  part  should  have  come  to  pass,  as  it 
 is  now  before  our  eyes.  He  that  hath  begun  it  shall  bring 
 it  well  to  an  end ;  yea,  though  nine  hells  and  worlds  were 
 set  on  an  heap  together  against  it.  Let  every  christian  man, 
 therefore,  learn  this  science ;  namely,  that  he  hold  him  by 
 this  staff  and  sheep-hook,  and  resort  unto  this  table,  when 
 heaviness  or  any  other  misfortune  is  at  hand.  And  so  shall 
 he  doubtless  receive  strength  and  comfort  against  every  thing 
 that  oppresseth  him. 
 The  oint-  Tlio  secoud  simiUtudo  is  of  the  omtment,  whereof  there 
 
 ment.  .  .  i  c      •  •         i        i     i  •  t 
 
 15  mention  made  oft-times  in  the  holy  scripture.  It  was  some 
 precious  oil,  as  balm,  or  else  some  other  sweet-smelling  water ; 
 and  the  use  was,  to  anoint  the  kings  and  priests  withal.  When 
 the  Jews  also  held  their  solemn  feasts,  and  were  disposed  to 
 be  merry,  they  did  anoint  or  sprinkle  themselves  with  such 
 precious  ointment,  as  Christ  declared  likewise  in  the  sixth  of 
 Matthew,  where  he  saith :  "  When  thou  fastest,  anoint  thine 
 head,  and  wash  thy  face,"  &c.  The  use  then  of  this  oint- 
 ment was  had  among  those  people,  Avhcn  they  were  disposed 
 to  be  merry  and  glad  :  like  as  the  Magdalene  also  thought 
 to  make  the  Lord  merry,  when  she  poured  upon  his  head  the 
 precious  water  of  nardus ;  for  she  saw  that  he  was  heavy. 
 
 The  full  cup.         The  third  simiHtude  is  of  the  cup,  which  they  brought  in 
 their  God's  service,  when  they  offered  drink-offerings,  and 
 were  merry  before  the  Lord. 
 The  rich  With  those  words  then,  "Thou  anointest  my  head  with 
 
 christian  oil,  and  fillcst  iiiy  cup  full,"  will  the  prophet  describe  the 
 great  rich  comfort,  which  they  that  are  faithful  have  by  the 
 word  of  God ;  so  that  their  consciences  are  quiet,  glad,  and 
 at  rest  in  the  midst  of  all  temptations  and  troubles,  yea, 
 even  of  death.  As  if  he  would  say  :  Doubtless  the  Lord 
 maketh  me  a  marvellous  man  of  Avar,  and  harnesseth  me 
 
THE    TWENTY-SECOND    PSALM.  315 
 
 wondrously  against  mine  enemies.  I  thought  he  should  have 
 put  material  harness  upon  me,  set  an  helmet  upon  mine  head, 
 given  me  a  sword  in  my  hand,  and  have  warned  me  to  be 
 circumspect,  and  to  take  diligent  heed  to  my  matter,  lest 
 mine  enemies  should  overtake  me.  Now  cometh  he  and 
 setteth  me  down  at  a  table,  and  prepareth  me  a  goodly 
 banquet,  anointeth  mine  head  with  precious  balm :  or,  after 
 the  manner  of  our  country,  setteth  a  garland  upon  mine 
 head,  as  if  I  should  go  to  some  pastime  or  dancing,  and 
 not  fight  with  mine  enemies ;  and  to  the  intent  that  there 
 should  be  no  scarceness,  he  fiUeth  my  cup  full,  that  I  may 
 drink,  make  good  cheer,  and  be  drunken.  The  table  then 
 prepared  is  my  harness,  the  precious  ointment  is  my  helmet, 
 and  the  full  cup  is  my  sword.  With  these  do  I  overcome 
 all  mine  enemies.  Is  not  this  a  marvellous  preparing  to 
 war,  and  yet  a  more  wonderful  victory  ?  Thus  will  he 
 say :  Lord,  thy  guests  which  sit  at  thy  table,  that  is  to  say, 
 the  faithful,  shall  not  only  be  strong  and  valiant  giants 
 against  all  their  enemies,  but  they  shall  be  merry  also 
 and  drunken.     For  why  ?   thou  makest  them  good  cheer,  spiritual 
 
 ,  ,  ,  .  1^1  drunkenness. 
 
 as  a  rich  host  useth  to  do  to  his  guests ;  thou  leedest 
 them  well,  thou  makest  them  lusty  and  glad,  thou  fillest 
 into  them  so  much,  that  they  must  needs  be  drunken.  This 
 is  all  done  by  the  word  of  grace.  For  by  the  same  doth 
 the  Lord  our  shepherd  feed  and  strength  so  the  hearts  of 
 his  faithful,  that  they  dare  defy  all  their  enemies,  and  say 
 with  the  prophet,  "  I  am  not  afraid  for  thousands  of  the 
 people,  that  compass  me  around  about."  Psalm  iii.  And  here 
 afore  in  the  fourth  verse :  "  I  fear  no  evil ;  for  thou.  Lord, 
 art  with  me."  With  this,  yea,  even  through  the  same  word, 
 doth  he  give  them  also  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  maketh  them 
 not  only  to  take  good  stomachs  unto  them,  and  to  be  of 
 good  courage,  but  so  quiet  also  in  themselves  and  merry, 
 that  for  the  same  great  exceeding  joy  they  are  even 
 drunken. 
 
 He  speaketh  here  then  of  a  spiritual  strength,  of  a  spi- Tiusmustbe 
 ritual    drunkenness,   which   is   a  godly   strength,    Rom.   i. ;  understand. 
 "  a  joy,"  as  St  Paul  calleth  it,  "  in  the  Holy  Ghost,"  Kom. 
 xiv. ;  and  a  blessed  drunkenness,  when  people  arc  not  full 
 of  wine,  whereout  followeth  inconvenience,   but  full  of  the 
 Holy  Ghost.    Ephes.  v.      This  is  the  harness  and  the  wea- 
 
316 
 
 EXPOSITION    UPON 
 
 pons,  wherewith  our  Lord  God  prepareth  his  faithful  against 
 the  devil  and  the  world;  namely,  in  their  mouth  giveth  he 
 them  his  word,  and  in  their  heart  he  giveth  courage,  that  is 
 to  say,  the  Holy  Ghost.  With  such  ordnance  put  they  from 
 them  all  fear,  and  with  gladness  buckle  they  with  all  their 
 enemies,  smite  them  and  overcome  them  with  all  their  might, 
 wisdom,  and  holiness. 
 
 Such  soldiers  were  the  apostles  on  Whit-Sunday,  Avhen 
 they  went  up  to  Jerusalem  against  the  commandment  of  the 
 emperor  and  the  high  priests,  and  ordered  themselves,  as  if 
 they  had  been  very  gods,  and  all  the  other  but  grasshoppers, 
 and  went  even  through  with  all  power  and  joy,  as  if  they 
 had  been  drunken ;  insomuch  that  some  had  them  in  de- 
 rision therefore,  and  said.  They  were  "  full  of  sweet  wine."" 
 Nevertheless  St  Peter  declared  out  of  the  prophet  Joel,  that 
 they  were  not  full  of  sweet  wine,  but  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
 And  so  he  smote  about  him  with  his  sword,  that  is,  he  opened 
 his  mouth,  and  preached  the  word  of  God,  and  felled  down 
 three  thousand  souls  at  once  from  the  power  of  the  devil. 
 Acts  ii. 
 
 This  strength,  joy,  and  blessed   drunkenness   doth  not 
 
 only  shew  itself  in  the  faithful,  when  they  be  in  prosperity, 
 
 and  have  peace ;  but  also  when  they  suffer  and  die.     As 
 
 when  the   council  at  Jerusalem  caused  the   apostles  to   be 
 
 beaten,  they  were  glad  of  it,  that  they  were  worthy  to  suffer 
 
 rebuke  for  the  name  of  Christ.     Acts  v.     And  in  the  fifth 
 
 to   the   Romans   doth   St   Paul   say :    "  We   rejoice   also   in 
 
 Thestrdfast  troublcs,"   &c.     Afterward  were   there  many  martyrs  also, 
 
 thlil'thlt     "^hich  with  merry  hearts  and  laughing  mouths  went  unto 
 
 death'foT"he  t^^^ir  death,  as  if  they  had  gone  to  some  pastime  or  dance. 
 
 wordofGod.  Ljj,g  as  we  read  of  St  Agnes  and  St  Agatha,  which  were 
 
 virgins  of  thirteen  or  fourteen  years  old ',  and  of  other  more, 
 
 which  were  of  such  inward  courage  and  confidence,  that  they 
 
 did  not   only  overcome   the   devil   and   the  Avorld   by   their 
 
 death,  but  also  made  good  cheer  even  then  with  their  hearts, 
 
 as  though   they  had  been  drunken  of  very  joy.      And  this 
 
 grieveth  the  devil  exceeding  sore,   namely,  when  men  are 
 
 [1  Some  account  of  these  persons,  together  with  the  hymns  com- 
 posed to  their  memory,  may  be  found  in  Daniel's  Hymnologus  Clu'is- 
 tianus.  Vol.  i.  p.  945.  Ed.  1841.  See  also  Nichols  on  the  Common 
 Prayer.] 
 
THE    TWENTY-SECOND    PSALM.  317 
 
 at  such  quietness  in  themselves,  that  they  despise  his  great 
 might  and  guile.  In  our  time  also  have  there  been  many, 
 which  for  the  knowledge  of  Christ  have  been  glad  to  suffer 
 death.  We  see  moreover,  that  there  be  many,  which  with 
 perfect  understanding  and  faith  die  upon  their  beds,  and  say 
 with  Simeon,  "  Lord,  now  lettest  thou  thy  servant  depart 
 in  peace,"  &c.,  that  is  to  a  joy  to  behold  them ;  of  whom 
 I  have  seen  many  myself.  And  all  this  cometh  because 
 that,  as  the  prophet  saith,  they  be  anointed  with  the  oil, 
 which  the  forty-fourth  Psalm  calleth  the  oil  of  gladness ;  [Psai.  xw.] 
 and  because  they  have  drunk  of  the  full  cup,  which  the 
 Lord  hath  filled. 
 
 Yea,  but  thou  wilt  say,  I  feel  not  myself  yet  so  apt,  objection. 
 that  I  could  be  content  to  die,  &c.  That  maketh  no  matter. 
 David  also,  as  it  is  said  afore,  hath  not  been  sure  of  that  Answer. 
 science  at  all  hours,  but  sometime  complained,  that  he  was 
 cast  out  of  God's  sight.  Other  holy  men  also  have  not 
 alway  had  an  hearty  confidence  toward  God,  and  a  per- 
 petual delight  and  patience  in  their  troubles  and  temptations.  Note  this 
 St  Paul  sometime  is  so  sm'e  and  certain  in  himself,  and 
 maketh  such  boast  of  Christ,  that  he  careth  not  the  curse 
 of  the  law,  for  sin,  death,  nor  for  the  devil.  "  I  live  not 
 now,"  saith  he,  Gal.  ii.,  "  but  Christ  hveth  in  me."  Item, 
 "  I  desire  to  be  loosed  and  to  be  with  Christ."  Phil.  i.  Item, 
 "  Who  shall  separate  us  from  the  love  of  God,  which  spared 
 not  his  own  Son,  but  hath  given  him  for  us  ah  ?  How  shall 
 he  not  with  him  give  us  all  things  also?  Shall  trouble, 
 anguish,  persecution,  sword,  &c.,  separate  us  from  him?" 
 Rom.  viii.  There  speaketh  he  of  death,  of  the  devil,  and 
 of  all  evil  with  such  a  courage,  as  if  he  were  the  strongest 
 and  greatest  of  all  saints,  unto  whom  death  were  but  a  sport. 
 But  incontinently  in  another  place  he  speaketh,  as  though  he 
 were  the  weakest  and  greatest  sinner  upon  earth.  1  Cor.  ii. 
 "  I  was  with  you,"  saith  he,  "  in  weakness,  in  fear,  and  in 
 much  trembhng."  "  I  am  carnal,  sold  under  sin,  which  is  in 
 my  members.  0  wretched  man  that  I  am!  who  shall  deliver 
 me  from  the  body  of  this  death?"  Ptom.  vii.  And  in  the 
 fifth  to  the  Galatians  he  teacheth,  that  in  the  saints  of  God 
 there  is  a  continual  strife  of  the  flesh  against  the  spirit,  &e. 
 Therefore  oughtest  thou  not  immediately  to  despair,  though 
 
318  EXPOSITION     UPON 
 
 thou  feelest  thyself  feeble  and  faint-hearted :  and  pray  dili- 
 gently, that  thou  mayest  endure  by  the  word,  and  increase 
 in  the  faith  and  knowledge  of  Christ ;  as  the  prophet  doth 
 here,  and  teacheth  other  men  likewise  so  to  do,  and  saith : 
 "  Oh  let  thy  lovingkindness  and  mercy  follow  me  all  the 
 days  of  my  life,  that  I  may  dwell  in  the  house  of  the  Lord 
 for  ever." 
 
 Forasmuch  as  the  devil  never  ceaseth  to  plague  the 
 faithful  inwardly  with  deceitfulness  of  false  teachers,  and 
 with  the  violence  of  tyrants,  he  prayeth  here  therefore  at 
 the  end  earnestly,  that  God,  which  hath  given  him  this 
 treasure,  will  keep  liim  fast  by  it  also  unto  the  end,  and 
 saith :  "0  gracious  God,  shew  me  such  favour,  that  thy 
 lovingkindness  and  mercy  may  follow  me  all  the   days  of 
 
 Why  the  pro- my  Hfo."     Aud  immediately  he  declarcth,  what  he  calleth 
 
 this  prayer,  tliis  lovingkiudncss  and  mercy,  namely,  that  he  may  remain 
 in  the  house  of  the  Lord  for  ever.  As  if  he  would  say  : 
 Thou  hast  begun  the  matter ;  thou  hast  given  me  thy  holy 
 word,  and  accepted  me  among  them  that  are  thy  people, 
 which  do  knowledge,  praise,  and  give  thanks  unto  thee :  grant 
 me,  therefore,  such  grace  from  henceforth,  that  I  may  con- 
 tinue still  by  the  same  word,  and  never  to  be  separated 
 more  from  thy  holy  christian  flock.      Thus  doth  he  pray 
 
 [Psai.  xxvii.]  also  in  the  twenty-sixth  Psalm  :  "  One  thing,"  saith  he, 
 "  have  I  desired  of  the  Lord,  which  I  would  fain  have ; 
 namely,  that  I  may  dwell  in  the  house  of  the  Lord  all  the 
 days  of  my  life,  to  behold  the  fair  beauty  of  the  Lord," 
 that  is  to  say,  the  true  service  of  God,  "  and  to  visit  his 
 temple." 
 
 A  notable  The  prophot  then  here,  by  his  ensample,  teacheth  and 
 
 exhorteth  all  such  as  put  their  trust  in  God,  that  they  be 
 not  careless,  proud,  or  presumptuous  in  themselves ;  but  to 
 fear  and  give  themselves  unto  prayer,  that  they  lose  not 
 this  treasure.  And  doubtless  this  earnest  exhortation  should 
 tear  us  up,  and  make  us  fervent  unto  diligent  prayer.  For 
 seeing  that  holy  David,  which  was  a  prophet,  so  highly 
 endued  with  all  manner  of  godly  wisdom  and  knowledge, 
 and  with  divers  great  excellent  gifts  of  God,  seeing  he,  I 
 say,  did  pray  so  oft  and  with  such  great  earnest,  that  he 
 might  abide  by  this  treasure ;  much  more  shall  it  be  meet 
 
THE    TWENTY-SECOND    PSALM.  319 
 
 for  US,  which  are  utterly  notliing  to  be  compared  unto  him, 
 
 and  Hve  also  now  at  the  end  of  the  world,  when,  as  Christ 
 
 and  the  apostles  say,  it  shall  be  an  horrible  and  perilous 
 
 time ;    it   shall  be  much   more  convenient,  I  say,  to  watch  we  have 
 
 and  pray  with  all  earnest  and  diligence,  that  we  may  con-  wrtch^and^'* 
 
 tinue  in  the  house  of  the  Lord  all  the  days  of  our  life ;  ^^^^' 
 
 namely,  that  we  may  hear  the  word  of  God,   and  receive 
 
 the  manifold  commodities  and  fruits  that  come  of  it,  as  it 
 
 is  rehearsed  afore,  and  continue  in  the  same  unto  the  end. 
 
 Which  grant  us   Christ,    our  only  Shepherd  and  Saviour! 
 
 Amen. 
 
 Imprinted  in  Southwark  by  James  Nycolson,  for 
 John  Gough. 
 
 Cum  privilegio. 
 
^  confutacion  of  tftat 
 
 treatise  tal)irf)  om  Softn  ^tan- 
 
 ti(s]&  inalie  agajjnst  tjbt  protestnci'on  of 
 W.  33arttts  in  tf)e  gcarc 
 
 Saijbcvin  tl&E  !)oIg  scriptures  (pcrbcrtctr  antt 
 
 lurcstcti  in  ]^is  saiiti  treatise)  are  restored  to  tDcir 
 
 otone  true  bntierstanliinQ  agayne 
 
 bg  iiljjies  iEouer= 
 
 trale. 
 
 lacobi  iij. 
 
 Nolite  gloriari,  ^  mendaces  esse  adver- 
 sus  ueritatem. 
 
CONFUTATION 
 
 TREATISE  OF  JOHN  STANDISH. 
 
 r  1  21 
 
 [COVERDALE,  Il.J 
 
[CONFUTATION  OF   STANDISH. 
 
 The  history  of  the  life  and  martyrdom  of  Dr  Robert  Barnes,  and 
 of  the  Protestation  which  he  made  on  that  occasion,  is  given  by  Foxe, 
 in  his  Acts  and  Monuments,  Vol.  ii.  p.  435,  &c.  ed.  16S4.  This  Pro- 
 testation was  assailed  by  John  Standish,  a  Fellow  of  Whittington 
 College,  London,  in  a  violent  book,  of  which  an  account  is  given  by 
 Coverdale  in  the  address  to  the  reader,  which  is  prefixed  to  this  work ; 
 and  also  by  Strype,  Ecclesiastical  Memorials,  Vol.  i.  p.  570,  ed.  Oxf. 
 18221.  It  was  in  answer  to  this  attack  that  Coverdale  wrote  this  able 
 Treatise  in  defence  of  the  memory  of  his  instructor  and  friend.  This 
 present  edition  is  printed  from  a  copy  formerly  belonging  to  his 
 late  royal  highness  the  duke  of  Sussex,  and  now  in  the  possession  of 
 the  Parker  Society. — The  extracts  from  Barnes's  Protestation,  which 
 are  introduced  into  this  work,  either  as  the  subject  of  attack  on  the 
 part  of  Standish,  or  of  defence  on  the  part  of  Coverdale,  are  distin- 
 guished by  a  different  type.] 
 
 1  This  scarce  Tract  is  in  the  University  Library,  Cambridgfe. 
 
TO  THE  READER. 
 
 TO  ALL  THEM  THAT  EITHER  READ  OR  HEAR  GOD'S  HOLY 
 
 WORD,  AND  GIVE  OVER  THEMSELVES  TO  LIVE  UN- 
 
 FEIGNEDLY  ACCORDING  TO  THE  SAME,  DO 
 
 I  HEARTILY  WISH  THE  GRACE,  PEACE, 
 
 AND  MERCY  OF  GOD  THE  FATHER, 
 
 IN  AND  THROUGH  OUR  LORD 
 
 AND  ONLY  SAVIOUR, 
 
 JESUS  CHRIST. 
 
 The  seventh  day  of  December  was  delivered  unto  me 
 a  certain  treatise,  composed  by  one  John  Standish,  fellow  of 
 "VYhittington  College  in  London,  (so  is  the  title  of  it),  and 
 printed  by  Robert  Redeman,  Anno  m.d.xl.,  iii.  nonas  Octo- 
 bris.  At  the  reading  whereof  I  mourned  sore  within  myself 
 for  certain  occasions  offered  unto  me  in  the  said  treatise : 
 first,  that  under  the  king's  privilege  any  thing  should  be 
 set  forth,  which  is  either  against  the  word  and  truth  of 
 Almighty  God,  or  against  the  king's  honour :  secondly, 
 that  good,  wholesome,  and  christian  words  should  be  calum- 
 niated and  reviled :  thirdly,  that  the  said  John  Standish, 
 pronouncing  doctor  Barnes  to  have  taught  heresy  so  long,  is 
 not  ashamed  all  this  while  to  have  held  his  pen,  but  now 
 first  to  write  against  him,  when  he  is  dead,  &e. 
 
 As  touching  the  first,  whether  I  have  cause  to  mourn  or 
 no,  I  report  me  to  all  true  christian  hearts :  for,  as  I  am 
 credibly  informed,  and  as  I  partly  have  seen,  there  is  now  a 
 wonderful  diversity  in  writing  books  and  ballads  in  England,  Diversity 
 one  envying  against  another,  one  reviling  and  reproving  wurrl 
 another,  one  rejoicing  at  another's  fall  and  adversity.  And 
 not  only  this,  but  at  the  end  of  every  ballad  or  book  in 
 manner,  (whether  it  be  the  better  party,  or  worse,)  is  set  the 
 king's  privilege.  Which  as  it  is  against  the  glory  of  God, 
 that  one  should  revile  another ;  is  it  not  even  so  against 
 the  king's  honour,  yea,  the  shame  is  it  of  all  England,  that 
 under  his  privilege  any  erroneous,  contentious,  or  slanderous 
 book  or  paper  should  be  printed  ?  Men  wonder  m  other 
 countries,  that  there  is   so   great  negligence  of  this  matter 
 
 21—2 
 
S24  CONFUTATION    OF    STANDISH. 
 
 in  a  realm  where  so  wise  and  prudent  a  council  is.     And 
 
 they    that    are    moved    with    godly    compassion  do    lament 
 
 England ;    sorry,    that  there    is    so  great   dissension  in  it ; 
 
 sorry,  that  blasphemous  jesting  and  railing  ballads  or  books 
 
 against  the  manifest  word  of  God  should  either  be  suffered 
 
 or  privileged ;    sorry,  that  God's  truth  should  thus  spitefully 
 
 be  entreated  of  so  great  a  number.     Now  the  reformation 
 
 of  this  and  all  other  defaults  lieth  only  in  the  hand  of  God, 
 
 to  whom  I  refer  it,  and  to  the  rightful  administration  of  his 
 
 holy  ordinance  and  authority  in  the  king"'s  highness;  who. 
 
 Trifles  are     whcn  ho  kuowcth  the  said  inconvenience,  how  trifling  and 
 
 the  king's     railing  books  and  rhymes  are  printed  under  his  privilege, 
 
 unknown      yf\][  j^q  doubt  sot  a  redross  herein. 
 
 to  nim. 
 
 Concerning  the  second  occasion  above  rehearsed,  Is  it 
 not  cause  enough  for  me  and  all  other  Christians  to  be  right 
 sorry,  to  mourn  and  lament,  that  the  words  which  are  good, 
 wholesome,  and  according  to  the  holy  scripture  and  Christ's 
 faith,  should  be  either  blasphemed  or  taken  to  the  worst  ? 
 If  the  king's  grace  should  put  forth  a  wholesome  proclama- 
 tion, injunction,  or  commandment  (as  he  doth  many),  what 
 true  subject,  loving  God's  holy  ordinance  and  authority  in 
 his  prince,  would  not  be  grieved  to  see  any  man  either  spit 
 at  those  his  sovereign''s  words,  or  to  defy  them  ?  If  we  now, 
 which  are  Christians,  have  so  just  occasion,  and  are  bound 
 to  be  thus-wise  minded  in  this  outward  regimen,  wherein 
 God  hath  appointed  us  to  be  obedient  to  the  higher  powers ; 
 how  much  more  cause  have  we  to  water  our  eyes  with  sorry 
 hearts,  when  the  proclamation,  injunction,  commandment. 
 Good  words    and  word  of  him,   which  is  Kino;  of  all  kings,  and  Lord  of 
 
 are  bias-  '-'  O    ' 
 
 phemed.  all  lords,  is  thus  reviled  and  evil  spoken  of!  That  the 
 words  of  D.  Barnes,  spoken  at  the  hour  of  his  death,  and 
 here  underwritten,  are  good,  wholesome,  according  to  God's 
 holy  scripture,  and  not  worthy  to  be  evil  taken,  it  shall  be 
 evidently  seen,  when  we  have  laid  them  to  the  touchstone, 
 and  tried  them  by  God's  word.  To  the  open  text  whereof 
 if  ye  take  good  heed,  ye  shall  see  the  perverse  doctrine  and 
 wicked  opinions  of  Standish  clearly  confuted.  And,  no 
 doubt,  God  will  so  have  it ;  because  that  under  the  pretence 
 of  bearing  a  zeal  toward  God's  word,  he  taketh  upon  him 
 to  be  judge  and  giver  of  sentence  against  God's  word,  and 
 to  condemn  it  that  God's  word  alloweth. 
 
TO    THE    READER.  325 
 
 And  this,  as  I  said,  is  another  cause  of  the  sorriness  of 
 my  heart,  that  he  which  dare  avow  another  man  to  be  an 
 open  heretic,  is  not  ashamed  thus  long  neither  to  have  written 
 nor  openly  preached  against  him  by  name,  but  now  to  start 
 up,  when  he  is  dead.  Is  it  not  a  great  worship  for  him  to 
 wrestle  with  a  shadow,  and  to  kill  a  dead  man  ?  Is  he  not 
 a  worthy  soldier,  that  all  the  battle-time  thrusteth  his  hand 
 in  his  bosom ;  and  when  men  are  dead,  then  draweth  out  his  |',||"f '^^J"^ 
 sword,  and  fighteth  with  them  that  are  slain  already  ?  Judge  >"an. 
 ye,  gentle  readers,  if  Standish  playeth  not  such  a  part  with 
 D.  Barnes;  to  whom  also  he  iraputeth  treason,  and  yet 
 proveth  never  a  point  thereof  against  him.  Yet  were  it  as 
 charitable  a  deed  to  confute  all  treason,  and  to  give  us  warn- 
 ing of  it  by  name,  as  either  to  establish  false  doctrine,  or  to 
 inveigh  against  good  sayings :  yea,  a  christian  and  charita- 
 ble act  were  it,  in  reproving  any  traitor,  to  tell  the  king's 
 subjects,  in  what  thing  he  committed  the  treason,  that  they 
 may  beware  of  the  same.  But  thus  doth  not  Standish  here 
 in  this  his  treatise;  which,  because  it  is  builded  on  sand  and 
 on  a  false  foundation,  I  doubt  not,  but  with  God's  Avord,  Ephes.  vi. 
 which  is  the  sword  of  the  Spirit,  and  a  weapon  mighty  to 
 overthrow  every  imagination  that  exalteth  itself  against  the  2  cor.  x. 
 knowledge  of  God,  to  give  it  a  fall,  and  with  holy  scripture 
 to  shew  evidently,  that  Standish  hath  far  overshot  liimself 
 in  condemning  the  sayings,  which  God's  word  doth  not 
 disallow.  He  that  would  write  against  any  man,  should 
 level  his  ordnance  against  his  evil  words,  if  he  hath  spoken 
 or  written  any,  and  not  against  his  good  words :  for  God  is 
 the  author  of  all  good,  which  as  his  holy  scripture  alloweth, 
 so  will  he  himself  defend  the  same.  He  that  is  therefore 
 an  enemy  to  the  thing  which  is  good,  or  resisteth  it,  is  God's 
 adversary,  and  withstandeth  him.  Wherefore  let  Standish 
 from  henceforth,  and  all  others,  beware,  that  they  take  no  Let  no  man 
 
 "  take  part 
 
 part  against  God's  word,  nor  defend  any  false  matter,  lest  ^amst  the 
 God  be  the  avenger  :  for  if  the  lion  begin  to  roar,  he  will 
 make  all  his  enemies  afraid. 
 
 And  if  D.  Barnes  died  a  true  christian  man,  be  ye  sure, 
 
 his  death  shall  be  a  greater,  stroke  to  hypocrisy,  than  ever 
 
 his  life  could  have  been.     If  he  was  falsely  accused  to  the 
 
 king's  highness,  and  so  put  to  death,  woe  shall  come  to  those 
 
 ■  accusers,  if  they  repent  not  by  times.     And  if  D.  Barnes 
 
326  CONFUTATION    OF    STANDISH. 
 
 in  his  heart,  mouth,  and  deed,  committed  no  worse  thing 
 toward  the  king's  highness,  than  he  committed  against  God 
 in  these  his  words  at  his  death,  he  is  hke  at  the  latter  day 
 to  be  a  judge  over  them  that  were  cause  of  his  death,  if  they 
 do  not  amend. 
 
 Now,  indifferent  reader,  to  the  intent  that  thou  mayest 
 the  more    clearly    discern  hght  from  darkness,    and    know 
 God's  true  word  from  false  doctrine,  1  shall,  when  I  have 
 said  somewhat  to  Standish's  preface,  rehearse  unto  thee  D. 
 Barnes'  words.      Secondly,  though  I  rehearse  not  unto  thee 
 all  Standish's  words,  lest  I  should  make  too  great  a  book,  I 
 shall  point  thee  to  the  beginning  of  his  sentence,  requiring 
 thee,  if  thou  wilt,  to  read  out  the  rest  thyself  in  his  treatise. 
 Thirdly,  though  he  hath   deserved  to  be  roughly  handled, 
 yet  do  I  purpose,  by  God's  only  grace,  to  deal  more  gently 
 with   him  being   alive,   than  he  doth  with  the  dead.     This 
 enterprise  now  as   I   take  in  hand  against  Standish  in  this 
 behalf;  so  am   I  ready   to  do  the  same  agamst  the  great 
 grandsire  and  captain  of  false  teachers,  I  mean  great  Goliath 
 of  Rome  and   his   weapon-bearer;  that  is,  against  all  such 
 as  are  enemies  to  king  David,  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ: 
 for  whose  most  comfortable  Spirit,  gentle  reader, 
 I  beseech  thee  to  pray  with  me  unto  our 
 most  dear   Father    in    heaven,    whose 
 name  be  praised,  whose  king- 
 dom come,  whose  only 
 will  be  fulfilled,  now 
 and    ever. 
 Amen. 
 
827 
 
 here  followeth  the  preface  of  john  standish  to 
 the  reader. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 To  see  the  most  victorious  and  noble  prince  our  sove- 
 reign lord  the  king  labouring  and  ivatching  continually 
 ivith  all  diligent  study  to  expel  and  drive  out,  I  may  say, 
 to  2)urge  and  cleanse  this  his  catholic  region,  ^c. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 Though  ye  abuse  your  terms,  in  reporting  that  the  king 
 goeth  about  to  expel  and  drive  out  his  cathohc  region,  I  will 
 impute  those  your  words  to  the  weakness  of  your  brain,  and 
 to   the  scarceness  of  honest  eloquence  therein.     But  if  the 
 king's  labour,  watching,  and   diligent  study  in  purging  and 
 cleansing  his  realm  from  all  heresies  and  schisms  be  occa- 
 sion sufficient,  as  it  is  in  deed,  to  compel  every  true  subject 
 to   help  unto  the  same,  why   have  ye  then  been  so  slack 
 therein  all  this  while?   Your  own  words  bring  you  into  a 
 shrewd  suspicion :  for  ye  know  and  have  seen  with  your  eyes,  suspicion, 
 that  the  king  hath  these  many  years  been  labouring  and 
 busy  in  abolishing  out  of  his  realm  the  usurped  j)ower  of  the 
 bishop    of  Rome,    his   manifold  sects   of  false  religions,  his 
 worshipping    of  images,  his  deceitful  pardons,    his    idolatry 
 and  pilgrimages,  &c.      Were  not  all  these  great  heresies  and 
 schisms  ?     Or  can  ye  excuse  yourself  of  ignorance,  that  ye 
 have  not  seen,  how  the  king  hath  laboured  in  putting  down 
 the    same  ?     If   ye  then  be  a  writer  against  heresies  and 
 schisms,  why  have  ye  written  against  none  of  these  all  this 
 while  ?    Thus  every  man  which  readeth  your  words  may  see, 
 that   ye   have  bewrayed  yourself  to  be  a  favourer  of  such 
 things. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 Wherefore  marvel  not,  gentle  reader,  S^c. 
 
 CoVERDALE. 
 
 Contrary  now  to  your  request,  will  every  man  marvel  at 
 you,  not  only  because  ye  declare  yourself  to  have  borne  all 
 this  while  no  right  love  toward  God's  word,  to  the  salvation 
 of  men's  souls,  nor  to  the  duty  that  ye  oAve  to  yom'  prince; 
 
328  CONFUTATION    OF    STANDISH. 
 
 but  also  because  that  now,  througli  the  occasion  of  a  poor 
 man''s  death,  ye  first  start  up  to  write,  as  though  the  king 
 had  put  down  no  heresies  afore  D.  Barnes  died.  Is  this 
 the  zeal,  that  ye  bear  toward  God's  word  and  toward  his 
 people  ?  Such  a  zeal  had  they,  of  whom  the  apostle  speaketh 
 Gal.  iY.  to  the  Galatians,  saying:  "They  have  no  good  zeal  unto  you; 
 but  would  thrust  you  out,  namely  from  the  truth,  that  ye 
 might  be  fervent  to  themward."  Whereas  ye  write  the  day 
 and  year  of  D.  Barnes'  death,  it  increaseth  your  own  con- 
 fusion, and  shall  be  a  clear  testimony  against  yourself,  for 
 resisting  those  good  words  of  his  protestation,  if  ye  forsake 
 not  your  heresy  in  time.  Yea,  even  by  your  own  pen  have 
 ye  brought  it  to  pass,  that  it  shall  not  be  forgotten  till  the 
 worWs  end,  what  a  christian  testament  and  last  will  D.  Barnes 
 made  at  his  death,  and  how  patiently  he  forsook  this  life. 
 
 Standish. 
 For  in  his  protestation  is  both  contained  heresy  and 
 treason. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 "For,"  say  ye,  "in  his  protestation,  &c."  Is  that  the  cause 
 why  ye  do  enterprise  and  take  in  hand  to  write  against  it? 
 Then  verily  declare  ye  yourself  not  only  to  be  partial,  but 
 also  a  favourer  of  heresy  and  treason,  knowing  so  many  to 
 have  been  attainted  thereof  within  these  seven  years. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 Albeit,  do  not  think,  that  I  write  this  through  any 
 malice  toward  him  that  is  burned,  ^-c. 
 
 CoVERDALE. 
 
 He  that  compareth  your  words  to  your  deed  shall  soon 
 perceive,  that  ye  have  cast  milk  in  your  own  face,  and  that, 
 for  all  your  holy  pretence,  some  spice  of  Cainish  stomach 
 hath  made  you  now  do  more  than  all  the  king's  noble  acts 
 in  abolishing  the  said  abuses  could  make  you  do  many  years 
 before ;  though  the  same,  if  you  were  a  true  subject,  were, 
 by  your  own  confession,  sufficient  cause  for  you  so  to  do. 
 Howbeit  it  is  not  I  that  go  about  to  lay  malice  to  your 
 charge ;  your  own  act  is  not  your  best  friend :  I  pray  God 
 your  conscience  accuse  you  not  thereof. 
 
standish's  preface  to  the  reader.  329 
 
 But  why  take  ye  God  to  record  in  a  false  matter  ?     Do 
 ye  not  confess  yourself,  that  the  king's  grace's  labour,  watch- 
 ing, and  dihgent  study,  is  the  thing  that  causeth  and  com- 
 pelleth  you  to  write  against  D.  Barnes'  protestation,  and  that 
 through   the  love   and  fervent  zeal  ye  bear   toward   God's 
 word  and  the  salvation  of  men's  souls,  &c.  ?     And  now  take  standish  is 
 ye  God  to  record,  that  ye  do  it  for  fear,  lest  the  people 
 should    be   infect   with  the  multitude   of  copies  of  the  said 
 protestation.     Against  the   which   fear   I  know  none   other 
 comfort  for  you,  (as  long  as  ye  will  not  hearken  to  God's 
 word),  but  that  Wisdom  itself  giveth  you  in  Salomon's  Pro- 
 verbs, namely,  that  "  the  thing  that  ye  fear  shall  come  upon  Prov.  i. 
 you,  and  even  it  that  ye  are  afraid  of  shall  fall  in  suddenly 
 among  you."     This  am  I  certified  of,  not  only  by  the  same 
 place   of   scripture,   but   even   by  this   your  present  act  in 
 putting  forth  your  treatise  to  be  printed  with  and  against 
 the  said  protestation.      For  if  ye  fear  the  great  infection  of 
 the   people   through   the  multitude   of   copies   thereof,   why 
 caused  ye  it  to  be  printed,  or  any  man  else  for  you?     Is 
 the  printing  of  the  said  protestation  the  next  way  to  keep 
 copies  thereof  from  the  people  ?     Ye  may  well  have  wit,  but 
 sure  ye   lack  policy.     Such  a  like  wise  way  was  taken  in 
 England  within  these  few  years   by  certain  abbots,  which, 
 thinking   thereby  to  uphold   then*   false   religions,   wrought, 
 moved,  or  else  consented  to  insurrection  within  divers  parts  The  enemies 
 of  the  realm ' ;  and  yet  was  the  same  their  wisdom  a  cause  word  fight 
 
 »'  ,  against  them- 
 
 that  hasted  their  own  destruction.  And  even  so  now,  by  your  reives. 
 printing  of  the  said  protestation,  ye  have  brought  it  so  to 
 pass,  that  the  thing  which  ye  feared  is  come  to  light.  Thus 
 can  God  pull  down  his  enemies'  houses  with  their  own  hands. 
 Certainly,  like  as  I  never  heard,  that  there  was  any  copy 
 thereof,  till  I  saw  it  in  your  book,  so  am  I  credibly  informed, 
 that  it  was  never  in  print  afore. 
 
 Whereas  ye  say,  that  it  is  an  erroneous  and  traitorous 
 protestation,  it  is  sooner  said  than  proved ;  neither  maketh  it 
 greatly  for  your  honesty,  to  know  many  secret  embracers  of 
 heresy  and  treason,  and  not  to  utter  them.  But  ye  may 
 twice  say  it,  afore  ye  be  once  believed  :  only  they  that  are 
 
 [1  This  probably  alludes  to  the  rebellions,  which  took  place  in 
 Lincolnshire  and  Yorkshire  in  the  year  1536  ;  for  an  account  of  which 
 see  Burnet,  Histoi-y  of  the  Reformation,  Book  iii.] 
 
SSO  CONFUTATION    OF    RTANDtSII. 
 
 of   God  will,  when  they  have  tried  and  examined  all  things, 
 keep  that  which  is  good,  and  eschew  the  contrary. 
 
 Standish. 
 Biit  I  trust  in  Almighty  God,  if  it  please  you  to  read 
 this  little  treatise  with  a  loving  zeal  toiuard  our  mother  the 
 holy  church,  ^-c. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 Here  do  ye  manifestly  declare,  what  zeal  moved  you  to 
 write  against  D.  Barnes'  protestation,  namely,  not  any  just 
 zeal  or  love  toward  God's  word,  or  his  people,  but  even 
 because  ye  fear  lest  your  mother  should  come  to  shame,  if 
 the  truth  were  known :  therefore  to  shew  your  mother  a 
 pleasure,  ye  thought  to  do  your  best  in  defending  her. 
 All  is  not  Neither  helpeth  it  your  pretence  any  thing  at  all,  though  ye 
 siiineiii.  call  her  holy :  for  every  such  sect  as  ye  be  of  hath  a  sundry 
 holiness,  which  cometh  not  of  the  Spirit  that  sanctifieth.  Now 
 like  as  your  own  act  came  of  that  zeal  which  ye  bear  toward 
 the  church  of  the  wicked,  so  would  ye  have  your  treatise 
 read  with  the  same  zeal;  to  the  intent  that  the  readers  might 
 smell  heresy  and  treason,  where  none  is,  and  be  poisoned 
 with  such  a  corrupt  judgment,  as  ye  be  of  yourself. 
 
 Again,  how  are  ye,  or  all  men  living,  able  to  prove,  that 
 this  protestation  of  D.  Barnes  doth  smell  and  savour  nothing 
 but  heresy  and  treason  ?  Is  it  heresy  and  treason  to  teach 
 no  erroneous  doctrine,  to  teach  only  those  things  that  scrip- 
 ture leadeth  unto,  to  maintain  no  error,  to  move  no  insur- 
 rection, to  be  falsely  slandered,  to  confute  the  false  opinion 
 of  the  Ana,baptists,  to  detest  and  abhor  all  such  sects,  to 
 standish  ^^^  forth  the  glory  of  God,  obedience  to  the  higher  powers, 
 nothing'^buT^  and  the  true  religion  of  Christ  ?  Doth  it  smell  and  savour 
 ueaTo^n*'"'  nothing  but  heresy  and  treason,  to  believe  in  the  holy  and 
 blessed  Trinity,  to  believe  the  incarnation,  passion,  death, 
 and  resurrection  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ?  Is 
 it  heresy  and  troason,  for  a  sinner  to  desire  God  to  forgive 
 him,  to  trust  only  in  the  death  of  Christ,  to  set  forth  good 
 works,  to  beheve  that  there  is  a  holy  church,  to  believe  a 
 life  after  this,  to  speak  reverently  of  saints,  to  call  our  lady 
 a  virgin  immaculate  and  undefiled,  to  acknowledge  a  christian 
 behcf  concerning  the  body  and  blood  of  our  Lord,  to  ascribe 
 unto  saints  the  honour  that  scripture  willeth  them  to  have. 
 
STANDISIl's    PREFACE    TO    THE    READER.  381 
 
 to  pray  for  the  king  and  his  council,  &c.  ?     Do  such  things 
 smell  and  savour  nothing  but  heresy  and  treason  ?     "  Woe  isai.  v. 
 unto  them  that  call  good  evil,  and  evil  good,  darkness  hght, 
 and  light  darkness,  sweet  sour,  and  sour  sweet ! " 
 
 Though  ye  do  also  esteem  them  to  be  heretics  and 
 traitors,  that  take  part  with  D.  Barnes'  protestation,  yet  doth 
 not  your  estimation  or  judgment  discourage  me  in  this  behalf. 
 Neither  is  it  my  mind  or  will  to  meddle  with  his  offence  (if 
 he  committed  any  against  the  king),  neither  to  defend  this 
 his  protestation  with  any  hand  or  weapon  of  man ;  but  by 
 the  scriptures  to  bear  record  unto  the  truth,  and  to  reprove 
 your  perverse  and  strange  doctrine,  which  ye  do  teach  against 
 the  same. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 For  surely  such  as  do  imjjrove  them,  ^c. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 This  your  saying  proveth  not  the  contrary  but  that, 
 seeing  ye  resist  the  truth,  I  may  tell  you  your  fault,  and 
 inform  you  better,  according  to  the  apostle's  doctrine  ;  if  2  Tim.  ii. 
 God  at  any  time  will  grant  you  repentance  for  to  know  the 
 truth,  and  to  turn  from  the  snare  of  the  devil,  &c.  If  I  can 
 understand,  that  through  this  information  ye  will  give  place 
 to  the  open  and  manifest  truth,  God  shall  have  the  praise, 
 and  I  shall  think  my  labour  well  bestowed.  If  the  truth 
 can  have  no  place  in  you  by  fair  means,  but  ye  will  still 
 resist  it  obstinately,  and  behe  it,  as  ye  do  here  in  this  your 
 treatise ;  then  verily  ye  may  be  sure  to  be  afterward  so 
 handled,  as  the  limits  and  bounds  of  God's  holy  scripture 
 will  suffer.  I  beseech  God,  according  to  his  good  pleasure, 
 that  ye  may  have  eyes  to  see,  ears  to  hear,  and  an  heart  to 
 understand  his  holy  word,  to  consent  unto  the  same,  and  in 
 all  points  to  live  thereafter.      Amen. 
 
 here  followeth  the  protestation  of 
 d.  robert  barnes. 
 
 Barnes. 
 
 I  am  come  hither  to  be  burned  as  an  heretic, 
 and  you  shall  hear  my  belief;  Avhereby  ye  shall  per- 
 ceive  what  erroneous  opinions  I  hold. 
 
ss2  confutation  of  standish. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 /  am,  sorry  to  see  the  obstinate  blindness  and  final 
 induration  in  this  his  protestation,  which  would  clear,  jus- 
 tify, and  excuse  himself  by  colour  and  deceit. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 Christ  our  Saviour,  making  mention  of  his  own  death, 
 before  he  was  hanged  upon  the  cross,  said  these  words : 
 "  Behold,  we  go  up  to  Jerusalem ;  and  the  Son  of  man  shall 
 be  betrayed,  condemned,  mocked,  scourged,  crucified,"  &c. 
 When  a  true  man  cometh  to  be  hanged  on  the  gallows,  is 
 it  obstinate  blindness  and  final  induration  for  him  so  to  say  ? 
 Peradventure  ye  will  say  unto  me,  Take  ye  D.  Barnes  then 
 for  a  true  man  ?  I  answer,  Verily :  these  his  words  prove 
 him  no  false  man ;  for  he  said  that  he  came  to  be  burned  : 
 and  sure  I  am,  that  he  came  not  to  the  fire  to  be  made  a 
 bishop. 
 
 Moreover,  D.  Barnes  told  the  people  that  they  should 
 hear  his  behef,  &c.  And  ye  lay  to  his  charge  for  his  so 
 doing,  that  he  would  clear,  justify,  and  excuse  himself  with 
 colour  and  deceit.  As  though  he  justified  himself  with  colour 
 and  deceit,  which,  according  to  St  Peter's  doctrine,  is  ready 
 alway  to  give  answer  unto  every  man  that  asketh  him  a 
 reason  of  the  hope  which  is  in  him.  Was  not  D.  Barnes 
 instantly  required  to  shew  his  faith,  and  to  open  his  mind 
 in  sundry  things  ?  Again,  though  he  or  any  man  else  would 
 clear  himself  from  such  things  as  are  wrongfully  laid  to  his 
 charge,  did  he  evil  therein?  If  it  be  so,  then  did  holy  St 
 XXIV.  XXV.     Paul  leave  us  a  shrewd  example  in  the  Acts. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 Which  ought  to  have  accused,  condemned,  and  utterly 
 forsaken  all  that  he  had  offended  in.  Si  nos  ipsos  judica- 
 remus,  non  utique  dijudicaremur  a  Domino. 
 
 CoVERDALE. 
 
 I  answer  :  By  your  own  words  then  it  followeth  not,  that 
 he  was  bound  to  accuse  and  condemn  himself  of  the  things 
 that  he  had  not  offended  in.  But  by  your  leave,  whereas  ye 
 bring  in  this  text  of  St  Paul,  Si  nos  ipsos  ^c,  ye  pervert  it ; 
 
 Acts  xxiii. 
 
DEFENCE    OF    BARNEs'    PROTESTATION.  333 
 
 not  alleging  it  as  it  standeth,  but  thus,  Si  nos  ipsos  judi-  ^^^^l^^^"' 
 caremus,  non  utique  dijudicaremur  a  Domino ;  that  is  to  t^"'- 
 say,  "  If  we  judged  ourselves,  we  should  not  be  judged  of  the 
 Lord."  But  St  Paul's  words  are  these.  Quod  si  nos  ipsos 
 dijudicar emits,  non  utique  judicaremur.  Dum  judicamur 
 autem,  a  Domino  corripimur,  ne  cum  hoc  mundo  damnemur. 
 That  is  to  say,  "If  we  would  judge,  or  reprove  ourselves,  we 
 should  not  be  judged.  But  when  we  are  judged,  we  are 
 chastened  of  the  Lord,  lest  we  should  be  damned  with  this 
 world."  Wherefore  the  perverting  of  this  text  now  at  the  first 
 brunt  causeth  me  the  more  to  suspect  you,  and  to  trust  you 
 the  worse ;  because  the  devil  himself  is  schoolmaster  to  such  Matt  iv. 
 
 •  IIP  Luke  iv.  out 
 
 choppmg  up  of  the  text,  as  we  may  see  m  the  gospel  of  "^'J'fp^'^jn 
 Matthew  and  Luke.  Now  go  to :  if  I  find  any  more  such 
 jugghng  casts  with  you,  ye  are  like  to  hear  of  it,  before  I 
 come  to  the  end  of  your  book.  For  weakness  and  ignorance 
 can  I  well  away  withal,  so  long  as  it  is  not  wilful;  but  the 
 perverting  or  chopping  up  of  a  text  of  holy  scripture  is  not 
 to  be  borne  unrebuked. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 Mark  here,  how  he  useth  ironia,  SfC. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 Ye  confess  that  D.  Barnes  in  his  foresaid  words  doth  use 
 ironia  ;  and  yet,  contrary  to  the  signification  of  the  word,  ye 
 are  not  ashamed  to  aflSi'm,  that  he  confessed  herewithal  both 
 heresy  and  erroneous  opinions.  Now  is  ironia  as  much  to  say  eipwveia. 
 as  a  mockage,  derision,  or  meaning  of  another  thing,  than  is 
 expressed  in  the  words.  Which  manner  of  speaking  is  much 
 used,  not  only  throughout  the  prophets  in  holy  scripture,  but 
 also  among  the  heathen  poets.  And  the  same  phrase  of  speech 
 have  we  in  EngUsh ;  as  when  a  man  sayeth  to  a  shrewd  boy : 
 "Come  hither,  good  sir,  ye  are  a  virtuous  child  indeed,  &c," 
 meaning  nothing  less.  Forasmuch  then  as  ye  yourself  con- 
 fess, that  D.  Barnes  doth  here  use  ironia;  it  is  evident,  that 
 when  he  said  these  words,  "you  shall  perceive  what  erroneous 
 opinions  I  hold,  *'  his  meaning  was,  how  that  the  people  should 
 know,  that  he  held  no  erroneous  opinions,  as  it  appeareth  by 
 these  his  words  following. 
 
CONFUTATION    OF    STANDISH. 
 
 Barnes. 
 God  I    take  to   record,  I  never  to  my  knowledge 
 taught  any  erroneous  doctrine ;  but  only  those  things 
 which  scripture  led  me  unto: 
 
 Gen.  xliv. 
 Bom.  i. 
 2  Cor.  i. 
 2  Cor.  xi. 
 Gal.  i. 
 Judg.  xi. 
 
 Who  is  an 
 heretic. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 Justly  ponder  hy  the  2)ro2yhet,  Psal.  cxl.  {cxli.)  how 
 grievous  offence  is  Pertinax  cxcusatio  in  peccatis,  &c. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 Like  as  ye  cannot  justly  lay  any  pertinacity  to  D.  Barnes 
 for  those  his  words,  so  prove  ye  the  grievousness  thereof  full 
 slenderly  out  of  Psalm  cxl,  if  the  true  reading  of  the  text 
 he  well  and  justly  pondered.  Whereas  he  taketh  God  to 
 record  in  the  truth  of  so  Aveighty  a  matter,  the  scripture  is 
 full  of  holy  ensamples,  that  bear  him  therein.  What  perti- 
 nacity is  there  then  in  that  act  ? 
 
 He  durst  avow  also,  that,  to  his  knowledge,  he  never 
 taught  any  erroneous  doctrine:  and  yet  are  ye  not  ashamed 
 to  ascribe  pertinacity  unto  him,  and  to  call  him  an  obstinate 
 heretic;  whereas  St  Jerome  in  his  fourth  book,  the  xxivth  chap- 
 ter upon  Matthew,  Avriteth  thus:  "  He  is  a  heretic,  that  under 
 Christ's  name  teacheth  the  things  which  are  ao'ainst  Christ  ^" 
 IfD.  Barnes,  therefore,  had  wittingly  and  willingly  taught  any 
 thing  against  Christ,  ye  might  have  laid  great  pertinacity  to  his 
 charge.  Truth  it  is,  that  he  being  in  ignorance,  and  deceived 
 sometime  by  a  multitude,  as  you  be,  did  both  err  and  teach 
 erroneous  doctrine  for  the  preferment  of  the  bishop  of  Rome's 
 usurped  authority, and  other  abuses;  according  as  many  learned 
 men  more  in  the  realm  have  done,  which  have  since  both  re- 
 pented toward  God,  and  also  received  the  king's  gracious  par- 
 don many  years  ago.  Again,  if  ye  will  lay  pertinacity  to  his 
 charge,  because  he  was  sometime  in  such  gross  ignorance;  by  the 
 same  argument  mJght  ye  condemn  Christ's  disciples,  of  whose 
 ignorance  mention  is  made  in  many  places  of  the  new  Testa- 
 ment.     I  say  not  this  to  excuse  ignorance;  but  to  reprehend 
 
 \}  Ego  reor  omnes  hrcresiarchas  Antichristos  esse,  et  sub  nomine 
 Christi  ea  docere,  qua3  contraria  sunt  Christo.  Hieron.  Comment,  in 
 Matth.  Lib.  iv.  c.  24;  v.  5.  Op.  Tom.  vn.  p.  103.  ed.  Vcron.  1737.] 
 
DEFENCE    OE     lUKNES     rilOTESTATlON.  660 
 
 the  rashness  of  your  judgment,  which  presume  to  condemn 
 them  whom  God  hath  called  to  repentance. 
 
 But  peradventure   the  pertinacity   that    ye  lay   to   his 
 charge  is,  because  he  saith  he  taught  only  those  things  which 
 scripture  led  him  unto.      For  that  is  no  small  corsie-  to  your 
 sore.    Ye  would  not  have  scripture  taught  only,  without  other 
 doctrines :  nevertheless,  they  that  love  God's  commandment,  Deut.  xii. 
 will  teach  nothing  but  his  word  only ;  for  so  hath  he  himself  oai.  i.^^""- 
 given  commission.    Of  his  promises  is  mention  made  both  in  Jer.  xvi.' 
 Jeremiah,  and  in  the  Gospel  of  Matthew.     As  for  ensamples, 
 we  have  sufficient  both  of  the  prophets  and  apostles,  which,  to 
 die  for  it,  would  teach  nothing  but  scripture.     Read  the  thir-  2  cor.  xiii. 
 teenth  chapter  of  the  second  epistle  to  the  Corinthians,  the 
 fifteenth  to  the  Romans,  and  the  most  godly  protestation  that  Rom.  xv. 
 St  Peter  maketh  in  his  second  epistle.      "  Let  us  give  place 
 and  consent  to  the  holy  scripture,"  saith  St  Augustine ;  "for  oepeccato- 
 
 tJ  i-  '  o  '  rum  mentis 
 
 it  can  neither  deceive,  nor  be  deceived^"     The  bishops  also  "^^ ''^'^'5?!o"'^» 
 
 '  1  cap.  xxiii. 
 
 and  clergy  of  England,  in  the  epistle  of  their  book  to  the  of^lng'ianS* 
 king'^s  grace,  do  affirm,  that  "  Holy  scripture  alone  sheweth 
 men  the  right  path  to  come  to  God,  to  see  him,  to  know  him, 
 to  love  him,  to  serve  him,  and  so  to  serve  him  as  he  most 
 desireth*."  Wherefore  they  are  rather  obstinate  against  God, 
 which,  instead  of  his  only  word,  preach  and  teach  other 
 doctrines.    But  let  us  hear  what  D.  Barnes  saith  more. 
 
 Barnes. 
 And  that  in  my  sermons  I  never  maintained  any 
 crror,  neither  moved  nor  gave  occasion  of  any  insurrec- 
 tion. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 What  blindness  luould  he  lead  us  into  ?  Who  hath  not 
 heard  him  preach  against  all  the  ordinance  of  Christ's 
 church  ?  ^c. 
 
 P  Corsie  :  corrosive.] 
 
 [3  Cedamus  et  consentiamus  auctoritati  sanctee  scripturse,  quso  nescit 
 falli,  nee  fallere.  August,  de  pcccatorum  meritis  ct  rcmissione.  Lib.  i. 
 cap.  22.  Op.  Tom.  vii.  p.  144,  B.  ed.  1541,] 
 
 [•t  Preface  of  the  prelates  to  the  king's  majesty,  prefixed  to  The 
 institution  of  a  christian  man  ;  among  the  Fomiularies  of  Faith,  put 
 forth  by  authority,  in  the  reign  of  Henry  VIII.  p.  24.  Oxford,  1825.]    . 
 
CONFUTATION    OF    STANDISH. 
 
 A  good  cn- 
 sampli-  in 
 1).  Barnes. 
 
 Stnndish 
 writotli  tiim- 
 ■iclf  lo  be 
 none  of 
 Chrisfs 
 church. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 As  for  blindness,  yc  need  no  Iccader  to  bring  yon  into  it: 
 onr  Lord,  when  his  will  is,  bring  you  out  of  it !  This  man 
 took  God  to  record,  that  he  never  maintained  any  error : 
 whereby,  like  as  he  denied  not  but  that  he  might  err  (as 
 he  did  err  grossly  when  he  lived  in  tlie  papistry),  even  so 
 left  he  us  an  ensample  to  forsake  all  errors,  and  to  maintain 
 none.  Call  ye  this  a  leading  into  blindness '?  Then  iareAvell 
 aJl  good  ensamples  of  humility  and  repentance. 
 
 To  the  other  part  of  your  cavillation  I  answer.  It 
 would  be  too  long  a  register  for  you  to  rehearse  the  names 
 of  all  those,  which  never  heard  D.  Barnes  preach  against  the 
 ordinance  of  Christ's  church.  I  also  am  one  of  them,  which 
 have  heard  him  as  oft  as  ever  did  ye ;  and  yet,  as  I  hope  to 
 have  my  part  of  God's  mercy  in  Christ's  blood,  I  never  heard 
 him  ]ireach  against  any  such,  since  he  was  converted  first 
 from  the  Avicked  papistry.  Against  some  of  the  ordinances 
 or  ceremonies  used  in  your  church  have  1  heard  him  preach 
 oft  and  many  times.  As  for  you,  yc  are  none  of  Christ's 
 church,  by  your  own  saying.  For  hereafter  in  your  trea- 
 tise ye  confess  yourself,  that  the  congregation  of  Christ's 
 church  in  this  region  of  England  is  the  king's  majesty  with 
 his  learned  council.  And  ti'uly  like  as  I  am  sure  that  ye 
 are  not  king  of  England,  so  do  I  perceive  by  your  writing, 
 that  ye  are  none  of  the  king's  learned  council :  and  so,  by 
 your  own  confession,  none  of  Christ's  church.  The  ordinance 
 of  Clu'ist's  church  is,  that  every  one,  from  the  prince  to  the 
 lowest  subject,  shall  be  diligent  to  Avait  upon  his  office,  and 
 to  do  the  thino;  that  God  hath  called  \un\  unto.  To  the 
 ordinance  of  Christ's  church  pertaineth  all  that  is  written 
 concerning  the  duty  of  every  estate,  and  also  concerning 
 such  order,  as  is  meet  to  be  kept  in  the  church,  according 
 to  the  doctrine  of  the  apostle,  I  Cor.  xiv :  1  Cor.  xi.  Did 
 you  ever  now  hear  D.  Barnes  preach  against  any  such  holy 
 ordinance  of  God,  or  of  his  church?  IS'o,  verily,  I  suppose; 
 for  then  doubtless,  we  should  have  heard  of  it  in  tliis  your 
 thundering  treatise. 
 
 "Whereas  D.  Barnes  now  hath  been  earnest  against  your 
 wicked  church  of  the  papistry,  and  preached  against  the 
 horrible  abuses  thereof,   call  ye  that  erroneous  railing  and 
 
DEFENCE    OF    BARNEs"'    PROTESTATION.  337 
 
 traitorous  speaking?     By    that   reason    were    the    prophets 
 erroneous   railers,    which   rebuked  the  abuses   of  the  Jews' 
 church    so    earnestly.     Yea,    and    against    the    superstitious  fsa'-  ■•  iv'>i- 
 observing  of  fasting   days  did  the  propliets  preach,  as  did  Amosv-'Viiu 
 also  the  apostle  St  Paul .     All  these,  and  many  other  more  o^i';  i'^; 
 of  God's  servants  did  speak  against  superstitious  observing  mmXII' 
 of  vain  fiists,  and  against  the  abusing  of  that  fast,  which  (Jod 
 had  commanded.     But  against  true  fasting,  whereof  mention 
 is  made  in  many  places  of  holy  scripture,  have  not  ye  yet 
 proved  that  1).  liarnes  did  ever  preach  in  his  sermons,  nei- 
 ther against  such  days  as  by  lawful  authority  are  appointed 
 without  superstition  for  general  fastings. 
 
 If  ye  will  blame  him  for  preaching  against  the  abuse  of 
 prayer,  why  do  ye  not  also  blame  the  prophet  Esay,  our  isai.  i. 
 Saviour  Christ  himself,  the  apostle  St  James,  St  Ambrose,  xxiii! 
 Gregory,  Bernard,  Chrysostom,  .Terome,  Cyril,  Fulgentius, 
 Origen,  &c.  ?  Can  ye  say  now,  that  ye  have  justly  blamed 
 D.  Barnes  in  this  behalf?  But,  thanks  be  unto  God!  against 
 the  right  use  of  prayer,  whereof  mention  is  made  by  our 
 Saviour  and  his  apostles  throughout  the  new  Testament, 
 have  ye  not  yet  proved,  that  D.  Barnes  at  any  time  did 
 preach,  since  he  forsook  the  papistry  ;  neither  against  such 
 lawful  days,  as  by  just  authority  arc  appointed  for  general 
 prayers  and  thanksgivings  to  God,  and  for  the  accomplishing 
 of  other  spiritual  exercises  grounded  upon  God's  word. 
 
 Nevertheless  I  marvel  the  less,  that  ye  blame  him  un- 
 worthy in  this  point :  for  ye  are  not  ashamed  also  to  belie 
 him,  and  to  report  of  him,  that  he  denied  godly  ordinance  to  oodiyordi- 
 bind  unto  deadly  sin,  contrary  to  St  Paul,  liomans  xiii. ;  "''"'^'^' 
 which  chapter,  with  the  contents  thereof,  he  defended  in  his 
 sermons  and  writings  very  earnestly,  and  diligently  set  forth 
 due  obedience  to  the  higher  powers,  to  the  great  hinderance 
 of  hypocrites  and  their  wicked  church,  whose  ordinance  he 
 denied  utterly  to  bind  unto  deadly  sin,  because  it  is  not 
 grounded  on  God's  word.  But  godly  ordinance,  that  is  to 
 say,  the  ordinance  and  institution  of  God,  did  not  he  deny, 
 but  that  the  breakers  and  offenders  thereof  do  commit  deadly 
 sin.  As  for  man's  ordinance,  not  institute  of  God,  nor 
 justly  grounded  upon  his  word,  what  christian  man,  having 
 wit  to  discern  between  chalk  and  cheese,  will  say  or  grant, 
 except  it  be  such  wavering  reeds  as   fear  man  more  than 
 
 [COVERDALE,    II.J 
 
338 
 
 CONFUTATION    OF    STANDISH. 
 
 God,  that  it  bindeth  unto  deadly  sin ;   seeing  it  is  sinful, 
 
 wicked,  and  abominable  itself,  invented  by  Satan,  and  repug- 
 
 Matt'^xi'''     ^^^^  ^^^^^  God's  word  ?    Is  not  such  stuff  most  vehemently 
 
 MMk  vii.      rebuked  by  God's  own  mouth,  and  also  by  his  holy  apostle  ? 
 
 Gal;  Iv.        -^re  ye  not  ashamed  then  to  affirm,  that  man  of  his  authority 
 
 1  Tun.  IV.      jjjg^y  restrain  the  things  which  are  free  by  the  gospel  ?     May 
 
 a  man  bind  that  God  looseth,  condemn  that  God  saveth,  or 
 
 hold  him  in  prison  whom  God  delivereth  ?    Is  man  stronger 
 
 than  God,  or  man's  authority  above  the  authority  of  God? 
 
 or  be  they  both  ahke  ? 
 
 Whereas  ye  say,  that  it  is  the  church  which  hath  this 
 authority  to  restrain  the  things  that  are  free  by  the  gospel ; 
 I  answer,  the  church  of  Christ  is  his  spouse,  and  the  fold 
 of  those  sheep  that  hearken  to  his  voice ;  unto  his  voice,  I 
 say,  and  not  unto  the  voice  of  strangers.  He  himself  also, 
 sending  out  his  apostles,  biddeth  them  teach  all  that  he  hath 
 commanded  them,  and  not  to  bind  that  he  hath  made  free, 
 neither  to  make  free  that  he  hath  bound.  Again,  the  nature 
 and  condition  of  an  honest  wife  is  to  hearken  to  the  whole- 
 some words  of  her  husband,  to  prefer  liis  commandment,  and 
 to  see  that  his  household  folk  keep  it.  A  strumpet  indeed, 
 and  an  harlot,  careth  not  to  control  her  husband,  to  disobey 
 him,  and  to  maintain  evil  rule  in  his  house  against  liis  mind. 
 That  chm'ch  therefore,  which  taketh  upon  her  any  such 
 authority,  as  is  not  given  her  by  Christ,  is  not  his  lawful 
 spouse,  neither  can  ye  prove,  that  he  hath  given  your  church 
 any  power  to  restrain  the  things  which  he  hath  made  free; 
 except  ye  do  it  with  the  words  of  St  James,  that  saith, 
 James  iv.  "  Tlicro  is  ouG  lawgiver,  which  is  able  to  destroy  and  to 
 save;"  or  else  with  the  words  of  St  Paul,  that  asketh  the 
 Col.  ii.  Colossians  this  question,  "  If  ye  be  dead  with  Christ  from  the 
 ordinances  of  the  world,  why  are  ye  holden  then  with  such 
 traditions,  as  though  ye  Hved  after  the  world?"  &c. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 Who  hath  not  heard  him  2weach  a  carnal  liberty,  ivith 
 a  damnable  justification  of  only  faith  to  justify,  ^c  ? 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 Truly,   it  would  make  your  head  ache,  to  read  all  the 
 names  of  them,  that  never  heard  D.  Barnes  preach  any  such 
 
DEFENCE    OF    BARNESs    PROTESTATION.  339 
 
 unlawful  liberty  as  you  speak  of.   But  first,  I  pray  you,  what 
 carnal  or  fleshly  liberty  doth  he  preach,  that  exhorteth  men 
 "with  well  doing  to  put  to  silence  the  ignorance  of  foolish  men;  i  Pet.  u. 
 as  free,  and  not  as  having  the  liberty  for  a  cloke  of  wicked- 
 ness ?"     How  oft  hath  he  taught  this  doctrine,  as  they  that 
 have  heard  him  can  tell,  if  they  be  not  either  mahcious,  or 
 else  forgetful !     Who  can  justly  deny,  but  he  oft  and  many 
 times,  upon  due  occasion,  in  his  writings  and  sermons  did  ex- 
 hort his  hearers,  that  they  would  not  live  after  the  flesh,  nor  Rom.^'iii. 
 accomplish  the  lusts  thereof;  but  to  cast  away  the  works  of 
 darkness,  to  put  on  the  armour  of  light,  to  walk  honestly  in 
 the  light  that  God  hath  given  them;  to  follow  such  things  as 
 pertain  to  peace,  and  things  whereby  one  may  edify  another ;  Rom.  xiv. 
 to  walk  every  man  in  his  calling ;  to  give  no  occasion  of  fall-  i  cor.  vh.  x. 
 ing  unto  any  man  ;  to  mortify  their  earthly  members,  &c.  coi.  m. ' 
 according  to  the  wholesome  doctrine  of  the  apostle  ?     Call 
 ye  this  a  preaching  of  a  fleshly  and  carnal  liberty  ?   Is  this  a 
 doctrine  that  maketh  men  run  at  riot,  and  to  do  what  they 
 list  ?  I  wonder,  verily,  that  ye  shame  not  thus  to  belie  the 
 truth  so  oft. 
 
 As  pertaining  to  your  blasphemy,  which  say  that  it  is 
 a  damnable  justification,  where  faith  is  preached  only  to  jus-  Justification. 
 tify,  it  is  damnably  spoken  of  you;  yea,  though  an  angel  of 
 heaven  should  speak  it,  if  holy  St  Paul  be  true,  which  saith,  oai.i. 
 he  ought  to  be  holden  accursed,  that  preacheth  any  other 
 gospel,   than  that  he   himself  and  the   other   apostles    had 
 preached.     If  ye  of  a  cankered  hatred  to  the  truth  have  not 
 wilfully  and  maliciously  taken  part  against  the  Holy  Ghost, 
 so  that  ye  are  but  led  ignorantly  by  a  blind  multitude  to 
 affirm  the  said  inconvenience ;  I  pray  God  send  you  a  clearer 
 light  in  the  kingdom  of  Christ.    But  if  ye  be  minded,  as  were  Matt.  xji. 
 the  Pharisees,  and  maliciously  ascribe  damnation  to  it,  where-  Luke  xi.' 
 by    only  we    receive    salvation,  as  they  ascribed   unto  the 
 devil  it,  that  was  the  only  working  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  then 
 am  I  sore  afraid  for  you,  and  for  as  many  as  are  of  that 
 mind.     For  if  it  be  damnable  to  teach  or  preach  wittingly 
 against  the  express  word  of  God,  then  verily  is  this  a  dam- 
 nable heresy  to  affirm,  that  faith  only  doth  not  justify;  seeing 
 that  holy  scripture  so  teacheth :  as  Gen.  xv.  Esai.  liii.  Abac.  The  scrip- 
 
 •  '      Tir      1  .  ....    tures. 
 
 n.   Mark  xvi.    Luke  i.  viii.  xxiv.   John  v.  xvii.   Acts  xni.  xvi. 
 Rom.  iii.  iv.  v.  x.     Gal.  ii.  iii.  iv.  v.   Philip,  iii.  1  Pet.  i.  ii. 
 
 22—2 
 
340  CONFUTATION    OF    STANDISH, 
 
 Heb.  iv.  xl.  Of  this  faith,  that  scripture  speaketh  of  so 
 plentifully,  I  have  made  sufficient  mention  in  the  prologue  of 
 that  httle  book,  which  I  lately  put  forth  in  English  concern- 
 ing the  true  Old  Faith  of  Christ^.  Now  like  as  the  scriptures 
 before  alleged  do  testify  for  us,  that  we  mean  no  false  nor 
 vain  faith;  even  so  is  the  same  article  of  justification  defended 
 and  maintained  by  the  doctors  in  many  and  sundry  places, 
 specially  by  St  Augustine  in  the  ccclii.  chapter  De  vera  inno- 
 centia~.  De  verbis  Domini,  Sermone  xl.^  De  verbis 
 Apostoli,  Ser.  xxvii.*  In  the  book  of  the  fifty  Sermons,  the 
 11th  Sermon^.  In  the  first  book  of  the  Retracts,  the  l^rd 
 chajJter^.  In  the  105th  epistle  unto  Sixtus  the  bishop'^. 
 In  the  25th  treatise  upon  John,  the  sixth  chapter^.  In  his 
 Manual,  the  22nd  and  23rd  chapter^.  In  the  exposition  of 
 the  67th  and  of  the  70th  Psahn^'^.  In  the  53rd  Sermon,  De 
 tempore^^.  In  the  5th  Book  of  his  Homilies,  the  17th 
 Ilomily^'^.  In  the  book  of  the  83  questions,  the  66th  chap- 
 ter ^^ ;  and  in  the  Prologue  of  the  31st  Psahn^^.  I  might 
 allege  Cyril,  Ambrose,  Origen,  Hilary,  Bernard,  Athanasius, 
 with  other  more:  but  what  helpeth  it?  Yet  shall  all  the 
 world  know,  that  your  heresy  is  not  only  condemned  by 
 the  open  and  manifest  scripture,  but  also  by  many  of  the 
 doctors.  As  for  natural  reason,  it  fighteth  clearly  against 
 you  also,  if  ye  ponder  well  the  parable  of  the  marriage  in 
 the  twenty-second  of  Matthew,  and  in  the  fourteenth  of  Luke, 
 the  parable  of  the  unthrifty  son  in  the  fifteenth  of  Luke, 
 the  parable  also  of  the  debtor  in  the  eighteenth  of  Matthew, 
 and  in  the  seventh  of  Luke. 
 
 \}  OMjPaJ^/t,  pp.  4-11,  Coverdale's  works.  Parker  Society  Ed.  1844.] 
 
 [2  August.  Op.  Tom.  iii.  p.  240,  M.  ed.  1541.] 
 
 P  lb.  Tom.  X.  p.  34,  F.  But  it  would  appear  that  the  reference 
 ought  to  be  to  Serm.  lx.  lb.  p.  50,  B.] 
 
 [}  The  reference,as  appears, ought  to  be  to  Serm.  xv.  lb.  pp.  72,  73.] 
 
 [5  Homiharum  quinqaginta  Libei'.     Homil.  xvii.  lb.  ji.  99.  B.] 
 
 [6  lb.  Tom.  I.  p,  8,  B.]  [7  lb.  Tom.  ii.  p.  95.  I.] 
 
 [8  lb.  Tom.  IX.  p.  46,  L.] 
 
 P  lb.  Tom.  IX.  p.  174,  E.  F.  But  this  is  admitted  not  to  be  a 
 genuine  work  of  Augustine.  See  Cave,  Hist.  Lit.  Vol.  i.  p.  248.  ed. 
 1688.] 
 
 [10  lb.  Tom.  vm.  p.  152,  B  ;  and  p.  164,  E.] 
 
 [11  lb.  Tom.  X.  p.  153,  L.]  [i2  Compare  above,  note  5.] 
 
 [13  lb.  Tom.  IV.       133,  C]  [i-^  lb.  Tom.  vm.  p.  40,  K.] 
 
DEFENCE    OF    BARNEs"'    PROTESTATION.  341 
 
 Whereas  it  was  laid  to  D.  Barnes'  charge,  how  that  he 
 should  teach  that  God  is  the  author  of  sin,  verily  he  pro-  God  is  not 
 tested  openly  at  St  Mary's  spital  the  Tuesday  in  Easter  week,  ^Ij,^ ''""'°'' "'" 
 that  he  was  never  of  that  mind :  howbeit  he  confessed,  as 
 the  truth  is,  that  whereas  in  his  book  he  had  written  of  pre- 
 destination and  free-will,  there  was  occasion  taken  of  him  by 
 his  writing,  that  he  should  so  mean.  But  verily,  if  he  had 
 in  that  matter  been  as  circumspect,  as  the  children  of  this 
 world  are  wise  in  their  generation,  he  might  the  better  have 
 avoided  the  captiousness  of  men  aforehand.  Nevertheless  it 
 appeareth  plainly,  that  he  mistrusted  no  such  thing ;  and 
 therefore  did  too  much  simplicity  deceive  him  in  that  behalf, 
 as  it  doth  many  more,  which  are  not  so  wise  as  serpents. 
 Neither  find  ye  in  all  his  book  these  words,  God  is  the  author 
 OF  SIN ;  but  you  may  find  these  words :  "  The  Governor  of  d.  Bames- 
 
 ,,,..  .  .,  ,  •  n  1      words. 
 
 all  things  IS  most  wise,  most  righteous,  and  most  merciful ; 
 and  so  wise,  that  nothing  that  he  doth  can  be  amended  ;  so 
 righteous,  that  there  can  be  no  suspicion  in  him  of  unright- 
 eousness, &c. '^"  Item:  "All  thing  that  he  doth  is  well 
 done."  Wherefore,  if  they  that  laid  that  heresy  to  D.  Barnes'' 
 charge,  had  remembered  their  own  distinction  of  malum 
 pcence,  and  malum  cidpm,  at  the  reading  of  his  words,  as 
 well  as  they  can  note  it  in  other  places ;  they  might  easily 
 have  perceived  his  meaning,  and  not  have  mistaken  him. 
 
 Ye  say  also,  D.  Barnes  did  preach,  that  "  Works  do  not  works, 
 profit."  If  ye  mean  works  invented  by  men's  own  brains, 
 not  grounded  on  God's  word,  then  verily  might  he  well  say, 
 that  such  works  do  not  profit  to  salvation :  for  whatsoever  Rom.  xiv. 
 is  not  of  faith  is  sin.  But  if  ye  mean  such  good  works  as 
 are  comprehended  in  the  commandments  of  God,  and  within  hos.  xh. 
 the  precinct  of  his  word,  then  truly  ye  fail  so  to  report  of 
 him ;  for  though  salvation  be  God's  work  only,  yet  D. 
 Barnes  in  his  book  doth  not  only  condemn  the  fleshly  and 
 damnable  reason  of  them,  which  say,  "  If  faith  only  justifieth, 
 what  need  we  do  any  good  works,  &c.?"  but  also  he  af- 
 firmeth  plainly,  that  we  must  needs  do  them,  and  that  they 
 which  will  not  do  them,  because  they  be  justified  alone  by 
 faith,  are  not  the  children  of  God,  nor  children  of  justification, 
 &c.  For  if  they  were  the  very  true  children  of  God,  they 
 would  be  the  gladder  to  do  good  works,  &c.  "  Therefore," 
 [1.5  '-'  Treatise  on  Free-will."    Barnes'  Works.] 
 
342 
 
 CONFtlTATION    OF    STANDISH. 
 
 D.  Barnes' 
 words. 
 
 A  fond  ob- 
 jection 
 against  the 
 justification 
 of  faith. 
 
 [2  Pet.  i.] 
 
 Gal.  V. 
 
 saitli  he,  "  should  they  also  he  moved  freely  to  work,  if  it 
 were  for  none  other  purpose  nor  profit,  but  only  to  do  the 
 will  of  their  merciful  God,  that  hath  so  freely  justified  them, 
 and  also  to  profit  their  neighbour,  whom  they  are  bound  to 
 serve  of  very  true  charity  \"  Are  these  words  now  as  much 
 to  say,  as  "Works  do  not  profit?"  Lord  God  I  what  mean 
 ye,  thus  untruly  to  report  of  the  dead  ? 
 
 Whereas  ye  make  this  blind  objection,  and  say,  "If  works 
 profit  not,  so  that  faith  only  justifieth,  and  Christ's  death  be 
 suflScient,  then  penance  is  void  and  superfluous ; "  I  answer, 
 A  goodly  consequent,  gathered  neither  of  witty  sophistry, 
 wise  logic,  nor  of  good  philosophy,  (except  it  be  of  philosophy 
 unnatural),  no,  nor  of  right  divinity.  "  Works  profit  not  to 
 salvation :  ergo,  they  profit  nothing  at  all:"  is  this  a  pretty 
 consequent  ?  Your  consequent  is  naught,  saith  St  Peter ; 
 for  "  by  good  works  must  ye  make  your  vocation  certain  and 
 sure."  A  like  argument  might  ye  make  after  this  manner, 
 and  say :  "  Iron  is  not  profitable  to  chew  or  to  eat ;  there- 
 fore it  is  nothing  worth."  Were  not  this  a  wise  consequent  ? 
 The  smith  will  tell  you  a  better  tale. 
 
 Peradventure  ye  will  excuse  yourself,  and  say :  "  This 
 consequent  is  not  mine,  but  Barnes's  words."  I  answer : 
 "Yes,  verily,  they  be  your  own  words  ;"  for  ye  say  plainly 
 afterward,  in  your  treatise:  "If  Christ  had  dehvered  us  from 
 all  pain  satisfactory,  &c.  we  should  neither  mourn  nor  be 
 penitent  for  our  offence  committed  against  God,  neither  need 
 we  to  mortify  our  flesh."  This  your  fleshly  and  damnable 
 reason,  this  your  heresy,  this  foul  stinking  opinion,  this  pes- 
 tilent error  and  spiritual  poison,  did  Barnes  utterly  abhor, 
 and  condemn  it  by  St  PauFs  own  words  in  the  forty-ninth 
 leaf  of  his  book.  So  that  the  more  I  look  upon  your  words, 
 the  more  I  wonder  at  your  shameless  slandering  of  the  truth. 
 But  as  touching  this,  I  shall  have  more  occasion  to  talk  with 
 you  afterward. 
 
 Now  to  put  you  to  your  probation.  How  are  ye  able 
 justly  to  prove,  that  penance  is  void  and  superfluous,  where 
 faith  is  preached  only  to  justify  ?  The  true  faith  of  Christ  is 
 it  that  we  speak  of.  Is  it  not  occupied  then,  and  worketh 
 through  godly  love  and  charity?  They  then  that  duly 
 receive  this  faith,  do  not  receive  it  to  live  worse  or  as  evil 
 [1  "  Treatise  on  Justification."    Barnes'  Works.] 
 
DEFENCE    OF    BARNES*'    PROTESTATION.  343 
 
 afterward,  as  they  did  afore  God  gave  it  tliem.     For  though  Ephes.  u. 
 "we  be  saved  by  grace  through  faith,  and  that  not  of  ourselves, 
 though  it  be  the  gift  of  God,  I  say,  not  of  works ;"  yet  are 
 we   "  his  workmanship,   created   in   Christ  Jesu   unto  good 
 works,  to  the  which  God  ordained  us  before,  that  we  should 
 walk  in  them."     K^either  hath   our  Saviour  given  us   any 
 liberty  to  receive  it  in  vain  ;  but  teacheth  us  to  "  forsake  all  s.cor.  vi. 
 ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts,  and  to  live  discreetly,  justly; 
 and  godly  in  this  world."     Therefore  whoso  despiseth  to  live 
 virtuously,  and  to  do  good  works,  despiseth  not  man,  but  i  xhess.  iv. 
 God.     The  same  faith  that  only  justifieth,  setteth  forth  this 
 doctrine;  therefore  doth  it  not  destroy  good  works  and  pe- 
 nance.    Take  you   heed  then,    and   beware  what   ye    say 
 another  time.     I  might  point  you  also  to  St  Ambrose,  who.  Lib.  i.  cap.  8. 
 treating  of  the  calhng  of  the  heathen,  and  declaring  the  true 
 original  of  our  salvation,  allegeth  the  place  afore  rehearsed 
 of  the  second  to  the  Ephesians,  and  sheweth,  that  faith  goeth 
 as  it  were  with  child,  bemg  replenished  with  all  good  thoughts 
 and  deeds,  and  in  due  season  bringeth  them  forth  ^.     And 
 St  Augustine  saith  these  words:  "If  faith  be  the  foundation  ce  vera  et 
 of  penance,  without  the  which  there  is  nothing  that  can  be  capf2''^"'  ^^' 
 good,  then  is  penance  earnestly  to  be  required,  which,  as  it 
 is  evident,  is  grounded  in  faith.     For  a  good   tree   cannot 
 bring  forth  evil  fruits.    Matth.  xii.    Penance  therefore,  which 
 proceedeth  not  of  faith,  is  not  profitable^,"  &c.     These  are 
 
 [2  The  passage  to  which  allusion  is  here  made,  is  probably  the 
 following,  in  the  treatise  De  vocatione  gentium,  Lib.  i.  cajj.  8 ;  towards 
 the  latter  end  of  which  the  authoi-,  having  quoted  Ejahes.  ii.  10,  thus 
 jDroceeds:  Proijrium  ergo  hoc  habet  nova  creatm-a  per  gratiam,  ut 
 qui  figmentum  Dei  sunt,  qui  nativitate  ccelesti  conduntur  in  Christo, 
 non  otio  torpeant,  nee  desidia  rcsolvantui',  sed  de  virtute  in  virtutem 
 proficiant,  per  viam  bonorum  operum  ambulando. — Ambros.  Opera. 
 Tom.  IV.  p.  528.  Paris.  1603.  But  the  Benedictine  editor  says,  that 
 all  critics  are  agreed  that  the  books  De  vocatione  Gentium  are  not  by 
 St  Ambrose  ;  and  the  same  is  the  opinion  of  Cave.  Hist.  Lit.  Vol.  i. 
 p.  215.] 
 
 [3  Si  fides  fundamentum  est  poenitentise,  prreter  quam  nihil  est  quod 
 bonum  sit,  appetenda  est  poenitentia,  quam  constat  in  fide  esse  fun- 
 datam.  Non  enim  potest  arbor  bona  malos  fructus  facere.  Poeni- 
 tentia itaque,  qua;  ex  fide  non  procedit,  utilis  non  est De  vera  et 
 
 falsa  .pcenit.  August.  Opera,  Tom.  iv.  p.  248,  G.  Ed.  1541.  This 
 work  however  is  beHeved  to  be  improperly  ascribed  to  Augustine.  See 
 Cave,  Hist.  Lit.  Vol.  i.  p.  249.] 
 
844  CONFUTATION    OF    STANDISH- 
 
 St  Augustine's  words.  Faith  then  destroyeth  neither  penance, 
 nor  good  works ;  but  is  the  womb  that  beareth  them  both, 
 and  of  whom  they  both  proceed, 
 
 Touchuig  the  article  of  forgiveness,  where  ye  say,  that  it 
 is  contrary  to  the  order  of  our  Saviour's  prayer,  that  we 
 must  be  forgiven  of  God  afore  we  can  forgive ;  are  ye  not 
 ashamed  thus  to  proceed  forth  in  blasphemies  against  the 
 manifest  word  of  God,  yea,  and  clearly  against  your  own 
 words?  Do  ye  not  confess  yourself,  that  first  God  of  his 
 mercy  only  giveth  us  grace,  without  which  we  can  do  nothing 
 that  is  good?  Is  it  not  a  good  thing,  one  man  to  forgive 
 another  ?  Do  ye  not  grant  also,  that  God  first  loved  us, 
 yea,  even  when  he  was  not  loved  of  us  ?  Why  then  shame 
 ye  not  to  write,  that  it  is  against  the  order  of  our  Lord's 
 prayer,  to  be  forgiven  of  God  afore  we  can  forgive  ?  Is 
 the  love  of  our  Saviour  against  the  order  of  his  prayer  ?  Or 
 did  he  not  forgive  us,  when  he  loved  us  first  ?  Can  he  love, 
 and  not  forgive  ?  Think  ye  God  to  be  of  the  nature  of  those, 
 which  forgive  and  love  not,  or  that  shew  tokens  and  coun- 
 tenance of  love  in  outward  appearance,  and  forgive  not  in 
 theb  hearts  ? 
 
 A  shame  is  it  for  you,  to  take  upon  you  the  ofiice  of 
 a  teacher,  of  a  reader,  of  a  preacher,  and  to  handle  such 
 a  weighty  matter  as  this  is  so  slenderly,   so  frowardly,  so 
 crookedly,  so  far  out  of  frame,  so  wide  from  the  order  of 
 Christ's  sincere  and  true  doctrine.      Read  ye  never  the  pa- 
 Matt,  xviii.    rable  of  forgiveness,  that  our  Saviour  telleth  in  the  eighteenth 
 of  Matthew  ?     Which  parable,  hke  as  it  setteth  forth  our 
 duty,  and  teacheth  us  every  one  to  forgive  our  brethren's 
 trespasses  from  our  heart  roots,  proveth  it  not  likewise,  that 
 the  Lord  first  pitieth  us,  dischargeth  us,  and  forgiveth  us  our 
 great  debt?     Is  not  love  and  gentleness,  that  one  christian 
 Gal.  V.         nian  oweth  to  another,  a  fruit  of  the  Holy  Ghost  ?     Is  it 
 not  a  work  of  faith  then  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  yea,  a  fruit 
 of  that  penance  which  proceedeth  from  them  both,  one  man 
 John  xiii.      to  forgivo  another  ?      Doth  not  our  Lord  himself  say,   "  A 
 new  commandment  I  give  you,  to  love  one  another,  that  even 
 as  I  have  loved  you,  ye  also  may  love  one  another  ?"  &c. 
 Ephes.  iv.     "  Be  jB  courtoous,"  saith  St  Paul,  "  one  to  another,  merciful, 
 and  forgive  one  another,  even  as  God  hath  forgiven  you  in 
 Gor. iii.        Christ.""     Item,  "Now  therefore,  as  the  elect  of  God,  holy 
 
DEFENCE    OF    BARNES'    PROTESTATION.  345 
 
 and  beloved,  put  on  tender  mercy,  kindness,  humbleness  of 
 mind,  meekness,  long-suifering,  forbearing  one  another,  if 
 any  man  have  a  quarrel  against  another.  Even  as  Christ 
 hath  forgiven  you,  so  do  ye  also." 
 
 Be  these  scriptures  now  against  the  order  of  our  Lord's 
 prayer  ?     The  words  whereof  if  we  rehearse  in  order  as  he 
 taught    them,    then,   before  we   ask    any  petition,    we   first 
 confess,  that  Almighty  God  is  our  father,  and  we  his  children ;  Luke  xl 
 wliich  we  cannot  be,  except  he  hath  granted  us  forgiveness 
 for  Christ's  sake.     Again,  there  is  no  prayer  good  and  ac- 
 ceptable without  faith ;   "  for  how  shall  they  call  upon  him,"  Rom.  x. 
 saith  St  Paul,  "  in  whom  they  have  not  believed  ?"     They 
 therefore  that  truly  say  their  Paternoster,  are  faithful  be- 
 lievers, to  whom  eternal  life  is   promised   by  Chrisfs  own  John  lii.  vi. 
 mouth,  and  have  their  sins  forgiven  them  of  God.  Markxvi. 
 
 Do  ye  not  consider,  that  they,  to  whom  our  Lord  taught 
 this  prayer,  were  his  apostles,  and  true  christian  men?  which 
 like  as  they  themselves  first  have  forgiveness  of  God,  (they  John'xiii. 
 should  never  else  be  christian  men,)  so  use  they  to  forgive 
 others,  according  to  the  doctrine  of  scripture.  For  the 
 apostle  saith:  "Be  ye  the  followers  therefore  of  God,  as  dear  Ephes.  v. 
 children,  and  walk  in  love,  even  as  Christ  loved  us,"  &c. 
 And  what  christian  man,  being  in  his  right  wit,  did  ever  deny, 
 but  that  if  we,  which  have  forgiveness  of  God,  will  not  for- 
 give our  trespassers,  he  shall  withdraw  his  forgiveness  from 
 us  ?  But  you,  not  regarding  the  order  that  God  hath  taken 
 in  the  salvation  of  his  people,  turn  the  root  of  the  tree 
 upward,  draw  the  thread  through  afore  the  needle,  set  the 
 cart  before  the  horse.  Yea,  your  doctrine  will  have  us  to 
 be  the  foregoers  of  God,  and  not  the  followers  of  him,  as 
 scripture  biddeth  us. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 A  revocation  of  these  was  read  in  Octavis  Paschce,  SfC. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 What  revocations  ye  make  in  men''s  names,  they  being 
 absent,  I  cannot  tell.  But  like  as  ye  come  to  the  sermon  to 
 take  Christ  in  his  words,  so  are  ye  not  to  learn  to  turn  the 
 cat  in  the  pan.  This  may  all  the  world  spy  here  in  you, 
 that  as  ye  are  crafty  and  subtle  to  bring  men  to  revocations, 
 so  are  ye  malicious  in  defaming  of  them. 
 
346  confutation  of  standish. 
 
 Standish. 
 FurtJiermore,  read  his  detestable  books,  and  you  shall 
 see  what  detestable  seed  he  hath  sowed. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 If  D.  Barnes'  books  be  detestable  and  to  be  abhorred, 
 why  do  ye  bid  us  read  them?  Will  ye  have  the  king's 
 subjects  to  read  abominable  books  ? 
 
 As  for  the  seed  which  he  did  sow,  I  cannot  greatly  marvel 
 
 at  you,  that  call  it  a  pestilent  seed ;  for  in  his  book  he  said 
 
 D.  Barnes-     tlioso  words :  "  When  I  am  dead,  the  sun  and  the  moon,  the 
 
 words  m  the  '  ' 
 
 leif  o/hi's"''  ^^^^^  ^^^  ^^^  element,  water  and  fire,  yea,  and  also  the  stones, 
 
 ^°°^-  shall  defend  this  cause  against  them  (meaning  the  cause  of 
 
 God's  word  against  the  spirituality),  sooner  than  the  verity 
 should  perish."  This  is  one  corn  of  the  seed  D.  Barnes  did 
 sow.  And  verily,  so  far  as  I  can  perceive,  this  same  little 
 pretty  seed,  verity,  Avill  grow  and  come  up.  Yea,  I  may 
 tell  you,  it  will  grow  in  your  own  gardens,  when  ye  are  most 
 
 Lukexix.  against  it.  For  Christ  told  your  predecessors  plainly,  that 
 if  his  disciples  would  not  speak,  the  very  stones  should  cry ; 
 
 Hab.  ii.  according  to  the  prophecy  of  Abacuc.  It  is  no  Avonder, 
 therefore,  though  ye  call  this  a  pestilent  seed.  For  pestilent 
 is  as  much  to  say,  as  hurtful  or  unwholesome :  so  that,  if  ye 
 suffer  this  seed  of  the  verity  to  grow,  it  will  hurt  your  false 
 doctrine ;  and  the  physicians  that  have  seen  your  water,  say 
 that  it  is  unwholesome  for  your  complexion. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 And  thereby  you  shall  perceive  how  shamefully  now  he 
 doth  lie,  like  as  he  hath  done  ever  heretofore. 
 
 CoVERDALE. 
 
 By  D.  Barnes'  book  may  every  one  perceive,  that  he  con- 
 fesseth  the  articles  of  the  christian  belief.  And  if  he  lied  ever 
 heretofore,  as  you  report  of  him ;  then  said  he  never  truth. 
 Now  is  it  manifest  also,  that  in  his  book  to  the  king's  high- 
 ness he  confesseth,  that  no  man  in  England  is  except  from 
 
 In  the  fourth  the  subjectiou  of  the  king's  power,  neither  bishop,  nor  other. 
 He  confesseth  also,  that  the  king's  prerogative  is  allowed  by 
 
 In  the  fifth    God's  word.     He  saith  likewise,  in  the  next  leaf,  that  it  is 
 
 leaf.  . 
 
 not  lawful  for  the  spirituality  to  depose  a  king.     Is  not  this 
 
DEFENCE    OF    BARNES'     PROTESTATION.  847 
 
 truth  ?  Will  ye  say  then,  that  he  hath  lied  ever  heretofore  ? 
 Let  not  the  king  nor  his  council  hear  these  your  words,  I 
 will  advise  you.  Now  like  as  D.  Barnes  spake  truth  in  these 
 tilings,  so  heard  I  him  say  to  a  sort  of  mahcious  enemies  of 
 God's  word  even  the  saying  of  Christ  to  the  wilful  Jews : 
 "Ye  are  of  the  father  the  devil,  and  after  the  lusts  of  your  John viu. 
 father  will  ye  do.  He  was  a  murderer  from  the  beginning, 
 and  abode  not  in  the  truth,  for  the  truth  is  not  in  him. 
 AVhen  he  speaketh  a  lie,  he  speaketh  of  his  own  ;  for  he  is  a 
 liar,  and  father  of  the  same,"  &c.  Ye  will  grant  these  words 
 to  be  true,  I  think. 
 
 Standish. 
 Which  would  have  its  here  to  believe  contrary  to  our 
 hearing   and   seeing,    that   he   never    taught  nor  preached 
 heresy,  nor  ei^roneous  opinions. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 To  that  doth  D.  Barnes  say  himself,  in  his  before  re- 
 hearsed words,  that  to  his  knowledge  he  never  taught  any 
 erroneous  doctrine.  Somewhat  also  have  I  said  unto  you 
 already  concerning  this  matter. 
 
 Standish. 
 I  pray  you,  what  ivas  his  oiun  revocation,  S(C. 
 
 CoVERDALE. 
 
 Ye  make  answer  to  your  own  question  yourself.  Ye  say, 
 that  he  utterly  there  forsook  many  of  his  old  damnable 
 heresies.  If,  as  you  say,  he  forsook  there  his  old  dam- 
 nable heresies,  then  did  he  there,  as  he  did  in  other  his 
 sermons,  even  shew  himself  to  abhor  the  heresies  of  the 
 papistry ;  for  those  were  the  old  infections,  that  he  was 
 tangled  withal  sometime. 
 
 Barnes. 
 Although  I  have  been  slandered  to  preach,  that  our 
 lady  was  but  a  saffron  bag,  which  I  utterly  protest 
 before  God,  that  I  never  meant  it,  nor  preached  it ; 
 but  all  my  study  and  diligence  hath  been,  utterly  to 
 confound  and  confute  all  men  of  that  doctrine,  as  are 
 the  Anabaptists,  which  deny  that  our  Saviour  Christ  did 
 
348  CONFUTATION    OF    STANDISH. 
 
 take  any  flesh  of  the  blessed  virgin  Mary ;  which  sects 
 
 I  detest  and  abhor. 
 
 Standish. 
 A  fond  con-  Here  he  clear eth  himself  to  he  no  Anabaptist;  as  though 
 
 sequent.  "^  j.  ■•  c 
 
 there  were  no  heresy  hut  that  alone. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 Ye  would  be  loth  yourself,  that  other  men  should  so  un- 
 derstand your  words,  or  gather  such  a  consequent  of  them. 
 If  ye  were  accused  to  be  a  privy  thief,  and  came  before  a 
 multitude  to  clear  yourself  from  that  vice ;  would  ye  men 
 should  judge  you  to  be  therefore  of  so  fond  opinion,  as  to 
 tliink,  that  there  were  no  more  vices  but  theft  alone  ?  I 
 doubt  not,  but  if  ye  were  straitly  examined,  ye  would  say, 
 that  there  were  also  the  vice  of  lying,  the  vice  of  malice,  of 
 slandering,  of  backbiting,  of  frowardness,  of  foolishness,  of 
 wilfulness,  &c. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 And  yet  this  opinion,  to  say,  Christ  did  pass  through 
 the  virgin's  ivomh,  as  water  through  a  conduit,  was  none  of 
 the  Anabaptists^  oiun  opinion.  It  was  one  of  the  3Ianichees* 
 error ',  and  also  Lutice's'^  error,  luhom  some  of  the  Anabapitists 
 herein  did  follow. 
 
 CoVERDALE. 
 
 Whose  error  soever  it  was,  I  refer  that  to  you ;  for  your 
 treatise  declareth,  that  ye  be  well  acquainted  with  heretics. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 Wherefore  31.  Barnes  hereby  doth  not  purge  himselffroni 
 the  Anabaptists'  heresy  concerning  the  baptism  of  infants. 
 
 [1  This  heresy  is  alluded  to  by  Irenteus,  Adversiis  Hcereses,  Lib.  i. 
 cap.  13.  p.  33.  1.  ed.  Grabe,  1702.  elvai  8e  tovtov  t6v  Sm  Maplas  8io~ 
 BevaavTa,  Kadcnvep  vScop  dia  aoiKTJvos  68evei,  k.  t.  X.;  also,  Lib.  I.  cap.  12.  3, 
 and  in  other  places.  See  also  Tertullian,  De  came  Ckristi,  cap.  1,  and 
 De  resurrect ione  carnis,  cap.  2.  Dr  Lardner  has  collected  much  infor- 
 mation on  this  subject  in  his  Credibility  of  the  Gospel  History,  part  ii. 
 sect.  iv.  Works,  Vol.  ii.  pp.  200-3.  ed.  1815;  and  Dr  Grabe,  in  his  note 
 on  the  first  passage  quoted,  shews  that  this  heresy  descended  fron\  the 
 Gnostics,  from  Avhom,  with  many  other  of  their  opinions,  it  was  adopted 
 by  the  Manichees.] 
 
 [2  Most  probably  a  mistake  for  Eutyches's.] 
 
DEFENCE    OF    BARNEs'    PROTESTATION.  o49 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 His  disputations  had  oft-times  with  them,  his  continual 
 preaching  against  them,  his  daily  words  also  and  conversation, 
 was  record  sufficient,  that  he  abhorred  their  error  also  in  that 
 behalf.  Why  would  ye  have  him  then  to  purge  himself 
 thereof?  Your  physic  is  not  good,  to  give  a  man  a  purgation, 
 which  is  not  infect  with  such  evil  or  gross  humours  as  require 
 a  purgation. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 Here  he  saith,  he  never  gave  occasion  to  insurrection. 
 But  hoiu  say  you  ?  Did  he  not  offer  himself  to  cast  his  glove 
 in  defence  of  his  errors  at  Paid's  cross? 
 
 CoVERDALE. 
 
 He  said  at  the  cross,  the  third  Sunday  in  Lent:  "  Here  is 
 my  glove,  not  in  defence  of  any  error,  (as  ye  untruly  repeat,) 
 neither  with  material  sword,  buckler,  or  spear  to  defend  any 
 such  thing  ;  but  with  the  sword  of  God's  word  to  prove,  that 
 God  first  forgiveth  us  afore  we  can  forgive,  and  that  they  be 
 no  breakers  of  order,  which  set  forth  God's  word  and  due 
 obedience  to  their  prince ;  but  they  that  maintain  their  own 
 traditions,  burn  God's  word,  and  regard  not  the  king's  in- 
 junctions, &c." 
 
 Standish. 
 
 Did  he  not  openly  say  these  things  {meaning  his  errors) 
 must  be  tried  by  blood? 
 
 CoVERDALE. 
 
 Ye  are  to  blame  to  be  so  malapert,  as  to  enter  so  pre- 
 sumptuously into  a  man's  thought,  and  so  to  judge  it.  For 
 his  very  death  declareth,  that  he  meant  not  to  fight,  nor  to 
 hurt  any  man's  blood,  neither  to  set  men  together  by  the 
 ears  for  any  article  of  his  belief ;  but  that  they  which  are  Matt. 
 of  the  truth,  must  in  the  cause  thereof  suffer  their  blood  to 
 be  shed,  and  be  content  to  die  for  the  name  of  Christ,  if  they 
 be  called  thereunto. 
 
 Standish. 
 What  call  you  this,  but  giving  occasion  of  insurrection  ? 
 
350 
 
 CONFUTATION    OF    STANDISH. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 If  this  be  insurrection,  then  did  the  apostles  send  out  two 
 
 Acts  xiii.      seditious  men,  Paul  and  Barnabas ;  for  in  their  epistle  they 
 
 testify  of  them,  that  they  jeoparded  their  lives  for  the  name  of 
 
 our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.     And  yet  their  weapons  were  not 
 
 2  Cor.  X.       carnal,  as  St  Paul  saith.    If  it  be  insurrection  therefore,  when 
 
 a  man  ofFereth  himself  to  die  in  the  cause  of  Christ,  then  did 
 
 Mattx.  xvi.  he  himself  preach  insurrection,  when  he  said,  "He  that  loseth 
 
 Markviii.     his  Hfe  for  my  sake  shall  find  it."    "Whosoever  loseth  his  life 
 
 Luke  xii.      for  my  sake  and  the  gospel,  shall  save  it."    "  I  say  unto  you 
 
 my  friends,  be  not  afraid  of  them  which  kill  the  body,  and 
 
 afterward  have  no  more  that  they  can  do.     But  I  will  shew 
 
 you  whom  ye  shall  fear ;  fear  him,  which  after  he  hath  killed, 
 
 hath  power  to  cast  into  hell :  yea,  I  say  unto  you,  fear  him." 
 
 D.  Barnes  therefore,  offering  himself  to  die  in  the  cause  of 
 
 Christ  and  his  gospel,  shameth  you  and  all  your  affinity,  as 
 
 ye  call  it ;  which  will  not  jeopard  to  put  your  little  finger, 
 
 where  he  hath  suffered  his  whole  body  to  be  burned  for  the 
 
 trial  of  the  truth. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 He  saith  he  never  called  our  lady  a  saffron  bag. 
 Whether  he  did  or  no,  I  wot  not;  hut  I  heard  him  at 
 Barking,  two  year  and  more  afore  he  was  burned,  in  de- 
 claring the  canticle,  Magnificat,  slanderously  speak  of  her.    ' 
 
 CoVERDALE. 
 
 Our  lady  hath  but  a  faint  friend  of  you  that,  hearing 
 one  slander  her  in  his  sermon,  could  not  find  in  your  heart, 
 by  the  space  of  two  year  and  more,  to  see  him  openly 
 rebuked  for  it ;  but  now,  like  a  coward,  to  stand  up,  when  he 
 is  dead,  and  to  accuse  him  that  cannot  answer  for  himself. 
 Verily,  like  as  he,  whatsoever  he  be,  that  slandereth  our 
 lady,  is  worthy  of  open  punishment  to  the  ensample  of  other ; 
 even  so,  seeing  that,  by  your  own  confession,  ye  heard  him 
 slander  her  so  long  before  his  death,  and  complained  not  of 
 it,  ye  make  yourself  guilty  of  the  crime,  by  the  same  text 
 j5^n,  i  that  ye  allege  out  of  the  Romans  in  the  latter  end  of  your 
 preface.  Neither  can  I  believe,  that  any  of  the  king's  coun- 
 cil, hearing  of  any  such  inconvenience,  and  having  sufficient 
 proof  thereof,  would  defer  the  punishment  so  long. 
 
DEFENCE    01'    BARNES'     PROTESTATION.  351 
 
 Standish. 
 Making  her  no  better  than  another  woman,  ^c. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 Indeed  it  was  not  D.  Barnes,  nor  any  other  creature, 
 that  made  her  better  than  other  women ;  but  even  the  holy 
 and  blessed  Trinity,  whose  good  pleasure  it  was  to  choose  her 
 before  all  other  to  be  the  worthy  mother  of  our  Saviour  Jesus 
 Christ,  in  whom  all  faithful  should  be  blessed.  But  if  ye 
 say,  that  he  in  his  sermons  reputed  her  no  better  than  another 
 woman,  then  declare  ye  yourself  to  be  a  very  mahcious  slan- 
 derer of  the  dead :  against  whom  like  as  ye  prove  nothing,  so 
 were  not  only  his  sermons  gathered  at  his  jjiouth  in  writing,  but 
 also  the  learned  men  that  heard  him  preach,  and  were  then 
 present  at  Barking,  do  testify  and  report,  that  in  their  life 
 they  never  heard  man  speak  more  reverently  of  the  blessed 
 virgin  Mary,  than  he  did  in  that  place. 
 
 Barnes. 
 
 And  indeed  in  this  place  there  hath  been  burned 
 some  of  them,  whom  I  never  favoured  nor  maintained. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 Here  he  saith,  that  he  doth  detest  and  abhor  some  that 
 hath  been  burned  in  Smithfield :  ivhereby  we  may  see,  that 
 in  all  things  heretics  do  not  agree  among  themselves,  ^c. 
 
 CoVERDALE. 
 
 By  the  same  collection  should  ye  have  inferred  also,  that 
 an  heretic  agreeth  not  with  himself,  and  have  proved  it,  when  An  heretic 
 
 °  n      •        -I  •         agreeth  not 
 
 ye  have  done  ;  as  ye  do  well-favouredly  m  that  your  treatise,  with  himself. 
 where,  when  ye  have  said  one  thing  in  one  place,  ye  affirm 
 the  contrary  in  another,  as  I  shall  shew  more  plainly  after- 
 ward. 
 
 Barnes. 
 
 But  with  all  diligence  evermore  did  I  study  to  set 
 forth  the  glory  of  God,  the  obedience  to  our  sovereign 
 lord  the  king,  and  the  true  and  sincere  religion  of 
 Christ. 
 
352  CONFUTATION    OF    STANDISH. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 Here,  gentle  readers,  note  well  and  forget  not,  that  to 
 these  words  of  D,  Barnes  John  Standish  saith  nothing:  where- 
 by it  appeareth,  that  he  cannot  deny,  but  that  D.  Barnes  was 
 a  diligent  setter  forth  of  God's  glory,  of  due  obedience,  and 
 Christ's  religion ;  which  three  things  whoso  doth,  is,  in  my 
 mind,  no  heinou*  heretic. 
 
 Barnes. 
 
 And  now  hearken  to  my  faith  :  I  believe  in  the 
 holy  and  blessed  Trinity,  that  created  and  made  all  the 
 world ;  and  that  this  blessed  Trinity  sent  down  the  second 
 person  Jesus  Christ  into  the  womb  of  the  blessed  and 
 most  purest  virgin  Mary.  And  here  bear  me  record,  that 
 I  do  utterly  condemn  that  abominable  and  detestable 
 opinion  of  the  Anabaptists,  which  say,  that  Christ  took 
 no  flesh  of  the  blessed  virgin.  For  I  believe  that,  with- 
 out the  consent  of  man's  will  or  power,  he  was  con- 
 ceived by  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  took  flesh  of  her,  and 
 that  he  suffered  hunger,  thirst,  cold,  and  other  passions 
 of  our  body,  sin  except ;  according  to  the  saying  of  St 
 Peter,  he  was  made  in  all  things  like  to  his  brethren, 
 except  sin.  And  I  believe,  that  he  lived  here  among  us ; 
 and  after  he  had  preached  and  taught  his  Father's  will, 
 he  suffered  the  most  cruel  and  bitter  death  for  me  and 
 all  mankind :  and  I  do  believe,  that  this  his  death  and 
 passion  was  the  sufficient  price  and  ransom  for  the  sin 
 of  all  the  world :  and  I  believe,  that  through  his  death 
 he  overcame  the  devil,  sin,  death,  and  hell. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 This  is  well  said :  hut  mark  the  devil  and  Peter,  the 
 one  Matt,  xvi,  the  other  Mark  v.  ^c. 
 
 Coverdale. 
 
 What,  are  ye  so  forgetful  of  yourself?  said  ye  not  in 
 your  preface,  that  the  protestation  of  D.  Barnes  doth  smell 
 and  savour  nothing  but  heresy  and  treason?  And  now  ye  con- 
 
DEFENCE    OF    BARNES      PROTESTATION.  65o 
 
 fess,  that  ia  these  fore-rehearsed  words  he  said  well;  which 
 could  not  be,  if  they  smelled  either  of  heresy  or  treason. 
 Thus  are  ye  become  not  only  contrary  to  yourself,  but  also  a  standish  eon- 
 defender  of  D.  Barnes'  protestation,  and  approve  the  same,  seif.^ '" 
 And  in  this  do  ye  prove  the  sentence  true,  that  I  spake  of 
 before  ;  namely,  that  he  which  is  given  to  false  doctrine 
 agreeth  not  with  himself,  after  the  example  of  you,  which 
 teach  one  thing  in  one  place,  and  deny  the  same  in  another. 
 
 Whereas  ye  compare  the  confession  of  D.  Barnes  to  the 
 confession  of  the  devil,  we  will  try  your  doctrine  by  the  text 
 of  St  Mark ;  and  thereby  shall  we  see,  how  well  these  two  con- 
 fessions do  agree,  and  how  clerkly  ye  have  joined  them  to- 
 gether. St  Mark  reporteth,  that  the  legion  of  devils  which  had  Mark  vi. 
 possessed  a  certain  man,  and  taken  his  right  mind  from  him, 
 «&c.,  cried  out,  and  said  unto  our  Saviour,  "  What  have  I  to  do 
 with  thee,  thou  Son  of  the  most  High  God?"  Here  is  it  manifest, 
 that  the  devil  crieth  out  of  our  Saviour  Christ,  and  would 
 have  nothing  to  do  with  him.  When  did  D.  Barnes  cry  out 
 of  him  ?  A  great  part  of  the  world  can  testify,  that  he  hath 
 cried  out  of  antichrist  and  his  chaplains,  yea,  and  that  so  loud, 
 that  he  hath  awaked  a  great  number  with  his  crying. 
 
 Yea,  but  to  my  purpose,  will  ye  say,  the  devil  also  con- 
 fesseth  Christ  to  be  the  Son  of  God.  I  answer,  their  confes- 
 sions be  not  alike.  For  D.  Barnes  doth  not  only  confess  that 
 Christ  is  the  Son  of  God ;  but  saith  also,  I  believe  that  he  suf- 
 fered the  most  cruel  and  bitter  death  for  me,  «&c.  When  did  the 
 devil  believe  that  Christ  died  for  him  ?  Again,  this  confession 
 of  D.  Barnes  condemneth  the  heresy  of  the  Anabaptists  con-  The  confes- 
 cerning  the  incarnation  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  When  did  the  Bames. 
 devil  condemn  any  such  false  opinion?  Will  ye  make  it  not 
 devilish  doctrine  to  be  of  that  sect?  Beware  what  ye  say. 
 xVre  ye  not  ashamed  then  to  compare  these  blessed  words  to 
 the  confession  of  the  devil,  and  yet  to  write  that  they  be  well 
 said  ? 
 
 Standish. 
 
 This  your  confession  doth  not  prove  you  to  he  a  good 
 christian  man. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 By  your  judgment,  to  confess  the  true  belief  in  the  blessed 
 Trinity,  to  confess  the  incarnation  of  Christ,  to  abhor  the  false 
 opinion  of  the  Anabaptists,  to  believe  in  Christ's  death,  resur- 
 
 r  1  -3 
 
 LCOVERDALE,    II.] 
 
354  CONFUTATION    OF    STANDISH. 
 
 Matt.  X.       rection,  &c.  is  no  proof  of  a  cliristian  man  ;  no,  though  Christ 
 
 Rom.  X.'"      liimself  say,   "  Whosoever  dotli  acknowledge  me  before  men, 
 
 him  will  I  acknowledge  also  before  my  Father  which  is  in 
 
 heaven;"  and  St  Paul,  "To  beheve  with  the  heart  justifieth, 
 
 isai.  xxviii.    and  to  acknowledge  with  the  mouth  saveth ;  for  the  scripture 
 
 saith,  Whosoever  believeth  on  him  shall  not  be  confounded." 
 
 Wherefore,  if  men  consider  your  words,  ye  bring  yourself 
 verily  into  a  shrewd  suspicion ;  for  ye  seem  to  favour  the 
 miscreants  and  infidels,  even  them  that  believe  not  the  articles 
 of  the  christian  faith.  It  seemeth,  that  ye  believe  in  some 
 other  thing  than  God ;  else  would  ye  make  more  of  the 
 christian  beUef  than  ye  do. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 For  the  onost  part  of  the  heretics  condemned  by  scripture 
 and  our  mother  the  church,  ^c. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 Where  find  ye  in  the  scripture,  that  he  is  condemned, 
 which  believeth  in  the  Son  of  God,  although  ye  call  him  and 
 write  him  heretic  ten  thousand  times?  But  I  see  well  ye 
 lack  help.  I  will  tell  you,  where  ye  shall  find  a  text  of  scrip- 
 ture for  your  purpose.  St  John  the  Baptist  saith:  "He  that 
 beheveth  on  the  Son  of  God  hath  everlastino;  life."  And 
 Christ  our  Saviour  saith  a  little  before,  in  the  same  chapter : 
 John  iii.  "  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only-begotten  Son, 
 that  whoso  believeth  in  liim,  should  not  perish,  but  have 
 eternal  life,  &c."  "He  that  beheveth  on  him  is  not  condemned. " 
 
 And  whereas  ye  say,  that  they  were  condemned  by  the 
 church,  I  answer :  If  ye  mean  the  church  of  Christ,  (which  I 
 doubt  not  to  be  in  England,  as  well  as  in  other  realms ;)  then 
 blaspheme  ye  it,  for  saying,  that  it  condemneth  them,  whom 
 Christ  with  his  own  mouth  pronounceth  not  to  be  condemned : 
 for  Christ's  church  never  condemneth  them  whom  he  saveth. 
 Yea,  and  in  your  so  reporting  ye  blaspheme  the  king's  high- 
 ness, chief  and  supreme  head  next  under  God  of  this  said 
 church  of  England,  without  whose  authority  no  execution  may 
 lawfully  be  done  within  his  dominion.  Howbeit,  among  the 
 bushes  and  in  a  corner,  without  the  king's  knowledge,  a  true 
 man  sometime  may  chance  peradventure  to  be  hanged,  as 
 soon  as  a  thief. 
 
 If  ye  mean  your  own  mother,  the  church  of  the  froward 
 
DEFENCE    OF    BARNES'    PROTESTATION,  355 
 
 and  multitude  of  wicked  doers,  then  verily,  like  a  good  child, 
 ye  have  disclosed  and  uttered  your  mother's  secrets,  and  told 
 us  her  very  nature  ;  which,  as  she  is  a  very  spiritual  strumpet 
 and  common  harlot,  so  is  she  a  mother  of  murder,  a  shedder 
 of  innocent  blood,  and,  by  your  own  confession,  a  condemner 
 of  them  whom  Christ  dare  avow  to  be  saved. 
 
 What  ye  mean  by  the  censure  of  the  powers,  a  man  can- 
 not well  perceive  by  your  words,  ye  speak  so  confusedly. 
 But  if  ye  mean  the  sentence,  judgment,  or  determination  of 
 the  higher  powers,  then  slander  ye  them,  (as  I  said  before,) 
 in  that  ye  report,  how  they  should  be  the  condemnors  of  those 
 whom  Christ  hath  not  condemned. 
 
 If  by  the  censure  of  the  powers   ye  mean  your  own 
 usurped  authority,  or  the  stolen  and  untruly  gotten  authority 
 of  your  mother  the  wicked  church,   then  we  believe  you : 
 for  in  her,  as  the  angel  saith,  is  found  the  blood  of  the  pro-  Apoe.  x^ 
 phets  and  saints. 
 
 If  ye  mean  the  firepan  that  ye  cast  incense  in,  then  may 
 we  see,  that  your  censer  is  hotter  than  others  men's  fire  ;  and 
 therefore  the  more  perilous  for  any  man  to  meddle  withal. 
 
 If  by  the  censure  of  the  powers  ye  mean  the  censure 
 of  your  excommunication,  then  declare  ye  yourselves  to  be 
 the  cursors  of  them  whom  God  hath  blessed;  and  so  are  ye 
 cursed  of  God,  which  saith  unto  Abraham,  and  in  him  to 
 every  faithful  believer:  "I  will  curse  them  that  curse  thee."  Gen.xii. 
 And,  "He  that  toucheth  you,"  saith  the  prophet,  "  toucheth  zech. a. 
 the  apple  of  God's  own  eye." 
 
 Barnes. 
 
 And  that  there  is  none  other  satisfaction  unto  the 
 Father,  but  this  his  death  and  passion  only. 
 
 Standish. 
 Among  other  this  ivas  one  of  his  errors,  that  he  revoked 
 the  last  faster  at  the  Sjntal. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 Here  ye  take  your  pastime  upon  the  dead,  and  stray 
 abroad  almost  as  far  as  six  leaves  of  your  treatise  will  ex- 
 tend. And  now  and  then,  because  the  common  people  that 
 be  unlearned  should  the  better  understand  your  words,  ye 
 give  them  a  sentence  of  Latin,  and  now  and  then  half  a 
 sentence.      I  could  tell  wherefore,  if  I  would. 
 
 23—2 
 
856 
 
 CONFUTATION    OV    STANDISH. 
 
 Standi  sh  is 
 full  of  his 
 Latin. 
 
 Among  other,  ye  say,  this  was  one  of  his  errors.  Ye 
 judge  it  an  error  to  affirm,  that  there  is  none  other  satis- 
 faction unto  the  Father,  but  the  death  and  passion  of  Christ 
 only ;  and  yet  (Uke  a  learned  man,  full  sure  of  yourself) 
 ye  confess  plainly  on  the  other  side  of  the  leaf  in  your  book, 
 that  no  man  can  satisfy  for  the  offence.  Upon  this  ye  must 
 give  me  leave  to  demand  this  question  of  you.  If  it  be 
 erroneous  to  say,  that  Christ  is  the  satisfaction  unto  the 
 standishis    Father,   and   ye   yourself   confess,   that   no   man   else   doth 
 
 contrary  to  ,    „        ,  ,  fS,  in  m  i  • 
 
 himself.  gatisfy  lor  the  oiience ;  to  whom  then  shall  we  ascribe  this 
 honour  of  satisfying  for  our  sins  ?  Alas,  what  a  gross  error 
 be  ye  in !  0  blind  guides,  what  way  Avill  ye  lead  the 
 people  of  God !  Unhappy  is  the  flock  that  is  under  your 
 Psai. xciv.  keeping;  and  "happy  is  the  man  whom  thou.  Lord  God, 
 Psai.  [cxix.]  instructest,  and  teachest  him  out  of  thy  laAv."  "  It  is  time 
 Lord,  to  lay  to  tliine  hand;  for  they  have  wasted  away  thy 
 law." 
 
 This  article,  that  Christ's  death  only  is  the  satisfaction 
 to  the  Father  for  all  the  sins  of  the  world,  is  plain,  manifest, 
 and  approved  throughout  all  the  holy  scripture.  The  whole 
 sentences  whereof  are  here  too  lono-  to  rehearse:  but  the  text 
 is  open  and  evident,  though  sometime  it  use  one  vocable,  and 
 sometime  another.  For  to  this  article  pertain  all  those  scrip- 
 tures, that  report  him  to  be  the  pacifier  and  reconciler  of  his 
 Father's  wrath,  the  cleanser,  the  purger,  the  maker  of  atone- 
 ment, or  agreement,  the  obtainer  of  grace,  the  sacrifice  and 
 oblation  for  our  sins,  &c.  The  Father  of  heaven  himself 
 doth  testify,  that  it  is  his  Son  Jesus  Christ,  in  whom  or  by 
 whom  he  is  pleased  and  content.  Who  taketh  away  the  sin 
 of  the  world,  but  he  ?  In  whom  are  we  complete,  and  have 
 all  heavenly  and  necessary  things  pertaining  to  salvation, 
 but  in  him  ?  I  pass  over  the  rehearsal  of  the  scriptures 
 written  :  Isai.  liii. ;  Hos.  xiii. ;  1  Pet.  i.  ii. ;  1  John  i.  ii.  iii. ; 
 Apoc.  i.;  Heb.  i.  v.  vii.  ix.  x.;  Tit.  ii.;  Coloss.  i.  ii.;'l  Tim.  ii. ; 
 1  Cor.  i. ;  2  Cor.  v. ;  Rom.  iii.  v. 
 
 Whatsoever  D.  Barnes  revoked,  (as  ye  report  of  him,) 
 I  refer  that  to  you,  which  seem  to  know  more  thereof  than  I, 
 If  ye  were  compelled  by  force  to  write,  read,  or  say  anything 
 against  right  and  conscience;  then  hke  as  they  be  to  blame, 
 that  will  fear  man  more  than  God  in  that  behalf,  so  will  God 
 certainly  be  the  visitor  of  such  extreme  handling.     I  would 
 
 Mattli.  iii. 
 xvii. 
 2  Pet.  i. 
 John  i. 
 
DEFENCE    OF    BARNES     PROTESTATION.  6o  t 
 
 wish  with  all  iny  heart  (if  I  might  lawfully  so  do),  that  the 
 king's  most  royal  person  might  see  as  far  as  his  high  autho-  The  king's 
 rity  extcndeth :  for  I  fear  the  common  proverb  be  too  true,  etimotofaii 
 that  there  runneth  bv  the  mill  much  water,  which  the  miller  '^  ''one  in  lus 
 
 v  ■  _  realm. 
 
 knoweth  not  of;  neither  be  all  they  gentle  and  loving  cn- 
 treaters  of  the  king's  subjects,  that  speak  to  his  majesty 
 fair  words  in  his  face ;  yea,  the  king's  grace  may  have 
 Judas  in  his  realm,  as  well  as  Christ  had  him  in  his  small 
 court.  I  am  sorry  at  my  heart  root,  when  I  remember 
 how  oft  the  king's  highness  hath  proved  this  conclusion  true 
 in  his  time.  I  can  say  no  more  :  but  refer  all  secrets  to  God; 
 who,  I  am  sure,  will  do  as  he  was  wont,  and  bring  all  false- 
 hood to  light  at  the  last. 
 
 As  for  D.  Barnes'  preaching  at  the  Spital,  so  far  as  I 
 can  learn,  there  is  nothing  maketh  more  against  you  than 
 that  same  his  day's  work.  For  like  as  he  there  openly  gave 
 a  godly  example  of  charity  and  fraternal  reconciliation,  so  An  ex.T.npic 
 
 -         ,  ^  r.      .  '^  in  ,      of  charity. 
 
 is  the  same  a  contusion  to  you  and  all  your  wanton  sect ; 
 which,  belying  the  truth,  blaspheming  the  Holy  Ghost,  and 
 slandering  them  that  are  the  price  of  Christ's  blood  as  well 
 as  you,  (which  points  smell  of  greater  heresy  than  ye  can 
 prove  against  D.  Barnes  in  this  his  Protestation,)  will  not 
 repent,  nor  ask  open  forgiveness.  Which  of  your  canlvered 
 sort  hath  yet  of  his  own  free  mind,  uncompelled,  come  into 
 an  open  audience,  and  played  such  a  part,  or  desired  recon- 
 ciliation ?  Not  one  of  you  all,  that  I  know  of ;  no,  though 
 the  king  hath  commanded  you  in  his  injunctions,  and  though 
 some  of  you  hath  not  been  ashamed  to  burn  God's  word. 
 
 Standish. 
 As  it  was  declared  at  P aid's  cross,  ^c. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 D.  Barnes'  last  will  and  testament,  whereupon  he  taketh  a  man-s  last 
 
 ^  i  _  will  must 
 
 liis  death,  is  this ;  that  there  is  no  other  satisfaction  unto  *'=>"''• 
 the  Father,  but  the  death  and  passion  of  Christ  only.  There- 
 fore, though  it  had  been  ten  thousand  times  revoked  before, 
 yea,  and  declared  never  so  oft  at  Paul's  cross,  either  in  the 
 rehearsal  sermon  or  otherwise;  yet  shall  no  man's  revoking, 
 no,  nor  your  blasting  and  blowing,  your  stamping  and  staring, 
 your  stormy  tempests  nor  winds,  be  able  to  overthrow  this 
 
858  CONFUTATION    OF    STANDISH. 
 
 truth  and  testimony  of  the  Holy  Ghost  throughout  the  scrip- 
 tures, that  the  death  of  Jesus  Christ  only  doth  satisfy  and 
 johni.  ii.  content  the  Father  of  heaven,  and  maketh  the  atonement  for 
 our  sins.  Neither  do  ye  ought  but  bark  agamst  the  moon, 
 so  long  as  ye  labour  to  diminish  the  glory  of  Christ,  as 
 though  he  obtained  not  grace  for  all  the  sm  of  the  world. 
 
 Your  opinion  and  doctrine  will  not  suffer  Christ  to  be  a 
 full  satisfier  unto  his  Father  for  all  sins.  Ye  say,  he  delivered 
 us  from  original  sin  and  actual :  and  yet  yourselves  confess 
 that  there  be  also  venial  sins,  which  if  ye  taught  not  to  be 
 washed  away  with  some  other  things  of  your  own  choosing, 
 no  doubt  ye  would  confess,  that  Christ  delivered  us  from 
 them  also,  as  well  as  from  the  other. 
 Diversity.  j^  i\^[^  your  doctrino  ye  confess,  that  through  Christ  we 
 
 may  avoid  and  escape  the  eternal  and  second  death;  and 
 yet  afterward  say  ye,  that  our  satisfaction  doth  please  and 
 content  Almighty  God,  as  satisfactory  for  our  trespass. 
 
 But  how  faintly  bring  ye  out  these  words,  "We  may!" 
 0  how  loth  are  ye,  that  Christ  should  have  liis  due  honour ! 
 Again,  how  stand  your  words  now  together  ?  If  we  escape 
 the  eternal  and  second  death  by  Christ,  how  can  we  ascribe 
 the  pacifying  and  contenting  of  Almighty  God  to  our  own 
 satisfaction  ?  Moreover,  how  doth  God  accept  our  satisfaction 
 as  satisfactory  for  our  trespass,  when  no  man,  by  your  own 
 confession,  can  satisfy  for  the  offence?  Is  not  trespass  and 
 offence  all  one  thing  ? 
 Heresy.  y^  affirm  in  your  Latin  words,  that  a  man  suffereth  not 
 
 the  eternal  and  second  death  through  the  sin  of  Adam  : 
 which  saying  includeth  a  very  heinous  heresy,  and  is  openly 
 Rom.  V.  confuted  by  the  apostle  to  the  Romans,  where  like  as  he 
 proveth,  that  the  salvation  of  all  men  came  only  by  Christ, 
 so  affirmcth  he  also,  that  condemnation  came  on  all  men 
 through  Adam. 
 
 Standish. 
 JVo  man  can,  I  grant,  satisfy  pro  culpa,  SfC. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 Diversity.  Ye  grant  now,  that  no  man  can  satisfy  for  the  offence; 
 
 and  yet  ye  said  before,  that  our  satisfaction  is  accepted  of  God, 
 as  satisfactory  for  our  trespass.      Item,  ye   say  here,  that 
 
 Diversity,      evcry  man  must  satisfy  for  the  punishment  belonging  to  sin ; 
 
DEFENCE    Oi     BARNEs'    PROTESTATION.  359 
 
 and  ye  granted  afore,  that  through  Christ  wo  avoid  and 
 escape  the  eternal  and  second  death.  Look  better  on  your 
 book,  man,  for  shame.  Is  not  the  eternal  and  second  death 
 everlasting  damnation  and  punishment  due  for  sin?  How 
 can  we  then  satisfy  for  the  punishment  belonging  unto  sin, 
 when,  by  your  own  confession,  we  escape  it  by  Christ? 
 Alas,  that  ye  are  so  bhnd,  or  that  ye  should  build  upon  so 
 weak  a  foundation ! 
 
 Standish. 
 
 According  to  that  of  St  Paul,  1  Cor.  xi.,  Et  nos  ipsos 
 judicaremus,  S^c. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 Kemember  yourself  well,  and  forget  not,  that  ye  have 
 brought  in  this  text,  to  prove  that  every  man  must  satisfy 
 for  the  punishment  belonging  unto  sin.  Nevertheless  let  us 
 see  whereupon  the  apostle  speaketh,  and  ponder  the  circum- 
 stance of  his  words ;  so  shall  we  try  whether  Paul  and  you 
 agree,  and  whether  ye  have  judged  with  the  text,  or  no. 
 For  1  fear  me,  we  shall  find,  that  ye  have  played  another 
 false  cast,  even  with  this  same  poor  text.  The  words  of  the  i  cor.  xi. 
 apostle  are  these  :  "  If  we  would  judge,  or  reprove  ourselves, 
 we  should  not  be  judged.  But  while  we  are  judged,  we  are 
 chastened  of  the  Lord,  lest  we  should  be  damned  with  this 
 world."     These  are  St  Paul's  words. 
 
 Afore,  in  another  place  of  your  treatise,  ye  bring  in  this 
 text  for  another  purpose,  namely,  to  prove,  that  D.  Barnes 
 ought  to  have  accused  and  condemned  himself  And  now, 
 forgetful  what  ye  said  before,  or  else  wilful  bhnd  (as  it 
 seemeth),  ye  allege  the  same  text,  to  prove  that  every  man 
 must  satisfy  for  the  punishment  belonging  unto  sin.  Thus 
 make  ye  of  God's  holy  scripture  a  shipman's  hose,  wresting 
 and  wringing  it  to  what  purpose  ye  will.  Verily,  such  per- 
 verting of  the  scripture  can  ye  not  use  without  your  own 
 damnation,  except  ye  amend,  if  St  Peter  be  true.  2  Pet.  iii. 
 
 The  apostle,  shewing  the  Corintliians  the  true  institution 
 of  our  Lord's  holy  supper,  and  the  right  use  thereof,  con- 
 cludeth  with  these  words,  saying :  "  Let  a  man  examine  him- 
 self, and  so  let  him  eat  of  this  bread,  and  drink  of  this  cup. 
 For  he  that  eateth  and  drinketh  unworthily,  eateth  and  ^he  text 
 drinketh  his  own  damnation,  because  he  discerneth  not  the 
 
360  CONFUTATION    OF    STANDISH. 
 
 Lord's  body  from  other  meats.  Therefore  are  many  weak 
 and  sick  among  you,  and  many  sleep.  For  if  Ave  judged 
 ourselves,  we  should  not  be  judged.  But  while  we  be  judged, 
 we  are  chastened  of  the  Lord,  lest  we  should  be  damned  with 
 this  Avorld.  Wherefore,  my  brethren,  when  ye  come  together 
 to  eat,  tarry  one  for  another,"  &c. 
 
 By  the  circumstance  then  of  this  chapter  it  is  evident, 
 that  these  words  of  the  apostle  extend  to  the  right  use  of 
 the  holy  sacrament,  teaching  us  that,  before  we  come  to  the 
 Lord's  board,  we  ought  first  to  judge,  to  try,  to  prove,  and 
 to  examine  ourselves,  in  what  case  we  stand  toward  God  and 
 our  neighbour ;  considering  that  it  is  no  childish  play,  nor 
 a  thing  lightly  to  be  regarded,  but  a  most  weighty  and 
 earnest  matter  concerning  our  salvation,  the  glory  of  God, 
 The  holy      and  cdifving  of  the  world :    and  when  we  have  duly  and 
 
 scripture  of  „  .  ,,  .     ,  . 
 
 our  Lord,  uufcignedly  tried  ourselves,  by  comparmg  our  whole  con- 
 versation, both  inward  and  outward,  to  the  just  command- 
 ments of  God,  and  by  occasion  thereof  have  heartily  acknow- 
 ledged and  confessed  our  sins,  being  sorry  and  penitent  for 
 them,  believing  stcdfastly  in  the  promises  of  God,  received 
 the  absolution  of  his  word,  entered  into  true  repentance  and 
 earnest  amendment  of  our  living,  being  reconciled  and  at  one 
 with  all  men,  purposing  without  fail  so  to  continue  till  our 
 life's  end,  then  to  come  and  sup  with  the  Lord.  This  is  now 
 the  thing  that  St  Paul  teacheth  in  this  chapter;  and  proveth 
 here  no  such  article  as  ye  go  about.  Therefore  do  ye  wrong 
 to  the  text,  in  wresting  it  to  this  sense,  that  every  man  must 
 satisfy  for  the  punishment  belonging  to  sin.  By  the  which 
 your  doctrine,  like  as  ye  rob  Christ  of  his  worship,  deface 
 
 o  wicked  i\iQ  merits  and  fruit  of  his  death,  and  set  every  man  in 
 Christ's  room,  even  so  doth  your  said  article  condemn  every 
 man.  For  like  as  Christ  only  satisfied  his  heavenly  Father 
 for  our  sins,  and  for  the  punishment  due  to  the  same;  even 
 so,  if  wc  should  not  avoid  the  eternal  pain  of  hell,  which  is 
 the  second  death  and  reward  of  sin,  till  we  made  satisfaction 
 for  it  ourselves,  we  should  continue  still  in  the  wrath  of  God, 
 and  so  be  damned  for  ever. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 And  to  prove  this  satisfaction,  the  ivords  erf  John  Bap- 
 tist, Matth,  Hi.,  he  very  stroncj,  ^c. 
 
DEFENCE    OP    BARNEs'     PROTESTATION.  S61 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 Be  these  words,  "  Bring  forth  the  worthy  fruits  of 
 penance,"  as  much  to  say  as,  Ye  must  satisfy  for  the  punish- 
 ment due  unto  sin  ?  Prettily  well  expounded  of  you !  0 
 shameless  controllers  of  the  Holy  Ghost !  Will  ye  make 
 John  the  Baptist  contrary  to  himself?  Doth  he  not  say 
 manifestly  in  another  place,  "  Whoso  believeth  on  the  Son  John  iu. 
 of  God  hath  everlasting  life"?  And  what  is  it  else  to  haA'e 
 everlasting  life,  hut  to  escape  the  eternal  and  second  death, 
 even  everlasting  damnation  and  punishment  due  unto  sin? 
 Which,  as  ye  confess  yourself,  we  do  avoid  through  Christ. 
 Why  do  ye  then  wrest  the  scripture  to  your  own  purpose  ? 
 But  one  question  will  I  ask  you:  Who  speaketh  the  words, 
 which  are  written  in  the  prophet  Oseas,  saying,  "  From  the  hos.  xui. 
 hand  of  death  will  I  deliver  them,  from  death  will  I  redeem 
 them  :  0  dearth,  I  will  be  thy  death ;  0  hell,  I  will  be  thy 
 sting"?  Find  me  now  any  creature  in  heaven  or  in  earth, 
 that  may  of  himself  verify  and  pronounce  these  words  of 
 Christ's  person ;  and  I  shall  grant  that  he  may  make  satis- 
 faction for  the  punishment  due  unto  sin,  which,  as  this  text 
 declareth,  is  eternal  death  and  hell.  Else  if  there  be  but 
 one  Jesus,  one  Saviour,  one  destroyer  of  damnation  and  hell ; 
 then  shall  he  verily  have  my  poor  voice  to  be  called  also, 
 as  he  is  indeed,  the  only  satisfier  for  the  punishment  due  unto 
 sin,  as  well  as  he  is  the  satisfier  for  sin  itself. 
 
 As  for  the  words  of  John  the  Baptist,  they  prove  evidently,  The  words  of 
 
 1  1  i^     1      /  1  T^i        •  J°*»"  Baptist. 
 
 that  when  men  convert  unto  God,  (as  those  Pharisees  pre- 
 tended to  do  at  the  baptism  of  John,)  they  shall  do  it  un- 
 feignedly;  and  not  to  be  hypocrites  still,  nor  to  lean  to  their 
 old  leaven,  but  to  bring  forth  the  worthy  fruits  of  penance ; 
 whereof  he  nametli  part  in  the  third  of  Luke  to  the  people, 
 and  speaketh  of  no  such  satisfaction  as  you  feign. 
 
 But  remember,  that  ye  have  named  fasting,  prayer,  and 
 alms-deeds  to  be  the  fruits  of  penance :  for  I  fear  me,  ye 
 will  deny  it  again  anon,  when  we  come  to  Cornelius  the 
 captain. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 Fructus  n.  dignus  poenitentice  est  opus  restaurans  ea,  SfC. 
 
 CoVERDALE. 
 
 There  are  some  of  you,  that  call  us  English  doctors  for 
 
362 
 
 CONFUTATION    OF    STANDISH. 
 
 Diversity. 
 
 writing  so  much  in  English,  as  though  in  the  understanding 
 of  other  tongues  we  were  inferiors  to  you ;  but  now  ye  make 
 us  your  Enghsh  interpreters,  for  putting  us  to  the  pain  to 
 Enghsh  the  words,  which  ye  wrap  up  in  Latin  from  the 
 understanding  of  the  people.  For  the  worthy  fruit  of 
 penance,  say  ye,  is  a  work  amending  those  things,  whereof 
 the  penance  is ;  that  is,  repairing  such  things,  as  it  repenteth 
 us  to  have  left  undone,  or  to  have  committed;  and  this  is  it 
 that  we  call  satisfaction  for  sins. 
 
 That  to  bring  forth  the  worthy  fruits  of  penance  is  as 
 much  as  to  amend,  whereinsoever  we  have  thought  or  done 
 amiss,  I  grant ;  for  the  scripture  alloweth  the  same.  But 
 whereas  ye  call  that  the  satisfaction  to  God  for  sins,  ye  speak 
 it  not  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  Lord. 
 
 Again,  ye  said  afore,  that  no  man  can  satisfy  for  the 
 offence;  and  now  ye  call  the  fruit  of  penance  the  satisfaction 
 for  sins.  Is  not  every  offence  sin?  Lord  God!  what  hold  is 
 there  in  your  words  ?     Fie  on  such  doctrine ! 
 
 Standish. 
 
 And  here  let  us  note,  that  it  is  not  all  one  to  bring  forth 
 good  fruits,  and  to  bring  forth  luorthy  fruits  of  penance. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 No  ?  Where  have  ye  authority  of  God's  word  for  you  ? 
 Be  not  the  good  fruits  of  penance  worthy  fruits?  Or  be 
 not  they  good  fruits  that  are  worthy  ?  O  unworthy  teachers ! 
 "What  an  unworthy  doctrine  is  this? 
 
 Standish. 
 For  he  that  doth  commit  no  deadly  sin,  S(C. 
 
 Coverdale. 
 
 If  I  should  teach  any  man,  when  he  hath  unlawfully 
 behaved  himself,  to  use  unlawful  things  still;  I  am  sure,  that 
 like  as  God's  word  would  condemn  me,  so  would  the  prudent 
 rulers  of  the  world,  according  to  their  duty,  look  sharply 
 upon  me,  and  judge  me  little  better  than  a  seditious  teacher. 
 If  the  rulers,  therefore,  of  the  world  will  wink  at  such  a 
 pestilent  doctrine,  and  suffer  it  to  be  sown  among  their 
 people,  I  beseech  God  to  send  them  his  discipline,  to  their 
 
DEFENCE    OF    BARNES^    PROTESTATION.  363 
 
 better  information ;  and  so  to  lighten  the  eyes  of  their  under- 
 standing, that  they  may  as  well  remember,  what  hurt  cometh 
 of  seditious  doctrine,  as  many  of  their  subjects,  yea,  they 
 themselves  also,  have  proved  it  by  experience.  Well,  yet 
 remember  the  end. 
 
 Whereas  ye  separate  the  fruits  of  innocency,  of  goodness, 
 &c.,  from  the  fruits  of  penance,  where  find  ye  that  in  holy 
 scripture?  For  albeit  that  some  man  offendeth  more  than 
 another,  who  yet,  I  pray  you,  is  not  bound  to  confess  liimself 
 a  sinner,  to  declare  himself  sorry  for  the  imperfectness  of  his 
 own  nature,  to  mortify  his  flesh,  and  to  live  in  repentance 
 all  the  days  of  his  life  ;  yea,  be  he  never  so  innocent,  just,  or 
 righteous  in  the  estimation  of  man  ?  Thus,  by  your  slender 
 division,  ye  prove  but  slenderly,  that  the  works  of  Mary 
 Magdalene  and  David  were  not  fruits  of  goodness,  but  only 
 fruits  of  penance ;  as  though  penance  were  not  good,  or  as 
 though  the  fruits  of  penance  were  not  good  fruits. 
 
 As  for  the  carnal  hberty  of  man,  it  must  be  alway 
 restrained :  abuse  of  all  things  is  utterly  forbidden.  Yet 
 must  the  body  of  man  have  his  worship  at  his  need ;  at  his 
 need,  I  say,  not  at  his  lust.  If  you  now,  through  any  shine 
 of  wisdom  or  chosen  spirituality,  will  teach  the  contrary ;  then 
 is  your  doctrine  condemned  by  St  Paul  to  the  Colossians.         coioss.ii. 
 
 Standish. 
 Yea,  and  accordinr/  to  the  quality  of  the  offence  must 
 be   the   satisfaction.     Pro   mensura    peccati    erit    plagarum 
 modus.     Deut.  xxv. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 This  text  verily,  as  it  is  slenderly  alleged,  so  proveth  it 
 your  purpose  but  faintly.  Moses'  words,  which  you  bring  in, 
 are  these :  "  According  to  the  measure  of  the  offence  shall 
 be  also  the  measure  of  stripes."  But  let  us  see  the  circum- 
 stance of  the  text,  and  so  shall  we  try  whether  ye  have 
 played  a  juggler's  cast  or  no.  And  forget  not,  I  pray  you, 
 that  ye  have  alleged  this  text,  to  prove  that  the  satisfaction 
 must  be  according  to  the  quality  of  the  offence. 
 
 Moses   writeth  thus:    "If  there   be   a  matter   of  plea  Deut.  xxv. 
 between  any  men,  and  they  come  to  the  law,  then  look,  whom 
 the  judges  consider  to  be  just,  him  shall  they  declare  to  be 
 in  the  right  cause ;   and  him  whom  they  perceive  to  be  un- 
 
164 
 
 CONFUTATION    OF    STANDISH. 
 
 Note  well 
 now,  how 
 tlie  text  and 
 Standish 
 agreeth. 
 
 godly,  shall  they  condemn  for  his  ungodliness.  But  if  they 
 SCO  him  wliich  hath  offended  to  be  worthy  of  stripes,  tliey 
 shall  take  him  down,  and  cause  him  to  be  beaten  in  their 
 presence.  According  to  the  measure  of  the  offence  shall  be 
 also  the  measure  of  the  stripes ;  but  so  that  they  pass  not  the 
 number  of  forty,"  &c. 
 
 This  law,  as  it  is  evident,  was  a  civil  ordinance,  made  for 
 the  commodity  of  the  people,  and  not  without  mercy.  The 
 text  also  speaketh  of  no  such  satisfaction  as  ye  mean.  But 
 here,  forgetting  the  rules  of  your  logic,  ye  would  make  a 
 quality  of  a  quantity.  For  in  your  article  ye  speak  of  a 
 quality,  and  the  text  maketh  mention  of  a  quantity,  number, 
 or  measure.  Again,  this  law  will,  that  the  party  which  is  to 
 be  beaten  shall  not  have  above  forty  stripes.  And  then,  by 
 your  doctrine,  it  must  follow,  that  though  we  be  compelled 
 to  be  punished,  and  so  to  make  satisfaction  for  the  pain  due 
 unto  our  sins,  yet  should  each  one  of  us  have  but  forty 
 stripes ;  for  the  text  speaketh  of  no  more.  May  ye  not  be 
 ashamed  then  thus  to  mock  with  the  scripture  ? 
 
 Standish. 
 
 Not  like  nor  equal  in  the  great  offender  and  the  less. 
 Undo  Apoc.  xviii..  Quantum  quis  se  glorificavit,  et  in  deliciis 
 fuit,  tantum  illi  infercndum  est  tormentum. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 Whereas  the  voice  from  heaven  speaketh  of  the  whore 
 of  Babylon,  and  saith,  "  Come  away  from  her,  my  people, 
 that  ye  be  not  partakers  of  her  sins ;  lest  ye  receive  of  her 
 plagues,  &c. :  as  much  as  she  glorified  herself,  and  followed 
 her  own  lusts,  so  much  give  ye  her  of  punishment  and  sor- 
 row," &c ;  by  the  last  part  of  this  text  would  ye  prove, 
 that  satisfaction  may  not  be  equal  in  the  great  offender  and 
 the  less.  Now  saith  the  text:  "As  much  as  she  glorified 
 herself,  «&c.,  so  much  give  ye  her  of  punishment."  Here  is 
 rather  equality. 
 
 And  whereas  the  text  speaketh  of  the  whore  of  Babylon, 
 The  feminine  ye  sav,    Qiumtum,  (Tuis,  Scc. ;  tumino;  not  only  the  feminine 
 
 gendeiUirned  "^         .    ''  ,  v  /     i  •    i  i  i  -i  , 
 
 to  the  mascu- gentler  to  the  masculme,  (which  a  boy  that  goeth  to  the 
 grammar  school  would  not  do ;)  but  also  proving  an  universal 
 by  a  particular. 
 
 Equality. 
 
DEFENCE    OF     BARNEs''    PROTESTATION.  8G5 
 
 Again,  this  text  speaketh  of  her  that  is  damned  to  hell ; 
 and  the  article  that  ye  go  about  to  prove,  speaketh  of  those 
 whom  ye  have  affirmed  already  to  make  satisfaction  unto 
 God  for  their  sins  by  the  fruit  of  penance ;  which,  by  your  Note  this 
 own  judgment,  are  not  damned  unto  hell.  Lord  God!  when 
 will  this  bhndness  have  an  end  ? 
 
 Standish. 
 
 It  is  not  enough,  saith  Chrysostom,  ^c. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 The  doctrine  of  God  is,  that  when  Christ  hath  made  us  job  v.  viii. 
 whole,  (for  without  him  is  no  remission,)  we  shall  sin  no  more  : 
 he  that  hath  stolen,  must  steal  no  more;  he  that  hath  not  the  Ephes.  iv. 
 gift  of  chastity,  must  for  the  avoiding  of  fornication  take  a  i  cor.  vii. 
 lawful  wife ;  for  better  it  is  to  marry  than  to  burn.      On  the 
 backside  of  the  book,  therefore,  is  that  doctrine  written,  which 
 teacheth,  that  when  a  man  hath  long  continued  in  whoredom, 
 he  shall  then  abstain  from  the  lawful  use  of  Avedlock ;  for 
 wedlock  is  the  remedy  appointed  of  God  against  all  bodily 
 fornication  and  whoredom. 
 
 Standish. 
 Whereby  ive  may  j^erceive,  4c. 
 
 Coverdale. 
 
 Yes,  there  be  worthy  fruits  of  repentance  to  brino-  forth; 
 there  is  a  new  man  to  put  on;  the  tree  hath  good  fruits  to 
 bear;  the  spouse  of  Christ,  which  is  every  true  faithful  soul, 
 hath  lawful  children,  that  is,  lawful  thoughts,  lawful  words, 
 lawful  deeds,  to  bring  up  and  to  nourish.  Good  works  must 
 needs  follow  feith;  but  not  that  we  may  set  any  of  them  in 
 the  room  of  Christ,  nor  make  them  the  satisfaction  to  God  for 
 our  sins.  "  God  hath  called  us, "  saith  the  scripture,  "  unto  Ephes.  u. 
 good  works,  to  walk  in  them;"  but  not  to  make  our  Saviour 
 or  satisfaction  to  God  of  them. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 Christ,  Luke  xi.,  when  he  had  rebuked  the  Pharisees 
 for  their  vice,  said,  Date  eleemosynam,  et  omnia  munda  sunt 
 Yobis. 
 
366  CONFUTATIOISr    OF    STANDISH. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 That  text,  if  it  be  not  ironia,  provetli,  that  we  are 
 bound  to  do  good  works;  to  the  which  though  God  join  his 
 loving  promise,  (as  he  doth  commonly  throughout  the  scrip- 
 ture,) yet  calleth  he  not  them  the  satisfaction  to  him  for  sins. 
 But  like  as  in  the  [fifty-] eighth  of  Esa.  the  Holy  Ghost  rebuketh 
 the  superstition  and  hypocrisy  of  the  Jews,  that  had  fallen  to 
 works  of  their  own  inventing;  and  then  telleth  them  the  true  fast 
 and  good  works,  which  God  requireth,  adding  a  loving  promise 
 to  the  fulfillers  thereof ;  even  so  doth  our  Saviour  here  in  this 
 chapter.  For  when  the  Pharisee  was  so  superstitious,  that 
 he  marvelled  why  he  washed  not  his  hands  before  dinner, 
 Lukexl!^  then  said  he  unto  him  :  "Now  do  ye  Pharisees  make  clean  the 
 outside  of  the  cup  and  platter;  but  your  inward  parts  are  full 
 of  robbery  and  wickedness,  &c.  Nevertheless,  give  alms  of 
 that  ye  have,  and  behold,  all  things  are  clean  unto  you."  Lo 
 now,  first  he  rebuketh  their  superstition ;  secondly,  sheweth 
 them,  what  good  works  he  alloweth,  commanding  them  to  do 
 the  same ;  and  thirdly,  addeth  a  promise  thereto. 
 
 Standish. 
 And  the  iweaclier,    Eccl.  xxi.  Fili,  peccasti  ?  &c. 
 
 CoVERDALE. 
 
 Those  are  not  the  words  of  the  preacher,  whom  the 
 scripture  calleth  Ecclesiastes,  but  they  are  the  words  of  Jesus 
 The  text  Sirack,  saying  :  "  My  son,  hast  thou  fallen  into  sin  ?  Do  no 
 Eccies. xxi.  more  so;  but  pray  instantly  for  thy  former  sins,  that  they 
 may  be  forgiven  thee.  Flee  from  sins,  even  as  thou  wouldest 
 flee  from  a  noisome  serpent, "  &c.  This  text  then  provetli  no 
 more  your  feigned  satisfaction,  than  it  proveth  the  Jews'  cir- 
 cumcision. And  like  as  your  fond  alleging  of  it  declareth, 
 that  ye  are  an  hider  of  the  scriptm-e  from  the  unlearned ;  so 
 proveth  the  Holy  Ghost  in  the  text,  that  if  we  have  broken 
 the  profession  of  our  baptism,  and  be  fallen  unto  sin,  we  shall 
 do  no  more  so,  but  convert  and  turn  unto  God,  continuing  in 
 the  fear  of  him  and  in  fervent  j)rayer,  to  be  at  the  stave's  end 
 with  sin,  and  to  abhor  it  all  the  days  of  our  life. 
 
 Standish. 
 He  that  thinketh  this  insufficient,  SfC. 
 
DEFENCE    OF    BARNEs""    PROTESTATION.  3G7 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 Suspecting,  as  it  appeareth,  that  your  wresting  of  the 
 former  scriptures  will  not  be  taken  for  a  sufficient  proof  of 
 your  feigned  satisfaction,  ye  bring  in  ensamples  of  David,  Moses, 
 Aaron,  and  the  children  of  Israel ;  as  though  their  punishment 
 had  been  their  satisfaction.  But  where  find  ye  that  in  any 
 of  those  places  of  scripture  ?  If  ye  say.  Why  doth  God  then 
 punish,  after  that  he  hath  remitted  the  fault?  I  answer,  Like  objections, 
 as  he  is  the  Father  of  mercy  and  God  of  all  comfort,  so  doth  2  cor.  i. 
 he  correct  and  chasten  his  own,  yea,  exerciseth  and  trieth  them,  Prov.'iii.' 
 
 1  1     •  1  r>  11  Heb.xii. 
 
 as  the  gold  m  the  fire ;  j^artly,  because  he  loveth  them, 
 and  partly  for  the  example  of  other,  that  they  may  beware 
 of  such  falls.  The  same  examples  therefore,  that  ye  bring  in, 
 make  clearly  against  you,  and  prove  manifestly,  that  ye  are 
 but  blind  and  ignorant  of  the  scriptures.  For  the  apostle,  speak- 
 ing of  the  same  children  of  Israel,  and  of  their  punishment, 
 saith  plainly,  that  all  such  happened  unto  them  for  ensamples ;  1  cor.  x. 
 but  are  written  to  warn  us,  that  we  should  not  lust  after  evil 
 things  as  they  lusted ;  that  we  should  not  be  worshippers  of 
 images,  that  we  should  not  commit  whoredom,  that  we  should 
 not  tempt  Christ,  nor  murmur  against  him,  as  they  did.  Shame 
 ye  not  then,  so  irreverently  to  handle  the  holy  word  of  the 
 living  God? 
 
 Standish. 
 Furthermore  Daniel,  cap.  iv.  exhorteth  Nabuchodonosor, 
 
 CoVERDALE. 
 
 If  that  text  should  prove  any  satisfaction  to  be  done  by 
 man  to  God,  as  it  proveth  our  duty  to  our  poor  neighbours, 
 it  should  rather  maintain  a  satisfaction  for  sin  than  for   the  By  sin  doth 
 pain  belonging  to  sin ;  for  the  text  speaketh  of  sins  and  ini-  undetland 
 
 •,•  1  1.1  .•  n  •   ^  ,  TT  satisfaction 
 
 quities,  and  maketh  mention  01  no  punishment.      Have  ye  no  for  sin. 
 better  judgment  nor  clearer  sight  in  discerning  of  a  text? 
 Ye  may  be  ashamed,  verily. 
 
 The  words  of  Daniel,  as  they  include  in  them  a  command- 
 ment to  do  alms-deeds,  and  shew  mercy  to  the  poor,  which 
 thing  every  man  is  bound  to  do ;  so  include  they  in  them  a 
 loving  promise  to  all  such  as  are  merciful  in  distributing  to 
 them  that  lack  help.     And  as  it  is  an  eternal  worship  for 
 
368 
 
 CONFUTATION    OF    STANDISH. 
 
 them  that  follow  this  most  wholesome  counsel  of  the  prophet ; 
 so  is  it  a  shame  and  perpetual  confusion  to  all  churlish  hearts 
 and  unkmd  people,  (specially  to  covetous  princes,  rulers,  and 
 rich  men,)  that  will  not  do  their  best  in  providing  for  the 
 whata chari- poor,  after  the  example  of  Daniel;  who,  no  doubt,  seeine*  so 
 
 table  heart  .  iiii  ii-  i>  t'^ 
 
 Daniel  bare    mauv  poor  prisoucrs  and  helpless  people  driven  Irom  Jewry 
 
 toward  the  -r.    i      i  ,       i  •  i  ^        ^        ,      .  .  , 
 
 poor.  to  liabylon,  had  a  singular  respect  to  their  necessity,   and 
 
 therefore  spake  to  the  king  in  their  cause.  Which  thing 
 would  God  they  that  are  great  with  princes,  or  of  their  coun- 
 cil, were  as  diligent  to  do,  as  they  are  to  make  suit  in  their 
 own  private  causes !  And  doubtless  they  would  be  the  more 
 inclined  so  to  do,  if  it  were  not  for  you  and  such  other,  which 
 allege  not  the  scripture  to  such  purpose  as  the  Holy  Ghost 
 hath  caused  it  to  be  written  for,  but  frowardly  wrest  it  for  the 
 maintenance  of  your  own  fond  opinions. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 Look  also,  Jonas  in.,  what  satisfaction   the  Ninivitcs 
 made,  ^c. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 The  text  declareth,  that  God   first   sendeth   his  word ; 
 
 Jhe^storyof  whicli  whcu  it  is  proachcd,  (as  it  was  by  Jonas  the  prophet,) 
 then  the  children  of  salvation  beheve,  after  the  example  of  the 
 Ninivites,  and  earnestly  turn  unto  God  from  their  old  evil 
 way,  and  from  that  time  forth  give  over  themselves  wholly  to 
 all  manner  of  good  works.  Then  God  appro veth  and  allow- 
 eth  their  works,  accepteth  them,  hath  mercy  of  them,  and 
 poureth  not  upon  them  the  wrath,  that  he  hath  threatened  to 
 such  as  will  not  repent.  This  is  the  sum  of  that  whole  third 
 chapter  of  the  prophet  Jonas.  But  in  all  the  text  is  there  no 
 mention  made  of  any  such  satisfaction  as  you  feign. 
 
 Is  it  not  an  ungodly  thing  then,  so  to  wrest  and  wring 
 the  scriptm-e  violently  ?    The  ever  living  and  merciful  God 
 
 A  thing  to  be  amend  it!     It  were  ffreatly  to  be  wished,  that  like  as  the 
 
 wished.  .  .... 
 
 king  of  the  Ninivites,  receiving  God's  word,  made  a  procla- 
 mation for  all  his  subjects  to  fast  and  pray,  there  were  even 
 such  restraints  made  Hkewise  in  every  country,  that  no  man 
 should  wrest  the  scripture  of  God,  nor  allege  any  thing  there- 
 of, which  may  not  justly  be  gathered  by  the  words  of  the 
 Holy  Ghost,  that  is,  that  no  man  should  belie  the  text. 
 
text 
 Rom.  xii. 
 
 defence  of  barnes'  protestation.  369 
 
 Standish. 
 
 This  satisfaction  Paul  speaketh  of,  Rom,  xii.  Obsecro 
 vos,  4-c. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 "  I  beseech  you,  brethren,"  saith  the  apostle,  "  for  the  The 
 mercy  of  God,  that  ye  will  give  over  your  bodies,  to  be  a 
 living,  holy,  and  acceptable  sacrifice  to  God,  which  is  your 
 reasonable  serving  of  God.  And  fashion  not  yourselves  like 
 unto  this  world :  but  be  changed  through  the  renewing  of  your 
 mind. "  These  are  St  Paul's  words ;  which  as  ye  partly  hide 
 from  the  unlearned,  so  cut  ye  them  very  short;  lest,  I  fear, 
 if  we  heard  out  St  Paul's  mind,  we  should  understand  him 
 the  better. 
 
 St  Paul's  doctrine  is,  that  we  must  mortify  our  bodies: 
 but  to  what  intent?  To  make  any  such  satisfaction,  as  ye 
 would  prove  ?  jN^ay,  so  saith  not  the  text ;  but  to  the  intent 
 that  we  may  serve  God,  as  we  should  serve  him;  to  forsake 
 vanity,  and  to  be  altered  from  an  evil  mind  to  a  good.  Even 
 so  hkewise  saith  the  other  text,  which  I  must  Enghsh  for  you, 
 in  the  sixth  to  the  Romans  :  "  Like  as  ye  have  in  times  past  The  text 
 given  over  your  members  to  serve  sm  irom  one  wickedness  to 
 another ;  so  must  ye  now  give  over  your  members  to  serve 
 righteousness,  that  ye  may  be  holy."  "That  ye  may  be  holy," 
 saith  he ;  and  speaketh  of  no  such  satisfaction  as  ye  invent. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 If  I  do  not  thus  satisfy,  then  I  shall  have  the  reward 
 and  pain  belonging  to  sin,  ^c. 
 
 CoVERDALE. 
 
 To  the  intent  that  ye  may  spy  the  better,  in  what  case 
 ye  stand  by  your  own  words,  (I  pray  God  ye  may  look  to 
 yourself  by  times,  as  a  christian  man  should,)  I  will  make  you 
 an  argument  or  two  out  of  the  scripture. 
 
 To  deliver  from  eternal  death  is  to  satisfy  for  the  pain  Major. 
 due  unto  sin. 
 
 But  Christ  only  delivereth  from  eternal  death.  Minor. 
 
 Ergo,  Christ  only  satisfieth  for  the  pain  due  unto  sin.        conciusio, 
 
 The  major  is  manifest  by  St  Paul,  whom  ye  yourself 
 allege,  saying:  "The  reward  of  sin  is  death,"  even  eternal  Rom.  vt 
 
 24 
 
 [cOVERDALE,  II.] 
 
370 
 
 CONFUTATION    OF    STANDISH. 
 
 death,  by  your  own  confession.     The  minor  is  proved  by  the 
 Hos.  xiu      prophet,  and  by  the  apostle.     Of  these  two  premises  gather 
 
 Heb.  ii  ,  1  -I       . 
 
 you  the  conclusion. 
 
 Another  argument. 
 
 Major.  By  what  one  soever  we  are  dehvered  from  the  wrath  of 
 
 God,  both  past  and  for  to  come ;  by  the  same  is  made  suf- 
 ficient satisfaction  for  the  pain  due  unto  our  sin. 
 
 Minor.  But  Christ  only  deliver eth  us  from  the  wrath  of  God, 
 
 both  past  and  for  to  come. 
 
 conciusio.  Ergo,  He  only  satisfieth  for  the  pain  due  unto  our  sin. 
 
 Rom.  ii.  The  major  is  manifest ;  for  the  pain  due  unto  sin  is  the 
 
 wrath  and  indignation  of  God. 
 
 The  minor  is  evident  by  the  apostle :  First,  That  we  are 
 dehvered  only  by  Christ  from  the  wrath  of  God  past;  for  he 
 
 Ephes.  ii.      hath  made  the  peace  between  his  heavenly  Father  and  us, 
 
 "Rom    V  t/ 
 
 Col.  i.  ■       and  by  him  is  the  Father  reconciled.  Secondly,  That  we  are 
 Rom.  V.       dehvered  by  him  from  the  wrath  to  come,  it  is  clear,  Rom.  v. 
 jTheas.  i.     and  1  Thessa.  i.  By  these  two  premises  may  you  gather  the 
 conclusion. 
 
 Now  to  yom*  words. 
 Major.  To  Satisfy  for  the  pain  due  unto  sin  is  the  only  oflSce 
 
 of  Christ. 
 Minor.  But  jB  take  upon  you  to  satisfy  for  the  pain  due  unto  sin. 
 
 Conciusio.  Ergo,  ye  take  upon  you  the  office  of  Christ. 
 
 The  major  is  proved  by  the  scriptures  alleged  before  in 
 the  two  first  arguments. 
 
 The  minor  is  gathered  from  your  own  plain  words.  Of 
 these  two  followeth  the  conclusion. 
 
 Then  thus. 
 
 Major.  Ye  say,  that  if  ye  do  not  thus  satisfy,  ye  shall  have  eternal 
 
 death. 
 
 Minor.  But  SO  ye  cannot  do ;  for  it  is  the  only  office  of  Christ. 
 
 Conciusio.  Ergo,  yc  shall  have  eternal  death. 
 
 Behold  now,  what  a  dangerous  case  ye  be  in  by  your 
 own  words !  Alas,  man,  that  ever  ye  should  be  so  blind,  as 
 to  sit  thus  in  judgment,  and  to  give  sentence  against  your 
 own  soul,  that  Christ  hath  shed  his  blood  for,  if  ye  conform 
 yourself  to  be  partaker  thereof!  Who  would  not  note  me  to 
 be  five  mile  from  my  right  wit,  if  I  should  make  such  an 
 argument,  and  say  thus  : 
 
DEFENCE    OF    BARNEs'    PROTESTATION.  371 
 
 If  I  be  not  Christ  the  Son  of  God,  I  shall  have  eternal 
 death  and  damnation. 
 
 But  so  it  is,  that  I  am  not  Christ.  Ergo,  &c. 
 If  I  should  thus  believe,  and  affirm  this  matter,  would  not 
 ye  abhor  me?  Turn  therefore,  turn,  for  God's  sake,  into 
 your  own  conscience,  and  rebuke  it  earnestly  between  God 
 and  you,  for  suffering  either  your  hand  to  write,  or  your 
 mouth  to  speak,  any  such  inconvenience. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 And  now  of  this  satisfaction  finally  to  co7iclude,  if  there 
 were  need  of  no  satisfaction,  after  by  repentance  we  be  come 
 into  the  favour  again  with  God,  why  then  did  Christ  say, 
 Luke  vii.  To  them  that  love  much  many  sins  are  forgiven, 
 and  to  them  that  love  little  fewer  sins  are  forgiven? 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 Your  opinion  upon  that  place  of  the  gospel  doth  utterly 
 destroy  the  parable  of  the  lender  and  two  debtors;  yea,  and 
 Simon's  answer,  which  our  Saviour  Christ  alloweth.  For 
 Simon  saith,  that  "To  whom  most  is  forgiven,  the  same  loveth  xhepiace, 
 most ;"  and  again,  our  Saviour  saith,  "  Unto  whom  less  is 
 forgiven,  the  same  loveth  less:"  by  the  which  two  sentences 
 every  man  may  easily  perceive,  that  the  text  speaketh  of  no 
 such  satisfaction  as  ye  imagine. 
 
 But  I  have  spied  you  now  at  the  last.  0  very  cruel 
 enemies  to  God's  holy  word,  how  falsely  have  ye  perverted 
 and  turned  our  Saviour's  words,  to  maintain  your  heresy 
 withal !  Cannot  Christ's  words  stand  in  the  gospel  for  you, 
 as  he  spake  them,  and  as  the  evangehst  wrote  them,  but  ye 
 must  teach  him  how  he  should  say  ?  Doth  he  say  in  that  ^'^^^j^*^^ 
 place,  To  them  that  love  much,  many  sins  are  forgiven,  and  "^'^  '^'"• 
 to  them  that  love  little,  fewer  sins  are  forgiven  ?  Nay,  verily, 
 these  are  his  words :  "  Many  sins  are  forgiven  her,  for  she 
 hath  loved  much  :  but  unto  whom  less  is  forgiven,  the  same 
 loveth  less."  Will  ye  still  then  take  upon  you  to  control  the 
 Holy  Ghost  ?  Well,  beware,  that  this  your  juggling  come  not 
 to  light.  Beware,  I  say,  that  the  breath  of  God  blow  not 
 down  your  house ;  for  a  rotten  foundation  cannot  stand  long. 
 Take  heed  by  times,  and  say,  ye  be  warned. 
 
 24—2 
 
372  confutation  of  standish. 
 
 Standish. 
 This  saying  cannot  he  concerning  culpam,  ^c. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 Our  Saviour  speaketh  of  sins,  and  of  forgiving  the  sins ; 
 and  yet  are  ye  not  ashamed  to  affirm,  that  his  saying  cannot 
 be  concerning  the  fault,  but  concerning  the  punishment.  Can 
 standish  uot  ChHst  speak  a  thing,  and  mean  the  same  ?  Can  he  not  be 
 Christ  a'"^'^^  true  in  his  words  ?  0  blasphemers  of  the  Son  of  God,  yea,  and 
 of  that  blessed  woman,  Mary  Magdalene,  which  must  needs 
 be  yet  in  her  old  faults  and  a  sinner  still,  if  he  meant  not  as 
 he  said;  if  his  saying  were  not  concerning  the  fault,  when  he 
 spake  these  words  :  "  Many  sins  are  forgiven  her,  &c." 
 
 Standish. 
 Whereby  ive  see,  that  post  remissam  culpam,  ^c. 
 
 CoVERDALE. 
 
 Ye  have  heretofore  called  this  satisfaction  the  works  of 
 penance ;  and  now  say  ye,  but  in  Latin,  that  there  remain- 
 eth  sometime  a  duty  of  punishment  to  be  purged,  or  recon- 
 ciled, with  a  worthy  satisfaction :  which  if  it  be  a  work  of 
 penance,  what  time  can  you  assign  me,  in  the  which  I  am 
 not  bound  to  be  exercised  in  some  fruit  thereof?  And  now 
 come  ye  in  with  "sometime."  Again,  ye  said  afore,  that  the 
 satisfaction  must  be  according  to  the  quality  of  the  offence  ; 
 and  now  ye  say,  that  the  punishment  due  unto  sin  must  be 
 purged  with  a  worthy  satisfaction.  Now  is  it  manifest,  that 
 unworthiness  is  a  quality  of  every  offence,  for  all  faults  are 
 unworthy  things  ;  wherefore  by  your  own  confession  it  fol- 
 loweth,  that  the  pain  due  unto  the  same  must  be  satisfied 
 with  an  unworthy  satisfaction.  And  verily  so  I  take  it ;  for 
 unworthy  is  it,  whatsoever  a  man  of  his  own  brain  inventeth, 
 without  some  sure  ground  of  God's  word. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 And  this  is  signified  by  that  of  the  prophet  Joel,  ^c. 
 
 CoVERDALE. 
 
 The  words  of  the  prophet,  though  ye  chop  them  very 
 The  text  short,  are  these  :  "  Now  therefore,"  saith  the  Lord,  "be  ye 
 ^°'''  "■        turned  unto  me  in  your  whole  heart,  in  fasting,  weeping,  and 
 
DEFENCE    OF    BARNEs"'    PROTESTATION'.  373 
 
 mourning.  And  rend  your  hearts,  and  not  your  clothes,  and 
 be  ye  turned  to  the  Lord  your  God ;  for  he  is  gracious  and 
 pitiful,  long-suffering  and  of  great  mercy,  and  will  be  en- 
 treated as  touching  sin,"  &c.  Doth  tliis  text  now  signify,  that 
 after  the  fault  is  forgiven,  there  remaineth  sometime  a  duty 
 of  punishment  to  be  purged  with  a  worthy  satisfaction  ?  Is 
 this  your  judgment  in  scripture  ?  0  shameless  beliers  of  the 
 open  and  manifest  text ! 
 
 Standish. 
 
 Now  if  you  say,  Esay,  cap.  liii.  saith,  Our  Saviour  bare 
 our  sins  on  him,  ^c. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 "Of  a  truth,"  saith  the  prophet,  "he  hath  taken  away  The  text 
 our  sorrows,  and  he  himself  hath  borne  our  pains,  &c.  The 
 correction  of  our  atonement  was  laid  upon  him,"  &c.  These 
 are  the  words  of  Esay :  which,  as  they  are  manifest  and 
 plain,  so  do  not  you  truly  rehearse  them  as  they  stand ;  and 
 yet  can  ye  not  deny,  but  that  if  we  conform  ourselves  unto 
 Christ,  then  hath  he  satisfied  for  us  most  abundantly.  To 
 what  point  now  have  ye  brought  your  former  doctrine  of 
 satisfaction  ?  Verily,  even  to  this  point,  that  Christ  hath 
 taken  away  their  sorrows  and  pains,  yea,  and  borne  the 
 correction  of  their  atonement,  which  conform  themselves 
 unto  him. 
 
 For  all  this  your  confession,  yet  deny  ye  the  truth 
 again,  and  say,  that  he  delivered  us  not  from  all  pain  satis- 
 factory. Now  saith  the  prophet,  that  he  took  away  our 
 sorrows  and  pains.  What  pain  satisfactory  then  is  there, 
 that  he  hath  not  deUvered  us  from  ?  If  it  be  our  pain,  then, 
 saith  Esay,  Christ  hath  borne  it.  But  peradventure  ye  do 
 mean  some  pain  of  your  own.  Ye  seem  to  be  yet  dreaming 
 of  your  painful  purgatory ;  for  if  ye  conformed  yourself  to 
 Christ  and  to  his  doctrine,  ye  should  be  persuaded  and  certi- 
 fied in  your  conscience,  even  by  the  same  chapter  of  Esay, 
 that  Christ  hath  as  well  satisfied  his  heavenly  Father  for  the 
 pain  due  unto  your  sin,  as  for  your  sin  itself. 
 
 Standish. 
 For  if  he  had  so  done,  ive  shoidd  neither  mourn,  ^c. 
 
^74  CONFUTATION     OF    STANDISH. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 Ye  say,  that  if  Christ  had  dehyered  us  from  all  pain 
 satisfactory,  we  should  neither  mourn  nor  be  penitent  for 
 our  offence  committed  against  God,  nor  we  need  not  to  mor- 
 An  iieinous  tifv  our  flesh.  0  damnable  heresy  !  And  are  ye  one  of  the 
 authors  thereof?  Are  ye  one  of  the  destroyers  of  penance, 
 of  converting  to  God,  and  of  mortifying  the  flesh?  But  as 
 touching  such  another  like  ungodly  consequent,  I  have  talked 
 somewhat  with  you  afore.  All  the  world  therefore  shall  know, 
 that  ye  are  the  teachers  of  such  pestilent  doctrine,  and  not  we. 
 
 Behold  now,  how  unsure  ye  are  of  yom'self.  Ye  say, 
 that  if  Christ  had  delivered  us  from  all  pain  satisfactory,  we 
 should  neither  mourn  nor  be  penitent  for  our  sin,  nor  mortify 
 our  flesh.  x\nd  yet  ye  confessed  before,  that  through  Christ 
 we  avoid  and  escape  eternal  death ;  which  likewise,  by  your 
 own  confession,  is  the  pain  due  unto  sin.  How  stand  your 
 words  now  together  ? 
 
 Whereas  ye  condemn  your  own  perverse  doctrine  by  the 
 sixth  chapter  to  the  Romans ;  it  were  sufficient  to  deliver 
 you  from  suspicion,  if  ye  did  abide  thereby.  But  that  do  ye 
 recant,  and  fall  to  your  vomit  again,  saying, 
 
 Standish. 
 
 But  ive  should  ivith  their  fleshly  liberty  have  a  joyful 
 penance  full  of  mirth. 
 
 CoVERDALE. 
 
 Your  doctrine  is,  that  if  Christ  had  taken  away  the  pain 
 due  unto  your  sin,  ye  should  not  repent  for  your  sins,  but 
 follow  your  own  fleshly  hberty,  &c.  AMiereby  ye  declare  your- 
 self to  be  still  of  that  rotten  opinion,  which  ye  defended  afore. 
 
 IS^ow  whereas  ye  report  of  us,  that  our  penance  is  with  a 
 
 fleshly  liberty,  I  answer :  Even  as  by  your  former  words  ye 
 
 prove  yourself  to  be  one  of  their  number,  which  say,  "Let  us 
 
 Rom.  iii.       do  evil,  that  o'ood  may  come  thereof ;    Let  us   continue  in 
 
 Horn.  vi.  '  ;?  J 
 
 sin,  that  there  may  be  abundance  of  grace ;  Let  us  sin,  be- 
 cause we  are  not  mider  the  law,  but  under  grace  ;"  even  so, 
 I  say,  do  ye  declare  yourself  to  be  one  of  them  that  speak 
 evil  of  us,  and  report  us  to  be  the  affirmers  of  your  wicked 
 words  :  as  though  we  were  they  that  exhorted  men  to  a 
 fleshly    liberty,  or   not   to   live  in   virtue   and  good  works. 
 
DEFENCE    OF    BARNEs'    PROTESTATION,  S75 
 
 Now  God  is  the  true  iudge,  who,  as  he  abhorreth  all  liars,  Psai.  v. 
 
 ~  .  ...  Deut.  xxxii. 
 
 even  so  refer  I  all  vengeance  to  him ;  for  it  is  his  office  by  Rom.  xu. 
 right.  But  in  the  mean  season,  till  all  falsehood  be  disclosed, 
 our  earnest  watching  and  labouring  for  your  salvation,  the 
 poor  hfe  wliich  we  lead  in  this  world,  and  the  fruits  of  our 
 good-will  that  grow  in  your  own  gardens,  for  all  your  weeds, 
 shall  testify  somewhat  with  us  also  against  your  evil  tongues. 
 And  God,  which  is  able  to  restore  the  bhnd  to  their  sight, 
 shall  lend  men  eyes  to  see,  and  understanding  to  discern, 
 whether  the  doctrine  and  open  word  of  God,  wliich  we  teach, 
 would  have  men  to  live  after  their  own  lusts ;  or  whether 
 your  doctrine,  which  is  of  men's  inventing,  be  not  rather 
 cause  of  all  wickedness,  robbing  men  of  their  wits,  and 
 making  them  to  run  at  riot  from  God's  word,  from  his  ordi- 
 nance, from  his  commandments,  from  his  promises,  and  from 
 the  most  virtuous  ensamples  of  God's  children, 
 
 Now  as  touching  our  penance,  ye  would  make  the  world 
 believe,  that  when  we  speak  thereof,  we  mean  some  morris- 
 dance,  some  such  delicate  banquetting  as  is  among  the  un- 
 godly, some  unlawful  chambering,  some  such  excess  of  eating 
 and  drinking  as  (God  amend  it!)  is  commonly  used  in  the 
 world.     Again,  your  doctrine  is,  that  repentance  should  be 
 without  joy.     And  our  beUef  is,  that  if  the  Holy  Ghost  and 
 the  true  faith  of  Christ  go  together,  then  like  as  repentance 
 proceedeth  of  faith,  so  is  the  joy  of  christian  men  a  fruit  ofoai.v. 
 the  Holy  Ghost,  as  the  apostle  saith.     Thus  also  to  be  merry 
 and  joyful  are  we  taught  by  the  scripture,  Hiere.  ix  ;  1  Cor.  i ; 
 2  Cor.  xi;  Rom.  v.  viii;  Matt,  v;  Luke  x.    Shall  we  then  be 
 sorry,  because  God  hath  done  so  much  for  us  ?     For  our 
 sins  and  trespasses  we  will  be  sorry  and   mourn ;  though 
 when  we  fast,  we  rend  not  our  o-arments,  nor  put  on  sack-  Joei  a. 
 cloth,  neither  disfigure  our  faces  to  be   seen  of  men;  thouo-h  Matt.  vi.  iii. 
 when  we  pray  unto  God,  we  prick  not  ourselves  with  bod-  f^^l\  ^  '• 
 kins,  nor  make  too  much  babbling  of  words.     Such  flings,  ^'^'^'^'-  ^• 
 such  morris-dances,   such  wanton  gestures,  such  light  mirth 
 we  make  not ;    for  our  joy  and  gladness  is  inward,  conceived 
 in  our  breasts,  when  we  feel  the  inestimable  mercy  and  love 
 of  God  therein,  yea,  even  when  we  are  put  to  trouble  and 
 adversity. 
 
 Another  love  have  we  also,  and  the  same  is  likewise  a 
 fruit  of  our  repentance,  appointed  in  scripture;  as  when  we 
 joy  with  them  that  joy,  when  we  are  glad  of  our  neighbour's  Rom.xu, 
 
376  CONFUTATION    OF    STANDISH. 
 
 2  Cor.  ix.  welfare,  glad  and  cheerful  to  do  him  good,  glad  to  give  him 
 lodging,  &c.  Wherefore  to  call  such  fruits  of  repentance 
 any  light  or  wanton  mirth,  ye  are  to  blame,  and  of  a  wanton 
 judgment. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 All  these  new  felloivs  would  have  penance  to  he,  ^c. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 To  be  called  "new  fellows"  of  your  mouth,  we  do  not 
 greatly  force.  But  first,  whereas  ye  jest  upon  us  for  casting 
 our  sins  and  care  on  Christ,  and  for  rejoicing  that  he  hath 
 taken  them  on  him,  ye  shew  yourself  not  only  ignorant  in 
 this  spiritual  cause  of  Chrisfs  faith,  but  also  blasphemous 
 both  against  him  and  his.  I  pray  you,  who  hath  so  broad  a 
 back,  or  so  meet  to   bear  the  sins  of  penitents,  as  Christ 
 
 isai.  liii.  hath  ?  Hath  not  his  heavenly  Father  laid  our  sins  upon  him, 
 as  ye  yourself  have   confessed  out  of  Esay  ?    And  doth  he 
 
 Matt. xi.  not  say  unto  us  himself,  "Come  to  me  all  ye  that  labour 
 and  are  laden,  and  I  shall  refresh  you?"     Is  not  he  "the 
 
 John  i.        Lamb  of  God,  that  taketh  away  the  sins  of  the  world  ? "   And 
 
 ijohni.       doth  not  his  "  blood  cleanse  us  from  all  sin  ?  " 
 
 Secondly,  whereas  ye  blame  us  for  casting  our  care 
 upon  Christ,  we  do  not  greatly  pass  upon  it,  though  we 
 lament  your  blindness ;  for  we  have  God's  word  on  our 
 side,  yea,  not  only  his  commandment  and  precept,  but  also 
 
 Psai.  liv.      his  promise,  that  so  doino-  he  will  nourish  us  and  not  suffer  us 
 
 jMatt.  VI.  ^  P  , 
 
 Lukexii.  to  lack.  jN^cvertheless,  in  casting  our  care  upon  God,  we  rob 
 not  our  body  of  his  duty ;  but  set  the  hands  to  labour,  the 
 feet  to  go,  the  mouth  to  speak,  and  every  member  to  work  in 
 
 Deut.  vi.       his  calling,  lest  we  tempt  God,  contrary  to  his  commandment. 
 
 Standish. 
 This  penance  Peter  did  not  take. 
 
 CoVERDALE. 
 
 What,  will  ye  belie  St  Peter '?     Did  not  he  cast  his  sins 
 
 1  Pet.  ii.       upon  Christ  ?  Saith  he  not  plainly,  that  "  Christ  himself  bare 
 
 our  sins  on  his  body  upon  the  tree,  to  the  intent  that  we 
 
 might  be  delivered  from  sin,  and  live  unto  righteousness '?" 
 
 Or   did  not  holy  St  Peter  cast  his  care  upon  Christ? 
 
 1  Pet.  V.       Why  biddeth  he  us  then  to   "  cast  all  our  care  upon  him," 
 
 adding  also,  that  "  he  careth  for  us"? 
 
DEFENCE    OF    BARNES      PROTESTATION.  o7/ 
 
 Again,  doth  not  St  Peter  also  bid  us  "  rejoice,  inasmuch  i  Pet.  \v. 
 as  we  are  partakers  of  Christ's  passions?"  &c.      Or  think 
 ye,  that  he  did  not  as  he  taught?     Was  he  not  one  of  those 
 disciples,  wliich  "were  glad  when  they  saw  that  their  Lord"  johnxx, 
 was  aHve?    Why  are  ye  not  ashamed  then  to  belie  him? 
 Fie,  fie!    take  better  heed  to  your  words  another  time. 
 
 Standish. 
 But  his  penance  was  mournful. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 Though  he  mourned  and  wept  bitterly,  when  he  had 
 denied  our  Saviour,  as  every  true  penitent  doth ;  yet  proveth 
 not  this  the  contrary  but  that,  in  consideration  of  the  good- 
 ness of  Christ,  he  also  rejoiced,  as  appeareth  by  his  own 
 words  afore. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 Theirs  glad  and  jocund,  S^c. 
 
 CoVERDALE. 
 
 So  glad  are  not  we  in  our  penance,  but  we  may  find 
 cause  enough  of  sorriness,  though  we  considered  nothing 
 else  save  the  blind  understanding  that  is  in  you.  Ye  say, 
 that  we  think  justification  to  be  without  works  of  penance. 
 But  hke  as  ye  are  too  malapert  to  enter  into  men's  thoughts, 
 so  am  I  glad  that  ye  cannot  report,  that  we  should  preach, 
 teach,  talk  or  write,  that  we  would  have  justification  to  be 
 without  works  of  penance  following.     For  our   books,   our  we  have 
 
 11  11  •  /  1  1    sufficient 
 
 papers,  our  pens,  our  hands,  our  whole  conversation,  (though  testimony 
 Ave  have   our  faults  as   well  as  other  men,)  yea,  and    the 
 mouths  of  them  that  know  us,  can  testify  that  we  are  of  a 
 contrary  opinion. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 If  you  say,  remission  of  sin  is  freely  forgiven  in  bap- 
 tism, therefore  ive  need  no  more  penance,  SfC. 
 
 CoVERDALE. 
 
 I  wonder  in  whose  name  ye  make  that  objection.  If  ye 
 know  any  man  to  affirm,  teach,  or  write,  that  we  need  no 
 more  penance,  because  sin  is  freely  forgiven  in  baptism,  he 
 ought  to  have  an  open  rebuke.      Howbeit  the  same  is  like 
 
378  CONFUTATION    OF    STANDISH. 
 
 unto  your  own  doctrine,  where  ye  say,  that  if  Christ  had 
 taken  away  the  pain  due  unto  your  sin,  ye  should  not  repent, 
 but  follow  your  carnal  liberty. 
 
 Now  to  your  satisfaction,  ye  say  here,  that  it  springeth 
 out  of  the  third  kind  of  penance ;  and  before,  in  the  eighth 
 
 Note  this  leaf  of  your  treatise,  to  prove  it  strongly,  ye  bring  in  St 
 John  Baptist's  words,  which  ye  join  now  to  the  first  kind  of 
 penance.  Is  it  not  now  strongly  proved  ?  Are  ye  not  very 
 sure  now  of  the  doctrine  that  ye  teach? 
 
 Again,  to  prove,  that  by  th§  second  kind  of  penance 
 godly  men  are  purged  from  such  sins,  without  which  a  man 
 cannot  here  live ;  ye  allege  the  first  chapter  of  the  first 
 epistle  of  John,  who  in  the  same  place  saith  these  words : 
 "  If  we  say  that  we  have  fellowship  with  God,  and  yet  walk 
 
 The  place,     in  darkuoss,  we  lie,  and  do  not  the  truth.      But  if  we  walk 
 
 IJohni.  .  ... 
 
 in  light,  even  as  he  is  in  light,  then  have  we  fellowship  toge- 
 ther, and  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  his  Son  cleanseth  us 
 from  all  sin."  This  scripture  now  maketh  clearly  against 
 you,  and  proveth  your  opinion  to  be  false ;  for  Christ''s  blood 
 cleanseth  us  from  "all  sin,"  none  except,  so  long  as  we  walk  in 
 his  light,  and  not  in  darkness.  Why  ascribe  ye  then  the 
 purgation  of  men's  sins  to  any  kind  of  penance,  seeing 
 Christ's  blood  hath  and  must  have  the  honour  thereof? 
 
 Ye  allege  here  sundry  places  of  scripture,  the  circumstances 
 whereof  doth  utterly  disapprove  your  doctrine  ;  as  plainly 
 appeareth  to  him  that  conferreth  the  same  to  the  open  words 
 of  the  text,  which  I  heartily  require  all  indifferent  readers  to  do. 
 
 Ezek.  xviii.  The  place  of  Ezechiel  is  manifest,  that  God  will  no  more 
 
 think  upon  their  sins  that  truly  repent  and  turn  from  them. 
 
 isai.  iv.        The  place  of  Esay   sheweth,  that  God  will  have  mercy  on 
 
 jer.  xviii.  such  peniteuts.  The  place  of  Hieremy  is  plain,  that  if  people 
 convert  from  their  wickedness,  God  will  no  more  plague  them 
 
 wisd.  xi.  therefore.  The  eleventh  chapter  of  Wisdom  declareth  evidently, 
 that  the  punishments  which  happened  to  the  Egyptians  were 
 sent  through  the  indignation  of  God,  and  that  the  trouble, 
 nurture,  and  correction,  which  the  Israelites  had,  came  of 
 his  fatherly  mercy.    The  hundred  and  forty -fourth  Psalm  wit- 
 
 Psai.  exiv.  nesseth,  that  "  the  Lord  is  gracious  and  merciful,  long-suf- 
 fering, of  great  goodness,  loving  to  every  man,  &c. ;  liftetli 
 up  all  them  that  are  cast  down,  and  is  nigh  to  all  such  as 
 
 Matt,  xviii.    faithfully  call  upon  him."  The  eighteenth  of  Matthew  is  evident, 
 
DEFENCE    OP    BARNEs'    PROTESTATION.  379 
 
 that  whosoever  converteth  from  his  sin,  Almighty  God  will  not 
 that  he  shall  perish.  Item,  that  like  as  all  true  penitent 
 sinners  have  their  debt  freely  forgiven  them,  so  shall  they 
 be  partakers  of  the  same  forgiveness  still,  if  they  will  heartily 
 do  unto  others  as  they  are  dealt  withal  themselves.  These 
 places  of  scripture,  though  ye  tell  not  forth  the  words,  are 
 of  your  own  alleging ;  and  yet  are  ye  not  ashamed  to  write, 
 yea,  even  of  penitents,  that  none  of  their  sins  shall  be  un- 
 punished. Now  is  it  manifest  in  the  said  chapter  of  Ezechiel,  Ezek.xvin. 
 that  hke  as  God  will  not  reward  their  good  deeds,  that  for- 
 sake him,  and  turn  away  again  to  their  vomit  of  wickedness; 
 so  will  he  not  think  upon  their  sins,  that  truly  convert  Ezek.  xviu. 
 therefrom  unto  him.  Yet  call  ye  them  happy,  that  punish 
 themselves,  and  take  upon  them  to  be  satisfactors  in  that 
 behalf;  as  though  it  Avere  a  blessed  thing  for  men  to  lay 
 crosses  upon  their  own  backs.  Thus  by  your  judgment  were 
 Baal's  priests  happy,  and  the  hypocrites  that  the  prophet  i  Kings  xvii 
 Esay  speaketh  of.  0  deceitful  teachers!  full  well  might  the 
 prophet  say  unto  God"'s  people  of  England,  and  in  this  behalf : 
 "  0  my  people,  they  that  do  call  thee  happy,  do  but  deceive  i^^'J,"- 
 thee,  and  mar  the  way  that  thou  shouldest  go  in."  {e^bekuim 
 
 Now  let  us  hear  more  of  D.  Barnes"*  words.  ''"^""''  *"'• 
 
 Barnes. 
 And  that  no  work  of  man  did  deserve  any  thing  of 
 God,  but  only  his  passion,  as  touching  our  justification. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 This  manner  of  justification  plainly  appeareth  to  he 
 false,  even  hy  that  one  place,  if  we  had  no  mm^e,  of  Corne- 
 lius, Acts  X.,  ^c. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 The  words  of  the  text  are  these  :  "  There  was  at  Cesarea  The  text 
 a  man  named  Cornehus,  a  captain  of  the  Italianish  company, 
 a  devout  man,   and  one  that  feared  God  with  all  his  house, 
 and  gave  much  alms  to  the  people,  and  prayed  God  alway." 
 
 The  text  saith  in  order,  first,  that  Cornelius  was  a 
 devout  man,  and  feared  God  with  all  his  house ;  and  then 
 speaketh  it  of  his  good  works,  as  alms,  prayer,  &e.  Where- 
 by it  is  manifest,  that  he  himself  was  first  accepted  of  God 
 
 Acts  X. 
 
380 
 
 CONFUTATION    OF    STAN  DISH. 
 
 and  justified:  for,  as  St  Peter  saith  afterward  in  the  same 
 chapter,  "  God  hath  no  respect  of  persons,  but  in  all  people 
 he  that  feareth  him,  and  worketh  righteousness;  is  accepted 
 isai.  ivi.       -Qj^^Q  him."     And,    as    the  prophet  saith :  "  The  strangers, 
 gentiles,  or  heathen,  which  cleave  unto  the  Lord  in  worship- 
 ping him  and  loving  his  name,  are  accepted  unto  him,  as  his 
 Eccius.ii.      own  servants."     Again,  the  scripture  saith  :  "  They  that  fear 
 Heb.  xi.       the  Lord  give  credence  to  his  word."      "  And  without  faith 
 Kom.  xiv.     it  is  not  possible  to  please  God."    Item,  "  Whatsoever  is  not 
 of  faith   is   sin."     By  this   it  is  manifest,   that  those  good 
 works  of  Cornelius  were  fruits  of  his  faith  and  of  the  fear 
 of  God,  and  he  justified  afore  he  did  them.     Ye  confessed 
 also  before,   that  fasting,   prayer,  and  alms-deeds,    are  the 
 Diversity,      fruits  of  peuance :  then  must  ye  needs  grant,  that  the  tree 
 was  afore  them. 
 
 This  text  then  proveth  not,  that  our  justification,  deserved 
 only  by  the  death  of  Christ,  is  a  false  justification,  nor  that 
 Cornelius'  works  deserved  much  of  Almighty  God  afore  he 
 was  justified.  For,  as  I  shall  rehearse  afterward,  ye  confess 
 yourself,  not  only  that  we  are  justified  freely,  but  also  that 
 Diversity.  Qq^  fl^^-gt  giyeth  US  grace,  without  which  Ave  can  do  nothing 
 that  is  o'ood. 
 
 Standish. 
 As  did  the  work  of  king  Esechias,  2  Reg.  xx,  ^c. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 Your  purpose  is  by  the  ensample  of  Ezechias  to  prove, 
 that  our  works  deserve  much  of  Almighty  God,  afore  we  be 
 justified :  and  that  work  of  Ezechias,  which  ye  allege,  was 
 done   long  after  his  justification.      For  the  text  saith,   that 
 
 2  Kings  XX.  when  he  lay  sore  sick,  the  prophet  Esay  came  to  him,  and 
 told  him  the  message  of  God ;  and  that  he  then  made  his 
 fervent  pi^ayer,  and  wept.  After  the  which  God  sent  him 
 word,  that  "he  had  heard  his  prayer,  and  seen  liis  tears,"  &c. 
 And  afore,   in  the  same  book,  it  is  evident,  that  the  same 
 
 sKingsxviii.  king  Ezechias  "did  the  thing  that  was  good  in  the  sight  of 
 the  Lord,  according  as  his  father  David  had  done,  put  his 
 trust  in  the  Lord  God  of  Israel,  &c.,  cleaved  unto  the  Lord, 
 went  not  out  of  his  paths,  but  did  according  to  all  the  pre- 
 cepts that  God  had  commanded  Moses ;"  and  "  therefore," 
 
DEFENCE    OF     BARNEs"'    PROTESTATION-,  381 
 
 saith  the  text,  "was  the  Lord  with  him  in  all  that  he  took  in 
 hand." 
 
 Wherefore  by  the  circumstance  of  the  text  it  is  manifest, 
 that  Ezechias  was  justified  afore  he  lay  sick,  and  that  his 
 prayer  was  a  worthy  fruit  of  his  repentance  long  after  he 
 was  justified,  and  no  work  that  deserved  any  thing  afore  his 
 justification.     Neither  did  his  prayer,  nor  the  work  of  the 
 Ninivites,  change  the  sentence  of  God ;  for  God  is  neither  Heb.  vi. 
 changeable  nor  double  in   his  words.      But  like   as,    afore 
 the  Ninivites  believed  in  him,  he  first  sent  his  word,  and  Jonah  lii. 
 threatened  them,  that  if  they  would  not  convert,  their  city 
 should  be  destroyed  after  forty  days;  even  so,  when  Eze-2chron. 
 chias  was  fallen  into  sin,   God  threatened  him,  that  if  he '  ^^  ' 
 would  not  repent,  he  should  die.     And  like  as  God,  when  we 
 receive   his  word  earnestly,   believe   stedfastly  in  him,   and 
 bring  forth  good  works,  doth  accept  us,  as  he  did  the  Nini-  jon^h  ui. 
 vites ;  even  so,  though  we  have  fallen  from  the  profession  of 
 our  faith,  yet  if  we  now  do  earnestly  repent  and  convert,  he 
 is  merciful  and  true  to  forgive  us  our  sins,  and  to  grant  us  2  Kings  xx. 
 our  petition,  after  the  example  of  Ezechias  :  at  whom  like 
 as  all  kings  and  prmces  may  take  instruction  of  good  go- 
 vernance, even  so  in  him  have  all  other  sinners,  that  have 
 broken  their  covenant  with  God,  a  very  notable  ensample  of 
 true  repentance. 
 
 But  how  rhymeth  the  example  either  of  Ezechias,  or 
 of  the  Ninivites,  for  the  probation  of  your  purpose  ? 
 Did  either  Ezechias,  after  he  was  fallen  into  sin,  or  the 
 Ninivites,  afore  they  beheved,  deserve  any  thing  of  God? 
 Or  doth  any  of  both  these  examples  prove  that  our  justifi- 
 cation, deserved  only  by  the  death  of  Christ,  is  a  false  jus- 
 tification ? 
 
 Afore,  in  the  tenth  leaf  of  your  treatise,  ye  allege  the 
 example  of  the  Ninivites,  to  prove,  that  after  the  sin  is  for- 
 given, we  must  make  satisfaction  unto  God  for  the  pain  due 
 thereunto.  And  now  bring  ye  the  same  in,  to  prove  that  Diversity. 
 our  works  may  deserve  much  of  Almighty  God,  afore  we 
 be  justified.  If  this  be  not  a  mocking  with  God's  word,  let 
 them  judge  that  are  learned  therein. 
 
 Standish. 
 Scripture  is  full  of  such  ensamples,  ^c. 
 
382  CONFUTATION    OF    STANDISH. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 Scripture  is  full  of  ensamples ;  but  to  bring  us  unto  the 
 faith  of  Christ,  and  also  to  make  us  rise  up  by  true  repent- 
 ance, when  we  are  fallen  from  the  same.  But  in  all  the 
 scripture  find  ye  no  ensample,  that  teacheth  you  to  call  our 
 justification,  deserved  only  by  the  death  of  Christ,  a  false 
 justification,  or  to  affirm  that  we  may  deserve  much  of  Al- 
 mighty God  afore  we  be  justified.  And  yet  would  ye  fain 
 prove  the  same,  yea,  even  by  the  ensamples  of  those  that 
 were  justified  afore. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 Notwithstanding  I  am,  not  ignorant  of  the  order  of  our 
 justification^  SfC. 
 
 CoVERDALE. 
 
 Are  ye  not  ignorant,  what  order  God  taketh  in  justi- 
 fying his  people,  and  will  yet  teach  the  contrary  ?  The 
 more  shame  for  you !  Now  may  every  man,  that  noteth 
 your  former  doctrine,  perceive  evidently,  that  ye  are  a  wilful 
 teacher  against  the  order  of  our  justification.  For  if  God 
 first  of  his  mercy  only  giveth  us  grace,  without  which  we  can 
 do  no  good  thing ;  then  teach  ye  contrary  to  this  order, 
 when  ye  say,  that  men's  works  deserve  much  of  Almighty 
 God,  afore  they  be  justified.  Thus  doth  your  own  doctrine 
 prove  you  not  only  to  be  contrary  to  yourself,  but  also  a 
 wilful  breaker  of  godly  order. 
 
 Standish. 
 lUe  prior  dilexit  nos,  1  John  iv.  Non  dilectus  dilexit,  &c. 
 
 CoVERDALE. 
 
 Here  in  this  place  of  your  treatise  ye  make  a  long 
 process  in  Latin;  which  as  it  is  fondly  printed,  and  patched 
 of  you  with  little  morsels  of  scripture,  so  do  the  same  make 
 clearly  against  your  purpose. 
 
 1  John  iv.  Ye  grant,  that  God  first  loved  us,  afore  we  loved  him  ; 
 
 Bom.  V.  and  that  Christ  died  for  us,  when  we  were  yet  sinners : 
 which  if  it  be  true,  then  is  it  manifest  that  God  first  forgave 
 us  for  Christ's  sake.  If  he  first  forgave  us,  then  is  your 
 doctrine  false,  when  ye  call  it  against  the  order  of  our  Sa- 
 viour's prayer,  that  we  must  be  forgiven  of  God,  afore  we 
 can  forgive  ;  and  that  our  justification,  deserved  only  by  the 
 
DEFENCE    OF    BARNES^    PROTESTATION.  383 
 
 death  of  Christ,  is  a  false  justification ;  seeing  ye  confess  also, 
 that  the  mercy  of  God  goeth  both  before  and  behind  us,  and 
 that  we  are  freely  justified. 
 
 Whereas  ye  grant  also,  that  through  faith  we  obtain  the 
 grace  of  God,  how  agreeth  that  with  your  former  doctrine 
 against  the  justification  of  faith?  Yea,  even  the  same  third 
 chapter  to  the  Romans,  that  ye  here  allege,  is  against  you :  Rom.  hi. 
 for  St  Paul's  words  are  these :  "  The  righteousness  of  God 
 Cometh  by  the  faith  of  Jesus  Christ  unto  all  and  upon  all 
 them  that  beUeve,"  &c.  Item,  "  Freely  are  they  justified, 
 even  by  his  grace,  through  the  redemption  that  is  in  Christ 
 Jesu,  whom  God  hath  set  forth  to  be  the  mercy-seat  through 
 faith  in  his  blood,"  &c. 
 
 Barnes. 
 
 For  I  knowledge,  the  best  work  that  ever  I  did  is 
 unpure  and  unperfect. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 Taking  this  saying  as  it  is,  Job  xxv.  ^-c. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 Take  D.  Barnes"'  words  none  otherwise  than  he  spake 
 them ;  and  let  them  be  tried  by  the  same  place  of  scripture 
 that  ye  allege,  where  Baldad  the  Suhite  saith  thus :  "  May 
 a  man  compared  to  God  be  justified?  Or  can  he  that  is  job  xxv. 
 born  of  a  woman  appear  clean?  Behold,  the  moon  is  not 
 clear,  and  the  stars  are  not  clean  in  his  sight.  How  much 
 more  man,  which  is  corruption,  and  the  son  of  man,  a 
 worm !"  And  in  the  ninth  chapter  saith  Job  himself  plainly  : 
 "God  is  he,  whose  wrath  no  man  may  resist,  and  under  Job  ix. 
 whom  are  subdued  the  proud  of  the  world.  Who  am  I  then 
 to  answer  him,  or  to  talk  with  him  in  my  words  ?  Yea,  and 
 though  I  have  any  righteous  thing,  I  will  not  answer,  but 
 make  my  humble  supphcation  to  my  judge,  &c.  If  equity 
 of  judgment  be  required,  no  man  dare  bear  record  on  my 
 side.  If  I  will  justify  myself,  mine  own  mouth  shall  condemn 
 me.  If  I  will  shew  myself  innocent,  he  shall  declare  me  to 
 be  naught," 
 
 Do  not  these  scriptures  prove  now,  that,  in  consider- 
 ation of  God's  judgment,  all  men's  works  are  unpure  and 
 unperfect? 
 
384 
 
 CONFUTATION    OF    STANDISH. 
 
 Standish. 
 Unde  Isai.  Ixlv.  Omnes  nos  immundi   et  quasi  pannus 
 menstruatus :  hut  thus  to  his  purpose  it  cannot  he  taken,  ^c. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 What  mean  ye,  man,  so  perversely  to  handle  with  the 
 dead?  D.  Barnes  confessed,  as  appeareth  by  his  words,  that 
 the  best  works,  that  were  done  by  him  upon  earth  in  this 
 corrupt  body,  were  not  so  purely  and  perfectly  done  as  the 
 equity  of  God's  law  requireth  ;  and  therefore,  as  appeareth 
 afterward,  in  consideration  thereof  he  made  his  prayer  with 
 Psai. cxiiii.  the  prophet,  saying:  "Lord,  enter  not  with  me  into  judg- 
 Psai. cxxx.  ment."  "If  thou.  Lord,  wilt  straitly  mark  our  iniquities.  Lord, 
 who  will  abide  it  ?"  Notwithstandmg,  though  his  words  be 
 manifest,  yet  ye  say,  not  only  that  it  cannot  be  taken  to  his 
 purpose,  as  Esay  wrote  in  that  chapter  ;  but  also  upon  the 
 same  ye  gather  an  intent,  (for  ye  are  good  at  that,  ye  are 
 well  skilled  in  judging  men's  intents  and  thoughts,)  that  he 
 should  mean,  "  All  good  works  are  naught,  and  that  it  is  sin 
 to  obey  the  voice  of  God:"  which  your  collection  is  clean 
 contrary  to  D.  Barnes'  words. 
 
 And  if  we  confer  them  to  that  place  of  Esay  whom  you 
 allege,  this  matter  shall  be  the  more  manifest.  The  words 
 Isai.  ixiv.  of  the  prophct  are  these  :  "  All  we  are  become  as  an  unclean 
 man,  and  all  our  righteousnesses  are  as  filthy  rags."  This 
 text,  as  it  maketh  clearly  for  D.  Barnes'  purpose  against  your- 
 self, even  so  in  alleging  of  it  have  ye  diminished  it,  and  left 
 out  of  it  those  words  that  make  most  against  you.  But  the 
 abbot  of  lies  and  father  of  falsehood,  even  the  devil,  taught 
 you  that  lesson,  as  I  told  you  before,  out  of  the  fourth  of 
 Matthew ;  because  ye  play  such  another  part  with  a  text  of 
 St  Paul,  1  Cor.  xi. 
 
 In  your  Latin  ye  read  the  text  thus :  "  All  we  are 
 unclean,  and  as  filthy  rags."  So  that  ye  leave  out.  All  our 
 righteousnesses.  Now  if  the  text  may  stand  still  for  you,  as 
 the  Holy  Ghost  left  it,  that  all  our  righteousnesses  and  best 
 works  are  unclean,  and  not  without  some  blemish ;  then 
 happily  will  you  have  httle  thank,  not  only  for  holding 
 against  it,  but  also  for  minishing  the  text. 
 
 As  touching  the  Germans,  (to  whom  ye  impute  error  in 
 this  behalf,)  their  doctrine  is,  that  when  the  servants  of  God 
 
 standish 
 doth  di- 
 minish the 
 text. 
 
DEFENCE    OF     EARXEs'     PROTESTATION'.  88o 
 
 have  done  all  that  is  commanded  them,  they  must  acknow-  Lukexviu 
 ledge  themselves  to  be  unprofitable ;  to  have  occasion  con- 
 tinually to  cry  unto   God,  and  to  say,  "  0  forgive  us  our  Matth.  vi. 
 trespasses;"  to  acknowledge,  that  "in  their  flesh  dwelleth  no 
 good  thing  ; "  yea,  and  to  confess,  that  though  they  "  dehght  Rom.  vii. 
 in  the  law  of  God  after  the  inward  man,  yet  there  is  another 
 law  in  their  members,  which  striveth  against  the  law  of  their 
 mind,  and  taketh  them  prisoners  in  the  law  of  sin,  which  is 
 in  their  members;"  that  "there  is  no  man  but  he  sinneth;"  i  Kings  vui. 
 that  "the  whole  hfe  upon  earth  is  a  very  battle,"  where  "  the  job  vii. 
 flesh  lusteth  against  the   spirit,  and  the   spirit  against  the   ^'^^ 
 flesh;"  so  that  christian  men  cannot  bring  every  thing  to 
 such  a  perfection  as  they  fain  would. 
 
 This  is  now  the  doctrine  of  the  Germans ;  and  thus  taught 
 also  St  Augustine,  writing  De  verbis  Domini  secundum  Jo- The  scrip- 
 hannem,   Sermo  xliii.,  where  he  saith  these  words :   '•  We  Austin 
 
 ,  maintain  the 
 
 cannot  do  that  we  would.     Why  so .''     i  or  we  would  that  <^'ermans' 
 
 »'  doctrine. 
 
 there  were  no  concupiscences ;  but  we  cannot  have  our  will. 
 For  whether  we  will  or  no,  we  have  them ;  whether  we  will 
 or  no,  they  tickle,  they  flatter,  they  prick,  they  vex,  they 
 will  up  ;  they  are  kept  down,  but  not  yet  utterly  extinct, 
 as  long  as  the  flesh  lusteth  against  the  spirit,  and  the  spirit 
 against  the  flesh  ^"  The  same  aflirmeth  he  in  the  sixteenth 
 sermon  De  verbis  Apostoli^.  And  in  the  forty- ninth  chapter, 
 De  definitionibus  orthodoxce  fidei,  he  saith  after  this  manner  : 
 "  And  therefore  all  holy  men  do  truly  in  pronouncing  them- 
 selves sinners  ;  for  of  a  truth  they  have  whereof  to  complain  ; 
 and    though    not    through    any   reproof   of   conscience,   yet 
 
 [1  Non  quod  volumus  facimus.  Quare?  Quia  volumus  ut  nuUsc 
 sint  concupiscentise,  sed  non  possumus.  Velimus  nolimus,  habemus 
 illas ;  velimus  nolimus,  titillant,  blandiuntur,  stimulant,  infestant,  sur- 
 gere  volunt;  premuntur,  nondum  extinguuntur,  quamdiu  care  con- 
 cupiscit  adversus  spiritum,  et  spiritus  advei'sus  camem. — August.  De 
 verbis  Domini  in  Evang.  sec.  Johan.  Serm.  xlhi.  Opera,  Tom.  x.  p. 
 36,  M.  Ed.  1541.] 
 
 [2  The  following  appears  to  be  the  passage  alluded  to:  Ecce 
 enim  baptizati  sunt  homines,  omnia  illis  peccata  dimissa  sunt,  justifi- 
 cati  sunt  a  peccatis,  negare  non  possumus:  restat  tamen  lucta  cum 
 came,  restat  lucta  cum  niundo,  restat  lucta  cum  diabolo.  Qui  autem 
 luctatur  aliquando  ferit,  aliquando  percutitur,  aliquando  vincit,  ali- 
 quando  perimitur :  quando  de  stadio  exeat,  attendatur. — De  verbis 
 Apost.  Serm.  xvi.  Tom.  x.  p.  75,  B.] 
 
 r  -1  25 
 
 [COVERDALE,    II.] 
 
S86  CONFUTATION  OP    STANDISH. 
 
 through  the  frailty^,"  &c.  Such  doctrine  now,  though  it  be 
 approved  both  by  the  holy  scripture  and  by  St  Augustine, 
 yet  because  the  Germans  teach  it,  it  must  needs  be  con- 
 demned of  you  for  an  error.  I  wonder  ye  condemn  them 
 not  also  for  holding  so  little  of  the  pope's  church,  of  his 
 pardons,  of  his  purgatory ;  for  putting  down  his  rehgions, 
 deamlThei?'  liis  chauutrics,  his  soul-masses  and  diriges,  his  trentals,  pil- 
 the  paVIC-y.  gHmagcs,  stations,  &c. ;  for  ministering  the  sacraments  in 
 their  mother  tongue,  for  setting  their  priests  daily  to  preach 
 the  only  word  of  God,  for  bringing  in  no  new  customs  into 
 the  church ;  for  avoiding  whoredom  and  secret  abomination 
 from  among  their  clergy,  as  well  as  from  other ;  for  bringing 
 up  their  youth  so  well  in  the  doctrine  of  God,  in  the  know- 
 ledge of  tongues,  in  other  good  letters  and  honest  occupa- 
 tions, for  providing  so  richly  for  their  poor,  needy,  fatherless, 
 and  aged  people,  &c. 
 
 Now  to  your  ensample  of  Abraham,  which  obeyed  the 
 
 voice  of  God :  doth  it  prove  that  his  obedience  was  so  perfect 
 
 as  the  equity  of  God''s  justice  required  ?  or  that  his  own  words 
 
 Gen.  xviii.     woro  falso,  when  he  said  unto  God,  "  I  am  but  dust  and  ashes  "? 
 
 Standish. 
 Also  it  is  said,  Job  prime.  In  omnibus  his  nonpeccavit  Job. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 The  latter  part  of  the  text,  which  declareth  the  whole 
 
 meaning  thereof,  leave  ye  quite  out.    The  words  of  the  scrip- 
 
 The  place     turo  aro  these  :  "  In  all  these  did  not  Job  sin,  nor  spake  any 
 
 foolish  thing  against  God."      Now  is  it  manifest  by  the  same 
 
 chapter,  that  when  the  scripture  hath  told  of  the  great  ad- 
 
 Tiie  place      vorsitv  that  Job  had  in  the  loss  of  his  o-oods  and  children,  it 
 Join.  ^  .  .  '=. 
 
 maketh  mention  also  of  his  notable  patience,  and  tlien  con- 
 
 cludeth  the  chapter  with  those  words.  The  one  part  whereof 
 like  as  ye  leave  out,  and  tell  the  other  in  Latin  from  the  un- 
 learned ;  so  make  ye  of  a  particular  an  universal,  as  though 
 Job  might  not  offend  in  other  things,  though  he  grudged  not 
 
 [1  The  reference  ought  to  be  to  cap.  lxxvi.  Et  ideo  veraciter  so 
 omnes  sancti  pronimciant  peccatores,  quia  in  veritate  habent  quod 
 plangant,  etsi  non  reprehensione  conscientiaj,  certe  mobilitate  et  muta- 
 bilitate  prpevaricatricis  naturaj. — August.  De  Ecclesiasticis  Dogmatibus 
 sive  de  Definitionibus  orthodoxa)  fidei.  See  above,  p.  185.  n.  12.  Op. 
 Tom.  III.  p.  47,  M.] 
 
DEFENCE    OF    BARNEs''     PROTESTATION.  387 
 
 here  against  God.  For  manifest  is  it,  that  he  did  afterward 
 curse  the  day  of  his  birth,  as  the  third  chapter  declareth.  Job  iii. 
 Now  because  Job  was  patient  in  his  first  adversity,  and 
 blasphemed  not  God,  doth  that  prove  it  an  error  to  hold 
 with  him,  when  he  saith,  "  If  equity  of  judgment  be  required,  Jobix. 
 no  man  dare  bear  record  on  my  side  ?  If  I  will  justify 
 myself,  or  shew  myself  innocent,  mine  own  mouth  shall  con- 
 demn me  "  ? 
 
 Standish. 
 
 And  St  Peter,  2  Pet.  i.  after  he  hath  recited  certain 
 virtues,  ^c. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 St  Peter,  before  those  words,  speaking  of  the  same  virtues, 
 saith  thus  :  "If  these  things  be  present  and  plentiful  in  you, 
 they  shall  not  let  you  be  idle  nor  unfruitful  in  the  knowledge 
 of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  Let  one  place  of  scripture  now 
 open  and  expound  another. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 Furthermore,  a  strong  argument  to  prove  it  may  he  this : 
 Omnis  qui  in  Deo  manet  non  peccat.  1  John  Hi.  Sed  qui 
 manet  in  caritate  in  Deo  manet.  1  John  iv.  Ergo  qui 
 manet  in  caritate  non  peccat  &c. 
 
 CoVERDALE. 
 
 To  your  argument  I  answer :  Like  as  it  is  true,  when  the 
 scripture  saith,  "They  that  are  born  of  God  sin  not,"  (partly  uoimiii. 
 because  God  hath  covered  their  sin,  and  imputeth  it  not  unto  Rom.  iv. 
 them,  and  partly  because  they  are  at  the  stave's  end  with 
 sin,  and  dehght  not  in  it,  but  keep  themselves  from  sin,  as  p^„„^  ^,5, 
 St  John  saith  in  the  same  fifth  chapter ;)  so  is  it  true  also,  *^'''-  '■ 
 that  "if  we  say  we  have  no  sin,  we  deceive  ourselves,  and  uohni. 
 the  truth  is  not  in  us,"  as  holy  St  John  saith.     In  the  de- 
 claration of  the  which  words  St  Augustine  noteth  heresy  in 
 the  Pelagians  and  Celestines,  for  affirming,  that  the  righteous 
 have  utterly  no  sin  in  this  hfe-.     Take  you  heed  therefore, 
 that  ye   smell  not  of   the   Pelagians'*  pan ;    for  it  stinketh 
 afar  off. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 As  David,  speaking  in  the  person  of  every  good  man, 
 said  he  did,  Servavi  mandata  tua,  Domine,  Psal.  cxviii.         [psai.  cxix. 
 
 [2  August,  de  verbis  Apost.  Semi.  xxxi.  Op.  Tom.  x.  p.  SG.  M.  &c.] 
 
 25—2 
 
388 
 
 CONFUTATION  OP  STANDISH. 
 
 The  place 
 of  tlie 
 Psal.  cxix. 
 
 Psal.  cxxx. 
 
 Psal.  cxliii. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 He  saith  also  a  little  after  in  the  same  psalm  unto  God : 
 "  I  have  gone  astray,  like  a  sheep  that  is  lost ;  0  seek  thou 
 thy  servant."  The  circumstance  also  declareth,  that  it  is  not 
 only  a  psalm  of  consolation,  of  doctrine,  and  of  thanksgiving  ; 
 but  also  an  earnest  prayer  of  one  that  is  very  fervent  in  God's 
 cause,  and  in  the  defence  of  his  word :  so  that  like  as  some- 
 time he  mourneth  and  weepeth  to  see  the  acts  and  statutes  of 
 God  despised,  even  so  complaineth  he  sore  unto  God  of  them 
 that  maintain  any  doctrine  contrary  to  his  word.  Thus  in 
 respect  of  them  he  dare  boldly  say,  that  he  keepeth  God's 
 commandments,  and  no  men's  doctrines ;  for  he  abhorreth  all 
 the  false  learning  of  hypocrites.  But,  in  consideration  of  his 
 own  infirmity,  he  saith  to  God  oft-times  in  this  psalm  :  "  0  teach 
 me  thy  statutes  ;  give  me  understanding,  that  I  may  learn 
 thy  statutes ;  save  me,  help  me,  deliver  me,"  &c.  Like  as  in 
 another  psalm,  where  he  confesseth  to  have  kept  the  Avays  of 
 the  Lord,  he  saith  a  little  after  in  the  same  psalm:  "  0  my 
 God,  give  thou  light  unto  my  darkness." 
 
 Standish. 
 According  to  God's  saying  to  Jeroboam,  1  Kings  xiv. 
 
 CoVERDALE. 
 
 Though  God  covered  David's  sins,  and  imputed  them 
 not  unto  him  ;  yet  made  he  his  confession  unto  God,  while  he 
 was  in  this  body,  and  said  :  "If  you.  Lord,  wilt  straitly  mark 
 iniquities.  Lord,  who  shall  abide  it  ?  "  "  Lord,  enter  not  into 
 judgment  with  thy  servant,"  &c. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 And  also  as  it  may  he  proved  by  this,  that  God  com- 
 mandeth  us  nothing  imjMssible  for  us  to  do. 
 
 Coverdale. 
 One  false  opinion  would  ye  prove  by  another  ;  and  by  this 
 present  article,  like  as  by  the  other  afore,  ye  declare  your- 
 self to  bo  a  very  Pelagian,  and  partaker  of  their  heresy  con- 
 futed by  St  Augustine  in  the  sixteenth  chapter  of  his  book 
 De  Libero  Arbitrio^,  and  in  more  other  places. 
 
 [1  The  proper  reference  is  to  the  treatise  De  Gratia  et  Libero 
 Arbitrio.    Opera,  Tom.  vn.  p.  28.  Ed.  1541.] 
 
defence  of  barnes*'  protestation.  38? 
 
 Standish. 
 But  he  saith  not  only  Matt.  xix.  Si  vis  ad  vitam,  &:c. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 Your  argument  is  this :  God  hath  commanded  us  to  keep 
 his  law  ;  ergo,  it  is  not  impossible  for  us  so  to  do.  But  whether 
 your  consequent  will  be  allowed  in  the  chequer  or  no,  we 
 shall  see  by  our  Saviour's  own  words;  who,  when  he  hadThepiace 
 
 •^  ••!•('       1  1       Matt.  xix. 
 
 said  to  the  young  man,  "  If  thou  wilt  enter  into  life,  keep  the 
 commandments,"  and  told  his  disciples,  "how  hard  it  is  for  the 
 covetous  to  enter  into  heaven ; "  they  asked  him,  and  said, 
 "  Who  can  then  be  saved  ?  Then  answered  he  them,  saying, 
 With  men  it  is  impossible :  but  with  God  are  all  things  pos- 
 sible." Down  then  goeth  the  Pelagians'  heresy,  and  little 
 thank  are  ye  hke  to  have  for  holding  with  it. 
 
 If  ye  ask.  Why  then  doth  God  command  us  to  decline  objection. 
 from  evil,  and  to  do  good,  if  it  be  not  in  our  power  ? — to  the 
 same  objection  doth  St  Augustine  make  a  sufficient  answer  in  Answer. 
 the  second  chapter  De  Correptione  et  Gratia :  and  not  only 
 repelleth  it  by  St  Paul's  words,  saying,   "It  is  God  which  rhii. li. 
 worketh  in  you  both  the  will  and  the  deed ; "  but  also  putteth 
 us  in  mind,  that  if  we  be  the  children  of  God,  we  are  led  by 
 God"'s  Spirit  to  do  good ;  that  when  we  have  done  any  good  Rom.  viii. 
 thing,  we  may  give  thanks  to  him,  of  whom  we  are  led-,  &c." 
 And  in  another  place  :  "  Therefore  doth  he  command  certain  oe  iib.  arb. 
 
 .  1  .         cap.  xvi. 
 
 things  that  we  cannot  do  ;  because  we  might  know  what  thing 
 we  ought  to  ask  of  him^."  The  same  doctrine  teacheth  he  also 
 in  the  sixty-third  sermon  De  Tempore"^ .     This  is  confirmed 
 
 [2  Non  itaque  se  fallant,  qui  dicunt,  Ut  quid  nobis  prsedicatur,  ac 
 prrecipitur  ut  declinemus  a  male  et  faciamus  bonum,  si  hoc  nos  non 
 agimus,  sed  id  velle  et  operari  Deus  operatur  in  nobis?  sed  potius 
 intelligant,  si  filii  Dei  sint,  Spiritu  Dei  se  agi,  ut  quod  agendum  est 
 agant,  et  cum  egerint,  illi  a  quo  aguntur  gratias  agant. — August.  Do 
 Correptione  et  Gratia,  cap.  ii.  Opera,  Tom.  vii.  p.  286.  K.  L.] 
 
 [3  Compare  note  1.  Magnum  aliipiid  Pelagiani  se  scire  putant, 
 quando  dicunt,  Non  juberet  Deus,  quod  sciret  non  posse  ab  homine 
 fieri.  Quis  hoc  nesciat?  Sed  ideo  jubet  aliqua,  quse  non  possumus,  ut 
 noverimus,  quid  ab  illo  petere  debeamus. — De  Gratia  et  Libero  Arbi- 
 trio,  cap.  xvi.  Op.  Tom.  vii.  p.  284.  C] 
 
 [4  Gratise  Dei  igitur  obedientia  se  humana  non  subtrahat,  nee  ab 
 illo  bono,  sine  quo  non  potest  bona  esse,  deficiat;  aut  si  quid  sibi 
 impossibile  aut  arduum  in  mandatorum  effectibus  experitur,  non  in  se 
 rcmaneat,  sed  ad  adjuvantem  recuiTat,  qui  ideo  preeceptum  dat,  ut 
 
890  CONFUTATION    OF    STANDISH. 
 
 Rom.  vii.  by  holy  scripture:  "For  by  the  law  cometh  the  knowledge  of 
 sin.  So  that  even  they  which  arc  renewed  in  Christ,  find  by 
 the  law,  that  when  they  would  fain  do  good,  (for  therein  is 
 their  dehght,)  evil  is  present  with  them." 
 
 The  words  of  our  Saviour,  "If  ye  love  me,  keep  my  com- 
 mandments," prove  no  more  your  purpose,  than  your  wrest- 
 ing of  them  proveth  you  to  be  a  true  scholar  of  his.     For 
 
 joiinxiv.  after  those  words  he  himself  saith  thus:  "1  am  the  way, 
 the  truth,  and  life.  No  man  cometh  to  the  Father,  but  by 
 me."  Nay,  saith  your  doctrine,  we  may  come  to  God  by  oui'- 
 selves ;  he  commandeth  us  nothing  impossible  for  us  to  do. 
 Now  let  me  ask  you  this  question :  If  Christ,  when  he  said 
 these  words,  "If  ye  love  me,  keep  my  commandments," 
 did  mean,  that  it  is  not  impossible  for  us  so  to  do  ;  why  then, 
 immediately  after  the  same  words,  doth  he  promise  us  the 
 Spirit  of  comfort  ?  What  need  have  we  of  him,  if  we  be  not 
 comfortless  of  ourselves,  or  if  nothing  that  he  commanded  us 
 be  impossible  for  us  to  do  ?  What  need  have  the  whole  of  a 
 physician  ?  And  St  Augustine,  writing  against  them  that  extol 
 
 St  Augustine,  their  own  possibility,  in  the  second  sermon  De  verbis  Apos- 
 
 De  verbis  .  .  .  . 
 
 apostoii.  toli^,  saith  :  "  Let  us  be  glad  to  be  healed,  while  we  are  here  in 
 this  church.  Let  us  not  make  our  boast  of  health,  being  yet 
 sick  ;  lest  by  our  pride  we  do  nothing  else  but  make  ourselves 
 incurable." 
 
 Standish. 
 
 Which  to  the  lovers  of  them  be  but  lifjht.  Blatt.  cci. 
 1  John  v.,  and  Deut.  xxx. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 Ergo,  God  commanded  us  nothing  impossible  for  us  to 
 do?  Is  that  your  consequent?  Full  faintly  are  ye  able  to 
 prove  it  by  those  three  chapters  that  ye  do  allege.    First,  in 
 
 Matt.xh  *^^®  eleventh  of  Matthew,  doth  our  Saviour  bid  "  all  them  that 
 are  laden,  &c.  to  come  to  him."  And  yet  saith  he  in  another 
 
 John  vi.  place,  that  "  no  man  can  come  unto  him,  excej)t  his  Father 
 draw  him."    Where  is  now  our  possibihty  ? 
 
 1  John  V.  That  fifth  chapter  of  St  John's  first  Epistle  sheweth,  that 
 
 excitet  desiderium,  et  pra3stet  auxilium,  dicente  propheta,  (Psal.  Iv.) 
 Jacta  cogitatmn  tuiim  in  Domino,  et  ipse  te  enutriet. — August.  Serm.  de 
 Temp.  Lxni.  Op.  Tom.  x.  p.  158.  D.  ed.  1541.] 
 
 [1  August.  Op.  Tom.  x.  pp.  55,  6.   But  the  reference  is  erroneous.] 
 
DEFENCE    OF    EARNEs'   PROTESTATION.  S91 
 
 they  wliich  are  born  of  God,  do  overcome  the  world  by  the 
 victory  of  faitli.  Now  like  as  we  begat  not  ourselves  in  the 
 kingdom  of  God,  but  he  himself  of  his  own  good  will  begat  James  i. 
 us  with  the  word  of  life ;  so  is  it  manifest  also,  that  true  faith  Ephes.  ii. 
 is  the  only  working  of  God,  and  not  ours.  Where  is  then,  I 
 say,  our  possibility  ?  Forsooth,  even  fled  into  the  isle  of 
 weakness. 
 
 If  by  the  thirtieth  chapter  of  Deuteronomy  ye  will 
 prove,  that  God  hath  commanded  us  nothing  impossible  for  us 
 to  do,  because  Moses  saith,  "  This  precept  that  I  command  thee 
 this  day,  is  not  above  thee  nor  far  from  thee;"  &c.  then 
 must  I  require  you  to  take  the  answer  of  St  Paul,  who  saith, 
 that  it  is  the  righteousness  of  faith  which  speaketh  those  uom.  x. 
 words ;  and  that  the  word  which  Moses  there  spake  of,  is  the 
 word  of  faith,  that  Paul  himself  preached. 
 
 If  ye  think  there  to  prove  your  purpose,  because  Moses 
 layetli  before  the  people  life  and  death,  good  and  evil,  bless- 
 ing and  cursing,  and  biddcth  them  choose  hfe,  &c.;  then 
 must  I  desire  you,  not  only  to  remember  the  office  of  the  law, 
 wherefore  it  was  given,  and  whereto  it  serveth ;  but  also  to 
 consider,  that  in  the  beginning  of  the  same  thirtieth  chapter, 
 Moses  himself  saith  these  words :  "  The  Lord  thy  God  shall 
 circumcise  thme  heart,  and  the  heart  of  thy  posterity,  that 
 thou  mayest  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and 
 in  all  thy  soul,  &:c."  Whereby  it  is  evident,  that  except  God 
 circumcise  our  hearts,  we  are  not  able  to  love  him,  nor  to 
 keep  his  commandments.  So  that  these  words  of  Moses  do 
 prove  rather  impossibility  in  us.  For  "  the  circumcision  of  Rom.  a. 
 the  heart,"  saith  the  apostle,  is  the  true  circumcision,  which  is 
 done  "in  the  spirit,  and  not  in  the  letter;  whose  praise  is  not 
 of  men,  but  of  God." 
 
 All  these  three  chapters  now  prove,  that  like  as  to  be 
 saved,  to  keep   God's  commandments,   to   have   circumcised 
 hearts,  and  to  overcome  the  world  with  the  lusts  thereof,  is 
 the  only  working  of  God  in  us ;  even  so  to  them  that  love 
 God,  are  his  commandments  not  grievous ;  not  through  any  i  Joim  v. 
 possibihty  of  man,  but  partly  because  Christ  hath  taken  away  cai.  lu. 
 the  curse  of  the  law,  and  delivered  them  from  the  heavy  Matt.  xi. 
 burdens  of  their  souls,  and  partly  because  they  delight  in 
 God's   commandments,   and   esteem  his   word  sweeter   than 
 honey,  as  David  did  :   for  love  maketh  all  things  light.  rsai.  cxix. 
 
o92  confutation  of  standish. 
 
 Standish. 
 Therefore  I  conclude,  in  all  our  working  ive  do  not 
 commit  sin. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 Of  an  evil  major  and  minor  followeth  a  weak  conclusion. 
 Ye  have  wrung  and  wrested  the  scriptures  violently,  to  make 
 them  serve  for  your  purpose ;  and  now,  without  any  scrip- 
 ture, make  ye  your  conclusion,  that  in  all  your  working  ye 
 do  not  commit  sin.  To  the  probation  whereof  because  ye 
 bring  no  scripture  yourself,  I  will  help  you  with  a  text, 
 Eccies.  vii.  where  the  scripture  saith  thus  :  "  There  is  no  righteous  man 
 upon  earth,  that  doeth  good  and  sinneth  not."  If  ye  be  a 
 man,  (I  will  not  reason  much  with  you  of  righteousness,  for  I 
 am  a  sinful  man  myself,)  then  must  ye  needs  grant  this  scrip- 
 ture to  be  true.  If  ye  be  no  man,  then  am  I  sorry  that  I 
 have  disputed  with  you  so  long  :  for  angels  have  no  need  of 
 my  words ;  and  as  for  devils,  they  will  not  be  counselled. 
 Standish. 
 No,  nor  our  deeds  and  acts  which  be  good,  cannot  be 
 called  so,  S^c. 
 
 Coverdale. 
 Of  D.  Barnes'  secret  intent  and  meaning  will  not  I  pre- 
 sume to  be  judge ;  but  what  may  be  gathered  by  the  circum- 
 stance of  his  words,  I  have  reasoned  with  you  already. 
 
 Now  because  ye  cannot  prove  this  last  part  of  your  con- 
 clusion by  scripture,  namely,  that  your  good  deeds  and  acts  are 
 not  unpure  nor  unperfect  in  this  life ;  therefore  the  prophet 
 Esay,  to  recompense  you  the  wrong  that  yc  did  him  in 
 minishing  his  words  afore,  will  yet  take  the  pains  for  you  to 
 prove  your  purpose,  though  it  be  little  to  your  mind,  when  he 
 isai. ixiv.  saith:  "All  we  are  become  as  an  unclean  man,  and  all  our 
 righteousnesses  are  as  filthy  rags^"  And  the  wise  man  saith 
 rrov.  XX.  also  :  "  Who  may  say,  My  heart  is  clean,  I  am  pure  from 
 sin?" 
 
 Barnes. 
 And  with  this  he  cast  abroad  his  hands,  and  desired 
 God  to  forgive  him  liis  trespass. 
 
 Standish. 
 Extra  ecclesiam  nulla  salus,  &c. 
 
 [1  A  different  translation  is  cited  by  the  author.] 
 
DEFENCE    OF     BAKNEs'    PROTESTATION.  S9S 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 Without  the  church,  ye  say,  is  no  salvation.  Now  is  it 
 manifest  that,  beside  the  church  made  of  hme  and  stone,  there 
 is  also  a  conffrea-ation,  church,  and  multitude  of  fro  ward  and 
 wicked  doers,  which  not  only  gather  themselves  together,  like 
 roaring  lions,  fat  bulls,  wanton  calves,  and  cur  dogs,  against 
 Christ,  as  the  twenty-first  psalm  complaineth ;  but  also  make  t^'^ai.  xxu.] 
 laws,  constitutions,  statutes,  ordinances,  and  traditions  against 
 God's  Avord ;  whereby  it  cometh  to  pass,  that  though  they 
 boast  never  so  much  of  God's  service,  yet  all  is  to  them  in  |f '•  """'• 
 
 •^  ^  Matt.  XV. 
 
 vain,  as  the  prophet  and  Christ  himself  doth  testify. 
 
 Another  church  is  there,  which  is  the  holy  spouse,  con- 
 gregation, and  company  of  them  that  are  of  the  fellowship 
 and  communion  of  Christ,  and  walk  not  in  darkness,  but  in  i  Joim  •• 
 the  truth,  having  all  their  sins  cleansed  by  his  blood.      This   . 
 church  continueth  in  the  apostles'  doctrine,  runneth  not  out  from  Acts  u. 
 the  heavenly  fellowship  of  Christ  and  his  members,  distributeth 
 the  sacraments  duly  and  truly,  ceaseth  not  from  praying  and 
 well  doing,  &c.,  are  of  one  mind  and  soul,  are  glad  to  help  one  Actsiv. 
 another,  as  it  is  manifest  in  the  Acts  and  Epistles  of  the  apos- 
 tles.    The  men  of  this  church  "  pray  in  all  places,  lifting  up  i  xim.  ii. 
 pure  hands,  &c."    In  this  church  whosoever  asketli  hath,  hoMatt.  vti. 
 that  seeketh  findeth,  and  to  him  that  knocketh  doth   God 
 open.     In  this  church  is  free  pardon  and  remission  of  sins  for  Matt,  xviii. 
 all  true  penitents.    For  God  will  not  the  death  of  sinners,  but  John  xx."' 
 if  they  convert  unto  him,  they  shall  live ;  and  whoso  is  laden  E^gk.  xviii. 
 with  sin  and  cometh  unto  Christ,  findeth  rest  and  ease  in  his  johnvT.' 
 soul,  and  shall  not  be  cast  out. 
 
 Forasmuch  then  as  ye  condemn  D.  Barnes  thus  doing, 
 and  judge  him  to  be  none  of  the  church,  that  desireth  God  to 
 forgive  him  his  trespass ;  it  is  evident,  that  in  your  church 
 there  is  no  forgiveness  for  poor  sinners,  and  so  is  it  not  the 
 church  of  Christ.  Wherefore,  seeing  ye  dissent  from  Christ's 
 church,  where  the  door  is  ever  opened  to  them  that  knock, 
 your  own  sentence  condemneth  you,  that  ye  can  trust  to  have 
 no  salvation  by  God's  promise. 
 
 But,  alas  I  what  blindness  is  in  you !  Though  a  sinner 
 doth  err,  or  hath  erred  from  the  right  faith,  and  from  the 
 true  use  of  the  holy  sacraments  that  be  in  the  church  of 
 •Christ,  and  now  cometh  to  repentance,  desiring  God  to  for- 
 give him  his  trespass ;   is  not  this  a  damnable  docti'inc  to 
 
S94 
 
 CONFUTATION    OF    STANDISH. 
 
 teach,  that  he  cannot  trust  to  have  salvation  by  God's  promise  ? 
 No  ?  Hath  God  promised,  that  sinners  which  repent  shall  not 
 be  saved  ?  The  thief  that  hanged  on  the  right  hand  of  Christ, 
 hath  proved  the  contrary. 
 
 Again,  If  a  sinner  may  not  trust  to  have  salvation  by 
 God's  promise,  whereby  then  may  he  trust  to  have  it?  By 
 himself?  by  his  own  works?  or  by  your  merits?  Even  by 
 your  merits,  as  it  appeareth,  would  ye  have  him  trust  to  have 
 salvation;  for  ye  must  needs  be  full  of  merits,  that  in  all  your 
 working  commit  no  sin,  as  ye  say  yourself. 
 
 Moreover,  the  tenor  of  your  words  separateth  the  mercy 
 of  God  from  his  promise,  as  though  they  concurred  not  to- 
 gether. But  I  pray  you,  who  can  trust  to  have  salvation  by 
 God's  promise,  and  trusteth  not  in  his  mercy  ?  When  the 
 apostle  saith,  "God  gave  the  inheritance  unto  Abraham  freely 
 by  promise, "  was  it  not  done  by  his  mercy  ?  And  when  he 
 saith  in  the  same  chapter,  "Ye  are  the  heirs  of  Christ  accord- 
 ing to  the  promise,"  what  raeaneth  he  else  but  as  he  saith 
 to  Titus,  that  "the  kindness  and  love  of  our  Saviour  hath 
 appeared,  not  for  the  deeds  of  righteousness  which  we  have 
 done,  but  according  to  his  mercy  hath  he  saved  us?"  &c. 
 
 St  James'  words,  which  ye  bring  in  in  Latin,  denieth  no 
 forgiveness  to  them  that  repent:  but  like  as  he  rcbuketh  them 
 that  are  but  christian  men  in  word,  and  not  in  good  works 
 and  deeds  ;  so,  if  partiality  be  sin,  then  doth  the  circumstance 
 of  the  same  text  condemn  your  former  conclusion,  that  say 
 ye  sin  not  in  all  your  works. 
 
 Standish. 
 Look  the  reward  of  finalis  impenitentia,  ^c. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 B.  Barnes'  words  testify,  what  faith  and  repentance  he  had 
 toward  God,  and  what  heart  he  bare  toward  the  common- 
 wealth of  all  Christendom ;  and  yet  shame  ye  not  to  write, 
 that  he  died  without  repentance  and  in  errors,  because  he 
 would  not  deny  Christ,  and  revoke  his  word  with  you. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 Which  died  by  his  zuords,  without  sign  or  token  of  sal- 
 vation. 
 
DEFENCE    OF    BA.UNEs''    PROTESTATION.  395 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 Is  it  no  token  or  sign  of  salvation,  to  believe  in  the  holy 
 and  blessed  Trinity,  the  incarnation,  passion,  death,  and  resur- 
 rection of  our  Saviour,  and  to  knowledge  the  same  before 
 men  ?  Is  all  this  utterly  no  token  of  salvation  ?  Christ  and  the  Matt.  x. 
 
 «'  .  Rom.  X. 
 
 apostle  Paul  are  of  another  judgment. 
 
 Standish. 
 And  so  his  prayer  must  needs  he  void. 
 
 CoVERDALE. 
 
 D.  Barnes  cast  abroad  his  hands,  and  desired  God  for- 
 giveness ;  and  yet  dare  ye  affirm,  that  his  prayer  must  needs 
 be  void.    By  the  which  words,  like  as  ye  deny  the  article  of 
 forgiveness   mentioned  in   our   creed,   and   promised  in  the  Matt.  xvui. 
 scripture  to  every  one  that  truly  repenteth ;    so  declare  ye  John  xx. 
 evidently,  that  there  is  little  mercy  in  your  mother,  the  church 
 of  the  wicked :   for  in  Christ's  church,  if  the  son  ask  the 
 father  a  piece  of  bread,  he  will  not  give  him  a  stone,  but  good  Matt.  vii. 
 things. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 Mark  how  he  trusteth  within  an  hour,  ^c. 
 
 CoVERDALE. 
 
 Is  it  bhnd  arrogancy,  when  a  man,  refusing  all  confi- 
 dence in  his  own  works,  trusteth  to  have  eternal  life  through 
 the  mercy  of  God  ?  What  blind  arrogancy  was  in  the  apostle, 
 when  he  said :  "We  know  certainly,  that  if  our  earthy  house  ocor. v. 
 of  this  dweUing  were  destroyed,  we  have  a  building  ordained 
 of  God,  an  house  not  made  with  hands,  but  everlasting  in 
 heaven?"  Our  Saviour  also  giveth  this  comfort  to  such  as 
 believe  in  him,  that  "they  shall  not  come  to  damnation,  but  John  v. 
 pass  from  death  unto  life."  Are  ye  not  a  comfortable  physician 
 then  to  men's  consciences,  that  shame  not  to  teach  otherwise 
 than  Christ  doth  ?  But  surely  these  two  places  of  scripture 
 are  not  for  the  establishing  of  your  soul-masses  and  diriges ; 
 and  therefore  no  marvel  that  yo  teach  a  contrary  doctrine. 
 For  though  the  name  of  your  purgatory  be  out  of  some  of 
 your  books,  yet  are  not  all  purse-pickers  come  to  the  pillory. 
 
 Barnes. 
 Eor  although  perchance  you  know  nothing  by  me ; 
 
S96 
 
 CONFUTATION    OF    STANDISH. 
 
 yet  do  I  confess,  that  my  thoughts  and  cogitations  be 
 innumerable.  Wherefore,  I  beseech  thee,  enter  not  into 
 judgment  with  me,  according  to  the  saying  of  the  pro- 
 
 Psai.  cxiiii.    phet  David,  Non  intres  in  judicium  cum  servo  tuo,  Domine  ; 
 
 Psai.  cxxx.  and  in  another  place.  Si  iniquitates  ohservaveris,  Domine, 
 quis  sustinehit  ?  "  Lord,  if  thou  straitly  mark  our  iniquity, 
 Avho  is  able  to  abide  thy  judgment  ?" 
 
 Standish. 
 See,  I  pray  you,  the  devil  seduced  him  so  far,   that  he 
 woidd  not  knowledge  any  sin,  hut  only  cogitatio7is,  SfC. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 D.  Barnes  said  not,  that  he  had  no  sin ;  but  although, 
 said  he,  "perchance  you  know  nothing  by  me,  yet  I  confess, 
 that  my  thoughts  and  cogitations  are  innumei^able."  Is  this 
 as  much  to  say  as,  "I  have  no  sin,  but  only  cogitations  and 
 thoughts  ? "  Or  be  not  thoughts  and  cogitations  sins  great 
 enough  ?  Did  he  not  confess  also  with  the  prophet,  that  if 
 God  would  straitly  mark  his  iniquities,  he  were  not  able  to 
 abide  it  ?  Is  iniquity  no  sin  ?  Not  in  your  judgment,  as  it 
 appeareth :  for  ye  dare  boldly  affirm,  that  in  all  your  working 
 ye  commit  no  sin. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 See  hoiv  he  judged  other  men  j)Gi'chance  to  know  no  sin 
 in  him,  4c. 
 
 CoVERDALE. 
 
 If  it  be  an  abominable  vice  (as  it  is  no  doubt)  to  slander 
 the  scripture  or  to  belie  it ;  then  verily  are  ye  infect  with 
 abominable  vice,  that  have  misreported  it  and  belied  it  in  so 
 many  places  of  this  your  treatise.  Now  if  ye  be  of  counsel 
 with  so  many  good  men  that  knew  such  vices  in  D.  Barnes, 
 I  marvel  ye  tell  us  not  what  those  vices  are.  As  for  your 
 mother,  the  unholy  church,  he  called  her  an  harlot  many 
 times.  And  sure  I  am,  that  whoso  knoweth  her  thoroughly, 
 Ezck.  xxiii.  and  comparctli  her  Avith  her  fruits  to  Aola  and  Aoliba,  will 
 judge  her  to  be  little  better. 
 
 Standish. 
 Judge  therefore  yourselves,  what  availeth  him  these  his 
 feigned  prayers,  S^c. 
 
DEFENCE    OF    RARNEs"*    PROTESTATION.  397 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 The  prayers  that  D.  Barnes  useth  here  are  the  holy 
 words  of  God's  scripture,  and  yet  ye  call  them  feigned 
 prayers.  Now  if  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  is  the  author  of  the 
 scripture,  "doth  abhor  feignedness,"  as  the  wise  man  saith; -wisd.i. 
 then  verily  is  it  blasphemous  to  call  those  feigned  prayers, 
 that  he  only  hath  taught. 
 
 Again,  if  they  be  feigned  prayers,  why  say  ye,  that  ye 
 doubt  not  but  to  another  man,  passing  in  the  faith  of  Christ, 
 they  should  have  been  acceptable,  yea,  and  meritorious  before 
 God  ?  Can  feigned  prayers  be  acceptable  to  God  ?  Can 
 feigned  prayers  merit  or  deserve  any  thing  of  God  ?  Or  can  he 
 that  dieth  in  the  faith  of  Christ  use  feigned  prayers  at  his 
 death?  How  agreeth  feignedness  with  the  faith  of  Christ? 
 Full  feigned  and  false  is  your  doctrine.  Our  Lord  root  it 
 once  out  from  among  his  people. 
 
 Barnes. 
 Wherefore  I  trust  in  no  good  work  that  ever  I  did, 
 but  only  in  the  death  of  Jesus  Christ. 
 
 Standish. 
 To  trust  in  our  ivories,  ut  in  deum  credimus,  tliat  they  of 
 themselves,  S^c. 
 
 CoVERDALE. 
 
 What  an  unstable  doctrine  is  this  that  ye  bring  in  among 
 God's  people,  and  would  bear  them  in  hand,  that  Christ 
 allowed  your  saying  in  the  twentieth  of  Matthew!  Whereas  the 
 parable  in  the  same  chapter,  and  the  process  of  the  last  part 
 of  the  nineteenth  chapter  hard  afore  it,  do  utterly  condemn  your 
 doctrine.  Lord  God,  what  a  derogation  unto  God's  high 
 glory  is  this,  to  teach,  that  we  may  trust  in  our  Avorks,  that 
 we  may  challenge  our  inheritance  by  our  working,  that  our 
 working  may  deserve  to  receive  immortality !  Li  the  latter 
 end  of  the  nineteenth  chapter  of  Matthew  doth  our  Lord  affirm.  Matt.  xix. 
 that  to  be  saved  is  a  thing  impossible  through  the  power  of 
 men.  And  in  this  twentieth  chapter  doth  his  parable  testify, 
 that  like  as  we  are  first  called  by  him,  receive  his  promise,  and 
 are  set  a-work  by  his  commandment ;  so  is  not  the  reward 
 given  for  any  deserving  or  pains  taking,  but  according  to  his 
 own  promise. 
 
398  CONFUTATION    OF    STANBISH. 
 
 First,  where  find  ye  in  any  article  of  the  christian  faith, 
 contained  within  the  holy  Bible,  either  commandment  or 
 promise  of  God,  or  example  of  any  good  man,  that  we  may 
 put  any  manner  of  trust  in  our  works  ?  Again,  if  our  inherit- 
 ance come  by  the  death  of  Christ  and  his  promise,  how  com- 
 eth  it  by  our  working  ?  Is  our  working  the  death  of 
 Divemty.  Clirist,  or  liis  promise  ?  Now  if  our  working  may  deserve  the 
 inheritance  of  immortality,  then  may  we  make  satisfaction 
 unto  God  for  our  offence ;  and  that  ye  have  denied  afore. 
 Oh,  how  well  agree  ye  with  yourself! 
 
 Standish. 
 
 And  this  caused  Paid  boldly  to  say,  2  Timo.  iv.  Bonum 
 certamen  certavi,  &c. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 When  that  holy  vessel  of  God,  St  Paul,  had  exhorted 
 Timothy  to  the  fervent  executing  of  his  duty  in  preaching 
 God's  word,  and  had  told  him  before  of  this  present  perilous 
 time,  that  men  will  not  suffer  wholesome  doctrine,  &c ;    he 
 
 The  place      showod  him  of  his  own  death,  saying:  "  For  I  am  now  ready 
 
 2  Tim.  IV.  ^^  j^g  offered,  and  the  time  of  my  departing  is  at  hand.  I 
 have  fought  a  good  fight,  I  have  fulfilled  the  course,  I  have 
 kept  the  faith.  From  henceforth  there  is  laid  up  for  me  a 
 crown  of  righteousness,  which  the  Lord,  the  righteous  judge, 
 shall  give  me  in  that  day ;  not  only  unto  me,  but  to  all  them 
 that  love  his  coming." 
 
 What  caused  Paul  now  to  say  these  words?  Any  trust  or 
 confidence  in  his  own  deserving  or  works  ?  Nay,  verily.  He 
 confesseth,  not  only  that  the  crown  of  righteousness  is  laid  up 
 for  him,  but  also  that  God  shall  give  it  him :  neither  saith 
 he  here,  that  it  shall  be  given  him  for  his  working  sake;  for 
 then  were  he  contrary  to   his  own  doctrine,   which  utterly 
 
 St  Paul  con-  condomneth  yours,  Roma,  iii.;  Ephe.  ii.;  Philip,  iii,;  2  Tim.  i,; 
 
 standish's      lit.  111,    JNote  well  the  places  yourself. 
 
 doctrine. 
 
 Standish. 
 Albeit  I  fear  me  these  his  words,  ^c. 
 
 CoVERDALE. 
 
 If  Avhen  he  did  any  good  work,  he  caused  no  trumpets  to 
 
DEFENCE    OF    BARNES^    PROTESTATION.  399 
 
 be  blown  before  him,  nor  mumbled  up  long  prayers  in  the 
 corners  of  streets,  nor  disfigured  his  face  to  be  seen  of  men, 
 when  he  fasted ;  then  was  there  the  less  hypocrisy  in  him. 
 It  is  a  proverb  as  true  as  old:  'A  still  Paternoster  is  as  good 
 as  a  loud.' 
 
 Barnes. 
 
 I  do  not  doubt  but  thorough  him  to  inherit  the  king- 
 dom of  heaven. 
 
 Standish, 
 
 /  beseech  God,  this  false  and  erroneous  belief,  contrary 
 almost  in  every  sentence  to  our  mother,  the  holy  church,  ^c. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 Full  unholy  and  ungracious  is  your  mother,  and  ye  as 
 unwise  to  take  her  part,  that  calleth  it  a  false  and  erroneous 
 belief,  when  a  man  doubtoth  not  but  to  inherit  the  kingdom  of 
 heaven  through  Christ.  If  that  belief  be  contrary  to  your 
 mother,  then  is  she  contrary  to  it;  and  so  is  she  the  syna- 
 gogue of  Antichrist.  Ye  are  afraid,  that  the  innocent  lambs  of 
 Christ  should  hearken  to  his  voice,  and  not  to  yours  :  but  set 
 your  heart  at  rest,  for  they  will  not  hearken  to  the  voice  of  John  x. 
 strangers. 
 
 Standish. 
 Who   doth    believe    by   any  other    means    contrary  to 
 CJirist,  ^c. 
 
 CoVERDALE. 
 
 Yes,  forsooth,  even  you,  if  ye  beheve  as  ye  write.    For 
 the  same  pre-eminence,  that  is  due  to  the  death  of  Christ  and  standish-s 
 
 •T         _  '  ^  _  _  words  rebulce 
 
 his  promise,  give  ye  to  your  working  in  the  vineyard ;  yea,  '"mseif. 
 ye  put  confidence,  that  your  working  shall  deserve  immor- 
 tality :  remember  your  own  words  well. 
 
 Standish. 
 But  ivhat  Christian  doth  cast  off  and  forsake  all  duties 
 to  our  part  belonging,  and  so  temerously,  8fC. 
 
 CoVERDALE. 
 
 One  duty,  that  belongeth  to  your  part,  is  the  sincere  and 
 true  teaching  of  God's  holy  word :  which  duty  though  ye 
 cast  off  and  forsake,  I  will  not  say  all  that  I  might,  by  your 
 own  words ;  but  God  amend  it  that  is  amiss !  Again,  this 
 Protestation  of  D.  Barnes  testifieth,  that  he  doth  not  cast  off  castingaway 
 and  forsake  all  duties  to  a  christian  man  belono-ino-.    For  he  duties. 
 
400  CONFUTATION    OF    STANDISH. 
 
 believeth  in  the  holy  Trinity,  he  extolleth  the  merits  of 
 Christ,  he  praiseth  our  lady,  he  abhorreth  the  Anabaptists' 
 heresy,  he  prayeth  for  the  king's  highness,  he  exhorteth 
 men  to  good  works,  he  beseecheth  God  to  forgive  him  his 
 trespass.  Be  these  no  duties  of  christian  men  ?  What  hath 
 moved  you  then  thus  untruly  to  report  of  him  ? 
 
 Whereas  ye  lay  presumption  to  his  charge,  for  trusting 
 to  inherit  the  kingdom  of  heaven  through  Christ;  I  have 
 answered  you  afore,  where  ye  imputed  like  arrogancy  unto 
 him  for  so  doing. 
 
 Standish. 
 Which  go  about,  being  blind  themselves,  ^c. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 Those  heretics,  of  whom  Christ  biddeth  us  beware,  are 
 false  prophets,  which  come  in  sheep's  clothing,  but  inward 
 are  ravening  wolves.  "  Ye  shall  know  them,"  saith  he,  "  by 
 their  fruits."  Now  in  describing  unto  us  their  fruits,  he 
 sheweth  us,  that  they  are  such  as  boast  of  their  works,  and 
 say,  Have  not  we  done  this  ?  Have  not  we  done  that  ? 
 Other  blindness  speaketh  he  not  of  in  that  chapter.  In  the 
 fifteenth  chapter  calleth  he  those  blind  leaders  of  the  blind, 
 which,  through  their  own  traditions,  make  the  commandment 
 of  God  to  take  none  eifect. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 And  Paid  speaketh  of  them,  prima  Timo.  iv.  ^c. 
 
 CoVERDALE. 
 
 The  heretics  whom  St  Paul  prophesieth  of,  1  Timo.  iv., 
 are  such  as,  through  their  devilish  doctrines,  forbid  men  to 
 live  in  holy  wedlock,  and  command  them  to  abstain  from  the 
 meats,  which  God  hath  created  to  be  received  of  christian 
 men  with  thanksgiving. 
 
 The  heretics  of  whom  he  speaketh,  2  Tim.  iii.,  are  such  as, 
 among  all  other  vices,  are  "  covetous,  boasters,  proud,  cursed 
 speakers,  &c.,  false  accusers,  riotous,  fierce,  despisers  of  them 
 that  are  good,  traitors,  &c.  having  a  shine  of  godly  hving, 
 but  denying  the  power  thereof,  resist  the  truth,  being  men  of 
 corrupt  minds,  and  lewd  in  things  pertaining  to  the  faith,"  &c. 
 
 The  heretics  that  he  speaketh  of  in  the  twentieth  of  the 
 Acts,  are  such  grievous  wolves,  as  spare  not  Christ's  flock, 
 and  speak  perverse  doctrine  to  draw  disciples  after  them. 
 
DEFENCE    OP    BARNEs'    PROTESTATION.  401 
 
 The  heretics,  whom  St  Peter  speaketh  of,  are  such  mockers  2  Pet.  in. 
 as  regard  not  God's  promise,  and  are  not  only  unlearned,  but 
 also   unstable,  and  pervert  Paul's   epistles,  as  they  do   the 
 other  scriptures  also,  to  their  own  damnation. 
 
 The  heretics,  whom  St  Jude  speaketh  of,  are  such  as,  jude. 
 among  other  errors,  are  "  craftily  crept  into  the  church,  and 
 turn  the  grace  of  our  God  into  wantonness,  and  deny  God  the 
 only  Lord,  and  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  even  such  dreamers 
 as  defile  the  flesh,  despise  rulers,  &c.,  speak  evil  of  the  things 
 that  they  know  not,  and  in  such  things  as  they  know  to  be 
 natural  do  corrupt  themselves  as  beasts,  following  the  way 
 of  Cain,  the  error  of  Balaam  for  lucre's  sake,  and  the  treason 
 of  Core,  feeding  themselves,  making  feasts  of  other  men's 
 kindness,  and  having  men  in  great  reverence  because  of 
 advantage,"  &c. 
 
 Have  ye  not  now  well  described  the  papistry  and  the 
 unholy  pillars  of  your  unholy  mother,  the  church  of  the 
 wicked  ?  If  ye  had  joined  the  second  chapter  of  St  Peter's 
 second  epistle  and  the  twenty-tliird  of  Matthew  to  these 
 places  that  ye  have  here  alleged,  ye  had  done  us  the  more 
 pleasure.  But  we  thank  you  for  pointing  us  to  those  scrip- 
 tures ;  we  know  you  now  better  than  we  did  afore. 
 
 Now  to  Hieremy  the  prophet.    Like  as  in  the  nineteenth  jer.  xix. 
 chapter  God  threateneth  destruction  to  Hierusalem  and  Tophet, 
 for  shedding  of  innocent  blood,  and  for  their  idolatry ;  so  in 
 the  twenty -third  chapter  threateneth  he  sore  punishment  to  Jer.  xxiii. 
 those  prophets  or  preachers,  that  speak  of  their  own  heads, 
 and  not   out  of   God's  word.     And  in  the   twenty-seventh  jer.  xxvii. 
 chapter  he  counselleth  king  Sedechias  and  his  people,  to  give 
 no  credence  unto  those  prophets  that  speak  fair  words  unto 
 them,  and  would  make  them  believe  that  there  should  come 
 no  such  plague  as  God  had  threatened. 
 
 As  for  the  thirteenth  chapter  of  Ezechiel,  which  ye  allege,  Ezek.  xiii. 
 I  will  heartily  desire  all  christian  readers,  not  only  to  com- 
 pare it  to  the  twenty-third  of  Hieremy ;  but  also  with  due 
 reverence  (for  so  must  God's  word  be  entreated)  to  weigh  and 
 ponder  well  every  sentence  thereof.  And  so  doing,  I  doubt  not 
 but  the  Holy  Ghost  shall  minister  such  bright  spectacles  to 
 their  sight,  that  they  shall  clearly  discern  and  see,  who  be 
 schismatics,  who  be  false  prophets,  and  who  be  true.  For  I 
 can  wish  no  man  so  good  a  glass  to  look  in,  as  the  scripture, 
 
 LCOVERDALE,  II.J 
 
402  confutation  op  standisii. 
 
 Barnes. 
 Take  me  not  here,  that  I  speak  against  good  works. 
 For  they  are  to  be  done :  and  surely  they  that  do  them 
 not,  shall  never  come  to  the  kingdom  of  God.  We  must 
 do  them,  because  they  are  commanded  us  of  God,  to 
 shew  and  set  forth  our  profession,  not  to  deserve  or 
 merit ;  for  that  is  only  the  death  of  Christ. 
 
 Standish. 
 It  is  commonly  said,  No  venom  or  poison  is  worse,  ^c. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 D.  Bames  Dotli  Hot  ho  Set  forth  good  works,  that  praiseth  them, 
 
 set  forth  . 
 
 good  works,  tcacheth  men  to  do  them,  and  threateneth  damnation  to  them 
 that  do  them  not  ?  Here  ye  cannot  deny,  by  your  own  con- 
 fession, but  that  he  praiseth  good  works ;  and  yet  ye  have 
 reported  of  him,  that  he  cast  off  and  forsook  all  duties  to  our 
 part  belonging.     Is  it  not  our  duty  to  praise  good  works  ? 
 
 Standish. 
 But  mark,  it  is  7iaught  that  he  speaketh  afterward,  ^c. 
 
 CoVERDALE. 
 
 Is  it  naught  and  erroneous  to  say,  that  we  must  do  good 
 works,  because  God  hath  commanded  them?     The  wise  man 
 
 Eccies. xxix.  saith :  "Take  the  poor  imto  thee  for  the  commandment's 
 sake,"  &c.  Is  it  not  God's  commandment  to  do  good  unto 
 the  poor  ? 
 
 Moreover,  where  find  you  in  all  holy  scripture,  that  God 
 hath  commanded  us  to  do  good  works,  to  the  intent  that  we 
 should  merit  or  deserve,  and  not  to  shew  and  set  forth  our 
 
 Matt.  V.  profession  ?  Must  we  not  "  let  our  light  so  shine  before  men, 
 that  they  may  see  our  good  works,  and  glorify  our  Father 
 
 joh.xv.       which  is  in  heaven?"     Hath  not  our  Saviour  "chosen  and 
 
 Rom. vi.  ordained  us  to  go  and  bring  forth  fruit?"  &c.  Were  we  not 
 made  heirs  of  salvation  and  baptized,  to  the  intent  that  we 
 should  now  walk  in  a  new  life  ?  Are  we  not  dead  from  the 
 curse  of  the  law,  and  married  unto  Christ,  to  the  intent  that 
 wo  should  now  bring  forth  fruit  unto  God  ?     Plath  not  God 
 
 Eph.  ii.  ordained  us  to  walk  in  good  works  ?  Are  we  not  "  chosen  of 
 God  to  shew  now  his  wonderful  works,  which  hath  called  us 
 out  of  darkness  into  his  marvellous  light  ? "     Must  we  not 
 
DEFENCE    OF    BARNES^    PROTESTATION.  403 
 
 "lead  an  honest  conversation  in  the  world,  that  they  -which  i Pet. ii. 
 backbite  us  as   evil  doers,   may  see  our  good  works,   and 
 praise  God?" 
 
 Now  to  do  good  deeds,  to  bring  forth  good  fruits,  to 
 walk  in  a  new  life,  to  shew  God's  wonderful  works,  to  lead 
 an  honest  conversation  in  the  world,  what  is  it  else,  but  to 
 shew  and  set  forth  our  profession,  the  life  that  we  have  pro- 
 mised and  taken  us  to  at  the  font-stone,  even  the  holy  cove- 
 nant and  appointment,  that  we  have  made  with  the  eternal 
 God  ?  Do  ye  not  consider  also,  that  the  scripture,  appointing  i  Pet.  lii. 
 ,  married  women  their  estate  and  duty,  willeth  them  to  be  of 
 so  honest  conversation,  that  even  they  which  as  yet  will  not 
 behove  God's  word,  may,  without  the  word,  be  won  by  their 
 godly  living  ?  And  not  only  this,  but  so  to  array  themselves 
 in  comely  apparel  with  shamefacedness  and  discreet  behaviour, 
 without  excess,  as  it  becometh  women  that  profess  godliness 
 thorough  good  works?  What  can  be  more  plainly  spoken 
 than  this  ?  How  earnest  is  the  scripture  likewise  in  moving 
 and  commanding  us  especially,  that  take  in  hand  to  instruct  i  Pet.  v. 
 and  teach  other,  above  all  things  to  "  shew  example  of  good  Tit.  a. 
 works  in  the  doctrine  of  God,  &c, ;  that  such  as  resist  his 
 truth  may  be  ashamed  of  their  part,  having  nothing  in  us  to 
 report  amiss !"  And  immediately  after  in  the  same  chapter, 
 how  diligent  is  the  apostle  in  requiring  Titus  to  exhort 
 servants  to  the  doing  of  their  duty  to  their  masters,  and  to 
 shew  all  faithfulness  ?  But  for  what  intent  ?  To  merit  or 
 deserve  immortality  ?  Nay,  to  the  intent  that  in  all  things 
 they  may  "  do  worship  to  the  doctrine  of  God  our  Saviour, 
 that  the  name  of  God  and  his  doctrine  be  not  evil  spoken  of." 
 Thus  would  he  have  Timothy  also  to  teach  and  exhort ;  and 
 then  saith  he  these  words :  "  If  any  man  teach  otherwise,  i  Tim.  vi. 
 and  agreeth  not  unto  the  wholesome  words  of  our  Lord 
 Jesus  Christ,  and  the  doctrine  of  godliness,  he  is  puffed  up, 
 and  knoweth  nothing,"  &c. 
 
 Kead  ye  the  text  forth,  and  remember  yourself  well ;  con- 
 sider in  what  case  ye  are,  and  how  wide  your  doctrine  dis- 
 agreeth  from  the  wholesome  word  of  God.  If  I  should  say, 
 ye  were  puffed  up,  ignorant,  a  waste  brain,  &c.  of  a  corrupt 
 mind,  or  robbed  of  the  truth,  ye  would  haply  be  angry. 
 Yet  be  content  to  let  Paul  speak  to  you ;  for  though  he  rail 
 not,  yet  shall  ye  not  find  him  a  flatterer. 
 
 2G — 2 
 
404<  confutation  of  standish. 
 
 Standish. 
 Which  thing  being  true,  as  the  church  confesseth,  S^c. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 The  church  of  the  wicked  granteth  many  more  things, 
 than  it  shall  ever  be  able  to  prove,  except  it  be  vrith  violence 
 and  shedding  of  innocent  blood ;  which  is  in  very  deed  a 
 fierce,  sore,  and  strong  way  of  probation.  Neither  be  they 
 heretics,  that  deny  this  your  doctrine ;  for  I  have  proved 
 unto  you  by  open  scriptures,  that  your  doctrine  is  false. 
 
 Standish. 
 Be  not  our  oiun  good  works  meritorious  to  ourselves  ? 
 
 CoVERDALE. 
 
 isai.  ixiv.  Yes,  pardie';  for  the  prophet  saith,  "All  our  righteous- 
 
 nesses are  as  filthy  rags^" 
 
 Standish. 
 Whether  shall  we  rather  believe  St  Hierome,  SfC. 
 
 CoVERDALE. 
 
 1  John  V.  "  If  we  receive  the  witness  of  men,  the  witness  of  God  is 
 
 greater :  for  this  is  the  witness  of  God,  which  he  hath  tes- 
 tified of  his  Son,  &c. ;  even  that  God  hath  given  us  ever- 
 lasting life,  and  this  life  is  in  his  Son."  St  Augustine  saith 
 also :  "  All  my  hope  is  in  the  death  of  my  Lord ;  his  death 
 is  my  merit,  my  refuge,  my  salvation,  my  Hfe,  and  my  re- 
 surrection^." 
 
 Standish. 
 Which  for  their  detestable  opinions  deserved  justly  to 
 be  burnt  as  heretics. 
 
 CoVERDALE. 
 
 If  they  were  not  burnt  heretics  in  deed,  no  force. 
 And  if  they  were  just  deservers,  it  is  a  token  that  they 
 
 [1  pai'die:  verily.] 
 
 [2  The  author  here  follows  a  different  translation  of  the  original.] 
 [3  This  passage  is  found  in  August.  Manual,  c.  xxii.  Tota  spes 
 mea  est  in  morte  Domini  mei.  Mors  ejus  meritum  meum,  refugium 
 meum,  salus,  vita,  et  resuiTectio  mea. — Opera,  Tom.  ix.  p.  174.  E. 
 Edit.  1541.  But  the  Benedictine  editors  do  not  allow  this  to  be  a 
 genuine  work  of  Augustine,  and  with  them  Cave  agrees.  See  Hist. 
 Lit.  Vol.  I.  p.  249.  Edit.  1688.] 
 
DEFENCE    OF    BARNEs'     PROTESTATION.  405 
 
 meddled  the  more  with  righteousness ;  for  no  man  can  justly 
 err,  nor  justly  commit  treason. 
 
 Standish. 
 What  a  detestable  heresy  is  it  to  say,  the  cause  that  we 
 be  comrnanded  to  do  good  works,   is  to  set  forth  our  i^ro- 
 fession  I 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 Is  not  our  profession  the  promise  and  covenant  that  we 
 have  made  with  God,  to  seek  his  glory  and  our  neighbour's 
 profit,  even  to  love  him  with  all  our  heart,  with  all  our  souls, 
 and  with  all  our  strength,  and  our  neighbour  as  ourselves ; 
 in  the  which  two  points  hangeth  all  the  law  and  the  prophets? 
 Are  not  we  bound  then,  by  God's  commandment,  to  set  forth 
 the  glory  of  God,  our  neighbour's  profit,  and  love  to  them 
 both  ?  Eemember,  what  places  of  scripture  I  have  pointed 
 you  to  afore  concerning  this  matter. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 Before  whom  should  we  set  it  forth  ?  before  God  ?  He 
 knoweth  our  profession  before. 
 
 CoVERDALE. 
 
 What  then  ?     Study  alway  to  have  a  clear  conscience  Acts  xxiv. 
 toward  God  and  men,  after  the  apostle's  ensample. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 Before  man  ?  So  ive  may  have  good  ivorks,  as  the 
 Pharisees  had,  ^c. 
 
 CoVERDALE. 
 
 Though  Pharisees  do  their  works  to  be  seen  of  men,  will  Matt.  vi. 
 you  therefore,  being  a  preacher,  not  give  good  ensample  to 
 other,  nor  let  your  hght   so   shine   before   men,  that  they  i  ret.  v. 
 seeing   your  good  works,   may  give  the  glory  unto   God? 
 What  ?  are  ye  so  far  from  the  knowledge  of  this  gear,  and  Matt.  v. 
 yet  a  preacher,  a  reader,  and  a  post  of  the  church  ?     Who 
 would  think,  that  you  (which  are  so  well  acquainted  with 
 him    that   can    compare   the   dear    blood   of   Christ  to   the 
 stinking  blood  of  a  swine)  should  be  so  far  from  the  under- 
 standing  of   such    things  ?     0    wicked   hogs,  whom   Satan 
 hath  possessed  of  that  sort !     Is  the  worthy  price  of  our  re- 
 demption come  to  that  worship  among   you?     No   marvel 
 
40G 
 
 CONFUTATION    OF    STANDISH. 
 
 that  ye  are  so  blinded  in  your  understanding ;  for  there  was 
 never  enemy  of  Christ's  blood,  that  had  yet  any  clear  judg- 
 ment in  his  word,  till  he  earnestly  repented,  and  gave  him- 
 self wholly  to  the  study  and  life  that  it  teacheth. 
 
 Barnes. 
 I  believe  that  there  is  a  holy  church,  and  a  company 
 of  all  them  that  do  profess  Christ. 
 
 Standish. 
 Albeit  that  every  true  Christian  ought  thus  to  believe,  ^c. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 Ye  say  that  every  true  Christian  ought  thus  to  behove ; 
 and  yet  ye  call  the  same  behef  erroneous  and  damnable.  Is 
 the  christian  behef  erroneous  and  damnable?  Or  is  it  er- 
 roneous and  damnable  to  behove  as  every  christian  man  ought 
 Diversity,  to  belicvo  ?  Tlius  are  ye  not  only  contrary  to  yourself,  but 
 judge  christian  men  also  to  be  heretics. 
 
 Standish. 
 For  you  judge,  as  appeareth  by  your  preaching,  ^c. 
 
 Coverdale. 
 D.  Barnes'  words  are  plain  enough.  He  goeth  no  further 
 than  the  article  of  your  creed,  if  ye  be  a  christian  man. 
 What  will  ye  more?  Do  these  his  words  judge  any  good 
 man  to  be  none  of  Christ's  church  ?  Or  be  they  good  men, 
 that  profess  not  Christ  ? 
 
 Standish. 
 For  it  cannot  be,  but  either  your  sect  or  the  other  be  the 
 malignant  church. 
 
 Coverdale. 
 To  make  up  But  SO  it  is,  that  yc,  which  are  of  another  sect,  blaspheme 
 
 ment.  Clmst's  blood.     Ergo,  ye  are  of  the  mahgnant  church. 
 
 Standish. 
 Tivo  contraries  cannot  stand  both  in  one. 
 
 Coverdale. 
 
 It  is  not  reason  that  they  should,  and  yet  can  ye  bring 
 it  so  to  pass ;  for  ye  can  prettily  ^  well  grant  to  a  thing  in 
 \}  prately,  old  edition.] 
 
DEFENCE    OP    BARNEs"*    PROTESTATION.  407 
 
 one  place,  and  deny  the  same  in  another,  as  I  told  you  oft 
 afore. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 Hinc  Jacohi  Hi.  Nunquid  fons  de  eodem  foramine,  &c. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 It  followeth  a  little  after,  even  in  the  same  place:  "If  James m. 
 any  man  be  wise  and  endowed  with  learning  among  you,  let 
 him  shew  the  works  of  his  good  conversation,  in  the  meekness 
 that  is  coupled  Avith  fear."  Wliich  text  doth  utterly  confute 
 your  former  doctrine,  that  will  not  have  us  do  good  works, 
 to  set  forth  our  profession. 
 
 Standish. 
 Unde  2  Cor.  vi.  Quae  societas  luci  ad  tencbras,  &c. 
 
 Coverdale. 
 It  followeth  immediately  in  the  text:  "What  part  hathscor. vi. 
 the  believer  with  the  infidel  ?  How  accordeth  the  temple  of 
 God  with  images  ?"  Now  might  I  ask  this  question  also  of 
 you :  How  do  these  places  of  scripture,  that  ye  have  now 
 alleged,  agree  to  the  confutation  of  D.  Barnes'  words,  which 
 saith,  "  I  do  beheve  that  there  is  a  holy  church,  and  a  com- 
 pany of  all  them  that  do  profess  Christ  ?" 
 
 Standish. 
 Wliereby  ye  prove  yourself  both  an  heretic  and  a  traitor. 
 
 CoVERDALE. 
 
 Do  ye  lay  heresy  and  treason  to  him,  for  behoving  that 
 there  is  a  holy  church,  and  a  company  of  all  them  that  do 
 profess  Christ  ?  Sayeth  he  here  any  tiling  else  ?  And  do  ye 
 not  confess  yourself,  that  every  cliristian  man  must  thus 
 believe,  if  he  will  be  saved  ? 
 
 Standish. 
 
 Making  by  your  devilish  doctrine  not  only  us  to  be  the 
 malignant  church. 
 
 Coverdale. 
 
 To  beheve  that  article  of  the  Creed,  which  D.  Barnes 
 here  afiirmeth,  is  no  doctrine  to  make  you  of  the  mahgnant 
 
408  CONFUTATION    OF    STANDISH. 
 
 church ;  but  your  blasphemmg  of  Christ"'s  dear  blood,  your 
 defacing  of  his  glory,  your  wresting,  perverting,  and  bely- 
 ing of  his  holy  word,  and  disagreeing  from  the  wholesome 
 doctrine  thereof,  maketh  you  ye  may  know  what,  by  St  Paul's 
 words,  1  Tim.  vi. 
 
 Ye  play  here  with  D.  Barnes,  though  he  be  dead  from 
 this  body,  as  the  false  prophet  Sedechias  did  with  Michee ; 
 who,  when  he  had  exhorted  the  king  not  to  break  God's 
 commandment,  this  Sedechias  stept  forth,  among  four  hun- 
 dred of  his  sect,  and  smote  Michee  upon  the  cheek,  and  said : 
 x^ia.°""  "  What,  hath  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  forsaken  me,  and  spoken 
 unto  thee?"  Even  thus  do  ye  with  the  dead;  whom  though 
 ye  may  not  hurt  with  your  fist,  yet  do  ye  your  worst  with 
 your  tongue  against  him.  Notwithstanding  ye  shall  be  of 
 the  malignant  church  still,  for  all  your  facing  and  bragging, 
 (yea,  though  ye  had  ten  thousand  times  four  hundred  false 
 prophets  of  your  side,)  so  long  as  ye  resist  the  manifest 
 truth  of  God. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 But  also  our  head,  the  king's  graces  majesty,  and  his 
 honourable  council. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 I  dare  say,  that  the  king's  highness  and  his  honourable 
 council  doth  judge  no  malignity  to  be  imputed  unto  them, 
 when  any  subject  believeth  that  there  is  a  holy  church ;  for 
 they  know,  that  it  is  an  article  necessary  to  be  behoved  of 
 all  christian  men.  Wherefore  this  cavillation  declareth  you 
 A  pick-  plainly  to  be  but  a  pick-thank  in  this  behalf.  AVell,  yet 
 remember  the  end  of  Sedechias :  the  story  is  written  for 
 your  warning.  And  verily,  like  as  mine  humble  expectation 
 in  the  king's  highness  doth  persuade  me,  so  heard  I  a  very 
 famous  and  prudent  councillor  of  his,  who  yet  is  alive,  say 
 within  these  few  years,  that  of  all  princes  living  his  grace  is  the 
 greatest  enemy  to  flatterers,  when  he  once  hath  thoroughly 
 spied  them. 
 
 The  king  also  hath  received  his  high  and  supreme  ofiice 
 of  God,  to  defend  the  word,  the  faith,  the  congregation  and 
 church  of  God  withm  his  dominion,  and  is  no  maintainor  of 
 any  such  malignant  church.  If  your  doctrine  come  to  light, 
 it  will  doubtless  declare  the  same. 
 
 thank. 
 
defence  of  barnes"*  protestation.  409 
 
 Standish. 
 By  whose   laws  you  he  noiv  justly   condemned  to   be 
 burnt. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 By  what  law  he  was  condemned,  I  wot  not,   no  more 
 than  I  can  tell  what  point  of  treason  was  laid  unto  him. 
 But  sure  I  am,  that  hke  as  the  civil  laws  of  every  realm 
 (except  the  prince  grant  his  pardon)  condemn  such  as  are 
 accused  by  the  mouths  of  many  witnesses ;  so  do  false  wit- 
 nesses oft-times  bring  to  death  even  innocent  persons,  as  ye 
 see  by  the  story  of  Naboth,  of  Susanna,  of  holy  St  Steven  Jj^j"!?;?"'- 
 in  the  Acts,  and  of  our  Saviour  Christ ;  yea,  clean  contrary  ^P°^^] 
 to  the  judge's  mind.     Nevertheless,  though  Cain  slay  Abel  ^*"-  ^^""' 
 in  the  bushes,  yet  will  murder  come  out  at  the  last. 
 
 Standish. 
 But  now  to  speak  of  this  part  of  your  belief,  ^c. 
 
 CoVERDALE. 
 
 What  is  the  holy  church  and  company  of  them  that 
 profess  Christ,  but  that  true  and  faithful  church,  which  is 
 ruled  by  the  Holy  Ghost  according  to  God's  promise ;  even 
 the  congregation  of  the  elect  and  chosen  children  of  God? 
 What  else  can  ye  justly  gather  of  D.  Barnes'  words,  but  he 
 confesseth  the  same,  when  he  sayeth,  "  I  believe  that  there 
 is  a  holy  church,"  &c.  ? 
 
 StAjSTDISH. 
 
 For  this  is  the  company,  that  profess  Christ  with  their 
 mouth,  Ssc. 
 
 CoVERDALE. 
 
 So  they  do  also  with  other  good  fruits,  as  well  as  with 
 their  mouth.  Now,  if  this  company  of  Christ's  church  do 
 profess  Christ  with  their  mouth,  then  have  they  some  in- 
 junction of  God  so  to  do ;  for  without  his  commandment 
 will  they  do  notliing,  nor  consent  to  that  which  they  know 
 not  to  be  his  will.     And  thus  have  ye  proved  yourself  at  Profession 
 
 J        i-  fi  set  forth 
 
 the  last,  that  it  is  not  erroneous  to  say,  how  that  God  hath  ,^j;|,*  ^''^ 
 commanded  us  to  do  good  works  for  the  setting  forth  of  our 
 profession.      Had  it  not   been  more  worship  to  you,  for  to 
 have  granted  the  same  at  the  first,  than  now  with  shame  to 
 affirm  it  that  ye  denied  afore  ? 
 
410  confutation  of  standish. 
 
 Barnes. 
 And  that  all  that  have  suffered  and  confessed  his 
 name  be  saints,  and  that  all  they  do  praise  and  laud 
 God  in  heaven,  more  than  I  or  any  man's  tongue  can 
 express. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 As  you  do  take  it,  this  is  also  erroneous,  ^c. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 Whatsoever  the  cause  were  that  he  was  put  to  death  for, 
 (whereof  I  am  ignorant,)  it  is  no  evil  token  of  a  christian 
 man  at  the  very  point  of  his  death,  among  other  articles  of 
 the  Creed,  to  confess,  that  such  a  holy  church  there  is,  which 
 professeth  the  name  of  Christ,  and  is  content  to  laud  and 
 praise  it,  and  to  hve  and  die  in  his  cause ;  neither  is  it 
 erroneous  thus  to  say.  Of  arrogancy  that  ye  lay  to  D.  Barnes' 
 charge,  I  have  talked  with  you  afore. 
 
 Touchmg  martyrs,  like  as  we  have  cause  sufficient  to 
 praise  God  daily  for  his  word  muiistered  unto  us  by  those 
 martyrs  that  ye  here  have  named,  and  for  all  such  as  be 
 true  followers  of  them;  so  have  we  no  little  occasion  to 
 lament  and  be  sorry,  that  any  man  betaking  himself  to  god- 
 hness,  and  making  a  covenant  with  God  to  live  unfeignedly 
 after  his  word,  should  not  profess  the  same  in  true  fidelity 
 Godwarneth  and  ffood  works.      Our  Lord  be  praised  yet,  which  throuo-h 
 
 by  other  ®  ■'•.«''  " 
 
 men's  fall,  tlio  fall  of  Other  men  hath  warned  us  to  beware  of  unthank- 
 fulness!  For  when  they  who  pretend  to  be  setters  up  of 
 godhness,  are  either  hypocrites  to  God,  untrue  m  the  affairs 
 of  their  prince,  maintainors  of  pride,  of  idleness,  of  swearing, 
 of  excess,  and  of  advoutry  in  themselves  or  in  their  house- 
 hold servants,  God's  good  word  must  wear  the  paper,  and 
 be  jack-out-of-service  from  other  men.  Now  God  shew  the 
 right. 
 
 Barnes, 
 
 And  that  always  I  have  spoken  reverently  of  saints, 
 and  praised  them,  as  much  as  scripture  mlled  me  to  do. 
 
 Standish. 
 Here  he  plainly  sheweth  himself  to  be  an  heretic,  ^-c. 
 
DEFENCE    OF    BARNES^    PROTESTATION.  411 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 I  am  sure  that  Christ's  church  hath  made  no  such  ordi- 
 nance, neither  given  any  sentence  or  judgment,  that  men 
 should  not  speak  reverently  of  saints,  neither  that  men  shall 
 praise  them  otherwise  than  scripture  teacheth.  How  sheweth 
 ho  himself  then  to  be  an  heretic  in  tliis  behalf,  that  foUoweth 
 the  example  of  Christ's  church,  and  not  of  your  unholy  syna- 
 gogue ?  What  maketh  your  definition  of  heresy  to  prove,  The  defini- 
 that  he  is  an  heretic,  which  not  only  speaketh  reverently  of  heresy, 
 saints,  but  also  praiseth  them  according  to  the  rule  of  scrip- 
 ture ?  Verily  your  definition  cometh  out  of  an  importunity. 
 Ye  might  also  have  defined  it  thus,  and  have  said,  "  A'lpeai^ 
 deducitiir  utto  tov  aipov/uLai,  volo,  decerno ;"  that  is  to  say, 
 I  will  so  have  it,  I  am  at  a  fall  jyoint.  For  truly  I  see  little 
 in  your  writing,  but  wilfulness  and  obstinate  resisting  of  the 
 manifest  truth.     Well,  God  is  able  to  bridle  you. 
 
 Standish. 
 Also  in  this  his  saying,  that  lie  will  do  nothing  but 
 that  scripture  biddeth  him,  he  plainly  goeth  against  scrij)- 
 ture,  ^c. 
 
 CoVERDALE. 
 
 Is  he  not  a  worthy  apostle,  legate,  or  messenger,  that, 
 having  commission  of  his  prince,  what  to  say  in  his  message, 
 will  speak  things  of  his  own  head,  or  more  than  his  master 
 commandeth  him?  Forsooth  ye  declare  manifestly,  whose 
 apostle  ye  be.  But  now  let  us  see,  how  the  scripture  will 
 maintain  this  spiritual  treason  (even  treason  verily,  and  no 
 better)  against  the  King  of  all  kings  and  Lord  of  all  lords. 
 
 Christ  our  Saviour  sayeth  unto  his  apostles  these  words : 
 "  As  my  living  Father  sent  me,  so  send  I  you."     How  did  John  xx. 
 his  Father  send  him?     "My  doctrine,"  sayeth  he,  "is  notJoimvii. 
 mine  own,  but  my  Father's  that  hath  sent  me."      "  There-  Matt,  xxviii. 
 foi'e,"  sayeth  he,  "  go  ye  your  way,  and  teach  all  nations,  and 
 baptize  them,  &c. ;  and  teach  them  to  keep  all  things  what- 
 soever I  have  commanded  you."      Ought  not  stewards  to  be  i  cor.  iv. 
 faithful  ministers  of  their  masters'  goods,  to  pay  every  man 
 good  money,  as  they  be  commanded,  and  not  to  give  false 
 coin  instead  of  silver  and  gold?     Must  we  not  continue  insjoim 
 the  doctrine  of  Christ,  and  speak  that  thing  which  is  agree- 
 able to  God's  word  ?     Your  doctrine  would  have  us  to  run  i  Pet.  iv. 
 
412  CONFUTATION    OF    STANDISH. 
 
 at  riot,  and  not  to  keep  us  within  the  bounds  that  God  hath 
 appointed  us. 
 
 Standish. 
 So  that  here  he  proveth  himself  to  have  another  pro- 
 perty of  an  heretic,  tvhich  is,  to  go  about  with  the  word  of 
 God  to  destroy  the  ivord  of  God,  SfC. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 Like  as  ye  prove  not  here,  with  what  text  of  scripture 
 J).  Barnes  should  go  about  to  destroy  the  scripture ;  so  de- 
 clare ye  manifestly  by  this  your  opinion  and  wresting  of  the 
 text,  to  be  one  yourself,  that  with  the  word  of  God  goeth 
 about  to  destroy  the  word  of  God.  Now  to  your  three 
 places,  that  ye  bring  out  of  God's  word. 
 
 Acts  XV.  Where  find  ye  in  the  fifteenth  chapter  of  the  Acts,  that 
 
 we  must  obey  more  than  holy  scripture  biddeth  us  ?  First, 
 St  Peter  confesseth  there  in  that  council,  that  it  is  a  tempting 
 of  God  to  lay  any  yoke  of  the  ceremonies  of  Moses'  law  upon 
 the  necks  of  Christ's  disciples,  or  to  trouble  the  weak  con- 
 sciences of  those  which  lately  were  turned  and  converted  to 
 the  faith :  and  afore  in  the  same  place  he  confesseth,  that 
 God  appointed  and  ordained  him  to  preach  the  word  of  the 
 gospel,  and  maketh  mention  of  none  other  doctrine.     Again, 
 
 Acts  XV.  lil^e  as  by  the  common  consent  of  the  apostles  in  the  same 
 council  ye  see,  that  they  would  not  be  brought  into  sub- 
 jection, nor  give  place  to  those  false  brethren,  that  would 
 have  brought  in  ceremonies  of  the  law,  to  bind  men's  con- 
 sciences withal;  so  would  they  not  that  the  brethren  which 
 were  turned  to  Christ  should  abuse  their  liberty  in  him,  but 
 
 Kom.  xiv.  abstain  from  certain  meats  for  offending-  of  the  weak  :  which 
 thing  also  St  Paul  requireth  earnestly  in  his  epistles. 
 
 In  the  sixteenth  chapter  of  the  Acts,  Paul  and  Silas 
 preach  the  word  of  the  Lord ;  and  when  Paul  saw  that  to 
 circumcise  Timothy  was  a  thing  that  might  be  done  for  the 
 time,  and  was  not  required  of  the  Jews  as  a  thing  necessary, 
 he  was  content.  Whereby  it  is  manifest,  that  like  as  in 
 things  indifferent  they  had  alway  respect  to  the  time  in 
 forbearing  weak  consciences  for  a  while,  so  preached  they 
 none  other  doctrine  but  God's  only  word. 
 
 In  the  second  chapter  of  the  second  epistle  to  the  Thes- 
 salonians,    St  Paul,  when  he  hath  told  them  of  the  great 
 
 1  Cor.  viii. 
 
DEFENCE    OF    BARNEs'    PROTESTATION.  413 
 
 departing  from  the  faith,  doth  give  thanks  to  God  for  call- 
 ing them  to  his  truth  of  the  gospel;  in  the  which  he  requireth 
 them  to  stand  stedfast,  and  to  keep  such  ordinances,  as  he 
 and  the  other  apostles  had  taught  them  either  by  mouth  or 
 by  epistle. 
 
 Now  let  me  demand  of  you  this  question.  In  the  fifteenth  Acts  xv. 
 of  the  Acts,  when  Peter  preacheth  the  word  of  the  gospel, 
 and  forbiddeth  the  binding  of  weak  consciences  with  super- 
 stitious things,  and  consenteth,  with  the  other  apostles,  to 
 have  such  a  charitable  respect  to  the  time,  is  that  as  much 
 as  to  will,  that  men  shall  obey  more  than  is  grounded  in 
 scripture  ? 
 
 In  the  sixteenth  of  the  Acts,  when  Paul  and  Silas  preach  Acts  xvi. 
 the  word  of  the  Lord,  and  deal  gently  with  the  consciences 
 of  the  weak  according  to  the  time,  will  they  that  men  shall 
 obey  more  than  holy  scripture  teacheth  them  ? 
 
 2  Thessa.  ii.     When  St  Paul  requireth  them  to  stand  2  Thess.  u. 
 stedfast  in  the  truth  of  the  gospel,  and  to  keep  such  ordi- 
 nances as  he  and  the  other  apostles  had  taught  them,  either 
 by  mouth  or  in  their  epistles,  willeth  he  them  to  obey  more 
 than  is  contained  in  holy  scripture  ? 
 
 Thus  is  it  evident  whereabout  ye  go,  namely,  even  by 
 your  false  alleging  of  such  places  of  God's  word  to  destroy 
 the  word  of  God.  This  is  verily,  as  ye  say  yourself,  the 
 property  of  an  heretic,  and  this  property  learn  ye  of  the 
 father  of  all  heresy,  even  father  Satan ;  who  by  Angelis  suis  Matt.  iv. 
 mandavit,  ^c,  would  prove,  that  a  man  may  tempt  his 
 Lord  God, 
 
 But  like  as  Satan,  wresting  that  place  of  scripture,  which 
 made  most  against  him,  was  commanded  by  our  Saviour  to 
 avoid ;  so  be  ye  sure,  that  your  false  doctrine  cannot  stand. 
 Daub  your  wall  and  spare  not;  for  Ezechiel  telleth  you  plainly,  Ezek.  xiii. 
 that  God  will  send  such  a  shower  of  ram  among  all  lying 
 prophets,  as  shall  overthrow  it.  Your  labour  is  but  lost,  so 
 long  as  ye  daub  your  wall  with  untempered  mortar. 
 
 SXi^NDISH. 
 
 Also,  where  he  saith  that  he  hath  ever  spoken  reverently 
 of  saints,  ^c. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 Ye  granted  afore  his  words  to  be  true,  when  he  said, 
 
414  CONFUTATION    OF    STANDISH. 
 
 that  all  such  as  for  confessing  Christ's  name  and  for  his  sake 
 clo  suffer  death,  are  saints  in  heaven.  This  reverent  talking 
 and  praising  of  saints  did  ye  allow  afore ;  and  now  contrary- 
 Diversity,  to  your  own  words  ye  say,  that  ye  wot  not  whether  he  ever 
 spake  reverently  of  them  or  no.  Yet  confess  ye,  that  ye 
 have  heard  him  forty  times.  Who  will  now  trust  you,  that 
 are  so  double  in  your  words  ? 
 
 Barnes. 
 And.  that  our  lady,  I  say,  she  was  a  virgin  imma- 
 culate and  undefiled,  and  that  she  is  the  most  purest 
 virgin  that  ever  God  created,  and  a  vessel  elect  of  God, 
 of  whom  Jesus  Christ  should  be  born. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 Here  yet   ignorantly,   ^c,   lie  goeth  further   than  the 
 scripture  speaketh,  ^c. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 Be  these  his  words  out  of  the  bounds  of  scripture,  or  not 
 according  to  the  scripture  ?     Bead  them  over  again. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 He  tuould  never  tvillingly  grant  any  thing  but  that  is 
 in  scripture,  ^c. 
 
 CoVERDALE. 
 
 What  a  re-  Then  like  as  ye  prove  him  to  have  been  a  true  mes- 
 
 |°veth'of  R  senger  of  God  in  granting  to  the  holy  scripture,  (which  by 
 your  own  confession  is  God's  very  word ;)  so  declare  ye, 
 that  if  he  revoked  any  thing  that  is  in  it,  or  granted  ought 
 contrary  unto  it,  it  was  done  against  his  will.  Have  ye  not 
 now  a  great  cause  to  make  such  triumphing  of  revocations 
 in  your  sermons  ? 
 
 Standish. 
 Albeit  here  with  the  church  he  doth  profess,  that  our 
 lady  did  continue  a  virgin  still,  ^c. 
 
 Coverdale. 
 Doth  not  the   scripture   affirm   this   doctrine,    that   the 
 mother  of  our  Saviour  is  the  purest  virgin  that  ever  God 
 created  ?     Will  not  the  prophecies  of  Christ's   birth,   the 
 
DEFENCE    OF    BARNEs'    PROTESTATION.  415 
 
 performance  of  the  same,  and  the  practices  of  the  Holy  isai.  vn. 
 Ghost  in  Christ's  blessed  mother,  allow  this  doctrine?  Have  Lute  a. 
 ye  noted  the  work  of  God  in  her  no  better  ?  If  she  had 
 any  need  of  you,  ye  shew  her  but  a  faint  friendship,  in 
 reporting  that  her  most  pure  virginity  hath  none  other 
 ground  but  the  authority  of  your  church.  Verily,  such 
 your  doting  doctrine  will  make  both  you  and  your  church 
 be  less  set  by. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 Deus  enim  tantam  earn  fecit,  inquit  quidam,  &c. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 Is  not  your  doctrine  now  well  sealed  with  butter  ?  When 
 ye  have  presumed  to  controul  God's  word,  and  to  call  the 
 blessed  mother  of  Christ  with  other  names  than  the  Holy 
 Ghost  giveth  her ;  now  to  ratify  and  confirm  your  false 
 matter,  ye  bring  in  an  heretic  to  help  you.  Cannot  Christ's 
 worthy  mother  keep  still  the  gracious  names  the  holy  Trinity 
 hath  given  her,  but  she  must  now  have  a  sort  of  heretical 
 ruffians  to  become  new  godfathers  unto  her?  Call  her,  as 
 God's  word  teacheth  you,  full  of  grace,  blessed,  immaculate 
 virgin,  &c.  Pray  to  God,  that  ye  may  follow  the  footsteps 
 of  her  constant  faith,  her  fervent  charity,  and  godly  love, 
 her  most  meek  and  humble  behaviour,  her  unfeigned  truth, 
 &c. :  and  when  ye  talk  in  matters  of  Christ's  religion,  bring 
 forth  plain  and  manifest  words  of  his  scripture,  and  no 
 Romish  heretic,  nor  a  text  out  of  frame,  to  prove  your  pur- 
 pose withal. 
 
 Barnes. 
 
 Then  said  Mr  Sheriff :  "  You  have  said  well  of  her 
 before."  And  he,  being  afraid  that  Mr  Sheriff  had  been, 
 or  should  be  aggrieved  with  any  thing  that  he  should 
 say,  said :  "  Mr  Sheriff,  if  I  speak  any  thing  that  you  will 
 me  not,  do  no  more  but  beck  me  with  your  hand,  and 
 I  will  straightway  hold  my  peace.  For  I  will  not  be 
 disobedient  in  any  thing,  but  will  obey." 
 
 Standish. 
 
 Now,  as  hefeigneth,  he  would  give  no  slander  or  offence. 
 Sed  sero  sapiunt  Phryges. 
 
416  CONFUTATION    OF    STANDISH. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 At  this  point  ye  are  with  D.  Barnes,  that,  though  he  be 
 out  of  this  hfe,  yet  whatsoever  he  said  in  this  Protestation, 
 or  did  at  the  time  thereof,  ye  judge  him  to  the  worst,  and 
 slander  him.  But  your  own  proverb  that  ye  bring  in,  doth 
 sero  venisti.  admonlsh  you,  that  it  is  too  late ;  for  though*  ye  beUe  him 
 and  slander  him  never  so  much,  it  cannot  hurt  him. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 [Psai.  xiv.]  Now  he  saith,  he  is  afraid  to  displease.    Trepidaverunt 
 
 timore,  ubi  non  erat  timer,  ^c. 
 
 CoVERDALE. 
 
 Like  as  ye  refer  to  him  the  words  which  are  not  his 
 own,  so  report  ye  of  him,  that  he  was  afraid  where  no  fear 
 was.     But  was  there  no  fear  at  the  fire-side?     The  man- 
 hood of  our  Saviour  Christ  feared  death,  and  so  did  that 
 standish  is  a  holy  king  Ezecliias,     As  for  you,  ye  must  needs  be  of  some 
 
 manly  man.     ,     ,  ,  ,  i  •      i      ,i  i  mi  it 
 
 bold  and  stout  kmd,  that  can  kill  a  dead  man. 
 
 But  how  serveth  those  words  of  the  psalm  to  this  your 
 
 purpose  ?    The  Holy  Ghost  speaketh  of  such  wicked  workers, 
 
 as  eat  up  God's  people  like  bread,  call  not  upon  God,  are 
 
 afraid  to  see  God  standing  on  righteous  men's  side,  and  mock 
 
 standish  per-  poor  mou  for  putting  their  trust  in  God.      How  maketh  this 
 
 words  of  the  scripture  now  to  prove,  that  there  is  no  fear,  where  a  man 
 
 Psalm  1.        seeth  death  present  before  his  eyes?     0  wicked  mockers 
 
 with  God's  holy  word ! 
 
 Standish. 
 Now  see,  I  pray  you,  how  obedient  he  saith  he  will  he, 
 which  before  time  was  ever  disobedient,  ^c. 
 
 CoVERDALE. 
 
 Ye  say  much,  and  prove  httle,  touching  this  man,  whose 
 
 present  Protestation,   and  his  book  written  afore,  declareth 
 
 An  ensampie  plainly  his  obedieuce  toward  his  prince ;    whose  wholesome 
 
 hi  D.^Bamel  commandment  if  he  have  at  any  time  disobeyed,  contrary  to 
 
 this  his  doctrine  and  example,  I  am  the  more  sorry :  but  yet 
 
 have  ye  not  proved  it  to  be  so. 
 
 Touching  bishops,  (which  are  to  be  esteemed  according  to 
 their  estate,)  I  wot  not  what  disobedience  ye  have  to  prove 
 
 [1  Bishop   Coverdale  quotes    according  to  the   notation  of  the 
 Septuagint  Version  and  the  Vulgate.] 
 
DEFENCE    OF    BARNES^    PROTESTATION.  41 7 
 
 against  him.      Such  bishops  as  labour  in  the  word  of  God 
 and   in  the  doctrine   thereof,   are  to   be  counted  worthy  of  i  Tim.  v. 
 double  honour:   therefore  in  hearkening  unto  such,  he  did 
 well ;  and  if  he  despised  such,  he  despised  Christ.     But  if  he  Matt.  x. 
 followed  St  John's  bidding,   and  did  not  receive  such  false  2  John. 
 apostles  as  bring  not  the  doctrine  of  Christ,  then  can  ye  not 
 justly  blame  him. 
 
 Barnes. 
 
 After  this  there  was  one  that  asked  him,  what  he 
 said  of  the  sacrament  of  the  altar.  Then  said  he  to  Mr. 
 Pope,  which  was  there  present:  "Mr.  Pope,  ye  know,  and 
 Mr.  Riche,  if  ye  be  alive,  that  there  was  one  accused 
 before  my  lord  chancellor  for  denying  of  the  sacrament ; 
 and  for  fault  of  a  better,  I  was  assigned  to  the  examina- 
 tion of  him  in  the  gallery.  And  after  long  reasoning 
 and  disputation  I  declared  and  said,  that  the  sacrament 
 being  rightly  used  and  according  to  scripture  doth, 
 after  the  word  spoken  by  the  priest,  change  the  sub- 
 stance of  the  bread  and  vnne  into  the  body  and  blood  of 
 Christ.  Were  not  these  my  words?"  said  he.  "Yea," 
 said  Mr.  Pope.  "Then  bear  me  Avitness,"  said  he,  "that 
 I  err  not  in  the  sacrament." 
 
 Standish. 
 
 Although  you  did  not  deny  that  sacrament,  yet  have 
 you,  s^c. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 Ye  call  it  slanderous  railing,  when  a  man  with  God's 
 word  doth  earnestly  rebuke  such  horrible  abuses,  as  antichrist 
 and  his  malignant  church  hath  brought  in  among  christian 
 people:  so  loth  are  ye  to  consent  unto  God's  word,  or  to  use 
 any  thing  according  to  his  holy  institution.  What  could  it  then 
 have  helped  you,  if  he  had  opened  his  mind  farther,  seeing 
 that  in  his  so  godly  and  honest  request  ye  ascribe  naughti- 
 ness unto  him  ?  He  did  but  shew,  that  he  would  have  the 
 sacrament  rightly  used  and  according  to  holy  scripture,  and  standish 
 ye  are  not  content  with  him.     Yet  well  worth  the   Corin-  ''^ve  the 
 
 t/  sacrament 
 
 thians !    for   though  they  were  fallen  into  abuse  about  this  jn^'Jo^the'^''' 
 holy  mystery,  and  about  other  things,  we  read  not  that  they  fure.'"'^ 
 
 27 
 
 [cOVERDALE,  II.] 
 
418  CONFUTATION    OF    STANDISH. 
 
 spurned  against  the  Holy  Ghost,  as  you  do,  when  they  were 
 called  to  reformation, 
 
 Standish. 
 See  also,  I  pray  you,  how  he  saith,  ^c. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 If  you  should  say  that,  for  lack  of  a  better,  ye  did  write 
 against  this  Protestation  of  D.  Barnes,  would  ye  therefore  be 
 judged  to  think,  that  there  were  not  many  better  learned 
 men  in  England  to  take  such  a  matter  in  hand  than  you  ? 
 
 Barnes. 
 Then  said  he,  "  Have  ye  any  thing  else  to  say  ?" 
 There  was  one  then  asked  him  his  opinion  of  praying  to 
 saints.  Then  said  he :  "  Now  of  saints  you  shall  hear 
 mine  opinion.  I  have  said  before  somewhat,  I  think, 
 of  them,  how  that  I  believe  they  are  in  heaven  and 
 with  God,  and  that  they  are  worthy  of  all  the  honour 
 that  scripture  willeth  them  to  have.  But  I  say,  through- 
 out all  scripture  we  are  not  commanded  to  pray  to  any 
 saints  :  therefore  I  cannot  nor  will  not  preach  to  you, 
 that  saints  ought  to  be  prayed  unto.  For  then  should  I 
 preach  you  a  doctrine  of  mine  own  head." 
 
 Standish. 
 
 There  is  an  old  heresy  that  saith,  Saints  he  not  yet  in 
 heaven,  ^-c. 
 
 CoVERDALE, 
 
 Is  this  your  next  way  to  confute  him  that  saith.  We  are 
 not  commanded  in  scripture  to  pray  to  any  saints  ?  Ye  brawl 
 with  the  dead  man,  that  saith  nothing  against  you  in  this 
 article  of  saints  being  in  heaven. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 How  can  it  he  in  scripture,  thou  impudent  heretic,  the 
 prayer  unto  saints  ? 
 
 CoVERDALE. 
 
 Be  good  to  the  poor  man,  and  take  not  the  matter  so 
 
DEFENCE    OF    BARNES'    PROTESTATION.  419 
 
 hot.     He  goeth  not  about  to  prove,  that  your  praying  to 
 saints  is  grounded  in  scripture. 
 
 Standish. 
 As  for  in  the  time  of  the  old  law,  ^c. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 The  doctrine  of  God  is,  that  Christ  is  the  Lamb  which  Rev.  xiii. 
 hath  been  slain  since  the  beginning  of  the  world,  that  is,  even 
 he,  whose  power  and  dehverance  hath  cleansed  and  saved  all 
 them  that  ever  put  their  trust  in  him.      Christ  Jesus  yester-  Heb.  xiii. 
 day,  and  to-day,  and  the  same  continueth  for  ever. 
 
 Standish. 
 Therefore  concerning  praying  to  saints,  ^c. 
 
 CoVERDALE. 
 
 Must  we   believe  the  testimony   of  men,   without  it   be 
 grounded  on  God's  word  ?    Are  ye  become  such  an  apostle  ? 
 Because  the  church  and  congregation  of  Christ  must  discern,  i  cor.  xiv. 
 judge,   try,  and  examine  all  manner   of  doctrine,  and  so  to 
 eschew  the  evil  and  keep  the  good,  hath  it  therefore  autho-  i  xhess.  v. 
 rity  to  make  any  new  article,  or  to  receive  a  doctrine  con- 
 trary to   God's  word  ?     Because   Christ  hath   promised  his  John  xw. 
 holy  Spirit  of  truth  to  be  alway  in  his  faithful  congregation, 
 shall  they  therefore  make,  ordain,  set  up,  or  believe  ought 
 that  is  contrary  to  his  own  teaching  ? 
 
 Standish. 
 
 Dost  thou  set  no  more  by  the  authority  of  it,  than  so ; 
 inasttmch  as  St  Augustine  said,  Non  crederem  evangelio, 
 nisi  crederem  ecclesise  ?    &c. 
 
 CoVERDALE. 
 
 Even  as  ye  pervert  the  words  of  holy  scripture,  so  do 
 ye  with  St  Augustine ;  as  ye  chop  and  change  with  it,  so  do 
 ye  with  him.     And  as  ye  allege  the  scripture  for  another  standish  per- 
 
 xi  .1  1    •  •  ^1  ■,  vertethSt 
 
 purpose  tnan  the  plam  circumstance  ot  the  text  meaneth,  so  Augustine's 
 
 _  .  ,  words. 
 
 do  ye  here  with  this  holy  doctor.  For  your  purpose  is  with 
 St  Augustine's  words  to  prove,  that  your  church  by  her 
 authority  may  make  new  articles,  and  that  we  are  bound  to 
 beUeve  as  she  beheveth,  though  the  same  be  not  grounded  in 
 
 27—2 
 
420  CONFUTATION    OF    STANDISH. 
 
 scripture.  But  if  men  diligently  mark  St  Augustine's  saying, 
 the  occasion  of  his  writing,  and  the  circumstance  thereof,  it 
 shall  be  evident,  that  ye  are  as  like  him  in  understanding,  as 
 the  moon  is  like  a  green  cheese. 
 
 St  Augustine,  perceiving  the  great  hurt  that  was  growing 
 The  sect  of  througli  tlio  doctrine  of  wicked  Manicheus,  took  in  hand  to 
 chees.  confute  him  and  his  sect ;  his  errors  were  so  noisome  and 
 
 devilish.      For  he  had  not  only  feigned  a  new  doctrine  of  his 
 own,  and  named  himself  Christ's  apostle ;  but  also  maintained 
 the  heresy,  which  the  anabaptists  lately  held,  that  the  Son 
 of  God  took  not  the  nature  of  man  of  the  blessed  virgin,  and 
 denied  rulers  to  bear  office,   denied  marriage,  denied   certain 
 kinds  of  meats  to  be  of  God,  or  to  be  granted  unto  christian 
 men ;    taught  also  that  some  men's  souls  die  with  their  bodies, 
 despised  the  exterior  Avord  of  God  and  ministration  thereof, 
 and  sought  other  visions   without  it :    and  many  other  fond 
 and  wicked   opinions  had  he,   unknown  to  the  holy  church 
 and  flock  of  Christ. 
 Contra  Epis-         Now  for  tlio  repelling  of  such  pestilent  doctrine,  St  Augus- 
 cheT"quam'   tiuo,  among  other  things,  wrote   one   special  book  against  a 
 ciamenti.       Certain  epistle  of  the  Manichees,  which  was  called  Ejyistola 
 Fimdamenti ;  and  when  he  had  shewed  the  occasions,  which 
 moved  him  to  abide  still  within  the  unity  of  Christ's  catholic 
 church,  then  in  the  fifth  chapter  he  shewed  the  cause,  that 
 moved  him   rather    to  give   credence  unto    Christ's   gospel, 
 than  to  Manicheus;  where  among  other  he  saith  these  words: 
 Nostis  enim  me  statuisse  nihil  a  vohis  prolatum  teniere  cre- 
 st Aligns-     dere,  &c.    "For  ye  know,"  saith  he,  "that  I  am  determined  to 
 give  no  hasty  credence  to  any  thing  that  ye  speak  of  your 
 own  heads.      I  demand  therefore,   Who  is  that  Manicheus  ? 
 Ye  answer.  An  apostle  of  Christ.     I  believe  it  not.     Now 
 what  canst  thou  say,  or  do,  thou  shalt  not  obtain ;   for  thou 
 didst   promise   knowledge  of  the  truth,   and  now  thou   wilt 
 compel  me  to  believe  the  thing  that  I  know  not.      Peradven- 
 ture   thou  Avilt  read  me  the  gospel,  and  thereby  wilt  thou 
 essay  to  affirm  the  person  of  Manicheus.     If  I  should  find 
 any  man  then,  which  as  yet  believeth  not  the  gospel,  what 
 Ego  vero      sliouldcst  thou  do  to  him  that  saith  unto  thee,  I  believe  not  ? 
 
 evangelio 
 
 non  crede-     ^g  ^q^  mc,  I  should  uot  belicve  the  gospel,  unless  the  autho- 
 
 rem,  nisi  me  '  _  o      1       ' 
 
 ecdefi'a^lom-  ^'^^y  of  the  catholic  churcli  did  move,   teach,   or  warn  me. 
 toritls!"*"'^"  Seeing  that  I  was  obedient  unto  them,  Avhen  they  said,  Be- 
 
DEFENCE    OF    BARNEs''    PROTESTATION.  421 
 
 licve  the  gospel ;   why  may  I  not  obey  them,  when  they  say 
 unto  me,  Behevc  not  Manicheus?"   &c/ 
 
 By  the  ch'cumstance  now  of  St  Augustme's  words,  it  is  The  doctrine 
 
 .  ,  ^  ,  •,  Till-  11,-  ofStAugus- 
 
 cvident,  first,  that  he  would  believe  no  such  doctrme  as  men  tine, 
 brought  up  of  their  own  heads.  Secondly,  that  he  would 
 believe  no  uncertain  doctrine,  nor  that  he  knew  not  to  be 
 true.  Thirdly,  that  the  occasion  which  moved  him  to  be- 
 lieve the  gospel,  was  the  whole  consent  and  authority  of  the 
 catholic  or  universal  church.  Now  hke  as  he  reporteth  not 
 of  them,  that  they  preached  any  other  doctrine  unto  him, 
 save  the  gospel,  so  saith  he  not,  that  he  believed  any  other 
 learning,  save  only  it.  And  in  confuting  of  Manicheus' 
 error,  he  bringeth  none  other  doctrine  but  the  scripture,  as 
 it  is  manifest  in  the  same  fifth  chapter  of  his  book. 
 
 What  help  have  ye  now  in  St  Augustine's  words,  either 
 to  prove  praying  to  saints,  or  that  a  particular  church  may 
 by  her  authority  make  any  article  necessary  to  be  believed, 
 except  it  be  o-rounded  in  scripture  ?     Ye  meant  somewhat,  standish 
 
 .  ir>ir>i-  choppeth  up 
 
 when  ye  chopped  up  St  Augustme's  words  of  that  fashion.  ^^tAugus- 
 
 tJ  i  i-  i-  O  _  tine  s  words. 
 
 It  is  not  for  nought  that  ye  so  have  perverted  his  saying, 
 and  read  it  otherwise  than  it  standeth  in  his  book.  For 
 these  are  his  words :  "I  should  not  believe  the  gospel,  unless 
 the  authority  of  the  catholic  church  did  move  me."  Now  is 
 KaOoXiKo^  as  much  to  say  as  Jiniversalis.  Which  word  like  KoeoXtKo's. 
 as  ye  leave  out  in  your  lection,  so  follow  ye  the  mind  of 
 Franciscus  Maronis-,  such  another  holy  father  as  was  your  Frandscus 
 inqnit  qiddani ;  Avho,  coming  long  after  St  xiugustine,  did 
 gather  of  these  his  foresaid  Avords,  that  the  authority  of  the 
 church  is  greater  than  the  authority  of  holy  scripture  :  Avhere- 
 
 [1  Nostis  eniiu  mo  statiiissc  nihil  i\  vobis  prolatum  temerc  credere. 
 Quajro  ergo,  quis  sit  ille  Manichteus  ?  Respondebitis,  AjDOstolus  Christi. 
 Non  credo.  Jam  quid  dicas  aut  facias,  non  habebis :  jiromittebas  enim 
 scientiam  veritatis;  et  nunc  quod  nescio  cogis  ut  credam.  Evangelium 
 forte  mihi  lecturus  es,  et  inde  Manichtei  personam  tentabis  asserere. 
 Si  ergo  invenires  aliquem,  qui  evangelio  nondum  credit,  quid  faceres 
 dicenti  tibi,  Non  credo  ?  Ego  vero  evangelio  non  crederem,  nisi  me 
 catliolicse  ecclesise  commoveret  auctoritas.  Quibus  ergo  obtemperavi 
 dicentibus,  Credite  evangelio;  cur  iis  non  obtemperem  dicentibus  mihi, 
 Noli  credere  Manichseo? — August,  con.  Epist.  Manichsei,  quam  vocant 
 Fmidamenti.     Cap.  v.  Op.  Tom.  vi.  p.  26.  A.  B.  ed.  1541.] 
 
 [2  A  native  of  France  and  a  pupil  of  Duns  Scotus.  For  an  account 
 of  this  person  see  Cave,  Hist.  Lit.  Vol.  i.  p.  15.  A.  He  flourished 
 A.D.  1315.] 
 
422  CONFUTATION    OF    STANDISH. 
 
 as  St  Augustine  meant  nothing  less ;  but  teachetli  us,  that 
 Avhosoever  bringeth  up  any  opinion,  or  setteth  up  any  doc- 
 trine, we  shall  receive  none,  but  that  which  agreeth  Avith  the 
 manifest  doctrine  of  the  universal  church  of  Christ :  that  is, 
 we  shall  hold  us  to  that  doctrine,  which  was  taught  by  the 
 prophets,  by  the  apostles,  and  by  such  other  as  were  true 
 followers  of  them  in  Christ's  holy  congregation  and  church. 
 
 Standish. 
 Is  it  not  still  fundamentum  et  columna  veritatis  ?  &c. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 The  universal  congregation  and  multitude  of  them  that 
 1  Tim.  iii.  beheve  in  Christ  is  still  the  house  of  God,  the  church  of  the 
 living  God,  the  pillar  and  estabhshment  of  the  truth.  For 
 there  dwelleth  God,  with  his  mercy,  grace,  truth,  forgive- 
 ness, &c.  Neither  did  the  apostles  contrary  to  Christ's 
 former  institution,  when  they,  to  set  up  his  name,  which  then 
 was  so  sore  spurned  at,  did  baptize  in  the  same,  if  ye  remem- 
 ber well  the  prerogative  of  holy  baptism,  and  the  presence 
 of  the  blessed  Trinity  therein. 
 
 Standish. 
 Paul,  the  vessel  of  election,  fifteen  hundred  years  and 
 more  past,  desired  the  Romans,  cap.  xv.,  the  Collo.  [Coloss.] 
 cap  iv.,  the  Tessa.  1  Tessa,  v.  [Thessa.],  to  pray  for  him,  ^c. 
 
 CoVERDALE, 
 
 I   turned   not  over  two   leaves  of  your  treatise  since  I 
 read  these  your  words,  where  ye  say  thus,  "  How  can  it  be 
 in  scripture,  thou  impudent  heretic,  the  prayer  unto  saints  ?" 
 standish  Lord  Jesu !   what  mean  ye,  man  ?     Will  ye  by  scripture 
 
 will  prove  by  ,  .,  ^(^ 
 
 ^cripture  the  prove  that  thing,  which,  as  ye  yourself  confess,  cannot  be 
 fher"e*in''^  in  scripturo  ?  Do  ye  not  grant  yourself,  that  the  holy 
 scripture  is  the  very  word  of  God?  Will  ye  then  by  God's 
 holy  word  prove  that  thing,  which  cannot  be  therein?  Will  ye 
 belie  the  word  of  God  ?  Say  ye  not  yourself  in  another 
 place  afore,  that  it  is  an  abominable  vice  to  slander  it? 
 To  what  point  now  have  ye  brought  that  worshipful  doc- 
 trine of  your  unholy  mother,  the  malignant  church,  which 
 teacheth,  that  we  must  now  pray  unto  St  Paul  and  other 
 saints  ?     Now  is  his  request  such,  that  if  we  should  fulfil  it 
 
DEFENCE    OP    BARNES'    PROTESTATION.  423 
 
 yet  for  him,  as  well  as  when  he  was  living  upon  earth,  then 
 should  we  desire  God  to  be  good  to  his  holy  saints  that  are 
 out  of  this  life.  And  then,  God  save  our  Lady,  help  St  Paul, 
 and  comfort  sweet  St  Anthony ! 
 
 A  mocker  are  ye  Avith  God's  holy  word,  and  a  shameful 
 slanderer  thereof ;    therefore  as   unworthy  to   be   answered  vain  words 
 unto  every  vain  sentence  of  your  unstable  doctrine.    So  leave  ^s^r  but 
 I  your  long  disputation  therein,  desiring  all  christian  readers  '^^^'^°° ' 
 to  note  well  what  scriptures  ye  bring  forth,  and  to  compare 
 the  same  unto  the  open  text,  and  then  try,  which  of  our 
 two  doctrines  is  most  agreeable  to  God's  holy  word. 
 
 The  doctrine  of  the  prophets  of  Christ  our  Saviour,  of 
 his  holy  apostles,  and  of  such  as  have  and  do  follow  them  in 
 the  catholic  or  universal  church  and  congregation  of  God,  is 
 his  holy  word  and  scripture ;  which,  as  holy  St  Paul  dare  2  Tim  lii. 
 avow,  is  able  to  instruct  us  unto  salvation,  which  is  through  turess sum- 
 
 cient. 
 
 the  faith  in  Christ  Jesu,  &c.  If  your  article,  therefore,  of 
 praymg  to  saints  that  be  out  of  this  life,  were  a  thing  belong- 
 ing to  salvation,  no  doubt  the  same  holy  scripture  of  God 
 would  have  taught  it. 
 
 The  ancient,  firm,  stable,  and  true  doctrine  of  Christ's 
 catholic  or  universal  church,  is  this,  that  Uke  as  Christ  Jesus 
 took  upon  him  our  flesh  and  blood  without  sin,  and  delivered 
 us  from  eternal  death  and  hell,  so  is  he  still  our  merciful  and  Christ  is  our 
 faithful  high  priest  in  things  concerning  God,  to  make  agree-  nib.  u. 
 ment  for  our  sins,  and  able  to  succour  such  as  are  tempted. 
 He  is   the   seat   of  grace,  to  whom  if  we  resort,  we  may  Heb.  v. 
 receive  mercy  and  find  grace  to  help  in  time  of  need :  he  is  grace.' 
 able  also  ever  to  save  them  that  come  unto  God  by  him,  and  Heb.  vii. 
 liveth  ever  to  make  intercession  for  us,  yea,  and  appeareth  Heb.  ix. 
 now  for  us  before  the  face  of  God. 
 
 This  doctrine  is  confirmed  by  those  same  texts  of  scrip- 
 ture that  ye  bring  in,  1  John  ii.,  John  xiv.,  1  Tim.  ii. ;  and 
 yet  without  open  scriptures  are  ye  not  ashamed  to  resist  it. 
 
 We  are  commanded  throughout  all  holy  scripture,  both  Matt.  vu. 
 of  the  old  and  new  Testament,  to  pray  unto  Almighty  God,  Psai.  xiix. 
 to  call  upon  him,  to  make  our  petitions  unto  him,  and  to  ask 
 of  him  whatsoever  we  lack. 
 
 We  have  his  true  and  faithful  promise,  that  if  we  so  do,  Psai.  xc.  & 
 we  shall  be  heard,  we  shall  have  our  request,  we  shall  find  Matt.  vii. 
 
 ■^  John  xv-i. 
 
 that  we  seek,  we  shaU  be  delivered,  &c.  ''sai.  xxx. 
 
424 
 
 CONI-UTATION    Ol''    STANDISH. 
 
 •tandish 
 doctrine. 
 
 AVc  have  ensamples  innumerable,  that  all  these  faithful 
 people  whom  the  scripture  maketh  mention  of,  did  make 
 their  petitions  and  prayer  to  none  other  but  unto  God,  while 
 they  were  in  this  life.  Let  Cornelius,  whom  we  spake  of 
 afore,  and  the  practice  of  the  primitive  church,  bear  record. 
 
 Shall  we  now  refuse  God's  holy  commandment,  think 
 scorn  of  his  loving  promise,  despise  the  ensamples  of  his 
 catholic  and  universal  church,  and  defy  God's  holy  ordinance, 
 as  ye  do,  and  run  at  riot  with  your  doctrine  ?  Away  from 
 us,  ye  wicked !  the  commandments  of  our  God  Avill  we  keep, 
 and  not  yours. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 Which  took  our  sins  on  him,  Poenam  pro  peccatis,  1 
 Pet.  ii.  &c. 
 
 COVEKDALE. 
 
 Ye    taught    afore,    wresting    many   scriptures    for   your 
 
 Diversity  in    purposc,    that   ovory   man   must   satisfy  for  the   punishment 
 
 belonging  unto  sin  ;  and  now  ye  grant,  that  Christ  took  the 
 
 pain   upon  him   therefore.     As  much  hold  is  there  at  your 
 
 doctrine,  as  at  an  eel's  tail. 
 
 Standish. 
 But  ive  have  more  means  concerning  intercession,  SfC. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 The  scripture  is  manifest,  that  every  one  of  us  in  this 
 life  is  bound  to  pray  for  another ;  and  daily  occasions  have 
 we  of  such  petitions  and  exhortations,  as  appertain  to  our 
 estate.  As  for  praying  to  saints  that  be  out  of  this  life,  ye 
 have  mine  answer  already. 
 
 Barnes. 
 Notwithstanding  whether   they  pray  for  us  or   no, 
 that  I  refer  to  God. 
 
 Standish. 
 A  good  christian  man  ivould  have  gone  no  further  than 
 the  congregation  of  Christ's  church,  that  is  to  say,  in  this 
 region  the  king''s  majesty  ivith  his  learned  council. 
 
 Coverdale. 
 
 Like  as  your  unrcverent  handhng  of  the  holy  scriptures 
 afore  rehearsed,  and  your  wicked  doctrine  against  the  same. 
 
DEFENCE    OF    BARNEs'     I'FiOTESTATlON.  425 
 
 declareth  you  to  be  none  of  Christ's  church,  unless  ye  repent 
 and  turn ;  so  do  ye  here  exempt  yourself  from  that  holy  con-  standish 
 gregation.     Marvel  not  therefore  though,  when  I  see  you  himseif. 
 follow  your  unholy  mother,  and  not  Christ's  dear  spouse,  I 
 call  you  now  and  then  her  own  white  son. 
 
 In  this  region  of  England,  ye  say,  the  congregation  of 
 Christ's  church  is  the  king's  majesty  with  his  learned  council. 
 But  is  this  a  sufficient  definition  ?  AVhat  a  comfort  is  this 
 now  for  so  many  of  the  king's  subjects,  both  learned  and 
 unlearned,  to  hear  that  they  are  not  of  Christ's  congrega- 
 tion !  Is  it  a  great  consolation  for  the  foot  to  be  none  of 
 the  body  ? 
 
 Ye  repute  D.  Barnes  no  good  christian  man,  because  he 
 would  not  define,  whether  saints  pray  for  us  or  no,  but 
 referred  that  imto  God,  and  not  to  the  king's  majesty  and 
 his  learned  council.  What  will  ye  make  of  the  king's  grace? 
 A  prince  that  had  rather  have  secret  things  referred  unto 
 him,  than  unto  God,  the  only  knower  of  all  secrets  ?  Or  do 
 ye  esteem  the  king's  learned  council  to  be  such  men,  as  will 
 give  judgment  in  things  that  be  not  evident  ?  Or  think  ye 
 them  to  be  ignorant  of  the  scripture,  which  forbiddeth  men 
 to  search  out  or  to  meddle  with  secret  things,  that  God  hath  p^g^  ^w. 
 not  commanded  ?  ^'''-  "'• 
 
 Barnes. 
 
 And  if  saints  do  pray  for  you,  then  I  trust  within 
 this  half  hour  to  pray  for  you,  Mr  Sheriff,  and  for  every 
 christian  man  living  in  the  faith  of  Christ,  and  dying  in 
 the  same  as  a  saint.  Wherefore  if  the  dead  may  pray 
 for  the  quick,  then  I  will  surely  pray  for  you. 
 
 Standish. 
 O  damnable  presumption,  ^-c. 
 
 COVERDALE, 
 
 Because  this  man  trusted,  thorough  the  only  mercy  of  God 
 in  Christ,  to  pass  from  this  death  unto  life,  ye  note  damnable 
 presumption,  arrogant  presumption,  and  presumptuous  arro- 
 gancy  in  him.  And  because  ye  may  seem  to  have  scripture 
 to  prove,  that  D.  Barnes  would  temerously  appoint  and 
 determine  the  time  himself;  for  his  so  saying  ye  bring  in. 
 
426  CONFUTATION     OF     STANDISH. 
 
 Qiiod  pater  jposidt  in  sua  potestate,  as  right  as  a  ram''s  horn, 
 and  as  nigh  to  the  purpose,  as  Paul's  steeple  and  Mount 
 
 Actsi.  Falcon.  At  the  time  of  the  ascension  of  our  Saviour,  when 
 the  apostles  were  come  together,  they  asked  him  and  said : 
 "  Lord,  shalt  thou  at  this  time  set  up  the  kingdom  of  Israel 
 again?"  He  said  unto  them:  "  It  belongeth  not  unto  you  to 
 know  the  times  and  seasons,  which  the  Father  hath  kept  in 
 his  own  power,"  &c.     A  like  answer  to  such  another  question 
 
 Markxiii.     ffiveth  ho  iu  another  place,  and  saith:  "Of  that  day  and  hour 
 
 Matt.  xxiv.      ?  ^  ifi  iTT-,1 
 
 knowetli  no  man,  no,  not  the  angels  oi  heaven,  but  the  1^  ather 
 only." 
 
 What  maketh  this  now  to  prove,  that  he  which,  according 
 
 Joh.v.  to  Christ's  promise,  trusteth  to  pass  from  this  death  to  life, 
 doth  temerously  appoint  and  determine  the  same  time,  day, 
 or  season,  which  our  Saviour  there  speaketh  of?  or  that  he 
 is  either  presumptuous  or  arrogant,  which,  according  to  the 
 example  of  holy  scripture,  is  certain  and  sure,  that  after  the 
 
 2Cor.v.  destruction  of  his  body  he  hath  an  everlasting  dwelling  in 
 heaven  ?  Have  ye  not  now  alleged  the  scripture  well  to  the 
 purpose  ?  Ye  would  have  men  believe,  as  it  appeareth  by 
 your  doctrine,  that  when  they  depart  hence,  they  shall  go 
 from  the  hall  into  the  kitchen,  or  else  into  the  hot  kiln  of 
 your  purgatory. 
 
 Standish. 
 Look  ivhat  case  he  is  in,  that  thus  ended  his  life,  ^c. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 To  prove  here  that  saints  pray  for  us  in  heaven,  ye  make 
 a  long  disputation,  and  with  the  scriptures  ye  do  as  ye  were 
 wont.  They  have  love  yet,  ye  say,  and  therefore  they  pray 
 for  us,  and  are  our  advocates.  I  answer.  The  same  places  of 
 scripture  ye  bring  in  yourself,  are  most  against  you ;  for 
 Heb.  vii.  they  declare  manifestly,  that  it  is  the  office  of  Christ  to  make 
 intercession  for  us,  and  that  he  is  with  the  Father  our  ad- 
 vocate, which  obtaineth  grace  for  our  sins.  The  saints  then 
 that  be  in  heaven,  knowing  this  eternal  will  of  God,  love  us 
 not  so,  that  they  desire  to  be,  neither  can  they  be,  against  it. 
 2  Mac.  XV.  It  is  a  token,  that  your  doctrine  hath  but  a  weak  foun- 
 
 juda^Ma™"  dation,  when  ye  go  about  to  prove  it  by  a  dream,  yea,  and 
 that  out  of  such  a  book,  as  serveth  not  for  the  confirmation  of 
 the  doctrine  of  Christ's  church :  for  though  it  be  read  among 
 
DEFENCE    OF    BARNES*'    PROTESTATION.  427 
 
 the  stories  of  other  books,  yet  did  not  the  church  receive  it  Froiog.  m 
 among  the  canonical  scriptures  in  St  Hierome's  time^  moni'sr 
 
 Neither  can  ye  prove  that  book  lawful  by  any  saying  of  Luke  xxir. 
 Christ;    for  throughout  all  the   new  Testament   he   maketh 
 mention  of  none,  but  of  the  Law,  the  Prophets,  and  the  Psalms, 
 and  biddeth  not  search  any  other  scriptures,  but  such  as  bear  John  v. 
 record  and  testimony  of  him. 
 
 The  fifteenth  of  Jeremy  proveth,  (as  doth  also  the 
 seventh,  the  eleventh,  the  fourteenth  of  his  book,)  that  God 
 will  not  be  entreated,  where  his  word  is  trodden  under  foot, 
 and  where  men  will  needs  spurn  against  it.  And  verily  in 
 all  the  scripture  could  ye  not  have  brought  in  a  more  manifest 
 place  to  confute  your  own  doctrine,  if  it  be  compared  to  the 
 fourteenth  of  Ezechiel, 
 
 The  sixteenth  of  Luke  proveth  nothing  for  your  purpose ; 
 in  that  Abraham  prayed  not  to  God,  when  he  was  desu-ed. 
 But  like  as  it  proveth  that  there  is  no  redemption  in  hell, 
 nor  time  of  acceptable  repentance  and  forgiveness  after  this 
 life ;  so  proveth  it  evidently,  that  we  ought  to  hold  us  to  the 
 only  word  and  scripture  of  God,  and  not  to  look  for  other 
 doctrines,  visions,  dreams,  or  revelations. 
 
 The  place  Apoca.  vi.  proveth,  that  the  voice  of  Abel's  Gen.  iv. 
 blood  and  of  such  as  are  slain  for  the  word  of  God,  crieth 
 vengeance  from  the  earth,  and  under  the  altar,  as  St  John 
 saith  in  his  vision ;  and  that  all  such  as  are  malicious  per-  Matt,  xxiii. 
 secutors  thereof,  are  guilty  of  the  righteous  blood  that  is  shed 
 upon  earth. 
 
 St  Peter's  shadow  proveth   your  doctrine   but  weakly,  Acts  v. 
 except  ye  can   make  us  beheve  that  there  be  shadows  in 
 heaven.      No   more   doth   St   Paul's  napkin,   unless  ye   can  Acts  xix. 
 prove,  that  he  hath  not  yet  left  wiping  of  his  nose. 
 
 But  where  learn  ye  to  belie  the  word  of  God  ?     Where 
 find  ye  in  scripture,  that  Peter's  shadow  or  Paul's  napkin 
 could  heal  the  sick  ?     Doth  the  text  say  so  ?     Because  the 
 people  brought  their  sick  into  Peter's  shadow,  did  it  therefore  Acts  v. 
 heal  them?      Peter  confesseth  himself,  that  it  was  not  his  Acts lii. 
 own  power,  which  made  the  lame  man  whole.      St  Luke  also  Acts  xix. 
 
 [1  Sicut  ergo  Judith,  et  Tobise,  et  Machabseorum  libros  legit  quidem 
 ecclesia,  sed  eos  inter  canonicas  scripturas  non  recipit ;  sic  et  hoc,  &c. 
 — Hieron.  in  Prov.  Eccles.  et  Cant.  Cantic.  Preefat.  Tom.  ni.  p.  346. 
 Antverp.  1579.] 
 
428 
 
 CONFUTATION     OF    STANDISH. 
 
 Matt.  IX. 
 
 Tlip  Psalm 
 cxxxix. 
 
 C.  de  Isaac. 
 
 reporteth,  that  "  God  wrought  no  small  mh'acles  by  the  hands 
 of  Paul."  And  as  Christ  our  Saviour  himself  witnesseth,  that 
 it  was  not  his  vesture,  but  the  woman's  faith,  which  made 
 her  whole,  (though  she  touched  it;)  so  saith  St  Mark,  that 
 "the  Lord  wrought  with  the  apostles,  and  confirmed  the  word 
 with  tokens  following." 
 
 Moreover,  whereas  St  Paul  desired  to  be  loosed,  and  to  be 
 present  with  Christ,  what  proveth  that  the  praying  to  saints  ? 
 He  said  in  the  same  place,  that  it  were  more  needful  for  them 
 to  have  him  yet  living  among  them.  Which  thing  were  not 
 so,  if  this  poor  article  were  so  necessary  as  ye  make  it.  But 
 Paul's  words  shall  be  true  still :  for  great  need  have  Ave  of 
 many  such  as  he  was,  if  it  were  for  nothing  else,  but  to 
 preach  with  his  mouth  (as  he  hath  done  in  his  epistles) 
 against  your  and  all  other  such  false  doctrines. 
 
 Standish. 
 Nonne    confortatus    est  principatus    eorum  ?       Psalm 
 cxxxviii. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 Like  as  that  scripture  maketh  no  mention  of  any  such 
 article  as  ye  imagine ;  so  doth  the  content  of  the  psalm  set 
 forth  the  wonderful  care  and  provision,  that  God  maketh  for 
 us  ;  and  teacheth  us,  that  God's  secret  counsels  and  thoughts 
 are  too  high  for  our  capacity. 
 
 Standish. 
 Ilinc  Jero.  adversus  Vigilantium,  &c. 
 
 CoVERDALE. 
 
 St  Ambrose  saith  :  "  Christ  is  our  mouth  by  the  which 
 we  speak  unto  the  Father,  our  eye  by  the  which  we  see  the 
 Father,  our  right  hand  by  the  which  we  offer  unto  the 
 Father  ^"  Without  whose  intercession  neither  we,  nor  all 
 saints,  have  anything  with  God. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 If  you  say,  Saints  do  not  hear  us,  ^-c. 
 
 [1  Ipse,  Christus  scil,  sit  ociilus  noster,  ut  per  illiun  A-ideamus 
 Patrem ;  ipse  vox  nostra,  per  quern  loquamur  ad  Patrem ;  ipse  dextera, 
 per  quern  Deo  Patri  sacriftciuni  nostrum  deferamus. — S.  Ambros.  De 
 Isaac  et  Auima  Liber,  cap.  8.  Opera,  Tom.  i.  p.  380.  Ed.  Paris.  1696.] 
 
DEFRNCE    OF     DARNEs'     PROTESTATIOX.  42.9 
 
 COVERDALE, 
 
 What  knowledge  the  saints  have,  it  is  truly  above  my  i  Kings  viii. 
 capacity;  but  Avell  I  wot,  that  the  scripture  of  the  old  Tes- Lukev.Vi.xi. 
 tament  ascribeth  only   unto   God   the   knowledge   of   men's 
 hearts.      Whereof  the  gospels  also  bear  record  sufficient,  and  Matt.  ix.  xii. 
 so  doth  the  first  of  the  Acts.      Now  is  it  manifest  likewise, 
 that   as   the  prayer  which   cometh  from  the  heart  is  most 
 acceptable,  so  doth  our  Saviour  bid  us  pray  unto  our  Father  Matt.  vi. 
 in  secret. 
 
 Whereas  ye  bring  in  the  example  of  Abraham,  and  the 
 work  of  God  shewed  unto  him  in  this  life,  for  to  serve  your 
 present  purpose,  it  proveth  that  ye  are  an  unreverent  handler 
 of  God's  word  :  for  the  text  is  plain,  that  God  did  there 
 shew  unto  Abraham,  being  yet  in  this  life,  the  destruction  of 
 the  Sodomites,  of  his  only  accustomed  goodness  and  mercy  ; 
 because  Abraham  was  under  his  covenant,  and  did  faithfully  Gen.  xviu. 
 cleave  to  his  promise,  and  because  he  knew  that  Abraham 
 would  command  his  children  and  household  to  keep  the  way 
 of  the  Lord,  &c.  To  affirm  your  purpose  then  by  this  place, 
 is  even  as  much  as  to  go  about  to  prove,  that  saints  in  heaven 
 have  children  yet  and  households  to  teach  in  the  way  of 
 the  Lord. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 Whereas  the  least  of  them,  Qui  minor  est,  &c. 
 
 CoVERDALE. 
 
 Like  as  of  a  comparative  degree  ye  make  a  superlative, 
 and  wrest  the  words  to  Abraham,  that  our  Saviour  spake  of  mkevn. 
 John  the  Baptist ;  even  so  to  the  estate  that  saints  be  now 
 in  apply   ye  those  words,   which   St  John  speaketh  of   the  i  john  iii. 
 estate,  that  God's  elect  shall  have  at  the  second  appearing  of  icor.  xv. 
 Christ ;  even  when  they  shall  be  like  him,  when  their  bodies 
 shall  rise  uncorruptible,  as   his  is  risen,  and  when  he  shall 
 change  their  vile  body,  that  it  may  be  like  fashioned  unto  piiii.  \u. 
 his  glorious  body. 
 
 Again,  ye  said  before,  that  there  were  no  saints  in 
 heaven  afore  Christ's  ascension.  And  now  to  prove,  that  the 
 least  of  the  saints  in  heaven  is  more  entirely  beloved  of  God 
 than  Abraham  was  in  this  life,  ye  allege  the  words  that  were 
 spoken  long  before  the  death  of  Christ,   Qui  minor  est  in 
 
430  CONPUTATION     OP    STANDISH. 
 
 regno,  ^-f.    Remember  yourself  well,  what  a  clerkly  part  ye 
 play  with. that  text. 
 
 As  for  Sanctorum  Communionem,  it  is  the  declaration  of 
 the  holy  cathohc  or  universal  church  of  Christ,  that  they 
 are  a  company  or  fellowship  of  all  such  as  be  sanctified  in 
 Christ's  blood,  and  are  partakers  of  his  merits,  and  members 
 one  of  another.  But  no  probation  is  it,  that  saints  in  heaven 
 do  pray  for  us,  if  ye  note  well  the  description  thereof,  by 
 icor.  xii.      St  Paul's  doctriue. 
 
 Now  if  ye  will  prove  your  purpose  by  the  angels'  offices, 
 ^'^^-  '■  then  must  ye  prove,  that  saints  are  ministering  spirits,  sent 
 for  their  sakes  which  shall  be  heirs  of  salvation.  But  that 
 will  be  hard  for  you  to  do.  Neither  doth  the  twentieth 
 chapter  of  Luke  help  your  matter  any  thing  at  all ;  for, 
 though  ye  chop  up  the  text  at  your  pleasure  with  the 
 Luke XX.  shortest,  these  are  our  Saviour's  words:  "The  children  of 
 this  world  do  marry  and  be  married ;  but  they  that  shall  be 
 counted  worthy  of  yonder  world  and  the  resurrection  from 
 the  dead,  shall  neither  marry  nor  be  married,  for  they  can 
 die  no  more ;  for  they  are  like  unto  the  angels,"  &c.  This 
 answer  now  of  our  Saviour  to  the  Sadducees,  as  it  confuteth 
 their  heresy,  so  doth  it  prove,  that  the  children  of  God  in 
 heaven  be  like  the  angels,  in  life,  in  immortality,  and  in  that 
 they  are  as  free  from  the  necessity  of  marriage,  as  the  angels 
 be ;  but  it  proveth  not  that  they  are  like  angels  in  all  things : 
 for  then  should  they  have  no  bodies  to  be  raised  up  at  the 
 general  resurrection. 
 
 Standish. 
 But  also  that  their  merits  do  profit  us,  as  by  example 
 we  do  read.  Gen.  xxvi.,  ^c. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 Gen.  xxvi.  Whereas  Almighty  God   saith  unto  Isaac,    "  Unto   thy 
 
 seed  will  I  give  all  this  land,  &c.  because  Abraham  was 
 obedient  unto  my  voice,"  &c. ;  upon  this  are  ye  not  ashamed 
 to  say,  that  the  cause  is  only  thorough  the  merits  of  his  father 
 Abraham?  Now  saith  not  the  text  so,  but  thus:  "Unto  thee 
 and  thy  seed  will  I  give  all  this  land,  and  will  perform  mine 
 oath  that  I  sware  unto   thy  father  Abraham,"   &c.      This 
 
 BaLiii.  scripture  then  like  as  it  proveth,  according  to  St  Paul's 
 words,  that  "they  which  are  of  faith  are  blessed  with  faithful 
 
DEFENCE    OF    BARNES*'     PROTESTATION.  431 
 
 Abraham ;"  so  declareth  it  manifestly,  that  this  same  blessing 
 Cometh  of  GocFs  promise  in  and  thorough  the  Seed  of  Abraham 
 and  Isaac,  that  is,  even  thorough  Christ. 
 
 But  why  bring  ye  in  this  or  any  other  place  of  the  old 
 Testament  to  prove,  that  the  merits  of  saints  in  heaven  do 
 profit  us ;  seeing  ye  say  yourself,  that  afore  Christ's  ascension 
 there  were  none  in  heaven,  and  seeing  also  that  those  virtues 
 of  Abraham  and  David  were  things  practised  here,  and  not 
 in  heaven?  God  is  my  record,  I  wonder  greatly,  Avhat  ye 
 mean,  thus  to  dally  with  his  word. 
 
 Touching  merits,  I  have  answered  you  already ;  but   St 
 Paul  answereth  you  better,  and  saith,  that  God,  giving  us  his  Rom.  viu. 
 dear  Son,  hath  given  us  all  things  with  him,  and  that  in  him  coi.  i.  iu 
 dwelleth  all  fulness,  so  that  we  are  complete  in  him.     Sure 
 I  am  also,  that  no  true  servant  of  God  will  be  otherwise 
 minded,  than  was  holy  John  Baptist,  which  said,  that  "  out 
 of  Christ's  fulness  all  we  receive  grace,"  &c.  and  that  "grace  johni. 
 and  truth  cometh  by  Jesus  Christ."     If  the  merits  then  that 
 ye  speak  of  be  any  part  of  grace  and  truth,  then  must  ye 
 needs  grant,  that  we  receive  them  only  of  him.      But  surely 
 ye  have  some  ungracious  and  false  matter  in  hand. 
 
 Standish. 
 He  speaketh  nothing  of  our  works  after  our  justification, 
 but  only  of  works  before  faith  ;  which  indeed  are  not  meri- 
 torious, ^-c. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 Afore,  to  prove  by  Cornelius'  works,  that  our  justification, 
 deserved  only  by  the  death  of  Christ,  is  a  false  justification^, 
 ye  say,  that  his  good  works  before  he  was  justified,  something  Diversity  m 
 deserved  that  he  should  be  called  into  the  congregation  of  our  doctrine.* 
 Saviour,  and  so  thorough  God's  mercy  his  works  did  deserve 
 much  of  Almighty  God.  These  are  your  own  words.  And 
 now,  clean  contrary  to  the  same,  ye  grant,  that  works  before 
 faith  are  not  meritorious.  Thus  by  your  own  words  condemn 
 ye  your  own  doctrine. 
 
 But  though  every  good  work  done  in  true  faith  after 
 God's  commandment  shall  be  rewarded,  and  hath  his  promise 
 annexed  unto  it,  as,  if  I  be  merciful  unto  my  neighbour,  God  Matt.v.xviii. 
 hath  promised  to  have  mercy  on  me  again;  shall  that  reward 
 
 \}  See  before,  p.  379.] 
 
432 
 
 CONFUTATION   OF    STANDISH. 
 
 e  Cor.  iii. 
 Phil.  ii. 
 
 August. 
 
 Rom.  in. 
 E  plies,  ii. 
 
 Luke  xvii. 
 
 De  pra?dest. 
 sane. 
 
 be  given  for  ray  works'  sake,  and  not  rather  of  liis  own  pro- 
 mise and  blessing  in  Jesu  Christ  ?  Is  not  all  our  sufficiency 
 of  God  ?  Can  we  think  a  good  thought  of  ourselves  ?  Is  it 
 not  God,  which  worketh  in  us  both  the  will  and  the  deed? 
 "  When  God  rewardeth  any  good  work,  doth  he  not  crown  his 
 own  gifts  in  us  ^  ? "  Stop  ye  your  mouth  then,  and  know- 
 ledge yourself  to  be  in  God's  danger,  and  in  his  debt.  Why 
 boast  ye  of  your  merits,  against  the  doctrine  of  God's  word  ? 
 Why  grant  ye  not  with  St  Luke,  whom  ye  allege  yourself, 
 that  "  when  ye  have  done  all  such  things  as  are  commanded 
 you,  ye  are  an  unprofitable  servant?"  and  with  St  Paul,  that 
 "the  pains  taken  in  this  life  are  not  worthy  of  the  glory  for 
 to  come?"  Do  ye  not  say  yourself  also  these  words  :  "We  must 
 think  and  surely  believe,  that  all  cometh  of  Christ's  liberality, 
 which  freely  did  call  us  and  love  us,  before  we  loved  him?" 
 What  practice  then  of  any  worldly  prince  can  prove  this  truth 
 to  be  false  ?  Your  own  words  and  sentences  destroy  your 
 doctrine  of  merits.  Follow  St  Augustine's  counsel  then,  and 
 "  boast  not  of  men's  merits  ;  but  let  the  grace  of  God,  which 
 reigneth  through  Jesus  Christ,  have  all  the  pre-eminence"." 
 And  if  ye  have  any  works  following  the  free  and  liberal  vo- 
 cation of  God,  then  grant  with  Chrysostom,  that  "  they  are 
 his  reward  and  your  duty,  and  that  the  gifts  of  God  are  his 
 own  benignity,  grace,  and  greatness  of  his  own  liberality  ^" 
 
 Barnes. 
 TVell,  have  ye  got  any  thing  more  to  say?  Then 
 called  he  Mr  Sheriff,  and  said,  "  Have  you  any  articles 
 against  me,  for  the  which  I  am  condemned  ?"  And  the 
 sheriff  answered,  "No."  Then  said  he,  "Is  there  here  any 
 man  else,  that  knoweth  wherefore  I  die,  or  that  by  my 
 preaching  hath  taken  any  error  ?     Let  them  now  speak, 
 
 [1  Cum  Deus  coronat  merita  nostra,  nihil  aliud  eoronat  quam  mu- 
 nera  sua. — August.  Sixto  Presbytero  con.  Pelag.  Epist.  cv.  Op.  Tom. 
 n.  p.  96,  M.  Ed.  1541.  Compare  also,  De  Grat.  et  Lib.  Arbitr.  ad  Va- 
 lentinum.  Tom.  vn.  p.  282,  E.  F. ;  Enarrat.  in  Psalm,  xcviii.  (xcix). 
 Tom.  vni.  p.  241,  D. ;  and  Enarrat.  in  Psalm,  cii.  (ciii).  p.  252, 1.  K.] 
 
 [2  Humana  merita  conticescant,  et  regnet,  quse  regnat,  Dei  gratia 
 per  Jesum  Christum,  unicum  Dei  Filium,  Dominum  nostrum. — August. 
 de  Prisdestinatione  Sanctorum.  Cap.  15.  Opera.  Tom.  vn.  p.  270,  H.] 
 
 [3  The  Editor  has  not  been  able  to  discover  this  passage.] 
 
DEFENCE    OF    CARNEs'    PROTESTATION.  433 
 
 and  I  will  make  them  answer."     And  no  man  answered. 
 
 Then  said  he,   "Well,  I  am  condemned  by  the  law  to 
 
 die,  and,  as  I  understand,  by  an  act  of  parliament ;  but 
 
 wherefore,  I  cannot  tell,  but  belike  for  heresy :   for  we 
 
 are  like  to  be  burnt." 
 
 Standish. 
 
 Articles  against  thee  ?  What  articles  didst  thou  revoke 
 at  the  Spittle,  ^c.  ? 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 A  very  spittle  fashion  is  it,  no  doubt,  to  ask  questions 
 of  the  dead.  And  I  suppose  verily,  that  except  it  be  a  con- 
 jurer, a  juggler,  or  a  worker  with  spirits,  there  is  none  that 
 useth  it. 
 
 Touching  articles  at  the  Spittle,  I  am  certain  D.  Barnes 
 did  not  affirm  there,  that  faith  doth  not  justify,  or  that  Christ''s 
 death  was  not  the  sufficient  satisfaction  for  our  sins.  Now 
 whereas  he  was  enjoined  to  affirm,  that  though  Christ  be  our 
 only  mediator,  saviour,  justifier,  and  only  satisfaction  unto 
 God  for  the  sins  of  them  that  believe  in  him,  yet  if  we  lose 
 this  grace  through  sin,  then  must  we  rise  again  by  true 
 penance,  &c.;  if  for  this  article,  I  say,  ye  will  gather  that 
 he  should  revoke,  then  do  ye  interpret  his  words  contrary  to 
 his  own  declaration,  that  he  made  of  them  in  the  same  sermon : 
 insomuch  that  the  Sunday  after  at  Paul's  Cross,  as  I  under- 
 stand, D.  Wnson  could  lay  no  greater  tiling  to  his  charge, 
 than  that  he  had  expounded  penance  after  his  wont  manner, 
 by  the  office  of  the  law  and  the  gospel. 
 
 Now  like  as  afore  in  your  words  ye  compare  this  his 
 confession  to  the  confession  of  the  devil ;  so  by  this  and  such 
 other  your  taunts  ye  would  make  the  world  believe  that  he 
 revoked  all  truth  at  the  Spittle-field,  and  that  he  had  all  his 
 lifetime  taught  an  ungodly  and  carnal  liberty :  the  contrary 
 whereof  is  evident,  not  only  by  this  present  Protestation,  but 
 also  by  his  writing  and  preaching  before;  namely,  that  to 
 the  true  belief  and  consent  of  the  heart  are  necessarily  re- 
 quired good  christian  fruits  in  every  man  and  woman's  con- 
 versation according  to  the  same.  Wherefore  this  his  con- 
 fession, so  long  as  he  maintained  no  damnable  error  contrary 
 unto  it,  (which  in  all  your  babbling  book  ye  have  not  proved, 
 neither  shall  be  able  to  do,)  was  a  sufficient  evidence  at  his 
 
 LCOVERDALE,  II.] 
 
43 -t  CONFUTATION    OP    STANDISH. 
 
 latter  end,  that  he  died  a  true  christian  man.     Neither  can 
 ye  justly  condemn  him,  that  maketh  no  worse  confession  on 
 
 ijohniv.  his  death-bed.  Again,  St  John  saith:  "Every  spirit  which 
 confesseth  that  Jesus  Christ  is  come  in  the  flesh,  is  of  God." 
 Wherefore  ye  are  too  rash  in  judgment,  to  affirm  that  he 
 was  justly  condemned  for  heresy,  seeing  that  he  neither  held 
 any  doctrine,  nor  maintained  by  evil  conversation  any  thing, 
 out  of  which  ye  can  truly  deduce,  that  ever  he  denied  the 
 true  faith  of  God,  or  any  one  of  the  benefits  or  offices  of 
 Jesus  Christ. 
 
 As  for  the  articles  that  were  laid  ao-ainst  him  in  Cam- 
 bridge  above  twelve  years  ago,  verily  like  as  in  repeating  of 
 them  ye  accuse  your  church  to  pretend  an  outward  forgive- 
 ness, and  yet  to  keep  hatred  still  many  years  ;  so  appear  ye 
 to  favour  them  that  accused  him  of  the  said  articles,  in  some 
 whereof  he  maintained  the  prerogative  of  princes  against  the 
 tyranny  and  usurped  power  ye  wot  of  Avhom.  I  say  no 
 more ;  but  if  ye  be  at  that  point,  and  may  so  freely  write 
 what  ye  will,  I  commit  my  part  of  the  play  to  God :  who, 
 as  I  doubt  not,  will  defend  the  king  in  his  right,  so  am  I 
 sure,  that  although  ye  be  now  in  your  ruff,  he  is  not  yet 
 hard  asleep.  Whereas  ye  say,  that  at  D.  Barnes'  death 
 there  were  three  sorts  of  men,  and  that  the  first  sort,  which 
 by  your  report  were  most  contrary  to  him,  would  give  him 
 no  answer  at  his  honest  request;  ye  declare  plainly,  that 
 either  they  had  nothing  to  say  against  him,   or  else  little 
 
 2  Cor.  xi.  charity  ;  seeing  that,  according  to  St  Paul's  words  which  ye 
 allege,  they  found  not  themselves  grieved  to  see  the  weak 
 offended,  if  it  were  as  you  say.  Neither  proveth  it  them  to 
 lean  stedfastly  unto  the  pillar  of  truth,  to  love  God's  law,  to 
 have  true  quietness  in  their  conscience,  or  to  be  endowed 
 with  fervent  charity,  that  follow  not  the  same  law  of  love  in 
 the  time  of  need.  How  do  those  places  of  scripture  then 
 that  ye  bring  in,  allow  their  act  ?  Let  all  indifferent  readers 
 judge  how  the  cxviii.  [cxix.]  psalm,  the  third  of  the  first 
 to  Timothy,  or  the  eighth  to  the  Komans,  agreeth  with  their 
 purpose. 
 
 In  describing  the  second  sort  of  people  that  were  at  D. 
 Barnes'  death,  ye  fail  also :  first,  in  reporting  of  them,  that 
 they  ever  be  and  shall  be  as  apt  to  receive  the  evil  preaching, 
 as  the  good ;   secondly,  that  they  are  content  in  these  matters 
 
DEFENCE    OF    BARNEs""    PROTESTATION.  435 
 
 to,  go  whither  they  be  led ;    thirdly,  that  they  are  content 
 
 to  beheve  what  they  be  taught ;    fourthly,  that  they  know 
 
 not  when  they  be  in  the  right  way,  nor  when  they  be  forth 
 
 of  it.     Now  saith  our  Saviour,  in  the  same  text  which  ye  Matt.  xvui. 
 
 yourself  do  allege,  that  they  believe  in  him.     Then  hke  as 
 
 they  hearken  to  his  voice,  and  not  to  the  voice  of  strangers,  john  %. 
 
 so  follow  they  him,  and  are  led  of  his  Holy  Spirit;  and  notHom. viu. 
 
 only  prove  all  doctrines,  whether  they  be' of  God,  but  alsouohniv. 
 
 keep  that  which  is  good ;  for  they  know  Christ's  voice,  and 
 
 not  the  voice  of  strangers.  John  x. 
 
 Moreover,  if  that  third  sort  of  people  did  favour  no  worse 
 opinions,  and  were  no  fuller  of  fleshly  and  carnal  sensuahty, 
 than  this  present  Protestation  of  D.  Barnes  teacheth  them ; 
 that  text,   Dilexerunt  magis   tenebras,  ^c.   may   rather   bejohniii. 
 verified  of  you  and  your  sort,  than  of  them. 
 
 Barnes. 
 But  they  that  have  been  the  occasion  of  it,  I  pray 
 God  forgive  them,  as  I  would  be  forgiven  myself.  And 
 D.  Stephen,  bishop  of  Winchester  that  now  is,  if  he  have 
 sought  or  wrought  this  my  death,  either  by  word  or 
 deed,  I  pray  God  forgive  him,  as  heartily,  as  freely,  as 
 charitably,  and  without  feigning,  as  ever  Christ  forgave 
 them  that  put  him  to  death. 
 
 Standish. 
 See  now  tvhether  this  be  feigned  charity  or  no,  ^c. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 It  is  no  point  of  feigned  charity,  a  man  to  forgive  them 
 that  offend  against  him,  and  to  pray  for  them  that  persecute 
 him  ;  as  it  is  manifest  by  our  Saviour's  doctrine,  and  example  Matt.  v. 
 
 ,  ,    1  •       1       ,1  Luke  xxiii. 
 
 also  at  his  death. 
 
 Ye  take  upon  you  here  the  office  of  a  judge,  afore  ye 
 be  called  thereto  ;  yea,  even  God's  only  office,  in  judging  men's 
 hearts,  take  ye  upon  you :  as  who  say,  he  goeth  about  to 
 overthrow  and  cast  down  a  man,  that  agreeth  not  with  him 
 in  his  doctrine.  As  touching  any  contentious  matter  between 
 my  lord  of  Winchester  and  D.  Barnes,  though  you  and  I 
 both  (as  I  suppose)  be  ignorant  what  direction  the  king's 
 highness  did  take  therein ;  yet  seeing  the  one  was  reconciled 
 
 28—2 
 
436  CONFUTATION    OF    STANDISH, 
 
 to  the  other  openly  at  the  Spittle,  ye  should  now  not  take 
 the  matter  so  hot. 
 
 ■  But  a  pick-thank  will  ye  be  still.  What  mind  hath  he  to 
 be  revenged,  that  first  asketh  a  man  forgiveness,  and  then 
 prayeth  Grod  to  forgive  him,  as  Christ  forgave  his  death,  if 
 he  be  guilty  ?  Again,  will  the  bishop  of  Winchester  judge 
 himself  to  be  either  seditiously  or  disdainfully  named,  or 
 without  reverence,  when  he  is  called  a  bishop  ?  I  dare  say 
 he  will  not.  Why  play  ye  PhUip  Flatterer's  part  then,  as 
 though  the  name  of  a  bishop  were  not  a  reverent  name  ? 
 
 Barnes. 
 And  if  any  of  the  council,  or  any  other,  have  sought 
 or  wrought  it  through  malice  or  ignorance,  I  pray  God 
 forgive  them  their  ignorance,  and  illuminate  their  eyes ; 
 that  they  may  see,  and  ask  mercy  for  it. 
 
 Standish. 
 Oh,  what  ignorance,  8(C. 
 
 COVERDALE.  ,/    -  ^ 
 
 This  prayer  is  neither  malicious  against  God's  word^  nor 
 prejudicial  to  any  man ;  and  if  they  that  suffered  D.  Barnes 
 to  live  so  long,  were  to  blame  for  their  so  doing,  then  make 
 ye  yourself  guilty  of  the  same  fault,  that  have  played  the 
 coward  all  that  while,  and  not  helped  him  to  his  death. 
 
 Barnes. 
 I  beseech  you  all  to  pray  for  the  kind's  grace,  as  I 
 have  done  ever  since  I  was  in  prison,  and  do  now;  that 
 God  may  give  him  prosperity,  and  that  he  may  long 
 reign  among  you,  and  after  him  that  goodly  prince 
 Edward  may  so  reign,  that  he  may  finish  those  things 
 that  his  father  hath  begun.  I  have  been  reported  a 
 preacher  of  sedition  and  disobedience  to  the  king's 
 majesty :  but  here  I  say  to  you,  that  you  all  are  bound 
 by  the  commandment  of  God  to  obey  your  prince  Avith 
 all  humility  and  with  all  your  heart,  yea,  not  so  much  as 
 in  a  look  to  shew  yourselves  disobedient  unto  him  ;  and 
 
DEFENCE    OF    BARNEs'     PROTESTATION.  437 
 
 that  not  only  for  fear  of  the  sword,  but  also  for  con- 
 science sake  before  God. 
 
 Standish. 
 Thou  hast  been  truly  reported  a  seditious  preachei^  fr, 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 Will  ye  then  wink  at  sedition  so  long,  and  not  be  an 
 accuser  thereof,  whereas,  by  your  own  confession,  ye  have 
 heard  him  preach  so  oft  ?  yea,  and  knowing  his  book  to  have 
 been  so  long  printed?  But  how  untruly  you  belie  him,  it 
 shall  be  evident  to  all  the  world,  that  will  read  his  book. 
 Ye  report  of  him,  that  he  should  say  in  his  book,  printed  ten 
 years  ago,  that  if  the  king  would  by  tyranny  take  the  New 
 Testament  from  his  subjects,  they  should  not  suffer  him. 
 Now  is  it  manifest,  that  like  as  he  saith  here  in  this  part  of  his 
 Protestation,  so  saith  he  also  in  his  book,  and  bringeth  in 
 the  same  thirteenth  chapter  to  the  Romans  that  ye  allege; 
 and  addeth  moreover  these  words :  "In  no  wise,  be  it  right  or  inthecxiu. 
 wrong,  mayest  thou  make  any  resistance  with  sword  or  with 
 hand,  &c."  Item,  "  If  the  king  forbid  the  New  Testament,  &c. 
 men  shall  first  make  faithful  prayers  to  God,  and  humble 
 supphcation  to  the  king,  that  his  grace  would  release  that 
 commandment.  If  he  will  not  do  it,  they  shall  keep  their  d.  Barnes- 
 Testament  with  all  other  ordinance  of  Christ,  and  let  the  cxv.  leaf  of 
 
 .  -    ,  „  ,    .  .his  book. 
 
 kmg  exercise  his  tyranny,  if  they  cannot  fly ;  and  in  no  wise, 
 under  pain  of  damnation,  shall  they  resist  him  by  violence ; 
 but  suffer  patiently,  &c.  Nor  they  shall  not  go  about  to 
 depose  their  prince,  as  my  lords  the  bishops  were  wont,  &c. 
 But  if  the  kins:  will  do  it  by  violence,  they  must  suffer  it ;  in  the  cxvi. 
 
 ~  "  "      .     .  leaf. 
 
 but  not  obey  to  it  by  agreement."  Item,  "Now  is  it  clear,  that 
 we  may  not  resist  this  temporal  power,  in  no  wise,  by 
 violence,  &c.;  but  if  any  thing  be  commanded  us  that  is  against  inthecxviii. 
 the  word  of  God,  whereby  our  faith  is  hurt,  that  should  we 
 not  do  in  anywise,  but  rather  suffer  persecution,  and  also 
 death." 
 
 Be  these  words  now  as  much  to  say  as,  if  the  kiag  com- 
 mand any  thing  by  tyranny,  men  shall  not  suffer  him? 
 What  mean  ye  so  untruly  to  report  of  the  dead?  But  no 
 marvel,  when  ye  shame  not  to  belie  so  many  texts  of  God's 
 holy  word. 
 
438  CONFUTATION    OF    STANDISH. 
 
 Touching  men's  laws,  it  is  manifest,  that  such  as  are  not 
 grounded  in  God's  word,  do  not  bind  the  conscience  of  man 
 to  deadly  sin.  For  if  they  be  not  grounded  in  God's  word, 
 and  agreeable  to  the  faith  thereof,  then  are  they  sinful  and 
 naught.  Who  is  bound  now  to  obey  sin  ?  But  a  man  may 
 smell  you  afar  oif,  whose  successors  ye  be.  You  will  not 
 stick  to  call  it  a  lawful  act,  for  a  prince  to  condemn  God's 
 word,  and  to  forbid  that  thing  which  is  institute  and  ordained 
 of  God :  yea,  if  our  prince  would  take  such  a  thing  in  hand, 
 (which  God  forbid !)  he  should  lack  no  instigation  of  your 
 malignant  church.  Neither  can  I  yet  conjecture  the  contrary, 
 but  that  ye  are  about  such  a  tragedy.  Now  go  to ;  set 
 your  watchmen  to  keep  the  sepulchre,  suffer  not  Christ  to 
 rise  up  in  any  wise,  let  not  the  soldiers  lack  money,  (the 
 church  is  rich  enough,)  cast  your  great  heads  together,  and 
 let  Caiphas  give  you  his  most  subtle  counsel.  For  when  ye 
 have  done  your  best,  and  lied  all  that  ever  ye  can,  yet  shall  God 
 make  your  pohcy  to  serve  for  the  glory  of  his  truth.  Amen. 
 
 Barnes. 
 Yea,  and  I  say  further,  if  the  king  should  command 
 you  any  thing  against  God's  law,  if  it  be  in  your  power 
 to  resist  him,  yet  may  you  not  do  it. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 See  here  the  steadfastness,  ^c. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 This  man  neither  wrote  nor  said,  that  we  must  obey  an 
 earthly  prince  more  than  Almighty  God ;  and  yet  are  ye  not 
 ashamed  so  to  report  of  him.  He  saith,  that  though  the  king 
 command  us  any  thing  against  God's  law,  yet  may  we  not 
 resist  him  :  which  saying  ye  call  an  abominable  heresy.  Thus 
 declare  ye  yourself  manifestly  to  be  of  the  number  of  them 
 that  teach,  how  that  it  is  lawful  for  a  man  to  resist  his  prince  : 
 which  thing  whether  it  be  not  both  heresy  and  treason,  let 
 them  judge  that  have  authority. 
 Amosvii.  Because  Amos  the  prophet  preached  against  idolatry  at 
 
 Bethel,  that  false  priest  Amasias,  whom  ye  speak  of,  told  the 
 kincr  that  he  was  a  seditious  fellow,  and  so  found  the  means 
 
DEFENCE    OF    BARNES**    PROTESTATION.  439^^ 
 
 to  get  him  out  of  the  court.  Yet  played  Amasias  a  more 
 honest  part  with  Amos,  than  you  do ;  for  he  laid  rebelHon  to 
 his  charge  that  was  aUve,  and  your  accusation  is  against  the 
 dead.  Again,  Amasias,  being  yet  a  false  priest,  saith  not, 
 that  it  is  lawful  for  a  man  to  resist  his  prmce ;  and  you  call 
 it  abominable  heresy  to  teach  the  contrary. 
 
 Though  Peter  and  John  do  teach,  that  we  must  obey 
 and  hearken  unto  God  more  than  unto  men,  do  they  there- 
 fore teach,  that  we  must  resist  our  prince?  Where  find  ye 
 that  example  in  them  ?  Peter  smote  off  Malcus'  ear  indeed ; 
 but  little  thank  had  he  for  his  labour.  Doth  he  not  teach 
 us  to  endure  grief,  to  suffer  wrong,  and  to  take  it  patiently  ?  i  pet.  u. 
 Saith  he  not,  that  we  are  called  thereunto  ?  Setteth  he  not 
 Christ  unto  us  for  an  example  of  suffering  ? 
 
 Because  our  Saviour  willeth  us  not  to  fear  them  that  kill  Matt.  x. 
 the  body,  must  we  therefore  resist  them?   When  a  prince 
 doth  persecute  us  for  God's  word's  sake  in  one  city,  must  we 
 resist  liim,  and  not  rather  fly  into  another  ?   Doth  he  call  Mait.  v. 
 them  blessed  that  resist,  and  not  them  rather  that  suffer  for 
 persecution  sake  ?    Did  Christ  enter  into  his  kingdom  by  Luke  xxiv. 
 resisting,  or  by  suffering? 
 
 As  for  that  saying,  Qui  timet  hominem,  ^c.  I  cannot  find 
 it  in  the  xix.  of  the  Proverbs  :  but  I  find  there  written,  that  Prov.  xix. 
 "a  false  witness  shall  not  remain  unpunished,  and  that  he 
 which  speaketh  lies  shall  not  escape." 
 
 Ye  call  it  an  abominable  heresy  to  teach,  that  we  ought 
 not  to  resist  our  prince,  though  he  command  us  any  unlaw- 
 ful thing  ;  and  to  prove  your  purpose,  ye  point  us  to  the  fifth 
 of  Esay,  where  there  is  no  such  words  as  ye  speak  of  But 
 these  words  find  I  there:  "Woe  unto  them  that  call  goodisai. v. 
 evil,  &c." 
 
 As  for  the  example   of  the   seven  brethren  and  their  They  say  not, 
 
 ■T  we  are  ready 
 
 mother,  it  utterly  condemneth  you;  for  they  say  these  words  :  [° ^^f^*,'^;  ^j,. 
 "We  are  ready  rather  to  suffer,  than  to  offend  the  laws  of  20 
 God,"  &c. ;  and  as  they  said,  so  they  did,  without  making 
 resistance,  though  the  king's  commandment  was  unlawful. 
 What  other  thing  now  did  D.  Barnes  teach  in  his  fore-rehearsed 
 words,  but  (as  he  had  said  in  his  book  before)  that  if  the  king 
 would  command  us  any  unlawful  thing,  we  must  suffer  him, 
 though  we  obey  not  to  it  by  agreement  ?  What  danger  you 
 be  in  then  for  teaching  the  contrary,  I  will  not  define.    I 
 
440  CONFUTATION    OF    STANDISH. 
 
 pray  God,  according  to  his  good  pleasure,  have  mercy  upon 
 you. 
 
 Barnes. 
 
 Then  spake  he  to  the  sheriff  and  said,  "  Mr.  Sheriff, 
 I  require  you  of  God's  behalf,  to  have  me  commended 
 unto  the  king's  grace,  and  to  shcAv  him,  that  I  require  of 
 his  grace  these  requests.  First,  that  where  his  grace  hath 
 noAv  received  into  his  hands  all  the  goods  and  substance  of 
 the  abbeys  " — Then  the  sheriff  desired  him  to  stop  there. 
 He  answered,  "Mr.  Sheriff,  I  warrant  you,  that  I  will  speak 
 no  harm ;  for  I  know  it  is  well  done,  that  all  such  super- 
 stition be  taken  clean  away,  and  the  king's  grace  hath 
 well  done  in  taking  it  away.  But  seeing  his  grace  is 
 made  a  whole  king,  and  obeyed  in  his  realm  as  a  king, 
 (which  neither  his  father,  nor  grandfather,  nor  his  ances- 
 tors that  reigned  before  him,  ever  had,)  and  that  thorough 
 the  preaching  of  us  and  such  other  wretches  as  we  are, 
 which  always  have  applied  our  whole  studies,  and  gave 
 ourselves  for  the  setting  forth  of  the  same,  and  this  is 
 now  our  reward ; — well,  it  maketh  no  matter  :  now  he 
 reigneth,  (I  pray  God  long  may  he  reign  among  you  !) 
 would  God  it  might  please  his  grace  to  bestow  the  said 
 goods,  or  some  of  them,  to  the  comfort  of  his  poor  sub- 
 jects, which  surely  have  great  need  of  them. 
 
 "  The  second  that  I  desire  his  grace,  is,  that  he  will 
 see  that  matrimony  be  had  in  more  reverence  than  it  is, 
 and  that  men,  for  every  light  cause  invented,  cast  not  off 
 their  wives,  and  live  in  advoutry  and  fornication ;  and 
 that  these  that  be  not  married,  should  not  abominably 
 live  in  whoredom,  following  the  filthy  lusts  of  the  flesh. 
 
 "  The  third,  that  the  abominable  swearers  may  be 
 punished,  and  straitly  looked  upon.  For  surely  the  ven- 
 geance of  God  will  come  on  them  for  their  mischievous 
 oaths."  Then  desired  he  Mr.  Pope,  which  was  present,  to 
 have  him  commended  to  Mr.  Edgar,  and  to  desire  him. 
 
DEFENCE    OF    BARNEs"*    PROTESTATION.  441 
 
 for  the  dear  blood  of  Jesu  Christ,  that  he  would  leave 
 that  abominable  swearing  that  he  useth.  "  For  surely, 
 except  he  forsake  it,  he  will  come  to  some  mischievous 
 end.  The  fourth,  that  his  grace  will  set  forth  Christ's 
 true  religion :  and  that,  seeing  he  hath  begun,  he  go 
 forward,  and  make  an  end ;  for  many  things  have  been 
 done,  but  yet  much  more  is  to  do.  And  that  it  would 
 please  his  grace  to  look  on  God's  word  himself:  for  it 
 hath  been  obscured  with  many  traditions  of  our  own 
 brains.  Now,"  said  he,  "how  many  petitions  have  I  spoken 
 of?"  And  the  people  said,  "Four."  "Well,"  said  he,  "even 
 these  four  be  sufficient,  which  I  desire  you,  that  the 
 king's  grace  may  be  certified  of  them.  And  say,  that  I 
 most  humbly  desire  him  to  look  earnestly  upon  them." 
 
 Standish. 
 It  ivas  high  time  to  look,  SfC. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 The  prophet  Daniel,  I  trust,  was  no  arrogant  wretch,  Dan.  iv. 
 though  he  desired  his  prince  to  make  some  provision  for  the 
 poor,  no  more  than  was  holy  St  Paul,  which  taught  Timothy  i  xim.  vi. 
 to  charge  the  rich  men  of  this  world  with  the  same  lesson. 
 All  they  also  that  were  true  messengers  of  God,  laboured  to 
 have  advoutry,  fornication,  whoredom,  and  abominable 
 swearing,  expelled  from  among  christian  men,  as  all  the  whole 
 scripture  testifieth.  Neither  did  D.  Barnes  in  these  his 
 words  require  any  other  thing.  His  words  are  plain  enough : 
 and  yet,  as  your  manner  is  in  your  treatise,  ye  imagine  an 
 intent  and  mind  clean  contrary  to  the  same.  Ye  grant,  that 
 he  spake  earnestly  for  the  poor  and  for  the  commons ;  and 
 yet  call  ye  him  an  arrogant  wretch,  and  for  his  good  will 
 report  of  him,  that  he  desired  to  have  a  great  stroke  in  every 
 matter  of  weight,  &c, 
 
 D.  Barnes  said  not,  that  he  and  his  fellows  did  reform 
 those  things  that  were  amiss,  (for  he  knew  that  to  be  God's 
 office  and  the  king's ;)  and  yet  surmise  ye  the  same  untruly 
 upon   him.      But   he  saith,  that  thorough  the  preaching  of 
 
442  CONFUTATION    OF    STANDISH. 
 
 God's  word  in  the  ministration  of  him  and  such  other  the 
 king's  grace  is  now  more  obeyed,  than  ever  he  was  before. 
 And  I  pray  you,  is  it  not  so  ?  Or  Avas  it  not  God's  holy 
 word,  that  gat  the  king  his  own  again  ?  May  he  thank  any 
 papistical  doctrine  therefore  ?   No;  verily. 
 
 Concerning  Mr  Edgar,  if  D.  Barnes  had  not  had  a  right 
 good  opinion  in  him,  no  doubt  he  would  not  have  sent  him 
 that  commendation  with  such  an  honest  request.  But  because 
 he  took  him  (as  he  might  right  well,  I  trust,)  for  a  gentle- 
 man that  would  suffer  a  christian  exhortation,  as  they  will 
 that  pertain  unto  Christ,  therefore  was  he  the  bolder  of  him. 
 As  for  that  swearing,  I  think  verily  it  cometh  rather  of  a 
 custom  (which  yet  might  well  be  left)  than  of  any  set  pur- 
 pose. Neither  was  D.  Barnes'  act  here  against  the  process 
 required  in  the  eighteenth  of  Matthew,  though  he  had  not 
 spoken  with  him  afore,  seeing  he  might  not  now  come  at 
 him. 
 
 Barnes. 
 
 And  that  his  grace  take  good  heed,  that  he  be  not 
 deceived  with  false  preachers  and  teachers,  and  evil 
 counsel.  For  Christ  saith,  that  such  false  prophets  shall 
 come  in  lambs'  skins. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 Oh,  how  great  thank  be  you  worthy,  S^c. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 Ye  should  have  proved  these  words  to  smell  nothing  but 
 heresy  and  treason,  as  ye  say  in  your  preface,  because  they 
 have  the  sweet  odour  of  the  gospel,  where  our  Saviour  bid- 
 Matt,  vii.      deth  us  beware  of  false  prophets,  and  of  the  leaven  of  Phari- 
 
 XVI.  XXIV.  1       r  ' 
 
 sees,  and  telleth  us,  that  many  such  shall  arise  and  deceive 
 
 many ;    yea,   even  through   sweet  preachings  and  flattering 
 
 Rom.  xvi.     words,  saith  the  apostle ;  and  because  the  scripture  biddeth 
 
 Mark  xii.      US  bowaro  of  sucli  merchants  as,  going  in  long  garments,  &c,, 
 
 devour  widows'  houses  under  the  pretence  of  long  prayers. 
 
 This  man  called  not  the  king's  most  honourable  council 
 evil,  and  yet  (even  like  a  pick-thank  still)  ye  surmise  it 
 upon  him.  If  a  friend  of  the  king's  should  say  unto  him, 
 I  beseech  your  grace,  take  good  heed  whom  ye  receive  into 
 your  privy  chamber,  doth  he  therefore  call  liis  chamberlains 
 
 Luke  XX. 
 
I 
 
 DEFENCE    OF    BARNEs"'    PROTESTATION.  443 
 
 evil?     Or  doth  he  therefore  prefer  his  own  wit  above  the 
 discreet  wisdom  of  the  king's  noble  council  ? 
 
 Holy  St  Peter,  as  long  as  he  was  in  this  body,  thought  2  Pet.  s. 
 it  meet  to  put  christian  men  in  remembrance  of  their  duty ; 
 yea,  though  they  were  of  ripe  knowledge  themselves,  and 
 stabUshed  in  the  truth.  And  yet  you  call  it  obstinate  pride, 
 treason,  blindness,  and  rash  foolishness,  so  to  do.  Such  is 
 your  judgment ;  yea,  even  when  the  party  doth  most  humbly 
 desire  his  prince,  to  whom  he  speaketh. 
 
 Barnes. 
 Then  desired  he  all  men  to  forgive  him ;  and  that  if 
 he  had  said  any  evil  at  any  time  unadvised,  whereby  he 
 had  offended  any  man,  or  given  any  occasion  of  evil, 
 that  they  would  forgive  it  him,  and  amend  that  evil 
 they  took  of  him. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 Mark  how  he  doth  continue  one  manner  of  man,  ^c. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 Steadfastness  in  the  way  of  God's  truth  is  to  be  com- 
 mended. And  an  evident  token  is  it,  that  he  is  of  the  same 
 doctrine,  which  wittingly  teacheth  no  evil,  reconcileth  himself 
 unto  all  men,  is  sorry  if  he  have  offended  any  man,  or  given 
 any  evil  occasion,  and  giveth  other  men  at  their  death  an 
 ensample  of  true  repentance. 
 
 Barnes. 
 And  that  they  would  bear  him  witness,  that  he 
 detested  and  abhorred  all  evil  opinions  and  doctrines 
 against  the  word  of  God ;  and  that  he  died  in  the  faith 
 of  Jesus  Christ  and  the  sacraments  of  the  church,  by 
 whom  he  doubted  not  to  [be]  saved. 
 
 Standish. 
 /  know  that  no  good  man,  ^c. 
 
 CoVERDALE. 
 
 Then  it  appeareth,  that   if  he  had  not   detested   and 
 
444  CONFUTATION    OF    STANDISH. 
 
 abhorred  all  evil  and  erroneous"  opinions,  but  had  loved  your 
 strange  doctrines,  which  are  against  God's  word,  and  so  died 
 out  of  Christ's  faith,  ye  would  have  been  a  record  and  wit- 
 ness to  him,  rather  than  fail. 
 
 Barnes. 
 
 And  with  this  he  desired  them  all  to  pray  for  him : 
 and  then  he  turned  him  about,  and  put  off  his  clothes, 
 making  him  ready  to  the  fire,  and  most  patiently  took 
 his  death,  yielding  his  soul  into  the  hands  of  Almighty 
 God. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 By  this  it  doth  appear,  that  the  first  ivriter  of  these 
 his  words  was  very  charitable,  ^c. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 Whatsoever  he  was  that  first  wrote  these  his  words, 
 verily  I  cannot  tell ;  neither  did  I  ever  read  them  or  hear 
 them,  till  I  saw  them  in  your  treatise.  And  though  it  may 
 be  suspected,  that  this  is  not  the  truest  copy,  because  it 
 Cometh  out  of  your  hands ;  yet  truly  a  right  charitable  deed 
 was  it  to  write  his  words,  and  to  certify  us  of  them :  for  else, 
 by  your  present  practice  we  may  conjecture  that  ye  would 
 have  descanted  of  his  death,  as  of  one  whom  ye  had  over- 
 come with  your  doctrine.  Now  also  that  ye  can  stop  the 
 truth  no  farther,  ye  would  bear  us  in  hand,  that  it  is  the 
 writer's  judgment  only,  which  ascribeth  unto  Mm,  that  he 
 patiently  took  his  death ;  as  though  there  were  none  else 
 that  heard  him  and  saw  him  die,  but  the  writer  alone. 
 
 CoVERDALE.        [StANDISH.] 
 
 Albeit  I  will  judge  only  of  the  outward  behaviour. 
 
 Coverdale. 
 
 johnvii.  "Judgo  uot  after  the  outward  appearance,"  saith  our  Sa- 
 
 viour, "  but  give  a  righteous  judgment." 
 
 Yet  do  ye  not  as  ye  say ;  for  in  many  places  of  your 
 treatise  ye  judge  the  man's  mind  and  intent,  yea,  contrary 
 to  his  words. 
 
DEFENCE    OF    BARNES'    PROTESTATION.  445 
 
 Standish. 
 
 Taking  occasion  by  his  erroneous  words,  to  judge  he 
 died  an  obstinate  heretic. 
 
 COVERDALE. 
 
 Ye  cannot  deny,  but  that  after  the  open  confession  of 
 liis  faith,  and  his  humble  requests  unto  the  king's  grace,  he 
 then  reconciled  himself  to  all  men ;  and  at  the  last,  when  he 
 had  desired  them  to  pray  for  him,  took  his  death  patiently, 
 and  yielded  up  his  soul  into  the  hands  of  Almighty  God. 
 For  all  this  ye  do  not  only  call  his  words  erroneous,  but 
 also  give  sentence,  that  he  died  an  obstinate  heretic. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 And  as  for  the  inward  secrets,  whether  he  be  condemned 
 or  saved,  whether  he  yielded  up  his  soul  into  the  hands  of 
 Almighty  God,  or  no,  ^c,  I  remit  that  to  the  secret  counsel 
 of  the  blessed  Trinity. 
 
 CoVERDALE. 
 
 A  wonderful  thing  is  it,  that  ye  are  so  unstable  in  your 
 words!  Do  ye  not  take  upon  you  afore  to  judge,  that  he 
 died  an  obstinate  heretic  ?  And  now  ye  cannot  tell  whether 
 he  be  saved  or  condemned,  whether  he  yielded  up  his  soul 
 into  the  hands  of  Almighty  God,  or  no.  But  can  an  obsti- 
 nate heretic  yield  up  his  soul,  when  he  is  dead  already? 
 Can  an  obstinate  heretic  be  saved?  Behold  now,  to  what 
 worship  ye  bring  your  doctrine  at  the  last. 
 
 Standish. 
 
 Unto  whom  be  laud,  honour,  and  glory  now  and  for 
 evermore.    Amen. 
 
 CoVERDALE. 
 
 Amen.  Even  to  that  same  blessed  Trinity,  Father,  Son, 
 and  Holy  Ghost,  be  honour  and  glory  now  and  evermore. 
 Amen. 
 
 The  apostle,  describing  the  office  and  duty  of  a  minister  2  Tim.  u. 
 or  preacher   of  God's  word,  willeth   him,  among  all   other 
 qualities,  to  shew  himself  such  a  laudable  workman,  as  need 
 not  be  ashamed,  handling  the  word  of  truth  justly.     Where- 
 
446  CONFUTATION    OF    STANDISH. 
 
 fore,  seeing  ye  have  so  irreverently  handled  God's  holy  word, 
 perverted  it,  wrested  it,  and  belied  it  so  oft  and  many  times 
 in  your  treatise,  marvel  not  at  this  mine  invective  against 
 your  false  doctrine.  As  for  simple  ignorance,  and  such  frail 
 weakness  as  accompanieth  the  nature  of  man,  whether  he 
 will  or  no,  it  may  be  suffered  and  borne.  But  wilful  spurn- 
 ing at  God's  holy  word,  froward  and  false  belying  thereof, 
 must  needs  be  rebuked  and  improved.  Your  zeal,  for  all 
 your  holy  pretence,  is  to  suppress  God's  truth,  to  maintain 
 that  doctrine  which  the  catholic  universal  church  of  Christ 
 never  received,  and  to  defend  the  church  malignant  in  her 
 wickedness.  This  is  manifest  by  your  present  practice.  But 
 God  Almighty,  which  soweth  the  seed  of  his  holy  word,  and 
 daily  increaseth  it  in  the  hearts  of  his  faithful,  shall,  though 
 no  man  else  will,  maintain  and  defend  it  himself.  We  also, 
 whom  God  will  not  to  be  idle,  shall  do  our  best,  and  be 
 carrying  stones  to  the  making  up  of  the  wall  which  ye  have 
 broken  down;  to  the  intent  that  Christ  our  Saviour  may 
 have  his  own  glory,  which  ye  have  robbed  him  of,  our  prince 
 his  honour,  and  our  neighbour  his  duty. 
 
 TO  ALL  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  READERS. 
 
 Faint  not  thou  in  faith,  dear  reader,  neither  wax  cold 
 in  love  and  charity,  though  the  enemies  of  God's  word  be 
 gathered  together,  and  grown  into  such  swarms.  Be  thou 
 strong  in  the  Lord,  and  in  the  power  of  his  might ;  and  let 
 it  not  discourage  thee,  that  the  said  word  is  so  Httle  in  the 
 estimation  of  the  world,  so  greatly  despised,  so  sore  perse- 
 cuted, so  wickedly  perverted,  wrested,  and  belied,  so  un- 
 thankfully  received,  so  shamefully  denied,  and  so  slothfully 
 followed. 
 
 Arm  thyself,  therefore,  with  the  comfortable  ensamples  of 
 the  scripture  ;  and,  as  touching  those  jolly  Nimrods  that 
 persecute  God's  word,  hunting  it  out  of  every  corner,  whet- 
 ting their  swords  and  bending  their  bows  against  it,  be  thou 
 
DEFENCE    OF    BARNEs'     PROTESTATIOX.  447 
 
 sure,  that  the  God  of  our  fathers,  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob, 
 shall  do  with  them  as  he  ever  was  wont  to  do  with  tyrants 
 in  times  past.  Thou  seest  thoroughout  the  stories  of  the  holy 
 bible,  how  that  like  as  he  turneth  some  of  their  hearts  from 
 cruelty  to  meekness,  even  so  with  death,  with  fire,  with 
 water,  and  with  such  other  his  plagues,  destroyeth  he  them 
 that  will  needs  despise  his  warning ;  yea,  breaketh  their 
 bows  in  pieces,  and  killeth  them  with  their  own  swords. 
 As  for  Jamnes  and  Jambres,  those  wicked  sorcerers  and 
 covetous  chaplains,  that  teach  contrary  to  God's  word,  and 
 dissuade  the  great  men  of  the  world  from  it,  their  own 
 wresting  and  belying  of  it  must  needs  confound  them ;  for 
 though  there  be  many  that  resist  the  truth,  yet  when  it  is 
 uttered  and  cometh  to  light,  their  madness,  as  St  Paul  saith,  [2  Tim.  m.] 
 shall  be  manifest  unto  all  men.  And  as  Moses'  rod  devoured 
 their  rods  in  the  king's  presence ;  so  likewise  the  same  places 
 of  scripture  that  they  allege  for  their  wicked  purpose,  shall 
 destroy  their  false  doctrine  in  the  face  of  the  world.  Yea, 
 even  as  little  honesty  as  the  papistry  hath  gotten  by  wresting 
 of,  Tu  es  Petrus,  S^c,  so  small  profit  are  they  like  to  have 
 for  belying  of  other  texts.  Neither  is  it  to  be  feared,  but 
 God  will  do  for  one  part  of  his  word  as  much  as  for  another, 
 when  he  seeth  his  time. 
 
 Concerning  those  belly -beasts,  that,  for  no  commandment 
 nor  promise  of  God,  for  no  example,  warning,  nor  exhortation, 
 will  be  counselled,  but  still  blaspheme  his  holy  word  thorough 
 their  ungodly  conversation;  let  not  that  withdraw  thee  from 
 the  way  of  righteousness.  Love  not  thou  Christ  the  worse, 
 though  Judas  be  a  traitor.  Set  not  thou  the  less  by  his 
 wholesome  doctrine,  though  dogs  turn  to  their  vomit,  and 
 though  swine  wallow  in  their  stinking  mire  again. 
 
 I  know,  gentle  reader,  that  to  all  true  christian  hearts 
 it  is  a  great  tentation,  to  see  God's  holy  word  either  perse- 
 cuted, belied,  or  unthankfully  received.  But  first  remember 
 thyself  well  by  the  practice  of  all  stories,  when  was  it  with- 
 out persecution  ?  When  was  there  not  one  tyrant  or  other, 
 that  exercised  all  his  power,  strength,  wit,  and  counsel 
 against  it?  When  were  the  children  of  Israel  without 
 some  bloody  Edomites,  Egyptians,  Assyrians,  Babylonians, 
 Philistines,  or  other? 
 
448  CONFUTATION    OF    STANDISH. 
 
 Secondly,  when  was  not  God's  word  belied,  perverted, 
 or  evil  spoken  of  by  one  false  prophet  or  other?  Were 
 there  not  heretics  and  flattering  chaplains  in  all  ages,  that 
 withdrew  men  from  the  truth,  and  misreported  the  straight 
 ways  of  the  Lord  ? 
 
 Thirdly,  when  were  there  not  some  multitudes,  that, 
 pretending  a  love  toward  Christ's  word,  did  but  follow  him 
 for  their  own  bellies'  sake  ?  When  was  the  seed  of  Christ's 
 word  sown,  but  some  part  of  it  fell  upon  the  stony  ground, 
 where  it  withered,  and  among  the  thorns,  that  choked  it  up  ? 
 
 Wherefore,  seeing  thou  art  compassed  about  with  so 
 great  a  number  of  witnesses,  that  is  to  say,  with  the  en- 
 samples  of  so  many  godly  and  holy  men,  which  not  only  did 
 choose  rather  to  suffer  adversity  with  the  people  of  God 
 than  to  enjoy  the  pleasures  of  sin  for  a  season,  but  also 
 eschewed  false  doctrine,  and  brought  forth  alway  good  works 
 in  their  living ;  follow  thou  the  same  trade,  follow  thou  them, 
 I  say,  as  thou  seest  they  followed  Christ,  and  no  farther. 
 And  as  touching  any  manner  of  doctrine,  believe  no  man 
 without  God's  word,  according  as  St  Hierome  counselleth 
 thee,  In  Epistolam  ad  Gal.  cap.  5^  For  certain  it  is, 
 that  like  as  many  times  thou  shalt  spy  even  great  faults  in 
 the  conveiisation  of  God's  elect,  so  readest  thou  of  very  few 
 teachers  since  the  apostles'  time,  which  have  not  erred,  and 
 that  grossly,  in  sundry  things. 
 
 Wherefore,  whomsoever  thou  hearest  teach,  preach,  or 
 write,  or  whose  books  soever  thou  readest,  try  them  by 
 God's  word,  whether  they  be  agreeable  thereto,  or  no.  When 
 thou  knowest  them,  I  say,  and  art  certain  and  sure  by 
 Christ's  doctrine,  that  they  are  false,  seditious,  or  abomi- 
 nable, then  hold  them  accursed,  avoid  them  utterly,  eschew 
 them  in  any  wise,  and  give  over  thyself  to  the  wholesome 
 hearing  and  reading  of  the  scripture;  but  so  that  thou  be 
 sober  and  discreet  in  the  knowledge  and  use  thereof,  and 
 that  in  professing  the  true  faith  and  behef  of  Christ  thy 
 heart,  mouth,  and  deed  go  together,  and  that  thou  consent 
 to  none  opinion  contrary  to  the  same ;  that  God  may  have 
 the  praise,  and  thy  neighbour  be  edified  in  all  thy  conver- 
 
 [1  Nee  illis  nee  mihi  sine  verbis  Dei  consentire  debetis. — Hieron. 
 Opera,  Tom.  vii.  p.  487.  Ed.  1737.] 
 
DEFENCE    OF     BARNEs'     PROTESTATION.  449 
 
 sation.      So  doing,   thou  shalfc  not  only  stop  the  month  of 
 
 evil   speakers ;   but   also  allure  and  provoke    other    men    to 
 
 be  fruitfully  given  to  faith  and  good  works,  and  to 
 
 help  with  such  their  unfeigned  faith  and  godly 
 
 living,  that  the  tabernacle  of  God  may 
 
 be  set  up  again.     The  grace  of 
 
 our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
 
 be  with  us  all. 
 
 Amen. 
 
 lacobi.  iij. 
 
 Yf  ye  haue  a  hytter  sele,  and  there  be  conten- 
 
 cions  in  youre  hartes,  make  no  boast, 
 
 nether  be  lyars  agaynst  the 
 
 trneth. 
 
 29 
 
 [COVERDALE,    II.] 
 
THE  DEFENCE 
 
 OP 
 
 A  CERTAIN  POOR  CHRISTIAN  MAN, 
 
 [This  edition  is  printed  from  a  cojiy  in  the  Library  of  All  Souls' 
 College,  Oxford.] 
 
 29—2 
 
of  a  rntape  poovt  QL\)vi^tm 
 
 0Xan  to|)o  else  sj^ulti  ]^abc 
 
 bene  rontremnelJ  bg 
 
 tije  ^opes 
 
 Uatoe. 
 
 Sgarftten 
 
 in  t\)t  ]jm  ^Ilmagnes 
 
 bn  a  rigj^t  excellent  anU 
 
 noble  ^r|3nce  antr  trans-- 
 
 latcti  into  ([Bnalislje 
 
 bu  JWiiles  (Kobertiale. 
 
THE    DEFENCE 
 
 OF 
 
 A  CERTAIN  POOR  CHRISTIAN  MAN. 
 
 Love  constraineth  me,  right  virtuous  judges,  to  take 
 upon  me  the  defence  of  this  christian  man,  whom  I  see  here 
 accused  to  have  deserved  death.  Neither  do  I  suppose  it 
 can  displease  you  which  be  christian,  that  one  christian  man 
 shew  a  christian  work  unto  another.  For  although  it  might 
 be  esteemed  a  strange  and  unwont  thing,  that  I  take  upon 
 me  to  defend  a  man,  who  neither  in  name  nor  visure  hath 
 been  known  unto  me  till  this  present  day,  neither  I  also 
 being  of  his  kin ;  yet  must  the  hand  of  christian  love  be 
 considered,  which  knitteth  and  coupleth  unto  us  not  only  our 
 friends  and  such  as  do  us  good,  but  even  our  enemies  also, 
 and  them  that  do  us  evil :  insomuch  that  by  the  command- 
 ment of  our  Saviour  we  are  bound  with  body,  goods,  and 
 counsel,  to  help  all  men  without  exception,  what  need  soever 
 they  be  in.  How  much  less  do  ye  suppose  that  a  christian 
 brother  is  to  be  forsaken,  which  standeth  in  danger  of  his 
 life,  and  that  for  Christ's  doctrine  sake ;  for  the  which  no 
 man  (except  he  were  far  out  of  the  right  way)  did  ever  refuse 
 to  jeopard  his  neck. 
 
 Nevertheless,  right  dear  judges,  in  this  company  that 
 standeth  hereby  round  about  us  might  doubtless  many  be 
 found,  which  could  handle  this  matter  with  more  apt  words, 
 with  more  gravity,  cunning,  and  eloquence  than  I.  To  whom 
 I  was  also  purposed  right  gladly  with  all  my  heart  to  give 
 place.  Notwithstanding,  as  ye  do  see,  among  this  great 
 multitude  of  people  there  is  yet  none  found,  that  in  such  a 
 virtuous,  free,  honest,  profitable,  and  needful  matter,  would 
 lay  to  his  hands :  whereas  we  see  yet  daily  not  a  small 
 number,  that  willingly  and  earnestly  and  with  great  dili- 
 gence both  maintain  open  felony,  wicked  perjury,  shameful 
 adultery,  slanderous  and  venomous  matters,  horrible  robbing, 
 
454  THK    DEFENCE    OF 
 
 manslaughter,  murder,  and  other  beastly  vices ;  and  that 
 either  for  vain  favour  sake,  or  else,  which  is  yet  more 
 shameful,  for  a  filthy  reward  or  lucre.  Only  this  innocent 
 christian  man,  which  for  the  pure  doctrine  of  Christ's  sake 
 standeth  in  peril  of  his  life,  hath  not  one,  I  will  not  say  to 
 maintain  him,  but  so  much  as  one  to  comfort  him.  Is  not 
 this  a  pity,  pitiful  case  ?  0  what  a  wicked  time  is  this ! 
 But  alas !  even  as  the  ungodly  and  wicked  are  full  of  malicious 
 envy,  so  are  the  simple  both  fearful  and  soon  persuaded. 
 
 As  for  me,  my  lords,  I  have  not  feared  to  take  this  mat- 
 ter in  hand,  upon  confidence  in  your  wisdom  and  worship  : 
 specially  forasmuch  as  I  consider  it  is  not  needful  for  me  to 
 use  many  painted  words  of  glorious  eloquence  or  vain  ap- 
 pearance, which  nothing  to  this  matter  appertaineth ;  foras- 
 much as  it  consisteth  not  in  persuasion,  but  in  the  truth  itself. 
 It  is  a  free,  open  matter,  and  ought  also  freely  and  openly 
 to  be  handled.  Here  must  be  no  deceit,  no  colour,  no  cavil- 
 lation,  but  only  the  truth;  which  unto  us  in  this  matter  shall 
 be  abundant  and  sufiicient.  Only  I  beseech  you,  right  wor- 
 shipful judges,  that  ye  will  lovingly,  diligently,  and  patiently 
 give  audience.  Not  that  I  have  any  suspicion,  as  though  ye 
 were  unrighteously  minded  against  this  innocent  man.  For 
 by  certain  manifest  tokens  and  evident  signs  I  have  perceived 
 already,  that  there  is  not  one  of  you  all  which  is  not  minded 
 to  discharge  him.  Notwithstanding  I  suppose  it  ought  by 
 all  means  to  be  avoided,  that  men  do  not  think  ye  have  quit 
 him  more  through  favour,  than  by  virtue  of  the  law. 
 
 For  our  adversary  in  his  complaint  hath  used  such  cavil- 
 lation,  yea,  even  for  the  nonce  and  of  set  purpose,  and  hath 
 mixed  therein  so  many  and  diverse  vain  and  feigned  matters, 
 which  among  simple  people  might  easily  have  an  appearance 
 of  the  verity,  that  equity  requireth,  and  necessity  constraineth 
 me,  to  confute  all  such  with  the  truth  and  substantial  reasons, 
 to  the  intent  that  no  doubt  should  remain  by  any  man. 
 Nevertheless  I  am  not  therefore  so  careful  to  deliver  this 
 man's  life,  whom  I  here  defend ;  yea,  he  himself  for  the 
 honour  of  Christ,  if  need  require,  doth  not  refuse  to  lose  it : 
 the  only  doctrine  of  Christ  is  it,  which  I  would  fain  declare 
 to  be  without  blemish  and  undefiled.  The  same  only,  the 
 same,  I  say,  have  I  taken  upon  me  to  maintain.  For  it  am 
 I  minded  to  do  my  best. 
 
A    CERTAIN    POOR    CHRISTIAN    MAN.  455 
 
 But  now,  dear  judges,  afore  I  come  to  the  head  articles, 
 I  am  advised  to  talk  a  little  with  our  adversary.  And  now 
 I  speak  unto  thee  in  the  long  gown,  I  mean  even  thee,  thou 
 accuser,  which  (as  I  hear  say)  art  called  an  inquisitor  of 
 heresy.  And  first  of  all,  I  demand  of  thee,  what  moved 
 thee  to  take  that  unhappy  office  upon  thee  ?  What  worship 
 or  profit  thoughtest  thou  to  obtain  thereby  ?  Methinketh, 
 to  say  plainly,  thou  hast  sought  nothing  in  this  matter,  save 
 only  either  filthy  lucre,  vain  pride,  or  wicked  tyranny :  or 
 haply  thou  art  so  idle  from  thine  own  business,  that  thou 
 canst  handle  strange  matters,  and  such  as  are  no  point  of 
 thy  charge  :  or  else  thou  art  so  pure  and  clear  from  thine 
 own  vices,  that  thou  inquirest  after  other  men's  offences  with 
 such  curiosity,  as  well  beseemeth  such  an  holy  scribe  and 
 earnest  defender  of  the  church  of  Rome.  A  wonderful  holi- 
 ness, verily,  if  it  be  so !  And  the  same  only  thing,  I  suppose, 
 is  yet  lacking  unto  thy  perfect  holiness,  which  hast  destroyed 
 certain  innocent  christian  men  already.  0  how  sweet  a  doc- 
 trine of  divinity  is  this !  Is  not  this  a  virtuous  defender  of 
 the  church? 
 
 But  let  us  put  the  case,  (nevertheless  without  prejudice 
 of  truth,)  that  this  man  Avhom  thou  accusest  be  an  heretic 
 and  utterly  no  Christian.  Is  it  thy  mind,  that  he  shall  there- 
 fore in  all  the  haste  be  hurled  unto  the  hangman,  and  put  to 
 death  ?  Didst  thou  ever  read,  that  Christ  and  his  disciples 
 command  to  slay  such  as  received  the  faith ;  or  that  after 
 they  had  received  it,  fell  away  from  it  again  ?  I  suppose 
 not.  Nevertheless  thou  mightest  well  have  read,  that  the 
 unbelievers  ought  gently  to  be  instructed  and  taught,  like  as 
 they  that  arc  fallen  ought,  after  a  brotherly  fashion,  to  be 
 helped  up  again  and  exhorted ;  and  that  they  which  of  an 
 obstinate  mind  will  hear  no  exhortation,  ought  to  be  eschewed 
 and  avoided,  but  not  in  all  the  haste  put  to  death.  Thou 
 with  thy  bitter  accusation  thinkest  to  bring  this  christian 
 man  into  danger  of  his  life.  But  how  far  the  same  thy 
 complaint  is  from  the  wholesome  doctrine  of  Christ  and  his 
 disciples,  mayest  thou  consider  thyself. 
 
 If  thou  hadst  been  minded  to  make  inquisition  for  heresy, 
 whereby  thou  mightest  help  thy  brother  wliich  is  fallen,  and 
 bring  him  from  his  error  unto  the  right  way,  then  were  thy 
 
456 
 
 THE    DEFENCE    OF 
 
 diligence  to  be  commended.  But  no\v,  forasmuch  as  thy 
 desire  is  to  murder  him  Hkc  a  beast,  thy  cruelty  must  be 
 reproved.  IS^either  can  I  discern  for  what  intent  thou  shouldest 
 by  right  condemn  him  unto  death,  except  for  it  be  some  other 
 offence  than  lack  of  faith.  For  cither  he  hath  never  been  a 
 christian  man,  (which  were  temerarious  to  affirm,  forasmuch 
 as  he  was  baptized  in  Christ,  and  hath  openly  confessed  Christ, 
 wliereof  no  man  doubteth ;)  or  else  is  he  fallen  away  from 
 Christ,  which  thou  shalt  never  be  able  to  prove.  Now  though 
 thou  couldest  verify  one  of  these  two  according  to  thy  mind, 
 yet  shall  it  bo  found,  that  thou  hast  wrongfully  accused  him 
 to  have  deserved  death. 
 
 If  one  should  accuse  a  Jew  at  the  law,  that  he  were 
 worthy  to  die,  because  he  holdeth  nothing  of  Christ,  would 
 not  every  one  say,  that  he  were  a  mad  man?  Not  that  I 
 will  excuse  the  wicked  infidehty  of  a  Jew ;  but  because  that 
 in  this  case  the  judgment  appcrtaineth  not  unto  man,  but 
 must  be  referred  unto  God.  There  dwell  Jews  now  also 
 in  many  parts  of  Christendom,  not  only  in  safeguard,  but 
 occupy  1  also,  and   that  openly. 
 
 As  for  the  Turks,  which  of  a  very  unsatiable  greediness 
 toward  tyranny  vex  us  horribly,  and  all  that  we  have,  yea, 
 spare  no  manner  of  age  nor  kind ;  no  man  judgeth  it  wrong 
 to  destroy  them  in  battle.  But  to  murder  their  wives  and 
 chilch'en,  because  they  believe  not  in  Christ,  do  I  take  for  a 
 very  beastly  thing ;  and  specially  out  of  war,  in  the  time  of 
 peace,  when  the  Turks  themselves,  in  matters  concerning  the 
 faith,  arc  nothing  cruel  against  us. 
 
 It  is  not  meet  to  make  a  divorce  of  marriage  for  only 
 unbeliefs  sake ;  so  lono-  as  the  unbehevino-  husband  re- 
 fuseth  not  to  dwell  with  the  believing  wife,  neither  as  long- 
 as  the  unbelieving  wife  rcfuseth  not  to  d\vell  with  the  be- 
 lieving husband.  A  christian  servant  is  bound  to  render  to 
 his  unbeheving  master  his  due  obedience,  and  that  not  to 
 the  eyesight,  but  from  the  heart,  even  as  if  he  served  Christ 
 himself:  much  less  then  shall  he  take  upon  him  to  have 
 power  to  hurt  him.  And  thou  thinkest  that  a  man  ought 
 to  be  slain,  to  whose  charge  thou  canst  lay  nothing,  save 
 only  infidelity.  Mad  and  indiscreet  art  thou,  if  thou  so 
 [1  Occupy:   follow  business;   as  in  Luke  xix.  13.] 
 
A    CERTAIN    POOR    CHRISTIAX     MAN.  457 
 
 bclievest ;  yea,  desperate  and  ungodly,  if  thou  believcst  no 
 such  thing,  and  yet  wilt  thou  persuade  other  men  to  brino* 
 this  innocent  in  jeopardy  of  his  life. 
 
 Notwithstanding  I  know  already,  what  thou  wilt  say  there- 
 to. "I  accuse  no  Jew,"  wilt  thou  say,  "no  Turk,  no  heathen; 
 what  have  we  to  do  with  them  that  are  without,  as  St  Paul 
 saith  ?  I  do  accuse  a  runagate  and  apostate ;  who  though 
 he  be  baptized  in  Christ,  and  lovingly  received  into  the  womb 
 of  our  mother  the  holy  church,  yet  through  the  counsel  of 
 the  devil  hath  ho  not  been  ashamed  to  fall  from  the  riffht 
 faith  and  to  cleave  unto  certain  men's  heresies,  against  the 
 commandment  of  the  church :  neither  was  he  therewith 
 satistied,  but  through  his  false  persuasion  hath  he  gone  about 
 to  bring  many  more  even  into  such  like  errors.  Such  one,  as 
 I  suppose,  ought  to  be  he  wen  off  from  the  body,  as  a  corrupt 
 member,  to  the  intent  that  the  sore  fret  no  farther." 
 
 Have  I  understand  thy  mind?  Thou  hast  nodded  with 
 thy  head.  I  perceive  that  I  have  not  guessed  amiss.  Now 
 Avell  then,  thou  grantest  tliat  he  is  baptized  in  Christ,  and 
 lovingly  received  into  the  womb  of  our  mother  the  holy 
 church :  I  desire  no  more.  Thou  art  gone  from  the  iirst 
 step  that  thou  stoodest  upon.  AVhcreby  I  hope,  that  upon 
 the  other  step,  whereon  thou  now  standest,  thou  wilt  not 
 lono-  continue. 
 
 With  few,  but  with  true  reasons,  now  have  I  declared 
 unto  thee  already,  that  one  which  was  never  no  Christian, 
 ought  not  to  be  slain  for  only  unbehef's  sake,  without 
 other  offences. 
 
 But  now  will  I  briefly  shew  thee  what  I  suppose  ought 
 to  be  done  with  such  as  arc  christened,  and  yet  through 
 heresy  and  errors  concerning  faith,  or  through  other  sin  and 
 vice,  arc  fallen  from  Christ.  For  Christ  is  two  manner  of 
 ways  denied,  not  only  with  word,  but  also  with  deed;  while 
 there  be  many,  that  arc  ever  ready  to  praise  Christ  Avith 
 their  words,  and  yet  in  their  deeds  are  so  openly  against 
 him,  that  thereby  it  may  be  easily  perceived,  that,  except 
 the  vain  bare  words,  they  have  no  christian  point  in  them. 
 If  thou  noAV  hast  taken  upon  thee,  at  the  judgment-seat  of 
 the  law,  to  accuse  all  such  as  unchristian,  as  verily  they  be 
 indeed ;  when  shall  thy  accusation  then  and  complaint  have 
 an  end  ?      If  thou  meanest,  that  thev  ousht  immediately  to 
 
458  THE    DEFENCE    OF 
 
 be  slain,  as  soon  as  they  fall,  what  place  then  shall  repent- 
 ance have  ?  Who  shall  have  leisure  then  to  do  penance, 
 or  to  amend  ? 
 
 Wilt  thou  also  be  so  shameless,  as  to  deny  forgiveness 
 of  sins  unto  them  that  truly  amend?  Or  canst  thou  be  so 
 cruel,  that  thou  wilt  look  for  no  conversion,  but  immediately 
 destroy  the  man,  both  body  and  soul  ?  How  canst  thou  know, 
 thou  unreasonable  man,  when,  how,  or  by  what  mean,  God 
 as  a  merciful  Father  will  call  sinners  again  unto  true  faith 
 and  repentance,  who,  upon  Peter's  question,  command  him 
 to  forgive  his  neighbour  seven  and  seventy  times  ?  Believest 
 thou  him  to  be  so  unmerciful,  that  what  he  commandeth  a 
 man  to  do,  he  will  deny  the  same  to  such  as  pray  unto  him? 
 Away,  away,  I  say,  with  this  thy  unconvenient  and  blas- 
 phemous opinion.  God  saith :  "  I  will  not  the  death  of  a 
 sinner,  but  rather  that  he  convert  and  live."  Thou  criest : 
 An  heretic  ought  to  be  burnt.  And  why  so,  I  pray  thee? 
 Lest  ho  should  convert,  and  so  live.  With  this  voice  dis- 
 coverest  thou  thyself  already,  that  thou  art  a  child  of  the 
 devil,  which  is  a  murderer  from  the  beginning.  I  perceive 
 thou  hast  changed  thy  colour  for  very  anger.  I  have  touched 
 thy  holiness  too  sore.  Pardon  me,  if  I  have  done  amiss.  I 
 would  have  dealt  more  friendly  with  thee,  if  thou  with  this 
 thy  undiscreet  and  unreasonable  accusation  hadst  not  bewrayed 
 thyself. 
 
 But  lest  thou  shouldest  think,  that  I  favour  such  as  deny 
 Christ  in  word  or  deed,  or  such  as  blaspheme  God,  being  oft 
 exhorted,  well  and  truly  taught,  yea,  convict  with  substan- 
 tial reasons  out  of  the  scripture,  and  yet  will  never  leave 
 their  inconvenient  and  false  opinion ;  lest  thou  shouldest 
 think,  I  say,  that  I  favoured  any  such,  I  will  declare  mine 
 opinion,  and  that  not  out  of  mine  OAvn  brain,  but  such  an 
 opinion  as  is  past  all  doubt,  certain  and  sure,  yea,  even 
 spoken  by  the  holy  mouth  of  Christ  himself. 
 
 "If  he  will  not  hear  the  church,"  saith  Christ,  "then  count 
 him  as  an  heathen  and  open  sinner."  Hath  not  Christ  with 
 these  words  declared,  that  such  as  are  disobedient  unto  his 
 church  and  congregation,  ought  to  be  excluded  from  the  fel- 
 lowship of  the  good?  Why  lackest  thou  so  heartily,  as 
 though  it  were  but  a  trifle,  a  man  to  be  excluded  from  the 
 fellowship  of  saints  ?    Methinketh,  thou  wottcst  not  well  what 
 
A    CERTAIN    POOR    CHRISTIAN     MAN,  459 
 
 matter  it  maketh,  when  by  the  authority  of  the  keys  one 
 is  separated  out  of  the  church.  '•'  Verily,  I  say  unto  you," 
 saith  the  Lord,  "whatsoever  ye  bind  upon  earth,  shall  also  be 
 bound  in  heaven."  Lo,  there  hast  thou  no  vain  opinion, 
 but  an  assured  judgment  out  of  the  mouth  of  our  Saviour 
 himself. 
 
 The  apostle  Paul  commandeth  to  eschew  an  heretic,  [Tit.  iii.] 
 after  that  he  is  sufficiently  warned.  And  the  man  which 
 kept  his  stepmother,  delivereth  he  unto  the  devil,  that  the  [i  cor.  v.] 
 spirit  may  be  saved  at  the  latter  day.  Did  he  therefore 
 condemn  him  unto  death,  because  he  writeth  to  deliver  him 
 unto  Satan,  to  the  destruction  of  the  flesh  ?  That  be  far 
 from  the  excellent  love  of  Paul,  that  he  would  not  rather 
 help  up  a  brother  that  were  fallen,  than  utterly  to  cast  him 
 away !  The  conclusion  also  of  the  matter,  which  followed 
 thereof,  declareth  itself,  that  he  meant  not  to  have  him  slain, 
 but  to  have  him  purged  out,  as  an  old  leaven ;  to  the  intent 
 that  he  should  not  sour  the  whole  lump  of  dough,  and  that 
 at  the  last  he  might  amend,  as  he  did  indeed.  For  in  the 
 second  epistle  to  the  Corinthians  he  commandeth,  that  foras- 
 much as  the  same  man  came  to  knowledge  and  repentance, 
 they  should  with  all  loving  kindness  take  him  up  again, 
 forgive  him  his  oifence,  and  comfort  him  in  his  heaviness, 
 lest  he  should  be  swallowed  up,  or  fall  in  despair,  through 
 overmuch  sorrow.  All  which  things  could  not  have  come  to 
 pass,  if  the  man  in  all  the  haste  had  afore  been  prevented 
 with  death.  O  !  the  right  godly  patience  and  longsuffering 
 of  our  Saviour,  who,  as  a  good  shepherd,  leaving  the  nine 
 and  ninety  sheep  in  the  wilderness,  seeketh  it  that  is  lost ; 
 not  to  cast  it  unto  the  wolf  to  be  devoured,  but  lovingly  to 
 bring  it  again  into  his  sheepfold ! 
 
 Now  understandest  thou,  that  mine  opinion,  yea,  the 
 opinion  of  Christ,  is  confirmed  with  scriptures,  with  examples, 
 and  by  Paul  himself.  Neither  can  it  help  thee,  though  thou 
 objectest  unto  me  the  parable  of  the  gospel,  wherein  the 
 householder  commandeth  his  steward  to  hew  down  the  un- 
 fruitful tree,  if  it  bring  no  more  fruit.  For  such  know- 
 ledge of  time  must  only  be  referred  unto  God,  as  unto  him 
 that  only  knoweth  the  hearts  of  all  men.  Else  had  not  Christ 
 forbidden  to  pluck  up  the  weeds  afore  the  harvest. 
 
 Yet  must  I  declare  unto  thee,  what  bodily  hindcrance 
 
460  THE    DEFENCE    OP 
 
 must  grow  and  follow  out  of  this  sentence  of  excommunica- 
 tion to  him  that  is  condemned  therein ;  lest  thou  shouldest 
 think  my  mind  were  to  judge  no  farther,  but  with  bare 
 words  only  to  have  him  excluded  from  the  communion  of  the 
 Christian. 
 [Matt,  xvih.]  Thou  hast  heard  the  fearful  thunderbolt  of  our  Saviour  : 
 "  Whatsoever  ye  bind  upon  earth,  shall  also  be  bound  in 
 heaven."  Thus  is  he  then  already  put  out  of  the  book  of 
 life,  and  living  dead.  Believe  me,  it  is  an  heavy  punish- 
 ment. I  wot  not  where  to  find  a  sorer.  But  they  that  in 
 their  hearts  are  more  moved  with  worldly  matters,  let  them 
 hear  this  that  followeth. 
 
 All  honest  virtuous  persons  shall  eschew  him.  Howbeit 
 such  a  one  as  hath  so  denied  Christ,  that  he  hath  also  cast 
 from  him  all  shamefacedness  and  honesty,  might  peradven- 
 ture  not  greatly  care  therefore.  From  all  worship,  if  he 
 were  in  any,  and  worshipful  offices  shall  he  be  deposed.  All 
 Christians  shall  abhor  him,  and  earnestly  hate  his  infidelity, 
 and  yet  love  his  person,  as  it  becometh  the  disciples  of  Christ ; 
 to  the  intent  it  may  appear,  that  such  punishment  is  laid 
 upon  him,  not  of  malice  or  evil  will,  but  done  all  to  the 
 intent,  that  he  through  such  temporal  correction  might  con- 
 vert, and  be  reserved  unto  Christ  the  Lord  for  ever.  Have 
 I  said  enough  now  to  thy  cruelty  with  this  my  declaration  ? 
 Or  is  not  this  sufficient  ?  Take  heed,  I  advise  thee,  that  in 
 judging  other  men  too  sore,  thou  condemn  not  thyself.  For 
 I  trust  I  Avill  shortly  bring  to  pass,  that  it  shall  be  manifest 
 and  open  unto  every  man,  how  that  thou  thyself  art  even 
 the  same  heretic,  to  whom  the  foresaid  punishment  by  right 
 and  reason  belongeth. 
 
 Now  turn  I  me  again  unto  you,  right  prudent  judges, 
 having  no  small  confidence  in  your  singular  worship  and 
 gravity,  forasmuch  as  I  know  that  ye  will  give  no  sentence, 
 but  such  as  accordeth  with  equity,  and  scrveth  to  the  honour 
 of  Christ ;  yea,  right  glad  I  am  to  see,  that  the  same  lieth 
 now  in  your  authority. 
 
 And  because  I  purpose  not  to  hold  you  up  long  with  vain 
 words,  I  will  now  come  to  the  matter,  which  I  suppose  con- 
 cerneth  not  only  him  that  here  standeth  upon  life  and  death, 
 but  every  one  of  us  also  that  seek  the  honour  of  Christ.  1 
 will  bring  in  no  new  thing,  or  that  hitherto  hath  not  been 
 
A    CERTAIN     POOR    CHRISTIAN    MAN.  461 
 
 heard.  For  in  this  matter,  where  we  have  now  continually 
 gone  about  more  than  twenty  years,  what  can  be  sj^oken,  that 
 hath  not  been  oft  spoken  afore?  What  can  be  mentioned, 
 that  hath  not  afore  been  preached  openly,  and,  as  they  say, 
 upon  the  housetops?  I  suppose  it  not  needful  to  teach  you 
 in  this  matter,  but  only  to  put  you  in  remembrance,  and  to 
 exhort  you.  Wherefore  I  beseech  you  ye  will  but  even 
 patiently  hear  me,  according  as  ye  have  hitherto  done 
 already. 
 
 I  perceive,  right  dear  judges,  that  our  adversary  hath 
 grounded  his  whole  accusation  hereupon ;  that  he  will  say 
 how  that  this  christian  man  is  fallen  from  the  holy  christian 
 church.  Wherefore  I  see  well,  I  must  first  endeavour  my- 
 self to  declare  unto  you  the  true  description  of  the  church ; 
 which  if  it  be  well  known  and  understood,  I  perceive  that  all 
 the  rest  may  lightly  be  discussed,  and  peradventure  the 
 sooner  brouQ;ht  to  an  end. 
 
 As  touching  this.  We  believe  an  holy  cathoUc  or  general 
 church,  which  is  the  fellowship  of  saints.  Here  ye  see,  right 
 dear  judges,  with  how  few  words  the  true  description  of  the 
 church  is  set  forth  before  our  eyes. 
 
 Whereby  we  may  evidently  perceive,  that  the  holy 
 cathohc  church  is  nothing  else  but  a  fellowship  of  saints. 
 And  the  same  is  also  the  bride  of  Christ,  without  spot  or 
 wrinkle,  purified  through  the  blood  of  the  Bridegroom  him- 
 self; even  the  heavenly  Ilierusalem,  into  the  which  no  un- 
 clean person  cometh ;  the  most  holy  temple,  whereinto  is 
 entered  our  bishop  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  a  priest  for  ever 
 after  the  order  of  Melchisedech.  This,  I  say,  is  the  church 
 builded  upon  the  rock,  against  the  which  neither  the  winds, 
 nor  the  waves  of  waters,  no,  nor  the  gates  of  hell  can  pre- 
 vail ;  the  head  and  foundation  whereof  is  Christ  himself. 
 
 To  this  church  pertain  all  they,  that  since  the  beginning 
 of  the  world  have  been  saved,  and  that  shall  be  saved  unto 
 the  end  thereof.  For  they  are  the  living  stones  of  this  hea- 
 venly Ilierusalem,  and  of  this  most  holy  temple.  "  Know  ye  [icor.  iu.] 
 not,"  saith  St  Paul,  "  that  ye  are  the  temple  of  God,  and  that 
 the  Spirit  of  God  dwelleth  in  you  ?  If  any  man  defile  this 
 temple,  him  shall  God  destroy  :  for  the  temple  of  God  is 
 holy,  the  same  temple  are  ye." 
 
 Even    this    church   doth  this   christian  brother  of   ours 
 
4:62  THK    BEFENCE    OF 
 
 believe  stedfastly.  Yea,  and  in  this  church  also  believeth 
 he  forgiveness  of  sins,  and  after  the  resurrection  of  the  flesh 
 an  everlasting  life.  Why  sayest  thou  then,  that  he  is  fallen 
 away  from  the  church  ?  To  thee  speak  I  now,  thou  unrea- 
 sonable accuser.  What  hast  thou  yet  more  to  lay  to  his 
 charge  ?  He  believeth  in  God  the  Father  Almighty,  maker 
 of  heaven  and  earth ;  and  in  Jesus  Christ  his  only-begotten 
 Son,  our  Lord,  which  was  conceived  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  born 
 of  Mary  the  Virgin,  suffered  under  Pontius  Pilate,  was  cruci- 
 fied, dead,  and  buried,  descended  unto  hell,  on  the  third  day 
 rose  again  from  death,  ascended  unto  heaven,  sitteth  at  the 
 right  hand  of  God  the  Father  Almighty,  from  thence  shall 
 he  come  to  judge  the  quick  and  dead.  He  believeth  also  in 
 the  Holy  Ghost ;  and  all  the  rest  that  we  mentioned  afore  of 
 the  church.  He  believeth  likewise  aU  that  is  written  by  the 
 prophets  and  other  old  fathers  of  the  old  Testament.  In 
 like  manner  believeth  he  all  that  in  the  gospels  is  written  of 
 the  acts  and  doctrine  of  Christ.  He  confesseth  also,  that  the 
 doctrine  of  the  apostles  and  disciples  of  Christ  is  not  to  be 
 doubted  upon.  Moreover  he  believeth,  that  Avhatsoever  the 
 holy  fathers  of  the  new  Testament  have  Avritten,  is  true,  so 
 far  as  it  is  not  contrary  to  the  doctrine  of  Christ  and  of  his 
 apostles. 
 
 With  this  true  and  free  confession  of  faith  I  suppose 
 thou  art  so  satisfied,  that  now  thou  wilt  not  stick  with  all 
 expedition  to  quit  this  christian  man,  and  faithfully  to  com- 
 mit him  unto  the  judges,  as  a  right  member  of  the  church : 
 and  forasmuch  as  thou  hast  unadvisedly  accused  him  as  an 
 heretic,  and  as  a  runagate  from  the  church,  and  hast  done 
 him  wrong,  I  hope  thou  wilt  therefore  ask  him  forgiveness. 
 But  I  see  well,  thou  shakest  thy  head,  bitest  thy  teeth  one 
 upon  another,  and  art  become,  as  methinketh,  nothing  the 
 milder.  Wherefore  behold,  I  beseech  you,  how  shameless 
 this  man  is,  if  I  may  call  such  one  a  man,  which  so  unmanly 
 dealeth,  that  I  suppose  he  hath  forgotten  that  he  himself  is 
 a  man.  I  doubt  not,  right  dear  judges,  but  the  same  free 
 confession  of  this  christian  man  is  sufiicient  enough  to  quiet 
 him,  and  that  in  your  judgment  he  needeth  no  further  clear- 
 ing of  himself.  Notwithstanding,  lest  our  adversary  should 
 report,  that  I  have  said  nothing  to  the  orderly  rehearsal  of 
 his  accusation,  but  wittingly  passed  over  it ;  or  how  that  I 
 
A    CERTAIX    POOR    CHRISTIAN     MAN.  463 
 
 am  so  short  of  memory,  that  I  have  forgotten  what  he  hath 
 laid  for  himself ;  therefore  will  I  rehearse  it  all  again,  to  the 
 intent  that  when  I  have  repeated  his  unhonest  complaint, 
 and  confuted  it,  every  man  may  understand,  that  he  is 
 smitten  with  his  own  sword.  Ye  have  perceived,  I  suppose, 
 that  his  whole  accusation  consisted  in  eight  principal  articles, 
 which  I  will  now  repeat  in  order ;  that,  if  anything  therein 
 have  been  forgotten,  it  may  be  called  unto  remembrance 
 again. 
 
 This  heretic,  saith  our  adversary,  doth  affirm, 
 First.      That    the   bishop  of  Rome   is   not   the  head  of 
 the  church,  nor  the  true  vicar  of  Christ. 
 
 Secondly.  That  the  mass  is  no  sacrifice,  nor  ought  to 
 be  used  for  other. 
 
 Thirdly.  That  the  Supper  of  the  Lord  ought  to  be 
 ministered  in  forms  both  of  bread  and  wine,  and  that  also 
 unto  the  lay  people. 
 
 Fourthly.  That  there  is  no  purgatory,  and  that  suf- 
 frages for  the  dead  are  in  vain,  and  superstitious. 
 
 Fifthly.     That  it  is  not  necessary  to  call  upon  saints. 
 Sixthly.     That  auricular    confession    was    neither    com- 
 manded nor  instituted  of  Christ  and  his  disciples. 
 
 Seventhly.  That  on  the  days  prohibited  and  forbidden 
 by  the  church  of  Rome,  it  is  no  sin  to  eat  flesh. 
 
 Eighthly  and  finally.  He  saith  plainly,  that  priests  may 
 marry. 
 
 These,  ye  dear  judges,  are  the  foul  misdeeds ;  these  are 
 the  horrible  vices ;  these  are  the  detestable  blasphemies : 
 hereof  cometh  the  great  uproar  and  horrible  noise  of  heaven 
 and  earth,  wherethrough  it  is  to  be  feared  that  the  four 
 elements  will  come  together,  and  that  the  world  will  return 
 into  his  old  darkness  and  confusion  again. 
 
 And  why  do  not  Ave  all  rend  our  clothes,  and  stop  our 
 ears  after  the  manner  of  the  Jews,  and  cry  with  loud  voice, 
 "  He  hath  blasphemed  ;  Crucify,  crucify"  ?  Such  a  matter 
 might  haply  be  laughed  at,  if  it  were  shewed  in  the  way 
 of  jesting,  and  to  make  the  people  a  pastime  withal.  But 
 forasmuch  as  the  matter  is  now  handled  in  judgment,  and 
 brought  so  far  forth,  that  this  christian  man  is  like  to  suffer 
 death ;  therefore,  methinketh,  every  faithful  christian  man 
 oua'ht  from  the  ground  of  his  heart  to  bewail  it. 
 
464  THE    DEFENCE    OF 
 
 But  now  let  us  examine  the  first  article,  and  ponder  Avell, 
 "what  is  to  be  holden  of  the  bishop  of  Koine's  power.  All 
 christian  men  do  confess,  that  the  holy  catholick  or  univer- 
 sal church  is  the  fellowship  of  saints.  And  this  is  the  one 
 only  church,  wherein  is  but  one  Lord,  one  faith,  one  baptism, 
 one  God  and  Father  of  all  things.  But  forasmuch  as  we 
 say,  I  believe  an  holy  universal  church,  we  do  confess,  that 
 the  same  is  not  visible  nor  corporal.  Notwithstanding  in  the 
 scripture  there  is  named  yet  another  churcli.  which  is  both 
 visible  and  corporal,  whereunto  the  keys  of  the  kingdom 
 of  heaven  are  committed;  which  the  Lord  also  meaneth,  when 
 he  saith,  "Tell  it  unto  the  church."  In  the  which  church  all 
 they  are  comprehended,  that  are  named  christian,  good  and 
 evil;  wherein  also  the  tares  groweth  with  the  wheat  until  the 
 time  of  the  harvest. 
 
 Nevertheless  this  is  not  an  one  only  church,  but  dis- 
 tributed into  many  parts :  for  it  were  impossible  to  have  in 
 one  place  an  one  only  congregation  of  all  Christians  together, 
 seeing  they  dwell  so  far  one  from  another,  and  be  of  so 
 sundry  languages  and  manners.  Therefore  the  apostles,  as 
 we  do  read,  have  in  all  parts  ordained  as  many  churches, 
 as  they  thought  necessary,  according  to  the  nature  of  the 
 countries ;  and  gave  unto  every  church  their  peculiar  bishop, 
 to  keep  the  Lord's  flock,  whom  they  also  called  priest  or 
 elder ;  giving  them  a  title  of  reputation,  either  because  of 
 their  age,  or  by  reason  of  their  excellent  gravity  and  virtuous 
 conversation.  To  such  men  was  committed  the  care  of 
 Christ's  flock  and  the  ministration  of  God's  Avord,  to  rule 
 the  people,  and  to  feed  the  flock  of  Christ  withal. 
 
 As  for  high  bishop,  under  Christ  they  knew  none.  They 
 had  all  like  authority.  Ever}'  one  had  the  oversight  of  the 
 flock  that  Avas  committed  unto  him.  But  when  any  doubt 
 arose,  they  used  not  to  shew  it  unto  one  alone,  as  to  the  head, 
 or  to  them  all  (which  was  impossible),  but  unto  certain ;  Avho 
 when  they  had  called  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord,  knew  in 
 the  Holy  Ghost  what  was  to  be  done,  as  we  may  openly  see 
 in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  Wherefore  methinketh  it  a 
 great  wonder,  that  ever  the  church  of  Bome  came  in  such 
 reputation,  that  it  hath  hitherto  been  taken  of  many  for  the 
 head  of  all  churches,  yea,  for  the  one  only  catholic  or  uni- 
 versal church ;  considering  that  in  holy  scripture  it  hath  no 
 
A    CERTAIN    POOR    CHRISTIAN    MAN,  4G5 
 
 testimony  that  may  truly  be  alleged  to  any  such  purpose. 
 For  we  have  declared  now  already,  that  there  is  not  one 
 only  visible  church;  which  thing  appeareth  evidently  out  of 
 the  words  of  Christ,  when  he  saith :  "  Tell  it  unto  the 
 church."  Should  he  now  run  from  Jerusalem  unto  Rome, 
 to  tell  his  brother's  fault?  Therefore  be  there  many 
 churches  or  congregations,  wherein  the  children  of  God  in 
 this  vale  of  misery  are  mixed  among  children  of  the  devil ; 
 which  inconvenience  also  they  daily  complain  of. 
 
 But  let  us  see,  with  what  reasons,  or  rather  cavillations, 
 our  adversary  goeth  about  to  maintain  this  his  Romish 
 church,  and  his  grandsire  pope,  or  bishop  of  Rome.  We 
 read  in  the  gospel,  that  Christ  asked  his  disciples :  "•  Who  [Matt,  xvi.] 
 say  ye  that  I  am  ?  Peter  answered  and  said,  Thou  art  the 
 Son  of  the  living  God.  Whereupon  Jesus  said  unto  him : 
 Blessed  art  thou,  Simon,  Jonas'  son ;  for  flesh  and  blood  hath 
 not  opened  that  unto  thee,  but  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven. 
 And  I  say  unto  thee,  Thou  art  Petrus,  (that  is,  appertaining  to 
 the  stony  rock ;)  and  upon  this  rock  will  I  build  my  church, 
 and  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail  against  it.  And  I  will 
 give  thee  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  :  and  whatsoever 
 thou  bindest  upon  earth,  shall  also  be  bound  in  heaven ;  and 
 whatsoever  thou  loosest  upon  earth,  shall  be  loosed  also  in 
 heaven." 
 
 This  promise  of  Christ,  which  we  also  believe  stedfastly 
 to  be  fulfilled,  taketh  our  adversary  upon  him  to  wrest  unto 
 his  opinion.  "How  now?"  saith  he,  "did  not  Christ  plainly 
 say,  '  Thou  art  Petrus,  and  upon  this  rock  will  I  build  my 
 church ;  and  I  will  give  thee  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of 
 heaven?'" 
 
 Who,  I  pray  thee,  denieth,  that  the  church  is  builded 
 upon  a  strong  rock  ?  Who  will  not  grant,  that  the  keys  were 
 committed  unto  Peter?  ISI^evertheless  we  will  seek  the  true 
 understanding  of  this  promise.  When  Peter  had  confessed 
 Christ  to  be  the  Son  of  the  living  God,  the  Lord  said  unto 
 him :  "  Blessed  art  thou,  Simon  the  son  of  Jonas ;  for  flesh 
 and  blood  hath  not  opened  that  unto  thee,  but  my  Father 
 which  is  in  heaven."  Whereby  Christ  is  the  gift  of  God, 
 and  cometh  of  the  Father  of  heaven.  Noav  followeth  the 
 promise  for  the  Father's  sake :  "  And  I  say  unto  thee,  that 
 thou  art  Petrus."      Here  giveth  he  him  another  name,   not 
 
 '  30 
 
 LCOVERDALE.    II. J 
 
466  THE  defencp:  of 
 
 Simon,  Jonas"  son,  but  Petrus,  as  one  that  cleavetli  or  be- 
 longeth  unto  the  rock:  "and  upon  this  rock,"  saith  ho,  "will  I 
 build  my  church :"  as  though  he  should  say :  "  Blessed  art 
 thou ;  forasmuch  as  through  God's  revelation  thou  confessest, 
 that  I  am  the  Son  of  the  living  God.  And  therefore  art  thou 
 Petrus,  that  is,  thou  belongest  unto  the  rock.  And  upon  this 
 rock,  whereunto  thou  cleavest  now  by  thy  confession,  will  I 
 build  my  church.  For  whereas  the  church  of  God  was 
 nourished  first  in  hope  of  the  redemption  for  to  come,  and, 
 after  that  the  law  came  as  a  schoolmaster,  stood  much  in 
 outward  ceremonies  and  commandments  of  the  law  ;  now  that 
 the  perfect  time  is  come,  I  will  build  my  church  upon  myself, 
 as  on  the  strong  rock,  that  whosoever  bclieveth  in  me  shall 
 not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  hfe."  If  ho  had  said,  Super 
 Petrum,  it  might  haply  have  been  understood  of  Peter :  but 
 seeing  he  saith,  Super  hanc  Petram,  we  will  search  the  scrip- 
 ture, whether  this  rock  may  signify  anything  else  save  only 
 Christ  himself. 
 
 [isai.  xxviii.]  It  is  written  :  "  Behold,  I  lay  in  Zion  a  stumbling-stone, 
 and  a  rock  that  men  shall  be  offended  at.  And  whosoever 
 believeth  on  him,  shall  not  be  confounded :"  which  scripture 
 Paul  and  Peter  also  declare  in  manner  with  the  same  words. 
 
 [icor. X.]  And  in  another  place  saith  Paul:  "They  drank  all  of  the 
 spiritual  rock  that  followed  them,  which  rock  was  Christ." 
 
 [Actsiv.]  And  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles:  "  This  is  the  stone  that  was 
 refused  of  you  builders,  and  is  become  the  head  corner-stone ; 
 neither  is  there  salvation  in  any  other."  Lo,  here  is  a  true 
 and  sufficient  interpretation  of  this  rock.      For,  as  the  apostle 
 
 [1  Cor. iii]  Paul  saith  :  "  No  man  can  lay  another  foundation,  than  that 
 is  laid  already,  namely,  Christ  Jesus."  This  much  have  I 
 said  touching  the  foundation  of  the  church. 
 
 Now  will  we  come  to  the  keys.  "  And  I,"  saith  the 
 Lord,  "  will  give  thee  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven." 
 The  story  now  of  the  gospel  declareth,  that  this  authority 
 of  the  keys  was  not  given  only  unto  Peter,  but  unto  all  the 
 
 [John XX.]  apostles  alike.  "And  when  he  had  so  spoken,"  saith  the 
 evangelist,  "  breathed  he  upon  them,  and  said,  lleceive  ye 
 the  Holy  Ghost.  AVhose  sins  ye  forgive,  to  them  are  they 
 forgiven ;  and  whose  sins  ye  retain,  to  them  are  they  re- 
 tained." These  are  other  words  than  the  Lord  spake  afore 
 unto  Peter  alone,  and  yet  is  it  all  one  meaning.     For  what  is 
 
A    CERTAIN     POOR    CHRISTIAN     MAN.  467 
 
 this  binding  else,  save  only  retaining  of  sins  ?  And  what  else 
 is  loosing,  save  only  remitting  of  sins  ?  Wherefore  not  only 
 Peter,  but  all  disciples  also,  yea,  all  such  as  have  the  Holy 
 Ghost,  have  free  authority  to  use  the  keys. 
 
 Yet  hath  our  adversary  one  reason,  -whereby  he  thinketh 
 to  prove,  that  Christ  gave  the  superiority  unto  Peter,  vainly ; 
 because  that  in  the  end  of  St  John's  gospel  the  Lord  Jesus 
 said  unto  him :  "  Simon  Joannes,  lovest  thou  me  more  than 
 these?  Peter  answered  him,  Yea,  Lord,  thou  knowest  that 
 I  love  thee.  Jesus  said  unto  him,  Feed  ray  sheep ;"  and 
 that  same  spake  he  three  times.  Out  of  this  will  our  adver- 
 sary conclude,  that  the  whole  flock  of  Christ  was  committed 
 unto  Peter  to  be  fed :  and  because  the  Lord  said,  "  I  have 
 prayed  for  thee  that  thy  faith  fail  not,"  he  will  that  we  shall 
 thereby  understand  the  church  of  Rome. 
 
 If  he  now  will  have  that  understand  of  the  church  of 
 Rome,  as  of  Peter's  habitation  to  come,  then  out  of  Christ's 
 commandment,  which  folio weth  immediately  after,  let  him 
 learn,  that  unto  the  church  of  Rome  there  was  given  no 
 pre-eminence  more  than  to  other  churches,  but  that  there  is 
 equality.  "And  thou,"  saith  Christ,  "when  thou  art  converted, 
 strength  thy  brethren."  He  saith  not,  "  Strength  thy  sheep, 
 as  the  chief  shepherd ;  neither,  thy  children,  as  the  most  holy 
 Father ;"  but,  "  Strength  thy  brethren."  And  as  oft  as  there 
 arose  any  contention  among  the  disciples  for  the  superiority, 
 Christ  alway  rebuked  them,  and  said,  that  they  were  brethren. 
 
 Therefore  saith  St  Paul  also :  "  Unto  every  one  of  us  is  [Ephes.  iv.] 
 given  grace  according  unto  the  measure  of  the  gift  of  Christ." 
 And  immediately  after  it  followeth :  "  And  he  himself  made 
 some  apostles,  some  prophets,  some  evangelists,  some  shep- 
 herds and  teachers,  to  the  edifying  of  the  saints,  to  the  work 
 and  ministration."  Li  this  rehearsal  of  ministrations,  where 
 nameth  he  one  of  them  to  be  head  among  the  apostles  ? 
 What  is  become  of  the  chief  shepherd  ?  It  followeth  also : 
 "Let  us  follow  the  truth  in  love,  and  in  all  things  grow  in 
 him,  which  is  the  head,  even  Christ."  Here  see  we,  that  all 
 saints  are  members  of  one  body,  whose  head  is  Christ  himself : 
 neither  is  here  mention  made  of  any  other  head.  And  in 
 .another  place  saith  Paul:  "They  which  seemed  to  be  some- [Cai.  u.] 
 what  and  great,  added  nothing  unto  me.  But  contrariwise, 
 when  they  saw  that  the  gospel  over  the  uncu'cumcision  was 
 
 30—2 
 
468  THE    DEFENCE    OF 
 
 committed  unto  mc,  as  the  gospel  over  the  cu'cumcision  was 
 unto  Peter ;  (for  he  that  was  mighty  in  Peter  in  the  apostle- 
 ship  on  the  circumcision,  the  same  was  mighty  in  me  among 
 the  heathen ;)  when  they  saw  the  grace  that  was  given  unto 
 me;  then  James,  Cephas,  and  John,  which  seemed  to  be  pillars, 
 gave  unto  me  and  Barnabas  the  right  hands  of  that  fellowship, 
 that  we  should  be  apostles  among  the  heathen,  and  they  in 
 the  circumcision."  AVhat  can  be  found  more  plain  ?  St  Paul 
 saith,  that  he  had  commission  of  the  apostleship  among  the 
 heathen,  as  Peter  had  among  the  circumcision.  Thus,  after  our 
 adversaries'  doctrine,  we  must  have  two  heads,  and  two  chief 
 shepherds ;  the  one  among  the  Jews,  the  other  among  the 
 heathen.  And  why  do  not  the  Romans  boast  themselves  of 
 St  Paul,  whom  every  man  reputeth  an  apostle  of  the  heathen, 
 of  whom  they  come?  But  let  them  hear  the  rest  of  the 
 text,  where  it  saith,  that  "  James,  Cephas,  and  John,  seemed 
 to  be  pillars."  Why  called  he  Cephas  or  Peter  a  pillar,  like 
 the  other?  Wherefore  doth  he  not  call  him  the  foundation 
 of  the  church  ?  Why  nameth  he  him  not  the  chief  among 
 the  apostles  ?  "  They  gave  me,"  saith  he,  "  and  Barnabas  the 
 right  hand  of  that  fellowship."  Here  he  affirmeth,  that  they 
 were  received  of  them  as  companions.  All  which  things 
 declare  no  superiority,  but  a  brotherly  equality  among  the 
 apostles. 
 
 But  let  us  grant,  that  Peter  was  the  chief  among  the 
 apostles,  the  chief  shepherd  of  the  Lord's  flock,  and  the  true 
 vicar  of  Christ  upon  earth,  (though  we  need  none  such ; 
 forasmuch  Christ  hath  promised  us  to  be  with  us  unto  the 
 end  of  the  world,  neither  is  his  kingdom  of  this  world ;)  but 
 put  the  case,  that  it  so  is :  why  will  the  bishops  of  Rome  yet 
 use  any  such  title  ?  What  excellent  tiling  soever  was  in 
 Peter,  that  same  received  he  at  the  grace  of  God  through 
 his  faith  and  love.  The  same  grace  lacked  not  Paul  and 
 the  other  apostles.  For  though  Peter's  shadow  did  heal 
 many,  yet  helped  Paul's  napkin  not  a  few  through  like 
 working  of  the  Lord,  which  confirmed  his  word  with  such 
 tokens.  But  Avhat  is  that  to  the  bishops  of  Rome  ?  Doth 
 the  same  prove,  that  Peter  and  Paul  preached  at  Rome? 
 As  for  Peter,  it  is  not  very  certain  that  ever  he  came  there. 
 But  let  us  grant  that  ho  was  at  Rome,  and  bishop  there  also. 
 Shall  therefore  all  the  bishops  of  Rome  coming  after  inherit 
 
A    CERTAIN    POOR    CHRISl'IAN    MAN.  46i) 
 
 likewise  the  grace  that  Peter  had  ?  Oh,  how  blessed  an 
 estate  hath  the  bishop  of  Rome,  if  even  the  same  grace  of 
 God,  that  was  in  Peter,  be  adjoined  to  his  office  !  if  he  might 
 inherit  the  ftiith  and  love  of  Peter,  doubtless  he  should  also 
 obtain  like  grace.  But  every  man  knoweth,  that  these 
 things  were  gifts  of  grace  in  Peter  and  in  the  other  apostles, 
 considering  that  virtues  or  vices  come  not  to  inheritance ; 
 but  every  soul  that  sinneth,  the  same  shall  die.  Virtue  also 
 doth  seldom  take  place  in  the  successors. 
 
 Why  do  the  llomish  then  boast  themselves  so  sore  ?  Do 
 they  it  only  because  that  Peter  was  at  Rome  ?  That  were 
 even  as  if  a  shoemaker  dwelling  in  a  house,  wherein  a  great 
 learned  man  dwelt  sometime,  would  boast  himself  to  have 
 obtained  some  sciences  of  his  predecessor  by  reason  of  that 
 dweUing-place.  Yea,  it  Avcre  even  as  if  a  poor  fellow  entering 
 into  an  office,  wherein  had  been  a  rich  man  afore,  (to  whom 
 great  debts  were  owing,  not  concerning  the  office,)  will  require 
 of  duty  the  same  his  predecessor's  debts,  because  he  succcedeth 
 him  in  the  office.  Even  like  arguments  in  a  manner  doth  our 
 adversary  use,  whereby  he  goeth  about  to  make  the  bishop 
 of  Rome  like  unto  Peter  in  authority.  "Peter,"  saith  he,  "was 
 ordained  chief  shepherd  of  Christ's  flock ;  to  him  were  com- 
 mitted the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ;  and  the  same 
 Peter  was  sometime  bishop  of  Rome.  Therefore  all  bishops 
 of  Rome  are  the  chief  shepherds,  and  have  the  keys  of  the 
 kingdom  of  heaven."  Though  this  be  but  a  small  argument; 
 yet  hath  God  permitted,  that  through  the  craft  of  the  devil 
 it  is  so  sunk  into  many  men's  minds,  that  whosoever  under- 
 taketh,  but  with  a  word,  to  do  ought  there-against,  must  stand 
 in  danger  of  his  life.  Now  is  it  manifest,  that  for  the  main- 
 tenance of  his  opinion  he,  namely  our  adversary,  hath  nothing, 
 except  we  grant  him  that  Peter  was  bishop  of  Rome.  If  that 
 now  alone  be  sufficient  for  the  establishing  of  such  exceeding 
 great  authority,  I  refer  it  to  the  discretion  of  you  that  be 
 judges.     Now  will  we  speak  of  the  Mass. 
 
 This  name,  JNIass,  was  doubtless  in  the  apostles'  time 
 neither  used  nor  heard  of;  neither  can  there  any  certain 
 occasion  be  shewed,  whence  this  name  should  come.  But 
 certain  it  is,  that  all  the  preparation  about  it  w'as  instituted 
 and  ordained,  to  the  intent  that  the  supper  and  death  of  the 
 Lord  miglit  be  had  in  remembrance ;  which  may  easily  bo 
 
470  THE    DEFENCE    OF 
 
 perceived  by  the  vestments  and  other  things  pertaining  to 
 the  mass.  Now  in  the  primitive  church  was  not  the  supper 
 of  the  Lord  kept  afore  noon,  as  now  the  use  is,  but  in  the 
 evening  after  supper,  as  Christ  himself  kept  it.  Nevertheless, 
 through  the  misbehaviour  of  certain  filthy  persons,  which  with 
 their  drunkenness  dishonoured  this  holy  supper,  arose  great 
 slander  and  offence,  which  St  Paul  to  the  Corinthians  doth 
 earnestly  rebuke.  And  therefore  thought  the  holy  fathers  it 
 should  not  be  against  the  ordinance  of  the  Lord,  if  men  kept 
 this  holy  supper  afore  noon,  fasting ;  whereby  such  inordinate 
 people  might  somewhat  be  withdrawn  from  their  inconvenience : 
 which  they  considered  they  might  well  do,  forasmuch  as  they 
 altered  nothing  of  the  principal  matter. 
 
 And  at  the  first  was  no  more  added  thereunto,  save  only 
 the  Paternoster,  the  prayer  of  the  Lord.  But  afterward  in 
 process  of  time,  by  adding  more  and  more,  it  grew  to  the 
 point  that  it  is  now  at.  And  besides  that  with  such  additions 
 they  thought  to  garnish  the  supper  of  the  Lord,  peradventure 
 of  a  good  intent,  they  have  almost  utterly  lost  the  principal 
 points  of  the  remembrance  of  the  supper :  so  that  now  the 
 right  name  of  it  is  altered,  and  no  more  called  the  Lord's 
 supper,  but  is  called  mass,  which  name  is  both  strange  and 
 unknown  in  the  scripture :  yea,  and  that  worse  is,  it  is  named 
 a  sacrifice,  that  may  be  done  for  other  folks ;  whereof  then 
 sprung  the  slanderous  market  of  buying  and  selling  of  masses 
 in  churches.  Hereof  was  renewed  the  dangerous  idolatry,  that 
 we  ran  unto  the  mass,  as  to  a  special  work,  thinking  there  to 
 fetch  all  salvation,  which  we  should  have  looked  for  only  at 
 Christ's  hand. 
 
 But  let  us  look,  wherefore  they  call  it  a  sacrifice.  Even 
 because,  say  they,  that  in  the  mass  Christ  the  Son  is  offered 
 up  unto  God  his  Father.  Oh,  what  a  great  blasphemy  is  this ; 
 yea,  to  be  abhorred  of  all  virtuous  men !  Who  would  think 
 it  possible,  that  men  mortal  and  sinful  could  ever  have  been 
 so  malapert,  or  rather  mad,  as  to  presume  with  their  unclean 
 hands  to  offer  Christ  the  Lord  unto  his  Father  vet  once  asain? 
 "Christ,"  saith  St  Paul,  "is  entered  into  the  very  heaven, 
 for  to  appear  now  in  the  sight  of  God  for  us :  not  to  offer 
 himself  often,  as  the  high  priest  entereth  into  the  holy  place 
 every  year  w-ith  strange  blood :  for  then  must  he  have  oft 
 suffered  since  the  world  beo-an."    And  afterwards  it  followeth : 
 
A     CEETAIN    POOR    CHRISTIAN    MAN.  471 
 
 "  Thus  was  Christ  offered  up  once  for  all,  to  take  away  the 
 sins  of  many."  But  they  will  say,  "  Christ  is  not  so  sacrificed 
 in  the  mass,  that  he  dieth  again  upon  the  cross ;  but  it  is  for 
 the  remembrance  of  the  same  sacrifice,  that  once  was  made." 
 Why  do  they  then  call  it  a  sacrifice,  seeing  it  is  but  a  re- 
 membrance of  a  sacrifice  ?  And  why  say  they,  that  it  may 
 be  done  for  other,  seeing  that  of  itself  it  is  no  such  work,  but 
 only  a  remembrance  of  the  supper  and  passion  of  our  Lord 
 Jesus  Christ,  which  saith,  "  Take  and  eat,  this  is  my  body  ?" 
 And  of  the  cup  he  saith :  "  Drink  ye  all  thereout ;  and  as 
 oft  as  ye  do  this,  then  do  it  to  the  remembrance  of  me." 
 He  saith  not,  "  Offer  my  body  and  my  blood."  Wherefore 
 let  the  right  and  true  remembrance  of  the  Lord's  supper 
 remain  in  the  congregations,  and  let  us  shew  the  Lord's  death 
 until  he  come. 
 
 Now  if  we  be  disposed  to  offer,  let  us  "  offer  our  own 
 bodies  a  quick,  holy,  and  acceptable  sacrifice  unto  God;  which 
 is  even  the  reasonable  way  to  serve  him."  We  read  in  the 
 scripture,  that  no  vice  was  punished  so  sore  as  the  abuse  of 
 God's  service.  Wherefore,  methinketh,  all  vu-tuous  men 
 should  heartily  pray,  that  the  abuse  of  the  mass  were  put 
 down  in  the  churches.  "For  if  we  wilfully  sin  after  the  know- 
 ledge of  the  truth,  there  remaincth  no  more  sacrifice  for  sins." 
 But  I  will  let  the  mass  go,  and  treat  of  both  the  kinds  in  the 
 Lord's  holy  supper,  which  should  also  be  given  unto  the  lay 
 people. 
 
 It  is  past  all  doubt  by  every  man,  that  Christ  in  the  holy 
 supper  gave  his  disciples  both  the  kinds.  Therefore  it  is 
 manifest,  that  their  opinion  is  not  evil,  which  would  have  the 
 chahce  distributed  unto  every  man.  And  methinketh  the 
 other  do  err  sore,  that  hold  the  contrary;  and  specially  because 
 they  put  such  difference  between  priests  and  lay  people,  not 
 considering  the  priestly  ofiice  that  is  committed  unto  all  faithful 
 believers.  For  in  the  law  of  Moses  the  office  of  priests  was 
 to  offer  and  pray  for  the  people.  But  now,  forasmuch  as 
 Christ,  being  once  offered  up  for  us,  hath  abrogate  all  other 
 sacrifices,  and  not  only  permitted,  but  also  commanded  all  men 
 to  pray ;  1  cannot  see  what  difference  can  be  between  priests 
 and  lay  people,  except  the  governance  of  the  church  and 
 ministration  of  God's  word.  For  St  Peter  in  his  epistle  saith : 
 "  And  ye  also  as  living  stones  are  made  a  spiritual  house,  an 
 
472 
 
 THE    DEFENCE    OF 
 
 holy  priesthood,  to  offer  up  spiritual  sacrifices,  acceptable  to 
 God  through  Jesus  Christ."  And  even  there  also  saith  St 
 Peter  :  "  But  ye  are  the  chosen  generation,  the  royal  priest- 
 hood, the  holy  nation,"  &c.  Here  writeth  St  Peter  not 
 only  unto  bishops  and  priests,  but  to  the  strangers  that  were 
 dispersed  and  scattered  abroad  in  Ponto,  Galatia,  &c. ;  and 
 calleth  them  all  together  an  holy  and  royal  priesthood. 
 
 St  Paul  also,  writing  of  this  holy  supper  of  the  Lord  to 
 the  common  congregations  at  Corinthum,  maketli  mention,  not 
 only  of  the  bread,  but  also  of  the  cup.  If  the  cup  then  at 
 that  time  was  common  unto  all  christian  men,  why  is  it  now 
 withdrawn  from  the  lay  people  ? 
 
 "The  holy  fathers,"  saith  our  adversary,  "have  with  good 
 conscience  brought  the  supper  to  tliis  ordaining,  that  it  now  is. 
 in :  and  that  might  they  well  do,  as  we  read  that  in  the 
 apostles'  time  certain  things  were  ordained,  whereof  no  mention 
 
 [Acts  XV.]  is  in  the  gospel.  Among  which  this  is  one  in  the  Acts  of 
 the  Ajiostles,  where  they  commanded  to  abstain  from  things 
 offered  unto  idols,  and  from  blood,  and  from  strangled;  which 
 commandment  the  apostles  esteemed  necessary."  Whereunto 
 1  answer  briefly,  that  the  apostles  gave  no  such  commandment, 
 for  that  intent  that  it  should  alway  so  continue  ;  seeing  they 
 themselves  afterward  kept  it  not.  Nevertheless  they,  having 
 respect  unto  the  time,  thought  to  avoid  the  offending  of  the 
 weak.  But  when  the  gospel  was  more  clearly  come  to  light, 
 they  ceased  from  such  commandments,  as  things  not  necessary, 
 the  verity  being  known.  Even  out  of  this  occasion  did  Paul 
 circumcise  Timothy ;   whereas  nevertheless  afterward,   when 
 
 [Gal.  li.]  the  Jews  would  needs  have  had  him  to  circumcise  Titus  also, 
 he  would  not  give  place  unto  them  one  hour.  Even  so,  me- 
 thinketh,  should  it  be  now  hkewise :  for  though  the  cup  of 
 the  Lord  be  withholden  from  the  lay  people  for  certain  causes,, 
 which  be  but  trifles ;  yet  now,  forasmuch  as  it  is  evident  to 
 all  such  as  will  know  it,  that  the  memorial  of  Christ's  holy 
 supper  was  institute  by  himself  under  both  the  forms  of 
 bread  and  wine,  let  us  forsake  our  own  foolish  intents,  and 
 turn  again  to  the  infallible  ordinance  of  Christ ;  yea,  let  us 
 acknowledge,  that  Christ,  Avho  is  wiser  than  all  angels  or  men, 
 did  not  for  nought,  or  without  a  cause,  ordain  this  remem- 
 brance under  both  forms  of  bread  and  wine ;  and  that  if  there 
 Avere  any  danger  for  the  lay  people  to  have  the  use  of  the 
 
A    CEKTAIX    I'OOR    CHRISTIAN     MAN.  4*tO 
 
 chalice,  (as  our  adversaries  make  a  babbling  thereof.)  he  could 
 have  known  it  afore  well  enough:  howbeit  in  the  outward  use 
 of  the  saci-amcnt  without  faith,  consisteth  but  small  salvation, 
 as  it  well  hath  appeared  in  the  traitor  Judas.  For  as  soon  as 
 he  had  received  this  sacrament  with  the  other  disciples  at  the 
 hand  of  Christ,  immediately  went  he  forth,  executed  his  treason, 
 despaired,  and  hanged  himself.  For  if  the  outward  use  of 
 the  bread  and  wine  Avere  necessary  to  salvation,  it  should  not 
 go  well  with  them  that  may  not  away  with  wine.  Therefore 
 the  right  and  wholesome  remembrance  of  the  supper  of  the 
 Lord,  is  it  that  is  done  in  faith ;  namely,  wdien  we  believe 
 that  the  body  of  Christ  was  given  for  us,  and  that  his  blood 
 was  shed  for  us.  But  forasmuch  as  Christ  would  have  the 
 same  remembrance  kept  with  outward  using  of  bread  and 
 wine  ;  therefore  must  so  great  a  sacrament  in  no  wise  be  left 
 unministcred,  but  still  observed,  according  as  Christ  himself 
 hath  ordained  it,  Avithout  all  men's  inventions.  But  now  will 
 we  speak  of  Purgatory. 
 
 The  opinion  of  purgatory,  I  suppose,  is  taken  out  of  the 
 books  and  writings  of  the  heathen ;  forasmuch  as  in  the  holy 
 scripture  of  the  old  and  new  Testament  we  have  no  manner 
 of  record  for  the  contirmation  of  any  such  thing.  Christ  and 
 his  apostles  have  taught  much  and  evidently  of  the  eternal 
 salvation  of  the  faithful,  and  damnation  of  the  unfaithful ;  but 
 nothing  of  purgatory.  Wherefore  I  think  it  not  needful  to 
 inveigh  sore  against  it ;  considering  it  is  a  thing  that  hath  no 
 ground,  and  must  needs  fail  of  itself.  Our  adversary  neverthe- 
 less had  certain  arguments,  but  so  feeble  and  so  wide  from 
 the  purpose,  that  I  am  almost  ashamed  to  repeat  them. 
 
 AVe  read  in  the  book  of  the  Machabees,  Judas  sent  [2  Maec.  xii.] 
 to  Jerusalem  twelve  thousand  pieces  of  silver,  to  offer  for 
 the  sins  of  the  dead ;  because  he  had  a  good  and  devout 
 mind  concerning  the  resurrection.  Now,  I  pray  thee,  what 
 doth  that  to  purgatory  ?  Who  saith,  that  it  is  not  a  good 
 and  devout  thing  to  remember  the  resurrection?  And 
 whereas  the  author  of  the  book  addeth  these  words,  "  There- 
 fore is  it  an  holy  and  wholesome  cogitation  to  pray  for  the 
 dead,  that  they  might  be  dehvered  from  sins;"  the  same 
 words  do  not  I  so  esteem,  that  they  ought  to  be  taken  for 
 a  certain ;  forasmuch  as  the  author  of  the  same  book  is  un- 
 
474 
 
 THE    DEFENCE    OF 
 
 known,  and  the  book  itself  not  approved  with  any  testimony 
 of  holy  scripture. 
 
 Furthermore,  in  the  gospel,  whereas  Christ  counselleth 
 us  to  "agree  with  our  adversary,  while  we  are  in  the  way  with 
 him,  afore  we  come  to  the  judge,  lest  the  judge  deliver  us  to 
 the  officer,  and  the  officer  cast  us  in  prison ;  whence  thou 
 shalt  not  come  forth,"  saith  Christ,  "  till  thou  hast  paid  the 
 uttermost  farthing ;"  with  these  Avords  will  Christ  declare, 
 that  a  gentle  agreement  is  profitable,  though  it  be  done  with 
 some  loss.  For  if  we  will  not  agree  with  our  adversary 
 by  the  way,  but  fear  a  little  loss ;  it  is  to  be  feared,  that  the 
 judge  will  cast  us  in  prison,  and  put  us  to  sharper  payment, 
 yea,  and  more  intolerable,  than  peradventure  the  other  was, 
 "wherewith  our  adversary  would  have  been  satisfied.  But 
 the  prison  doth  our  adversary  call  here  purgatory ;  and 
 that  which  is  spoken  concerning  the  businesses  of  this 
 world,  doth  he  take  upon  him  to  wrest  unto  the  world  to 
 come,  as  though  a  man  might  feign  out  of  the  words  of 
 Christ  what  he  list. 
 
 In  like  manner  allegeth  he  the  testimony  of  St  Paul, 
 1  Cor.  iii.;  where  he  saith,  that  "  the  fire  shall  prove  every 
 man's  work  what  it  is :  and  if  any  man's  work  burn,  he 
 shall  suffer  loss ;  but  he  himself  shall  be  saved,  nevertheless 
 as  through  the  fire."  Here  expoundeth  he  fire  to  be  purga- 
 tory ;  whereas  St  Paul  by  a  similitude  doth  say,  that  our 
 Avorks  shall  be  tried,  like  as  gold,  silver,  and  other  metal,  is 
 tried  in  the  fire.  But  who  can  suffer  such  jugghng  ?  Let 
 hira  shew  us  the  least  letter  in  the  scripture,  that  plainly 
 proveth  purgatory.  If  we  must  purge  our  sins  through 
 purgatory,  I  pray  thee  then,  for  what  intent  died  Christ? 
 Wherefore  shed  he  his  blood  ?  "  If  God  be  with  us,  who  will 
 be  against  us?"  "Who  spared  not  his  own  only  Son,  but  gave 
 him  for  us  all ;  and  how  should  he  not  give  us  aU  things  with 
 him  ?  Who  will  accuse  the  elect  of  God  ?  It  is  God  that 
 maketh  them  righteous.  Who  will  condemn  them?"  Now  see 
 we,  that  the  faithful  are  made  righteous,  and  shall  not  be 
 condemned.  And  who  is  so  ungodly,  as  to  think  that  the 
 righteous  God  doth  after  this  world  punish  one  uncondemncd. 
 
 Let  this  little,  but  true,  be  sufficient  to  overthrow  the 
 vain  invention  of  purgatory.     And  what  need  was  it,  with 
 
A    CERTAIN    POOR    CHRISTIAN    MAN.  475 
 
 this  weak  fear  of  pain  to  v/ithdraw  simple  people  from  the 
 whole  love  of  Christ  ?  who  nevertheless  in  this  world  hath 
 promised  trouble  even  unto  his  faithful,  to  make  them  feel 
 somewhat  of  the  punishment  of  much  sin,  but  after  death  an 
 w^hole,  free,  perfect  joy  and  salvation,  which  we  undoubtedly 
 look  for  in  the  blessed  hope,  [from  which  they]  have  thrust 
 us  down,  and  therefore  feigned  they  this  horrible  bog  of 
 purgatory ;  to  the  intent  that  we,  despairing  in  the  assured 
 and  infinite  mercy  of  God  which  cometh  through  Jesus  Christ, 
 might  run  to  their  churches,  yea,  to  their  chests,  to  be  free 
 from  our  sins  with  unreasonable  money ;  whose  judgment  tar- 
 rieth  not  behind.  Let  no  man,  therefore,  be  moved  by  those 
 deceitful  spirits,  which,  as  they  say,  do  appear  unto  men,  and 
 desire  their  help,  praying  that  masses,  pilgrimages,  and  other 
 like  superstitious  ceremonies,  may  be  done  for  them ;  for  even 
 the  same  night-bogs,  like  as  they  in  old  time  were  among  the 
 heathen,  so  are  they  now  also  among  the  Turks.  Neither  is 
 it  Avonder,  if  the  devil  can  disguise  him  in  the  form  of  a 
 dead  man,  seeing  he  can  transfigure  himself  into  an  angel  of 
 light.  But  to  the  intent  that  the  unprofitable  purgatory  do 
 us  no  harm  in  our  heads,  we  will  go  forth  farther. 
 
 The  invocation  of  saints  hath  even  such  a  foundation  as 
 purgatory  hath,  namely,  none  at  all.  But  a  wonderful  thing 
 is  it  to  express,  how  the  imaginations  of  men  have  ever  been 
 inclined  to  idolatry  :  and  therefore  is  it  not  for  nought,  that  the 
 first  precept  among  ten  was  so  well  beaten  into  the  Jews,  that 
 they  should  honour  but  one  God,  and  have  no  strange  gods. 
 
 ISTow  to  have  a  strange  god,  what  is  it  else,  save  to  put 
 hope  and  trust  in  a  creature,  and  not  in  God  the  maker  only  ? 
 Christ  saith :  "  Come  to  me,  all  ye  that  labour  and  are  over- 
 charged, and  I  will  refresh  you."  And,  "  Whatsoever  ye 
 ask  the  Father  in  my  name,  he  will  give  it  you."  Is  that 
 true  ?  I  suppose  no  man  will  deny  it.  If  it  be  true  then, 
 why  do  not  we  believe  it  ?  Wherefore  call  we  not  upon  God 
 the  Father,  through  his  only-begotten  Son  Jesus  Christ, 
 seeing  we  are  sure  that  he  denieth  us  no  petition?  But  we 
 will  see  the  arguments  of  our  adversary,  whereby  he  goeth 
 about  to  prove  the  invocation  of  saints.  "  We  beheve,"  saith  he, 
 "the  promise  of  Christ;  but  because  we  trust  not  to  our  own 
 strength,  therefore  seek  we  advocates  to  pray  unto  God  for 
 us ;    like  as  it  is  in  great  princes'  courts,  where  matters  are 
 
476  THE    DEFENCE    OF 
 
 despatched  by  the  counsellors,  whom  the  prince  loveth."  O 
 what  a  gross  likeness  is  that !  Hath  a  prince  mortal  any- 
 thing in  this  point,  that  may  be  resembled  unto  God  ?  Two 
 special  causes  there  be,  wherefore  one  must  have  to  do  with 
 lords  upon  earth  through  mediators  and  advocates,  namely, 
 ignorance  of  the  lords,  and  mutability  of  their  minds.  For 
 they  cannot  know  what  one  desireth,  except  somebody  tell 
 them.  It  is  also  uncertain,  whether  they  will  grant  that  one 
 desireth  of  them,  or  no.  But  so  is  it  not  with  God.  Christ 
 saith:  "Your  Father  knoweth  whereof  ye  have  need,  afore  ye 
 pray  unto  him;"  and  "whatsoever  ye  pray  unto  the  Father 
 in  my  name,  he  Avill  give  it  you."  Here  is  it  evident,  that 
 neither  ignorance  nor  changeableness  of  mind  hath  place  with 
 God.  This  simihtude  also  concerning  the  great  princes  of 
 the  world  is  false,  like  as  it  is  false,  that  they  say  they  believe 
 the  promise  of  Christ.  For  if  they  constantly  beHeved 
 that  they  should  be  heard  through  Christ,  they  Avould  seek 
 no  help  of  other.  But  seeing  they  confess,  that  they  trust 
 not  their  own  error,  in  that  they  understood  not,  that  this 
 promise  was  made,  not  through  our  deserving,  but  through 
 the  deserving  of  Christ ;  and  where  they  will  keep  them- 
 selves from  being  to  hold  of  God,  they  fall  to  their  own  hurt, 
 into  the  head  sin  of  desperation  or  infidelity.  And  if  they 
 continue  therein,  they  need  not  look  to  obtain  anything  of 
 God,  as  St  James  testifieth,  who  exhorted  us  "  to  pray  in 
 faith,  and  not  to  doubt."  "For  Avhoso  doubteth,"  saith  he,  "is 
 like  unto  the  waves  of  the  sea,  that  are  tossed  and  blown  of 
 the  wind.  Let  not  such  a  man  think,  that  he  shall  receive 
 anything  of  the  Lord." 
 
 Li  matters  of  the  world  is  it  not  accounted  no  good  wit, 
 for  a  man  to  leave  a  thing  certain  for  a  thing  uncertain,  and, 
 as  the  dog  did  in  Esop's  fables,  to  let  the  flesh  fall,  and  to 
 follow  the  shadow  thereof?  And  how  much  more  indiscreet 
 a  thing  may  it  be  esteemed,  when  in  such  a  great  matter 
 concerning  everlasting  salvation  one  forsaketh  it,  that  without 
 contradiction  is  true,  and  followeth  another  thing,  where  it 
 may  be  doubted,  whether  it  be  true  or  no !  That  we  are 
 heard  through  Christ,  we  be  certain,  while  we  are  so  taught 
 of  the  verity  itself.  But  hoAV  can  we  be  sure,  that  our  prayer 
 is  heard  for  any  saint's  sake,  seeing  that  of  the  invocation  of 
 saints  there  is  no  mention  made  in  the  scripture;  but  the 
 
A    CERTAIN    POOR    CHRISTIAN     MAN.  477 
 
 contrary  is  evidently  declared  in  many  places.  Christ  an- 
 swereth  the  devil  after  this  manner:  "Thou  shalt  worship  the 
 Lord  thy  God,  and  him  only  shalt  thou  honour."  And  what 
 need  we  many  probations  ?  Let  him  shew  us  one  place  in  the 
 scripture,  where  one  saint  called  upon  another.  If  the  invo- 
 cation of  saints  were  profitable,  why  did  not  Moses  call  upon 
 Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  seeing  he  heard  God  himself  say, 
 "  I  am  the  God  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  of  Jacob?"  Why 
 did  not  David  and  the  other  prophets  call  upon  Moses,  as 
 the  chief  prophet  of  God  ?  And  wherefore  did  not  the  Jews 
 that  came  after  call  upon  David,  who  had  such  good  record 
 of  God  himself,  that  he  said,  "  I  have  found  a  man  after  mine 
 own  heart,  which  shall  accomplish  all  my  will?"  And  after 
 the  coming  of  Christ,  why  did  not  the  apostles  call  upon  John 
 the  Baptist,  concerning  whom  they  had  heard  these  words  of 
 our  Saviour  :  "Among  such  as  are  born  of  women,  there  hath 
 not  risen  a  greater  than  John  the  Baptist?" 
 
 It  is  not  likely,  ye  dear  judges,  that  these  holy  men,  of 
 whom  I  now  have  made  mention,  -were  so  neo-lio-ent  or  so 
 unkind  of  stomach  toward  us,  that  if  they  had  known  and 
 been  persuaded,  that  the  invocation  of  saints  were  for  our 
 salvation,  or  acceptable  to  God,  they  would  not  let  us  know 
 thereof.  Therefore  do  I  esteem  it  a  dano-erous  thino-,  with- 
 out  scripture,  yea,  against  the  open  scripture,  to  set  up  the 
 invocation  of  saints,  as  a  service  acceptable  to  God.  Neither 
 can  I  allow  the  objection  of  those,  that  go  about  to  maintain 
 such  opinions  by  old  and  long  custom,  or  by  miracles. 
 
 For  as  touching  custom,  if  all  were  to  be  commended, 
 that  hath  been  long  and  of  old  time  used ;  then  the  blasphe- 
 mous use  of  the  heathen  with  their  idols  must  be  set  up 
 again,  which  with  one  consent  of  so  many  nations  endured 
 many  years  afore  the  coming  of  Christ.  Thus  might  advou- 
 try  also,  and  other  vices  also  be  maintained,  seeing  they  be 
 committed  so  oft  and  in  so  many  places.  But  what  is  less 
 commendable,  than  to  go  about  through  an  evil  custom  to  set 
 up  a  thing  that  is  openly  against  the  law  of  God,  (yea,  men 
 in  their  laws  will  suffer  no  such  evil  customs,)  we  to  take  upon 
 us  to  be  judges  over  God's  word. 
 
 Concerning  miracles,  which  God  so  greatly  worketh  in 
 his  saints,  who  would  not  highly  wonder  at  such,  as  at  a 
 singular  gift  of  God  ?    Notwithstanding  it  is  manifest  also, 
 
478  THE    DEFENCE    OF 
 
 that  to  do  miracles  and  wonders  is  not  always  a  sure  proba- 
 tion of  holiness;  seeing  we  read  not  ever,  that  Abraham, 
 Isaac,  Jacob,  David,  and  John  the  Baptist,  did  miracles. 
 Must  they  therefore  not  be  holy,  and  should  we  therefore 
 despise  them  ?  Or  why  call  we  not  Judas  the  traitor  as  a 
 saint,  that  did  miracles  with  the  apostles,  and  healed  many 
 people,  as  we  may  perceive  out  of  the  history  of  the  gospel  ? 
 But  let  us  hear  the  sentence  of  Christ :  "  Many,"  saith  he, 
 "shall  say  unto  me  in  that  day.  Lord,  Lord,  have  not  we  pro- 
 phesied in  thy  name  ?  Have  not  we  cast  out  devils  in  thy 
 name  ?  Have  we  not  done  great  virtues  in  thy  name  ?  Then 
 will  I  confess  unto  them,  I  never  knew  you.  Depart  from 
 me,  all  ye  evil-doers."  What  can  our  adversaries  boast  now 
 of  saints'"  miracles,  seeing  we  read,  that  ungodly  and  damned 
 persons  have  done  many  great  acts  in  the  name  of  Christ? 
 And  St  Paul  also  prophcsieth  to  the  Thessalonians,  saying,  that 
 [2Thess.  ii.]  "the  wicked  shall  come,  namely,  the  child  of  perdition,  whose 
 coming  is  after  the  working  of  the  devil,  with  all  manner  lying 
 powers,  tokens,  and  wonders."  Wherefore  let  us  not  believe 
 every  spirit,  but  prove  them  whether  they  be  of  God,  or  no. 
 And  let  us  not  be  so  unadvised,  as  to  ascribe  unto  saints  and 
 to  their  merits  the  honour  that  only  appcrtaineth  unto  God. 
 
 When  Peter  and  John  at  the  gate  of  the  temple  had 
 made  the  lame  man  whole,  and  the  people  ran  to  them  won- 
 dering, Peter  said  unto  them :  "  Ye  men  of  Israel,  why 
 wonder  ye  at  this  thing  ?  or  why  look  ye  so  upon  us,  as 
 though  we  through  our  power  or  virtue  had  made  this  man 
 go  ?"  And  afterward  it  followeth  :  "  Through  the  faith  in  his 
 name,"  namely  Christ's,  "hath  he  upon  this  man,  whom  ye  see 
 and  know,  confirmed  his  name :  and  faith  through  him  hath 
 given  this  man  health  before  your  eyes."  Where  are  now 
 the  miracles,  which  they  say  are  done  through  the  merits  of 
 saints  ?  Peter  and  John,  pillars  of  the  church,  confess  plainly, 
 that  this  lame  man  was  not  made  whole  through  their  power 
 or  virtue,  but  in  the  faith  through  Christ.  0  eternal  God, 
 in  what  an  horrible  deep  pit  of  idolatry  are  we  fallen  !  How 
 far  have  we  erred  from  the  true  faith  of  Christ !  We  shall 
 not  lightly  find  any  time,  wherein  the  heathen  have  honoured 
 their  gods  with  so  great  superstitiousness,  as  some  Christians 
 honour  their  saints.  Every  occupation  hath  his  advowry\ 
 [1  ad vowry  or  avowry :  justification,  or  justifier.] 
 
A.    CERTAIN    POOR    CHRISTIAN    MAN.  479 
 
 every  land  their  own  defender,  and  every  sickness  a  peculiar 
 physician.  There  be  some  saints  also,  whom  they  do  not 
 honour  to  have  profit  by  them,  but  because  they  should  do 
 them  no  harm.  To  certain  peculiar  saints  commit  they  their 
 matters  of  war,  their  merchandise,  and  their  causes  of  mar- 
 riage. The  husbandmen  also  have  their  own  helpers :  one 
 increaseth  the  seed,  another  keepeth  the  vineyards,  the  sheep, 
 the  kine,  the  geese ;  yea,  the  filthy  swine  have  likewise 
 their  own  proper  herd.  To  him  offer  the  foolish  people  all 
 manner  of  things,  but  for  the  most  part  ware  :  so  that  herein 
 they  are  almost  become  like  unto  the  Egyptians,  who  wor- 
 shipped such  beasts  themselves  for  their  gods. 
 
 These  saints  now  are  all  honoured,  they  are  all  called 
 upon ;   only  merciful  Christ  is  not  regarded.      And    though 
 they    sometime    name    him    with    bare    words,    yet    is    all 
 their  trust  in  the  saints.     Neither  are  they  satisfied  in  such 
 strange    honouring    of  saints,    but    make  also  a   wonderful 
 difference  of  holy  places.     Hereof  cometh  it,  that  they  think 
 Mary  the  mother  of  Christ  to  be  more  gracious  in  one  place 
 than  in    another.     New  pilgrimages  also  minish    somewhat 
 the  reputation  of  the  old.     They  run  to  Compostel  in  Spain, 
 to  visit  St  James ;    to  Akon  in  Dutchland  to  salute  our  lady  ; 
 and  in  many  other  places  to  saints'  graves,  as  the  kites  fly  to 
 the  carrion;  and  honour  many  dead  bodies  upon  earth,  whose 
 souls  are  in  hell.     I  pass  over  the  foolish  superstition  that 
 they  use  with  dead  saints'*  raiment,  as  coats,  hosen,  shoes, 
 and  regard  little  the  poor  saints,  that  live  with  us  as  bre- 
 thren in  Christ  upon  earth,  and  have  great  need  of  such 
 apparel.     Yet  would  I  esteem  it  a  less  error,  if  they  worship- 
 ped not  also  the  images  that  have  no  understanding,  and  are 
 made  with  men's  hands,   of  gold,  silver,  stone,  and  wood ; 
 yea,  very  little  it  faileth,  that  they  worship  not  withal  even 
 the  worms,  the  worms  that  gnaw  the  bodies  of  such  blessed 
 saints  of  wood.      To  such  images  ascribe  they  wonders  and 
 miracles.     Of  some  one  they  say  that  it  had  spoken.      Of 
 another  they  say,  that  by  his  own  virtue  he  is  gone  from 
 one  place  to  another.      The  day  should  be  too  long  for  me, 
 if  T  would  say  all  that  might  be  spoken  of  this  unreasonable 
 matter.     Somehow  they  leave  nothing  behind,  that  belongeth 
 to  full  idolatry. 
 
 We  may  well  say,  that  the  Indians  had  much  more  right 
 
4S0  THE    DEFENCE    OF 
 
 to  worship  the  Sun,  such  a  dear,  profitable,  wonderfal,  and 
 excellent  creature,  than  these  mad  folks  have  to  v/orship  such 
 a  rotten  worm-eaten  idol.  Now  though  we  disallow  such 
 idolatry,  such  perverse  honouring  and  wrong  invocation  of 
 saints,  let  no  man  think  that  Ave  therefore  will  withdraw 
 from  them  anything  of  their  true  worship  and  reputation. 
 Saints  have  nothing  that  they  have  not  received.     Paul  saith : 
 
 [icor.iii.]  '^^Yhat  is  Paul?  What  is  Apollo?  Even  ministers  they 
 are,  by .  whom  ye  are  to  believe,  and  that  according  as 
 the  Lord  hath  given  unto  every  man."  And  afterward  it 
 followeth  :  "  Therefore  let  no  man  rejoice  in  men ;  for  all  is 
 yours,  whether  it  be  Paul,  or  Apollo,  or  Cephas,  or  the 
 world ;  whether  it  be  life  or  death,  whether  it  be  things 
 present  or  for  to  come,  all  is  yours ;  but  ye  are  Christ's,  and 
 Christ  is  God's."  Wherefore  all  grace,  which  cometh  through 
 Christ  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  ascribe  we  unto  God,  as  unto  him 
 that  only  giveth  it.  And  heartily  we  beseech  him,  that  unto 
 us  poor  sinners  also  he  will  grant  this  infinite  mercy,  to  the 
 intent  that  we  may  forsake  our  sins,  and  be  holy  before  him, 
 through  Jesus  Christ,  his  only-begotten  Son,  who  upon  the 
 cross  hath  delivered  us  not  Avith  a  small  price,  but  with  his 
 own  blood.      Reason  it  is,  that  saints  have  their  due  honour ; 
 
 [Heb. iv.]  but  liiitli  and  invocation  belongeth  only  unto  God.  "Let  us 
 go,  therefore,  with  confidence  unto  the  seat  of  grace,  to  help 
 in  the  time  of  need.  For  we  have  not  an  high  priest,  which 
 cannot  have  compassion  on  our  infirmities;   but  was   in   all 
 
 [Heb.  vii.]  points  tempted  as  we  are,  but  without  sin ;"  being  "  ever  able 
 also  to  save  them  that  come   unto   God   through   him,   and 
 
 [Actsiv.]  liveth  ever  to  make  intercession  for  us."  "Neither  is  there 
 under  heaven  given  unto  men  any  other  name,  Avherein  we 
 
 [1  Tim.  ii.]  must  be  saved."  "For  there  is  but  one  God,  and  one  mediator 
 between  God  and  man,  namely,  the  man  Jesus  Christ,  which 
 gave  himself  a  redemption  for  all."  To  him  be  honour  and 
 praise  for  ever. 
 
 My  purpose  was,  right  dear  judges,  to  have  defended 
 this  christian  man's  cause  with  few  Avords.  Nevertheless 
 the  subtle  complaint  of  our  adversary  hath  hindered  me,  as 
 ye  see,  from  making  of  mine  answer.  Wherefore  the  fault 
 of  so  long  communication  ought  reasonably  to  be  imputed 
 not  unto  us,  but  to  the  unrighteous  accuser. 
 
 And  now  Avill  I  take  in  hand  the  sixth  article,  namely. 
 
A    CERTAIN    POOR    CHRISTIAN    MAN.  481 
 
 Auricular  Confession  :  which  I  suppose  was  first  ordained  for 
 this  purpose,  that  the  simple  unlearned  people  should  go  to 
 the  priests  to  seek  counsel,  if  they  had  any  grievous  thing 
 in  their  mind,  either  concerning  any  doubt  in  the  believe, 
 or  concerning  sin  w^hich  vexeth  a  man's  conscience ;  to  the 
 intent  that  the  priests,  as  they  that  be  learned  and  have 
 experience  in  the  scripture,  might  strength  such  as  be  weak 
 in  faith,  warn  the  unruly  and  misnurtured,  comfort  such  as 
 be  sorry  and  penitent  for  their  sins;  summa,  as  true  phy- 
 sicians, to  give  due  medicines  for  every  sickness.  Which 
 ordinance,  if  it  were  right  kept,  and  as  I  now  have  said,  I 
 suppose  no  man  could  reprove  it.  But  now,  forasmuch  as 
 they  command  that  every  person  shall  once  in  the  year 
 confess  all  his  sins  to  his  own  priest,  not  only  such  as  he 
 hath  committed  in  deed,  but  also  whatsoever  is  come  into 
 his  thought,  yea,  and  to  declare  the  state,  place,  time,  and 
 circumstance  of  the  persons ;  considering  likewise  that  they 
 proclaim  the  same  out  as  a  commandment  of  God,  under  pain 
 of  eternal  damnation ;  I  may  say,  that  it  is  no  w^iolesome 
 confession  of  sins,  but  rather  a  shameful  tormenting  of  men's 
 consciences.  Neither  can  I  believe  either,  but  that  it  was 
 brought  in  by  the  special  craft  and  subtilty  of  the  devil,  to 
 tangle  poor  men  with  a  new  snare,  and  utterly  to  bring 
 them  from  the  wholesome  and  necessary  confession  of  sins. 
 It  is  written  in  the  Psalm:  "I  will  even  against  myself LPsajm 
 confess  mine  offence  unto  the  Lord,  and  thou  forgavest  me 
 the  ungodliness  of  my  sin.  For  the  same  shall  all  saints 
 pray  unto  thee  in  due  season."  Without  such  confession  of 
 sin  shall  no  man  be  saved.  For  they  that  desire  to  be  par- 
 takers of  the  grace  of  Christ,  must  afore  all  things  know  and 
 confess,  that  they  are  sinners  and  worthy  of  eternal  punish- 
 ment. Such  a  confession,  if  it  come  from  the  heart,  is 
 wholesome  and  fruitful.  Afterward  verily  followeth  a  broken 
 heart,  which  God  Avill  not  despise. 
 
 Our  adversary  would  prove  out  of  the  gospel,  that  this 
 confession  to  the  priest  is  commanded  of  Christ,  because 
 that  when  he  cleansed  the  lepers,  he  bade  them  go  shew 
 themselves  to  the  priests.  Here  doth  our  adversary  make  a 
 cold  interpretation:  "Shew  yourselves,"  saith  he,  is  as  much 
 to  say  as,  "  Confess  your  sins."  But  the  words  that  follow 
 after  in  the  gospel  will  not  suffer  such  a  slender  exposition : 
 
 LCOVEUDALE,   II. J 
 
482  THE    DEFENCE    OF 
 
 "  And  offer  the  gift,"  saith  Christ,  "  that  Moses  commanded, 
 for  a  witness  unto  them,"  This  was  the  very  cause,  why 
 they  were  commanded  to  go  unto  the  priests ;  namely,  that 
 of  them,  as  of  those  to  whom  the  knowledge  of  leprosy  was 
 committed,  they  might  be  judged  clean ;  to  the  intent  it 
 might  be  known,  that  Christ  had  truly  cleansed  them. 
 Therefore  for  a  witness  against  such  as  resisted  him,  bade 
 he  the  lepers  offer  the  gift  that  Moses  had  commanded  in 
 the  law. 
 
 Out  of  St  James's  epistle  taketh  our  adversary  these 
 [James  v.]  words :  "Knowledge  your  sins  one  to  another,  and  pray 
 one  for  another,  that  ye  may  be  saved."  Here  doth  he, 
 as  he  did  afore,  and  will  have  this  word  "one  to  another,"  to 
 be  as  much  to  say  as,  to  a  priest.  Nevertheless  the  words 
 be  so  plain,  that  they  need  no  long  interpretation.  For 
 St  James  willeth,  that  every  one  shall  knowledge  himself 
 as  a  sinner  toward  his  neighbour,  and  so  one  to  pray  for 
 another,  that  they  may  fulfil  brotherly  love,  and  be  saved. 
 I  abhor,  most  prudent  judges,  to  express,  what  great  harm 
 the  strait  confession  hath  brought  to  pass  among  the  simple 
 people.  For  seeing  they  think,  that  they  cannot  be  saved, 
 except  they  confess  everything  as  narrowly  as  the  same 
 shrift^  tradition  bindeth,  and  yet  leave  it  undone,  sometime 
 for  shame,  and  sometime  through  forgetfulness ;  no  doubt  they 
 fall  into  despair,  and  are  ever,  yea,  as  long  as  they  live, 
 far  from  holy  hope.  It  is  manifest  also,  how  unreasonably 
 certain  priests  behave  themselves  in  hearing  of  confessions, 
 to  the  great  destruction  of  souls.  Some,  for  all  right  oc- 
 casion, will  not  absolve  a  penitent,  no,  though  he  be  very 
 sorry  for  his  sins.  Some  ask  questions  of  young  people  con- 
 cerning wanton  and  filthy  matters,  nothing  regarding  their 
 innocent  minds.  And  whereas  they  should  earnestly  desire 
 to  help  with  some  wholesome  medicine,  they  make  deadly 
 wounds  in  weak  consciences. 
 
 But  what  shall  I  say  ?  Have  they  not  oft  and  wilfully, 
 through  their  constrained  confession,  abused  the  chaste  sim- 
 plicity of  honest  women  and  virgins  to  their  own  unchastity 
 and  wantonness?  Some  of  them  openly  told  abroad  the 
 thing,  that  hath  been  committed  to  their  fidelity  in  con- 
 fession ;  and  thereby  have  they  brought  much  malice  to 
 [1  shi'ift:  from  shrive,  to  hear  at  confession.] 
 
A     CERTAIN    POOR    CHRISTIAN    MAN.  483 
 
 pass,  yea,  and  sometime  murder  also.  Such  are  the  sweet 
 fruits  of  this  feigned  confession;  yea,  and  that  as  evil  is, 
 they  preach  the  same  to  be  a  work,  for  whose  sake  God 
 forgiveth  sins ;  and  therefore  have  they  robbed  Christ  of 
 his  honour,  like  blasphemous  men,  as  they  be.  Wherefore 
 considering  this  tree  was  not  planted  by  the  Father  of 
 heaven,  but  by  the  children  of  the  devil,  to  search  out 
 craftily  the  privities  of  men's  hearts,  methinketh  it  should 
 be  plucked  up  by  the  roots,  and  men  brought  again  to  the 
 right  and  wholesome  confession  of  their  sins. 
 
 The  rest  is,  that  I  make  answer  touching  the  difference 
 of  meats,  and  concerning  the  marriage  of  priests :  which  two 
 points  I  purpose  not  to  sunder,  forasmuch  as  Paul  joineth 
 them  together  in  his  first  epistle  to  Timothy,  where  these  be 
 his  words  :  "  The  spirit  speaketh  evidently,  that  in  the  latter  [i  Tim.  iv.] 
 times  some  shall  depart  from  the  faith,  and  shall  give  heed 
 unto  spirits  of  error,  and  devilish  doctrines  of  them  which 
 speak  false  through  hypocrisy,  and  have  their  conscience 
 marked  with  an  hot  iron,  forbidding  to  marry,  and  com- 
 manding to  abstain  from  the  meats,  which  God  hath  created 
 to  be  received  with  thanksgiving  of  them  which  believe 
 and  know  the  truth.  For  every  creature  of  God  is  good, 
 and  nothing  to  be  refused,  that  is  received  with  giving 
 of  thanks :  for  it  is  sanctified  by  the  word  of  God  and 
 prayer."  I  suppose,  dear  judges,  that  as  touching  these 
 matters,  Paul  hath  with  these  words  sufficiently  answered 
 for  us,  seeing  he  saith  evidently,  that  they  which  forbid  to 
 marry,  and  command  to  abstain  from  meats,  are  departed 
 from  the  faith,  and  follow  the  devil's  doctrine.  Paul  also 
 himself  writeth  thus  to  the  Corinthians :  "  Whatsoever  is  [i  cor.  viu.] 
 sold  in  the  flesh-market,  that  eat,  and  ask  no  question  for 
 conscience  sake.  For  the  earth  is  the  Lord's,  and  aU  that 
 is  therein."  And  to  the  Colossians  he  writeth:  "Let  no[Coi. u.] 
 man  therefore  trouble  your  consciences  about  meat  or  drink, 
 or  for  a  piece  of  an  holy  day,  or  new  moon,  or  of  the  sabbath- 
 days,  which  are  the  shadow  of  tilings  that  were  for  to  come; 
 but  the  body  itself  is  in  Christ."  And  afterward  it  followeth  : 
 "  If  ye  be  dead  then  with  Christ  from  the  ordinances  of  the 
 world,  why  are  ye  holden  with  such  traditions,  as  though  ye 
 lived  after  the  world?  As  when  they  say.  Touch  not  this, 
 taste  not  that,  handle  not  that :   all  which  things  do  hurt 
 
 31—2 
 
484  THE    DEFEJS'CE    OF 
 
 unto  men,  because  of  their  abuse,  .which  cometh  only  of  the 
 commandments  and  doctrines  of  men,  &c."  All  this  doth 
 Christ  confirm,  when  he  saith :  "  Whatsoever  entereth  in  at 
 the  mouth  defileth  not  the  man."  And  what  can  be  more 
 clearly  spoken  ?  But  so  false  and  unrighteous  is  the  judg- 
 ment of  such  unreasonable  men,  that  if  a  christian  man  do 
 taste  but  a  little  flesh  upon  a  day  prohibited  by  them,  im- 
 mediately, without  any  farther  advisement,  they  proclaim 
 him  to  be  an  heretic,  and  cast  in  his  teeth  such  a  tradition 
 of  fasting,  as  though  a  man's  salvation  depended  upon  the 
 difference  of  meats :  and  yet  the  hypocrites  themselves, 
 though  they  eat  no  flesh,  are  nevertheless  so  full  of  fleshly 
 desires,  that  they  can  understand  nothing  but  fleshly,  and 
 sometime  are  not  ashamed  to  utter  their  fleshly  lusts  with 
 excess. 
 
 Even  as  great  wrong  do  they  through  their  damning  of 
 priests'  marriage.  But  to  the  intent  that  men  should  judge 
 them  to  be  excellent  maintainors  of  chastity,  they  praise  vir- 
 ginity out  of  measure,  which  in  very  deed  is  a  singular  gift 
 of  God,  but  given  unto  few.  Nevertheless,  that  they  go  about 
 to  maintain  not  virginity,  but  a  state  to  live  unmarried,  it 
 appeareth  plainly  by  this,  that  when  a  priest  taketh  a  wife, 
 they  will  not  only  have  him  deposed  from  his  ministration, 
 but  judge  him  worthy  to  be  put  to  death  also :  but  if  he 
 against  all  honesty  take  an  harlot,  or  keep  another  man's 
 wife,  he  is  suffered  as  a  profitable  member  of  the  church,  (of 
 Rome,  I  mean.)  Oh  what  an  horrible  wickedness  is  this ! 
 Yet  was  there  never  a  peo23le  so  wild  or  unnatural,  but  they 
 had  an  ordinance  concerning  marriage,  and  keeping  concubines. 
 Only  Romish  priests  may  in  this  matter  do  as  they  lust  them- 
 selves. They  take  harlots  of  their  pleasure,  when  they  will, 
 and  where,  and  ask  no  question  for  conscience  sake,  so  that 
 they  pay  the  bishop  the  whore-toll.  And  even  with  like 
 audacity  put  they  them  away  from  them  again,  and  shame 
 never  a  whit.  Yet  are  they  not  satisfied  with  such  un- 
 measurable  liberty  ^  Nothing  can  be  safe  from  them ;  with 
 their  filthy  wantonness  defile  they  every  thing,  the  angelical 
 defenders  of  chastity :  all  which  is  so  manifest,  that  it  cannot 
 be  hid. 
 
 But  lest  I  be  reputed  more  to  be  an  accuser  of  Romish 
 [1  Eight  words  omitted.] 
 
A     CERTAIN     POOR    CHRISTIAN    MAN.  485 
 
 priests,  than  a  defender  of  this  christian  man,  I  will  pass 
 over  many  things,  that  might  be  spoken  concerning  this 
 matter,  and  content  me  with  the  judgment  of  Paul,  who  saith: 
 "  If  they  cannot  abstain,  let  them  marry  ;  for  it  is  better  to  [i  cor.  vii.] 
 marry,  than  to  burn."  Wherefore  let  this  judgment  remain ; 
 let  troubled  consciences  be  helped,  and  the  ministers  of  the 
 church  restored  again  to  an  honest  conversation ;  lest  if  we 
 continue  in  this  sin,  we  fall  into  that  horrible  judgment, 
 wherewith  God  will  judge  fornicators  and  advoutres. 
 
 Now,  thou  unreasonable  accuser,  hast  thou  a  sufficient 
 answer  to  all  the  points  of  thy  complaint.  And  I  would 
 hope  that  thy  madness  should  thereby  be  mitigated,  if  I 
 feared  not,  that  the  light  of  thy  body  were  darkened  for  very 
 malice.  Now  "  if  the  light  that  is  in  thee  be  darkness,  how 
 great  will  the  darkness  itself  be!"  Even  thou  thyself,  I  say, 
 knowest  well,  that  all  that  I  have  said  is  true.  And  why  re- 
 sisted thou  then  the  open  truth  ?  Thou  unhappy  man,  art  thou 
 so  far  unadvised,  that  thou  canst  not  ponder,  how  weak  a  ground 
 thou  hast  in  this  ungodly  matter ;  and  again,  how  mighty  and 
 invincible  an  adversary  thou  hast,  namely,  Christ  Jesus,  the 
 only-begotten  dear  Son  of  God  ?  Thy  fury  hath  now  raged 
 enough  against  this  innocent  christian  man.  Cease  now  at 
 the  last  from  perverting  the  right  way  of  the  Lord.  Alas, 
 man,  how  oft  hast  thou  in  this  thy  envious  complaint  denied 
 the  faith  openly,  in  that  thou  hast  divers  times  said,  that 
 only  faith  maketh  not  righteous  before  God !  I  pray  thee, 
 art  thou  not  ashamed  of  so  detestable  a  lie  ?  Doth  not  the 
 scripture  teach  evidently,  that  faith  only  justifieth  in  the  sight 
 of  God  ?  Who  ever  denied  this,  if  he  were  not  mad,  and 
 such  one  as  thou  art?  Thou  boastest  of  great  works,  whereof 
 thou  thyself  hast  not  touched  one  with  thy  little  finger.  And 
 who  knoweth  not,  that  faith  and  charity  cannot  be  separated? 
 If  charity  then  hang  upon  faith,  and  cannot  be  idle,  but 
 alway  occupied,  how  should  not  the  works  of  charity  and 
 love  follow  afterward  of  themselves  ?  Yea,  the  same  works 
 are  now  not  ours  (lest  any  man  boast  himself),  but  Christ's; 
 who  worketh  in  us  through  faith,  as  in  his  own  members. 
 
 Thou  takest  to  record  the  epistle  of  St  James,  whose 
 words  are   these:    "Faith  without  works   is   dead."     Here  [jamesu.] 
 thou  rejoicest,  as  though  thou  hadst  gotten  the  victory,  and 
 triumphest,  as  though   thou  wast   over  the  hedge   already. 
 
486 
 
 THE    DEFENCE    OF 
 
 St  James  saith,  that  "  faith  without  works  is  no  faith ;  for 
 faith,  love,  or  charity,  cannot  be  sundered."  Thinkest  thou, 
 that  one  can  love  another,  to  whom  he  giveth  no  credence? 
 Or  that  one  can  put  all  his  hope  and  trust  in  him,  whom  he 
 loveth  not  ?  St  Paul  saith  :  "  If  I  had  all  faith,  so  that  I 
 could  remove  hills,  and  had  not  love,  I  were  nothing."  The 
 same  putteth  he  for  a  thing  impossible,  and  declareth  there- 
 by, that  faith  cannot  be  without  love  or  charity.  Therefore 
 will  we  discern  these  three  things,  faith,  hope,  and  charity, 
 one  from  another ;  but  so  that  they  remain  unseparated. 
 Faith  only  justifieth  before  God ;  love  or  charity  worketh 
 toward  his  neighbour ;  hope  doth  patiently  wait  for  the  pro- 
 mise of  God,  and  shall  not  be  confounded.  Thou  sayest  we 
 lack  good  works, — not  such  as  come  of  love,  or  that  Christ 
 shall  require  of  us  at  the  day  of  judgment,  but  to  go  a 
 pilgrimage,  to  set  up  candles  before  images,  to  number  up 
 what  we  pray,  to  tell  over  a  prayer  of  beads,  to  put  difference 
 in  clothing,  in  meats,  in  prayers,  in  titles  or  names,  where 
 one  had  rather  be  called  a  Charter-House  monk,  or  a  barefoot 
 friar,  than  a  christian  man.  These  and  such  like  slender  and 
 childish  works  requirest  thou  of  us ;  which  though  one  had  done 
 them  altogether,  it  were  even  as  much  as  though  he  in  the 
 mean  season  had  ridden  upon  a  stick  with  boys  in  the  street. 
 But  declare  thou  us  thy  faith  out  of  such  works  as  belong- 
 to  a  christian  man,  and  we  will  shew  thee  our  works  out  of 
 faith.  Seest  thou,  how  this  christian  man,  whom  thou  accusest, 
 standeth  here  so  weak  and  feeble  through  the  stink  and  te- 
 diousness  of  the  prison,  that  he  can  scarce  stand  upon  his 
 legs  ?  And  why,  I  pray  thee  ?  Hath  he  committed  any  evil 
 deed  ?  No.  For  if  he  have  done  ought  that  deserveth  death, 
 or  so  the  judges  have  the  law,  they  have  the  sword,  let  them 
 execute  it,  I  will  make  no  request  against  it.  Wherefore  is 
 it  then  ?  I  will  tell  thee.  Even  because  he  hath  freely 
 preached  the  gospel  of  Christ,  and  the  grace  that  is  given 
 us  through  him,  (for  he  "believed,  therefore  hath  he  spoken/") 
 and  hath  taught,  that  whatsoever  is  against  the  gospel  ought 
 to  be  put  down,  to  the  intent  that  the  kingdom  of  God  might 
 come  unto  us,  and  that  "his  name  might  be  sanctified."  Thus 
 of  a  fervent  love  hath  he  endeavoured  himself  to  instruct  all 
 men,  and  to  bring  them  to  the  true  knowledge  of  God  and 
 of  his  Son  Jesus  Christ.     Summa,  his  mind  was  so  set  to 
 
A    CERTAIN    POOR    CHRISTIAN    MAN.  487 
 
 learn  liis  neighbour,  that  he  hath  not  abhorred  the  dark 
 dungeon  and  prison,  to  be  desolate  and  alone,  in  hunger  and 
 thirst,  yea,  and  in  danger  of  death.  Such  are  the  works  for 
 a  christian  man ;  which  must  not  be  ascribed  unto  us,  but 
 unto  the  Lord  that  worketh  them  in  us.  Such  true  fasting 
 is  accepted  of  the  Lord,  such  true  obedience  belongeth  to  his 
 saints. 
 
 Now  forasmuch  as  I  have  sufficiently  declared,  that  our 
 adversary's  complaint  is  clean  against  equity,  there  is  no 
 more  to  be  required,  save  only  that  ye,  right  dear  judges, 
 whose  mind  is  to  do  every  man  right,  quit  this  christian 
 man  according  to  your  benevolence. 
 
 A    SHORT   RECAPITULATION 
 
 UNTO    THE    READER. 
 
 Here  hast  thou  heard,  most  gentle  reader,  how  benign, 
 how  loving,  how  mindful  our  most  merciful  Father  is,  and 
 ever  hath  been,  over  his  elect  and  chosen  children,  namely 
 even  now.  And  for  an  ensample  have  we  this  poor  and 
 simple  creature  set  before  our  eyes,  to  call  us  to  remem- 
 brance, that  he  is  nigh  unto  all  them  that  in  time  of  tribu- 
 lation or  persecution  will  call  upon  him  in  truth  and  verity. 
 See  we  not  here,  how  mercifully  he  stretcheth  out  his  hand, 
 he  spreadeth  abroad  his  wings,  to  hide  and  cover  this  his 
 tender  bride  from  the  glede^  or  buzzard?  And  in  conclusion, 
 he  mollifieth  and  moveth  the  heart  of  this  virtuous  prince ; 
 and  by  him,  as  by  an  instrument  of  his  own,  doth  he  not 
 only  defend  this  poor  man's  cause,  or  rather  the  truth  itself, 
 but  also  delivereth  him  from  the  cruel  hands  of  all  his  ene- 
 mies, no  otherwise  than  even  as  it  were  from  death  to  life. 
 Such  is  his  godly  nature,  such  is  his  property  and  accustomed 
 manner,  that  in  the  midst  of  adversities,  tribulation,  and  per- 
 
 [1  A  glede:  a  kite.] 
 
488  A    SHORT    RECAPITULATION    UNTO    THE    READp:R. 
 
 secution,  where  men  think  him  most  furthest  off,  there  is  he 
 most  nighest  and  present  with  such  consolation  and  comfort 
 as  cannot  be  expressed  with  tongue.  What  more  joy  can 
 there  come  to  them  which  be  afflicted,  persecuted,  and  under 
 the  sweet  cross  of  Jesus  Christ,  than  to  call  to  tli«ir  remem- 
 brance the  comfortable  stories  of  the  scripture,  according  to 
 [Bom.  XV.]  the  saying  of  St  Paul,  "  Whatsoever  thing  is  written,  it  is 
 written  for  our  doctrine  and  learning,  that  through  patience 
 and  the  consolation  of  God's  word  we  may  have  sure  hope 
 and  trust  ?" 
 
 How  like  a  loving  Lord  saved  he  Isaac  from  the  mortal 
 and  deadly  stroke  of  the  sword !  With  how  pitiful  an  eye 
 looked  he  on  Noe  the  preacher  of  righteousness,  restoring 
 him  from  the  rough  raging  waves  of  the  unmerciful  sea!  He 
 delivered  Lot  at  an  instant  from  the  conversation  and  com- 
 pany of  the  ungodly  Sodomites  and  Gomorrians.  Kept  he 
 not  Jonas  safe  and  sound,  after  he  was  devoured  and  swal- 
 lowed up  of  that  huge  and  monstrous  fish  ?  Sidrach,  Misach, 
 and  Abenago  preserved  he  from  the  flaming  furnace  of 
 burning  fire ;  and  Daniel  he  delivered  from  the  devouring 
 mouths  of  the  hungry  lions.  Moyses,  among  the  reeds 
 and  flags  hid  and  hanged  by  the  water-side  in  a  basket,  was 
 restored  again  to  his  natural  mother  to  be  nursed  of  her. 
 Paul  was  let  down  in  a  basket,  and  so  escaped  the  hands  of 
 his  persecutors.  Susannah  was  preserved  and  defended  pure' 
 ^nd  undefiled  from'  the  false  priests  and  judges.  Judith, 
 with  much  joy  and  victory,  was  delivered  from  the  fiery 
 violence  and  mighty  power  of  all  the  enemies  of  God.  These 
 and  many  more  godly  ensamples  be  left  in  the  holy  scrip- 
 tures, to  the  great  comfort  and  consolation  of  them  that  suffer 
 persecution  for  Christ's  sake,  according  to  the  saying  of  Christ 
 himself:  "Blessed  are  all  they  which  suffer  persecution  for 
 righteousness'  sake ;  for  theirs  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven." 
 Again,  "as  many  as  will  live  godly  in  Christ  Jesus  must  suffer 
 persecution."  It  is  the  blessing  of  God  and  the  sweet  rod  of 
 correction,  wherewith  all  the  faith  of  the  faithful  must  there- 
 with be  tried.  For  even  as  our  Lord  and  God  doth  always 
 and  at  all  times  preserve,  keep,  and  defend  his  poor  perse- 
 cuted and  afilicted  in  all  extremities ;  so  doth  he  cast  down, 
 and  never  raise  up  again,  all  such  that  so  obstinately  and 
 [1  Four  words  omitted.] 
 
A    SHORT    RECAPITULATION    UNTO    THE    READER.  489 
 
 wilfully  resisteth  his  eternal  testament  and  word,  oppressing 
 his  preachers,  and  persecuting  Christ  the  only  Son  of  God 
 in  his  members.  Seeing  now,  that  such  trouble  and  per- 
 secution chanceth  always  upon  the  simple  and  poor  afflict, 
 specially  now  in  this  dangerous  and  perilous  season,  let  not 
 therefore  the  words  of  Paul  be  out  of  the  remembrance  of 
 them  that  be  at  liberty,  where  he  saith  :  "  Remember  them  [Heb.  xm.] 
 that  are  in  bonds,  even  as  though  ye  were  in  bonds  with 
 them ;  and  be  mindful  of  them  which  are  in  adversity." 
 
 Let  this  short  and  brief  lesson  be  sufficient  at  this  time  to 
 put  the  most  christian  reader  in  remembrance  of  some  part  of 
 thy  duty,  and  to  render  thanks  unto  the  Lord  for  the  great 
 strength  and  power  he  gave  unto  this  christian  prince  to 
 confess  his  Lord  and  God :  before  all  men  him  shall  the  Lord 
 confess  again  before  the  Father  of  heaven.  The  Lord  send 
 us  many  such  princes,  that  will  with  so  ready  a  mind  defend 
 the  hvely  word  of  God,  deliver  the  innocent,  confute  the  false 
 accuser,  and,  to  conclude,  to  be  first  and  ready  to  give  his 
 life  for  his  poor  brother ;  to  the  great  discomfort  of  that 
 hungry  horse-leech  and  blood-thirsty  Romanist,  the  gene- 
 ration of  whom  is  never  satisfied  till  it  hath  blood !  God 
 defend  all  them  that  believe  in  his  word  from  their  cruelty, 
 and  illuminate  the  hearts  of  all  princes,  that  they  may  once 
 spy  and  perceive,  what  kind  of  people  they  be,  that  cause  this 
 great  dissension,  discord,  and  wars,  now  in  this  troublesome 
 time ;  and  though  I  put  no  doubt  but  that  kingdom  of  anti- 
 christ, which  now  hangeth  by  a  twine-thread,  shall  shortly 
 take  a  fall,  and  the  kingdom  of  Christ  ma2;nified  amono-  all 
 nations,  to  the  great  honour  and  laud  of  God,  to  the  con- 
 solation and  comfort  of  the  whole  christian  congregation  of 
 Jesu  Christ,  to  whom  be  praise  both  now  and  ever !    Amen. 
 
 Printed  at  Nurenhergh,  and  translated  owt  of  Douclie 
 
 into  Englishe  by  Myles  Coverdale,  in  the  yeare 
 
 of  oiir  Lorde  m.d.xlv.  in  the  laste  of 
 
 Octobre. 
 
490 
 
 LETTERS. 
 
 LETTER  I. 
 
 MYLES   COVERDALE   TO  Mr  CRUMWELL. 
 
 Dated  from  the  St  Augustin's,  Mut/  1,  [1527.] 
 [State  Papers,  Ci-umwell  Correspondence,  Vol.  vir.  No.  62.] 
 
 Most  singular  good  master,  with  due  humility  I  beseech 
 unto  your  mastership  all  godly  comfort,  grace,  and  prosperous 
 health.  Forsomuch  as  your  goodness  is  so  great  towards  me, 
 your  poor  child,  only  through  the  plenteousness  of  your 
 favour  and  benevolence,  I  am  the  bolder  of  your  goodness 
 in  this  my  rude  style.  If  it  like  your  favour  to  revocate  to 
 your  memory  the  godly  communication,  which  your  master- 
 ship had  with  me  your  orator  in  master  Moore's  house  upon 
 Easter  Eve,  amongst  many  and  divers  fruitful  exhortations, 
 specially  of  your  singular  favour  and  by  your  most  com- 
 fortable words,  I  perceive  your  gracious  mind  toward  me. 
 Wherefore,  most  honourable  master,  for  the  tender  love  of 
 God,  and  for  the  fervent  zeal  that  you  have  to  virtue  and 
 godly  study,  cordis  genihus  jwovolutus,  I  humbly  desire  and 
 beseech  your  goodness  of  your  gracious  help.  Now  I  begin 
 to  taste  of  holy  scriptures :  now,  honour  be  to  God !  I  am 
 set  to  the  most  sweet  smell  of  holy  letters,  with  the  godly 
 savour  of  holy  and  ancient  doctors,  unto  whose  knowledge 
 I  cannot  attain  without  diversity  of  books,  as  is  not  unknown 
 to  your  most  excellent  wisdom.  JN'othing  in  the  world  I 
 desire  but  books,  as  concerning  my  learning :  they  once  had, 
 I  do  not  doubt  but  Almighty  God  shall  perform  that  in  me, 
 which  he  of  his  most  plentiful  favour  and  grace  hath  begun. 
 Moreover  as  touching  my  behaviour,  (your  mastership's  mind 
 once  known.)  with  all  lowliness  I  offer  myself  not  only  to  be 
 ordered  in  all  things  as  shall  please  your  wisdom,  but  also  as 
 concerning  the  education  and  instruction  of  other  alonely  to 
 
I.]  MYLES    COVERDALE    TO    MR    CRIIMWELL.  491 
 
 ensue  your  prudent  counsel.  Nam  quicquid  est  in  te  con- 
 silii,  nihil  non  politicum,  nihil  non  divinum  est :  quicquid 
 enim  agis,  nihil  inconsidte  agis,  nusquani  te  primum  philo- 
 sophum  prcebes ;  de  rore  autem  cceli  sumniam,  more  Jacob, 
 surrijjiiisti  benedictionem.  De  tuo  ipso  torrente  maxime 
 potari  exopto,  teque  coram  alloqui  non  mediocriter  cnpio. 
 Vale,  decus  literarum,  consiliormn,  omnium  denique  probi- 
 tatum.     From  the  Augustin's,  this  May-day. 
 
 Your  child  and  headman  in  Jesus  Christ, 
 
 FRERE  MYLES  COVERDALE. 
 
 Unto  the  right  worshipful  and  his 
 most  singidar  good  master,  mas- 
 ter Crumwell,  this  be  delivered 
 ivith  due  manner. 
 
 LETTER  II. 
 
 MYLES   COVERDALE   TO  Mr   CRUMWELL. 
 
 Dated  from  Cambridge,  Aug.  27,  1527. 
 [State  Papers,  Crumwell  Correspondence,  Vol.  \n.  No.  67.] 
 
 Right  honourable  master,  in  my  most  lowly  manner  I 
 commend  me  unto  you  evermore,  desiring  to  hear  of  the 
 preservation  of  your  prosperity.  So  it  is,  I  was  required  by 
 Mr  George  Lawson  to  deliver  this  writing  to  your  master- 
 ship mine  own  self:  notwithstanding  such  an  impediment 
 hath  chanced,  that  I  must  desire  favour  on  your  behalf  for 
 my  excusation ;  for  master  Moore's  kinsman  is  not  all  well 
 at  ease ;  nam  e  febribus  laborat.  Opinandum  est  sane 
 febris  esse  speciem ;  nam  in  alimentis  lunatico  more  solet 
 deflectere,  sed  jam  compertum  est  pene  exolevisse.  Where- 
 fore I  beseech  you  to  have  me  excused ;  and  if  I  knew  that 
 my  coming  to  London  might  stand  with  your  favour,  truly 
 the  bird  was  never  gladder  of  day  than  I  would  be  to  come  : 
 but  briefly,  I  am  ready  at  your  commandment ;  nam  restat 
 tibi  facidtas  apud  tuum  3Iilonem  mandandi  quce  voles. 
 Ceterum  nihil  apud  nos  promulgatum  est  novi,  nisi  quod 
 rumor  est  apud  nostrates,   {cum   unus  nostratium   magis- 
 
492  MYLES    COVERDALE    TO    MR    CRUMWELL.  [leT. 
 
 trorum  homicidii  sit  accusatus,  alius  criminis  hcereseos  sit 
 dilatus,)  quod  tertius  jam  magister  sit  furtivi  criminis 
 deferendus,  nempe  magister  ille  Stookes  junior;  cujus  rei 
 subinde  manifestius  te  certiorem  faciemus.  Denique  proeter 
 istuc  mdlum  mihi  scribendi  argumentum  relictum  est,  nisi 
 quod  tu  tuique  rectissime  valeatis ;  quod  faxit  Cliristus 
 Optimus  Maximus,  cui  sit  honor  et  hnperimn  in  ceternum. 
 Amen.  Ex  Cantabrigia  27  die  mensis  Augusti,  annd 
 Domini  27  supra  sesque-millesimum. 
 
 Tuus  quantus  quantus, 
 
 MILO  CO  VERBAL  US. 
 
 Unto  the  right  worshipful  master 
 Crumivell,  this  be  delivered 
 with  speed. 
 
 LETTER  III. 
 
 COVERDALE  AND  GRAFTON  TO  LORD  CRUMWELL. 
 
 Dated  from  Paris,  Jujie  23,  1538. 
 [State  Papers,  Crumwell  Correspondence,  Vol.  i.  No.  107.] 
 
 After  most  humble  and  hearty  commendations  to  your 
 good  lordship.  Pleaseth  the  same  to  understand,  that  we  be 
 entered  into  your  work  of  the  Bible,  whereof  (according  to 
 our  most  bounden  duty)  we  have  here  sent  unto  your  lordship 
 two  ensamples ;  one  in  parchment,  wherein  we  intend  to  print 
 one  for  the  king's  grace,  and  another  for  your  lordship ;  and 
 the  second  in  paper,  whereof  all  the  rest  shall  be  made  : 
 trusting  that  it  shall  be  not  only  to  the  glory  of  God,  but 
 a  singular  pleasure  also  to  your  good  lordship,  the  causer 
 thereof,  and  a  general  echfying  of  the  king's  subjects,  accord- 
 ing to  your  lordship's  most  godly  request.  For  we  follow 
 not  only  a  standing  text  of  the  Hebrew,  with  the  interpre- 
 tation of  the  Chaldee  and  the  Greek ;  but  we  set  also  in 
 a  private  table  the  diversity  of  readings  of  all  texts,  with 
 such  annotations  in  another  table,  as  shall  doubtless  elucidate 
 and  clear  the  same,  as  well  without  any  singularity  of 
 opinions,  as  all  checkings  and  reproofs.     The  print,  no  doubt. 
 
III.]  COVERDALB    AND    GRAFTON    TO    LORD    CRUMWELL.  493 
 
 shall  please  your  good  lordship.  The  paper  is  of  the  best 
 sort  in  France.  The  charge  certainly  is  great ;  wherein  as 
 we  most  humbly  require  your  favourable  help  at  this  pre- 
 sent, with  whatsoever  it  shall  please  your  good  lordship  to 
 let  us  have,  so  trust  we  (if  need  require)  in  our  just  business 
 to  be  defended  from  the  papists  by  your  lordship's  favourable 
 letters,  which  we  most  humbly  desire  to  have  (by  this 
 bearer,  William  Grey)  either  to  the  bishop  of  Winchester  ^ 
 or  to  some  other  whom  your  lordship  shall  think  most  ex- 
 pedient. We  be  daily  threatened,  and  look  ever  to  be  spoken 
 Avithal,  as  this  bearer  can  further  inform  your  lordship ;  but 
 how  they  will  use  us,  as  yet  we  know  not.  Nevertheless, 
 for  our  further  assurance,  wherethrough  we  may  be  the 
 abler  to  perform  this  your  lordship's  work,  we  are  so  much 
 the  bolder  of  your  good  lordship ;  for  other  refuge  have 
 [avo]  none,  under  God  and  our  king,  whom  with  noble  prince 
 Edward,  and  all  you  their  most  honourable  council,  God 
 Almighty  preserve  now  and  ever !  Amen.  Written  at  Paris, 
 the  twenty-third  day  of  June,  by  your  lordship's  assured 
 and  daily  orators, 
 
 MYLES  COVERDALE, 
 RICHARD  GRAFTON,   Grocc\ 
 
 To  the  right  honourable  and  their 
 singular  good  lord,  the  lord 
 Crunnvell,  and  lord  i^rivy  seal. 
 
 LETTER  IV. 
 
 COVERDALE  AND  OTHERS  TO  LORD  CRUMWELL. 
 
 Dated  from  Paiiis,  Aug.  9,  1538. 
 [State  Papers,  Crumwell  Correspondence,  Vol.  i.  No.  108.] 
 
 After  most  humble  and  due  salutation  to  your  good 
 lordship.  Pleaseth  the  same  to  understand  that,  your  work 
 going  forward,  we  thought  it  our  most  bounden  duty  to  send 
 
 [1  Gardiner,  who  was  at  this  time  ambassador  at  Paris,  but  was 
 shortly  afterwards  succeeded  by  Boner,  bishop  elect  of  Hereford.] 
 
494  COVERDALE    AND    OTHERS    TO    LORD    CRUMWELL.  [lET. 
 
 unto  your  lordship  certain  leaves  thereof,  specially  seeing 
 we  had  so  good  occasion,  by  the  returning  of  your  beloved 
 servant  Sebastian.  And  as  they  are  done,  so  will  we  send 
 your  lordship  the  residue  from  time  to  time.  As  touching 
 the  manner  and  order  that  we  keep  in  the  same  work,  pleaseth 
 your  good  lordship  to  be  advertised,  that  the  mark  |^°  in 
 the  text  signifieth,  that  upon  the  same,  in  the  latter  end  of 
 the  book,  there  is  some  notable  annotation,  which  we  have 
 written  without  any  private  opinion,  only  after  the  best  in- 
 terpreters of  the  Hebrews,  for  the  more  clearness  of  the  text. 
 This  mark  ?  betokeneth,  that  upon  the  same  text  there  is 
 diversity  of  reading  among  the  Hebrews,  Chaldees,  and  Greeks, 
 and  Latinists;  as  in  a  table  at  the  end  of  the  book  shall  be  de- 
 clared. This  mark  >(<  sheweth  that  the  sentence  written  in 
 small  letters  is  not  in  the  Hebrew  or  Chaldee,  but  in  the  Latin, 
 and  seldom  in  the  Greek ;  and  that  we  nevertheless  would 
 not  have  it  extinct,  but  highly  accept  it,  for  the  more  expla- 
 nation of  the  text.  This  token  f  in  the  old  Testament,  giveth 
 to  understand,  that  the  same  text  which  followeth  it,  is  also 
 alleged  of  Christ  or  of  some  apostle  in  the  new  Testament. 
 This,  among  other  our  necessary  labours,  is  the  way  that  we 
 take  in  this  work ;  trusting  verily,  that  as  God  Almighty 
 moved  your  lordship  to  set  us  unto  it,  so  shall  it  be  to  his 
 glory,  and  right  welcome  to  all  them  that  love  to  serve  him 
 and  their  prince  in  true  faithful  obedience :  as  is  only 
 known  to  the  Lord  of  heaven,  to  whom  we  most  heartily 
 pray  for  your  lordship's  preservation.  At  Paris,  the  9th 
 day  of  August,  1538,  by  your  faithful  orators, 
 
 MYLES  COVERDALE. 
 RICHARD  GRAFTON. 
 WILLIAM  GREY. 
 
 To  the  right  honourable  and  their 
 singular  good  lord,  lord  privy 
 seal,  he  this  delivered. 
 
v.]  COVERDALE    AND    GRAFTON    TO    LORD    CRUMWELL.  495 
 
 LETTER  V. 
 
 COVERDALE  AND  GRAFTON  TO  LORD  CRUMWELL. 
 
 Dated  from  Paris,  Sept.  12,  [1538.] 
 [State  Papers,  Crumwell  Correspondence,  Vol.  i.  No.  115.] 
 
 After  most  humble  and  due  salutations  to  your  most 
 honourable  lordship.  Pleaseth  the  same  to  understand,  that 
 we  are  instantly  desired  of  our  host,  whose  name  is  Francis 
 Regnault,  a  Frenchman,  to  make  supplication  for  him  unto 
 your  lordship.  Whereas  of  long  time  he  hath  been  an  oc- 
 cupier into  England  more  than  forty  year,  he  hath  always 
 provided  such  books  for  England  as  they  most  occupied ;  so 
 that  he  hath  a  great  number  at  this  present  in  his  hands, 
 as  primers  in  English,  missals,  with  other  such  hke,  whereof 
 now  by  the  company  of  the  booksellers  in  London  he  is  utterly 
 forbidden  to  make  sale,  to  the  utter  undoing  of  the  man. 
 Wherefore  most  humbly  we  beseech  your  lordship  to  be 
 gracious  and  favourable  unto  him,  that  he  may  have  licence 
 to  sell  those  which  he  hath  done  already ;  so  that  hereafter 
 he  print  no  more  in  the  English  tongue,  unless  he  have  an 
 Englishman  that  is  learned  to  be  his  corrector ;  and  that  is 
 the  man  well  contented  withal.  He  is  also  contented,  and 
 hath  promised,  before  my  lord  elect  of  Hereford^,  that  if 
 there  be  found  any  notable  fault  in  his  books,  he  will  put  the 
 same  out,  and  print  the  leaf  again.  Thus  are  we  bold  to 
 write  unto  your  lordship  in  his  cause,  (as  doth  also  my  lord 
 elect  of  Hereford,)  beseeching  your  lordship  to  pardon  our 
 boldness,  and  to  be  good  lord  unto  this  honest  man,  whose 
 servant  shall  give  attendance  upon  your  lordship's  most  fa- 
 vourable answer.  If  your  lordship  shew  him  this  benefit,  we 
 shall  not  fare  the  worse  in  the  readiness  and  due  expedition 
 of  this  your  lordship's  work  of  the  bible,  which  goeth  well 
 forward,  and  within  few  months  will  draw  to  an  end,  by  the 
 
 [1  Boner,  ^Yho  was  at  this  time  ambassador  in  France,  was  elected 
 to  the  bishoprick  of  Hereford,  and  was  translated  to  London,  without 
 having  been  ever  confirmed  in  the  former  see.] 
 
496  COVERDALE    AND    GRAFTON    TO    LORD    CRUMWELL.  [lET. 
 
 grace  of  Almighty   God,  who  preserve  your  good  lordship 
 now  and  evermore.    From  Paris,  the  12th  day  of  September. 
 
 MYLES  COVERDALE. 
 RICHARD  GRAFTON. 
 
 To  the  right  honourable  and  their 
 singular  good  lord,  the  lord 
 privy  seal. 
 
 LETTER  VI. 
 
 MYLES   COVERDALE   TO  LORD  CRUMWELL. 
 
 Dated  from  Paris,  Oct.  30,  [1538.] 
 
 [State  Papers,  Crumwell  Correspondence,  Vol.  vii.  No.  68.] 
 
 In  most  humble  wise,  after  like  salutation,  I  beseech  your 
 most  honourable  lordship  to  understand,  that  the  29tli  day  of 
 this  month  came  to  me  master  Beckynsall,  student  here  at 
 Paris,  in  a  right  lamentable  sort,  complaining  of  the  injury  of 
 light  tongues,  which  have  sinistrally  reported,  that  he  should 
 not  be  in  all  things  agreeable  and  conformable  to  the  king's 
 most  lawful  acts  in  England,  but  rather  contrary  to  the  same. 
 Which,  my  most  singular  good  lord,  if  it  were  so,  certainly 
 as  no  man  is  more  bound  than  I  to  certify  your  lordship  of 
 the  truth  in  all  things,  so  would  I,  according  to  my  duty, 
 pen  the  same,  if  I  knew  it  so  to  be.  Again,  sure  I  am  that, 
 forasmuch  as  Mr  Archdeacon  Karow  and  INIr  Quene  are  both 
 in  one  lodging  with  the  said  Mr  Beckynsall,  there  is  neither 
 of  them  both,  but  if  they  did  either  hear,  see,  or  perceive 
 any  such  thing  by  him,  they  would  not  only  certify  your 
 good  lordship  thereof,  but  also  avoid  his  company.  Which 
 thing  is  to  me  very  evident  by  the  peaceable  study  and  right 
 virtuous  conversation  of  them  both.  Neither  do  I  understand 
 otherwise  but  at  this  present  hour  all  we,  that  be  here  of  the 
 king's  nation,  are  even  of  one  heart  and  humble  mind  toward 
 God  and  our  sovereign,  and  glad  to  our  power  to  do  one  for 
 another,  thanks  and  praise  be  [to  God,  who  ever]  preserve 
 the  king's  highness,  noble  prince  Edward,  your  lordship,  all 
 
VI.]  MYLES    COVERDALE    TO    LORD    CRUMWELL.  497 
 
 other  of  the  king's  most  honourable  council,  and  the  whole 
 realm.    Amen.    Written  at  Paris,  the  30th  day  of  October, 
 By  your  lordship's  humble  and  faithful  servitor, 
 
 MYLES  COVERDALE. 
 To  the  ru/ht  honourable  his  singular  good 
 lord,  the  lord  Crmniuell,  lord  pr^^;y  seal. 
 
 LETTER    VII. 
 
 COVERDALE   TO  LORD   CRUMWELL. 
 
 Dated  from  Paris,  December  13,  [1538.] 
 
 [ITarlcian  MSS.  604.  fol.  98.] 
 
 Right  honourable  and  my  singular  good  lord.  After 
 all  due  salutations,  I  humbly  beseech  your  lordship,  that  by 
 my  lord  elect  of  Hereford  I  may  know  your  pleasure  con- 
 cernmg  the  annotations  of  this  bible,  whether  I  shall  proceed 
 therein,  or  no.  Pity  it  were,  that  the  dark  places  of  the 
 text  (upon  the  which  I  have  alway  set  a  hand  §^)  should  so 
 pass  undeclared.  As  for  any  private  opinion  or  contentious 
 words,  as  I  will  utterly  avoid  all  such,  so  will  I  offer  the 
 annotations  first  to  my  said  lord  of  Hereford,  to  the  intent 
 that  he  shall  so  examine  the  same,  afore  they  be  put  in 
 print,  if  it  be  your  lordsliip's  good  pleasure  that  I  shall 
 so  do.  As  concerning  the  new  Testaments  in  English  and 
 Latin,  whereof  your  good  lordship  received  lately  a  book  by 
 your  servant  Sebastian,  the  cook,  I  beseech  your  lordship 
 to  consider  the  greenness  thereof,  which,  for  lack  of  time, 
 cannot  as  yet  be  so  apt  to  be  bound  as  it  should  be.  And 
 whereas  my  said  lord  of  Hereford  is  so  good  unto  us  to 
 convey  thus  much  of  the  bible  to  your  good  lordship,  I 
 humbly  beseech  the  same  to  be  defender  and  keeper  thereof, 
 to  the  intent  that  if  these  men  proceed  in  their  cruehiess 
 against  us,  and  confiscate  the  rest,  yet  this  at  the  least  may 
 be  safe  by  the  means  of  your  lordship,  whom  God  the 
 Almighty  evermore  preserve  to  his  good  pleasure !  Amen. 
 Written  somewhat  lately,  at  Paris,  the  13th  day  of  December. 
 Your  lordship's  humble  and  faithful  servitor, 
 
 MYLES  COVERDALE. 
 
 To  my  most  singular  good  lord  and  master,  the  lord 
 Crumiuell,  lord  privy  seal,  this  be  delivered. 
 
 [COVERDALE,     II,] 
 
498  MYLES    COVERDALE    TO    LORD    CRUMWELL.  [lET. 
 
 LETTER  VIII. 
 
 MYLES   COVERDALE   TO  LORD   CRUMWELL. 
 
 No  date'. 
 [State  Papers,  Crumwell  Correspondence,  Vol.  vii.  No.  64.] 
 After  due  commendation  to  your  good  lordship.  I 
 heartily  and  in  most  humble  wise  beseech  the  same,  that 
 inasmuch  as  the  king's  most  excellent  majesty,  of  his  singular 
 grace,  (by  the  means  of  your  good  lordship,  as  God's  in- 
 strument in  that  behalf,)  hath  granted  unto  this  bearer, 
 James  Nycolson,  his  gracious  licence  and  privilege  for  the 
 sale  of  his  bibles  and  new  Testaments  already  printed ;  and 
 forasmuch  as  his  grace  is  also  informed  and  hath  seen  a 
 part  of  our  postils,  or  ordinary  sermons,  which  the  lord 
 archbishop  of  Canterbury  hath  corrected ;  your  lordship 
 (according  to  your  most  loving  and  favourable  manner  of 
 old)  will  help  and  further  the  said  James  Nycolson  to  the 
 king's  most  gracious  privilege  for  certain  years  to  print  the 
 same ;  considering  the  cost  and  charge  that  he  hath  had,  not 
 only  for  drawing  of  the  said  sermons  out  of  scripture,  but 
 also  in  preparing  now  of  his  letters  and  print  for  the  setting 
 forth  of  the  same.  This  I  most  humbly  require  of  your 
 lordship,  whom  God  preserve  now  and  ever !     Amen. 
 
 Your  lordship's  humble  and  daily  orator, 
 
 MYLES  COVERDALE. 
 
 LETTER   IX. 
 
 MYLES  COVERDALE  TO  LORD  CRUMWELL. 
 
 Dated  from  Newbury,  February  7,  [1539.J 
 [State  Papers,  Crumwell  Correspondence,  Vol.  vii.  No.  70.] 
 
 After  my  most  humble  and  due  salutation  to  your  right 
 honourable  lordship.  Tliis  is  to  advertise  the  same,  that  for 
 lack  of  diligent  inquisition,  and  through  overmuch  sufferance, 
 
 [1  This  letter  Avas  probably  written  early  in  1539,  shortly  after 
 Coverdale's  retimi  from  Paris.] 
 
IX.]  MYLES    COVERDALE    TO    LORD    CRUMWELL.  499 
 
 there  arc  in  these  coimtrics  (and  so  I  fear  me  in  many  more) 
 an  innumerable  sort  of  such  popish  books,  as  not  only  bo 
 incorrect,  but  are  also  great  occasion  to  keep  the  king's  sub- 
 jects still  in  error,  and  to  make  them  fall  into  such  like 
 inconvenience  as  did  lately  one  John  Cowper,  whose  accu- 
 sation I  trust  your  lordship  hath  received,  or  shall  do  this 
 week  by  the  justice.  In  consideration  of  the  premises,  I 
 have,  under  your  lordship's  favourable  correction,  required 
 the  curate  of  Newbury  to  call  for  all  such  books,  as  were 
 either  incorrect,  or  against  the  king's  most  lawful  act  con- 
 cerning Thomas  a  Becket,  or  the  bishop  of  Rome" ;  by  the 
 means  of  the  which  request  there  are  brought  unto  me  in 
 these  two  or  three  days  a  great  number  of  such  books. 
 Wherefore  inasmuch  as  I  perceive  that  this  doth  turn  to 
 the  glory  of  God  and  to  the  honour  of  our  most  noble  king, 
 I  humbly  require  your  lordship  to  grant  me  authority,  and 
 to  give  me  a  charge  and  commandment  by  your  letters,  that 
 wheresoever  I  understand  any  such  unlawful  books  to  be, 
 I  may  correct  them,  or  cause  them  to  be  corrected.  In  the 
 executing  whereof  I  do  not  doubt  but  to  win  the  parties,  and 
 to  make  them  not  only  more  fervent  toward  God  and  his 
 word,  but  also  to  increase  in  due  obedience  toward  the  king's 
 highness ;  whom  with  noble  Prince  Edward,  and  you  all  of 
 their  most  honourable  council,  the  mighty  arm  of  God  ever- 
 more preserve !  Amen.  From  Newbury,  the  seventh  day  of 
 February.  Your  lordship's  favourable  answer  I  most  humbly 
 require  by  this  bearer  my  poor  servant. 
 
 Your  lordship's  humble  and  faithful  servant, 
 
 MYLES  COVERDALE. 
 
 To  the  ri[/Jit  honourable  my 
 singular  good  lord,  the  lord 
 jwivy  seal. 
 
 [2  With  respect  to  the  transactions  here  alkided  to,  see  Strype's 
 Cranmer,  Vol.  i.  p.  100 ;  and  Memorials,  Vol.  i.  i.  p.  530—2.  Ed.  Oxf.] 
 
 32—2 
 
500  MYLES  COVERDALE  TO  LORD  CRUMWELL.  [lET. 
 
 LETTER  X. 
 
 MYLES  COVERDALE  TO  LORD  CRUMWELL. 
 
 Dated  from  Newbury,  February  8,  153[), 
 [State  Papers,  Crumwell  Correspondence,  Vol.  vii.  No.  71.] 
 
 My  right  humble  salutation.  Considering  my  most 
 bounden  duty  in  seeking  the  honour  of  the  king,  our  sove- 
 reign lord,  I  am  constrained  to  write  again  unto  your  good 
 lordship,  for  none  other  cause  so  much  as  to  signify  unto 
 the  same,  that,  as  methinkcth,  (I  speak  under  correction,) 
 a  great  number  of  the  priests  of  this  realm  are  run  in 
 iwmmunire  unto  the  king,  inasmuch  as  they  have  not  utterly 
 extinct  all  such  ecclesiastical  service,  as  is  against  his  grace's 
 most  lawful  supremity  and  prerogative.  For  in  the  feast 
 called  Cathedra  S.  Petri  a  great  part  of  their  matins  is 
 plainly  a  maintenance  of  the  B,  of  llomc"'s  usurped  power. 
 This  is  evident  in  all  the  great  matin-books  of  the  church  of 
 Newbury,  and  I  doubt  not  but  it  is  so  likewise  in  many 
 churches  more.  I  found  it  the  seventh  day  of  this  month, 
 and  I  wonder  at  it,  considering  that  it  is  so  long  since  the 
 act  was  made  for  the  abolishing  of  all  such  usurped  authority. 
 This,  my  very  dear  and  singular  good  lord,  do  I  open  and 
 shew  only  unto  your  lordship,  neither  doth  any  man  else  in 
 the  world  know  that  I  have  uttered  this  thing ;  no,  not  this 
 bearer,  good  Mr  Wynchcombc,  unto  whom,  for  his  true  heart 
 toward  the  king's  highness  and  love  toward  your  lordship,  I 
 might  utter  right  secret  things.  The  everliving  God,  that 
 never  failed  your  good  lordship,  guide  the  same  in  doing  the 
 thing  that  is  to  his  glory,  and  to  the  honour  of  our  most 
 gracious  king !  Amen.  If  it  be  your  lordship's  good  pleasure, 
 that  I  shall  do  ought  farther  herein,  I  humbly  beseech  you  to 
 know  the  same  by  writing,  or  otherwise  by  the  mouth  of  Mr 
 Wynchcombc.     From  Newbury,  the  8th  day  of  February. 
 
 Your  lordship's  humble  and  faithful  servant, 
 
 MYLES  COVEIIDALE. 
 
 To  the  rirjht  honourable  and  my 
 singular  good  lord,  the  lord 
 2mvy  seal,  this  be  delivered. 
 
 Ad  manus. 
 
XI.]  MYLES    COVERUALE    TO    LORD    CRUMWELL.  501 
 
 LETTER  XI. 
 
 MYLES   COVERDALE  TO  LORD  CRUIVTWELL. 
 
 Dated  from  Newbury,  March  5,  [1539.] 
 [State  Papers,  Crumwell  Correspondence,  Vol.  vii.  No.  G9.] 
 
 In  my  most  humble  wise,  with  hke  salutation  to  your 
 right  honourable  lordship.  This  is  to  signify  unto  the  same, 
 that  this  fourth  day  of  March  one  Nicolas  Hyde  and  one 
 John  Gryese,  of  Henley  upon  Thames,  came  to  me  unto  New- 
 bury, reporting  that  in  a  glass  Avindow  of  our  lady  chapel  in 
 the  church  of  the  said  Henley  the  image  of  Thomas  a  Becket, 
 with  the  whole  feigned  story  of  his  death,  is  suffered  to  stand 
 still.  Not  only  this,  but  that  all  the  beams,  irons,  and  can- 
 dlesticks, whereupon  tapers  and  lights  were  wont  to  be  set 
 up  unto  images,  remain  still  untaken  down ;  whereby  the 
 poor  simple  unlearned  people  believe  that  they  shall  have 
 liberty  to  set  up  their  candles  again  unto  images,  and  that 
 the  old  fashion  shall  shortly  return.  Item,  that  one  Thomas 
 Wolley,  of  Henley,  did  forbid  five  of  his  neighbours  his  house 
 for  holding  with  the  gospel,  and  said  that  he  had  evil  will 
 for  receiving  such  men  of  the  ncAv  learning :  so  that  in  the 
 said  town  of  Henley  poor  men  are  not  only  discouraged 
 from  the  truth  of  God,  but  it  appeareth  also,  that  the  king's 
 most  gracious  commandment  is  not  put  in  execution.  Now 
 though  sir  Walter  Stonor,  knight,  be  the  king's  justice  of 
 peace  at  Henley,  yet,  under  your  lordship's  correction,  I 
 reckon  great  and  notable  neghgence  in  the  bishop  of  Lincoln', 
 which,  being  so  nigh  thereby,  doth  not  weed  out  such  faults  ; 
 yea,  I  fear  it  be  as  evil,  or  worse,  in  many  more  places  of  his 
 diocese. 
 
 It  is  my  duty  also  to  signify  unto  your  good  lordship  the 
 great  oversight  of  the  stationers  of  London,  which  for  their 
 lucre  and  gains  are  not  ashamed  to  sell  still  such  primers  as 
 corrupt  the  king's  subjects.  A  great  number  of  them  have 
 mine  neighbours  brought  unto  me,  and  a  great  sort  of  other 
 most  ungracious  popish  books  (both  contrary  to  God  and  the 
 king's  highness)  have  I  taken  up  within  the  precincts  of  New- 
 bury, and  will  do  more,  if  your  good  lordship  do  give  me 
 
 [1  John  Longlands.] 
 
502  MYLES     COVERDALE    TO    LORD     CRUMWELL.  [lET. 
 
 authority,  or  bid  me  do  it :  whereof  I  humbly  beseech  you, 
 my  most  dear  and  singular  good  lord,  to  have  your  loving 
 answer  by  the  mouth  of  this  bearer,  young  Mr  Wynchcombe, 
 and  to  knov5^  your  good  pleasure,  what  I  shall  do  with  these 
 popish  books  that  I  have  already,  whether  I  shall  burn  them 
 at  the  market-cross,  or  no.  Thus  the  evcrlPvSting  God  pre- 
 serve your  good  lordship  long  to  endure !  Amen.  From 
 Newbury,  the  fifth  day  of  March. 
 
 Your  lordship's  humble  and  faithful  servant, 
 
 MYLES  COVERDALE. 
 
 To  the  right  honourable  and  my  very 
 singular  especial  good  lord,  the  lord 
 privy  seal,  this  he  presented. 
 
 Ad  manus. 
 
 LETTER  XII. 
 
 MYLES   COVERDALE   TO   HENRY  BULLIXGER. 
 
 Dated  at  Strasburgh,  July  2/'. 
 
 [From  the  Archives  at  Zurich,  vi.  108.] 
 
 Much  health  in  the  Lord !  I  have  been  prevented  by 
 my  engagements  and  by  a  degree  of  bodily  weakness  (not  to 
 mention  the  narrowness  of  my  circumstances),  from  making 
 my  journey  to  you  in  company  with  those  very  eminent 
 persons,  Henry  Butler-  and  Richard ^  But  what  pain  my 
 absence  from  you  causes  me,  I  will  not  now  attempt  to 
 describe,  so  briefly  as  I  am  obliged  to  write  to  you;  for  I  am 
 very  anxious  to  enjoy  your  society,  and  to  behold  your  church. 
 
 [1  It  docs  not  appear  in  what  year  this  letter  was  written,  but 
 it  was  probably  during  the  period  of  his  first  residence  at  Berg- 
 zabern,  on  the  occasion  of  one  of  his  visits  to  Strasburgh,  between 
 1543  and  1548.] 
 
 [2  Henry  Butler,  a  native  of  Zurich,  but  of  English  origin.  See 
 Zui'ich  Letters,  second  series,  Letter  lxxvii.  p.  191 ;  also  first  series, 
 Letter  xcvi.  p.  241.] 
 
 [3  Richard  Hilles,  a  merchant  at  London,  and  contributor  to  the 
 exiles  in  queen  Mai-y's  reign.  He  was  resident  at  Strasbm-gh  in  1548. 
 See  Strype,  Cranmer,  Vol.  i.  p.  280.  Memorials,  iii.  i.  p.  224.  Zurich 
 Letters,  first  series,  p.  224,  &c.  It  was  probably  during  the  period  of 
 his  residence  at  Strasburgh  that  this  letter  was  written.] 
 
:xn.]  MYLES    COVERDALE    TO    HENRY    BULLINGER.  503 
 
 Since,  however,  this  is  not  permitted  to  me,  I  will  patiently 
 wait  the  good  will  of  my  heavenly  Father,  content  in  the 
 mean  time  to  have  tasted  his  good  spirit  through  your  ministry 
 in  his  word,  and  to  have  experienced  your  friendship  in 
 Christ.  I  should  in  truth  have  been  at  a  loss  what  to  write 
 to  you  at  the  present  time,  most  excellent  preceptor,  if  I 
 had  not  remembered,  how  kindly  you  received  my  letters, 
 homely  as  they  were,  which  I  sent  to  you  about  the  middle 
 of  last  September,  and  how  favourable  an  interpretation  you 
 put  upon  them.  From  whence  you  see,  what  confusion  of 
 style  is  caused  by  an  education  entirely  destitute  of  all  orna- 
 ment, either  of  languages  or  composition.  I  am  however 
 thankful,  that,  although  otherAvise  occupied  in  most  important 
 studies,  you  have  condescended  again  to  offer  me  your  re- 
 membrances in  your  letters  to  Richard.  Finally,  I  commend 
 to  you  these  eminent  men,  earnest  as  they  both  are  them- 
 selves in  true  piety,  and  the  encouragers  of  it  in  others,  with 
 all  the  sincerity  that  I  am  able,  assured  that  the  especial 
 consolation  of  the  Holy  Spirit  will  not  be  wanting  to  you 
 both,  when  you  shall  have  met  together  in  the  Lord.  Which 
 that  it  may  be  happily  accomplished,  may  he  grant,  who  has 
 already  provided  that  your  hearts  should  be  so  closely  united 
 in  the  sincere  love  of  himself.  Farewell.  Strasburgh,  July  27. 
 My  wife  offers  you  her  kindest  remembrances  in  the  Lord. 
 
 Yours, 
 
 MYLES  COVERDALE. 
 
 LETTER  XIII. 
 
 MYLES  COVERDALE  TO  CONRAD  HUBERT^. 
 
 Dated  at  Bergzabern,  Dec.  24,  1543. 
 
 [Ex  autogr.  in  MSS.  Tom.  i.  p.  34.  Serin.  Eccles.  Argent.] 
 
 Peace  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost !    Since,  on  account  of 
 
 the  shortness  of  the  time,  it  is  out  of  my  power  to  indulge  in 
 
 [4  This  learned  person  was  minister  of  St  Thomas's  Cluirch  at 
 Strasbm-gh.  He  Avas  one  of  tlie  guardians  of  Bucer's  children,  and 
 editor  of  Bucer's  Scripta  Anglicana.  Strype's  Parker,  Vol.  i.  p.  66, 
 and  Grindal,  p.  298.] 
 
504  MYLES    COVERDALK    TO    CONRAD    IIUCERT.  [lET. 
 
 a  longer  epistle,  my  most  dearly  beloved  brother  in  the  Lord, 
 cherishing  as  I  do  the  most  pleasing  recollection  of  you,  I 
 know  that  you  will  the  more  readily  pardon  your  affectionate, 
 humble  friend.  For  yesterday  after  dinner,  at  a  time  when 
 I  was  obliged  to  write  more  letters  on  other  matters,  I  under- 
 stood that  the  bearer  of  this  was  about  to  set  out  very  early 
 in  the  morning  on  his  journey  to  you.  You  indeed  are  sur- 
 prised, and  indeed  deservedly  so,  what  can  be  the  reason,  that 
 I,  who  am  now  living  amongst  your  friends  ^  should  altogether 
 drop  my  correspondence  with  you.  But  in  September,  when 
 I  came  hither  by  invitation,  fortified  by  your  letters  of  recom- 
 mendation, I  took  effectual  means,  although  in  a  sufficiently 
 short  letter,  that  you  should  not  be  altogether  ignorant  of  the 
 state  of  affairs  here.  Your  dear  brother  John  also,  during 
 my  intervening  absence,  without  doubt  informed  you  of  what 
 happened  subsequently  in  the  business  of  my  own  affairs,  as 
 well  as  those  also  of  the  church.  For  although  immediately 
 before  the  completion  of  my  business  I  went  down  into  Lower 
 Germany,  for  the  purpose  of  bringing  home  my  wife;  yet  at 
 length  upon  my  return,  and  having  learned  many  things  by 
 experience,  which  during  my  former  residence  I  had  not  suf- 
 ficiently considered,  I  see,  alas !  that  the  present  state  of  the 
 churches  in  these  parts  is  exceedingly  calamitous,  nay  more, 
 that  it  is  absolutely  deplorable.  To  such  an  extent  do  the 
 princes  appear  to  connive  at  the  abuses  which  exist,  the  most 
 dreadful  factions  to  grow  rife,  and,  what  is  more,  the  very 
 pastors  of  the  Lord's  flock  to  revel  in  them.  Moreover,  I 
 myself  Avish,  as  also  your  very  dear  father,  who  by  the 
 mercy  of  God  is  still  alive,  is  intensely  anxious,  that  you 
 could  be  present  with  us,  even  for  a  couple  of  days.  For 
 there  are  many  things  besides,  which  I  also  have  to  mention 
 to  you  in  confidence. 
 
 But  if  you  will  kindly  assist  our  dear  brother  AbcP  in 
 the  business  of  searching  for  my  chest,  which,  by  the  mistake 
 and  carelessness  of  a  person  at  Mctz,  was  carried,  as  I  hear, 
 to  Strasburgh,  when  it  ought  to  have  been  conveyed  to 
 Spires,   you  will  do  a  most  acceptable  kindness  to  me,  who 
 
 [1  Hubert  was  a  native  of  Bovgzabern.— Simlor.] 
 
 [2  An  English  merchant  resident  at  Strasburgh,  and  a  contributor 
 to  the  exiles  in  Mary's  time.  For  some  account  of  him,  see  Strype, 
 and  the  Zurich  Letters,  passim.] 
 
XIII.]  MYLES    COVERDALE    TO    CONEAD    HURERT.  505 
 
 am  now  a  sojourner  in  a  strange  land.  Farewell,  and  be  the 
 messenger  of  many  good  wishes  from  myself  and  my  wife  to 
 your  wife,  and  your  beloved  Samuel,  and  to  our  excellent 
 preceptor,  Peter  Martyr.  Again  farewell.  Bergzabern, 
 December  24. 
 
 MICHAEL  ANGLUS3, 
 
 Minister  of  the  church  at  Bcro-zabern, 
 
 LETTER  XIV. 
 
 MYLES  COVERDALE  TO  CONRAD  HUBERT. 
 
 Dated  Bergzabern,  March  31,  1544. 
 [Ex  aiitogr.  in  MSS.  Tom.  ii.  p.  123.  Serin.  Eccles.  Argent.] 
 
 Peace  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost !  In  my  former  letter 
 I  wrote  word,  that  your  beloved  father  would  be  with  you 
 within  eight  days.  He  will  however  inform  you  in  person, 
 what  prevented  him  from  fulfilUng  his  intentions.  I  have  also 
 given  him  seven  florins  and  tAvelve  batzen  for  this  purpose, 
 that,  in  your  accustomed  kindness  to  me,  you  may  take  care 
 that  that  money  be  paid  to  my  creditors;  by  doing  which  you 
 will  greatly  oblige  me.  You  are  acquainted  with  what  I  have 
 received  through  your  means  from  master  Vindelinus,  Riche- 
 lius,  Cephala3us,  and  James  Jucundus.  Besides  them  I  have 
 these  other  creditors,  Christopher,  (the  same  bookseller  who 
 has  a  shop  under  the  town-hall,  next  to  Vindelinus,)  and  that 
 old  man  John  Grymmus,  who  has  two  shops  fronting  the 
 western  entrance  of  the  great  church.  With  regard  to  the 
 whole  amount,  this  little  document  wiitten  in  German  will 
 more  clearly  shew  you  what  it  is.      I  pray  you  not  to  take 
 
 [3  Michael  Anglus,  or  rather  Milo  Coverdalus,  as  Hubert  himself 
 obsei'ves  in  the  inscription  of  the  letter,  lately  bishop  of  Exeter,  who 
 why  he  assumed  the  name  of  Michael  Anglus,  I  am  entirely  at  loss  to 
 know,  except  perhaps  that  Milo  and  Michael  have  the  same  meaning 
 in  English.  He  was  master  of  the  school  at  Bergzabern,  as  John 
 Dodman*,  an  Englishman,  was  also  at  Bissweiler;  for  he  was  invited 
 also  to  preach  to  the  church  at  Bergzabern  in  German,  and  Edmund 
 also  was  invited  to  be  assistant  in  the  school  at  Landau. — Simler.] 
 
 [*  Possibly  lie  is  the  person  mentioned  by  Strype,  Annals,  i.  i.  p.  C3.  Ed.  1822.] 
 
506  MYLES    COVERDALE    TO    CONRAD    HUBERT.  [lET. 
 
 it  ill,  that  I  do  not  cease  to  avail  myself  of  the  kind  offices 
 which  you  have  tendered  to  me ;  for  you  appear  to  have 
 offered  your  services  to  me,  that  I  may  have  the  enjoyment 
 of  you  in  the  Lord. 
 
 I  beg*  you  to  take  care  that  Cephalaeus  sends  to  you  the 
 paper,  which  I  mentioned  in  my  letter  to  him ;  likewise  also 
 that  James  Jucundus  delivers  to  you  the  books,  of  which  the 
 names  are  written  in  this  document.  Moreover,  I  wish  that 
 you  would  take  care,  that  the  table  which  our  friend  Edmund 
 is  about  to  send,  may  be  conveyed  to  me  as  soon  as  possible. 
 Farewell.  I  and  my  wife  offer  to  you  and  your  beloved  wife 
 many  good  wishes  in  the  Lord.  Again  farewell.  From  Berg- 
 zabern,  March  31. 
 
 MYLES  COVERDALE. 
 
 April  1st.  This  morning,  just  when  I  was  going  to  seal 
 this  letter,  your  beloved  father  came  to  me ;  who  from  bodily 
 weakness  cannot  at  present  attempt  the  journey  which  he  had 
 proposed.  However  he  does  not  despair  of  being  able  to  set  out 
 in  a  short  time ;  nor  does  he  appear  to  be  much  amiss  hitherto. 
 God  be  thanked !  Wherefore  there  is  no  necessity  for  your 
 being  any  more  anxious  on  this  account ;  for  he  would  have 
 come  to  you  at  the  present  time,  if  the  coachman  had  not  re- 
 fused to  carry  him. 
 
 LETTER    XV. 
 
 MYLES  COVERDALE  TO  CONRAD  HUBERT. 
 
 Dated  Bergzabeiin,  April  10,  1544. 
 
 [Ex  autogr.  in  MSS.  Tom.  i.  p.  29.  Serin.  Eccles.  Argent.] 
 
 Peace  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost !  Our  friend  Edmund 
 delivered  to  me  your  letter  dated  March  11 :  in  whose 
 business,  that  he  might  obtain  admission  into  some  situation 
 connected  with  education  resembling  that  in  which  we  are 
 engaged,  I  have  exerted  myself  to  the  utmost  for  the  last 
 three  months ;  and  the  Lord  Jesus,  whose  interest  is  at  stake, 
 has  not  been  wanting  in  assisting  our  endeavours :  nor  can 
 I  doubt  of  a  most  prosperous  issue,  even  though  he  should 
 
XV.]  MYLES    COVERDALE    TO    CONRAD    HUBERT.  507 
 
 meet  with  boys  educated  in  the  worst  manner ;  and  therefore 
 his  undertakino-  of  the  school  at  Landau  will  on  this  account 
 be  especially  rendered  a  very  difficult  task.  With  regard  to 
 the  matter  relating  to  the  English  boys  of  our  country,  who 
 are  there,  I  settled  this  business,  as  far  as  I  was  able,  fifteen 
 days  ago,  during  the  absence  of  master  Nicolas,  and  when 
 our  illustrious  prince  was  present,  on  his  road  down  to  Spires; 
 not  indeed  after  an  introduction  to  the  prince  himself,  but  in 
 the  presence  and  hearing  of  the  prince,  in  the  company  of 
 our  prefect ;  who  in  the  name  of  the  most  illustrious  prince 
 gave  me  this  answer,  namely,  that  it  had  been  already 
 determined  by  his  highness,  that  in  the  next  visitation,  which 
 we  have  thought  will  take  place  in  May,  the  best  attention 
 should  be  given  to  this  business.  Besides,  we,  together  with 
 your  very  dear  parents,  are  continually  mindful  of  the  wel- 
 fare of  yourself  and  the  church  which  is  in  the  Lord  with 
 you,  which  we  do  not  doubt  that  you  do  in  return  unceas- 
 ingly for  us.    Farewell.    From  Bergzabern,  April  10,  1544. 
 
 Yours  in  the  Lord, 
 
 MICHxiEL  ANGLUS. 
 
 To  Conrad  Hubert,  my  luorthy 
 friend  in  the  Lord,  at 
 Strashurgh. 
 
 LETTER    XVL 
 
 MYLES  COVERDALE  TO  CONRAD  HUBERT. 
 
 Dated  Weissemberg,  April  13,  1544. 
 
 [Ex  autogr.  in  MSS.  Tom.  i.  p.  38.  Serin.  Eccles.  Argent.] 
 
 Health!  That  happy  and  illustrious  youth  has  shewn 
 towards  me  the  greatest  friendship,  inasmuch  as  he  not  only 
 brought  the  letter  from  you  to  me  hither,  namely,  to  Berg- 
 zabern, but  also  took  upon  himself  the  charge  of  conveying 
 this  money  to  you  by  a  faithful  messenger.  It  is  almost 
 impossible  for  me  to  describe  in  a  few  words,  how  unwillingly 
 I  have  detained  it  so  long.     For  your  father,  as  you  know. 
 
508  MYLES    COVERDALE    TO    CONRAD    HUBERT.  [lET. 
 
 was  to  have  been  the  bearer  of  it.  What  amount  is  due  to 
 each  person,  you  understand  from  the  account,  which  I  sent 
 to  you  in  my  letter  of  the  first  of  April ;  so  that  I  need  not 
 trouble  you  with  any  further  account  at  the  present  time. 
 I  beg  you  to  salute  your  dear  wife  for  me  and  my  wife. 
 We  hear  with  satisfaction  that  your  little  boy  is  restored  to 
 health.     Farewell. 
 
 Yours  from  the  heart, 
 
 MICHAEL  ANGLUS. 
 
 In  the  mean  time,  in  conformity  with  the  mutual  friend- 
 ship which  exists  between  us,  I  request  that  I  may  receive 
 from  Vindelinus,  CephaliBus,  and  James  Jucundus,  the  books 
 which  I  mentioned  in  my  former  letter.  Again  farewell. 
 In  liaste.      From  AVeissemberg,  April  13. 
 
 LETTER    XVIL 
 
 MYLES  COVERDALE  TO  CONRAD  HUBERT. 
 
 Dated  Bergzabern,  April  21,  1544. 
 [Ex  autogr.  in  MSS.  Tom.  ii.  p.  12G.  Serin.  Eccles.  Argent.] 
 
 Grace  and  peace  from  the  Lord!  This  beloved  mes- 
 senger having  signified  to  me  by  letter  his  intention  of  setting 
 out  to  Strasburg  within  so  few  days,  I  called  on  your  dear 
 father ;  with  respect  to  whose  journey  to  you  nothing  further 
 is  settled,  except  that  he  has  determined  to  visit  you  about 
 Ascension-day.  For  he  has  now  partially  recovered  from  the 
 attack  in  his  feet;  and  your  mother  also,  although  she  is 
 visited  with  a  troublesome  scorbutic  eruption,  appears  to 
 be  in  good  spirits.  But  the  Lord,  who  is  always  righteous 
 in  all  his  works,  in  his  good  pleasure  deprived  your  brother 
 John  eight  days  since  of  that  sweet  cliild,  which  his  wife  had 
 brought  forth  to  him  about  Christmas.  To-morrow,  if  the 
 Lord  will,  we  shall  celebrate  his  holy  supper.  The  business 
 of  catecliizing,  which  we  attempted  two  previous  weeks  in 
 church,  we  now,  God  be  thanked,  find  succeed  prosperously, 
 
XVII.]  MYLES    COVERDALE    TO    CONRAD    HUBERT.  509 
 
 and  to  bo  not  without  fruit.  May  God  grant,  that  what  we 
 have  begun  to  plant  and  water,  may  increase  more  and  more 
 to  his  glory. 
 
 AVith  regard  to  the  money  which  D.  Valentius  Brentius 
 will  give  you,  I  sent  at  the  same  time  with  my  letter  of 
 March  31,  a  document  mentioning  the  sum  which  was  due 
 to  each  individual.  Wherefore  I  beg  you  to  attend  to  this 
 business  of  mine,  and  carefully  remind  Vindehnus,  Cepha- 
 Ia3us,  and  Jucundus,  to  send  to  me  the  paper  and  the 
 books ;  for  I  am  now  in  need  of  them,  I  have  now  sent 
 a  letter  privately  to  Vindelinus  and  Cephalseus,  but  not  to 
 James  Jucundus.  Wherefore,  in  consideration  of  the  friend- 
 ship which  exists  between  us,  I  wish  that  you  would  take 
 care  that  I  have  also  from  his  shop  twelve  copies  of  the 
 smaller  edition  of  Donatus,  the  same  number  of  the  colloquial 
 formularies  of  Scobald  Heiden,  and  six  or  eight  copies  of  the 
 Bucolics  of  Virgil,  and  that  they  be  transmitted  to  me  with 
 the  paper  of  Cephala3us  and  the  books  of  Vindelinus :  and 
 I  wish  this  to  be  done  as  soon  as  possible ;  for  you  cannot 
 believe,  how  greatly  we  are  distressed  from  the  want  of 
 books  and  the  scarcity  of  paper.  I  should  wish  these  things 
 to  be  conveyed  at  least  to  AVcissemberg,  if  possible.  And 
 I  would  not  trouble  you,  engaged  as  you  are  in  your  sacred 
 office,  if  there  were  any  other  person  whom  I  could  safely 
 entrust  with  this  business.  Farewell,  with  many  good  wishes 
 from  myself  and  my  wife,  who  desires  her  best  wishes  to 
 your  dear  wife.  Again  farewell.  From  Bergzabern,  April 
 21,  1544. 
 
 Yours, 
 
 MYLES  COVERDALE. 
 
 To  my  most  courteous  friend, 
 Conrad  Hubert,  preacher  of 
 the  gosj)el  at  St  Thomas's 
 church,  Strashurgh. 
 
510  MYLES    COVERDALE    TO    CONRAD    HUBERT.  [lET. 
 
 LETTER    XVIII. 
 
 MYLES  COVERDALE  TO  CONRAD  HUBERT. 
 
 Dated  Bergzaberx,  3Iay  22,  1544. 
 [Ex  autogr.  in  MSS.  Tom.  i.  p.  36.  Serin.  Eccles.  Argent. 
 
 Peace  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost !  How  kind  the  Lord 
 hath  been  to  us  in  sending  to  us  our  dearly-beloved  preceptor 
 in  Christ,  Bucer^  I  can  scarcely  either  declare  or  write,  from 
 the  lively  emotions  of  my  heart.  For  the  space  of  three 
 days  he  displayed  towards  us,  not  without  the  greatest  ex- 
 ertions, many  offices  both  of  charity  and  piety ;  by  which  I 
 am  assured  that  our  churches  will  be  not  a  little  established 
 in  the  Lord.  These  things,  however,  our  friend  Christopher 
 will  better  explain  by  word  of  mouth,  than  I  can  by  writing. 
 I  took  Bucer  twice  to  the  house  of  your  dear  parents ;  and 
 how  great  comfort  it  afforded  to  them,  the  feelings  of  both 
 your  parents,  and  also  of  your  brother,  sufficiently  shewed. 
 But  our  little  town  has,  alas !  received  very  great  damage 
 from  the  late  hail-storm,  which  took  place  eight  days  ago. 
 But  if  we  would  seek  for  the  true  reason  of  this  scouro;e, 
 we  must  attribute  it  to  the  goodness  of  God,  who  is  ac- 
 customed to  chasten  his  adopted  child,  and  thus  invites  us  to 
 repentance.  With  respect  to  the  son  of  Matthew,  the  prefect 
 of  Barbelrode^  since  you  have  given  clear  evidence  in  your 
 letter  to  me,  how  kindly  you  are  disposed  to  him  in  the 
 Lord,  I  also  have  given  consideration  to  his  case  ;  nor  does  it 
 appear  advantageous,  either  for  himself  or  for  the  church  of 
 God,  that  he  should  be  admitted  before  his  twenty-second 
 year  into  the  sacred  ministry.  My  reasons  for  this  decla- 
 ration are  too  numerous  for  me  to  detail  them  in  a  few  words. 
 Finally,  your  beloved  father  has  determined  to  visit  you 
 before  Whitsuntide ;  by  whom  I  will  gladly  "iVrite  to  you,  if 
 the  Lord  permit,  at  greater  length  concerning  the  con- 
 dition of  our  church,  to  which  you  are  so  kindly  disposed. 
 
 [1  Bucer  was  probably  at  this  time  living  at  Strasburgh.  "With 
 reference  to  the  circumstances  which  led  him  thither,  see  Strype, 
 Cranmer,  Vol.  i.  p.  3G2.    Ed.  1812.] 
 
 [2  See  Letter  XXIX.] 
 
XVIir.]  MYLES    COVEKDALE    TO    CONEAD    HUBERT.  511 
 
 That  most  excellent  widow,  the  sister  of  your  dearest  mother, 
 has  sent  the  two  gold  pieces,  which  I  have  given  to  Chris- 
 topher :  she  has  given  another  a  present  to  his  sweet  little 
 boy  Samuel ;  another  she  has  sent  for  this  purpose,  that  a 
 bed  may  be  bought  with  it  and  sent  to  us,  as  soon  as  an 
 opportunity  oifers.  Farewell,  with  many  good  wishes  from 
 your  parents  and  my  wife,  in  the  Lord.  Many  good  wishes 
 from  us  to  your  wife.      From  Bergzabern,  May  22. 
 
 Yours, 
 
 MICHAEL  ANGLUS. 
 
 To  his  courteous  friend  and  faith- 
 ful minister  of  the  gosi^el,  Conrad 
 Hubert,  his  dearly-beloved  bro- 
 ther in  Christ,  at  St  Thomas's, 
 Strasburgh. 
 
 LETTER  XIX. 
 
 MYLES  COVERDALE  TO  CONRAD  HUBERT. 
 
 Dated  Bergzabern,  Aug.  13,  15-14. 
 
 [Ex  autogr.  in  MSS.  Vol.  ii.  p.  125.  Serin.  Eccles.  Argent.] 
 
 Peace  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost !  Even  though  I  had 
 not  more  reasons  for  writing  to  you,  I  was  nevertheless  de- 
 sirous even  on  this  ground  to  offer  you  my  good  wishes,  my 
 dearly  beloved  in  the  Lord,  lest  from  my  long  intermission  of 
 correspondence  you  should  think  me  unmindful  of  you.  Your 
 dear  parents  are  in  very  tolerable  health,  and  oifer  their  best 
 wishes  to  yourself  and  your  wife.  I  do  not  doubt  that  the 
 interests  of  religion  here  will  daily  prosper  more  and  more; 
 for  having  already  experienced  some  proof  of  this,  I  write 
 this,  that  you,  who  are  so  earnestly  zealous  for  the  church  of 
 God,  may  render  thanks  to  him  for  it,  and  unceasingly  offer 
 up  your  prayers  for  still  greater  success.  But  I  earnestly 
 request  this  of  you,  that  having  ascertained  the  extent  of 
 Bucer's  influence  in  this  most  troublesome  time,  you_would 
 
512  MYLES    COVERDALE    TO    CONKAD    HUBERT.  [lET. 
 
 enable  us  also  to  know  it.  The  rumours  which  we  hear 
 at  this  place  hold  out  a  poor  prospect  of  peace.  For  as 
 they  say  the  emperor  is  wiUing  to  admit  of  no  peace,  not 
 even  on  the  earnest  exhortation  of  the  princes;  so  it  is  re- 
 ported, that  he  has  just  made  a  fresh  invasion^  into  the  art 
 of  Brabant  belonging  to  the  duchy  of  Cleves,  and  the  Dutch 
 territories,  with  great  violence.  A  dreadful  beginning  in  truth ! 
 May  God  grant  that,  roused  by  such  great  evils,  and  truly 
 acknowledging  our  great  ingratitude,  we  may  sincerely  repent ! 
 I  should  be  glad  to  be  remembered  to  such  of  our  countrymen 
 as  are  there,  especially  to  llichard~  and  the  rest.  You  will 
 very  much  oblige  me  also  by  conveying  my  remembrance  on 
 my  behalf  to  Vindelinus,  Conradus  the  clergyman,  and  to 
 Sturmius  and  Severus.  Farewell.  From  Bcrgzabcrn,  xYugust 
 13,  1544. 
 
 M.  COVERDALE. 
 
 To  the  'most  excellent  Conrad  Hubert, 
 preacher  at  St  Tlwmas's,  Stras- 
 burgh,  my  very  dear  frieml. 
 
 LETTER  XX. 
 
 MYLES  COVERDALE  TO  CONRAD  HUBERT. 
 
 Dated  from  Bergzabern,  Aug.  31,  1545^. 
 [Ex  autogr.  in  MSB.  Tom.  i.  p.  31.  Serin.  Ecclcs.  Argent.] 
 
 Peace  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost !  If  our  common  precep- 
 tor, master  Bucer,  has  at  the  present  time  composed  anything 
 against  the  enemies  of  the  gospel,  especially  against  the  bishop 
 
 \}  The  transactions  here  referred  to  relate  to  the  war  which  was 
 waged  by  Charles  V.  against  William  duke  of  Cleves,  in  1543-4 ;  when 
 ho  made  an  irruption  into  his  territory,  and  was  guilty  of  great  op- 
 pression towards  him.  For  some  account  of  the  transactions  referred 
 to,  sec  Robertson,  History  of  Charles  V.  Book  vii.  Scckcndorf.  Hist. 
 Luth.  Vol.  II.  p.  427.] 
 
 [2  Probably  Richard  Ililles.      Sec  page  502,  n.  3.] 
 p  Compare  Letter  XXVIL  and  note  1,  p.  520.     Whatever  may 
 be  the  true  date  of  that  letter,  this  is  evidently  to  be  assigned  to  an 
 earlier  period.] 
 
XX.]  MYLES    COVERDALE    TO   CONRAD    HUBERT.  513 
 
 of  Winchester*,  I  particularly  request  you  to  procure  for 
 me  a  copy  of  any  work  of  this  description.  Through  the 
 mercy  of  God  we  are  all  well.  Your  parents  are  looking 
 for  you  towards  the  approaching  vintage,  and  desire  their 
 best  remembrances.  Farewell.  From  Bergzabern,  August  31, 
 1545. 
 
 MICHAEL  ANGLUS. 
 
 To  Conrad  Hubert,  iweaclier  of  tlie  gospel 
 at  St  Thomas's,  my  frieiul  and  most 
 reverend  brother,  at  Strashurgh. 
 
 LETTEll  XXI. 
 
 MYLES  COVERDALE  TO  CONRAD  HUBERT. 
 
 Dated  Bergzabern,  Sept.  13,  1544. 
 [Ex  autogr.  in  MSS.  Tom.  ii.  p.  124.  Serin.  Eccles.  Ai-gent.] 
 
 Peace  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost !  You  give  a  great 
 proof  of  your  kindness,  most  learned  sir,  in  not  ceasing  to 
 spur  on  with  your  most  agreeable  letters  your  friend  Michael, 
 or,  if  you  wish  it,  Myles,  who  would  otherwise  advance  but 
 slowly  to  more  favourable  progress.  Your  letter  written  on 
 the  30th  of  August  was  faithfully  dehvered  to  me  on  the 
 3rd  of  November ;  from  which  I  understood  that  Bucer, 
 contrary  indeed  to  the  opinion  of  us  all,  had  not  yet  re- 
 turned :  at  which  circumstance  you  need  not  doubt  that  we 
 are  much  grieved.  But  I  know  that  the  church  is  pleading 
 continually  with  many  prayers ;  and  there  is  no  reason  for  our 
 despairing,  that  God,  in  his  accustomed  mercy,  will  set  him  at 
 liberty^.  Dr  Nicholas  has  returned  home  in  good  health  and 
 spirits,  and  repeats  his  offers  of  many  good  wishes  to  you.  I 
 and  my  wife  have  determined,  with  the  blessing  of  God,  to 
 go  up  to  Strasburgh  about  the  1st  of  October,  and  to  visit  you 
 
 [4  This  lias  reference  to  a  work  on  the  celibacy  of  the  clergy, 
 in  reply  to  bishop  Gardiner,  to  which  reference  is  made  in  Letter 
 XXVII.] 
 
 [5  Some  allusion  is  made  to  these  troubles  of  Bucer,  in  Strype, 
 Cranmer,  Book  ii.  c.  24.  Vol.  i.  p.  362.] 
 
 [COVERDALE,    II.] 
 
514  MYLES    COVERDALE    TO    CONRAD    HUBERT.  [lET. 
 
 our  most  affectionate  friend.  Your  beloved  parents  are  in 
 tolerable  health,  and  have  only  just  written  to  you.  From 
 Bergzabern,  September  13,  1544. 
 
 Yours, 
 
 M.  COVERDALE. 
 
 LETTER  XXII. 
 
 MYLES   COVERDALE   TO   CONRAD   HUBERT. 
 
 Dated  from  Bergzabern,  Oct.  3,  1544. 
 
 [Ex  autogr.  in  MSS.  Tom.  i.  p.  30.  Serin.  Eccles.  Ai-gent.] 
 
 Peace  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost!  How  kindly  you  are 
 disposed  towards  your  country,  most  beloved  Conrad,  the 
 letters  which  you  sent  to  me  last  week  for  our  young  men 
 afford  abundant  proof.  I  have  served  their  cause  with  our 
 prefect,  in  a  small  degree  indeed,  yet  to  this  extent,  that  by 
 his  order  ten  florins  have  been  advanced  to  our  friend  Eras- 
 mus, till  the  matter  itself  shall  have  been  brought  to  a  favour- 
 able result  before  the  visitors ;  which  the  prefect  says  will 
 not  take  place  before  Christmas.  Moreover,  he  invited  me 
 and  my  wife,  as  he  often  does,  to  supper  on  the  27th  of  last 
 month.  During  supper-time,  in  the  course  of  conversation 
 about  many  matters,  we  happened  to  mention  that  of  the 
 sacred  ministry.  To  this  conversation  I  would  gladly  have 
 added  something ;  but  the  wife  of  the  prefect  pleaded  the 
 cause  of  the  Lord  with  such  dexterity,  that  it  was  needless 
 for  me  to  say  anything.  But  the  prefect  on  the  following- 
 day,  which  was  the  Lord's  day,  in  speaking  to  the  people, 
 and  using  very  strong  language,  told  them  that  he  was  not 
 much  pleased  with  some  secret  proceedings  of  our  rabble. 
 Our  young  mother,  I  am  thankful  to  the  Lord,  with  her  little 
 daughter,  has  recovered.  Farewell,  and  may  happiness  attend 
 you !  And  if  you  have  not  received  from  the  bookseller  the 
 copies  of  the  books  which  I  mentioned  in  a  former  letter,  I 
 beg  that  you  will  not  get  them ;  for  I  have  already  got  a 
 sufficient  supply  of  them  from  Frankfort :  but  if  you  have 
 already  procured  them,  send  them  to  me ;  and  remember  me 
 
XXII.]  MYLES    COVERDALE    TO    CONRAD    IIUEERT.  615 
 
 kindly  to  your  wife  Margaret.     Grace  be  with  you !    From 
 Bergzabern,  October  3. 
 
 Yours, 
 
 MICHAEL  ANGLUS. 
 To  Conrad  Hubert,  my  brotlier 
 and  greatly  respected  friend 
 in  the  Lord. 
 
 LETTER  XXIII. 
 
 MYLES  COVERDALE  TO  CONRAD  HUBERT. 
 
 Dated  from  Bergzabern,  Oct.  11,  1544. 
 
 [Ex  aiitogr,  in  MSS.  Tom.  ii.  p.  122.  Serin.  Eccles.  Argent.] 
 
 Peace  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost!  If  you  have  returned 
 well  and  happy  to  your  home  with  your  child  and  very  dear 
 wife,  it  is  a  subject  to  me  of  great  joy.  Your  parents  are 
 in  good  health,  and,  wishing  you  much  health  in  the  Lord, 
 desire  that  you  should  be  informed  that  Margaret,  your 
 brother's  wife,  is  now  restored  to  tolerable  health ;  and  also 
 that  that  person,  namely,  John's  Avife,  who,  when  you  were 
 here,  had  not  been  delivered,  has,  through  the  great  mercy 
 of  our  heavenly  Father,  yesterday  become  the  mother  of 
 another  and  beautiful  child.  I  wish  you  to  see  that  this 
 small  bag  of  chesnuts  be  conveyed  to  the  house  of  master 
 Richard. 
 
 Farewell,  my  dearest  Conrad,  and  I  pray  you  to  com- 
 mend me  in  your  prayers  to  the  Lord.  From  Bergzabern, 
 October  11. 
 
 M.  COVERDALE. 
 
 I  do  not  doubt  that  you  arc  yourself  mindful,  and  also 
 dihgently  remind  master  Bucer,  to  write  sometimes  at  his 
 convenience  to  our  prefect,  and  also  to  have  regard  to  our 
 friend  Edmund ;  and  I  am  desirous  that  you  should  forward 
 this  business. 
 
 M.  COVERDALE. 
 
 To  the  most  excellent  Conrad  Hubert, 
 minister  of  the  gospel  at  St  Tho- 
 mas's church  at  Strasburgh. 
 
 33—2 
 
516  MYLES    COVERDALE    TO    CONRAD    HUBERT.  [leT. 
 
 LETTER  XXIV. 
 
 MYLES  COVERDALE  TO  CONRAD  HUBERT. 
 
 Dated  Bergzabern,  Dec.  9,  1544. 
 
 [Ex  autogr.  in  MSS.  Tom.  i.  p.  39.  Serin.  Ecclcs.  Argent.] 
 
 Peace  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost !  I  intended  to  have 
 inquired,  and  so  to  have  ascertained  from  you,  when  I  was 
 with  you  at  Strasburgh,  how  and  of  what  materials  you  make 
 your  ink ;  but  owing  to  a  press  of  business  I  omitted  it. 
 Wherefore  I  beg  that  you  will  either  tell  my  wife,  who  is 
 now  with  you,  Avhat  materials  I  ought  to  procure  for  this 
 purpose,  or  send  me  a  list  of  them :  also  I  earnestly  beg- 
 that  you  will  remind  Bucer  of  the  letter,  which  he  promised 
 he  would  give  me  to  our  prefect  on  the  subject  of  our  com- 
 mon religion,  and  of  the  situation  of  our  friend  Edmund. 
 Your  parents  beg  to  be  kindly  remembered  to  you,  as  this 
 letter  will  testify.  I  wish  much  health  to  your  wife  in  the 
 Lord,  with  her  dearest  child,  and  I  earnestly  commend  my 
 wife  to  you.     From  Bergzabern,  December  9. 
 
 Yours, 
 
 MICHAEL  ANGLUS. 
 
 To  the  very  excellent  Conrad  Hubert, 
 preacher  of  the  rjospel  at  St  Tho- 
 mas's. 
 
 LETTEE   XXV. 
 
 MYLES  COVERDALE  TO  CONRAD  HUBERT. 
 
 Dated  from  Bergzabern,  Dec.  26,  1544. 
 
 [Ex  autogr.  in  MSS.  Tom.  i.  p.  42.  Serin.  Eceles.  Argent.] 
 
 Peace  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost !  Amidst  the  various 
 causes  of  grief  from  other  sources,  with  which  the  church  is 
 constantly  afflicted,  this  most  severe  one  is  also  to  be  added, 
 that  those  persons  are  always,  or  at  least  in  quick  succession. 
 
XXV.]  MYLES    COVERDALE    TO    CONRAD    HUBERT.  517 
 
 labouring*  under  the  severest  maladies,  who  possess  both  the 
 power  and  the  will  to  teach  the  people,  and  to  comfort  them 
 with  the  counsels  of  the  divine  word.  For  Erasmus  Bierus, 
 the  minister  of  the  church  at  Bissweiler,  (as  also  John,  my 
 beloved  colleague  here  at  Bergzabern,)  is  said  to  be  reduced 
 to  such  a  state  of  debility  from  contraction  of  the  limbs, 
 that  he  can  no  lono-er  discharo;e  his  sacred  office  before  the 
 people.  Therefore  Eschnavius,  our  most  excellent  prefect, 
 being  desirous  of  making  provision  for  this  distress,  wishes 
 that  my  pious  brother  and  countryman,  John  Dodman,  should 
 be  invited  thither  to  the  assistance  of  Erasmus,  of  your  great 
 kindness  to  whom  I  have  heard  with  satisfaction ;  and  who, 
 I  trust,  has  by  this  time  made  such  proficiency  in  the  German 
 language,  that  I  doubt  not  of  his  being  able  to  discharge  the 
 duties  of  his  office  to  the  benefit  of  the  chm-ch.  I  beg,  there- 
 fore, that  in  your  kindness  to  the  chiu-ch  of  Christ  you  would 
 signify  this  to  this  same  countryman  of  mine,  Dodman,  that, 
 in  case  of  his  being  summoned  to  Bissweiler,  he  may  repair 
 thither  the  more  readily,  under  the  certainty  of  receiving 
 from  the  prefect  an  acceptable  return.  For  a  messenger  has 
 been  sent  for  this  very  purpose  to  Strasburgh.  Farewell, 
 with  many  kind  remembrances  from  my  wife  and  your  beloved 
 brother,  whose  son  John  is  now  the  bearer  of  this  letter 
 which  is  inclosed  to  you.  I  and  my  wife,  together  with 
 your  parents,  desire  to  join  in  most  aifectionate  remembrance 
 to  you  in  the  Lord.     From  Bergzabern,  December  26. 
 
 MICHAEL  ANGLUS. 
 
 To  the  most  pious  and  learned  Conrad 
 Hubert,  minister  of  the  divine  ivord 
 at  St  Thomas''s  at  Strasburgh,  his 
 dearly-beloved  brother  in  the  Lor^d. 
 
518  MYLES    COVERDALE    TO    CONRAD    HUBERT.  [lET. 
 
 LETTER  XXVI. 
 
 MYLES   COVERDALE   TO   CONRAD  HUBERT. 
 
 Dated  from  Bergzabern,  Feh.  tj,  1545. 
 [Ex  autogT.  in  MSS.  Tom.  i.  p.  40.  Serin.  Ecclcs.  Argent.] 
 
 Peace  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost!  The  letter,  which 
 you  had  despatched  to  me  on  the  twenty -first  of  December, 
 I  received  on  the  tenth  of  January,  together  with  the  parcel 
 of  books  of  which  you  made  mention  in  it.  The  principal 
 matter  which  I  was  desirous  to  have  forwarded  by  your  dili- 
 gence with  our  prefect  (for  he  was  with  you  at  that  time  at 
 Strasburgh)  was  this;  namely,  that  in  conformity  with  the 
 duty  of  his  office  he  should  put  a  stop  to  those  most  frivolous 
 public  dances,  and  other  hindrances  of  true  piety  of  the  same 
 description ;  and  that  he  should  take  care,  that  at  least  during 
 the  performance  of  the  more  solemn  services  of  religion  the 
 people  should  conduct  themselves  with  less  irreverence ;  and 
 during  the  time  of  the  sermon,  the  prayers,  and  the  singing, 
 they  should  not  collect  themselves  together  in  so  many  corners 
 in  every  direction  of  the  market  and  the  burial-ground.  But 
 now  I  cannot  hope  for  anything  better ;  for,  alas !  our  magis- 
 trates here  appear  to  be  so  lukewarm,  and  to  divest  them- 
 selves of  all  care  for  religion,  although  in  other  respects  they 
 are  most  active  in  laying  heavy  burdens  upon  the  people. 
 
 Our  boys,  although  not  all  of  them,  have  been  confined 
 to  their  beds  with  a  sort  of  unusual  cough,  attended  with 
 headache  and  fever ;  but  no  one  has  had  the  disorder  more 
 severely  than  my  dearest  pupil  in  the  Lord,  John  Hubert, 
 your  brother's  little  boy.  But  it  has  pleased  the  Lord  in 
 his  mercy  graciously  to  restore  him  to  us,  after  an  illness  of 
 eight  days,  safe  and  sound.  We  most  of  us  indeed  despaired 
 of  the  boy's  life.  Your  parents  received  a  letter  eight  days 
 ago  from  his  father,  in  which  he  expresses  no  doubt  of  his 
 being  able  in  a  short  time  to  satisfy  every  obligation.  Both 
 your  parents  are  very  well,  together  with  all  your  friends 
 here.     Farewell,  with  the  kindest  remembrances  from  myself 
 
XXVI.]  MYLES    COVERDALE    TO    CONRAD    HUfiERT.  519 
 
 and  my  wife  in  the  Lord.     From  Bergzabern,  the  sixth  of 
 February. 
 
 Yours, 
 
 MICHAEL  ANGLUS. 
 
 To  the  eminent  jjatron  of  true  jnety 
 and  literature,  Conrad  Hubert, 
 preacher  at  St  Thomas's,  Stras- 
 hurgh. 
 
 LETTER   XXVII. 
 
 MYLES  COVERDALE  TO  CONRAD  HUBERT. 
 
 Dated  from  Bergzabern,  Feb.  16,  1545'. 
 [Ex  autogr.  in  MSS.  Tom.  ii.  p.  121.  Serin.  Eccles.  Argent.] 
 
 Peace  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost !  I  am  happy,  if  you 
 are  well  .*  we,  together  with  your  excellent  parents,  are  in 
 good  health.  But  this,  alas !  has  happened,  in  addition  to 
 the  other  misfortunes  which  afflict  the  church,  that  that 
 Swiss,  who  was  forced  by  Bader  as  minister  upon  the  church 
 at  Lindau^,  and  has  been  admitted  by  the  senate  as  future 
 minister  of  the  parish,  cannot  be  induced  by  their  entreaties 
 to  administer  the  Lord's  supper  even  once  in  the  year. 
 Wherefore  that  most  unfortunate  people  is  compelled,  even 
 against  their  will,  to  submit  to  the  dictates  of  Schwenckfeld^ 
 
 [1  There  appears  to  be  an  error  in  the  date  of  this  letter,  which 
 speaks  of  Coverdalc's  wife  as  being  at  Strasbiu-gh,  whereas  in  the 
 former  letter  he  speaks  of  her  as  being  with  him  at  Bergzabern ;  and 
 also  in  that  immediately  succeeding,  which  is  dated  only  fom*  days 
 after  this.  It  probably  belongs  to  a  later  period,  as  the  work,  to 
 which  reference  is  made  in  it,  was  not  published  till  1547.  See  note  1, 
 p.  520.] 
 
 [2  On  the  circumstances  of  this  church,  see  Scckendorf,  A^'ol.  i.  ii. 
 p.  128,  &c.] 
 
 [3  Schwenckfcld  held  heretical  opinions  with  regard  to  the  j'terson 
 of  Christ,  as  well  as  on  the  subject  of  the  Lord's  supper.  See  Sccken- 
 dorf, Hist.  Luth.  Lib.  ii.  pp.  52,  122,  and  Lib.  in.  pp.  268,  9.  The 
 person  alluded  to  in  the  preceding  sentence  (who  is  probably  the 
 person  alluded  to  also  in  Letter  XXXII.,  and  is  named  Frankwiler,) 
 was  a  disciple  of  Schwenckfcld,  and,  as  it  appears,  held  his  heretical 
 opinions  on  the  Lord's  supper.] 
 
520  MYLES    COVERDALE    TO    CONRAD    HUBERT.  [lET. 
 
 My  friend  Edmund  made  me  acquainted  with  this  three  days 
 ago  by  letter.  I  wish  you  to  acquaint  my  reverend  master 
 Bucer  with  the  cause  of  this  wound  of  the  church,  that  he 
 may  be  able  to  add  it  to  his  pious  prayers  in  the  Lord. 
 
 I  have  written  to  my  wife  an  account  of  the  seeds  which 
 our  father  wishes  to  be  procured  by  you ;  and  do  you  take 
 care  that,  when  my  wife  returns,  she  bring  them  to  us. 
 iVnd  if  you  can  by  any  means  procure  even  one  copy  of 
 Bucer's  answer  to  the  bishop  of  Winchester^  before  the  fair, 
 I  will  take  care  that  the  Latin  original  shall  be  translated 
 into  English  as  soon  as  possible ;  which  you  need  not  doubt 
 Avill  be  most  acceptable  to  our  brethren  in  the  Lord  through- 
 out England.  I  wish,  however,  that  it  should  be  managed 
 as  secretly  as  possible,  until  it  shall  make  its  appearance  both 
 in  Latin  and  English.  Offer  my  prayers  for  the  health  of 
 your  wife  and  your  Httle  boy  Samuel.  My  best  wishes  to 
 your  beloved  father  Conrad,  the  minister,  and  that  distinguished 
 ornament  of  the  church,  Paulus  Fagius^.  FareAvell.  From 
 Bergzabern,  February  16,  1545. 
 
 Yours  with  the  greatest  aifection, 
 
 M.  COVERDALE. 
 
 LETTER  XXVIIL 
 
 MYLES  COVERDALE  TO  CONRAD  HUBERT. 
 
 Dated  from  Bergzabern,  Feb.  20,  1545. 
 [Ex  autogr.  in  MSS.  Tom.  i.  p.  43.  Serin.  Eccles.  Argent.] 
 
 Much  health.  During  the  interval  which  elapsed  between 
 the  despatch  of  your  letter  of  the  27th  of  December  and  my 
 
 [1  This  refers  to  two  letters  addressed  by  Gardiner,  bishop  of 
 Winchester,  to  Bucer,  in  answer  to  a  book  of  Bucer  against  the  celi- 
 bacy of  the  clergy.  To  these  letters  Bucer  prepared  an  answer,  which 
 was  published  in  1547 ;  to  which  period  possibly  this  letter  ought  to 
 be  referred.  For  an  account  of  these  works,  see  Strype,  Memorials, 
 Vol.  II.  part  i.  pp.  103—5.    Ed.  Oxf.  1822.] 
 
 [2  A  learned  divine  of  Strasburgh,  who  was  invited  over  into 
 England,  and  afterwards  became  professor  of  divinity  at  Cambridge. 
 For  some  account  of  him  see  Strype's  Cranmer,  Book  ii.  Chap,  xiii.] 
 
XXVIII.]  MYLES    COVERDALE     TO    CONRAD    HUBERT.  521 
 
 receipt  of  it,  I  myself  had  written  to  you  in  the  business  of 
 the  church  of  Bissweiler,  at  the  request  of  our  prefect,  in 
 behalf  of  my  countryman  John  Dodman,  on  account  of  the 
 sickness  at  that  time  of  our  dear  friend  Erasmus.  Nor  is  a 
 long  intermission  of  our  mutual  duty  of  correspondence  in 
 any  way  agreeable  to  me.  For  I  venerate  and  am  greatly 
 attached  to  this  occupation  of  christian  benevolence.  But  I 
 confess  that  I  am  sometimes  in  need  of  a  spur,  inasmuch  as 
 I  am  by  nature  dilatory,  and  continually  overwhelmed  with  a 
 great  press  of  business.  My  messenger,  when  you  see  him, 
 will  be  able  to  inform  you  with  regard  to  the  state  of  affairs 
 here,  and  of  my  present  condition.  The  new  schoolmaster 
 from  Spires,  who  has  been  engaged  by  our  senate  at  Berg- 
 zabern  for  four  years,  is  daily  expected.  My  fellow-labourer 
 John  is  still  suffering  from  contraction  of  the  hands,  and  our 
 churches  are  constantly  more  and  more  troubled  by  the 
 ravings  of  the  Anabaptists ;  which  however  as  they  are  gene- 
 rally not  thought  much  of,  so  also  are  they  tolerated,  not  with- 
 out the  greatest  misfortune  to  the  people  at  large,  as  well  as 
 to  the  princes  themselves ;  while  in  the  meantime  the  worship 
 of  God  is  decaying  and  falling  into  contempt.  Farewell,  with 
 many  remembrances  from  my  Avife  and  your  friends  in  the 
 Lord.  I  and  my  wife  salute  your  wife  and  your  beloved 
 father.      From  Bergzabern,  February  20. 
 
 Yours  in  the  Lord, 
 
 MICHAEL  ANGLUS. 
 To  the  learned  and  excellent  Conrad 
 
 Hubert,   my   brother    and    most 
 
 beloved  friend  in  the  Lord  at 
 
 Strasbiirgh. 
 
 LETTER  XXIX. 
 
 MYLES  COVERDAI.E  TO  CONRAD  HUBERT. 
 
 Dated  from  Bkrgzabern^,  June  1545. 
 
 [Ex  autogr.  in  MSS.  Tom.  i.  p.  35.  Serin.  Eccles.  Ai-gent.] 
 
 Peace  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost !   Our  illustrious  prince 
 
 has  so  far  considered  the  business  of  Matthew  of  Barbelrode^, 
 
 [3  See  Letter  XVIII.] 
 
522  MYLES    COVERDALE    TO    CONRAD    HUBERT.  [lET. 
 
 that  he  was  desirous  that  he  should  have  devoted  some  more 
 years  to  the  studies  and  discipline  of  this  place.  But  in- 
 asmuch as  he  is  engaged  to  be  married,  and  promises  that 
 he  will  lead  a  Hfo  in  all  respects  worthy  of  a  minister,  the 
 prince  has  consented  that  he  should  be  put  in  charge  of  the 
 church  at  MilhofFen ;  on  this  condition,  however,  that  he  pay 
 exemplary  attention  both  to  his  studies  and  his  habits  of  life. 
 This  and  other  things  to  the  same  purport  I  gathered  from 
 the  letter,  which  our  prefect  sent  to  me  three  days  ago ;  who 
 is  of  opinion  that  our  friend  Matthew  can  do  nothing  better 
 than  return  to  Strasburgh,  and  make  his  peace  with  all  those 
 persons,  to  whom  he  has  given  any  trifling  offence ;  for  by 
 these  moans  he  thinks  that  he  will  remove  much  cause  of  evil. 
 The  ministers  at  Dcux-ponts  have  certified  to  the  prince,  that 
 Matthew  on  his  examination  by  them  acquitted  himself  re- 
 spectably ;  and  he  also  promised  himself,  that  he  would  make 
 amends  for  his  past  life.  I  beseech  you,  therefore,  with 
 regard  to  this  business,  in  order  that  the  edifice  of  the  church 
 may  be  the  more  prosperously  established  for  the  future,  that 
 inasmuch  as  he  has  given  proof  of  his  repentance,  you  would 
 solemnly  warn  him,  encourage  him  after  his  fall,  and  give 
 proof  to  him  by  a  letter,  written  at  least  to  our  prefect,  that 
 he  has  recovered  your  favour.  I  make  this  earnest  request 
 to  you,  most  kind  Conrad,  at  the  particular  desire  of  our 
 prefect,  who  has  also  written  on  this  business  to  our  common 
 preceptor  Bucer,  to  whom  I  desire  my  most  respectful  re- 
 membrances in  the  Lord.  Farewell.  Your  parents,  God 
 be  thanked,  on  their  return  hither  safe  and  well,  found  all 
 things  satisfactory  at  home.  Written  from  Bergzabern  the 
 third  day  after  Pentecost. 
 
 MICHAEL  ANGLUS. 
 
 To  the  learned  and  pious  Conrad 
 Hubert,  mi/  friend  and  beloved 
 brother  in  the  Lord,  at  Stras- 
 burgh. 
 
XXX.]  MYLES    COVERDALR    TO    CONRAD    HUBERT.  523 
 
 LETTER  XXX. 
 
 MYLES   COVERDALE   TO   CONRAD   HUBERT 
 
 Dated  from  Bergzabern,  Dec.  27,  1545. 
 
 [Ex  autogr.  in  MSS.  Tom.  i.  p.  37.  Serin.  Ecclos.  Argent.] 
 
 Peace  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost !  As  soon  as  I  knew 
 that  this  messenger  was  going  up  to  Strasburgh,  I  informed 
 your  dear  parents  of  it,  who,  God  be  thanked,  are  in  excellent 
 health,  and  desire  their  kindest  remembrances  to  yourself  and 
 your  wife.  Samuel's  father  also,  with  a  prayer  for  every 
 blessing  on  the  return  of  the  new  year,  has  sent  your  grand- 
 son a  piece  of  money  together  Avith  a  linen  shirt,  in  proof  of 
 his  paternal  affection  towards  him.  I  am  so  overwhelmed  at 
 this  time  with  my  own  affairs,  that  I  do  not  write  more  at 
 the  present,  hoping  in  the  meantime  that  you  will  give  me 
 credit  for  my  good  intentions.  My  wife  desires  her  remem- 
 brances to  you  and  your  wife  in  the  Lord.  Farewell.  From 
 Bergzabern,  Dec.  27. 
 
 Yours, 
 
 MICHAEL  ANGLUS. 
 
 To  the  very  courteous  Conrad 
 Hubert,  preacher  at  St  Tho- 
 mas's^ Strasburgh. 
 
 LETTER  XXXI' 
 
 MYLES  COVERDALE  TO  CONRAD  HUBERT. 
 
 Dated  from  Bergzabern,  Feb.  154(;. 
 
 [From  the  Archives  of  the  Church  at  Sti'asburgh.] 
 
 The  mercy  and  loving-kindness  of  God  be  with  us  all ! 
 Amen.  The  members  of  the  church  of  Weissenheim  have 
 brought  me,  on  account  of  the  relict  of  the  late  pastor,  some 
 money,  namely,  19  florins,  3^.  Id.,  reckoning  the  florin  at 
 ,15  batzen ;   which  money  I  was  to  convey  to   Strasburgh. 
 
 [1  The  original  of  this  letter  is  in  German.] 
 
524<  MYLES    COVERDALE    TO    CONRAD    HUBERT.  [lET. 
 
 Since  therefore  my  pupil  Lewis,  the  son  of  Eschnavius,  is  in- 
 tending to  journey  thither,  I  have  troubled  him  with  it.  My 
 friendly  request,  therefore,  is,  that  ye  would  receive  the  said 
 money  from  him,  and  make  it  over  to  the  above-mentioned 
 widow,  namely,  Katharine ;  but  in  such  form  that  she  shall 
 give  me  a  quittance,  to  the  efi'ect  that  she  has  received  such 
 money  from  me  through  you :  for  I  have  been  obliged  to 
 give  a  quittance  to  the  members  of  the  church  at  Weissen- 
 heim,  as  they  brought  the  money  to  me.  Likewise  also  the 
 mayor  of  Barbelrode^  has  sent  money  to  his  son  Matthew, 
 with  letters  to  you  and  to  him ;  all  which  you  will  find  se- 
 parately in  this  linen  bag,  as  also  the  other  money  apart,  with 
 its  superscription.  This  do  ye,  for  God's  sake,  at  this  time 
 execute,  and  write  me  word  again  that  all  has  been  received. 
 For  this  will  I  to  you  and  yours  in  all  good-will  diligently 
 render  service.  Herewith  commending  you  to  Almighty  God. 
 Dated  Bergzabern,  the  Friday  before  Shrove  Tuesday,  anno 
 1546.  We  are  all  in  good  health  and  spirits  (God  be  praised!) 
 except  that  your  dear  mother  is  as  usual  sickly  and  infirm,  but 
 not  more  so  than  is  her  wont. 
 
 Your  servant  and  brother  in  the  Lord, 
 
 MICHAEL  ANGLUS. 
 
 1  will  write  further  to  you  by  Hannah  Schirer,  if  possible. 
 
 LETTER   XXXIL 
 
 MYLES  COVERDALE  TO  CONRAD  HUBERT. 
 
 Dated  from  Weissemberg,  March  9,  154C. 
 [Ex  autogr.  MSS.  Tom.  i.  p.  32.  Serin.  Eccles.  Argent.] 
 
 Peace  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost !  I  entreat  you  again 
 and  again,  my  dearest  Conrad,  that  you  would  attentively 
 consider  my  writing  against  Frankwiler^;  and  if  I  have  made 
 any  mistakes,  either  in  my  German,  or  in  any  other  way,  that 
 
 [1  See  Letters  XVIII.  and  XXIX.] 
 
 [2  This  is  probably  the  Swiss,  the  disciple  of  Schwenckfeld,  con- 
 cerning whom  Coverdale  writes  in  his  letter  to  Hubert  of  the  sixteenth 
 of  February,  1545.     Simler. — See  above,  Letter  XXVI.] 
 
XXXn.]  MYLES    COVERDALE    TO    CONRAD    HUBERT.  525 
 
 you  would  kindly  correct  them,  and  communicate  your  opinion 
 to  me.  For  you  are  scarcely  aware  in  what  jeopardy  our 
 church  is,  and  what  trouble  Frank wiler  is  giving  us ;  not  to 
 mention,  how  reluctant  our  friend  Nicholas  is,  although  equally 
 solicited  with  myself,  to  oppose  the  progress  of  these  evils. 
 Do  you  proceed  in  your  endeavours  to  assist  the  affairs  of 
 the  Lord,  if  it  be  only  by  your  advice.  And  if  you  have 
 received  the  money,  which  three  days  ago  I  delivered  to  our 
 prefect  to  be  paid  to  you,  namely,  for  Katharine  the  widow 
 of  Francis  Osterhing,  and  for  Matthew  of  Barbelrode,  send 
 me  word,  I  pray,  by  our  friend  Edmund. 
 
 May  the  Lord  Jesus  j)reserve  you  all  to  his  church ! 
 Amen. 
 
 In  haste.     Weissemberg,  March  9,  1546. 
 
 LETTER   XXXIII. 
 
 MYLES   COVERDALE   TO  JOHN  CALVIN. 
 Dated  at  Frankfort,  March  26,  1548. 
 
 I  CANNOT  but  avail  myself,  most  illustrious  sir,  of  the 
 offered  opportunity  of  saluting  your  Avorthiness.  There  was 
 brought  hither  three  days  since,  during  the  time  of  the  fair, 
 a  certain  little  book  in  Enghsh,  containing  that  Order  of 
 holy  Communion,  which  the  king's  majesty  has  set  forth,  as 
 suitable  to  the  present  timc'^.  And  as  I  perceived  many 
 persons  were  desirous  of  obtaining  it,  I  forthwith  translated 
 it   both  into   German  and   Latin.     And  therefore,  when  I 
 
 [3  The  English  work,  the  Order  of  the  Communion,  is  printed  in 
 the  volume  containing  the  Litm'gies  of  King  Edward  VI.,  jiublished 
 by  the  Parker  Society.  The  translation  into  Latin  by  Coverdale,  here 
 mentioned,  does  not  seem  to  have  been  printed ;  but  there  is  a  Latin 
 translation  extant,  printed  apparently  in  1548,  with  the  initials  A.  A. 
 S.  D.  Th,  probably  indicating  Alexander  Alessc,  who  also  translated 
 mto  Latin  the  first  Liturgy  of  King  Edward  VI.  a.d.  1549.  It  is  a 
 very  rare  small  volume,  bearing  the  title  of  "  Ordo  distributionis  sacra- 
 menti  altaris  sub  utraque  specie,  et  formula  confessionis  faciendfe  in 
 regno  Anghee.  Ha5c  Londini  evulgata  sunt  octavo  die  Martii  Anni 
 MDXLVIII."  See  "  The  ancient  Liturgy  of  the  Church  of  England," 
 by  Rev.  W.  Maskell,  p.  xlv. ;  also  Bm-net  ii.  247,  and  Strype,  Mem. 
 II.  i.  96.] 
 
526  MYLES    COVERDALE    TO    JOHN    CALVIIV.  [lET. 
 
 understood  the  godly  bearer  of  this  letter  to  be  a  townsman 
 of  yours,  I  thought  I  should  gratify  your  reverence  by  send- 
 ing you  this  trifling  present.  One  of  the  translations  I  in- 
 tended for  the  Germans ;  the  other,  namely  the  Latin  one,  I 
 am  exceedingly  anxious  should  be  forwarded  to  your  reve- 
 rence. And  should  you  feel  inclined  to  make  known  to 
 others  this  cause  for  congratulation,  and  first-fruits  of  godli- 
 ness, (according  as  the  Lord  now  wills  his  religion  to  revive 
 in  England,)  you  will  be  able  to  commit  this  token  of  my 
 aifection  for  you  to  the  press  more  easily  than  I  can.  I  am 
 now  on  my  return  to  England,  having  been  invited  thither 
 after  an  exile  of  eight  years.  Farewell,  most  excellent  master, 
 and  aifectionately  salute  your  wife,  who  deserved  so  well 
 from  me  and  mine,  when  we  went  up  to  Strasburgh.  Frank- 
 fort, March  26,  1548. 
 
 MICHAEL  {alias  MILO)  COVERDALE,  Anglus. 
 
 LETTER    XXXIV. 
 
 MYLES   COVERDALE   TO   PAUL   FAGIUS. 
 Dated  at  Windsor  Castle,  Oct.  21,  1548. 
 
 Peace  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost !  Your  letter,  most 
 excellent  sir,  dated  on  the  22nd  of  August,  I  received  from 
 my  wife  on  the  8th  of  this  present  month,  with  exceeding 
 compassion  for  those  individuals,  whom  this  dreadful  tyranny  ^ 
 so  greatly  distresses.  I  also  shewed  your  letter  yesterday 
 to  the  most  reverend  the  archbishop  of  Canterbury ;  who,  as 
 he  has  undertaken  to  educate  your  dear  son  (whom  he  has 
 just  sent  away  -to  Canterbury,  by  reason  of  the  plague  that 
 is  raging  at  this  place)  both  in  religion  and  learning,  at  his 
 own  expense ;  in  hke  manner,  reflecting  upon  the  lamentable 
 condition  of  your  churches,  he  truly  sympathises  in  your 
 misfortune:  wherefore  he  desired  you  most  especially  to  come 
 over  to  us,  rather  than  to  go  away  cither  into  Turkey  or 
 Hungary.     Oh,  my  master,  if  you  should  seek  a  refuge  any 
 
 .\}  Namely,  the  persecutions  in  Germany  by  Charles  V.,  to  enforce 
 compliance  with  the  Interim,] 
 
XXXIV.]  MYLES    COVERDALE    TO    PAUL    FAGIUS.  527 
 
 where  else  than  with  us,  since  the  faithlessness  of  mankind  is 
 every  where  so  great,  how  will  that  most  excellent  gift,  which 
 the  good  and  gracious  God  has  bestowed  upon  you,  grow 
 cool !  If  the  most  reverend  archbishop,  whose  answer  I 
 inclosed  in  my  letter  to  you,  had  foreseen  so  much  danger 
 to  the  church,  truly  what  I  wrote  to  you  would  have  been 
 no  impediment.  You  must  think,  therefore,  that  we  are  both 
 of  us  sorry  for  what  we  did,  although  there  was  nothing- 
 stated  in  those  letters,  but  what  the  occasion  then  called  for. 
 For  myself,  indeed,  my  master,  I  am  in  no  little  apprehension 
 both  for  yourself  and  for  our  churches  and  schools,  deprived 
 of  yom'  most  happy  ministrations.  Wherefore,  although  our 
 rulers  may  not  invite  you  by  name,  eminent  as  you  are 
 among  the  best  scholars  of  Germany,  and  this  probably,  as  I 
 have  before  hinted  to  you,  from  secret  motives ;  yet  we,  who 
 know  you  well,  entreat  you  most  solemnly  to  come  over  to 
 us,  where  you  need  not  doubt  but  that  you  will  be  most 
 acceptable,  and  therefore  treated  with  the  greatest  kindness. 
 Farewell.  From  the  king's  castle,  which  we  call  Windsor. 
 Oct.  21,  1548. 
 
 Yours  from  my  heart, 
 
 M.  COVERDALE. 
 
 LETTER-  XXXV. 
 
 BISHOP   COVERDALE   TO   CONRAD  HUBERT. 
 
 Dated  from  Bergzaberx,  Scpl.  20,  I5i3,  [probably  1355-.] 
 [Ex  autogr.  ]\ISS.  Tom.  i.  p.  41.  Serin.  Eccles.  Ai-gent.] 
 
 Peace  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost !  When  I  was  on  my 
 journey  from  Wesel  to  Frankfort,  my  very  dear  friend  John 
 Abel  attacked  me  in  terms  of  sufficiently  strong  reproof, 
 under  the  supposition  that  I  had  received  from  you  a  most 
 
 [2  It  is  evident  that  tlio  date  of  this  letter  is  wi-ong,  and  that  it 
 was  written  at  a  later  period,  after  his  second  settlement  at  Borg- 
 zabem.  On  leaving  England  in  February  1555  he  went  to  Denmark, 
 and  from  thence  to  Wesel,  where  he  resided  some  time  as  preacher 
 to  the  exiles  there;  from  thence  he  removed  to  Bergzabern.  It  was 
 immediately  on  his  arrival  at  that  place  that  this  letter  was  written.] 
 
528  MYLES    COVERDALB    TO    CONRAD    HUBERT.  [^ET. 
 
 affectionate  letter,  to  wliich  I  had  not  condescended  to  return 
 any  answer.  Upon  which  I  forthwith  sent  my  servant  with 
 a  letter  to  the  magistrates  of  Bergzabern.  But  in  the  mean 
 time,  while  my  servant  was  away,  this  letter  was  dehvered 
 to  me,  with  the  others  which  were  inclosed  in  it.  Upon  the 
 return  therefore  of  the  messenger  to  Frankfort,  I  at  length 
 left  that  place  on  the  15th  of  September,  and  by  the  kindness 
 of  God  arrived  here  this  day ;  whither  also  Eschnavius,  our 
 prefect,  had  arrived  on  the  same  day.  But  although  I  have  had 
 an  interview  with  him,  the  business  itself  is  referred  to  the 
 prince  for  his  determination,  on  his  arrival,  which  is  looked 
 for  to-morrow.  The  issue  of  the  affair,  whatever  it  may  be 
 which  God  may  grant  to  it,  shall  be  announced  to  you  by 
 letter,  either  from  myself  or  from  your  dear  brother  John. 
 I  constantly,  as  you  deserve,  dwell  upon  the  sincerity  of 
 your  mind,  and  recognise  in  you  in  the  strongest  manner 
 the  benevolent  feelings  which  you  entertain  towards  me. 
 Farewell,  the  friend  of  my  friend  and  brethren,  and  my 
 most  sincere  brother  in  the  Lord ;  and  salute  for  me  your 
 wife,  together  with  your  beloved  Samuel.  Sent  from  Berg- 
 zabern, September  20. 
 
 MILO  COVERDALUS,  Anglus, 
 
 Nuper  Exon. 
 
 To  the  most  learned  and  excellent 
 Conrad  Hubert,  my  very  delightful 
 friend  and  brother,  at  Strasburgh. 
 
 With  regard  to  the  business,  concerning  which  you 
 requested  me  to  inquire  relating  to  the  most  illustrious 
 duchess  of  Suffolk  ^  her  very  distinguished  husband,  whom  I 
 spoke  to  on  this  subject  at  Frankfort,  assured  me  that  her 
 grace,  as  far  as  money  was  concerned,  owed  nothing  at  all 
 either  to  our  excellent  father  Bucer,  or  to  any  other  persons. 
 But  when  I  shall  return  to  Wesel,  from  whence  I  must  now 
 bring  up  my  dear  wife  to  this  place,  I  will  make  a  diligent 
 examination  into  the  whole  business. 
 
 [}  Catharine  Willoughby,  wife  of  Charles  Brandon,  duke  of  Suffolk, 
 who  was  a  great  friend  to  Bucer  when  he  was  at  Cambridge,  and 
 during  the  reign  of  Mary,  resided  at  Wesel  in  exile  with  her  husband. 
 See  Strype,  passim,  and  particularly  Memorials,  iii.  i.  p.  233.  Ed.  1822.] 
 
XXXVr.]        BISHOP    COVERDALE    TO    ARCHBISHOP    PARKER.  529 
 
 LETTER   XXXVI^. 
 
 BISHOP  COVERDALE  TO  ARCHBISHOP  PARKER. 
 
 Dated  from  London,  Jan.  29,  1564. 
 
 [MS.  Library  C.  C.  College,  Cambridge,  Vol.  Epist.  PrincipumS.] 
 
 My  duty  considered  in  right  humble  and  faithful  wise. 
 These  are  in  like  manner  to  beseech  your  grace,  most  reve- 
 rend father  and  my  singular  good  lord,  that  as  my  good  lord 
 of  London,  tendering  as  well  my  weak  and  feeble  age,  as 
 also  my  poor  travail  in  God's  husbandry  within  his  diocese, 
 hath  most  gently  conferred  upon  me  the  benefice  of  St  Mag- 
 nus, in  London,  being  in  value  an  hundred  marks  or  there- 
 abouts, so  it  may  please  your  grace  to  join  with  his  lordship 
 in  suit  for  me  to  the  queen's  most  excellent  majesty,  that  in 
 favourable  consideration,  how  destitute  I  have  been  of  a 
 competent  living  in  this  realm  ever  sith  my  bishoprick  was 
 violently  taken  away  from  me,  I  being  compelled  to  resign ; 
 and  how  I  never  had  pension,  annuity,  or  stipend  of  it  these 
 ten  years ;  how  unable  also  I  am  either  to  pay  the  first- 
 
 [2  The  following  letter  from  bishop  Grindal  to  Sir  William  Cecil, 
 relating  to  Coverdale,  belongs  to  this  period: 
 
 (Lansdowne  MSS.  No.  G.    Bm-ghley  Papers,  Art.  85.) 
 
 I  PRAY  you,  if  it  chance  any  suit  to  be  made  for  one  Evans  to  be 
 bishop  of  Llandaff,  help  to  stay  it,  till  some  examination  be  had  of 
 his  worthiness.  If  any  means  might  be  found,  that  things  wickedly 
 alienated  from  that  see  might  be  restored,  it  were  well.  If  any 
 competency  of  living  might  be  made  of  it,  I  would  wish  it  to  father 
 Coverdale,  now  lately  recovered  of  the  plague.  Surely  it  is  not  well 
 that  he,  qui  ante  nos  omnes  fuit  in  Cliristo,  should  be  now  in  his  age 
 without  stay  of  living.  I  cannot  herein  excuse  us  bishops.  Some- 
 what I  have  to  say  for  myself;  for  I  have  offered  him  divers  things, 
 which  he  thought  not  meet  for  him.  Your  warrant  in  Hatfield  Park, 
 or  Enfield  Chace,  would  serve  my  turn  very  well.  God  keep  you! 
 From  Fulham,  Dec.  20,  1563. 
 
 Yours  in  Christ, 
 
 EDM.  LONDON. 
 
 To  the  honourable  Sir  William  Cecil,  knight, 
 secretary  to  the  queen's  majesty. 
 
 [3  See  also  Strype's  Parker,  Vol.  i.  pp.  295,  C.    Ed.  Oxon.] 
 
 34 
 
 [coverdale,  II.] 
 
530  BISHOP    COVERDALE    TO    ARCHBISHOP    PARKER.  [lET. 
 
 fruits,  or  long  to  enjoy  the  said  benefice,  going  upon  my 
 grave,  as  they  say,  and  not  like  to  live  a  year,  her  majesty, 
 at  the  contemplation  of  such  most  reverend,  honourable,  and 
 worthy  suitors,  will  most  graciously  grant  me  her  warrant 
 and  discharge  for  the  first-fruits  of  the  said  benefice.  And 
 as  I  am  bold  most  humbly  to  crave  your  grace's  help  herein, 
 so  am  I  fully  purposed,  God  willing,  to  shew  myself  again 
 as  thankful,  and  in  my  vocation  during  tliis  my  short  time 
 as  faithful  and  quiet  as  I  can.  Thus  having  uttered  my 
 boldness,  I  most  humbly  commit  your  grace  and  all  yours 
 to  the  mighty  protection  of  God.  From  London,  Jan.  29, 
 [1564.] 
 
 MYL.  GOV.    Qmnd.  Exon. 
 
 [To  this  letter  is  appended  also,  in  bishoi)  Coverdalc's  hand-writing, 
 the  following  extract  from  a  subsequent  letter  to  the  archbishop,  men- 
 tioning that  his  petition  had  been  complied  with :] 
 
 And  whereas  I  was  bold  of  late  to  write  unto  your 
 grace  for  your  honourable  help  for  the  procurement  of  the 
 first-fruits  of  St  Magnus,  I  am  now  advertised  by  message 
 from  the  right  honourable  the  lord  Robert  Dudley,  that  the 
 queen's  majesty  hath  graciously  granted  me  my  suit  already; 
 thus  remaining  in  your  grace's  obedience,  and  most  humbly 
 craving  the  continuance  of  your  favourable  love,  I  beseech 
 your  honour  of  a  gracious  answer  to  the  former  part. 
 
 LETTER  XXXVII. 
 
 BISHOP   COVERDALE   TO   SIR  WILLIAM   CECIL. 
 
 Dated  from  Ivondon,  Feb.  0,  1564. 
 [Lansdowne  MSS.  No.  7.     Bm-ghley  Papers,  Art.  60.] 
 
 My  duty  considered  in  right  humble  wise  unto  your  honour. 
 These  are  in  like  manner  to  beseech  the  same,  that  Avhereas 
 my  lord  of  London,  tendering  as  well  mine  age  as  my  simple 
 labours  in  the  Lord's  harvest,  hath  very  gently  oft'cred  me 
 the  pastoral  ofl[ice  and  benefice  of  St  Magnus  in  London ; 
 even  so  it  may  please  your  honour  to  be  means  for  me  to 
 the  queen's  most  excellent  majesty,  that  in  favourable  con- 
 sideration, not  only  how  destitute  I  have  been  ever  sith  my 
 
XXXVII.]  BISHOP  COVERDALE  TO  SIR  WILLIAM  CECIL.  5S1 
 
 bishoprick  was  taken  from  me,  and  that  I  never  had  pension, 
 annuity,  or  stipend  of  it  these  ten  years  and  upward ; 
 but  also  how  unable  I  am,  either  to  pay  the  first-fruits,  or 
 long  to  enjoy  the  said  living,  I  going  upon  my  grave,  not  able 
 to  live  over  a  year,  her  majesty  at  the  contemplation  hereof 
 may  most  graciously  grant  me  the  first-fruits  of  the  said 
 benefice,  which  her  highness  must  needs  have  again  anew, 
 when  I  am  gone.  Heretofore  (I  praise  God  for  it !)  your 
 honour  hath  ever  been  my  special  help  and  succour  in  all  my 
 rightful  suits.  If  now,  that  poor  old  Myles  may  be  provided 
 for,  it  please  your  honour  to  obtain  this  for  me,  I  shall 
 think  this  enough  to  be  unto  me  as  good  as  a  feast.  Thus 
 most  humbly  beseeching  your  honour  to  take  my  boldness  in 
 good  part,  I  commit  you  and  all  yours  to  the  gracious  pro- 
 tection of  the  Almighty,    From  London,  February  6,  [1564.] 
 
 MYLES  COVERDALE,  Quond.  Exon. 
 
 To  the  right  honourable  sir  William 
 Cecil,  knight,  chief  secretary  to  the 
 queen's  most  excellent  majesty,  and 
 of  her  highnesses  most  honourable 
 council. 
 
 LETTER  XXXVIII. 
 
 BISHOP   COVERDALE   TO   SIR   WILLIAM  CECIL. 
 
 Dated  from  London,  March  18,  1564. 
 
 [Lansdowne  MSS.  No.  7.  Burghley  Papers,  Art.  67.] 
 
 As  it  hath  pleased  your  honour  of  a  very  charitable 
 motion  to  further  mine  humble  suit  unto  the  queen's  most 
 excellent  majesty,  for  the  obtaining  of  the  first-fruits  of  St 
 Magnus,  and  as  the  same  first-fruits  amount  to  the  sum  of 
 Ix'*.  xvi*.  x*^.  ob ;  so  I  humbly  beseech  your  honour,  that 
 joining  with  my  singular  good  lord,  the  lord  Robert  Dudley, 
 ye  will  help  to  obtain  the  signing  of  the  warrant  which  I  here 
 send  unto  your  honour,  as  it  is  drawn  by  the  orderly  course 
 of  the  court  of  first-fruits  and  tenths.  I  am  herein  the  bolder, 
 because  it  hath  pleased  my  said  lord  of  his  goodness  to  send 
 me  word  by  Mr  Alderslcy,  that  the  queen's  highness  hath 
 
 34—2 
 
532  BrSHOP    COVERDALE    TO     SIR    WILLIAM    CECIL. 
 
 granted  my  said  petition  already.  I  have,  therefore,  used  the 
 counsel  of  my  dear  friend,  Mr  Peter  Osborne,  in  the  draught 
 of  this  writing  engrossed :  which  as  I  most  humbly  send 
 here  unto  your  honour,  to  be  ordered  by  your  godly  and 
 charitable  wisdom  ;  even  so  beseeching  you  to  continue  your 
 accustomed  favour  towards  me,  I  humbly  and  most  heartily 
 commit  your  honour  and  all  yours  to  the  mighty  protection  of 
 God.      From  London,  the  18th  of  March,  [1564.] 
 
 Your  own  ever  to  use  and  to  command  in  Christ  Jesu, 
 MYLES  COVERDALE,   Quond.  Exon. 
 
 To  the  right  honourable  sir  William 
 Cecil,  knight,  chief  secretary  to  the 
 queen's  most  excellent  majesty,  and  of 
 her  highness' s  most  honourable  council. 
 
 LETTER  XXXIX. 
 
 BISHOP   COVERDALE   TO   THE  REV.  Mr  ROBINSON, 
 CHAPLAIN  TO  ARCHBISHOP  PARKER. 
 
 [Lambeth  MSS.  No.  959.  58.] 
 
 My  duty  considered  in  right  humble  and  most  hasty 
 wise.  Whereas  I  am  summoned  to  appear,  with  others,  to- 
 morrow afore  my  lord's  grace,  at  Lambeth,  I  beseech  your 
 worthiness  to  be  means  for  me  unto  his  grace,  that  at  this 
 present  I  may  be  dispensed  Avith  ;  not  only  for  that  I  am  un- 
 wieldy, and  could  neither  well  travel  by  land,  nor  altogether 
 safely  by  boat,  but  also  for  other  considerations  which  this 
 bearer,  my  dear  friend,  shall  signify  unto  you  by  mouth. 
 Thus  being  desirous  of  your  gentle  answer,  I  commend  you 
 and  all  yours  to  the  gracious  protection  of  God.  March  25, 
 1566. 
 
 Your  own  in  the  Lord, 
 
 MYLES  COVERDALE,    Quoml.  Exon. 
 
 To  the  right  worshipful  and  godly 
 learned  Mr  Robinson,  chaplain 
 to  my  lord  of  Canterbury  his 
 grace. 
 
GHOSTLY    PSALMS 
 
 AND 
 
 SPIRITUAL  SONGS. 
 
tirafoen  out  of  tj^c  jboly  Scripture,  for  it^t  cofor= 
 
 te  anti  tonsolacgon  of  sucjb  as  lobe 
 
 to  uiogse  in  ®ot«  antr 
 
 j^i's  tuorUe. 
 
 fsal. 
 
 (!^  prat)se  t|)c  Hovbc,  for  is  ft  a  gooli  tj^ingr  to 
 spnge  praijses  unto  oure  CSoti. 
 
 GToIIo.  III. 
 
 ^taci)  aniJ  cxljortc  nour  atone  sdbts  toitl)  ^sal- 
 
 mcs  anU  l^umncs  anli  ^pirituaU  Conges. 
 
 3|aco. 
 |9f  cny  of  nou  be  mery,  let  i)im  singe  ^salmcs 
 
 €a  tijc  i)0fec. 
 (§0  Ijjtie  JJo6r,  flct  ti^e  acquai'ntaitucc 
 ^mnitsc  tljr  Ic&cr^  nf  (Soli^  toorlfr 
 ©mc  tijcm  occa^yon  ti)C  iSamc  to  atiauiirc 
 ^nir  t0  maSc  tl^cnr  ^o»SC^  of  tljr  ilortrc 
 Cljat  tijcp  man  tiirust  ttntfrr  tfjr  fiorlrr 
 ^11  otljcr  fiallcttc^  cf  fyltljynrs" 
 aiitif  ttat  £00  all  fiottl^  one  arcorifr 
 i^ay  flcut  rns'ampir  of  Cfolflyur^ 
 ®o  lytle  fiofer  amoixgr  mcnsf  rijultrrtn 
 ^nlf  get  tljr  to  tl)cyr  rompanyc 
 5nrad)  ti^rin  to  iSyitflr  ye  romannlfcmcntriS  ten 
 ^ntr  otfjrr  ftallcttcjS  of  (Soti^  glory r 
 33c  not  asljamctr  ^  luaranUc  ti^f 
 Cljougl)  ttjou  fir  nxac  in  songr  antr  rymr 
 Clbou  sljalt  to  youtlj  some  occasion  fir 
 3n  gotfly  Sjportr^  to  pa^^r  tijryv  tymr. 
 
[GHOSTLY  PSALMS   AND   SPIRITUAL   SONGS. 
 
 This  edition  of  this  very  rare  volume  is  here  presented  from  a 
 copy  of  the  original  in  the  library  of  Queen's  College,  Oxfoixl,  by  the 
 obliging  pennission  of  the  Provost  and  Fellows  of  that  Society :  and 
 the  following  account  of  it  is  extracted  from  a  valuable  work,  entitled, 
 "  A  list  of  the  Bible  and  parts  thereof  in  English  from  the  year  M.DV. 
 to  M.DCCCXX,  by  Henry  Cotton,  D.C.L.  Oxford,  1821."  "It  is," 
 obseiTes  this  learned  writer,  "  perhaps  the  only  copy  now  remaining, 
 and  appears  to  have  been  unnoticed  by  all  our  bibliographers,  except 
 by  Foxe,  in  the  first  edition  of  the  book  of  Martyrs.  In  that  edition, 
 at  the  end  of  the  Injunctions  issued  by  king  Henry  VIII.,  anno  1539, 
 is  a  catalogue  of  books  forbidden ;  and  among  those  attributed  to 
 Coverdale  occurs,  '  Psalmes  and  Spiritual  Songes  dra,wn  out  of  the 
 holy  Scripture.'  No  mention  however  is  there  made,  whether  these 
 Psalms  were  in  prose  or  verse.  This  list  of  prohibited  books  seems 
 to  have  been  omitted  in  all  subsequent  editions  of  Foxe's  history ;  at 
 least  it  is  not  contained  in  those  of  the  years  1576,  1583,  1641,  and 
 1684;  nor  is  it  given  by  Wilkins  in  his  Concilia,  although  the  Injunc- 
 tions themselves  are  there  reprinted."  Cotton,  p.  157 — 8.  note.  It 
 is  evident,  therefore,  that  this  work  must  have  been  printed  before 
 1539. 
 
 It  would  appear,  therefore,  that  this  must  have  been  amongst  the 
 earliest,  if  not  the  very  earliest  attempt  at  a  metrical  Version  of  the 
 P,salms  in  our  language.  Dr  Cotton  mentions  also  one  in  1542; 
 a  version  of  Psalm  xxv.  by  Queen  Elizabeth ;  and  "  David's  harpe 
 newly  stringed  by  Theodore  Basille ;"  but  this  last  is  not  a  metrical 
 version ;  it  is  Becon's  piece,  published  under  the  name  of  Theodore 
 Basille.  (See  Becon's  Works,  Early  Writings,  Park.  Soc.  Ed.  p.  262.) 
 In  1549,  the  year  in  which  Sternhold  died,  thirty-seven  Psalms  -were 
 published  by  Day,  under  the  title  of  "  Psalmes  of  David,  drawn  into 
 English  metre  by  Thomas  Sternholde."  About  this  time  metrical 
 versions  of  the  Psalms  became  common,  as  is  shewn  by  Dr  Cotton, 
 p.  56,  &c. 
 
 This  edition  is  printed  from  the  original  with  no  other  alteration, 
 except  the  omission  of  the  musical  notes,  and  the  substitution  of  the 
 present  for  the  old  Gothic  type.  The  ancient  spelling  has  been  pre- 
 served throughout,  except  in  the  Address  to  tlie  reader.] 
 
MYLES  COVERDALE  UNTO  THE  CHRISTIAN 
 READER. 
 
 It  grieveth  me,  most  dear  reader,  when  I  consider  the 
 
 unthankfulness  of  men,  notwithstanding  the  great  abundant 
 
 mercy  and  kindness  of  Almighty  God,  which  so  plenteously 
 
 is  heaped  upon  us  on  every  side.      For  though  Christ  our 
 
 Matt.  iv.       Saviour  goeth  now  about  from  place  to  place  as  diligently  as 
 
 Mark  i.  "  l  1  o  e/ 
 
 ever  he  did,  teaching  in  every  country,  and  preaching  the 
 gospel  of  the  kingdom,  healing  all  manner  of  sicknesses  and 
 diseases  both  of  body  and  conscience  among  the  people ;  yet 
 is  the  unthankfulness  of  the  world  so  great,  that  where  ten  are 
 cleansed,  and  have  remission  of  their  sins,  there  is  scarce  one 
 that  Cometh  again  unto  Christ,  and  saith,  "Lord,  gramercy;" 
 Luke  xvii.  as  the  poor  Samaritan  did  in  the  gospel  of  Luke,  which  when 
 he  saw  that  he  was  cleansed,  turned  back  again,  and  with  a 
 loud  voice  praised  God,  and  fell  down  upon  his  face  at  Christ's 
 feet,  and  gave  him  thanks. 
 
 And  by  this  we  may  perceive,  what  causeth  us  to  be  so 
 unthankful  as  we  are ;  namely,  because  we  do  not  call  to 
 mind,  neither  consider,  that  we  are  cleansed,  as  this  man  did. 
 For  if  we  would  open  our  eyes,  and  remember  well,  what 
 kindness  it  is  that  the  Father  of  mercy  hath  shewed  us  in 
 Christ,  and  what  great  benefits  he  hath  done,  and  daily  doth, 
 for  us  in  him  and  for  his  sake ;  we  would  not  only  fall  down 
 upon  our  faces  and  give  him  thanks,  but  with  loud  voices 
 would  we  praise  him,  and  in  the  midst  of  the  congregation 
 would  we  extol  his  name,  as  David  and  Asaph  do  almost  in 
 every  psalm.  For  doubtless  whoso  believeth  that  God  loveth 
 him,  and  feeleth  by  his  faith,  that  he  hath  forgiven  him  all 
 his  sins,  and  careth  for  him,  and  delivereth  him  from  all  evil ; 
 whosoever  he  be,  I  say,  that  feeleth  this  in  his  heart,  shall 
 be  compelled  by  the  Spirit  of  God  to  break  out  into  praise 
 and  thanksgiving  therefore :  yea,  he  shall  not  be  content,  nor 
 fully  satisfied  in  his  mind,  till  other  men  know  also  what  God 
 hath  done  for  him,  but  shall  cry  and  call  upon  them,  as  David 
 
MYLES    COVERDALE    UNTO    THE    CHRISTIAN    READER.  537 
 
 doth,  saying :  "  0  praise  the  Lord  with  ine,  and  let  us  mao--  rsai.  xxxu-. 
 Tiify  his  name  together.  I  sought  the  Lord,  and  he  heard 
 me,  yea,  he  dehvered  me  out  of  all  my  fear."  And  in  the 
 -same  psalm  :  "0  taste  and  see  how  friendly  the  Lord  is : 
 ^blessed  is  the  man  that  trustcth  in  him."  xVnd  in  another 
 place :  *'  0  come  hither  and  hearken,  all  ye  that  fear  God  ;  Psai.  ixvi. 
 I  will  tell  you  what  he  hath  done  for  my  soul." 
 
 O  that  men  would  praise  the  goodness  of  the  Lord,  and 
 the  wonders  that  he  doth  for  the  children  of  men !  0  that 
 we  would  remember  Avhat  great  things  the  Father  of  mercy 
 hath  done,  doth  daily,  and  is  ever  ready  to  do  for  our  souls ! 
 O  tliat  men's  lips  were  so  opened,  that  their  mouths  might  ^^''''  ' 
 shew  the  praise  of  God !  Yea,  would  God  that  our  minstrels 
 had  none  other  thing  to  play  upon,  neither  our  carters  and 
 ploughmen  other  thing  to  whistle  upon,  save  psalms,  hymns, 
 and  such  godly  songs  as  David  is  occupied  withal !  And  if 
 women,  sitting  at  their  rocks  ^  or  spinning  at  the  wheels,  had 
 none  other  songs  to  pass  their  time  withal,  than  such  as 
 Moses'  sister,  Glehana's  wife,  Debora,  and  Mary  the  mother  Kxod.  xv. 
 
 "  1  Sam.  ii. 
 
 of  Christ,  have  sung  before  them,  they  should  be  better  oc-  -T^fig-  ^- ' 
 
 -IT  '  ./  Lukei. 
 
 cupied  than  with  liey  nony  nony,  hey  troly  loly,  and  such 
 like  phantasies. 
 
 If  young  men  also  that  have  the  gift  of  singing,  took 
 their  pleasure  in  such  wholesome  ballads  as  the  three  children 
 sing  in  the  fire,  and  as  Jesus  the  Son  of  Sirac  doth  in  his 
 last  chapter,  it  were  a  token,  both  that  they  felt  some  spark 
 of  God's  love  in  their  hearts,  and  that  they  also  had  some 
 love  unto  him ;  for  truly,  as  we  love,  so  sing  we ;  and  where 
 our  affection  is,  thence  cometh  our  mirth  and  joy.  When 
 our  hearts  are  tangled  with  the  vain  lusts  of  this  corrupt 
 world,  then,  if  we  be  merry  and  are  disposed  to  gladness, 
 our  mirth  is  nothing  but  wantonness  and  inordinate  pastime ; 
 and  when  we  are  sad,  our  heaviness  is  either  desperation,  or 
 else  some  carefulness  of  this  vain  world. 
 
 Contrariwise,  if  our  minds  be  fixed  upon  God,  and  we 
 isubdued  to  the  holy  desires  of  his  Spirit ;  then,  like  as  our 
 hearts  are  occupied  in  the  meditation  of  his  goodness  and 
 love  which  he  beareth  toward  us,  even  so  are  our  tongues 
 exercised  in  the  praise  of  his  holy  name :  so  that  when  we 
 [1  rock :  an  instrument  used  in  spinning.] 
 
538 
 
 MYLES    COVERDALE 
 
 C'oloss.  ii 
 James  v. 
 
 Gen.  v'. 
 
 are  merry,  our  pastime  and  pleasure,  our  joy,  mirth,  and 
 gladness  is  all  of  him.  And  as  for  our  hemnes^  when  we 
 are  sad,  (as  every  thing  must  have  a  time,)  it  is  either  patience 
 in  trouble,  repentance  for  offences  done  in  time  past,  com- 
 passion upon  other  men,  or  else  mourning  for  our  own  in- 
 firmities, because  our  body  of  sin  provoketh  us  so  oft  to  do 
 the  will  of  the  flesh.  And  thus  God  causeth  both  the  mirth 
 and  sorrow  of  them  that  love  him  to  work  for  their  profit, 
 as  all  other  things  turn  to  their  best. 
 
 Seeing  then  that,  as  the  prophet  David  saith,  it  is  so 
 good  and  pleasant  a  thing  to  praise  the  Lord,  and  so  ex- 
 pedient for  us  to  be  thankful ;  therefore,  to  give  our  youth 
 of  England  some  occasion  to  change  their  foul  and  corrupt 
 ballads  into  sweet  songs  and  spiritual  hymns  of  God's  honour, 
 and  for  their  own  consolation  in  him,  I  have  here,  good 
 reader,  set  out  certain  comfortable  songs  grounded  on  God's 
 word,  and  taken  some  out  of  the  holy  scripture,  specially  out 
 of  the  Psalms  of  David,  all  whom  would  God  that  our 
 musicians  would  learn  to  make  their  songs !  and  if  they 
 which  are  disposed  to  be  merry,  would  in  their  mirth  follow 
 the  counsel  of  St  Paul  and  St  James,  and  not  to  pass  their 
 time  in  naughty  songs  of  fleshly  love  and  wantonness,  but 
 with  singing  of  psalms,  and  such  songs  as  edify,  and  corrupt 
 not  men's  conversation. 
 
 As  for  the  common  sort  of  ballads  which  now  are  used 
 in  the  world,  I  report  me  to  every  good  man's  conscience, 
 what  wicked  fruits  they  bring.  Corrupt  they  not  the  man- 
 ners of  young  persons?  Do  they  not  tangle  them  in  the 
 snares  of  unclcanness?  Yes,  truly,  and  blind  so  the  eyes  of 
 their  understanding,  that  they  can  neither  think  well  in 
 their  hearts,  nor  outwardly  enter  into  the  way  of  godly  and 
 virtuous  living.  I  need  not  rehearse,  what  evil  ensamples  of 
 idleness,  corrupt  talking,  and  all  such  vices  as  follow  the 
 same,  are  given  to  young  people  through  such  unchristian 
 sono's.  Alas !  the  world  is  all  so  full  of  vicious  and  evil  livers 
 already,  it  is  no  need  to  cast  oil  in  the  fire.  Our  own 
 nature  provoketh  us  to  vices,  God  knowcth,  all-to  sore :  no 
 man  needeth  enticing  thereto. 
 
 Seeing;  then   that  we  are  commanded   not   to   love  this 
 world,  neither  the  lusts  thereof;    seeing,  1  say,  that  all  the 
 [1  hemnes:  hyinns.] 
 
UNTO    THE    CHRISTIAN    READER.  539 
 
 pleasures  and  joys  that  the  world  can  imagine,  are  but  vanity,  Psai.  ixii. 
 and  vanish  away  as  doth  the  smoke ;  what  cause  have  we 
 then  to  rejoice  so  much  therein  ?  AVhy  do  we  not  rather  take 
 these  worldly  lusts  for  our  very  enemies,  that  stop  the  Avay 
 betwixt  us  and  that  everlasting  joy,  which  is  prepared  for 
 us  in  heaven?  Why  do  we  not  rather  seek  the  things  that 
 are  above,  where  Christ  is  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  as  St 
 Paul  saith  ?  coio«.  ni 
 
 Wherefore  let  not  the  wise  man  rejoice  in  his  wisdom,  jer.  ix. 
 nor  the  strong  man  in  his  strength,  neither  the  rich  man  in 
 his  riches ;  yea,  (I  dare  be  bold  to  warn  them  that  will  be 
 counselled,)  let  not  the  courtier  rejoice  in  his  ballads,  let  not 
 youth  take  their  lust  and  pastime  in  wantonness  and  ignorance 
 of  God,  or  in  misspending  the  fruits  of  their  fathers'  labour : 
 but  let  us  altogether,  from  the  most  unto  the  least,  be  glad, 
 rejoice,  and  be  merry  even  from  our  heart,  that  we  have 
 gotten  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord  among  us,  that  we  are 
 sure  of  his  love  and  favour,  and  that  our  names  are  written  luj^^  ^ 
 in  heaven. 
 
 The  children  of  Israel  in  the  old  time,  when  God  had 
 delivered  them  from  their  enemies,  gave  thanks  unto  him, 
 and  made  their  song  of  him,  as  thou  seest  by  Moses,  Barak,  exou.  xv. 
 David,  and  other  more.  Why  should  not  we  then  make  our  2  slfn.^xxii 
 songs  and  mirth  of  God,  as  well  as  they  ?  Hath  he  not  done 
 as  much  for  us  as  for  them?  Hath  he  not  delivered  us  from 
 as  great  troubles  as  them  ?  Yes,  doubtless.  Why  should  he 
 not  then  be  our  pastime,  as  well  as  theirs  ? 
 
 As  for  such  psalms  as  the  scripture  describeth,  (beside 
 the  great  consolation  that  they  bring  into  the  heart  of  the 
 spiritual  singer,)  they  do  not  only  cause  him  to  spend  his 
 time  well  by  exercising  himself  in  the  sweet  word  of  God; 
 but  through  such  ensamples  they  provoke  other  men  also 
 unto  the  praise  of  God  and  virtuous  living.  iVnd  this  is  the 
 very  right  use  wherefore  psalms  should  be  sung ;  namely, 
 to  comfort  a  man's  heart  in  God,  to  make  him  thankful,  and 
 to  exercise  him  in  his  word,  to  encourage  him  in  the  way  of 
 godliness,  and  to  provoke  other  men  unto  the  same.  By 
 this  thou  mayest  perceive,  what  spiritual  edifying  cometh  of 
 godly  psalms  and  songs  of  God's  word ;  and  what  incon- 
 venience followeth  the  corrupt  ballads  of  this  vain  world. 
 
 Now,  beloved  reader,  thou  seest  the  occasion  of  this  my 
 
540  MYLES    COVERDALE    UNTO    THE    CHRISTIAN     READER. 
 
 small  labour.  Wherefore,  if  thou  perceivcst  that  the  very 
 word  of  God  is  the  matter  thereof,  I  pray  thee  accept  it,  use 
 it,  and  provoke  youth  unto  the  same.  And  if  thou  feelest  in 
 thine  heart,  that  all  the  Lord's  deahng  is  very  mercy  and 
 kindness,  cease  not  then  to  be  thankful  unto  him  therefore: 
 but  in  thy  mirth  be  alway  singing  of  him,  that  his  blessed 
 name  may  be  praised  now  and  ever.     Amen. 
 
541 
 
 GOOSTLY  PSALMES  AND  SPIRITUALL  SONGES. 
 
 TO  THE  HOLY  GOOST. 
 
 O  Holy  Spirite  our  comfortoure, 
 For  grace  and  help,  Lorde,  now  we  call ; 
 Teach  us  to  know  Christ  our  Savioure, 
 And  his  Father's  mercy  over  all. 
 From  his  swete  worde  let  us  not  fall ; 
 But  lyft  up  our  hertes  alway  to  the, 
 That  we  may  receave  it  thankfully. 
 
 Nowe  seynge  we  are  come  together, 
 To  heare  the  wordcs  of  verite ; 
 In  understandynge  be  thou  guyder, 
 That  we  may  folowe  the  voyce  of  the. 
 From  straunge  lernynge,   Lorde,  kepo  us  fre, 
 That  we  thorowe  them  be  not  begyled  : 
 Kepe  our  understandynge  undefyled. 
 
 We  praye  the  also,  blessed  Lorde, 
 Enflame  our  hertes  so  with  thy  grace. 
 That  in  our  lives  we  folowe  thy  Avorde, 
 And  one  forge ve  another's  trespace. 
 To  amende  our  lyvcs,  Lorde,  geve  us  space ; 
 With  thy  godly  frutes  endewe  us  all. 
 That  from  thy  worde  we  never  fall. 
 
 Let  us  not  have  thy  worde  only 
 
 In  our  mouthe  and  in  our  talkynge : 
 
 But  both  in  dede  and  verite 
 
 Let  us  shewe  it  in  our  lyvvno-e. 
 
 Make  us  frutefull  in  every  thynge. 
 
 And  in  good  workes  so  to  encrease, 
 
 That  whyle  we  lyve,  we  may  the  please. 
 
542  GHOSTLY    PSALMS    AND    SPIRITUAL    SONGS. 
 
 0  Lorde,  lende  us  thy  strength  and  power, 
 
 To  mortiiie  all  carnall  luste : 
 
 In  all  our  trouble  sende  us  succour, 
 
 That  we  faynt  not  in  the  to  truste. 
 
 And  make  us  stronge  to  suffer  with  Christe, 
 
 Beynge  pacient  in  adversite. 
 
 And  in  all  thynges  thankfull  to  the. 
 
 ANOTHER  OF  THE  SAME. 
 
 Come,  holy  Spirite,  most  blessed  Lorde, 
 Fulfyl  our  hartes  nowe  with  thy  grace; 
 And  make  our  myndes  of  one  accorde, 
 Kyndle  them  with  love  in  every  place. 
 O  Lorde,  thou  forgevest  our  trespace. 
 And  callest  the  folke  of  every  countre 
 To  the  ryght  fayth  and  truste  of  thy  grace. 
 That  they  may  geve  thankes  and  synge  to  thee, 
 
 AUeluya,  Alleluya. 
 
 O  holy  lyght,  mostc  principall, 
 The  worde  of  lyfe  shewe  unto  us ; 
 And  cause  us  to  knowe  God  over  all 
 For  our  owne  Father  moste  gracious. 
 Lorde,  kepe  us  from  lernyng  venymous, 
 That  we  folowe  no  masters  but  Christe, 
 He  is  the  verite,  his  worde  sayth  thus; 
 Cause  us  to  set  in  hym  our  truste. 
 
 Alleluya,  Alleluya. 
 
 O  holy  fyre,  and  conforth  moste  swete, 
 Fyll  our  hertes  with  fayth  and  boldnesse, 
 To  abyde  by  the  in  colde  and  hete, 
 Content  to  suffre  for  ryghteousnesse : 
 O  Lord,  geve  strength  to  our  weaknesse, 
 And  send  us  helpe  every  houre ; 
 That  we  may  overcome  all  wyckednesse. 
 And  brynge  this  olde  Adam  under  thy  power, 
 
 Alleluya,  Alleluya, 
 
GHOSTLY    PSALMS    AND    SPIRITUAL    SONGS.  543 
 
 ANOTHER  OF  THE  SAME. 
 
 Thou  holy  Spirite,  we  pray  to  the, 
 Strengthe  oure  fayth  and  increase  it  alwaye ; 
 Comforth  oure  hertes  in  adversite 
 With  trewe  beleve  bothe  nyght  and  daye. 
 
 Kirieleyson. 
 
 Thou  worthy  lyght,  that  art  so  cleare, 
 Teache  us  Christe  Jesu  to  knowe  alone; 
 That  we  have  never  cause  to  feare 
 In  hym  to  have  rederapcyon. 
 
 Kirieleyson. 
 
 Thou  swete  love,  graunt  us  altogether 
 To  be  unfayned  in  charite; 
 That  we  may  all  love  one  another, 
 And  of  one  mynde  alwaye  to  be. 
 
 Kirieleyson. 
 
 Be  thou  our  confortoure  in  all  nede ; 
 Make  us  to  feare  nether  death  nor  shame; 
 But  in  the  treuth  to  be  stablyshed. 
 That  Sathan  put  us  not  to  blame. 
 
 Ku'ieleyson. 
 
 UNTO  THE  TRENITE. 
 
 God  the  Father,  dwell  us  by, 
 And  let  us  never  do  amysse; 
 Geve  us  grace  with  wyll  to  dye, 
 And  make  us  redy  to  thy  blysse. 
 
 From  the  devel's  myght  and  powre, 
 Kepe  us  in  fayth  every  houre; 
 And  ever  let  us  buylde  on  the, 
 With  hole  herte  trustynge  stedfastly. 
 
 Oure  fleshe  is  weake,  the  devell  is  stronge, 
 He  wolde  overthrowe  us  ever  amonge. 
 Without  the  can  we  never  spede; 
 Now  helpe  us  therfore  in  our  node. 
 
544  GHOSTLY    PSALMS    AND    SPIRITUAL    SONGS. 
 
 Amen,  amen,  let  it  be  so ; 
 The  shall  we  synge  Alleluya. 
 
 Jesus  Christe,  now  dwell  us  by 
 And  let  us  never  do  amysse. 
 Holy  Goost,  now  dwell  us  by, 
 And  let  us  never  do  amysse. 
 
 THE  TEN  COMMANDEMENTES  OF  GOD. 
 
 These  are  the  holy  eommaundements  ten, 
 Which  God  oure  Lorde  gave  so  strately, 
 By  Moses  his  servaunte,  unto  all  men, 
 Upon  the  hygh  hyll  of  Sinia. 
 
 Kirieleyson. 
 
 Exod.  XX.  Thou  shalt  have  none  other  God  but  me ; 
 
 Set  thou  thy  trust  in  me  alone ; 
 Love  and  dred  me  unfaynedly, 
 AVith  harte  and  mynde  at  all  season. 
 
 Kirieleyson. 
 
 Deut.  V.  Thou  shalt  not  talce  my  name  in  vayne, 
 
 But  call  on  it  in  all  thy  nede : 
 From  othes  and  lyes  thou  shalt  refrayne, 
 That  my  name  be  not  dishonoured. 
 
 Kirieleyson. 
 
 H^b.  iv.  The  Saboth  day  halowe  thou  to  me, 
 
 As  I  rested  fro  my  workynge : 
 So  cease  thou  from  all  vanite. 
 That  I  maye  worke  in  the  all  thynge. 
 
 Kirieleyson. 
 
 Ephes.  vi.  Ilonoure  thy  father  and  mother  also, 
 
 With  men  that  are  in  auctorite  ; 
 
 Obeye  them  all,  where  ever  thou  go ; 
 K^inxiii.  So  shall  thy  lyfe  be  longe  truely. 
 
 Kirieleyson. 
 
 JfJ/_|  ]^':.  Thou  shalt  not  kyll,   nor  hate  any   man, 
 
 Nor  yet  beare  malyce  in  thy  mynde. 
 
GHOSTLY    PSALMS    AND    SPIRITUAL    SONGS.  545 
 
 Do  thy  enemyes  the  best  thou  can,  Matt.  v. 
 
 And  to  all  men  so  thou  be  kynde. 
 
 Kirieleyson. 
 
 Thy  wedlocke  shalt  thou  kepe  truly, 
 And  keepe  other  men  to  do  the  same ; 
 That  whordome  and  dishonestie 
 May  be  destroyed  and  put  to  blame. 
 
 Kirieleyson. 
 
 Thou  shalt  not  steale  thy  neghbour's  good, 
 
 Nor  get  it  with  false  marchaundyse ; 
 
 But  worke  with  thyne  hande  to  get  thy  food,  Ephes.  iv. 
 
 And  to  sustayne  the  poore  helplesse. 
 
 Kirieleyson. 
 
 Agaynst  no  man  beare  false  witnessc. 
 
 And  speake  no  evell  to  hurte  his  name  : 
 
 But  yf  he  fall  thorowe  his  weaknesse,  oai  vi. 
 
 Do  thou  thy  best  to  cover  his  shame. 
 
 Kirieleyson. 
 
 Thou  shalt  not  thy  neghbour's  house  desyre. 
 His  wyfe,  servaunt,  nor  mayde  also ; 
 But  shalt  be  glad  his  good  to  forbeare, 
 As  thou  thyselfe  woldest  be  done  to.  Matt.  vu. 
 
 Kirieleyson. 
 
 ANOTHER  OF  THE  SAME. 
 
 Man,  wylt  thou  lyve  vertuously, 
 
 And  with  God  reygne  eternally, 
 
 ]\Ian,  must  thou  kepe  these  commaundements  ten 
 
 That  God  commaunded  to  all  men. 
 
 Kirieleyson. 
 
 I  am  thy  God  and  Lorde  alone ; 
 Without  me  shalt  thou  other  have  none. 
 Thy  herte  shall  trust  on  me  alwaye, 
 Love  and  feare  me  both  nyght  and  daye. 
 
 Kirieleyson. 
 
 Thou  shalt  honoure  my  name  with  spede. 
 And  call  on  it  in  all  thy  nede. 
 
 [COVERDALE.    II. J 
 
546 
 
 GHOSTLY    PSALMS    AND    SPIRITUAL    SONGS'. 
 
 Heb.  iv. 
 
 Matt.  XV. 
 
 Matt.  V. 
 Heb.  xiii. 
 
 Ephes.  iv. 
 Exod.  XX. 
 
 Thou  shalt  halo  wo  the  Saboth  daye, 
 That  I  maye  worke  m  the  alwaye. 
 
 Kirieleyson. 
 
 Honoure  thy  father  and  mother  also ; 
 Obey  thou  them  where  ever  thou  go. 
 No  man's  persone  desyre  to  kyll ; 
 And  thy  wedlocke  shalt  thou  fulfyll. 
 
 Kirieleyson. 
 
 From  thy  neghboure  steale  thou  nothynge, 
 Nor  false  witnesse  agaynst  hym  brynge. 
 Thy  neghbour's  house  thou  shalt  not  desyre, 
 His  wife  and  good  shalt  thou  forbeare. 
 
 Kirieleyson. 
 
 John  xiv. 
 
 Luke  ii. 
 
 Matt.  i. 
 Mark  xv. 
 Mark  xvi. 
 Luke 
 Matt.  XXV. 
 
 THE  CHEDE. 
 
 We  beleve  all  upon  one  God ; 
 
 Maker  of  heven  and  erth  he  is  truly. 
 
 Oure  father  deare  he  hath  hym  made, 
 
 That  Ave  all  his  chyldren  myght  be. 
 
 He  provydeth  for  us  dayly. 
 
 Body  and  soule  defendeth  he  strongly. 
 
 All  mysfortune  shall  from  us  fle, 
 
 No  harme  shall  happen  to  any  of  us. 
 
 He  caretli  for  us  both  daye  and  nyght ; 
 
 He  is  oure  keper  most  gracyous  : 
 
 Al  thynge  stode  in  his  powre  and  myght. 
 
 We  beleve  all  on  Christe  Jesu, 
 
 His  owne  Sonne  and  oure  Lordc  most  deare ; 
 
 Which  in  Godhead,  power,  and  vcrtue 
 
 Is  alway  lyke  to  his  Father. 
 
 Of  the  glorious  Virgyn  Mary 
 
 Was  he  borne  a  man  undoutedly, 
 
 Thorowe  the  Holy  Gooste's  workying  fre : 
 
 For  he  deed  and  buried  truely. 
 
 He  rose  up  the  thyrde  daye  alone ; 
 
 To  heaven  ascended  he  myghtely. 
 
 And  shall  come  to  judge  us  echone'. 
 
 [1  cchonc:  each  one] 
 
GHOisTLY    rSALMS    AND    Sl'IRITUAL    SONGS.  547 
 
 We  beleve  all  on  the  Holy  Goost; 
 
 Lyke  the  Father  and  Sonne  in  Trcnite ;  uoimv. 
 
 In  all  our  trouble  oure  comforte  most, 
 
 And  in  all  oure  adversite. 
 
 One  holy  church  beleve  we  all,  Ephes.  iv. 
 
 Which  is  fylled  with  sayntes  great  and  small ; 
 
 And  for  synne  can  it  never  fall. 
 
 Of  synnes  there  is  clone  remission:  Johnxx. 
 
 Our  flesh  shall  aryse  without  doutyngc  :  i  cor.  xv. 
 
 There  is  prepared  for  us  everychone 
 
 A  lyfe  that  is  everlastynge. 
 
 ANOTHER  OF  THE  SAME. 
 
 In  God  I  trust,  for  so  I  must; 
 
 He  hath  made  heaven  and  earth  also ; 
 
 My  Father  is  he,  his  chylde  am  1; 
 
 My  conforte  he  is,  I  have  no  mo : 
 
 In  all  my  nede  he  maketh  me  spedc ; 
 
 His  powre  is  with  me  alwaye, 
 
 To  keepe  me  every  daye. 
 
 There  is  no  evell  can  have  his  wyll 
 
 Agaynst  my  health  nor  yet  my  wealth. 
 
 But  it  muste  come  to  my  furtheraunce. 
 
 He  is  my  kynge,  that  ruleth  all  thynge; 
 
 The  devell  can  make  no  hynderaunce. 
 
 So  do  I  trust  on  Jesu  Christ, 
 
 His  Sonne  conceaved  of  the  Holy  Goost;  uj.tt.i. 
 
 Borne  of  Marye  a  virgin  fre,  Lukeu. 
 
 For  all  my  synnes  to  paye  the  cost. 
 
 For  deed  was  he  and  buried  trucly ;  Jiait  xv. 
 
 The  gates  of  hell  hath  he  broken. 
 
 And  heaven  hath  he  made  open. 
 
 He  rose  truely  the  thyrdc  daye  fre  ;  i  c^-  ^v. 
 
 He  went  up  ryght  to  the  Father  of  myght; 
 
 And  shall  apeare  at  domes-daye  :  ^!<-rk  xvi. 
 
 For  judge  shall  he  all  the  worlde  truely,  ^'='^'- 
 
 And  dryve  myne  enemyes  all  awaye. 
 
 I  also  truste  on  the  Holy  Goost, 
 
 Lykc  the  Father  and  Sonne  in  Trcnite  ;  i  J"''"  ^•■ 
 
 35—2 
 
548 
 
 GHOSTLY    PSALMS     AND    SPIRITUAL    SONGS. 
 
 Acts  XXI. 
 Matt.  vi. 
 
 Gen.  vi. 
 
 Matt.  vi. 
 
 Luke  xi. 
 Matt,  vi.. 
 
 My  conforth  best  in  all  evell  rest, 
 
 In  all  my  nede  my  cliefest  remedie. 
 
 A  Church  holy  I  beleve  truely, 
 
 Which  is  but  one  generall : 
 
 For  synne  can  it  never  fall ; 
 
 A  company  of  sayntes  they  be. 
 
 Of  synfulnesse  true  forgyvenesse 
 
 Is  from  amonge  them  never. 
 
 Our  fleshe  verely  shall  ryse  in  glory  ; 
 
 So  shall  we  lyve  with   God  for  ever. 
 
 OF  THE  PATER  NOSTER. 
 
 O  Father  ours  celestiall, 
 
 We  praye  to  the ; 
 
 Thou  wylt  have  us  on  the  to  call 
 
 In  spirite  and  verite. 
 
 Thy  godly  name  be  sanctified 
 
 In  great  honoure 
 
 x\monge  us  all ;  and  halowed 
 
 Also  every  houre. 
 
 The  kyndome  of  thy  grace  drawe  nye, 
 
 That  thou  mayst  dwell  alwaye  in  us 
 
 With  thy  holy  Spirite  continually, 
 
 That  we  remayne  not  vicious  : 
 
 But  as  thou  hast  geven  us  thy  Spirite, 
 
 So  let  us  ever  do  good  thorowe  it. 
 
 We  praye  the  also,  blessed  Lorde, 
 
 Let  thy  will  be  done 
 
 Amongst  us  here  with  one  accorde. 
 
 As  in  heaven  all  season. 
 
 And  let  us  never  oure  wyll  fulfyll. 
 
 But  thyne  alwaye : 
 
 For  ours  is  wycked  and  geven  to  evell, 
 
 Truely  both  nyght  and  day. 
 
 And  geve  us  ever  oure  dayly  bred, 
 
 Both  for  oure  body  and  soule  also ; 
 
 And  let  us  with  thy  worde  be  fed. 
 
 That  we  be  never  kepte  therefro. 
 
 Lorde,  sende  us  true  shepherdes  therefore, 
 
 To  fede  us  thy  shepe  evermore. 
 
GHOSTLY    PSALMS    AND    SPIRITUAL    SONGS. 
 
 Forgcve  our  dettes  and  synfulncssc, 
 
 Lorde,  we  the  praye ; 
 
 Where  we  have  greved  the  move  or  lesso, 
 
 Ether  by  nyght  or  daye. 
 
 For  we  forgevc  them  that  grcve  us, 
 
 Or  do  us  cvell; 
 
 Trusty nge  that  thou  wylt  be  gracyous, 
 
 Thy  promyse  to  fulfyll. 
 
 In  no  tentacyon,  Lorde,  us  brynge, 
 
 Nor  suffre  us  for  to  fall  from  the; 
 
 But  be  cure  keepe  in  every  thynge. 
 
 And  kepe  us  from  all  ioperdy 
 
 Both  of  our  body  and  soule  also, 
 
 And  delyver  us  whereever  we  go. 
 
 i49 
 
 Luke  xi. 
 
 ANOTHER  OF  THE  SAME. 
 
 O  OURE  Father  celcstiall, 
 Now  are  we  come  to  praye  to  the: 
 We  are  thy  chyldrcn,  therefore  wc  call; 
 Hear  us.  Father,  mercifully. 
 Now  blessed  be  thy  godly  name, 
 And  ever  amonge  us  sanctified: 
 There  is  none  other  but  this  same, 
 AVherby  mankynde  must  be  saved. 
 
 Kirielcyson. 
 
 Thy  kyngdome  come:  reigne  thou  m  us. 
 For  to  expell  all  synne  awayc ; 
 Let  not  Sathan  dwell  in  thy  house. 
 To  put  the  forth  by  nyght  nor  day. 
 
 i  ,  Ti  11  Luke  xi. 
 
 Fulfylled  be  thy  godly  wyll  Acuxxi 
 
 Among  us  all,  for  it  is  ryght; 
 As  they  in  heaven  do  it  fulfyll, 
 So  let  us  do  both  daye  and  nyght. 
 
 Kirielcyson. 
 
 Our  dayly  bred  geve  us  this  daye; 
 And  let  us  never  perysh  for  nede. 
 The  litle  byrdes  thou  fedest  alwaye ; 
 Thyne  own  chyldren  than  must  thou  fedc. 
 
 Luke  xi. 
 
00(i  GHOSTLY    PSALMS    AND    SPIRITUAL    SONGS. 
 
 Our  dettes  are  great;  forgeve  us,  Lorde, 
 Matt,  xviii.  As  we  cure  detters  all  forgeve ; 
 
 And  let  us  alwaje  be  restored 
 To  thy  mercy,  that  we  may  lyve. 
 
 Kirieleyson. 
 
 Tentacyon  is  sore  in  use, 
 
 And  strongly  now  are  we  proved; 
 
 Good  Lorde,  thou  mayst  us  not  refuse. 
 
 We  pray  the  with  us  to  abyde : 
 
 Not  that  alone,  but  helpe  us  out 
 
 From  parels  all  and  ioperdy : 
 
 Let  no  evell  sprete  put  us  in  doute 
 
 Of  thy  favour  and  great  mercy. 
 
 Kirieleyson. 
 
 BE  GLAD  NOW,  ALL  YE  CHRLSTEN  ]\IEK 
 
 Be  glad  now,  all  ye  christen  men. 
 
 And  let  us  rejoyce  unfaynedly. 
 
 The  kyndnesse  cannot  be  written  with  penne. 
 
 That  we  have  receaved  of  God's  mercy ; 
 
 Whose  love  towarde  us  hath  never  endc  : 
 
 He  hath  done  for  us  as  a  frende ; 
 
 Now  let  us  thanke  him  hartely. 
 
 I  was  a  prysoncr  of  the  devell ; 
 p.om.  V.  With  death  was  1  also  utterly  lost ; 
 
 My  synnes  drove  me  dayly  to  hell ; 
 Psalm  li.  Therein  was  I  borne ;   this  may  I  best. 
 
 I  was  also  in  them  once  ryfe  ; 
 Psalm  xiv.  There  was  no  virtue  in  my  lyfe, 
 
 To  take  my  pleasure  I  spared  no  cost. 
 
 Rom.  iii.  Unto  my  workes  I  trusted  to  sore : 
 
 But  they  coulde  not  helpe,  nor  yet  fro  wyll ; 
 R^n,.  i,i_  My  herte  was  not  the  better  therefore, 
 
 Gen.  vi.  For  I  was  alwaye  gevcn  to  evell. 
 
 My  conscience  drove  me  to  despayre; 
 
 It  was  so  vexed  all  with  feare ; 
 
 There  was  no  helpe,  but  synke  to  hell. 
 
GHOSTLY    PSALMS    AND    SPIRITUAL    SONGS.  551 
 
 Than  God  eternall  had  pitie  on  mo, 
 
 To  ryd  me  fro  my  wyckednesse.  Luuei. 
 
 He  thought  of  his  plenteous  great  mercy, 
 
 And  wolde  not  leave  me  comfortlessc. 
 
 He  turned  to  me  his  fatherly  herte,  Ephes.  i. 
 
 And  wolde  I  shoulde  with  hym  have  parte 
 
 Of  all  his  costly  ryches. 
 
 He  spake  to  his  deare  beloved  Sonne, 
 
 The  tyme  is  nowe  to  have  mercye ; 
 
 Thou  must  be  man's  redempcyon, 
 
 And  lowse  hym  from  captivite. 
 
 Thou  must  hym  helpe  from  trouble  of  synne ; 
 
 From  paynfull  death  thou  must  hym  wynnc, 
 
 That  he  may  lyve  eternally. 
 
 God's  Sonne  was  redy  so  to  do  *,  rhii.  ii. 
 
 Into  this  worlde  he  cam  to  mc ; 
 
 Borne  of  a  virgen  pure  also,  iTim.i. 
 
 Because  he  thought  my  brother  to  be. 
 
 For  in  my  shape  he  dyd  apeare,  Lukeii. 
 
 Me  to  dely  ver  whole  from  feare,  neb.  a. 
 
 And  from  all  evell  to  make  me  fro.  p'i'I-  »■ 
 
 These  lovynge  wordes  he  spake  to  me : 
 
 I  wyll  dely  ver  thy  soule  from  payne ; 
 
 I  am  desposed  to  do  for  the, 
 
 And  to  myne  owne  selfe  the  to  retayne. 
 
 Thou  shalt  be  with  me,  for  thou  art  myne ;  joim  xiv. 
 
 And  I  with  the,  for  I  am  thyne ; 
 
 Soch  is  my  love,  I  can  not  layne. 
 
 They  wyll  shed  out  my  precyous  blonde. 
 
 And  take  away  my  lyfe  also ; 
 
 Which  I  wyll  suffre  all  for  thy  good: 
 
 Beleve  this  sure,  where  ever  thou  go. 
 
 For  I  wyll  yet  ryse  up  agayne ;  ^ra«-  xx. 
 
 Thy  synnes  I  beare,  though  it  be  payne. 
 
 To  make  the  safe  and  fre  from  wo. 
 
 I  wyll  go  from  this  worldly  lyfe  johnxvi. 
 
 To  my  deare  Father,  with  him  to  lyve : 
 Yet  am  I  with  the  in  batell  and  stryfe ; 
 Pure  Spirite  of  truth  I  wyll  the  geve. 
 
552  GHOSTLY    PSALMS    AND    SPIRITUAL    SONGS. 
 
 AVhich  shall  the  conforte  in  hcvynes, 
 
 And  lede  the  into  godlynes  : 
 
 Thus  wyll  I  all  thy  synnes  forgyve. 
 
 Matt,  xxviii.  Soch  tliynges  I   have  taught  and  done, 
 
 Shalt  thou  both  teach  and  do  also. 
 Geve  thankes  for  thy  redompcyon, 
 And  knowlege  my  worde,  where  ever  thou  go 
 And  kepe  the  well  from  straunge  lernynge, 
 Which  maye  the  to  destruction  brynge ; 
 So  wyll  I  never  departe  the  fro. 
 
 NOW  IS  CURE  HELTH  COME  FROM  ABOVE. 
 
 Now   is  oure  health   come  from  above, 
 For   God  hath  shewed  us  his  mercy : 
 We  cannot  deserve  to   have  his   love ; 
 Yet  Christ  hath  brought  us  liberte 
 Fro  all  oure  synnes  and  wickedness, 
 Oure  naughtie  lyfe  and  watoncs, 
 And   wyll   not   codene   us   truly. 
 
 Acts  XV.  What   God  had  commaundcd  in  the  lawe 
 
 Were  wc  not  sufficient  for  to  do ; 
 
 For  oure   stomakes  it  Avas  to  rawe ; 
 Ephes.  ii.  God's  wrath  reigned  in  us  also. 
 
 Rom.  viii.  Oure  flcsli  was  weake,   it  had  no  niyght ; 
 
 We  could  e  not  geve  the  Sprete  his  ryght ; 
 
 Oure  flesh  wolde   not  consent  therto. 
 
 Yet  had  we  a  false   meanyng  therbye, 
 And  thought  the  law  was  gcven   thcrforc ; 
 As   who  sayc  we   were  all  so  frc 
 God's  lawe  to  fulfyll  evermore. 
 Gal.  Hi.  The  law  is  but  a  scolemaster, 
 
 Which  doth   oure  naturall  evell  declare, 
 That  causeth  us  to  synne  so   sore. 
 
 For  all  this  must  the  lawe  be   donne ; 
 Els  had  we  ben  all  utterly  lost. 
 Gal.  iv.  Therefore  hath  God  sent  his  deare  Sonne, 
 
 Which  was  made  man  to  paye  the  cost. 
 
GHOSTLY     PSALMS    AND    SPIRITUAL    SONGS.  553 
 
 The  hole  law  hath  he  well  fulfylled; 
 His  Father's  anger  hath  he  stylled, 
 To  do  it  else  no  man  coulde   boost. 
 
 The  lawe  therefore  sheweth   us  oure  synne, 
 And  smyttcth  oure  conscience  to  the   grounde: 
 But  when  the  gospell  commeth  therln, 
 It  lyfteth  us  up,  and  maketh  us  sounde. 
 Our  synne  is  great,  but  mercy  is  more; 
 Our  conscience  oft  doth  greve  us  sore, 
 But  Christe  hath  stopped  that  bloudy  wounde. 
 
 When  I  consyder  this  in  my  mynde, 
 
 What  God  in  Christe  hath  done  for  me; 
 
 I  can  in  no  wyse  be  unkynde, 
 
 Nor  use  myself  unchristenly. 
 
 I  am  compelled  godly  to  lyve. 
 
 My  neghbour's  fautes  to  forgeve, 
 
 As  Christ  dyd  for  me  mercyfully. 
 
 So  are  good  workes  the  very  frutc 
 
 Of  hym  that  beleveth  stedfastly. 
 
 A  good  tre  with  good  frutes  breaketh  out, 
 
 As  the  gospell  doth  testifie. 
 
 For  lyke  as  fayth  hangeth  whole  on  God, 
 
 Sq  shulde  our  workes  do   other  men  good: 
 
 For   fayth  without   them  can  not   be. 
 
 0  hevenly  Father,   grant  thy  grace 
 
 Thv  name  in  us  to  be  sanctified: 
 
 Thy  kyngdome  come;  thy  wyll  alwayes 
 
 Amonge  us  all  be  fulfylled. 
 
 Fede  us,  and  forgeve  all   our  evell ; 
 
 Lede  us  not  in  tentacion  styll ; 
 
 From  evell  delyver  us  at  oure  ncde. 
 
 CHRIST  IS  THE  ONLY  SONNE  OF  GOD. 
 
 Christ  is  the  only   Sonne   of  God, 
 The  Father   etcrnall : 
 We  have  in  Jesse  foude  this  rod, 
 God  and  man  naturall; 
 
 Matth.  V. 
 
 Rom.  vii. 
 
 Bom.  V. 
 
 Ephes.  iv. 
 
 Matt.  vii. 
 
 Matt.  vi. 
 Luke  xi. 
 
554  GHOSTLY    PSALMS    AND    SPIRITUAL    SONGS. 
 
 He  is  the  mornynge  star; 
 
 His  beames  sendeth  he  out  farre, 
 
 Beyonde  other  starres  all 
 
 Lukei.  JJq    -y^g^g    £qj.    ^g    g^    jjjg^j^    bomC 
 
 In  the  last  parte  of  tyme ; 
 
 Yet  kepte  the  maydenheade  unfolorne 
 
 His  mother  that  bare  hym : 
 
 He  hath  hell  gates  broken, 
 
 And  heaven  hath  he  made  open, 
 
 Bryngynge  us  lyfe  agayne. 
 
 Thou  only  maker  of  all  thynge, 
 Thou  everlastynge  lyght, 
 From  ende  to  ende  all  rulynge, 
 By  thyne  owne  godly  myght ; 
 Turne  thou  oure  hartes  unto  the ; 
 And  lyghten  them   with  the  veritie, 
 That  they  erre  not  from  the  ryght. 
 
 Let  us  increase  in  love  of  the, 
 And  in  knowlege  also ; 
 That  we  belevynge  stedfastly 
 Johniv.  May  in  spirite  serve  the  so. 
 
 That  we  in  our  hartes  may  savoure 
 Thy  mercy  and  thy  favoure, 
 And  to  thyrst  after  no  mo. 
 
 Awake  us,  Lorde,  we  praye  the ; 
 Thy  holy  Spirite  us  geve, 
 Which  maye  oure  olde  man  mortifie, 
 That  oure  new  man  maye  lyve. 
 So  wyll  we  alwaye  thanke  the. 
 That  shewest  us  so  great  mercye, 
 And  oure  synnes  dost  forgeve. 
 
 MEDIA  VITA. 
 
 In  the  myddest  of  our  lyvynge 
 Death  compaseth  us  rounde  about  ; 
 Who  shulde  us  now  sucour  brynge, 
 By  whose  grace  we  maye  come  out? 
 
GHOSTLY    PSALMS    AND    SPIRITUAL    SONGS.  555 
 
 Even  tliou,  Lorde  Jesu,  alone: 
 
 It  doth  oure  liartes  sore  grevc  truly, 
 
 That  we  have  offended  the. 
 
 O  Lord  God,  most  holy, 
 
 O  Lord  God,  most  myghtie, 
 
 O  holy  and  mercyfull  Saviom^e, 
 
 Thou  most  worthy  God  eternal!, 
 
 Suffre  us  not  at  our  last  houro 
 
 For  any  death  from  the  to  fall. 
 
 •^  Kirieleyson. 
 
 In  the  myddest  of  oure  dyenge 
 
 "We  are  vexed  with  hello's  payne. 
 
 Who  shulde  helpe  us  out  of  this  thynge, 
 
 With  stronge  fayth  to  resyste  agayne? 
 
 Even  thou,  Lorde  Jesu,  alone. 
 
 For  whan  we  crye  and  call  on  the, 
 
 Thou  art  moved  than  with  mercye. 
 
 O  Lorde  God,  most  holy, 
 
 O  Lorde  God,  most  myghtye, 
 
 O  holy  and  mercyfull  Savioure, 
 
 Thou  most  worthy  God  eternall, 
 
 Suffre  us  not  at  oure  last  houre 
 
 For  any  hell  from  the  to  fall. 
 
 Kirieleyson. 
 
 In  the  myddest  of  oure  hello's  payne 
 
 Oure  owne  synnes  vexe  us  greatly. 
 
 Who  shulde  save  us  from  despayre  agayne, 
 
 That  we  maye  holde  by  thy  mercye? 
 
 Even  thou,  Lorde  Jesu,  alone  : 
 
 For  thy  deare  blonde  ryght  plenteously    ■ 
 
 Was  shed  out  for  oure  synnes  frely. 
 
 O  Lorde  God,  most  holy, 
 
 O  Lorde  God,  most  myghtye, 
 
 O  holy  and  mercyfull  Savioure, 
 
 Thou  most  worthy  God  eternall, 
 
 Suffre  us  not  at  oure  last  houre 
 
 Thorow  despare  from  the  to  fall. 
 
 Kirieleyson. 
 
556  GHOSTLY    PSALMS    AND    SPIRITUAL    SONGS. 
 
 BY  ADAM'S   FALL. 
 
 By  Adam's  fall  was  so  forlorne 
 
 The  whole  nature  of  mankynde, 
 
 That  we  were  poysoned  or  we  were  borne ; 
 
 And  no  helpe  thereto  could  we  fynde, 
 
 Tyll  Christ  Jesu 
 
 By  his  vertue 
 
 For  oure  dette  his  deare  bloude  hath  spent. 
 
 That  we  were  in 
 
 By  Adam's  synne, 
 
 When  he  brake  God's  commaundement. 
 
 Seynge  Eve  was  sore  begyled 
 
 By  the  serpente's  tentacyon, 
 
 Because  she  God's  worde  despysed, 
 
 Brought  mankynde  to  destruccyon ; 
 
 Agaynst  this  dede 
 
 It  was  great  node, 
 
 That  God  shulde  us  to  comfortc  gcve 
 
 His  owne  deare  Sonne, 
 
 And  mercy  troane^ 
 
 By  whose  death  we  all  myght  lyve. 
 
 ^"'•''-  Lyke  as  in  Adam  a  straunge  det 
 
 Had  brought  us  to  destruccyon ; 
 So  are  we  now  delyvered  from  it 
 In  Christe,  our  ryght  salvacyon. 
 Lyke  as  we  all 
 By  Adam's  fall 
 
 Were  ordened  with  ryght  to  dye ; 
 So  in  God's  Sonne 
 Bedempcyon 
 Have  we  found  eternally. 
 
 Bom-v.  So  dyd  he  then  gave  us  his  Sonne, 
 
 When  we  were  yet  his  enemys ; 
 
 Which  for  us  on  the  crossc  was  done : 
 fcor.x'V!"'  ^^^^  ^0  ^^^*^  thyrdc  dayc  dyd  aryse, 
 
 [1  mercy  troane;  mercy-seat.     Rom.  iii.  25.     "Whom  God  hath 
 set  forth  for  a  mercy-seat."     Coverdale's  Translation.] 
 
 Rom.  viii 
 Bom.  iii. 
 
Rom.  iv. 
 
 John  xiv. 
 
 Psal.  Ixii. 
 
 GHOSTLY    PSALMS    AND    SPIRITUAL    SONGS.  557 
 
 To  justifie 
 
 Eternally 
 
 All  us  that  trust  fast  on  bis  myglit. 
 
 Why  shulde  we  than 
 
 Drede  any  payne? 
 
 He  is  now  oure  owne  by  ryght. 
 
 He  is  his  Father's  eternall  Worde, 
 
 The  way,  the  lyfe,  and  veritie ; 
 
 He  is  the  Savioure  and  the  Lorde, 
 
 Whom  he  hath  geven  us  frely 
 
 To  be  oure  health, 
 
 Oure  helpe  and  wealth. 
 
 And  not  to  trust  in  any  man. 
 
 For  there  is  none, 
 
 But  he  alone, 
 
 That  us  sucoure  or  comforth  can. 
 
 Man  is  all  wicked  by  nature; 
 
 There  is  no  helpe  with  hym  to  fynde. 
 
 Who  seketh  helpe  in  a  creature, 
 
 And  not  in  God  with  harte  and  mynde, 
 
 He  buyldeth  on  sonde, 
 
 And  may  not  stonde. 
 
 When  tyme  cometh  of  tentacyon.  ^^^^  ^^^...^ 
 
 Therefore  to  trest 
 
 On  God  is  best, 
 
 And  the  most  sure  foundacyon. 
 
 He  that  hopeth  in  God  stedfastly, 
 
 Shall  never  be  confounded: 
 
 For  doutles  God's  worde  can  not  ley, 
 
 Though  all  men  shulde  resist  it. 
 
 Great  trouble  and  care 
 
 Is  every  where; 
 
 This  worlde's  sorowe  is  infinite: 
 
 Yet  sawe  I  never 
 
 Him  perish  for  ever, 
 
 That  fast  on  God's  worde  trusted. 
 
 Rom.  X. 
 
 0  Lorde,  I  praye  the  hartely 
 For  thy  great  mercyfull  kyndnesse; 
 Thy  wholsome  worde  take  not  fro  me. 
 Because  of  my  unthankfulnesse. 
 
 Psal.  cxix. 
 
558 
 
 GHOSTLY    PSALMS    AND    SPIRITUAL    SONGS. 
 
 J^saL  cxiv. 
 Eecles.  ii. 
 
 My  synne  is  great, 
 
 I  acknowlege  it : 
 
 But  thy  mercy  excellcth  all  thyiige. 
 
 Therefore  will  I 
 
 Hope  styll  in  the. 
 
 To  thy  blysse  that  thou  mayest  mo  bryngc. 
 
 WAKE   UP,  WAKE   UP. 
 
 Wake  up,  wake  up,  in  God's  name, 
 
 Thou  worthy  fayre  christente ; 
 
 And  shewe  thy  brydgrome's  great  fame, 
 
 For  that  he  hath  done  to  the ; 
 
 Which  hath  his  word  now  sent 
 
 And  opened  it  once  agayne ; 
 
 As  thou  mayest  se  in  many  a  place, 
 
 Where  now  is  preached  his  grace 
 
 So  truly  and  so  playne. 
 
 Thy  olde  enemye  that  Sathan, 
 
 The  father  of  all  lesynge, 
 
 Seketh  all  the  meanes  that  he  can 
 
 The  veritie  downe  to  brynge. 
 
 If  any  man  speake  thereof. 
 
 It  must  cost  hym  his  bloude : 
 
 For  many  soch  men  he  dryveth  alwa^e. 
 
 And  some  he  slayeth  now  every  daye ; 
 
 Yet  all  doth  hym  no  good. 
 
 He  can  not  leave  his  cruelnesse. 
 But  threateneth  daye  and  nyght ; 
 His  mynde  is  whole  the  to  oppressc, 
 That  thou  mayest  feare  his  myght. 
 But  stonde  thou  fast  in   God, 
 O  worthy  fayrc  christente  : 
 He  is  thy  helpe  and  sucourc ; 
 Whoso   doth  the   displeasure. 
 He  toucheth  God's  owne  eye. 
 
 Beholde,  how  God  hath  ever  done 
 For  Israeli  in  theyr  node. 
 He  drowned  kynge  Pharao  ryght  sone. 
 With  all  that  them  troubled: 
 
GHOSTLY    PSALMS    AND    SPIRITUAL    SONGS. 
 
 559 
 
 The  Avails  of  Hierico  fell,  J"^"-^*- 
 
 So  sone  as  God's  folke  came: 
 
 Thy  Lorde  God  is  so  myghty. 
 
 That  he  can  helpe  the  swyftly, 
 
 And  put  thy  foes  to  blame. 
 
 The  :Madianites  dyd  all  theyr  best 
 
 To  trouble  God's  people  deare: 
 
 The  Amaleckes  wolde  not  let  them  rest, 
 
 But  helde  them  styll  ui  feare. 
 
 Israel  cryed  to  God, 
 
 Which  helped  them  louyngly 
 
 By   Gedeon  his  servaunt : 
 
 There  fell  a  hundreth  thousande  J^-'s'"- 
 
 And  twenty  thousande  truly. 
 
 Eemember,  how  God  kepte  David  isam.xxiii. 
 
 From  Saul,  that  wicked  kynge; 
 
 How  oft  he  hym  delyvered, 
 
 Which  caused  David  to  synge. 
 
 He  had  also  great  harme 
 
 Even  of  his  naturall  sonnc. 
 
 That  made  great  laboure  hym  to  slaye ; 
 
 But  God  delyvered  hym  alwayc, 
 
 And  hanged  fayre  Absalon.  2Sam.  xv.u. 
 
 Note  also  how  God  helped 
 
 The  good  kyng  Abia; 
 
 And  hym  strongly  delyvered 
 
 From  Hieroboam  alwaye. 
 
 Though  he  was  sore  vexed 
 
 Of  hvm  a  longe  season, 
 
 As  sone  as  he  complayned. 
 
 Five  hundreth  thousande  were  slayne  deed. 
 
 And  all  destroyed  ryght  sone. 
 
 So  hath  God  helped  ryght  well 
 
 Assa,  that  faythfull  kynge; 
 
 That  we  his  sucoure  myght  fele 
 
 In  every  troublous  thynge. 
 
 His  enemyes  were  many, 
 
 And  stronge  in  all  men's  syght, 
 
 A  thousand  tymcs  a  thousande  :  ^  '^'"°"  ''"'■ 
 
 Yet  were  they  not  so  stronge  to  stonde, 
 
 But  fell  all  thorow  God's  myght. 
 
560  GHOSTLY    PSALMS    AND    SPIRITUAL    SONGS. 
 
 Consyder  how   God  delyvered 
 
 The  kynge  Ezechiam, 
 
 Which  was  very  oft  sore  threatened 
 
 With  Sennacherib  by  name. 
 is^K^xf'x'vh.'  Of  thousandes  even  an  hundreth 
 
 xxx"!!?"'  Foure  score  and  .v.  he  brought : 
 
 Yet  were  they  sone  destroyed  than ; 
 
 God's  auno'ell  slewe  them  every  man, 
 
 And  brought  them  all  to  nought. 
 
 Heare  to  how  strongly  God  fought 
 schron.  XX.  For  his  kynge  Josaphat, 
 
 When  Ammon  all  his  power  brought, 
 
 And  Moab's  boost  was  thereat. 
 
 Israel  called  to  God ; 
 
 He  was  theyr  helpe  onely ; 
 
 The  heythen  were  so  plaged, 
 
 That  one  dyd  slaye  another  deed, 
 
 God's  folk  gat  the  victory. 
 
 Thus  all  God's  enemyes  peryshed, 
 
 God  slewe  them  all  sodenly. 
 
 His  hand  is  not  yet  shortened, 
 
 O  worthy  fayre  christente  : 
 
 He  can  the  well  defende ; 
 
 Thy  heeres  are  told  truly  : 
 
 Let  Sathan  do  all  that  he  maye, 
 
 Yf  thou  holde  fast  God's  worde  alwaye, 
 
 He  shall  not  forsake  the. 
 
 I  CALL  ON  THE,  LORDE  JESU  CHRISTE. 
 
 I  CALL  on  the,  Lorde  Jesu  Christ, 
 
 I  have  none  other  helpe  but  the : 
 
 My  herte  is  never  set  at  rest, 
 
 Tyll  thy  swete  worde  have  conforted  me. 
 
 And  stedfast  fayth  graunt  me  therfore, 
 
 To  holde  by  thy  worde  evermore 
 
 Above  all  thynge, 
 
 Never  resistynge. 
 But  to  increase  in  favth  more  and  more. 
 
GHOSTLY    PSALMS    AND    SPIRITUAL    SONGS. 
 
 561 
 
 Yet  once  agayne  I  call  on  the ; 
 Heare  my  request,  0  mercyfull  Lordc : 
 I  wolde  fayne  hope  on  thy  mevcye. 
 And  can  not  be  thereto  restored, 
 Exceptc  thou  with  thy  grace  oppresse 
 My  blynde  and  naturall  wcaknessc. 
 Cause  me  therefore 
 To  hope  evermore 
 On  thy  mercy  and  swete  promises. 
 Lorde,  prynte  into  my  harte  and  mynde 
 Thy  holy  Spirite  with  ferventnesse ; 
 That  I  to  the  be  not  unkynde, 
 But  love  the  without  faynednesse. 
 Let  nothynge  drawe  my  mynde  from  the. 
 But  ever  to  love  the  earnestly: 
 liet  not  ray   harte 
 Unthankfully  departe 
 From  the  ryght  love  of  thy  mercy c. 
 Geve  me  thy  grace,  Lorde,  I  the  prayc. 
 To  love  myne  enemyes  hartely ; 
 Howbeit  they  trouble  me  alwaye. 
 And  for  thy  cause  do  slaundre  me. 
 Tet,  Jesu  Christe,  for  thy  goodnesse, 
 Fyll  my  harte  with  forgevenesse ; 
 That  whyle  I  lyve 
 I  maye  them  forgeve. 
 That  do  offende  me  more  or  lesse. 
 I  am  compased  all  round  aboutc 
 With  sore  and  stronge  tcntacyon : 
 Therefore,  good  Lorde,  delyver  mc  out 
 From  all  this  wycked  nacyon. 
 The  dovell,  the  worlde,  my  flesh  also. 
 Folio  we  upon-  me  where  I  go ; 
 Therefore  wolde  I 
 Now  fayne  delyvered  be : 
 Thy  helpe  I  seke,  Lorde,  and  no  mo. 
 Now  seist  thou,  Lorde,  what  nede   I  have; 
 I  have  none   els   to   complayne   to  : 
 Therefore   thy  Holy   Goost   I   crave, 
 
 To   be  my  truyde  \Yherevcr   I   go ; 
 
 J    ^  J  36 
 
 [COVERDALE,   II.] 
 
562  GHOSTLY    PSALMS    AND    SPIRITUAL    SONGS. 
 
 That  in  all  my  adversitie 
 I  forget  not  the  love  of  the; 
 But  as  thou,  Lorde, 
 Hast  geven  me  thy  worde, 
 Let  me  therein  both  lyve  and  dye. 
 
 OF  THE  BIRTH   OF   CHRIST. 
 
 Now  blessed  be  thou,   Christ  Jesu ; 
 Thou  art  man  borne,   this  is  true: 
 The  aungels  made  a  mery  noyse. 
 Yet  have  we  more  cause  to  rejoyse. 
 
 Kirieleyson. 
 
 The  blessed  Sonne  of  God  onely 
 Luke  ii.  In  a  crybbe  full  poore  dyd  lye : 
 
 With  oure  poore  flesh  and  oure  poore  bloude 
 Was  clothed  that  everlastynge  good. 
 
 Kirieleyson. 
 
 He  that  made  heaven  and  earth  of  nought. 
 In  oure  flesh  hath  oure  health  brought ; 
 rfiii.  ii.  For  oure  sake  made  he  hymselfe  full  small. 
 
 That  reigneth  Lorde  and  Kynge  over  all. 
 
 Kirieleyson. 
 
 ijohni.  Eternall  lyght  doth  now  appeare 
 
 To  the  worlde  both  farre  and  neare ; 
 
 It  shyneth  full  cleare  even  at  mydnyght, 
 
 Makynge  us  chyldren  of  his  lyght. 
 
 Kirieleyson. 
 
 The  Lorde  Christ  Jesu,   God's   Sonne  deare, 
 Was  a  gest  and  a  straunger  here ; 
 Us  for  to  brynge  from  mysery, 
 That  we  might  lyve  eternally. 
 
 Kirieleyson. 
 
 Into  this  worlde  ryght  poore  came  he, 
 To  make  us  ryche  in  mercye : 
 Therefore  wolde  he  oure  synnes  forgeve. 
 That  we  with  hym  in  heaven  myght  lyve. 
 
 Kirieleyson. 
 
GHOSTLY    PSALMS    AND    SPIRITUAL    SONGS.  563 
 
 All  this  dyd  he  for  us  frelj, 
 For  to  declare  his  great  mercy : 
 All  Christendome  be  mery  therfore, 
 And  geve  hym  thankes  evermore. 
 
 Kirieleyson. 
 
 OF  THE  RESURRECTION. 
 
 Christe  is  now  rysen  agayne 
 From  his  death  and  all  his  payne: 
 Therfore  wyll  we  mery  be, 
 And  rejoyse  with  hym  gladly. 
 
 Had  he  not  rysen  agayne, 
 We  had  ben  lost,  this  is  playne : 
 But  sen  he  is  rysen  in  dede, 
 Let  us  love  hym  all  with  spede. 
 
 Now  is  tyme  of  gladnesse, 
 To  synge  of  the  Lorde's  goodnesse 
 Therefore  glad  now  wyll  we   be, 
 And  rejoyse  in  hym  onely. 
 
 Kirieleyson. 
 
 Kirieleyson. 
 
 Kirieleyson, 
 
 ANOTHER  OF  THE  SAME. 
 
 Christ  dyed  and  suffred  great  payne. 
 
 For  oure  synnes  and  wickednesse ; 
 
 But  he  is  now  rysen  agayne. 
 
 To  make  us  full  of  gladnesse. 
 
 Let  us  all  rejoyse  therfore. 
 
 And  geve  him  thankes  for  evermore, 
 
 Synginge  to  hym,  Alleluya. 
 
 Alleluya. 
 
 There  was  no  man  that  couldc  overwynne 
 
 The  power  of  death,  nor  his  myght: 
 
 And  all  this  came  thorow  oure  synne, 
 
 Wherfore  we  were  dampned  by  ryght. 
 
 By  occasyon  of  which  thynge 
 
 Death  took  us  into  his  kepynge ;  Rom.  v 
 
 We  coulde  not  escape  out  of  his  syght. 
 
 Alleluya. 
 36—2 
 
564<  GHOSTLY    PSALMS    AND    SPIRITUAL    SONGS. 
 
 But  the  Lorde  Jesu,   God's  owne  Sonne, 
 Takynge  on  hym  oure  weake  nature, 
 
 Jo'^'^i-  Hath  put  awaye  oure  synnes  alone, 
 
 And  overcome  death  thorovv  his  power. 
 As  for  death  and  his  great  myght, 
 Christ  hath  overcome  it  all  by  ryght ; 
 It  can  do  us  no  displeasure. 
 
 Alleluya. 
 It  was  a  marvelous  great  thyngc, 
 To  se  how  death  with  death  dyd  lyght: 
 For  the  one  death  gat  the  wynnynge, 
 
 1  Cor.  XV.  And  the  other  death  lost  his  myght. 
 
 Holy  scripture  speaketh  of  it. 
 How  one  death  another  wolde  byte ; 
 The  death  of  Christ  hath  wonne  by  ryght. 
 
 Alleluya. 
 
 This  same  is  the  ryght  paschall  lambe. 
 That  was  once  offred  for  oure  synne  : 
 Into  this  worlde  mekely  he  came, 
 From  Sathan's  power  us  to  wynne. 
 For  oure  wickednesse  wolde  he  dye, 
 And  rose  us  for  to  iustifie ; 
 The  mercy  of  God  was  great  therein. 
 
 Alleluya. 
 
 Heb.  ii. 
 
 1  Cor.  V. 
 
 GLORIA  IN  EXCELSIS  DEO. 
 
 To  God  the  hyghest  be  glory  alwaye. 
 For  his  great  kyndnesse  and  mercy ; 
 That  doth  provyde  both  nyght  and  daye 
 Both  for  oure  soule  and  oure  body. 
 To  mankyndo  hath  God  great  pleasure, 
 Now  is  great  peace  every  where ; 
 God  hath  put  out  all  emmyte. 
 
 Ad  Patrem. 
 
 We  love  and  prayse  and  honoure  the. 
 For  thy  great  glory ;  we  thanke  thy  grace, 
 That  thou,  God,  Father  eternally, 
 Art  oure  defender  in  every  place. 
 
GHOSTLY     PSALMS    AND    SPIRITUAL    SONGS.  565 
 
 Thou  art  to  us  a  mercyfull  Father, 
 And  we  thy  chyldren  altogether ; 
 Therfore  we  geve  the  thankes  alwayes. 
 
 Ad  Filium. 
 O  Jesu  Christ,  thou  onely  Sonne 
 Of  God  Almyghty  thy  heavenly  Father, 
 Our  full  and  whole  redempcyon, 
 Thou  that  hast  stilled  God's  displeasure ; 
 O  God's  Lambe,  that  takest  synne  awaye. 
 When  we  have  nede,   helpe  us  alwaye ; 
 Graunt  us  thy  mercy  altogether. 
 
 Ad  Spirltum.  Sanctum. 
 O  Holy  Goost,  our  confortoure 
 In  all  oure  trouble  and  hevynesse ; 
 Defende  us  all  from  Sathan's  power, 
 Whome  Christ  hath  bought  from  wofulnesse: 
 Kepe  oure  hertes  in  the  verite. 
 In  oure  tentacyon  stonde  us  by. 
 And  strength  alwaye  oure  weake  bodies. 
 
 Rom.  iii. 
 1  John  ii. 
 
 MAGNIFICAT,  WHICH  IS  THE  SONGE  OF  THE 
 VIRGIN  MARY.     Luke  i. 
 
 My  soul  doth  magnyfie  the  Lorde, 
 
 My  spret  rejoyseth  greatly 
 
 In  God  my  Savioure  and  his  worde ; 
 
 For  he  hath  sene  the  lowe  degre 
 
 Of  me  his  handmayden  truly. 
 
 Beholde  now,  after  this  day, 
 
 All  generacyons  shal  speake  of  me. 
 
 And  call  me  blessed  alwaye. 
 
 For  he  that  is  onely  of  myghte 
 Hath  done  great  thynges  for  me ; 
 And  holy  is  his  name  by  ryghte : 
 As  for  his  endles  mercy, 
 It  endureth  perpetually, 
 In  every  generacyon, 
 On  them  that  feare  hym  unfaynedly 
 Without  dissimulacyon. 
 
566  GHOSTLY    PSALMS    AND    SPIRITUAL    SONGS. 
 
 He  slieweth  strength  with  his  great  arme, 
 
 Declarying  hymselfe  to  be  of  power ; 
 
 He  scatereth  the  proude  to  theyr  owne  harme, 
 
 Even  with  the  wicked  behavoure 
 
 Of  theyr  owne  hertes  every  houre.. 
 
 He  putteth  dowhe  the  myghtye 
 
 From  theyr  hye  seate  and  great  honoure, 
 
 Exaltynge  them  of  lowe  degre. 
 
 The  hongrye  fylleth  he  with  good, 
 And  letteth  the  ryche  go  emptie, 
 Where  his  owne  people  want  no  foode : 
 He  thynketh  upon  liis  mercye, 
 And  helpeth  his  servaunt  truely, 
 Even  Israel,  as  he  promysed 
 Unto  oure  fathers  perpetually, 
 Abraham  and  to  his  sede. 
 
 NUNC  DIMITTIS,  WHICH  IS  THE  SONGE  OF 
 SIMEON.     Luke  ii. 
 
 With  peace  and  with  joyfull  gladnesse. 
 And  with  a  mery  harte, 
 Accordynge  to  thy  swetc  promesse, 
 Lorde,  let  me  now  departe : 
 Now  geve  me  leave,  that  I  may  dye ; 
 For  I  wolde  be  present  with  the. 
 
 For  myne  eyes  have  seen  the  Savioure, 
 
 That  is  sent  out  from  the; 
 
 Thou  hast  satisfied  my  harte  therfore. 
 
 That  thou  hast  shewed  hym  me. 
 
 Which  is  oure  onely  salvacyon, 
 
 Oure  helth  and  oure  rcdempcyon; 
 
 Whome  thou  hast  prepared  ryght  well, 
 And  shewed  hym  openly 
 Before  the  face  of  all  people, 
 Preachynge  thy  worde  planely; 
 Kepynge  no  man  from  thy  kyngdome. 
 That  thorow  hym  wyll  therin  come. 
 
GHOSTLY    PSALMS    AND    SPIRITUAL^SONGS.  567 
 
 He  is  the  true  and  oncly  lyglit. 
 
 Which  moved  with  mercy 
 
 Restoreth  the  Gentyls  to  theyr  syght, 
 
 Lyghtenynge  theyr  hartcs  truly. 
 
 He  is  the  glory  of  Israel, 
 
 Thy  people  whom  thou  lovest  so  well. 
 
 THE  XI.  (XII.)  1  PSALME  OF  DAVID. 
 
 Salvum  me  fac  Dominc. 
 AGAYNST  FALSE  DOCTRYNE  AND  YPOCRITES. 
 
 Helpe  now,  0  Lorde,  and  loke  on  us, 
 
 How  we  are  brought  in  lowe  degre. 
 
 Thy  sayntes  are  dryven  from  every  house, 
 
 Where  are  fewe  faythfull  leftc  truly : 
 
 Men  wyll  not  suffre  thy  trueth  to  be  known, 
 
 Thy  fayth  is  almost  overthrowen 
 
 Amonge  men's  chyldren  piteously. 
 
 It  is  but  lyes  and  vanite, 
 
 That  one  preacheth  now  to  his  brother; 
 
 They  flatter  with  theyr  lyppes  falsely, 
 
 And  one  dyssembleth  with  another. 
 
 Thus  shewe  they  with  theyr  mouth  one  thynge, 
 
 And  yet  have  they  another  meanynge 
 
 Within  theyr  hertes  altogether. 
 
 O  that  the  Lorde  wolde  once   rote  out 
 
 All  soch  disceatful  lyppes  speakynge; 
 
 Which  wyll  not  have  that  men  shulde  doute 
 
 In  thynges  that  are  of  theyr  makynge. 
 
 We  ought  to  speake  by  auctorite, 
 
 Oure  tonge  shulde  prevayle,  they  say  proudly; 
 
 Who  shulde  rule  us  or  oure  doynge? 
 
 [1  This  Psalm,  which  is  the  twelfth  according  to  the  notation  of  th^^^ 
 Hebrew  Text,  is  numbered  the  eleventh  in  the  Scptuasn  t  vusion 
 fnd  To  Vulgate,  the  notation  of  which  was  generally  lollowed  by 
 Bishop  Coverdale.] 
 
 Jude. 
 
568 
 
 GHOSTLY    PSALMS    AND    SPIRITUAL    SONGS, 
 
 Therfore,  sayetli  the  Lorde,   now  wjll  I  ryse, 
 
 I  se  the  poore  are  oppressed ; 
 
 Theyr  sore  complaynte  wyll  I   not  despyse, 
 
 But  wyll  them  helpe  shortly  in  dede. 
 
 I  wyll  set  them  at  lybertie, 
 
 My  worde  shal  be  preached  planely ; 
 
 They  shall  no  more  be  disceaved. 
 
 Sylver  seven  tymes  tryed  in  the  fyre 
 
 Is  purified  and  made  deare  therby  : 
 
 So  is  God's  worde  alwaye  nearer, 
 
 Whan  it  is  persecute  cruelly. 
 
 The  Lordc's  wordes  are  pure  and  ryght. 
 
 And  wyll  not  be  kepte  downe  by  myght, 
 
 But  wyll  apeare  the  more  planely, 
 
 0   Lorde,  defende  thou   them  therfore. 
 And  preserve  us  gracyously 
 From  this  generacyon  evermore, 
 That  persecute  us  so  cruelly : 
 For  whan  vanite  and  ydilnesse 
 Is  set  by  amonge  men,   doutless 
 All  are  full  of  the  ungodly. 
 
 Psalm  l\xi. 
 ik  Ixxxiii. 
 
 The  prophet. 
 
 THE  SECONDE  PSALME  OF  DAVID. 
 
 Quare  fremueriint  gentes. 
 
 Werfore  do  the  heithen  now  rage  thus, 
 Cospyryng  together  so  wyckedly? 
 Wherfore  are  the  people  so  mahcious, 
 Vayne  thynges  to  ymagyn  so  folyshly  ? 
 The  kynges  of  the  earth  stonde  up  together, 
 And  worldly  rulers  do  conspyre 
 Agaynst  the  Lorde  and  his  Christ  truly. 
 
 They  saye.  Let  us  breake  up  theyr   bondes, 
 
 And  let  us  cast  theyr  yocke  awaye ; 
 
 Theyr  lawes  wyll  make  us  lose  oure  londes, 
 
 Therfore  none  soch  wyll  we  obeye. 
 
 But  he  that  in  heaven  hath  residence. 
 
 Shall  laugh  them  to  scorne  and  theyr  pretence ; 
 
 The  Lorde  shall  mocke  them  nvirht  and   dave. 
 
GHOSTLY     V.^ALMS    AND    SPIRITITAL    SONGS, 
 
 569 
 
 The  Lorde  shall  talke  with  them  together 
 
 In  his  great  anger  and  wrath  truly; 
 
 And  also  he  shall  trouble  them  ever 
 
 Thrugh  his  displeasure  at  them  daylye. 
 
 Yet  have  I  ordened  and  set  my  kynge  God^t^^e 
 
 On  my  hyll  Syon  to  have  rulynge, 
 
 Theyr  heade  and  governoure  for  to  be. 
 
 I   wyll  shewe  forth  the  commaundement,  so".' 
 
 Wherof  the  Lorde  hath  sayd  to  me: 
 
 Thou  art  my   Sonne,   whome  I  have  sent,  t'ather! 
 
 This  day  have  I  begotten  the. 
 
 Axe  me,  and  I  shall  geve  the  soonc 
 
 All  heithen  in  possession, 
 
 Throwout  the   worlde,  wherever  they  be. 
 
 Forsoth  thou  shalt  rule  them  together 
 With  a  rodde  of  yron  made  strongly; 
 Lyke  erthen  vessell  brent  in  the  fyre, 
 Shalt  thou  them  breake  that  resyst  the. 
 Therfore,  ye  kynges,  now  understonde, 
 Be  wyse  and  resyst  not  the  Lorde's  honde ; 
 Be  content,  ye  judges,  warned  to  be. 
 
 With  feare  se  that  ye  serve  the   Lorde, 
 Reioyse  before  hym  all  with  drede; 
 Kysse  ye  the  Sonne  and  his  swete  worde; 
 The  Lorde  wyll  els  be  sore  greved.  ^ 
 Than  shall   ye  peryshe  from  the  verite ; 
 His  wrath  shall  be  kyndled  shortly: 
 They  that  truste  in  hym  are  all  blessed. 
 
 THE  XLVL  PSALME  OF  DAVID. 
 
 Deus  noiftcr  rcfuriutm. 
 
 OuRE   God  is  a  defence  and  towre, 
 
 A  good  armoure  and  good  weape  ; 
 
 He  hath  been  ever  oure  helpe  and  sucoure. 
 
 In   all  the  troubles   that  we  have  ben   in. 
 
 Therfore  wyl  we  never  drede, 
 
 For  any  wonderous  dede 
 
 Christ  the 
 
 Heb.  i.  &  V. 
 
 Rev.  ii.  & 
 xiv. 
 
 The  prophet. 
 
 Jer.  xvii. 
 
570 
 
 GHOSTLY    PSALMS    AND    SPIRITUAL    SONGS. 
 
 Rom.  viii. 
 
 By  water  or  by  londe, 
 In  hilles  or  the  see  sode  ; 
 Oure  God  hath  them  al  in  his  hod. 
 
 Though  wc  be  alwaye  greatly  vexed 
 With  many  a  great  tcntacyon ; 
 Yet,  thanked  be  God,  we  are  refreshed, 
 His  swete  worde  conforteth  oure  mansion. 
 
 It  is  God's  holy  place ; 
 
 He  dwelleth  here  by  grace ; 
 
 Amonge  us  is  he 
 
 Both  nyght  and  daye  truly; 
 He  helpeth  us  all,  and  that  swyftly. 
 
 The  wicked  heithen  besege  us  straytly, 
 And  many  great  kyngdomes  take  theyr  parte 
 They  are  gathered  agaynst  us  truly. 
 And  are  sore  moved  in  theyr  herte. 
 
 But  God's  worde  as  cleare  as  daye 
 
 Maketh  them  shrenke  alwaye. 
 
 The  Lorde  God  of  power 
 
 Stondeth  by  us   every  houre ; 
 The  God  of  Jacob   is  oure  stronge  towre. 
 
 Come  hether   now,  beholde,  and  se 
 The  noble  actes  and  dedes  of  the  Lorde ; 
 What   great  thynges  he  doth   for  us  daylye, 
 And  conforteth  us  with  his  swete  worde. 
 
 For  whan  oure  enemyes  wolde  fyght. 
 
 Than  brake  he  theyr  myght, 
 
 Theyr   bowe  and   theyr  speare, 
 
 So  that  we  nedo  not  feare, 
 And  brent  theyr  charettes  in  the  fyre. 
 
 Thcrfore,   saycth  God,   take  hcdc  to  me. 
 Let  me  alone,   and  I  shall  hclpe  you. 
 Knowe  me  for  youre   God,   I  saye  onely, 
 Amonge  all  heithen  that  reigne  now. 
 
 Wherfore  than  shulde  we  drede, 
 
 Seyenge  we  have  no  nede  ? 
 
 For  the  Lorde  God  of  power 
 
 Stondeth  by  us  every  houre ; 
 The   God  of  Jacob  is  our  strono-e  towrc. 
 
GHOSTLY    PSALMS    AND    SPIRITUAL    SONGS.  571 
 
 THE  CXXIII.  (CXXIV.)  PSALME  OF  DAVID. 
 
 I^isi  quia  Dominus. 
 
 Except  the  Lorde  had  bene  with  us, 
 Now  mayc  Israel  say  boldly ; 
 Excepte  the  Lorde  had  ben  with  us, 
 When  men  rose  up  agaynst  us  fearsly ; 
 
 They  had  devoured  us  quyck  doutlessc,  Prov.  i. 
 
 And  had  overwonne  us  confortles, 
 They  were  so  wroth  at  us  truly. 
 
 The  waves  of  waters  had  wrapped  us  in; 
 
 Oure  soule  had  gone  under  the  floode. 
 
 The  depe  waters  of  these  proude  men 
 
 Had  ronne  oure  soules  over  where  they  stode. 
 The  Lorde  be  praysed  every  houre, 
 That  wolde  not  suffre  them  us  to  devoure, 
 
 Nor  in  theyr  tethe  to  sucke  oure  bloude  ! 
 
 Oure  soule  is  delyvered  from  theyr  power, 
 They  can  not  have  that  they  have  sought. 
 As  the  byrde  from  the  snare  of  the  fouler, 
 So  are  we  from  theyr  daungers  brought. 
 
 The  snare  is  broken,  and  we  are  fre;  prov.  xviii. 
 
 '  '  Psal.  cxxi. 
 
 Oure  helpe  is  in  the  Lorde's  name  truly. 
 Which  hath  made  heaven  and  earth  of  nought. 
 
 THE  CXXXVI.  (CXXXVII.)  PSALME. 
 
 Super  Jiumina  Babilonis. 
 
 At  the  rvvers  of  Babilon, 
 
 There  sat  we  downe  ryght  hevely ; 
 
 Even  whan  we  thought  upon  Sion, 
 
 We  wepte  together  sorofully. 
 
 For  we  were  in  soch  hevynes, 
 
 That  we  forgat  al  our  merynes, 
 
 And  lefte  of  all  oure  sporte  and  playe  : 
 On  the  willye  trees  that  were  thereby 
 We  hanged  up  om"e  harpes  truly. 
 
 And  morned  sore  both  nyght  and  daye. 
 
iJiZ  GHOSTLY    PSALMS    AND    SPIRITUAL    SONGS. 
 
 They  that  toke  us  so  cruellj, 
 
 And  led  us  bounde  into  pryson, 
 
 Requyred  of  us  some  melody 
 
 With  wordes  full  of  derision. 
 
 When  we  had  hanged  oure  harpes  alwaye, 
 
 This  cruell  folke  to  us  coulde  saye : 
 
 Now  let  us  heare  some  mery  songe, 
 
 Synge  us  a  songe  of  some  swete  toyne, 
 As  ye  were  wont  to  synge  at  Sion, 
 
 Where  ye  have  lerned  to  synge  so  longe. 
 
 To  whome  we  answered  soberly : 
 Beholde  now  are  we  in  youre  honde : 
 How  shuldc  we  under  captivite 
 Synge  to  the  Lorde  in  a  straunge  londe? 
 Hierusalem,  I  say  to  the, 
 Yf  I  remember  the  not  truly, 
 My  honde  playe  on  the  harpe  no  more  : 
 Yf  I  thynke  not  on  the  alwaye, 
 Let  my  tonge  cleve  to  my  mouth  for  aye, 
 And  let  my  loose  my  speache  therfore. 
 
 jer.  xiix.  Yee,  above  all  myrth  and  pastaunce, 
 
 Ezek.  XXV.  Hierusalem,   I  preferre  the. 
 
 obad.  i.  Lorde,  call  to  thy  remembraunce 
 
 The  sonnes  of  Edom  ryght  strately ; 
 
 In  the  daye  of  the  destruction. 
 
 Which  at  Hierusalem  was  done 
 
 For  they  sayd  in  theyr  cruelnes, 
 
 Downe  with  it,  downe  with  it,  destroye  it  all ; 
 Downe  with  it  soone,  that  it  may  fall, 
 
 Laye  it  to  the  grounde  all  that  there  is. 
 
 isai.  xiii.  0  thou  cite  of  Babilon, 
 
 Thou  thy  selfe  shalt  be  destroyed. 
 Truly  blessed  shall  be  that  man, 
 Which,  even  as  thou  hast  deserved, 
 Shall  rewarde  the  with  soch  kyndnesse, 
 As  thou  hast  shewed  to  us  gyltlcsse, 
 Which  never  had  offended  the. 
 
 Blessed  shall  he  be  that  for  the  nones' 
 Shall  throwc  thy  chyldren  agaynst  the  stones, 
 To  brynge  the  out  of  memorie. 
 
 fi  for  the  noiios:  for  the  nonce,  for  the  purpose.] 
 
GHOSTLY    PSALMS     AND    SPIRITUAL    SONGS.  573 
 
 THE  CXXVII.  (CXXVIII.)  PSALME. 
 
 Bcati  omncs  qui  timent  Domhmm. 
 
 Blessed  arc  all  that  feare  the  Lordc, 
 Worshyppynge  hym  both  nyght  and  daye, 
 Ordrynge  theyr  lyfe  after  his  worde, 
 And  walkyng  ever  in  his  waye. 
 
 For  thou  shalt  get  thyno  owne  lyvyngc,  cen.  iii. 
 
 And  eate  thy  bred  without  ydelnesse ; 
 
 Even  with  thy  handes  laborynge, 
 
 So  shalt  thou  have  prosperous  increase. 
 
 Thy  wyfe  as  the  vync  shall  be  I'rutcfull 
 Within  the  walles   of  thy   dwellynge ; 
 Thy  chyldren  shall  stonde  about  thy  table, 
 Lyke  olyve  braunches  floryshynge. 
 
 Lo,  thus  shall  that  man  be  blessed, 
 And  happye  shall  he  be  alwaye, 
 That  leadeth  his  lyfe  in  the  Lorde's  dredc. 
 And  feareth  hym  both  nyght  and  daye. 
 
 From   Sion  shall  the  Lorde  blessc  the, 
 And  pleasure  shalt  thou  have  aniongc, 
 Beholdynge  the  great  prosperitc 
 Of  Hierusalem  all  thy  lyfe  longc. 
 
 The  Lorde  shall  so  prolonge  thy  lyfe,  jobxin. 
 
 That  thy   chyldre's  chyldren  thou   shalt  sc ; 
 In  Israel  shalt  thou  se  no  stryfe,  Tobitxii 
 
 But  peace  and  great  felicite. 
 
 THE  SAME  rSALME. 
 
 Beati  omnes. 
 
 Blessed  are  all  that  feare  the  Lorde,  Psaim 
 
 Worshippynge  him  both  nyght  and  daye, 
 Ordrynge  theyr  lyfe  after    his  Avorde, 
 And  walkynge  ever  in  his   waye. 
 
574 
 
 GHOSTLY    PSALMS    AND    SPIRITUAL    SONGS. 
 
 Job  xlii. 
 Tobit  xiv. 
 
 For  thou  shalt  get  thin  owne  lyving. 
 And  eat  thy  bred  without  ydehies, 
 Eve  with  thin  owne  hfides  workyng. 
 And  thou  shalt  have  prosperous  increace, 
 And  want  nothynge  to  thy  harte's  ease. 
 
 Thy  wyfe  also  shall  be  frutefull 
 
 Within  the  walles  of  thy  dwellynge  : 
 
 As  the  vyne-tre  plenteous  and  full, 
 
 Shall  she  fayre  chyldren  to  the  brynge, 
 
 Which  rounde  aboute  thy  table  shall  stonde, 
 
 Lyke  fayre  plantes  of  the  olyve-tre. 
 
 Lo,  thus  shall  he  blessed  be  founde, 
 
 That  worshippeth  and  feareth  the  Lorde  truly, 
 
 Havynge  God's  lawe   before  his  eye. 
 
 The  Lorde  shall  do  the  goode  alwaye 
 
 From  the  holy  hyll  of  Sion; 
 
 Thou  shalt  delyte  both  nyght  and  daye, 
 
 Beholdynge  the  prosperous  fortune 
 
 Of  Hierusalem  all  thy  lyfe  longe ; 
 
 And  thy  chyldre's  chyldren  shalt  thou  se. 
 
 Thus  shall  the  Lorde  thy  dayes  prolonge, 
 
 To  se  the  peace  and  felicite, 
 
 Wherin  all  Israel  shall  be. 
 
 Psal.  xxxii. 
 Job  xiii. 
 Luke  xviii. 
 
 THE  L.  (LL)  PSALME   OP  DAVID. 
 
 Miserere  mei  Deus. 
 
 0  Lorde   God,  have  mercy  on  me, 
 After  thy  marvelous  great  pite : 
 
 As  thou  art  full  of  mercy, 
 
 Do  away  all  my  iniquite ; 
 
 And  washe  me  fro  all  fylthynesso 
 
 Of  my  great  synnes  and  wantoncsse ; 
 
 For  they  are  many  within  me, 
 
 And  ever  I  fele  them  hevye : 
 
 My  synne  is  alwaye  before  myne  eye ; 
 
 1  have  alone  offended  the ; 
 Before  the  have  I  lyved  synfuUy : 
 
 In  thy  worde  stondest  thou  stedfastly, 
 Thoughe  thou  be  judged  wrongfully. 
 
GHOSTLY    PSALMS    AND    SPIRITUAL    SONGS.  57o 
 
 Se  how  I  am  conceaved  in  syiine, 
 
 My  mother  hath  brought  me  forth  therin ; 
 
 A  chylde  of  wrathe  by  nature  borne,  Ephes.  li. 
 
 And  without  the  Lorde  am  forlorne. 
 
 To  the  treuth  thou  hast  a  pleasure  alwaye, 
 
 And  helpest  my  blyndnesse  every  daye, 
 
 To  knowe  thy  wysdome  gracyously, 
 
 That  thou  hast  hyd  so  secretly. 
 
 With  ysope  fayre  sprenkle  thou  me, 
 
 Washe  thou  me  clone ;  so  shall  I  be 
 
 AVliyter  than  snowe :  mende  thou  my  cheare, 
 
 My  weery  bones  to  helpe  from  feare, 
 
 Which  thou  thyselfe  hast  brused  so  neare. 
 
 Loke  not  upon  my  wreched  lyfe, 
 
 Forgeve  my  synnes  that  are  so  ryfe :  ^^^^-  '""'^■'• 
 
 Lorde,  make  in  me  a  ryght  pure  harte,  Actsii. 
 
 A  good  conscience  let  be  my  parte ; 
 
 A  godly  spirite  renew  in  me, 
 
 And  cast  me  not  away  from  the ; 
 
 Thy  holy  Spirite  let  me  have  styll. 
 
 To  be  my  conforte  in  all  evell; 
 
 And  let  me  have  ever  the  gladnesse 
 
 Of  thy  health  in  all  hevynesse  : 
 
 Thy  rayghty  Spirite  holde  thou  in  me ; 
 
 I  wyll  helpe  synners  turne  to  the, 
 
 Thy  way  wyll  I  teache  them  hartely. 
 
 God,  rydde  me  from  bloud-gyltynesse, 
 Thou  God  of  all  my  healthfulnesse. 
 So  shall  my  tonge  geve  prayse  to  the, 
 Thy  ryghtuousnesse  to  honoure  in  me. 
 Lorde,  open  thou  these  lyppes  of  myne, 
 That  my  mouthe  maye  to  thy  prayse  inclyne. 
 Thou  hast  no  pleasure  in  offrynge  ;  M'c.  vi. 
 
 For  els  I  thought  them  the  to  brynge. 
 Burnt  oifrynges  are  not  to  thy  paye^ 
 They  please  not  the,  though  they  be  gaye ; 
 They  are  nothynge  worth  in  thy  syght : 
 God's  offrynge  is  of  moche  more  myght ; 
 A  Spirite  all  troubled  is  his  ryght. 
 [1  pay;  satisfaction,  content.] 
 
Oi6  GHOSTLY    PSALMS    AND    SPIRITUAL    SONGS. 
 
 A  contrite  harte  that  is  brought  lowe 
 Shalt  thou,  Lorde  God,  awaye  not  throwe  : 
 That  dost  thou  alwave  so  rcffarde, 
 That  it  shall  ever  of  the  be  harde. 
 To  Sion,  Lorde,  be  gracyous, 
 After  thy  kyndnesse  plenteous ; 
 That  the  walles  of  Hierusalem 
 Maye  be  buylded  and  brought  from  shame. 
 Then  thou  shalt  be  pleased  doutlesse 
 With  the  offrynge  of  ryghtuousnesse, 
 With  the   brent   offrynges   of  thy   wyll  : 
 Then  shall  good  men  theyr  calves  kyll, 
 Thorwith  thyne  alter  to  fulfyll. 
 
 THE   SAME   PSALME. 
 
 Miserere  Qiiei  Dens. 
 
 0  God,  be  mcrcyfull  to  me, 
 Accordynge  to  thy  great  pitic ; 
 
 PsaL  xxxii.  Washe  of,  make  clene  my  iniquitc  : 
 
 1  knowlege  my  synne,  and  it  greveth  me ; 
 Agaynst  the,  agaynst  the  only 
 
 Have  I  synned,  which  is  before  myne  eye : 
 Though  thou  be  judged  in  man's  syght, 
 Rom.  iii.  Yet  are  thy  Avordes  founde  true  and  ryght. 
 
 Beholde,   I  was  all  borne  in  synne, 
 
 ]\[y  mother  conceaved  me  therin : 
 
 But  thou  lovest  treuth,   and  haste  shewed  me 
 
 Thy  wysdome  hyd  so  secretly. 
 
 With  fayre  ysope,   Lorde,  sprenkle  thou  me ; 
 
 Washe  thou  me  clean ;  so  shall  I  be 
 
 Wliyter  than  snowe :    cause  me  reioyse. 
 
 Make  my  bones  mery,  who  thou  madest  lowse 
 
 Lorde,  turne  thy  face  from  my  Avickednessc ; 
 Clense  me  from  all  unryghtuousnesse : 
 Ezek.  xxxvi.  A  puro  harte,  Lorde,  make  thou  in  me, 
 
 Renewe  a  ryght  spirite  in  my  body  : 
 Cast   me   not   out  away   from   the. 
 Nor  take  tbv  IIolv  Goost  fro   mc : 
 
GHOSTLY    PSALMS    AND    SPIRITUAL    SONGS. 
 
 >77 
 
 Make  me  reioyse  in  thy  savynge  health, 
 
 Thy  myghty  Spiritc  strength  me  for  my  wealth. 
 
 Thy  waye  shall  I  shewe  to  men  full  of  vyce, 
 And  enstructe  them  well  in  thy  service; 
 That  wicked  men  and  ungodly 
 May  be  converted  unto  the. 
 
 0  God,   O   God,  my  Savioure, 
 Delyver  me  from  the  synne  of  murther : 
 My  tonge  shall  reioyse  in  thy  mercye; 
 Open  my  lippes,  and  my  mouth  shal  prayse  the. 
 
 Thou  wylt  have  no  bodely  offrynge; 
 
 1  thought  them  els  to  the  to  brynge. 
 God's  sacrifice  is  a  troubled  spirite; 
 
 Thou  wylt  not  dispise  a  harte  contrite.  isa..  ixvi. 
 
 With   Sion,   0   God,  deale  gently, 
 
 That  Hierusalem  walles  may  buylded  be: 
 
 Than  shalt  thou  delyte  in  the  ryght  offrynge, 
 
 Which  men  shall  with  theyr  calves  brynge. 
 
 Mic.  vi. 
 
 THE   CXXIX.   (CXXX.)   PSALME. 
 
 De  profundis. 
 
 Out  of  the  depe  crye  I  to  the, 
 O  Lorde,  Lorde,  heare  my  callynge; 
 
 0  let  thyne  eares  enclyned  be 
 
 To  the  voyce  of  my  complaynynge. 
 
 Yf  thou,   Lorde,  wylt  deale  with  stratenesse,  ptil^cxiui. 
 
 To  marke  all  that  is  done  amysse, 
 
 Lorde,  who  may  abyde  that  rekenynge? 
 
 But  there  is  mercy  ever  with  the. 
 That  thou  thcrfore  mayest  be  feared: 
 
 1  wyll  abyde  the  Lorde  paciently ; 
 My  soule  loketh  for  hym  unfaynted, 
 And  in  his  worde  is  all  my  trust ; 
 So  is  my  hope  and  conforte  most. 
 His  promyse  shal   be  fulfylled. 
 
 As  the  watchemen  in  the  mornynge 
 Stonde  lokyna-e  longe  desyrously, 
 
 37 
 
 [COVERDALE,  11.] 
 
 Exoil.  xxxiv. 
 
 Psal.  cii. 
 
578  GHOSTLY    PSALMS    AND    SPIRITUAL    SONGS. 
 
 That  they  myght  so  the  layrc  clay  spryngc 
 So  waytcth   my  soitle  for  the   Lordc  dayly. 
 Therfore  let   Israel  wayte   styll, 
 Untyll  it  be  the  Lorde's  wyll 
 To  lowse  them  from  adversite. 
 
 For  with  the  Lorde  there  is  mercy, 
 And  great  plenteous  redempcyon ; 
 Allthough  we  synne  oft  wickedly, 
 Yet  hath  he  for  us  a  sure  pardon. 
 He  shall  redeme  poore  Israel, 
 And  hym  shall  he  delyver  full   well 
 From  all  the  synnes  that  he  hath  done. 
 
 THE  XXIV.  (XXV.)  PSALM  OF  DAVID. 
 
 Ad  te  Domine  lecacl. 
 
 I   LYFT  my  soule,   Lorde,   up  to  the, 
 
 My  God,  I  trust  on  the  alone ; 
 
 Let  me  never  confounded  be, 
 ^om.  IX.  My  enemys  els  wyll  mocke  me  soonc. 
 
 isai.  xxviii.  They  shall  not  be  shamed  that  trust  on  the ; 
 
 Psai.  xxxi.  But  they  that  scornefull  dcspysers  be, 
 
 Those  shalt  be  put  to  confusyon. 
 
 Shewe  me,   O   Lorde,   thy  godly  waycs. 
 And  Icrne  me  the  ryght  pathos  to  the ; 
 In  thy  vcrite  Icadc  mc  alwayes  : 
 Thou  art  God  my   Savioure  truly. 
 Lernc  me,  for  in  the  is  all  my  trust. 
 My  hope,   my  bcleve,  and  confortc   most. 
 All  the  daye  longe  continually. 
 
 licmembre,   Lorde,   thy   great   mercy, 
 And   thy   great  plenteous   kyndnessc. 
 Call  to   thy   mynde,    Lorde,   Ave   praye   the, 
 Thy   gracious  favoure  and  gentylnesse  : 
 For  in  these  thynges  thou  excellest  greatly, 
 Even  from  the  begynnynge  eternally ; 
 Thou  art  so  rychc  in  mercyfulncssc. 
 
GHOaTLY     I'sALMS    AXU    Sl'irtlTUAL    SOXGS.  5  /  i) 
 
 Mj  fautcs  and  my  ungodlynesse, 
 My  synfull  youth  and  cruell  bearynge, 
 As  thou  art,   Lorde,   full  of  goodnesse, 
 Remembre   not  this  my   evell  lyvynge ; 
 But  after  thy  mercy  thynke  on   me, 
 And  after  thy  great  benignite 
 Forgyve  thou  all  my   mysdoynge. 
 
 The  Lorde  is  iuste,  full  of  goodnesse  r^^'-  '^^^^ 
 
 To  synners  that  leave  theyr  cruell  lyvynge: 
 
 For  though  they  fall  oft  thorowo  weaknessc. 
 
 Yet  to  his  waye  he  wyll  them  bryngc. 
 
 He   shall  lerne  meko  men  his   gracyous   wyll ; 
 
 And   teach  them   his  Avayc   to   come  thcrtyll, 
 
 And  set  theyr  fete  fast  for  slippyngc. 
 
 All  wayes  of  the  Lorde  are  full  truly 
 
 Both  of  mercy  and  faythfulnesse. 
 
 For  as  he  promyseth  mercyfuUy, 
 
 So  payeth  he  all  without  doubylnessc 
 
 To  soch  as  regarde  his  worde  and  wyll, 
 
 And  are  ever  redy  to  fulfyll 
 
 Theyr  covenaunt  with  hym  and  theyr  promcssc. 
 
 For  thy  name's  sake,   Lorde,   I  prayc  the, 
 
 Forgeve  me  my  great   wickednesse.  isai.  xiiii. 
 
 The  Lorde  shall  lerne  that  man  truly. 
 
 That  fcareth  hym  with  all  lowlyncssc : 
 
 He  shall  be  teachyngc  hym  ever  the  waye,  .tci.  xxxn 
 
 That  pleaseth  hym  both  nyght  and  dayc ; 
 
 His  conscience  shal  be  in  quyetnesse. 
 
 His   chyldren  shall  possesse  the  londc ; 
 
 It  shall  be  theyr  heretage   and  ryght : 
 
 They  shall  never  want  by  see  nor  londc, 
 
 The   Lorde   wyll  fede  them  thorow  his  myght.  r.-ai.  xxxv 
 
 He  is  a  defence  both  lovynge  and  deare, 
 
 For  every  man  thath  hym  doth  fearc, 
 
 Shewynge  them  his  covenaunte  day  and  nyght. 
 
 Myne  eyes  shall  on  the  Lorde  be  set, 
 Tyll  he   se  his   tymc  and   season 
 To   drawe  my   fete  out   of  this  net, 
 That  holdeth  me  so   last  in  pryson. 
 
 37—2 
 
580  GHOSTLY    PSALMS    AND    SPIRITUAL    SONGS. 
 
 Beholde  thou,  and  have  mercy  on  me ; 
 For  I  am  forsaken  in  myserj. 
 And  full  of  great  affliction. 
 
 The  cares  of  my  harte  and  sorofulnesse 
 Increase  ever  dayly  more  and  more. 
 Leade  me  out  of  my  hevynesse, 
 And  my  poore  state  beholde  therfore : 
 Forgeve  thou  all  my  synnes,  and  se, 
 How  many  they  are  that  trouble  me, 
 And  persecute  me  with  furiousnesse. 
 
 Preserve  my  soule,  and  delyver  me. 
 Lest  I  be  brought  to  confusion ; 
 For  I  have  put  my  trust  in  the. 
 Let  godlynesse  kepe  me  all  season ; 
 My  hope  is  in  the,  and  shall  be  styll. 
 Oh  God,  delyver  poore  Israel 
 From  all  theyr  trouble  and  affliction. 
 
 THE  LXVI.  (LXVII.)  PSALM. 
 
 Deus  misereatur  nostri. 
 
 God  be  mercyfuU  unto  us. 
 
 And  sonde  over  us  his  blessynge  ; 
 
 Shewe  us  his  presence  glorious, 
 
 And  be  ever  to  us  lovynge ; 
 
 That  men  on  earth  may  knowe  thy  waye, 
 
 Thy   savynge  health  and  ryghteousnesse ; 
 
 That  they  be  not  led  by  nyght  nor  day, 
 
 Throwe  the  pretexte  of  trewe  justice. 
 
 To  seke  salvacyon  where  none  is. 
 
 Therfore  the  people  mought  magnifie  the : 
 O  God,   let  all  folke  honoure  tliy  name ; 
 Let  all  the  people   reioyse  gladly. 
 Because  thou  dost  ryght  without  blame. 
 The  people  dost  thou  judge  truly, 
 And  ordrest  every  nacyon : 
 Thou  hast  directe  the  earth  iustly, 
 Ever  sense  the  fyrst  creacyon, 
 With  thy  godly  provision. 
 
GHOSTLY    PSALMS     AND    SPIKITUAL    SONGS.  581 
 
 O   God,  let  the  people  prayse  the ; 
 
 All  people,   God,   moiight  geve  the  honoure ; 
 
 The  earth  also  ryght  plenteously 
 
 Mought  increase  ever  more  and  more ; 
 
 And  God,  which  is  oure   God  over  all, 
 
 Mought  do  us  good  and  pleasure. 
 
 God  blcsse  us  now  both  great  and  small. 
 
 And  all   the  worlde  hym   honoure, 
 
 Fearynge  alwaye  his   myght  and  power. 
 
 XVIII. 
 
 THE  XIII.  (XIV.)  PSALME  OF  DAVID. 
 
 Dixit  insipiens. 
 
 The  foolish  wicked  men  can  saye, 
 They  holde  of  God  ryght  perfectly ; 
 Yet  are  they  farre  out  of  the  waye ; 
 For  in  theyr  hartes  they  hym  deny : 
 Corrupte  and  abominable  are  they  also 
 In  al  the  thynges  that  they  do  ; 
 There  wyll  not  one  do   good  truly. 
 
 The  Lorde  dyd  loke  here  downe  fro  heaven,  om.  xi.  & 
 
 Men  to  consyder  and  theyr  doynge ; 
 
 To  se  yf  any  men  were  geven, 
 
 To  God's  knowlege  above  all  thynge; 
 
 Yf  there  were  any,   that  perfectly 
 
 Regarded  God  so  earnestly. 
 
 To  folowe  his  worde  in  his  lyvynge. 
 
 Then   sayd   God  these  wordcs  moreover  : 
 Is  every  man  gone  so  farre  by, 
 Swarved  so  farre  now  all  together 
 From  the  ryght  waye  so  parlously ; 
 So  unprofitable  and  peryshed, 
 That  no  man  wyll  do  good  in  dedc. 
 No  not  so  moche  as  one  truly  ? 
 
 Are  they  out  of  theyr  myndes  so  farre. 
 All  these  workers  of  wickcdnesse  ? 
 Beholde  now,   for  they  nothyngc  care 
 My  people   to  devoure  for  grcdynessc. 
 
582  GHOSTLY    PSALMS     AND    SPlRITrjAL    SOXGS. 
 
 As  one  sliulde  eat  a  pace  of  bread : 
 The  Lorde's  feare  is  out  of  theyr  heade, 
 They  do  not  regarde  it  moch  doutlesse. 
 
 Wherfore  they  shal  be  feared  truly 
 With  feare  incomparable  and  endlesse. 
 O  ryghteous  man,   thou  mayst  be  mery  ; 
 For  they  that  beseged  the  gyltles, 
 Theyr  bones  hath  God  shaken  altogether. 
 How  shalt  thou  despyse  them  for  ever ! 
 For  God  hath  left  them  confortles. 
 
 God  is  in  iust  men's  company, 
 
 And  in  the  ryghteous  nacyon. 
 
 But  wicked  men   mocke  them  dayly, 
 
 For  none  other  cause  nor  reason, 
 
 But  for  because  they  folowe  the  mynde 
 
 Of  the  poore  afflicte,   which  was  God's  frende, 
 
 To  trust  in  the  Lorde's  redempcyon. 
 
 0  wolde  God  that  the  savynge  health 
 AVolde   come  from   the  hyll   of  Sion ; 
 That  Israel  myght  have  his  wealth, 
 And  God  to  lowse  hym  from  preson ! 
 Then  shulde  Jacob  be  full  of  joye, 
 And  Israel  shulde  make  full  mery. 
 Because  of  his  redempcyon. 
 
 THE  CXLVI.  (CXLVII.)  PSALME. 
 
 Latida^  Hiernsalem,  Dotniniitn. 
 
 Prayse  thou  the   Lorde,   Hierusale, 
 
 Prayse  thou   thy  God,   0   Sion : 
 
 For  all  thy  strength   stondeth   whole  in  hym 
 
 He  barreth  and  kepeth  thy  gates  alone, 
 
 Endewyng  thy   chyldre  in  the 
 
 With  goodly  gyftes  pleteously, 
 
 Blessyng  thy  cogregacion. 
 
 He  doth  endewe  thy  borders  all 
 Rounde  about  the   with   peace  and  rest : 
 His  provision  for   the   is   not  small ; 
 With  whoato  lie  foadeth  tlie  of  tlie  best. 
 
GHOSTLY    PSALMS    AND    SPIUITI-AL    SONGS.  583 
 
 He  sendetli  his  worde  into  the  earth ;  Psaimxxxiii. 
 
 &  cxliv. 
 
 Swyftly  renneth  his  commaundement  forth ; 
 All  thynges  obey  hym,  most  and  least. 
 
 Lyke  woll  doth  he  cast  downe  the  snowe, 
 Scatrynge  the  frost  lyke  as  asshes ; 
 Lyke  morsels  of  bread  liis  haile  doth  he  throwe, 
 That  no  man  maye  byde  the  coldnesse ; 
 With  a  worde  meltynge  them  all  agayne, 
 And  leadeth  his  wynde  backe  to  geve  rayne ; 
 So  droppe  the  waters  downe  with  moystnesse. 
 
 This  same  is  he  that  tolde  ryght  well 
 
 His  pleasures  to  Jacob,  his  deare  frende  ;  exou.  xx. 
 
 His  lawes  and  decrees  to  Israeli, 
 
 That  they  myght  kepe  them  in  theyr  mynde. 
 
 With  no  nacyon  hath  he  dealte  thus, 
 
 Nor  bene  to  them  so  gracyous,  oeut.  iv. 
 
 His  godly  worde  them  for  to  sende. 
 
 THE   CXXXH.  (CXXXHI.)  PSAL^IE. 
 
 Ecce  qumn  homim. 
 
 Beholde  and  se,  forget  not  this. 
 
 How  joyfull  and  pleasaunt  a  thynge  it  is, 
 
 Brethren  to  dwell  all  together, 
 
 And  to  be  of  one  mynde  ever. 
 
 For  they  are  lyke  that  precious  unction, 
 
 Which,  beynge  powred  on  the  head  of  Aaron, 
 
 Ran  in  his  bearde,  into  Aaron's  bearde, 
 
 And  to  his  skirtes  it  descended. 
 
 This  brotherly  love  is  so  noble  vertue, 
 
 That  it  is  lykened  unto  the  dew, 
 
 Which  fell  on  the  hyll  of  Hermon, 
 
 And  on  the  fayre  hyll  of  Sion. 
 
 For  there  the  Lorde  gave  his  blessynge, 
 
 And  shewed  his  lyfe  everlastynge. 
 
 So  where  as  love  is  unfayned, 
 
 There  is  the  Lorde's  blessynge  in   dede. 
 
584!  GHOSTLY    rSALMS     AND    SPIRITUAL    SONGS. 
 
 CHRISTE,   QUI   LUX. 
 
 O  Christ,  that  art  the  lyght  and  daye, 
 Thou  discoverst  the  darkness  of  nyght ; 
 The  lyght  of  lyghtes  thou  art  alwayc, 
 Preachyng  ever  the  blessed  lyght. 
 
 Thou  holy  Lorde,  to  the  we  praye, 
 Defende  us  all  in  this  darke  nyght ; 
 Let  us  have  rest  in  the  alwaye, 
 And  graunt  us  all  a  quyet  nyght. 
 
 Let  not  hevye  slope  on  us  fall, 
 Nor  let  the  feynde  take  us  awayc ; 
 Let  nor  oure  fleshe  consent  withall, 
 To  make  us  gyltie  by  nyght  nor  daye. 
 
 Let  oure  eyes  take  theyr  slepe  natural], 
 But  let  oure  hartes  wake  to  the  sty  11 ; 
 With  thy  ryght  honde  defende  us  all, 
 Thy  servauntes  true  that  love  the  well. 
 
 Loke  on  us,  Lorde,  our  defender ; 
 
 Put  them  downe,  that  wolde  us  no  good : 
 
 Kepe  thy  servauntes  in  good  ordrc, 
 
 Whom  thou  hast  bought  with  thy  deare  bloude. 
 
 Lorde,  call  us  now  unto  thy  mynde, 
 In  this  body  that  is  so  hevy ; 
 Thou,  that  doest  ever  oure  soule  defende, 
 Be  present  now  with  thy  mercy. 
 
 God  the  Father  for  evermore, 
 With  Jesu  Christ  his  Sonne  only, 
 And  the  Holy   Goost  oure  Confortoure, 
 Be  thanked  alwaye  hartely. 
 
 O   HEVENLY  LORDE. 
 
 O  HEVENLY  Lorde,  thy  godly  worde 
 Hath  longe  bene  kcpte  alwaye  from  us: 
 But  thorow  thy  grace  now  in  oure  dayes 
 Thou  hast  shewed  the  so  plenteous, 
 
GHaSTLY    PSALMS     AND    SPIRITUAL    SONGS.  585 
 
 That  very  well  we  can  now  tell, 
 What  thy  apostles  have  written  al ; 
 And  now  we  se  thy  worde  opely 
 Hath  geven  anthyechrist  a  great  fall. 
 
 It  ig  so  cleare,  as  we  may  heare, 
 
 No  man  by  ryght  can  it  deny, 
 
 That  many  a  yeare  thy  people  deare 
 
 Have  bene  begyled  perlously 
 
 With  men  spirituall,  as  we  them  call, 
 
 But  not  of  thy  Spirite  truly ; 
 
 For  more  carnall  are  none  at  all, 
 
 Than  many  of  these  spirites  be. 
 
 They  have  bene  ever  sworne  altogether, 
 Theyr  owne  lawes  for  to  kepe  alwaye  : 
 But,  mercyfull  Lorde,   of  thy  swete  worde 
 There  durst  no  man  begynne  to  saye. 
 They  durst  them  call  great  heretikes  all, 
 That  dyd  confesse  it  stedfastly ; 
 For  they  charged,  it  shuldc  be  hyd. 
 And  not  be  spoken  of  openly. 
 
 O  mercyfull  God,  where  was  thy  rod. 
 
 In  punyshynge  soch  great  tyranny  ? 
 
 Why  slepte  thou  then,  knowynge  these  men 
 
 llesist  openly  the  veritie? 
 
 But  the  prophetes  saye,  thou  art  alwaye 
 
 Full  of  mercy  and  gentylnesse; 
 
 For  nyght  and  daye  thou  suffrest,  that  they 
 
 Myght  turne  from  theyr  olde  wickednesse. 
 
 Neverthelesse  they  dyd  oppresse 
 
 Thy  worde  and  thy  true  preachers : 
 
 For  theyr  evell  syght  thou  sent  thy  lyght, 
 
 Yet  slewe  they  all  soch  teachers. 
 
 Then  seynge  they  resisted  alwaye 
 
 Thy  grace  offred  so  lovyngly ; 
 
 Thou  madest  it  mete  for  the  poore  m  sprite, 
 
 That  now  receave  it  thankfully. 
 
 For  there  are  none,  but  they  alone, 
 That  knowe  the  for  theyr  Savioure : 
 All  other  Avithstondc  thy  godly  honde, 
 And  slaundre  thy  worde  every  hourc. 
 
586  GHOSTLY    PSALMS    AXD    SPIRITHAL    SONGS. 
 
 Well  is  hym  therfore,  that  feletli  his  sore, 
 Sekynge  no  helpe  but  in  thy  bloude;     " 
 Receavynge  grace  of  the  alwayes, 
 Knowynge  of  hymselfe  to  have  no  good. 
 
 We  tlianke  the,  Lorde,  for  thy  swete  worde. 
 And  for  thy  kyndnesse  shewed  therin ; 
 For  thy  mercy,   Lorde,  we  praye  the. 
 Strength  us  therwith  agaynst  all  synne. 
 And,  Lorde,  oppresse  unthankfulnesse, 
 That  we  never  do  forget  the  : 
 Graunt  us  thy  Spirite,  to  lyve  throwe  it 
 Li  vertue  ever,  whyle  we  dye. 
 
 LET   GO   THE   WHORE   OF   BABILON. 
 
 Let  go  the  whore  of  Babilon, 
 
 Her  kyngdome  falleth  sore ; 
 
 Her  mechauntes  begyne  to  make  theyr  mone, 
 
 The  Lorde  be  praysed  therfore. 
 
 Theyr  ware  is  naught,   it  wyll  not  be  bought, 
 
 Great  falsheed  is  foude  therin  : 
 
 Let  go  the  whore  of  Babilon, 
 
 The  mother   of  al   synne. 
 
 No  man  wyll  drynke  her   wyne  any   more, 
 
 The  poyson  is  come  to  lyghte ; 
 
 That  maketh  her  marchauntcs  to  wepe  so  sore. 
 
 The  blynde  have  gotten  theyr  syghte. 
 
 For  now   we  se   God's  grace  frelye 
 
 In  Christ  oiFred  us  so  fay  re  : 
 
 Let   go  the  whore   of  Babilon, 
 
 And  bye  no  more  her  ware. 
 
 Of  christen   bloude  so  much  she  shed, 
 
 That  she  was  dronken  Avithall ; 
 
 But  now   God's  worde  hath  broken   her  head. 
 
 And  she  hath   gotten  a  fall. 
 
 God  hath  raysed  some  men  in  dcde, 
 
 To  utter  her  great  wickednesse  : 
 
 Let  go  the  whore  of  Bnbilon. 
 
 And   her   unn'odlynesse. 
 
GHOSTLY    PSALMS     AND    SPIRITUAL    SONGS.  587 
 
 Ye  ypocrites,  what  can  ye  saye? 
 
 Wo  be  unto  you  all ! 
 
 Ye  have  begyled  us  many  a  daye; 
 
 Heretikes  ye  did  us  call, 
 
 For  lovynge  the  worde  of  Christ  the   Lorde, 
 
 Whom  ye  do  alwaye  resiste. 
 
 Let  go  the  whore  of  Babilon, 
 
 That  rydeth  upon  the  beast. 
 
 Ye  proude  and  cruell  Egipcians, 
 That  dyd  us  so  great  wronge, 
 The  Lorde  hath  sent  us  delyveraunce, 
 Thoughe  ye  have  troubled  us  longe. 
 Youre  Pharao  with  other  mo 
 Is  drowned  in  the  Reed  See. 
 Let  go   the   whore  of  Babilon, 
 With  her  captivite. 
 
 Ye  Canaanites,  ye  enemyes  all, 
 
 Though  ye  were  many  in  dede ; 
 
 Yet  hath  the  Lorde  geven  you  a  fall. 
 
 And  us  delyvered. 
 
 Even  in  youre  londe  do  we  now  stonde, 
 
 Oure  Lorde  God  hath  brought  us  in : 
 
 Let  go  the  whore  of  Babilon, 
 
 And  fle  from  all  her  synne. 
 
 Dagon,   Dagon,   that  false  ydoll. 
 
 The  Philistine's   God, 
 
 Which  hath  deceaved  many  a  soule, 
 
 Li  soch  honoure  he  stode: 
 
 But  now  the  Lorde  with  his  swete  word 
 
 Hath  broken  hym  downe  before  the  arke. 
 
 Let  go  the  whore  of  Babilon, 
 
 And  forsake  the  beeste's  marke. 
 
 Balaam,   Balaam,  thou  false  prophet, 
 
 Thou  hast  cursed  us  ryght  sore ; 
 
 Yet  into  a  blessynge  hath  God  turned  it, 
 
 No  thanke  to   the  therfore. 
 
 For  thy  helpe  thou  woldest  lye, 
 
 Though   God  make  the  to  save  the  soth^ 
 
 Let  go  the   whore   of  Babilon, 
 
 And  turne  you  to  the  trueth. 
 
 [1  sotli :  sootli.  truth.] 
 
588  GHOSTLY    PSALMS     AND    SPIRITUAL    SONGS. 
 
 Thy   God  be  praysed,   O  Daniel, 
 
 For  his  goodnesse  so  great : 
 
 The  gredy  prestes  of  the  idoll  Bel 
 
 Were  wonte  to  moche  to  eate, 
 
 And  that  prively,  no  man   did  se ; 
 
 But  now  the  kynge  hath  spied  theyr  cast. 
 
 Let  go  the  whore  of  Babilon, 
 
 For  Bell  is  destroyed  at  the  last. 
 
 O  glorious  God,  full  of  mercye. 
 
 Wo  thanke  the  evermore ; 
 
 Thou  hast  shewed  us  thy   verite ; 
 
 Thy  name  be  praysed  therfore. 
 
 For  thy  swete  worde,   O  gracious  Lorde, 
 
 Let  us  be  ever  thankfull  to  the ; 
 
 And  send  the  whore  of  Babilon 
 
 Into  captivite. 
 
 Rejoycc  with  me,  thou  heaven  above. 
 
 And  ye  apostles  all ; 
 
 Be  glad,  ye  people,  for  Christe's  love, 
 
 That  the  whore  hath  gotten  a  fall. 
 
 Be  thankfull  now,  I  requyre  you, 
 
 Amende  youre  lyves,  whyle  you  have  space. 
 
 Let  go  the  whore  of  Babilon, 
 
 And  thanke  God  of  his  grace. 
 
THE   SONGES   CONTEYNED   IN   THIS   BOKE. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 To  the  Holy  Goost 541 
 
 Another  of  the  same   542 
 
 Another  of  the  same   543 
 
 Unto  the  Trenite il>. 
 
 The  Ten  Commandementes  of  God    544 
 
 Another  of  the  same    545 
 
 The  Crede  546 
 
 Another  of  the  same   547 
 
 Of  the  Pater  Noster    548 
 
 Another  of  the  same   549 
 
 Be  glad  now,  all  ye  christen  men 550 
 
 Now  is  oure  helth  come  from  above 552 
 
 Christ  is  the  only  Sonne  of  God 553 
 
 Media  Vita   554 
 
 By  Adam's  fall    556 
 
 Wake  up,  wake  up    558 
 
 I  call  on  the  Lords  Jesu  Christ 5G0 
 
 Of  the  birth  of  Christ   562 
 
 Of  the  resurrection 563 
 
 Another  of  the  same  ib. 
 
 Gloria  in  excelsis  Deo    564 
 
 Magnificat,  which  is  the  songe  of  the  Virgin  Mary  565 
 
 Nunc  Dimittis,  which  is  the  songe  of  Simeon 566 
 
 The  xi.  (xii.)  Psalme  of  David.     {Salvum  me  fac,  Dominc.) 567 
 
 The  seconde  Psalme  of  David.     {Quare  fremuerunt  gentes.) 568 
 
 The  xlvi.  Psahne  of  David.     {Deus  noster  o'efugium.)   569 
 
 The  cxxiii.  (cxxiv.)  Psalme  of  David.    {Nisi  quia  Dominus.) 571 
 
 The  cxxxvi.  (cxxxvii.)  Psalme.    {Super  flumina  Bahilonis.) ib. 
 
 The  cxxvii.  (cxxviii.)  Psalme.    {Beati  omnes  qui  timent  Dominum.)  573 
 
 The  same  Psalme.    {Beati  omnes.) ib. 
 
 The  1.  (li.)  Psalme  of  David.     {Misei-ere  mei,  Dens.)    574 
 
 The  same  Psalme    576 
 
 The  cxxix.  (cxxx.)  Psalme.     {De  profundis.) 577 
 
 The  xxiv.  (xxv.)  Psalm  of  David.     {Ad  te,  Domine,  levavi.) 578 
 
590  THE    SONGES    CONTEYXEU    IX    THIS     150KE. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 The  Ixvi.  (Ixvii.)  Psalme.     {Dcus  nmcrmtur  riostri.) 580 
 
 The  xiii.  (xiv.)  Psalme  of  David.     {Dixit  ins'rpiens.) 581 
 
 The  cxlvi.  (cxlvii.)  Psabiio.     {Laudn,  Hicrusaleni,  Dominum.) 583 
 
 The  cxxxii.  (cxxxiii.)  Psahnc.     {Evce  quam  honum.) 583 
 
 Christe,  qui  lux  584 
 
 O  hevenly  Lordc ib. 
 
 Let  go  the  whore  of  Babilon    586 
 
 Imprynted  by  nio  Jolicau  Gough. 
 Cinn  pflvlle<jio  Rv<jaH. 
 
APPENDIX 
 
 CONTAINING 
 
 THE   ORIGINALS   OF   THE   LETTERS   WRITTEN 
 IN  LATIN. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 EPIST.  ''^**'' 
 
 XII.        Ad  Hemicum  BuUingenim 593 
 
 XIII.  Ad  Conradum  HuLertum ••     ib- 
 
 XIV.  Ad  eundem 595 
 
 XV.  Ad  eundem 596 
 
 XVI.  Ad  eundem ib. 
 
 XVII.  Ad  eundem 597 
 
 XVIII.  Ad  eundem 598 
 
 XIX.        Ad  eundem 599 
 
 XX.        Ad  eundem 600 
 
 XXL       Ad  eundem ib. 
 
 XXII.       Ad  eundem GOl 
 
 XXIII.  Ad  eundem ib. 
 
 XXIV.  Ad  eimdem 602 
 
 XXV.  Ad  eundem ib. 
 
 XXVI.  Ad  cimdem 603 
 
 XXVII.  Ad  eimdem 604 
 
 XXVIII.  Ad  eundem 605 
 
 XXIX.  Ad  eundem 606 
 
 XXX.  Ad  eundem ib. 
 
 XXXI.  Ad  eundem 607 
 
 XXXIII.  Ad  Johannem  Calvinum    ji,, 
 
 XXXIV.  Ad  Paulum  Fagium    608 
 
 XXXV.  Ad  Conradum  Hubertum 609 
 
593 
 
 EPISTOLA  XII. 
 
 MILO   COVERDALUS   AD   HENRICUM  BULLINGERUM. 
 
 S.  p.  D.  Occupationibus  est  factum  mcis  et  quadam  cor- 
 poris irapotentia,  (ut  interim  taceam  rei  familiaris  inopiam,) 
 ne  una  cum  clarissimis  viris  D.  Butlero  dominoque  Richardo 
 iter  istic  nunc  facerem.  Quam  pcgre  autem  vobis  jam  absum, 
 paucis  equidcm  non  dicam.  Valdc  enim  cupio  pr?esens  ves- 
 tram  contemplari  ecclesiam,  Quando  vero  id  mihi  non  datur, 
 praestolabor  benignam  Dei  Patris  voluntatem ;  contentus  in- 
 terim bonum  illius  Spiritum  per  vcstrum  in  verbo  suo  minis- 
 terium  degustasse,  atque  ita  vobis  in  Christo  usum  esse 
 familiariter.  Defuisset  plane  quod  nunc  ad  te  scriberem, 
 pra)ceptor  integerrime,  si  non  habuissem  in  memoria,  quam 
 tu  benigne  nostras  literas,  et  quidem  crassiores,  sub  calendis 
 Octobris  emissas  acceperis,  bonique  consulueris,  Unde  vides, 
 qualem  pariat  balbutiem  infelix  educatio,  nimirum  aliena  ab 
 omni  prorsus  vel  linguarum  vel  compositionum  ornamento. 
 Ceterum  habeo  gratiam,  quod  gravissimis  alioqui  studiis  oc- 
 cupatus,  me  tamcn  in  literis  D.  Richardi  dignatus  sis  resa- 
 lutare.  Denique  inslgnes  hos  viros,  verasque  pietatis  et  stu- 
 diosos  et  patronos,  omni  quo  possum  animi  candore  vobis 
 commendo ;  certus,  gaudium  illud  in  S.  S.  vobis  utrinque  non 
 defuturum,  ubi  una  in  Domino  conveneritis.  Quod  ut  felicitcr 
 fiat,  ille  faxit,  qui  pectora  vestra  sincere  sui  amore  jampridem 
 curavit  esse  conjunctissima.  Bene  vale.  Argcntorati,  sexto 
 calendas  Augusti.    Salutat  vos  plurimum  uxor  mea  in  Domino. 
 
 Tuus, 
 
 MILO  COVERDALUS. 
 
 EPISTOLA  XIIL 
 
 MILO   COVERDALUS   AD   CONRADUM  HUBERTUM. 
 
 Pax  et  gaudium  in  Spiritu  Sancto !  Quando  per  temporls 
 angustiam  prolixiori  scripto  iiti  non  datur,  frater  in  Doramo 
 carissime,  dummodo  nobis  nunquam  non  adsit  gratissima  tui 
 
 38 
 
 [COVEUDALE,    II.] 
 
594  MILO    COVERDALUS    AD    CONRADUM    HUBERTUM.         [epIST. 
 
 memoria,  facilius  te  scio  bene  volenti  amiculo  ignoscere.  Heri 
 enim  a  prandio,  quum  alioqui  plures  mihi  scribendse  essent 
 literse,  himc  hodie  primo  ad  vos  diluculo  profeeturum  intel- 
 ligebam.  Miraris  tu  quidem,  et  merito,  quid  esset,  si  qui 
 apud  tuos^  nunc  ago,  literas  tibi  dare  prorsus  intcrmitterem. 
 Verum  in  Septembri  cum  literis  vestris  communitus  hue  voca- 
 tus  accederem,  plane  effeci,  quanquam  scripto  satis  brevi,  ut 
 qua?  turn  hie  gererentur,  ipse  admodum  non  ignores.  Joannes 
 item,  frater  tuus  carissimus,  qute  postea  in  mei  et  ecclesifB 
 hujus  causa  subsequebantur,  nobis  interim  absentibus,  baud 
 dubie  indicavit.  Siquidem,  confecto  jam  negotio,  descendi 
 statim  ego  in  inferiorem  Germaniam,  uxorem  inde  carissimam 
 allaturus.  Rediens  tandem,  atque  nunc  plura  expertus,  qua3 
 antea  prresens  parum  animadverteram,  video  (proh  dolor!)  pra)- 
 sentem  ecclesiarum,  qure  hie  sunt,  calamitosam  esse  nimis 
 conditionem,  irao  fere  deploratam :  usque  adeo  principes 
 connivere,  factiones  horrendissimre  pullulascere,  atque  adeo 
 ipsi  Dominici  gregis  pastores  lascivire  videntur.  Proinde 
 utinam  ipse,  ita  ut  carrissimus  etiam  parens,  Dei  adhuc  bene- 
 ficio  superstes,  percupide  optat,  nobis  vel  biduum  adesses! 
 Nam  et  plurima  sunt,  qun3  ego  quoque  in  sinum  tuum  habeo 
 committenda. 
 
 Quod  si  tua  humanitas  carissimo  nostro  Abelo  adfuerit  in 
 vasis  nostri  qua3rendi  negotio,  quod  civis  cujusdam  Mogunti- 
 nensis  errore  et  incuria  Argentoratum,  ut  audio,  quum  Spiram 
 adferri  debuisset,  est  advectum,  rem  certe  feceris  nobis  nunc 
 peregrinis  gratissimam.  Vale,  et  conjugi  et  Samueli  carissimo, 
 prseceptori  item  nostro  integerrimo  D.  D.  Petro  Martyri,  etc. 
 multam  ex  me  et  uxore  salutem  nuntiabis.  Vale  iterum. 
 Tabern.  d.  24  Decembris.     1543. 
 
 MICHAEL  ANGLUS2, 
 
 Minister  ecclesiae  Tabern. 
 
 [1  Hubertus  e  Tabernis  Montanis  erat  oriundus. — Simler]. 
 
 [2  Vel  potius  et  rectius  Milo  Coverdalus,  (ut  ipse  notat  Hubertus 
 ad  epistolfe  inscriptionem,)  nuper  Exon.  episcopus,  qui  cur  nomen 
 Michaelis  Angli  sibi  sumpserit,  plane  ignore,  nisi  forte  Milo  et  Michael 
 unum  idemque  lingua  Anglica  sonant.  Erat  autem  ludo  literario  ec- 
 clesise  Taberno-montanfc  prsefectus,  ut  Joannes  Dodmannus  Anglus  ad 
 Bissweilerianam  ecclesiam,  Gennanice  quoque  docendam,  vocabatui-, 
 Edmundus  vero  ad  scholce  Landaviensis  ministerium. — Simler.] 
 
XIV.]  MILO    COVERDALUS    AD    CONRADUM    HUBERTUM.  595 
 
 EPISTOLA  XIV. 
 
 MILO  COVERDALUS  AD  CONRADUM  HUBERTUM. 
 
 Pax  et  gaudium  in  Spiritu  Sancto !  In  prioribiis  meis 
 literis  scrips!  parentem  tuum  carissimum  vobis  ante  octo  dies 
 adfuturum.  Quid  autem  illi  obstitit,  ipsemet  vos  coram  faciet 
 certiores,  cui  et  vii  florenos  xiique  batzones  numeravi;  eo 
 nimiriim,  ut  tu  pro  tiia,  qua  es  erga  me,  humanitate  id  pecu- 
 niarum  meis  creditoribus  solutura  efficias;  qua  in  re  me  multum 
 sane  tibi  demereberis.  Novisti  quid  per  te  acceperim  ex  D. 
 Vindelino,  Rihelio,  Cephalfeo,  et  Jacobo  Jucundo.  Pra3ter 
 hos  item  creditores  habui  Christophorum,  (bibliopolam  ilium, 
 qui  sub  pra3torio  officinam  habet  D.  Vindolino  proximam,)  et 
 senem  ilium  Joannem  Grymmum,  qui  prae  foribus  templi 
 majoris  duas  habet  ab  occidente  officinas.  In  sum  ma,  quic- 
 quid  est,  Germanica  tibi  ha)c  schedula  significantius  ostendet. 
 Tu  quseso  a^gre  ne  feras,  quod  integritatis  ture  officiis  porro 
 uti  non  desinam ;  tete  enim  mihi  videre  obtulisse,  ut  te  fruar 
 in  Domino. 
 
 Cura,  te  oro,  ut  Cephalaeus  cliartam  illam  mittat,  cujus 
 memini  in  meis  ad  ilium  literis :  itidem  et  Jacobus  Jucundus 
 eos  ut  tradat  tibi  libros,  quorum  nomina  in  hac  scribuntur 
 schedula.  Et  ex  nostratibus  si  quid  literarum  extorquere 
 poteris,  id  ut  facias  rogo :  nee  hoc  solum,  sed  et  mensam 
 illam,  quam  missurus  est  Edmundus  noster,  ad  nos  quam  pri- 
 mum  adferendam  cures  velim.  Bene  vale.  Salutamus  plu- 
 rimum  ego  et  uxor  mea  te  et  tuam  carissimam  in  Domino. 
 Iterum  vale.     E  Tabernis  Montanis,  prid.  Calend.  April. 
 
 MICHAEL  COVERDALUS. 
 
 Cal.  April.  Hoc  mane,  cum  obsignaturus  eram  has  Hteras, 
 accessit  ad  me  carissimus  pater  tuus,  qui  per  corporis  im- 
 potentiam  institutum  iter  aggredi  nunc  non  potest.  Brevi 
 tamen  ad  te  profecturum  non  desperat :  nee  se  male  habere 
 videtur  usque  adeo,  Deo  sit  gratia !  Quare  non  est,  quod  vos 
 hoc  nomine  magis  sitis  solhciti :  nam  accessisset  etiam  nunc,  si 
 auriga  non  negasset  personce  sure  vecturam. 
 
 38—2 
 
596  iMILO    COVERDALUS    AD    CONRADUM     HUBERTUM.         [ePIST. 
 
 EPISTOLA  XV. 
 
 MILO  COVERDALUS  AD  CONRADUM  HUBERTUM. 
 
 Pax  et  gaiidlum  in  Spirltu  Sancto !  Literas  tuas  11 
 Martii  datas,  Conrade  carissime,  reddidit  mihi  Edmundus 
 noster ;  cujus  equidem  ncgotiiim,  lit  in  hujusmodi  docendi 
 ministerium  admitteretur,  pro  mea  virili  ante  tres  menses 
 laboravi.  Dominus  item  Jesus,  cujus  agitur  causa,  liuic  nostro 
 institute  non  defuit :  nee  de  prosperrimo  successu  possum 
 dubitare,  etiamsi  pueros  insulsissime  educates  offenderit,  valdc- 
 que  arduus  sit  illi  ingressus  in  scholam  Landavienscm  hoc 
 potissimum  nomine.  Quod  ad  causam  nostratium  puerorum, 
 qui  istic  sunt,  attinet,  ego  ante  quindecim  dies,  absente  D. 
 Nicolao,  quum  illustrissimus  princeps  adesset,  Spirara  descen- 
 surus,  banc  ipsam,  quod  potui,  peregi ;  non  quidem  apud 
 salutatum  principera,  sed,  prgesente  et  audiente  principc,  apud 
 prrofectum  nostrum  :  qui  mihi  illustrissimi  principis  nomine 
 hoc  dcdit  responsum,  nempe  ab  illius  celsitudino  decretum 
 jam  esse,  ut  in  proxima  visitatione,  quam  nos  in  Maio  futuram 
 putavimus,  huic  rei  optime  consulatur.  Pr^eterca,  nos  una 
 cum  parentibus  tuis  longe  carissimis  utcunque  valemus,  vestri 
 et  iUius  quas  istic  est  in  Domino  ecclesia?  parum  immemores ; 
 quod  et  vos  vicissim  pro  nobis  indesinenter  facere  non  dubi- 
 tamus.    Vale.    E  Tab.  Mont.  d.-lO  Aprilis,  1544. 
 
 Tuus  in  Domino, 
 
 MICHAEL  ANGLUS. 
 
 EPISTOLA  XVI. 
 
 MILO  COVERDALUS  AD  CONRADUM  HUBERTUM. 
 
 S.  SuMMAM  crga  me  ostendit  amicitiam  beatus  ille, 
 prseclarus  quidem,  juvenis,  qui  non  sohim  hue,  imo  ad  Taber- 
 nas  Montanas,  istinc  ad  me  attuht  hteras,  verum  etiam  in  se 
 accepit  has  pecunias  per  tidum  internuntium  ad  vos  perferen- 
 das.  Vix  paucis  dicam,  quam  invitus  ipse  eas  hactenus 
 tenuerim :  parens  enim  tuus,  ut  scis,  attuhsset.  Qua)  cuique 
 debeatur  summa,  intelligis  ex  ilia  schedula,  quam  in  literis  meis 
 Cal.  Aprihs  ad  te  misi;  ut  nunc  pluribus  te  verbis  interturbare 
 
XVI.]  MILO    COVfiROALLlS    AD    CONRADU.M    HUBERTIJJM.  .597 
 
 non  sit  opus.     Saluta  mihi  et  uxori  mea)  tuam,  qua'so,  carissi- 
 mam.    Libenter  audimus  filiolum  tuum  revaluisse.    Bene  vale. 
 
 Tuus  ex  animo, 
 
 MICHAEL  ANGLUS. 
 
 Interim  pro  mutua  inter  nos  in  Domino  amicitia  oro,  ut 
 ex  Vindelino,  Cepliala?o,  et  Jacobo  Jucundo  eos  quam  primum 
 habeam  libros,  quorum  memini  in  superioribus  meis  literis. 
 Iterum  vale.     Raptim.     Wissenburgje.     Idibus  Aprilis,  1544. 
 
 EPISTOLA  XVII. 
 
 MILO   COVERDALUS   AD   CONRADUM  HUBERTUM. 
 
 Gratiam  et  pacem  a  Domino!  Cum  internuntius  hie 
 carissimus  mihi  per  literas  significasset,  se  tarn  paucos  post 
 dies  istuc  profecturum,  parentem  tuum  carissimum  conveni, 
 de  cujus  ad  vos  profectione  non  alitor  constat,  quam  quod 
 circiter  Ascensionis  festum  vos  tandem  inviscre  decrevit. 
 Pedibus  enim  nunc  melius  valet.  Mater  item,  etsi  molesta 
 quadam  scabie  teneatur,  animo  tamen  pulchre  valere  videtur. 
 Dominus  autem,  qui  nunquam  non  sanctus  est  in  omnibus 
 suis  operibus,  pro  bona  sua  voluntate,  ante  octo  dies  Joanni 
 fratri  tuo  prolem.  illam  suavissimam  ademit,  quam  circiter 
 Natalem  ediderat  illi  uxor.  Cras,  Domino  volente,  sacram 
 illius  coenam  peracturi  sumus.  Negotium  catechismi,  quod- 
 ante  duas  septimanas  in  templo  aggrediebamur,  felicitcr  (Deo 
 sit  gratia !)  et  non  sine  frugi  experimur  nunc  succedere.  Faxit 
 ille  Optimus  Maximus,  ut  magis  ac  magis  in  sui  gloriam  in- 
 crementum  accipiat,  quod  nos  plantare  et  rigare  orsi  sumus. 
 
 Quod  ad  pecunias  illas  attinet,  quas  hie  tibi  traditurus 
 est  D.  Valent.  Brentius,  in  literis  meis  prid.  Cal.  Aprilis  misi 
 una  ad  te  schedulam,  qua  significabam  quid  cuique  debeatur. 
 Quare  tu  hoc  meum,  quseso,  cura  negotium,  et  ut  chartam  ae 
 libros,  quibus  nunc  opus  habemus,  mittantur,  diligenter 
 admone  Vindelinum,  CephalcTeum,  et  Jucundum.  Ad  Vindelinum 
 et  Cephalteum  dedi  nunc  hteras  privatim,  non  autem  ad 
 Jacobum  Jucundum.  Quare  pro  mutua  inter  nos  amicitia 
 abs  te  effectum  vehm,  ut  Donati  minoris  exemplaria  duodecim, 
 totidemque  Collo :  Formu :  Seobaldi  Heiden,  ct  Buco.  Virgilii 
 
'598  MILO    COVERDALUS    AD    CONRADUM    HUBERTUM.         [ePIST. 
 
 exemplaria  vi  aut  viii,  ab  illius  quoque  officina  habeam ;  utque 
 una  cum  charta  Cephalsei  et  libris  Vindelini  ad  nos  per- 
 ferantur.  Quod  utinam  quam  primum  fieret !  Non  enim 
 credis,  quanta  librorum  necessitate  et  chartarum  penuria 
 laboramus.  Wissenburgum  saltern  hsec  esse  advecta  optarem, 
 si  fieri  posset.  Nee  te  sane  in  tarn  sancto  ministerio  occu- 
 patum  his  rebus  impedirem,  si  esset,  cui  istud  negotii  liceret 
 tuto  committere.  Bene  vale,  salutatus  plurimum  ab  uxore 
 mea,  quae  tuam  quoque  carissimam  pi.  salvere  jubet.  Iterum 
 vale.     E  Tabernis  Montanis,  xi  Calend.  Maii.     1544. 
 
 MICHAEL  tuus  COVERDALUS. 
 
 EPISTOLA  XVIIL 
 
 MILO  COVERDAI.US  AD  CONRADUM  HUBERTUM. 
 
 Pax  et  gaudium  in  Spiritu  Sancto !  Quanto  nos  beneficio 
 affecerit  Dominus,  quod  hue  carissimum  nobis  in  illo  prae- 
 ceptorem  D.  Bucerura  nunc  miserit,  prse  animi  mei  alacritate 
 vix  satis  vel  pr^dicare  vel  scribere  possum.  Ad  triduum 
 enim  usque  exhibuit  nobis,  non  sine  summis  laboribus,  multa 
 et  pietatis  et  caritatis  officia :  unde  et  ecclesias  nostras  non 
 parum  stabilitas  fore,  certus  scio,  in  Domino.  Hsec  autem 
 Christophorus  noster  suo  melius  ore,  quam  ego  scriptis,  sig- 
 nificabit.  Ad  carissimorum  parentum  sedes  D.  Bucerum  bis 
 duxi ;  quod  quantum  illis  refocillamenti  attulerit,  utriusque 
 parentis,  imo  et  fratris,  affectus  satis  indicarunt.  Nostrum 
 vero  oppidulum  (proh  dolor !)  ex  superiori,  qui  ante  dies  octo 
 contigit,  grandine  maximum  suscepit  damnum.  Sed  si  veram 
 hujus  flagelli  rationem  habeamus,  bonitas  profecto  Dei,  qui 
 susceptum  filium  erudire  solet,  ad  poenitentiam  nos  invitat. 
 Quod  ad  MatthaBum,  pr^etoris  in  Roda  filium,  attinet,  (quando- 
 quidem  in  Uteris  ad  nos  datis,  quam  bene  illi  in  Domino 
 volueris,  satis  ostendisti,)  mihi  etiam  sane  consultum  neque 
 hulc  ipsi  neque  ecclesias  Dei  esse  videtur,  ut  ante  annum 
 saltern  vigesimum  secundum  ad  sacrum  ministerium  assumatur. 
 Rationes,  quibus  eo  adducor,  ut  hoc  asseram,  plures  sunt, 
 quam  ut  paucis  commemorem.  Denique  ante  Pentecosten 
 decrevit  carissimus  parens  vos  invisere :  quo  forsan  nuntio, 
 si  Dominus  faverit,  plura  de  ecclesiae  nostras  conditionc,  cui 
 
XVIII.]  MILO    COVERDALUS    AD    CONRADUM    HUBERTUM.  599 
 
 tu  candide  faves,  libenter  scribam.  Optima  ilia  vidua,  matris 
 tuas  soror  carissima,  duos  istuc  aureos,  quos  Christophoro  tradi- 
 di,  misit:  alterum  dono  dedit  Samueli,  suavissimo  filiolo,  alterum 
 in  eum  misit  usum,  ut  inde  conopus  illi  ematur,  atque  ad  nos, 
 cum  opportunum  fuerit,  transmittatur.  Vale,  salutatus  pluri- 
 mum  a  parentibus  et  uxore  mea  in  Domino.  Tuam  ex  nobis 
 pi.  salvere  jubebis.    Iterum  vale.    E  Tab.  Mont.  22  Maii. 
 
 Tuus, 
 
 MICHAEL  ANGLUS. 
 
 EPISTOLA   XIX. 
 
 MILO  COVERDALUS  AD  CONRADUM  HUBERTUM. 
 
 Pax  et  gaudium  in  Spiritu  Sancto !  Etiam  si  plura  mihi 
 ad  te  scribendi  argumenta  non  essent,  volui  tamen  vel  salutem 
 adscribere  tibi,  vir  in  Domino  carissime,  ne  ex  longa,  qua 
 jam  usus  sum,  intermissione  literarum  me  tui  immemorem 
 putes.  Parentes  tui  carissimi  satis  commoda  sunt  valetudine, 
 teque  una  cum  uxore  pi.  salvere  jubent.  Keligionis  negotium 
 magis  ac  magis  in  dies  hie  valiturum  non  dubito :  hujus  enim 
 specimen  aliquod  expertus,  hsec  scribo,  ut  qui  ecclesia?  Dei 
 optime  cupis,  et  illi  nobiscum  gratias  agas,  et  pro  majori 
 successu  preces  indesinenter  effundas.  Hoc  autem  ab  te  velie- 
 menter  peto,  ut  quid  valcat  D.  Bucerus  in  turbulentissimo  hoc 
 seculo,  certior  factus,  nos  itidem  ut  sciamus  efficias.  Pacis 
 spcm  satis  malam  prsenunciant  rumores,  quos  hie  audimus. 
 Nam  ut  aiunt  Caesarera  nullam  velle  pacem  admittere,  (imo 
 ne  hortatu  quidem  principum.)  ita  et  Juliacensis  fertur  in 
 Brabantiam  finesque  Hollandicos  de  integro  jam  summa  vi 
 grassatum  esse.  Horrendissima  profccto  initial  Faxit  Deus, 
 ut  tantis  malis  incitati,  nostramque  ingratitudinem  vere  ag- 
 noscentes,  citra  omnem  fucum  resipiscamus.  Salutatos  mihi 
 libenter  optarem,  quotquot  isthic  sunt  nostratium,  pra}scrtim 
 vero  D.  Ricardum,  &c.  Meis  item  verbis  D.  Vindclino,  D. 
 Conrado  parocho,  Sturmioque,  et  Severo  salutem  si  nuntia- 
 veris,  gratissimum  erit.  Vale.  Idibus  Augusti.  E  Tabernis 
 Montanis,  1544. 
 
 M.  COVERDALUS. 
 
600  MILO    COVERDALUS    AD    CONRADUM    HUBERTUM.         [ePIST. 
 
 EPISTOLA   XX. 
 
 MILO   COVERDALUS  AD   CONRADUM  HUBERTUM. 
 
 Pax  et  gaudium  m  Spiritu  Sancto !  Si  quid  edidit  com- 
 munis noster  prjBceptor  D.  Bucerus  in  hostes  jam  evangelii, 
 prffisertim  in  Wintoniensera  Anglum,  te  unice  oratum  volo,  ut 
 mihi  quoque  aliquid  sit  editionis  hujusmodi.  Valemus,  Dei 
 beneficio,  omnes.  Parentes  te  cum  tua  in  imminentem  jam 
 vindemiam  exspectant,  plurimumque  salvere  jubent.  Vale.  E 
 Tab.  Mont.  prid.  Cal.  Sept.  1545. 
 
 MICHAEL  AXGLUS. 
 
 EPISTOLA  XXL 
 
 MILO  COVERDALUS  AD  CONRADUM  HUBERTUM. 
 
 Pacem  et  gaudium  in  Spiritu  Sancto !  Magnum  humani- 
 tatis  tuse  specimen  praebcs,  virorum  eruditissime,  qui  Uteris 
 tuis  suavissimis,  veluti  calcaribus,  Michaelem  (vel  si  mavis 
 Milonem)  tuum,  pigre  alias  incedentem,  ad  feliciores  progressus 
 incitare  non  desistis.  Litera3  tiise  iii.  Cal.  Sept.  datse  bona 
 nobis  fide  ad  in.  Novembr.  ejusdem  redditae  sunt ;  ex  quibus 
 intellexi  D.  Bucerum,  prseter  nostram  vero  omnium  opinionem, 
 nondum  rediisse.  Quo  nomine  et  nos  magno  afFectos  esse 
 dolore  ne  dubites.  Ceterum  pro  tanto  viro  universam  eccle- 
 siam  multis  jugiter  preclbus  agere  scio ;  atque  Dominum  pro 
 solita  eum  misericordia  liberaturum,  non  est  quod  desperemus. 
 D.  Xicolaus  sanus  et  Itetus  domum  rediit,  teque  pi.  resalutat. 
 Circa  Cal.  Octobris  constituimus  ego  et  uxor,  superis  bene 
 juvantibus,  isthuc  ascendere,  vosque  nostri  amantissimos  in- 
 visere.  Parentes  tui  carissimi  satis  commoda  sunt  valetudine, 
 atque  adeo  prsesentes  ad  te  literas  dedere,  E  Tab.  Mon. 
 Idibus  Septembr.  a.  inc. 
 
 Tuus, 
 
 M.  COVERDALUS. 
 
XXII.]  MILO    COVERDALUS    AD    COXRADUM     IIUBKRTIIM,  GOl 
 
 EPISTOLA  XXII. 
 
 MILO  COVERDALUS  AD  CONRADUM  HUBERTUM. 
 
 Pax  et  gaudium  in  Spiritu  Sancto !  Quam  non  male  velis 
 patriae  tuse,  Conrade  carisslme,  testimonio  sunt  litera?,  quibus 
 superiori  septimana  adolescentulis  nostris  ad  nos  dedisti.  lUo- 
 ruin  nos  causam,  etiamsi  paruin,  eo  tamen  promovimus  apud 
 Praefectum,  ut  hujus  jussii  Erasmo  nostro  x  floreni  in  siibsi- 
 diuni  ministrentur,  donee  res  ipsa  coram  visitaturis  meliorem 
 habuerit  exitum :  id  quod  Praefectus  ante  Natalem  non  esse 
 futurum  prsedixit.  Pr^eterea  ad  coenam  diei  mensis  hujus 
 XXVII  me  et  uxorem,  ita  ut  sfepius  solet  facere,  invitavit. 
 Inter  ccenandum  de  pluribus  conferentes,  in  sacri  ministerii 
 mentionem  incidimus.  Cui  equidem  colloquio  libenter  ipse 
 aliquid  addidissem ;  sed  uxor  Prsefecti  tanta  dexteritate  causam 
 Domini  agebat,  ut  mihi  verba  facere  opus  non  esset.  Prse- 
 fectus  vero  sequenti  die,  qui  erat  Dominicus,  orationem  habens 
 ad  populum,  gravissimisque  verbis  usus,  ostendebat  sibi  parum 
 placere,  quae  popellus  noster  clanculum  illo  factitare  solet. 
 Puerpera  nostra  (gratiam  habemus  Domino)  cum  sua  filiola 
 revaluit.  Vale  feliciter,  atque  librorum  exemplaria,  quorum 
 in  superioribus  Uteris  memini,  si  a  bibliopola  nondum  acce- 
 peris,  ne  quiBso  sumas ;  horum  enim  mihi  tandem  satis  alla- 
 tum  est  e  Francofordia :  sed  si  jam  habes,  ad  nos  mitte;  atque 
 Margaretam  tuam  nostro  nomine  pi.  jubeto  salvere.  Gratia 
 tecum.     Amen.     Tab.  Mont,  in  Octobris.     Anno  [1544]. 
 
 Tuus, 
 
 MICHAEL  ANGLUS. 
 
 EPISTOLA   XXIIL 
 
 MILO  COVERDALUS  AD  CONRADUM  HUBERTUM. 
 
 Pax  et  gaudium  in  Spiritu  Sancto !  Si  cum  prole  et  uxore 
 carissima  sanus  atque  \set\is  domum  redieris,  est  id  nobis  ve- 
 hementer  gratum.  Parentes  tui  prospera  sunt  valetudine, 
 tibique  multam  in  Domino  salutem  optantes,  significatum 
 volunt,  Margaretam,  fratris  tui  uxorem,  mediocriter  nunc  re- 
 valuisse,   atque   adeo   mulierem    illam,    nempe   Joannis   con- 
 
602  MILO   COVERDALUS    AD   CONRADUM    HUBERTUM.  [ePIST. 
 
 jugem,  quae  vobis  praesentibus  nondum  pepererat,  felicem  novsB 
 et  pulchrse  prolis  matrem  heri  esse  factam,  non  sine  summa 
 Patris  summi  dementia.  Hunc  castanearum  sacculum  ad  sedes 
 D.  Ricardi  alia  turn  cures  velim. 
 
 Vale,  mi  D.  Conrade  suavissime,  et  me  precibus  tuis  Do- 
 mino, quseso,  commenda.     E  Tab.  Mont,  xi  Octobris  [1544]. 
 
 M.  COVERDALUS. 
 
 Non  dubito,  quin  memor  sis,  dominumque  Bucerum  dili- 
 genter  admoneas,  ut  pro  sua  opportunitate  ad  PraBfectum 
 nostrum  aliquando  literas  mittat,  atque  adeo  Edmundi  nostri 
 rationem  habeat,  cujus  rei  te  promotorem  esse  cupio. 
 
 EPISTOLA  XXIV. 
 
 MILO  COVERDALUS  AD  CONRADUM  HUBERTUM. 
 
 Pax  et  gaudium  in  Spiyitu  Sancto !  Rogassem,  atque 
 adeo  abs  te  didicissem,  adliuc  praesens  Argentorati,  quonam 
 pacto,  quibusvis  rebus  atramentum  conficere  soleas :  pluribus 
 tamen  negotiis  obrutus  neglexi.  Quare  pi.  oro,  ut  eorum, 
 quae  ad  banc  rem  comparanda  sunt,  uxorem  meam  adliuc 
 prsesentem,  vel  schedula  quadam,  facias  certiorem :  prfeterea 
 J).  Bucerum  et  literarum,  quas  ad  Praefectum  nostrum  polli- 
 citus  est  se  daturum,  (nempe  in  communi  pietatis  negotio,)  et 
 conditionis  Edmundi  nostri  aliquando,  ut  admoneas,  vehemen- 
 ter  abs  te  peto.  Hoc  enim  mibi  gratius  nihil  facere  potes. 
 Parentes  tui  te  pi.  salvere  jubent,  vel  his  testantibus  literis. 
 Uxori  tuae  cum  prole  carissima  multam  precor  salutem  in 
 Domino,  meamque  vobis  ex  animo  commendo.  Vale.  E 
 Montanis  Tabernis,  9  Dec.  [1544]. 
 
 M.  tuus  ANGLUS. 
 
 EPISTOLA  XXV. 
 
 MILO  COVERDALUS  AD  CONRADUM  HUBERTUM. 
 
 Pacem  et  gaudium  in  Spiritu  Sancto !    Ad  summos  alio- 
 qui  dolores,  quibus  nunquam  non  afficitur  ecclesia,  accedit  et 
 
XXV.]  MILO    COVERDALUS    AD    CONRADUM    HUBERTUM.  603 
 
 hoc  acerbissimum,  quod  morbis  semper  gravissimis,  vel  saltern 
 subinde,  tenentur,  qui  populum  docere  sacrisque  monitis 
 erigere  et  possint  et  velint.  Erasmus  Bierus,  Bissweilerien. 
 ecclesia)  minister,  (ita  ut  coUega  hie  meus  Taberno-IMontanus, 
 Joamies  carissimus,)  contractis  membris  eo  (proh  dolor!)  im- 
 potentise  dicitur  pervenisse,  ut  apud  populum  officio  fungi 
 ecclesiastico  non  valeat.  Proinde  ^Eschnavius,  Praefectus  noster 
 integerrimus,  huic  malo  consulere  cupiens,  optat  eo  in  auxilium 
 Erasmi  vocari  pium  ilium  confratrem  nostrum,  Dodmannum 
 Anglum,  de  quo  et  tuam  integritatem  optime  meritam  esse 
 baud  illibenter  audio :  quern  item  in  lingua  Germanica  tan- 
 toper  e  jam  promovisse  speramus,  ut  cum  frugi  ecclesia?  etiam 
 posse  inservire  non  dubitemus.  Tu  igitur  pro  tuo,  quo  es 
 in  ecclesiam  Christi  candore,  eidem  nostrati  Dodmanno  hoec 
 significes  oro,  ut  Bissweilerum  accersitus  eo  libentius  se  con- 
 ferat,  mercedem  a  Prsefecto  reportaturus  non  ingratam. 
 Nuntius  enim  banc  ipsam  ob  causam  missus  est  Argentoratum. 
 Vale,  salutatus  pi.  ab  uxore  mea,  et  a  fratre  tuo  carissimo, 
 cujus  filius  Joannes  et  has  tibi  tradendas  attulit  nunc  literas 
 inclusas.  Uxorem  tuam  cariss.  una  cum  parentibus  nostris 
 verbis  amantissime  salutari  cupimus  ego  et  mea  multum  in 
 Domino,    vii  Cal.  Januarii.     E  Tab.  Mont.  [1544]. 
 
 MICHAEL  ANGLUS. 
 
 EPISTOLA  XXVI. 
 
 MILO  COVERDALUS  AD  CONRADUM  HUBERTUAL 
 
 S.  p.  Pax  et  gaudium  in  Spiritu  Sancto  !  Literas  quas 
 26  Dec.  ad  me  dederas,  ad  10  Januarii  accepi,  una  cum 
 librorum  fascicule,  cujus  tu  in  eisdem  feceras  mentionem. 
 Quod  et  tibi  per  ahos  meo  nomine  significatum  esse  non 
 dubito.  Causarum  quidem  pra^cipua,  quam  vestra  diUgentia 
 promotam  apud  Prafectum  nostrum  (adfuit  enim  tunc  vobis 
 Ai'gentorati)  ex  animo  cupiebam,  hfec  erat ;  nempe  ut  va- 
 nissimas  populi  hujus  saltationes,  aliaque  istiusmodi  pietatis 
 impedimenta  pro  officio  suo  aboleret,  facerctque,  ut  saltern 
 tempore  sacrioris  ministerii  minori  cum  contcmptu  adessent, 
 nee  suis  privatis  colloquiis  tot  undique  fori  et  coemeterii  an- 
 o-ulos  p-rec^atim,  dum  concionatur,  dum  oratur,  dum  canitur. 
 
604  MILO    COVERDALUS    AD    CONRADUM    IIUBERTUM.        [ePIST. 
 
 occuparent.  Nunc  autem  sperare  non  possum  meliora.  Adeo 
 enim  (proh  dolor !)  hie  frigere,  omnemque  pietatis  curam 
 prorsus  exuisse  videntur  praefecti  nostri,  in  miseris  hominibus 
 gravissime  onerandis  alioqui  studiosissimi. 
 
 Pueri  nostri,  quanquam  non  omnes,  tussi  quadam  inso- 
 lenti,  ut  et  capitis  dolore,  nimium  etiam  calentes,  misere 
 decumbunt:  gravius  autem  nullum  haetenus  hie  tenuit  mor- 
 bus, quum  carissimura  meum  in  Domino  tironem,  Joannera 
 Hubertum,  fratris  tui  filiolum.  Quern  Dominus  tamen  pro  sua 
 dementia  post  octiduanum  morbum  benigne  nobis  restituit 
 nunc  sanum  et  incolumem.  Nos  sane  plerique  de  vita  pueri 
 desperabamus.  Ante  octiduum  acceperunt  istinc  parentes  tui 
 literas,  quibus  se  pater  brevi  satisfacturum  non  dubitat. 
 Valet  uterque  parens  una  cum  omnibus,  quos  hie  habes, 
 amicis  feliciter.  Plurimum  Tale,  salutatus  ab  uxore  mea  in 
 Domino.     E  Tab.  Mont.  6  Febr.  [1545]. 
 
 Tuus, 
 
 MICHAEL  ANGLUS. 
 
 EPISTOLA  XXVII. 
 
 MILO  COVERDALUS  AD  CONRADUM  HUBERTUM. 
 
 S.  p.  Pax  et  gaudium  in  Spiritu  Sancto !  Si  vales,  bene 
 est ;  nos  una  cum  parentibus  tuis  longe  carissimis  omnes  quidem 
 valemus.  Hoc  autem  ecclesiae  (proh  dolor!)  ad  cetera  accessit 
 mala,  quod  Suevus  ille  a  Badero  ad  ministerium  ecclesias 
 Lindaviensis  intrusus,  etiam  a  senatu  in  futurum  parochum 
 nuper  admissus,  rogantibus  illis,  eo  adduci  non  possit,  ut  vel 
 semel  in  anno  sacram  Domini  coenam  administret.  Itaque 
 populus  ille  miserriraus  cogitur,  vel  invitus,  in  verba  Schwenk- 
 I'eldii  jurare.  Cujus  me  rei  ante  triduum  certiorem  fecit 
 Edmundus  mens  per  literas.  Hoc  tu  vulnus  ecclesi^e,  quam 
 creverit,  D.  Bucero,  prteceptori  meo  observando,  significes 
 velim,  ut  habeat,  quod  piis  precibus  in  Domino  addat. 
 
 Scrips!  uxori  mea3,  quae  parens  nostcr  semina  abs  te 
 cupiat  comparata.  Tu  vero  cura,  ut  mea  rediens  ad  nos 
 adferat.  Et  si  qua  ratione  efficere  possis,  ut  responsionis 
 Buceranj©  ad  Wintoniensem  vel  unum  mihi  exemplar  sit  ante 
 nundinas,  dabo  operam,  ut  Latinus  Brittannice  etiam  quam 
 
XXVII.]         MILO    COVERDALUS    AD    CONRADUM    HUBERTUM.  605 
 
 primum  calleat,  idque  amicis  et  fratribus  in  Domino  per 
 Angliam  gratissimum  fore  ne  dubites ;  quod  tamen  clanculum 
 omnibus  optarem  effectum,  donee  ut  Latine,  ita  et  Anglicc 
 prodeat.  Uxori  tufe  castissimao  atque  Samueli  filiolo  multam 
 precare  salutem.  Carissimum  patrem  Conradum  parochum 
 simul  et  insigne  illud  ecclesipe  ornamentum,  D.  Paulum  Fagium, 
 raeis  verbis  multum  salutatos  velim.  Vale.  E  Tabernis  Mon- 
 tanis,  14  Cal.  Mart.  a.  1545. 
 
 Tuus  ita  ut  suus, 
 
 M.  COVERDALUS. 
 
 EPISTOLA  XXVIIL 
 
 MILO  COVERDALUS  AD  CONRADUM  HUBERTUAL 
 
 S.  D.  P.  Interea  dum  ad  me  perlatse  essent  H.  T. 
 literse  6  Cal.  Januarii  datae,  scripseram  ipse  ad  te  meas  in 
 negotio  ecclesia)  Bissweilerian^e  pro  Joanne  Dodmanno  nos- 
 trate,  prout  D.  prafectus  optaverat,  rcgrotante  tunc  D.  Erasmo 
 nostro  carissimo.  Nee  me  certe  oblectat  diuturnum  a  mutuo 
 scribendi  officio  silentium.  Veneror  enim  et  exosculor  hoc 
 Christianas  benevolentiae  studium.  Calcare  tamen  subinde  me 
 opus  habere  fateor,  ut  qui  et  natura  tardus,  et  pluribus  per- 
 petuo  negotiis  obrutus  sum.  Quae  geruntur  apud  nos,  et  ego 
 hie  nunc  qua  sum  conditione,  potest  pra9sens  internuntius 
 facile  signiticare.  Exspectatur  in  diem  novus  ille  ludimode- 
 rator  Spirensis,  quern  senatus  Taberno-Montanus  noster  in 
 quadriennium  conduxit.  Conservus  mens  D.  Joannes  manuum 
 adhuc  contractione  laborat,  nostrisque  ecclesiis  magis  atque 
 magis  facessunt  negotium  Anabaptistarum  furiae ;  qui  tamen 
 passim  ut  magni  habcntur,  ita  et  non  sine  maximo  totius  tam 
 populi  quara  ipsorum  etiam  principum  infortunio  tolerantur, 
 ruentibus  interim  et  omnino  contemptis  Dei  Optimi  Maximi 
 miuisteriis.  Vale,  salutatus  plurimum  ab  uxore  mea  et  tuis  in 
 Domino.  Salutamus  ego  et  mea  conjugem  tuam  simul  atquo 
 parentem  cariss.     E  Tab.  Mont.  10  Calend.  Martii  [1545]. 
 
 Tuus  in  Domino, 
 
 MICHAEL  ANGLUS. 
 
606  MILO    COVERDALUS    AD    CONRADUM    HUBERTUM.        [ePIST. 
 
 EPISTOLA  XXIX. 
 
 MILO  COVERDALUS  AD  CONRADUM  HUBERTUM. 
 
 Pax  et  gaudium  in  Spiritu  Sancto!    Negotium  MatthiaB 
 Rodensis  ita  pensitavit  princeps  noster  illustrissimus,  ut  cupe- 
 ret  ilium  plures   istic   annos   studiis   et  disclplinse  addidisse. 
 Verum  quando  fide  astrictus  est  conjugali,  et  se  vitam  in 
 omnibus  ministro  dignam  ducturum  pollicetur,  annuit  princeps, 
 ut  ecclesife  Milhoffen  prceficiatur,  ea  tamen  lege,  ut  optimis 
 et  studiorum  et  vitse  rationibus  uteretur.     Hjec  et  consimilia 
 intellexi  ex  Uteris,  quas  mihi  relegabat  ante  triduum  Priefectus ; 
 cui  nihil  videtur  Matthaeo  nostro  consultius,  quam  ut  Argento- 
 ratum   repetens,   cum  iis  isthic   omnibus   redeat  in  gratiam 
 reconciliatus,  quos  nuper  affecit  ofFendiculo ;  hac  enim  ratione 
 magnas  mali  occasiones  amputaturura  ilium  arbitratur.     Bi- 
 pontini  ministri  testati  sunt  principi,  Mattliiam  illis  ad  quaesita 
 examinatum  non  inepte  respondisse.     Ipsemet  etiam  prioris 
 se  vitsD  poenitentiam  acturum  et  illis  promittebat.     Qua  in  re 
 ut  felicius  firmetur  in  futurum  ecclesia3  sedificium,  vos  quseso 
 prioris  suae  petulantiae  argutura  sancte  ilium  admonete,  lapsum 
 erigite,  ct  vestrum  se  favorem  recuperasse,  Uteris,  ad  prse- 
 fectum  saltern  datis,  ostendite.     Hoc  te  unice  rogo,  Conrade 
 humanissime,  quod  ut  facerem  unice  hortatus  est  D.  prsefectus, 
 qui  hac  de  re  literas  etiam  misit  ad  Bucerum,   communem 
 nostrum  prseceptorem,  quern  ex  me  officiose  in  Domino  salu- 
 tatum  cupio.     Bene  vale.     Parentes  salvi  et  incolumes,  Deo 
 sit  gratia,  domum  redeuntes  omnia  salva  offenderunt.     Dat. 
 Zaberniae,  die  tcrtia  a  Pentecoste.    [1545]. 
 
 MICHAEL  ANGLUS. 
 
 EPISTOLA  XXX. 
 
 MILO  COVERDALUS  AD  CONRADUM  HUBERTUM. 
 
 Pax  et  gaudium  in  Spiritu  Sancto  !  Cum  scirem  hunc 
 internuntium  istuc  ascensurum,  parentes  tuos  carissimos  feci 
 certiores,  qui  nunc,  Deo  sit  gratia,  optima  sunt  valetudine, 
 teque  et  uxorem  pi.  salvere  jubent.  Pater  item  Samueli  tuo 
 omnia  precatus  felicissima,   (id  quod  anno   inchoante  facere 
 
XXX.]  MILO    COVERDALUS    AD    CONRADUM     HUBERTUM.  607 
 
 Solent  amici,)  in  paterni  favoris  argumentum  una  cum  lineo 
 indusio  quamdam  misit  monetam.  Ego  vero  meis  fere  ob- 
 rutus  negotiis,  plura  non  scribo,  sperans  te  pro  tuo  candore 
 animum  meum  interim  boni  consulturum.  Salutat  te  et  tuam 
 cariss.  uxor  mea  in  Domino.  Vale.  E  Tab.  Mont.  27  Dec. 
 [1545]. 
 
 Tuus,  MICHAEL  ANGLUS. 
 
 EPISTOLA  XXXI. 
 
 MILO  COVERDALUS  AD  CONRADUM  HUBERTUM. 
 
 Pax  et  gaudium  in  Spiritu  Sancto  !  Rogo  te  etiam  atque 
 etiam,  mi  D.  Conrade  carissime,  ut  scriptura  mea  in  Franc- 
 wilerum^  diligenter  perpensa,  si  quid  vel  in  lingua  Germanica 
 vel  alia  quacunquo  ratione  a  me  in  hoc  negotio  peccatum  sit, 
 humaniter  corrigas,  meque  tua3  sententi;©  facias  certiorem. 
 Vix  enim  credis,  quam  nostra  periclitetur  ecclesia,  et  quantum 
 nobis  negotii  exhibeat  Francwilerus ;  ut  interim  taceam,  quam 
 pariun  promptus  sit  noster  Nicolaus  (peqno  rogatus  atque  ego) 
 istis  malis  occurrere.  Tu  rebus  Domini  profuturus,  perge  vel 
 consulendo.  Et  si  eas  acceperis  pccunias,  quas  ante  triduum 
 Praefecto  nostro  tradidi  tibi  reddendas,  (nimirum  pro  Catharina 
 Francisci  Osterlingii  vidua,  et  pro  Matthaso  Rodensi,)  mihi 
 qua3S0  per  Edmundum  nostrum  renuntia. 
 
 Dominus  Jesus  vos  omnes  ecclesia?  susg  incolumes  con- 
 servet.    Amen. 
 
 Raptim.    Wyssenburgae,  ix  Martii    a.  1546. 
 
 Tuus,  MICHAEL  AI^GLUS. 
 
 EPISTOLA  XXXIIL 
 
 JOANNI  CALVINO  M.  COVERDALUS. 
 
 Oblata  occasione,  virorum  clarissime,  non  potui  integri- 
 tatem  tuam  non  salutare.  Ante  triduum  allatus  est  hue  in 
 mediis  nundinis  libellus  quidam  Britannicus,  ilium  Sacra) 
 Communionis   Ordinem,   quem   regia  majestas  pro   temporis 
 
 [1  Num  hie  Suevus  ille  Schwenkfeklii  discipulus,  lie  quo  v.  Milonis 
 Epist.  ad  Hubertum,  xvi.  Febr.  1545.     Simler.] 
 
€08  JOANXI    CALVINO    M,   COVERDALUS.  [ePIST, 
 
 adhuc  ratione  instituit,  complecteus,  Cujus  equidem  rei 
 -quum  plures  viderem  percupidos,  traduxi  statim  in  linguam 
 et  Germanicam  et  Latinam.  Atque  adeo  cum  intelligerem 
 pium  hunc  hominem  vestratum  esse,  arbitrabar  me  tibi  rem 
 iacturum  haudquaquam  ingratum,  si  humanitatem  tuam  hoc 
 qualicunque  manusculo  donarem.  Alteram  traductionem 
 datam  Germanicis,  alteram,  nempe  Latinam,  humanitati  tuae 
 transmissam  ex  animo  cupiebam.  Tu  si  banc  felicitatis  ratio- 
 nera  et  pietatis  initium  aliis  significare  volueris,  (prout  nunc 
 Dominus  religionem  suam  in  Anglia  vult  renatam,)  pr^elo 
 hoc  mei  in  te  amoris  pignus  committere  poteris  facilius.  Ego 
 nunc  post  octo  annorum  exilium  vocatus  rediturus  sum  in 
 Angliam.  Vale,  praDceptor  integerrime,  et  uxorem  tuam  do 
 mo  et  mea,  cum  Argentoratum  ascendimus,  optime  meritam 
 benigne  saluta.      E  Frankfordia,  26  Martii  1548. 
 
 MICHAEL  {alias  MILO)  COVERDALUS,  Anglus. 
 
 EPISTOLA  XXXIV. 
 
 ]\IILO   COVERDALUS  AD  PAULUM  FAGIUM. 
 
 Pacem  et  gaudium  in  Splritu  Sancto !  Literas  tuas,  viro- 
 rum  integerrime,  22  Augusti  datas,  ab  uxore  mea  8  hujus 
 mensis  accepi,  vestri  plurimum  commisertus,  quos  dira  ista 
 tyrannis  tantopere  exagitat.  Scripta  item  tua  heri  revc- 
 rendissimo  Cantuariensi  ostendi,  qui  ut  carissimum  filium  tuum 
 (quem  etiam  mode  Cantuariam  misit  ob  saBvifentem  hie  pestem) 
 suscepit  suis  porro  sumptibus  et  pietate  et  Uteris  cducandum, 
 ita  calamitatera  ecclesiarum  vestrarum  animadvertens,  vicem 
 revera  vestram  dolebat  maxime :  quare  et  te  prsesertim  nobis 
 adesse  maluit,  quam  vel  in  Turciam  abire  vel  in  Ungariam. 
 O  mi  prfeceptor !  si  tu  alio  quam  ad  nos  aufugeris,  cum  tanta 
 sit  hominum  ubique  perfidia,  quam  frigebit  donum  illud  pra3- 
 stantissimum,  quod  reposuit  in  te  Deus  Optimus  Maximus ! 
 8i  rcverendissimus  tot  ecclesia)  pericula  pra;vidisset,  cujus  ego 
 responsum  literis  meis  ad  te  inserebam,  revera  mea  tibi  scripta 
 nunquam  fuisscnt  impcdimento.  Cogita  igitur  utrumque  nos- 
 trum facti  pooniterc,  etiamsi  nihil  sit  in  illis  literis  scriptum, 
 quod  tum  non  fcrebat  occasio.      Ego  sane,  mi  pra^ceptor,  ct 
 
XXXIV.]  MILO    COVERDALTTS    AD    PAULUII     FAGIUM.  609 
 
 tibi  et  ecclesiis  nostris  atque  scholis  felicisslmo  ministerio  tuo 
 destitutis  non  parum  timeo.  Proinde  etsi  principes  nostri  te 
 nominatim,  qui  clares  inter  Germanise  studiosiores,  non  vocent 
 ob  latentes  forsan  causas  (ut  antea  scripsi) ;  nos  tamen,  qui 
 te  satis  novimus,  per  immortalem  Deum  te  obsecramus,  ut  hue 
 te  conferas,  ubi  te  gratissimum  fore,  atque  adeo  humanissime 
 tractatum  iri,  ne  dubites.  Bene  vale.  Ex  arce  regia,  quam 
 vocamus  Windsor,  21  Octobris,  a.  1548. 
 
 Tuns  ex  animo, 
 
 M.  COVERDALUS. 
 
 EPISTOLA  XXXV. 
 
 MILO  COVERDALUS  AD  CONRADUM  HUBERTUM. 
 
 Pacem  et  gaudium  in  Spiritu  Sancto !  Quum  ascenderem 
 Vesalia  Francofordiam,  7  Idus  Sept.  adortus  est  me  jurgio 
 satis  quidem  acri  amicus  meus  carissimus  Joannes  Abelus, 
 ut  qui  literas  me  a  vobis  suavissimas  accepisse  putaverat,  nee 
 tamen  respondere  voluisse.  Proinde  misso  statim  famulo 
 scripsi  ad  magistratum  Taberniensem.  Interea  vero  dum 
 famulus  abesset,  redditse  sunt  mihi  liae  literse  una  cum  reliquis 
 illis  inclusis.  Nuntio  igitur  Francofordiam  reverse,  ad  17 
 Cal.  Oct.  tandem  illinc  solvens,  hodie  Dei  Optimi  Maximi 
 beneficio  hue  adpuli,  quo  et  Eschnavius  praBfeptus  Taberno- 
 montanus  die  etiara  hodierno  accesserat.  Quem  etsi  conve- 
 nerim,  ipsum  tamen  negotium  ad  principem,  cujus  adventum 
 eras  fore  predicant,  refertur  absolvendum.  Quem  postea 
 exitum  Deus  0.  M.  dederit,  vel  meis  vel  Joannis,  fratris  tui 
 carissimi,  scriptis  humanitati  tuse  significabitur.  Ego  inter- 
 dum  animi  tui  erga  me  candorem  merito  amplexus,  insignem 
 etiam  in  vobis  agnosco  benevolentiam.  Vale,  amicorum  et 
 fratrum  amice  et  frater  in  Domino  sincerissime,  conjuge  tua 
 pudicissima  diligenter  ex  me  salutata  una  cum  Samuele  caris- 
 simo.      Dat.  Zabernis  Montanis,  12  Cal.  Octobr. 
 
 MILO  COVERDALUS,  Anglus, 
 nuper  Exon. 
 
 39 
 
 [COVERDALE,  II. J 
 
610     MILO  COVERDALUS  AD  CONRADUM  HUBERTUM.     [ePIST.  XXXV.] 
 
 Quod  ad  rem  illam  attinet,  de  qua  illustrissimam  Suffol- 
 cianam  per  me  cupis  interrogatam,  maritus  certe  illius,  vir 
 adprime  illustris,  quern  hujus  negotii  causa  alloquutus  sum 
 Francofordige,  certo  se  scire  dicit,  illustrissimam  nihil  omnino 
 debere  (quod  ses  alienum  spectat)  vel  optimo  patri  Bucero  vel 
 aliis.  Ego  vero  quum  rediero  Vesaliam,  unde  et  uxorem  me 
 cariss.  hue  adferre  nunc  oportet,  rem  omnem  diligentius  ex- 
 piscabor  Domino  fortunante. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Abel,  John,  some  account  of,  504. 
 
 Anabaptists,  denied  the  incarnation, 
 347 ;  errors  about  the  Lord's  sup- 
 per, 518. 
 
 Anderson,  Annals  of  English  Bible, 
 referred  to,  viii,  &c. 
 
 ApeUitse,  opinions  of,  150  «,  184. 
 
 Archontici,  opinions  of,  on  the  resur- 
 rection, 184. 
 
 Attachment,  inordinate  to  the  things  of 
 this  world,  improper,  127. 
 
 Augustine,  on  the  true  resurrection  of 
 our  Lord,  145  ;  doctrine  relative  to 
 the  ascension  of  our  Lord,  153 ; 
 what  is  meant  by  the  right-hand  of 
 God,  154 — 5 ;  says  that  we  ought 
 not  to  inquire,  where  and  how  the 
 body  of  our  Lord  is  in  heaven,  156 ; 
 that  it  becometh  us  to  have  the 
 worthy  and  glorious  body  of  our 
 Lord  in  high  and  worthy  estimation, 
 157 ;  says  that  Christ,  when  he  as- 
 •  cended,  endued  our  nature  with  im- 
 mortality, but  took  not  away  the 
 nature  and  kind,  IGO ;  on  the  re- 
 surrection of  the  body,  169;  on  the 
 future  glory  of  the  bodies  after  the 
 resurrection,  179  ;  i"  what  sense  our 
 bodies  are  said  to  be  spiritual  after 
 the  resurrection,  182;  errors  con- 
 cerning the  resurrection  of  the  body, 
 183;  his  mind  concerning  the  re- 
 surrection of  the  flesh,  192;  says, 
 that  our  Saviour,  after  the  resurrec- 
 tion, though  now  in  the  spiritual 
 flesh,  yet  in  the  true  flesh  did  eat 
 and  drink  with  the  disciples,  193 ; 
 on  the  state  of  the  bodies  after  the 
 resurrection,  194  ;  on  the  death  of 
 the  soul,  201  ;  on  the  nature  of  the 
 salvation  of  the  righteous,  213  ;  God 
 shall  be  the  end  of  our  longing  and 
 desire,  216  ;  on  the  knowledge  of  the 
 souls  departed  with  regard  to  what 
 
 they  do  who  are  alive,  218 ;  doctrine 
 concerning  memorials  for  the  dead, 
 270 ;  says  that  the  blood  of  the 
 martyrs  is  the  seed  of  the  church, 
 313;  on  the  authority  of  scripture, 
 335 ;  jutification  by  faith  defended . 
 by  him  in  many  places,  340 ;  pas- 
 sages quoted,  ib.;  maintains  that 
 true  faith  is  the  foundation  of  re- 
 pentance, 343 ;  on  the  opinions  of 
 Eutyches,  348 «. ;  on  the  sinfulness 
 of  man,  385,  387 ;  strictures  of  the 
 opinions  of  the  Pelagians,  ib.,  and 
 388;  saith,  that  if  we  be  the  children 
 of  God,  we  are  led  by  God's  Spirit 
 to  do  good,  389 ;  that  God  doth 
 command  us  certain  thmgs  which  we 
 cannot  do,  because  we  might  know 
 what  things  we  ought  to  ask  him, 
 ib. ;  referred  to,  ib, ;  examination  and 
 illustration  of  the  saying  of  Augus- 
 tine, Ego  cvangclio  non  crcdcretn, 
 nisi  me  catJtolicce  eccksice  commoverf.t 
 atictoritas,  419 — 21 ;  says,  that  when 
 God  rewardeth  any  good  work,  he 
 crowns  his  own  gifts  in  us,  432 ; 
 says,  that  we  ought  not  to  boast  of 
 men's  merits,  but  let  the  grace  of 
 God,  which  reigneth  through  Jesus 
 Christ,  have  the  pre-eminence,  ib. 
 Aurelius  Prudentius  on  the  resurrection 
 of  the  body,  quoted,  195. 
 
 B. 
 
 Barnes,  Dr  Robert,  prior  of  the  monas- 
 tery of  the  Augustines  at  Cambridge, 
 vii;  the  friend  of  Coverdale,  viii;  his 
 arrest  in  the  Convocation-house,  ib. ; 
 circumstances  connected  with  his  mar- 
 tyrdom, alluded  to,  322;  Protesta- 
 tion on  that  occasion,  ib. ;  attacked 
 by  Standish,  323 ;  works  referred  to, 
 341,  and  passi?ni  his  confession  of 
 faith,  352. 
 
612 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Bccket,  Thomas  a,  superstitions  con- 
 nected with,  495. 
 
 Believers,  faithful,  how  it  goeth  with 
 them,  312  ;  how  they  win,  ib. ;  how 
 Christ  comforts  them  under  their 
 trials,  312 — 13;  comforts  them  at 
 his  holy  table,  313;  do  not  always 
 experience  the  same  degree  of  spi- 
 ritual joy,  317;  shewn  in  the  ex- 
 ample of  David,  and  St  Paul,  ib. ; 
 find  their  great  consolation  in  the 
 faithful  service  of  God  and  earnest 
 prayer,  318;  believers  not  con- 
 demned, 354. 
 
 Bible,  Coverdale's,  probably  never  had 
 the  sanction  of  Henry  VIII.,  x; 
 different  editions  of,  2  n. ;  Ma- 
 thewe's,  account  of,  x  ;  Crumwell's, 
 account  of,  ib.;  Cranmer's,  account 
 of,  xi. 
 
 Bingham,  Origincs  Ecclesiastics,  on 
 the  subject  of  memorials  for  the 
 dead,  referred  to,  249. 
 
 Bonner,  bishop,  services  rendered  by 
 him  at  Paris  in  printing  Crumwell's 
 bible,  495. 
 
 Bucer,  510. 
 
 Bullinger,  letter  from  Coverdale  to,  502. 
 
 Butler,  Henry,  some  account  of,  502. 
 
 C. 
 
 Caii  Fragmenta,  referred  to,  184  h. 
 
 Carpocratians,  their  opinions  on  the  re- 
 surrection, 184. 
 
 Cecil,  secretary,  interests  himself  with 
 queen  Elizabeth  in  behalf  of  Cover- 
 dale  for  the  remission  of  the  first- 
 fruits  of  St  Magnus,  xv  ;  letters  of 
 Coverdale  to,  on  this  subject,  530, 1  ; 
 letter  from  bishop  Grindal  to,  529  «. 
 
 Celestines,  their  opinion,  that  the  right- 
 eous have  no  sin  in  this  life,  387. 
 
 Cerdonians,  their  opinions  on  the  re- 
 surrection, 184. 
 
 Cerinthians,  their  supposed  opinions  on 
 the  earthly  Jerusalem,  184  n. 
 
 Charles  V.,  invades  the  duchy  of  Cleves, 
 512. 
 
 Christ,  became  man,  that  man's  mortal 
 nature  might  be  exalted  to  an  im- 
 
 inortal  life,  71  ;  had  a  natural  fear 
 of  death,  ib.;  comfort  to  Christians 
 from  the  death,  resurrection,  and  as- 
 cension of,  71 — 3  ;  considerations  of, 
 to  be  imprinted  on  the  minds  and 
 consciences  of  the  sick,  73 ;  faith  in 
 Christ  necessary  to  our  support  and 
 comfort  in  death,  84,  5  ;  resurrection 
 of,  142 ;  rose  again  with  his  body,  ib. ; 
 evidence  of  his  resurrection,  142 — 4  ; 
 appearings  afterwards,  144 ;  the  body 
 of  Christ  rose  again,  not  a  spirit,  but 
 a  true  body,  144 — 5  ;  the  fruit  of 
 his  resurrection,  147;  we  are  born 
 again  by  it  to  a  lively  hope,  148 ; 
 we  are  assured  of  our  own  resurrec- 
 tion, 149 ;  of  the  ascension  of  Christ, 
 ih. ;  heresies  connected  with,  150 ; 
 sitteth  at  the  right-hand  of  God  by 
 his  humanity,  157;  true  doctrine  of 
 his  ascension,  1 62 ;  fruit  and  com- 
 modity of  the  corporal  ascension  of 
 Christ,  164;  death  of,  the  only 
 satisfaction  for  the  sins  of  men,  356, 
 369 — 70,  373 ;  opinions  of  Roman- 
 ists destructive  of  this  faith,  358 — 
 360;  his  blood  cleanseth  from  all 
 sin,  none  except,  so  long  as  we  walk 
 in  his  light,  and  not  in  darkness, 
 378 ;  all  our  hope  in  the  death  of, 
 404. 
 
 Christians,  their  only  way  of  deliver- 
 ance to  cast  their  burden  upon  God, 
 308;  the  rich  comfort  of  christian 
 men,  314. 
 
 Chrysostom,  says  that  God  takes  us 
 away  by  death  at  the  time  most 
 profitable  for  us,  117;  on  the  nature 
 and  reward  of  good  works,  432 ;  on 
 the  duty  of  the  frequent  reception  of 
 the  Lord's  supper,  254 ;  on  memo- 
 rials for  the  dead,  270. 
 
 Cicero,  TiiscuL  Qiucsfioncs,  quoted,  222. 
 
 Church,  authority  of,  cannot  bind 
 things  left  free  by  the  gospel,  338 ; 
 hath  no  authority  to  make  a  new 
 article  of  faith,  or  to  receive  a  doc- 
 trine contrary  to  God's  word,  418; 
 we  must  receive  no  doctrine,  but 
 that  which  agreeth  with  the  universal 
 
INDEX. 
 
 613 
 
 church  of  Christ,  422 ;  the  pillar  and 
 ground  of  the  truth,  ih. ;  description 
 of  the  true  church,  4G1. 
 
 Commandments,  God's,  not  grievous 
 to  the  righteous,  JJOl ;  why  they  are 
 not  grievous,  lb. 
 
 Communion,  order  of,  translated  by 
 Coverdale,  525. 
 
 Confession,  auricular,  refutation  of  the 
 doctrine  of,  4ol ;  scriptural  argu- 
 ments in  support  of  confession  of 
 sin,  ih. 
 
 Correction,  why  God  corrects  his  chil- 
 dren, 307. 
 
 Corsie,  corrosive,  335. 
 
 Coverdale,  bishop  Myles,  place  of  his 
 birth,  vii ;  sent  to  Cambridge,  ib. ; 
 attracts  the  notice  of  lord  Crumwell, 
 ib. ;  ordained  priest  at  Norwich,  ib. ; 
 accompanies  Dr  Robert  Barnes  on 
 his  being  arrested  for  heretical  opi- 
 nions, viii ;  conspicuous  amongst  the 
 leaders  of  the  Reformation  in  the 
 northern  parts  of  Essex,  ih. ;  pub- 
 lishes his  translation  of  the  bible, 
 ix ;  goes  to  Paris  to  superintend  the 
 publication  of  lord  Crum well's  bi- 
 ble, X  ;  interrupted  by  the  inter- 
 ference of  the  Inquisition,  xi ;  re- 
 turns to  England,  ih.\  brings  out  the 
 bible  in  1539,  ih.;  at  Newbury  in 
 Berkshire,  ib. ;  goes  abroad,  ih. ;  at 
 Tubingen,  xii ;  at  Bergzabern,  ib. ; 
 appointed  minister  of  the  church 
 there,  ib. ;  returns  to  England,  ib. ; 
 appointed  almoner  to  the  queen  dow- 
 ager, xiii ;  on  a  commission  against 
 the  Anabaptists,  &c.,  ib. ;  publishes 
 a  new  edition  of  his  bible,  ih. ;  ac- 
 companies lord  Russell  into  Devon- 
 shire, ih. ;  appointed  coadjutor  to 
 Veysey,  bishop  of  Exeter,  ib. ;  con- 
 secrated to  that  see,  ih. ;  on  a  com- 
 mission for  the  reformation  of  ec- 
 clesiastical laws,  ih. ;  death  of  king 
 Edward,  ih. ;  deprived  of  his  bishop- 
 rick,  ih. ;  summoned  before  the  coun- 
 cil, lb. ;  released  on  the  intercession 
 of  the  king  of  Denmark  with  queen 
 j\lary,  xiv ;   goes  to  Denmark,  ib. ; 
 
 appointed  preacher  to  the  exiles  at 
 Wesel,  ih. ;  returns  to  Bergzabern, 
 ib. ;  his  works  included  in  a  general 
 proscription,  ib. ;  returns  to  England, 
 ih. ;  not  engaged  in  the  Geneva  ver- 
 sion of  the  bible,  ib. ;  preaches  at 
 Paul's  Cross,  xv  ;  assists  at  the  con- 
 secration of  archbishop  Parker,  ib. ; 
 recommended  by  bishop  Grindal  for 
 the  see  of  LlandafF,  ib. ;  presented  to 
 St  Magnus,  London-bridge,  ib. ;  re- 
 signs it,  ib. ;  his  death,  xvi ;  remarks 
 on  his  writings,  ih. ;  on  his  character, 
 as  a  translator  of  scriptures,  xvii. 
 
 Cranmer,  archbishop,  referred  to,  262. 
 
 Cross,  the,  commodious  and  profitable, 
 239—47. 
 
 Crumwell,  lord,  his  early  notice  of 
 Coverdale,  vii ;  letters  from  Coverdale 
 to  Crumwell  at  this  period,  490,  1  ; 
 undertakes  the  reprint  of  Mathewe's 
 bible  at  Paris  under  Coverdale's 
 superintendence,  x  ;  account  of  the 
 manner  in  which  this  work  was 
 carried  on,  ih. ;  letters  from  Cover- 
 dale  to  Crumwell  relating  to  this 
 work,  492 — 4  ;  remarks  connected 
 with  this  bible,  xi ;  Coverdale  dedi- 
 cates to  him  his  edition  of  the  new 
 Testament,  ib. ;  employs  Coverdale 
 in  Berkshire  in  the  investigation  of 
 popish  superstitions  in  that  country, 
 ib. ;  letters  from  Coverdale  to  him 
 during  this  period,  498 — 501 ;  letter 
 of  Coverdale  to  Crumwell  in  behalf 
 of  Nycolson,  498;  his  death,  xi. 
 
 Cup,  meaning  of  the  similitude,  314. 
 
 D. 
 
 Death,  treatise  on,  account  of,  39 ;  con- 
 solation under,  to  be  found  only  in 
 scripture,  41;  what  death  is,  47; 
 the  time  of,  uncertain,  48 ;  that  it  is 
 God  who  hath  laid  the  burden  upon 
 us,  49 ;  God  sendeth  death  because 
 of  sin,  ib. ;  by  means  of  the  jiassion 
 and  death  of  Jesus  Christ,  God  turn- 
 eth  death  into  good,  51 ;  death  in 
 itself  is  grievous  both  to  body  and 
 soul,  ih.;  all  men  commonly  afraid 
 
614 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 of  death,  54 ;  commodity  of,  that  it 
 delivcreth   from  this  transitory  life, 
 56 ;   from  much   misery,  57 ;    con- 
 sideration of,  profitable  to  virtue,  60; 
 in  death  we  learn  the  knowledge  of 
 ourselves  and  of  God,  and  the  wor- 
 thiness of  the  passion  and  death  of 
 Christ,  61 ;   the  dead  ceaseth   from 
 sin,  62 ;  is  delivered  from  this  world, 
 63;  the  dead  obtaineth  salvation,  64; 
 witness  that  death  is  wholesome,  67 ; 
 death    cannot    be    avoided,    ib. ;    we 
 ought   not  to    fly  from   death,    69; 
 God    can    and    will   help   us    under 
 death,  for    Christ's  sake,    70 ;    God 
 hath  promised  his  help  and  comfort 
 in  death,  73  ;  the  faithful  cannot  be 
 separated  by  death  from  Jesus  Christ, 
 74 ;    God   more   able    to    help    than 
 the  most   horrible  death   to  disturb 
 or  grieve,  75 ;  the  troubles  of  death 
 not  to  be  compared   to  the  eternity 
 that  followeth  after,  ib. ;    examples 
 of  God's  help  in    death,   76 ;   it   is 
 necessary  to  prepare  for  death,  77 ; 
 profitable,    in   health    to   make  pre- 
 paration for  death,  80 ;    we  should 
 not  consider  it  in  itself,  or  in  our  own 
 nature,  or  in   them   that   are   slain 
 through  the  wrath  of  God;  but  prin- 
 cipally in  Jesus  Christ,  and  then  in 
 his  saints,  who  through  him  overcame 
 death,  ib. ;  repentance  and  sorrow  for 
 sin,  a  necessary  preparation  for  death, 
 81 ;    true  faith  necessary  to  prepare 
 for  death,  82 ;  the  proper  exercise  of 
 faith  with  regard  to  death,  84 ;  God 
 blasphemed  by  our  fear  of  death,  85 ; 
 the  exercise  of  hope  in  the  hour  of 
 death,  86;    the  participation  of  the 
 sacraments  of  baptism  and  the  Lord's 
 supper  necessary  to  the  confirmation 
 of  our  faith  and   hope,  ib. ;    prayer 
 necessary  for  our  support  in  death, 
 88;  form  of  prayer  and  thanksgiving 
 in  the  hour  of  death,  88 — 91  ;  that 
 faithful   prayer   is    heard,   92 ;    the 
 word  of  God  ought  to  be  practised 
 and  taught,  ib. ;  amendment  of  life 
 necessary,    93 ;    patience    necessary. 
 
 94 ;  example  of  Christ,  ib, ;  of  the 
 saints,  ib. ;  patience  promoted  and 
 sustained  by  faith,  96;  we  ought, 
 during  the  time  that  we  are  in  health, 
 to  prepare  for  death,  ib. ;  worldly 
 matters  to  be  settled  beforehand,  99  ; 
 faith  should  be  planted  and  cherished 
 in  us  by  the  preaching  of  the  word, 
 by  prayer,  and  sacraments,  100;  on 
 the  manner  in  which  the  sick  ought 
 to  be  comforted,  104 — 8 ;  on  the 
 burial,  and  what  is  to  be  done  towards 
 the  dead,  108;  the  grounds  of  con- 
 solation for  those  who  are  dead.  111; 
 that  to  those  who  die,  it  is  profitable 
 to  depart  out  of  this  life,  114;  the 
 death  of  friends  profitable  to  the 
 living,  118;  how  persons  ought  to 
 comfort  themselves  under  the  death 
 of  others,  120;  unseemly  sorrow  for 
 the  dead,  unprofitable  and  hurtful, 
 125;  on  the  death  of  young  persons, 
 128;  of  the  aged,  131;  of  strange 
 death,  ib. 
 
 Dodman,  John,  mentioned,  505. 
 
 Dudley,  lord  Robert,  mentioned,  530. 
 
 E. 
 
 Euripides,  his  improper  reflections  on 
 death,  54. 
 
 Eusebius,  Ecclesiastical  History  quoted, 
 132  «. 
 
 Eutyches,  his  opinions  on  the  incar- 
 nation of  our  Saviour,  348  and  n.  • 
 refuted  by  Vigilius  Tajisensis,  Ad- 
 denda ;  his  opinions  explained  by 
 bishop  Pearson,  ib.  ;  origin  of  them 
 explained  by  Dr  Grabe  in  his  notes 
 on  IrensBus,  ib. 
 
 Faith,  true,  brought  to  pass  by  the 
 preaching  of  the  word  and  the  sacra- 
 ments, 308 ;  worketh  through  godly 
 love  and  charity,  342 ;  the  foundation 
 of  repentance,  343;  judgment  of  Au- 
 gustine concerning,  ib. ;  Dr  Barnes's 
 confession  of,  352 ;  true  and  free  con- 
 fession of  faith,  in  what  it  consists, 
 461—2. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 615 
 
 Faithful,  the,  shall  know  one  another 
 
 in  heaven,  221. 
 Forgiveness,  we  must  be  forgiven  by 
 
 God,  before  we  can  forgive,  344. 
 Fulgentius,  his  doctrine  concerning  our 
 
 Lord's  ascension,   153;   his  opinion 
 
 with  regard  to  the  punishment  of  the 
 
 ungodly  hereafter,  200. 
 
 G. 
 
 Gardiner,  Stephen,  bishop  of  Win- 
 chester, ambassador  at  Paris,  496; 
 letters  in  reply  to  Bucer  on  the  celi- 
 bacy of  the  clergy,  512, 20 ;  answered 
 by  Bucer,  ib. 
 
 Gennadius,  his  strictures  on  Origen's 
 opinions  relating  to  the  resurrection 
 of  the  body,  185  ;  on  the  sinfulness 
 of  man,  385. 
 
 Gabriel  Biel,  Canon.  Miss.  Expos,  re- 
 ferred to,  254  and  «. ;  maintains  that 
 the  pope  has  power  to  declare  new 
 articles  of  faith,  ib. 
 
 Grey,  lady  Jane,  her  letter  to  her  sister 
 before  her  death,  133. 
 
 H. 
 
 Hand,  right-hand  of  God,  meaning  of, 
 154 ;  Augustine's  opinion  of,  ib. ; 
 what  it  is  to  sit  at  the  right-hand  of 
 God,  and  how  Christ  sitteth  there, 
 155 ;  how  he  is  said  to  sit  there  with 
 reference  to  his  Godhead,  1G2. 
 
 Heaven,  divers  significations  of  the 
 word,  152 ;  in  what  sense  it  is  to  be 
 understood  with  reference  to  the  as- 
 cension of  our  Saviour,  152 — 3. 
 
 Heresy,  nature  of,  330 ;  what  is  a 
 heretic,  334 ;  Jerome's  definition  of 
 a  heretic,  ib. ;  character  of  described 
 in  scripture,  400 — 2. 
 
 Hilles,  Richard,  some  account  of,  502. 
 
 Hubert,  Conrad,  some  account  of,  503; 
 letters  of  Coverdale  to,  503,  &c. 
 
 I. 
 
 Institution  of  a  Christian  ]\Ian,  quoted, 
 
 335. 
 Irenseus,  quoted,  18G,  348  7*. 
 Irony,  use  of,  in  scripture,  333. 
 
 J. 
 
 Jerome,  his  opinion  on  the  resurrection 
 of  the  body,  1G9,  190;  attacks  the 
 opinions  of  John  bishop  of  Jerusalem 
 on  this  subject,  ib.,  185 ;  of  other 
 heretics,  ib. ;  definition  of  a  heretic, 
 334  ;  maintained  that  the  apocrypha 
 is  not  canonical,  42G ;  counselleth 
 us  to  believe  no  man  without  God's  • 
 word,  448. 
 Job,   ch.  xix.  23 — 27,   exposition  of, 
 
 170—2. 
 Johannes   Damascenus,   on  the  resur- 
 rection of  the  body,  quoted,  175. 
 John,  bishop  of  Jerusalem,  his  opinions 
 on  the  resurrection  of  the  body  at- 
 tacked by  Jerome,  169. 
 Justification,  faith  only  justifies,  339; 
 proved  by  the  universal  testimony  of 
 scripture,  ib. ;  passages  quoted,  ib.  ; 
 and  by  the    testimony  of  the  early 
 fathers,  340 ;   testimony  of  Augus- 
 tine in  various  passages  referred  to, 
 ib. ;  does  not  render  good  works  un- 
 necessary, 341 ;    we  must  needs  do 
 them,  and  they  which  will  not  do 
 them,  because  they  be  justified  by 
 faith,  are  not  the  children  of  God, 
 nor    children    of   justification,    ib. ; 
 where  faith  is  preached  only  to  jus- 
 tify, does  not  render  repentance  void 
 and  superfluous,  342 ;  because  true 
 faith   worketh    through   godly   love 
 and  charity,  ib. ;   no  work  of  ours 
 can  deserve   anything   of  God,  but 
 only  his   passion,    as   touching   our 
 justification,  379  ;  illustrated  by  the 
 example  of  Cornelius,  179,  80  ;  case 
 of,  vindicated  against  the  objections 
 of  the  Romanists,  380;  of  Hezekiah, 
 ib. ;  and  of  the  Ninevites,  381 ;  no 
 example  to  be  found  in  scripture  fi> 
 teach  us,  that  justification  ikserved 
 only  by  the  death  of  Christ  is  a  false 
 justification,  382 ;  we  cannot  obtain 
 justification  by  our  own  deservings, 
 ib. ;    proved    by    the    testimony    of 
 scripture,   ib. ;    of  Augustine,  384  ; 
 of  Gennadius,  385;  those  who  are 
 justified  ought  to  live  in  good  works, 
 
Gin 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 389,  90  ;  evidence  of  scripture,  ib. ; 
 of  early  fathers,  ib, 
 
 L. 
 
 Leo  X.  charged  with  infidelity,  139, 
 and  M. 
 
 Lewis,  history  of  English  translations 
 of  the  bible,  referred  to,  x. 
 
 Life,  this  life  full  of  misery,  59 ;  of 
 eternal  life  and  salvation,  210;  scrip- 
 tural doctrine  on  this  subject,  ib. ; 
 where  the  place  of  the  faithful  is, 
 212;  ho  w  the  salvation  shall  be,  2 1 3 ; 
 Augustine's  opinion  on  this  subject, ifc. 
 
 Lord's  supper,  see  Sacrament. 
 
 M. 
 
 Maccabees,  book  of,  quoted  in  support 
 of  the  sacrifice  for  the  dead,  271 ; 
 refuted,  ih. 
 
 Manichees,  their  opinion  of  the  resur- 
 rection of  the  body,  184. 
 
 Marcionites,  their  opinions  of  the  re- 
 surrection of  the  body  quoted,  183. 
 
 Marcus  Constantius,  (bishop  Gardiner) 
 referred  to,  258  and  iu 
 
 Martyrs,  blood  of,  the  seed  of  the 
 church,  313;  the  steadfast  and  joy- 
 ful hearts  of  them  that  have  suffered 
 for  the  Lord,  31G. 
 
 Mary  the  virgin,  doctrine  concerning, 
 351,  415. 
 
 Mass,  name  unknown  in  the  time  of 
 the  apostles,  449. 
 
 Matthew,  ch.  xvi.  18,  interpretation  of, 
 465,  G. 
 
 Memorials  of  the  dead,  ancient  practice 
 of,  nature  of,  249,  270;  doctrine  of 
 the  ancient  fathers  concerning,  ih. ; 
 opposed  to  the  Romish  doctrine  of 
 praying  for  the  dead,  ih. 
 
 N. 
 
 Name  of  God,  what  is  to  be  understood 
 by,  303. 
 
 Ninevites,  in  their  repentance  an  ex- 
 ample to  us,  3G8  :  case  of,  affords  no 
 ground  to  the  Romish  doctrine  of 
 satisfaction,  ih. 
 
 Nycolson,  James,  printer  in  South- 
 wark,  printer  of  Coverdale's  bible, 
 
 X  ;  and  new  Testaments,  xi ;  Co- 
 verdale's letter  to  lord  Crumwell  in 
 behalf  of,  498. 
 
 O. 
 
 Ointment,  meaning  of  the  similitude, 
 
 314. 
 Origen,  his  errors  about  the  resurrection 
 
 of  the  body  referred  to,  185,  G,  &c. ; 
 
 confuted  by  Jerome,  ih. 
 
 Paul,  St,  the  death  of,  132. 
 
 Pearson,  bishop,  quoted,  140  «.,  340  «. 
 
 Pelagians,  their  opinions  on  the  sinful- 
 ness of  man,  387  ?  Augustine's  re- 
 remarks  concerning,  388. 
 
 Penance,  used  by  Coverdale  in  the 
 same  meaning  with  repentance,  19, 
 29,  343. 
 
 Persecution,  not  strange,  233;  opinions 
 of  the  papists,  for  which  they  per- 
 secute, 248. 
 
 Peter,  Saint,  on  the  death  of,  132;  no 
 spiritual  pre-eminence  given  to  him 
 by  Christ,  4G7,  8 ;  no  argument 
 to  be  derived  from  Matthew  xvi. 
 for  the  supremacy  of  the  church  of 
 Rome,  ih. 
 
 Philemon,  against  unseemly  sorrow  for 
 the  dead,  12G. 
 
 Philip  of  Macedon,  remarkable  saying 
 of,  59. 
 
 Philosophers,  opinions  of,  concerning 
 death  and  a  future  state,  40;  write 
 foolishly  and  childishly  concerning  a 
 future  state,  il. ;  exposed  by  bishop 
 \rarburton,  ih.  n. 
 
 Prayer,  necessary  to  support  us  in  the 
 hour  of  death,  121  ;  to  be  made  in 
 faith  to  God  through  Jesus  Christ, 
 275. 
 Prayers  for  the  dead,  the  true  doctrine 
 of,  258;  on  praying  to  saints,  and 
 Christ  the  only  Advocate,  2G0,  425; 
 Romish  doctrine  of  praying  and 
 sacrificing  to  the  dead  refuted,  2G9  ; 
 not  supported  by  the  fathers  of  the 
 first  five  centuries  after  Christ,  272 ; 
 refutation  of  the  heresy  of  praying 
 
INDEX, 
 
 617 
 
 to  saints  departed,  ih.;  not  taught 
 in  scripture,  423,  475. 
 
 Priests,  Romish,  doctrine  concerning  the 
 marriage  of,  refuted,  483—5. 
 
 Psalm,  the  twenty-third,  Coverdale's 
 translation  of  Luther's  exposition 
 upon,  280,  &c. ;  doctrine  of  this 
 psalm,  283. 
 
 Psalms,  English,  metrical  versions  of, 
 some  account  of  their  early  history, 
 536 ;  Coverdale  amongst  the  earliest 
 writers  of  these  compositions,  ih. 
 
 Purgatory,  taken  out  of  the  books  of 
 the  heathen,  and  not  found  in  the 
 books  of  the  old  and  new  Testament, 
 473 ;  argument  in  support  of,  2  Mac- 
 cabees xii.,  refuted,  ih.,  473 — 5  ;  also 
 that  from  1  Cor.  iii.  15,  ih. 
 
 R. 
 
 Reason,  natural  reason  of  man  can  give 
 no  account  of  the  victory  of  the  faith- 
 ful against  the  devil,  the  world,  the 
 flesh,  a  man's  own  conscience,  and 
 against  death,  311. 
 
 Repentance,  (penance)  fruits  of,  cannot 
 be  separated  from  the  fruits  of  inno- 
 cency,  goodness,  &c.,  363  ;  nature  of 
 true  repentance,  365 ;  God  hath  call- 
 ed us  unto  good  works,  to  walk  in 
 them.,  but  not  to  make  our  Saviour, 
 or  satisfaction  to  God  of  them,  ih. ; 
 true  doctrine  of,  374 — 6  ;  repentance 
 of  Peter,  376,  7-     See  Penance. 
 
 Resurrection  of  the  body,  scriptural 
 arguments  for,  I7O,  &c. ;  manner  of 
 the  resurrection,  176;  what  a  glori- 
 fied body  is,  177;  scriptural  argu- 
 ment in  illustration  of  it,  178 — 81  ; 
 case  of  our  members  in  the  resurrec- 
 tion of  the  body,  181  ;  the  bodies  of 
 unbelievers  shall  rise  again,  197; 
 scriptural  arguments  in  support  of 
 this,  197 — 200 ;  the  bodies  of  un- 
 believers, being  raised,  are  passible, 
 204 ;  opinion  of  Augustine  on  this 
 subject,  ih. ;  nature  of  the  punish- 
 ment of  the  wicked,  scriptural  argu- 
 ments considered,  205 — 8. 
 
 Rome,  bishop  of,  no  foundation  for  the 
 
 [c'OVEUUALE,   II.] 
 
 authority  assumed  by  him,  either  in 
 scripture  or  christian  antiquity,  464, 
 465. 
 
 S. 
 
 Sacrament  of  the  Lord's  supper,  Romish 
 doctrine  of,  confuted,  261 ;  transub- 
 stantiation  a  new  doctrine,  ih. ;  the 
 assertion,  that  the  priest's  intent  is 
 necessary  to  the  effect  of  the  sacra- 
 ment, refuted,  262  ;  the  Lord's  sup- 
 per is  a  sacrament,  not  a  sacrifice, 
 267,  470,  1 ;  in  it  we  receive  obsig- 
 nation and  full  certificate  of  Christ's 
 body  broken  for  our  sins,  and  his 
 blood  shed  for  our  iniquities,  ih.  ; 
 the  true  nature  of  the  spiritual  be- 
 nefits conveyed  to  us  in  baptism  and 
 the  Lord's  supper,  267 ;  the  true 
 doctrine  concerning  the  holy  sacra- 
 ment, 417  ;  instituted  in  both  kinds, 
 471  ;  primitive  usage  of,  469 — 7'-; 
 not  a  sacrifice,  but  the  remembrance 
 of  a  sacrifice,  471. 
 
 Sacrifice,  how  God's  word  teacheth  of 
 (Christ's  sacrifice,  and  the  Romish 
 corruption  of  that  doctrine,  256 ; 
 Romish  doctrine  of  the  sacrifice  con- 
 futed, 264  ;  implies  the  insufficiency 
 of  the  death  of  Christ,  ih. ;  refuta- 
 tion  of  the  doctrine,  that  the  sacrifice 
 of  the  I\Iass  is  principal  means  to 
 apply  the  benefit  of  Christ's  death 
 to  the  quick  and  dead,  266. 
 
 Scotus,  Joann.  Duns,  referred  to,  254 
 and  «. 
 
 Scripture,  in  what  manner  we  ought 
 to  understand  the  examples  contained 
 in,  15;  contents  of,  15 — 19;  terms 
 of,  how  to  be  understood,  19 ;  in- 
 struction to  be  derived  from,  21  ; 
 authority  of,  Augustine's  opinion 
 concerning,  335. 
 
 Seleuciani  or  Hermiani,  opinions  of, 
 160  and  n. 
 
 Shepherd,  in  what  sense  God  may  be 
 so  called,  287  ;  Christ  our  Shepherd, 
 290  ;  what  comfort  may  be  derived 
 from  this  belief,  294,  &c. 
 
 Simonians,  their  opinions  on  the  resur- 
 rection, 183. 
 
 40 
 
618 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Sin,  God  not  the  author  of,  341. 
 
 Shifuhiess  of  man,  doctrine  illustrated, 
 384;  maintained  by  Augustine,  385, 
 by  Gennadius,  ih. 
 
 Soul,  death  of  the,  201 ;  how  mortal, 
 and  how  immortal,  ib. ;  Augustine's 
 opinion  on  this  subject,  ib. ;  that  the 
 soul  is  passible,  202 ;  souls  departed 
 wot  not  what  they  do  who  are  alive, 
 238 ;  Augustine's  opinion  on  this 
 subject,  218—20. 
 
 Standish,  John,  his  attack  on  the  Pro- 
 testation of  Dr  R.  Barnes,  322  ;  cha- 
 racter of,  ib. 
 
 Strype,  quoted,  vii,  x,  &c. 
 
 SufFolk,  Catharine,  duchess  of,  men- 
 tioned, 528. 
 
 T. 
 
 TertuUian,  reflections  on  the  ascension 
 of  Christ,  166;  on  the  resurrection 
 of  our  flesh,  167  ;  quoted,  186  w. 
 
 Testament,  new,  different  editions  of 
 Coverdale's  translation  of,  xi,  23 ; 
 dedication  and  prologue  to  first  edi- 
 tion, 24 — 31  ;  to  Regnault's  edition, 
 
 32 C ;    reasons  for  publishing  this 
 
 edition,  32. 
 .  Tonstal,  bishop  of,  his  register  referred 
 to,  viii,  n. 
 
 Translations  of  scripture,  various  trans- 
 lations both  of  the  Greeks  and  Latins, 
 13;  advantage  of  various  translations 
 of  the  scriptures,  ib. ;  translations 
 used  by  Coverdale  in  his  version, 
 12;  proposal  of  Coverdale  to  lord 
 Crumwell  to  insert  various  readings 
 from  the  different  versions  in  the 
 reprint  of  Mathewe's  bible,  493 — 4, 
 497. 
 
 Trouble  cannot  hurt  God's  children, 
 235. 
 
 Tyndale,  translation  of  bible  men- 
 tioned, viii ;  of  new  Testament,  ib. ; 
 not  assisted  by  Coverdale,  ib. 
 
 U. 
 
 Ungodly,  refutation  of  the  opinions  of 
 those  who  denied  the  punishment  of 
 the  ungodly  to  be  eternal,  208 — 10  ; 
 
 opinions  of   Jerome  and  Augustine 
 on  this  subject,  208. 
 
 V. 
 
 Valentinians,  their  opinions  on  the  re- 
 surrection, 183. 
 
 Vigilius,  on  the  ascension  of  Christ,  154. 
 
 Virgil,  iEneid.  Lib.  vi.  624-_6, 
 quoted,  205. 
 
 Vulgarius,  who  is  to  be  understood  by, 
 13,  and  Addenda. 
 
 W. 
 
 Waterland,  Dr  Daniel,  quoted,  139  w. 
 
 Whitaker,  history  of  Richmondshire, 
 referred  to,  vii. 
 
 Whittaker,  Rev.  J.  W.,  Historical  and 
 Critical  Inquiry  into  the  Interpreta- 
 tion of  Hebrew  Scriptures,  referred 
 to,  xvii ;  his  opinion  on  Coverdale's 
 translation  of  the  scriptures,  ib. 
 
 Wicklitfe,  his  translation  of  the  scrip- 
 tures referred  to,  ix. 
 
 Word  of  God,  to  have  it,  is  the  chiefest 
 good  upon  earth,  297  ;  our  treasure, 
 298 ;  without  God's  word  can  no 
 man's  conscience  be  at  rest,  301  ; 
 power  of  God's  word,  310;  com- 
 mendation of,  311. 
 
 Works,  good,  necessary  to  salvation, 
 341  ;  those  who  do  not  do  them  are 
 not  the  children  of  God,  nor  the 
 children  of  justification,  ib. ;  must 
 follow  faith,  but  not  that  we  may 
 set  any  of  them  in  the  place  of 
 Christ,  nor  make  them  the  satisfac- 
 tion to  God  for  our  sins,  365;  de- 
 rogation to  God's  glory,  to  teach 
 that  we  may  trust  in  our  works,  and 
 by  our  working  deserve  immortality, 
 397  ;  opposed  to  our  Saviour's  doc- 
 trine, ib. ;  to  that  of  St  Paul,  398 ; 
 commended  in  scripture,  402  ;  neces- 
 sary to  shew  forth  our  profession, 
 but  not  to  deserve  immortality,  403  ; 
 when  we  have  done  good  works,  the 
 reward  given  to  us  is  not  on  account 
 of  our  own  merits,  but  of  God's 
 own  promise  and  blessing  in  Jesus 
 Christ,  432  ;  Augustine's  opinion  on 
 this  subject,  ih. ;  Chrysostom's,  ih. 
 
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