The Actes of the Apostles
[Chap. ii] The Actes of the Apostles Simon zelotes, and Iudas Iames sonne. These all continued with one acorde in prayer and supplicacion with the wemen and Mary the mother of Iesu, and with his brethren.
G + And in those dayes Peter stode vp in the myddes of the disciples and sayde (s) (the noumbre of names that were to gether, were aboute an hondred and twenty) Ye men and brethren, this scripture must have nedes bent fulfilled which psal. x. c the holy goost thorow the mouth of David spake before of Iudas, which was ae gyde to them that tooke Iesus. For he was noumbred with vs and had obtayned xxvij. a fellouship in this ministracion. And thesame hath now possessed a plot of (10) grounde with the rewarde of iniquite, and when he was hanged, brast a sondre in the myddes, and all his bowels gusshed oute. And it is knowen vnto all the inhabiters of Ierusalem: in so moche that that felde is called in their mother tonge, Acheldama, that is to saye, the bloud felde.
It is written in the boke of Psalmes: His habitacion be voyde, and no man Bae "el (1s) be dwellinge therin: and his bisshoprycke let another take. Wherfore of these men which have companyed with vs, all the tyme that the Lorde Iesus went in psal. cviij. and out amonge vs, begynninge at the baptyme of Iohn vnto that same daye that he was taken vp from vs, must one be ordeyned to beare witnes with vs of his resurreccion.
(20) And they appoynted two, Ioseph called Barsabas (whose syr name was Iustus) and Mathias. And they prayed sayinge: thou Lorde which knowest the hertes of all men, shewe whether of these two thou hast chosen that the one maye take the roume of this ministracion, and apostleshippe from the which Iudas by transgression fell, that he myght go to his awne place. And they gave
(25) forthe their lottes, and the lot fell on Mathias, and he was counted with the eleven Apostles. + The Seconde Chapter. + A When the fyftith daye was come, they were all with one accorde togeder
Folio in one place. And sodenly ther cam a sounde from heaven, as it had bene the Clviii. comminge of a myghty wynde, and it filled all the housse where they sate. And
Line (5) (The noumbre off names were aboute Line (16) (all the tyme that the lorde Iesus went an hondredand twenty) out and in amonge vs,...vp from vs) (6) ...must nedes be fulfilled. ..
(18) ...ordeyned to be a witnes.
(8) and obtayned felliship. . .
(22) ...shewe whether thou hast chosen of (9) And he hath nowe possessed... these two, (14) ...and noo man dwellynge therin:
(27) ...with one accorde gaddered togeder...
The Actes of the Apostles [Chap. ii] ther appered vnto them cloven tonges, lyke as they had bene fyre, and it sate vpon eache of them: and they were all filled with the holy goost, and beganne to speake with other tonges, even as the sprete gave them vtteraunce.
B And ther were dwellinge at Ierusalem Iewes, devoute men, mhicht were of Tonges (s) all nacions vnder heaven. When this was noysed aboute, the multitude came to gether and were astonyed, because that every man hearde them speake his awne tounge. They wondred all and marveyled sayinge amonge them selves:
Beholde, are not all these which speake, of Galile? And how heare we every man his awne tounge wherein we were boren? Parthians, Medes and Elamytes,
\(zo) and the inhabiters of Mesopotamia, of Iury, and of Capadocia, of Ponthus and Asia, Phrigia, Pamphilia, and of Egypte, and of the parties of Libia which is besyde Syrene, and straungers of Rome, Iewes and convertes*, Grekes and Arabians: we have herde them speake with oure awne tonges the greate workes of God.+ They were all amased, and wondred sayinge one to another: what
* Conuertes: that is, hethen or gentiles conuerted to the Iewes fayth (ts) meaneth this? Other mocked them sayinge: they are full of newe wyne.
+ But Peter stepped forth with the eleven, and lift vp his voyce, and sayde vnto them: Ye men of Iewrye, and all ye that inhabite Ierusalem: be this knowen vnto you, and with youre eares heare my wordes. These are not dronken, as ye suppose: for it is yet but the thyrde houre of the daye. But this is that which was
(20) spoken by the Prophete Iohel: It shalbe in the last dayes sayth God: of my sprete
(@ nel. ij. g.
I will powre out vpon all flesshe. And youre sonnes and youre doughters shall prophesy, and youre yonge men shall se visions, and youre olde men shall dreme dremes. And on my servaunts, and on my honde maydens I will powre out of my sprete in those dayes, and they shall prophesye. And I will shewe
(2s) wonders in heaven a bove, and tokens in the erth benethe, bloud and fyre, and the vapour of smoke. The sunne shalbe turned into darknes, and the mone into bloud before that greate and notable daye of the Lorde come. And it shalbe, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lorde shalbe saved. + ma. X. ¢.
+Ye men of Israel heare these wordes. Iesus of Nazareth, a man approved of (30) God amonge you with myracles, wondres and signes which God dyd by him in the myddes of you, as ye youre selves knowe: him have ye taken by the hondes of vnrightewes persones, after he was delivered by the determinat counsell and
Line tn ...cloventonges, as they had benefyre, Line (18) ...as ye wene, (4) There were dwellynge...
(20) (sayth God) 6) ...speake in his awne tounge.
(27) ...that greate, and that notable daye 8) ...Loke, are not all these...
...And the tyme shall come that (12) Iewes and Proselites, (30) ...with myracles and wondres, and (16) Peter stepped forth... signes which...
[Chap. ii] The Actes of the Apostles D foreknoweledge of God, and have crucified and slayne: whom God hath raysed vp and lowsedt the sorowes of deeth, because it was vnpossible that he shuld be psal. xv. c holden of it. For David speaketh of him: Afore honde I sawe God alwayes before me: For he is on my ryght honde, that I shuld not be moved. Therfore
Folio Clix.| (3) dyd my hert reioyce, and my tonge was glad. Moreover, also my flesshe shall rest in hope, because thou wilt not leve my soul in hell, nether wilt suffre thyne holye to se corrupcion. Thou hast shewed me here of lyfe, and shalt make me full of ioye with thy countenaunce. +
E Men and brethren, let me frely speake vnto you of the patriarke David: iij. re. ij. b (10) For he is both deed and buryed, and his sepulcre remayneth with vs vnto this daye. Therfore seinge he was a Prophet, and knewe that God had sworne with an othe to him, that the frute of his loynes shuld sit on his seat (in that Christ shulde ryse agayne in the flesshe) he sawe before: and spake in the resurreccion of Christ, that his soule shulde not be left in hell: nether his flesset shuld se
(1s) corrupcion. This Iesus hath God raysyd vp, wher of we all are witnesses.
Sence now that he by the right honde of God exalted is, and hath receaved of the father the promyse of the holy goost, he hath sheed forthe that which ye nowe se and heare. For David is not ascendyd into heaven: but he sayde. The Lorde sayde to my Lorde sit on my right honde, vntill I make thy fooes thy bi psal. cjx. a (20) fote stole. So therfore let all the housse of Israel knowe for a suerty, that God hath made the same Iesus whom ye have crucified lorde and Christ.
When they hearde this, they were pricked in their hertes, and sayd vnto Peter and vnto the other Apostles: Ye men and brethren, what shall we do?
Peter sayde vnto them: repent and be baptised every one of you in the name of (2s) Iesus Christ, for the remission of synnes, and ye shall receave the gyfte of the holy goost. For the promyse was made vnto you and to youre chyldren, and to all that are afarre, even as many as the Lorde oure God shall call. And with many other wordes bare he witnes and exhorted them sayinge: Save youre selves from this vntowarde generacion. Then they that gladly receaved his
(30) preachynge, were baptised: and the same daye, ther were added vnto them aboute thre thousande soules.
D And they continued in the Apostles doctrine and felloushippe, and in
Line (1) ...and slayne hym, Line (11 a irhartes he was a prophet, (3) ...it. David speaketh of hym: Afore- (12) (in. ..flesshe) omitted. honde, sawe I God...
(3) _ spake of be resurreccion.
(6) ...be cause thou shaltnot...nether (27) ...as many as oure lorde God shall call.
(29 ) (31) . shalt suffre thy ie tose corrupcion.
They thatgladly. .
(7) Thoushalt make me.
. aboute a thre thousandesoules.
The Actes of the Apostles [Chap. iii] breakinge of breed, and in prayer. And feare came over every soule. And many wondres and signes were shewed by the Apostles. And all that beleved kept them selves to gedder, and had all thinges commen, and solde their possessions and. goodes, and departed them to all men, as every man had nede. And they
(s) continued dayly with one acorde in the temple, and brake breed in every housse, and dyd eate their meate to gedder, with gladnes and singlenes of hert praysinge
God, and had faveour with all the people. And the Lorde added to the congregacion dayly soche as shuld be saved.
The. iii. Chapter.
A Peter and Iohn went vp togedder into the temple at the nynthe houre of (10) prayer. And ther was a certayne man halt from his mothers wombe, whom they brought and layde at the gate of the temple called beutifull, to axe almes of them that entred into the temple. Which same when he sawe Peter and Iohn, that lio Clx-| they wolde in to the temple, desyred to receave an almes. And Peter fastened his eyes on him with Iohn and sayde: looke on vs. And he gaue hede vnto them,
(15) trustinge to receave somthinge of them. Then sayd Peter: Silver and golde have
I none, suche as I have, geve I the. In the name of Iesu Christ of Nazareth, ryse vp and walke. And he toke him by the right honde, and lifte him vp. And immediatly his fete and anclebones receaved strenghtt. And he sprange, stode and also walked, and entred with them into the temple, walkinge, and leapinge
(20) and laudynge God.
And all the people sawe him walke and laude God. And they knewe him, that it was he which sate and begged at the beutifull gate of the temple. And they wondred and were sore astonnyed at that which had happened vnto him.
And as the halt which was healed, helde Peter and Iohn, all the people ranne (2s) amased vnto them in Salomons porche.
Cc When Peter sawe that, he answered vnto the people. + Yemen of Israel, why marvayle ye at this, or why looke ye so stedfastly on vs, as though by oure awne power or holynes, we had made this man goo? The God of Abraham, Isaac and Iacob, the God of oure fathers hath glorified his sonne Iesus, whom ye delyvered,
Line (2) All that beleved gaddered them toLine (13) ...he desyred to receave an almes, gedder, Peter...
(6) ...and ate their meateto gedder...
(24) As the halt whych...
(8) ...themthat shulde besaved.
(25) ...in Solomons hall.
(11) ...to axe his almes ofthem...
2 ...man goo? God of Abraham, (12) When he sawe...
(29) ...whom ye betrayed,
[ Chap. iii] The Actes of the Apostles mathew. and denyed in the presence of Pylate, when he had iudged him to be lowsed.
Raha But ye denyed the holy and iust, and desyred a mortherar to be geven you, and luc. xxiii. kylled the Lorde of lyfe, whom God hath raysed from deeth, of the which we are wytnesses. And his name thorow the fayth of his name, hath made this man
(s)sound, whom ye se and knowe. And the fayth which is by him, hath geven to Tohn. xvii. a him this health in the presence of you all.
And now brethren I wote well that thorow ignoraunce ye did it, as dyd also youre heddes. But those thinges which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his Prophetes, how that Christ shuld suffre, he hath thus wyse
D __|(to) fulfilled. Repent ye therfore and turne, that youre synnes maye be done awayer, when the tyme of refresshinge commeth, which we shall have of the presence of the Lorde, and when God shall sende him, which before was preached vnto you, that is to wit Iesus Christ, which must receave heaven vntyll the tyme that all thinges, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophetes sence
(ts) the worlde began be restored agayne. dut, xvi. i.
For Moses sayd vnto the fathers: A Prophet shall the Lorde youre God rayse vp vnto you, even of youre brethren, lyke vnto me: him shall ye heare in all thinges whatsoever he shall saye vnto you. For the tyme will come, that every soule which shall not heare that same Prophet, shalbe destroyed from (20) amonge the people. Also all the Prophetes from Samuel and thence forth, as many as have spoken, have in lykwyse tolde of these dayes.
Ye are the chyldren of the Prophetes, and of the covenaunt which God hath made vnto oure fathers sayinge to Abraham: Even in thy seede shall all
Folio Clxi.| the kinredes of the erth be blessed. Fyrst vnto you hath God raysed vp his
(2s) sonne Iesus, and him he hath sent to blysse you, that every one of you shuld turne from youre wickednes.
The. iiii. Chapter A As they spake vnto the people, the prestes and the rular of the temple, and the Saduces came vpon them, takynge it grevously that they taught the poplet and preached in Iesus the resurreccion from deeth And they layde hondes on
god hath spoken by the mougth offallhys holy prophetes sence the worlde began.
) ...shall youre lorde god...
) won of yourebrethren, ) ...shalbe exyled from thepeople.
) ..-and to you pertayneth the testament ) Line ) ...hath to thysman geven thys health, ) ) ...ye have doneytt, Butt God which shewed before by the mougth off all hys prophetes that Christ shulde suffre, hath thus wyse fulfilled it.
(rz) ...tyme of comforte. ..
(z 5; ...whych must hevenreceave...
(14) ...allthynges be restored agayne, which that god hath made...
(26) ...from his wickednes.
(28) ...takynge greveousy*...
(29) ...in the name off Iesus. ..
The Actes of the Apostles [Chap. iiii] them, and put them in holde vntill the nexte daye: for it was now even tyde.
How be it many of them which hearde the wordes, beleved, and the noumbre of the men was aboute fyve thousande.
And it chaunsed on the morowe that their rulars and elders and Scribes, as (s) Annas the chefe Prest and Cayphas and Iohn and Alexander, and as many as were of the kynred of the hye prestes gadered to geder at Ierusalem, and set the other before them, and axed: by what power or what name have ye done this syrs?
B + Then Peter full of the holy goost sayd vnto them: ye rulars of the people, and elders of Israel, yf we this daye are examined of the good dede done to the sycke
Peter.
- |(2o) man, by what meanes he is made whoale: be yt knowen vnto you all, and to the people of Israel, that in the name of Iesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified,
. cxvij. and whom God raysed agayne from deeth: even by him doth this man stonde if of here present before you whoale. Thisis the stone cast a syde of you bylders which . XK. C. is set in the chefe place of the corner. Nether is ther salvacion in eny other. Nor n.ix.g |(ts) yet also is ther eny other name geven to men wherin we must be saved. +
Cc When they sawe the boldnes of Peter and Iohn, and vnderstode that they were vnlerned men and laye people, they marveyled, and they knew them, that they were with Iesu: and beholdinge also the man which was healed stondinge with them, they coulde not saye agaynst it. But they commaunded them to go
Salvacion (20)a syde out of the counsell, and counceled amonge them selves sayinge: what shall we do to these men? For a manifest signe is done by them and is openly knowen toall them that dwell in Ierusalem, and we cannot denye it. But that it be noysed no farther amonge the people, let vs threaten, and charge them that they speake hence forth to no man in this name.
D |(s) And they called them, and commaunded them that in no wyse they shuld speake or teache in the name of Iesu. But Peter and Iohn answered vnto them and sayde: whether it be right in the syght of God to obeye you moare then
God, iudge ye. For we cannot but speake that which we have sene and hearde.
So threatened they them and let them goo, and founde no thinge how to God is more to be obeyed then man (30) punysshe them, because of the people. For all men lauded God for the myracle which was done: for the man was above fourty yeare olde, on whom this myracle of healinge was shewed.
Line (2) ...even tyde. Many of them...
Line (12) ...raysed fromdeeth agayne, thys man (4) Hytt chaunsed...and seniours, and stondeth. .. scribes, (4) Nether is there health...
(6) ...hyepreste, were gaddered. . .and set- (16) ...and knew that... them in the myddes, (18) Seinge also theman...
(7) ..-or in what name...
(x9) ...but commaunded them...
(9) ...seniours of israhel, (20) And commenedt...
(10) ...and to all the people...
[Chap. v] The Actes of the Apostles E Assone as they were let goo, they came to their felowes, and shewed all that the hye prestes and elders had sayde to them. And when they hearde that,
Folio they lyfte vp their voyces to God with one accorde, and sayde: Lorde, thou arte
Clxii.
God which hast made heaven and erth, the see and all that in them is, which psal. ij.a. | (s) by the mouth of thy servaunt David hast sayd: Why dyd the hethen rage, and the people immagen vayne thinges. The kynges of the erth stode vp and the rulars came to gedder, agaynst the Lorde and agaynst his Christ.
F For of a trueth, agaynst thy holy chylde Iesus whom thou hast annoynted, bothe Herode and also Poncius Pylate, with the Gentils and the people of Israel,
(xo) gaddered them selves to gedder, forto do whatsoever thy honde and thy counsell determined before to be done. And now Lorde, beholde their threatenynges, and graunte vnto thy servauntes with all confidence to speake thy worde. So that thou stretche forth thy honde, that healynge and signes and wonders be done by the name of thy holy chylde Iesus. And assone as they had prayed, the (1s) place moved wheare they were assembled to gedder, and they were all filled with the holy goost, and they spake the worde of God boldely.
G + And the multitude of them that beleved, were of one hert, and of one soule. Also none of them sayde, that eny of the thinges which he possessed, was his awne: but had all thinges commen. And with greate power gave the Apostles
(20) witnes of the resurreccion of the Lorde Iesu. And greate grace was with them all. Nether was ther eny amonge them, that lacked. For as many as were possessers of londes or housses, solde them and brought the pryce of the thinges that were solde, and layed yt doune at the Apostles fete. And distribucion was made ynto every man accordinge as he had nede. +
(25) And Ioses which was also called of the Apostles Barnabas (that is to saye the sonne of consolacion) beynge a Levite, and of the countre of Cipers, had londe, and solde it and layde the pryce doune at the Apostles fete.
The. v. Chapter.
A A Certayne man named Ananias with Saphira his wyfe solde a possession, and kepte awaye parte of the pryce (his wyfe also beynge of counsell) and
Line (2) ...seniours had sayde. When they Line (18) ...that eny thynge off those whych he herde that, with one myndethey lifte possessed. .
. vp their voyces to god and sayde:
(22) ...of the thynges which were solde, (5) ...the hethen grudge, (25) (that is to saye...countre off Cipers)
(17) The multitude of them...
The Actes of the Apostles [ Chap. v] brought a certayne parte, and layde it doune at the Apostles fete. Then sayde
Peter: Ananias, how is it that Satan hath filled thyne hert, that thou shuldest lye vnto the holy goost, and kepe awaye parte of the pryce of the lyvelod:
Pertayned it not vnto the only, and after it was solde, was not the pryce in thyne
(s)awne power? How is it that thou hast conceaved this thinge in thyne herte?
Thou hast not lyed vnto men, but vnto God. When Ananias herde these wordes. he fell doune and gave up the goost. And great feare came on all them that these thinges hearde. And the yonge men roose vp, and put him a parte, and caryed him out, and buryed him.
_ |(x0) And it fortuned as it were aboute the space of. iii. houres after, that his wyfe came in, ignoraunt of that which was done. And Peter sayde vnto her: Tell io me, gave ye the londe for so moche? And she sayde: ye for so moche Then iit.
Peter sayde vnto her: why have ye agreed to gether, to tempt the sprete of the Lorde? Beholde the fete of them which have buryed thy husbande, are at the (1s) dore, and shall cary the out. Then she fell doune strayght waye at his fete and yelded vp the goost. And the yonge men came in, and founde her ded, and caryed her out and buryed her by her husbande. And great feare came on all the congregacion, and on as many as hearde it. e By the hondes of the Apostles were many signes and wondres shewed
(20) amonge the people. And they were all together with one acorde in Salomons porche. And of other durst no man ioyne him selfe to them: neverthelater the people magnyfied them. The noumbre of them that beleved in the Lorde bothe of men and wemen, grewe moare and moare: in so moche that they brought the sicke into the strettes, and layde them on beddes and palettes, that at the (2s) lest waye the shadowe of Peter when he came by, myght shadowe some of them. There came also a multitude out of the cities round about, vnto Ierusalem, bringynge sicke folkes, and them which were vexed with vnclene spretes. And they were healed every one.
D Then the chefe preste rose vp and all they that were with him (which is the 30) secte of the Saduces) and were full of indignacion, and layde hondes on the Apostles, and put them in the commen preson. But the angell of the Lorde by nyght openned the preson dores, and brought them forthe, and sayde: goo, steppe
Line (10) Hit fortuned...
Line (21) ...but the people...
(rr) ...was done. Peter sayde...
(23) ...broughttheir sicke. ..
(12) ...soldeye the londe to so moche?
(27) ...bryngyng with them their sicke and ...8o moche. Peter sayd... them...
14) 16) Theyonge men cam in...
(32) ...thepresondore, 20) ...Solomons hall.
(14) Loo, the fete...
(29) The chefe preste arose vp and they...
( (
[Chap. v] The Actes of the Apostles forthe, and speake in the temple to the people all the wordes of this lyfe. When they hearde that, they entred into the temple erly in the morninge and taught.
The chefe prest came and they that were with him, and called a counsell to gedder, and all the elders of the chyldren of Israel, and sent to the preson to fet
(s)them. When the ministres came and founde them not in the preson, they returned and tolde sayinge: the preson founde we shut as sure as was possible, and the kepers stondynge with out before the dores. But when we had opened, we founde no man with in. When the chefe prest of all and the ruler of the temple and the hye prestes hearde these thinges, they douted of them, whervnto
(10) this wolde growe.
Then came one and shewed them: beholde the men that ye put in preson, stonde in the temple, and teache the people. Then went the ruler of the temple with ministers, and brought them with out violence. For they feared the people, lest they shuld have bene stoned. And when they had brought them, they set
(rs) them before the counsell. And the chefe preste axed them sayinge:"dyd not we straytely commaunde you that ye shuld not teache in this name? And beholde ye havefilled Ierusalem with youre doctrine, and ye intende to brynge this mans bloud vpon vs.
Peter and the other Apostles answered and sayde: We ought moare to obey F Folio (20) God then men. The God of oure fathers raysed vp Iesus, whom ye slewe and hanged on tre. Him hath god lifte vp with his right hand, to be a ruler and a savioure, for to geve repentaunce to Israell and forgevenes of synnes. And we are his recordes concernynge these thinges and also the holy goost whom God hath geven to them that obey him. When they hearde that, they clave asunder:
(2s)and sought meanes to slee them. Then stode ther vp one in the counsell, a Clyiiii.
Pharisey named Gamaliel, a doctoure of lawe, had in auctorite amonge all the people, and commaunded to put the Apostles a syde a lytell space, and sayde vnto them: Men of Israel take hede to youre selves what ye entende to do as touchinge these men. Before these dayes rose vp one Theudas bostinge him
(30) selfe, to whom resorted a nombre of men, about a foure hondred, which was slayn, and they all which beleved him were scatred a broode and brought to nought. After this man arose ther vp one Iudas of Galile, in the tyme when
Line (4) ...seniours...
Line (21) Hymbeynge a rueler and a saveoure (5) ...they cam agayne... hath god exalted with his right honde, (6) ...shut with alldiligence, (23) ...his recordes as concernynge. ..
11) Loo the men...
(26) ...amonge the people...
12) ...and preache to the peple.
The Actes of the Apostles [Chap. vi] G tribute began, and drewe awaye moche people after him. He also perisshed: and all even as many as harkened to him, are scattered a brood.
And now I saye vnto you: refrayne youre selves from these men, let them alone. For yf the counsell or this worke be of men, it will come to nought.
(s) But and yf it be of God, ye can not destroye it, lest haply ye be founde to stryve agaynst God. And to him they agreed, and called the Apostles, and bet them, and commaunded that they shuld not speake in the name of Iesu, and let them goo.
And they departed from the counsell, reioysynge that they were counted (10) worthy to soffre rebuke for his name. And dayly in the temple and in every housse they ceased not, teachinge and preachinge Iesus Christ.
The. vi. Chapter.
A In those dayes as the nombre of the disciples grewe, ther arose a grudge amonge the Grekes agaynste the Ebrues, because their wyddowes were despysed in the dayly mynystracion. Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples
(rs) to gether and sayde: it is not mete that we shuld leave the worde of God and serve at the tables. Wherfore brethren, loke ye out amonge you seven men of honest reporte, and full of the holy goost and wysdome, which we maye apoynte to this nedfull busynes. But we will geve oure selves continually to prayer, and B to the ministracion of the worde. And the sayinge pleased the whoale multitude.
(20) And they chose Steven a man full of fayth and of the holy goost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nichanor, and Timon, and Permenas, and Nicholas a converte of Antioche. Which they set before the Apostles, and they prayed and layde their hondes on them.
Cc And the worde of God encreased, and the noumbre of the disciples multiplied (2s)in Ierusalem greatly, and a great company of the prestes were obedient to the faythe. + And Steven full of faythe and power, dyd great wondres and myracles amonge the people. Then ther arose certayne of the synagoge, which are called
'lio Lybertines and Syrenites, and of Alexandria, and of Cilicia, and Asia, and disalxcv. puted with Steven. And they coulde not resist the wysdome, and the sprete,
16-2
Line (3) ...from these men, and let themalone:
Line (22) ...proselite of antioche, (4) For yff this counsell or werke beof men,
(25) ...to the faythe. Steven...
17) ...honest reporte, full of the...
(28) ...and Alexandrians, and Cicilians, and (19) ...pleased the whoale multitude wele.
Asians,
[Chap. vii] The Actes of the Apostles with which he spake. Then sent they in men, which sayd: we have hearde him speake blasphemous wordes agaynst Moses, and agaynst God. And they moved the people and the elders and the scribes: and came apon him and caught him, and brought him to the counsell, and brought forth falce witnesses which sayde.
(s) This man ceasith not to speake blasphemous wordes agaynst this holy place and the lawe: for we hearde him saye: this Iesus of Nazareth shall destroye this place, and shall chaunge the ordinaunces which Moses gave vs. And all that sate in the counsell loked stedfastly on him, and sawe his face as it had bene the face of an angell.
The. vii. Chapter.
(10) Then sayde the chefe prest: is it even so? And he sayde: ye men, brethren and fathers, harken to. The God of glory appered vnto oure father Abraham whyll he was yet in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran, and sayd vnto him: come out of thy contre, and from thy kynred, and come into the londe, which I shall shewe the. Then came he out of the londe of Chaldey, and dwelt
(ts)in Charran. And after that, assone as his father was deed, he brought him into gen. xij. a this lande, in which ye now dwell, and he gave him none inheritaunce in it, no not the bredeth of a fote: but promised that he wolde geve it to him to possesse and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no chylde.
God verely spake on this wyse that his seade shulde be a dweller in a (20) straunge londe and that they shulde kepe them in bondage and entreate them evyll. iiii.C. yeares. But the nacion to whom they shalbe in bondage will I iudge, sayde God. And after that shall they come forthe and serve me in this place. And he gave him the covenaunt of circumcision. And he begat Isaac, and circumcised him the viii. daye, and Isaac begat Iacob, and Iacob the twelve
(25) patriarkes.
And the patriarkes havinge indignacion solde Ioseph into Egipte. And God was with him and delivered him out of all his adversities. And gave him faveour and wisdome in the sight of Pharao kynge of Egipte which made him governer over Egipte, and over all his housholde. ge. Xxx. and. xxxv. genesis.
XXXVijj. ge. x]j.e
Line (1) ...with which sprete he spake.
Line (20) ...and they shall put them in bondage, (3) -..seniours, andthe scribes: and they and shall entreate them... cam apon hym...
(21) And thenacion...
(10) Then spake the chefe prest:
(22) (sayde god) (16) no notone fote of grounde. And (23). And gave hym thetestament. .. promised that hewolde geve it to hym (28 .. .kynge off Egipte, And Pharao made and to hys seed... hym...
(19) ...spakeon thys wyse, thy seed shall be a dweller...
The Actes of the Apostles [Chap. vii] Then came ther a derth over all the londe of Egipt and Canaan, and great afficcion, that our fathers founde no sustenaunce. But when Iacob hearde that ther was corne in Egipte, he sent oure fathers fyrst, and at the seconde tyme,
Ioseph was knowen of his brethren, and Iosephs kynred was made knowne (s) vntoPharao. Then sent Ioseph and caused his father to be brought and all his en. xij. en. xlv. kynne, thre score and xv. soules. And Iacob descended into Egipte and dyed bothe he and oure fathers, and were translated into Sichem, ondt were put in the sepulcre that Abraham bought for money of the sonnes of Emor, at Sichem. en. xlvj. e. xlix. ene. I. b.
When the tyme of the promes drue nye (which God had swormet to Folio Cc EGaj. a 1.
Clxvi.
(to) Abraham) the people grewe and multiplied in Egipte, till another kynge arose which knewe not of Ioseph. The same dealte suttelly with oure kynred, and evyll intreated oure fathers, and made them to cast oute their younge chyldren, that they shuld not remayne alyve. The same tyme was Moses borne, and was a proper childe in the sight of God, which was norisshed vp in his fathers housse
KO. ij. a.
(1s) thre monethes. When he was cast out, Pharoes doughter toke him vp, and norisshed him vp for her awne sonne. And Moses was learned in all maner wisdome of the Egipcians, and was mighty in dedes and in wordes.
And when he was full forty yeare olde, it came into his hert to visit his brethren, the chyldren of Israhel. And when he sawe one of them suffre wronge,
(20) he defended him, and avenged his quarell that had the harme done to him, and smote the Egypcian. For he supposed hys brethren wolde have vnderstonde how that God by his hondes shuld save them But they vnderstode not.
And the next daye he shewed him selfe vnto them as they strove, and wolde have set them at one agayne sayinge: Syrs, ye are brethren, why hurte ye one xO. ij. c (2s) another? But he that dyd his neghbour wronge, thrust him awaye sayinge: who made the a rular and a iudge amonge vs? What, wilt thou kyll me, as thou dyddest the Egyptian yester daye? Then fleed Moses at that sayenge, and was a stranger in the londe of Madian, where he begat two sonnes.
And when. xl. yeares were expired, ther appered to him in the wyldernes xO. iij. a (30) of mounte Syna an angell of the Lorde in a flamme of fyre in a busshe. When
Moses sawe it, he wondred at the syght. And as he drue neare to beholde, the voyce of the Lorde came vnto him: I am the God of thy fathers, the God of
Line (1) ...over all Egipt, and Canaan, Line (18) When he was...
(2) ...and our fathers founde no susten- (22) ...by his hondes shulde geve them aunce. When Iacob... health:
(3) ...and when he had sent them the (27) ...at that worde, secounde tyme, (29) When. xl. yeares...
(9) (which God had promysed with an (30) ...the angell offthe Lorde... othe to Abraham) (31) ...and drue neare to beholdeit. And the ) ...to cast awaye their chyldren, voyce off the Lorde spake vnto hym:
[Chap. vii] The Actes of the Apostles Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Iacob. Moses trembled and durst not beholde. Then sayde the Lorde to him: Put of thy showes from thy fete, for the place where thou stondest, is holy grounde. I have perfectly sene the affliccion of my people which is in Egypte, and I have hearde their gronynge,
(s)and am come doune to delyver them. And now come and I will sende the into Egypte.
This Moses whom they forsoke sayinge: who made the a ruelar and aiudge: the same God sent bothe a ruler and delyverer, by the hondes of the angell which appered to him in the busshe. And the same brought them out shewynge
B exo. vij. and Vilje IX.) Xe K, (10) wonders and signes in Egypte, and in the reed see and in the wyldernes. x1. yeares. This is that Moses which sayde vnto the chyldren of Israel: A Prophet shall the Lorde youre God rayse vp vnto you of youre brethren lyke vnto me, him shall ye heare.
€XO. XVj. deu. xviij exo. xix.
This is he that was in the congregacion, in the wyldernes with the angell (ts) which spake to him in the mounte Syna, and with oure fathers. This man
Folio receaved the worde of lyfe to geve vnto vs, to whom oure fathers wolde not obeye but cast it from them, and in their hertes turned backe agayne into Egypte, sayinge vnto Aaron: Make vs goddes to goo before vs. For this Moses that brought vs out of the londe of Egypte, we wote not what is become of Clyxvii. eX. XXXij (20) him. And they made a calfe in those dayes, and offered sacrifice vnto the ymage, and reioysed in the workes of their awne hondes.
Then God turned him selfe, and gave them vp, that they shuld worship the starres of the skye, as it is written in the boke of the prophetes. O ye of the housse of Israel, gave ye to me sacrefices and meate offerynges, by the space of amo. Vv. g (2s) xl. yeares in the wildernes? And ye toke vnto you the tabernacle of Moloch, and the starre of youre god Remphan, figures which ye made to worshippe them. And I will translate you beyonde Babylon.
Oure fathers had the tabernacle of witnes in the wyldernes, as he had apoynted them speakynge vntoMoses, that he shuld make it acordynge to the F ex. xxv d he. viij. b iosua. iij c (30) fassion that he had sene. Which tabernacle oure fathers receaved, and brought it in with Josue into the possession of the gentyls which God drave out before the face of oure fathers vnto the tyme of David, which founde favour before te. Xv.
PS. CXXXj
Line (7) The same Moses whom theyforsoke...
Line (24) ...have ye geven vnto me offerynges (8) ...a iudge: God sent... or sacrifice, (9) This man brought them...
28) ...tabernacle of testimony in wildernes, (12) ...shall youre lorde God rayse vp...
31) ...which gentyls god drave out...
(18) For we wote nott what is be come of this Moses that brought vs...
The Actes of the Apostles [Chap. viii] God, and desyred that he myght fynde a tabernacle for the God of Iacob. Bntt
Salomon bylt him an housse.
How beit he that is hyest of all, dwelleth not in temple* tad with hondes, as saith the Prophete: Heven is my seate, and erth is my fote stole, what housse
(s) will ye bylde for me sayth the Lorde? or what place is it that I shuld rest in? hath not my honde made all these thinges?
Ye stiffenecked and of vncircumcised hertes and eares: ye have all wayes resisted the holy goost: as youre fathers dyd, so do ye. Which of the prophetes have not youre fathers persecuted? And they have slayne them, which shewed
(10) before of the commynge of that iust, whom ye have now betrayed and mordred.
And ye also have receaved a lawe by the ordinaunce of angels, and have not kept it.
G When they hearde these thinges, their hertes clave a sunder, and they enasshed on him with their tethe. But he beynge full of the holy goost, loked
(ts) vp stedfastlye with his eyes into heven and sawe the glorie of God, and Iesus stondynge on the ryght honde of God, and sayde: beholde, I se the hevens open, and the sonne of man stondynge on the ryght honde of god. Then they gave a shute with a loude voyce, and stopped their eares and ranne apon him all at once, and caste him out of the cite, and stoned him. And the witnesses layde
(20) doune their clothes at a yonge mannes fete named Saul. And they stoned Steven callynge on and sayinge: Lorde Iesu receave my sprete. And he kneled doune and cryed with a loude voyce: Lorde laye not this synne to their charge.
And when he had thus spoken, he fell a slepe. + Folio The. viii. Chapter.
Cloviii.
Saul had pleasure in his deeth. And at that tyme there was a great per- (2s)secucion agaynst the congregacion which was at Ierusalem, and they were all scattered abroade thorowout the regions of Iury and Samaria, except the Apostles. Then devout men dressed Steven, and made great lamentacion over him. But Saul made havocke of the congregacion entrynge into every housse, and drewe out bothe man and woman, and thrust them into preson. They that
) ).
| :
\ReReOr what is my restynge place?
) ..-lorde impute not this synne vnto e ) )
Line (1) And Solomon byle..
Line (15) ...the maieste off God, (3) But he that is hyest is alldwelleth not 16) ...loo, I se the hevens... in Lo 17) ...sonne off man stonde..
( I I ( "resisted agaynste the peg goost:
eee For they wote not what they do.
At that tyme was there. . over hym. Saul tiodehavacke.
-whomye havebetrayed. .
(24 He beynge full... .loked vp with his (27 eyes...
[Chap. viii] The Actes of the Apostles were scattered abroade, went every where preachyng the worde. Then came
Philip into a cite of Samaria and preached Christ vnto them. And the people _|Philip. gave hede vnto those thinges which Philip spake, with one acorde, in that they hearde and sawe the miracles which he dyd. For vnclene spretes cryinge with (s) loude voyce, came out of many that were possessed of them. And manye taken with palsies, and many that halted, were healed And ther was great ioye in that cite. And ther was a certayne man called Simon, which before tyme in the {Simon same cite, vsed witche crafte and bewitched the people of Samarie, sayinge, that he was a man that coulde do greate thinges. Whom they regarded, from (10) the lest to the greatest, sayinge: this felow is the great power of God. And him they set moche by, because of longe tyme with sorcery he had mocked them.
But assone as they beleved Philippes preachynge of the kyngdome of God and of the name of Iesu Christ, they were baptised bothe men and wemen. Then
Simon him selfe beleved also, and was baptised, and continued with Phillip, and (ts) wondered beholdynge the miracles and signes, which were shewed.
+ When the Apostles which were at Ierusalem hearde saye that Samaria had receaved the worde of God: they sent vnto them, Peter and Iohn, which when they were come, prayed for them, that they myght receave the holy goost For as yet he was come on none of them: But they were baptised only in the name
(20) of Christ Iesu. Then layde they their hondes on them, and they receaved the holy goost. + When Simon sawe, that thorowe layinge on of the Apostles hondes on _|Layenge on them, the holy goost was geven: he offered them money sayinge: Geve me also sear this power, that on whom soever I put the hondes, he maye receave the holy
(2s) goost. Then sayde Peter vnto him: thy monye perysh with the, because thou wenest that the gifte of God maye be obteyned with money. Thou hast nether parte nor felloushippe in this busines. For thy hert is not ryght in the syght of God. Repent therfore of this thy wickednes, and praye God that the thought of thyne hert maye be forgeven the. For I perceave that thou arte full of bitter
(30) gall, and wrapped in iniquite.
Then answered Simon and sayde: Praye ye to the lorde for me that none of these thinges whiche ye have spoken, fall on me. And they, when they had
Line (5) Many taken with palseys, Line (11) ...he had deluded their wittes. As sone
(7) There was a certayne man... as they...
(8) ...the people, sayinge. ..
(14) ...beleved and was baptised, (10) ...thys ys thatpower of god, which is (24) ...I Jaye hondes, called grett. Hym they sett...
(25) Perissh thou and thy money togedder.
For thou wenest...
The Actes of the Apostles [Chap. viii] testified and preached the worde of the lorde, returned toward Ierusalem, and preached the gospell in many cities of the Samaritans. lio + Then the angell of the lorde spake vnto Phillip sayinge: aryse and goo biz. towardes mydde daye vnto the waye that goeth doune from Ierusalem vnto
(s) Gaza which is in the desert. And he arose and went on. And beholde a man of Ethiopia which was a chamberlayne, and of grete auctorite with Candace quene of the Ethiopians, and had the rule of all her treasure, came to Ierusalem forto praye. And as he returned home agayne sittynge in his charet, he rede Esay the prophet.
'!qo) 'Then the sprete sayde vnto Phillip: Goo neare and ioyne thy selfe to yonder charet. And Philip ranne to him, and hearde him rede the prophet Esayas and sayde: Vnderstondest thou what thou redest? And he sayd: how can I, except
I had a gyde? And he desyred Philip that he wold come vp and sit with him.
The tenoure of the scripture which he redde, was this. He was ledde as a shepe (ts) to be slayne: and lyke a lambe domme before his sherer, so opened he not his mouth*. Because of his humblenes, he was not estemed: who shall declare his generacion? for his lyfe is taken from the erthe. The chamberlayne answered
Philip and sayde: I praye the, of whom speaketh the Prophet this? of him selfe, or of some other man?
F |e) ~~ And Philip opened his mouth, and beganne at the same scripture, and preached vnto him Iesus. And as they went on their waye, they came vnto a certayne water, and the chamberlayne sayde: Se here is water, what shall let me to be baptised? Philip sayde vnto him: Yf thou beleve with all thyne hert, thou mayst. He answered and sayde: I beleve that Iesus Christe is the sonne of (2s)God. And he commaunded the charet to stonde still. And they went doune bothe into the water: bothe Philip and also the chamberlayne, and he baptised him. And assone as they were come out of the water, the sprete of the lorde caught awaye Philip, that the chamberlayne sawe him no moore. And he went on his waye reioysinge: but Philip was founde at Azotus. And he walked
(30) thorow out the countre preachynge in their cities, tyll he came to Cesarea. +
Line (1) ...returned to Ierusalem, Line (15) ...his mougth, in that he submitted
3) The angell of the lorde?. . hymsilfe, his iudgement was exalted:
4) ...the waye which leadeth from Ieruwho shall declare his generation? salem...
(17) The gelded man answered Philip...
(5) He arose...
(20) Philip openned his mougth, 6) ...which was gelded, (22) ...and the gelded man sayde:
7) ..-which had the rule...
(24) Heanswered sayinge:
8 ...praye. as he returned...
(25) ...and commaunded the charet...
(10) The sprete sayde...
(26) ...and also the gelded man.
... yonder charet. Philip ranne to hym, (27) As sone as they were come... and herdehym rede Esay the prophet ».
(28) ...caught Philip. And the gelded man
[Chap. ix] The Actes of the Apostles The. ix. Cha. + And Saul yet brethynge oute threatnynges and slaughter agaynst the disciples of the lorde, went vnto the hye preste, and desyred of him letters to Damasco, to the synagoges: that yf he founde eny of this waye, whether they were men or wemen, he myght bringe them bounde vnto Ierusalem. But as he went on gala. j. b.
(s) his iorney, it fortuned that he drue nye to Damasco, and sodenly ther shyned rounde about him a lyght from heven. And he fell to the erth, and hearde a voyce sayinge to him: Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he sayde, what arte thou lorde? And the lorde sayd, I am Iesus whom thou persecutest, it shalbe harde for the to kycke agaynst the pricke. And he bothe tremblynge
(xo)and astonyed sayde: Lorde what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lorde a COE XV. li. Cor. Xj sayde vnto him: aryse and goo into the cite, and it shalbe tolde the what thou shalt do.
The men which iornayed with him, stode amased, for they herde a voyce, but sawe no man. And Saul arose from the erth, and opened his eyes, but sawe
(1s)no man, Then ledde they him by the honde, and brought him into Damasco.
And he was. iii. dayes with out syght, and nether ate nor dranke. And ther was a certayne disciple at Damasco named Ananias, and to him sayde the lorde in a vision: Ananias. And he sayde: beholde Iam here lorde. And the lorde sayde to him: aryse and goo into the strete which is called strayght, and seke in the (20) housse of Iudas, after one called Saul of Tharsus. For beholde he prayeth, and hath sene in a vision a man named Ananias comynge in to him, and puttynge his hondes on him, that he myght receave his syght.
Then Ananias answered: Lorde I have hearde by many of this man, how moche evell he hath done to thy sainctes at Terusalem, and here he hath auctorite
(2s) of the hye prestes to bynde all that call on thy name. The lorde sayde vnto him:
Goo thy wayes: for he is a chosen vessell vnto me, to beare my name before the gentyls and kynges, and the chyldren of Israel. For I will shewe him how great thinges he must suffre for my names sake.
Ananias went his waye and entryd into the housse and put his hondes on (0) him and sayde: brother Saul, the lorde that apperyd vnto the in the waye as Saul ae brethynge..
Line (x (4 i 6) There was...
A ..Ananias, tohym spake the lorde...
0) .
3) Line As he went.
Thelorde sayd, . he sayde: I am here...
) ( ) He bothetremblynge. .
( . called Saul ofthe cite of Tharsus.
(13 Themen which acompanyed him on (2 Abanias answered: his waye..
.howe moche hurtehe hath done... no man, Saul arose from the erth, and and in thys place he hath... whenhe had openned his eyes he : sawenoo man.
) (14
The Actes of the Apostles [Chap. ix] thou camst, hath sent me, that thou myghtest receave thy syght and befilled with the holy goost. And immediatly ther fell from his eyes as it had bene scales, and he receaved syght, and arose and was baptised, and receaved meate and was comforted.
D (s) Then was Saul a certayne daye with the disciples which were at Damasco.
And streyght waye he preached Christ in the synagoges, how that he was the sonne of God. All that hearde him, were amased and sayde: is not this he that spoyled them which called on this name in Ierusalem, and came hyther for the entent that he shuld bringe them bounde vnto the hye prestes? But Saul
|(zo) encreased in strength, and confounded the Iewes which dwelte at Damasco, affirminge that this was very Christ. + And after a good whyle, the Iewes toke counsell to gether, to kyll him. But their layinge awayte was knowen of Saul. And they watched at the gates daye and nyght to kyll hym. Then the disciples toke him by night and put him cor. xj. | (1s) thorow the wall and let him doune in a basket. ie And when Saul was come to Ierusalem, he assayde to cople him silfe with the discyples and they were all afrayde of hym and beleued not that he was a disciple. But Bernabas toke hym and brought hym to the apostles and declared to them how he had sene the Lorde in the waye and had spoken wyth hym: and (20) how he had done boldely at damasco in the name of Iesu. And he had his conuersacion with them at Ierusalem, and quit hym silfe boldly in the name of the lorde Iesu. And he spake and disputed wyth the grekes: and they went aboute to slee hym. But when the brethren knew of that, they brought hym to cesarea, and sent hym forth to Tharsus. Then had the congregacions rest olio (2s) thorowoute all Iewry and galile and Samary, and were edified, and walked in xxi. the feare of the lorde, and multiplied by the comforte of the holy gost.
F And it chaunsed that as Peter walked throughoute all quarters, he cam to the saynctes which dwelt at Lydda and there he founde a certayne man namyd
Eneas, whych had kepte hys bed viii. yere sicke of the palsie. Then sayde Peter (30) vnto hym: Eneas Iesus Christ make the whole. Aryse and make thy beed. And he arose immedyatly. And all that dwelt at lydda and assaron, sawe hym, and tourned to the lorde.
Line (1) ...thou camst, sent me vnto the, Line (16) When Saul cam to Ierusalem...with (3) ..-receaved his sight, the apostles, (9) ...hye prestes? Saul...
(18) ...andtolde them...
(12) After a good while, the iewes toke 23) When the brethren... counsell amonge them selves to kyll 27) Hit chaunsed that as Peter... him. Butthere awayte wer knowen of 30) Eneas, thelorde Iesus Christ. . .
Saul >
[Chap. x] The Actes of the Apostles Ther was at Ioppe a certayne woman (whiche was a disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretacion is called dorcas) thesame was full of good workes and almes dedes, which she did. And it chaunsed in those dayes that she was sicke
Tabitha dorcas. and dyed. When they had wesshed her and layd her in a chamber: Because
(s) Lydda was nye to Ioppa, and the disciples had hearde that Peter was there, they sent vnto hym, desyrynge him that he wolde not be greved to come vnto them.
Peter arose and came with them and when he was come, they brought him in to the chamber. And all the wydowes stode.rounde aboute hym wepynge and shewynge the cotes and garmentes which Dorcas made whill she was with (ro) them. And Peter put them all forth and kneled doune and prayde and turned him to the body, and sayde: Tabitha aryse. And she opened her eyes, and when she sawe Peter she sat vp. And he gave her the honde and lyft her vp, and called the sainctes and wydowes, and shewed her alyve. And it was knowne throwout all Ioppa, and many beleved on the Lorde. And it fortuned that he taryed many
(ts) dayes in Ioppa with one Simon a tanner.
The. x. Chapter.
Ther was a certayne man in Cesarea called Cornelius, a captayne of the soudiers of Italy, a devoute man, and one that feared God with all his housholde, which gave moche almes to the people, and prayde God alwaye. The same man sawe in a vision evydently aboute the nynthe houre of the daye an angell of Cornelius.
(20) god comynge into him, and sayinge vnto him: Cornelius. When he looked on him, he was afrayde, and sayde: what is it lorde? He sayde vnto him. Thy prayers and thy almeses ar come vp into remembraunce before God.
And now sende men to Ioppa, and call for one Simon named also Peter. He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose housse is by the see syde. He shall tell
(2s) the, what thou oughtest to doo. When the angell which spake vnto Cornelius was departed, he called two of his housholde servauntes, and a devoute soudier of them that wayted on him, and tolde them all the mater, and sent them to Ioppa.
On the morowe as they went on their iorney and drewe nye vnto the cite, Peter went vp into the toppe of the housse to praye, aboute the. vi. houre. Then
Line : .she was full off good warkes. .
Line (19) ...the angell of god commyngein vnto (3 Hit agen: in bie dayes.. hym, (7) ...cam with them: when che was (22) ...vppe in to remembraunce in thecome. presence of God. ie vwith them. Peter putt them all (26) ...of his householde, and a devoute forth soudier. .
She opened hereyes, (29) ...in to 'the vpermost parte of the And hegave her his honde. . house. . e
The Actes of the Apostles [Chap. x] slio wexed he an hongred, and wolde have eaten. But whyll they made redy. He xxii. fell into a traunce, and sawe heven opened and a certayne vessell come doune vnto him, as it had bene a greate shete, knyt at the. iiii. corners, and was let doune to the erth, where in wer all maner of. iii. foted beastes of the erth and re (s) vermen and wormes, and foules of the ayer. And ther came a voyce to him: ryse Peter, kyll and eate. But Peter sayde: God forbyd Lorde, for I have never eaten eny thinge that is comen or vnclene. And the voyce spake vnto him agayne the seconde tyme: what God hath clensed, that make thou not comen.
This was done thryse, and the vessell was receaved vp agayne into heven.
| (x0) Whyle Peter mused in him selfe what this vision which he had sene meant, beholde, the men which were sent from Cornelius, had made inquirance for Simons housse, and stode before the dore. And called out won and axed whether
Simon which was also called Peter were lodged there. Whyll Peter thought on this vision, the sprete sayde vnto him: Beholde, men seke the: aryse therfore,
(zs) get the doune, and goo with them, and doute not. For I have sent them. Peter
D | went doune to the men which were sent vnto him from Cornelius, and sayde, Beholde, Iam he whom ye seke, what is the cause wherfore ye are come? And they sayde vnto him: Cornelius the captayne a iust man, and won that feareth
God, and of good reporte amonge all the people of the Iewes was warned by an (20) holy angell, to sende for the into his housse, and to heare wordes of the. Then called he them in, and lodged them.
D And on the morowe Peter went awaye with them, and certayne brethren from Ioppa accompanyed hym. And the thyrd daye entred they into Cesaria.
And Cornelius wayted for them, and had called to gether his kynsmen, and (2s) speciall frendes. And as it chaunsed Peter to come in, Cornelius met hym, and fell doune at his fete, and worshipped hym. But Peter toke him vp sayinge: stonde vp: for evyn I my silfe am a man. And as he talked with him he cam in, and founde many that were come to gether. And hesayde vnto them: Ye doknowe how that yt ys an vnlawfull thynge for a man that is a Iewe, to company or (30) come ynto an alient: But god hath shewed me that I shuld not call eny man commen or vnclene: therfore came I ynto you with oute sayenge naye assone as I was sent for. I axe therfore, for what intent have ye sent for me?
Line (1) ...whill they maderedy forhym... _ Line (22) On the morowe Peter went with them,
(5) And a voyce spake vnto hym from (23) ...into Cesaria. Cornelius... heven:
(26) ...hym. Peter toke hym vppe, sayinge:
(6) ...kyll and eate. Peter sayde:
Eyyn I mysilfe am a man.
14) Loo, men seke the.
(31) ...vnto you with outen scruple, 17) Loo, I am he, assone as...
18) They sayde vnto hym:
(32) I axe you therfore:
[Chap. x] The Actes of the Apostles And Cornelius sayde: This daye now. iiii. dayes I fasted, and at the nynthe houre I prayde in my housse: and beholde, a man stode before me in bright clothynge, and sayde: Cornelius, thy prayer is hearde, and thyne almes dedes are had in remembraunce in the sight of God. Sende therfore to Ioppa, and call for (s) Simon which is also called Peter. He is lodged in the housse of one Simon a tanner by the see syde, the wicht assone as he is come, shall speake vnto the. Then sent
I for the immediatly and thou hast well done for to come. Now are we all here present before god, to heare all thynges that are commaunded ynto the of God.
Then Peter opened his mouth and sayde: Of a trueth I perseave, that God deu. x. d. ij. pa. xix lob xxxiiij. sap. vj. b.
(10) is not parciall, but in all people he that feareth him and worketh rightewesnes, is accepted with him.
Ye knowe the preachynge that God sent vnto the chyldren of Israel, preachinge peace by Iesus Christe, (which is Lorde over all thinges:)
+ Which preachinge was publisshed thorow oute all Iewrye, and beganne in Galile, after F ecclesiast.
XXXV. rom. jj. b. gala. ij. b. ephe. vj. b coll. iij. d.
Mepeade.c:
(ts) the baptyme which Iohn preached, how God had annoynted Iesus of Nazareth with the holy goost, and with power, which Iesus went aboute doinge good, and healynge all that were oppressed of the develles, for God was with him. And we are witnesses of all thinges which he dyd in the londe of the Iewes and at Ierusalem, whom they slew, and honge on tree. Him God reysed vp the thyrde
(20) daye, and shewed him openly, not to all the people, but vnto vs witnesses chosyn before of God, which ate and dronke with him, after he arose from deeth. + And he commaunded vs to preache vnto the people and testifie, that it is he that is ordened of God aiudge of quycke and deed. To him geve all the Prophetes witnes, that thorowe his name shall receave remission of synnes™ all that beleve in him.+
* Fayth is the remissio1 of synnes (2s) | Whyle Peter yet spake these wordes, the holy gost fell on all them which hearde the preachinge. And they of the circumcision which beleved, were astonyed, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentyls also was sheed oute the gyfte of the holy gost*. For they hearde them speake with tonges and magnify God. Then answered Peter: can eny man forbyd water that these
(30) shuld not be baptised, which have receaved the holy goost as well as we? And he commaunded them to be baptysed in the name of the Lorde.+ Then prayde they him, to tary a feawe dayes.
Line (9) Peter opened his moughtt...
Line (16) ...he went aboute doinge goode, (13) ...preachynge them peace...
(17) ..-oppressed with dyvles, (15) ...thebaptim preached by Ihon, After (26) ...herde his preachynge thatt God had annoynted...
The Actes of the Apostles [Chap. xi] The. xi. Chapter.
A And the Apostles, and the brethren that were thorowout Iewry, harde saye that the hethen had also receaved the worde of God. And when Peter was come vp to Ierusalem, they of the circumcision reasoned wyth him sayinge:
Thou wentest in to men vncircumcised, and atest with them.
(s) | Then Peter began and expounded the thinge in order to them sayinge:
I was in the cyte of Ioppa prayinge, and in a traunce I sawe a vision, a certen vessell descende, as it had bene a large lynnyn clothe, let doune from hevin by the fower corners, and it cam to me. Into the which when I had fastened myn eyes, I consydered and sawe fowerfoted beastes of the erth, and vermen and (10) wormes, and foules of the ayer. And I herde a voyce sayinge vnto me: aryse
Peter, sley and eate. And I sayd: God forbyd lorde, for nothinge comen or vnclene, hath at eny tyme entred into my mouth. But the voyce answered me agayne from heven, count not thou those thinges comen, which god hath clensed. And this was done thre tymes. And all were takin vp agayne into heven.
B (15) And beholde immediatly ther were thre men come vnto the housse where lio I was, sent from Cesarea vnto me. And the sprete sayde vnto me, that I shuld
"ae go with them, with out doutinge. Morover the sixe brethren accompanyed me: and we entred into the mans housse. And he shewed vs, how he had sene an angell in his housse, which stod and sayde to him: Send men to Ioppa, and (20) call for Symon, named also Peter: he shall tell the wordes, wher by both thou c and all thyne housse shalbe saved. And as I beganne to preach, the holy goost fell on them, as he dyd on vs at the begynninge. Then came to my remembraunce the wordes of the Lorde, how he sayde: Iohn baptised with water, but ye shalbe baptysed with the holy goost. For as moche then as God gave them lyke gyftes,
(2s) as he dyd vnto vs, when we beleved on the Lorde Iesus Christ: what was I that I shuld havewith stonde God? when they hearde this, they helde their peace and gloryfied God, sayinge: then hath God also to the gentyls graunted repentaunce vnto lyfe.
D They which were scattryd abroade thorow the affliccion that arose aboute (30) Steven, walked thorow oute tyll they came vnto Phenices and Cypers and
Line (1) Hit cam to theeares of the opostlest Line (12) The voyce... and brethren which were in iewry, (15) And beholdeimmediatly wer thre that the hethen... men...
(2) When Peter...
(7) ...morover these sixe brethren... i ...disputed wyth hym, (21) As I began to preach,...
(5 3) ..-Ihon verely baptised...
I Peter began...
(2 (10) ...the ayer. I herdealso a voyce, -
[Chap. xii] The Actes of the Apostles Antioche, preachynge the worde to no man, but vnto the Iewes only. Some of them were men of Cypers and Syrene, which when they were come into Antioche, spake vnto the Grekes, and preched the Lorde Iesus. And the honde of the Lorde was with them, and a greate nombre beleved and turned vnto
(s) the Lorde.
D Tydinges of these thinges came vnto the eares of the congregacion, which was in Ierusalem. And they sente forth Barnabas that he shuld go vnto Antioche.
Which when he was come, and had sene the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of hert they wolde continually cleave vnto
Barnabas is (10) the Lorde. For he was a good man, and full of the holy goost and of faythe: and moche people was added vnto the Lorde. Then departed Barnabas to seketh Paule '
Tarsus, for to seke Saul. And when he had founde him, he brought him vnto Antioche. And it chaunsed that a whole yere they had their conversacion with the congregacion there, and taught moche people: in somoche that the disciples
(ts) of Antioche were the fyrst that were called Christen.
In those dayes came Prophetes from Ierusalem vnto Antioche. And ther stode vp one of them, named Agabus, and signified by the sprete, that ther shuld be great derth throughoute all the worlde, which came to passe in the Emproure
Claudius dayes. Then the disciples every man accordinge to his abilite, purposed
(20) to sende socoure ynto the brethren which dwelt in Iewry. Which thinge they also dyd, and sent it to the elders, by the hondes of Barnabas and Saul.
The. xii. Chapter. + A In that tyme Herode the kynge stretched forthe his handes to vexe certayne of the congregacion. And he kylled Iames the brother of Iohn with the swerde: and because he sawe that it pleased the Iewes, he proceded forther, and toke
Folio (2s) Peter also. Then were the dayes of swete breed. And when he had caught him,
Clxxv. he put him in preson, and delyvered him to. iiii. quaternions* of soudiers to bekepte, entendynge after ester to brynge him forth to the people. Then was
Peter kepte in preson. But prayer was made with out ceasynge of the congregacion vnto God for him. And when Herode wolde have brought him oute vnto
Line (6) Tydynges off this cam...
Line (22) ...layed hondes on certayne of the (8) ee ile grace off the lorde, congregacion, to vexe them. Hekylled (10) For he was a perfaicte man, Tames...
(13) Yt chaunsed thatt...
(23) ...with aswerde:
(16) ...Ther stode vppe won off them...
(24) ...to take Peter also.
(21) ...the seniours, (25) ...of vnlevendedbreedt, (29) When herode wolde have...
The Actes of the Apostles [Chap. xii] the people, the same nyght slepte Peter bitwene two soudiers, bounde with two chaynes, and the kepers before the dore kepte the preson.
And beholde the angell of the Lorde was there present, and a lyght shyned in the lodge. And smote Peter on the syde, and steryd him vp sayinge: aryse vp
Peter is lowsed.
(s) quyckly. And his cheynes fell of from his hondes. And the angell sayd vnto him: gyrde thy selfe and bynde on thy sandales*. And so he dyd. And he sayde vnto him: cast thy mantle aboute the, and folowe me. And he came oute and folowed him, and wist not, that it was truthe which was done by the angell, but thought he had sene a vision. When they were past the fyrst and the seconde
* Sandales are soles to |(10o) watche, they came vnto the yron gate, that ledeth vnto the cyte, which opened to them by his awne accorde. And they went out and passed thorowe one strete, and by and by the angell departed from him.
And when Peter was come to him selfe, he sayde: now I knowe of a surety, that the Lorde hath sent his angell, and hath delyvered me out of the honde of (1s) Herode, and from all the waytynge for of the people of the Iewes. And as he consydred the thinge, he cam to the housse of Mary the mother of one Iohn*, which was called Marke also, where many were gaddered to gedder in prayer.
As Peter knocked at the entry dore, a damsell cam forth to herken, named Rhoda. And whenshe knew Peters voyce, she opened not the entrey for gladnes,
(20) but ran in and told how Peter stode before the entrey. And they sayde vnto her: thou arte mad. And she bare them doune that it was even.so. Then sayde they: it is his angell. Peter contynued knockinge. When they had opened the dore, and sawe him, they were astonyed. And he beckened vnto them with the honde to holde their peace, and tolde them by what meanes the Lorde had
(2s) brought him oute of the preson. And sayde: goo shew these thinges vnto Iames and to the brethren. And he departed and went into a nother place.
Assone as it was daye ther was no lyttell a doo amonge the soudyers, what was becum of Peter. When Herode had called for him, and founde him not, he examined the kepers, and comaunded to departe. And he descended from (30) lewry to Cesarea, and ther abode. Herode was displeased with them of Tyre and Sydon. And they came all at once, and made intercession vnto Blastus the kynges chamberlen, and desyred peace, because their countrey was norysshed
Line (4) And he smote Peter...
Line (23) Hebekened vnto them withhishonde...
(5) And thecheynesfell. ..
(25) ...oute of preson, And sayde: goo- (7) ...cast on thy mantle... shewe thys vnto Iames...
(14) ...delyveredmefrom the honde of Herode,
[Chap. xiii] The Actes of the Apostles by the kynges londe. And vpon a daye appoynted Herode arayed him in royall
Folio apparell, and set him in his seate, and made an oraycon vnto them. And the Claxvi. people gave a shoute, sayinge: it is the voyce of a God and not of a man. And immediatly the angell of the Lorde* smote him, because he gave not God the (s) honoure, and he was eatyn of wormes, and gave vp the goost.
And the worde of God grewe and multiplied. And Barnabas and Paul returned to Ierusalem, when they had fulfilled their office, and toke with them
Iohn*, which was also called Marcus.
The. xiii. Chapter.
There*were at Antioche, in the congregacion certayne Prophetes and (10) teachers: as Barnabas and Simon called Niger, and Lucius of Cerene, and Manahen Herode the Tetrarkes norsfelowe, and Saul. As they mynistred to the Lorde and fasted, the holy goost sayde: separate me Barnabas arid Saul, for the worke where vnto I have called them. Then fasted they and prayed, and put their hondes on them, and let them goo. And they after they were sent of the (ts) holy goost, came vnto Seleutia, and from thence they sayled to Cyprus. And when they were come to Salamine, they shewed the worde of God in the synagoges, of the Iewes. And they had Iohn* to their minister.
B When they had gone thorowout the yle vnto the cite of Paphos, they founde a certayne sorserer, a falce prophet which was a Iewe, named Bariesu,
(20) which was with the ruler of the countre won Sergius Paulus a prudent man. The same ruler called vnto him Barnabas and Saul, and desyred to heare the worde of God. But Elemas the sorcerar (for so was his name by interpretacion) with stode them: and sought to turne awaye the ruler from the fayth. Then Saul which also is called Paul beinge full of the holy goost, set his eyes on him, and (2s) sayde: O full of all sutteltie and disseytfulnes, the chylde of the devyll, and the enemye of all righteousnes, thou ceasest not to pervert the strayght wayes of the Lorde. And now beholde the honde of the Lorde is vpon the, and thou shalt be blinde and not se the sunne for a season. And immediatly ther fell on him a myste and a darcknes, and he went aboute sekinge them that shuld leade
Line (1) Apon a daye apoynted, thekynge Line (11) As theyserved God, arayed hym...
(17) ...sinagoges, vnto the iewes.
(6) The worde off God...
(18) ...gone over all the yle...
(7) .--and fulfilled their office, (22) The Sorserar Elemas.. .
(9) ...in thecongregacion, prophetes and doctours,
The Actes of the Apostles [Chap. xiii] him by the honde. Then the rular when he sawe what had happened, beleved, and wondred at the doctryne of the Lorde.
When they that were with Paule, were departed by shyppe from Paphos, they cam to Perga a cite of Pamphilia: and there Iohn departed from them, and (s) returned to Ierusalem. But they wandred thorowe the countres, from Perga to Antioche a cite of the countre of Pisidia, and went in to the synagoge on the saboth daye, and sate doune. And after the lawe and the Prophetes were redde, the rulers of the synagoge sent vnto them sayinge: Ye men and brethren, yf ye have eny sermon to exhorte the people, saye on.
(10) Then Paul stode vp and beckened with the honde, and sayde: Men of Israel, | and ye that feare God, geve audience. The God of this people chose oure fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as straungers in the londe of Egypt, and with a mighty arme brought them oute of it, and aboute the tyme of. xl. yeares suffred he their maners in the wyldernes. And he destroyed. vii. nacions in the Folio Clxxvii.
(ts) londe of Canaan, and devided their londe to them by lot. And after warde he gave vnto them iudges aboute the space of. iiii.C. and. 1. yeres vnto the tyme of Samuel the Prophet. And after that they desyred a kinge, and God gave vnto them Saul the sonne of Cis, a man of the tribe of Beniamin, by the space of. xl. yeres. And after he had put him doune, he set vp David to be their kynge, of (20) whome he reported sayinge: I have founde David the sonne of Iesse, a man after myne awne hert, he shall fulfill all my will.
Of this mannes seed hath God (accordinge to his promes) brought forth to the people of Israel a saviour, one Iesus, when Iohn had fyrst preached before his comminge the baptyme of repentaunce to Israel. And when Iohn had fulfylled
(2s) his course, he sayde: whome ye thinke that Iam, the same am I not. But beholde ther cometh one after me, whose shewes of his fete I am not worthy to lowse.
+Ye menand brethren, chyldren of the generacion of Abraham, and whosoever amonge you feareth God, to you is this worde of salvacion sent. The inhabiters of Ierusalem and their rulers, because they knewe him not, nor yet (30) the voyces of the Prophetes which are redde every Saboth daye, they have fulfilled them in condempninge him. And when they founde no cause of deeth in him, yet desyred they Pylate to kyll him. And when they had fulfilled all that were
17-2
Line (3) When Paule andthey that were with Line (14) And destroyed vij. nacions..
. hym, had shyppedfrom Paphus, (19) ...to whome he gave witnes, saynge:
(4) There departed Thon from them, (23) When Ihon had...
(7) After the lectur ofthe laweand the- (28) ...this worde of helth sent. prophetes, (30) ...saboth daye, have fulfylled them...
(10) Paul stode vppe and beckened with his honde...
[Chap. xxiii] The Actes of the Apostles written of him, they toke him doune from the tree and put him in a sepulcre.
But God raysed him agayne from deeth, and he was sene many dayes of them which came with him from Galile to Ierusalem. Which are his witnesses vnto the people. lu. xxiij. io. Xix. c. mathew. mar. XVj. lu. xxiii io. Xx.
(s) And we declare vnto you, how that the promes made vnto the fathers, God hath fulfilled vnto vs their chyldren, in that he reysed vp Iesus agayne + even as it is written in the fyrste psalme: Thou arte my sonne, this same daye begat I the.
As concernynge that he reysed him vp from deeth, now no more to returne to corrupcion, he sayde on this wyse: The holy promyses made to David I will psal. ij. b hebre. j. b esa. lv. b. psal. xv d (to) geve them faithfully to you. Wherfore he saith also in another place: Thou shalt not soffre thyne holye to se corrupcion. Howbe it David after he had in his tyme fulfilled the will of God, he slepte, and was layde with his fathers, and sawe corrupcion. But he whom God reysed agayne, sawe no corrupcion. j. Reg. j. b Be it knowne vnto you therfore ye men and brethren, that thorow this
F (1s) man is preached vnto you the forgevenes of synnes, and that by him are all that beleve* iustified from all thinges from the which ye coulde not be iustified by the lawe of Moses. Beware therfore lest that fall on you, which is spoken of in the Prophetes: Be holde ye despisers and wonder, and perishe ye: for Ido aworke in youre dayes, which ye shall not beleve, yf a man wolde declare it you.
Abac. j. b.
(20) When they were come out of the Synagoge of the Iewes, the gentyls besought that they wolde preache the worde to them bitwene the Saboth dayes.
When the congregacion was broken vp, many of the Iewes and verteous conFolio Clxxviii. vertes folowed Paul and Barnabas, which spake to them and exhorted them to continue in the grace of God. And the nexte Saboth daye, came almoste the (2s) whole cite to gether, to heare the worde of God. When the Iewes sawe the people, they were full of indignacion and spake agaynst those thinges which were spoken of Paul, spekinge agaynst it, and raylinge on it. Then Paul and Barnabas wexed bolde, and sayde: it was mete that the worde of God shulde fyrst have bene preached to you. But seinge ye put it from you, and thinke youre selfes
(30) onworthy of everlastinge lyfe: lo, we turne to the gentyls. For so hath the esa. xlix.
Lorde commaunded vs: I have made the a light to the gentyls, that thou be salvacion vnto the ende of the worlde.
Line (5) God hath nowefulfylled vnto vs the Sinagog, thegentyls besought them children, that they wolde preache the wordeof (8) ...that heso reysed hym vppe... god to them...
(9) I will kepefaithfully.
Line (22) ...verteous proselites...
(11) notsyffrethy saincte to se corrupcion.
(27) off Paul, They spake agaynst it, and For David... dispraysed it, raylinge on it.
(20) When the Iewes wer gone oute of the (31) ...that thou be helth...
The Actes of the Apostles [Chap. xiiii] The gentyls hearde and were glad and glorified the worde of the Lorde, and beleved: even as many as were ordeyned vnto eternall lyfe. And the worde of the Lorde was publisshed thorowe oute all the region. But the Iewes moved the worshypfull and honorable wemen, and the chefe men of the cyte, and b (s) reysed persecucion agaynst Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them oute of their a: costes. And they shouke of the duste of their fete agaynste them, and came vnto
Iconium. And the disciples were filled with ioye and with the holy goost. + The. xiiii. Chapter.
A And it fortuned in Iconium that they went both to gether into the synagoge of the Iewes, and so spake, that a gret multitude both of the Iewes and also of (10) the Grekes beleved. But the vnbelevinge Iewes, steryd vp and vnquyeted the myndes of the Gentyls agaynste the brethren. Longe tyme a bode they there and quyt them selves boldly with the helpe of the Lorde, the which gave testimony vnto the worde of his grace, and caused signes and wondres to be done by their hondes. The people of the cyte were devided: and parte helde
(ts) with the Iewes, and parte with the Apostles.
B When ther was a saute made both of the gentyls and also of the Iewes with their rulers, to put them to shame and to stone them, they were ware of it, and fled vnto Listra and Derba, cities of Licaonia, and vnto the region that lyeth round aboute, and there preached the gospell. And ther sate a certayne man
(20) at Listra weake in his fete, beinge creple from his mothers wombe, and never walkyd. The same hearde Paul preache. Which behelde him and perceaved that he had fayth to be whole, and sayd with a Joude voyce: stond vp right on thy fete. And he stert vp, and walked. And when the people sawe what Paul had done, they lifte vp their voyces, sayinge in the speache of Lycaonia: Goddes
(2s) are come doune to vs in the lyknes of men. And they called Barnabas Iupiter, and Paul Mercurius, because he was the preacher. Then Iupiters Preste, which lio dwelt before their cite, brought oxen and garlondes vnto the churche porche,
"XIX.
| and wolde have done sacrifise with the people. re) But when the Apostles, Barnabas and Paul herde that, they rent their
Line (6) But they shuke of the duste...
Line (23) ...and walked. when the people...
(8) Hit fortuned...
(29) When the apostles, (20) ...beingehalt...
[Chap. xv] The Actes of the Apostles clothes, and ran in amonge the people, cryinge and sayinge: syrs, why do ye this? We are mortall men lyke vnto you, and preache vnto you, that ye shuld turne from these vanyties vnto the lyvinge God, which made heaven and erth and the see and all that in them is: the which in tymes past suffred all nacions
(s) to walke in their awne wayes. Neverthelesse he lefte not him selfe with outen witnes, in that he shewed his benefites, in gevinge vs rayne from heaven and frutefull ceasons, fyllinge oure hertes with fode and gladnes. And with these sayinges, scase refrayned they the people, that they had not done sacrifice vnto them.
(10) Thither came certayne Iewes from Antioche and Iconium, and optayned the peoples consent and stoned Paul, and drewe him oute of the cyte, supposynge he had bene deed. How be it as the disciples stode rounde about him, he arose vp and cam into the cyte. And the nexte daye he departed with Barnabas to Derba. After they had preached to that cite and had taught many, they returned
(1s)agayne to Listra, and to Iconium and Antioche, and strengthed the disciples soules, exhortinge them to continue in the faith, affyrminge that we must thorowe moche tribulacion entre into the kyngdome of God. And when they had ordened them elders by eleccion in every congregacion, after they had » prayde and fasted, they comended them to God on whom they beleved.
(20) And they went thorow out Pisidia and came into Pamphilia, and when they had preached the worde of God in Perga, they descended in to Attalia, and thence departed by shippe to Antioche, from whence they were delivered vnto the grace of God, to the worke which they had fulfilled. When they were come and had gaddered the congregacion to gedder, they rehersed all that God had
(2s) done by them, and how he had opened the dore of faith vnto the gentyls. And ther they abode longe tyme with the disciples.
The. xv. Chapter.
Then cam certayne from Iewrie, and taught the brethren: excepte ye be circumcysed after the maner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. And when ther was rysen dissencion and disputinge not alitle vnto Paul and Barnabas agaynst them.
Line (2) We are men lyke vnto you, Line (20) And they went over all Pisidia...
(12) ...bene deed. As the disciples...
(27) And therecam certayne...
(17) ...throwe moche adversite. . .
(28) Then arose theredissencion and dis- (18) ...seniours... putynge...
The Actes of the Apostles [Chap. xv] They determined that Paul and Barnabas and certayne other of them shuld ascende to Ierusalem vnto the Apostles and elders aboute this question. And after they were brought on their waye by the congregacion, they passed over Phenices and Samaria, declarynge the conuersion of the gentyls, and they brought
(s) great ioye vnto all the brethren. And when they were come to Ierusalem, they were receaved of the congregacion and of the Apostles and elders. And they declared what thinges God had done by them. Then arose ther vp certayne that were of the secte of the Pharises and dyd beleve sayinge, that it was nedfull to circumcise them and to enioyne them to kepe the lawe of Moses. And the .
|(zo) Apostles and elders came to geder to reason of this matter.
And when ther was moche disputinge, Peter rose vp and sayde vnto them:
Ye men and brethren, ye knowe how that a good whyle agoo, God chose amonge vs that the gentyls by my mouth shuld heare the worde of the gospell and beleve. And God which knoweth the herte, bare them witnes, and gave
(ts) vnto them the holy goost, even as he dyd vnto vs, and he put no difference bitwene them and vs, but with fayth* purifiedtheir hertes. Now therfore why tempte ye God, that ye wolde put a yoke on the disciples neckes, which nether oure fathers nor we were able to beare. But we beleve that thorowe the grace* of the Lorde Iesu Christ we shalbe saved, as they doo. Then all the multitude
* The grace of Christ saueth.
(20) was peased and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, which tolde what signes and wondres God had shewed amonge the gentyls, by them.
And when they helde their peace, Iames answered sayinge: Men and brethren herken vnto me. Simeon tolde how God at the begynnynge dyd visit the gentyls, and receaved of them, people vnto his name. And to this
(2s) agreith the wordes of the Prophetes, as it is written. After this I will returne,
108 ix and wyll bylde agayne the tabernacle of David which is fallen doune, and that which is fallen in dekeyt of it, will I bilde agayne, and I will set it vp, that the residue of men might seke after the Lorde, and also the gentyls vpon whom my name is named saith the Lorde, which doth all these thinges: knowne vnto God
(30) are all his workes from the begynninge of the worlde. Wherfore my sentence is, that we trouble not them which from amonge the gentyls, are turned to God: but that we write vnto them that they abstayne them selves from filthynes of
Line (1) And they determened...
Line (9) The apostles and seniours. ..
(2) ...apostles and seniours...
(tz) When there was...
(3) After they were brought...
(16) ...and with fayth...
(4) ...the conversacion off the gentyls, (22) As sone as they helde their peace, (5) When they were come...
(28) ...my name is called on...
(6) ...apostles and seniours.
(31) ...which of the gentyls are turned to (7) ...certayne'of the secte of thepharises,
God: which dyd beleve...
[Chap. xv] The Actes of the Apostles | | ymages, from fornicacion, from stranglyd and from bloude. For Moses of olde
_|Images. tyme hath in every cite that preache him, and he is rede in the synagoges every saboth daye.
Bloude.
Then pleased it the Apostles and elders with the whole congregacion, to (s) sende chosyn men of their owne company to Antioche with Paul and Barnabas.
They sent Iudas called also Barsabas and Silas, which were chefe men amonge the brethren, and gave them lettres in their hondes after this maner.
E The Apostles, elders and brethren send gretynges vnto the brethren which are of the gentyls in Antioche, Siria and Celicia. For as moche as we have
(10) hearde that certayne which departed from vs, have troubled you with wordes, and combred youre myndes sayinge: Ye must be circumcised and kepe the lawe, to whom we gave no soche commaundement. It semed therfore to vs a good thinge, when we were come to gedder with one accorde, to sende chosyn men vnto you, with oure beloved Barnabas and Paul, men that have ieoperded
(ts) their lyves for the name of oure Lorde Iesus Christ. We have sent therfore Iudas and Sylas, which shall also tell you the same thinges by mouth. For it semed good to the holy gost and to vs, to put no grevous thinge to you more then these necessarythinges: that is to saye, that ye abstayne from thinges offered to . ymages, from bloud, from strangled and fornicacion. From which yf ye kepe
Folio Clxxxi. a (20) youre selves, ye shall do well. So fare ye well.
F When they were departed, they came to Antioche and gaddred the | multitude togeder and delyvered the pistle. When they had reddeit, theyreioysed
_|* prophetes of that consolacion. And Iudasand Sylas beinge prophetes*,exhortedthebrethren __ [ate here with moche preachynge, and strengthed them. And after they had taryed there divers pial (as) a space, they were let goo in peace of the brethren vnto the Apostles. Not with of he stondynge it pleasyd Sylas to abyde there still. Paul and Barnabas continued in __|for ex Antioche teachynge and preachynge the worde of the Lorde with other many.
G But after a certayne space, Paul sayde vnto Barnabas: Let vs goo agayne and visite oure brethren in every cite where we have shewed the worde of the Lorde,
(30)and se how they do. And Barnabas gave counsell to take with them Iohn, called also Marke. But Paul thought it not mete to take him vnto their company —_|Marcke the whiche departed from them at Pamphylia, and went not with themtothe worke.
[78°
Line (1) For Moses of oldetyme in every cite Line (23) ...consolacion. Iudas and Sylas. . .exhath them that preachehym, horted the people...
4) ...apostles and seniours...
(24) After they haddetaryed there a cer8) Theapostles, seniours. . . taynespace, (18) ...from thynges offered vnto the (30) ...they'do. Barnabas gave counsell, ymages,
The Actes of the Apostles [Chap. xvi] And the dissencion was so sharpe bitwene them, that they departed a sunder one from the other: so that Barnabas toke Marke and sayled vnto Cypers. And Paul chose Sylas and departed delyvered of the brethren vnto the grace of god. And he went thorowe all Cyria and Cilicia, stablisshynge the congregacions.
The. xvi. Chapter.
(s) Then came he to Derba and to Lystra. And beholde a certayne disciple was there named Timotheus, a womans sonne which was a Iewas and beleved: but his father was a Greke. Of whom reported well, the brethren of Lystra and of Iconium. The same Paul wolde that he shuld goo forth with him, and toke and circumcised him because of the Iewes which were in those quarters: for they
Timotheus.
(10) knewe all that his father was a Greke. As they went thorow the cities, they delyvered them the decrees for to kepe, ordeyned of the Apostles and elders which were at Ierusalem. And so were the congregacions stablisshed in the fayth, and encreased in noumbre dayly.
When they had goone thorow out Phrigia, and the region of Galacia, and (ts) were forbydden of the holy gost to preach the worde in Asia, they came to Misia, and sought to goo into Bethinia. But the sprete soffered them not. Then they went over Misia, and cam doune to Troada. And a vision appered to Paul in the nyght. There stode a man of Macedonia and prayed him sayinge: come into Macedonia and helpe vs. After he had sene the vision, immediatly we
(20) prepared to goo into Macedonia, certified that the lorde had called vs for to preache the gospell vnto them. Then lowsed we forth from Troada, and with a strayght course came to Samothracia, and the nexte daye to Neapolim, and from thence to akpE = which is the chefest citie in the partes of Macedonia, and a fre citie.
CX.
(2s) | We were in that cite abydynge a certayne dayes. And on the saboth dayes we went out of the cite besydes a ryver where men were wont to praye, and we sate doune and spake vnto the wemen which resorted thyther: And a certayne woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the cite of Thiatira, which worshipped
God, gave vs audience. Whose hert the Lorde opened that she attended vnto
Line (1) Soo sharp was the dissencion bitwene Line (15) ...to preach in Asia, them, (16) . ..and the sprete... When theyhad (2) And Barnabas toke Marke and oe gone over Misia, they cam doune to vnto Cypers. Paul chose Sylas. .
Troada. .
(7) ...and Iconium. Paul wolde..
(27). which thither resoxted.
(Ir) ...seniours which were at jerusalem.
(29) ...whosehert god openned...
So. were... oe
[Chap. xvi] The Actes of the Apostles the thinges which Paul spake. When she was baptised and her housholde, she besought vs sayinge: Yf ye thinke that I beleve on the Lorde, come into my housse, and abyde there. And she constrayned vs.
D And it fortuned as we went to prayer, a certayn damsell possessed with a (s) sprete that prophesied, met vs, which brought her master and mastres moche vauntage with prophesyinge. The same folowed Paul and vs and cryed sayinge: these men are the servauntes of the most hye God, which shewe vnto vs the waye of salvacion. And this dyd she many dayes. But Paul not content, turned about and sayd to the sprete: I commaunde the in the name of Iesu Christ, that A spirite is (10) thou come out of her. And he came out the same houre. cast oute.
And when her master and mastres sawe that the hope of their gaynes was gone, they caught Paul and Sylas, and drue them into the market place vnto the Vauntage. rulars, and brought them to the officers sayinge: These men trouble oure cite, which are Iewes and preache ordinaunces, which are not laufull for vs to receave,
_ E___ |(s)nether to observe, seinge we are Romayns. And the people ranne on them, and ee the officers rent their clothes, and commaunded them to be beaten with roddes.
And when they had beaten them sore, they cast them into preson, commaundynge the iayler to kepe them surely. Which iayler when he had receaved suche commaundment, thrust them into the ynner preson, and made their fete fast in (20) the stockes.
At mydnyght Paul and Sylas prayed, and lauded God. And the presoners hearde them. And sodenly ther was a greate erth quake, so that the fonndaciont of the preson was shaken, and by and by all the dores opened, and every mannes
F bondes were lowsed. When the keper of the preson waked out of his slepe and (2s) sawe the preson dores open, he drue out his swearde and wolde have kylled him selfe, supposynge the presoners had bene fledde. But Paul cryed with a lowde voyce sayinge: Do thy selfe no harme, for we are all heare.
Then he called for a lyght and sprange in, and came tremblynge, and fell doune before Paul and Sylas, and brought them out and sayde: Syrs, what must
(30) 1 do to be saved? And they sayde: beleve on the Lorde Iesus, and thou shalt be saved and thy housholde. And they preached vnto him the worde of the Lorde, and to all that were in his housse. And he toke them the same houre of the nyght
Line (4) Hit fortuned...
Line (14) ...which are iewes and shewenewe ) .--Paul and vs sayinge: decrees, (
8) ...waye of helth.
( ) ) Whichwhen he had...
) Sodenly there was...
) ..-bene fledde. Paul cryed...
1) When her master...
( 2) ...and broughttheminto...
( 3) ...and delivered them...
( 28) He called...
The Actes of the Apostles [Chap. xvii] and wasshed their woundes, and was baptised with all that belonged vnto him strayght waye. When he had brought them into his housse, he set meate before them, and ioyed that he with all his housholde, bolevedt on God.
And when it was daye, the officers sent the ministres sayinge: Let those (s)men goo. The keper of the preson tolde this sayinge to Paul, the officiers have sent worde to lowse you. Now therfore get you hence and goo in peace. Then sayde Paul vnto them: they have beaten vs openly vncomdempned, for all that we are Romayns, and have cast vs into preson: and now wolde they sende vs awaye prevely? Naye not so, but let them come them selves and fet vs out.
(to) When the ministres tolde these wordes vnto the officers, they feared when they hearde that they were Romayns, and came and besought them, and brought them out, and desyred them to departe out of the cite. And they went out of the preson and entred into the housse of Lidia, and when they had sene the brethren, they comforted them and departed.
The. xvii. Chapter.
(15) As they made their iorney thorow Amphipolis, and Appolonia, they came to Thessalonica where was a synagoge of the Iewes. And Paul as his maner was, went in vnto them, and thre saboth dayes declared oute of the scripture vnto them, openynge and allegynge that Christ must nedes have suffred and rysen agayne from deeth, and that this Iesus was Christ, whom (sayde he) I preache
* |@0) to you. And some of them beleved and came and companyed with Paul and Sylas: also of the honourable Grekes a greate multitude, and of the chefe wemen, not a feawe.
Butthe Iewes which beleved not, havynge indignacion, toke vnto themevyll men which were vagabondes, and gadered a company, and set all the cite on a (2s) roore, and made asaute vnto the housse of Iason, and sought to bringe them out to the people. But when they founde them not, they drue Iason and certayne brethren vnto the heedes of the cite cryinge: these that trouble the worlde, are come hydder also, which Iason hath receaved prevely. And these all do contrary to theelders of Cesar, affirmynge another kynge, one Iesus. And they troubled
Line (10) The ministers tolde...and they Line (17) ...declared of thescripture... feared...
(23) The iewes...
(12) Theywent out...
(26) And when...
(16) ...off the iewes. Paul as his maner (29) ...theordinacions off Cesar, Was...
[Chap. xvii] The Actes of the Apostles the people and the officers of the cite when they hearde these thinges. And when they were sufficiently answered of Iason, and of the other, they let them goo.
And the brethren immediatly sent awaye Paul and Sylas by nyght vnto Berrea. Which when they were come thyther, they entred into the synagoge
Cc (s) of the Iewes. These were the noblest of byrthe amonge them of Thessalonia which receaved the worde with all diligence of mynde, and searched* the scriptures dayly whether those thinges were even so. And many of them beleved: also of worshipfull wemen which were Grekes, and of men not afeawe.
* Searche the scriptur for by them When the Iewes of Thessalonia had knowledge that the worde of God was
(10) preached of Paul at Berrea, they came there and moved the people. And then by and by the brethren sent awaye Paul to goo as it were to the see: but Folio Sylas and Timotheus abode there still. And they that gyded Paul, brought
Clxxxiiii. him vnto Attens, and receaved a commaundment vnto Sylas and Timotheus for to come to him atonce, and came their waye.
D (15) Whyll Paul wayted for them at Attens, his sprete was moved in him, to se the cite geven to worshippinge of ymages. Then he disputed in the synagoge with the Iewes, and with the devout persones, and in the market dayly with them that came vnto him. Certayne philosophers of the Epicures and of the stoyckes, disputed with him. And some ther were which sayde: what will
(20) this babler saye. Other sayd: he semeth to be a tydynges bringer of newe E devyls, because he preached vnto them Iesus and the resurreccion. And they toke him, and brought him into Marsestrete sayinge: maye we not knowe what this newe doctrine wher of thou speakest, is? For thou bringest straunge tydynges to oure eares. We wolde knowe therfore what these thinges meane. For all
(2s) the Attenians and straungers which were there, gave them selves to nothinge els, but ether to tell or to heare newe tydynges.
F Paul stode in the myddes of Marse strete and sayde: ye men of Attens, I perceave that in all thinges ye are to supersticious. For as I passed by and behelde the maner how ye worship youre goddes, I founde an aultre wher in (30) was written: vnto the vnknowen god. Whom ye then ignorantly worship, him shewe I vnto you. God that made the worlde and all that are in it, seynge that he is Lorde of heven and erth, he dwelleth not in temples made with hondes,
Line (3) The brethren...
Line (12) They that gyded Paul...
(4) When they were come...
(22) ...whatys thys newe doctrine wher off (5) ...the noblest amonge them... thouspeakest.
(8) ...and of worshipfull wemen...
(28) ...that in all thyngesye are somwhat (10) ...they cam thither... supersticious.
(11) ...Paul to goo vnto thesee:
The Actes of the Apostles [Chap. xviii] nether is worshipped with mennes hondes, as though he neded of eny thinge, seinge he him selfe geveth lyfe and breeth to all men every where, and hath made of one bloud all nacions of men, for to dwell on all the face of the erthe, and hath assigned, before how longe tyme, and also the endes of their inhabitacion, that (s) they shuld seke God, yf they myght fele and fynde him, though he be not farre from every one of vs. For in him we lyve, move and have oure beynge, as certayne of youre awne Poetes sayde. For we are also his generacion. For as moche then as we are the generacion of God, we ought not to thynke that the godhed is lyke vnto golde, silver or stone, graven by crafte and ymaginacion the resurreccion of Christ .
|(1o) of man.
G And the tyme of this ignoraunce God regarded not: but now he byddeth all men every where repent, because he hath apoynted a daye, in the which he will iudge the worlde acordynge to ryghtewessest, by that man whom he hath apoynted, and hath offered faith* to all men, after that he had raysed him
(15) from deeth.
When they hearde of the resurreccion from deeth, some mocked, and other sayde: we will heare the agayne of this matter. So Paul departed from amonge them. Howbeit certayne men clave vnto Paul and beleved, amonge the which was Dionysius a senatour, and a woman named Damaris, and other with them. lio The. xviii. Chapter.
A (20) After that, Paul departed from Attens, and came to Corinthum, and founde Corinthum. a certayne Iewe named Aquila, borne in Ponthus, latly come from Italie with his wyfe Priscilla (because that the Emperour Claudius had commaunded all
Iewes to departe from Rome) and he drewe vnto them. And because he was of the same crafte, he abode with them and wrought: their crafte was to make
(2s) tentes. And he preached in the synagoge every saboth daye, and exhorted the Iewes and the gentyls.
B When Sylas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was constrayned by the sprete to testifie to the Iewes that Iesus was very Christ. And when they sayde contrary and blasphemed, he shoke his rayment and sayde vnto
Line (2) For asmocheas he geveth to all men Line (17) ...amonge them, Certayne men... lyfe and breth every where, (24) (their. . . tentes) (4) ...asigned tymes apoynted before, And (27) ...Paul was payned in thesprete, as he the endes... testified to the iewes that Iesus was (14) ...and hath geven faith...
Christ. when they sayde...
[Chap. xviii] The Actes of the Apostles them: youre bloud apon youre awne heeddes, and from hence forth I goo blamelesse vnto the gentyls. And he departed thence, and entred into a certayne mannes housse named Iustus a worshiper of god, whose housse ioyned harde to the synagoge. How be it one Crispus the chefe rular of the synagoge beleved
(s) on the lorde with all his housholde, and many of the Corinthians gave audience and beleved and were baptised.
C Then spake the lorde to Paul in the nyght by a vision: be not afrayde, but speake, and holde not thy peace: for I am with the, and no man shall invade the that shall hurte the. For I have moche people in this cite. And he continued
(10) there a yeare and sixe monethes, and taught them the worde of God.
When Gallio was rular of the countre of Acaia, the lewes made insurreccion with one accorde agaynst Paul, and brought him to the iudgement seate saying:
D this felow counceleth men to worship God contrary to the lawe. And as Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio sayde vnto the Iewes: yfit were a matter of (1s) wronge, or an evyll dede (0 ye Iewes) reason wolde that I shuld heare you: but yf it be a question of wordes, or of names, or of youre lawe, loke ye to it youre selves. For I wilbe no iudge in soche maters, and he drave them from the seate.
Then toke all the Grekes Sostenes the chefe rular of the synagoge and smote him before the iudges seate. And Gallio cared for none of tho thinges.
E (20) Paul after this, taryed there yet a good whyle, and then toke his leave of the brethren, and sayled thence into Ciria, Priscilla and Aquila accompanyinge him.
And he shore his heed in Cenchrea, for he had a vowe. And he came to Ephesus and lefte them there: but he him selfe entred into the synagoge, and reasoned with the Iewes. When they desyred him to tary longer tyme with them, he
(2s) consented not, but bad them fare well sayinge. I must nedes at this feast that cometh, be in Ierusalem: but I will returne agayne vnto you yf God will. And he departed from Ephesus and came vnto Cesarea: and ascended and saluted the congregacion, and departed vnto Antioche, and when he had taryed there a whyle, he departed. And went over all the countre of Galacia and Phrigia
(30) by order, strengthynget all the disciples.
Bolin And a certayne Iewe named Apollos, borne at Alexandria, came to Ephesus, Clxxxvi. an eloquent man, and myghty in the scriptures. The same was informed in the
Line (1) ...for hence forth I goo vnto the Line (12) ...to theiudges seate saying: This man gentyls, And departed from thens, teacheth to worship....As Paul...
(3) Iustus which worshipped god.
(17) ...hedrave them from his seate.
(4) ...sinagoge. Won Crispus a ruelar of (18) ...Sostenes a ruelar ofthe sinagoge... the Sinagoge...
(22) ...afterthatt he had schorne his heed. . .
(9) And he rested there. . .
(26) And departed...
(31) A certayne iewe...
The Actes of the Apostles [Chap. xix] F waye of the Lorde, and he spake fervently in the sprete, and taught diligently the thinges of the Lorde, and knewe but the baptim of Iohn only. And the same began to speake boldely in the synagoge. And when Aquila and Priscilla had hearde him: they toke him vnto them, and expounded vnto him the waye of (s) God more perfectly.
And when he was disposed to goo into Acaia, the brethren wrote exhortynge the disciples to receave him. After he was come thyther, he holpe them moche which had beleved thorowe grace. And myghtely he overcame the Iewes, and that openly, shewynge by the scriptures that Iesus was Christ.
The. xix. Chapter. + A |(o) _—'*It fortuned, whyll Appollo was at Corinthum, that Paul passed thorow the vpper costes and came to Ephesus, and founde certayne disciples and sayd vnto —_| Ephesus them: have ye receaved the holy gost sence ye beleved? And they sayde vnto him: no we have not hearde whether ther be eny holygoost or no. And he sayd vnto them: wher with were ye then baptised? And they sayd: with Iohns baptim it. iij.c.
_|(15) Then sayde Paul: Iohn verely baptised with the baptim of repentaunce, sayinge vnto the people that they shuld beleve on him which shuld come after him: that is on Christ Iesus. When they hearde that, they were baptised in the name of the lordelesu. And Paul layde his hondes apon them, and the holy gost cameonthem,
__|Layenge on and they spake with tonges, and prophesied, and all the men were aboute. xii.
_|°f handesB (20) And he went into the synagoge, and behaved him selfe boldely for the space of thre monethes, disputynge and gevynge them exhortacions of the kyngdome of God. + When dyvers wexed harde herted and beleved not, but spake evyll of the waye, and that before the multitude: he departed from them, and seperated the disciples. And disputed dayly in the scole of one called
(2s) Tyrannus. And this contynued by the space of two yeares: so that all they which dwelt in Asia, hearde the worde of the lorde Iesu, bothe Iewes and Grekes. And god wrought no small miracles by the hondes of Paul: so that from his body, were brought vnto the sicke, napkyns or partlettes, and the diseases departed —_| Napkin. from them, and the evyll spretes went out of them.
Line (2) Andbegan to speake boldely.. .
Line (13) Noo, nether havewe herde...
(3) When Priscilla and Aquila had herde (18) ...andwhen Paul layde his hondes apon hym: them, theholy gost cam on them.
(6) When he was disposed togoo into (19) All the men...
Acaia, the brethren exhorted hym ( therto, andwrote vnto the disciples that they shulde receave hym.
( (8) ...the iewes openly shewingeby the taught dayly... scriptures...
(27) ...god wrought not smale...
(10) ...passed overthe vpper costes, (28) ...and thediseases and evyll spretes (12) ...after ye beleved? departed from them.
) ...spake evylloff the waye off the lorde before the multitude:
24) And severed the disciples awaye, And ) )
[Chap. xis] The Actes of the Apostles G Then certayne of the vagabounde Iewes exorcistes, toke apon them to call over them which had evyll spretes, the name of the lorde Iesus sayinge: We adiure you by Iesu whom Paul preacheth. And ther were seven sonnes of one
Sceva a Iewe and chefe of the prestes which dyd so. And the evyll sprete (s) answered and sayde: Iesus I knowe, and Paul I knowe: but who are ye? And the man in whom the evyll sprete was, ranne on them, and overcame them, and prevayled agaynst them, so that they fledde out of that housse naked and Folio wounded. And this was knowen to all the Iewes and Grekes also, which dwelt
Clxxxvii. at Ephesus, and feare came on them all, and they magnified the name of the (x0) lorde Iesus.
D And many that beleved, came and confessed and shewed their workes.
Many of them which vsed curious craftes, brought their bokes and burned them before all men, and they counted the price of them and founde it fifty thousande silverlynges*. So myghtely grewe the worde of god, and prevayled. After these
(15) hinges were ended. Paul purposed in the sprete, to passe over Macedonia and Achaia, and to goo to Ierusalem saying: After I have bene there, I must also se
Rome.
So sent he into Macedonia two of them that ministred vnto him Timotheus and Erastus: but he him selfe remayned in Asia for a season.
E The same tyme ther arose no lytell a do aboute that waye. For a certayne (20) man named Demetrius, a silversmyth, which made silver schrynes for Diana, was not a lytell beneficiall vnto the craftes men. Which he called to geder with the worke men of lyke occupacion, and sayd: Syrs, ye knowe that by this crafte we have vauntage. Moreover ye se and heare that not alone at Ephesus, but almost thorowe oute all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned awaye moche
(2s) people, saying that they be not goddes which are made withhondes. So that not only this oure crafte cometh into parell to be set at nought: but also that the temple of the greate goddas Diana shuld be despysed, and her magnificence shuld be destroyed which all Asia, and the worlde worshippeth.
When they hearde these sayinges, they were full of wrathe, and cryed out (30) saying : Greate is Diana of the Ephesians. And all the cite was ona roore, and they
F russhed in to the comen hall with one assent, and caught Gayus and Aristarcus, men of Macedonia, Pauls companions. When Paul wolde have entred in vnto the Line (1) Certayne ofthe...
Line (20) ...Demetrius, a goldsmyth, 3) There were seven sonnes off one Sceva (24) ...thys Paul entyseth, a ruelar off thesinagoge which did soo:
(26) ...but that also the temple of greate (6) ...thewicked devyll was, Diana.ak (7) ...out of the housse...
(27) And her maieste...
(8) Thys was knowen...
The Actes of the Apostles [Chap. x2] people, the disciples suffered him not. Certayne also of the chefe of Asia which were his frendes, sent vnto him, desyrynge him that he wolde not preace into the comen hall. Some cryed one thinge and some another, and the congregacion was all out of quiet, and the moare parte knewe not wherfore they were come
(s) togeder.
G Some of the company drue forth Alexander, the Iewes thrustynge him forwardes. Alexander beckened with the honde, and wolde have geven the people an answer. When they knewe that he was a Iewe, ther arose a shoute almost for the space of two houres, of all men cryinge, greate is Diana of the | (to) Ephesians.
When the toune clarcke had ceased the people, he sayd: ye men of Ephesus, what man is it that knoweth not how that the cite of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddas Diana, and of the ymage which came from heven. Seinge then that no man sayth here agaynst, ye ought to be content, and to do nothinge
(rs) rasshly: For ye have brought hyther these men whiche are nether robbers of churches, nor yet despisers of youre goddes. Wherfore yf Demetrius and the craftes men which are with him, have eny sayinge to eny man, the lawe is open, io and ther are ruelars, let them accuse one another. Yf ye goo about eny other
«XXVIII. thinge, it maye be determined in a lawfull congregacion For we are in ieoperdy
(20) to be accused of this dayes busines: for as moche as ther is no cause wherby we maye geve a rekenynge of this concourse of people. And when he had thus spoken, he let the congregacion departe.
The. xx. Chapter.
A After the rage was ceased, Paul called the disciples vnto him, and toke his leave of them, and departed for to goo into Macedonia. And when he had gone
(2s) over those parties, and geven them large exhortacions, he came into Grece, and there abode. iii. monethes. And when the Iewes layde wayte for him as he was about to sayle into Syria, he purposed to returne thorowe Macedonia.
Ther acompanied him into Asia, Sopater of Berrea, and of Thessalonia Aristarcus and Secundus, and Gayus of Derba, and Timotheus: and out of Asia
TMV .
Line (6) (the iewes...forwardes) Line (26) When theiewes.
(7) ...with his honde, (28) ...Sopater of Beroen:
[Chap. xx] The Actes of the Apostles Tychicus and Trophimos. These went before, and taryed vs at Troas. And we sayled awaye from Philippos after the ester holydayes, and came vnto them to Troas in five dayes, where we abode seven dayes.
And on the morowe after the saboth daye the disciples came to geder for (s) to breake breed and Paul preached vnto them (redy to departe on the morowe) and continued the preachynge vnto mydnyght. And there were many lyghtes in the chamber where they were gaddered to geder, and there sate in a wyndowe a certayne yonge man named Eutichos, fallen into a depe slepe. And as Paul declared, he was the moare overcome with slepe, and fell doune from the thyrde
(10) lofte, and was taken vp deed. Paul went doune and fell on him, and embrased him, and sayde: make nothinge a do, for his lyfe is in him. When he was come vp agayne, he brake breed, and tasted, and comenedt a longewhyle even tyll the mornynge, and so departed. And they brought the younge man a lyve, and were not alytell comforted.
(15) And we went a fore to shippe and lowsed vnto Asson, theré to receave Paul. For so had he apoynted, and wolde him selfe goo a fote. When he was come to vs vnto Asson, we toke him in, and came to Mytelenes. And we sayled thence, and came the nexte daye over agaynst Chios. And the nexte daye we aryved at Samos, and taryed at Trogilion. The nexte daye we came
(20) to Myleton: for Paul had determined to leave Ephesus as they sayled, because he wolde not spende the tyme in Asia. For he hasted to be (yf he coulde possible) at Ierusalem at the daye of pentecoste. Wherfore from Myleton he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the congregacion. And when they were come to him, he sayde vnto them: Ye knowe from the fyrst daye that (2s) 1 came vnto Asia, after what maner I have bene with you at all ceasons, servynge the lorde with all humblenes of mynde, and with many teares, and temptacions which happened vnto me by the layinges awayte of the Ieues, and how I kept backe no thinge that was profitable: but that I have shewed you and taught you openly and at home in youre houses, witnessinge bothe to the Iewes, and also to Folio Clxyxxix.
(30) the Grekes, the repentaunce to ward God, and faith towarde oure Lorde Iesu.
And now beholde I goo bounde in the sprete vnto Ierusalem, and knowe not what shall come on me there, but that the holy goost witnesseth in every
Line (1) Wesayled...
Line (17) ...and sayled thence, (3) ...and there abode seven dayes.
(18) And the dayefolowynge...
(4) On asaboth daye... a (yffitt were possible) (6) ...continued his preachynge.. .
. There- (22) ...in the feaste off pentecoste. From were many lightes. . .
Mileton he sent...
(7) ...where wewere gaddered to gedder, (23) ...the seniours...When they were (9) ...he was moare overcome...
Comes.
P 13) They brought the yonge man...
(25) ...servynge God...
15) Then toke we shippynge, and de- (28) ...thatt myghtbe for youre proffet: parted vnto Asson, (32) ...come off me there, (16) ...andwolde hym silfe goo be londe.
The Actes of the Apostles [Chap. xxi] cite sayinge: that bondes and trouble abyde me. But none of tho thinges move me: nether is my lyfe dere vnto my selfe, that I myght fulfill my course with ioye, and the ministracion which I have receaved of the Lorde Iesu, to testify the gospell of the grace of god.
(s) And now beholde, I am sure that hence forth ye all (thorow whom I have gone preachinge the kyngdome of God) shall se my face no moore. Wherfore
I take you to recorde this same daye, that Iam pure from the bloude of all men.
For I have kepte nothinge backe: but have shewed you all the counsell of God.
Take hede therfore vnto youre selves, and to all the flocke, wherof the holy |(co) goost hath made you oversears, to rule the congregacion of God, which he hathpurchased with hisbloud. For I am sure of this, that after my departynge shall greveous wolves entre in amonge you, which will not spare the flocke. Moreover of youre awne selves shall men aryse speakinge perverse thinges, to drawe disciples after them. Therfore awake and remember, that by the space of. iii.
(ts) yeares I ceased not to warne every one of you, both nyght and daye with teares.
And now brethren I commende you to God and to the worde of his grace, which is able to bylde further, and to geve you an inheritaunce amonge all them which are sanctified. I have desyred no mans silver, golde, or vesture.
Ye knowe well that these hondes have ministred vnto my necessities, and to (20) them that were with me. I have shewed you all thinges, how that so laborynge ye ought to receave the weake, and to remember the wordes of the Lorde Iesu, howe that he sayde: It is more blessed to geve, then to receave.
When he had thus spoken, he kneled doune, and prayed with them all. And they wept all aboundantly, and fell on Pauls necke, and kissed him, sorowinge
(2s) most of all for the wordes which he spake, that they shuld se his face no moore.
And they acompanyed him vnto the shyppe.
The. xxi. Chapter.
And it chaunsed that assone as we had launched forth, and were departed from them, we came with a strayght course vnto Choon, and the daye folowinge vnto the Rhodes, and from thence vnto Patara. And we founde a shippe redy
18-2
Line (12) And off youre awne selves...
Line (16) And nowe dere brethren...
[Chap. xxi] The Actes of the Apostles to sayle vnto Phenices, and went a borde and set forthe. Then appered vnto vs
Cyprus, and we lefte it on the lefte honde, and sayled vnto Syria, and came vnto Tyre. For there the shyppe vnladed her burthen. And when we had founde brethren, we taryed there. vii. dayes. And they tolde Paul thorowe
(s) the sprete, that he shuld not goo vp to Ierusalem. And when the dayes were Folio Cxc. ended, we departed and went oure wayes, and they all brought vs on oure waye, with their wyves and chyldren, tyll we were come out of the cyte. And we kneled doune in the shore and. prayde. And when we had taken oure leave one of another, we toke shyppe, and they returned home agayne.
(10) When we had full ended the course from Tyre, we aryved at Ptolomaida, and saluted the brethren, and abode with them one daye. The nexte daye, we that were of Pauls company, departed and came vnto Cesarea. And we entred into the housse of Philip the Evangelist, which was one of the seven deacones, and abode with him. The same man had fower doughters virgens, which dyd
(1s) prophesy. And as we taried there a good many dayes, there came a certayne prophete from Iurie, named Agabus. When he was come vnto vs, he toke
Pauls gerdell, and bounde his hondes and fete, and sayde: thus saith the holy goost: so shall the Iewes at Ierusalem bynde the man that owetht this gerdell, and shall delyver him into the hondes of the gentyls.
(20) When we hearde this, both we and other of the same place, besought him, that he wolde not goo vp to Ierusalem. Then Paul answered and sayde: what do ye wepynge and breakinge myne hert? I am redy not to be bound only, but also to dye at Ierusalem for the name of the Lorde Iesu. When we coulde not turne his mynde, we ceased sayinge: the will of the Lorde be fulfilled.
(2s) After those dayes we made oure selfes redy, and went vp to Ierusalem. There went with vs also certayne of his disciples of Cesarea, and brought with them one Mnason of Cyprus, an olde disciple with whom we shuld lodge. And when we were come to Ierusalem, the brethren receaved vs gladly. And on the morowe Paul went in with vs vnto James. And all the elders came, to (30) geder. And when he had saluted them, he tolde by order all thinges that God had wrought amonge the gentyls by his ministracion. And when they hearde it, they glorified the Lorde, and sayde vnto him: thou seist brother, how many
Line (12) off Paulus company, cam vnto Cesarea.
Line (28) On the moreowe...
(13) which was oneof the seven, and abode (29) ...seniours... with hym.
(30) ...tolde by order, what thynges God...
(26) ...certayne off the disciples.
. .
(31) ...when they herde itt,
The Actes of the Apostles [Chap. xxi] thousande Iewes ther are which beleve, and they are all zelous over the lawe.
And they are informed of the, that thou teachest all the Iewes which are amonge the gentyls, to forsake Moses, and sayst that they ought not to circumcise their chyldren, nether to live after the customes. What is it therfore? The multitude
(s) must nedes come togeder. For they shall heare that thou arte come. Do therfore this that we saye to the.
We have. iiii. men, which have a vowe on them. Them take, and purifye thy selfe with them, and do cost on them, that they maye shave their heeddes, and all shall knowe that tho thinges which they have hearde concerninge the,
'|(co) are nothinge: but that thou thy selfe also walkest and kepest the lawe. For as touchinge the gentyls which beleve, we have written and concluded, that they observe no soche thinges: but that they kepe them selves from thinges offred to lio Cxci.| ydoles, from bloud, from strangled and from fornicacion. Then the nexte daye
Paul toke the men, and purified him selfe with them, and entred into the temple,
(15) declaringe that he observed the dayes of the purificacion, vntyll that an offeringe shuld be offred for every one of them.
And as the seven dayes shuld have bene ended, the Iewes which were of Asia when they sawe him in the temple, they moved all the people, and layde hondes on him cryinge: men of Israel helpe. This is the man that teacheth all
(20) men every where agaynst the people, and the lawe, and this place. Moreover also he hath brought Grekes into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place.
For they sawe one Trophimus an Ephesian with him in the cyte. Him they supposed Paul had brought into the temple. And all the cyte was moved, and the people swarmed to geder. And they toke Paul and drue him out of the (2s) temple, and forthwith the dores were shut to.
F As they went about to kyll him, tydinges came vnto the hye captayne of the soudiers, that all Ierusalem was moved. Which immediatly toke soudiers and vndercaptaynes, and ranne doune vnto them. When they sawe the vpper captayne and the soudiers, they lefte smytinge of Paul. Then the captayne came
(30) neare and toke him, and commaunded him to be bounde with two chaynes, and demaunded what he was, and what he had done. And one cryed this, another that amonge the people. And when he coulde not knowe the certayntie
Line (9) ..-herdeof the...
Line (31) Woncryed this, (10) As touchinge the gentyls...
(32) ...knowe the certaynet, (15) ...declarynge the fulfillynge off the dayes of purificacion, vntyll that an oblacion. ..
[Chap. xxii] The Actes of the Apostles for the rage, he commaunded him to be caryed into the castle. And when he came vnto a grece, it fortuned that he was borne of the soudiers of the violence of the people. For the multitude of the people folowed after cryinge: awaye with him.
(s) And as Paul shuld have bene caryed into the castle, he sayde vnto the hye Captayne: maye I speake vnto the? Which sayde: canst thou speake Greke?
Arte not thou that Egypcian which before these dayes made an vproure and ledde out into the wildernes. iiii. thousande men that were mortherers? But Paul sayde: I am a man which am a Iewe of Tharsus a cite in Cicill a Citesyn
(10) of no vyle cite, I beseche the soffre me to speake vnto the people. When he had geven him licence, Paul stode on the steppes and beckned with the honde vnto the people, and ther was made a greate silence. And he spake vnto them in the Ebrue tonge sayinge:
The. xxii. Chapter.
Ye men, brethren and fathers, heare myne answere which I make vnto (ts) you. When they hearde that he spake in the Ebrue tonge to them, they kept the moore silence. And he sayde: Iam verely aman which am a Iewe, borne in Tharsus, a cite in Cicill: neverthelesse yet brought vp in this cite, at the fete of Gamaliel and informed diligently in the lawe of the fathers, and was fervent mynded to Godwarde, as ye all are this same daye, and I persecuted this waye
(20) vnto the deeth byndynge and delyveringe into preson bothe men and wemen, as the chefe prest doth beare me witnes, and all the elders: of whom also I receaved letters vnto the brethren, and went to Damasco to bringe them which were there, bounde vnto Ierusalem for to be punysshed.
And it fortuned, as I made my iorney and was come nye vnto Damasco (2s) aboute none, that sodenly ther shone from heaven a greate lyght rounde aboute me, and I fell vnto the erth, and hearde a voyce sayinge vnto me: Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And I answered: what arte thou Lorde? And he sayd ynto me: I am Iesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest. And they that were with me, sawe verely alyght and were a frayde: but they hearde not the
Line (1) When he cam...
Line (11) ...with his honde...
(2) ...for the violence...
(12) ...in Ebrue sayinge:
(3) The multitudeoffthe people...
15) ...hespake Ebrue vntothem, (8) ...in to the wildernes about iiij.
21) ...and all the seniours: thousande men that were mortherers?
(24)-...that as I made myiorney, Paul sayde:
(25) ...aboute none, sodenly there shone... e a a a
The Actes of the Apostles [Chap. xxii] voyce of him that spake with me. And I sayde: what shall I do Lorde? And the Lorde sayde vnto me: Aryse and goo into Damasco and there it shalbe tolde the of all thinges which are apoynted for the to do. And when I sawe nothynge for the brightnes of that light, I was ledde by the honde of them that were with (s)me, and came into Damasco.
; And one Ananias a perfect man, and as pertayninge to the lawe, havinge good reporte of all the Iewes which there dwelt, came vnto me, and stode and sayd vnto me: Brother Saul, loke vp. And that same houre I receaved my sight and sawe him. And he sayde, the God of oure fathers hath ordeyned the before,
(to) that thou shuldest knowe his will, and shuldest se that which is rightfull, and shuldest heare the voyce of his mouth: for thou shalt be his witnes vnto all men of tho thinges which thou hast sene and hearde. And now: why tariest thou?
Aryse and be baptised, and wesshe awaye thy synnes, in callinge on the name of the Lorde.
(ts) And it fortuned, when I was come agayne to Ierusalem and prayde in the temple, that I was in a traunce, and sawe him sayinge vnto me. Make haste, and get the quickly out of Ierusalem: for they will not receave thy witnes that thou bearest of me. And 'I sayde: Lorde they knowe that I presoned, and bet in every synagoge them that beleved on the. And when the bloud of thy witnes
(20) Steven was sheed, I also stode by, and consented vnto his deeth, and kept the rayment of them that slewe him. And he sayde vnto me: departe, for I will sende the a farre hence vnto the Gentyls.
They gave him audience vnto this worde, and then lifte vp their voyces and sayde: a waye with soche a felowe from the erth: yt is pitie that he shuld live.
(2s) And as they cryed and cast of their clothes, and thrue dust into the ayer, the captayne bade him to be brought into the castle, and commaunded him to be scourged, and to be examined, that he myght knowe wherfore they cryed on him. And as they bounde him with thonges, Paul sayde vnto the Centurion that stode by: Ys it laufull for you to scourge a man that is a Romain and (30) vacondempned? When the Centurion hearde that, he went, and tolde the vpper captayne sayinge: What intendest thou to do? This man is a Romayne.
Then the vpper captayne came, and sayde to him: tell me, art thou a
Line (6) Won Ananias a perfecte man, Line (29) ...scourge a Romain vncondempned?
(8) Brother Saul receave thy sight.
When the vnder captayne herde that, (9) And hesayde vnto me, he went to the vpper captayne, and I7) ...receave the witnes... tolde hym sayinge:
23) ...and lifte vope their voyces...
(32) The vpper captayne cam to hym, and (25) And they cryed... sayde:
(28) ...sayde vnto an vnder captayne:
[Chap. xxiii] The Actes of the Apostles Romayne? He sayde: Yee. And the captayne answered: with a greate some obtayned I this fredome. And Paul sayde: I was fre borne. Then strayght waye departed from him, they which shuld have examyned him. And the hye captayne also was a frayde, after he knewe that he was a Romayne: because he
Folio Cxciii.
(s) had bounde him.
On the morowe because he wolde have knowen the certayntie wherfore he was accused of the Iewes, he lowsed him from his bondes, and commaunded the hye Prestes and all the counsell to come together, and brought Paul, and set him before them.
The. xxiii. Chapter.
(1c) Paul behelde the counsell and sayde: men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God vntill this daye. The hye prest Ananias commaunded them that stode by to smyte him on the mouth. Then sayde Paul to him: God smyte the thou payntyd wall. Sittest thou and iudgest me after the lawe: and commaundest me to be smytten contrary to the lawe? And they that stode by,
(1s) sayde: revylest thou Goddes hye preste? Then sayd Paul: I wist not brethren, that he was the hye preste. For it is written, thou shalt not curse the rular of thy people.
When Paul perceaved that the one parte were Saduces, and the other Pharises: he cryed oute in the counsell. Men and brethren, I am a Pharisaye,
(20) the sonne of a Pharisaye. Of the hope, and resurreccion from deeth, lam iudged.
And when he had so sayde, ther arose a debate bitwene the Pharisayes and the Saduces, and the multitude was devided. For the Saduces saye that ther is no resurreccion, nether angell, nor sprete. But the Pharisayes graunt bothe. And ther arose a great crye, and the Scribes which were of the Pharisayes parte, arose mat. xxij (2s) and strove sayinge: we fynde none evyllin this man. Though a sprete or an angell hath apered to him, let vs not stryve agaynst God.
And when ther arose greate debate, the captayne fearynge lest Paul shuld have bene pluckt asondre of them, commaunded the soudiers to goo doune, and to take him from amonge them, and to bringe him into the castle. The nyght
Line (1) With moche money...
Line (16) ...thou shaltnotspeake evyll to the- (3) And the captayne... ruelar of thy people.
(6) On themorowe he lowsed hym from (20) Of hope, and of resurreccion from hys boundes desyringe to knowe the deeth... certaynte for what cause he was (24) ...which wer on thepharisais parte accused of the iewes, strove saynge:
(12) ...God shall smyte the...
The Actes of the Apostles [Chap. xxiii] folowyng, God stode by him and sayde: Be of good cheare Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Ierusalem, so must thou beare witnes at Rome.
D When daye was come, certayne of the Iewes gaddered them selves to geder, and made a vowe, sayinge that they wolde nether eate nor drinke till they had
(s) killed Paul. They were aboute. xl. which had made this conspiracion. And they cam to the chefe prestes and elders, and sayde: we have bounde oure selves with a vowe, that we will eate nothinge vntill we haveslayne Paul. Now therfore geve ye knowlege to the vpper captayne and to the counsell, that he bringe him forth vnto vs to morow, as though we wolde knowe some thinge more
'|(@0) perfectly of him. But we (or ever he come neare) are redy in the meane season to kill him.
E When Pauls sisters sonne hearde of their layinge awayte, he went and lio entred into the castle, and tolde Paul. And Paul called one of the vnder capi. taynes vnto him, and sayde: bringe this younge man vynto the hye captayne:
(ts) for he hath a certayne thinge to shewe him. And he toke him, and sayd: Paul the presoner called me vnto him and prayed me to bringe this younge man vnto the, which hath a certayne matter to shewe the.
The hye captayne toke him by the hond, and went a parte with him out of the waye: and axed him: what hast thou to saye vnto me? And he sayd: the (20) ewes are determined to desyre the that thou woldest brynge forth Paul to morowe into the counsell, as though they wolde enquyre somwhat of him more parfectly. But folowe not their mindes: for ther lye in wayte for him of them, moot then. xl. men, which have bounde them selves with a vowe, that they will nether eate ner drinke till they have killed him. And now are they
(2s) redy, and loke for thy promes.
F The vpper captayne let the yonge man departe and charged: se thou tell it out to no man that thou hast shewed these thinges to me. And he called vnto him two vnder captaynes, sayinge: make redy two hondred soudiers to goo to Cesarea, and horsmen threscore and ten, and speare men two houndred, at the (30) thyrde houre of the nyght. And delyvre them beastes that they maye put Paul on, and bringe him safe vnto Felix the hye debite, and wrote a letter in this
Line (6) ...seniours, and sayde:
Line (22) ...there laye awayte...
(7) ...therfore geveknowlege. ..
(26) Se thou tell no man that thou hast (x4) ...vnto thecapteyne. tolde me this.
(15) And hetoke him, and ledde him vnto the hye captayne, and sayd:
[Chap. xxiii] The Actes of the Apostles Claudius Lisias vnto the most mighty rular Felix, sendeth gretinges. This man was taken of the Iewes, and shuld have bene killed of them. Then cam I with soudiers, and rescued him, and perceaved that he was a Romayne. And when I wolde have knowen the cause, wherfore they accused him, I brought
(s) him forth into their counsell. There perceaved I that he was accused of questions of their lawe: but was not giltye of eny thinge worthy of deeth or of bondes.
Afterwarde when it was shewed me how that the Iewes layde wayte for the man, I sent him strayght waye to the, and gave commaundment to his accusars, yf they had ought agaynst him, to tell it vnto the: fare well.
G |@o) Then the soudiers as it was commaunded them, toke Paul, and brought him by nyght to Antipatras. On the morowe they lefte horsmen to goo with him, and returned vnto the castle. Which when they cam to Cesarea, they delivered the epistle to the debite, and presented Paul before him. When the debite had redde the letter, he axed of what countre he was, and when he
(1s) vnderstode that he was of Cicill, I will heare the (sayde he) when thyne accusars are come also: and commaunded him to be kepte in Herodes pallys.
The. xxiiii. Chap.
A After. v. dayes, Ananias the hye preste descended, with elders and with a certayne Oratour named Tartullus, and enformed the ruelar of Paul. When
Paul was called forth, Tartullus beganne to accuse him saying: Seynge that (20) we live in great quyetnes by the meanes of the, and that many good thinges are
FolioCxcv.| done vnto this nacion thorow thy providence: that alowe we ever and in all places, most myghty Felix with all thankes. Not withstondinge, that I be not tedeous vnto the, I praye the, that thou woldest heare vs of thy curtesy a feawe wordes.
B (25) We have founde this man a pestilent felowe, and a mover of debate vnto all the Iewes thorowe out the worlde, and a mayntayner of the secte of the Nazarites, and hath also enforsed to pollute the temple. Whom we toke and wolde have iudged acordinge to oure lawe: but the hye captayne Lisias came vpon vs, and with great violence toke him awaye out of oure hondes,
Line (10) Thesoudiers as it was commaunded Line nae . .lest I be tedeous vnto the, vnto them, (25) ...ofdebate amonge the iewes.
(11) ...they lefte the horsmen..
(26) . "secte off the Nazarens: Which also Balk . .the castle. when they cam. hath enforsed..
-with senioures, (29) ...toke hym out of oure hondes, (18) ...the ruelar agaynst Paul.
The Actes of the Apostles [Chap. xxiiii] commaundinge his accusars to come vnto the. Of whom thou mayst (yf thou wilt enquyre) knowe the certaynet of all these thinges where of we accuse him.
The Iewes lyke wyse affermed, sayinge that it was even so.
Then Paul (after that the rular him selfe had beckened vnto him that he (s) shuld speake) answered: I shall with a moare quyet minde answere for my selfe, for as moche as I vnder stonde that thou hast bene of many yeares a iudge vnto this people, because that thou mayst knowe that there are yet. xii. dayes sence
I went vp to Ierusalem for to praye, and that they nether founde me in the temple disputinge with eny man, other raysinge vp the people, nether in the Synagoges,
*|@o)nor in the cite. Nether can they prove the thinges wher of they accuse me.
But this I confesse vnto the, that after that waye (which they call heresy) so worshippe I the God of my fathers, belevinge all thinges which are written in the lawe and the Prophetes, and have hope towardes God, that the same resurreccion from deeth (which they them selves loke for also) shalbe, both of (1s) iust and vniust. And therfore stody I to have a cleare conscience towarde God, and toward man also.
But after many yeres I came and brought almes to my people and offeringes, in the which they founde me purified in the temple, nether with multitude, nor yet with vnquyetnes. Howbeit there were certayne Iewes out of Asia which (20) ought to be here present before the, and accuse me, yf they had ought agaynst me: or els let these same here saye, if they have founde eny evyll doinge in me, whill I stonde here in the counsell: except it be for this one voyce, that I cryed stondinge amonge them, of the resurreccion from deeth am I iudged of you this daye.
(25) When Felix hearde these thinges he deferde them, for he knewe very well of that waye and sayde: when Lisias the captayne is come, I will know the vtmost of youre matters. And he commaunded an vndercaptayne to kepe Paul, and that he shuld have rest, and that he shuld forbyd none of his aquayntaunce to minister vnto him, or to come vnto him.
(30) And after a certayne dayes, cam Felix and his wyfe Drusilla which was a Tewas, and called forth Paul, and hearde him of the fayth which is toward Christ.
And as he preached of righteousnes, temperaunce and iudgement to come,
Line (7) ...there are yet but xij. dayes...
Line (25) When Felix herde that...
(17) Many yeres agoo...
(30) After a certayne dayes...
(19) ...with vnquyetnes. There were cer- (32) ...he preached of Iustice, taine. ..
[Chap. xxv] The Actes of the Apostles Felix trembled and answered: thou hast done ynough at this tyme, departe, when I have a convenient tyme, I will sende for the. He hoped also that money shuld have bene geven him of Paul, that he myght lowse him: wherfore he called him the oftenner and commened with him. But after two yeare, Festus
(s)Porcius came into Felix roume. And Felix willinge to shewe the Iewes a Folio Cxevi. pleasure, lefte Paul in preson bounde.
The. xxv. Chapter.
When Festus was come into the province, after thre dayes, he ascended from Cesarea vnto Ierusalem. Then enformed him the hye prestes and the chefe of the Iewes of Paul. And they besought him, and desired faveour agaynst him,
Festus Porcius.
(ro) that he wold sende for him to Ierusalem: and layde awayte for him in the waye to kill him. Festus answered, that Paul shuld be kept at Cesarea: but that he him selfe wold shortly departe thither. Let them therfore (sayd he) which amonge you are able to do it, come doune with vs and accuse him, if ther be eny faute in the man.
(15) When he had taried there moare then ten dayes, he departed vnto Cesarea, and the nexte daye sate doune in the iudgement seate, and commaunded Paul to be brought. When he was come, the Iewes which were come from Ierusalem, came aboute him and layde many and greveous complayntes agaynst Paul, which they coulde not prove as longe as he answered for him selfe, that he had
(20) nether agaynst the lawe of the Iewes, nether agaynst the temple, nor yet agaynst
Cesar offended eny thinge at all.
| Festus willinge to do the Iewes a pleasure, answered Paul and sayde: wilt thou goo to Jerusalem, and there be iudged of these thinges before me? Then sayd Paul: I stonde at Cesars iudgement seate, where I ought to be iudged. To (2s) the Iewes have I no harme done, as thou verely well knowest. If I have hurte them, or committed eny thinge worthy of deeth, I refuse not to dye. Yf none of these thinges are, where of they accuse me, no man owght to delyver me to them. I appeale vnto Cesar. Then spake Festus with deliberacion, and answered.
Thou hast appealed vnto Cesar: vnto Cesar shalt thou goo.
Paule appealed.
Line (3) ...shulde be geven hym off Paul...
Line (9) agaynst Paul. and they entreated hym, (4) After two yeare cam Festus Porcius into Felixroume,
The Actes of the Apostles [Chap. xxv] D After a certayne dayes, kinge Agrippa and Bernice came vnto Cesarea to salute Festus. And when they had bene there a good ceason, Festus rehersed
Paules cause vnto the kynge sayinge: ther is a certayne man left in preson of Felix, about whom when I came to Ierusalem, the hye prestes and elders of the (s) lewes enformed me, and desyred to have iudgement agaynst him. To whom I answered: It is not the maner of the Romayns to delyver eny man, that he shuld perisshe, before that he which is accused, have the accusars before him, and have licence to answer for him selfe, conserninge the cryme layde agaynst him: when
E they were come hidder, with out delaye on the morowe lI sate to geveiudgement, '
(ro) and commaunded the man to be brought forthe. Agaynst whom when the accusers stode vp, they brought none accusacion of soche thinges as I supposed: lio but had certayne questions agaynst him of their awne supersticion, and of one xcvil.
Iesus which was ded: whom Paul affirmed to be alyve. And because I douted of soche maner questions, I axed him whyther he wolde goo to Ierusalem, and (15) there be iudged of these matters. Then when Paul had appealed to be kept vnto the knowledge of Cesar, I commaunded him to be kept, tyll I myght sende him to Cesar.
F Agrippa sayd vnto Festus: I wolde also heare the man my selfe. To morowe (sayde he) thou shalt heare him. And on the morowe when Agrippa was come
(20) and Bernice with greate pompe, and were entred into the counsell housse with the captaynes and chefe men of the cite, at Festus commaundement Paul was brought forth. And Festus sayde: kynge Agrippa, and all men which are heare present with vs: ye se this man about whom all the multitude of the Iewes have bene with me, both at Ierusalem and also here, cryinge that he ought not to lyve
G _|(s)eny lenger. Yet founde I nothinge worthy of deeth that he had committed.
Neverthelesse seinge that he hath appealed to Cesar, I have determined to sende him. Of whom I have no certayne thinge to wryte vnto my lorde. Wherfore
I have brought him vnto you, and specially vnto the, kynge Agrippa, that after examinacion had, I myght have sumwhat to wryte. For me thynketh it
(30) vnreasonable, for to sende a presoner, and not to shewe the causes which are layde agaynst him.
Line (1) ...to welcom Festus.
Line (13) Be cause I doudedt off the questions, (4) ...seniours of the Iewes...
(19) On the morowe...
(7) ...have hys accusars...
(23) ..-multitudeoff Iewes hath...
(8) ...as pertaynynge to the cryme wherof he is accused.
[Chap. xxvil] The Actes of the Apostles The. xxvi. Chapter.
A Agrippa sayde vnto Paul: thou arte permitted to speake for thy selfe. Then Paul stretched forth the honde, and answered for him selfe. I thynke my selfe happy kynge Agrippa, because I shall answere this daye before the, of all the thinges wherof I am accused of the Iewes, namely because thou arte experte in (s) all customes and questions, which are amonge the Iewes. Wherfore I beseche the to heare me paciently.
B My lyvynge of a chylde, which was at the fyrst amonge myne awne nacion at Ierusalem knowe all the Iewes which knew me from the beginnynge, yf theywolde testifie it. For after the most straytest secte of oure layet, lyved I a (1o) pharisaye. And now I stond and am iudged for the hope of the promes made of God vnto oure fathers: vnto which promes, oure. xii. tribes instantly servynge
God daye and nyght, hope to come. For which hopes sake, kynge Agrippa, am I accused of the Iewes. Why shuld it be thought a thinge vncredible vnto you, that god shuld rayse agayne the deed?
Cc (ts) Lalso verely thought in my selfe, that I ought to do many contrary thinges, clene agaynst the name of Iesus of Nazareth: which thinge I also dyd in Ierusalem.
Where many of the sainctes I shut vp in preson, and had receaved auctorite of the hye prestes. And when they were put to deeth, I gave the sentence. And I _| punysshed them ofte in every synagoge, and compelled them to blaspheme:
Folio (20) and was yet more mad apon them, and persecuted them, even vnto straunge
Cxeviti. cities. About the which thinges as I went to Damasco with auctorite and licence of the hye Prestes, even at myddaye (o kynge) I sawe in the waye a lyght from heven, above the brightnes of the sunne, shyne rounde about me and them which iorneyed with me.
D (25) When we were all fallen to the erth, I hearde a voyce speakynge vnto me, and sayinge in the Hebrue tonge: Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
Itis harde for the to kicke agaynste the pricke. And I sayde: Who arte thou lorde? And he sayde Iam Iesus whom thou persecutest. But ryse and stond vp on thy fete. For Ihave apered vnto the for this purpose, to make the a minister and a witnes, both
(30) of tho thinges which thou hast sene, and of tho thinges in the which I will appere
Line (2) ...stretched forth his honde, Line (21) ...andcommission from the hyeprestes, (14) ...if God rayseagayne the deed?
(22) (kynge Agrippa) (17) And many of the saynctes shut I in preson. moroverIreceaved auctorite...
The Actes of the Apostles [Chap. xxvii] vnto the, delyverynge the from the people, and from the gentyls vnto which nowe
I sende the, to open their eyes that they myght turne from darcknes vnto lyght, and from the power of Satan vnto God, that they maye receave forgevenes of synnes and inheritaunce amonge them which are sanctified byfayth in me.
E (s) Wherfore kynge Agrippa, I was not disobedient vnto the hevenly vision: but shewed fyrst vnto them of Damasco, and at Ierusalem, and thorow out all the costes of Iewry, and to the gentyls, that they shuld repent, and turne to God, and do the ryght workes of repentaunce. For this cause the Iewes caught me in the temple, and went about to kyll me. Neverthelesse I obtayned helpe
|(o) of God, and contynew vnto this daye witnessyng bothe to small and to greate
F saying none other thinges, then those which the prophetes and Moses dyd saye shuld come, that Christ shulde suffre, and that he shuld be the fyrst that shulde ryse from deeth, and shuld shewe lyght vnto the people, and the gentyls.
As he thus answered for him selfe: Festus sayde with a lowde voyce: Paul, (ts) thou arte besides thy selfe. Moche learnynge hath made the mad. And Paul sayde:
Iam not mad most dere Festus: but speake the wordes of trueth and sobernes. The kynge knoweth of these thinges, before whom I speke frely: nether thynke I that eny of these thinges are hydden from him. For this thinge was not done in a corner. Kynge Agrippa belevest thou the prophetes? I wote
(20) well thou belevest. Agrippa sayde vnto Paul: Sumwhat thou bringest me in mynde for to be come a Christen. And Paul sayd: I wolde to God that not only thou: but also all that heare me to daye, were, not sumwhat only, but altogeder soche as I am, except these bondes. And when he had thus spoken, the kynge rose vp, and the debite, and Bernice, and they that sate with them. And when
(2s)they were gone aparte, they talked betwene them selves sayinge: This man doeth nothinge worthy of deeth, nor of bondes. Then sayde Agrippa vnto
Festus: This man myght have benelowsed, yf he had not appealed vnto Cesar.
The. xxvii. Chapter. a When it was concluded that we shuld sayle into Italy, they delivered Paul
— and certayne other presoners vnto one named Julius, an vnder captayne of
Line (1) ...vnto thewhich...
Line (13) ...and to the gentyls.
(10) ...and stond vnto this daye...
(21) ...ffor to become christen.
[Chap. xxvii] The Actes of the Apostles Cesars soudiars. And we entred into a ship of Adramicium, and lowsed from lond, apoynted to sayle by the costes of Asia, one Aristarcus out of Macedonia, of the contre of Thessalia, beinge with vs. And the nexte daye we came to Sidon. And Iulius courteously entreated Paul, and gave him liberte to goo vnto
(s) his frendes, and to refresshe him selfe. And from thence lanched we, and sayled harde by Cypers, because the wyndes were contrarye. Then sayled we over the see of Cilicia, and Pamphylia, and came to Myra a cite in Lycia.
And there the vnder captayne founde a shippe of Alexanderredy to sayle into Italy and put vs therin. And when we had sayled slowly many dayes, and 10) scace Were come over agaynst Gnydon (because the wynde with stode vs) we sayled harde by the costes of Candy, over agaynste Salmo, and with moche worke sayled beyonde yt, and came vnto a place called good porte. Nye whervnto was a citie called Lasea. When moche tyme was spent and saylinge was now ieoperdeous, because also that we had overlonge fasted, Paul put them in (1s) remembraunce, and sayde vnto them Syrs, I perceave that this vyaget wilbe with hurte and moche domage, not of the ladynge and ship only: but also of oure lyves. Neverthelather the vndercaptayne beleved the governer and the master, better then tho thinges which were spoken of Paul. And because the haven was not commodius to wynter in, many toke counsell to departe thence,
(20) yf by eny meanes they myght attayne to Phenices and there to wynter, which is an haven of Candy, and servith to the southwest and northwest wynde.
When the south wynde blewe, they supposynge to obtayne their purpose, lowsed vnto Asson, and sayled paste all Candy.
— But anone after ther arose agaynste their purpose, a flawe of wynde out of (2s) the northeeste. And when the ship was caught, and coulde not resist the wynde, we let her goo and drave with the wether. And we came vnto an yle named
Clauda, and had moche worke to come by abote, which they toke vp and vsed helpe, vndergerdynge the shippe, fearynge lest we shuld have fallen into Syrtes, and we let doune a vessell and so were caryed. The nexte daye when
(30) we were tossed with an exceadynge tempest, they lyghtened the ship, and the thyrde daye we cast out with oure awne hondes, the tacklynge of the shippe. When at the last nether sunne nor starre in many dayes appered, and Line (3) Thenexte daye cam we...
Line (20) ...whych haven pertayneth to Candy, (7) ...see off Cicill, (24) (agaynste theyr purpose) (8) ...a shippe off Alexandry...
(25) When the shippe...
(16) ...with hurteand domage, (26) We cam...
(17) Butt the vndercaptayne...
The Actes of the Apostles [Chap. xxvii] no small tempest laye apon vs, all hope that we shuld be saved, was then taken awaye.
E Then after longe abstinence, Paul stode forth in the myddes of them and sayde: Syrs ye shulde have harkened to me, and not have lowsed from Candy,
(s)nether to have brought vnto vs this harme and losse. And nowe I exhorte you to be of good chere. For ther shalbe no losse of eny mans lyfe amonge you, lio CC.| save of the ship only. For ther stode by me this nyght the angell of God, whose
I am, and whom I serve, sayinge: feare not Paul, for thou must be brought before Cesar. And lo, God hath geven vnto the all that sayle with the. Wherfore
.|(o) Syrs be of good chere: for I beleve God, that so it shalbe even as it was tolde me.
How be it we must be cast into a certayne ylonde.
F But when the fourtenthe nyght was come, as we were caryed in Adria about mydnyght, the shipmen demed that ther appered some countre vnto them: and sounded, and founde it. xx. feddoms. And when they had gone a (rs) lytell further, they sounded agayne, and founde. xv. feddoms. Then fearinge lest they shuld have fallen on some Rocke, they cast. iiii. ancres out of the sterne, and wysshed for the daye. As the shipmen were about to fle out of the ship, and had let doune the bote into the see, vnder a coloure as though they wolde have cast ancres out of the forshippe: Paul sayd vnto the vnder captayne and the (20) soudiers: excepte these abyde in the ship, ye cannot be safe. Then the soudiers cut of the rope of the bote, and let it fall awaye.
G And in the meane tyme betwixt that and daye Paul besought them all to take meate, sayinge: this is the fourtenthe daye that ye have taried and continued fastynge, receavinge nothinge at all. Wherfore I praye you to take meate:
(2s) for this no dout is for youre helth: for ther shall not an heere fall from the heed of eny of you. And when he had thus spoken, he toke breed and gave thankes to God in presence of them all, and brake it, and beganne to eate. Then were they all of good cheare, and they also toke meate. We were all together in the G ship, two hundred thre score and sixtene soules. And when they had eaten
(30) ynough, they lightened the ship and cast out the wheate into the see.
When yt was daye, they knew not the lande but they spied a certayne haven with a banke into the which they were mynded (yf yt were possible) to
) ...was takenawaye.
Line ( (4) . ye shulde ire herde me, and not 14) ...and they sounded,...they went a lytell further and sounded agayne, 29) When they had eaten.
I .a certayne reache aah a banke, have departed from Candy, (2 (9) ...all thatt are in the shippe with the,
( 10) ...toldeme, and we must be cast into a certayneylonde.
[Chap. xxviii] The Actes of the Apostles thrust in the ship. And when they had taken vp the ancres, they commytted them selves vnto the see, and lowsed the rudder bondes and hoysed vp the mayne sayle to the wynde and drue to londe. But they chaunsed on a place, which had the see on bothe the sydes, and thrust in the ship. And the foore
SS — ~ -. s (s) parte stucke fast and moved not, but the hynder brake with the violence of the waves.
The soudears counsell was to kyll the presoners, lest eny of them, when he had swome out, shulde fle awaye. But the vndercaptayne willinge to save Paul, kept them from their purpose, and commaunded that they that could swyme,
(10) shulde cast them selves first in to the see, and scape to londe. And the other he commaunded to goo, some on bordes, and some on broken peces of the ship.
And so it came to passe, that they came all safe to londe.
The. xxviii. Chapter.
A And when they were scaped, then they knewe that the yle was called Milete. And the people of the countre shewed vs no lytell kyndnes: for they
Folio cci.
|(1s) kyndled a fyre and receaved vs every one, because of the present rayne, and : because of colde. And when Paul had gaddered a boundle of stickes, and put them into the fyre, ther came a viper out of the heet and lept on his honde.
When the men of the contre sawe the worme hange on his honde, they sayde amonge them selves: this man must nedes be a mortherer. Whome (though he
(20) have escaped the see) yet vengeaunce suffreth not to lyve. But he shouke of the vermen into the fyre, and felt no harme. Howbeit they wayted when he shuld have swolne, or fallen doune deed sodenly. But after they had loked a greate whyle, and sawe no harme come to him, they chaunged their myndes, and sayde that he was a God.
B (25) In the same quarters, the chefe man of the yle whose name was Publius, had a lordshippe: the same receaved vs, and lodged vs thre dayes courteously.
And it fortuned that the father of Publius laye sicke of a fievert, and of a bluddy flixe. To whom Paul entred in and prayde, and layde his hondes on him and healed him. When this was done, other also which had diseases in the yle, came
Layenge on of handes.
Line (3) ...and they fell into aplace, Line (20) live. and he shuke...
(5) ..-and the hynderpartebrake. ..
(ar) ...harme. They wayted...
(13) ...were scaped they knewe...
(26) ...whych receaved vs, (14) The people offthecountre. . .
(27) Hitfortuned...
(16) When Paul...
(29) ...which were diseased...
(17) ...the fyre, a viper (becauseofftheheet) creept out and lept...
The Actes of the Apostles [Chap. xxviii] and were healed. And they dyd vs gret honoure. And when we departed, they laded vs with thinges necessary.
After thre monethes we departed in a ship of Alexandry, which had wyntred in the yle, whose badge was Castor and Pollux. And when we came to Cyracusa,
(s) we taryed there. iii. dayes. And from thence we fet a compasse and came to Regium. And after one daye the south wynde blewe, and we came the next daye to Putiolus: where we founde brethren, and were desyred to tary with them
D seven dayes, and so came to Rome. And from thence, when the brethren hearde of vs, they came agaynst vs to Apiphorum, and to the thre taverns. When Paul
(10) sawe them, he thanked God, and wexed bolde. And when he came to Rome, the vnder captayne delyvered the presoners to the chefe captayne of the host: but Paul was suffered to dwell by him selfe with one soudier that kept him.
E And it fortuned after thre dayes, that Paul called the chefe of the Iewes together. And when they were come, he sayde vnto them: Men and brethren,
(ts) though I have committed nothinge agaynst the people or lawes of oure fathers: yet was I delyvered presoner from Ierusalem in to the hondes of the Romayns.
Which when they had examined me, wolde have let me goo, because they founde no cause of deeth in me. But when the Iewes cryed contrary, I was constrayned to appeale vnto Cesar: not because I had ought to accuse my people
(20) of. For this cause have I called for you, even to se you and to speake with you: because that for the hope of Israel, Iam bounde with this chayne.
F And they sayde vnto him: We nether receaved letters out of Iewry pertayninge vnto the, nether came eny of the brethren that shewed or spake eny harme of the. But we will heare of the what thou thynkest. For we have
(2s) hearde of this secte, that every wheare it is spoken agaynst. And when they had olio ccii. apoynted him a daye, ther came many vnto him into his lodgynge. To whom he expounded and testifyed the kyngdome of God, and preached vnto them of Iesu: both out of the lawe of Moses and also out of the prophetes, even from mornynge to nyght. And some beleved the thinges which were spoken, and (30) some beleved not.
When they agreed not amonge them selves, they departed, after that Paul ai. had spoken one worde. Well spake the holy goost by Esay the prophet vnto
19-2
Line (3) ...we sayled in a shippe...
Line (14) When they were come, (Se ayes from whence we sayled about (20) ...I called for youto seyou, and cam.
(22) For I be cause off nec off Israhel, (8) ...and so cam we to Rome. ambounde with this chayne.
(9) ...they cam to Apiphorum, andthre- (25) When they had.. taverns, and met vs.
(28) ...both by the lawe off Moses, and also (10) ...boolde. when we cam to Rome, by the prophetes from mornynge to (12) ...to dwell alone... nyght.
(13) Hitfortdined that after thre dayes Paul
[Chap. xxviii] The Actes of the Apostles oure fathers, sayinge: Goo vnto this people and saye: with youre eares shall ye heare, and shall not vnderstonde: and with youre eyes shall ye se and shall not perceave.
For the hert of this people is wexed grosse, and their eares were thycke of (s) hearynge, and their eyes have they closed: lest they shuld se with their eyes, and heare with their eares, and vnderstonde with their hertes, and shuld be converted, and I shulde heale them. Be it knowen therfore vnto you, that this salvacion of God is sent to the gentyls, and they shall heare it. And when he had sayde that, the Iewes departed, and had grete despicions amonge them selves.
(xo) | And Paul dwelt two yeares full in his lodgynge, and receaved all that came to him, preachyng the kyngdome of God, and teachynge those thinges which concerned the lorde Iesus, with all confidence, vnforboden.
Here endeth the Actes of the Apostles.
Line (4) ...and their eares wexe thycke...
Line (10) But Paul dwelt two yeares in his (7) ...that thisconsolacion of God... lodgynge.
(9) .-.departed from hym, (12) ...noo man forbyddynge hym.
Aen Ore Oat eee
IS TLE OF
PALER OWT EEE RGMAY NS.
For as moche as this pistle is the principall and most excellent part of the newetestament, and most pure Euangelion, that is to saye gladde tydinges and that we call gospell, and also a lyghte and a waye in vnto the hole scripture,
I thynke it mete, that euery Christen man not only knowe it by rote and with (s) oute the boke, but also exercise him selfe therin euermore continually, as with the dayly brede of the soule. No man verely can rede it to ofte or studie it to well: for the moareit is studyed the easier it is, the moare it is chewed the plesander it is, and the moare groundely it is serched the precioser thinges are found in it, so greate treasure of spirituall thinges lyeth hyd therin.
(10) I will therfore bestowe my laboure and diligence, thorowe this lytell preface or prologe, to prepare awaye in ther vnto, so farforth as god shall geue me grace, that it maye be the better vnderstonde of euery man, for it hath bene hetherto euyll darkened with gloses and wonderfull dreames of sophisters, that noman cowde spye oute the entente and meanynge of it, which neuerthelesse
(15) of it selfe, is a bryght lyghte, and sufficient to geue lyght vnto all the scripture.
Fyrst wemust marke diligently the maner of speakynge of the Apostel, and aboue all thinge knowe what Paul meaneth by these wordes, the Lawe, Synne,
Grace, Fayth, Ryghteousnes, Flesshe, Sprite and soche lyke, or els rede thou it neuer so ofte, thou shalt but loose thy laboure. This word Lawe maye not be vnderstonde.
(20) vnderstonde here after the commune maner, and to vse Paules terme, after the lio cciii. maner ofmen or after mannes wayes, that thou woldest saye the lawe here in this place were nothinge but lernynge whiche teacheth what ought to be done and what oughte not to be done, as it goeth with mannes lawe where the lawe is fulfilled with oute warde workes only, though the hert be never so farre of.
(2s) But God iudgeth the grounde of the.herte, ye and the thoughtes and the secret mouynges of the mynde, and therefore his lawe requireth the grounde of the hert and loue from the botome there of, and is not content with the oute ward worke only: but rebuketh those workes most of all which springe not of loue
A Prologe to the Romayns from the gronndt and lowe botome of the herte, though they appere outward neuer so honest and good, as Christ in the gospell rebuketh the Pharises aboue all other that were open synners, and calleth them ypocrites, that is to saye
Simulars, and paynted Sepulchres. Which Pharises yet lyued no men so pure, (s)as perteynynge to the outewarde dedes and workes of the lawe. Ye and Paul in the thyrd chapter of his Pistel vnto the Philippians confesseth of him selfe, that as touchynge the lawe he was suche a one as no man cowde complayne on, and notwithstondynge was yet a murderer of the Christen, persecuted them, and tormented them, so soore, that he compelled them to blaspheme Christe,
(to) and was all to gether mercylesse, as many which now fayne outward good workes are. .
For this cause the. c. xv. Psalme calleth all men lyars, because that noman kepeth the lawe from the grounde of the herte, nether can kepe it, though he appeare outward full of good workes.
(ts) For all men are naturally enclyned vnto euyll and hate the lawe. We fynde in oure selues vnlust and tediousnes to do good, but lust and delectacyon to do euyll. Nowe where no fre lust is to do good, there the botome of the hert fulfilleth not the lawe, and there no doute is also synne, and wrath is deserued before God, though there be neuer so grete an outwarde shewe and apearaunce
(20) of honeste lyuinge.
For this cause concludeth saynte Paul in the seconde Chapter, that the Iewes are all synners and transgressors of thelawe, though they make men beleue, thorowe ypocrisy of outwarde workes, howe that they fulfyll the lawe, and sayth that he only which doeth the lawe, is ryghteous before God, meanynge
(2s) therby that no man with outwarde workes, fulfilleth the lawe.
Thou (sayeth he to the iewe) teachest, a man shulde not breake wedlocke, andyet breakest wedlocke thy selfe. Wherin thou iudgest an other man, therin condemnest thou thy selfe, for thou thy selfe doest euen the very same thinges whiche thou iudgest. As though he wolde saye, thou lyuest outewardly
30) well in the workes of the lawe, and iudgest them that lyue not so.
Thou teachest other men: and seest a moote in an other mans eye, but art not ware of the beame that is in thyn awne eye. For though thou kepe the
A Prologe to the Romayns lawe outewardly with workes for feare of rebuke, shame and punysshement, other for loue of rewarde, vauntage and vayne glory, yet doest thou all with out lust and loue towarde the lawe, and haddest leuer a greate deale other wyse do, yf thou dydest not feare the lawe. ye inwardly in thyne herte, thou woldest
(s) that therwere no lawe, no nor yet God, theauctor and vengear of the lawe, yf it were possible: so paynefull it is vnto the to have thyne appetytes refrayned, and to be kepte doune.
Wherforethen it is a playne conclusion, that thou from the grounde and botome of thyne herte, arte an ennymye to the lawe. What prevayleth it nowe,
Folio cciiii.
(10) that thou teachest an other man not to steale, when thou thyne awne selfe arte a thefe in thyne hert, and outwardly woldest fayne steale yf thou durest? though that the outwarde dedes abyde not alwaye behynde with soch ypocrites and dissimulars, but breake forth amonge, euen as an euyll scabbe or a pocke can not all wayes be kepte in with violence of medicine.
(15) Thou teachest an other man, but teachest not thy selfe, ye thou wotest not what thou teachest, for thou vnderstondest not the lawe aryght, how that it cannot be fulfylled and satisfyed, but with an unfayned loue and affecyon, so greately it can not be fulfylled with outeward dedes and workes only. Moreouer the lawe encreaseth synne, as he sayth in the fyfte Chapter, because that The lawe encreaseth synne (20) man is an enymy to the lawe, for as moche as it requireth so many thynges clene contrarye to his nature, where of he is not able to fulfyll one poynte or tytle, as the lawe requireth it. And therfore are we moare prouoked, and haue ereater lust to breake it.
For which causes sake he sayeth in the seventh Chapter, that the lawe is (2s) spirituall: as though he wold saye, yf the lawe wereflesshely and but mans doctrine, it myght be fulfylled, satisfyed and stylled with outwarde dedes.
But nowe is the lawe goostlye, and no man fulfylleth it, excepte that all that he doeth, springe of loue from the botome of the hert. Suche anewe hert and lusty corage vnto the lawe warde, canst thou neuyr come by of thyne awne
The spirite is required, yer wecan kepe thelawe before God.
(30) strenghtt and enforcemente, but by the operacyon and workynge of the spirite.
For the sprite of God only maketh a man spirituall and lyke vnto the lawe, so that nowe henceforth hedoeth nothinge of feare or for lucre or vantages sake
A Prologe to the Romayns or of vayne glory, but of a fre hert, and of inward lust. The lawe is spiritual and wilbe bothe loued and fulfylled of a spirituall hert, and therfore of necessite requireth it the sprete that maketh a mannes hert fre, and geueth him lust and courage vnto the lawe warde. Where soche a sprite is not, there remayneth
(s)synne, grudgynge and hateredt ageynst the lawe, which lawe neuerthelesse is good, ryghtewes and holy.
Acquaynte thy selfe therfore with the maner of speakynge of the Apostel, and let this nowe styke faste in thyne hert, that it is not bothe one, to do thededes and workes of the lawe, and to fulfyll the lawe. The worke of the lawe is,
(10) what soeuer aman doeth or can do of his awne frewill, of his awne proper strengthe and enforsynge. Not withstondynge though there be neuyr so greate workynge, yet as longe as ther remayneth in the herte vnlust, tediousnes, erudgyng, grief, payne, lothsumnes and compulsion toward the lawe, so longe are all the workes vnprofitable, lost, ye and damnable in the sighte of God.
(ts) This meaneth Paul in the thryde chapter where he sayeth, by the dedes of the lawe shall no flesshe be iustified in the syghte of god. Here by perceauest thou, that those sophisters are but disceauers, whiche teache that a man maye, and must prepare him selfe to grace and to the fauoure of God, with good workes. Howe can they prepare them selues vnto the fauoure of god, and to that which is good,
(20) when they them selues can do no good, no can not once thinke a good thought or consent to do good, the deuyll possessing their hertes, myndes and thoughtes captiue at his pleasure? Can thoseworkes please God thinkest thou, which are donewith grife, payne and tediousnes, with an euyll will, with a contrarye and grudgynge mynde?
(2s) -O holy saynte prosperus, how mightely with the scripture of Paul, dydest thou confounde this heresye, aboute (I trowe) a twelue hondred yeares a goo, or therapon.
Folio ccv.
To fulfill the lawe is, to do the workes therof and what soeuer the lawe commaundeth, with loue, lust and inward affeccion and delectacion: and to lyue godly
(30) and well, frely, willingly, and with oute compulcion of the lawe, euen as though therewere no lawe at all. Suche luste and fre liberte to loue the lawe, cometh only by the workinge of the sprite in the herte, as he saith in the fyrste Chapter.
A Prologe to the Romayns Nowe is the sprite none otherwise geuen, then by faith only, in that we
|The spirite beleue the promyses of God, with oute wauering, how thatGod is true, and will oe by fulfill all his good promyses to warde vs, for Christes bloudes sake, as it ys playne in the fyrste chapter. Iam not asshamed sayeth Paul, of Christes gladde tydinges,
(s) for it is the power of God, vnto saluacion to as many as beleue. For attonce and to gedder euen as we beleue the glad tydinges preached to vs, the holy goost entereth in to oure hertes, and lowseth the bondes of the deuyll, which before possessed oure hertes in captiuite, and held them that we could haue no lust to the will of God in the lawe. And as the sprite commeth by faith only, euen so __ {Faith com- '\(10) faith cometh by hearinge the worde or glad tydinges of God, when Christ is preached, how that he is goddes sonne and man also, ded and rysen agayne for _|gladtydinges. ese tees then cometh of fayth, and fayth and the sprite come of God and not of vs.
Here of cometh it, that fayth only iustifieth, maketh rightewes, and ful- —_|Fayth onlye (5) filleth thelawe, for it bringeth the sprete thorowe Christes deseruinges, the sprite
['"s"#*"bringeth lust, looseth the hert, maketh him fre, setteth him at liberte, and geueth him strength to worke the dedes of the lawe with loue, euen as the lawe requyreth. Then at the last out of the same faith so workinge in the herte, |
Workes springe all good workes by there awne accorde. That meaneth he in the thyrde
|gyih (20) chapter: for after he hath cast awaye the workes of the lawe, so that he soundeth as though he wolde breake and disanull the lawe thorow faith: he answereth
'to thatmighte be layde agaynst, sayinge: wedestroye not the lawe thorow faith but maintayne, furder or stablisshe the lawe thorowe faith. Thatis to saye, we fulfill the lawe thorowefaith.
(25) Synne in the scripture is not called that outeward worke only committed — |Synne by the body, but all the whole busynes and what soeuer accompanieth, moueth or stereth vnto the outeward dede, and that whence the workes springe: as vnbelefe, pronenes and redynes vnto the dede in the grounde of the herte, with all the powers, affecions and appetites wherewith we can but synne. So that (30) we saye, that a man then synneth, when he is caried awaye hedlonge in to synne, all to geder as moche as he is, of that poyson inclinacion and corrupte nature wherin he was conceyued and borne.
For there is none outward synne
A Prologe to the Romayns committed, excepte a man be caried awaye all to gedyr, with lyfe, soule, herte, bodie, luste and mynde therunto. The scripture loketh singularly vnto the hert, and vnto the rote and originall fountayne of all synne, which is vnbelefe in the botome of the herte. For as faith only iustifieth and bringeth the sprite
(s) and lust vnto the outewarde good workes, euen so vnbelefe only damneth and kepeth oute the sprite, prouoketh the flesshe and stereth vppe luste vnto the éuyll outeward workes, as happened to Adam and Eua in Paradise. Gene. iij.
Folio ccvi.| For this cause Christ calleth synne vnbelefe, and that notably in the. xvj. chap. of Iohn. The sprete, saith he, shall rebuke the worlde of synne, because
(xo) they beleue not in me. And John viijhe sayth: I am the light of the worlde.
And therfore in the. xij. of Iohn he byddeth them, whyle they haue light, to beleue in the light, that yemaye be the chyldren of light: for he that walketh in darcknes wotteth not whether he goeth. Now as Christ is the light, so is the ignoraunce of Christ that darcknes wherof he speaketh, in which he that walketh
(ts) wotteth not whether he goeth: that is, he knoweth not how to worke a good worke in the syght of God, or what a good worke is. And therfore in the. ix. he sayth: as longe as I am in the worlde, I am the light of theworlde: but there commeth night when no man can worke. Which nyght is but the ignoraunce of Christ in which no man can se to do anyework that pleaseth God. And Paul from thelyfe of God, thorow the ygnoraunce that is in them. And agayne in the same chap. Put of (sayth he) the olde man which is corrupt thorowe thelustes of erroure, that is to saye ignoraunce. And Ro. xiij Let vs cast awaye the dedes of darcknes: that is to saye of ignoraunce and vnbelefe. And. j. Pet. j Fassion
(2s)notyoure selues vnto youre oldelustes of ignoraunce. And. j. Io. ij. He that loueth his brother dwelleth in light: and he that hateth his brother walketh in darcknes, and woteth not whether he goeth, for darckenes hath blynded his eyes. By light he meaneth the knowledge of Christ, and by darcknes, the ignoraunce of Christ. For it is impossible that he that knoweth Christ truly,
(30) shulde hate his brother.
Furthermore, to perceaue this thinge more clearlye, thou shalt vnderstonde, that it is impossible to synne anye synne at all except a man breake thefyrst
A Prologe to the Romayns commaundement before. Now is the fyrst commaundement deuyedt into two verses. Thy Lorde God is one God: and thou shalt loue thy Lorde God with all thyne heart, with all thy soule, with all thy power and with all thy myght.
And the whole cause why I synne agaynst anye inferioure precept, is that this (s) loue is not in myne heart: for were this lawe wrytten in my harte and were full and perfect in my soule, it wolde kepe myne hearett from consentynge vnto anye synne. And the whoale and onlye cause why this loue is not written in oure heartes, is that we beleue not the fyrste parte, that oure Lorde God is one God.
For wyst I what these wordes, one Lorde and one God meaneth: that is to saye, (10) if I vnderstode that he made all, and ruleth all, and that whatsoeuer is done to me, whether it be good or bad, is yet his will, and that he onlye is the Lorde that ruleth and dothe it: and wist I therto what this worde myne meaneth that is to saye, ifmyne heart beleued and felte the infinite benefites and kyndenes of God to mewarde, and vnderstode and ernestlye beleued the manyfolde couenauntes of (ts) mercie wherwith God hath bounde him selfe to be mynewholie and altogether, with all his power, loue, mercie and myght, then shuld I loue him with all myne heart, soule, power and might, and of that loue euer kepe his commaundementes.
So se ye now that as fayth is the mother of all goodnes and of all good workes, so is vnbelefe the grounde and rote of all euell and all euell workes.
(20) Finallie, if anye man hath forsaken synne and is conuerted to put his trust in Christ and to kepe the lawe of God, dothe fall at a tyme: the cause is, that the flesshe thorow necgligencet hath choked thesprite and oppressed hir and taken from hir the fode of hir strength. Which fode is hir meditacion in God and in his wonderfull dedes, and in the manyfolde couenauntes of his mercie.
0 ccVii. |(25) Wherfore then before all good workes as goodftutest, there must nedes be fayth in theherte whence they spring. And before all bad dedes as bad frutes, there must nedes be vnbelefe in the hert as in the rote, fountayne, pith and strenghtt of all synne. Which vnbelefe and ignoraunce is called the heed of the serpent and of the olde dragon, which the womans seed Christ, must treade
(30) vnder fote, as it was promysed vnto Adam.
Grace and gifte haue this difference. Grace properly is Goddes fauoure, beniuolence or kyndmynd, which of his awne selfe, with oute deseruing of vs,
A Prologe to the Romayns he beareth to vs, wherby he was moued and enclined to geue Christe vnto vs, with all his other giftes of grace. Gifte is the holy goste and his workinge whom he poureth in to the hertes of them, on whom he hath mercy, and whom he fauoreth. Though the giftes of the sprite encreace in vs dayly, and haue not yet (s) theirfull perfeccion: ye and though there remayne in vs yet euill lustes and sinne which fight agaynst the sprite, as he sayth here in the. vij. Chapter, and in the v. to the Galathians, and as it was spoken before in the thride Chapter of Genesis of the debate betwene the womans seed and the seed of the serpent: yet neuerthelesse goddis fauoure is so greate, and so stronge ouer vs for christes
(to) sake, that we are counted for full hole and perfecte before God. For Goddis fauoure toward vs deuydeth not hyr selfe, encreasinge a lyttell and alytell, as doo the gyftes, but receaueth vs hole and all to gether in full loue for Christes sake oure intercessor and mediator, and because that the gyftes of the sprite and the batayle betwene the sprite and euylllustes, are begonne in vs all ready.
(x5) Of this nowe vnderstondest thou the. vij. chapter wherePaul accuseth him selfe as a synner and yetin the. viij. Chapter sayeth, there is no damnacion to them that are in Christe, and that because of the sprite, and because the gyftes of the sprite are begonne in vs. Synners we are because the flesshe is not full kylled and mortified. Neuerthelesse in as moche as we beleue in Christ, and (20) haue the ernest and begynninge of the sprite, andwold fayne be perfecte, God is so louinge and fauourable vnto vs that hewill not loke on soche synne, nether will counte it as synne, but will deale with vs accordinge to oure belefein Christe, and accordinge to his promises which he hath sworne to vs, vntyll the synne be full slayne and mortified by dethe.
(25) Faith is not mans opinion and dreame, as some ymagin and fayne when they heare the storie of theGospell: but when they se that there folowe no good workes nor mendement of lyuinge, though they heare, and yet can babyll many thinges of faith, then they fall from the righte waye and saye, fayth only iustifieth not, a man must haue good workes also, if he will be rightewes and (30) safe. The cause is when they heare the Gospell or glad tydinges, they fayne of their awne strength certayne imaginacions and thoughtes in their hertes sayinge: I haueherd the Gospell, I remember the storie, lo I beleue. And that
A Prologe to the Romayns they counte righte fayth, which neuerthelesse as it is but mans imaginacion and fayninge euen so profiteth it not, nether folowe there any good workes or mendement oflyuinge.
But rightefaith is a thinge wroughte by the holy goost in vs, which (s) chaungeth vs, turneth vs in to a newe nature and begetteth vs a newe in God, and maketh vs the sonnes of God, as thou redest in the fyrste of Iohn, and killeth the olde Adam, and maketh vs all to gethyr newe in the hert, mynd, will, lust and in all oure affeccions and powers of the soule, and bringeth the holy goost with hyr. Faith is a liuely thinge, mighty in workinge, valiaunte and stronge,
9 ccviii.|(10) euer doinge, euer frutefull, so that it is vnpossible that he which is endued therewith, shulde not worke all wayes goodworkes with oute ceasinge. He axeth not whether good workes are to be done or not, but hath done them all redy, yer mencion be made of them, and is all waye doynge, for soche is his nature nowe: quicke faithe in his herte and lyuely mouinge of the sprite driue
(rs) him and stere him therunto. Whosoeuer doeth not good workes, is an vn- ~ beleuinge person and faithlesse, and loketh rounde aboute gropinge after faith and good workes, and wot not what faith or good workes meane, though he babill neuer so many thinges of fayth and good workes.
Fayth is then a liuely and stedfaste truste in the fauoure of God, wherewith (20) we committe oure selues all to gedyr vnto God, and that truste is so surely grounded and steketh so fast in oure hertes, that a man wolde not once doute of it, though he shuld dye a thousand tymes therfore. And suche truste wrought by the holy goost through fayth, maketh a man glad, lusty, cherefull and true herted vnto God and to all creatures. By the meanes where of, willingly and (2s) withoute compulsion he is glad and redy to do good to euery man, to do seruice to euery man, to soffreall thinges, that God maye be loued and praysed, which hath geuen him suche grace: so that it is impossible to separat goodworkes from faith, euen as it is impossible to separat heet and burninge from fyre.
(30) Therfore take hede to thy silfe, and beware of thyne owne fantasies and ymaginacions, which to iudge of fayth and good workes will semewyse, when in deade they are sterke blind and of all thinges most folysshe. Praye God that
A Prologe to the Romayns he will witesafe to worke fayth in thyne herte, or else shalt thou remayne euermore faythlesse, fayne thou, ymagin thou: enforce thou, wrastyll with thy selfe, and do what thou wilte or canst.
Righteousnes is euen suche faith, and is called Godes righteousnes, or (s) righteousnes that is of valoure before God. For it is Goddis gifte, and it altereth a man and chaungeth him to a newe sprituall nature, and maketh him fre and liberall to paye euery man his dutie. For thorow fayth is a man purged of his synnes, and obteyneth lust vnto the lawe of God whereby he geueth God his honoure and payeth him that he oweth him, and vnto men hedoeth seruis
(10) willingly wherwithsoeuer he can, and payeth eueryman his dutie.
Suche righte ousnes can nature, frewill, and oure awne strengthe neuer bringe to passe.
For as no man can geue him silfe fayth, so can he not take awaye vnbelefe, how then can he take awaye eny synne at all. Wherfore all is false ypocrisy and synne, whatsoeuer is done with oute fayth or in vnbeleue, as it is euydentin the. xitij
(1s) Chapter vnto the Romayns, though it appere neuer so glorious or beautyfull outwardes.
Flesshe and sprite mayste thou not here vnderstond, as thoughflesshe were only that which perteyneth vnto vnchastite, and the sprite that which inwardly pertayneth to the herte: but Paule calleth flesshe here as Christe doth Iohn ij.
(20) All that is borne offlesshe, that is to wete, the whole man withlife, soule, body, witte, will, reason and what soeuer he is or doth with in and withe oute, because that these all, and all that is in man, study after theworlde and the flesshe.
Call flesshe therfore whatsoeuer (as longe as we arewith oute the sprite of God) we thinke or speke of God, offaith of goodworkes and ofspirit- (2s) uall matters. Call flesshe also all workes which aredone with oute grace and withoute the workinge of the sprite, how soeuer good, holy and spirituall they seme to be, as thou mayst proue by the. v. Chapter vnto the Galathyans, where Paul numbrethworshepinge of ydols, witchecrafte, enuy and hate amonge thededes of the flesh, and by the. viij. vnto the Romayns, where he
Folio ccix.
(30) sayth that the lawe by the reason of the flesshe is weake which is not vnderstond of vnchastite only, but of all synnes, and most specially, of vnbelefe which is a vyce most spirituall and grounde of all synnes.
A Prologe to the Romayns And as thou callest him: which is not renewed with the sprite and borne agayne in Christ, flesshe, and all his dedes, euen the very mocyons of his hert and _ mynd, his lerninge, doctrine and contemplacyon of hye thinges, his preachinge teachinge and study in the scripture, bildinge of churches, foundinge of abbeyes,
(s) geuinge of almes, masse, matence and whatsoeuer he doeth, though it seme spirituall and aftyr the lawes of god. So contrary wyse call him spirituall which Spirituall. is renewed in Christe, and all his dedes which springe of fayth, seme they neuer so grose as the wasshinge of the disciples fete, done by Christ and Peters fisshinge aftyr theresurreccion, ye and all the dedes of matrimony are pure spirituall, yf- (10) they procede of faith, and what so euer is done with in the lawes of God, though it be wrought by the body, as the very wipinge ofshewes and soche lyke, how soeuer grose they appere outewarde. Withoute suche vnderstondinge ofthese wordes canst thou neuer vnder stond this epistell of Paull, nether any other place in the holy scripture. Take hede therfore, for whosoeuer vnderstondeth
(15) these wordes other wyse, the same vnderstondeth not Paul, what soeuer he be.
Now will we prepare oure selues vnto the pistle.
For as moche as it becommeth the precher of Christes glad tydinges, first thorow opening of the lawe, to rebuke all thinges and to proue all thinges synne, that procede not of the sprit and of faithin Christe, and to proue all men synners
The fyrst Chapter.
(20) and. chyldren of wrath by inheritaunce, and howe that to synne is their nature, and thatby nature they can none other wyse do than to synne, and therwith to abate the pryde of man, and to bringe him vnto the knowledge of him selfe, and of his miserye and wretchednes, that he myghtdesyre helpe. Euen so doeth saynct Paul and beginneth in the fyrst Chapter to rebuke vnbelefe and (2s) grose synnes which all men se, as the ydolatrie, and as the grose synnes of thehethen were and as the synnes nowe are of all them which lyue in ignorance without fayth, and without the fauoure of God: and sayth. The wrath of God
'of heuen appereth thorowe the Gospell vpon all men for their vngodly and vnholy lyuinge. For though it be knowen and dayly vnderstond by the (30) creatures, that ther is but one God yet is nature of hyr selfe without the sprite and grace so corrupte and so poysoned, that men nether can thanke him, neder worshippe him, nether geue him his due honoure, but blinde them selues and
The Prologe to the Romayns faule withoute ceasinge in to worse case, euen vntyll they come vnto worshippinge of ymages and workinge of shamefull synnes whichare abhominable and agaynst nature, and moreouer sofre the same vnrebuked in other, hauinge delectacion and pleasure therin.
(s) In the seconde Chapter he proceadeth further, and rebuketh all those holy people also which withoute luste and loue to thelawe, lyue well outwardly in the face of the worlde and condempne other gladly, as the nature of all ypocrites is, to thinkethem selues pure in respecte of open synners, and yet hate the lawe inwardly and are full of couetousnes and enuye and of all vnclennes, Mat. xxiij.
(to) These are they which despise the goodnes of God, and accordinge to the hardenes of their hertes, hepe to geder for them selues the wrath of God. Furthermore
Folio ccx. saynct Paule as atrue expounder of the lawe, suffreth noman to be withoute synne, but declarett and that all they are vnder synne which of frewill of nature, will liuewell, and suffreth them not to be better then the open synners, ye he
(rs) calleth them harde herted and soche as cannot repente. i In the thyrde Chap. he myngleth both to geder, both the Iewes and the Thyrde Chapter.
_ gentyles, and sayeth that the one is as the other, bothsynners, and no difference betwenethem, sauein this only, that the Iewes had the worde of God committed vnto them. And though many of them beleued not thereon, yet is goddis truth
(20)and promyse therby nether hurte ner minisshed: And he taketh in his waye and allegeth the sayinge of the. 1. Psal. that God myght abyde true in his wordes and ouercome when he is iudged. After that he returneth to his purpose agayne, and proueth by the scripture, that all men without difference or excepcion are synners, and that by the workes of the lawe no man is iustified: but that the The lawe iustifieth n¢ but vtteretk (2s) lawe was geuen to vtter and to declare synne only. Then he beginneth and onlye and condemnetl sheweth the rightwaye vnto rightewesnes, by what meanes men must be made righteous and safe, and sayeth. They are all synners and without prayse before God, and must without their awne deseruinge be made righteous thorowe fayth in Christ, which hath deserued soche righteousnes for vs, and is become vnto vs
(30) goddis mercystole for the remission of synnes thatare past, therby prouing that Christes righteousnes which commeth on vs thorowe fayth, helpeth vs only.
Which righteousnes, sayth he is now declared thorowe the gospell and was
The Prologe to the Romayns testified of before by the lawe and the Prophetes. Furthermore (sayth he) thelawe is holpe and fordered thorowe fayth, though that the workes therof with all their boste are brought to nought and proued notto iustifie.
In the. iiij. Chapter (after that nowe by the iij. fyrst Chapters, thesynnes (s)are opened, and the waye of fayth vnto righteousnes layde) he beginneth to answere vnto certayne obieccions and cauillacyons. And first he putteth forth those blynd reasons, which commenly they that wylbe iustified by their awne workes, are wont to make when they heare thatfaith only with out workes iustifieth, sayinge, shall men do no good workes, ye and yffaith only iustifieth,
(to) what nedeth a man to stody for to do good workes? He putteth forth therfore
Abraham for an ensample, sayinge: what did Abraham with his workes? was all in vayne? came his workes to no profet? And so concludeth that Abraham with oute and before allworkes was iustified and made righteous. In so moche that before the worke of circumcision hewas praysed of the scripture and called
(1s) righteous by his faith only, Genesis. xv. So that he did not the worke of circumcision for to be holpe therby vnto righteousnes, which yet God commaunded him to doo, and was a good worke of obedience, So in lyke wise no doute none other workes helpe any thinge at all vnto a mans iustifiynge: but as Abrahams circumcision was an outeward signe whereby hedeclared his righteousnes whiche he had
(20) by faith, and his obedience and redynes vnto thewill of god, euen so are all other good workes outeward signes and outeward frutes of faith and of the sprite, which iustifie not a man, but that a man is iustified all redy be fore God inwardly in the hert, thorowe fayth and thorowe the sprite purchased by christes bloud.
Here with nowe stablissheth saynt Paul his doctrine of faith afore rehersed (2s)in the thrid chapter, and bringeth also testimony of Dauid in the. xiij. psalme,
Blessed is he that hath his sinnes forgeuen him. whiche calleth, a man blessed not ofworkes, but in that his sinne is not rekened and in that fayth is imputed forrighteousnes, though he abyde not afterwarde io ccxi.| | withoute goodworkes, when he is onceiustified.
For we are iustified and receaue the sprite for to doo good workes, nether 30) wereit otherwyse possible to do goodworkes, excepte we had first the sprite.
For how is it possible to do any thynge wel in the sight of god, while we are yet in captiuite and bondage vnder the deuill, and the deuill possesseth vs all
TMV :
The Prologe to the Romayns togeder and holdeth our hertes, so that we cannot once consent vnto the will ofgod. No man therfore can preuent the sprite in doinge good: but the sprite mustfirst come and wake him out of his slepe and with the thunder of the lawe feare him, and shewe him his miserable estate and wretchednes, and make him
(s) abhore, and hate him silfe and to desyre helpe, and then comforte him agaynewith the pleasant rayne of the Gospell, that is to saye, with the swete promyses of God in Christ, and stere vppe fayth in him to beleue the promises. Then when he beleueth the promyses, as God was mercyfull to promyse, so is he true to fulfill them, and will geue him the sprite and strength, both to loue the will of (10) god and to worke ther after. So se we that God only (which accordinge to the scripture worketh all in all thinges) worketh a mans iustiftynge, saluacion and healthe, ye and powreth fayth and beleue, luste to loue goddis will, and strength to fulfill the same, in to vs, euen as water is powred into a vessell, and that of his good will and purpose, and not of ouredeseruinges and merites. Goddis
(1s) mercy in promysinge and trueth in fulfilling his promyses saueth vs and not we oure selues. And therfore is all laude, prayse and glory, to be geuen vnto God for his mercy and trueth, and not vnto vs for ouremerites and deseruinges.
After that, he stretcheth his ensample oute agaynste all other goodworkes of thelawe, and concludeth that the Iewes cannot be Abrahams heyres because
(20) of bloud and kynred only, and moche lesse by theworkes of the lawe, but must enheret Abrahams fayth, yf they wilbe the right heyres of Abraham for as moche as Abraham before the lawe, bothe of Moses and also of circumcision, was thorowefayth made righteous and called the father of all them that beleue, and not of them that worke. Moreouer the lawe causeth wrath, in as mocheas
(2s)no man can fulfill it with loue and luste, and as longe as suche grudginge, hate and indignacion agaynst the lawe remayneth in the herte, and is not taken awaye by the sprite that commeth by fayth, so longe (no doute) the workes of the lawe, declare euidently that the wrathe of God is vpon vs and not fauoure.
Wherfore fayth only receyueth thegrace promysed vnto Abraham. And these (30) ensamples were not written for Abrahams sake only (sayth he) but for oures also to whom yf webeleue, fayth shalbe rekened lykewyse for righteousnes, as he sayth in the ende of the Chapter.
The Prologe to the Romayns In the. v. Chapter he commendeth the frutes and workes of fayth, as are peace, reioysinge in the conscience, inwardeloue, to God and man: moreouer, boldnes, trust, confidence and astronge and a lusty mynd and stedfaste hope in tribulacion and sufferinge. Forall suche folowe, where the rightefayth is,
(s) for the abundante graces sake and gyftes of the sprite, which God hath geuen vs in Christe, in that he gaue him to dye for vs yet his enymies. Now haue we then that fayth only before allworkes iustifieth, and that it foloweth not yet therfore that a man shulde do no good workes but that the righte shapen workes abide not behind, but accompanye fayth, euen as brightenes doth the sunne,
Good workes (ro) and are called of Paul the frutes of the sprite. Wherethe sprite is, therit is alwayes somer and ther are alwayes good frutes, that is to saye: good workes. This is io Pauls order, that good workes springe of the sprite, the sprite cometh by fayth iit. and fayth commeth by hearinge the worde of God, when the glad tydinges and promises which god hath made to vs in Christe, are preached truly, and re- (1s) ceaued in the grounde of the herte without waueringe or doutinge aftir that thelawe hath passed vpon vs and hath damned oureconsciences. Where the worde of God is preached purely and receaued in the herte, thereis fayth and the sprite of God, and ther are also good workes of necessite when soeuer occasion is geuen. Where Goddis worde is not purely: preached, butmens dreames, tradi- (20) cions, ymaginacions, inuencions, ceremonies and supersticion, there is no fayth and consequently no sprite that cometh of God. And where Goddis sprite is not, there can be no good workes, euen as where an appell treis not, there can growe no appels, but there is vnbelefe, the deuels sprite and euyll workes. Of this goddis sprite and his frutes, haue oure holy ypocrites not once knowen,
(2s) nether yet tasted how swete they are, though they fayne many good workes of their awne ymaginacion, to be iustified withall, in which is not one crome of true fayth or spirituall loue, or ofinward ioye, peace and quyetnes of conscience, for as moche as they haue not the worde of Godfor them, that suche workes please God, but they are euen the roten frutes of a roten tre.
(30) After that he breaketh forth, and runneth at large, and sheweth whence both synne and righteousnes, deeth and lyfe come. And he compareth Adam and Christ to gether, thus wyse reasoninge and disputinge, that Christ must
20-2
ee The Prologe to the Romayns neades come as a second Adam to make vs heyres of his rightewesnes, thorow a newe spirituall birth, without oure deseruinges: euen as the first Adam made vs heyres of synne, thorowe the bodely generacion, withoute oure deseruinge.
Whereby is euydently knowen and proued to the vttermoste, that no man can (s) bringe him selfe oute of synne vnto rightewesnes, nomore then he coulde haue withstonde that he was bornebodely. And that is proued herewith, for as moche as the very lawe of God, which of righte shulde haue holpe, yf any thinge coulde haue holpe, not only came and broughtno helpe with hyr, but also encreased synne, because that the euill and poysoned nature is offended and vtterlydis- (10) pleasedwith thelawe, and themore she is forfedt by the lawe, the more is she prouoked and set a fyre to fulfill and satisfie hyr lustes. By thelawe then we se clerely that we muste nedes haue Christe to iustifie vs with his grace, and to helpe nature.
In the. vj. he setteth forth the chefe and principall worke of fayth, thebatayll
(1s) of the sprite agaynst the flesshe, how the sprite laboureth and enforseth to kyll the remenaunte of synne and luste which remayne in the flesshe, after oure iustifyinge. And this chapter teacheth vs, that we are not so fre from synne thorowefayth, that we shulde henceforth goo vp and doune ydle carlesset and sure of oure selues, as though there were nowe no more synne in vs. yes there
(20) is synne remayningein vs, but it is not rekened, because of fayth and of the sprite, which fighte agaynst it. Wherfore we haueynough to do all oure lyues longe, to tame oure bodies, and to compell the members to obeye the sprite and not the appetites, that therby we myghte be lyke vnto Christes deeth and resurreccion, and mighte fulfill oure baptyme, which signifieth the mortifiynge
(2s) of synnes, and the newelife of grace. For this batayle ceaseth not in vs vntill the laste breth, and vntyll that synne be vtterly slayne by the deeth of the bodye.
Folio cexiii.
This thinge (I meane to tame the body and so forth) we are able to do (sayth he) seynge we are vnder grace and not vnder the lawe, what it is, not to be vnder the lawe, he him selfe expoundeth. For not to be vnder the lawe is
(30) not so to be vnderstond, that euery man may do what him lusteth. But not to be vnder the lawe, is to haue a fre herte renewedwith the sprite, so that thou haste luste inwardly of thyne awne accorde to do that which thelawe
The Prologe to the Romayns commaundeth, with oute compulcion, ye though therewere no lawe. For grace that is to saye Goddis fauoure bringeth vs the sprite, and maketh vs loue thelawe, so ys there nowe no moare synne, nether is the lawe nowe any moare agaynst vs, but at one and agreed with vs and we with it.
(5) But to be vnder the lawe, is to deale with the workes of the lawe, and to worke without the sprite and grace: for so longe no doute synne raynethin vs thorowe the lawe, thatis to saye, the lawe declareth that we are vnder synne and andt that synne hath power and dominion ouer vs, seynge we cannot fulfill the lawe, namely within in the hert, for as moche as no man of nature
'{(r0) fauoureth thelawe, consenteth there vnto and delyteth therin. Which thinge is exceadinge greate synne, that we cannot consent to the lawe which lawe is nothinge else saue the will of god.
This is theright fredome and liberte from synne and from the lawe where of hewryteth vnto the ende of this Chapter, that it is afredome to doo good only
(1s) with luste, and to lyue well with oute compulcion of the lawe. Wherforethis fredomeis a spirituall fredome, which destroyeth not thelawe, but ministreth that which the lawe requyreth, and where with the lawe is fulfilled, that is to vnderstond, luste and loue, where with the lawe is stilled and accuseth vs no moare, compelleth vs no moare, nether hath oughte to craue of vs any
(20) moare. Euen as though thou were in dette to an other man, and were not able to paye, two maner wayes mightest thou be losed. One waye, if he wold requyre nothinge of the, and breke thyne obligacion. An other waye, yf some other good man wolde paye for the, and geue the as moche as thou mightest satisfie thine obligacion with all. Of this wyse hath Christe made vs fre from the (2s) lawe: and therforeis this no wilde flesshely liberte, that shulde doo nought, but that doeth all thinges, and is fre from the crauinge and dette of the lawe.
In the. vij. he confirmeth the same with a similitude of the state of matrimony. As when the husbonde dyeth the wyfe is at hyr liberte, and the one lowsed and departed from the other, not that the woman shulde not haue
(30) power to marie vnto an other man, but rather now fyrste of all is she fre and hath power to marie vnto an otherman which she coulde notdo before, till she was lowsed from hyr fyrst husbond. Euen so are oure consciences bound
The Prologe to the Romayns and in daunger to the lawe vnder olde Adam the flesh, as longe as he lyueth in vs. For the lawedeclareth that oure hertes are bounde and that we cannot disconsent from him. But when he is mortified and kylled by the sprite, then is the conscience fre and at liberte: not so that the conscience shall nowe nought
(s)do, but now fyrst of all cleuyth vnto an other, that is to wete Christ, and bringeth forth the frutes of lyfe. So nowe to be vnder the lawe, is not to be able to fulfill the lawe, but to be detter to it and not able to paye that which thelawe requyreth. And to belowse from the lawe, is to fulfill it and to paye that which the lawe demaundeth, so that it can now henceforth axe the nought.
(oc) Consequently Paul declareth more largely the nature of synne and of the lawe, how that thorowe thelawe synne reuyueth, moueth hyr selfe, and gadereth strenghtt. For the oldman and carruptt nature, themoare he is forboden and kepte vnder ofthe lawe, is the moare offended and displeased there with, for Folio cCXIiit. as moche as he cannot paye that which is requyred of the lawe. For synne is his
(1s) nature and of him selfe, he cannotbut synne. Therfore is thelawe deeth to him, tormente and marterdome. Not that the lawe is euyll, but be cause that the euyll nature cannot soffre that which is good, cannot abide that thelawe shulde requyre ofhim any good thinge. Lyke as a sicke man cannot suffre that a man shulde desyre ofhim to runne, to lepe and to doo other dedes of an wholeman.
20) For which cause saynt Paul concludeth, that where the lawe is vnderstonde and perceaued of the bestewyse, there it doeth no moare but vtter synne, and bringe vs vnto the knowledge of oure selues, and therby kylle vs and make vs bonde vnto eternall damnacion and detters of the euerlastingewrath of God, euen as he well fealeth and vnderstondeth whos conscience is truely touched
(2s) of the lawe. In suche daunger were we yer thelawe came, that we knewe not what synne mente, nether yet knowe we the wrath of God apon synners, tyll the lawe had vttered it. So seest thou that a man must haue some other thinge, ye and a gretter and a moare myghty thinge then the lawe, to make him righteous and safe. They that vnderstonde not thelawe on this wyse, are blind
(30) and goo to worke presumptuously, supposinge to satisfie the lawe with workes.
For they knowe not that the lawe requyreth a fre, a willinge, a lusty and a louinge herte. Therfore they se not Moses ryght in the face, the vayle hangeth
The Prologe to the Romayns between and hydeth his face so that they cannot behold the glorye of his countenaunce, how that the lawe is spirituall and requyreth the hert. I mayeof myne awne strength refrayne that I doo myne enimye no hurte, but to loue him with all myne herte, and to put awaye wrathe clene oute of my mynde can I not (s) ofmyne awne strength. I maye refuse money of myne awne strength, but to put awaye loue vnto riches oute of myneherte can I not do of myne awne strength. To abstayne from adultery as concerninge the uttewardet dede can
Ido of myne awne strength, but not to desyre in myne hert is as vnpossible vnto me as is to chose whether I will hongyr or thrustt, and yet so the lawe requireth.
-|(zo) Wherfore of a mans awne strength is the lawe neuer fulfilled; we must haue thereunto goddis fauoure and his sprite, purchased by Christes bloude.
Neuerthelesse when I saye a man maye do many thinges vttewardly clene agaynst his herte, we must vnderstonde that man is but. dreuen ofdiuers appetites, and the greatest appetite ouercommeth the lesse and caryeth the (ts) man awaye violently with hyr.
As when I desyre vengeaunce, and feare also the inconuenience that is lyke to folowe, yffeare be greatter, I abstayne and yf the appetite that desyreth vengeaunce be gretter, I cannot but prosecute the dede, as we se by experience in many murtherars and theues, which though they be brought in to neuer so (2c) great perell of deeth, yet after they haue escaped, do euen, the same agayne.
And commen wemen prosecute their lustes because feare and shame areawaye, when other which haue the same appetites in their hertes, abstayne at the leest waye vtwardly or worke secretly beynge ouercome of feare and of shame, and so lykewyse is it of all other appetites.
(25) Further moare he declareth, how the sprite and the flesshe fighte to gether in one man, and maketh an ensample of him selfe, that we myghte lerne to to ge gethert. lio ccxv.| knowe that worke a righte, I meane to kyll synne in oure selues. He calleth both the sprite and also the flesshe a lawe, because that lyke as the nature of Goddis lawe is to dryue, to compell, and to craue euen so the flesshe dryueth, compelleth,
(30) craueth and rageth, agaynst the sprite, and will haue her lustes satisfied.
On the other sydedryueth the sprite, cryeth and fighteth agaynst theflesshe, and will haue his luste satisfied. And this strife dureth in vs, as longe as we liue: in
The Prologe to the Romayns some moare and in some lesse as the sprite or the flesshe is stronger, and the very man his awne selfe is both the sprite and the flesshe, which fighteth with his awne selfe vntyll synne be vtterly slayne and he all to gether spirituall.
In the. viij. Chapter he comforteth suche fighters that they dispere not (s) because of suche flesshe, other thinke that they ar lesse in fauoure with God.
And he sheweth how that the synne remayninge invs, hurteth not, for there is no daunger to them that are in Christ which walke not after the flesshe, but fight agaynst it. And he expoundeth more largely what the nature of the flesshe and of the sprite is, and how the sprite commethby Christ, which sprite maketh
(10) vs spirituall, tameth, subdueth and mortifieth the flesshe, and certifieth vs that we are neuerthelesse the sonnes of God, and also beloued, though that synne rage neuer so moche in vs, so longe as we folowe the sprite and fighte agaynst synne to kyll and mortifet it. And because the chastysinge of the crosse and sufferinge are nothinge plesant, he comforteth vs in oure passions and afflic- (1s) cions by the assistens of the sprite which maketh intercession to God for vs, mightely with groninges that passe mans vtteraunce, so that mans speche cannot comprehend them, and the creatures morne also with vs ofgreate desyre that they haue, that we were lowsed from synne and corrupcion of the flesshe.
So se we that these thre Chapters, the. vj. vij. viij. doo none other thingeso (20) moche as to dryue vs vnto the right worke of fayth, which is to kyll the olde man and mortifie the flesshe.
In the. ix. x. and. xj. Chapters he treateth of Goddis predestinacion, whence it springeth all to gether, whether we shall beleue or not beleue, be lowsed from synne or not belowsed. By which predestinacion oure iustifiynge and saluacion
(2s) are clene taken oute of oure handes, and put in the handes of God only, which thinge is most necessary of all. For we are so weke and so vncertayne, that yf it stode in vs, there wolde of a trueth no manbe saued, the deuell no doute wolde deceaue vs. But now is Godsure, that his predestinacion cannot deceaue him, nether can eny man withstande or let him, and therforehaue we hope and trust
(30) agaynste synne.
But here muste a marke be set vnto those vnquyet, busye and hye clyming sprites howe ferre they shall goo, which fyrst of all bringe hether therehye
The Prologe to the Romayns reasons and pregnant wittes, and begynne fyrst from an hyeto serche the botomlesse secretes of Goddis predestinacion, whether they be predestinat or not. These must nedes ether cast themselues doune hedelong in to desperacion or else commit them selues to fre chaunce carelesse. But folowe thou the order
This do yfthou wilt vnderstonde (s) of this pistle, and noosell thyselfe with Christ, andlerne to vnderstonde what the lawe and thegospell meane, and the office of both two, that thou mayst in the oneknowe thy selfe, and how that thou hast of thy selfe no strength, but to synne: and in the other the grace of Christ. And then se thou fyghte agaynst synne and the flesshe as the. vij. fyrst chapters teache the. After that when thou
(x0) arte come to the. viij. chapter, and arte vnder the crosse and sufferinge of joccxvi.| tribulacion, the necessite of predestinacion will waxe swete and thou shalt well felehow precyouse a thinge it is. For excepte thou haue borne the crosse of aduersite and temptacion, and hast felte thy selfe brought vnto the very brymme of desperacion, ye and vnto hell gates, thou canst neuer medle with the sentence
(1s) of predestinacion without thyne awne harme, and without secret wrath and erudginge inwardly agaynst God, for other wyseit shall not be possible for the to thinke that God is righteous and iuste. Therfore must Adam be well mortified and the flesshely wytte brought vtterly to nought, yer that thou mayst awaye with this thinge, and drinke so stronge wyne. Take hede therfore vnto thy selfe,
(0) that thou drinke not wyne, while thou art yet but asucklinge. For euery lerninge hathhyr tyme, measure and age, and in Christ is there acertayne childhod, in which a manmust be content with mylke for a ceason, vntyll he waxe stronge and growe vp vnto a perfecte man in Christ, and be able to eate of moare stronge meate.
(25) In the. xij. Chapter he geueth exhortacions. For this maner obserueth Paul in all his pistles, fyrst he teacheth Christ and the fayth, then exhorteth heto goodworkes, and vnto continuall mortifyinge of the flesshe. So here teacheth he good workes in deade, and the true seruinge of God, and maketh all men
Prestes, to offer vp not money and beastes, as the maner was in the tyme of the (30) lawe, but their awne bodyes, with killinge and mortifyinge of the lustes of the flesshe. After that he describeth the outwarde conuersacion of Christen men, how they oughte to behaue them selues in sprituall thinges how to teache,
The Prologe to the Romayns preache and rule in the congregacion of Christ, to serue one another, to suffre all thinges paciently, and to commit the wreke and vengeaunce to God, in conclusion how a Christen man oughte to behaue him selfe vnto all men, to frend, foo or what soeuer he be. These are the righte workes of a Christen man
(s) which springe oute of fayth. For fayth kepeth not holyedaye, nether suffereth any man to be ydle, whersoeuer he dwelleth.
In the. xiij. he teacheth to honoure the wordlyt and temporall swerde.
For though that mans lawe and ordinaunce make not a man good before God, nether iustifie him in the herte, yet are they ordeyned for the furderaunce of the The. xiij Chapter.
(10) commune welth, to mayntene peace, to punishe the euyll and to defende the good. Therfore ought the good to honoure the temporall swerde and to haue it in reuerence, though as concerninge themselues they nede it not, but wolde abstayne from euyll of their awne accorde, ye and do good without mans lawe, butby thelawe of the spritewhich gouerneth the harte, and aydeth it vnto all
(1s) that is the will of God. Finally he comprehendeth and knetteth vp all in loue.
Loue of her awne nature bestoweth all that she hath and euen her awne selfe on thatwhich is loued. Thou neadest not to byd a kind mother to be louinge vnto her only sonne. Mochelesse spirituall loue. Which hath eyes geuen her of God, neadeth mans lawe to teache her to do hir dutie.
Loue is the fulfillinge of the lawe.
(20) And as in the begynninge he dyd put forth Christe as the cause and auctor of oure rightewesnes and saluacion, euen so here setteth he him forth as an ensample to counterfayte that as he hath done to vs, euen so shulde we do one to another.
In the. xiiij. Chapter he teacheth to dealesoberly with the consciences of the weke in the fayth, which yet vnderstond not the libertie of Christ perThe. xiiij
Chapter.
(2s) fectly ynough and to fauer them of Christen loue, and notto vse theliberte of the Folio CCXVIIL. fayth vnto hinderaunce. But vnto the furderaunce and edifyinge of the weake.
For where suche consideracion is not, there foloweth debate and despisinge of the Gospell. It is better therfore to forbere the weke a while, vntyll they waxe stronge, then that thelearninge of the Gospell shuld comeall to geder vnder- (30) foote. And suche worke is singular worke of loue, and where loue is perfecte, there muste nedes be suche a respecte vnto the weake, a thinge that Christ commaunded and charged to be had aboue all thinges.
The Prologe to the Romayns In the. xv. Chapter he setteth forth Christ agayne to befolowed, that we
The. xv.
Chapter. also by his ensample, shulde suffre other that are yet weake, as them that are frayle, open synners, vnlerned, vnexperte, and of lothsome maners, and not to cast them awaye forthwith, but to suffre them tyll they wax better and exhorte
(s) them in the meane tyme. For so dealte christ in the gospell and now dealeth with vs dayly, soffering our vnperfetnes, wekenes, conuersacion and maners, not yet fassioned after the doctrine of the Gospell, but smell of the flesshe, ye and sometyme breake forth in to outward dedes.
After that to conclude with all he wyssheth them encreace offayth, peace, (a0) and ioye of conscience, prayseth them and committeth them to god and magnifieth his office and administracion in the gospell, and soberly and with egrete discrecion desyreth succur and ayde of them for the poore saynctes of Ierusalem, and it is all pure loue that he speketh or dealeth with all So fynde we in this pistle plentuously, vnto the vttmoste, what soeuer a Christen man or woman
(ts) ought to knowe, that ys to wete what the lawe, the Gospell, synne, Grace, Fayth, Righteousnes, Christ, God, Good workes, Loue, Hope, and the Crosse are, and euen where in the pyth of all that pertayneth to the christen fayth stondeth and howe a christen man oughte to be haue him silfe vnto euery man, be he perfect or a synner, good or bad, stronge or weke, frend or foo, and in (20) conclusion howe to behaue oureselues both toward god and toward oure selues also. And all thynges are profoundely grounded in the scriptures, and declared with ensamples of himsilfe, of the fathers and of the prophetes, that This pistle to the Romaynes is the dore into all the scripture: ye and the keye that openeth it and bryngeth men to the true vnderstondynge of it.
The last Chapter. a man can here desyre no moare.
Wherfore it appereth euidently, that Pauls mynde was to comprehende (2s) breuely in this pistle all the hole lernynge of Christes Gospell, and to prepare an introduccion vnto all the olde testament. For without doute whosoeuer hath this Pistle perfectly in his herte, the same hath thelyght and the effecte ofthe olde testamente with him. Wherfore let euery man with oute excepcyon exercyse him selfe therin diligently, and recordeit nyght and daye continually,
(30) vntyll he be full acquaynted therewith.
The last chapter is a chapter of recommendacyon, Wherin he yet myngleth a good monycyon, that weshulde beware of the tradicyons and doctryne of
The Prologe to the Romayns men whychebegyle the simple with sophistry and lernynge that is not after the gospell, and drawe them from Christ, and noosell thet in weke and feble and (as Paul calleth them in the pistle to the Galathyans) in bedgerly* cerimonyes, for the entent that they wolde lyue in fatte pastures and be in auctoryte, and be
(s) taken as Christ, ye and aboue christ, and sit in the temple of god, that is to witt in the consciences of men, where God only, his worde, and hys christ ought to sitte.
Compare therfore all maner doctryne of men vnto the scripture, and se whether they agre or not. And committe thy silfe whole and all to gether vnto Christ, and Folio cexix. so shall he with his holy sprite and with all hys fulnes dwell in thy soule.
(to) | The somme and hole cause of the wrytinges of this epistle, is, to proue that a man is iustifietht by fayth onlye: which proposicion whoso denieth, to him is not only this epistle and all that Paul wryteth, but also the hole scripture so locked vp, that he shall neuer vnderstonde it tohis soules healthe. And to bringe a man to the vnderstondinge and felynge that fayth onlye iustifieth: Paule
(1s) proueht that the hole nature of man is so poysoned and so corrupte, ye and so deed concerninge Godly lyuinge or Godly thinkinge, that it is impossible for hir to kepe thelawe in the sight of God: that is to saye, to loue it, and ofloue and lust to do it as naturally as a man eateth or drinketh, vntill she be quyckened agayne and healed thorow fayth.
20) And by iustifyinge, vnderstonde none other thinge then to bereconciled to God and to be restored vnto his fauoure, and to haue thy synnes forgeuen the. As when I saye God iustifieth vs, vnderstonde therby, that God for Christes sake, merites and deseruinges only receaueth vs vnto his mercie, fauoure and grace, and forgeueth vs oure synnes. And when I saye Christ iustifieth vs,
(2s) vnderstonde therby that Christ onlye hath redemed vs, bought and delyuered vs oute of thewrath of God and damnacion, and hath with his workes onlye, purchased vs themercie, thefauoure and grace of God, and the forgeuenes of oure synnes. And when I saye that fayth onlye iustifieth, vnderstonde therby that fayth and trust in the truthe of God and in the mercye promysed vs
(30) for Christes sake, and for his deseruinge and workes onlye, doth quyet the conscience and certifie hir that oure synnes be forgeuen and we in the full fauoure of God.
The Prologe to the Romayns Furthermore, set before thyne eyes Christes workes and thyne awneworkes. Christes workes onlye iustifieth andmake satisfaccion for thy synne, and thyne awne workes not: that is to saye, quyeteth thy conscience and make the sure that thy synnes are forgeuen the, and not thyne awne workes. For (s) the promyse of mercie is made the for Christes workes sake, and not for thyne awne workes sake. Wherforeseinge God hath not promysed that thyne awne workes shall saue the, therfore fayth inthine awne workes can neuer quyet thy conscience nercertifie the before God (When god commeth to iudge and to take a reconnynge) that thy synnes are forgeuen the. Beyonde all this, myne
'\(10) awne workes can neuer satisfie the lawe or paye hir that I owe hir. For I owe the lawe to louehir with all myneheart, sowle, power and myght. Which thynge to paye I am neuer able whyle I am compased with flesshe. No, I cannot once begynne to loue thelawe, except Ibe fyrst sure by fayth that God Joueth me and forgeueth me.
(15) Finallie that we saye fayth onlye iustifyeth, ought to offende no man. For if this be true, that Christ onlye redemed vs, Christ onlyebare oure synnes, made satisfaccion for them and purchased vs thefauoure of God, then must it nedes be true, that the trust onlye in Christes deseruinge andin the promises of God the father made vs for Christes sake, doth onlye quyet the conscience and (20) certifie hir that the synnes are forgeuen. And when they saye, a man must repent, forsake synne, and haue apurpose to synne no more as nye as he can and loue the lawe of God: Ergo fayth alone iustifieth not. I answere, that and all lyke argumentes are nought, and lyke to this. I must repent and be sorie, lio ccxx.| the Gospell must be preached me, and I must beleue it or else I cannot be
(25) partaker of the mercie which Christ hath deserued for me, Ergo Christ onlye iustifieth me not, or Christ onlye hath not made satisfaccion for my synnes.
As this is a naughtie argumentso is the other.
Now goto reader, and accordinge to the order of Pauls wrytinge, euen so do thou. Fyrst beholde thy selfe dyligentlye in the lawe of God, and se there
(30) thy iust damnacion. Secondarely turne thyne eyes to Christ, and sethere the exceadinge mercie of thy moost kynde andlouinge father. Thirdly remember that Christ made not this atonement that thou shuldest anger God agayne:
; The Prologe to the Romayns
nether dyed he for thy synnes, that thou shuldest lyue still in them: nether clensed he the, that thou shuldest retourne (as a swyne) vnto thyne olde podell agayne: but that thou shuldest be a new creature and lyue a new lyfe after the . will of God and not of the flesshe. And bediligent lest thorow thyne awne
(s)necgligence and vnthankfulnes thou losethis fauoure and mercie agayne.
Farewell.
| W.T.