The first tome or volume of the Paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the Newe Testamente

The fyrst Chapter.

WHan the tyme by the purpose and appoyntemente of God prefixed, and by soondrye sage sawes of the Prophetes a∣for••tolde and promised, and by the space of so many hun∣dred yeres, greatly wished for of holy and deuout people, was now come, that the sonne of God shoulde take vpon hym the nature of manne, for to redeme mankynde by his death, and aswell by his doctrine as also by his exaumple of doyng, for to enstructe vs towardes the knowledge of the trueth, and the earnest loue and desyre of the godlye trade of the ghospell, and finally by his promyses for to set vp oure hertes towardes the hope of the lyfe euerlastyng in heauen: for because all this same that was to bee doen was straunge, nor the lyke heard of, in any age or tyme afore, (the wysedome of god by secrete wayes and meanes ordreyng all thynges) there was leate passe no poynte at all of any tokens or euident signes, whiche mighte to a matier of it selfe incredible, purchase credite, and cause it to bee beleued among men. For who hath euer heard a man to haue been borne of a woman on earth, which should for euermore reigne God in heauen? The histories euen of the Gentiles also be full of straunge thinges that haue happened against the cōmon course of nature. In the bokes of the olde testament we learne that fyer hath been cast downe from heauen: we learne the sea to haue opened and deuided it selfe into twoo partes: water to haue been gotten foorth of a drie stone by touchyng it with a long rodde, and deade menne to haue been restored agayne to lyfe. But who hath euer hearde a virgin to haue brought foorth a chylde without mans helpe? Yet in dede the chiefe article of our saluacion it was, that this same point were to all persones throughly perswaded, that is to wete, Iesus to be thesame Messias, whose cummyng, all foretellynges of the Prophetes had promysed, and whom all the lawes of Moses had by waye of a shadowe expressed, and of whome onely all persons muste hope and truste to haue theyr saluacion.

[ The texte.] ¶There was in the dayes of Herode the kyng of Iewry, a certayne prieste named Zacha∣rie, of the course of Abia, and his wyfe of the doughters of Aaron, and her name was Eli∣zabeth.

Wherfore by the high wysedome and prouidence of god, there was one pre∣pared, the whiche beyng for his owne parte also borne into this worlde after a woonderfull straunge sorte, shoulde goe before the heauenly chylde bearing of

the virgin Marie: and the which through the noblenesse of his linage, through suche his holynesse of liuing as had not afore that tyme bene hearde of, and by his auctoritie, through his rare gyftes of grace gotten among all the people, might vnto Christ beyng not yet borne, procure the fyrst knoweleage and faith among the Iewes whiche were harde of beliefe euen as the doctrine of the gos∣pel (wherof Christ was the heade, the firste founder, and firste brynger vp) was at the firste beginnyng made acceptable vnto the worlde, by the testimonye of the olde lawe, the figure of the whiche olde lawe, Zacharie and Iohn did repre∣sent. But in shorte processe of tyme, (the course of thynges beeyng chaunged a contrarie waie) lyke as Christ whan his vertues & giftes of grace were shewed foorth, did derken the glorye of Iohn: so the brightnesse of the maiestie of the ghospell, as soone as it once opened it selfe vnto the worlde, dyd (as ye woulde saie) clene abrogate the autoritie of Moses lawe. And so it was that where Ia∣cob the Patriarke a litle before he shoulde dye, beyng endowed with the spirite of prophecie, did foresaye veray many thynges which should afterwarde come to passe, whan it was now come to the mencioning and namyng of Iuda, (out of whose tribe our Lorde Iesus shoulde issue and procede by lineall dissent) he spake these wordes of the prophecie, folowyng. The sceptre (sayed he) shal not be taken from Iuda, ne the head tewler from the thighe of hym, vntyll he come that must be sent, and veray he shalbe the expectacion of all nacions. This pro∣phecie did euidently enough betoken that Messias should at suche tyme come, whan the people of the Iewes (whiche had afore from tyme to tyme euermore been rewled and gouerned by capitaynes, iudges, kynges, and priestes of their owne nacion) should now be subiecte to a prince borne in a foreyne countreye. And thesame Prophecie did al vnder one geue a tokē, that the grace of the gos∣pell (whiche the Iewes would despyse and sette at nought) shoulde passe and go from theim vnto the Gentyles.* 1.1 But firste of all others, Herode the sonne of Antipater, whereas he was neyther descended of the bloud of the Iewes, and yet was besides••orth an vngodly and a wieked person, was not onlye enfraun∣chised and called to the honour to be a denisen of the coūtrey of Iewrie, but al∣so through the fauour of Ceasar Augustus than Emperour of Rome, obtay∣ned the kyngdome and rewle ouer the Iewes. Therfore euen vp this token a∣lone (though there had been no mo, nor no o••her) the Scribes and the Phari∣sees, (whiche tooke vpon them the exacte and perfite knowleage of the lawe,) might haue geassed, that the tyme was now come, whan that same man should bee borne, who defacyng and vanquishyng all terrene or yearthly kingdomes, should bryng into the worlde an heauenly kyngdome, and whiche in the place and stede of tyrannes, should create pastours, and in stede of lordely maisters, should make tēdre fathers. Furthermore whereas the dignitie of the Iudaical priesthoode was in excedyng high honour and in wondreful estimacion ••mong al persones: the holy ghost had by the prophetes declared afore, that this priest∣hood also of the Iewes should be abrogated and abolished, after that he were once come, the whiche not beeyng enoynted by men with materiall or bodelye oyle, but beeyng enoynted by God in spirite with the oyle celestiall, shoulde through a sacrifice (beeyng in dede no mo but one sole sacrifice,* 1.2 but thesame neuerthelesse a sacrifice of moste absolute efficacie & vertue) take awaye all the synnes of the world: and should through the feyth of the gospell, and the boun∣teous geuyng of the spirite of God, sanctifie and make holy all thynges.

For Daniel had prophecied,* 1.3 that after the weekes or seuen doubles of yeres, that is to say, after seuen times seuen yeres by God prefixed, it should come to passe, that the holy of all holyes should be enoincted, and than from thence∣forth should the hostes and sacrifices of the olde lawe ceasse. Whan the thyn∣ges eternall shall be once come, thynges transitorye shall haue an ende: whan ghostely thynges shall be come, thynges carnall shall cease: whan the trueth shall be come, feyned counterfeytes shall geue place: whan the lyght shall be come, shadowes & darkenesse shall vanishe away: whan Christe shall haue be∣gonne to speake, the voice of the grosse lawe shall playe mum, vntill that it too, do openly professe hym, whom vntill nowe, it did rather (as who should saye) with certain tokens of becking, nod at, or poynte vnto, thē by expresse wordes pronounce and declare to be he. At suche tyme therfore as Herode, beyng first a foreinour and an aliene borne, and secondarily a wicked person, and with many manslaughters and hainous murders, polluted, had all vnder his rewle and obeisaunce emong the Iewes, not by the authoritie of God, but by the fa∣uour of Ceasar Augustus: & at what time the religion of the Iewishe temple, which consisted in externall figures & ceremonies, did moste chiefly of all flou∣rishe emong men: at what time extreme wickednesse & all vngodly facions did before the face of God reigne emong the Scribes, the Phariseis, the elders, & the bishops, vnder the false pretensed colour & cloke of holinesse: euen than dyd the coming of the Lord Iesus, after this sorte as we shall now tel, begyn first to be knowen to the worlde.* 1.4 There was vnder a wicked king a godly prieste, euen (as ye would saye) the last remaines that was left of the olde ordre of priestehood, not beeyng yet corrupted with so many vices: this priestes name was Zachary, whom the ordre of lottes cūming about again by course, did at that present time call to the ministryng of the sacres & holy rites in the temple. For so had Dauid sorted all the whole ordre of priestes into two principall fa∣milies, that is to wete, of Eleasar, and of Ithamar. The other families being subiect vnto these two, he deuided into fower and twentie lottes, that euerye of them in ordre one after an other, should in theyr courses minister the sacres in the temple, eight daies space a piece: absteining all that while from all thin∣ges, which by the rites of Moyses prescripcion, semed to make a mā vnclene: refrayning also frō cumpanying with their wiues, nor cumming once within their owne house, but abydyng still in the temple, to the ende that they myght with the more chastitie & with the more puritie handle the seruice of God: but to all the residue of the priestes (besides him whose course it was to minister for that weeke) it was lefull in the meane space to attende to their wiues and their childrē, & to be occupied about their owne secular affaires, so that it were thynges necessarie and requisite to be done. And so it was, that whyle this ordre was thus in deuiding by lottes, emong the fower and twentie families, the eight place fell by lotte to Abia, of whom zacharye was lineally descended, and into whose place Zachary had by course succeded.* 1.5 All thissame, though it semed to be doen by mere chaimce at auenture, yet was there no one poynte therof, but it was wrought by the high wysedome and prouidence of God, yea not so muche as the veray numbre of the course, but it was for a purpose and a consideracion. For lyke as the numbre of seuen for many causes hath the figure & significacion of the olde lawe, so doeth the numbre of eight well accorde to the grace of the ghospel, for asmuche as the euerlasting blisse of hea∣uen

is nowe geuen, not through the workes of the lawe, but freely and frank∣ly through feith.* 1.6 And Zacharie had also a wife named Elizabeth, not only the better to be estemed for the respecte of her noble birth (for she came of y^e stocke and bloud of Aaron the first prieste of the people of Israell) but also worthie to be had in reuerence and wurship for hir integritie and perfecte goodnesse of behaueour, to the intente that suche an holy man as Zacharie was, should not be without a wyfe accordyng.

[ The texte.] ¶They were both righteouse before God, and so walked in all the commaundementes and ordeynaūces of the Lord, that no man could fynde faulte with them. And they had no childe because that Elizabeth was baraine, and they both were now well stricken in age.

For it was in veray dede an holy wedlocke knitte and made vp, not somuch by copulacion of their bodies, as by lykenesse of theyr mindes and hertes, and by the felowship of godlines, because they were both of them veray good fol∣kes and iust, not with the iustice of the Phariseis (whiche Phariseis vnder a false couiour and counterfaite shewe of holynesse, did sette foorth theyr pryn∣ted sheathe to the iyes of men for lucre and for worldely prayse, defourmyng their faces and makyng them vnsightly for the nons, a troumpette blowyng before them, at all suche times whan they gaue their almes, sekyng to be este∣med holy by reason of long prayers made in corners of the stretes, whan their herte was drouned in all fylthinesse of hainous offences and trespaces against God:* 1.7) but Zachary and Elizabeth with vncorrupt hertes, dyd in suche wyse obserue and kepe all thynges whiche the Lord had commaunded by the lawe: that neyther they gaue vnto men any holde or tytle to fynde faulte with them, and yet (the which is a poynte of no small difficultie) they did also by the puri∣tie and clenesse of their liuyng, shewe themselfes pleasyng in the sight of God. Yea and this veray poynte also was wrought by the high wysedome of God, of a speciall prouision, to the ende that suche a one as should afterwarde geue testimonie vnto Christe at his cumming, might on his owne behalfe be in all maner degrees worthy acceptacion emong the people of the Iewes: first, for the noblenesse of his linage being descended of the ordre of priesthood aswell on the fathers syde as on the mothers syde: secondarily for the linyng of both his parentes beyng vnreprouable: thirdly for the vertues & giftes of grace in his owne selfe, beyng wonderfull, and suche as were but in fewe persones to be found: and finally for his gloryous death, whan he should suffre for the truthes sake. Suche a cryar veryly it was mete y^t he should haue, which came to allure to hymselfe the whole worlde, with the sauor, as it were, of the good fame and opinion that should spryng of hym. Ferthermore by the prouidence of God, this poynte alo was wrought, that the straunge maner of his natiui∣tie should stiere vp the myndes of men to haue a speciall regarde of Iohn:* 1.8 and no suche common matiers or facions as were in other folkes to be looked for at his hande, the whiche was borne into this worlde not after the common course of nature, but by the onely benefite of God. For although the holy con∣uersacion of zacharie and Elizabeth was specially well approued & allowed of all persons: yet in this one poynte their godlynesse semed to haue but hard happe, that both of them were veray ferre growē in age without hauing any issue or childe in all their tyme. For emong the Iewes lyke as the fruitfulnesse of matrimonie was reputed for a certayne thyng of great Royaltie: so was barainnesse in as muche reproche as any thyng, and was rekoned in the num∣bre of the chiefe missehappes and euils of this lyre. For the moste parte of the

people did interprete and take those persons to bee reiected and cast out of the fauour of God, whiche had not had the fortune and happe, with some kynde of issue to encrease and multiplie the people of the Iewes, beeyng a people specially chosen & dedicate vnto God. For the Iewes beyng altogether grosse and carnall, had not yet learned, that a spirituall and ghostely people it was, whiche God would haue by an heauenly generacion styll from tyme to tyme more and more to be multiplied with continuall succession of issue. They had not yet heard that blissed were tho persons, whiche had gelded themselfes for the kingdome of heauen.* 1.9 And this mattier dyd not a lytle grieue them bothe in theyr mindes, & especially Elizabeth, who was now euen already by a muche reprochefull name in euery bodyes mouth called baraine, and was rekoned in the numbre of women of hard happe, as one of suche barainesse, that she was nowe past all lykelyhood or hope to haue any chylde, because that veray many yeres hauyng passed in the coumpanie of her wedded house bande,* 1.10 she had yet brought foorth no fruite of matrimonie. For the reproche of barainnesse is woont moste specially to light on the womē. And this despaire of hauing any chyld, the old age of them both had encreased. But the bounteous goodnesse of God, did of tendre fauour geue vnto the deuoute prayers and desires of theyr hertes, that thyng which the strength and power of nature dyd not geue to the coumpanying of theyr bodyes.

[ The texte.] And it came to passe, that whan Zacharie executed the priestes office before God, as his course came, accordying to the custome of the priestes office, his lotte fell to burne inc••nse. And he wente into the temple of the Lorde, and the whole multitude of the people were without in prayer, whyle the incense was in burnyng.

Therfore whan zacharie executed the office of the prieste in the ordre of his course,* 1.11 whiche (as we haue sayed) was in the course of Abia: and continuing within the temple in the sight of God, attended the ministryng of the sacres, lyke a pure and a chaste man: and now accordyng to the custome and maner, there was one to be chosen to goe into the innermoste and priuiest place of the temple (which is called Sancta sanctorum,* 1.12 that is to say, the holy of holyes, or the principall holy place) the chaunce of the lotte so fell, that he was chosen to entre into the principall holy place,* 1.13 (which it was not leefull for any person to entre except the bishop, or suche an one as were appointed in the bishops stede) and there, on the altare that stood in the secrete inner part of the temple, to lay holy incense made of certayne swete odoures in the olde lawe appointed, that is to wete, of balme, onycha, swete galbanum, and frankyncense of the clerest sorte. For this kinde of sacrifice was estemed emong the Iewes to be the moste holy aboue all others,* 1.14 insomuche that to the seeyng of this sacrifice whan it was in doyng, the lay people were not admitted to come in, no nor yet any of the le∣uites neither. But al the residue besides the priest that did execute, taried with∣out, beyng separated and diuided from that place with a vaile,* 1.15 makyng theyr deuout prayers all the meane whyle, that God would vouchesalue to ratifie that, that was than in offeryng for the helth & safegarde of the whole people: and so remained they without, vntill the prieste after the sacrifice in the inner place cōpleted, came forth againe to the people, to finish the residue of thinges, which to the ordenarie obsequies and rites of sacrifice did apperteine. And the priest did not only pray for the people, but also for himselfe, according vnto the prescripcion of the lawe, as one beeyng a mortall man himselfe aswell as the

others, and in daunger of falling into the errours and vices of this worlde.

[ The texte.] And there appeared vnto hym an Aungell of the Lord, standyng on the rightsyde of the altare of incense. And whan Zacharie sawe hym, he was abashed, & feare came vpon hym.

Therfore whereas zacharie had many yeres afore often tymes with moste earneste desires, cryed vnto God to deliuer as well his wyfe from the reproche of barrainesse, as also hymselfe from the griefe & pensifnesse of beyng without issue: yet (notwithstanding a certaine despaire of hauyng any children many a day sence conceiued in his minde,) he did euen at that present tyme with moste ardent prayers, require of God as though he had than been present before his face, the publike redēpcion of the people, which had now many hundred yeres been looked for. And in dede the fume of the incense mounting vp from the al∣tare, was cast abrode in the aier on euery syde, but the desire of this deuoute bishoppe, perced vp euen to God, the Aungels carrying it, whose office it is to conueigh vp to almightie God the prayers of the godly, and agayne to bryng downe to vs his bounteouse largesse.* 1.16 An Aungell therfore that had been sente from heauen, stood at the ryght ende of the altare, on which the swete sauours of incense was burned, as one ready to declare some glad tydinges (because thynges that chaunce to be on the ryghtsyde, haue commonly a luckie signifi∣cacion of some good happe to come.* 1.17) Zacharie, whan he had soodainly espyed this Aungell shynyng with celestiall brightnesse (for he came not in openly in a bodily fourme as men vse to do, but soodainly and vnware shewed himselfe visible) truly he was sore dismayed in his minde, and taken with a great feare: not that the Aungell made a shewe of any maner thyng to be feared, but for that the infirmitie of mannes body is not able to abyde the maiestie of the spi∣rites or Aungels of heauen.

[ The texte.] But the Aungell sayed vnto hym: feare not Zacharie, for thy prayer is heard. And thy wyfe Elizabeth shall beare a sonne, and thou shalt cal his name Iohn. And thou shalt haue ioy and gladnesse, and many shall reioyce at the birth of hym. For he shall be great in the syght of the lorde.

But lyke as it is a poynte of mannes weakenesse to fall in a tremblyng and quakyng at the soodaine sight of an Aungell, so is it the propertie of the great goodnesse of them, with ientle and familiar speakyng vnto vs, to take awaye our feare.* 1.18 The Aungell therfore with a gracious looke, and with ientle faire woordes speaking vnto zachary, saied in this wyse: zachary, there is no cause why thou shouldest be afeard, but there is cause why thou maiest be glad & ioyfull. For I bryng glad tydinges bothe vnto thee, and to all the people for whom thou art nowe makyng intercession. God hath graunted thy deuoute and godly peticion.* 1.19 Thesame Messias the deliuerer and sauer of hys people, whiche long and many dayes gonne hath been promysed, and many hundred yeres already looked for, is nowe at hande to come in dede. And not only that thyng whiche thou haste made peticion for is obteyned: but an other thyng also doeth the goodnesse of God adde to the heape of thy desyres, which thyng thou durst not bee so bolde to aske,* 1.20 because thou were nowe cleane out of all hope that it myght by any possibilitie come to passe. Thou madest peticion for the redemer of the worlde: thou shalt receyue also, one that shall declare and publyshe the redemer vnto the worlde.

The fruitefulnesse of thy wyfe Elizabeth that hathe been hitherto by the wysedome and prouidence of God delaied and put of, shall bryng vnto the no smal increase of ioyes: and a generall gladnesse of al the people, shalbe coupled

with the particular reioycing of thyne owne priuate householde▪ Hir fruite∣fulnesse that all folke despaired of, shall haue a commoditie, and do good for this purpose, that all persons maye vnderstande thissame chylde bearyng not to be of the common rate, but the chylde which shalbe borne, to be borne God beyng the worker and dooer of it. In dede thy wyfe shall bryng forth to thee a child, but she shall not bryng forth child to thee alone: she shall bryng forth to the whole people in generall: she shal bryng forth to God, by who••e prouidēce all this matter euery whyt of it is tempered and wrought. So muche the more to the wondre of the worlde shall she bryng forth, that it is so ferre past tyme of her age ere she bryng forth: so muche the more to the pleasyng and re∣ioycyng of all parties, that she had no suche hope: so muche the more to her good happe and fortune, that she shall bryng forth a sonne, and not a sonne at all aduentures, but the great publisher, and foregoer, and (as who should say) the husher and maker of way, and the purseuaunt of the moste great Messias that is to come.* 1.21 To the office of suche an high preeminence, is he by the free and franke fauour of God, pieked out and deputed, & for that cause shalt thou call his name Iohn, that the people may euen therby at leste wise be aduertised, that he shalbe veray well accepted of God, and plenteously heaped with many heauenly gyftes of grace. Therfore the sorowe whiche the barainnesse of thy wyfe hath hitherto brought vnto thee, shall be redubbed with plentifull ioy, and with muche reioycing. Neither shal this ioy be kept or inclosed within the walles or precincte of thyne owne house.* 1.22 There shall at thy ioy a great many of thy frendes reioyce, whiche were sorowefull afore for thy sorowe. There shall leape for ioy at the byrth of thy sonne, all suche as do thirst the cummyng of Messias. This Messias beeyng as it were the sunne in the skye, thy sonne shall go before as it were a certayne day sterre, to geue knowlage afore by his woonderfull brightnesse, that the arisyng of him is euen at hande, which shall on euery syde, put awaye the derkenesse of all the whole vniuersall worlde. In dede the other shall be out of all comparison moste greatest, but yet thy sonne too, lyke as he shalbe muche inferiour to the other: so shall he in dignitie excell and passe all the reste of the other Prophetes that hitherto haue been. For he shall in veray dede be great, not only in the opinion of men, but also in the iyes of the Lorde, vnto whom no man is great, but by the vertues and gyftes of grace whiche himselfe doeth frankly geue. For he shall be great, not in world∣ly richesse and ruffleyng porte of this lyfe, or in worldely dominion, but rather by the contempte and despisyng of those thinges, which make certayne perso∣nes great in the iyes of men. And the lesse that he shall desyre the commodities or welth of this worlde, somuche the more plenteously shall he be couched full of gooddes heauenly.

[ The texte.] ¶Wyne also and strong drynke shall he not drynke, and he shall bee replenished with the holy ghost euen from his mothers wombe: and many of the chyldren of Israel shall he turne to their lorde God. And he shall goe before hym in the spirite and power of Helias, to turne the hertes of the fathers vnto the chyldren, and the vnbelieuers to the wysedome of the iust men, to make ready a perfecte people vnto the lorde.

And as for all kynde of excessiue or delicate fedyng,* 1.23 withall the other ob∣iectacions and pleasures of the body, he shall so muche abhorre, that he wyll not at any tyme drynke any wyne, or any other delicious or strong drynke, ne any liquour at all, that is hable to take awaye so briete from a manne, or to

distemper his braine. For these filthy delites of sensualitie haue no place in such an one, in whose breste the holy ghost hathe taken possession afore to dwell in: which holy ghost shall replenishe the mynde and soule of thy sonne euen whyle he lyeth secrete within the enclosure of his mothers wombe, that he may play the parte of a Prophete in gesture, before he be able to haue any vtteraunce of woordes by speakyng. And in short processe of yeres, whan the gyftes of the spirite of God shall haue growen as his yeres and age shall do, he shall worke wondres: on the one syde, by the exaumple of his moste holy life, and on the o∣ther syde, through suche his preachyng as men shall maruayle at. For (accor∣dyng to the prophecie of Malachias,* 1.24) many of the children of Israel beeyng fallen from the fauour of God, (by reason that whyle they bearyng themselfes bolde on the carnall lawe, tooke no regarde to do those thynges, whiche the figures of the lawe do signifie) he shall conuerte to theyr Lord God, preaching with great frankenesse and plainnesse, the kyngdome of God to be at hande: exhortyng them to the repentaunte emendyng of theyr former lyfe: makyng withoutwarde baptisyng in water, a foreprofer to the abolishyng of synne, whiche abolishing of synne was to come through Messias: and finally vnto all persons openly shewyng that same manne, whom God for this purpose would shortly after send into the worlde, that by hym alone and onely, euerla∣styng saluacion should come vnto all men.* 1.25 Thissame Messias shall first come as a poore humble mā of lowe degree, to the ende that he may conferre & geue euerlastyng saluacion vnto all persons putting their trust & affiaunce in hym. Then afterwardes shall he eftsones come in maiestie to geue rewardes vnto euery one accordyng to their dedes, that is to were, to the good and the godly euerlastyng lyfe, and to the vnbeleuyng and wiked persons euerlasting death. And lyke as by Malachias prophecie,* 1.26 Helias shal be the foremessagier of his second cumming, to prepare the heartes of mē by his preaching, agaynst that same great and terrible daye of the Lorde; ryght so shall thy sonne be the fore∣messagier of the former cummyng, in whiche God by his sonne Messias, shall descend downe into the yearth, to lure & prouoke all persons in generall with∣out excepcion, by Iohns preaching, vnto the knowledge and loue of himselfe. And for this poynte he shall of a great many, he thought to be Helias. Ney∣ther shall he without good cause be sayd to be Helias,* 1.27 in that he shall in the spi∣rite and power of Helias come before the cummyng of the Lorde, to the ende that (as the Prophete Malachias hath wrytten) he maye turne the hartes of the fathers to the children: wherby the Iewes, who haue so farre growē out of kynde and fallen from the holy trade of their forefathers, may amende, and come agayne to better grace: and that thesame Iewes beleuyng in the woor∣des of Messias (by whom God shall speake vnto them) may truely deserue to bee called the children of Abraham, in that they folowe the prompte ready∣nesse of beleuyng, whiche was in Abraham: and also that suche persons, as whyle they cleaue fast to the outwarde rynde or barke of the lawe, do not vn∣derstand the minde and effectuall pith of the lawe, he may conuerte and bryng vnto the wysedome of the iust, whiche haue learned, that vnder the vtter play∣ster or pergetyng of the lawe, there lyeth hydden some higher pointe, and some holyer matter, the whiche shall ere long, be vttered abrode by the preachyng of Messias, who shall perfeitely accomplyshe and fulfyll the lawe in the right kynde as it ought to be, but thy sonne beeyng as a waye leader vnto the hea∣uenly

preaching of thissame Messias, shall prepare the heartes of menne, that he may deliuer vp vnto Messias at his cumming,* 1.28 a people not vtterlye vntra∣ded or vnentred in his discipline, but somewhat prepared already, and instruc∣ted therunto with the agnisyng and knowledgyng of theyr owne synfulnesse, with the expectacion of the kyngdom of heauen, and with feling a great misse and lacke of the Messias to come. For so was it thought best vnto almyghtye God, by castyng fyrst of all, certeine entreinges and principles, to bryng man, whiche had been fallen to vtter ignoraunce and wickednesse, a lytle and a lytle by degrees, vp to the highest poyntes of godly perfeccion.

[ The texte.] And Zacharie sayed vnto the Aungell: vp what token shall I knowe this? For I am olde, and my wyfe is well stricken in age. And the Aungell aunswered, and sayed vnto hym: I am Gabriell that do stand in the presence of God, and am sent to speake vnto the, and to shewe the these glad tydinges. And beholde, thou shalt be dumme, and not hable to speake vntyll the daye that these thynges come to passe, because thou diddest not beleue my woordes whiche shalbe fulfilled in theyr tyme.

The Aungell vsyng all thissame frendely talke, zacharie hath nowe putte awaye the feare that he was in. But forbecause it were great high poyntes that the Aungell promysed, and by course of nature, not credible: Zacharye bothe after the maner and vse of the Iewes, and also representyng a figure of theyr Synagoge, requireth to haue some matter of weight to be annexed to the promises, by some euidente token, to the ende that one miracle shoulde ob∣tayne assured credite vnto an other. Wherfore he aunswered, and spake, vnto the Aungell in this sorte. By what presente token nowe out of hande maye I knowe, that thissame whiche thou doest promyse to come, is a matter of per∣feite certayntie?* 1.29 For otherwyse the very felyng of nature sayeth the contrarye. For I for my parte am already a veray aged man: and my wyfe also is alrea∣dye ouer ferre strieken in yeres, to haue any chyld bearing hoped for of her bo∣dye. Howe shall that thyng nowe chaunce vnto me and her, beyng both of vs olde and past hauyng any fruite, the whiche dyd not chaunce vnto vs whan we were young, and in perfeite lustinesse of our bodyes? Then sayed the Aun∣gell agayne: If a mortall man beeyng sent from another mortall man should promise vnto the suche thynges as these, thou mightest well, and not without good cause, doubt of the promyse. For I graunt that thissame thyng, whiche I promyse, is aboue mans power, and aboue the common ordre and course of nature. But neyther is it possible for an Aungell to bryng a message of va∣nitie, nor any thyng there is so vncredible among menne, but that God can ea∣sily perfourme it vnto them, that beleue in his promisses.

For I am thesame Aungell Gabriell,* 1.30 many yeres gone, sente to the Prophete Daniell, the whiche from tyme to tyme do stande in the sight of God, among the seuen pryncipall seruitours of heauen, in a readynesse to do all maner obe∣dient seruice at the wyll and pleasure of God: and at this present tyme especi∣ally deputed and appoynted by God vnto this office, to bee the messagier be∣twene God and man in this present matter, then the whiche, neuer was there at any tyme any other acte done, more greatter, or more to be meruayled at. Therfore that thou maiest not be in any maner distruste, it is God that is the maker of this promise: and I the messagier sent from thesame, to make rela∣••ion of the matter vnto thee, and to bryng thee glad tidynges.

And sence thou dooest so muche require, thou shalt haue geuen vnto

thee,* 1.31 that shall both bee a true token of the promyse in tyme cummyng to bee perfourmed, and also a punishemente for thy mystrustfulnes at this presente declared. Behold, thou shalt soodainly, euē from this instant become dumme, nor shalt not haue power to bryng a woorde out of thy mouthe, vntyll thy sonne beyng borne into this worlde, shall haue discharged my credite and pro∣mise, of the which there ought not any doubt to haue been made on thy behalf. For the tyme is nowe at hande, that the Synagoge whiche is so harde to be brought to belefe, shall kepe silence, and no persons shall haue tong to speake with at libertie, sauyng onely suche as with ready towardnes to beleue, shall obey and folowe the preachyng of the ghospell.

[ The texte.] And the people were awating for Zacharie, and merueiled that he taried in the temple. And when he came furth, he could not speake vnto them. And they perceyued that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he beckened vnto them, and remained dumme.

Whyle these thynges were in doyng betwene Zacharie and the Aungell, within the innermoste tabernacle of the temple, all the whole body of the peo∣ple stode awayting and lokyng, that the priest should come forth accordyng as the maner was, to execute and ministre the rest of the rites that were yet to bee done abrode in the presence of the multitude. And truely they were strieken in a great wonder, that he made suche tarying in the tabernacle a longer space, then the wonte vse was. At length furth cummeth zacharie, with a countenaunce in dede, shewyng an vnwoonte gladnes, but the vse of his speache cleane taken from him. By the whiche thinges the people rightwell vnderstood, that some vision had appered vnto him while he was within. For the presence and beyng together with any parte of the maiestie of God, or with any Aungell of hea∣uen, is wonte to make a great alteracion in the state and moode of a mortall mans face and countenaunce, as in olde tyme it chaunced also vnto Moyses. And whan he had no power to speake with his tongue, he wrought by signes and tokens of poyntyng and noddyng with his head, whiche was, that the sacrifice had been done to the contentacion of God, and that God was high∣ly pleased therwith, and that they should therfore rendre thankes vnto hym, in that he had graciously heard the deuout prayers of his seruauntes.

And then dyd zacharie (euen dumme as he was) remayne still within the temple executyng his office in ministryng the sacres, vntyll the numbre of his eight daies were completed & ended. The people of the Iewes, all that meane while duryng, had a prieste that could not speake, as an incling and a token of the lawe in shorte processe of tyme afterward to ceasse, and to geue place vnto him, whiche bryngyng the trueth abrode to lyght, should putte awaye all sha∣dowes of thynges, and make them to vanishe.

[ The texte.] And so it was, that whan the dayes of his ministryng were expired, he departed into his owne house. And after those dayes, his wyfe Elizabeth conceyued, and hidde her selfe fiue monethes, saying: Thus hath the Lord delt with me in the dayes wherin he hath lo∣ked vpon me, to take awaye my reproche emong men.

* 1.32But the ordinarie tyme of his ministryng in the temple beeyng expired, za∣charie returned home to his owne house: and there, vpon confidence and trust of the Aungels promise, he enbraced his baraine & aged wyfe Elizabeth. For here in this case, there was no geuyng of themselues to the wanton desire of the fleshe, but great lacke & desire there was of y^e child which should bryng the

glory of God to light & knowledge by his lyfe, and his preachyng: and whiche should be the foregoer of him, who hauing been a long seasō loked for, should at laste bryng perfeite saluacion vnto all creatures. Chaste enbracinges of the housebande and wyfe it is, whiche the promyse of God doeth couple, and not wanton lust of the bodye. An holy compaynying together of man and wyfe it is, that seketh nothyng els, but the fruite of issue: and godly is the loue and desyre of suche issue, as is borne, not to our owne pleasures and appetites, but to the publique benefite and welth of all creatures.* 1.33 Nowe whan Elizabeth had accordyng to the Aungels promyse, conceyued: she hidde her selfe out of companie, kepyng the matter close from the syght of the people, by the space of fiue monethes, in dede no lesse than a glad woman, that she was conceyued with childe, but yet (as vertuous disposicion and shamefastnes commonly go together) more then halfe ashamed, for because that to suche persons, as dyd not yet knowe all thissame matter to bee done, God being the worker and doer of it, she being now already an aged woman, might seme to had wholly geuen herselfe yet still vnto the satisfying of the wanton lust of her body. For she was not ignoraunte, howe muche inclined the moste parte of folkes are, as well to misdeme the wurst, as also to speake naughtily. And the prudent minde of the woman, had also a ferther iye, and regarde vnto this poynte too, that there was no vauntes ne braggues to be made among the people, of the gyfte of God,* 1.34 vntill it were assuredly past all doubtes: leste, if the thing had afterward quailled, or gone awaye in any behalfe, the reproche of her baraines should be double, for that beyng so fer strieken in yeres she had conceyued suche a vayne hope to haue a childe. Neuerthelesse, whan by sundry assured tokens, she per∣feitely knewe herselfe to be with childe, she did in suche wise at all times shewe herselfe glad of her happie chaunce, that all this matter euery whit of it, what soeuer it were, she referred vnto the onely goodnesse of God. I haue hitherto (sayeth she) been diffamed with the reprochefull name of a baraine woman, and one that neuer should haue childe, among the people of Israel, in whose opinion the barainnes of the body is a thing of more dishonestie & shame, then naughty disposiciō of the mynde. But the Lord (I see well) hath for this pur∣pose made a delay of my fruitfulnesse,* 1.35 that a childe borne nowe whan no man looked for it, not onely might deliuer me from the reproche of barainnes, but also should cause vnto me the more aumple ioy. For plainly the free gyfte of God it is, who at suche time as best pleased himselfe, hath vouchedsafe to cast a fauourable iye on me his simple handmaide, in suche sorte, that by reason of my chyld (though beyng but one alone, & borne whan it was almost past sea∣son, yet neuertheles a childe specially to be marked & regarded) whom I haue borne in Gods behalfe, I shall from hencefurth in folkes communicacion bee reported to bee a mother muche happier then a great many of others, the whiche do with a great sorte of children a piece, enriche their housebandes.

[ The texte.] And in the sixth moneth was the Aungell Gabriel sent from God into a citie of Galile, the name wherof is Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man, whose name was Ioseph, of the house of Dauid, and the name of the virgin was Mary. And the Aungell came in vnto her, & sayd: ha••••e thou full of grace, the lorde is with the. Blissed art thou among women.

These thinges thus done, it remained, that the holier & greater piece of this misterie, shoulde bee procured by the Aungell, that is to wete, that the sonne

of God beeyng God immortall, should of a virgin, beeyng a creature subiecte vnto death, bee borne a man mortall: the like wherof neuer had afore sence the creacion of the world been heard,* 1.36 ne to the last ende of the world again should bee heard. Therfore whan the tyme from without begynnyng by God pre∣fixed, drewe nere, that God the father would by his sonne deliuer the whole vniuersall worlde from the tyranny of death and of synne: he sent the selfsame Aungell Gabriell, as a broker or procurer and a maker vp of this godly co∣pulacion andioynyng with the sayed virgin. And this was done in the sixth moneth after that Elizabeth was conceyued with Iohn. Unto this heauenly matter there was specially deputed a tendre yong virgyn, not set furth to the worlde with aboundaūce of riches or possessions, not by famousnes of name, not with portlynesse of lyfe, ne with the other thynges whiche this worlde v∣seth to haue in high regarde: but endued with excellente vertues of the minde, the whiche do make a manne acceptable in the sight of God: that is to saye, with puritie of lyfe vndefiled, with maidenly demurenes, and with godly de∣uocion. Her habitacion was in an homely basse litle toune of Galile called Na∣zareth,* 1.37 a people nothyng regarded ne set by emong the Iewes. And the vir∣gin was espoused vnto a man of no fame ne porte in any behalfe to the worl∣des estimacion: but for his vertues of the mynde, a man to be accepted afore God, a carpenter by occupacion, and his name Ioseph, beyng lineally descen∣ded of the stocke of Dauid, from the which stocke of Dauid, the espoused vir∣gin also had her progenie, to the ende that the case might not disagree with the prophecie, whiche had promised that Messias should be borne of the stocke of Dauid kyng of Israel. And the name of the virgin was Mary. God had for the nons picked out two persons of lowe degree and of small porte, to thentent that the worlde myght not in this heauenly matter, clayme or chalenge to it selfe any poynte or part therof. He had also pieked out persons of moste fault∣lesse and moste pure behauiour, to the ende that no poynte of cryme myght be layed to theyr charge.* 1.38 He had pieked out persons coupled together in chaste and leefull matrimonie, to thentent partely that the priuetie of a childe to bee borne by a pure virgin myght be secrete vntyll the due tyme therof: and part∣ly that the case beyng otherwyse vnbeleuable, (whiche was, that a virgin had without coumpaynying with any manne brought furth a chylde,) myght not lacke a witnesse conueniēt. At a tyme whan this virgin was in her contempla∣cion within her priuy closet (as virginitie loueth to be secrete) the Aungell Ga∣briell apperyng visible with muche bryghtnes came in vnto her, and hayled her with a straunge sorte of salutacion.* 1.39 Rest thou well (sayth he) and reioyce, o virgin beeyng full of grace, and highly in fauour. Thou hast the Lorde ryght fauourable vnto thee, and muche thy frende. And therfore shalt thou be sig∣gularly renoumed, and of a laudable name among all women.

[ The texte.] ¶When she sawe him, she was abashed at his saying: and cast in her mynde, what ma∣ner of salutacion this might be. And the Aungel sayd vnto her: Feare not Mary. For thou hast found grace afore God. Beholde, thou shalt conceyue in thy wombe, and beare a sōne, and shalt call his name Iesus. He shalbe great, and shalbe called the sonne of the highest. And the Lord God shall geue vnto him the seate of his father Dauid, and he shall reigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer, and of his kyngdome there shalbe none ende.

But the virgin, at the sodayne sight of the Aungell, and agayne also at the fourme and tenour of his salutacion beeyng straunge and suche as neuer had

been heard of afore, forasmuche as she on her owne behalfe conceyued no great opinion of her selfe, was right muche dismayed in her minde. For that she was fore adrad at the entreyng of one in the likenesse of a young man not loked for, was a poynte of a certaine veray true maidenly & tendre shamefastnesse: that she made not answere out of hande, but cast with herselfe in her mynde, what thyng so straunge and so high a salutaciō might meane, was partely a poynte of wysedome,* 1.40 and partely of demure softenesse. But forasmuche as the Aun∣gell right well knewe what she was casting in her mynde, he would not suffre her any longer to stande in doubt or perplexitie: but both toke away her feare with speakyng ientely vnto her, and also declared at large the cause of that his vnquod and straunge gretyng. Mary (sayeth he) there is no cause why thou shouldest be afeard. The iewell of thy virginitie and maydenhood, which thou art sigularly in loue withall, is safe vnto the without any daunger of lesyng it. Neyther am I come to please the, or to set the agog with a vaine salutacion: but I am come vnto the as a messagier of a matter both passyng ioyfull, and also veray great. Ponder not thine owne desertes. Of the mere fauour of god it is that is offered vnto the, & not of thine owne merite. And euen in this veray poynte thou doest please God, that thou standest in no conceipte of thy selfe. And let this suffice the, that thou haste atteyned grace & fauour at Gods hand. And nowe herken a thing neuer heard afore,* 1.41 but yet a true thyng. Thou shalt conceyue a babe in thy wombe, and shalt bryng furth a sonne, and shalt call his name Iesus, because he shall bryng saluacion vnto his people.

And although he shalbe borne in an homely place, and of a mayden estemed to be of lowe degree: Yet by reason of his heauenly gyftes of grace, he shal euery waye be moste greatest: insomuche, that after he shall once be knowen to the worlde, he shalbe called, not by the name of a Prophete, but the sonne of the hyghest. The surname shall be greater then any other manne maye haue, for∣because the chylde that must be borne, shall ferre surmounte the common rate and degree of mortall mannes state. In this chylde certes wyll the Lord God perfourme and accomplishe the thyng, which the prophecie, being to thee not vnknowen, hath promised. A man borne of the stocke of Dauid shall sit in the throne of his father.* 1.42 He shall not through the ayde and maynteinaunce of the worlde, vsurpe or take vpon hym a transitorie dominion and reigne of this worlde: but his heauenly father will geue him the heauenly reigne of Dauid: and he shal reigne ouer the people of Israel for euer without end.* 1.43 Neither shal there euer come any ende of his reigne, as the Prophete Esay hath prophecied.

[ The texte.] Than sayed Mary vnto the Aun••••ll▪ howe shall this come to passe, seyng that I knowe not any man? and the Aungell answered, and sayd vnto her: The holy ghoste shall come vpon thee, and the power of the highest shall ouershadowe thee. And therfore the holy that shalbe borne, shalbe called the sonne of God.

The hearte of this virgin dyd not through these so high promises of the Aungell, weaxe any whit the more haulte to take vpon her: neither dyd she of the highnes of the matters conceiue any distrust. She conceyued not in her mynde any suche presumpcion, that whan her sonne should be a kyng she on her partie also should be made a quene: neyther was she vnknowyng, that nothyng there was of suche high difficultie to bee done, whiche God was not hable with a mere becke to bryng to passe. All her care and thought was

onely for she iewell of her virginitie, on whiche she had so muche set her loue. And therfore she doeth not requyre a token of the Aungell, as Zacharie had done:* 1.44 but doeth with maidenly shamefastnes, and also according to wisedom no more but enquire, to knowe of the Aungell the maner how the thing should be wrought and doen: and maketh answer vnto him in this maner: By what meane or waye shall it come to passe (sayeth she) that I shall bryng furthe a sonne, forasmuche as I am in suche sorte espoused to my good man whom I do nowe lyue withall, that yet neuerthelesse I haue no conuersacion of his bo∣dye, suche as wedlocke requireth? For continencie lyketh vs bothe, and this poynte of blysfulnesse, yf it myght be, we would full faine haue perpetually to endure betwene vs.

* 1.45The Aungell therfore teacheth howe it should be doen, and taketh awaye from the virgin all doubtfulnesse concernyng her virginitie. O virgin (sayeth the Aungell) nothyng shall in this matter be doen or wrought after the com∣mon course of nature. An heauenly chylde bearyng shall it be, and by an hea∣uenly worker shall it from the firste ende to the last be executed. Thou shalt continue in chaste loue towardes thy chaste spouse. Fruitefulnesse of issue the happiest that euer maye be, shall come to thy lotte without any detrimente or violacion of thy virginitie. For thou hast not an housband geuen vnto threfor any suche purpose, either that he should make thee a mother, or els thou make him a father: but the prouidence of God hath thought good by this meanes to make a sure waye for thy safegarde and preseruacion, for thy good name and fame, for thy virginitie and maidenhood, and for thy conuenient quietnesse. It was goddes pleasure that an vndoubted witnesse of this straunge chyldebea∣ryng should be both present and assistente to the thyng: he would in no wyse, but that thou shouldest haue one, who with chaste and continente lyuyng in thy coumpany, and with all poyntes of feithfull seruiceablenesse, should geue diligent attendaunce aswell on thee, as on the chylde that is to bee borne: and finally, it was his pleasure, that by this deuise & pretence, this misterie should bee kept secrete from the vnbeleuing sorte, and also kept secrete from the wie∣ked spirites. And this holy copulacion of the diuine nature with the nature of man, shall not violate thy chastitie, but shall make it altogether holy. The fa∣ther of heauen hath determined, after a straunge sorte, eft sones to be gette his sonne on thee. Neither shall there any sede of a manne mortall bee requisite or nedefull to this diuine concepcion, but the holy ghost shall from heauen come downe into thee: and in thy wombe, (as it were in an heauenly workehouse) shall accomplishe the working of this holy babe: and in stede of the bodelye or carnall embracing of an houseband, the highest shall ouershadow thee, in such wyse tempering and qualifying his infinite power and vertue to the measure and capacitie of mannes nature: that it maye be hable to abyde the metyng together and the conioyning therof.* 1.46 Where filthy lust is in the carnall copula∣cion of man and wife, there whatsoeuer is borne, is borne vncleane, and thrall to synne. But this that shall be borne of thee, (because it shall be conceyued of the moste holy embracing of the highest: because it shalbe cōceiued by the wor∣kyng of the holy ghost, who maketh all thynges holy: because it shall be con∣ceiued of a virgin moste pure, whom of all women God hath purposely here∣tofore pieked out, being clere from all spotte of sinfulnesse) shall immedatly be holy as soone as it shalbe conceyued. And at the first, by reason of the humaine

body taken of the substaunce of thy body, it shall rightly be called the sōne of a virgin, and the sonne of man: but after the mistery of this byrth once perceiued and vnderstanded, he shall not be called the sonne of Ioseph, but the sonne of God: and that truly, not after the common guyse, as iust persons beyng pur∣ged from sinnes, & iustified by the free fauour of God, are by adopcion called the sonnes of God: but he shall by a syngular reason and maner, be called the sonne of God, of whom he is in veray true dede double begottē: once without beginning or time, & eternall, of his eternall father: and now in time, mortall, of a mortall mother, and a veray naturall man of a veray woman. And lyke as in this ioynyng together, the diuine nature shall be vnited and knitte with the nature humayne: so shall the chylde resemble the nature bothe of the one parent, whiche is God, and also of the other, whiche is man. This misterie of goddes deuise and conueyaunce is of an higher sorte, then that it may be per∣ceyued euen of the veray Aungels. It is for thee sufficient, to shewe a mynde beliefull and ready to obey. All the residue shall he accomplish and bryng to ef∣fecte, who is of power to do whatsoeuer his will is.

[ The texte.] ¶And beholde, Elizabeth thy cousyn, she also hath conceyued a sonne in her olde age. And this is the sixt moneth with her that is called baraine. For nothing shalbe vnpossible with God. And Mary sayed: behold, I am the handmayden of the lorde, be it vnto me ac∣cordyng to thy woorde. And the Aungell departed from her.

And nowe to the ende that both thy ioye may bee more aboundaunte, and thyne affiaunce of the more certaintie: take a fresh example euen veray nere at hande. Beholde, thy cousyn Elizabeth, that aged woman, beyng nowe a long tyme of barainnesse vncurable, hath (euen I my selfe beeyng the messagier) o∣therwise then euer she hoped for, and aboue the power of nature, conceiued a sonne, whiche shall be as a troumpette and an opener of thy chylde bearyng, her beyng conceyued with chylde is now a good while sence of vndoubted cer∣taintie: her bealy is vp, and the chylde is quickened & stirreth within her. For this same is the sixt moneth, sence she hath conceiued which was cōmonly cal∣led by the name of barain, euen before that she was ferre strieken in yeres, yea and nowe ferther growen in age,* 1.47 then that she myght hope to haue any issue, although she had not to fore been barain. This to almighty God hath so been thought good, to thentent that all creatures maye vnderstande, nothyng to be so vnbelieuable emong menne, whiche the power of God is not able to bryng to effecte, yf it bee his pleasure. As easile shall he geue conception to thee a virgin, as he hath geuen to her beeyng barain, sauyng that it hathe pleased hym, that thy example should be singulare and pierelesse, because thy chylde must be alone without piere. Certayne barain women haue heretofore by the special gyft of God, brought forth childe, but thei haue brought forth nothing but mere men. Neuer hath any virgin yet vnto this daye brought forth childe, nor neuer shall any do after thee, because that he which beyng but one person, shall in himselfe comprehende both the nature of God and the nature of man, is no more but once to bee borne.* 1.48 After that Gabriell had all this sayed, the maiden made aunswer in fewe woordes, but woordes of such sorte, as might bee a witnesse of excedyng great demurenesse coupled with passyng great af∣fiaunce and zele towardes God. I know it (saieth she) to haue been promysed by the mouth of Esay, that a maiden should conceiue and bryng forth a sonne:

and I haue no doubte, but that God is hable to do all thynges that his wyll is, and that he will not be false in his promises. That if it hath so pleased him, to the executyng of this misterie, to choose and depute me, beeyng a mayden of the lowest sorte and degree of all others, there is nothing that I can hereby chalenge or claime vnto my selfe, either of merite, or els of grace. It shall euery whit come of the goodnesse of God: it shall euery whit come of the myghtie power of God. I do nothyng but willyngly offre my selfe as an handemayden to the lorde,* 1.49 (vnto whom I am for altogether dedicated,) ready to be at all his commaundementes. I do beleue, that thou doest promyse: and I wyshe that with all spede it may fortune vnto me, as thou doest promyse. And euen with the woorde speakyng, thatsame heauenly conceyuyng of chylde, was without any her felyng or perceyuing accomplished: she had in her wombe the sonne of God: she was replenished of the holy ghost. And anon the Aungell leafte her. Of this holy communicacion of a virgin with an Aungell, it was the wyll of God to begynne all the matter of restoryng mankinde, because thatsame first pestiferous talking of a virgin with the serpent, had brought into the worlde the grounde and matter of mannes confusion and mischiefe.

[ The texte.] ¶And Mary arose vp in those dayes, and wente into the mountaynes with hast, into the citie of Iuda: and she entred into the house of Zacharie, and saluted Elizabeth. And so it was, that whan Elizabeth heard the salutacion of Mary, the babe lepte in her wombe. And Elizabeth was filled with the holy ghoste, and cryed with a loude voyce, and sayed: blissed art thou emong women, and blissed is the fruite of thy wombe. And wherof happe∣neth this same vnto me, that the mother of my lorde should come to me? For loe, as sone as the voyce of thy salutacion sonned in myne eares, the babe leapeth in my wombe for ioy. And blissed art thou, that thou haste beleued: for those thinges shalbe perfourmed in thee, whiche haue been ••olde thee from the lorde.

Mary beeyng by reason of this gyfte of God, become the more sad and womanlye, and also the more ientle and readie to do any thyng that she ought to do, because she had of the Aungels woordes, learned Elizabeth to bee with chylde, and this nowe to bee the sixte moneth therof: she lefte her owne house, and tooke her waye vppe into the high countrey, and with great spede came into the citie of Iuda where zacharie dyd enhabite: and entryng into his house, she offred and gaue vnto her cousin Elizabeth, woordes of greting, and how that she did muthe reioyce and was veray glad that Elizabeth was with chylde. For true godlynesse doeth rather reioyce at the happie fortune of an other bodye, then set the mynde to make vauntes or bragges of it owne. Uirginitie loueth secrecie: it cummeth not foorth of the inmoste partes of the house for any callyng, vnlesse duetie moue it therunto: and beeyng abrode it maketh haste, in doyng any poynte of duetie it taketh more laysure. Mary in all her iourney visited ne saluted not one bodye by the waye,* 1.50 vntyll she was come to Elizabeth. Neither was that same a salutacion or greting of the com∣mon sorte. All good happe and blisfulnesse dyd of this gretyng eyther other, encreace vnto them both, and the efficacie of the spirite of God, dyd in them bothe the more plenteously abounde. Mary carryed with her in her wombe the fountayne of all ghostely gyftes of grace, and through the inspiracion of the babe in her bealy, she was nowe altogether in case that nothyng came out of her harte or her mouth, but onely of God. Therfore it came so to passe, that as soone as the salutacion of the virgin Mary had once souned in the eares of Elizabeth, the babe, whiche she beyng an aged woman had than in her bealy,

dyd leape and spryng,* 1.51 (as ye would say) skyppyng for ioy and gladnesse. Iohn not yet beyng borne, felte the diuine power of his Lorde but euen a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 afore conceiued: and within the enclosure & tabernacle of his mothers wombe doth with gesture magnifie him, whom he should afterwarde set forth & magnifie with his voice. Neither did Elizabeth without fruit perceiue and fele the holy leaping of her litle babe within her. Through her babe enspired from heauen, the mother also is inspired,* 1.52 and altogether is full and whole sodaynly taken with an happy and blissed kinde of infeccion. Through the voyce of Mary, the heauēly power of God perceth into the babe within the wombe of Elizabeth: and through the babe with this sodayne blastyng so taken, the mother too is adblasted, in suche sorte, that she on her partie also beeyng replenished with the holy ghoste, did not nowe kepe in the ioyes of her herte: (although she had a∣fore kept her selfe within doores, and had no talke with her, as one that would not for shame be acknowen to be conceyued with chylde:) but with a mighty great voyce (which voyce her mighty great affeccion and zele did worke in her) she cryed out, and vttered suche thynges through the mocion of the spirite, as she neither could deme of the swellyng of her bealie, ne yet had learned of any mortall manne.* 1.53 And euen as though she had heard the Aungell talkyng with Mary, thus doeth she begynne her gratulacion. O happy and blissed mayden (sayeth she) thou shalt haue and enioy the chiefe prayse emong all women wor∣thy commendacion. And holy is the fruite also of thy virginly wombe, out of whiche shall come forth that same woondrefull floure, who by the voyce of all nacions, shall be preached throughout all the whole vniuersall worlde: of whom long and many a day gone, the Prophetes haue prophecied: and he shal haue the chiefe laude and prayse emong all thynges, bothe that are in heauen, and that are in yearth. I acknowlage it to bee a greater thyng, and of more excellencie, then a mortall man, that thou bearest enclosed within the chambre and tabernacle of thy wombe. If age or yeres only be estemed in vs twaine, it is not vnmete for a young damisell or mayden to come to an aged womā: but if the dignitie or worthynesse of both our babes that we go withall, be com∣pared: it had been my duetie in all haste to come and visite thee. I truly on my parte was happie and fortunate enough with this benefite of God, that I go with a chylde, the whiche shall in tyme to come, be a person of no small dig∣nite and estimacion: but of what my deserte is so great happinesse chaunced vnto me, that she whiche muste bee the mother of my Lorde, shoulde thus of her owne accorde take paines to come to me?* 1.54 For by an vndoubted tokē haue I felt the cumming hither of my Lorde. For loe, immediately whan the voyce of thy salutacion souned in mine eares, I felt my young chylde stiere and leape vp in my wombe, as one shewyng an earnest desire, and gladnesse to go mete his Lorde, and to do vnto him his bounden duetie of reuerence and homage. And thou too forsouth beeyng a mother, doest not vnlyke to the chylde in thy bealie, for he beyng the Lorde and maister, doeth vouchesafe to come set hys seruaunte, of purpose to sanctifie hym, and to replenyshe hym with the holye ghoste: and thou beeyng so ferre the superiour in dignitie, doest not thynke it peinfull to come to me that am thyne inferiour? so muche the more lowely be∣hauyng thy selfe, as thou doest surmounte and excelle in heauenly gyftes of grace, whiche gyftes, thou doest veray well, in that thou doest not impute them to thyne owne merites, forasmuche as they are thynges geuen thee of

the free bounceousnesse of God.* 1.55 And certes in this behalfe art thou much hap∣pie, that thou diddest not mistrust the promisses of the Aungell, though they semed neuer so muche vnlykely to be beleued. Thou haste conceyued without helpe of man, and doubt is there none, but that the residue of thynges whiche the Aungell hath promised vnto thee in the lordes name, shal with sembleable trueth and suertie be perfourmed vnto thee.

[ The texte.] ¶And Marie sayed: My soule magnifieth the Lorde: and my spirite hath reioyced in God my sauiour.

Whan Elizabeth had by the spirite of prophecie spoken these woordes, Mary also, (who through maydenly shamefastenesse had hitherto cōceled the ioyes of her harte,) being now sodainly rauished with the holy spirite of God, of whom she was full and had been a good whyle erst, could no longer temper herselfe ne forbeare, but that with an himne of reioycing and thankes geuing, she must braste out into the lande and prayse of God, to whose goodnesse it is to be attributed, whatsoeuer high or especiall good thyng doeth chaunce to manne or woman of this worlde. O Elizabeth (sayeth she) not without good cause doest thou reioyce in my behalfe: but yet this cummeth euerywhit of the gyfte of God, yea and of his free gyfte, and not one iote of it there is, that I can presumpteously impute to myne owne desertes.* 1.56 And therfore not my tongue onely, but also my soule, acknowledging it owne weaknesse, doth euen from the botome of my harte rootes, magnifie & exalte the lorde with prayses: and howe muche the lesse of merite it acknowlageth in it selfe, so mouche more vehemently doeth it meruayle at the greatnesse of Goddes benefites. I haue cause wherfore to geue hym thankes, I haue cause why to talke largely of his beneficiall goodnesse, but cause haue I none wherfore to reioyce to my selfe-warde. Yet neuerthelesse my spirite beeyng enflamed with the spirite of God,* 1.57 doeth for ioy not possible to be vttred in woordes, skyp and leape within my body, not in it selfe, but in God, who is both to me and to all persons the onely cause and worker of all saluacion.

[ The texte.] For he hath loked vpon the lowe degree of his hande mayden: so; behold, from hence∣forthe shall all generacions call me blessed: because he that is myghtye hathe done great thynges for me, and holy is his name.

For wheras I was the moste abiecte of all women, yet he of his owne mere goodnesse, hath cast a mercifull iye on his poore handemayde beyng of lowe degree, and hath vouchesaued to geue me suche a great and high gyfte, that from this time foorthwarde accordyng to the woordes of the and of the Aungell,* 1.58 I shall in folkes talke, be called a woman moste happie & fortunate, not onely of the Iewes that are nowe at this present daye aliue, but also in al yeres and ages to come, and of all nacions of the whole worlde, to whom a sauiour shall happen to be borne of my bodye. For we maye truly be called happie & blissed in any suche thyng as is bestowed vpon vs, not by meanes of our owne industrye, not for our owne merites, but of the free fauour of God. All the laude and prayse therfore of this happie fortune, shall redounde to hys lande and commendacion, that hath frely conferred & geuen thesame. I shalbe reported happie and blissed, but yet happie through his mere bountie & good∣nesse.* 1.59 And what shall the nacions of the whole worlde in all the processe of yea∣res to come talke of me? verayly that he whiche by his excedyng great power is hable to doe all thynges, hath in me beeyng the meanest of all maydens,

wrought and perfourmed a thyng wonderous, and such as neuer tofore hath been hearde of. And therfore shall my name be numbred emong the wemen of good happe: but his name shall euerie where bee holye, and to be adoured and worshypped: at the which name euery knee of thinges heauenly, yearthly, and also infernall, shal humble it selfe and bough downe: and through which name onely, saluacion shall come to the vniuersall worlde. For the profession of thys name, shall perfectlye geue saluacion and holinesse vnto all creatures. At the callyng on of thys name, shall diseases be driuen awaye, venomes shall leese theyr strength, deuils shal flee, and dead bodyes shall reuiue agayne.

[ The texte.] And hys mercy endureth from generacion to generacion vpon them that feare hym.

And this also shalbe a thyng of free gifte and mere gratuitie, and not of bette or duetie: it shall bee of mercie, and not of merite: whiche he shall moste largely poure foorth, not onely to the nation of the Iewes, which hath looked for hys cummyng to themselues and no mo, ne to one age alone, but his mercy shall sprede abrode euery waye, and issue from nacion to nacion, vnto the fer∣theste endes of the worlde, and from age to age vntyll the laste daye of thys world. In dede the Israelites only were once they that loked for this saluaciō whiche was promysed by the prophetes: but whatsoeuer person (in what na∣cion soeuer it be) hath forsaken vices, and beginneth to haue in him the feare of god, the same shall be reconed in the felowshyp and brotherhod of y^e Israelites. This saluacion shall extende vnto all suche, as myslykyng themselues, shall submitte them through feyth vnto the lord, whether thei be Grekes, or Frēche∣menne, or Englishemen, or Scithians. And contrary wyse, suche persones as puttyng theyr affraunce and trust in their owne dedes shall proudely sette vp themselues agaynst the greatnesse of god: shallbe repelled and put away from the felowshyp and partakyng of this benefite, yea though they shal be descen∣ded euen of Abrahames ownselfe, or els of Dauid. For this benefite of god is not bestowed or geuen, eyther for the valuacion of substaunce and rychesse, or for the estimacion of kynred, or for the woorkes of the lawe, or for anye other desertes or ablyng of mannes power, but by the commendacion of an humble herte, & an herte that is sory in it selfe, that it is so corrupt, & suche an herte, as through syncere and perfect feyth, dependeth on goddes mere mercye.

[ The texte] He hath shewed strength in hys arme, he hath scatered the proude in the imaginacion of theyr owne harte.

For god beyng in mynde and wyll to caste downe the arrogant presum∣tion of worldly wysedome and power, hath stretched foorth the strength and puissaunce of hys arme throughe his sonne beeyng nowe brought in state and fourme of humilitee: and the wisedome of this worlde he hathe made folyshe, and vanquished: declaryng hymselfe euen whan he doothe humble hymselfe moste lowly of all, yet neuerthelesse to be of more myght and puissaunce, then the hygheste state emperiall of all worldlye power: and that same whiche in hym semeth folyshe, to bee more wyse then anye wysedome of this worlde be it neuer so wonderfull greate. Yea and those persones, who bearyng themsel∣ues bolde on theyr owne wisedome, and trustyng in theyr owne power haue sturdely lyfted vp theyr neckes agaynst god, he hath wonderfully disperpled & scattered with theyr veray owne deuises and appoyntmentes, accordyng as he had long afore promised by the prophet, saiyng: I wyl take and ensnare the wyse in their owne wisedome. For whyle they do with their subtyle wyly∣nesse

striue agaynst the purpose & workyng of God, they haue both bewrayed theyr owne foolishenesse, and also vnawares renoumed the sapience of God. And whyle they do by the mayntenaunce and supportacion of thys world, at∣tempt and labour to oppresse the ordinaunce of God, thei haue declared, howe much vnhable this worlde is, any thyng at all to doe against the puissaunce of god, whiche by their rebellion they haue established and made strong for euer.

[ The texte.] He hath put downe the myghty from their seate, and exalted them of lowe degree,

So, (the course of thynges beeyng chaunged the contrary way,) suche persones, as a foretymes sate lyke men of hyghe estate in theyr thrones puffed in pryde of theyr worldly wisedome, and to be feared as touchyng the power and authoritie of man, he hath plucked downe out of theyr high seate: & suche as to the worldward were of low degree, those hath the bounteous goodnesse of God, exalted vp and sette alofte. They that appered to bee in the top of the castell of godlinesse, are manifestly found to be wicked, and they that semed to bee suche as had nothyng to dooe with God, nor God with them, are now so∣dainlye made the children and sonnes of God.

[ The texte.] He hath fylled the hongry with good thynges, and the ryche he hath leat goe emptie. His seruaunte Israell he hath taken to hym in remembraunce of hys mercye. Euen as he spake vnto our fathers, Abraham, and to the seede of hym for euer.

Suche persones as acknowelageyng theyr owne vnryghteousnesse did honger the iustice of God, those hath god plenteously filled with hys heauenly treasoures of all goodnesse: and on the other syde, suche as in their owne con∣ceiptes thought themselues to be great ryche men, and hyghly to abounde in good weorkts, (and therfore dydde nothyng hungre the grace of the gospell:) those hath he cast of from him, houngresterued. For circumcision is turned into vncircumcision and vncircumcision hath succeded into the glory and honoure of circumcision. The Israelite borne trustyng to hymselfe, is shut a parte and debarred from the kyngdome of god: and the gentiles are elected and taken to the honour of the children of Abraham. The proude Pharisee is refus'd & cast of, the harlotes & the lowely publicane is receyued and taken in. The stif stan∣ders, and the sturdy holders vp of theyr snoute he hath cast downe: those that layt as outcastes nothyng regarded, and such as were in peryll of miscarrying, those he puttyng foorth hys mercifull hand hath reised vp and holden. Suche as had theyr syght, he hath made blynde: and to such as lamented their blind∣nesse he hath opened their iyes. To those that acknowelage their infirmycye and sickenesse,* 1.60 he hath geuen health: and suche as in theyr own cōceiptes semed to bee perfectly whole, he hath euen leaft to theyr disease. Those that vaunted themselfes to be the children of Abraham, he hath plainly declared to bee the children of the deiuill: and suche as had no poynte of kynred with Abraham as touchyng the fleashe, those hath he throughe the fayth of the gospell, made the veray true chyldren of Abraham in dede. Those that vaunted theimselues by the glorious name of Israell, those hath he reneagued and put away from the inheritaunce of the promisses made vnto Israell:* 1.61 but whatsoeuer persone of whatsoeuer nacion, whether beeyng bond or beyng free, dyd willyngly offre hymselfe to the ghostely seruyng of God, hym hathe God taken vnto hym, and in euery suche hath he perfectly shewed hys long delayed mercy, which mercy he had a fore promysed by his woorde (beeyng vttered by the mouthes of the prophetes) to the people of Israel, whom as a people more derely beloued and

fansyed euen for hys owne tooth, he doeth in the holy scriptures call hys ser∣uaunt. He had neuer been forgetfull of his promysse, but by reason of the long delaye,* 1.62 as though he had forgotten it, despayre had creped vpon men, but now hathe he euidently declared hymselfe to be in no poynte vnmyndefull of hys people. For this is that same veray true succession of Abraham. This is that same true Israell, whom not the nerenesse of bloud dooeth make acceptable to God, but the sinceritie and purenesse of feith, by which feith onely is God seen. And these thynges are not wrought ne dooen by chaunce or by casualtye, but the thyng is now shewed in facte, which long and many yeres past, God hath promysed vnto our fathers, Abraham, and hys succession. For to Abraham it was sayed: In thy sede shal all nacions be blessed. And to Dauid it was saied: of the fruicte of thy body wyll I sette vpon thy seate. These thinges, long time afore promysed, of good men looked for, and of manye an one despatred, it hath pleased God nowe in these dayes to perfourme vnto the true posteritye of A∣braham, the stocke and kynted of whiche posteritie,* 1.63 shall neuer decaye ne fayle vnto the ende of the worlde.

[ The texte.] And Marie abode with her aboute three monethes space, and returned again to her owne house.

All these thynges which wer yet to come, Marye dydde in the spirite of prophecye, speake foorth in playn wordes, euen as though it had been come to passe and effect already. And than muche lyke aboute the space of three mone∣thes dyd she make her abode with her cousin Elizabeth, coumfortyng the olde woman bothe with holye and vertuous communicacion,* 1.64 and also withall lo∣uyng and frendly attendaunce. And euen but a litle before the tyme of her sayd cousins deliueraunce, Marie returned home to her own dwelling place again. For on the one syde to helpe playe the midwifes parte at a womans laboure, was no fitte nor decent office for a maiden that had neuer borne childe: and on the other syde, she gote her awaye from the great resorte of weomen that were to come shortely after, to be at Elizabethes chylde bearyng.

[ The texte] Elizabethes tyme came that she should bee deliuered, and she brought foorth a sonne. And her neighbours and kynsfolke heard how that the Lorde had shewed great mercie vp∣on her, and they reioyced with her.

And now was the full tyme come, that Elizabeth shoulde bee deliuered of chylde. And a sonne in dede borne, did assuredly verifie the promisses of God. The matter was by a common bruite or noyse spred abrode by meane of her neighboures and kynsfolke, whome, euen lyke as the barainnesse of Elizabeth had grieued afore, so dyd it now reioyce thesame, that of the greate mercye of God, by reason of a manchylde now borne, the name of a mother hadde happe∣ned vnto an olde woman of barainnesse desperate, and seemyng to bee paste all recouerye, to whom it had been an happye chaunce to haue brought foorth a wenthe, but a muche more luckie happe it was, to haue brought forth a sonne. And euen in thys poynte also appered the promyse of the Aungell,* 1.65 who hadde saied, that it should come to passe, that manye an one shoulde bee gladde in the birth of that childe. For thither came renning many an one, and declared them∣selfes to reioyce that she had well sped, and hadde brought foorth a sonne. And good reason it was that many shoulde reioyce in the byrth of hym, who hadde been borne to the hygh benefite of a veraye great maygnie.

[ The texte] And it fortuned that on the eight daie they came to circumcise the child, and they called

hym Zacharye after the name of hys father. And hys mother makyng answere, said: not so, but he shall bee called Iohn. And they sayd vnto her: there is no man in thy kynred that is called by that name. And they made signes to hys father how he would haue hym named. And he called for writing tables: and wrote saiyng: Iohn is his name. And they did all mer∣uail. And immediatly was hys mouth opened and hys toungue also, and he spake and prai∣sed God. And feare came vpon al them that dwelt nyghe vnto them. And al these saiynges were noysed abrode throughout all the whole countrey of Iewrye. And al they that heard the same, layed them vp in theyr heartes, saiyng: what mance a chylde, trowe ye shall thys childe bee? And the hand of the Lorde was wyth hym.

And nowe was come the eyght day after Elizabeths deliueraunce, in the whyche day by the priscripcion, and appoynetemente of the lawe, the chylde must bee circumcised, and haue hys name geuen hym. Her kynsfolkes therefore resorted thyther, whiche by the order and course of kynred, thought it their par∣tes to see that the childe wer duely circumcised as it ought to bee. And because the chyldes father had hys speche taken from hym,* 1.66 (who commonlye vseth at hys pleasure to appoynte howe the chyld shall be named,) the kynsfolkes sup∣posyng and demyng the father to be of the mynde and wyll, to haue that that commonly is woont to bee moste to mennes cōtentacions: called him zacharie after the name of hys father. But hys mother contrary wyse beeyng taughte that thynge by the inspiracion of the holye ghoste, whyche of her house bande beeyng than dumme, she could not learne, contended that he should not be cal∣led zacharye, but Iohn: wherin the holy ghost did signifie, that he which was borne should be a publisher of a newe lawe, whiche newe lawe shoulde abro∣gate the tradicions of men of old time, and should turne the carnal vsage ther∣of, into grace of the spirite. For Zacharias souneth in Hebrue myndefull of the Lorde, and IOHN hath hys name of grace. The ryghteousnesse of the law did consiste in woorkes prescribed and appoynted: and the ryghteousnesse of the ghospell consisteth in grace through feythe. The kinsfolkes did not geue place to the authoritye of the mother, but on the contrarye parte contended that he ought rather to be called zachary,* 1.67 because that in al the stocke of zacharie there was not one that was called Iohn. And in many childe it is a common vse, that the remembraunce eyther of the father or of the graunde father, or of the vncle by the fathers syde, or of some other nere kinsman, bee renewed. Yea and yet at thys present daye, some suche there bee, whom the name of zacharie dooeth more delite, then the name of Iohn: tha•• is to wete suche persones as cannot yet well abyde, that circumcision, newe chaunges of the moone, washynges, holy dayes, fasles, chose or difference of meates, and sacrifices, should be abo∣lished, euen as it were men in dede and facte criyng with open mouthes:* 1.68 The name of Iohn, we will none of it: our olde zacharye wil we haue. Forasmuche therfore as the woman that laie in childbed, and her kynsfolkes could not agre, it was requisitie to haue the autoritye of the father to ende this contencion. The father had not yet the vse of hys toungue, althoughe it was nowe muche necessarye for hym to saye hys mynde. In such sorte therefore as it myght be, he hadde beckes and sygnes made vnto hym to declare by some meanes what name it pleased hym to haue geuen to his sonne. Zachary was soone as he vnder∣stoode the matter,* 1.69 made sygnes to haue writing tables, to thentente he myght by dumme letters, in writyng signifie vnto them the thyng, whiche he had as yet no power with liuely voice to expresse.

Whan the tables were brought him he wrote in this wyse. Iohn is his name, signifyng and meaning that same name to had been geuen vnto him by

the Aungell before he was conceyued. And they dyd euery one of them muche woondre, aswell that a straunge newe found name dyd lyke hym, as also that the mother whiche had her toungue at liberty,* 1.70 and the father who coulde not speake did so agree vpon the childes name. And nowe did the tyme draw nere, that the lawe of Moses should begyn to speake, whiche hytherto onely, by fi∣gures and dum paternes, had after a sorte poynted and marked out the grace of the ghospell. The tyme was now come, that beliefe should open the mouth of zacharie, whiche the hardnes of beliefe hadde accordyng to the promysse of Gabriell, shutte vp. As soone therefore as he had writen in the tables, by and by also was the tiyng of his toungue looced. And the first power that he had to speake,* 1.71 he dyd of none other thyng begyn, but of praisyng Godde, by whose free bounteousnesse so great an heape of ioyes had chaunced vnto him. Onles the Iewishe tounge kepe silence, beyng bothe the doctrice and auauncer of carnall obseruaunces, and also an auoucher of mannes righteousnes, the e∣uangelicall toungue hath no power to speake, which is a preacher, and a setter foorth of grace, of feyth, of charitee, and preacheth not the workes of the law, whiche lawe doeth not recouer or geue vnto any man the prayse of reighteous∣nesse by hys owne factes, but preacheth the ryghteousnes of God by innocē••ie frely conferred, and geuen through ferth. But al these thinges, first, of an aged woman bearing a chylde, of the straungenesse of the same chyldes name, of a soonne borne by the promyse of an Aungell, of the father of the chylde fyrste made sodaynly dumme where as he coulde afore speake wel inough, and than agayn of a dumme man soodaynely made eloquent to the praisyng of God: al thissame was by a bruite and a common rumour spred abrode, not now emōg their kynsfolkes and neyghboures onelye, but also throughoute all that same coaste of Iewry, that is called the hylle countrey, inso muche that not onelye a greate woondreyng, but also a certayne kynd of beyng amased, and of being in a tremblyng feare, (which was conceyued by reason of so many & so vnwont miracles) did possesse the hertes of al folkes in those partyes. For of these pre∣aumbles they gathered in theyr myndes,* 1.72 that thys chylde whiche was nowe borne, was lyke in processe of tyme to doe greate thynges, and thynges that had afore not been hearde of, forasmuche as his concepcion and birth too, was so soone made notable by woonders and miracles. They saw hys father to be so ferre stryken in age, that he was veray vnlyke to haue been a geatter of chil∣dren: and as for hys mother, besydes that she was an olde woman, they sawe her bareinnesse to be such, that euery body thoughte it paste all hope that euer she shoulde haue brought foorth any childe: they considered the myracle of za∣charias speche, whiche had been soodaynly taken from him, and soodainly re∣stored again, they had heard that the Aungel Gabriel was a worker & a doer in the matter: they wel perceyued the insperacion of the holy ghost to be both in the father and in the mother of the childe: they perceiued euerywhit of the matter to be aboue the common rate and sorte of the birthe of other chyldren, and euery parte therof to haue great tokens of the vertue and power of God. And these poyntes euery bodye in theyr owne herte, earnstely consideryng and weighyng, saied secretlye within themselfes: what man yet one is thys chylde lyke to bee an other daye? Not one of the Prophetes was borne after suche a woonderfull straunge sorte. For the veraye myracles of thynges that haue been wrought about his birthe, dooe euidentely declare all thissame geare to

bee dooen by the power of God, whiche shal assiste the chylde beeyng one spe∣callye appoynted by god to the executyng and dooyng of some veraye hyghe thinges.* 1.73 Neyther did they without good cause thus reason these matters with themselfes. For the hand of God dyd in veray dede extende and shewe foorthe his heauenly power into the chylde, and by the chylde into the parentes, myn∣dyng no lesse then in due tyme to shewe thynges of greatter woondre,

[ The texte] ¶And his father Zacharye was fylled with the holy ghoste, and prophecied, saiyng: Prai∣sed bee the Lorde God of Israell: For he hath visited and redemed his people.

And to thentente that altogether myght bothe be full of myracles, and al∣so replenished with all ioyfulnesse, Iohns father zacharie also beeyng altoge∣ther enspyred with the holy ghost, brast out into this hymne souning wholy to the honour and prayse and magnifyng of almyghty God.

Openly to be shewed and spoken (sayeth he) is the goodnes of God, and with all kyndes of praisynges to bee magnifyed: who whereas ••e is the God of all peoples, yet his pleasure was to be of a speciall purpose called the God of Is∣raell, not, as though he wer not the Lord of al other nacions also, but because it hath pleased hym that the people of Israel shal be a figure of that heauenly people, whiche by renouncyng and despising the yearthlye thynges of thys worlde, dooe laboure to atteyne and to come vnto that eternal citie of Hierusa∣lem, where God is wurshipped with thinges inuisible. Of al such, what coun∣trey soeuer they lyue in, and out of what nacion soeuer they bee borne, is God to be praysed, who after so long processe of time, hath at laste vouchsalued in suche sorte as hath not been sene afore, to visite hys people being now in great agonye, and almoste ••lene tyred with the tedyousnes of most careful and long continued bondage, and beyng euen now at the veray poynt of vtter despaire. Agaynst the whiche people, Sathan, synne and the worlde, had so mightilye preuailled, that no, maner hope did now remaine, neyther in the phariseis, nor in the philosophiers, nor yet in the ceremonies of Moses lawe. He hathe nowe caste hys iye lyke a mercifull lord vpon hys sayd people, and hath freelye rede∣med them from al these euils.

[ The texte.] And hath reised vp an horne of saluacion vnto vs, in the house of his seruaunte Dauid.

A myghty tirāne it was whiche hauyng a trayne of an houge coumpaigny of souldiers to garde him, did ruffle, and playe the king ouer al sortes of men, out of whose clawes it was not possible by any power of manne to recouer the de∣liueraunce of the Israelites. Onelye god beeyng of more puissaunce then our ghostely enemy, gaue strength vnto thē y^t wer weake, sending a capitayn most victorious, who through y^e puissaunce of his godlye mightinesse, shoulde ouer∣throwe y^e power & strength of his aduersaries: and by ouercumming deathe should frely through feith geue vnto al persōs euerlasting saluacion.* 1.74 And thys sure warāt & fortres of saluaciō, he hath reised vp for vs in the house and gene∣raciō of Dauid, who truly serued and wurshipped him, vnto y^e which Dauid he had afore made sure promisse, y^t from his sede should this benefite assuredly come vnto all suche persones, as after the spirite deserue to bee the chyldren of Dauid, not growyng out of kynde, nor sweruing from the tendre loue y^t their said father Dauid had towardes god. Dauid valiauntly & luckely foughte a∣gainst forein nacions, and agaynst the enemies of the people of Israel. And sē∣blablye vnder this our captayne must we fight agaynst enemies muche more

pernicious and hurteful, that is to were, against such enemies, as destruie and ••leagh mennes soules, Sathan with hys armie of wieked spirites. And such enemyes be also the corrupt affeccions, and naughty desyres of the mynde: pro∣uokyng and busilye stieryng men to suche thynges as are odious and hatefull afore god. Suche enemies also are those persones (whatsoeuer they be) which haue more loue and desyre to the thynges of this worlde, then to such thynges as are godlye: by whyche persones, as by his instrumentes and tooles, the de∣uill putteth hys strength in vre.

¶Euen as he promised by the mouthe of his holy prophetes, whiche were sens the world began,* 1.75 That we should be saued from our enemyes, and from the hande of al that hate vs.

Neyther dooe these thinges by chaunce or at al auentures come thus to passe: but the thyng that god doeth nowe perfourme, thesame had he many a longe yere sens promysed by the mouthes of al the prophetes, whom he had endewed with his spirit, as many as haue prophecied sens the first creaciō of the world. For he had made promise,* 1.76 that by a captain of might & puissaūce, which should one day be sent, we should be saued from our enemyes, and should be deliuered oute of the handes of them all, whiche did beare vs suche extreme malice, that they did continually wrastle and laboure to drawe vs vnto deathe euerlasting.

[ The texte.] That he would deale mercifully with our fathers, and remember his holy couenaūte. And that he woulde perfourme the othe, whiche he swore to our father Abraham, for to geue vs, that we deliuered out of the handes of our enemyes, myghte serue hym withoute feare, in suche holines and ryghteousnes, as are accepted before him, all the dayes of our lyfe.

And yet was not thys of the meryte or deseruyng of vs, that are nowe at these presēt dates liuīg, to whō god hath perfourmed this same so hygh a benefite: nor yet of the deseruing of oure fathers, to whō he had afore promised thesame thing which he hath now doen vnto vs▪ But thus hath it pleased his gracious goodnesse, bounteously to geue this so greate a thyng vnto vs not deseruyng thesame. Thus hath it also semed good vnto his ryghteousnesse: at suche time as best pleased hymself, to perfourme the thyng that he had promised, to then∣tent he might thereby of all creatures bee perceyued to bee not onely mercifull and beneficiall, but also true and iuste in kepyng hys promisse. For besides his earnest promisse, he did also make a plain bargain and couenaunt with our fa∣thers. For beeyng delited with ••he woondrefull affiaunce and truste of oure chyefe father Abraham towarde hym,* 1.77 (whiche was soe greate, that bearyng hymselfe bolde vpon goddes promysse, he made no manner bones ne stickyng, but wente in hande to offer vp his onely sonne Isaac in sacrifyce,) he swore by hys owne selfe, to the same Abraham, saiyng in this wise: I make an othe, and do sweare by my veray own self, because thou hast dooen thys same thing, and for the respecte of me and my commaundement hast not spared thine onely be∣gotten sonne,* 1.78 I shall blisse thee, and I shall multiplye thy posteritie and issue, as the sterres of the skye, and as the sandes that are liyng on the sea shores. Thy sede shall possesse the gates of theyr enemies, & through the name of thee, shall all na••ions on the yearth be blissed,* 1.79 because thou hast bene obedient vnto my voice. For in verai dede, this is y^e true posteritie and the right sede of Abra∣ham, whiche is obedient vnto God, not by the ceremonies of the lawe, but by the obedience of beleuing in God, who, by the meane of the ghospell, dooethe speake vnto the world. And vnto such of vs is geuen the promysed victory ouer our enemies, as being deliuered from the tiranny of sinne, deliuered from

all errours, deliuered from the yoke of the deuill, haue the grace and happe to renounce our former naughty liuyng, to the ende that from hensfoorth beyng out of all care and feare, vnder y^e wyng and safegarde of our captayn, we may nowe serue no mo maisters but hym alone, (to whome onely we are bounden debtours for al the goodnesse that euer we haue,) where in tymes past we had bene bondeseruauntes to ambicion, (which is the desire of worldelye honoure, pompe and glory,) we had bene bondeseruauntes to the carnall luste of concu∣piscence, to couetise, and vnto the deiuill. Therefore we muste now truly serue our said captayne, not as oure forefathers dyd with idle solemnisyng of holye daies,* 1.80 not with supersticion of honouryng the fyrst daye of euery newe moone, not with absteinyng from one meate more thē from an other, not with killing of beastes in sacrifice, which thinges haue nothing but an outward semblaūce and shewe of holinesse in the syghte of men: but with purenesse of conscience, and with perfeict clennesse of lyfe, whiche is the seruice most acceptable in the syght of God, who hath no regard vnto carnal oblacions, but vnto the godly deuocion of the herte, as one that louethe to haue sacrifyce dooen vnto hym, of his own gyftes. Neither must this seruyng of God be shewed or doen, at these or that daies by our owne ordeinaunce therunto prefixed or appointed (as hi∣therto customably hath been vsed:) but continually all our lyfe throughe out. For at no tyme shoulde there bee any ceassyng or slackyng from dooyng suche sacrifice as this: but loue and zele to god warde beeyng ons freelye geuen vs, ought with holy conuersacion, and with deuoute appliyng of our selues from tyme to tyme, to be styll more and more encreased,

[ The texte.] ¶And thou childe shalt bee called the Prophete of the highest, for thou shalt goe before the face of the Lorde, to prepayre his waies, to geue knowelage of saluaciō vnto his people, for the remission of synnes, through the tendre mercy of oure God, whereby the daie spryng from an high hath visited vs, to geue light to them that sate in darkenesse, and in the shadow of death, to guide out fere into the waye of peace.

Happy therefore by the free goodnesse of God, and blessed are we, to whome, according to the saiynges of the Prophetes, is nowe thus geuen a mighty re∣demer, and a salueoure, whome no power maye vanquishe or withstand. But by the free goodnesse of the same God, happye and blissed arte thou also, o my litle babe, whiche arte thus specially chosen and appoynted to be the fore∣goer and messagier of so great a captayne. For lyke as the day sterre goeth be∣fore the arisyng of the sunne, causing men to awake that lye sluggyng in slepe, and to loke for the clere day lyght whiche draweth nere: euen so the comming of the lorde beyng nowe at hande, who hathe fullye decreed and entended by his onely sonne to come and visite this presente worlde which we are in: thou shalte goe afore hym to prepaire mens hertes to the receiuyng of such a greate saluacion, lest if the same comming of the Lord should fynde the hertes of men slouthfully singgyng, & vtterly vntowarde, y^e helth that is nowe offred, might percase bee turned into a manyfolde castyng away and perishing of the soule. For truely by thy baptisyng, & by thy preaching, thou shalt bryng to passe that men shal wel perceyue themselfes to be synners,* 1.81 y^t they shall know themselfes to haue neede of a Phisician, and that they shall knowe hym to be now present here, who alone will through the fayth of the ghospell, bounteously geue vn∣to al persones, euerlasting health and saluacion, freelye remittyng and pardo∣nyng our synnes, (which cause the death of the soule,) and frely conferring and

geuing his righteousnes vnto vs. And vnto all true beleuers shall this same come, not by any possible merites of mē, but for thexceading great mercie of y^e Lorde our God,* 1.82 who woulde not haue thē to perishe, whō he had created. Of the almyghty were we created, and by the moste merciful are we restored. We had vtterly bene loste onlesse he accordyng to the goodnesse that of his propre nature is rooted in him, had extended his mercie vnto vs: onles he in manier of the bright sunne arysyng to vs from heauen, had on euery syde dryuen awaye the darkenesse of our ignoraunce, onlesse he had put away the dimme miste of synne, and had enkiendled our colde hertes with the feruente burnyng fyre of his dere loue and charitie. We wer liyng in darkenes, and hadde no power to lift vp our iyes towardes him: he hūbled himselfe doune to vs, and by sending doune his bright shining beames vpon our hertes, he gaue clere and healthful light vnto vs,* 1.83 where as we afore sate in the derkenesse of sinne and in despaire of any recouery, as in the blacke shadowe of death, we were vtterlye blynded with manyfold idolatries, & al derkened ouer and ouer with worldly desires, we ranne from wickednes to wickednes, groping in most foggie mistines, en∣bracing earthly thinges in stede of heauenly, the shadowes of thinges in stede of the thynges selfes, thynges carnall in stede of ghostely thinges, pestiferous and full of poyson, in stede of holsome. And loe in the botomelesse nyght of dis∣payre is nowe arisen vp vnto vs that same euerlasting sunne: to direct and to set the fete of oure hertes into the waye of the ghospell, whiche is the waye of peace, that throughe faythe and charitye maketh a perfecte agreemente and v∣nitye betwene god and man: breakyng the stryfe and enmitie that was afore betwene them: knittyng all nacions of the world together in the profession of one name, and of one fayth: and finally in such wise qualifiyng and appeasing all the troubleous affeccions of the mynde, that euery man may be at a perfect staigh of quietnes, and of attonemente within hymselfe.

[ The texte.] And the chyld grewe and waxed strong in spirite, and was in wyldernes tyll the daye came, whan he shoulde shewe hymselfe vnto the Israel••••es.

These thynges did this godly olde man pronounce out of his propheticall breste: and folowing the exaumple of the olde auncient prophetes, dyd in such a playn sort declare and sette forth y^e same thinges before thei came, as though all together had been euen at that ••eray presente houre alreadye dooen. And with these so woonderfull begynnynges of the matter, the procedinges of the same dyd in moste beste wyse agree. For the chylde Iohn whiche had bene af∣ter a woonderful straunge manier borne, like as he grew in body according to the rate of his yeres, euen so did he through the inspiracion of God, from time to time, prosper stil better and better in stedfastnes, and strength of the spirit. Neither did he any lōg time kepe himself at home with his father and mother in theyr house,* 1.84 but euen byanby frō his childhood, withdrewe hymself away from the common haunte of people, to the entente that he myghte not take soe much as the least spotte of fylthinesse that maye bee, by coumpaigniyng with the multitude, forasmuch as he had bene sanctified in his mothers wombe. He neuer dronke wyne nor any other strong drynke, wherby to be distempered: he neuer tasted of any worldly pleasure: he neuer tasted of any worldly honour. All worldly desyres and carnal appetites he passed not vpon, but vtterly reuf∣sed them, and liued emong the saluage beastes with locustes and wild honey: his wede and clothyng was of Camelles hydes, & not of silkes or veluettes:

hys gyrdle was of an hearie thong of leather: hys communicacion was conti∣nually with God. And forsouth suche a lyfe was comely for hym that was or∣deyned to be a preacher of repentaunce.* 1.85 And the place which he pieked out, did accordyngly agree with the prophecy, that calleth him the voice of one criyng in wildernes. In thys place did he kepe himself out of knowelage by the space of manye yeres, here did he lyue in silence, to the ende that whan hys due tyme should be, he might shewe himself, and speake with the more authority. He did not of hys owne head hastily steppe forth to the office of a preacher: but at such tyme as the spirite of God had putte in hys minde to shewe forthe his lyghte, and to open vnto the people of Israel howe greate a man he was: then dyd he streight waies begynne to dooe the parte of a foregoer, with no smal autority.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Of Herode the kyng.
• * 1.2

  A certayne priest.
• * 1.3

  Daniel. ix.
• * 1.4

  Named za∣charie.
• * 1.5

  Of y^e course of Abia.
• * 1.6

  And his wife of the daughters of Aaron.
• * 1.7

  They were both righ∣teouse be∣fore God.
• * 1.8

  And they had no childe.
• * 1.9

  Because Elizabeth was baraī.
• * 1.10

  And they bothe were nowe well stricken in age.
• * 1.11

  Whan he executed.
• * 1.12

  Before god
• * 1.13

  His lotte fel to burne incense.
• * 1.14

  Exod. xxx d
• * 1.15

  And y^e mul∣titude of the people were without in prayer.
• * 1.16

  There ap∣pered vnto hym an An∣gell.
• * 1.17

  Whan Za∣charie sawe him, he was abashed, and feare came vpon hym.
• * 1.18

  And the Aungell sayed.
• * 1.19

  Feare not. Thy praier is heard.
• * 1.20

  Thy wife Elizabeth shall beare a sonne.
• * 1.21

  And thou shalt calle his name Iohn.
• * 1.22

  And thou shalt haue ioy. &c.
• * 1.23

  Wyne and strōg drink shall he no•• drinke 〈◊〉〈◊〉
• * 1.24

  Many of y^e children of Israel shal be turne to their Lord.
• * 1.25

  And he shal goe before hym. &c.
• * 1.26

  Mala. iiii.
• * 1.27

  To turne y^e heartes of the fathers vnto the children.
• * 1.28

  To make redy a per∣fe••ct people vnto the Lorde.
• * 1.29

  For I am old and my wyfe is wel strieken in age. &c.
• * 1.30

  I am Ga∣briell that stande ī the presence of God.
• * 1.31

  And behold thou shalt be dumme.
• * 1.32

  And after those dayes his wyfe.
• * 1.33

  And she hid her selfe fiue mone∣thes.
• * 1.34

  Saying: thus hath the Lorde delte with me.
• * 1.35

  In y^e daies wherein he hath loked vpon me. &c.
• * 1.36

  And in the sixth mo∣neth was y^e Aūgell Ga∣briell sente from God.
• * 1.37

  Into a ci∣tee of Gali∣le. &c.
• * 1.38

  And the name of the virgin was Marie.
• * 1.39

  Haile thou full of grace.
• * 1.40

  And the An¦gel said vn∣to her▪ Feare not Mary. &c.
• * 1.41

  Beholde, thou shalt conceyue in thy wōbe.
• * 1.42

  And of his kyngdome there shall be no ende.
• * 1.43

  Esay. vii.
• * 1.44

  Than sayd Mary to the Aun∣gell. &c.
• * 1.45

  And the Aungel an∣swered, and sayde vnto her. &c.
• * 1.46

  And the po∣wer of the highest shal ouer sha∣dowe thee.
• * 1.47

  For no∣thing shal∣be vnpossi∣ble with God.
• * 1.48

  And Mary said, behold I am the handmaidē of y^• Lorde.
• * 1.49

  Be it vnto me accor∣ding to thy woorde.
• * 1.50

  And salu∣ted Eliza∣beth.
• * 1.51

  And so it was, that whā Eliza∣beth, heard the saluta∣ciō of Ma∣rie. &c.
• * 1.52

  And Eliza∣beth was filled with the holy ghost.
• * 1.53

  Blissed art thou emōg women. &c.
• * 1.54

  For loe as soone as the voice of thy salutacion souned. &c.
• * 1.55

  And bl••ssed art thou that thou haste bele∣ued.
• * 1.56

  My soule magnifieth the Lorde.
• * 1.57

  And my spirite hath reioyced in God my sa∣uioure.
• * 1.58

  From hēce∣for••: he shall all genera∣ciōs call me blessed.
• * 1.59

  ••ecause he 〈…〉〈…〉 &c.
• * 1.60

  Hys ser∣••••unte Is∣rael be hath taken to hym.
• * 1.61

  In remem∣braunce of hys mercie. Then as he spake vnto out fathers Abraham &c
• * 1.62

  And to the sede of hym.
• * 1.63

  For euer.
• * 1.64

  And retour¦ned agayne to her owne house.
• * 1.65

  And they re¦ioysed with her.
• * 1.66

  And thei cal¦led hym za∣chary after the name of his father,
• * 1.67

  And they sayde vnto her: there is no man in al thy kynred, that is called by that name
• * 1.68

  And they made signes to his father howe he would haue him named.
• * 1.69

  Iohn is his name.
• * 1.70

  And imme∣diatly was hys mouthe opened and his toungue also.
• * 1.71

  And he spake and praised god.
• * 1.72

  And al they that hearde the same layed them vp in theyr hertes. &c.
• * 1.73

  And the han••e of the Lorde was with him.
• * 1.74

  In the house of his seruaunte Dauid. &c.
• * 1.75

  The te••te▪
• * 1.76

  Whiche wer sens the world began. &c.
• * 1.77

  And remē∣bre his holy couenaunt. &c.
• * 1.78

  gene. xxii.
• * 1.79

  That we de¦liuered oute of y^e handes, of our ene∣mies &c.
• * 1.80

  In such ho∣lines and righteous∣nesse as are accepted be¦fore God.
• * 1.81

  For remis∣sion of synnes.
• * 1.82

  Throughe the tender mercie of our god. &c.
• * 1.83

  And in the shadowe of deathe▪ &c.
• * 1.84

  And was in wildernes.
• * 1.85

  Untyll the daye came, when he should shew himself vn∣to the Isra∣elites.