Sermons of the ryght famous a[n]d excellent clerke Master Bernardine Ochine, borne within the famous vniversyte of Siena in Italy, nowe also an exyle in this life, for the faythfull testimony of Jesus Christ.

Anthony Scoloker vnto the Reader.

IF the multytude of all na∣tyous vnder heaven / ga∣thered to gether at Kieru∣salem / after that the holy-goost was geven vnto the Apostles / were stonied / ād mardayled moche / that they hearde them / speaking every man wyth hys owne ton∣gue / declaring the wonderous doyngs of God / howe moche more then ought we to wonder in these our latter dayes / that ha∣ve the same myracle wrought dayly amō∣gest vs also? * 1.1 For not only the fathers that were labouring (not many yeres synnes) ande travaylinge in thys oure pilgrimage with vs / and now are gone vnto the lyuīg God / do both lyvely and moost godly even styll at this daye preache vnto vs / but also the very Prophetes ād Patriarkes ād al∣so the whole company that have been evē frō the beginning of the worlde / are nowe familiar vnto 〈◊〉〈◊〉 / ād are become Inglish∣men. Yea / god hi selfe of his great infinite

mercie in our owne tongue speaketh vnto vs / oute of his moost sacred worde / to our great ioye and spirituall comforte. And Paul being ā hebrue borne / hath chaūged his tonge / ād is become oures / as though he had been bredde and brought vp all the dayes of his lyfe amongest vs. Wherfore albeit that the Gospell beyng nowe con∣fyrmed / it maye appeare / that myracles at these dayes are nothynge so necessarye as they were in the prymatyue Churche / when by the vertue of the holighoost and by myracles / that newe doctryne was to be confirmed / yet the verité it self sheweth the same power styll even nowe vnto vs / that said My father worketh evē vntil th∣is time / ād I also do worke. * 1.2 Howe great a wondre therfore is it that almost no mā doth marvail at / to see that by the meanes of thigs cōmitted to writtig two / though one be never so farre distaūt frō the other / may cōmunicate their secrets tegether? ād yet passig this / by the helpe of the same / we receave the v{er}tuous coūsels / the moost ho¦ly instrueriōs the godly prechigs of the se∣ers (as they called the prophetes: because ī the maiesté of the aet••rnall god they did see * 1.3

as it had been in a c••ece microur / the secret misteryes of thinges both past and for to com••) and yet we mardall nothing at all. But God (not leauyng vs thus / where as by the very true monuments of the godly that are passed from vs / theyr mindes be∣ing ••eft with vs still / we are urle or nothig amended) doth sende vnto vs hys Pro∣phetes oute of straūge countreis / that the congregation therby maye be edifyed / and moost bounde to render thankes vnto hī for his infinite mercy. * 1.4 Amongest the wh∣ich Bernardinus Ochinus and Petrus Martyr men of great learninge / whiche are nowe come vnto vs. And for as moch as the sayd Bernard preachech in the I∣talyan tongue which all men vnderstand not / I have seth forth syx of his Sermōs oute of this tongue into Inglysh. Inten∣dinge to set forth the rest very shortlye (yf these shalbe thankefully receaued) to the intent that his nature tongue therby may be made oures / and that the glory of God maye the better be set forth. Vnto whom all honour is due / world wythourende.

So be it.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Act. 2.
• * 1.2

  Iohn. 5.
• * 1.3

  1. Reg. 2.
• * 1.4

  1. Cor. 14.