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1

IPSE IHU~S APROPINQUANS IBAT
2CU~ ILLIS.

3
4    Thyse Wordes ben conteyned in the
5xxiiij. chapytre of Luke. and rad in
6the holy gospel of this day. To say
7in englyssh~ tonge The same Ihu~s
8nyghynge walkyd with mankynde /
9This Joyous trouth conteyneth
10in itself two partyes / In whoos declaracyon wyth
11our lordys mercy & your suffrau~ce. shall stonde the
12so~me of this poore collaco~n. The fyrste is this / that
13the same Ihu~s nyghed to mankynde. The second
14is. that the same Ihu~s hath walkyd w^t mankynde /
15Of whyche two pryncyples foloweth as a conclusyon
16the entent of his nyghyng and walkynge.
17That the same Ihu~s hath broughte mankynd to
18the euerlastynge reste of heuen / For sure it is. y^t this
19same Ih~s of whyche I purpoos to treate. neuer put
20man to labour / but to the entent. that he sholde after
21his labour haue full reste. ye & for shorte labour
22haue eternall reste / as after shall appere. Yet or I
23descende to the declaraco~n of thise two partyes / for
24as moche as I saye. that the same Ihu~s nyghynge
25walkyd with mankynd / I shall shewe you of whiche
26Ihu~s I meane. whyche it was that nyghed to
27man that walkyd wyth man. & that fynally broughte
28man to euerlastynge reste in heuen. Where ye

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29shall vnderstonde. that of dyuers we rede in holy
30scrypture whiche were namyd Ihu~s. of thre in especyall /
31al men of noble memory. & of grete praysyng
32And but figures & seruauntes of the same Ihu~s of
33whom wyth his mercy. I purpoos pryncypally to
34trete. The first was Ihu~s filius Naue The seconde
35was Ihu~s filius Josedech And the thyrde was
36Ihu~s filius the sone of Sirach / All thyse thre. and
37eche of this. was for his tyme y^e fygure of the fourthe
38Ihu~s callyd Ihu~s filius dei Jesus the sone of
39god / The same Jhesus whyche nyghynge. walkyd
40wyth mankynde / To whose declaraco~n ye
41shall understonde. that Ihu~s by interpretaco~n. is to
42saye saluator a sauyour or helper / Now soth it is
43that eche of thyse thre rehercyd. was in his tyme an
44helper or sauer of the people / And yet but in fygure
45of Ihu~s Cryste. Wherof folowyth / that they
46were not the same Ihu~s of whom I purpoos talke
47for he bothe was & is saluator mu~di the sauyour
48of the worlde. How eche of thyse thre Ihu~s rehercyd
49dyde helpe. & saue y^e people in his tyme / I shall
50shewe you. The fyrst Ihu~s the sone of Naue. sauyd
51the people p~ potencia~ The seconde p~ obediencia~
52And the thyrd p~ sapiencia~ The fyrste saued
53the people by myght & power. The seconde by perfyte
54obedyence. The thyrde by his grete wysdom.
55The fyrste of them callyd Ihu~s Naue . at hebrewes
56namyd Josue Be~nun after saynt Jerom in
57his prologe ad Josue the fyrste ruler of y^e chyldren

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58of Israel after the deth of Moyses the seruaunt of
59god / as it appereth in the fyrste chapytre of Josue.
60was conuenyently namyd Ihu~s / for by the grete
61myghte & power geuen vnto hym of very Ihu~s. he
62notably sauyd the people of god / as in the story of
63Josue playnly doth appere. acordynge vnto y^e promyse
64of god made vnto him in the fyrste chapytre
65of the same boke / as foloweth My seruaunt Moyses
66sayd god vnto Josue is deed & from this world
67departid. Arise thou & passe ouer the water of Jordan.
68thou. & all my people wyth the. in to the londe
69of repromyssion. whiche I shal geue to y^e chyld~n
70of Israel. what so euer grounde ye shal set on your
71fete. I shal geue it to you. as I promysid to Moyses
72my seruaunt. It folowyth soone after / Noo man
73shall mow resyst thy power in all thy lyfe. be thou
74herof comfortid. & take strengthe vnto the. Now
75how this myghty prynce executyd the hyghe co~maundement
76of god in helpynge the people & sauyng
77y^e same by the grete power geuen vnto hym of god
78y^e sayd story of Josue paynly doth declare Shortly
79rehercyd. eccl~iastic~. the .xlvi. chapitre Ihu~s naue
80sayth he successour vnto Moyses strong in werre &
81bataylle. was a man of grete name / but of grettest
82name was he in helpynge of the people of god. to
83distroye his enmyes. where by he myght atteyne to
84the people of god promysid / whiche glory and reno~mee
85of name he obteyned in lyftyng his hondes &
86scute in shotynge of sharpe & fyry arowes ayenst y^e

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87cyte of hay & c~ / This myghty prynce dilygently
88executynge the hyghe co~maundement of Ihu~ cryst
89of whom. & to whom. he was bothe fygure & seruaunt
90thorugh the grete myghte & power to hym
91gracyously geuen. so lad. so guyded. so sauyd y^e people
92to his rule co~myttid. that he brought them in y^e
93lond. to Abraham. Ysaac. & Jacob. repromysid / ther
94vaynquisshyd & distroyed the enmyes of god / dyuydid
95the londe among goddis seruauntes. & fynally
96sette them in reste & peasyble possession of the same
97As bryefly declareth saynt Jerom in his epistle ad
98paulinu~ Ihu~s sayth he y^e sone of Naue. beryng
99the fygure of Ihu~ Crist. as well in name as in dedes.
100passid the water of Jordan. distroyed the reames
101of Crystis enmyes. diuyded the londe to goddis
102seruauntes / And by euery cytee. towne. village.
103by hylles. fluddes & ryuers. dyscryued in fygure the
104spirytuall regaly of Crystis heuenly chirche & Jerusalem
105/ Thenne apperyth y^t this noble prynce
106Ihu~s Naue was in his tyme a man of laudable
107memory / now callyd in all the worlde one of y^e .ix.
108worthyes for dyuers causes / For by his grete myghte
109and power he sauyd the people to him co~mytted
110from enmyes & from peryll. He distoryed the aduersaryes
111of Cryste. and sette his people in reste & peas /
112Ye but amonge all his praysynges. his memory
113is specyally laudable / For what co~maundid him
114to do. that gladly fulfylled he wythoute grutche or
115reluctaco~n. leuynge example vnto all pryncis & rulers

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116of the people vnder god to doo the same. Our
117lorde co~maundyd hym. as in the fyrste chapytre of
118Josue doth appere this wyse. Be thou sayth god
119vnto this valyaunt knyghte stronge & hertely comfortid.
120se y^t thou obserue & kepe al my lawes co~maundyd
121vnto the by my seruaunt Moyses. Declyne
122thou neuer fro them ne in to y^e ryght honde. ne yet
123in to the lyfte honde / that is to saye. ne in prosperyte.
124ne yet in aduersyte / so y^t vnderstondynge of my
125lawes be thy leder. Lete in no wyse the boke of my
126lawe departe from thy mouth: but sette therin thy
127meditaco~n bothe nyghte & day / so y^t thou may truly
128obserue al thynges there wythin wryten & commau~dyd /
129This co~maundement of god he gladly
130fulfylled as it appereth in the .xi. chapytre of y^e same
131boke. in this worde (As our lorde commaunded
132vnto Moyses: so Moyses co~maunded vnto Josue)
133And he gladly accomplysshed all goddis preceptes
134There escapyd hym not one worde of goddis preceptes /
135but to the extremytee he fulfyllyd them all.
136Loke & this well beholde ye Juges of this worlde.
137lerne the lawes of god / and se ye theim obseruyd &
138kept. leest ye perysshe from the ryght waye of god /
139For & ye be one in prosperyte. a nother in aduersyte
140One for affecco~n. a nother for money. one for loue.
141a nother for hate: thenne erre ye fro the ryght way
142of Ihu~s. Of y^e seconde namyd Ihu~s
143of laudable memory in the scrypture of god. was
144Ihu~s y^e sone of Josedech. the grete preest of y^e lawe

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145& one of the .lxx. Interpretours of the Bible / This
146grete preest of the lawe at the highe co~mau~dement
147of god in y^e mouth of Cu~us kyng & fyrst Monarke
148of Perse. whom our lorde had w^t his grace inspyred /
149as in y^e fyrste chapytre of the fyrst boke of Esdre
150doth appere. to release the captiuyte of the Juys
151Whyche for theyr synnes had ben in thraldom in
152Babylon by the space of .lxx. yere after the distrucco~n
153of Jhrlm. & subuersion of the temple of god in
154the same. by Nabugodonosor. & Nabuzardan hys
155capytayne / This grete preest I saye Ihu~s the sone
156of Josedech. was in his tyme conuenyently named
157Ihu~s. y^e helper & sauer of the people of god per sacram
158obediencia~. by holy obedience / as Ihu~s Naue
159was Ihu~s. sauer and helper of the people p~ magnifica~
160potencia~ by his grete & myghty power geuyn
161vnto hym of god. To shewe you this. ye must vnderstonde /
162that for the synnes of the Jewes it pleysyd
163god. to haue them punysshed / so were they acordyng
164to the propheci of Jeremye. the .xxvij. chapytre.
165Theyr cyte. theyr temple of grete honour was
166dystroyed. Sediche theyr laste kynge was exoculate
167& made blynde. brought wyth all his noblesse in
168to Babilone by Nabugodonosor. & there kepte in
169streyte captiuyte by the space of .lxx. yere. And here
170was an ende of kynges in the genelogy of Crist as
171by the processe of the Byble playnly dooth appere.
172For soth it is y^t after the tyme of this transmigraco~n
173vnto Cristis natiuyte. where regalyte & preesthode

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174were Joyned in one in our sauyour Ihu~ Crist
175The Jewes beyng in ther lyberte or captiuyte. had
176neuer moo kynges / but oonly prestes & dukes. bysshops
177& pryncis / But thenne were bysshops rulers
178of the people. & pryncis helpers & coadiutours / So
179y^t the lyne of kynges after this transmigraco~n sessyd
180as in rule. not in successyon / And thenne began
181the lyne of bysshops in rulynge of the people. whiche
182contynuelly enduryd vnto Cristis te~porall natiuyte /
183This declaryth the Mayster of the storyes
184who so lyste to se it. Now the fyrste of thyse greate
185preestis or Bysshops hauynge rule of the people.
186was this Ihu~s the sone of Josedech A man of grete
187zele & deuowte obedyence vnto god / so y^t he was
188conuenyently namyd Ihu~s. helper or sauer of y^e peple
189by deuowte obedyence. leuynge example to alle
190preestys. prelates in especyall to beere deuowte obedience
191vnto almyghty god. & teche other the same
192For whan it pleysid our lorde to haue his people releuyd
193from theyr captiuyte. & his temple in Jhrl~m
194to be reedifyed to his honour & praysyng. he co~mittid
195therof the rule vnto Zorobabel sone to Salatiell.
196& to this Jhu~ the sone of Josedech / as in y^e prophecy
197of Agge playnly dooth appere. Declarid at
198large in the fyrste boke of Esdre. the fyrste. thirde.
199& syxte chapytours. And full conuenyently was
200this besynes co~myttid vnto thise two men of auctoryte
201& honour / For of y^t one. that is of Zorobabel
202our Ihu~s. our sauyour descendyd by his temporall

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203natiuyte. as it apereth in the fyrst chapitre of Mathewe.
204The other. that is Ihu~s Josedech preparyd
205the people by due obedyence. truly to serue god
206in this materyall Temple whyche they thenne to
207goddis honoure reedifyed / but more verely to serue
208god in the temple of Crystis holy body whyche he
209toke to Zorobabell. and was in it togyder god and
210man in one persone / Of whiche holy temple of his
211body. hymselfe sayd. the seconde chapytre of John /
212Dissolue ye this temple. & wythin thre dayes I
213shall reyse it agayn. & soone after foloweth. Thyse
214wordes sayd our sauyour Ihu~ Cryst of the temple
215of his holy body. Of whiche holy temple of cristis
216body was spirytually vnderstonde the prophecy
217of Agge. in the seconde chapytre. Ferre gretter
218sayth this prophete. shall be the glory of this seconde
219temple. than was of the fyrste buylded by Salomon /
220Spyrytually I saye For the letter full harde
221it is. to expowne of this temple reedifyed bi Jhu~ Josedech.
222Zorobabell & other Jewes. Syn~ this second
223temple was neuer half so gloryous as was that fyrste
224buylyed by Salomon. ne in buyldyng ne yet in
225aparell as Josephus declareth / For in y^e fyrst temple
226was conteyned the arke of the olde testament.
227in it concernyng the tables of the lawe. Manna &
228the rodde of Aaron. whiche flourisshid & fructifyed
229by myracle. The appostle this declareth to the Hebreos
230the .ix. chapytre. Many also precyous Jewels
231& tresours were in that temple born awaye by Nabugodonosor.

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232and Nabuzardan his capytayn / as it
233apereth in the fourth boke of the kynges. the finall
234& finall but on~ chapitours. whiche wer neuer fully
235restored ayen in the reedifycaco~n of y^e same temple
236albeit. that Cirus & Darius many grete thynges
237restoryd to the seconde reedifycacyon as it is declaryd
238the fyrste boke of Esdre the fyrste & syxte chapytours /
239So y^t this seconde temple was no thynge
240lyke vnto the fyrste ne in buyldynge ne in garnysshyng:
241Wherfore holy cristen doctours as saynt Jerom
242& Bede expowne this prophecye to the letter /
243That gretter shall be the seconde glory of this seconde
244hous than of fyrste / For as moche as Criste
245god & man. Many wyses thys seconde temple
246with his holy presence dyde dedicate & inourne / For
247in to this Temple by his holy vyrgyn & moder at
248her purifycaco~n he was offryd vnto god / In this
249Temple his holy moder fonde hym in myddes of
250doctours. From this temple he droue oute byars &
251sellers / In this temple he often prayed. prechyd. &
252many myracles shewed. grete thenne was y^e glory
253of this holy hous. & ferre gretter than euer was the
254glory of Salomons temple. syn~ our sauyour Crist
255Ihu~s this second temple so many wayes made holy
256& gloryous / Thenne to my purpoos I saye y^t
257this grete preest & bysshop Ihu~s Josedech was full
258conuenyently namyd Ihu~s an helper or sauer of y^e
259people by his holy & zelose obedyence / For wher as
260the people of god longe tyme in captiuyte of Babylon.

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261confusyon by interpretaco~n. were after their
262custome falle in to ydolacry. worshipyng fals ydoles.
263& mawmettes. and so had lost theyr due obedience
264vnto almyghty god: folowynge the wyckyd
265lawes of Gentiles. This grete preest & bysshop acordynge
266to his offyce & duety. with helpe of Zorobabell
267the true prynce & seruaunt of god. as tymely
268as they had lycence of Cirus & Darius to retorne home.
269and to reedifye the temple of god: what obedience
270was in this holy bysshop. ye & wyth dylygence
271also to brynge the people to the true & false obedyence
272of god. the fyrste boke of Esdre playnly dooth
273declare / So y^t hymselfe was fully obedyent vnto
274almyghty goddys wyl. and taughte al the people
275to the same / As it doth appere as well of the spedy
276buyldynge of the temple / as of ympnes. oblacyons
277sacrifyces. with other praysynges of god / whiche he
278& the Leuites at his co~maundement. shewed & made
279vnto goddis worshyppe & praysynge. fyrste in
280settynge the fundacyon of the sayd temple. as it is
281declaryd the fyrste boke of Esdre the thyrde chapytre.
282Zorobabell sayth he the sone of Salatiel. &
283Ihu~s the sone of Josedech. & other of ther brethern
284preestes & Leuites and all the resydue of Jewes delyuerde
285from captyuyte ordeynyd Leuites from .xx
286yeres age & aboue. to suruey the artifycers gadered
287to the newe buyldynge of this temple. that they dyde
288not neclygently theyr labour. Josue also. whiche
289was Ih~s Josedech. wyth his chyld~n & bredern.

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290as one man of one mynde & herte dyde all theyr dilygence
291to spede this holy werke. What Joye what
292gladnesse was there made bi this holy Jh~s. & other
293the seruauntes of god by his example & techynge.
294at the settynge of the fundaco~n of this seconde te~ple.
295there forthw^t appereth. All the people sayth
296Esdras there gadryd. cryed wyth grete voys to goddys
297prasynge / for as moche as the fundaco~n of the
298temple was sette. Many also of y^e olde faders whiche
299had seen the temple of Salomon stondynge. &
300this temple now begyn. wepte wyth an hyghe voys /
301And many there present lyfte theyr voyces in
302Joye & gladnes. Suche agmixco~n was there of crie
303amonge the people to goddys praysynge / that noo
304man myght discerne the voyces of wepers. from y^e
305voyces of Joyfull people. so y^t all enioyed in god.
306Of this appereth morally. that one vertuous prelate
307dooth moche good in crystis chyrche / as well for
308his owne vertue & zelose obedyence vnto the lawe
309of god: as in ledynge other men to do the same by
310his holy doctryne and vertuous example. Agayn
311where this buyldynge of the temple was interruptid
312in y^e tyme of Cambises sone vnto Cirus. whom
313some callyd Assuerus. some Arthazarses / But in the
314tyme of Cambises was it y^t the werke of god. this
315buyldynge went not forwarde / but lettyd was it by
316fals accusars / whyche neuer cesse in the chyrche of
317Cryste to lette the werkes of god / as dayly experyence
318dooth shewe: Whan Darius kynge of Babibilon

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319inspyred by god the seconde yere of his reyne
320gaue lycence vnto the Jewes to perfourme the temple
321of god begon. And foundid at the lycence & comaundement
322of Cirus / what obedyence / what dylygence /
323what zele this Ihu~s Josedech . wyth y^e prestys.
324Leuites & all the people had. to perfourme this
325holy temple to goddys worshyp & praysynge. Ye &
326what Joye & loouyng was geuen to god in dedicaco~n
327of the same temple: in the syxte chapytre of the
328fyrste boke of Esdre playnly dooth appere. Some
329men here present. ye & not a fewe. woll perauenture
330muse / why & to what entent I brynge in thys
331longe story of Ihu~s Josedech . the grete preest of y^e
332olde lawe / Surely this is my cause / For syth al holy
333scripture is wryten for our erudico~n after y^e apostle
334the .xv. chapytre to the Romayns / That we to
335whom trouthe is made open by Ihu~ Cryste. as techeth
336saynt Joh~n in the fyrste chapytre. sholde lern
337obedience. lerne zele & dilygence to the lawe of god
338of thyse faders passyd in fygure. And agayn to take
339grete sham~ & conscyence whan we rede them to
340haue doon so zelously in goddys cause. And beholde
341ourself. how neclygent we ben in the same / For
342cursyd is he whyche dooth the werkes of god fraudelently.
343after Jeremye. the .xlviij. chapytre. They
344buylded. we distroye. they gadryd. we disperge. they
345curyd. we kylle. They made. we marre. I woll no
346man accuse / but loke on our dedes. and behold theyrs.
347and ye shall fynde that there is noo comparyson

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348bytwene lyghte and derkenesse. Thenne haue
349we here of two namyd by thys name Ihu~s of
350laudable memory in the scrypture of god. The fyrste
351was Ihu~s Naue . helper and sauer of the people
352by myghte & power. The seconde was Ihu~s Josedech .
353sauer of the seruauntes of god by deuowte
354obedyence / as now hath be declared / The thyrde
355of laudable memory of the same name was Ihu~s
356filius Sirach . the sone of Sirach. sonnys sone vnto
357Ihu~ Josedech / as hymself rehercyth in his Prologe
358of the boke namyd by hym Ecclesiasticus .
359    And full conuenyently was thys fader namyd
360Ihu~s. an helper or sauer of the people p~ sapiencia~
361by his grete wysdom geuen vnto hym of god. and
362by hym taughte to the people. vnto the worldes ende.
363by reason of his laudable wysdom left behynde
364hym in wrytyng in the boke of wysdom callyd Ecclesiasticus .
365whyche boke. hymself fyrste made and
366wrote in Hebrewe tonge. and after translatyd the
367same in to Grekes tonge / As Ysodorus declaryth
368and sheweth in the syxte boke of his Ethemologyse /
369For the declaraco~n and expownynge of thys
370trouthe. expedient & ryght necessary it is to knowe
371and vnderstonde. what helpe and saluaco~n. wysdome
372doth vnto man. Where ye shall vnderstonde &
373marke in your mynde That oonly man of creatures
374vnder heuen dyrectyth & ordereth his actes and
375dedes by hys vnderstondynge to hys ende naturall
376or supernaturall / Thus I saye. to the entent it is

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377or thus it sholde be. Now for as moche as mannes
378vnderstondyng is radically corrupte by synne. and
379so by ignoraunce. whiche is the moder of errour after
380saynt Joh~n Crisostom the. xxv. Omelye of hys
381Imperfyte werke on Math~u. expedyent it is therfore.
382y^t man erre not from his ende. naturally. or supernaturally
383intendyd: that his vnderstondyng be
384dyrected by some redy lyghte / This lyghte at philosophers
385is comynly namyd the lyght of wysdom
386And therfor naturally men desyre cu~nynge & wisdom.
387as sayth Aristotle in the begynnynge of hys
388Metaphisyke That euery man naturally desireth
389to knowe / for the more y^t ony man hath of wisdome
390the better shall he dyrecte all his dedes to a due
391ende. the lesse he hath of wysdom. the worse he shal
392directe his dedes: but comynly erre. And very wyse
393men comynly ordre wel al theyr dedes & neuer erre
394And for this cause. that men wolde not erre from
395theyr ende. ye naturally entendyd. what zele & besynesse
396olde faders had to atteyne wisdom / wonder
397it is to rede. as at large declareth saynt Jerom in
398his epistle ad paulinu~ the prologe of the Byble it
399is / We rede sayth saynt Jerom in old storyes. many
400men haue soughte ferre countrees. straunge nacyns.
401& passid ryght peryllous sees / that they myghte
402speke famyliarly with suche philosophers. whose
403werkes thei befor tyme had rad. to lerne of them
404wysdom / This dyde bothe Pictagoras & Plato. of
405whom sayth saynt Jerom in the same place (Suche

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406zele had Plato to wysdom and cunnynge. that
407he folowyd scyence in al the worlde / as though scyence
408had fledde from him. And on a tyme was he
409taken bi pirates in the see. & solde to Denyse y^e grete
410tyraunt / yet for as moche as he was a philosofer
411a louer of cu~nynge & wysdom. he was more of pryce
412than the tyraunt that boughte hym. syth by reason
413of his cu~nynge. he cowde more temperatly bere
414hymself in all aduersyte than hys mayster & souerayne
415hym hauynge in seruytude) There shewyth
416forth saynt Jerom of Titus Liuius. of Appolonius.
417& other wise men of the worlde in grete & profounde
418wysdom & lernyng. How theyr fame of cu~nyng
419& wysdom. droue men from the ferthest party
420of the worlde. to here them. to lerne of them wysdome.
421wherby they myghte surely ordre theyr actes
422& dedes to a perfyte ende. and not erre from the same /
423This labour & besynesse sayth saynt Jerom. toke
424gentyl phylosophers oonly lenyng vnto y^e lyghte
425of reason. and wyth fayth no thynge Indowed /
426And of this wysdom to be atteyned by mannes
427Inquisico~n. Aristotle one of the grete enserchers of
428the same: sayd there were two kyndes or parties. in
429the syxte boke of his Ethikis. That one is callyd
430Prudence. the other Sapyence. Prudence after
431him is a wisdom to lede man that he erre not from
432his resonable ende intendid in worldly occupaco~n &
433besynesse. And Sapyence after hym stondeth in
434speculaco~n of highe & presume causes. so that sapience

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435is a wysdome to lede man y^t he erre not from
436his ende naturally after Aristotle / but in very dede
437supernaturally ententyd / And in this sapyence
438after him restyth mannys felycyte. In so moche y^t he
439myghte atteyne to sapyence. as his opynyon was felix
440blessyd or happy. For he sholde not erre from
441truthes necessary to his blysse & perfyte ende. &
442able it thise philosofers dide moche to atteyne ther
443entent & purpose. not to erre from the ende: yet fayled
444they ofte tymes therof. whyche appereth as wel
445of theyr errours abowte the laste & perfyte ende. as
446of theyr errours abowte meanes ledynge to the same
447ende / as declareth Aristotle in the fyrste boke of
448his Ethikis / Where he sheweth that some put ther
449fynall ende in ryches. some in co~cupiscence. som~ in
450honour. & other transytory pleysures. whyche may
451not endure: but must nedes faylle / Yet were thyse
452callyd & acountid wyse men in the worlde / And suche
453wyse men. that for theyr wysdom. they ben of
454Immortall fame amonge worldly men. & callyd
455Sapientes. wyse men. seuin by excellence. yet fayllyd
456they & erryd from the trouthe / For neyther by
457theyr prudence ne yet theyr sapyence. ladde they or
458themself. or theyr folowers to the ryghte & perfyte
459ende naturall. or supernaturall Then~e was none
460of this Ihu~s p~ sapiencia~ the helper or sauer of
461man to lede hy~ by wysdom to his right ende. The
462second cause of this errour declareth y^e apostle Poule
463in y^e fyrste chapytre to the Romayns / This philosofers

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464erred sayth saynt Poul / For whan they
465knewe god: they worshypt not hy~ as theyr god / but
466wanysshid in theyr proude reasons. & callyng them
467self wyse men. were foolys in dede / But a question
468is this / how knewe thyse philosofers god: the apostle
469ansuereth in the same place. The Inuisible misteryes
470of god sayth he be knowe of man. y^e cheif creature
471of this worlde. by other smaller & lower creatures
472of the same / But how vanysshid thyse philosofers.
473how erred they: For sothe for they gaue not
474due thankes to god theyr maker & geuer of ther benefytes.
475Sayth saynt Austin on this letter / Thyse
476philosofers sawe the ende of all creatures: knewe
477there was one god by the lyghte of reason / but vnkynde
478vnto ther maker y^t gaue to them this knowlege:
479ascribed to themself proudly ther knowlege &
480wysdom / & for theyr pryde: lost ther true knowlege
481& made both blynde & errynge from trouth. accordyng
482vnto y^e prophecye of Abdy. y^e fyrste chapytre.
483rehercyd by the apostle y^e fyrst epistle. & fyrst chapitre
484vnto the Corinthees. I shall sayth god by hys
485prophete. distroye & brynge to nought y^e sapience of
486sapient men: & I shall reproue & brynge in confusyon
487the prudence of prudent men of this worlde. In
488whyche wordes god Joyneth togyders sapience &
489prudence of this world. shewyng y^t they. ne yet ony
490of them. ledeth or helpeth man to hys perfyte ende
491And forw^t sheweth thapostle in y^e same place. what
492sapience. & what prudence it is. y^t redily ledeth man

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493to his perfyte ende. y^t he ne erre abowte the ende. ne
494yet in meanes to y^e same. It plesyd god sayth the
495apostle. by prechyng of his holy gospell & wysdom
496therw^t in conteyned. as the worlde acou~tyd folyssnes.
497euerlastyngly to saue all tho. whiche therunto
498geue fast & stronge fayth. accordyng vnto the wordes
499of our sauyour. in y^e laste chapytre of Marke.
500Preche ye sayde Cryste to his discyples my gospell
501to all men & wy~men. say ye vnto them / y^t he whiche
502truly bileuyth & is baptized. shalbe euerlastyngly
503saued / So y^t in the scrypture of god is wryten
504true wysdom conteynyng perfyte prudence. & perfyte
505sapience Prudence to directe euery man in this
506worlde lyuynge. y^t he erre not in worldly actes & besinesse.
507Sapience / y^t he erre not in his finall ende. &
508truthes to the same required. Fulgens in his sermon
509of Confessours this shewyth at large In holy
510scrypture is conteyned both mylke for yonge chyld~n.
511& substancyall meete for men / y^t is to saye (easy
512lernyng for begy~ners: & profou~de wisdom for men
513of cu~nynge) It folowyth. there is doctryne conuenyent.
514for eueri aege. for euery state. for eueri condico~n
515& c~ / This holy & ghostly wisdom was it. y^t good fad~s
516euer desyred to haue. y^t they with lyghte. myghte
517passe thrugh this worlde in suche astates as thei
518stode on wythoute errour or offence to god. and fynally
519theyr supernaturall ende. to whyche ende. y^e
520wysdome of the worlde myghte neuer lede the hauer /
521As of Salomon we rede in the thyrde

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522boke and thyrde chapytre of the kynges. whyche co~mau~ded
523by god to aske him what petyco~ns he wolde
524& it sholde be grauntyd. askyd of god on~ly wysdom
525to ordre hymself & his people to goddis pleysure /
526god gaue hym wysdom aboue all mortall men /
527as appereth in the fourth chapitre of the same boke.
528Almyȝty god sayth he gaue vnto Salomon
529plenteuous abundance of sapience & prudence. And
530wyth this wysdom. came generally all other profitable
531goodes. The wysdome of this prynce was
532so grete. that the people of ferre countrees came to
533seke hym. & lerne of hym wysdom: Some in Jugementes
534Some to ordre well theyr reames or housholdes.
535some to ordre themselfe to goddis pleysure
536In somoche that regina Saba the noble pryncesse
537heryng the merueyllous wysdom of Salomon. came
538out of ferre countrees. to here & lerne of his wysdom /
539as it is open the thyrde boke of the kynges y^e
540x. chapytre / Of whyche apperyth that this ghostly
541& godly wysdom of olde tyme was gretly desyrid
542of grete men. of meane men. of eueri astate / For
543by this wysdom they myghte ordre all theyr lyues
544to goddis pleysure. knowe theyr ende. atteyne theyr
545ende. not be ignoraunt ne yet erre abowte theyr ende.
546ne meanes to the same. This worlde is goon &
547in effecte tornyd vp & downe / For where somtyme
548men soughte for ghostly wysdom to saue theyr soules.
549Now laboureth eueri man in effecte for worldly
550wysdom / For now from the hyghest to the lowest.

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551euery man studyeth in auarice. and from y^e prophete
552to the preeste euery man dooth gyle & sleyght
553Jeremy. the .vi. chapytre. yf they labour for wysdome
554of cu~nynge & knowlege as dyde Phylosophres
555of whom I spake aboue. of whom sayth the apostle
556the fyrste chapytre of the fyrste epistle to y^e Corinthees
557Jewes aske sygnes & Grekes wysdom
558somwhat were it. ye & somwhat co~mendable were
559it. For after Aristotles cu~nynge & wysdom is. acou~tid
560amonge goodes honourable / But this wysdom
561is goon also. Men force neyher of ghostly wysdom
562ne yet of seculare wysdom. callyd scyence & cu~nynge /
563But on~ly wyse men ben acounted in this worlde.
564whiche can fynde subtyll & crafty meanes to gete
565goodes playne falsnesse in englysshe / Whoos
566ende is euerlastynge dethe. and god is glorifyed in
567theyr confusyon whyche sauour alle of the worlde.
568wryten to the Philipenses the thyrde chapytre /
569Now to my purpoos. I saye this man Ihu~s filius
570Sirach of laudable memory. was conuenyently
571callyd Ihu~s. an helper or sauer of the people by
572his grete wysdom. whyche wysdom / what worldly
573nay ghostly. He fyrst taughte. & thenne left in wrytyng.
574wherby man may duely ordre his lyfe to hys
575ende naturall & supernaturall. & neyther to be ignoraunt
576ne erre abowte the same. or ony of the same.
577as in the processe of the boke namyd Ecclesiasticus
578of his wrytynge and translacion as I sayd aboue
579playnly dooth appere. In whyche boke sayth

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580saynt Jerom. this holy fader ledyth and persuadyth
581men in this mortall lyfe to the zele and loue
582of wysdom / as wysdom conteyneth all vertues /
583Soo that in the techynge and declarynge of wysdom.
584he taughte all vertues / and how man sholde
585euery maner wyse lyue vertuously / wherby he myghte
586redily and surely atteyne his ende. and therof
587erre ne fayle.
588    Now is there here shewed you from the begynnynge
589of thre men of laudable memory conuenyently
590namyd by this name Ihu~s / for eche of them in his
591tyme. was an helper or sauer of the people. The
592fyrste by power. The seconde by obedyence. And y^e
593thyrde by wysdom / as it hath now be declaryd: yet
594was ther none of y^e thre Ip~e ihu~s qui ap~pinqua~s
595ibat cu~ illis The same Ihu~s whyche nyghynge.
596walkyd with mankynde / but rather fygures or seruau~tes
597of the same Ihu~s. of the essenciall Ihu~s. of
598the very true Ihu~s / whyche is the sone of god and
599man / And that I shewe this / For where as eche
600of theym was conuenyently namyd Jhu~s. that is
601to saye. an helper or sauer of the people by vertues
602perticulare / as that one was by power. that other
603by obedyence / and the thyrde by wysdom / Yet was
604there not one of thyse thre. whyche had alle thyse
605vertues / neyther ony of theym plenarily / but by partycipacyon
606of oure Ihu~s Cryste / Of whoos fulnesse
607and abundaunce we all haue receyued dyuers
608vertues and manyfolde gracyous yeftes. the fyrste

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609chapytre of John. Ihu~s Naue had power: but ad
610mensura~ at a mesure. Ihu~s Josedech had obedyence:
611but ad mensura~ EDITION: and mensura~ So had Ihu~s Sirach wisdom
612ad mensuram in a mesure as god gaue vnto
613hym / Bu~t Ihu~s Cryste was plenus gr~e & veritatis
614the fyrst chapytre of John. almyghty of power
615perfyte of obedyence. And full. ye infenyte of wysdom.
616So that y^e same our Ihu~s gaue power to Josue.
617obedyence to Ihu~s Josedech . And ghostly wysdom
618to Ihu~s Sirach / For at his hyghe worde al
619thynges were made. He co~mau~did. & all creatures
620were create & brought forth of nought. the. C. xlviij
621psalme / Thenne of this Ihu~s our sauyour Cryste
622purpoos I to talke wyth his mercy Qm~ ip~e ihu~s
623ap~pinquans ibat cu~ illis The same Ihu~s nyghyng
624walkyd wyth mankynde. In whyche wordes
625I sayd there be two partyes to be declaryd. conteynynge
626two notable truthes. The fyrste is. y^t the
627same Ihu~s hath nyghed to mankynde. The seconde
628is. that the same Ihu~s hath walkid with mankynde /
629And of thyse two. foloweth as a corelary. y^e
630thirde trouth. that the same Ihu~s hath fynally brought
631mankynde to euerlastyng reste in heuen. and
632in this hath shewed himself to be very Ihu~s. y^e perfyte
633sauyour of mankynde. He nyghed I saye to
634mankynde p~ potencia~ by his almyghty power. He
635walkyd w^t man p~ obedie~cia~ by perfyte obedyence
636And fynally broughte man to reste & blysse p~ sapiencia~
637by his Infinyte wysdom. Fyrste I say our

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638sauiour Ihu~s had nyghed to mankynde by his almyghty
639power thre wayes creando. nascendo. ministrando
640by his acte of creaco~n. by his acte of Incarnaco~n.
641& by his holy mynystraco~n. whyche thre
642w^t our lordis mercy I shal shewe you in this fyrst
643party. And wyth all. how mankynde hath euer &
644contynually be waywarde. & goo from god. Of whiche
645wyl appere the goonesse of god. & the vnkyndnesse
646of man. Fyrst I say our sauyour Cryste
647nyghed vnto man by his almyghty power in y^e
648acte of creaco~n / To whoos declaraco~n I shal shew
649you thre conclusyons. Fyrste wherin stondeth y^e acte
650of creacion. Seconde y^t Ihu~s Cryste the eternall
651sone of god the fader. excersyced & shewed this acte
652as well on man. as on al other creatures. And thyrde
653how in executynge of this acte. he nyghed vnto
654man. Fyrste in this party. ye shall vnderstonde /
655that creare est ex nichilo aliq~ facere after the mayster
656of the sentence in the begynnyng of the seconde
657boke.
658