Bible (Coverdale)/An Epistle vnto the Kynges hyghnesse

Unto the moſt victorious Prynce

and oure moſt gracyous ſoueraigne Lorde, kynge Henry the

kynge of Englonde and of Fraunce, lorde of Irlonde. &c.

Defendour of the Fayth, and vnder God

the chefe and ſuppreme

heade of the

Church of Englonde.

¶ The ryght & iuſt adminiſtracyon of the lawes that God gaue vnto Moſes and vnto Joſua: the teſtimonye of faythfulnes that God gaue of Dauid: the plenteous abundaunce of wyſdome that God gaue vnto Salomon: the lucky and proſperous age with the multiplicacyon of ſede whiche God gaue vnto Abraham and Sara his wyfe, be geuē vnto you moſt gracyous Prynce, with your deareſt iuſt wyfe, and moſt vertuous Prynceſſe, Quene Anne, Amen.

Aiphas beynge byſſhope of that yeare, lyke a blynde prophete(not vnderſtandyng what he ſayd) prophecied, that it was better to put Chriſt vnto death, then that all the people ſhulde peryſſhe: he meanyng, that Chriſt was an heretike, a deceauer of the people, & a deſtroyer of the lawe, & that it was better therfore to put Chriſt vnto death, thā to ſuffre hym for to lyue, and to deceaue the people, &c.^[1] Where in very dede Chriſt was the true prophete, the true Meſſias, and the onely true Sauiour of the worlde, ſent of his heauenly father to ſuffre the moſte cruell, moſt ſhamefull, and moſt neceſſary death for our redempcyon: according to y^e meanynge of the prophecie truely vnderſtonde.

Euen after the ſame maner y^e blynde byſſhoppe of Rome,(that blynde Baalam I ſaye) not vnderſtondynge what he dyd, gaue vnto your grace this tytle: Defendour of the fayth, onely bycauſe your hyghnes ſuffred your byſſhoppes to burne Gods worde the rote of fayth, and to perſecute the louers and myniſters of y^e ſame. Where in very dede the blynde byſſhoppe(though he knewe not what he dyd) prophecied, that by the ryghteous admyniſtracyon and contynuall diligence of youre grace, the fayth ſhulde ſo be defended, that Gods worde the mother of Fayth with the frutes therof, ſhulde haue his fre courſe thorowe out all Chriſtendome, but ſpecyally in your realme.

Yf your hyghneſſe now of your pryncely benignite wyll pardon me to compare theſe two byſſhoppes(I meane byſſhoppe Caiphas and the byſſhoppe of Rome) & theyr prophecies together, I doute not but we ſhal fynde them agree lyke brethren, though the one be a Jewe and the other a counterfayte Chriſtian. Fyrſt, Caiphas prophecied that it was better to put Chriſt vnto death, then that the people ſhulde peryſſhe. The byſſhoppe of Rome alſo, not knowynge what he prophecied, gaue youre grace this tytle: Defendour of the fayth. The trueth of both theſe prophecies is of the holy gooſt(as was Baalams prophecie) though they that ſpake thē, knewe not what they ſayd. The trueth of Caiphas prophecie is, that it was neceſſary for mans ſaluacyon, that Chriſt by his death ſhulde ouercome death, and redeme vs.^[2] And the trueth of oure Baalams prophecie is, y^t your grace in very dede ſhulde defende the Fayth, Yee euen the true fayth of Chriſt, no dreames, no fables, no hereſie, no papiſticall inuencions, but the vncorrupte fayth of Gods moſt holy worde, which to ſet forth prayſed be the goodnes of God, and increace youre gracyous purpoſe) your hyghnes with youre moſt honorable councell, applyeth all his ſtudye and endeuoure.

Theſe two blynde byſſhopes now agree in y^e vnderſtādyng of theyr prophecies: for Caiphas taketh Chriſt for an heretike, Oure Balaā taketh the worde of Chriſt for hereſie. Caiphas iudgeth it to be a good dede to put Chriſt vnto death, that he ſhulde not deceaue the people. Oure Balaam calleth defendynge of the fayth, the ſuppreſſyng, kepyng ſecrete, and burnyng of the worde of fayth: leſt the lyght there of ſhulde beter his darknes: leſt his owne Decretales & Decrees, his owne lawes and conſtitucions, his owne ſtatutes and inuencions ſhulde come to none effecte: leſt his intollerable exactions and vſurpacions ſhulde loſe theyr ſtrengthe: leſt it ſhulde be knowen what a thefe and murtherer he is in the cauſe of Chriſt, and how haynous a traytoure to God and man in defraudynge all Chriſten kynges & prynces of theyr due obedience: leſt we youre graces ſubiectes ſhulde haue eyes in the worde of God, at the laſt to ſpye out his crafty conueyaūce and iuglynges: and leſt men ſhulde ſe, how ſore he and his falſe Apoſtles haue deceaued all Chriſtendome, ſpecyally youre noble realme of Englonde.

Thus your grace ſeyth how brotherly the Jewyſh byſſhoppe and oure Balaam agree together, not onely in myter and outwarde appearaunce: but as the one perſecuted the Lorde Jeſus in his owne perſone, ſo doth the other perſecute his worde and reſyſteth his holy ordynaunce in the auctorite of his anoynted kynges. For ſo moche nowe as the worde of God is the onely trueth that dryueth awaye all lyes, and diſcloſeth all iuglyng and diſceate, therfore is oure Balaam of Rome ſo lothe that the ſcripture ſhulde be knowē in the mother tonge: leſt yf kynges and prynces(ſpecially aboue all other) were exercyſed therin, they ſhulde reclame and chalenge agayne theyr due auctorite, which he falſely hath vſurped ſo many yeres, and ſo to tye hym ſhorter: and leſt the people beyng taught by the worde of God, ſhulde fall from y^t falſe fayned obediēce of hym and his diſguyſed Apoſtles, vnto the true obedience commaunded by Gods owne mouthe: as namely, to obey theyr prynce, to obey father and mother, &c. and not to ſteppe ouer father and mothers bely to enter in to his paynted religions, as his ypocrites teache: for he knoweth well ynough, that yf the cleare Sonne of Gods worde come ones to the heate of the daye, it ſhal dryue awaye all the foule myſt of his deuelyſh doctrines. Therfore were it more to the mayntenaunce of Antichriſtes kyngdome, that the worlde were ſtyll in ignoraunce and blyndnes, and that the ſcripture ſhulde neuer come to lyghte. For the ſcripture(both in the olde teſtament and in the new) declareth moſt aboūtdauntly that the office, auctorite and power geuen of God vnto kynges/is in earth aboue all other powers: let them call thē ſelues Popes, Cardynalles, or what ſo euer they will, the worde of god declareth them(yee and commaundeth them vnder payne of dampnacion) to be obedient vnto the temporall ſwerde:^[3] As in the olde Teſtament all the Prophetes, Preſtes and Leuites were. And in the new Teſtament Chriſt & his Apoſtles both were obedient them ſelues, and taught obedience of all men vnto theyr prynces ād temporall rulers:^[4] which here vnto vs in the worlde preſent the perſone of God, and are called Goddes in the ſcripture, bycauſe of the excellēcy of theyr office. And though there were no mo auctorities but the ſame, to proue the p̄eminence of the temporall ſwerde, yet by this the ſcripture declareth playnly, that as there is nothyng aboue God, ſo is there no man aboue the kynge in his realme but that he onely vnder God is the chefe heade of all the cōgregacyon and church of the ſame. And in token that this is true, there hath ben of olde antiquite(and is yet vnto this daye) a louynge ceremonye vſed in your realme of Englonde, y^t whā your graces ſubiectes reade your letters, or begynne to talke or comē of your hyghnes, they moue theyr bonettes for a ſigne & token of reuerence vnto your grace, as to their moſt ſoueraigne lorde & heade vnder God, which thyng no man vſeth to do to eny byſſhoppe, wherby (yf oure vnderſtondyng were nat blynded) we myght euydently perceaue, that euen very nature teacheth vs the ſame, that ſcripture cōmaūdeth vs: and that lyke as it is agaynſt Gods worde that a kynge ſhulde not be the chefe heade of his people, euen ſo(I ſaye) is it agaynſt kynde that we ſhulde knowe any other heade aboue hym vnder God.

And that no preſt nor byſſhoppe is exempte(nor can be lawfully) from the obedience of his prynce, the ſcripture is full both of ſtrayte cōmaundemētes, & practiſes of the holyeſt men. + Aaron was obedient vnto Moſes, and cal led hym his lorde, though he was his owne brother.^[5] Eleaſar and Phineas were vnder the obediēce of Joſua. + Nathan the prophete fell downe to the grounde before kynge Dauid, he had his Prynce in ſuch reuerence(He made not the kynge for to kyſſe his fote as the byſſoppe of Rome maketh Emperours to do) Not withſtondynge he ſpared not to rebuke hym, and that ryght ſharply whan he fell from the worde of God to adultery and manſlaughter. For he was not afrayed to reproue hym of his ſinnes, nomore than Helyas the prophete ſtode in feare to ſaye vnto kynge Achab: + It is thou and thy fathers houſe that trouble Iſrael, becauſe ye haue forſaken y^e commaundementes of the Lorde, and walke after Baal. And as Johan Baptyſte durſt ſaye vnto Kynge Herode: It is not lawful for the to take thy brothers wyfe. But to my purpoſe I paſſe ouer innumerable mo enſāples both of the olde. Teſtament and of the new, for feare leſt I be to tedyous vnto your grace. Sūma, in all godly regimentes of olde tyme the kynge and tēporall iudge was obeyed of euery man, and was alwaye vnder God the chefe and ſuppreme heade of the whole congregacyon, and depoſed euen preſtes whan he ſawe an vrgent cauſe, as Salomon dyd vnto Abiathar, who coulde than ſtonde agaynſt the godly obedience of his prynce(excepte he woulde be at defyaunce with God and all his holy ordynaunces)^[6] that were well acquaynted with the holy ſcripture, which ſo earneſtly cōmendeth vnto euery one of vs the auctorite and power geuen of God vnto kynges and temporall rulers. Therfore doth Moſes ſo ſtrately forbyde the Iſraelites to ſpeake ſo moche as an euell worde agaynſt the prynce of y^e people, moche leſſe than to diſobeye hym, or to withſtonde hym.^[7] Doth not Jeremy the prophete and Baruc alſo exhorte the people in captiuite, to praye for the proſperous welfare of the kynge of Babilon, and to obeye hym, though he was an infidele: In the new Teſtament whā oure ſauioure Chriſt(beyng yet fre & Lorde of al kynges & prynces) ſhewed his obedience in payenge the trybute to oure enſample, + dyd he not a miracle there in puttynge the pece of money in the fyſſhes mouth(that Peter myght paye the cuſtomer therwith) and all to ſtablyſſhe the obedience due vnto prynces: + Dyd not Joſeph and Mary the mother of our ſauiour Chriſt departe frō Nazareth vnto Bethleē, ſo farre from home, to ſhewe theyr obedience in payenge the taxe to the prynce?^[8] And wolde not oure Sauioure be borne in the ſame obedience: + Doth not Paule pronounce hym to reſyſte God hym ſelfe, that reſyſteth the auctorite of hes prynce?^[9] And (to be ſhorte) the Apoſtle Peter dothe not onely ſtablyſſhe the obedience vnto prynces and temporall rulers but affirmeth playnly the kynge(and no byſſhoppe) to be the chefe heade.^[10] Innumerable places mo are there in ſcripture, which bynde vs to the obedience of oure prynce, and declare vnto vs, that no man is nor can be lawfully excepte from the ſame: but that all the myniſters of Goddes worde are vnder the tēporall ſwerde: & Prynces onely to owe obedience vnto God & his worde.

And where as Anthicriſt vnto youre graces tyme dyd thruſt his heade into y^e imperiall crowne of your hyghnes(as he doth yet with other noble prynces mo) that lerned he of Sathā the authour of pryde, and therfor doth he both agaynſt the doctryne & alſo agaynſt y^e enſample of Chriſte: whiche becauſe his kyngdome was not of this worlde, medled with no temporal matters, as it is euydent both by his wordes and practyſe: Luc. xii. Math. xxvi. Joh. vi. Joh. xviii. where he y^t hath eyes to ſe, maye ſe: & he y^t hath eares to heare, maye heare, y^t Chriſtes admyniſtracion was nothyng tēporall, but playne ſpiritual, as he hym ſelfe affirmeth & proueth in the fourth chapter of ſaynt Luke out of the prophete Eſay: where all byſſhoppes and preſtes maye ſe, how farre theyr byndynge and lowſynge extendeth, and where in theyr office conſiſteth, namely in preachynge the Goſpell, &c.

Wherfore(moſt gracyous prynce) there is no tonge I thynke, that can fully expreſſe and declare the vntollerable iniuries, which haue bene done vnto God, to al prynces and to the comynalties of all chriſten realmes, ſence they which ſhulde be onely the miniſters of Gods worde, became lordes of the worlde, and thruſt y^e true and iuſt prynces out of theyr rowmes. Whoſe herte wolde not pitie it(yee euē with lamentacyon) to remember but onely the vntollerable wronge done by that Antychriſt of Rome vnto youre graces moſt noble predeceſſoure kynge John̄e I paſſe ouer his peſtilent pykynge of Peter pens out of youre realme: his ſtealynge awaye of youre money for pardons: benefices and byſſhoprykes: his diſceauyng of youre ſubiectes ſoules with his deuelyſhe doctrynes and ſectes of his falſe religions: his bloudſheddyng of ſo many of your graces peaple, for bokes of the ſcripture. Whoſe herte wolde not be greued(yee and that out of meaſure) to call to remēbraūce, how obſtinate and diſobedient, how preſumptuous & ſtubburne that Antychriſt made the byſſhoppes of youre realme agaynſt your graces noble predeceſſours in tymes paſt, as it is manyfeſt in y^e Cronicles: I truſt berely there be no ſuche now within youre realme. Yf there be, let them remembre theſe wordes of ſcripture: Preſumptuouſnes goeth before deſtrucciō, & after a proude ſtomacke there foloweth a fall.^[11]

What is now the cauſe of all theſe vntollerable and nomore to be ſuffred abhominacions: Truely euen the ignoraunce of the ſcripture of God. For how had it els ben poſſyble, that ſuch blyndnes ſhulde haue come in to y^e worlde, had not y^e lyghte of Gods worde bene extyncte: How coulde men(I ſaye) haue bene ſo farre from the true ſeruyce of God, and from the due obedience of theyr prynce, had not the lawe of God bene clene ſhut vp, depreſſed, caſt aſyde, and put out of remembraunce? As it was afore the tyme of that noble kyng Joſias, and as it hath bene alſo amonge vs vnto youre graces tyme: by whoſe moſt ryghteous admyniſtracyon(thorowe the mercyfull goodnes of God) it is now founde agayne, + as it was in the dayes of that moſt vertuous kynge Joſias.^[12] And prayſed be the father, the ſonne, and the holy gooſt worlde without ende, which ſo excellently hath endewed youre Pryncely hert with ſuch feruentnes to his honoure, and to the welth of youre louyng ſubiectes, that I maye ryghtuouſly(by iuſt occaſyons in youre perſone) cōpare youre hyghnes vnto that noble and gracyous kynge, y^t lanterne of lyghte amonge prynces, that feruent protectour and defender of the lawes of God: which cōmaunded ſtraytly(as youre grace doth) that the lawe of God ſhulde be redde and taught vn to all y^e people: ſet the preſtes to theyr office in the worde of god: deſtroyed Idolatry and falſe ydols: put downe all euell cuſtomes and abuſyons: ſet vp the true honoure of God: applyed all his ſtudye and endeuoure to the ryghtuous admyniſtracyon of the moſt vncorrupte lawe of God. &c. O what felicite was amonge y^e people of Jeruſalem in his dayes: And what proſperous health both of ſoule & body foloweth the lyke myniſtracion in youre hyghnes, we begynne now(prayſed be God) to haue experience.^[13] For as falſe doctryne is the origenall cauſe of all euell plages and deſtruccyon, ſo is y^e true executynge of the lawe of God ād the preachyng of the ſame, the mother of all godly proſperite. The onely worde of god(I ſaye) is the cauſe of all felicite, it bryngeth all goodnes with it, it bryngeth lernynge, it gēdreth vnderſtondynge, it cauſeth good workes, it maketh chyldren of obedience, breuely, it teacheth all eſtates theyr office and duety.^[14] Seynge then that the ſcripture of God teacheth vs euery thynge ſufficiently, both what we oughte to do, and what we oughte to leaue vndene: whome we are bounde to obey, and whome we ſhulde not obeye: therfore(I ſaye) it cauſeth all proſperite, and ſetteth euery thyng in frame: and where it is taught and knowen, it lyghteneth all darkeneſſes, cōforteth all ſory hertes, leaueth no poore man vnhelped, ſuffreth nothynge amyſſe vnamended, letteth no prynce be diſobeyed, permytteth no hereſie to be preached: but refourmeth all thinges, amēdeth that is amyſſe, and ſetteth euery thynge in order. And why? becauſe it is geuen by the inſpiracyon of God, therfore is it euer bryngynge profyte and frute, by teachynge, by improuynge, by amendynge and refourmyng all thē y^t wyl receaue it, to make them parfecte & mete vnto all good workes.^[15]

Conſiderynge now(moſt gracyous prynce) the ineſtimable treaſure, frute & proſperite euerlaſtynge, that God geueth with his worde, and truſtynge in his infynite goodnes that he wolde brynge my ſymple and rude laboure herin to good effecte, therfore as the holy gooſt moued other mē to do the coſt herof, ſo was I boldened in God, to laboure in the ſame. Agayne, conſyderynge youre Imperiall maieſtye not onely to be my naturall ſoueraigne liege Lorde & chefe heade of y^e church of Englōde, but alſo the true defender and maynteyner of Gods lawes, I thought it my dutye and to belonge vnto my allegiaunce, whan I had tranſlated this Bible, not onely to dedicate this tranſlacyon vnto youre hyghneſſe, but wholy to commytte it vnto the ſame: to the intent that yf any thynge therin be tranſlated amyſſe(for in many thynges we fayle, euen whan we thynke to be ſure) it may ſtōde in youre graces handes, to correcte it, to amende it, to improue it, yee & cleane to reiect it, yf youre godly wyſdome ſhall thynke it neceſſary. And as I do with all humblenes ſubmitte myne vnderſtondynge and my poore tranſlacyon vnto y^e ſpirite of trueth in your grace, ſo make I this proteſtacyon(hauyng God to recorde in my cōſcience) that I haue nether wreſted nor altered ſo moch as one worde for the mayntenaūce of any maner of ſecte: but haue with a cleare conſeience purely & faythfully tranſlated this out of fyue ſundry interpreters, hauyng onely the manyfeſt trueth of the ſcripture before myne eyes: Truſtynge in the goodnes of God, that it ſhalbe vnto his worſhippe: quietnes and tranquilite vnto your hyggnes: a perfecte ſtablyſhment of all Gods ordynaunces within youre graces domynion: a generall comforte to all Chriſten hertes, and a continuall thankfulneſſe both of olde and yonge vnto god, and to youre grace, for beynge oure Moſes, and for bringynge vs out of this olde Egypte from the cruell handes of our ſpirituall Pharao. For where were the Jewes(by ten thouſande partes) ſo moch bounde vnto Kynge Dauid, for ſubduynge of greate Goliath and all theyr enemyes, as we are to your grace, for delyuerynge vs out of oure olde Babylonycall captiuyte.^[16] For y^e which delyueraunce and victory I beſeke oure onely medyatoure Jeſus Chriſt, to make ſoch meanes for vs vnto his heauenly father, y^t we neuer be vnthankfull vnto him _

ner vnto youre grace: but that we euer increace in the feare of him, in obe-

dience vnto your hyghneſſe, in loue vnfayned vnto oure negh

bours: and in all vertue that commeth of God. To

whom for y^e defendynge of his bleſſed wor

de(by your graces moſt right-

full adminiſtracyon)

be honoure

and

thankes, glory

and dominyon, worlde

without ende,

Amen.

youre graces humble ſub-
iecte and daylye oratour,
Myles Couerdale.

Cross-References

1. Jo. 11. c.
2. Nume. 24. c.
3. Ro. 13a
4. Math. 17.d,
   Tit. 3.a
   Exod. 22. d.
   Pſal. 81. a.
5. Nume. 12. b
   Joſ. 4 c
   3. Reg. 1. c.
   3. Reg. 18. b.
   Leuit. 18. b.
   Math. 14. a.
6. 3. Reg. 2. d.
7. Exod. 22. d.
   Jerem. 19. b.
   Bar. 2 c
   Math. 17. d,
8. Lu. 2. a
9. Ro. 13 a
10. 1. Petr. 2. b.
11. Proue. 26.
12. 4. Re. 22. b.
    2. Par. 24. c.
13. Jerem. 44. d
14. Sapie. 7. b.
15. 1. Tim. 3. b,
16. 1. Reg. 17. g.