Harmony of the Gospels, Title page 1 – Preface 1
A HARMONIE VPONUPON THE THREE Euangelists, Matthew, Mark and Luke, with the Commentarie of M. Iohn Caluine: Faithfullie translated out of Latine into English, by E. P.
Whereunto is also added a Commentarie vponupon the Euangelist S. Iohn, by the same authour.
LONDINI impensis Geor. Bishop. 1584.
TO THE RENOWMED Pieres and noble Lordes, the Consuls, and the whole senate of the famous Citie of Frank…ford.
I. Caluine.
IF euer it seemed expedient that the pageants of vertues should be shewed openly to the imitation of others (which might bee a spurre as well to the lasie lingerers, as to the restie runners): surely the slouthfull dealing and sluggish behauiour whiche is vsed in these our corrupt dayes maketh it seeme necessarie: that the greater part of men which rather start back, then willingly step forward, shold bee constrained at the least with shame of negligence to doe their dutie. For we see eueryevery man busilie bent to a certaine contention who shall excell in wicked practises, and that both in priuate and publike affaires: that no Monarche doth seeme to be inferiour to the nations that border vponupon him either in policie, or vigilancie, or power, or bolde attempt, whereby he may enlarge the boundes of his empire: that no citie or common weale doth giuegive place to any in craftinesse and all captious dealing: that no man is the second in subtletie among the proud and ambitious: finally there is no man which hath not conspired with his companie, and that in the way of contention, slilie to incite the rest as it were with a becke to all vitious vanitie, and he that is ringleader in all naughtinesse sonest stirreth vp other to his lewdnesse, whereas in the rankest route of ribalds is scarce one found out that fauoureth honestie: which maketh me thinke it very profitable that such rare vertues as sometime raigne in noble personages, should bee aduaunced to the loftie theater or stage of due commendation, to the intent that they being spied a farre of might allure the greater number to like them and liue accordingly. And this I confesse (right honorable) was the chiefest cause that moued me to publish this my labour abroad, vnderunder the title of your names. For although I shall persuade my selfe to hauehave profited very wel, if any that beginne of their owne accorde to creepe forward, shalbe incouraged by me to runne faster: yet did not I so muche respect this, as that I might persuade other to ioyn hands with you, or at the least to tread the same path that you do. Notwithstāding I hauehave not purposed to recite as out of a rolle all the godly qualities wherewith you are throughly furnished: only it shall suffice at this time to set forth that one vertue wherewith you hauehave bound to your honours as with a more holy bond, aswell mee, as diuers other faithfull seruants of Iesus Christ. This one thing is worthie highly to be prayed that fiue yeeres since when as an horrible feare had affrighted the mindes of all men in eueryevery place: whenas the ouerthrowe that our enemies had giuen vsus did threaten a miserable ruine to the churches throughout Germany, & almost an vtter extinguishing of the Gospel, you euen at that time beeing placed in the fore front of the battaile stood stoutly to the free confession of your faith, which was hated to death, and retained with all constancie that sincere doctrine of pietie which before you receiued: which is a manifest argument that when you were tossed with greuous cares and dangerous turmoyles, you desired nothing more then to fight manfully vnderunder Christes banner▪ But that which followeth will surely make your names immortall; that you doe not only set out amongest your selues the true worship of God, and imploy your faithfull labour, to cōteine your citizens within the sheepfold of Christ: but also gather togeather the dispersed relikes of his church, thrust out of other nations, which are as it were, members of the same, all rent and pulled in peeces. Doubtles, it did greatly reioice my hart (cōsidering the troublesome time) to heare that the true worshipers of God, which fled in exile from England and other countries, were gently receiued and entertained among you▪ and that you did not only releeue and ease their heauie banishment but that you had also a due consideration of the glory of the sonne of God, insomuch that you made his Gospel to be sounded in your citie euen by the tongues of aliants, and that in a straunge language. The like curtesie was shewed of late by the Magistrates of Tigurine to the afflicted citizens of Lo▪ whom they did not only receiue & …oster within the walles of their Citie, when at home they coulde not worship God as they woulde: but also erected a Temple for them wherein they might celebrate Gods holy seruice: neither were they diswaded by the diuersitie of tongues from suffering Christ to speake Italian, euen in the middest of Tigurine: but I let them passe and come againe to that I was about to say of you. As soone as I vnderstoode that your curtesie stretched so farre, as to suffer my countrimen to hauehave a holy congregation in your citie: perceiuing my selfe bound vntounto you by a priuate benefit: I thought good to testifie my thākful hart by this gift which now I present vntounto you. For as the condition of our countrie men is rightly to be lamented, who dwelling in their natiue soyle, seeme by the tyrannous sacriledge of the Pope to be cleane banished from Christs kingdome: so on the contrary part, it is not a little to bee reioyced at, that they hauehave a resting place graunted them in a straunge countrie, where they may render due honour vntounto the liuing God. And surely this holy hospitalitie which you hauehave vsed, not so much towardes men as to-Christ himselfe, shall bee a meanes as I trust, to moue God to powre his rare benefites vponupon you, and still to continue his liberalitie towarde you, which do alredie slorish in all prosperitie. Doubtlesse it constrained mee (as I signified before) to dedicate this my booke vntounto you, which is a Commentarie vponupon the Harmonie made of the three Euangelists: in making wherof, I hauehave takē some paines with no lesse fidelitie thē industry. But as it is to smal purp…e to declare how seriously I hauehave traueled herein: so do I submit my self to other mens iudgmēts: for ye learned, wise, and discreete Readers, who as they take great delight in the common vtilitie, so they be not ashamed like rude & barbarous caytifes, to learne & augment their knowledge by reading and studie. But as for peruers and ouerthwart wranglers, I little esteeme, I meane not cowled Monkes, who for the maintenance of the Popes tyrannie fight in open place against vsus: but also those vnnaturall drones which being mingled amōg vsus, desire nothing more, then clean to extinguish al sight of learning, to this intent that they may cloke and couer their own ignorance. For although like dogges they despitefully bark at me, yet wil I vse this exception alwaies, that I neede not submitte my selfe to their censure or iudgement, either by the law of God or of men, which are not onelyonly to be kept vnderunder like children for their blamefull and infamous vnskilfulnes: but also most seuerely to be punished for their malitious obstinacie, & to stubbern impudēcie. But whatsoeuer they say, I trust the better sort wil graunt, that it is lawfull for me to acknowledge without arrogancie, that faithfull labour, which I hauehave imploied to the profit of Gods Church. There came forth two yeeres since the gospel of Iohn, with my interpretation, which I trust hath not beene fruitelesse. And thus like an apparitor, I hauehave endeuoured to my power, to set forth Christe, ryding princelike in his foure wheeled chariot, very gloriously: By reading of which worke, when the gentle readers hauehave profited them selues, they wil not be loath to confesse, that they hauehave not studied it in vaine: which Euangelicall history being described and sette forth by foure witnesses, appointed by God himselfe, I do not without cause compare vntounto a chariot: for of this sweete and pleasaunt consent God seemeth purposelye to hauehave made as it were, a triumphant chariot for his son, out of which he might plainly appeare to be seene of al his faithful people, and by the swiftnes whereof he might lightly passe, and as it were, raunge ouer the whole world. Neither doth Augustine vnfitly compare the foure Euangelistes to trumpets, the noyse whereof doth sound in al coastes, that the Churche of Christe beeing summoned out of the foure quarters of the world, might flock and gather together from the East and the VVeste, from the South and the North, vntounto an holy consent of faith. VVherefore their absurd curiositie is the lesse to be borne withal, who being not content with these Gospels (which be as it were proclamations proceeding from heauen) thrust out their own toyes, and corrupt imaginatiōs, which do nothing but defile the puritie of faith, & cause Christes name to be scorned and had in derision of the vngodly. As for you, which do… farre excel the common sort, since you detest in minde al that corrupt leuen, wherewith the true sinceritie of the Gospell is infected, and shewe your selues to delight in nothing more then in maintaining and allowing the plaine and simple doctrine, as it is set forth by Christ himselfe: I am not only perswaded that you wil very wel like of this my watchful worke, which expoundeth the treasure of glad tiding: but also I hauehave a good hope, that this signe or token of my good will and louelove to you ward, will be aswel acceptable, in that I hauehave dedicated the same vntounto you. Thus I bid you farewel, right honourable Lordes, and wishe that Christ may direct you with his holy spirit, strengthen you with his power, preserue you vnderunder his protection, and enrich your Citie and common weale with his plenteous benediction. At Geneua, the first of Aug. The yeere of our Lordes natiuitie, 1555.