 | Johan Baptystes Preachynge |  |
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A BREFE COMEDY OR ENTERLUDE OF JOHAN BAPTYSTES PREACHYNGE IN THE WYLDERNESSE, OPENYNGE THE CRAFTYE ASSAULTES OF THE HYPOCRYTES, WITH THE GLORYOUSE BAPTYME OF THE LORDE JESUS CHRIST. Compyled by Johan Bale, Anno 1538.
Incipit Comoedia
[Enter Joannes Baptista to preach to the audience, with Turba Vulgaris, Publicanus, and Miles Armatus listening.]Joannes Baptista
As a massenger I come to geve yow warnynge
That your lorde, your kynge, your saver and redemer,
With helth, grace and peace, to yow ys hydre commynge.
Applye ye therfor, delaye the tyme no longer,
But prepare hys waye, makynge the rough pathes smother;
Stryke downe the mountaynes, fyll up the valleyes agayne,
For all men shall se their mercyful saver playne.
That your lorde, your kynge, your saver and redemer,
With helth, grace and peace, to yow ys hydre commynge.
Applye ye therfor, delaye the tyme no longer,
But prepare hys waye, makynge the rough pathes smother;
Stryke downe the mountaynes, fyll up the valleyes agayne,
For all men shall se their mercyful saver playne.
The seate of David, whych is the father heavenly,
He cometh to possesse as a ruler spirytuall,
And in Jacobs howse to reigne contynually,
Whych is of hys churche the nombre unyversall
Not only of Jewes but faythfull belevers all.
That congregacyon will he evermore defende,
And of hys kyngedome shall never be an ende.
He cometh to possesse as a ruler spirytuall,
And in Jacobs howse to reigne contynually,
Whych is of hys churche the nombre unyversall
Not only of Jewes but faythfull belevers all.
That congregacyon will he evermore defende,
And of hys kyngedome shall never be an ende.
Turba Vulgaris
At these newe tydynges, whom thys good man doth brynge,
My hart within me for joye doth leape and sprynge.
Publicanus
O myghty maker, what confort to us is thys,
Thyne own sonne to sende to reforme that is amys!
Miles Armatus
Soch confort to me as I can not expresse,
Of tunges though I had thre thousande and no lesse.
[Joannes Baptista turns to speak to the three listeners.]
Joannes Baptista
Approche nyghar, fryndes, and tell me what ye saye.
Turba Vulgaris
Ye tolde us, me thought, we shuld prepare a waye
For the lordes commynge. Was not your saynge so?
Joannes Baptista
My preachynge was it, from it can I not go,
For grounded it is on Gods myghty worde trulye,
Uttered longe afore by the prophet Esaye.
Publicanus
I praye ye, tell us what ye meane by that waye.
Joannes Baptista
Your conversacyon, which is in sore decaye.
Laye apart your wrathe, your covetousnesse and pryde,
Your lustes unlaufull, with your other synnes besyde.
Knowledge your trespace and cease from doynge yll;
Flee mennys tradycyons and Gods hygh lawes fulfyll
Make ye strayght the pathes, lete every man have hys;
In no wyse revenge whan men use ye amys.
Your lustes unlaufull, with your other synnes besyde.
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Flee mennys tradycyons and Gods hygh lawes fulfyll
Make ye strayght the pathes, lete every man have hys;
In no wyse revenge whan men use ye amys.
Seke God your father in sprete and veryte,
But not in shaddowes, as doth the Pharyse,
Whych by outwarde workes loketh to be justyfyed,
And neyther by faythe nor by Gods worde wyll be tryed.
Every depe valleye to moch more hygthe wyll growe;
The mountaynes and hylles shall be brought downe full lowe.
But not in shaddowes, as doth the Pharyse,
Whych by outwarde workes loketh to be justyfyed,
And neyther by faythe nor by Gods worde wyll be tryed.
Every depe valleye to moch more hygthe wyll growe;
The mountaynes and hylles shall be brought downe full lowe.
Miles Armatus
What meane ye by that? I pray ye hartely tell.
Joannes Baptista
Mekenesse wyll aryse and pryde abate by the Gospell.
The symple fysher shall now be notable;
The spirytuall Pharyse a wretche detestable.
The wyse and lerned the Idyote wyll deface;
Synners shall excede the outward sayntes in grace.
Abjectes of the worlde in knowledge wyll excell
The consecrate Rabyes by vertu of the Gospell.
The spirytuall Pharyse a wretche detestable.
The wyse and lerned the Idyote wyll deface;
Synners shall excede the outward sayntes in grace.
Abjectes of the worlde in knowledge wyll excell
The consecrate Rabyes by vertu of the Gospell.
The poore man by faythe shall very clerely deme
The clause that wyll harde unto the lawer seme.
All that afore tyme untowarde ded remayne
The rule of Gods worde wyll now make strayght and playne.
The covetouse jourer shall now be lyberall,
The malycyouse man wyll now to charyte fall.
The clause that wyll harde unto the lawer seme.
All that afore tyme untowarde ded remayne
The rule of Gods worde wyll now make strayght and playne.
The covetouse jourer shall now be lyberall,
The malycyouse man wyll now to charyte fall.
The wratheful hater shall now love ernestlye,
To temperate measure men wyll change glotonye.
Pryde shall so abate that mekenesse wyll prevayle,
Lechery shall lye down and clennesse set up sayle.
Slouthfulnesse shall slyde, and dylygence aryse
To folowe the truthe in godly exercyse.
Prepare ye therfor so fast as ever ye can
To thys lorde, whych will renue ye every man,
In case ye repent the folye that is past.
To temperate measure men wyll change glotonye.
Pryde shall so abate that mekenesse wyll prevayle,
Lechery shall lye down and clennesse set up sayle.
Slouthfulnesse shall slyde, and dylygence aryse
To folowe the truthe in godly exercyse.
Prepare ye therfor so fast as ever ye can
To thys lorde, whych will renue ye every man,
In case ye repent the folye that is past.
Omnes Una
Sory are we for it, and wyll be to our last.
Joannes Baptista
What are ye? Tell me ych persone severallye.
Turba Vulgaris
I do represent the commen people of Jewry;
In sweate of my browes my lyvynge I procure
By daylye labours, and mynde so to endure.
Publicanus
A publicane I am, and moch do lyve by pollage,
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Moch am I hated of the Pharyse and Scrybe,
For axyng trybute, it judgynge unlaufull brybe.
Miles Armatus
A soldyour I am, or valeant man of warre,
The lande to defende and hys enemyes to conquarre.
Whan my wages are too lyttle for my expence
To get a botye I spare no vyolence.
Joannes Baptista
For Gods love, repent and turne ye to the lorde,
That by him ye maye to hys kyngedome be restorde.
Ad Deum convertitur Turba Vulgaris et peccata sic confitetur.
Turba Vulgaris
I knowe, blessed lorde, by playne experiment
Most nygh unto helth is he that sheweth hys sore.
Wherefor I confesse in place here evydent
The synnefull lyvynge that I have used afore.
A wretched synnar I have bene evermore,
Unthankefull to thee, to man uncharytable,
And in all my workes both false and deceyvable.
Hunc tunc baptisat Joannes flectentem genua.
Joannes Baptista
Then take my baptyme whych is a preparacyon
Unto faythe in Christ wherin rest your salvacyon.
To Christes Gospell your conversacyon applye,
And lerne by thys sygne with hym to lyve and dye.
Turba Vulgaris
Myne usage, ye knowe, is outwarde and externe;
Some godly preceptes for that fayne wolde I lerne.
Joannes Baptista
I will not move ye to offer calfe nor gote,
But to charyte whych is of hyghar note.
With no sacryfyce is God more hyghly pleased
Than with that good hart wherby the poore is eased,
For that he accepteth as though hymselfe it had.
Turba Vulgaris
Thys helthsome counsell maketh my hart joyfull and glad.
Joannes Baptista
He that hath two coates, lete hym geve one to the nedye;
And he that hath vytayle, lykewyse releve the hungrye.
Helpe alwayes the poore with herbour, foode and aparell,
With socour, solace, with doctryne and ghostlye counsell.
These thynges done in faythe maye mollyfye Gods yre.
Turba Vulgaris
Farwell to ye then, for I have my desyre.
Eo exeunte Publicanus coram Deo peccatum agnoscit.
Publicanus
Thy worde, blessed lorde, by this good man declared
Causeth my conscyence of synne to have remorce,
And to remembre how that I have not spared
The poore to oppresse by crueltie and force.
I consydre yet how I oft have bene horce,
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To my neyber, lorde, I have bene full untrue.
Illum tunc baptisat Joannes incurvantem genua.
Joannes Baptista
Be baptysed then in token of repentaunce,
And take to ye faythe with a newe remembraunce,
Thynkynge by thys sygne ye are from hensfourth bounde
Vyces to resyst, acceptynge Christ for your grounde.
Publicanus
Geve me some precept or rule whereon to staye,
That I in my sort my lorde God may obaye.
Joannes Baptista
I wyll not bynde ye your substaunce to dyspence,
But I requyre yow to abstayne from vyolence.
Though your offyce be to gather and to pull
Yet be no tyrauntes, but rather mercyfull:
A good waye thys were for your estate I thynke.
Publicanus
Perfourme it I shall. I wolde else I shuld synke.
Joannes Baptista
For your peynes, ye have appoynted by the emproure
Your stypende wages; no creature you ought to devoure.
For Gods love therfor do no man injury
In taking tollage, advauntage to have therby,
Non otherwyse than it is to yow prescrybed.
Publicanus
By me from hensfourth nought from the poore shall be brybed.
Eo decedente Miles sua confitetur scelera.
Miles Armatus
Experyence doth shewe where as are good monycyons
Maye be avoyded all jeopardy and daunger.
At thys mannys counsell all synneful dysposycyons
I wyll therfor change to a lyfe, I hope, moch better.
No man so wycked, nor so farre out of order,
As I wretche have bene in murther, rape and thefte.
Swete lorde, forgeve me and those wayes shall be lefte.
Illum tunc baptisat Joannes in genua procumbentem.
Joannes Baptista
Thys baptyme of myne to yow doth represent
Remyssyon in Christ, in case your synnes ye repent.
In hys blessed deathe it assureth yow of grace,
Sealynge your pasport unto the hyghar place.
Miles Armatus
My maker I thanke of hys most specyall gyfte;
For my usage now shewe me some ghostly dryfte.
Joannes Baptista
Of warre ye have lawes: use them with ryght alwayes.
Do no spoyle, nor rape, take no unlaufull prayes.
The offyce ye have for the publyque unyte
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Ye maye thus please God in doynge your feate ryght well.
Miles Armatus
Father, go forewarde, for I moch delyght your counsell.
Joannes Baptista
For the publique peace Gods lawe doth yow permyt
Stronge weapon to weare, but in no case to abuse it.
If ye mynde therfor of God to avoyde the daunger,
For covetouse lucre hurt neyther frynde nor stranger,
But with your wages yche man be satysfyed.
Miles Armatus
Prayse be to the lorde! I am moch edyfyed.
Eo locum deserente intrant Pharisaeus ac Sadducaeus. Interim Joannes Baptista alloquitur populum.
Joannes Baptista
Of Christ to tell yow with the dyfference of our Baptym,
I washe in water, but remyssyon is of him.
My baptyme is a sygne of outwarde mortyfyenge;
A grace is hys baptyme of inwarde quyckenynge.
The baptyme of me is the baptyme of repentaunce;
Hys baptyme in faythe bryngeth full recoveraunce.
My doctryne is harde and full of threttenynges;
Hys wordes are demure, replete with wholsom blessynges.
I feare the conscience with terrour of the lawe;
He by the Gospell mannys sowle wyll gentylly drawe.
A knowledge of synne the baptyme of me do teache;
Forgevenesse by faythe wyll he here after preache.
I open the sore, he bryngeth the remedye;
I sturre the conscyence, he doth all pacyfye.
As Esaye sayth, I am the cryars voice;
But he is the worde and message of rejoyce.
The lanterne I am, he is the very lyght;
I prepare the waye, but he maketh all thynges perfyght.
Invicem alloquuntur.
Pharisaeus
As is said abroade, thys fellawe preacheth newe lernynge.
Lete us dyssemble to understande hys meanynge.
Sadducaeus
Wele pleased I am that we examyne hys doynges;
Hys doctrine paraventure myght hyndre els our lyvynges.
But in our workynge we must be sumwhat craftye.
Pharisaeus
Tush, thu shalt se me undermynde hym very fynelye.
Et vertens se ad Joannem dolose illum alloquitur.
God blesse ye, father, and prospere your busynesse.
Joannes Baptista
Ye are welcome both so that ye mynde anye goodnesse.
Sadducaeus
No harme we intende; ye maye trust us and ye wyll.
Joannes Baptista
Ye shewe to the worlde as though ye coulde do no yll,
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And secretlye how ye playe most wycked partes.
Where as sectes remayne the sprete of God cannot be,
Whose kynde is to knytt by a perfyght unyte.
Pharisaeus
That taunte have I ones bycause I am a Pharyse.
Sadducaeus
My parte is no lesse for I am also a Sadduce.
We wyll thu knowe it, our relygyons are worshypfull.
Joannes Baptista
Not so worshypfull but moch more false and deceytfull.
An outwarde pretence ye have of holynesse,
Whych is before God a double wyckednesse.
Pharisaeus
A very wretche art thu, soch vertuouse men to despyse
As the lawes of God to hys people doth decyse.
We Pharysees are those whych syt in Moses seate
As interpretours the holy scriptures to treate.
Joannes Baptista
And them ye corrupt with your pestylent tradycyons,
For your bellyes sake have yow false exposycyons.
Sadducaeus
What sayst thu to me, whych in one poynt do not swerve
From Moses fyve bokes, but every jote we observe?
Thynkest not us worthy the gloryouse name we beare
Of ryghteouse Sadducees? Saye thy mynde without feare.
Joannes Baptista
I saye thys unto yow, your observacyons are carnall,
Outwarde workes ye have but in sprete nothynge at all.
Ye walke in the letter lyke paynted Hypocrytes,
Before God ye are no better than Sodomytes.
Synners offendynge of weakenesse, doubt or ignoraunce,
Of pytie God pardoneth; but where he fyndeth resystence
Agaynst the playne truthe, there wyll he ponnysh most,
For a wyckednesse that is agaynst the holy Ghost,
And that reigneth in yow whych never hath forgevenesse.
For enemyes ye are to that ye knowe ryghteousnesse.
Pharisaeus
Avaunt, begger, avaunt! Becometh it the to prate
So unmannerly agaynst our comely estate,
Whych is knowne to be so notable and holye?
Thu shalt be loked on, I promyse the, surelye.
Sadducaeus
Our worthy decrees the knave doth not regarde,
But practyseth newe lawes soch as were never hearde.
By whose autoryte doest thu teache thys newe lernynge?
Doubt not but shortly thu wylt be brought to a reckenynge.
Joannes Baptista
Ye generacyon of vypers! Ye murtherers of the prophetes!
Ye Lucifers proude and usurpers of hygh seates!
Never was serpent more styngynge than ye be,
More full of poyson nor inwarde cruelte!
All your stodye is to persue the veryte;
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You boast yourselves moch of ryghteousnesse and scyence,
And yet non more vyle nor fuller of neglygence.
How can ye escape the vengeaunce that is commynge
Upon the unfaythfull whych wyll admytt no warnynge?
Neyther your good workes, nor merytes of your fathers,
Your fastynges, longe prayers with other holy behavers
Shall yow afore God be able to justyfye,
Your affeccyons inwarde unless ye do mortyfye.
And therfor shewe fourth the due frutes of repentaunce;
Not in wordes only but from the hartes habundaunce.
Forsake your malyce, your pryde and hypocresye,
And now exercyse the frutefull dedes of mercye.
Pharisaeus
It become not the to shew what we shall do,
We knowynge the lawe and the prophecyes also.
Go teache thy olde shoes, lyke a busye pratlynge fole,
For we wyll non be of thys newe fangeled scole.
We are men lerned; we knowe the auncyent lawes
Of our forefathers. Thy newes are not worth two strawes.
Sadducaeus
The ofsprynge we are of the noble father Abraham,
And have the blessynge so many as of hym cam.
We can not perysh though thu prate never so myche,
For we are ryghteouse, wele lerned, famouse and ryche.
Joannes Baptista
Great folye is it of Abraham so to boost:
Where his fayth is not, the kyndred is sone lost.
Ye are Abrahams chyldren lyke as was Ismael,
Onlye in the fleshe to whom no blessynge fell.
It profyteth yow lyttle of Abraham to beare name
If ye be wycked, but rather it is your shame.
And as touchynge Abraham, the Lorde is able to rayse
Of stones in the waye such people as shall hym prayse.
The Gentyles can he call whom ye very sore despyse
To Abrahams true faythe, and graces for them devyse.
No hart is so harde but he can it mollefye,
No synner so yll but he maye him justyfye.
Pharisaeus
Yea, he tolde the so: thu art next of hys counsell
And knowest what he myndeth to do in heaven and in hell.
Now forsoth thu art a jolye Robyne Bell.
Sadducaeus
Wyth a lytle helpe of an heretyke he wyll smell.
Joannes Baptista
I se it very wele: agaynst Gods truthe ye are bent,
And come not hyther your wicked wayes to repent
For that prynces sake that will clere us of care;
But your commynge is to trappe me in a snare.
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We knowe hym not, we nor wyll not knowe hym in dede.
But whan he shall come, if he do sowe soch sede
As thu hast done here, he maye chaunce to have yll spede.
Joannes Baptista
Be ware if ye lyst, the axe is put to the rote;
With the Lorde to mocke it will ye no longar bote.
Every wythered tre that wyll geve no good frute
Shall up—whych are yow of all grace destytute—
And shall be throwne fourth into everlastynge fyre,
Where no helpe can be for no pryce nor desyre.
Pharisaeus
A lewde knave art thu; yll doctryne dost thu teache.
We wyll so provyde thu shalt no longar preache.
Sadducaeus
If we do not se for thys gere a dyreccyon,
This fellawe is lyke to make an insurreccyon;
For to hys newe lernynge an infynyte cumpanye
Of worldlye rascalles come hyther suspycyouslye.
Pharisaeus
In dede they do so, and therefor lete us walke
Upon thys matter more delyberatlye to talke.
[Exeunt Sadducaeus and Pharisaeus.]
Joannes Baptista
The nature of these is styll lyke as it hath be—
Blasphemers they are of God and hys veryte.
Here have I preached the baptyme of repentaunce;
After me he cometh that is of moch more puysaunce.
For all my austeryte of lyfe and godly purpose,
Worthye I am not hys lachettes to unlose.
He wyll yow baptyse in the holy Ghost and fyre,
Makynge yow more pure than your heart can desyre.
Hys fanne is in hande, whych is Gods judgement
Unto hym commytted by hys father omnypotent.
He wyll from hys floore, which is hys congregacyon,
Swepe away all fylth and false dyssymulacyon.
Cleane wyll he seclude the dysguysed hypocrytes,
And restore agayne the perfyght Israelytes.
He wyll brynge the wheate into hys barne or grayner,
The chyldren of faythe to the kyngedome of hys father;
The [chaffe] unprofytable whych are the unfaithful sort
Into hell shall go, to their sorowfull dysconfort.
[Enter Jesus Christus.]
Jesus Christus
I am Jesus Christ, the sonne of the lyvynge God,
The lyght of hys glorye, the ymage of hys substaunce.
Though he to thys daye hath plaged man with the rod,
Yet now for my sake he hath withdrawne all vengeaunce,
All rygour, all fearcenesse, with hys whole hartes displesaunce,
Sendynge me hyther of hys benyvolence
To suffer one deathe for all the worldes offence.
The lyght of hys glorye, the ymage of hys substaunce.
Though he to thys daye hath plaged man with the rod,
Yet now for my sake he hath withdrawne all vengeaunce,
All rygour, all fearcenesse, with hys whole hartes displesaunce,
Sendynge me hyther of hys benyvolence
To suffer one deathe for all the worldes offence.
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The tyme prefixed of my celestyall father
Is now perfourmed, I reignynge in thys nature,
Borne of a woman, yea of a vyrgyne rather,
Subject to the lawe for Man which is unpure,
From death dampnable hys pardone to procure,
That he maye receyve the hygh inherytaunce
Due to the chyldren of hys choyce or allowaunce.
Is now perfourmed, I reignynge in thys nature,
Borne of a woman, yea of a vyrgyne rather,
Subject to the lawe for Man which is unpure,
From death dampnable hys pardone to procure,
That he maye receyve the hygh inherytaunce
Due to the chyldren of hys choyce or allowaunce.
If ye will nedes knowe wherfor I am incarnate,
It is to be head of your whole congregacyon,
To make means for ye to pacyfye the hate,
To be the hygh prest that shall worke your salvacyon,
Your gyde, your confort, your helth, your consolacyon.
I come not to judge, nor slee, but all to save;
Come therfor to me all yow that lyfe wyll have.
It is to be head of your whole congregacyon,
To make means for ye to pacyfye the hate,
To be the hygh prest that shall worke your salvacyon,
Your gyde, your confort, your helth, your consolacyon.
I come not to judge, nor slee, but all to save;
Come therfor to me all yow that lyfe wyll have.
I am become flesh for myne own promes sake,
Without mannys sede borne, hys kynde to sanctyfye;
Of synners lynage the synners quarell to take,
Of patryarkes and kynges as a father and gyde heavenlye,
Poore that ye shuld thynke my kyngedom nothing worldlye,
In flesh to the sprete that the Gospell shuld ye brynge,
Belevynge by me to have the lyfe everlastynge.
Without mannys sede borne, hys kynde to sanctyfye;
Of synners lynage the synners quarell to take,
Of patryarkes and kynges as a father and gyde heavenlye,
Poore that ye shuld thynke my kyngedom nothing worldlye,
In flesh to the sprete that the Gospell shuld ye brynge,
Belevynge by me to have the lyfe everlastynge.
Ye worldlye people, lerne gentylnesse of me:
Which, though I am God unto the father coequal,
I toke thys nature with all dyscommodyte
My selfe to humble as a creature here mortall,
To rayse ye to God from your most deadlye fall.
Lete thys example be grafted first in your wytt,
How I for baptyme to Johan my selfe submytt.
Which, though I am God unto the father coequal,
I toke thys nature with all dyscommodyte
My selfe to humble as a creature here mortall,
To rayse ye to God from your most deadlye fall.
Lete thys example be grafted first in your wytt,
How I for baptyme to Johan my selfe submytt.
Joannes Baptista
By the holy Ghost assured I am thys houre
That thys man is he whych is of the hyghar poure,
Whom I have preached, the lambe of innocencye,
Whose shoe to unlose my selfe is far unworthye.
From whens do ye come? I pray ye, tell to me.
Jesus Christus
From Nazareth thys houre, a cytie of Galyle,
From my mothers howse, the heavenly father from hence
To obeye and serve with most due reverence.
Joannes Baptista
Your intent or mynde fayne wolde I understande.
Jesus Christus
To receyve with other the baptyme of thy hande.
Hic protensis manibus baptismo illum prohibet.
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Requyre not of me, I desyre the, instauntlye
To presume so farre; for doubtlesse I am unworthye.
I, a carnall synner, ought to have baptyme of the,
My Lorde and Saver. And dost thu axe it of me?
Perdon me, swete Lorde, for I wyll not so presume.
Jesus Christus
Without presumpcyon that offyce shalt thu adsume.
Joannes Baptista
The baptyme of me is but a shaddow or type;
Soch is thy baptyme as awaye all synne doth wype.
I geve but water; the sprete, Lorde, thu dost brynge.
Lowe is my baptyme; thyne is an heavenly thynge.
Now thu art present, it is mete my baptyme ceace;
And thyne to florysh, all synners bondes to releace.
Me, thy poore servaunt, replenish here with grace,
And requyre me not to baptyse the here in place.
Jesus Christus
Johan, suffre me now in thys to have my wyll,
For us it behoveth all righteousnesse to fulfyll—
That is to saye, me, as wele as these my servauntes,
The great graunde captayne so wele as hys poore tenauntes.
I come not hither to break the lawes of my father,
As thy baptyme is one but to confirme them rather.
If I by the lawe in yewth was circumcysed,
Why shuld I dysdayne thys tyme to be baptysed?
The Pharysees abhorre to be of the common sort,
But I maye not so, whych come for all mennys confort.
I must go with them, they are my bretherne all:
He is no good captayne that from hys armye fall.
Joannes Baptista
They are synners, Lorde, and from good lyvynge wyde.
Jesus Christus
The more nede is theirs to have me for their gyde.
I wyll go afore, that they maye folowe me,
Whych shall be baptysed and thynke me for to be
Their mate or brother, havynge their lyverye token,
Whych is thy baptyme, as thy selfe here hath spoken.
Take water therefor and baptyse me thys houre,
That thy baptyme maye take strength of hyghar poure,
The People to marke unto my kyngedome heavenlye.
Joannes Baptista
Then blessed saver, thy servaunt here sanctyfye!
Jesus Christus
The man whych have fayth lacketh no sanctyfycacyon
Necessary and mete for hys helth and salvacyon:
Thyne offyce therfor now execute thu on me.
Hic Joannem sublevat Jesus ac eius baptismo se submittit.
Joannes Baptista
I baptyse the, Lorde, by soch autoryte
As thy grace hath geven to my poore symplenesse,
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In terram procumbens Jesus tunc dicit Deo gratias.
Jesus Christus
Thys offyce, father, whych I in thys mortall nature
Do take upon me at thy most hygh appoyntment
For mannys salvacyon, here to appeyse thy hature,
So prospere forewarde that it be to thy intent,
And to thy people fytte and convenyent,
And that thu wytsave be thy most fatherly poure
Thy sonne to commende unto the worlde thys houre.
Descendit tunc super Christum Spiritus Sanctus in columbae specie et vox Patris caelo audietur hoc modo:
Pater Caelestis
Thys is myne owne sone and only hartes delyght,
My treasure, my joye, beloved most inteyrlye;
Thys is he whych hath procured grace in my syght
For man that hath done most wylfull trayterye.
Alone is it he that me doth pacyfye,
For hys only sake with Man am I now content
To be for ever at a full peace and agrement.
My treasure, my joye, beloved most inteyrlye;
Thys is he whych hath procured grace in my syght
For man that hath done most wylfull trayterye.
Alone is it he that me doth pacyfye,
For hys only sake with Man am I now content
To be for ever at a full peace and agrement.
I charge ye to hym geve dylygent attendaunce.
Heare hys monycyons; regarde hys heavenly doctryne.
In mennys tradycyons loke ye have no affyaunce,
Nor in Moses lawe but as he shall defyne.
Heare hym, beleve hym, drawe only after hys lyne,
For he alone knoweth my purpose towardes yow,
And non els but he: heare hym therefor only now.
Heare hys monycyons; regarde hys heavenly doctryne.
In mennys tradycyons loke ye have no affyaunce,
Nor in Moses lawe but as he shall defyne.
Heare hym, beleve hym, drawe only after hys lyne,
For he alone knoweth my purpose towardes yow,
And non els but he: heare hym therefor only now.
Tunc caelum inspiciens Joannes incurvat genua.
Joannes Baptista
O tyme most joyfull! Daye most splendiferus!
The clerenesse of heaven now apereth unto us.
The father is hearde, and the holy Ghost is seane,
The sonne incarnate to puryfye us cleane.
By thys we maye se the Gospell ones receyved
Heaven openeth to us and God is hyghly pleased.
Lete us synge therfor togyther, with one accorde,
Praysynge these same thre as one God and good Lorde.
Et expansis ad caelum manibus canit Joannes.
The clerenesse of heaven now apereth unto us.
The father is hearde, and the holy Ghost is seane,
The sonne incarnate to puryfye us cleane.
By thys we maye se the Gospell ones receyved
Heaven openeth to us and God is hyghly pleased.
Lete us synge therfor togyther, with one accorde,
Praysynge these same thre as one God and good Lorde.
Glorye be to the Trynyte,
The father, the sonne and sprete lyvynge,
Whych are one God in persones thre,
To whom be prayse without endynge.
The father, the sonne and sprete lyvynge,
Whych are one God in persones thre,
To whom be prayse without endynge.
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Thys vysyble sygne do here to yow declare
What thynge pleaseth God and what offendeth hys goodnesse.
The worlde hath proude hartes, hygh myndes, with soch lyke ware;
God only regardeth the sprete of lowlynesse.
Marke in thys Gospell with the eyes of symplenesse:
Adam by hys pryde ded paradyse up speare,
Christ hath opened heaven by hys great mekenesse heare.
What thynge pleaseth God and what offendeth hys goodnesse.
The worlde hath proude hartes, hygh myndes, with soch lyke ware;
God only regardeth the sprete of lowlynesse.
Marke in thys Gospell with the eyes of symplenesse:
Adam by hys pryde ded paradyse up speare,
Christ hath opened heaven by hys great mekenesse heare.
Johan was a preacher —note wele what he ded teache:
Not mennis tradycyons, nor hys owne holye lyfe,
But to the people Christ Jesus ded he preache,
Wyllynge hys Gospell amonge them to be ryfe,
Hys knowledge heavenly to be had of man and wyfe.
But who receyved it? The sinfull commynalte,
Publicanes and synners, but no paynted Pharyse.
Not mennis tradycyons, nor hys owne holye lyfe,
But to the people Christ Jesus ded he preache,
Wyllynge hys Gospell amonge them to be ryfe,
Hys knowledge heavenly to be had of man and wyfe.
But who receyved it? The sinfull commynalte,
Publicanes and synners, but no paynted Pharyse.
The waye that Johan taught was not to weare harde clothynge,
To saye longe prayers, nor to wandre in the desart,
Or to eate wylde locusts. No, he never taught soch thynge.
Hys mynde was that faythe shuld puryfye the hart.
My ways, sayth the Lorde, with mennys ways have no part:
Mannys ways are all thynges that are done without fayth,
Gods waye is hys worde as the holy scripture sayth.
To saye longe prayers, nor to wandre in the desart,
Or to eate wylde locusts. No, he never taught soch thynge.
Hys mynde was that faythe shuld puryfye the hart.
My ways, sayth the Lorde, with mennys ways have no part:
Mannys ways are all thynges that are done without fayth,
Gods waye is hys worde as the holy scripture sayth.
If ye do penaunce, do soch as Johan doth counsell:
Forsake your olde lyfe and to the true fayth applye;
Washe away all fylth and folowe Christes Gospell.
The justyce of men is but an hypocresye,
A worke without fayth, an outwarde vayne glorye.
An example here ye had of the Pharysees,
Whom Johan compared to unfruteful, wythered trees.
Forsake your olde lyfe and to the true fayth applye;
Washe away all fylth and folowe Christes Gospell.
The justyce of men is but an hypocresye,
A worke without fayth, an outwarde vayne glorye.
An example here ye had of the Pharysees,
Whom Johan compared to unfruteful, wythered trees.
Geve eare unto Christ; lete mennys vayne fantasyes go,
As the father bad by hys most hygh commaundement.
Heare neyther Frances, Benedyct nor Bruno,
Albert nor Domynyck, for they newe rulers invent.
Beleve neyther Pope, nor prest of hys consent.
Folowe Christes Gospell, and therin fructyfye,
To the prayse of God and hys sonne Jesus glorye.
As the father bad by hys most hygh commaundement.
Heare neyther Frances, Benedyct nor Bruno,
Albert nor Domynyck, for they newe rulers invent.
Beleve neyther Pope, nor prest of hys consent.
Folowe Christes Gospell, and therin fructyfye,
To the prayse of God and hys sonne Jesus glorye.
[Exeunt.]
THUS ENDETH THYS BREFE COMEDY OR ENTERLUDE OF JOHAN BAPTYSTES PREACHYNGE IN THE WYLDERNESSE, OPENYNGE THE CRAFTYE ASSAULTES OF THE HYPOCRYTES WITH THE GLORYOUSE BAPTYME OF JESUS CHRIST. COMPYLED BY JOHAN BALE. ANNO M.D.XXXVIII.
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