Again we read in the Acts of the Apostles, that there were moo than forty men, which had conspired against Paul,1 and made a solemn vow, an earnest promise, and a foul devout oath, that they would neither eat nor drink, until they had slain Paul. For we are ready, say they, to kill him, before he come nigh unto ⟨p. lv⟩us by a mile.2 Here was a hot burning zeal. They thought every hour a thousand year, till they might mete with the holy Apostle, and shed his blood, they were so loth to be found double in their words, & so sorry that he should teach any more such new learning and late sprung up heresy unto the great confusion of their holy synagogue, and the utter shame of y• fool devout fathers the Pharisees, Scribes, Lawyers, bishops, priests, rulers of the Temple, elders of the people. &c. To prevent these high inconveniences and to suppress y• great enormities newly raised up by the means of Pauls doctrine, ye will not easily believe, what pains these good men toke. They could not rest nether night nor day. As for meat drink and sleep was gone with them. B• merry at their hearts they could never until ⟨image 57⟩they had slain Paul y• great Heretic, that teacher of new learning, that bringer in of new laws that destroyer of all the old laudable customs, that troubler of the common peace,3 that sower of discord, y• perverter of the holy old religion, that enemy of all good devotion, &c. Therefore made they a solemn vow, in good time might it be spoken, that they would taste nothing, no not so much as a pore ale berry for y• comfort of their heart, until they had slain Paul, in so much that they were gone so far in deed, that they had rather slay Paul, and cast their souls into hell fire for doing that mischievous act, than they would once break their vow. For they judged by this means to do God an high sacrifice. Surely I think that if the pork of Rome had at that time […] reigning, and in his full power ⟨p. lvi⟩scaulled, they would scarcely have believed that he had ben able to dispense with their vow, it was so solem, fervent, and sprung out of the heart root.
Agen we rede in thactes of thapostles, that there were mo than forty men, which had conspired agenst Paule,1 and made a solemne vow, an earnest promyse, and a foule deuout ooth, that they woulde neyther eate nor dryncke, vntyll they had slayn• Paule. For we are redy, saye they, to kyll him, before he come nygh vnto ⟨p. lv⟩vs by a myle.2 Here was a whotte brennyng zele. They thought euery hour a thousād yere, tyl they might mete with tholy Apostle, and shedde his bloude, they were so lothe to be founde double in theyr wordes, & so sory that he shulde teache ony more such newe learnyng and late sprong vp heresye vnto the great confusion of theyr holye synagoge, and the vtter shame of y• foole d•uout fathers the Pharises, Scribes, Lawers, bishoppes, prestes, rulars of the Temple, elders of the people. &c. To preuent these high inconueniences and to suppresse y• great enormities newly reysed vp by the meās of Paules doctrine, ye wyll not easely beleue, what paynes these good men toke. They coulde not rest nether nyghte nor daye. As for meate dryncke and slepe was gone with them. B• mery at theyr hartes they could neuer vntyll ⟨image 57⟩they had slayne Paule y• greate Heretyke, that teacher of new learnyng, that brynger in of new lawes that destroyer of all the olde laudable customes, that troubler of the cō mon peace,3 that sower of discorde, y• peruertour of the holy olde religiō, that enemy of all good deuocion, &c. Therfore made they a solemne vow, in good tyme might it be spokē, that they woulde tast nothyng, no not so much as a pore ale bery for y• cōforte of theyr harte, vntyl they had slayn Paule, in so muche that they were gone so farre in dede, that they had rather slea Paule, and cast theyr soules into hell fyre for doyng that mischeuous acte, than they would once breake theyr vowe. For they iudged by this meanes to do God an hyghe sacrifice. Surely I thyncke that if the porke of Rome had at that tyme 〈…〉 reygnyng, and in his full power
- 1Act. xxiii
- 2A hot zeal in deed but not according to knowledgeA whotte zele in dede but not accordynge to knowledge
- 3Joan. xvi.Ioan. xvi.
