0 b That is, writen and taught by Matthewe.
0 ! In this historie written by Matthewe, Marke, Luke, and John, the Spirit of God so gouerned their hearts, that althogh they were foure in nomber, yet in effect and purpose they so consent, as thogh the whole had bene composes by any one of them. And albeit in stile and maner of writing they be diuers, and sometime one writeth more largely that which the other doeth abbridge: neuertheles in matter and argument they all tende to one end: wich is, to publish to the worlde the fauour of God towarde mankinde through Christ Jesus, whome the Father hathe giuen as a pledge of his mercie & loue. And for this cause they intitle their storie, Gospel, which signifieth good tidings, for asmuche as God hathe performed in dede that which the fathers hoped for. So that hereby we are admonished to forsake the worlde, and the vanities thereof, and with moste affectioned herats embrace this incomparable treasure frely offred vnto vs: for there is no joye nor consolacion, no peace nor quietnes, no felicitie nor salucacion, but in Jesus Christ, who is the very substance of this Gospel, and in whome all the promises are yea, and amen. And therefore vnder this worde is conteined the whole Newe testament: but communely we vse this name for the historie, which the foure Euangelists write, conteining Christs coming in the flesh, his death and resurrection, which is the perfite summe of our saluation. Matthewe, Marke, and Luke are more copious in describing his life and death: but John more laboureth to set forthe his doctrine, wherein bothe Christs office, and also the vertue of his death and resurrection more fully appeare: for without this, to knowe that Christ was borne, dead & risen againe, shulde nothing profite vs. The which thing notwithstanding that the thre first touche partely, as he also sometime intermedleth the historical narration, yet John chiefly is occupied herein. And therefore as a moste learned interpreter writeth, they describe, as it were, the bodie, and John setteth before our eyes the soule. Wherefore the same aptely termeth the Gospel writ by John, the keye which apeneth the dore to the vnderstanding of the others: for whosoeuer doeth knowe the office, bertue and power of Christ, shal reade that which is written of the Sonne of God come to be the redemer of the worlde, with moste proffit. Now as concerning the writers of this historie, it is euident that Matthewe was a Publicane or custome gatherer, and was thence chosen of Christ to be an Apostle. Marke is thoght to haue bene Peters disciple, and to haue planted the first Church at Alexandria, where he dyed the eight yere of the reigne Nero. Luke was a phisicion of Antiochia and became Pauls disciple, and fellowe in all his traueils: he liued foure score and foure yeres, and was buryed at Constantinople. John was that Apostle whome the Lord loued, the sonne of Zebedeus, and brother of James: he dyed thre score yeres after Christ, and was buryed nere to the Citie of Ephesus.
0 a This worde signifieth good tidings, and is taken here for the storie which conteineth the joyful message of the comming of the Sonne of God promised from the beginning.