Ierusalē the feast of the dedicacion and it was winter And Iesus walked in the temple euen in Salomons porche Than came the Iewes rounde about him and sayde vnto him How long doest thou make vs doubt If thou be Christ tell vs playnly When Iesus had tolde a long tale of these thinges that were straunge vnhearde of and far aboue the common capacitie of most men there fel a newe iar in opinions among the people for some sayde that whiche they had already many tymes sayed whensoeuer he disclosed theyr secrete conspiracies or if he spake or did any thyng aboue the power of manne he hath the deuyll saye they and is madde For the wordes whiche he speaketh lacke common sence What pleasure is it to heare this felowe Againe some folke els sayde these be no suche mans wordes as is in the deuils daunger For his woordes smelleth of the power of God specially for as muche as his deedes be agreable to his wordes As his wordes be suche be his dedes He speaketh thinges farre passing mans wit but the same doth thinges which far excede mans power Can a mad man and he that is possessed with a deuil open blinde mens iyes It is the propertie of deuils to put out ones iyes that seeth but to geue fyght to him that is borne blind cummeth of the power of God Forasmuche than as it is euident that that thyng is doen by hym hys talke cannot procede of a noysome deuil whose dedes appereth playne to come from a beneficiall God The Lorde Iesus maketh no aunswere to thys altercacyon teachyng vs by the way that the wieked are not alway to be striuen with in wordes and that by dedes it is rather to bee declared what we can dooe than by woordes and sumtimes place is to bee geuen to the furie of the eiuil sorte nor the moderate temperaunce of the ghospell is at any tyme to bee forgotten After all thys the feastful daye ministred newe matter to sette in hande and dispute with hym agayne That solemne feaste was than whiche they call the dedicacyon of the temple for because the temple was reedefyed and repayred after the exile that was made at Hierusalem by the Persians Neyther was Iesus absent at this feasteful daye a newe maker of the law and of a new temple that is to say the churche chefe deuyser and maister of the woorkes And it was winter A full very mere tyme for theyr myndes whiche throughe loue of the colde lawe dyd not burne in the loue of the ghospell Therfore Iesus was not nowe in the inner parte of the temple but walked in the porche which ioyneth to the temple that is called Salomons temple to the intent that the very place shoulde declare that peacemaker to be presente whiche shoulde reconcyle all thynges in heauen and earth There walked truely the aucthor of the lawe of the ghospel Moses lawe being nowe at a poynte to cease The Iewes therefore leste he should escape theyr handes came rounde about him whyle he was walkyng there sore moued with many of his sayinges and dooynges neyther dyd they well agree among themselues some maliciously fynding faulte with al thing some gathering of hys dedes and wordes a certain thing to be honored in him aboue mannes power And they set vpon hym with these woordes Howe long wilt thou kepe vs in a doubtful mynde and therewith sette the people on a rore If thou bee that verye Messias whome we looke for tell it vs openly without all colour Iesus aunswered them I tolde you and ye beleue not The workes that I doe in my fathers name they beare witnes of me But ye beleue not because ye are not of my shepe as I sayd vnto you My shepe heare my voyce and I know them and they folow me and I geue vnto them eternal life and they shal neuer perishe neyther shal any man plucke them out of my hande My father whiche gaue them me is greatter than all and no man is able to take them out of my fathers hande I and my father are one But although Iesus was not ignoraunt that they dyd demaunde of a peruerse mynde this thing whiche they had both oftentymes hearde and myght also haue perceiued the same by his doinges yet he maketh them a gentle aunswere more desyrous to enstruct them then to angre them What nedeth it me sayth he so often to speake of my selfe and tell who I am namely forasmuch as if I doe openly testifie the trueth ye call the recorde therof arrogancie I haue already tolde you if ye woulde beleue me who I am Yea though ye dooe not credite my woordes yet ye cannot be ignoraunt of the thyng whiche ye desyre knowe of me There is no surer profe than dedes Ye see my doynges which your selues doe witnesse I doe at my fathers will and not the deuilles as some doe misreporte If my actes be worthie to bee imputed to God beleue that I am sente of God But ye dooe neyther beleue my dedes nor my woordes whereof I am not the cause but your owne corrupte and suspiciouse mynde They that meane well and playnelye and bee not polluted with the naughtynesse of thys worlde beeleue my woordes and lyke good shepe knowe the voyce of a good shepeherd and semblably I knowlage them for my shepe though after the worlde they be poore sely thinges But ye therfore doe not knowledge my voyce because ye are not of the number of my shepe whose simplicitie is lightely taughte when as youre myndes be swollen with ambicion leuened with malice with enuie corrupted infected with couetousnes and with sundrie affeccions of this worlde defyled from whiche vices if ye would purge your minde verely euen you also should heare my voice neither should you so doe without benefit For first of al ye should therby auoide death which hangeth ouer all rebels agaynst the sonne of God moreouer ye shall obteyne therby euerlasting life For of trueth those my shepe how simple and vnlerned soeuer they be after the iudgement of the worlde as long as they doe knowleage me the shepeherde and all the while they folow me as gyde dooe through my liberalitie get euerlasting life when as other that are taken in the worlde for men of great felicitie goe to euerlastyng death They be symple shepe harmelesse weake lacking all worldely succour The world riseth against these with all engiens and force But the aduersarye shall not haue so greate power that he shall be hable to take them out of my handes The world hath auctoritie of phariseis dignitie of priestes it hath armed kynges hye magistrates iudges places of iudgement prisones cheines roddes axes broddes to pricke with exile deathes whatsoeuer is wont to bring feare yea euen to stedfast myndes On the other syde it hath riches pleasures dignities honours and what soeuer is wont to corrupt most vncorrupt myndes The world vseth all these engines to plucke my shepe out of my handes but I beeyng theyr
that it was done by chaunce or by the helpe of Phisicians For as no man is sodeinly delyuered from the lepry after the course of nature so the palsey forsaketh no man sodenly ¶ And when Iesus was cum into Peters house he sawe his wyues mother lyinge in bed and sycke of a feuer And he touched her hande and the feuer lefte her and she arose and ministred vnto them Whan the euen drewe nere they brought him many that were possessed with diuels And he caste out the spirites with a worde and healed all that were sicke that that might be fulfilled whiche was spoken by Esai the prophete when he sayeth he toke on him our infirmities and bare our sycknes When he had shewed furth these and certayne other myracles he withdrewe himselfe for a tyme from the multitude and wente into a house that was common to Symon Peter and Andrewe his brother There folowed on Iames and Iohn There he knewe that Peters mother in lawe haddess greate a feuer that she kepte her bed and he beyng desyred to heale her taryed not but toke her by the hande and lyfte her vp and forthe with her whole feuer wente awaye lyuelines and cherefulnes returned in somuche as she ministred and serued theim of meate so clerelye was she delyuered from all grudgyng of the Ague Truely no parte of the feuer remained where as they whiche be healed by the arte of phisicians bee troubled longe tyme after theyr disease with feblenes and lothsumnes Nowe whan night drewe on a greate multitude cummethe thycke and swarmethe at the doores lokyng that after his meate he woulde retourne agayne vnto hys well doynge As he came furthe they offered vnto hym a meruaylouse number that were vexed wyth diuerse diseases and also demontakes whyche were possessed wyth deuylies he castynge oute the spirites and puttinge awaye the diseases healed them all wherein also he did agreablye vnto his name There was none so fowâ—e and so horrible kynde of diseases whyche Iesus woulde lothe and turne away from There was none so vehemente or incurable whyche furthewyth at his commaundemente dyd not forsake the man Wyth a worde he healed all frely he healed all doyng nowe the selfe same thyng in takyng a way indifferently the diseases of the bodye whiche he went aboute to doe in takynge awaye synnes whiche be the more fyerce diseases of the myndes Truely for this he came into the worlde and this was it that Esay prophecied of him many yeres paste he toke our infirmities wyllyngly vpon himselfe and he dyd beare our diseases ¶ Whan Iesus sawe muche people aboute him he commaunded them to go vnto the other syde of the water And a certayne Scribe came and sayed vnto him Maister I wyll folowe the whithersoeuer thou goeste And Iesus sayethe vnto him the foxes haue holes and the byrdes of the ayer haue nestes but the soonne of man haâ—h not where to teste hys head And another of the number of his disciples sayed vnto him Mayster suffer me first to go and bâ—ry my father But Iesus sayed vnto hym Folowe me and lette the dead bury theyr dead And when Iesus sawe that the multitude woulde not departe thoughe he had healed all the sycke and diseased and thoughe nyght were at hande for nowe the sunne was gone to glade but that they came thicke aboute hym on euery syde more and more he commaunded his disciples to prepare him a ship to goe ouer the water that by that meanes he myght bee delyuered from the multitude This once heard certayne of them departed home But a certayne importunate Scribe folowed Iesus vnto the water syde desyryng to bee receyued into the numbre of his disciples whom he had seen so magnified of the people for his power in shewyng of miracles not to thintent he would folowe his doctrine and lyfe but that he might get him renoune and lucre of his miracles He therfore cumming vnto Iesus sayde Master I will folowe the whither soeuer thou goest It was a woorde mete for him that should haue been a disciple yf the woorde and the harte had agreed He put forth himselfe of his owne accorde and offered hymselfe vnto all thynges nor made no pretence of â—ariyng But Iesus neyther repelled the mannes importunitie neyther layed â—nto his charge his corrupte mynde but secretely monyshed hym that he was vp mete disciple for hym nor himselfe lykewyse no mete mayster for whosoeuer loketh after the commodities of this worlde ioyneth himselfe vnto hym but folyshly whiche neyther had nor soughte for neyther riches nor glory nor kyngdome in this worlde but imbraced extreme pouertie ignominy and affliccion in so muche as he had not those thynges whyche the byrdes and beastes lacketh not The foxes ê™ he although they haue no houses yet haue they holowe dennes to hyde them in The byrdes fliyng and wauoring in the ayer in the stede of houses haue nestes to rest them in But the sonne of man so is destitute of all succours of this worlde that he hath no place to laye his head in Yf any manne desyre suche a Mayster yf he wyll let him folowe me but with harte and affeccioÌ„ and not onely with the steppes of the feete So the Scriâ—e knowyng his owne conscience dyd forbeare to folowe hym Agayne one of them whiche began to be in the noumbre of his disciples moued by trayâ—tie and weakenes when he heard of the extreme pouertie of Christe â—â—kyng an occasion by sum coloare to slippe awaye from the disciples of Iesus Lorde ê™ he before I folowe the wholly whither soeuer thou goest suffer me first to retourne home and burye my father The cause to the apperauÌ„ce semed godly but Iesus willing to teache that all thinges should be set a part in the matter of euerlasting healthe and that herein all tariyng and lingeryng is dauÌ„gerouse suffered not the yonge man beyng of a good mynde but yet feble and weaâ—e to â—e intangled with busynes of testamentes of the dead vnder the pretence of godlynes and whites he prouideth for the vile inheritaunce of the worlde to fall from the inheritaunce of heauen Nay ê™ he thou shalte â—ow nothing haue to doe with thy dead father whiche haste profest thy selfe to the heauenly lyfe there will be ynow to burye thy father Suffer the dead to bury theyr dead and lette them put them in the yearthe whiche loue yearthely thinges let them burye him whiche is dead in the yearth whiche beeyng alyue be both dead and also buried They be alyue to men they be dead to God Be thou carefull to lyue and departe from the companye of the dead yf thou wilt lyue in dede And whan he entred into a shippe his disciples folowed him And beholde there arose a great tempests in the sea in so muche that the ship was couered with waues and he was a slept and his disciples came vnto him and waked him saying Lorde saue vs we perished and â—e sayethe vnto them why
with them diuerse sicke and diseased and he healed them there And the Phariseis came vnto him and tempted him and said vnto him Is it lawful for a man to make a diuorcement with his wyfe for any maner of cause He answered and said vnto them haue ye not red how that he whiche made man at the beginnyng made them maÌ„ and woman and sayde For this cause shall a man leaue father and mother and shall cleaue vnto his wife and they twayne shal be one fleshe Wherfore now they are not twayne but one flesh Let no man therfore separate that god hath coupled together They saied vnto him why dyd Moses then commaund to geue a testimoniall of diuorcement and to put her away He sayed vnto them Moses because of the hardnes of your hertes suffered you to put away your wiues but from the beginnyng it was not so I saye vnto you whosoeuer putteth away his wife except it â—e for fornicacioÌ„ maryeth another he coÌ„mitteth aduoutrie And who so marieth hee whiche is diuorced doeth committe aduoutrye And agayne the Phariseis seyng so many wonders and the loue of the multitude towarde Iesus beganne to renewe theyr enuye agayne Who craftilye and subtillye came vnto hym takyng occasion of the communicacion wherewith he taughte before that the wyfe ought not to bee repudiate and cast of Therfore they propose a question with two pykes whether it wer lawful for a maÌ„ to cast of his wife for euery cause And if he had answered It is lawefull he should seme contrary to hymselfe wheras he taught that diuorce is not lawfull yf he had denyed it he should seme to haue bene agaynst Moses lawe whiche doeth permitte for euery cause to geue a boke of diuorce and to sende her away But Iesus so doeth tempre and ordre the answere that he hurteth not the authoritie of Moses nor recanteth not his doctrine and stoppeth the mouthe of the Phariseis whiche were skilful in the law by the authoritie of the lawe Haue ye not red ê™ he that whan god made mankynde he ordered the fyrste matrimonie so that one was coupled vnto one with a knot that could not be broken For he made bothe man and woman of one piece that by the imbracyng of these mankind should spryng further and by and by expressyng the indissoluble knotte of the man and of the wyfe not Moses but God himself the maker of the mariage said For this mutuall charitie man shall forsake father and mother and bee fastened and coupled vnto his wyfe And this couplyng shal be so strayt and fast that of two in maner shal be made one person which before wer two Therfore once ioyned in matrimonie they be not now two but one bodie in so muche that it is as farre agaynst nature to separate the wife from the manne as to cut awaye a membre from the bodye Therfore that whiche God hath knyt once together with so strayte a bonde let no man separate Here the Phariseis thinkyng that they had caughte nowe an occasion to catche Iesus yf god ê™ they meant this that thou doest say why than dyd Moses geue husbandes leaue to caste of theyr wyfe for euery cause so that they geue her a boke of diuorce how durst he permit that which god would not to be doen Iesus answered He dyd not permit you this because it was ryght and good of nature but knowyng the hardnes of your hart he suffered the lesser ill that ye shoulde not commit the greater For he doeth not allow diuorce whiche had rather suffer that than murdre And the boke of diuorce doeth not make that the diuorce is right good but it witnesseth thy hardnes whiche wilâ—e cast of thy wyfe for euery light cause and prouydeth her of a new husband takyng away libertie from the that thou shalt not cal her agayn once cast of But from the beginnyng whereas the malice of man was not yet increaced nor the nature of manne was not yet infected with so many vices because there was not so cruell hatred that poysonyng or murdre should be feared there was no lycence of diuorce and the same law shall not nowe be loced and set at libertie after that the doctrine of the Ghospell doeth renewe and make perfecte the synceritie of nature Moses wisshed the same that I doe teache but your maners bent ouer muche vnto murdre put hym in feare that he durste not require this of you I who doe not abolishe the lawe but make it more perfecte playnely saye vnto you that it is vnlawfull and agaynste the mynde of God and agaynste the wyll of Moses whiche ye doe commonlye refusyng your wyues for euery cause And it is not therefore ryghte that ye doe because ye doe it withoute punyshemente There be many myscheuous thynges before God whiche be not punyshed by mannes lawes Therefore ye shall vnderstande that whosoeuer casteth of his wyfe for euery cause and maryeth an other both committeth aduoutrye hym selfe and geueth also a cause of aduoutrye to his wyfe vnlesse she whom he doeth leaue of hath deserued diuorcemente by aduoutrye For she that hath geuen an other manne lybertie ouer her ceasseth nowe to be wife and hath taken awaye from her selfe the ryghte of matrimonye the fleshe beyng deuided whiche God woulde haue to be one and vndeuided But he that for suche causes leaueth his wyfe for whiche ye oftentymes doe caste her of yf he couple hymselfe to an other it is not matrimonie but aduoutrye And who so maryeth her so caste of he maryeth not his owne wyfe but an other mannes and therfore he doeth not marye but committeth aduoutrye But the whole of all these mischiefes doeth redounde to hym that is the refuser and caster of For first he is stubburne and cruell whiche neyther could beare his wyues faulte nor would goe about to amend it Furthermore he geueth her that is driuen out of his house whiche cannot lyue without a husband an occasion to commit aduoutrye His disciples said vnto him if the matter be so betwene man and wife than it is not good to mary He said vnto them All men cannot comprehende this saiyng saue they to whom it is geuen For there are sum chaste which are so borne out of their mothers wombe And there are sum chaste whiche be made chaste of men And there be chaste whiche hath made themselfes chaste for the kyngdome of heauens sake He that can take it let hym take it The disciples hearyng these thynges say vnto Iesus If maryed menne be in this case that they cannot be dispatched from theyr wyfe yf she dysplease them it is better to forbeare matrimonie For it is an harde bondage to suffer at home a waywarde a brawlyng and a dronken woman or elles paynfulâ— and greuous with sum other lyke fault Iesus did not reproue the answer of his disciples whom he desired to be free from the bondage of matrimonie because of preachyng of the ghospell but he doeth
them to vnderstand that it is no saâ—e and sure thyng to flee from matrimonie vnlesse a man be of so fyrme and stable mynde that he is able vtterly to abstayn from the acte of matrimonie But there be very fewe that can doe so because that this affeccion of the body is so common to all men that there is none affeccion more violente or more inuincible Therfore though it be a greater fredome not to be tyed in matrimonie yet is it more sure to be kepte within the bondes of matrimonie than to be defyled with liyng here and there Therefore Iesus shewyng what was best and prouokyng this waye with the reward of libertie dareth not yet exactely require that whiche in maner excedeth mannes power All men ê™ he be not able to receiue this woorde but they onely vnto whome it is geuen of God who haue so great a feruencye toward the holynes of the gospell that of theyr own accorde and willyngly can neglecte this affeccion For chaste synglenesse hath no prayse vnlesse it be taken for loue of the euangelicall godlynes For there be three kyndes of Eunuches One of them whiche be so borne and abhorre from wyues thorough the defaulte of a colde nature or sum other secrete affeccion of nature Another kynde of them whom men hath gelded The chastitie of these men deserueth no prayse because it cummeth of necessitie not of the loue of vertue But the gospell also hath his Eunuches very blessed whiche be not geldynges of nature nor gelded of men but they gelded themselfes for the kyngdome of heauen not cutting of the membre of the body but for loue of the ghospell ouercummyng the desire of matrimonie Ye see victorie set out before you let hym trye that wyl and knoweth his owne strength Let him beare awaye the game that can They that contend valyauntlye and willingly shal not want the fauour of the maister of the game Because coÌ„municacion was of the puritie of virgins and of the highnesse of that noble vertue whiche chaunceth to fewe as by occasion there is brought in also an exaumple of perfecte cleannes and great modestie without the whiche virginitie deserueth no prayse Than wer there brought vnto him yong chyldren that he should put his handes on theym and pray and the disciples rebuked them But Iesus said vnto them Suffre the children forbid them not to cum to me for the kyngdome of heauen belongeth to such And whan he had laied his handes on them he departed thence There wer present fathers and mothers whiche desired to offer their babes vnto Iesus that he might lay his handes vpon them and pray for theÌ„ thinking that lykewyse as they saw diseases driuen away through his touchyng so the touchyng of Iesus should preserue them from diseases from fallyng of houses or walles or other lyke thynges vpon them from euyll spirites and from other hurtes whereby that age oftentymes miscarieth But the disciples who though they had oft tymes heard many a good lesson of great modestie and coldnes yet had not vtterly shaken of from them mans affeccions thinkyng it not mete that the greatnes or dignitie of theyr master should be letted or weried with the importunitie of babes of their mothers kept them of whan they desired to cum nere Iesus marking this to the intent that he might the better imprinte euangelicall moderacioÌ„ in the myndes of his disciples whiche doeth loth no manne be he neuer so lowe suffre ê™ he the children to be brought vnto me nor let them not to cum to me For they that be lyke vnto these bee moste acceptable vnto me whome though the world doth hate and despise yet I vouchsafe to haue none other in the kingdome of heauen What nature doth geue vnto these thesame must godlines geue vnto you if ye will be receiued into the kingdome of heauen Therfore the litle babes wer brought vnto Iesus and he put his handes vpon them inspiring into the litle babes for the simple faythes sake of theyr pareÌ„tes a secret power through the touching of his holy body Which doeÌ„ Iesus departed from thence geuyng a lesson by the same facte of his that the litle babes must be satisfied but yet that we ought not to tary loÌ„g with them but to make spede to thynges of more perfeccion ¶ And beholde one came and sayed vnto hym Good maister what good thyng shall I doe that I maye haue eternall life he sayed vnto hym why callest thou me good There is none good but one and that is God But if thou wylt enter into lyfe kepe the commaundementes He sayeth vnto hym whiche Iesus sayed Thou shalâ—e not commit manslaughter Thou shalt not commit aduenitie Thou shalt not steale Thou shalt not bear false witnes Honour father and mother And thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy self The yong maÌ„ saith vnto hym Al these thinges haue I kept from my youth vp what lacke I yet Iesus said vnto him if thou wilt be perfect go and sell al that thou hast and geue it to the poore and thou shalt haue treasure in heauen and cum and folowe me But whan the yonge man heard that saiyng he went away sorye For he had great possessions And loe as soone as he had doen with the children there cummeth nexte after them a yong man which talketh of perfeccion But Iesus like as in the litle babes he shewed his disciples an exaumple of simplicitie and modestie so in the yong man being in dede desirous of perfect godlines but ouer sore burdened with riches he setteth before their iyes how harde it is for them that be geueÌ„ to riches to cum forward to the perfeccioÌ„ of the euangelical godlines and how muche more ready they be to the cause of the gospell whiche possesse nothyng or els very littell of the goodes of this world and yet pouertie and riches stande not so muche in possessions as in the affeccioÌ„s of the mynde The yong man had a deuout mynde but because he heard of Christ certayne newe and straunge preceptes he went vnto him and fallyng doune at his knees asketh him saying good maister what good shal I do to obtayn euerlastyng lyfe The yong man called Iesus good to obteyn his good wil by fayre speakyng whereas yet he toke him to be nothing els but a very maÌ„ although of more excellencie than other men were Afterward whereas he demauÌ„ded of good he meaneth not of euery good thyng but of a certain notable good thyng whiche may deserue euerlastyng lyfe But no mortal man is absolutely good and there is no worke of men which can be so good that it maye deserue the reward of euerlastyng lyfe Iesus therfore pricking forwarde the yonge manne to haue a better opinion of him and to call hym froÌ„ the trust of his workes and to cause him to put the trust of life rather in the free gifte and benefite of God who is naturally good and freely beneficial towardes al menne
should ioyne vnto god those that semed to be farre froÌ„ God contrarywise declare that suche as appered to be next God and moste holiest were verie far from true godlynesse With these wordes the lorde Iesus bothe stopped the mouthes of the Phariseis and also taught his disciples how charitably they should demeane themselues toward sinners For this cause we are much bound to the wicked phariseis who so oft prouoke the lord to expoune the doctrine of the gospell ¶ And the disciples of Iohn and the Phariseis did fast and they cum and say vnto hym why dot the disciples of Iohn and of the phariseis fast But thy disciples fast not And Iesus sayed vnto them can the chyldren of the weddyng fast whyle the brydegrome is with them As long as they haue the brydegrome with them they can not fast But the dayes wyll cum when the brydegrome shal be taken away from them and then shall they fast in those dayes Behold there went also vnto Iesu certain of Iohns disciples in coÌ„pany with the false accusyng Phariseis For they also were attached with a spiece of humain enuie for that Iesus semed to deface the great estimacion of their mayster Iohn notwithstandyng his life rule appered to be strayter then Christes was and that he had mo disciples then thother Wherfore they went vnto Iesus moued vnto him this capcious question why ê™ they do Iohns disciples and the phariseis oft times fast and thy disciples not fast at all Unto this question because they assayled hym and not his disciples the lord made a gentler aunswer than he did a litle before when he defended his disciples teachyng vs hereby that Christian charitie whiche vseth all myldnesse in the euyls and displeasures doen vnto herselfe priuately is more diligent in defendyng other from the same For the Christian byshop must be paciente and meeke in sufferyng all iniuries doen vnto his owne person but yet ought he with diligent endeuour to helpe his flocke whensoeuer it is in ieoperdie Wherfore Iesus sayd You that haue diligeÌ„tly heard Iohn Baptist preache ought to call to remembraunce howe he preached that I was the bridgrome and he the bryde gromes frende It is mete that all heauinesse be away when the brydegrome is present Moses is a seruaunt and no brydegrome and therfore fastinges were conuenient for hym because the same doe cause sadnesse and abate myrthe It is well doen that they fast whiche continue in the Synagoge beyng a seruaunt and not a bride For suche haunt not the brydegromes chaumber But the fre borne chyldren who haunte the weddyng chaumber cannot fast as long as they haue the brydegrome hymselfe present with them because theyr myrthe is so great that it wyll not suffer them to remembre heauy thynges He that for dread of punyshment doeth his duetie can in no wyse be meary Now the chyldren who haue receyued the spirite of libertye perceyuyng that they are dearly beloued and cared for of the brydegrome be neuer carefull leste they offende in these thynges whiche wer commaunded for a tyme to men of a seruile nature as for an ensample in washinges in thobseruacion of the Sabbothe in choyce of meates in apparell in holy dayes in sacrifices They put theyr confidence in the myght and goodnes of the brydegrome who is able without all these thynges to geue them perfite righteousnesse Spirituall belefe taketh awaye fleshly carefulnes Charitie that maketh all thinges pleasaunt causeth gladnesse The brydegrome hath his owne proper meate from the whiche his companions can not abstayne The worde of God and the flesh of the brydegrome is the meat and foode of the soule and his blood is the drink of the same Suche as cleaue nygh vnto me are euer desyrous to eat theyr fyll of this meat and they that haunt the bride gromes weddyng chamber doe alwayes couet to be drunken wyth this drinke But lyke as corporall meate causeth not rightuousnesse euen so fastyng maketh not a man iuste yea it is oftentymes seen that he whiche eateth his meate is more rightuous then the faster Suche fastynges as are commaunded by the lawe are full of heauinesse and therfore displeasaunt to almightye God who loueth a cherefull gyuer He can in no wyse be merye and chereful that feareth and trembleth But whoso knoweth that he is set at lybertie in these thinges eyther to doe them or not to doe them and yet mooued by charitie fasteth thesame vndoubtedly fasteth wyth great myrth and gladnesse not because his fasting is so prescribed by the lawe but for that charitie moueth hym so to doe Whan my disciples are once cum to that strengthe of mynde that I nowe goe about by my teachyng and preachyng to bryng them vnto than shall charitie cause them to doe more of theyr owne free wyll than now doth the prescripcion eyther of the law orels of Iohn get of you by compulsion But as yet they are not cum to this strength and perfeccion They are yet tender and weake for the presence of my body letteth them to attain therto The day shall once cum when the corporall presence of the brydegrome shal be taken away from them and then being made stronger by receiuyng the holy ghoste from heauen they shal not onely fast and that of theyr owne accorde but also gladly and with right good wyll doe thynges in the atchiuyng wherof more strengthe and constaunt courage of mynde shall be shewed then in fastyng But forasmuche as this doctrine is spirituall it can not be receyued of them who all theyr lyfe long haue enured themselfes wyth Pharisaicall ceremonies And for this cause I pyked out simple and ignorant yong men to be my disciples For I shoulde but lose my labour if I dyd commit spirituall and heauenly doctrine vnto theyr mindes that are so supersticious in keping of carnall ceremonies Old thinges best agreeth with old and newe thynges with newe the whiche if a man myngle together he dooeth not onely labour in vaine but also maketh those persons wurse whome he goeth about to refourme For it is better for them stil to continue in theyr olde supersticiousnesse then whyles a man doeth his endeuour to bring them to the freedome of the spirite to prouoke them all feare of transgression layed asyde to committe sinne at libertie For as it is more a doe to teache suche an one any crafte or occupacion as hath conceyued a wrong opinion of hym selfe thinkyng that he hath good skyll therin and hath none at all then hym who is altogether ignoraunt in the same euen so is it the hardest thyng that maye be to teache suche persons the ryghtuousnesse of the ghospel whiche for thobseruacion of certain folysh carnall ceremonies beleue surely they haue attayned perfite ryghtuousnes And this doubtles is the cause that I fynde fishermen publicans sinners vnchast women Ethnikes more apt to learn this spirituall philosophy then the scribes phariseis priestes who suppose that perfit godlynes standeth in thobseruacion
and moued all menne to be repentaunt for theyr former lyfe And yet this notwithstanding they whiche boaste and crake vpon the perfite knowledge of the prophecy knewe him not And they whiche loued better theyr owne kyngdome then the kyngdome of God delte by him not as he deserued but as them lyked For he camme accordyng to the prophecies of Esaye and Malachy crying in wildernesse how the great and terrible daye of the Lorde was present howe the axe was alredy put to the rote of the tree and that euery manne shoulde spedely endeuour him selfe to auoyde the vengeaunce of God cumming But this Hely who openly without regarde of person rebuked euery mannes vices they despised and put to deathe Neyther wyll they more gently entreate Messias then they haue done his forecurroure Hereby Iesus declared howe Iohn was Hely not after the body but after the similitude of spirite who whyles he neyther spared kynges ne phariseis was caste into prison and beheaded As they dyd by the forewalker so wyll they doe by his Lorde The same thyng wyll they lykewyse doe by those Apostles that shall folowe hym For whosoeuer hath sincerely preached that goddes kyngdome should cumme thesame hath suffred many affliccions of the vngodly And whoso syncerely preacheth yâ— it is already come must nedes suffre the lyke With these wordes Iesus called backe his disciples froÌ„ the dreame of glorye to the remembrauÌ„ce of the storme that was to cum and hanged ouer theyr heades that is to saye from pleasaunt thynges to necessarye ¶ And when he came to â—is disciples he sawe much people about them and the Scrybes disputyng with them And sâ—â—ayghtwaye all the people when they beheld hym were amased and ranâ—e to him and saluted hym And he asked the Scryâ—es what dispute ye among them And one of the company aunswered and sayed Mayster I haue brought vnto the my sonne which hath a dumme spirite and whensoeuer he taketh hym he teareth hym and â—e someth and gnasheth with his teethe and pyneth awaye And I spake to thy disciples that they should caste hym out and they could not In the meane whyle that they had thus commoned together they were come into the sight of the people at what seasoÌ„ a great multitude were gathered about the disciples whome Iesus left beneath in the playne He sawe also the scribes reasonyng the mattier I wot not wherupon with his disciples Now when the people had espyed Iesus vnloked for on theyr behalfe forasmuch as he had preuely conueyed himselfe awaye with a fewe of his disciples they were astonyed and met him cummyng full and whole and saluted hym Iesus was not ignoraunt what the scribes disputed on but yet he asked what the mattier was where vpon they reasoned to th entent that euery body might knowe what was done And when both the disciples the scribes helde their peace for very shame the disciples for that they assayed to cast oute a diuell and coulde not bryng it to passe and the other because that in the presence of the disciples they depraued the name of Iesu as a thyng vertulesse and of no efficacie one of that multitude who ministred the occasion of the â—â—asoning shewed the whole matier euen as it was vnto Iesu. Mayster sayeth he I brought hither my sonne vnto thee who is vexed with a dumme spirite of whome he is pitifully tourmented For whensoeuer the spirite teketh hym he dasheth hym agaynste the grounde and then the childe fometh at the mouth gnasheth with his teeth and cryeth out and all this whyle he pyneth and consumeth awaye by reason he is thus vexed Because thou wast not here I desyred thy disciples that they would chase awaye this spirite and deliuer my sonne They assayed to doe it and coulde not ¶ He answereth him and sayeth O faythles naâ—ion howe longe shal I be with you howe long shal I suffer you Bryng him vnto me And they brought him vnto him And assone as the spirite sawe him be taâ—e him and fell downe on the grounde walowinge and fominge And he askethe his father howe longe it is ago sence this happened him And he sayeâ— of a childe and oftetymes it hath caste him into the fier into the water to destroye him But yf thou canst do any thing haue mercy vpon vs and helpe vs. Iesus sayed vnto him yf thou couldest beleue all thinges are possible to him that beleueth And strayght waye the father of the childe cryed with teares saying lorde I beleue helpe thou my vnbelefe When the lorde heard this to shewe that feblenes of fayth was the verye cause why the yonge man was not delyuered of the spirite he makynge as thoughe he had been wrothe and in a fume sayed O faythlesse nacion whiche yet canst not by so many miracles as I haue done be brought to belefe Howe longe shall I lyuynge here in earth striue with your vnfaythfull obstaclenesse howe long shall I beare with you when wyll you come forwarde in those thynges that be of the spirite when wyll you beleue those thynges that you see not syth you beleue not the thynges whiche you see with your corporall â—yes bryng hym hyther to me And they brought hym vnto hym That sinne cleaueth fast wherunto the synner hath from his chyldehood accustomed But after he was brought vnto Iesus he was wurse vexed then he was before by reason of the conflicte which arose betwene the spirite desirous to amende and sensualitie tollyng and alluryng hym agayne to his accustomed synfull lyuyng For anon as the fiende sawe Iesus he feelyng a contrarye power to his tooke the younge manne and soore vexed hym insomuche that beeyng dashed agaynste the grounde and rolled to and fro he fomed at the mouth This was a pitifull syght to all the people But it is a muche more pitifull syght when the sinner possessed with greuous suâ—â—es and of long continuaunce is lykewyse vexed in soule Howbeit there is no synne vncurable vnto Iesu. The Lorde because the other shoulde also knowe in howe euyll case he was asked his father howe long it was since his sonne fyrste beganne to bee thus vexed he answered againe of an infante And the spirite doth not onely sayeth he thus vexe hym as thou seest but also casteth hym oftetymes headlong into the fyre and many tymes into the water because to destroy hym Here thou hearest a very sore and cruel malady tourned into nature and therfore the father feared leste it had been vncurable For he sayed moreouer But yf â—ou bee able to doe any thyng haue mercye on vs and helpe vs. He dyd well to desyre the mercy of Iesu who could alleage no merites howbeit thou hearest a waueryng faythe when he sayeth But yf thou bee able to doe any thyng c. That faythe Iesus refourmeth saying doubte thou not what I am able to doe For yf thou couldest beleue there is nothyng but strong and stedfast fayth may obteyne it Assone as Iesu had sayed so the
condeÌ„ned Moyses nor minished the prayse of chastitie nor finallye brought himselfe in daunger to be taken in the phariseis snare but rather snarled theÌ„ with theyr owne grinne who came purposely to entrap him But after he his apostles were cumme into the house and they being with him alone had asked his opinion herein then did he more plainly condemne diuorcement Whosoeuer saith he putteth awaye his wife and marieth an other committeth aduoutrye to herward Agayne if the wyfe forsake the husband and marye an other she committeth aduoutrie to her former husbandward For it is not mete for christen men to be so hard harted that they neyther can awaye with theyr wiues condicions nor wyll by faire meanes correct them when they doe amisse but for euery tryflyng cause conceiue displeasure against them and ymagine theyr death except they departe and get them away This is a Iewishe minde whiche my disciples must in no wise haue The Iewe putteth awaye his wife for stenche of breth for blearnes of the iyes or for any such like fautes whereas among christen men there is but one cause onely whiche dissolueth wedlocke and that is the breache of the fayth promise of matrimony For that wife whiche hath letten an other manne haue the vse of her body is nowe no longer a wife although she be not yet diuorced and that husbande whiche hath letten an other woman haue the vse of his body is nowe before any separacion be made no more an husbande As fyre is not fyre vnlesse it be hotte so wedlocke is not wedlocke excepte that of two be made one There cannot be one fleshe made of thre or fower ¶ And they brought chyldren vnto him that he should touche them And his disciples rebuked those that brought them But when Iesus sawe it he was displeased and sayth vnto them suffer the children to cum vnto me forbid theim not for of suche is the kyngdome of God Uerely I saye vnto you whosoeuer doeth not receyue the kyngdom of god as a chylde he shall not enter therin And when he had taken them vp in his armes he put his handes vpon them and blessed them When he had spoken these wordes there were certaine persons cum thyther who had brought vnto him yong chldren to th entent he shoulde lay his handes vpon them and blesse them They sawe howe diseases wer put away by vertue of his touching and therfore beleued they that thesame touching should also be good and holsome for sucking chyldren againste manye suche inconueniences as this weake and tender age is wonte to be indaungered with The disciples supposyng it not to be sitting that theyr Lorde for somuche as he was occupied about waightier affaires shoulde be weryed with suche triflyng matters kept awaye the children that they coulde not approche hym and further rebuked suche as brought them as though they had disquieted him with their importunitie Uerilye a litle before he praysed lytle babes vnto them Therfore when he perceiued howe they would not suffer the children to cum vnto hym because it was out of theyr remembraunce what he had said before of suche little ones he put them vnto silence saying Suffre ye the chyldren to cum vnto me and kepe them not away from my touchyng For vnto suche belongeth the kyngdome of heauen Those haue in them an ensample of innocencie and simplicitie after the patarne wherof proude malicious persones must be forged a newe yf they desyre to be admitted into the kyngdome of heauen Let no man thinke that these are to be set naught by for theyr weakenes or symplicitie This one thyng I assure you of Unlesse a man be borne agayne and all wilynesse couetousnes ambicion hatred wrath desyre of reuengement and enuy put awaye becum suche a one in minde as these are in age he shall not be receyued into the kyngdome of heauen And to th entent he might the more commend vnto all men simple innocencie he toke eche of them in his armes and layed his handes vpon them euerychone and blessed them teachyng hereby howe Bishops ought to disdayne the simple vnlearned people nor any other be they neuer so bery vnderlinges or abiect persons after the estimacion of the worlde but cherish theÌ„ in euery be halfe til they cum forwarde to a better state of perfeccion And aboue all thinges we ought to desyre the Lord Iesus that he will vouchesafe to laye his holy handes vpon suche persons and blesse theÌ„ He will vndoubtedly geue vnto little ones wilinesse wherby they may escape the diuels snares He will geue them a tongue that goddes prayse maye be made perfite by the mouthe of infantes and suckelinges ¶ And when he was gone forthe into the waye there came one running and kneled to him and asked him good maister what shall I do that I maye inherite eternall lyfe Iesus sayed vnto hym why callest thou me good There is no man good but one whiche is God Thou knowest the commaundementes Breake aâ—â— matrimony kyll not Steale not Beate no false witnes defraude no man honour thy father and mother He answered and sayd vnto him maister al these I haue obserued from my youth Iesus beheld hym and fauoured hym and sayd vnto hym one thyng thou lackest Go thy waye sell that thou haste and geue to the poore and thou shalt haue treasure in heauen and cum and folow me and take vp my crosse vpon thy shoulders But he was discomforted because of that saying and wente awaye mournyng For he had great possessions Nowe when these thinges were done in the house and he gone forthe into the waye then came there vnto hym a certaine yonge spryngalte bycause that after childhode was commended this age shoulde lykewyse be called from good beginninges to thinges of hygher perfeccion He fell doune at his feete and sayed Good maister what shall I doe to purchase me eternall lyfe The askyng of this question smelled sumwhat of that vice wherwith all suche are attached as stande in theyr owne conceipt But gentle teachers are wonte to wynke at this faâ—te yf it be meane and tollerable for the great hope an lykelyhode that is in this age to cum forwarde For he desyreth not so muche to be taughte of the Lorde what he ought to do as to be praysed for the thinges he hath already done And he calleth hym good whom he beleueth to be nought els but a man as who saye that man had any good thing of hymself Therfore Iesus as though he were offended with this arrogant name saith vnto him why doest thou call me good This name is farre aboue the state and condicion of man For there is none verily good saue god alone For this cause as he is an arrogaÌ„t person whoso taketh this name vpon hym euen so he that geueth the same vnto man geueth hym more then it becummeth hym to do With this proheme Iesus discouraged the yong man whiche in his owne conceipt thought himselfe not muche
thy fathers substaunce not geuen thee for any suche purpose ▪ Thou canst impute this thy calamitie to none other persone but vnto thyne owne selfe To stand in defense of this my dede should litle helpe or preuail this is my only hope forasmuch as I know my father to bee a right father in very dede that is to saie of his owne nature a man mercyfull and easye to be entreated it maye so bee that some part of his old loue charitie remaineth still in his hert though I haue vtterly cast of al the whole nature and duetie of a true soonne I wil not goe about to make my fault and trespace lyght nor I will not denye it Plain and simple confession of all the matter shall more weigh with him and a mynde in very true dede mislykyng it selfe for his naughtinesse then the best excuse or pourgacion that may be made with studie The more verily that I shall hate my selfe so muche the more easily shal I stirre vp and kendle his loue toward me again and last of all in this my extreme desperaciō to whom should I rather committe my self then vnto myne own father he only none but he is hable to restore the trespacer that hath had suche a foulle fall yea and also if there be any in the world that will bee willyng to do suche a good dede it is he that wil be willing I will not tary till he shall knowe my fault till he shal be aduertised and enfourmed of my wretched state and woefull distresse by other men then my selfe who peraduenture will of their instigacion rather incense and prouoke hym to punishe this my wickednesse then to pardon me The readiest way to appeace the matter make al thinges quiete shal be if I my self first breake shewe the plain case vnto him euen as it stādeth Leat him take suche waies ordre therin as shall please him For he is my father and I am his soonne whatsoeuer I haue faulted I haue faulted against him alone And therfore I will say vnto hym father I haue faulted greatly before thaungels of god and before thee neither do I iudge my selfe woorthy from hence foorth any more to be called by the name of thy sōne I shal thinke it enough if thou takyng pitye and cōpassion on me shalt leat me be in like place and fauour with thee as euery one of thy common hired seruauntes be Leat me no more but bee as an hanger on in any one corner of thy househould there can bee no fitter wordes framed to stirre vp and to enkiendle my moste singuler good fathers mercy compassion towardes me Howe muche the plainlyer he confesseth his fault whiche faulte coulde neyther be hidde nor yet bee excused the more that he dooeth mislike hymself the more that he dooeth hūble and submitte himself the more that he declareth hīself to haue no hope ne trust remainyng or leafte vnto hym but onely in his fathers grace and mercie so muche the more shal he drawe his fathers mynde to dooe euen as he would haue him to doe And this tenour and fourme of speakyng vnto his father no art of rhethorike had put in the young mannes mynde but his owne conscience beeyng grieued and displeased with it selfe and yet not vtterly conceyuyng an extreme yll opiniō that is to say not despairyng of his fathers goodnesse And he arose came to his father But whan he was yet a great way of his father saw him and had compassion and ranne and fell on his necke and kissed him And the soonne said vnto him father I haue sinned against heauen and in thy sight and am no more worthy to be called thy sonne But the father said to his seruauntes bryng forth the best garment put it on him put a ring on his hand and shooes on his feete And bryng hither the fatte calfe and kyll it and leat vs eate and be mery for this my sonne was dead and is aliue again he was lost and is founde And they began to be merye This hope therefore and truste conceyued the young man ariseth and to arise as I saied before is the first step and degree towardes saluacion Backe goeth he therefore home again al the way that he had cum weping sighyng all the way wheras he had to fore departed from his father as perte fierce and as rashe and wilful as could be Thus hast thou a plain paterne exaūple declared vnto thee of a man returnyng from extreme naughtinesse nowe beholde a paterne of the gracious mercifulnesse of god The young man was not yet full come to his fathers house whan his father espyed him cummyng a ferre of as in dede naturall fatherly loue hath alway the iyes open and can see ferre He that dyd more tenderly loue of the twoo dyd first espy the other He sawe his soonne cummyng woondreous ougly and pieteous to behold who had wilfully departed from him a fierce young man one that woulde not take it as he had dooen He sawe him ragged houngerstaruen fylthye lamentyng sighyng weping This very syghte beeyng so pieteous begonne byanby to moue the fathers herte wheras he had iuste cause to haue been angrye this sight turned his angre into pietie and cōpassion He rēneth forth to mete the young man as thesame was cummyng towardes hym and not lookyng to bee praied of his sonne but beyng ouercūmed with natural loue caught his sonne about the necke kissed him And albeit these thinges were the sufficient tokens of a mynde ready of it self to forgeue yet the yoūg mā being angrie with himselfe sayed father I haue doen amisse and that greatly bothe before the Aungels of God and before thee and yet haue I been so bolde as to auenture to come into thy sight wheras I am vnwoorthie any more to be called thy sonne forasmuche as all the bandes of naturall loue and duetie on my behalfe haue been broken Here in this man by the only instincte and mocion of nature beyng thus affected toward his sonne vnderstande thou the goodnesse of God who is muche more gracious and mercifull towardes a man that hath been a synner if he truely and vnfeignedly repente and mislike himselfe then any father can possibly bee towardes any sonne though he neuer so rendrelye loue thesame His sonne had not yet spoken all that he had conceyued and recorded in his mynde before by reason that wepyng and sobbing did breake his tale But his teares declared and spake more thē his wordes could haue doen. And what doeth his father therewhyle trowe ye dooeth he speake any thoundreyng woordes of crueltie doeth he threaten to beate hym dooeth he threaten to cast hym of and neuer to take hym any more for his sonne doeth he cast hym in the teeth with his bounteous goodnesse shewed vnto hym dooeth he laye to hym his goyng awaye dooeth he burden hym with his gluttonie or other abhominable poyntes