beleue his witnes yet haue I a more certaine testimonye of my selfe that is to saye my fathers testimonie and witnes who is greater than Iohn and whose witnes cannot be reproued There is no recorde more sure than the very dedes that a man doeth yf ye do perceyue those workes to be worthy for God whiche ye haue seen me dooâ— they beare sufficient witnesse of me that I doe nothyng of my selfe but by hym whiche for your saluacion hath sente me into the worlde wherfore ye haue no cause whereby to excuse your infidelitie and diminishe my credence as who sayeth I alonely were myne owne witnesse and did declare great thynges of my selfe Ye haue Iohns witnes whiche among you is muche regarded and taken to be very weightie howbeit in dede he rather nedeth my witnesse lesâ—e he seme to haue borne false witnes Ye haue the testimonie of my workes so that nowe ye nede not to beleue any mannes sayinges when ye looke vpon the dedes themselfe And if all this dooe not satisfie your vnbeliefe yet haue ye hearde at Iordane the voice of my father from aboue bearing witnes of me But yet my father forasmuche as he is a spirite neither hathe voice whiche maye be perceyued with mannes eares nor fourme or shape that maye bee seen with bodely iyes For Moses did neyther heare him nor see hym in the veraye fourme of his owne mere nature as you suppose he did Onely his sonne hath seen hym and heard him after that sorte â–ª yet neuertheles he hath made himselfe knowen to your senses by some kynde of voyce and thorowe some manner of fourme He spake to the Prophetes and by the Prophetes hath spoken to you He hath spoken to Iohn and by Iohn to you but vnto me he hath spoken as he is of his owne very nature and by me he speaketh vnto you If ye can make no excuse but that Iohn did beare playne manifest witnesse why do ye not beleue hym If ye thinke that God in very dede did speake and was seen of Moses and the Prophetes wherfore do ye not credite those thynges which he hath spoken by them ¶ Searche the scriptures for in them ye thinke ye haue eternall lyfe And they are they whiche testifie of me and yet will ye not come to me that ye mighte haue lyfe I receyue not prayse of men but I knowe you that ye haue nor the loue of God in you I am come in my fathers name and ye receyue me not if an other come in his owne name him will ye receiue Howe can ye beleue whiche receiue honour one of another and seke not the honour that cummeth of God Do not thinke that I will accuse you to my father There is one that accuseth you euen Moses in whome ye truste For had ye beleued Moses ye would haue beleued me for he wrote of me but yf ye beleue not his wrytynges howe shall ye beleue my woordes Uerely ye beleue that the scriptures are come from God and albeit you do diligentely occupie your selues in searchyng of them and put the â—ope and felicitie of your lyfe in them yet euen as ye would not beleue Iohn to whom in other thynges ye gaue very great credite when he bare witnes of me so you beleue not the very scriptures in that whiche is the chiefe poynte of all for they promyse life but through me The father doeth there beare witnesses of me and promiseth that he wil send his sonne by whom men shall be saued But as ye haue heard Iohn and not beleued hym and also the voice of the father and not geuen credite vnto it so neither the witnesse of the lawe nor of the Prophetes sticketh in your myndes And although ye haue theyr bookes euer in your handes and their woordes alwaye in your mouthes yet doe ye reiecte hym whome those scâ—iptures dooe promyse and doe not beleue hym whome the father hath sent accordyng to the promyses of the Prophetes and wheras there is none other entrie into life but by me who hathe been approued to you by so manye testimonies yet ye wyll not forsake all thing and come to me wherby ye maie obtain life withoute difficultie For the gate and entrie of saluacion is to haue beleued the sonne whoÌ„ the father sent There is no cause why I should seke for worldlye glory amonges you by the testimonie of Iohn or the Prophetes but I am sory for youre destruccion whiche through your incredulitie dooe in maner enuye your owne saluacion And besides that I leaue you no maner of excuse to make for your selfe if you will not beleue for I haue brought foorth thus manye witnesses whiche in other thynges be of veray great auctoritie among you and onelye in matters concernyng me for whose cause all thynges wer written and spokeÌ„ ye doe not alowe them ye pretende to wurship and loue God ye haue the prophetes in reuerence by whom he spake and yet you do despise him which was promised of God and doeth declare himselfe by his workes what he is This is a playne argument that ye wurship God with counterfaicte holynes and that ye loue not God in dede whom the lawe commaundeth you to loue with all the power of your soule and your streÌ„gth inasmuche as ye contemne and regarde not his sonne Therfore your infidelitie is not for wante of witnesses but for lacke of true loue towardes God You loue worldly glory you loue money â–ª you loue pleasures and to get these thynges you misuse your selues with false pretence of religion But ye persecute the sonne of God because he teacheth those thynges whiche be contrary to these your wicked desyres albeit his reachyng agreeth with the will of the father These thynges declare that ye loue not god with your herte For he whiche loueth doeth also beleue and obeye and whoso loueth the father cannot hate his moste entierly beloued sonne In lyke maner he that loueth the sender cannot mislyke and contemne the messanger specially consideryng I couet neither glory kyngdome nor richesse among meÌ„ but onely the glory of my father And also I couet that to th entent you maye be saued You see workes wurthy for God and yet I doe not ascribe the worldlye prayse to my selfe but to my father who worketh by me Therfore although ye would â—eme religiously to wurship my father yet ye do not receyue me who am come in his name and doe none other thyng but that whiche he hath prescribed vnto me And looke howe peruersely you do discredite me who cummyng in my fathers name do freely offer lyfe and saluacion euen so fondely shall ye beleue whosoeuer cummeth in his owne name presumpteously takyng vpon hym the glory of God and therewith attendeth his owne busines and not Gods bringyng suche thyngâ—s vnto you as maye leade you into eternal death If ye loue God why do ye murmure and crie out agaynst him that seketh his glory If ye loue euerlastyng lyfe why
where his woont was to praie he said vnto them To the enteÌ„t and purpose that ye may bee hable manfully to stande against the tempest that hangeth ouer you watche ye and pray ye leste yf thesame come soodaynely vpon you as ye lye sluggyng and idle it may take you in the trappe ere ye be aware and so maye ouercome you The Lorde whan he had thus muche spoken withdrew hymself from their cumpany to the mountenauÌ„ce in maner of a stones cast to pray solitarily for all creatures like as he should afterward in his own sole persoÌ„ suffre death for all creatures But lyke as his death did not profite idle persones so must not his prayer neither be auaillable but vnto suche as haue diligente and earnest mynde to pray for themselfes too And to geue vs a lesson that the herte is to bee submitted as often as we addresse to speake talke with God He praied his father on his knees bowed downe to the grounde saying Father if it bee thy will remoue thissame cuppe away from me I fele the humain nature which I haue taken to abhorre from death but in this behalfe leat the redempcion of man ouercome â–ª and leat that bee doen whiche thy wil beeyng vnmutable hath determined and not the thing whiche the weakenesse of this body doeth geue aduise or mocion vnto Our Lorde knewe what the wyll of his father was and on his own party he couered to driÌ„ke the cuppe of death for the redempcion of the worlde and he laied vpon hymself the affeccion of his body and studied to prescribe vnto his seruauntes a fourme and trade of praiyng For this maner of praiyng were very fitte for a martir a litle before the time of his martyrdome Thy wyll be dooen and not myne Whether thy wyll be to haue me liue or to dye And this feareful tremblyng of our nature Christe toke vpon himself because he would take it away from his But to the enteÌ„t he would teache vs that at suche tymes we should haue prest helpe readye at the lordes hand whan we had wholly coÌ„mitted our selfes to the wil of god whether it be to lyfe or death there appered vnto him an aungel doune from heauen strengthenyng him As he was cast in great agonie pangues for our behoufe so was he for our behoufe cumforted and strengthened by the auÌ„gell After all this there toke him a certain extreme agonie and trouble of mynde suche as for the moste parte is woont to chaunce vnto menne whan they haue death euen before their iyes and behold it in their myndes And this passion is coÌ„monly woont to be more grieuous theÌ„ very death self Neither did Iesê° disdayne to take this tormente of mynde also for our cause who refused not for our cause to hang on the crosse teaching vs in the meane time to what succours we ought to take our refuge as often as thatsame quaking feare shall take our infirmitie and cease vpon it For liyng doune prostrate vpon the grouÌ„d he praied yet more earnestly Forsoth hereof depeÌ„deth the whole hope of our victory And verify to the enteÌ„t we should be the more stedfaste in time of suffering paine and torment so great trouble of mind toke Christ that droppes of bloude tricled doune to the earth from all his body ouer And whan he arose vp from praier and was cum to his disciples he found them slepyng for heauinesse and saied vnto them why sleape ye Ryse and praye leste ye fall into temptacion Assoone as he arose again from praiyng stode vpright he retourned vnto his disciples and found them slepyng for sorowe and heauynesse Thatsame was not any surfaict that had made them so heauye but the weakenesse of nature it was grieuous dolour of the mynde that had caused their slepe but whoso will in suche a bataill goe awaie a conquerour muste fighte agaynste this weakenesse with the lustie streÌ„gth of the spirite Iesus therfore chideth his disciples and eftsons calleth them vp to pray saiyng why dooe ye in so great daungier and ieopardy geue your selfes to slepe Arise ye and praye leste the tempest growing fast towardes doe oppresse you and ouerwhelme you euen as ye lye sluggyng for the houre is euen now very nere at hande While he yet spake behold there came a cumpany and he that was called Iudas one of the twelue went before them and pressed nigh vnto Iesus to kysse him But Iesus said vnto him Iudas betraiest thou the sonne of man with a kisse whan they whiche were about him sawe what would folowe they said vnto him Lorde shall we smite with the sweorde And one of them smote a seruaunt of the high priest and stroke of his right eare Iesus aunswered said suffre ye thus ferre forth And whan he had touched his eare he healed hym The Lorde Iesus had not yet ended these wordes and euen nowe alreadye appered in sight a rable of vngracious souldiers whom the priestes Phariseis beeyng more vngracious then they had purposely sente for to attache Iesus And that honest maÌ„ Iudas who had but euen a little before been a folower of Christe and a companion with hym at his table and nowe become the guyde of a deuelishe bande of souldiers came afore them a good preatye waie betwene but he had geuen them a token before for so to doe is a thyng coÌ„moÌ„ly vsed in warres that to whoÌ„soeuer he should geue a kisse him should they well wete to be Iesus And whan he had cum sumwhat nere vnto Iesus eueÌ„ ready now to kysse him as he had been wont to do the lord accordyng to his accustomed mildnesse refused not the traiters kisse neither but yet eftsons pricked his conscience to th eÌ„tent that being moued at leastwise with so great pacience fauour of the lord he might haue ameÌ„ded Iudas saieth he arte thou a betraier of the soÌ„ne of man with a kisse Iudas by that word well vnderstode that his herte was not hidden froÌ„ God He knewe the innocencye of the Lorde he was so many tymes with suche myldenesse of the Lorde as neuer the lyke was heard so prouoked to chaunge from his wicked entente and purpose euen a verye flinte stone myghte haue been suppled therewith had not Satan altogether possessed his whole hert with the disease and corrupcion of couetise And truely the deuelishnesse of Iudas was cause of daÌ„nacion to hymselfe alone and no mo But suche personnes as dooe nowe in these tymes with seÌ„blable guile betray the veritie euaÌ„gelical vnto the princes of this world are causers of a more greuous coÌ„fusion are worthy of greater punishement then vnhappye Iudas ouerlate takyng repentaunce of hys facte did execute vpon himselfe Immediately vpon the kisse geuen the company of the harnessed menne came rennyng vnto Iesus to laye handes vpon hym and they were suche as for none other purpose had a mynde and wyl to knowe Iesus but that they myght take hym But happye are
But all those came of Goddes liberalitie and not of his owne nature that was geuen hym at the firste yet he was chosen and sente of God for this purpose that accordyng to the prophecie that was prophecied of hym before he myght beare witnes of that godly lyght whiche being couered with his manhed was conuersaunt in the worlde not as who say that he whiche was God and so declared before by the voice of the father shoulde nede mannes witnes but to thintent he might by all manier of meanes cause hymselfe to bee had in credit with the people he woulde that Iohn shoulde bee the goer before the lyghte as the day sterre appearing before sheweth the rysyng of the sunne to the woorlde And also that by his preachyng he shoulde prepare mennes mindes to receyue that lyght whiche shoulde immediatly come after And because synne is the lâ—t wherby the heauenly lyght is not admitted and receyued Iohn dyd allure and call all people to penaunce proclaming openly that the kyngdome of heauen was at hande for the firste degree or step to the lyghte is that men shoulde hate their owne darkenes And this Iohn was of so great auctoritie emonge the Iewes for the excellente holines of his liuinge that many toke him for Christe himselfe whereby Christ would the rather bee coÌ„mended to the Iewes by his witnes as that time required to thintente that litle by litle as men do commonly vse he might crepe into the mindes of the people for otherwise the meaner person is alwaye wount to bee commended by the witnes of the greater And Esay had promised that at Christes cuâ—ming there shoulde a certaine excellente lighte arise and springe vp to theym whiche did liue in darkenes and in the shadowe of deathe and for that cause before that Christe was notable by his miracles many suspected Iohn to haue been the light whiche was promised of the Prophete But Iohn was onelye the publisher before of the true lighte and not the light it selfe Therefore Christe as the oportunitie of that time serued did as ye woulde saye abuse both the errour of the Iewes and the auctoritie of Iohn to prepare the mindes of all men to the faithe of the gospell Truely Iohn was a certaine light that is to saye a burninge candle and geuinge lighte feruently burninge in godlines and geuing light by holynes of life neuertheles he was nor the lighte whiche should bring life to the whole worlde but the woord of God whereof wee doe speake at this presente was that true light euer proceding from God the father the fountaine of all light from whence what soeuer is lightsome in heauen and earth boroweth his lighte what sparke of witte what knowlage of trueth what light of faith soeuer there be either emong men or Angels all the same cummeth from this fountaine ¶ That lyght was the true light which lighteth euery man that cummeth into the world As this worlde is blind without the sunne so all thinges are darke without this light The worlde also was full of darkenes on euery syde because sinne and abhominable errours did reigne in euery place And in the tyme of this darkenes there did often tymes shine foorth men excellent in holynes of lyfe as a lytell sterre in the moste darkest nightes and gaue some lyght as it were thorow a cloud howbeit they dyd it but to the Iewes only or to the borderers of Iewry but this true light geueth lyght not onely to one nacion but to all men that come into the darkenes of this worlde The Iewes went about to challenge this lyght seuerally to themselues because they thought it to be promised to theim onely for asmuche as touchyng the fleshe it dyd spring of theim and emonge theim but that light came to geue lyght to the hertes of all nacions of the whole world thorow the faith of the gospel Neither Scithian Iewe Spaniard Gothian Englisheman kynges nor bondmen be excluded from this lyght The lyght came to geue light to al men asmuche as lay in it but if any continue in their darkenes the faute is not in the lyght but in hym that frowardely loueth darkenes and abhorreth the lyght For the lyght shineth to al meÌ„ because none might pretend any excuse when willingly wittingly he perisheth thorow his owne faute As if a man shoulde get a knocke at noone daies because he woulde not lyfte vp his iyes ¶ He was in the world and the world was made by hym and the world 〈◊〉 hym not This woord of God was alwaies in the worlde not as who say that he whiche is without measure can bee contayned in any circuite of place but he was so in the world as the deuise of the workeman is in his woorke and as the ruler is in that thing he ruleth Also at that tyme this lyght dyd shine in the worlde sumwhat opening the godly power wisedom and goodnes therof by these thinges which were wunderfully creat by it and by this meanes it did then after a sorte speake to mankinde But many putting their felicitie in the visible thinges of this worlde whome for that cause of good righte our lorde Iesus did accustome to cal by the name of the worlde when he taughte them eternall thinges they beinge blinded with earthly affeccions did not acknowleage their maker The darkenes of mindes was so greate that the worlde knewe not the maker thereof but did wurship serpentes oxen goates lekes oynions yea that whiche is more vile then all these stockes stones dispising him of whome they had receiued both that themselfes were and all that they had ¶ He came emong his owne and his owne receiued him not They being accustomed to darkenes did abhorre the light and being blinded with sinne did enbrace deathe in stede of life yea and whan he did shewe himselfe more familiarly to the worlde being conuersaunt liuing in his manhed emonges men he was not knowen of them whiche had dedicate themselfes wholy to this worlde Neither is it any meruail though the gentiles beeynge woorshippers of ydols measuring all thinges by the commodities of this life being also ignorant of the prophetes and the lawe did not acknowleage him whiles he liued here in the shape of a man This is more to be meruayled at â–ª that when he came specially to his owne people to whome Messias had ben promised by so many prophecies of the prophetes to whom he had bene shadowed with so many figures of whom he had ben loked for so many hundreth yeares before which saw him do miracles heard his teaching yet they wer so far from receiuing of him that with fierce mindes they wente about his destruccion whiche came specially to saue them And procured that innocentes death who frely brought life to his enemies They sawe did not see heard and did not heare hauing intelligence did not vnderstand whiche thorow a froward study of the lawe did rise against him whom the
playne blasphemous because he beyng a mortall man semed to take vpon hym the eternalitie a thyng for God only cōuenient they coulde not withholde theyr handes but toke vp stones and wente in hande to ouerthrowe and presse hym with stones But Iesus professyng hymselfe to be God to declare hymselfe to be a very man also gaue place to their fury not because he feared theyr forcible violence whiche he had power to kepe of but to teache vs by the waye that when time requireth that the trueth of the ghospell should be preached valiantly and boldely and again that when we had once executed our duetie the fury of euill men should not causelesse and in vayne be prouoked and exasperate for our Lorde Iesus knewe that it coulde not haue been beate into the heades I will not say of the grosse and ignoraunte multitude but not of his disciples and they to be brought to belefe therof in case he had openly preached himselfe to be both God man and thesame to be all at once both mortall as touching his manhed and also immortall as touching his deitie and as perteyning to the fleshe to be a man borne of a virgin in time as touchyng diuine power to haue been alwaye before all time God of God Surely this so secrete a misterie was rather to be at time conueniente perswaded to the worlde by miracles death resurreccion ascendyng to heauen and by the inspiracion of the holy ghoste then before due tyme to be brought in and vttered in open playne woordes to them that would not belue it Therfore Iesus withdrewe hymselfe from them geuyng place to theyr fury and wente secretly forth of the temple by that acte declaryng beforehande that afterwarde the light of the ghospell beyng repelled of the wicked and voluntary blynde Iewes should be put ouer to the Gentiles their house left to them desolate which only thought themselfes the true seruauntes of God and obseruers of true religiō And so Iesus which is the author of true godlines wente to an other place The .ix. Chapter And as Iesus passed by he sawe a manne whiche was blynde from his byrth and his disciples asked him saying Master who did sinne this manne or his father or mother that he was borne blynde Iesus sayed neyther hath this manne sinned nor yet his father and mother but that the workes of God should be shewed THerfore our Lorde Iesus did now for a while geue place to the fury of them whom as yet he sawe incurable and falleth in hande with miracles to declare his Godly power whiche he coulde not all this while dryue into theyr headdes by any perswasion of woordes And loe there fel forthwith a matter in his waye not vnlike those thynges which were doen in the temple For of trueth much a doe was there with the blynde But suche as were blynde in soule not in body whiche is the moste vnhappy kynde of blyndnesse And so muche also the wurse as that although they were more then blynde yet they thought themselues quicke sighted so that they were not only miserable but also vnworthy to be cured For somuch as miser was not that blynde man whom Iesus sawe as he passed by whiche man lacked onely bodily sight and was borne blinde so that it was a maladie aboue the Phisicions cure but yet coulde Christe heale it This man had an inwarde sight sawe with iyes of the soule when Iesus therfore sawe the man and had compassion on him much pitying his misery the disciples which called to their remembraunce that Christe had sayd to the man that was healed of his palsey Go and hereafter sinne no more leste some wurse thing come vpon the supposing that euery blemishe of the body had come of some faulte of the soule axed Christe of the blinde man and sayed through whose sinne chaunced it that this man should be borne blinde for where as none coulde sinne or he were borne whosoeuer is borne with any sickenes or impediment of body is to be thought punished for some other mans faulte which thyng should yet seme against equitie the disciples therfore sayed Maister whēce came so great euill to this felowe that he should be borne blinde Whether came it of his owne or of the sinne of his parentes Iesus aunswered Neyther did this man through his owne sinne deserue to be borne blinde who coulde not sinne when as yet he was not nor his parentes For as the lawe teacheth God punysheth not the chyldren for the faultes of theyr parentes excepte the children folowe the sinnes of theyr parentes But blyndnesse chaunced to this man vpon a casualtie and not through any mans sinne as in the course of mans life many thinges chaūce to many folke This mans misery lacke of sight was not prohibit but suffered to chaunce vnto hym because that by hym the mightie power and goodnesse of God whom the blinde Iewes so obstinately cryeth out vpon should be declared to mē The more vncurable the disease is the more famous and commendable shall be the healing of thesame I must worke the worke of hym that sent me whyle it is daye The night cummeth when no manne can worke As long as I am in the worlde I am the light of the worlde Assoone as he had thus spoken he spatte on the grounde and made clay of the spettell and rubbed the clay on the iyes of the blynde layed vnto hym Goe washe the in the poole of Siloe which by interpretacion is asmuche to saye as sent He wente his waye therfore and washed and came agayne seeyng For this cause was I sent into the worlde euē to procure the glory of God with suche dedes as should cause the vnfaythfull to beleue my woordes to be true and to thintent also that those whiche will beleue should be cured of their blindnes I must doe this commaundement diligently while it is daye for yf menne haue any worke in hande they be wonte to doe it in the day The night perdy is vnhansome to worke in Therfore in the meane tyme whyle prensent day geueth vs leaue to worke we may not cease For the night shall come when as men all in vaine would worke and cannot As long as I am in the worlde I am the light of the worlde If men make spede to finishe the worke which they goe about for some commoditie of this life before night how muche more behoueth it euery man to labour that while they haue me with them they may go thorowe with the busines of the eternall saluacion In fauour wherof whatsoeuer in the meane season I doe in this worlde I doe it for that thing sake and to further saluacion For what other thing doe I then that all folke should through iyes of faith see and acknowlege God and his sonne whom he sent into the worlde I shall within a while departe hence than shall those that haue nowe had no will to worke desyre lyght in vaine The Lord
spice of enuie at his name waxyng euery one day more famous then other and in maner derkenyng the glorye of Iohn of whoÌ„ they had an hyghe opinion make relacion vnto Iohn liyng fast bounde in the pryson of all the thynges that Iesus spake and dyd Iohn therfore of purpose to remedie and cure this affeccyonate mynde of his disciples called two of them apart vnto him seÌ„t theÌ„ vnto Iesus to demauÌ„d of him this questioÌ„ Are thou he that was sayd should cum or els dooe we loke for an other Iohn had so often alreadie geuen testimonie of Christe and also pointyng at him with his finger had said of him Behold the lambe of God Beholde hym that taketh awaye the sinnes of the worlde And nothyng is there more contrary to al reason then to thinke that so great a Prophete as Iohn beyng now nere vnto his death should begynne to doubte For though his body were in prison yet was not his testymonye of Christe bound in â—haines neither did the derkenes of the prison any thing dimme his iudgemente concernyng Christe For whom he acknowlaged in his mothers wombe hym dyd he no lese acknowelage in the pryson But the synguler good man iudged it so to be most expedient that he might by this way as it wer make deliuerie of his disciples into the handes of Iesus Whan Iohns disciples therfore had dooen their message to Christe after thesame maner fourme as their maister had geuen them in commission the Lorde Iesus did at the first make them no aunswer But many miracles doen in their presence right many sundrie maladies driuen out from suche as were sicke many vncurable euils put away froÌ„ men vnclene spirites cast out of meÌ„ with a word the sight restored vnto many that were blind at last thus he aunswered theÌ„ To what purpose is it for me to geue sentence of my self who I am There is no testimonie more clere oute of doubte then the testimonye of a 〈◊〉 actes Goe your waies and beare word vnto Iohn what ye haue seene with your iyes and what ye haue heard with your eares The blynd receiue their sight they that werlaine are made hable to walke lepres are made clene the deafe haue their hearyng restored the dead returne to life again the poore lowe dooe enbrace the glad newes of saluacion according to the prophecy of Esaye whiche sayeth He hath sent me to preache the ghospell vnto the poore Iohn preached the kyngdome of heauen to be at hande Weigh ye with your selues whether these thynges whiche ye see be thynges worthie and semyng for the kyngdom of heaueÌ„ And blissed is he that shal not turne these thinges which I doe for the health of men into an occasion of slaundre to hymselfewarde For as the greatnesse of the thinges wrought by me shall stiere many persones to enuie agaynst me so shall the weakenesse of this body bee occasion of slaundre to a great many With this saying Iesus did secretly checke the enuie of Iohns disciples geuing also therwithall a by woorde of knowledge that it would so cum to passe that the worldly open shame of the crosse by whiche in any wyse the mystery of the kingdome of heauen was to bee executed and accomplished would turne many mennes hertes a way from the doctrine of the ghospell and ferther that blessed shoulde they bee who neither woulde beare enuie ne grutche at his glory ne as men dismaied or troubled with the reproche of open deathe would sterte backe from his holsome doctrine ¶ And whan the messengers of Iohn were departed he began to speake vnto the people concerning Iohn What went ye out into the wildernesse for to see A rede shaken with the wind But what went ye out for to see A man clothed in softe raiment Behold they whiche are gorgeously apparelled and liue delicately are in kynges courtes But what went ye foorth to see A prophete yea I say to you and more then a prophete This is he of whom it is written Behold send my aungell before thy face whiche shal prepare thy way before thee For I say vnto you among womens children is there not a greatter prophete then Iohn Baptiste And whan Iohns disciples were gon their way to reporte vnto hym the aunswer of Iesus the Lorde begonne largely to speake in the praise of Iohn to the entent that none of them should by reason of demaundyng the former question by his disciples mystrust or suspecte Iohn hymself to be any thyng waueryng or concernyng his owne testimonie that he had afore geuen of Iesus to haue now chaunged his mynde and to be halfe in a doubte of the same Iesus therefore remoueth a waye from Iohn the suspicion of inconstauncie and also maketh Iohns testimony concernyng hym to be of the more credeÌ„ce and weight in such wise extolling Iohns excelleÌ„t vertues that yet neuerthelesse he gaue hym not the tytle of Messias whiche tytle certain persons for a good long space did labour to geue vnto him And in this maner it was that Iesus spake Yf ye suspecte saieth he that Iohn who a good while sens gaue testimonie of me to be nowe of a waueryng mynde why than did ye a greate while agon leaue the tounes after that sorte and rennefull and whole into deserte places to see the man to see a rede trowe ye that is blowen to and fro with the winde and neuer long abideth stedfaste But goe to yet what went ye foorth at laste to see A man trowe ye gaily apparelled in softe sylkes that he may with deliciousnes of fare or with ambicion of honour bee corrupted But this suspicioÌ„ cannot light on a maÌ„ which went clothed in a camels hide whiche gyrt his loynes with a roughe thong of heary leather whiche lyued with grassehoppers to his meate and with plaine water to his drinke and whiche wheras he susteined his life with no fyner diete then this did besides also fast very often WhoÌ„ gorgeous araie doneth best please whoÌ„ deliciousnesse of meates dooeth delite suche dooe seke and make shift to be in kynges courtes And on suche persones as haue a great desire to the thynges aboue said the suspicion of a corrupt sentence and mynde of inconstancie and waueryng or of plain flattery may perchauÌ„ce light But Iohn hath preferred wildernes before the courtes of princes he hath preferred the hearie hide of camels before veluets and silkes and before garmeÌ„tes of clothe of golde or set with precious stones wilde honey and locustes hath he preferred before the martspaines and other swete delicates of kynges plain water before the swete hypocras of the riche meÌ„ And how that Iohn can in no wise flatter the very prison that he is in dooeth sufficiently trye There is therefore no cause why any man should suspecte that Iohn dyd afore for any mannes pleasure or fauour geue so high and worthie testimony of me and now to haue chaunged his mynde But yet would I fain know what
see that you gladly and freely vse your power to the healâ—yng of al peoples diseases and miseries see that ye corrupte not the synceritie and purenesse of preachyng the ghospell by any suspicion of dooyng it for aduauntage and lucre Than appoynted he vnto them in playne wordes what it was that they ought to teache For he gaue them in commission no suche thyng as to teache the ceremonies of the lawe whiche shoulde with in a short tyme be abolished not to teache blynde constitucions of men as the Scribes and Pharises vsed to teache when they go rounde about bothe the sea and the lande to make one selie proselite or nouice of their secte But he gaue them in commauÌ„demente to teache that the kyngdome of God was at hande Which kyngdom of God did not now consist in outwarde thynges to bee dooen with the bodye but in spirite and vertue And thus muche to preache vnto the rude ignoraunt people was for that present tyme at the begynnyng sufficient for preparyng of mennes hertes vnto an higher doctrine And for because the carefulnesse of thynges necessarie for the sustentacion of the bodye should by no meanes lette them from the buisinesse of the ghosphell he sayed vnto them Carrye no kynde of baggage aboute you on the waye â–ª neither staffe to defende you withall ne scrippe to kepe your meate in for store ne purse wherein to putte any money for expenses or charges necessarie no nor twoo coates for bee ye well assured that ye shall not any where lacke any one of all these thynges yf ye shall with pure hertes according to the tenour of my commaundement diligently prouide and labour that the ghospell go forwarde and dayly encrease For euery where shal there be whose voluntary ientilnesse liberalitie shal geue as muche as for you beeyng men that lyue from hande to mouthe and can bee content with a litell maye at all tymes be sufficient Neither shall ye haue any cause to be peâ—sife or carefull where or how to bee enterteined for lodgeyng or harbour for wheresoeuer ye can knowe of any that are woorthie and mete for the kyngdome of god turne ye into theyr houses and there continue at soiourne leste yf ye should euery other whyle bee flyttyng from one house to another ye maye seme to haue dooen it for sekyng of deyntie fare But beeyng content with suche chere as ye shall there fynde tarie ye so long in the houses of thesame persones vntill the good procedyng and encrease of the ghospell shall aduertise you to go forward to another place but if it shall any where so happen that no bodye will receiue you into theyr house yet acknowlage and remembre the woorthynesse and dignitie of your office and bee not ouer earnest to thrust into their lappes whether they will or no the thyng which euery creature ought moste specially to craue but streightwayes forsake ye that same citie beeyng so ferre from takyng any kynde of commoditie by suche persones as wilfully reiecte your preachyng that ye shake of and caste backe agayne vnto them yea euen the veraye duste that maye happily chaunce to haue stycked on your feet playnly testifying and protesting vnto them that ye haue frely preached the kyngdome of God vnto them and that they haue made themselfes vnworthie of so great a gifte freely profered vnto them Whan Iesus had with these and many other woordes mo enstructed and armed his Apostles foorth they went twoo and twoo together and goyng round about to euery towne and village they preached euerywhere that the kyngdome of God was come And whersoeuer they found any menne possessed with deuils or sicke or in daungier of any other impediment of the bodye they healed them in the name of Iesus And this was the firste rudimente and entreaunce of the Apostles preachyng And Herode the Zetrarche heard of all that was doen by hym and he doubted because that it was sayed of some that Iohn was arisen agayn from death and of some that Helias had appered and of some that one of the olde Prophetes was arysen agayne And Herode sayed Iehu haue I beheaded but who is this of whom I heare suche thynges And he desired to see hym By reason of these thynges the name of Iesus was so bruited abrode and made so famous that the reporte of all his workynges and doynges came eueÌ„ to the eares of Herode the Tetrarche For whereas he knewe not Iesus and heard sate that a certain man there was who at the byddyng of his word could and did cast out deiuils did put awaye diseases did restore the lame and suche as were taken and had their sinowes shrounken did make clene the lepres did rayse vp the dead to life agayn he was in great doubte and wonderously troubled in his mynde what man this might be so sodaynly sprong vp Some boasted abrode that Iesus was Iohn whom Herode a litle tofore had flayne and the same Iohn to haue returned to lyfe agayne and therefore beyng now as it were made halfe a God to bee wexed mightye in dooyng of suche great miracles Others said that he was Helias whom beeyng taken vp in a fiery chariot the Iewes did loke for that he should cum agayn accordyng to the prophecie of Malachias Agayne sum supposed he was sum other of the olde Prophetes the memorie of whiche Prophetes was high and holy and was had in great reuerence among the Iewes Howbeit Herode fearing on his owne behalf yf Iohn were reuiued again whom he had put to death reckening it a thing vncredible that a man once dead should be returned again to life saied As for Iohn I mine own self haue caused to be beheaded who beyng dispatched rid out of the world I thought there had none been left a liue which would haue enterprised to do any suche great matters And what felow is this of whoÌ„ I heare much greater thinges theÌ„ euer Iohn wrought And hereupoÌ„ he earnestly sought sum occasioÌ„ to haue a sight of him not to be made better thereby but to satisfie his own curiositie to knowe all thynges orels in case he should so thinke good to do euen thatsame by him that he had doen by Iohn afore But Iesus forasmuche as he knew Herodes mynd welinough would not cum where to be seen of him For he was not cum for any such purpose to fede or delite the iyes of wicked princes with his miracles but to bring the simple poore folkes to helth nor to be beheaded did not like him who had predestinate vnto himself the high exalted standard of the crosse And the Apostles returned and tolde him al that they had doen. And he toke them and went aside into a solitary place high vnto the citie called Bethsaida whiche whan the people knew they folowed him And he receiued them and spake vnto them of the kingdom of god and healed them that had nede to be healed After this the twelue returned home again
coloure some cause of death maye be layed vnto hym Whereupon thus speake they vnto hym If thou be thatsame Christe whome accordyng to the godly sayinges of the prophetes we looke for tell it vs playnly But Iesus knowyng them to moue suche question 's not of any purpose to learne the trueth but to hunt for some matier of false accusacion agaynst hym thus made answere vnto them If I shall tell you what I am ye wyll not geue credite vnto me and in case I shoulde question with you by the testimonies of the scriptures what maner of mā it was promised that Messias should be and whether thesame tokens doe iustely agree in my person ye wyll not aunswere accordyng to your consciences as men that haue not anye earnest desyre to learne that is true nor yet to teache it Neyther wyll ye vpon any suche cause or consideracion acquite and discharge me if I shall declare myne innocencie vnto you For ye doe not by youre opposyng and examining me meane eyther vpō knowlage of the trueth to discharge me if I be innocent or to condēne me beyng found guiltie as in lawfull iudgementes is commonly vfed to bee doen but for this entent that the thyng which ye haue determined to doe ye maye seme to doe by some tytle and colour of iustice Therfore wyll not I tell you the thyng whiche though ye knowe yet ye wyll not knowe but an other thing will I tell you whiche ye shall one daye fynde to be true The sonne of man who at this present moment by reason of the weakenesse of his humayne nature and of his humilitie is not agnised and knowlaged of you beyng proud and hault mynded men shall in tyme to come be aboue earth on hye syttyng on the right hande of Gods Maiestie These wordes did Iesus speake to th entent that forasmuche as they had more mynde and wyll to putte Iesus to death because he was in fourme of humilitie by whome they mighte haue been saued then to enbrace hym they should haue knowledge that they should an other daye see hym a iudge a punisher of theyr vngodlynesse whō being a salueour promised and so many hūdred yeres loked for they would not now acknowlage Suche a worde semed vnto them all a meete and sufficient occasion to laye some false accusacion agaynste him in case he woulde no more but openly take vpon hym that he was the sonne of god Whereupon they saye Why than arte thou thatsame sonne of God of whome the foretellynges of the prophetes doe make mencion To this question doeth Iesus in suche wise tempre his aunswere that he neither woulde deny hymself to be that he was nor geue vnto them any occasion or matter falsely to laye to his charge nor yet as touchyng hymselfe shewe any spyce or poynte of arrogancie For the Lorde had more minde eche where by his actes and dedes to declare his diuine nature of godhead that was in him then in woordes to professe it or take it vpon him He therfore in this wyse shaped his aunswere Ye saye that I am after an hūble and lowly sorte geuing a by knowlage that the thing whiche they demaunded in manier fourme of a question as a thyng doubtful might with as fewe wordes as they vsed by only alteryng the manier of pronunciacion be spoken in a playne affirmacion that so it was But they iudgeing thissame to be a cause sufficient enough wherefore to accuse hym of blasphemy then the which crime there was none other emong the Iewes more worthie death sayed Why doe we yet styl require witnes we oure owne selues haue hearde a manifeste blasphemie out of his mouth Upō this verdite did all the whole coumpainy quickely agree as men that had afore decreed by any title whatsoeuer it were to put Iesus to death The .xxiii. Chapter And the whole multitude of them arose and led hym vnto Pylate And they began to accuse hym saying We founde this felowe peruertyng the people and forbidding to paye tribute to Ceasar and saying that he is Christe and a kyng And Pilate opposed hym saying arte thou the kyng of Iewes He aunswered hym and sayed thou sayest it Than sayed Pilate to the high priestes and the people I fynde no faulte in this man And they were the more fierce saying He moueth the people teachyng throughoute all Iewry and begonne at Galile euen to this place WHan they had found out a cause as to theimselues appered fit enough to put hym to death it remayned that they might remoue also the enuie and displeasure of his death from themselues and laye it on others Wherupon they thought it best to shift him ouer from themselues into Pilate the lieutenauntes handes to bee arayned before him to the entent he might seme to had been putte to death not by the Iewes but by the Gentiles Wherefore all the counsayle with the multitude also whom they had drawē to the partakyng of theyr wicked dede aryse vp altogether and bring Iesus to Pilate the Lorde president and lieutenaunte of Iewry For he though he were no Iewe hymself yet was an head officer there vnder the Emperour And here first of all the Iewes doe deliuer to the Gentiles and alienate from themselues theyr Messias beyng sent of God to them The Gentiles receiue him and wurship him whan he was commended and betaken to them The Lorde was already condemned by a foreiudgement in the counsaile of the Iewes with whō any pretense or coloure were it neuer so slendre did suffise as with mē that with rageyng madnesse thirsted the death of the innocent But because at the benche of a Pagane and heathē iudge there was more equitie in ministryng of iustice then in the courte of the Iewes it was necessarye to haue forged witnesses whiche shoulde laye many and great crymes to his charge who alone of all creatures was clere from all crime The beginnyng of theyr accusacion was of this sorte We founde and tooke this felowe with the manier as he was subuertyng our nacion For he forbade that any tribute should bee payed to the Emperour and in all his talke he hath auouched himselfe to be Messias the king These two crimes they thought they had gaily well deuised and that thesame crimes should excedyng greatly moue the mynde of the Lorde deputie for that aswel the one as the other of them comprised a spice of high treasō against Cesar So naughtily do these moste shamelesse craftie forgers of lyes assaulte the veritie euangelicall For what can bee deuised more shamelesse then suche lyes as these Iesus afore that tyme whan a piece of coyne was shewed vnto hym had made aunswere in this manier Geue and pay ye vnto Cesar such thinges as belong vnto Cesar and to god such thinges as belong vnto god And to be made a kyng whereas it had afore been willyngly offreed hym by the Iewes of their owne mocion he woulde none of it but fled
quenche the smokyng flaxe did not repel or refuse the saied Nicodemus that came to salute hym though he were both fearfull and came out of due tyme but doeth curteously receiue hym who was doubtlesse a weake spirited manne but yet without malyce and for that cause worthy to be promoted lytle by lytle to higher thinges Now byanby Nicodemus declaring how much he had profited by seyng Iesus doe his miracles maketh suite to gette his good will with this preface Maister saieth he we doe already euidently perceiue this thy doctrine not to be suche as the Phariâ—eis is for the thyng it selfe dooeth shewe that thine autoritie of preaching is geuen the not of man but of God For no manne coulde doe these miracles which thou doest except God were present with hym and did helpe hym Nicodemus dyd set forth this opinion concernyng Iesus as an hye and great estimacion howbeit it was farre vnder his dignitie for Nicodemus supposed him to be none other but summe Prophete whom God dyd fauour and was present with in the doing of his miracles as though he had not wrought them by his owne power Iesus answered and sayed vnto him verily verily I saye vnto the except a manne bee borne froÌ„ aboue he cannot see the kyngdome of God Nicodemus sayeth vnto hym howe can a man be borne when he is olde can he entre into his mothers wombe and be borne againe But Iesus doeth neither reproue Nicodemus vnperfite opinion coÌ„cerning him neither doeth he forthwith boast of his owne greatnes but with gentle and freÌ„dly behauiour litle by litle bringeth him that is so apte easy to bee taught vnto further knowledge of more secrete misteries of the euaÌ„gelicall doctrine The Iewes which had as yet druÌ„ke but only of the water of Moses lawe whiche had knowen nothyng els but the baptisme of Iohn neither had they yet tasted the wyne of the euangelicall doctrine nor had been baptysed by the spirite and fyer The Iewes I say vnderstode all thynges carnally and for that cause were very rude vnfit for the Philosophie of the gospel whiche â—s all spiritual Therfore our lorde did not cast him in the teeth with his ignoraunce nor with his halting minde on both sides in that he did partely apply himselfe to the worlde partely to God nor yet spake that thing to him which afterwarde he required of his disciples when they were come to more knowledge saying to them whosoeuer shal be ashamed of me afore men I will be also ashamed of hym before my father Our lorde I say did lay none of these forsaied thynges to his charge but by his darke sayinges he causeth Nicodemus to vtter his ignorauÌ„ce to the entent that litle by litle he may instruct him and bring him from carnal affeccion to spirituall vnderstanding Nicodemus sayth he take this for a very suertie except a man be borne again new as it were chauÌ„ged into a new man he caÌ„not see the kingdome of God So very new is this doctrine which thou desirest to learne of me Forasmuche as Nicodemus thought that saying to be to no purpose he aunswereth in dede ignorauntly and grossely but neuerthelesse simply and plainly saying how is it possible that a man beyng already of so many yeres as I am can be borne again Canne it any waye be brought to passe that he should entre into his mothers wombe and come thence again and so be borne a newe Iesus answereth verily verily I saye vnto the except a man be borne of water and of the spirite he cannot entre into the kyngdome of God That whiche is borne of the flesh is flesh and that whiche is borne of the spirite is spirite Iesus beyng not offended euen with this so grosse an aunswere vouchesaueth geÌ„telly to enterprete and declare what it is to be borne a new or from aboue Nicodemus sayth he the thing that I haue saied to the is most true He that hath a will and desire to be hable to receiue the euangelical doctrine must be borne again but the maner of byrthe that I speake of is after an other sorte for it is not carnall but spirituall and it doeth not consist in multiplying of bodyes by generacion but in turnyng of sowles into a new forme neither by this byrth be we made again the children of meÌ„ but the children of God Therfore be wel assured as I toulde you eueÌ„ now that excepte a man be borne again by water the holy gost of a carnall maÌ„ become spirituall he cannot entre into the kingdom of God which is altogether spiritual Lyke is borne of the lyke That which is borne of the flesh is none other thyng theÌ„ flesh but that which is borne of the spirite is spirite And verily as much difference as is betwene the flesh the spirite betwene the body God so much is this generacioÌ„ wherof I speake more excellent then that which bringeth forth one body out of an other They which be borne after the flesh doe sauer none other thing but the flesh nor beleue any thing to be but that which they fele and perceiue with their senses But those thinges which be not seen be moste excellent and of greatest strength where as the flesh is weake and impotente Meruayle not thou that I sayed to the ye must be borne from aboue The wynde bloweth where it liâ—teth and thou hearest the sounde therof but canst not tell whence it cummeth or whyther it goeth So is euery one that is borne of the spirite Wherfore seying that there be two sundry wayes how to be borne there is no cause why thou shouldest meruaile that the same veray man which is once borne naturally after the flesh wherby he might be the child of a man should be borne again of the spirite inuisible that thereby he maye be the childe of God who is a spirite also might be made apte for the kyngdom of heauen whiche is spirituall and not carnal But if thou doest not yet vnderstand me take vnto the a similitude of suche thynges as be sumwhat agreable to spirituall thynges and yet may be perceiued with our bodily senses God in very dâ—de is a moste sincere and pure spirite and very far of from all bodily senses but this ayre wherby we be coÌ„serued in life wherof we fele so great strength and profit is called a spirite or wynde bycause in coÌ„parison of our bodies it is right subtile and fyne but this kinde of spirite the wynde is not stayed at mannes wil and pleasure but of his owne violence is caryed whyther soeuer he list spreading it selfe ouer all thynges and putting into corporall thynges a meruailous force and strength Sumtyme it bryngeth lyfe sumtime death it is otherwhyle calme and still and otherwhile more boysteous violent sumtyme it bloweth out of the East sumtime out of the West sumtime out of one part of the world sumtime out of another shewing himselfe by
not doen among them the workes which none other man did they should haue had no sinne But now haue they bothe seen and heard not onely me but also my father But this happeneth that the saying might be fulfilled that is written in theyr lawe They hated me without a cause And whatsoeuer despite they shall doe against you I will thinke it doen to me for all thynges that they shall do agaynste you they shall doe it for the hatred they beare to me when they curse you they shal curse me when thei reiecte you they shal reiecte me when they beate you they shall beate me For whatsoeuer displeasure is doen to the membres thesame redoundeth to the head And they would doe the lyke to me if they had me present with them Now because they cannot shewe their crueltie to me they wil shewe it to you But as all the iniurie that is dooen to you toucheth me In lyke maner whatsoeuer is committed against my name tourneth to my fathers dishonour also whom if they did rightlye knowe as they thynke they doe they woulde neuer so shamfully haue handled his sonne They arrogantlye pretende loue towardes God and yet they bee wickedly minded againste his sonne They aske saluacion of God and goe aboute to destroye his sonne They boaste themselues to be kepers of Gods commaundementes and doe reiecte the preceptes whiche his sonne geueth by the auctoritie of his father They glorie in their knowledge of the lawe and doe not receiue the knowledge of hym whom the lawe setteth forth They wurship the sender and persecute hym whome he hath sente Therefore they knowe not God whome they boaste themselfes to knowe And yet thys ignoraunce shall not excuse them in the daye of punishemente They be ignoraunte in dede but why because they woulde not learne And therfore woulde they not learne because they loued more theyr owne glorye then the glorye of god They did set more by their owne aduauntage then to winne saluacion by the gospell Wherefore that thynge whiche my father hath ordeyned for theyr saluacion haue they through their owne stubberâ—esse heaped vp to theyr eternall damnacion For verily I am come and was sente for this purpose if it mighte be to saue all men If I the sonne of God and greatest persone that could be sent had not come my selfe and declared vnto them all suche thinges as might haue brought them to a better minde If I had not also doen these thinges whiche had been inough to haue forced euen stouye hertes to faythe and belefe surely theyr destruccion shoulde haue been the more easie as giltlesse of this infidelitie the addicion wherof shall make the burden of theyr eternall damnacion the heauyer But nowe sith I haue leafte nothing vndoen wherby they might be saued and they againe with obstinate malice haue resisted him whiche frely offereth saluacion they can alledge no excuse for theyr incredulitie If one hate a straunger it maie bee thought sumwhat woorthie of pardon because he hateth him whom he neuer sawe but me they haue bothe seene and hearde They haue seene me doe good to all folkes and haue hearde me speake thinges woorthy for God Neuerthelesse they hate me for those thinges for whiche they ought to loue me But whoso hateth me must nedes hate my father by whose auctoritie I speake that I speake by whose power I do all that I do And I haue not onelye spoken by wordes but also by my dedes yet were they so blinded that they did neither beleue my woordes not dedes And this selfe thing shall make their damnacion more greuouse in that they haue so stubbernely abused the goodnesse of God being alwaye so ready for them If I had not doen suche miracles among them as neuer any of the Prophetes afore me did whether a man consider the noumber or greatnesse of them and that not to make them afeard or astonished therewith but to helpe them that were afflicted If I had not doen al this I say they should not haue been giltie of this moste greuouse sinne but nowe they haue both heard and seene and so muche the more haue hated not only me that haue both spoken and doen but also my father whiche hath spoken by me and set furth his power by me They neuer sawe Moses and yet hym they doe exteme hylye they beleue the Prophetes whom they neuer hearde but they turne cleane awaye from me whom they haue presentely seene before theyr iyes whom they haue hearde speake of whose benefites they haue so manye wayes had the profe And not herewith satisfyed they take my lyfe from me In the meane while they pretende a reuerente loue to God the father whereas whoso truely loueth the father cannot hate his sonne Howbeit these thinges happen not by chaunce for the very same thing that these men doe the Psalmes whiche they haue and reade did long agon prophecie should cum to passe that is to saye that in stede of thankes they shoulde recompence good turnes with euill will For thus spake I there by the mouthe of the Prophete let them not reioyce and triumphe ouer me whiche vniustely are myne enemies hate me without cause If a man being prouoked hate an other it maye bee suffered if one hate a straunger it maye sumwhat be pardoned but who can forgiue him that hateth one whom he bothe knoweth and hath found beneficiall But when the comforter is cum whom I will sende vnto you from the father euen the spirite of trueth whiche procedeth of the father he shall testifie of me And ye shall beare witnesse also because ye haue been with me from the begynning Neuerthelesse the incredulitie of these persones shall not make their fruite vneffectuall whiche will cleane to me For when I shall haue accomplished al that my father hath geuen me in commaundement and after that the comforter is come whom proceding from my father I wil sende you according to my promisse whiche is the holy goste beyng the inspirer and teacher of all trueth he shall declare all that euer I haue sayd and doen wherby bothe my goodnesse and their obstinate blindnesse shall euideÌ„tly appeare He shall shewe how there hath been nothing doen against me but the same hath been prophecied before in their owne bookes whiche they reade and yet vnderstande not Ye also whiche are now but weake then being made strong through the inspiracion of my spirite shall testifie of me before all menne for so muche as ye haue seene in ordre what I haue doen and hearde what I haue sayed Lyke as I haue tolde you thinges certaine euen the very whiche I haue seene and heard of my father neyther shall the holye goste put any thing but trueth in youre mindes for so muche as he procedeth from my father so shall ye beare witnesse of thinges not doubtefull but suche as be throughly tryed by all your senses And there will be sum whiche will not beleue you but yet muste not the saluacion
presumpcion be busy to entremedle Moste humbly therfore beseching your highnesse moste gracious Ladie in good parte to take my good zele and diligence and in case any thyng shall not suffyciently answere your mynde or desyre the same to impute rather to the lacke of facultee and knowlage then to any default of good wil in me I shal here without any ferther circuÌ„staunce of woordes commend and leue this whole worke to the diligent readyng and folowyng of all the deuout Englyshe congregacyon and wyth moste hertye prayer beseche almyghty God long yeres to preserue and coÌ„tynewe the prosperous estate of your highnesse to th ende that by your good help and meanes the deuout people that are willing and foreward to learne and to liue Christianlye maye receiue many lyke godly weorkes and fruictful traictises to theyr continuall ghostly profite coumfort and edifying in the same our Lorde Iesus Christe to whome with the father and with the holy ghoste be al laude honour and glory both in heauen and yearth for euer and euer Amen The Actes of the Apostles The .i. Chapter In the former treatise deare Theophilus we haue spoken of all that Iesus began to do and teache vntyll the daye in which he was taken vp after that he through the holy ghost had geuen commaundementes vnto the Apostles whom he had chosen to whome also he shewed himself aliue after his passion and that by many tokens appering vnto them fourty dayes speakyng vnto them of the kyngdome of God and gathered them together and commaunded them that they should not departe from Hierusalem but to wayte for the promise of the father wherof saieth he ye haue heard of me For Iohn truly baptised with water but ye shal be baptised with the holy ghost after these fewe daies NOwe haue I accomplished th one halfe of my promyse deare freÌ„de Theophilus forasmuche as I coÌ„prised in my former treatise the life of Iesus Christ more groundly rehersyng the history then other that write therof that is to weâ—e euen froÌ„ the time that Iohn Baptist which was the foremessagier of the Lorde was conceaued because the in this same rehearsal certaine prophecies were also disclosed affirmiÌ„g by expressed wordes of promise that Messias should sone after come This done sum thinges haue I rehearsed more at large which of the other wryters were lefte vntouched as of Christes conception of hys byrthe of his circumcision and of the purificacyon of Marye somwhat also I touched of his godly towardnes wherof he shewed a proufe tokeÌ„ being but xii yeres olde These thinges thought I for that cause worthy to be recited the by many tokens it myght bee euident that this was he whome the prophecies had notablye spoken of and that euen the tender youthe of Iesus lacked not wytnesse of good menne and of those whiche were inspired with the holy gost And thoughe it be not to be doubted but the Iesus whole trade of lyfe was an excellent example of perfecte holynesse yet those thynges omitted whiche were doone in the meane space we passed ouer vntyll that tyme that Iohn by his preachyng and baptisyng began to shew hymselfe the foremessagier of Christ forasmuche as oure lorde Iesus began from that tyme forwarde chieflye to be occupied aboute the healthe of mannes soule accordyngly as it was conteyned in the figures and darke sayinges of Moyses lawe and in the foreshewinges of the prophetes All whiche his busye endeuour resteth in these two poyntes in dedes that is as muche to saye as in workynge of myracles sufferyng paines of the crosse and in resurrection wherâ—in he lefte none of al those thynges vndoen that either by shadowes of the lawe wer signifyed or spoken of before by the prophetes and in wordes by meane whereof he taught a newe kynde of philosophie and a ioyfull so that we might bothe learne of him and take example to liue a godly lyfe All these thynges haue I treated of in ordre euen vnto that daye that he was receiued into heauen from whence he came after he had arisen from death to lyfe and commaunded his .xii. Apostles and other his disciples to the numbre of threscore .x. whoÌ„e he had specially chosen to th ende that they whan thei had receiued the holy ghost whom he euen than breathyng in the very face of them endued them with and afterward sente the same from heauen more aboundauntlye shoulde go throughe all the worlde and preache this ghospell not to the Iewes onely but vnto all maner nacions of the world And fyrst of all it was expedient that they by whom he had purposed to bryng all menne in belefe of his wonderful actes shoulde be throughly confyrmed in fayth themselues The chyefe poynt among the rest was this that all menne shoulde be fully perswaded that Iesus was in veraye dede deade and that he verayly arose from death to lyfe the thyrd daye not with a phantasticall body but with the veray same beeing now immortall whiche he before tyme had carryed on yearthe subiecte to deathe and whiche had been layed voyde of lyfe in the graue For this cause thought he it not sufficient once onely to shewe hym selfe to his disciples after he had arisen from deathe to lyfe but often tymes appered he to them not lyke as ghostes are wonte to appere but in sundrywyse declaryng by euident tokens to them that he had taken vnto him his liuely bodye agayne fowerty dayes taryed he with them on yearth for the same cause purposely yet of all this tyme would not he be seene of any but of his owne disciples And not onely his pleasure was to be sene of them hearde and felte but also familiarely he eate and dranke with them which is the moste euident token that maye be of a lyuely body And in the meane space he often commoned with them of the kyngdome of god puttyng them in mynd of those thynges whiche he had done and taught before his deathe that they myght finally perceyue that euery thyng was cumme to passe whiche he sayed shoulde cumme warning them farder what they from thence forthe shoulde eyther doe or awayte for For thoughe he had already geuen them authorytee to preache the ghospell yet forbade he them they shoulde not hastely set vpon the exercyse of so weightie a matier and that they shoulde not departe from Hierusalem but that they assembled there and together applying themselues eache with other to fasting geuing laudes to God and praying should awayt for the cummiÌ„g of the holy ghoste whome he before his death had promysed that hys father should sende to bee an other comfortour to them I sayed he promysed with myne owne mouthe and doubte not ye but my father will see the same vnfeignedly perfourmed that I haue promysed you in his name For his will and myne bee bothe one Thentrepryse that ye shall take in hande is of heuen and of no yearthely mannes inuencyon ye shall not teache carnall thynges as the Phariseis haue
young man vnto the high captayne for he hath a certaine thing to shew him And he toke hym and brought him to the high captaine and sayed Paul the prisoner called me vnto him and prayed me to bring this young man vnto the which hath a certaine matter to shewe the. The hygh captayne toke him by the hande and wente with him out of the waye and asked him what is it that thou hast to tell me And he sayed the Iewes are determined to desire the that thou wouldest bring forth Paule to morowe into the counsel as though they would enquire sumwhat of him more perfectely But folow not thou their myndes for there lye in wayte for him of them moe then fowerty men which haue bound them selues with a vowe that they wil neither eate nor drynke tyll they haue killed hym And nowe are they ready and loke that thou shouldest promyse The vpper captayne then let the young man departe and charged hym saying see thou tell it out to no man that thou hast shewed these thinges to me Whiche craftye trayne of so deadly daungier after that a certaine young manne neuewe vnto Paule by his sisters syde had perceyued he thought the matter woulde not be slepte but forthwith entred into the castell and vttred vnto Paule the daungier that was at hande Whan Paul knew of this he called one of the vnder captaynes vnto hym and sayed Bryng this younge man vnto the marciall for a certaine matter he hath to dysclose to hym Than the Captayne toke the young manne as he was desired to doe and led hym to the marciall and sayd That same felowe Paule which is in holde desired me to bryng this young man vnto you and saied that he had a certaine matter whiche he desyred to talke with you of Than the marciall toke the young man by the hande and wente asyde with him and asked What is the matter that thou wouldest speake with me He aunswered The Iewes haue conspired the death of Paule and haue thus agrred among themelues that they wyll entreate you to bryng Paule againe before the councell to morowe vnder the pretence that they wyll more dilygently make enquirie of hym forasmuche as yesterday they coulde not well saye al that they woulde haue sayed vnto hym But they entende an other matter Wherefore ye had nede to take hede that ye do not vnawares graunt them their desyres For they haue layed theyr heades together and do vtterly purpose to destroy Paule yea there be aboue fowerty that haue cursed themselues depely yf they eyther eate or drinke before they haue slaine him And euen nowe are they ready to commit this mischiefe and loke but for an aunswer of you Whan the marciall had heard this he let the young man departe chargeyng him that he shoulde tell no man that he had vttered this matter vnto the marciall For he was desyrous to saue Paules lyfe but yet so that he myght auoyde the yll wyll of the Iewes ¶ And he called vnto him two petâ—e Captaynes saying make redye two hundred souldiers to goe to Cesarea and horsemen three score and ten and speare men two hundred at the thirde houre of the nighte And delyuer them beasles that they may set Paule on and bring him safe vnto Felix the high deputie and he wrote a letter after this maner Claudius Lisias vnto the moste mighty ruler Felix sendeth gretinges This manne was taken of the Iewes and shoulde haue been kylled of them Then came I with souldiers and rescued him and perceyued that he was a Romayne And when I would haue knowen the cause wherefore they accused hym I brought him foorth before the counsel There perceiued I that he was accused of questions of the lawe But was not giltye of any thing woorthy of deathe or of bandes And whan it was shewed me howe that the Iewes layed waâ—â—e there for him I sent him streyghte waies to the and gaue commaundemeÌ„t to his accusers that the thinges which they haue against him they should tel before the fare well Wherefore he called two of his petie Captaynes vnto hym and sayed Make ye readye of souldiers two hundreth foote men and three skore and ten horsemen and two hundreth speare men that may go to Cesarea soone vpon the thirde houre of the nyght prouyde also horses that ye maye carry Paule safe to the presydent Felyx the cause of the marcyalles so preste dilygence was not for this onely cause and purpose to saue a mannes lyfe for he was not a man of any suche conscience but his desyre was to be dyspatched of Paul whome he neyther coulde defende or maynteyne against the sette malice of the whole counsell nor yet durst commit him beyng a citizen of Rome vnto their furiouse handes And therfore commaunded he that he shoulde be had forth away by nyght with a great bende of men fearynge leste that yf he had gone in the daye or with a small company the Iewes woulde haue taken him away in his iourney and kylled him and than the faulte should haue lyen on his necke because it woulde haue been thought that he had betrayed a citizen of Rome And he sente also a lettre vnto Felix the tenour wherof foloweth Claudius Lysias vnto the moste woorthye president Felix gretyng The Iewes had layed handes on this man and would haue â—laine him vnlesse I vpon knowledge that he was a citizen of Rome had cummen with a bende of men and taken him from them â–ª And forasmuche as I was desyrous to knowe the cause wherfore they accused him I brought him before their owne councell Whome I founde to be cleâ—e without faulte eyther worthy death or els wherfore he had deserued to be emprysoned sauyng that certayne questions of the Iewes lawe were layed to his charge but nothinge els As soone as I was certifyed that the Iewes had appoynted to lye in wayte for him I sente him forthwith vnto you admonyshynge the Iewes withall whiche bee his accusers that yf they haue any thing to laye to his charge they shoulde take theyr iourney to plead their matter before you And thus fare ye well ¶ Then the souldiers as it was commaunded them tooke Paule and brought him by night to Antipatras On the morowe they left their horsemen to go with him returned vnto the castell Whiche whan they came vnto Cesarea and deliuered the epistle to the deputie presented Paul before him WhaÌ„ the deputie had red the letters he asked of what countrey he was And when he vnderstoode that he was of Cilicia I wil heare the saied he whan thyne accusars are come also and he commaunded hym to be kept in Herodes iudgement hall Than the souldiers accordyng as they were commaunded of the marcial beyng charged with Paule brought him by night to Antipatras the citie The nexte daye for asmuche as Cesaâ—ea was not ferre of and they supposed then that there was no great daungier to be feared the footemen returned to Hierusalem into the castell
the people and from the Gentiles vnto whome now I sende the to open their iyes that they maye be turned from darkenes to lyght and from the power of Sathan vnto God that they may receyue forgeuenesse of synnes and inheritaunce emong them which are sanctified by fayth that is towarde me And whan we all beyng amased by reason of the brightnesse of the lyght had fallen doune on the grounde I hearde a voyce speake vnto me that sayd in the Hebrue tong Saule Saule why doest thou persecute me It is hard for the to wynche againste the prycke Than aunswered I what arte thou lorde Than spake he againe and sayed I am Iesus of Nazareth whome thou persecutest But aryse and stande vp on thy feete Therefore haue I striken the downe beyng a persecutour that I may set the on thy feete againe a preacher of my name For I haue now appered vnto the to this ende that beeyng chosen by me thou mayest beare witnesse of me and execute suche thinges as thou hast sene and others that I hereafter by vision shall shewe vnto the. In all whiche thinges wyll I bee thy defendoure and deliuer the from the people and from the barbarous nacions of the heathen that be far of whither I wyl now sende the in legate that lyke as thou art by delyuerauÌ„ce of thyne errour made of a blinde man perfecte in sight so thou maiest by preachinge the true worde of my ghospell open theyr iyes that from synne ignoraunce whiche they haue been hitherto holden withall they lykewyse may bee conuerted to the lyght of my gospel and that suche as haue been heretofore geuen to ydolatrie and by reason therof haue become subiectes vnto Sathan maye be made the seruauntes of god who is lorde of all thinges and they that hitherto haue been defiled with al kinde of fylthinesse nowe through faith and credence geuing to my gospell may freely obtayne remission of all sinnes and suche as hytherto haue been called not an electe people but separated from God and deuyded from all the companye of good men may nowe haue parte amonge them that be sanctifyed not by circumcision or obseruing of the lawe but by beleuynge in me and because they geue credence to my gospell For there is nowe none other way remaynynge whereby man maye bee sanctifyed ¶ Wherefore o kynge Agrippa I was not disobedient vnto the heauenly vision but shewed first vnto them of Damasco and at Ierusalem and thorowe out all the coastes of Iewry and then to the GeÌ„tiles that they shoulde repente and turne to God and do suche workes as become them that repent For this cause the Iewes caught me in the temple and went about to kylle me Seyng therfore that I haue obtayned helpe of god vnto this day I continewe witnessyng both to small and to great saying none other thinges then those whiche Moyses and the Prophetes did say should come That Christ should suffer and that he should bee the first that should arise from death And should shewe light vnto the people and to the Gentiles These thinges kyng Agrippa were not doone eyther in the night tyme or in any dreame but whan it was brode daye many of vs sawe the clerenesse of the lyghte and heard the voyce distynctlye speakyng Wherfore I beyng assured that this was doen of god from heauen was not dysobediente to the heauenly vision but lettyng passe the businesse that I had than taken in hande by authoritie of the high priestes I tooke a cleane contrarye waye thynkyng it more expedient and necessarie to put in execucion that god commaunded me then that the hyghe priestes had wylled For forth with I preached the ghospell at Damasco and than at Hierusalem afterwardes throughout all the partes of Iewrye and to be shorte emong dyuerse nacions of countreyes beeyng farre a sunder wyllyng them to repent their lyfe paste and that they shoulde turne from dumme Idolles to the true and lyuyng God and that after they were once baptised they shoulde worke from thencefoorth suche workes as became suche persones as earnestly hath repented For this cause the Iewes whan they sawe me in the temple tooke me and woulde haue slayne me Neyther haue I hytherto defended me with weapon and yet by the ayde of God at whose commaundemente I dooe this that I dooe I am yet alyue testifying to bothe greate and smalle those thinges that I was commaunded to preache to all men without respect of any person feynynge no newe doctrine of myne owne head but preaching onely those thinges that Moyses and the Prophetes affirmed should cum to passe For the Iewes also had wont to dyspute in this wyse of Christe by the prophecies of the Prophetes whether that Messias shoulde cum as a man subiect to misery and death or whether he fyrste shoulde begynne to rayse the dead to lyfe and whether that he shoulde preache the true lyght fyrste to the Israelites and after to the Gentyles Whiche thinges eueryâ—hone forasmuche as they were spoken of before by the Prophetes and by Moyses hymselfe of Messias I preache that we muste looke for none other Messias for why â–ª All these thinges are fulfylled in Iesus of Nazareth and nothing nowe remayneth but that all menne through penaunce and puritie of lyfe prepare themselues againste his cummynge whan he shall cum to iudge all the whole worlde ¶ As he thus spake for himselfe Festus sayed with a loude voyce Paul thou art besyde thy selfe Muche learning both make the mad And Paule sayed I am not madde most dere Festus but speake forth the wordes of trueth and sobernesse For the kynge knoweth of these thinges before whome also I speake freely neyther thinke I that any of these thinges are hydden from him For this thinge was not doen in a corner Kyng Agrippa beleuest thou the Prophetes I wote wel that thou beleuest Agrippa sayed vnto Paul Sumwhat thou bringest me in mind for to beleue and becum christened And Paul sayed I would to God that not onely thou but all also that heare me to day wer not sumwhat onely but all together suche as I am excepte these handes Whan as Paule had spoken this and muche more in his owne defence Festus whiche coulde nothing skylle of the Iewes religion estemynge all as dotage that he had spoken of his visyon and of the arysynge agayne of the dead sayed with a loude voyce Thou dotest Paule It is so with the as it often chaunceth to other men Muche knowledge in learning hath taken thy ryght mynde clene from the. Paule answered I dote not moste noble Festus For dotynge is called whan a man through erroure of his mynde swerueth from reason But I am sober and speake as the truth is the whiche trueth to knowe is veraye witte in dede And that these thinges are so it is not vnknoweÌ„ to the kyng before whom I doe muche the more frankely talke of these matters because I suppose that he is ignorante in none of these poyntes that