in came one the troubled more their myndes with heauy tydynges saying beholde the men that ye emprysoned yesterday nowe stand in the temple teachyng no smalle noumber of people Than the templerewlers bycause it perteyned peculiarlye to theyr office to see that nothynge shoulde be other wise doen in the temple then ought to be toke theyr waye according to the priestes commaundement vnto the temple with a company of seruing men for theyr garde agaynste all assaultes or violence of the people They founde them lyke as it was reported standyng in the temple and preachyng Iesus to a great sorte of people Albeit they laide no handes on them lyke as they had doen before For they sawe there present a great numbre of people were afrayed themselues lest they yf any commocion should haue rysen among the people should be stoned But neyther was that companye of suche a sorte that would make busines neither thapostles those persons that desyred ayde of any temporall powre They were in themselues very stedfaste and sobre in theyr doinges without any fearsenes at all They behelde thofficers which led them the day before to pryson And yet for al that they neyther feared themselues neyther fled away nor brake once of their preaching of the ghospel vntyll the offycer of the temple entreated them gently to goe vnto the counsell The Apostles obeyed lest they shoulde in any wise seme to despise the publike authoritie For theyr maister had not taught them that they shoulde whan they were called refuse to goe but that they should boldly speake nothyng at all afrayed In came these two fyshers to the counsell house presented they were before a company of hygh and great officers with no small trayne folowing them Than began Annas the high prieste with highe authoritie and no lesse statelines of mynde hys oracion in this maner did not we streightly commaund you at our last assembly by authority of the hygh powers that ye should nomore teache the people nor make mencion priuely nor appartly to any maÌ„ straungier or Iewe of this name Iesus whiche we wyll shal be abolyshed And nowe wyll ye see howe contemptuously agaynst the authoritie of the whole counsell â–ª ye haue not alonely kepte no sylence herein at all but the more vehemently haue ye also preached insomuche that ye haue fylled all Heirusalem wyth your doctryne and the rumoures of youre doynges are the meane whyle publyshed abrode yea to the cities that border about vs. Well ye goe about maliciously to bryng vs in hatred for the death of this man For openly ye do preache that we slewe him which thing cannot we deny Ye publyshe also that the selfesame persone was good and holy well with God approued and in his name ye worke miracles whiche is as it were to dishonour condemne vs before the multitude of crueltie that haue procured suche a mans death This was the hgyhe Byshoppes oracion whyche contayned no honest matters to defende it selfe only it made some afrayed with woordes of hyghe authoritie that the trueth in dede whiche ought to be for mans health publisshed to all men should be kepte in silence for the wicked mennes glory ¶ Peter and the other apostles aunswered and sayed we ought more to obey God then men The God of our fathers raysed vp Iesus whome ye slewe and hanged on tree him hath God lyfte vp with his ryght hand to be a ruler and salueour for to geue repentauÌ„ce to Israell and forgeuenes of synnes And we are recordes of these thynges whiche we saye and so is also the holy ghost whom God hath geuen to them that obey hym Whan they hearde this they claue a sundre and sought meanes to slay them Nowe let vs on the other parte heare a fisher the very Archebysshop of Christes ghospell howe boldly and soberly also maketh he an aunswere for all the apostles High and bountifull Bushop he sayeth and ye that are rewlers of great authoritie with other also the elders very wurshipfull men that sit here in counsell together we despyse not youre authoritie but we preferre the authoritie of God to mannes authoritie and so promysed we to do in that aunswere we made you whan ye forbode vs to speake any woorde at all of Iesus name And as I suppose there is not one in this assembly that thinketh it mete that we shoulde for mannes prohibicion take lyghte regarde to goddes commaundementes and whyles we feare youre wrathe renne into Goddes dyspleasure If your commaundementes stoode with the wyll of god we woulde with all our hertes satisfyâ— both you and hym Nowe sence youre prohibicions doe vtterly square wyth hys commaundementes and that we cannot satisfye both the one and â—ke the other we had lieffer obey God than manne And it is not our desyre to bryng any in hatred by preachyng of Iesus name but to procure saluation to euery manne And more it were for you expedient rather to submitte your authoritie to the will of God then to bryng vs hither refusyng vtterly to saye ought or els to doe contrary to goddes wil. The waye is open for eche manne to come by remyssion of his synnes yf he a mende his lyfe and louyngly doe embrace the trueth of the ghospel Euen thus shall ye fynde it as we haue shewed you heretofore the God of oure fathers whome ye and we and we with you doe wurshyppe hath reysed vp from death his sonne Iesus whome ye faste naylyng hym on a crosse haue sâ—ayne And veryly so was it decreed by the diuine counsell so it was heretofore spoken by the Prophetes that one shoulde dye to saue the worlde This selfe same persone euen lyke as he was but feble in bodye manne hath put to death but almyghtie God hath called him to lyfe agayne and of hys infinite power hath him exalted to suche renowne and glorye as to bee a guide for all menne and the chiefest worker of mannes saluacion but pryncipally for the children of Israell and that all maye redily come thorowe hym to remission of synne whiche bee contente to forsake theyr euell lyuyng and to professe his holy name And to these thynges that we rehearse to you beare we recorde that kepte in house wyth hym familiar companie before he died and after he was from death reuiued oftentymes heard hym sawe hym and handled hym vntill he ascended vp all vs beholdyng hym to heauen But if ye esteme our wytnes to be of small importaunce the holy ghoste beareth wytnes of the same whome he powreth vpon all that receyue his ghospell as ye see it in vs a ready You heare straunge languages you see woondrefull thynges wrought excedyng common reason There is nought here of our owne doynges it is Iesus holy spirite that putteth forth his power and vertue abrode by his ministers This oracion of Peters well besemyng for an apostle to make which ought eyther for dreade of punishment to feare them or els for the hope of saluacion
and true felicite Naye rather the more earnestly they laboured to cum vnto innocencie and felicitie as long as they trusted to mannes help strength the more they wer intangled with vice and filthy desyres Therfore yf the Iewes whom it behoued chiefly to accept and imbrace the thing that is offered vnto them beyng so often promysed and so longe loked for yf they alone neglect so greate godnes whiche is frely offered to all men and yf they had rather alone to lacke it than to haue it common with others they can impute their destruccion to nothyng but to theyr owne incredulitie and vnbelefe The sayinges and prophecies of the holy Prophetes prophecied these thynges chiefely for them They sawe Christe with their iyes workyng miracles they heard with theyr eares the doctrine of the gospell The kyngdome of heauen was preached first to them But trulye whosoeuer are wearye of theyr former lyfe as many as loue true innocencie and godly lyuyng whosoeuer desyreth true perfect and euerlastyng felicitie let them receyue this gospel this pleasaunte and mery tydinges with mery and cherefull hertes whether they be Grekes or Iewes or Romains or Scithians or Gallians or Britans Lyke as God is not only God of the Iewes but indifferently God ouer all and common to all lyke as there is one sunne whiche is common to the whole worlde so Iesus Christe the sonne of God came to saue all menne dyed for all arose agayne for all ascended into heauen for all and sente his holy spirite to all refusyng none neyther for diuersitie of stocke or of age or of kinde or of state or of lyfe Al the sinnes of the former life be drowned once by his death in holy baptisme And those sinnes be not imputed be they neuer so greuous for the cleansyng of whiche that blessed innocent once dyed so that the reste of the life be passed ouer after the rule of Christ that is to saye after the doctrine of the ghospell from the tyme of baptisme a man is iudged or taken to be a christian to the perfourmaunce of the whiche so high a profession he will graunt his fre succour and ayde and will graunte also plentifull rewarde to them that do perseuer vnto th ende He requireth of no man the burden of Moses lawe onelye he requyreth lyuely fayth the whiche maye redily beleue whatsoeuer is shewed and with a sure truste looke for that whiche is promysed The eternall veritie doethe not deceyue God the promiser disapointeth not Further mans lawe shall not nowe prescribe what is to be doen but Christian charitie shall playnly tell The booke of the generacion of Iesus Christe the sonne of Dauid the sonne of Abraham Abraham begat Isaac Isaac begat Iacob Iacob begat Iudas and hys brethren And hytherto we haue trulye delyuered vnto you the ghospell by mouthe and haue made all men partetakers of those thynges whiche we haue seene with our iyes and hearde with our eares Nowe because there is daunger this thyng beyng spred abrode daylye more and more leste the tellyng of it passyng by many mennes mouthes maye varye or elles leste the tale tolde by mouthe be not so well beleued as whan it is written in a booke and furthermore to thintent that the thyng that is written maye the more easily cum vnto all men than the voyce of the mouthe we shall comprise in this booke the summe of the whole matter so muche as shall be sufficient to the obteynynge of saluacion as the natiuite the doctrine the miracles the deathe and the resurreccion And fyrste of all we shall recite the geneologie and peâ—igree of Iesus Christe takyng oure begynnyng not from the highe heade but from Dauid and Abraham eyther for because the memorye of these twoo is verye ryfe and common and verye acceptable among the Iewes for theyr glorye is chiefly of Ahraham as of the autour and beginner of theyr nacion and Dauid the kynge beeynge so muche praysed by the commendacion of God styeketh the more in theyr myndes because the memorie of hym is yet but freshe and newe or elles because Christe whiche was looked for so many yeares was promysed chyefly vnto these twoo and that in the bookes and oracles of the Hebrues to whome euen those that be directly agaynste Christe gaue great credyt For in the boke of Genesis God speakethe vnto Abraham promysyng that in tyme to come there shoulde sprynge one out of hys stocke through whose free benefit not onely the nacion of the Iewes but also all the people of the whole worlde beyng receyued into the ryght and title and loue of chyldren shoulde obteine wyth Christe the felowshyppe of the kyngdome of heauen not by circumcision whych was not as than setforth but by the faythe of the gospel For thus saythe God vnto Abraham In thy seed that is to saye in Iesus Christe all nacions shall be blessed Further Dauid in the misticall psalmes speaketh thus Of the fruite of thy wombe shall I set vpon thy seat And this shall we doe chiefly because of the Iewes leste they beyng a rebellious nacion and harde of beliefe knowyng by the authoritie of prophecies whiche they sufficiently beleue that Messias whiche shoulde come was promysed maye make cauillacions and saye that there is an other sauioure to be loked for and that this is not he whome the scriptures promysed For many of them because their mindes be blinded wyth desires of worldly thynges not takyng aryght the sayinges of the Prophetes suche was theyr carnall and grosse affeccion loked for some myghtye and glorious kynge who being valiaunt with armes or hostes weapon riches and suche other defences of this worlde shoulde promote hys people to ryches honour and emperie and shoulde subdue the whole worlde to the dominion of the Hebrues But Christ althoughe he be lorde ouer all came not into the worlde to the entent to enryche wyth worldlye gooddes one nacion of the whyche he was borne as touchyng hys body that he toke but to the intente to auaunce all the nacions of the whole worlde vnto true ryches that neuer shoulde decay and to make them blessed euerlastingly wyth heauenly ryches to ouercum the tyranny of deathe by sufferyng and diyng to subdue enemies by gentill deseruinges to kill the monsters of vice and the rebellious prouocacions of concupiscence by the sweard of the spirite and they beyng once ouercum that fighte agaynst the spirite of God to geue vs of his own righteousnesse innocencie Finally by spiritual weapons to winne vnto vs a spirituall kingdome But these Iewes cannot haue hereafter anything to saye whan they shall see all thynges to consent and agre vnto hym whome we knowe to be come and constauntly preache thesame whyche thynges the holy prophetes inspired with the heauenly spirite had prophecied with a full consent and agremente so long before in holye bookes that is to saye the stocke the familie the manner of byrthe the lyfe the doctrine the myracles the affliccions the rebukes the
angles of the crosse Neyther did the Prophetes leaue his buiriall vnspoken of neyther For Hieremie representyng the persone of Christe wryteth in this manier My lyfe fell downe into the lake and they put a stone vpon me For ye knowe that he was buiried in a sepulchre of stone and that the mouth of the monumeÌ„te was shutte with a mightie great stone because no body should take awaie his corpse On the preparyng daye well towardes euentide he was laied in his graue there did he rest all the Sabboth that is to saye whan the weorke of mannes redempcion was nowe finished and completed Consider ye whether the prophecie did not foreshewe euen of thissame thing also From the sight of iniquitie saieth the prophecie was the righteous taken awaie his place shall bee in peace Moreouer vntill the tyme of his death he suffred hymselfe to be touched of the wieked after his death he would not be handled ne touched of no body but of his frendes Neither did he from that tyme forthward shewe him selfe to be seen but only to his frendes And of this matier had the aunciente prophecie of Iacob the patriarke geuen a darke significacion and tokenyng who whan he should dye prophecied in this manier of Iuda Naye I shoulde rather saye of Christe Thou layest a long as a lyon who shall reise hym vp Ferthermore lyke as it was his will to dye and to bee buiried so that it shoulde not come to passe that he should rotte in his sepulchre but that after tarying a veray shorte tyme he should arise to lyfe agayn was it not a thyng openly foreshewed of the prophetes doeth not the holy ghoste speake after this manier in the fifteenth psalme Thou shalt not leaue my soule in hell nor shalt suffre thy holy one to see corrupcion No spieces no swete baulmes doe geue this gifte that a dead carkesse shall neuer putrifie forasmuche as continuaunce of tyme doeth forweare the verai spices selfe whiche tyme consumeth euen the monumentes though they be of marble stone but this gifte doeth resurreccion geue whiche geueth immortalitie but all the whole figure of this matier did not Ionas the prophete many yeares sence plainly presente The tempest was imputed vnto him and to entent lest al the companie should perishe he was headlong toumbled into the sea to th ende that by the losse of him being but one maÌ„ the tempeste might be alayed wheras otherwise it threatened death vnto al the company Christe dyed for the sauyng of all creatures to the ende that he alone might pourge awaye the sinnes of all the people Ionas was swallowed vp of a whale and out of the bealye of thesame whale was he rendred againe on the thyrde daye after otherwyse then all folkes loked for Christe was layed in his graue wherhence he promised that he woulde come forth on the thyrde daye For vnto the Iewes requiring a signe from heauen he promised the signe of Ionas the prophete and that hymselfe would after the exaumple of thesame Ionas come forth on the thyrde daye out of the caues of the yearth And howe many tymes did he repeate this thing to drieue it into the disciples myndes that he should dye and returne agayn to life on the thyrde daie And that thing had Oseas the prophete told long afore who sayed After twoo dayes shall he reuiue vs on the thyrde daye shall he reise vs agayn to lyfe Forasmuche therfore as ye haue hitherto seen all thynges agree together the figures of the law the foresayinges of the prophetes the foretellinges of Christ himself and finally the ende of thynges as they haue from tyme to tyme folowed and come to passe howe happeneth that ye nowe as men beyng halfe in a sloumbre or a dreame are vnbelieuers and doe not rather of thynges alreadie pasâ—e coniecture thynges afterwarde to ensue He tolde you afore that betraied he shoulde be and deliuered to the Gentiles that he should be bound scourged skorned and crucified Not one iote of all these thynges but it hath come to passe All the premisses ye haue seen and dooe belieue them but euen he the verai same man told also afore that on the thyrd daye he would arise to life again and that he would by the space of a certain of dayes shewe hymself not vnto the worlde but vnto his disciples Wherefore than do ye not credite those weomen which reporte them selues to haue been adcertayned by the Aungels that he was arisen to lyfe agayn Doth the frailtie and feblenesse of his body deceassed so greatly offende you that ye nowe fall into vtter dispaire as though al thatsame noble promises of his wer vtterly extinct and dead concernyng his kyngdome concerning the power of heauen and yearth to be deliuered vnto the sonne concernyng his ascending vp into heauen and his returnyng from hence vnto his father concernyng his sittyng at the right hande of his father of extendyng and spreding the gospel throughout all the nacions of the world concernyng his glorious cummyng a little before the ende of the world concernyng the immortalitie of the holy concerning the euerlastyng paines and tormentes of the wicked Naâ— wete ye well that death it was whiche opened the waye and entreaunce into the maiestie of all these thynges Euen as ye haue seen hym dying and buried so shall ye see hym returned to lyfe agayne so shall ye see him ascending vp into heauen Ye shall receyue the spirite of God ye shal see the celestial power of god shewe foorth it self in men of lowe degree and of no learnyng ne knowlage worldly ye shall see the light of the ghospell by meane of thesame persones in a litell tyme to sprede ouer all the world with his â—adiaunt beames And that same Iesus who hath here bâ—n set at naught spetted at and had in derision the same Iesus shall all the world wurship as equall with God the father and an eguall partener with him in his kyngdome Finally all mankynde without excepcion shall see him in the maiestie of his father encoumpaced with coumpanies of Aungels iudgeing the quicke and the dead And it hath pleased him that the cummyng of thatsame daye shoulde bee vncertayne to all creatures In the meane season his wille was that his seruauntes shoulde care for nothyng but the kyngdome of the ghospell And all the premisses haue been foreshewed by the prophetes they haue been marked and appoynted out by fygures of Moses lawe they haue been a great porcion of them alreadie perfourmed neyther ought there any manne to doubte but that all thynges shall in theyr due tymes bee presently shewed These wordes of the Lorde Iesus mouthe not onely striekyng the eares of the saied twoo disciples but also percyng and throughly sinking into theyr hertes did so possesse them that neither they felte the trauayle of the waie nor tooke any markes of his face while he spake nor yet remembred to thynke with themselues in theyr myndes
bee taken downe Then came the souldiers and brake the legges of the first and of the other which was crucified with him but whan they came to Iesus and sawe that he was dead already they brake not his legges but one of the souldiers with a speare thrust him into the syde and furthwith came there out bloud water And he that sawe it bare recorde his recorde is true he knoweth that he sayeth true that ye myght beleue also for these thinges were doen that the scripture should be fulfilled Ye shall not breake a bone of him and agayne another scripture sayeth They shall looke on hym whome they pearced But it is a sporte an a wonder withall to heare now againe in this case the peruerse religion of the Iewes so farre out of course and mysordred The Iewes vpon a myscheuous malice and by wicked meanes brought with violence vnto the crosse an innocent and one that had bene beneficiall vnto them beyng nothing abashed with the relygion of the feastfull daye to do so cruel and so vngraciouse a dede but they were very supersticiouse and made muche a do about taking the bodies of frō the crosse They came vnto Pilate and besought him the by his commaundement the legges of them which were crucified might be broken to th entent they might the sooner be deade and then their corpses be taken downe and had out of the waye lesse beyng sene they shoulde violate and breake the feastfull daye That daye was a solemne greate daye whiche of the great apareylyng and fournature of holy adournmētes and dyuine seruice is called of the Grekes Parasceue that is to saye a preparacion And their holy and solemne Sabbothe daye was nye at hande vpon whyche daye to worke was a detestable thing For at this season the men beeynge ye wote well very precise in their relygion after they had finished and accomplyshed so horryble an acte as thoughe the thinge had been well doen they bente their myndes to celebrate the sacrifice that was to be offered by Moyses lawe solemnely and purely not knowyng that the very true Easter lambe was already offered vp in sacrifice Suche a poyson and so pestiferouse a thing is holynesse that consisteth in outwarde and bodily thinges and hath not holynes and godlynes of herte and mynde ioyned and annexed vnto it Nowe therfore Pilate grauntyng them their request the souldiers brake bothe the theues legges whome they found yet aliue And then when they were come to Iesus because they saw him alreadye deade and therefore thought it a vayne and superfluous thynge to breake his legges they lefte them whole vnbroken For to this ende and purpose were the legges broken that those whiche hung vpon the crosse shoulde the sooner gyue vp the ghoste But among the souldiers stoode a certaine man whiche for the more certeintie of the Lorde Iesus death opened his syde with a speare and immediatly out of the wounde there gushed forth bloude and water in a great misterye declaryng that his death shoulde washe and cleanse vs from synne and the same also geue to vs euerlastinge lyfe and saluacion For baptisme standeth in water and with water are we baptised And the lyfe of a manne is in the bloude But it is againste the course of nature for water to runne out of a bodye that is wounded Howbeit he that sawe the thing with his iyes testified and beareth witnes hereof And we knowe his recorde to bee true And leste any of you shoulde stande in doubte whether ye maye or no beleue the thing whiche els mighte seme incredible I assure you that Iesus himselfe knewe that witnes to tell trueth And althoughe these thinges semed to be doen by chaunce or casualtie that is to saye that in stede of breakyng his legges as the others were his chaunce was to haue his side thruste thorowe yet for all that were they doen by the foresight and prouidence of God and as his diuine councell disposed that in this pointe also theffecte and conclusion of the thing myght aunswere and agre with the prophecies of the Prophetes For among other rites and customes wherwith Moses teacheth in Exodus that the paske or passouer ought to be obserued and celebrate he had prescribed euē that thing specially by name that is to wete that lambe which was sacrifised should be so slaine that no bone of it should be broken euen thereby notyng and declaryng that Iesus was the very true phase or passeouer the figure whereof that Mosaicall lambe did beare resembled thesame For the bloud of this true lambe Iesus saueth them that beleue in hym from death And the spirituall eatyng of this lambe conueyeth vs beeyng made free from the seruitude of Egypte that is to saye from the sinfull lustes of the worlde and from the tyranny of sinne into an heauenly region And againe the holy ghoste speaketh thus by Zacharye They shall see hym whom they pearsed For he shall once come with thesame body wherwith he hong on the crosse though it be alreadye a gloryouse body yet shall he shewe the printe of the wounde to all folke and he shall shewe the vnfaythfull to theyr rebuke the fountayne that was open all in vayne to them that would not beleue with the flowyng and streames wherof they might haue been cured After this Ioseph of Aramathia which was a disciple of Iesus but secretely for feare of the Iewes besought Pilate that he might take downe the body of Iesus And Pilate gaue hym licence he came therfore and tooke downe the body of Iesus And then came also Nicodemus which at the begynning came to Iesus by night and brought of myrthe and aloes mengled together aboute an hundred pounde weyght Then tooke they the body of Iesus and wounde it in lynnen clothes with odours as the maner of the Iewes is to bury And in the place where he was crucified there was a gardeyne and in the gardeyne a newe sepulchre wherin was neuer man layed There layed they Iesus therfore because of the preparyng of the Sabboth of the Iewes for the sepulchre was nye at hande And so nowe his death beyng already certayne and himselfe founde dead by the experience of many it behoued furthermore that his buryall should many wayes confyrme the belefe of the resurreccion And as Christe would perdie his whole life to be base and of a lowe porte so he would that his buriall should be honorable and of a great maiestie not intendyng therby to teache vs to be carefull of a sepulchre but to th entent that those thinges once accomplyshed whiche concerned the abasyng of hymselfe and the whole ministery thereof he might make a waye to the honour and prayse of his resurreccion And in very dede the honour whiche is geuen to a manne alyue is not without either suspicion or daunger but the honour whiche voluntarily we geue to the dead is a sure wytnes of prowes goodnes and vertue Nowe therfore Ioseph beyng a manne of
in al people he that feareth him worketh righteousnes he is accepted with him Than Peter perceyuing their vnfayned meanyng opened his mouthe and began to speake in thys wyse I doe ryght well perceiue that in the syght of God one person is not preferred before another but that in all countreys who that feareth God and liueth lyke a good man vprightly to God and the worlde is set by of hym Ye know the preachyng that god sent vnto the children of Israel preaching peace by Iesus Christ which is lord ouer al thynges Which preaching was published throughout al Iewry and began in Galile after the baptysme which Iohn preached how god anoynted Iesus of Nazareth with the holy gost with power Which Iesus went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed with the deuill for god was with him For asmuche as I vnderstande that you are free from oure lawe and yet neuertheles that ye woorship one God whiche is the true God as we do that dayly ye offer thorowe prayer sacrifice and seeke hys fauoure by succouring of the nedye For why this is thonely thyng that the lawe and prophetes doe teache And although that God hath nowe at the last perfourmed that thing whiche he long sence promysed by the mouthes of his prophetes that he woulde sende Messias that is to saye Christe shewyng to the Israelites his wyll nowe not by meane of any prophete but by hys onely begotten sonne Iesus Christ and proferyng them thorow fayth obedyence to hym whome he sent â–ª remission of synne and that he eftsones wil be reconciled with theym Yet that notwithstandyng bycause there is none other God but he as well of the Gentiles as also of the Israelites his wyll is that this fauour be shewed to all men whosoeuer beleueth the gospell And I am assured that the rumour of this thyng beeyng sparsed as it is thorowout all Iewrye is hearde among you also howe that Iesus walked ouer all partes of Iewry exhortyng all men to repentaunce bearyng wytnes that the kyngdome of God is euen at hand And chiefely hys beginning to preache was aboute Galilee after he had ben christened of Iohn whiche was his foremessanger and openlye bare witnesse of hym the Iesus of Nazareth was the lambe of God that should take away the synnes of the worlde and that god had anoynted hys Messias with the holy ghoste â–ª whome he had seene in lykenesse of a doue as cummyng from heauen and restyng on his heade and that it was onely he that shoulde Christen all the faythfull not in water as he hymselfe Christened but wyth an heauenly power And this oure lorde Iesus also expressed in deades walkyng thorowout all partes of Iewry helpyng all men not onely in teachyng the heauenly Philosophye of the gospell whereby the soule is healed but also in curyng the sycke castyng oute of deuyls healyng lepers and reysyng the dead and to be shorte in helpyng all men whome the deuyll by tyranny kept vnder hys yoke For as he onely was free from all synne so he only was hable and of power to vanquishe the tyranny of the deuyll the whiche raygneth ouer theym that leadeth theyr lyfe in synne For God expressed hys might in his sonne whiche all Satans power was not hable to withstande All these thynges beyng coÌ„monly spoken of thorowout Iewry I am assured that you likewise haue heard and doe beleue them And we are witnesses of all thynges whiche he dyd in the lande of the Iewes and at Ierusalem whome they â—â—ewe and hanged on tree hym God reysed of the thyrd day aud shewed him openly not to all the people but vnto vs witnesses chosen before of god for the same intente whiche did eate and drynke wyth hym after he arose from deathe And he commaunded vs to preache vnto the people and to testifye that it is he which is ordeyned of God to be the iudge of quicke and dead To him geue al the Prophetes witnes that thorow his name whosoeuer beleueth in him shall receiue remission of sinnes But that you maye more surely beleue thys we that were conuersaunte wyth hym both in house and in all other places as long as he beyng manne lyued among men doe beare wytnes of all suche thinges as he did in all coastes of Iewry and in Hierusalem also whome the highe priestes scribes and Pharisees with the consentes bothe of the nobilitie and the commens put to death fastenyng hym on the crosse rendryng hym euyll thankes for hys so manyfolde benefites employed on theym But God by whose permission all these thinges were doen for the health of man restored him to lyfe the third day after his death and endowed him with life euerlasting To make this certainly to be beleued he did personally appeare alyue he was hearde sene and felt also with the handes not of all the people as he had bene before his death but of certayne that were before chosen witnesses by God purposely of vs I say vnto whom he appered after he had arisen from death being conuersauÌ„t on earth fowertie dayes we did eate and drinke wyth hym and he wyth vs lykewyse lest we should doubte in our myndes whether his body were in very dede raysed or not And before he went into heauen he commaunded vs whome he before had chosen to this office that we should openly preache to euery man and beare witnes that he was one whom god had aduaunced to hyghe estate and power that in thendâ— of the worlde he shal be iudge of all bothe quicke and dead In the meane space a sure and an easy remedy is profered euery man For all the prophetes long synce with one consente prophecied the very same of hym that we teache that it is onely he in whose name remyssyon of synne shal be geuen not to the Iewes onely but to all nacions also thorow out the worlde not by merite of their woorkes wherein the Iewes put confidence but by fayth wherby we beleue the ghospell and by meane of the ghospell beleue in Christe Whyle Peter yet spake these woordes the holy ghost fell on all them whiche hearde the preachyng And they of the circumcision whiche beleued were astonied as many as came with Peter because that on the Gentyles also was shedde out the gyft of the holy ghost For they hearde them speake with tongues and magnified god Then aunswered Peter can any man forbyd water that these should not be baptised which haue receiued the holy ghost as well as we And he commaunded them to bee baptysed in the name of the lorde Than prayed they him to tarie a fewe dayes Peter had not yet made an ende of his tale and beholde the holy ghoste visibly descendyng from heauen came on all that had hearde and beleued the apostles wordes Whiche thing made the Iewes that were conuerted to the ghospell and had come in Peters company from Ioppa to beare wytnes to those thynges that were for to be
moue you any thing or of those that be rewlers there whiche in condemning Iesus to death whome they woulde not knowleage for their Messias nor vnderstande the Prophetes whiche yet bee read euery sabboth daye to them hath vnawares fulfilled that that was before prophecyed For so was it determyned by the wyll of god and so did the Prophetes with one conseÌ„t signifie and declare before that one that was free from al sinne should be sacrifysed as a lambe without spotte for the sinnes of all men And what the priestes Pharisees Scribes and other of the piers with the conseite also of the commons had assayed all meanes and coulde finde no iust câ—use why they shoulde put him to death yet obteyned they with importunâ— clamours of Pilate that he woulde put him to death And whan they haâ— this vnaduisedly fulfilled all those thynges that wer spoken before of hyâ— by the mouth of the prophetes they toke him downe from the crosse aâ—â—â—ayed hym in his graue But he whom man of malyce had slayne by the permission of god the very same was reysed from death by the power lykewâ—se of God the thirde daye according as it was before prophecied And leseâ—â— shoulde thinke this to bee but a vayne tale that I tel you he was seene â—â—arde felt and in his owne person knowen of his dysciples that folowed hym whan he went from Galile to Hierusalem to suffre by the space after he rose from death to lyfe of fowertie dayes and they be almoste all aliuâ— vntâ—ll this day testifying faythfully before all the people those thinges that they sawe with their eyes and heard with their eares and felt with their hands ¶ And we declare vnto you how that the promise whiche was made to the fathers God hath fulfylled vnto their children euen vnto vs in that he reâ—ed vp Iesus again euen as it is written in the first psalme Thou art my sonne this dâ— haue I begotteÌ„ the. As concerniâ—â— that he reysed him vp from death now no more to returne to corrupcioÌ„ he 〈…〉 wise The holy promises to Dauid made wyll I geue faithfully to you â—â—â—fore he saith also in an other place Thou shalt not suffre thine holy to see corrupcioÌ„ For Dauid afâ—er he had in his tyme fulfilled the will of god fell on sleape was laid vnto his fathers sawe corrupcion but he whome god reysed againe saw no corrupcioÌ„ And we lykewyse beyng commaunded by our sauiour to execute the office of apostles doe witnesse that god hath now fulfylled his promyse to you and your posteritie in raysing Iesus from death to lyfe whiche thing long ago was promysed to Abraham and Dauid your forefathers and to your other auncestâ—â—â— by the mouthes of the prophetes For this is the same sonne of god borne of the virgin Mary as concerning his humayne nature and bodye of whome the father himselfe speaketh in the first misticall psalme saying thou art my sonne I haue begotten the this daye And that he hath reysed him from death to lyfe who shall neuer after be more subiecte to mortalitie or death he affirmeth by his prophete Esaye saying I wil perforume vnto you faithfully the promyse that I made vnto Dauid Now had he kept no promise if he had not raysed Iesus to lyfe euerlasting For this was his promyse vnto Dauid I haue once sworne to Dauid as I am holy and I wil not deceiue hym his seed shall continue for euer and his throne or royall seate shall continue as the Sunne in my sight as the full Moone without ende as a faithfull witnesse in heauen But ye see now that none of the lynage of Dauid obtayneth this kindom but this prophecie signified Christ that sitteth on the right-hand of his father and enioyeth the kyngdom that neuer shall haue ende Of this selfe same matter speaketh also the .xv. psalme in this wyse Thou shalt not suffre thy holy to see corrupcion Whiche prophecie can not be referred to kyng Dauid in his owne personne of whome we certaynly knowe that after that he had liued and reigned as long as pleased god he than died was buried sembleably as his auncestry was before him But if to see corrupcion be nothing els but to die than his graue whiche yet vnto this daye is remaining among vs where his bones lye dothe euidently proue that he hath sene corrupcion Wherfore this prophecy cannot be referred vnto hym but to thother whome we preache vnto you of whom god raysed from death to lyfe â—re his body began to putrifie and made him immortall ¶ Be it knowen vnto you therefore ye men and brethren that through this man is preached vnto you remission of sinnes and that by him all that beleue are iustified from all thinges from whiche ye coulde not be iustified by the law of Moyses Beware therefore lest that fal on you whiche is spoken of in the prophetes Beholde ye despisers wondre and perish ye for I dooe a woorke in your dayes whiche ye shal not beleue though a man declare it to you Be it therfore knowen vnto you brethren that thorow thaforesayde Iesus ye haue profered vnto you remission of sinnes and freedom from all offenses which you coulde not hitherto be cleane ridde of by keping of the lawe For the lawe was vnperfect takeÌ„ carnally neither coulde it put awaye all sinnes but punished sum of them nether it helped all nacions But through this same Iesus eche man without respecte of any persone or els offence hath righteousnesse or iustificacion and innocencie profered vnto him so that he beleue the promyses of the ghospel Beware therfore lest it may be spoken of you that god threteneth to the vnfaithful and those that resiste the preaching of his ghospell saying by the mouthe of his prophet Abacuc Looke ye dispisers and maruayle ye beyng amased and euen dye for angre for I woorke in your dayes a woorke that ye shall not beleue thoughe a man tell you of it Who euer yet did beleue that a virgin shoulde beare a childe Who woulde haue thought that all countreyes should obtaine life euerlasting by the death of one man Who woulde haue beleued that a man beyng slaine and buried coulde within three dayes aryse agayne from death to lyfe euerlasting This wondrefull woorke god accordynge to his promyse heretofore made hath wrought nowe in your time Become not ye despisers bee not occasion that your selues perish through stubberne and wylfull vnbeliefe but beleue ye in him embrace ye that health of soule whiche is now frely profered vnto you ¶ When the Iewes were gon out of the congregacion the Gentiles besought that they would preache the worde to them the next Sabboth When the congregacion was broken vp many of the Iewes and vertuous proselites folowed Paule Barnabas which spake to them and exhorted them to continue in the grace of God After Paule had concluded and she hearers began to departe they desyred Paule and Barnabas that they
peace and the buylder of the Lordes temple and he begate hym of Bethsabee whome he loued whome he coupled vnto hym in maryage after that Urias her former housbande was stayne by his fraude gyle and that was doen not wythout great sinne yf a man consydre nothyng besydes the outwarde parte of the historie but agayne not without significacion of thynges to cum yf a man serche the misterie Salomon begat Roboham Roboham begat Abia Abia begat Asa Asa begat Iosaphat Iosaphat begat Ioram Ioram begat Ozias Ozias begat Ioatham Ioatham begat Achas Achas begat Ezechias Ezechias begat Manasses Manasses begat Amon Amon begate Iozias Iozias begat Iechonias and his brethren about the tyme of the captiuitie of Babylon And after the captiuitie of Babylon Iechonias begat Salathiel Salathiel begate Zorobabel Zorobabel begat Abiud Abiud begat EliachiÌ„ Eliachim begat Azor Azor begat Sadoc Sadoc begat Achin Achin begat Eliud Eliud begat Eleazar Eleazar begat Matthan Matthan begat Iacob Iacob begat Ioseph the husbande of Marie of whome was borne that Iesus which is called Christ. Of Salomon was borne Roboham and of RobohaÌ„ Abias of Abias came Asa of Asa Iosaphat from whence came Ioram of him Ozias of Ozias was borne Ioatham of Ioatham Achas of Achas Ezechias and of him Manasses of Manasses was born Amon of Amon Iozias of Iozias Iechonias and the other brothers of Iechonias about the tyme whan king Nabugodonozor burned the temple of Hierusalem and caryed the king and the people of the Hebrues captiue into Babilon which wer figures signifiyng the tyranny of the deuill toward mankynde and against libertie restored thoroughe the benefit of Christ. In this nere and narowe poynt betwene seruâ—tude and libertie whan the people of God wer about to be restored to theyr religion and dwelling places Iechonias begat Salathiel Salathiel zorobabel zorobabel Abiud of Abiud came Eliachim of Eliachim Azor of Azor Sadoc of him Achim of Achim Eliud of Eliud Eleazar of Eleazar Matthan of MatthaÌ„ Iacob And this Iacob was the father of Ioseph vnto whome was maried Mary the mother of Iesus who was promised to be the sauiour of all men whome the Hebrues call Messias that is to saye Christ or anoynted because he onely beyng kyng ouer all and high priest with the sacrifice of his owne bodye hath pacified God the father beyng displeased and grieued with the sinnes of mankinde And the tiranny of death vtterly put awaye he hath opened the kingdome of heauen vnto all men The cleane was marryed to the clean the moste chaste to the chaste of thesame trybe and familie that is of Dauid accordyng to the order of Goddes lawe leste any man should thinke that this ordre and geneologie of kinred were of litle profit concernyng the declaracion of Christes stocke wherof he came as touching his humanitie All the generacions from Abraham to Dauid are xiiii generacions From Dauid vnto the captiuitie of Babilon are fouretene generacions From the captiuitie of Babilon vnto Christ are fowertene generacions And if any man list to herken the tyme that Daniel described many yeares past by certaine orders and degres of weekes he shall fynde the sayinges of the Prophetes very agreable to the thyng that is now cuÌ„ to passe The suÌ„me of the wholle geneologie resteth in three fowertenes For if ye counte froÌ„ Abraham the patriarche vnto Dauid the author of the storishing kingdoÌ„e ye shall fynde xiiii generacions Agayne yf ye counte from Dauid vnto the decaye of the kyngedome that is vnto the exile into Babilon ye shal finde .xiiii. generacions Agayne if ye counte from the time vnto Christe the beginner the finisher of the newe euangelicall generacion newe kyngdome ye shall fynde fowertene generatioÌ„s Hitherto we haue shewed you truly the geneologie of Christ to the intent it may appeare to al men that this is he whoÌ„ the true sayiÌ„ges of the ProphetesiÌ„ tymes paste promissed to the world And so many argumeÌ„tes agre in one that it cannot seme to be done by chaunce and that withall it maye be euident that he was verye man whiche came as touchyng the fleshe of suche auncestoures as wer notablie knowen The byrth of Christ is on this wise For whan his mother Mary was espoused vnto Ioseph before they came together she was found with child by the holy ghost But althoughe he were man borne of man whiche came to redeme mankynde by his death yet he was not borne after the common and vulgare sorte of them that be borne For it was seemely that he whiche came from heauen whiche called vnto heauen whiche taughte a promysed nothing but heauenlye thynges finallye whiche after so many Prophetes and doctours was made ambassadour to thintent that once and for altogether he should make al thynges newe and cum forth into the worlde with a very bodye in dede but yet after a newe maner and that the true natiuitie of man should bee declared in suche â—orte that it shoulde not be thought vnsemely for God and Esaie prophecied this thing to cum to passe that because men dyd in maner slepe at these common myracles of nature by reason of custome God shoulde shewe a newe myracle and that in the yearthe to the intente it should be more euident to all mennes sight and vnderstanding He is borne verye man and mortall and yet the same very God and immortall He is borne a man of man and yet of a virgin He is borne of the stocke of AdaÌ„ whiche was the first of maÌ„kynde and yet without the spot of sinne He is borne in matrimonye but so that the woorke of his concepcion was not of man but of the holy gost who by a woÌ„derfull meane fourmed and fashyoned the straunge and maruailous fruite of the substaunce of the vndefiled virgin as in an heauenly temple consecrated to God And he ordered this matter wyth suche a maruailous wysedome that he couered and hyd it from the wicked as a thyng incredible and persuaded it vnto godly myndes with moste certain sure argumentes the whiche no eloqueÌ„ce of man was vtterly able to proue and perswade Wherefore whan the holy virgin eternally appoynted to this great misterie to be the mother of Iesus by the aduise of her parentes whose heartes were ordered and directed by the power of God beyng spoused to an honest man of her tribe named Ioseph kepte company with him in house she was founde greate with chylde before they came and coupled together as manne and wyfe eyther because true honestie is not hastie to the luste of pleasure or because God dyd so ordre thys matter For the maidens wombe waxyng daylye greater and greater declared it vnto Ioseph to be so beyng her housbande whiche both loued her well and was not insencible in suche thynges And the fledde not from the sighte of her housbande as though she had in her conscience yelded her self culpable neyther disclosed she the secret whiche she had learned of the Angel eyether because she
manifestlye a ruler of Bethleem whiche should rule the people of whom he was borne Wherfore the priestes the Scribes beyng sent awaye because he was in despeyre for to deceyue them he calleth the Magians priuily vnto him leste the Iewes might suspect any crafte or guile and so opening the matter on eche syde as though he and they both purposed one thing inquired of theÌ„ diligently how long it was synce the sterre appered fyrst vnto them by whose showing poynting they had passed ouer so great a iourney and came to Hierusalem meaning and purposing this the more certeinly to vse and exercyse his crueltie to the distruccion of that one new borne childe The MagiaÌ„s for godlines is not suspictouse kepe nor hide nothyng from him not thinking him to be so cruell fierce that he would shewe crueltie vpon an infante yet skante borne neither so furiouse that he would suppose to suppresse by mannes deuise the thyng that was doen by goddes might When they had shewed the tyme he of the other syde shewed the place whiche he had learned of the Scribes And now he conceiuing a sure hope that the childe might be takeÌ„ by these two shewinges geueth commaundement in his owne name to the Magians which of theÌ„selues were willyng to go that they should go to Bethleem and seke out the childe with great diligence and when they had found him to returne eftfones vnto Hierusalem and geue him knowledge of all the matter he pretended a verye godly cause and nothyng displeasaunte to the myndes of the Magians that I also ê™ he maye folowe you and wurshyp hym He himselfe woulde firste haue knowledge of the childe to the intenâ—e he mighte destroye hym before that the people of the Iewes had cleare vnderstandyng that he was borne God in the meane tyme made this prouision that the Magians returned safely to preache Christe in their owne countreyes Otherwyse yf this vngraciouse man had not bene deceyued of his hope he would haue vsed extremely the Magians themselues which brought him so vnlucky tydynges ¶ Whan they had heard the king they went forward and lot the starre which they saw in the East went before them tyll it came and stode ouer the place where the childe was And when they sawe the sterre they were merueilously glad and went into the house and found the childe with Mary his mother and fell downe and wurshipped him and opened their treasures and offered vnto him gyftes gold incense and myrre And beyng warned of God in their sleape that they shoulde not go agayne to Herode they turned into their owne countrey another waye The godly simple Magians after that they had hearde the king made haste vnto Bethleem whom the sterre which called them furth for a time did forsake to the intente that the barbarouse people should fyrst shew vnto the Iewes that Christ was borne whome they lokyng for so many yeres afterward did put to death But when they had passed ouer this parte of Goddes ordinaunce agayne appered that wonderfull starre whiche serued their Godly purpose in suche wyse that it shewed vnto theÌ„ not onely Bethleem but also the cotage it selfe beyng very lowe poore and bafe and therfore verye harde to fynde yea and hangyng very nere ouer the chyldes head it did shewe and pointe as it were with a finger to the infant whom they so feruently desyred Therfore when the starre began to appeare agayne it shooke of and put a waye all carefulnes froÌ„ their myndes and nowe replenyshed with sure hope and ioye and passyng litle vpon mennes tellynges but folowing the heauenly guyde they espye the palace of the newe kyng a filthy and a vile cotage or stable Sincere Godlynes is nothyng troubled with these thynges They enter in they fynde the infante not differyng in apparaunce from others they fynde the mother nothyng gaye or gorgious to loke to All theyr stuffe shewed and testified pouertie and simplicitie The Magians whiche did not worship nor fall downe before Herode magnifying hymselfe in his seate with a kingly pompe fall downe at the cradle of the crying babe they adoure and honour grouelyng on the grounde hym that could not yet speake And theiÌ„ were not content with this godlynes but they take out of theyr boxes giftes purposely apoynted of those thinges with increase of the whiche the nacion of the Persians was chiefly enriched that is golde incense myrre â–ª lest that he which shortly after should be compelled to flee should lacke in his vyage And with these fyrst fruites of fayth the Gentiles that were farre of preuenting the Iewes which were thought to be next vnto God do constitute Christe to be theyr kyng and of the other side do dedicate themselues vnto hym offeryng a new sacrifice in three kyndes of thinges And now as by a ryddell or a darke figure they professed that ineffable Trinitie of the father and the sonne and the holy goste acknowlegyng also in â—ne man mortalitie priesthode and kingdome For golde is for a kyng incense for a prieste myrre for hym that shall dye He was borne mortall he did sacrifice on the crosse he conquered rising froÌ„ death he reygneth in heauen The Iewes sawe so many wonders and when they knewe hym they kylled hym The Magians sawe no notable thyng as coÌ„cernyng theyr bodely iyes and they reioyce that they had so fortunate a iourney But what tyme they deuysed with themselues whether they shoulde returne vnto Herode to satisfy his mynde and desyre they were admonished in theyr slepe by the diuine oracle not to returne agayne to Herode For that was neyther suertie vnto them neither to the childe neither expedient for such a weightie matter whiche in tyme and by parsell meale should be promulgated and published vnto the world They spedely did obey thoracle and returned into theyr countrey another waye to be newe preachers of the newe kyng among theyr countrey men And when they were departed behold the Aungell of the Lorde appered to Ioseph in his slepe saying Aryse and take the chylde and his mother and flye into Egypte and abyde there tyll I bryng thee worde For Heâ—ode wyll seke the chylde to destroye it So whan he awoke he toke the chylde and his mother by night and went asyde into Egipte and was there vnto the death of Herode that it might be fulfilled whiche was spoken of the Lorde by the prophete saying oute of Egipte haue I called my sonne Now the helth and safetie of the Magians was prouided for and that the tranquillitie both of the mother and of the chylde might forthwith be seen for and that also the vngodlines of Herode accordyng vnto his desertes might more and more be exasperated greued to the glory of Christe thesame heauenlye messinger whiche sente awaye the Magians appered vnto Ioseph in his slepe exhortyng hym that now beyng priuye vnto the mistery he would conueye awaye secretely the mother and the chylde into
they be inuincible and if any prosperitie come vnto them thei ascribe it wholly to the goodnes and bountifulnes of god And so it cummeth to passe that neyther they be discouraged in aduersitie nor insolente or proude in prosperitie And whan Iesus had heard that Iohn was taken he wente aparte into Galile and left Nazareth and wente and dwelte in Capernaum which is a cytie vpon the sea coast in the borders of Zabulon and Neptalim that it myght be fulfilled whiche was spoken by Esai the prophete saiyng The lande of Zabulon and Neptalim by the way of the sea beyond Iordayne Galile of the Gentyles The people whiche sate in darkenes and in the shadow of deathe sawe great lyght and to them whiche sate in the region and shadowe of deathe the lyght is sprong vp Therfore whan Christe began to be of auctoritie and estimacion chiefly after that Iohn had in manier deliuered hym and commended hym to his disciples poynctyng with his fynger and saiyng Beholde the lambe of god behold him that taketh awaye the synnes of the worlde and after that he hadde ouercum the deuil and was fully inspired with the holy gost nothing nowe remayned but to take a tyme and place to begynne and enter his preachyng Iohn had wrought no miracle being content only to preache penauÌ„ce Christ kepte silence so long as he preached leste any discorde myght ryse emong theyr discyples beyng yet rude carnal geuen to worldly affeccions Surely it is the parte of a good teacher to conforme hymselfe to the capacitie of hys audience But than and not afore entrethe he the office of teachynge whan the rumoure was blowen abrode that Iohn was caste into prison of Herode the Tetrarche enioying the rewarde that they be wont to haue which dare boldly speake before the Princes of this world wil rather speake holsum thinges than pleasaunt For he tolde the Tetrarche of his vnlawfull mariage because he maryed his brother Philippes wyfe And sumtyme euill princes desyre to haue in housholde with them men of greate and notable honestie not that they woulde obeye the counsell of suche but because they maâ—e seme to the ignoraunte people to dooe by theyr aduise and counsell whatsoeuer they dooe after theyr owne lust appetite And in other thynges of lyght importaunce he had oftentymes ben obedient to his monicions but here where he oughte moste to haue been obedient at the foule request of a filthie daunling damsel and at the desyre of her filthye mother he had cast that very good man into pryson and afterward with the cruell deathe of suche a greate man he defyled the feaste of hys Natiuitie and the iyes of hys nobles Iesus therfore whan he hearde of this not because he was in feare hymselfe but to teache his not wyllingly to put themselues in daunger yf they maye conuenientlye auoyde it but whan it cummeth stoutely to neglecte it leauyng Nazareth wente a syde into Galile of the Gentyles in the whiche Salomon gaue vnto Hira kyng of the Tyrians .xxv. cytyes and went into the citie of Capernaum therfore taken to be borderyng vpon the sea because it is nere the standyng water of Genezareth in the coastes of zabulon and Neptalim whiche were two trybes and in the fyrste is Galile in the seconde is that that is called Galile of the Gentiles whereby Christe than as by a figure in manier thretned that whan the Iewes dyd refuse and persecute the preachers of the gospell than the gospel should be brought vnto the Gentyles And leste that a man myght thynke that thys thyng was doen by chaunce Esai beyng inspyred with the spirite of prophecie prophecied long before that it should so be saiyng in the land of zabulon and the land of Neptalim whiche bordereth vpon the sea in Galile of the Gentyles the people whiche heretofore dwelled in darkenes hath seen a great and a merueylouse light and vnto them which heretofore were in a thicke darkenesse suche as is in hel lyghte is sprong vp Therfore as coÌ„cernyng the tyme where Iohn left there Christ beginneth For at the clere lyght of the gospel the shadowes of Moyses lawe do vanishe awaye And thys is spoken directely concernyng the misticall figures of the lawe and to expresse the trueth of the gospell But as touchyng the place at the fyrst affliccion and trouble of the holy preacher the name of the Gentyles is goen vnto and the lyghte whiche the Iewes blynded wyth filthye desyres coulde not suffer is as it were in a picture declared to passe ouer from them to the Gentyles beeyng very Idolaters but after suche sorte that the coastes of neyther is forsaken so that of both sydes the trumpe of the voyce of the gospell maye be hearde And yet furthermore that countrey was no vnprofitable auditorie by reason of the commoditie of hauens and certen notable cities standyng vpon the sea syde which by the reason of the course of marchaundise wer frequented and vsed also of farre cummers out of other straunge countreyes ¶ From that tyme Iesus began to preache and saye Repent for the kyngdome of heauen is at hande Nowe let vs heare the begynnyng of his preachyng As he succeded after Iohn so he begynneth with his doctrine whiche was wel knowen and familiar lest he shoulde haue driuen them awaye from him which had Iohn nowe in so greate venecacyon And he fedeth the weake with mylke that afterwarde he might bryng foorth strong meate to them whan they wer of more strength And truely this is â—horder of teachers which desire rather to profite the heares than to set foorth and magnifie themselues before other The preachyng of Christe is not onely more milde and gentle than Iohn his preaching for he maketh no mencion neither of axe nor of fanne nor of fyer that neuer shal be quenched but also more â—o be commended for many benefites bestowed vpon all men indyfferently Iesus therfore folowyng Iohn crieth and sayeth ChauÌ„ge your myndes and repent your former lyfe For nowe the kyngdome of heauen is at hand the whiche as it shall be shut vnto no man so it shall be open onely vnto them that be pure cleane and seke after heauenly thynges and cut away al worldly desyres What can be more playne and symple than this Philosophy Lette euery man be displeased and grieued with his owne naughtynes and heauenly thynges be redy for hym at hand and that frely As Iesus walked by the sea of Galile he sawe two brethren â–ª Simon whiche was called Peter and Andrewe his brother castyng a nette into the sea for they wer fyshers and he sayeth vnto them Folowe me and I wyl make you fyshers of men And they straight way lefte theyâ— nettes and folowed hym And nowe the tyme was come that Iesus shoulde gather together a companie of disciples whiche should be famyliar witnesses of all his doynges and saiynges and by whome he myghte teache other afterwarde But marke what manier of
house and spoyle his iewels exceptâ— he first binde the strong man and than spoyle his house It chaunced in the meane tyme that emong many whome he healed they offered vnto Iesus one that was possessed with a deuyll whiche had taken from the wretched man both his iyes and his toung Iesus commaunded the deuill to departe he departed and forthwith the moste miserable manne was wholy restored in such wyse that both he sawe and spake The multitude was amased at that so great a master and nowe suspectyng hym to bee Messias they â—pake among themselues Is this that sonne of Dauid whom the Prophetes dyd promyse Whan the Phariseis heard this voyce of the people they set not vpon Iesus hymselfe of whom alwayes they had the wurse but they endeuour to withdrâ—â—â— the hartes of the multitude from the honoryng and veneracion of him â—â— cannot be ê™ they that this is that sonne of Dauid as ye suppose For he shall come borne vp and mayntayned by the power of God He casteth not out deuils by the helpe of God sith he is wicked and a breakeâ— of the Sabboth daye a glotton and a drunkard and a companion of the Publicanâ—s but by the helpe of Belzebub the prynce of deuils Now Iesus although he heard not their voyce yet knowing both what they thought and what they spake to others turnyng vnto the Phariseis so ordered hys answer that by manifest reason he reproneth theyr madde raising and rebuke and yet he rayseth not on them agayne but rather prouoketh them louingly to embrace theyr health and saluacion Euery kyngdome ê™ he deuided with inwarde deuision and discorde muste nedes come to naught And euery house stryuyng with it selfe with inwarde disagreing must nedes fall And yf Sathan driueth out Sathan and yf one deuyll dryueth out an other howe shall his kyngdome endure And howe is it lykely and greable all deuilles beyng enemyes of menne desiryng nothyng but the hurte and destruccion of them whose health miserably they doe enuy that nowe they fauour so greatly their health that for this cause one deuyll stryue◠〈◊〉 fighteth with an other Nowe yf I cast out deuils by the power and helpe of Belzebub these me disciples your chyldren whom ye knowe by whose helpe cast they out deuils for they also cast out deuils and yet ye reproue not them but only me ye falsely blame and yet they haue might of me to cast them out Therfore it caÌ„not be that they should chase awaye deuils in the power of God and I in the might of Belzebub sith they doe it in my name And therfore men vnlettered and vnlearned be able to doe so great thynges because they beleue simply that by the power of God I chase awaye deuils Therfore theyr godly belefe shall condeÌ„ne your vnbelefe because you desyre rather vniustly to reproue wheras ye might be godly folowers And if the thyng it selfe declare that I doe cast out deuils not by the helpe of the deuill but by the might of God ye ought not to doubte any more but that the soÌ„ne of Dauid is come and the kyngdom of God sith ye see that the strength of the aduersaryes deeth vanyshe awaye whan they whiche professe the ghospell call vpon my name Therfore lyke as there is a concorde and agrement emong the deuils themselues to destroye all men so I whiche am cum to saue all men haue no concorde nor agrement with them but deadlâ— dissencion and disagremente Hitherto Beelzebub hath exercised hys tyrannye vpon sinfull men geuen vnto fylthie desyres I takyng a way the synnes of men doe confounde and destroy Beelzebub the Prynce wyth hys whole garde and I doe restore vnto god through innocencye whom he did possesse throughe vnryghteousnes The thyng is done by force not by any agremente betwene me and the deuils They feele and confesse that there is a present power wherunto they be forced to geue place Or els howe maye it be that any man myght enter into the tower of a myghty man and take away his stuffe vnlesse fyrst he ouercum the myghty man and lay him in bandes Than he once kept vnder which was hable to resyste he wyl spoyle the whole house and as it were carye awaye hys pray The worlde is the house of Beelzebub In thys he claimed to hym acerteyne kyngdome because the whole worlde was geuen to ambicion excesse fylthy lustes auaryce anger enuy and other noysom desyres by the whiche he is made myghty I as a man of more power and valiantnes haue entred into his kyngdome and ouercuÌ„ming him haue wunne againe to the true prince that whiche he vniustly did possesse Therfore there is no agrement betwene vs the prynces be diuers the kingdomes be diuerse by no bande or leage to be reconciled and made at one He that is not with me is against me and he that gathereth not with me scatereth abrode Wherfore I saye vnto you all maner of synne and blasphemy shal be forgeuen men but the blasphemye agaynst the spirite shall not be forgeuen men And whosoeuer speaketh a woord against the sonne of man it shal be forgeuen him But whosoeuer speaketh against the holy gost it shal not be forgeuen hym neyther in thys worlde nor in the worlde to cumme Eyther make the tree good and hys fruite good or els make the tree euyll and hys fruite â—uyl For the tree is knowen by hys fruite O generacyou of vypers home canne ye speake good thinges whaÌ„ ye your selues are euil for out of the abouÌ„daunce of the hart the mouth speaketh A good man out of the good treasure of the harte bryngeth furth good thynges And an euill man out of the ill treasure bryngeth furth euil thynges But I saye vnto you that of euery ydle worde that men shall haue spoken they shall geue account in the day of iudgement For of thy woordes thou shalte be iustyfyed and of thy woordes thou shalt â—ee condemned He that wyl be grafte in the kyngdome of god muste withdrawe hymselfe from the kyngdome of Beelzebub and muste fight agaynst hym in my tentes No man can be at peace wyth god vnlesse he be at war with the deuyll I take goddes parte and not Beelzebubs Therfore whoso is not in my tentes is my enemye and aduersarye And whoso healpeth not me in gatheryng together is agaynst me in scateryng abrode See that ye ioyne youre selfe to the better parte It is better to obteyne health in the kyngdome of God than euerlasting deathe in the kyngdome of the deuil Ceasse from seruyng of synne and the deuil shall haue no power ouer you God wyll receiue them to hys kyngdome that run from hym and wyll not impute the synnes of the former lyfe bee they neuer so outragiouse vnto such as be penitent Thys onely is to bee obserued that no manne blynded with enuye and peruetted wyth malice withstande the glorye of god agaynste hys owne conscience and where as he seeth with hys lyes the
false cloke of godlynes whiche is the very poyson of true godlines ¶ Whan Iesus came into the coastes of the citie which is called Cesaâ—ea Philippi he asked his disciples saying Whome doe men say that I the sonne of manne am they sayde some say that thou arte Iohn the Baptiste some Helias some Hieremias or one of the noumbre of the Prophetes He sayeth vnto them But whome say ye that I am Symon Peter answered Thou arte Christe the sonne of the liuing God And Iesus aunswered and sayde vnto hym happie arte thou Symon the sonne of Ionas for fleshe and bloude hath not opened that vnto thee but my father whiche is in heauen And I saye vnto thee that thou arte Peter and vpon thys rocke â–ª I will buylde my churche and the gates of hell shall not preuayle against it And I will geue vnto the the keyes of the kyngdome of heauen and whatsoeuer thou byndest in earth shall be bounde in heauen and whatsoeuer thou looceste in earthe shal be looced in heauen Here when Iesus came into the coastes of the citie called Cesarea whiche Philippe the Tetrarche so named in the honour of Ceasar folowing his brother Herode whiche chaunged the name and called that Cesarea whiche beefore was named the tower of Straton he thoughte to proue howe muche his schollers had profited by hearing so muche communicacion and by seeing so many miracles and whether they had any higher or better opinion of him than the vulgare sorte Therefore he demaundeth of them saying whome doe men talke that the sonne of man is They say some say that he is Iohn the baptist For so the Herodians suspecte Some say that he is Helias because he was taken vp they suspect that he doeth appere now according to the prophecie of Malachy Some say that he is Hieremie because he was a figure of Christ and that it was sayde of hym Beholde I haue set thee thys day ouer nacions and kinges to plucke vp and to distroy and to plant which in dede should be fulfilled in Christ. Iesus hearing these to th entent he would gette out some more certayne and hygher profession sayeth ye ê™ he whiche shoulde knowe me better who say ye that I am Here Symon Peter as he loued Iesus best as the chiefe of the Apostolicall ordre aunswered for them all Thou arte very Christe the sonne of God aliue not speaking of suspicion but professing certainely and vndoubtedly that he was Messias pronused of the Prophetes and the sonne of god after a certayne singuler manner Iesus delighted with this chereful and substaunciall profession sayde blessed art thou Symon the sonne of Iohn The affeccion of man taught thee not this word but the heauenly father put it in thy minde by a secret inspiracion For no man hath a worthy opinion of the sonne but by the inspiracion of the father â–ª which only knoweth the sonne And I agayn lest thou shouldest adourne me thankelesse with suche a noble testimony assure thee of this that thou arte very Peter that is to say a sound and a sure stone not wauering hither or thither with sundrie opinions of the vulgare sortâ— vpon this stone of thy professyon wil I builde my churche that is to saye my house and my palace whiche beyng sette vpon a sure foundacion I will so fortifie that no power or strengthe of the kingdome of hell shal be hable to beate it downe Sathan will come vpon you with many engines he will rayse a coumpany of wicked spirites against you but through my defence my buyldyng shall stande imprennable onely lette thys sure and sounde profession abyde The kyngdome of heauen is the churche the kingdome of the deuil is the worlde Of thys no man nede to bee afearde so that he bee Peter that is to saye lyke vnto thee And the keyes of this heauenly kyngdome I will deliuer vnto thee For it is meete that there he bee firste in auctoritie whiche is firste in the professyon of the faithe and in charitie And truely this kingdom of heauen is in earth but it hath to do with heauen wherof it doeth depende Wherfore he that is entangled with sinnes doeth belong to the kingdome of hell nor can not enter into the kyngdome of heauen But he shall enter yf he professe that whiche thou doeste professe and be losed from his sinnes by baptisme and so through thy leading and thy opening of the gates he shall enter into the kingdome of heauen This is my peculiar and proper power to forgeue sinnes but thys power I will geue vnto thee after a maner that that whiche thou shalte lose with my keyes receyued of me vpon earth before men shal be losed also in heauen before God On the other side that which thou shalte binde in earth shall be bounde also in heauen for God will allowe thy iudgemente cummyng from hys spiryte ¶ Than charged he dis disciples that they shoulde tell no man that he was Iesus Christe From that tyme forthe began Iesus to shewe vnto his disciples howe that he muste goe vnto Hierusalem and suffer many thinges of the elders and hye priestes and Scribes and muste be killed and raysed vp agayne the thyrde daye And whan Peter had taken hym asyde he began to rebuke him saying Maister fauour thy selfe thys shall not happen vnto thee But he turneth him aboute and sayed vnto Peter goe after me Sathan thou â—yndeâ—eâ—â—eme for thou sauerest not the thinges that be of God but those that be of men Whan Iesus had spoken these thynges he commaunded his disciples that they should as yet kepe this godly opinion of him secret with themselues nor open it to others that he was Messias For first the sacrifice of the croâ—se must be accomplished and the veritie of his manly nature declared and further by his resurreccion and the holy ghoste his diuinitie muste bee declared For although the voyce and sentence of Peter was praysed of Christ as the seÌ„tence of them whiche nowe began to profiâ—e and spring vp by little and little vnto thinges of more perfeccion yet they dreamed of a certayne kyngdome â–ª not vtterly vnlyke a worldely kingdome And therefore Iesus darkely and as in a riddle promised vnto Peter the ryght of the keyes but he delyuered them not by and by For as yet he was not mete to vse them as yet he was not suffycyently taught with the instruccion of the holy spirite And therefore Iesus calleth them backe to the mystery of the crosse and of hys deathe by the whiche misterie that kingdome must be prepared the deuil once ouercome and sinnes abolished that they mighte bee the lesse troubled in their myndes whan they should se thinges chaunce which they knew should come to passe a litle after They desyred rather to glory in the mightie and high sonne of the liuing God but no man can truely glory in hym but he whiche is not offended with hys humilitie and lownes Iesus therefore began to prepare
saying â–ª These last hath wrought but one houre and thou hast made theÌ„ equall with vs whiche haue borne the burden and heate of the day But he answered one of them sayinge Frende I dothe no wrong 〈◊〉 an thou not coâ—enaunted with me for a denary Take Haâ—ts thine and go thy waye I will geue vnto this laste euen as to the. Is it not lawfull for me to do as I will with mine owne goodes Is thyne iye euil because I am good So the last shall be firste and the first last For many â—e called but fewe are chosen Further toward night the lorde of the vineyarde geueth commaundement to his bayly Call all the workemen and pay them theyr hyer so that thou begin with the last and cum to the firste Therfore they that came last that is aboute eleuen of the clocke and laboured in the vineyarde the leaste parte of the daye were called firste of all and a denarye was geuen to eche of them Whan they that were called earely in the morninge perceyued this because they came longe before into the vineyarde they thought that after the raâ—e of the time they shoulde receyue greater wages But a denary was geuen vnto eche of theÌ„ Therfore when they sawe that they which were not like in space of time yet were made lyke in wages they departe murmurynge agaynste the lorde of the vineyarde and saye These whiche came at eleuen of the clocke haue laboured but one houre and yet thou makeste them lyke vnto vs in wages who haue continued the whole daye in laboure and haue suffered the heate of the daye whereas they came a lytle before nyght when the heate was nowe paste But the householder made aunswere to one of them for all Frende why hast thou enuy that I am liberall vnto others My fre liberalytie towardes other hurteth not the. For I doe the no wrong Did I not bargayne with the so that thou shouldeste haue a denarye for thy dayes laboure Thou haste done thy laboure thou haste thy couenaunte I haue nothinge more to doe with the. Take that that is owed vnto the and departe Thou werte hiered hither for wages to doe thy labour not to appoynte me what I shall doe Thus it is thought good vnto me to geue him that came last as muche wages as I geue the. Thou doest lese none of thyne if I geue this man any thyng of my liberalitie Shall I not be at libertie because of the to do with my own what I will Is thy iye therefore vexed with enuy because thou seest me liberal toward whom it pleaseth me This similitude Iesus brought willing depely to graffe in theyr mindes that God naturally beneficiall towardes al men ceasseth not by diuers wayes and in diuers ages to prouoke and moue al men to the seruice of true godlines In whiche they that haue exercised themselues diligently shall haue for rewarde euerlasting lyfe from the which none is excluded geuing eare whan he is called This reward like as it is in no case due vnto our merites but is of the goodnes of god yet it cummeth not without our endeuour yet we be bound to the caâ—ler for this also that we cum to the seruice of godlynes and that we continue in it vnto the euentide of the day For they that be called and refuse to go into the vineyarde they disapoynte themselues of theyr wages And although among sayneâ—es there is neyther enuy nor murmuryng against god yet with these saynges he expressed the high honoure that was shewed to the last whiche had the first place in rewarde Whiche dignitie in so noble that a man might haue cause to enuy Yet the good Iewes also at the beginning murmured against the Gentiles because they cumming of idolaters straungers from Moyses law finally vncircumcised should sodenly be made equall vnto them in the grace of the gospel and be admitted to the same saluacion beeyng incumbred with no burden of the lawe whereas they long exercised in the ordinaunces of Moyses were nothyng better than Gentiles whiche were now admitted to the profession of the gospell being a litle before of a wicked life Therfore the Gentiles had more forgeuen them but the Iewes haue no cause to brawle with God therfore sithe they also maye attayne to like felicitie And if they had rather enuy than folowe let them thanke themselues that they be cast of for theyr vnbelefe the Gentiles in the meane tyme obteining for the redines of theyr faith that thing which the Iewes thought that they onely ought to haue Therfore whoso is called let him furthwith make haste or els he shall be called in vayne excepte he take hede that he be also elected And all be called but few deserue to be counted among the elect Therefore Iesus ended his parable with thesame clause that he began with â–ª So shall they be last that were firste and firste that were laste For many be called and fewe chosen And Iesus goyng vp to Hierusalem toke his twelue disciples asyde in the waye and sayeth vnto them Beholde we do goe vp to Hierusalem and the sonne of man shal be betrayed to the chiefe of the pristes and to the Scribes and they shall condemne him to death and shall deliuer him to the gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified and the thirde day he shall ryse agayne After this Iesus beyng a whyle in Galile began to drawe nere to the place of his death going towarde Hierusalem And now whan he had instructed and framed his disciples many wayes as concernyng despysing of ryches neglecting of parentes and kinsfolkes of chastitie of great modestie of the rewardes that they should haue also in this lyfe he leadeth secretly aparte his twelue apostles whom he had chosen and thoughte mete to commit the mistery of the crosse vnto whiche the multitude was not yet able to beare And yet he tolde of his deathe vnto the people when he spake of Ionas and of the pulling downe of the temple and the making vp of it againe in three daies but so he tolde them of it that they vnderstode not what was sayed before that they sawe it done He had opened the mistery of the crosse vnto his disciples as to them that were more strong and able now once or twyse speaking vnto them playnly But because men forget lightly that whiche they be not glad to heare of and doe not lightly let sinke into theyr hartes the thing whiche the mynde abhorrethe the Lorde Iesus to confyrme hys apostles agaynste the storme that was at hande openethe vnto them more playnely and distinctly not onelye that his death was nere but also telleth them of the mockes and affliccions whiche oftentymes be more greuouse than deathe itselfe Beholde ê™ he we go to Hierusalem and the sonne of man shal be betrayed to the chiefe priestes and Scribes whiche nowe goe aboute to laye in wayte for him And they will not rest to blame and accuse him vntill
neyther why any should be enuiouse at an other mannes dignitie for who can enuye him whiche studieth no nother thynge but to do an other man good and that if nede be with the losse of hys lyfe Also if honour be geuen vnto them they take it not vnto themselues but yelde it vnto God And when they departed from Ierico muche people folowed hym And beholde two blinde men sitting by the way whan they heard that Iesus passed by they cryed sayinge O lord the sonne of Dauid haue mercy on vs. And the people rebuked them that they should holde theyr peace But they cryed the more saying Haue mercy on vs o lorde the sonne of Dauid And Iesus stoode still and called them and sayde What will yeâ— that I shall do vnto you They say vnto him Lorde that our iyes maye be opened And Iesus had compassion on them and touched theyr iyes and immediately theyr iyes receyued sight and they folowed him And whan he went with his disciples out of Ierico a great multitude of men folowed him And behold two blind men sate by the wayes side whiche wheÌ„ they perceyued by the noyse that it was a great multitude and askynge what it shoulde be knew that it was Iesus whiche passed by wheÌ„ they could not see him and if they had sene him coulde not go vnto hym for the multitude they spake vnto Iesus with a loude voyce saying Lord Iesu the sonne of Dauid haue mercy vpon vs. Iesus made as though he hearde them not to thintente that theyr faythe and feruentnes might be the more manifeste to all men The people seyng that Iesus made no aunswere at their crying and suppossing that it was paynefull to him that twoe blinde common beggers made such a clamoure at his eares rebuked them and bad them holde theyr peace But they through a constante truste in Iesus whom they heard saye to be beneficiall towardes all men cried out louder and sayde agaâ—ne Lorde the sonne of Dauid haue mercy vpon vs. Iesus therfore when he had sufficiently declared theyr fayth to them all had taught vs by theyr exaÌ„ple that we should beate at the eares of God feruently and constantly yf we will obtayne anye thynge stode still for they could not folow but onely with crying and commaunded theÌ„ to cum to him At his worde they cum Iesus askethe them what they would with theyr great crying and what they woulde that he shoulde do for them Iesus was not ignoraunte what they desired but he would that the disease that they were troubled wyth should be knowen to all menne by theyr owne confession that the faythe of the miracle mighte be the more certayne Lorde ê™ they we desire that oure iyes maye be opened by your helpe They speakyng these thynges with a great affeccion declare that blyndnes was a great griefe vnto them And he is nexte vnto light whiche is very wery of his blindenes Than Iesus shewyng his pietifull affeccion both in countenaunce and iyes with whiche affeccion euery gospeller ought to bee sory for other mens harmes touched theyr iyes and forthwith their iyes beyng opened they saw and with others they folowed Iesus So Iesus with his touching healeth the mynde blinded with worldly desyres and lighte is geuen to this ende that we maye folowe his steppes The .xxi. Chapiter And when they drewe nye vnto Hierusalem and came to Bethphage vnto mounte Oliuete Then sent Iesus two disciples saying vnto them Go into the towne that is oâ—ce agaynst you and anone ye shall fynde an asse bounden and a colte with her looce them and bring them to me And if any man saye ought vnto you saye ye The lord hath nede of them and streyght waye he wyll let them go All this was done that it might be fulfilled whiche was spoken by the Prophete saying Speake ye to the doughâ—er of Syon beholde thy kyng cummeth vnto the meke sitting vpon an asse and a colt the fole of the asse vsed to the yoke THerfore Iesus goyng forwarde to HierusaleÌ„ laboured about this diligently with his disciples to fasten in theyr mindes that he went to his death wittingly and willyngly and that no man shoulde hurte him yf he woulde resiste Therfore he beate it into them so often that he must go to Hierusalem and there suffre death And wheras sumtyme he semed to wythdrawe himselfe from perill it was not for feare but to kepe himselfe vnto the tyme apoynted of the father The whiche when it was than at hande he dyd not onely not hyde hymselfe but willyngly put furthe hymselfe and so putte furth himself that with the noueltie of his pompe he styrred the mindes of the whole cytie againste him and in the meane season he ceaseth not from myracles he ceaseth not from preachyng of the trueth also he reproueth the lyfe of the Phariseis more frely or frankely he casteth the marchauntes out of the temple by the whiche thinges he knewe that all theyr myndes woulde bee the more vehemently styrred against him Whome because he had prouoked against him with well doyng he made them not vnfaultie but gaue them lybertie that they might do the thing that they would do Therfore now being nere to the citie of Hierusalem he came into the mount of Oliues where he thought good to frame a new maner of pompe of his cumming by the which in maner he mocked the pryde of this worlde and by this spectacle he somewhat comforted his disciples beyng yet but weake that they might the more quietly beare the death of theyr Lorde Therfore from this hill he sente two of his disciples saying go ye into the village that is ouer agaynste you and as soone as ye enter in there ye shall fynde a female Asse tyed and her fole with her whereon neuer hath any manne yet sitten looce them bothe and bring them hither vnto me And if any manne saye any thing vnto you demaundyng why ye looce them whither or to whom ye leade them make none other aunswere but that the Lorde hath nede of them At this worde they will suffer them furthwith to be brought These thinges were doen partlye because they shoulde vnderstande that nothing is to hym vnknowen and that he hath power to commaunde whom he will and what he will if he woulde vse his power partely that the Iewes might know at lest wise by this very token that he was Messias because they sawe this strauÌ„ge kinde of entring prophecied in tyme paste by the Prophete Zacharie For thus he did prophecie Saye ye doughters of Syon beholde thy kyng cummeth to thee meke and humble sitting vpon a she asse and vpon a colte the fole of a yoked beaste The disciples went and did as Iesus commaunded them and brought the Asse and the â—olt and put on them theyr clothes and set him theron And many of the people spred theyr garmentes in the waye And other cut downe â—oughes from the trees and strawed them in the waye Ferther the
seuerally is it I Lorde Than Iesus sūwhat to confirme and establyshe the others almoste dead for feare and to touche the conscience of Iudas more sharpely yf perhappes he myght be moued vnto penaūce pointed the authour of the dede with a more certayne sygne and withal put hym in remembraunce of the great familiaritye whiche ought to haue withdrawen him from such a mad mischiefe faiyng He that putteth his hand with me in the dishe and is my felow not onelye of the table but also of the dishe shall betraye me and for the offyce of familiaritye he shal rendre vnto me the office of extreme enmitie whereas the communion and felowshypp of breade and salte bee wonte for to ioyne men vnknowen and vnacquaynted with the bonde of amitie And that these thynges should chaunce to the sonne of man it was ordeyned heretofore of the father and prophecied before of the prophetes But yet wo be to that man through whose wickednes the sonne of man is betrayed The diuine wisedome dothe vse hys wickednes to the saluacion of mankynde but yet he is no lesse in fault which through his owne malice was brought to this dede whereas I omitted nothyng whereby I myghte heale hys mynd Wherfore for so wicked a deed he shall be cruellye punished vnlesse he repente that it had bene better for him neuer to haue been borne This communicacion whiche with shame might haue healed an yll man or with payne myght haue feared a wicked manne made Iudas nothyng the better insomuche that he ioyned impudencie and vnshame fastnes to hys wicked deed and as thoughe he had knowen himself to be nothing culpable asked the Lord Is it I And here Iesus not forgettyng his wont tentilnes answered Thou haste sayde geuyng an incklyng rather than expressyng playnly that it was he and maketh as though he had a suspicion and not knowledge of it Whan they wer eatyng Iesus toke bread and when he had geuen thankes brake it and gaue it to the disciples and sayed Take eate this is my body And he toke the cup and gaue thankes and deliuered it to them saiyng drynke ye all of this for this is my bloud whiche is of the newe testament that is shed for many for the remission of sinnes But I say vnto you I wyl not drynke hencefurth of this fruit of the vyne tree vntil the day when I shall drynke it newe with you in my fathers kingdome Therfore in this latter supper that he made with his disciples before his deathe he dyd institute that most holye remembraunce of hys death that beyng often renewed it should be a perpetuall memorial emong them of his great charytie whereby he sticked not to bestowe his lyfe to redeme mankinde that the remembraunce of that godly sacrifice shoulde neuer out of our myndes wherein that most pure and immaculate lambe the newe and trewe paasse offered him selfe in the aulter of the crosse for vs to God the father whom beyng angrye he hath made mercifull to vs by hys bloud sufferyng paynes himselfe for our offenses whiche were due to our sinfulnes Iesus dyd institute and consecrate this secrete signe and memoriall in two thynges by the which amitie emong men is wont to be intertayned that the charitie by the which Christ gaue himselfe to his shoulde couple vs together also who oftentymes eate together of one breade and drynke of one cuppe And also shewyng by a certayne spiritual figure the rites and manners of Moses his lawe in the whiche was no purgacion of sinne but by bloude of the sacrifice Furthermore signifiyng that he did consecrate a new league of the euangelicall profession by this misterie For whan Moses had recited the roll of the lawe wherin the preceptes of the law were conteyned and the people had aunswered We will do al thynges that the lorde hath spoken and wyll be obediente wyth parte of the bloude of the sacrifices whiche they had kylled receyued in a vessell he sprinkeled the people saiyng this is the bloude of the league whiche the lorde hath made wyth you touchyng these wordes And truely all these thynges signifyed with certayne figures and shadowes this most holye sacrifice wherin the lorde Iesus delyueryng his body willingly vnto death and sheding his bloud went aboute to clense the synnes of the whole worlde reconcilyng vnto God all men freelye whosoeuer woulde professe this league of the newe testament And he would that this sacrifice and this league shoulde be commended and set furth to the myndes of hys disciples with certayne misticall sygnes before that it was offered to thyntente that they shoulde vnderstande that his death was not a common or an idle but an effectuall sacrifice to purge the synnes not onelye of the Iewes but also of al nacions and of al tymes But because the deathe of Christe oughte not to bee iterated leste so greate abenifite myght go out of mennes mindes or leste they myghte forget the holye league once entred and the authour of theyr health also he did institute and ordayne that with often communion of the holye breade and the cup the memorie should be renewed among the professours of the euangelicall lawe And he would that this sygne should be very holy among hys souldiers and to be had in such veneracion that lyke as much godly grace shoulde bee geuen to them whiche shoulde receyue the body and bloude of the lorde purely and worthely so they that should take them vnworthely should be the cause of their grenous dānacion Therfore Iesus toke the breade into hys handes and when he had offered the sacrifice of prayse vnto God he breake it and distributed it vnto his disciples saiyng Take ye eate ye thys is my body Afterwarde he toke the cup into hys handes when he had geuen thankes vnto the father he drancke before and reched it vnto them saying Dryncke all ye of thys cuppe For thys is my bloud of the newe testament which shal be shed for many for the forgeuenes of synnes As often as ye shall do thys doe it in the remembraunce of me For as often as ye shall eate of this breade and dryncke of this cuppe ye shall declare the lordes death vntil he cum not now as a sauiour but as a iudge In the meane time none other sacrifice for synnes shal be loked after For this one is sufficient for to take awaye the synnes of the whole world And I saye vnto you I wyll not eate of this bread hereafter vntil I shall eate it with you complete and perfect in my fathers kyngdome and I will drinke no more of this fruite of the vine vntil I shal drinke it new with you in my fathers kingdom And the moste meke and gentil lorde did not exclude Iudas the traytour from thys holy memoriall that by thys so great clemencie and gentilnes he myght be refourmed But because he receyued the sygne of the league and testament hauyng treason in hys harte he departed more vncleane than he
crucifyed Pylate perceyuyng that prouyng all wayes and meanes he preuayled nothyng but that the tumulte of the people was styred vp more he assoyled Iesus before that he condemned hym For in the presence of the people he toke water and washed hys handes saying I am innocente from the bloude of this iuste manne ye be the authours of his deathe and not I the vengeaunce of the innocent bloude shall lyght vpon youre head Yet the vnhappie Iewes were not feared with thys saying but the whole people cryed out altogether Let hys bloude lighte vpon vs and vpon our chyldren They wished destruccyon to them and to theyr successoures But Chryste more gentile towarde them than they were themselues hath repelled none from pardone and forgeuenes so that they doe repente For many afterwardes dyd wurshyppe the Crosse of Chryste whiche than cryed in the multytude vp with hym vp with hym crucyfie hym Therefore Pylate ouercome with theyr stiffe madnes gaue vnto them Barrabas the authour of sedicyon and a murderer and condemned by all mennes iudgementes yea before iudgemente But after the maner of Rome whan Iesus was scourged he deliuered him to be crucifyed ¶ Than the souldiers of the president toke Iesus in the common hall and gathered to him al the coumpany And they stripped him and put on him a purple robe and platted a crowne of thornes and put it on his head and a reede in his ryghte hande and bowed the knee before him and mocked hym saying All hayle the kyng of Iewes And whan they had spit on hym they tooke the reede and smote hym on the head And after they had mocked hym they tooke of agayne the robe and put on him his owne garmentes and toke him away to crucifie him Than the souldiers of the presidente after that they had receiued Iesus in the courte gathered the whole garde about hym cruelly to take theyr pleasure by mocking of the innocent partely folowyng theyr owne naughtye disposicyon partely prouoked by the Iewes And because they hearde that he made himselfe king of the Iewes they in manner hitting him in the teeth because being such an abiect he woulde proudely clyme vp to a kyngdome they spoyled him of hys owne garmentes and put vpon hym a purple garmente that is to saye a kyngly robe After that in the stede of a dyademe they sette a crowne vpon hys heade made of thornes In the stede of a scepter they gaue hym a reede in hys right hande And nowe as salutyng theyr newe kyng they kneele downe before him and mocke hym saying Hayle king of Iewes Nor beyng contente with these despites they spit vpon hym and stryke hys heade crowned with thornes with the reede that they gaue hym in stede of a mace And whan they omytted no manner of despyte he suffered all thynges with great meekenes to shewe vnto hys a perfecte exaumple of pacience Therfore after that the souldiers had satisfyed the myndes and the iyes of the company with all kindes of mockes and skornes they plucke of his robe agayne and put on hys owne apparell that he mighte be the better knowen of all menne And as they came out they founde a man of Cyren named Syman him they compelled to beare hys Crosse. And they came to the place whiche is called Golgatha that is to saye a place of dead mennes sculles and gaue him vineger to drinke mingled with gall And whan he had tasted ther of he woulde not drynke Than they bring furth Iesus out of the courte bearing his crosse And as they wente they founde one Symon a Cyrenyan whome they forced to beare the crosse of Iesus and they came into the place where he shoulde be crucified whiche of the Syreans is called Golgatha that is the place of Caluarie because it was horrible with bones and sculles of them that were put to death Here that no parte of hys body shoulde bee free from tormentyng or that no mocking or skornyng should be let passe they offered him a cup of drinke tempered with vineger and gall that it myghte be fulfylled whiche is written in the prophecye They gaue me gall to eate and in my thyrste they gaue me vineger to drynke And whan Iesus had tasted he woulde not drynke Whan they had crucyfyed hym they parted his garmentes and caste lottes that it myghte be fulfilled whiche was spoken by the prophete They deuyded my garmentes emong them and vpon my â—esture dyd chep caste lottes And they sate and watched hym there and set vp ouer his deade the cause of hys deathe written This is Iesus the kyng of the Iewes Than were there crucified with him two thenes oâ—â— on the righte hande and another on the lefte But after that they had crucified him they deuided emong them the garmentes of Iesus As for hys coate whiche was so wouen that it coulde not bee rypped they cast lottes that the saying of the Prophet might be fulfilled They deuyded my garmentes emong them and vpon my coate they caste lottes And fyttyng by the crosse they kepte hym that no man shoulde take hym awaye Also a title in mockage was sette vpon the crosse Thys is Iesus the king of Iewes The whiche notwithstanding was more honourable than the Iewes coulde suffer For they were in hande with Pilate that this title might be corrected and it shoulde not be put kyng of Iewes but he made hym selfe kyng of Iewes And in thys thyng onely they suffered Pylate to haue the higher hande Also this was procured of the Iewes that two theues shoulde bee crucifyed with hym so that Iesus beyng in the myddest shoulde haue one on the righte hande and an other on the lefte hande that he might be taken of all men both vayne himselfe and a deceiuer and lyke vnto them with whome he was matched They that passed by reuyled hym waggyng theyr heades and saying Thou that destroyedâ—â—â— the temple of God and buylded it in three dayes saue thy selfe If thou arte the sonne of god come downe from the crosse Lykewise also the hyghe priestes and the Scrybes and elders mocked hym sayinge He saued other hymselfe he cannot saue If he bee the king of Israell let him come downe nowe from the crosse and we will beleue hym He trusted in god let hym delyuer hym nowe yf he will haue hym For he sayde â–ª I am the sonne of God The theues also whiche were crucified with him cast the same in his teeth The crueltie of the Iewes was not yet sacyate and filled with these so greate mischieues They scorne and reuile him beyng crucifyed and passing by they railed on him and shaking theyr heades they mocked him saying fie on thee art thou he that hurlest downe the temple of God and in three dayes makest it vp agayne Thou didest promise healthe to others now saue thy selfe Thou didest boast thee to be the sonne of God now than come down from the crosse Likewise also the heades of the priestes with the Scrybes and the semoures of the
money but that they paye more for the laboure of the lyers than of the traytoure keepe close ê™ they the thynges that ye haue seene but make a brute abrode that hys disciples came in the night stale him away whan ye were aslepe And if thys inuencyon and fleyght be brought vnto your president we will perswade hym and deliuer you from all daunger of this matter Therefore the souldyers receyuyng money dyd as they were instructed and thys trieflyng and vayne sleight was beleued of the people For thys rumoure is bruted abrode vnto this day emong the vnbeleuing Iewes ¶ Than the eleuen disciples wente away into Galile into the mountayne where Iesus had appoynted them And whan they sawe hym they wurshipped hym But some doubted And Iesus came and spake to them â—â—ying all power is geuen to me in heauen and yearth Nowe the eleuen discyples monished of the women wente forewarde into Galile and went vp vpon the hyll whiche Iesus had appoynted them There he shewed hymselfe They saw and knew hym to be theyr Lord and honoured him as now being on high and in heauen Notwithstandyng some yet doubted vntil they were made to beleue with many and very certeyn argumentes Albeit theyr doubting was profitable for the certaintie of oure belyefe Therfore Iesus drawyng nere vnto them dyd not onely offer hymselfe to bee seene and touched presently but also spake vnto theÌ„ with hys knowen and accustomed voyce declaring that by his death he had obteyned a kingdome authoritie both in heauen and in earth In heaueÌ„ where euer he reigned with the father in earth where hereafter he shoulde reigne not by tirannical powers and aides but thorough fayth of beleuers and that he shoulde dispose the office of this euangelicall kyngdome vnto his disciples who shoulde folowe his steppes committing vnto them the office to preache the Ghospell not onely to the Iewes but also to all nacions and also authoritie to baptise and by the holy ghoste to forgeue synnes to all menne that wyll professe an euangelycal lyfe with a sincere hearte and to enstructe and frame them not after the lawe of Moyses nor after the constitucions of the Phariseis but after his preceptes â–ª vntyll they wexed and grewe vp vnto the perfeccyon of the wysedome of the ghospell And that they should nothing dystrust for that he should not be continually conuersaunt with them he promiseth that theyr felowship shal neuer fayle and that he will neuer forsake hys but be alwayes presente with hys in spirite and power vnto the laste ende of the worlde All power ê™ he is geuen me in heauen and earth Ye haue sene me by the reason of the weakenes of the flesh hungrie thyrstie weary nedy despised taken bounde spetted vpon condemned beaten crucifyed couered with all kyndes of spytefulnes and in maner deiect vnder the loweste sorte of menne Because I haue suffered all these thinges willingly and of myne owne accorde for the health of man my father hath raysed me from deathe and rewarded me with the glory of immortalitie and hath lifted me vp to the felowship of hys kyngdome and hath submytted vnto my power and rule all thinges that be in heauen and earth Ye haue an authour whome ye ought not to distrust ye haue a Lorde of whome ye ought not to repente Goe ye therefore and teache all nacyons baptise them in the name of the father and the sonne and the holye ghoste teaching them to kepe all thinges whatsoeuer I haue commaunded you Lyke as I dyed for the healthe of all men so there is no nacion whiche belongeth not to my righte It shall be youre parte to get vnto me as muche as lyeth in you all kinde of men But ye shall not gette them by weapons or war but by the same meanes that I got vnto me this right by wholsome doctrine by a lyfe woorthy and meete for the ghospell with free well doyng with pacyent suffering of illes Goe ye therfore as trustie Ambassadoures trusting me your authour teache firste the Iewes than the nexte neighboures vnto them afterwardes all the nacions of the whole worlde Teache what they ought to beleue of me and what they ought to trust of me First to knowledge the heaueÌ„ly father the maker the orderer and the restorer of al thinges visible and inuisible Whose power no man can resist because he is almightie whose knowledge no man doeth deceiue because hee seeth all thynges whose iudgemente no man shall escape From whome as from the fountayne cummeth all goodnes in the worlde To whome is due all honour prayse and thankes geuing They must knowledge also his sonne Iesus by whome through hys eternall and vnsearchable counsell he hath purposed to deliuer mankinde from tiranny of sinne and deathe and by the doctryne of the ghospell to open the waye vnto euerlasting felicitie Who for this cause by his will came downe into the earth and was borne very manne of the virgyn Marie and beyng man long conuersaunt emong menne taught the heauenly philosophy which only maketh menne blessed And being an innocent was afflicted and punished for the sinnes of the whole worlde and put to death vpon the crosse And layde in his graue the third day he arose agayne according to the prophecies of the Prophetes After that beyng conseruaunt many dayes with his disciples and the trueth of his resurreccion delared by sure argumentes he wente vp agayne into heauen whereas partaker of the kyngdome and glory of his father he sitteth on the righte hande of his father almightie Once he shall come agayne into the worlde not lowe and abiecte as before but with the diuine maiestie not a sauioure but a iudge bothe of those whome that day he shall finde aliue and of those whome nowe being dead the trumpe of the ghospell shall sodainly call agayne to life that by his ineuitable iudgemente euery man may receiue rewarde woorthy and mete for his doinges They must knowledge also the holy ghoste whome I haue nowe partely geuen vnto you and will geue more plentiously after that I come into heauen whose secrete inspiracion shal coumforte teache and strengthen the mindes of them that trust in me and being powred into the hartes of all men shall glue and confeder them together with mutuall charitie as many as professe hartely the fayth of the ghospell of what nacyon soeuer they come of And if a man doth sinne any thing through the weakenes of maÌ„ he shal obteyne forgeuenes of his sinnes so that he doth not seuer himselfe froÌ„ the league felowship of the holy cumpany And whosoeuer ioyneth himselfe vnto this league all the sinnes of his former life shall be forgeuen him freely Finally lest any man shoulde thynke the rewardes of good dedes to be desyred in this life or shoulde goe aboute vengeaunce agaynst yll doers let them knowe that this hereafter shall come to passe in them whiche ye see dooen in me The dead shall liue agayne and euery soule shall
as he was cum out of the water he saw heauen open and the spirite descending vpon him lyke a doue And there came a voyce from heauen Thou art my deare sonne in whom I delite After that Iohn had with wordes of lyke sentence moued and styrred vp the mynde of a great manie of theym to wayt for Messias that was cummyng then furth came Iesus when his tyme was cum forsakyng the litle village of Nazareth in the countrey of Galile where because of his educacioÌ„ and long continuaunce in thesame men thought he had bene borne Certes this is the nature and propertie of all euangelike thinges to begyn very baselye and from suche begynnynges by litle and litle to cum at the length to highest perfeccion whereas contrarily all thinges that euer the world and the deuel goeth about are after merueilous goodly beginninges sodainly cast down and brought to nought So lucifer whiles he set his feate in the northe ymagenyng to be equall with the highest was sodainlye cast downe headlyng into hell In semblable wise Adam when that thorough the diuels instigacioÌ„ he desired to be equall with God was by and by exiled and cast out of paradise Therfore if thou here considre the high excellencie and greatnesse of Iesu it will cause the muche more to wonder at his singuler humblenesse of mynd modestie He came out of a poore and homely village out of Galile the vilâ—st countrey of all Iewrie He that purifieth all thinges came as one of the raskall sort humble lowly to the baptisme of repentauÌ„ce amoÌ„g sinners souldiers brothelles publicaÌ„s without any seruauÌ„tes to wayte and atteÌ„de vpoÌ„ hym It was not ynough for hym to be circumcised accordyng to the ordynaunce of the lawe and purified after the tradicion of Moyses He desyred also to receiue Iohns baptisme teaching enstructing vs hereby that whoso maketh hym selfe ready to be a ministre and preacher of the gospell muste omitte nothing whiche in any wyse perteyneth to the increase of vertue and godlines And again â—schew all thinges wherwith the weakelinges may be offended Iohn taught vs this lessoÌ„ that a preacher of goddes word shoulde not get himselfe estimacion and auctoritie by gorgeous apparell or poÌ„pouse liuing but by honest behauiour and godly conuersacioÌ„ But the eâ—saÌ„ple that Christ shewed was of muche more perfeccion and farther from the Iewishe fashion then this for that he differyng nothyng at all from other neyther in his apparell nor yet in dyet dyd neuerthelesse by his godlye lyning mekenesse and beneficiall goodnes towardes all men vtterly duske and deface the auctoritie of Iohn For that is of hygher perfeccion whiche is geuen by the grace of the gospel then that whiche procedeth from the austeritie and straitnes of the lawe The whole intent of the lorde Iesus was this to make the worlde to know how he was the onely aucthour of saluacion to expresse and set out vnto vs a certaine fourme of euangelike and true godlynes to coÌ„firme the truth and certentie of all that euer Moyses and the Prophetes had vâ—â—itteÌ„ of thinges past and to make vs as it wer with the giuing of an earnest peny to haue a sure hope and expectacion of thinges yet to come For we right gladly beleue him of whom we haue conceyued a meruelous good opinion and vpon whom many witnesses do consent and agree Wherfore it was procured by the prouidence and wisdome of god that the Lorde Iesus shoulde euery where haue an euident recorde and testimonie of his deitie Of the whole lawe of Moses of all the Prophetes of the angels of the shepardes of the wise men called Magicians of the Scribes of Simeon and Anne of Iohn baptist of the father of the holy ghost and finally of Pylate and the deuils The miracles also that he wrought plainely declared hym to be the sonne of God He dyd many thinges not because himselfe had any nede so to do but for that he would set out vnto vs in his owne person a certaine fourme and trade of lyuing as when he fasted when he was tempted when he oftentymes prayed when he came to baptisme when he obeyed his parentes when he paciently suffered all iniuries and wronges and finallye when he came to his crosse and passion He perfourmed many thynges that the prophetes had prophecied of before lest the people should doubt of the promises afterwardes to be accomplished as when that in his baptisme he receyued the holye ghost in the lykenesse of a doue lightyng vpon the croune of his heade as when he arose agayne from death to lyfe Wherfore he came as a penitent to Iohn he desired his baptisme and obteyned it He was baptised in Iordane wherin were baptised both tanners Publicans and souldiers a sorte of people so sinful that none are more blemished or defiled wâ—â—h sinne Are not here the stately princes of this worlde ashamed who will haue nothyng common with the vulgare people No kyng nor priest cummeth to baptisme and if it were theyr pleasure so to do they would scarcely vouchesafe to receyue baptisme in a bason of golde or preciouse stones Nowe our sauiour Iesus that fountayne of all puritie that kyng of all kynges that lord of all lordes disdayned not the common bathe wherin the common sorte were washed But whoso humbleth hymselfe before man the same is highly exalted before god Iesus was baptised as the rest and euerychone of the common people there present But the father of heauen disseuered hym froÌ„ the residue by a certayne notable signe neuer sene ne heard of before For as sone as he was come out of the water of Iordane whiche he halowed with the touche of his holy body vnto lande as he was in his contemplacion and prayers Iohn sawe the heauens open and the holy ghoste flie downe from thence and light vpon the holy croune of his heade and there tarye The pride of Adam closed the gates of paradise agaynste vs The humblenesse of mynde and modestie of Christe hath for paradise opened vs the gates of Heauen There was a visible signe shewed vnto mannes iyes but by the same we were taughte what maner of myndes that heauenlye spirite both loueth and maketh The spirite of the deuill and the worlde maketh and loueth suche mindes as are haute puffed vp with pride fierce but that heauenly spirite loueth those whiche are lowely meke and peacible There is nothing more harmles and more without gyle then the doue nothing whose nature wurse agreeth with fighting and raueny It was plainlye expressed set out in the lord by this corporall figure what is spiritually wrought in all those that with a sincere and pure faith receyue the baptisme of the gospell The body is washed with water but the soule is throughly annoynted with grace inuisible Moreouer that the done abode still vpon the croune of the lordes head signified that the holy ghoste is geuen to all other godlye men and good lyuers â—atably after the
chyldren of the Hebrewes and fyshers to descry hym But he admitted no recorde of the deuils though it were true The noughtines of the person that telleth the trueth doth hurte thesame And he doeth more harme with his lies whiche hath gotten himselfe credence afore by some true tale tellyng This was then done accordyng to the hystorie But to open the secrete sence and meaning hereof We se very many euen nowe adayes that cum flockyng vnto Simon Peters house whiche as I sayde before bare the fygure of the Churche For the citie of Capernaum representeth the whole world the setting of the sunne fygureth the deathe of Christe The gate of the house signifieth baptisme whiche is beset with repentaunce of the former lyfe truste to obtayne soule healthe of Iesus The sycke people sitte aboute the gates that is to saye the Publicans and sinners desyre to be receiued into the felowship of the churche They should not deserue to behealed except they surely beleued that Iesus bothe could and would geue them helth The churche of Christ conteyned in it but a very small numbre so long as he y◠lanterne lyght of the world liued in yearth But after his death a great multitude of people began thither to resorte out of al the countreis of the world ¶ And in the morning very early Iesus when he was rysen vp departed and wēte out into a solitarye place and there prayed Symon and they that were with him folowed after him and when they had found hym they sayed vnto hym all men seke for the. And he saied vnto them Let vs go into the next tounes that I may preache there also For therfore I am cū And so he preached in theyr sinagoges and in al Galile cast the deuils out These thinges so done when the Lorde Iesus who came not for this onely purpose to cure corporal diseases whiche he sendeth many tymes to his to the intent they maye be whole in soule when I saye he sawe the multitude greatly desyre to be healed of their bodely diseases and not with lyke affeccion couet to heare his heauenlye doctrine wherewith the maladies and diseases of the soule are cured the nexte daye as though he had bene desyrous to take some ease and rest he deceyued them for he roose verie earlye in the morning and went from Capernaum into a solytary place where he made his prayers to the father genyng hym thankes for the benefites wyche he had decreed to geue vnto mankynde by hym And here are sundrye ensamples prepared for our instruccion Fyrste he teacheth vs that we must assone as we haue done our neyghbour good departe away leste we seme to loke after any mede or reward of those that we haue done good vnto Secondarilye we are taught manye tymes to leaue of the teachyng of holsom doctrine for a season to styre vp a desyre in vs to aduaunce the same Finally we learne also that we ought to refreshe and quicken the spirite by often goyng asyde into solitary places I meane not suche goynges aparte as are for pleasure and pastime but for prayer and heauenly contemplacion because we maye retourne from thence more willyng in spirite and better disposed to helpe the weake Euery man which hath chaunged place is not goen into wildernes but he that hath cleane seuered his mynde from worldly cares and wholly bent himselfe to the studie and contemplacion of heauenly thinges When Simon Peter and the reste of the disciples vnderstode that Iesus was priuilye departed they folowed after til they had founde where he was For it is not beseming that the true disciples of Iesu be any tyme awaye from their maister whome they ought in all thynges to folow In the meane season when the people whiche flocked early in the mornyng to the gate of the house had also learned how Iesus was gone awaye they lykewyse folowed hym into the wildernesse Many there be that folow Iesus but none fynde hym oute saue alonly his disciples who after they haue once founde him do shewe him vnto other Wherfore they tolde the lorde how there was a great multitude of the citizens of Capernaum come thither to seke him The lorde then answered again saying It is sufficient at this present to haue layed these foundacions among the Capernaites Nowe it is tyme for me to go in like maner and viset the litle tounes and villages here about that I maye likewyse there preache the kyngdome of god ▪ For I came not to preache to one citie alone but to declare saluacion to all men For this cause the Lorde trauayled through the tounes and villages of all Galilee preachyng in their Synagoges curyng diseases and castyng out deuils because the ignorant people shoulde by reason of his mighty dedes and myracles geue firme credence vnto his doctrine And there came a leper to him besethyng hym and knelyng downe and saying vnto hym If thou wilt thou canst make me cleane And Iesus had compassion on hym and put furth his hande touched hym and sayth vnto him I will be thou cleane And as sone as he had spoken immediatly the leprosy departed from hym and he sent him awaye furthwith and sayth vnto him Se thou saye nothing to any mā but get the hence shewe thy self to the priest and offer for thy clensyng those thynges whiche Moses commaunded for a witnes vnto them But he assone as he was departed began to tell many tynges and to publishe the saying insomuche that Iesus coulde no more openly entre into the citie But was with out in desert places and they came to hym from euery quarter It chaunced on a tyme whē Iesus had taught the people in a certaine moūtayne many goodly lessons concerning the perfeccion of the euangelike or christian profession that there met him as he came doune agayne a certaine man infected with leprosy a disease vncurable and abhorred of all men in whome was shewed to the corporal iyes a figure of those thinges which he wrought by inuisible operacion in the soules of the hearers The leper hated his filthy disease and had a meruelous great confidence in Iesu. Here thou seest a figure of a sinner which returnyng from vicious liuyng and entendyng to amend is at the nexte dore to saluacion The same leper feared not the people although he knewe right well that they abhorred his company but onelye regarded the goodnes of Iesu. Wherfore he ranne vnto hym and fell downe at his knees What woulde the proude Pharisey here do He would crye hence with this ougly and abhominable creature leste he infect euen oure very iyes He would call for water to washe awaye his noysome and contagious breath This would the Pharisey do more vncleane in soule then any leper in body But what doth the moste meke and gentill Lord whiche onely was pure and cleane from all spot of synne He commaundeth hym not to be had out of his sight nor to be remoued awaye from his knees It
with a long corde and layed hym at the feete of Iesu nothyng doubtyng but that he of his great mercie and goodnesse woulde help the selye wretche assone as he once cast those his pitifull iyes vpon hym and beheld how he laye in his bed lyke a quicke karkas impotent and benummed in all his lymmes Iesus sawe this miserable person euen before he was broughte vnto his presence and knewe right well the great faith of those that brought hym He could if it had liked hym without leauiÌ„g of or breaking his tale haue sygnified his pleasure vnto them by whom he had luste in this wise Let the sycke of the palsye aryse and beyng sodainly healed cary home his bed again But his will was to shewe al men there present that piteous sight and also to declare of what great strength and efficacie true belief vpon hym is wyth almighty God the father The disease was vncurable and of long continuaunce the cummyng to Christe very cumberous And yet the gracious goodnesse of the lorde ioyned with lyke power put them in a sure hope to obtaine theyr request Wherfore after he sawe theyr notable fayth the more he perceyued the man to be diseased in soule then in body the more pitye and compassion he toke on hym Euery man thought hym in a miserable case that thus lacked the vse of all his membres but more miserable was his soule beeyng in subieccion and bondage of sinne They loked after nothing els but that the poore wretche should be restored to perfite health of body which was a thing farre aboue mannes power But Iesus beyng highly pleased with so notable a faithe and therfore willyng to make hym all and in euery part whole turned vnto hym and sayed Sonne thy synnes are forgeuen ¶ But there were certaine of the Scribes sittyng there and thinking in their hertes Why doeth he speake these blasphemies Who can forgeue sinnes but God onelye And immediately when Iesus perceiued in his spiâ—ite that they so thoughte within themselues he sayeth vnto theym why thinke ye suche thynges in your heartes whether is it easier to saye to the sicke of the Palsey thy synnes be forgeuen thee or to saye aryse take vp thy bed and walke But that ye maye knowe that the sonne of man hath power in earth to forgeue sinnes he spake vnto the sicke of the Palsey I saye vnto thee arise and take vp thy bed and get the hence vnto thine owne house And immediately he arose tooke vp the bed and went forth before them all in so muche that they were all amased and glorified God saiyng we neuer sawe it on this fashion There were present in that assembly certaine Scribes who for the knowledge they had in the scriptures were neuer the godlyer and better in theyr liuyng but rather more enclined to surmise matiers agaynst hym They had learned of the bokes of the Prophetes and Moses that it perteyneth to God alone to pardon sinnes For the priest dyd not release sinne but made intercession vnto God for other mens offences and that not withoute sacrifice Because the Scribes knewe this right well they had suche secrete thoughtes imaginacions with themselues What newe saying is this that he speaketh whiche neyther Moses nor Aaron nor any of the auncient Prophetes durst presume to speake For he sayeth thy synnes are released Trulye he is a blasphemous person against God that thus taketh vpon hym gods power The law coÌ„mauÌ„deth sum offeÌ„ces to be punished with death And other sum there are for the whiche satisfaccion is made with burnt offerynges and diuers other kyndes of sacrifices by the mediacion or intercession of the priest But he passyng nothyng vpon suche rites and ceremonies doeth at once forgeue all sinnes with bare worde of mouth This thing that he taketh vpon hym and promyseth pertayneth not to manne It lyeth in Goddes power alone to perfourme it Surely they were offended with the imbecillitie and weakenesse of his manhode that they sawe and therefore coulde suppose nothing of hym aboue the state and condicioÌ„ of man Neyther had the vulgar people any greater opinion of him whiche yet by reason of theyr simplicitie were not so muche enclined to pycke quarels as the other were The spirite of this worlde putte those thoughtes in theyr myndes who whyles they stacke harde to the litterall sence of Moyses lawe were farre froÌ„ the spirite and true meaning thereof and were somuch the more vnapte to be taught thesame because thei thought themselues very well skilled in the scriptures in somuche that thesame thyng hath here also place and is verified whiche we see chaunce among paynters and singing men who are wonte to take lesse for teachyng of one that is altogether rude and ignoraunt in theyr arte or science then for him who hath ben euell enstructed of an other mayster in the same and the reason is because in teachyng of the ignorant there is but one labour to be takeÌ„ whereas yf a man take vpon hym to instruct the other as it is the firste so is it the more paynfull labour to teache hym to forget what he hath learned before then to teache hym And these vngodly thoughtes they of a certain worldely pollicie kepte in theyr stomakes for feare of the people in whose presence they muche aduaunced and magnified themselues for their greate knowledge vnderstandyng The Lord Iesus who rather desyred to declare his diuine power by deedes then to vtter thesame by wordes because he woulde plainly shewe vnto the Scribes howe there is nothyng so closely hydde in mennes brestes be they neuer so suttle and craftie that his holy spirite which searcheth and throughly seeth all thynges knoweth not tourned him vnto them and as though they had spoken out those thynges whiche they inwardlye thought in theyr myndes sayed in this wise Why haue you suche slauÌ„derous imaginacions in your hertes why do you rather iudge me by this weake and feble body of myne then by my deedes Why do you not gather of these my workes which you see with your iyes and cannot deny that those thynges are of trueth whiche can in no wyse be sene with your corporall iyes you are offended with me because I sayde Thy synnes are forgeuen and deme it to be a vayne saying and of none effect because you see not the efficacie therof whiche putteth forth and sheweth it selfe in the soule of man But you that haue your bodely iyes whole and faultlesse haue spirituall iyes faultie and blemished What yf I speake like wordes vnto the other and make the efficacie therof appeare vnto your iyes Is it not then reason that you beleue the thyng whiche you see not beyng thereunto enduced by the thyng you see There is nothing that man can easelyer do then speake and contrarilye there is nothing so harde as to perfourme what is spokeÌ„ God alone caÌ„ as easely do the one as the other And though hytherto he neuer gaue this power to manne yet it
there came into the place where they feasted a young damsell daughter vnto Herodias and Philippe to make the geastes myrth and pastime with her vncumly and waÌ„ten dauncing And the more vngoodly she daunced the more she delited the geastes and the kyng specially who was now twise mad because besydes that he was in amours with the vnchaste womanne Herodias he was also distempred and set in a furye with wyne Wherfore he sayed vnto the damsell ryghte magnifycentlye as became a kyng Aske of me whatsoeuer thou wylt thou shalte haue no denyall therof And to make her the bolder to desyre what she woulde he bounde his dronken promyse with an othe Whatsoeuer sayeth he thou shalte desyre of me though it be th one halfe of my realme I wyll geue it the. Oh fonde and folyshe saing worthy to cum oute of so folishe and droÌ„ken a kynges mouthe But the young damsell as she began to playe this parte at the prouocacion and setting on of her mother whiche diligently awayted the daye place and howre and trymmed her daughter of purpose to daunce so durste she not by and by tell the kyng what she woulde demaunde but departed out of the feasting chaumber and asked her mother counsayle saying The kyng my father in lawe hath bound it with an othe that he wyll geue me whatsoeuer I wyll desyre of hym What shall I therfore aske Here was vndoubtedlye a iuste occasion to doubte and take good deliberacion leste so great an oportunitie should haue been loste But the vnchaste woman her mother vnto whome nothyng was so deare as the death of the moste holye and innocent man without further deliberacioÌ„ takyng answered Desyre of him Iohn Baptistes heade Oh wicked daughter soone taught ready to obey for a mischiefe She returned strayghtwayes into the kynges priuie chamber for her mother priuily aduertised her to make haste and speake with Herode before that great heate of his Princely courage were cooled againe And then went she vnto the kynges presence and desyred a rewarde for her wanton and lasciuious dauncyng saying I desyre but one messe alonely I wyll thou geue me withoute farther delaye Iohn Baptistes heade in a charger Here marke me well the aukewarde conscience of the wicked kyng Where as there is nothyng that suche kynges are oftener wont to do then to breake all bondes of leages couenauntes and religion yet here he thinketh hymselfe bound in conscience which was a thyng agaynst all conscience to performe his moste foolyshe othe especiallye syth it was made in the audyence of so many witnesses Wherfore leste menne would haue thought hym to haue been a manne of no credence yf he had refused to perfourme what he promised by an othe to do swearyng perchaunce eyther by his diademe the spirite which had the gouernaunce of his body or the heade of the damsel that daunced before hym or els leste he shoulde haue seemee vncurteous and voyde of all good maners yf he had eyther let the mayde departe from hym all heauy and sad or with some cloude of heauinesse abated the myrthe and solace of the gestes whom she had pleased with her pastyme O worshypfull fayth and conscience O good maner curtesie worthye to be put in Chronicles leste I saye these thynges should haue chaunced the hangman was forthwith sente out and the holy head of the moste innocente person broughte vnto the kyng as it had been a messe of meate in a charger The kyng toke it vnto the damsell and she to her mother vnto whom it was a derer present then th one halfe of Herodes kyngdome With this deadly syght this folyshe dotyng and mad kyng dyd gratify the vnchaste woman and celebrate or worshyp his naâ—iue daye The kyng caused hym to be slayne the hangman brought the head to the kyng the damsell obtained it and in conclusion the same deadly rewarde was geuen to her mother the worker and well of all this mischiefe Oh worthy geastes all this while and mete for suche a feaste maker There was none of them al so frendely to the king that would go about to let hym to do this mischieuous dede And shall we hereafter maruaile yf kynges other whiles be not a fearde to commit outragious enormities yf they be of disposicion lyke vnto Herode that is to saye enflamed with vnchaste loue and geuen to riot and sensualitie and ouer this haue suche dayly companions as be eyther fearfull persons or els fauourers of theyr crueltie When the bruite of this haynouse dede was cum to the eares of Iohns disciples they toke awaye the carkas and buried it honorablye Howbeit in these thynges lyeth hyd some mystery and secret meanyng Iohn although he bare the figure of the lawe and sygnified the same yet in as muche as he was a forecurrour of the Gospell he was rewarded with the rewarde therof that is with a glorious death but yet farre diuerse from the death of Christe For Iohns head was priuily striken of after he hadde layne a whyle fast gyued in pryson Christ was openly lyfted vp vpon the crosse The darkenes of the prison agreeth well with the shadowes and fygures of the lawe It was mete they shoulde geue place vnto the lyght of the gospell whiche beganne to appeare and shyne abrode It was conueniente that carnall ceremonies shoulde be diminished to the entent that spirituall freedome should be encreased And it was lykewyse nedeful that all whiche proceded of feare should be bounde because the fayth and charitie of the gospell should the farther be spred abrode and extended Finally it was mete that mannes heade shoulde be striken of least the churche shoulde acknowledge any other head saue alonely Iesus And so the lawe beyng in a maner slayne and honourably buried gaue place vnto the Lorde Iesu when he began to preache his spirituall philosophie and doctrine For in that we do beleue the ghospell we are muche bounden vnto the olde Testament whiche so many yeares agoe drewe out Iesus Christ vnto vs with shadowes and figures and promysed and described him with the prophecies and darke sayinges of the Prophetes ¶ And the Apostles gathered themselues together vnto Iesus and told hym all thynges bothe what they had done and what they had taught And he sayde vnto them cuÌ„ ye alone out of the waye into the wyldernesse and rest a while For there were manye cummers and goetâ— and they had no leysure so muche as to eate And he went by ship out of the waye into a desert place and the people spied them when they departed and many knewe him and ranne a foote thither out of all cities and came thitheâ— before them and came together vnto hym And Iesus went out and sawe muche people and had compassion on them because they were like shepe not hauyng a shepeherde and he began to teache them many things Whiles these thinges were done the Apostles after they had finished their message drewe themselfes together and
length proued and right wel knowen of you by sure argumentes and profes go your waye into all the world and preache this gospel to all the nacions therof For I dyed for all men and lykewyse for all men haue I risen agayne It is not nowe nedefull to kepe the ceremonies of the olde lawe It is not nedefull to vse any mo sacrifices and burnt offeringes to pourge synnes Whoso beleueth the gospell whiche thorowe my death offreth to all that beleue in me free remission of all synnes and beyng washed with water receyueth a signe or token of this grace thesame shal be saued Who so beleueth not the gospel there is not why he should truste to the obseruacion of Moses lawe or heathen learning and philosophie the same shal be damned This waye is open for euery manne to go to saluacion by but it is but one waye onely And these tokens shall folow them that beleue In my name they shall caste out diuels they shal speake with newe toungues they shall dryue awaye serpentes and if they drinke any deadly thing it shall not hurt them They shall laye theyr handes vpon the sicke and they shall recouer And leste your preaching shoulde not be beleued there shal be ioyned therunto a power to worke myracles so that there lacke not in you an Euangelike faith and so that the thing selfe do require myracles The chiefe power and vertue of the Euangelyke grace lyeth hyd in mennes soules but yet when for the aduauncyng of the gospell there shall nede any miracles thesame shall not lacke for the weakes sake They that will beleue in me shal cast out diuels not in their owne name but in mine they shall further speake with newe tongues and dryue awaye serpentes and yf they drynke any deadly thyng or poyson it shall not anoye them They shall laye theyr handes vpon the sicke and they shall be whole When these thinges are wrought and done in mennes soules then is there a muche greater miracle wrought but thesame is hid and not sene Couetousnesse pleasure of the body ambicion hatred wrath and enuy be very poysons and deadly diseases of the soule These diseases shall they cure and put awaye in my name and that continually But for the weakes sake suche as are harde of belief the other miracles shall also be oft times wrought to th entent the grosse sorte of people maye perceyue that in my disciples is a spirite more puissaunte then all mannes strength and power So then when the lorde had spoken vnto them he was receyued into heauen and is on the right hande of god And they went foorth and preached euery where the lorde workyng with them and confyrmyng the worde with myracles folowyng When the Lorde Iesus had spoken these and other mo wordes to his disciples he ascended vp into heauen where he sitteth on the righte hande of god the father The disciples after they had receyued the holy ghost preached as they were commaunded not only in Iewry but also in all other regions and countreys and the matier went forwarde notwithstanding the world resisted and was bent against them the Lorde Iesus puttyng furthe his mightye power by his holy spirite and theyr ministery and euerywhere confirmyng with ready miracles whatsoeuer they promysed to do with wordes FINIS To the most vertuous Ladie and most gracious Quene Katerine wife vnto the most victorious and moste noble prince Henry the .viii. Kyng of Englande Fraunce and Irelande c. Nicolas Udall wisheth prosperous health and long continuaunce with grace peace and all ghostely coumforte in our Lord Iesus Christ. LYke as our maister Christ in the ghospell moste gracious Quene Katerine whan the woman that had liued wickedly beyng now by his grace called froÌ„ hir sinnefull life to perfite repentauÌ„ce and amendmeÌ„t came vnto him sittyng at his repastein the house of Simon the lepre and washed his feete with the teares of hir iyes wyped thesame with that heare of hir head poured forth vpon his head a precious swete oyntment and also anointed his feete therewith did so well allowe hir deuocion hir earnest zele and hir tendre coÌ„passion whiche she had to â—oumforâ— him that he did not onely among all the cumpany declare hir preseÌ„t â—â—mfort in forgeuyng hir euen there all hir offences wickednes afore paste but also promised that she should not lese the condigne reward of renoume for hir teÌ„dre gentilnes to him shewed in so muche that afore all the preseÌ„ce he openly protested that wheresoeuer throughout al the world the gospel wer afterward preached there should she in suche wise at al occasioÌ„s he had in mind that the remeÌ„braunce of hir good hart thankefulnes towardes him should neuer dye nor be forgotten So Luke the euangelist Paule with the otheâ— apostles of Christ did in their holy writinges not onely make meÌ„cioÌ„ of sucâ— men preachers as were faithfull workers or ministers in Christes vyneyard but also by whatsoeuer good matrones and deuout wemen they sawe and fouÌ„d eyther that god was glorified his honour adâ—auÌ„ced or the ghospell preferred the word of god furthered â–ª the preachers of the same mainteined the yonglinges in the faith cherished the true chriâ—â—iaÌ„s in their pouertie refreshed the nede of the faithfull releued or the vnfâ—â—â—ed beleuers in aduersities coÌ„forted succoured to suche godly wemen they did not forget ne let passe to geue loude praise and coÌ„mendation aswel for the due reward of the parties selues as also for the good ensauÌ„â—le and encouragyng of others to doe the lyke For this cause doeth Luke in his gospel more theÌ„ once make meÌ„cion of Marie Magdalene of IohaÌ„na the wife of Chusa of SusaÌ„na Marie the mother of Iames. And in the actes he neyther forgetteth ne omitteth to coÌ„mend Priscilla Tabitha Lydia Damaris For this consideracion Paul coÌ„meÌ„deth vnto the Romains Phoebe Marie Eryphena Tryphosa Persis others For this respect did Hierome waite a whole treatise entytled of noble famous wemeÌ„ whose nobilitie also renoume he estemeth measureth by none other thyng but by their godlines deuocioÌ„ zele and endeuour to setforth Christes holy ghospell and by theyr godly conuersacion ioyned with moste studious diligence in readyng the scriptures Wherfore most gracious ladie although here nowe to renewe the memory and prayse of the manifold most excellent vertues and ardent zele of your highnesse towardes the promotyng of the knowelage of gods holy word and ghospell bee a thyng more due to your moste worthy deâ—erâ—es than easy for my rude penne to expresse them and more apperteineth to my duetie then it standeth with myne habilitie and power accordingly to sette them forth yet so to do at this present I haue thought partely a thyng nedelesse because your excellencie doeth so ferre sâ—â—â—ounte and passe all praises whiche my slendre vtteraunce is hable to geue you that I shoulde therein seeme to do a much lyke thyng as if I would bring forth a smouldring smokie
whiche the ghospell teacheth then whiche the Paradoxes that is to saie the straunge opinions of the philosophiers dooe teache And the sayd philosophiers doctryne not one of the princes did euer make anye a dooe to destroye or suppresse and yet of it owne accorde it vanyshed awaye lyke as did also theyr lawes and the arte magicall and the rites of sacryfices For what creature dooeth at this daye sacrifyce vnto the Gods of the Heathen or slaygheth beastes in sacrifice as the Iewes did What persone dooeth now knowe of Zoroastes What man setteth an heare by the misticall riddels of Pythagoras Who readeth the lyfe of Apollonius Tyaneus any otherwyse then as a certayne dreame Yea or rather who vouchesalueth to reade it at al For where Aristotell is at these dayes of greate name and fame in the scholes leat hym neuer thanke his owne fâ—cte therefore but the Christians For euen he had perished too yf there had not been made a medley of Christe and hym together in our schooles of diuinitie Against the philosophie Euangelical beeyng yet but tendre and euen but newly spryngyng vp the worlde arose at the first chop with all his force and power by meane of the Iewes vnder the pretexte and coulour of religion fightyng agaynst the fountaine of all religion by meane of the philosophiers beeyng hable muche to doe in all kyndes of â—earnyng by meane of the Sophisters beyng felowes vnpossible to bee ouercoÌ„med in stiffenesse of holdyng argumentacions by meane of the rhetoricians beyng meruaylous in the force of eloquence by the tyrannes beeyng armed with all sortes of shewyng crueltie by meane of kynges lieutenauntes magistrates by suche as were cunnynng in magike and sorcerie and perfecte in the sleyght of castyng mystes ouer mennes iyes and other senses and by meane of eiuyll spirites beeyng the lordes of this worlde All suche tumultuous buisynesse as these as a sea of eiuils swellyng vp and ouerflowyng dydde the power of the trueth Euangelicall receiue endure breake throughe and vtterly ouercome For at the lighte of the ghospell whan it came it was reason that all counterfaictes of worldly power should clene vanishe a waye Up shot that same ghospell and shewed it selfe beeyng plaine and lowe whiche all men wâ—â— great a doe endeuoured to ouertrede and kepe downe The bokes of suche persones as with singular high witte with woondrefull learnyng and with exquisite eloquence wrote agaynst the ghospel vanished awaye of theyr owne accorde as it had been certayne dreames insomuche that they are not at this day remaynyng to bee had neyther excepte if any fragmentes or small pieces haue been saued of the Christians by reason of wrytyng agaynst them in confuting them The kynges and princes dooe nowe bough downe to honoure the thyng which to fore they weÌ„t about to destroie the power of magike is vanished awai and gone the euill spirites are cast out that they howle and rore agayn philosophie hath confessed her ignoraunce and geuyng ouer the foolishe wisedome of the world it hath enbraced the wysedome of the crosse the rethoricians write oracions in the prayse of Iesus Christ the poetes do hisse the olde goddes out of place and in the lieu and place of Goddes innumerable all their song and composyng is nowe of Iesus Christe alone Thissame so great a chaunge of the world begoonne within a fewe yeares after Christ was putte to death to be made generall and common through al the whole worlde and withoute any maintenaunce or supportacion of maÌ„ it encreaced from tyme to tyme still more and more vntyll the piece of leauen beeyng miengled in three peâ—kes of meale did â–ª â—auen and turne al the whole batche and vntill the graine of mustard seed beeyng digged into the yearth did ferre and wyde spleygh his boughes abrode ouer Asia ouer Afrike and Europe And ouer and besydes all this those persones who layed theyr battrey agaynst the trueth Euangelical to cast it â—owne and to destroye it not onely had diuerse and sondry kyndes of terroures wherwith euen very manly stomakes also might haue been quayled that is to weâ—e open coÌ„maundementes by proclamacion consistories places of iudgemente forfaityng of al theyr goodes to the princes attaindres and depriuacions banishementes priesons tormentes of burnyng plates scourgyng with â—oddis axes wherwith to choppe of theyr heades ieobettes fiers to burne them wylde beastes to cast them to that thei might be deuoured deathes but also they had diuerse and soondrye allurementes wherewith an herte though it wer right coÌ„tinent might bee corrupted Ceasar would saye to some one of them Rencague thou and forsake Christ and be thou the chiefe emong all my piers and except thou so do all thy gooddes shall be forfayte to my behoufe I wyll shewe all extremitie of rigour towarde thy wyfe and children and thyselfe for thyne own part shalt bee cast to wylde beastes in a denne Who did in suche cases as these perswade so many thousandes and bryng them in mynde with reioycyng to take it whan theyr promocions and dignities were taken from them whan theyr gooddes were spoyled that whan they sawe those parties haled with all violence to huige tormentes and execucion of death who nexte after God were moste derely beloued vnto them they should geue thankes to God and finally that themselues whan they might easly haue escaped and whan they might haue enioyed suche high commodities should of theyr owne voluntary wylles offâ—e themselues to bee cruelly martyred No power of humayne eloquence could this haue dooen but the godlye power of the trueth was hable whiche laye hidden in the graine of mustardsede Neither did the philosophiers doctrine lacke alluremente The Stoykes promised libertie and fredome true rychesse health reigne other thynges magnificent and royall to be spoken The Epicureans made highe woordes and promises of pleasure to the cares of men The Peripatetikes dyd couple the good giftes of the bodye with vertue But the doctrine of the ghospell as it did not drawe any body vnto it with any worldly terrours so on the contrary parte how feâ—re was it from hauyng any thyng commendable in outwarde shewe to see to naye rather howe many thynges did it conteine vttrely vncredible It telleth newes of one Iesus nailled on the crosse who had by his death deliuered mankynde and this Iesus to be bothe god and man borne of a virgin and one that had returned agayne from death to life and was nowe sitting at the right hande of God the father and thesame Iesus to had been a man that had taught suche persones to bee in blissed case as for the profession of his name did mourne and warle did suffre thirst or hungre were put to affliccion wer euill spoken of or were putte to death and that all men shall in time to come arise to life agayn and that the godly sorte at that daye thesame veray Iesus beeyng their iudge shall haue immortalitie to their lotte the wicked shall haue the peines of hell for euer without
vertuous disposicion and shamefastnes commonly go together more then halfe ashamed for because that to suche persons as dyd not yet knowe all thissame matter to bee done God being the worker and doer of it she being now already an aged woman might seme to had wholly geuen herselfe yet still vnto the satisfying of the wanton lust of her body For she was not ignoraunte howe muche inclined the moste parte of folkes are as well to misdeme the wurst as also to speake naughtily And the prudent minde of the woman had also a ferther iye and regarde vnto this poynte too that there was no vauntes ne braggues to be made among the people of the gyfte of God vntill it were assuredly past all doubtes leste if the thing had afterward quailled or gone awaye in any behalfe the reproche of her baraines should be double for that beyng so fer strieken in yeres she had conceyued suche a vayne hope to haue a childe Neuerthelesse whan by sundry assured tokens she perfeitely knewe herselfe to be with childe she did in suche wise at all times shewe herselfe glad of her happie chaunce that all this matter euery whit of it what soeuer it were she referred vnto the onely goodnesse of God I haue hitherto sayeth she been diffamed with the reprochefull name of a baraine woman and one that neuer should haue childe among the people of Israel in whose opinion the barainnes of the body is a thing of more dishonestie shame then naughty disposicioÌ„ of the mynde But the Lord I see well hath for this purpose made a delay of my fruitfulnesse that a childe borne nowe whan no man looked for it not onely might deliuer me from the reproche of barainnes but also should cause vnto me the more aumple ioy For plainly the free gyfte of God it is who at suche time as best pleased himselfe hath vouchedsafe to cast a fauourable iye on me his simple handmaide in suche sorte that by reason of my chyld though beyng but one alone borne whan it was almost past season yet neuertheles a childe specially to be marked regarded whom I haue borne in Gods behalfe I shall from hencefurth in folkes communicacion bee reported to bee a mother muche happier then a great many of others the whiche do with a great sorte of children a piece enriche their housebandes And in the sixth moneth was the Aungell Gabriel sent from God into a citie of Galile the name wherof is Nazareth to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Ioseph of the house of Dauid and the name of the virgin was Mary And the Aungell came in vnto her sayd haâ—â—e thou full of grace the lorde is with the. Blissed art thou among women These thinges thus done it remained that the holier greater piece of this misterie shoulde bee procured by the Aungell that is to wete that the sonne of God beeyng God immortall should of a virgin beeyng a creature subiecte vnto death bee borne a man mortall the like wherof neuer had afore sence the creacion of the world been heard ne to the last ende of the world again should bee heard Therfore whan the tyme from without begynnyng by God prefixed drewe nere that God the father would by his sonne deliuer the whole vniuersall worlde from the tyranny of death and of synne he sent the selfsame Aungell Gabriell as a broker or procurer and a maker vp of this godly copulacion andioynyng with the sayed virgin And this was done in the sixth moneth after that Elizabeth was conceyued with Iohn Unto this heauenly matter there was specially deputed a tendre yong virgyn not set furth to the worlde with aboundauÌ„ce of riches or possessions not by famousnes of name not with portlynesse of lyfe ne with the other thynges whiche this worlde vseth to haue in high regarde but endued with excellente vertues of the minde the whiche do make a manne acceptable in the sight of God that is to saye with puritie of lyfe vndefiled with maidenly demurenes and with godly deuocion Her habitacion was in an homely basse litle toune of Galile called Nazareth a people nothyng regarded ne set by emong the Iewes And the virgin was espoused vnto a man of no fame ne porte in any behalfe to the worldes estimacion but for his vertues of the mynde a man to be accepted afore God a carpenter by occupacion and his name Ioseph beyng lineally descended of the stocke of Dauid from the which stocke of Dauid the espoused virgin also had her progenie to the ende that the case might not disagree with the prophecie whiche had promised that Messias should be borne of the stocke of Dauid kyng of Israel And the name of the virgin was Mary God had for the nons picked out two persons of lowe degree and of small porte to th entent that the worlde myght not in this heauenly matter clayme or chalenge to it selfe any poynte or part therof He had also pieked out persons of moste faultlesse and moste pure behauiour to the ende that no poynte of cryme myght be layed to theyr charge He had pieked out persons coupled together in chaste and leefull matrimonie to th entent partely that the priuetie of a childe to bee borne by a pure virgin myght be secrete vntyll the due tyme therof and partly that the case beyng otherwyse vnbeleuable whiche was that a virgin had without coumpaynying with any manne brought furth a chylde myght not lacke a witnesse conuenieÌ„t At a tyme whan this virgin was in her contemplacion within her priuy closet as virginitie loueth to be secrete the Aungell Gabriell apperyng visible with muche bryghtnes came in vnto her and hayled her with a straunge sorte of salutacion Rest thou well sayth he and reioyce o virgin beeyng full of grace and highly in fauour Thou hast the Lorde ryght fauourable vnto thee and muche thy frende And therfore shalt thou be siggularly renoumed and of a laudable name among all women ¶ When she sawe him she was abashed at his saying and cast in her mynde what maner of salutacion this might be And the Aungel sayd vnto her Feare not Mary For thou hast found grace afore God Beholde thou shalt conceyue in thy wombe and beare a soÌ„ne and shalt call his name Iesus He shal be great and shal be called the sonne of the highest And the Lord God shall geue vnto him the seate of his father Dauid and he shall reigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer and of his kyngdome there shal be none ende But the virgin at the sodayne sight of the Aungell and agayne also at the fourme and tenour of his salutacion beeyng straunge and suche as neuer had been heard of afore forasmuche as she on her owne behalfe conceyued no great opinion of her selfe was right muche dismayed in her minde For that she was fore adrad at the entreyng of one in the likenesse of a young man not loked for was a
is the goodnes of God and with all kyndes of praisynges to bee magnifyed who whereas â—e is the God of all peoples yet his pleasure was to be of a speciall purpose called the God of Israell not as though he wer not the Lord of al other nacions also but because it hath pleased hym that the people of Israel shal be a figure of that heauenly people whiche by renouncyng and despising the yearthlye thynges of thys worlde dooe laboure to atteyne and to come vnto that eternal citie of Hierusalem where God is wurshipped with thinges inuisible Of al such what countrey soeuer they lyue in and out of what nacion soeuer they bee borne is God to be praysed who after so long processe of time hath at laste vouchsalued in suche sorte as hath not been sene afore to visite hys people being now in great agonye and almoste â—lene tyred with the tedyousnes of most careful and long continued bondage and beyng euen now at the veray poynt of vtter despaire Agaynst the whiche people Sathan synne and the worlde had so mightilye preuailled that no maner hope did now remaine neyther in the phariseis nor in the philosophiers nor yet in the ceremonies of Moses lawe He hathe nowe caste hys iye lyke a mercifull lord vpon hys sayd people and hath freelye redemed them from al these euils And hath reised vp an horne of saluacion vnto vs in the house of his seruaunte Dauid A myghty tiraÌ„ne it was whiche hauyng a trayne of an houge coumpaigny of souldiers to garde him did ruffle and playe the king ouer al sortes of men out of whose clawes it was not possible by any power of manne to recouer the deliueraunce of the Israelites Onelye god beeyng of more puissaunce then our ghostely enemy gaue strength vnto theÌ„ that wer weake sending a capitayn most victorious who through the puissaunce of his godlye mightinesse shoulde ouerthrowe the power strength of his aduersaries and by ouercumming deathe should frely through feith geue vnto al persoÌ„s euerlasting saluacion And thys sure waraÌ„t fortres of saluacioÌ„ he hath reised vp for vs in the house and generacioÌ„ of Dauid who truly serued and wurshipped him vnto the which Dauid he had afore made sure promisse that from his sede should this benefite assuredly come vnto all suche persones as after the spirite deserue to bee the chyldren of Dauid not growyng out of kynde nor sweruing from the tendre loue that their said father Dauid had towardes god Dauid valiauntly luckely foughte against forein nacions and agaynst the enemies of the people of Israel And seÌ„blablye vnder this our captayne must we fight agaynst enemies muche more pernicious and hurteful that is to were against such enemies as destruie and â—leagh mennes soules Sathan with hys armie of wieked spirites And such enemyes be also the corrupt affeccions and naughty desyres of the mynde prouokyng and busilye stieryng men to suche thynges as are odious and hatefull afore god Suche enemies also are those persones whatsoeuer they be which haue more loue and desyre to the thynges of this worlde then to such thynges as are godlye by whyche persones as by his instrumentes and tooles the deuill putteth hys strength in vre ¶ Euen as he promised by the mouthe of his holy prophetes whiche were sens the world began That we should be saued from our enemyes and from the hande of al that hate vs. Neyther dooe these thinges by chaunce or at al auentures come thus to passe but the thyng that god doeth nowe perfourme thesame had he many a longe yere sens promysed by the mouthes of al the prophetes whom he had endewed with his spirit as many as haue prophecied sens the first creacioÌ„ of the world For he had made promise that by a captain of might puissauÌ„ce which should one day be sent we should be saued from our enemyes and should be deliuered oute of the handes of them all whiche did beare vs suche extreme malice that they did continually wrastle and laboure to drawe vs vnto deathe euerlasting That he would deale mercifully with our fathers and remember his holy couenauÌ„te And that he woulde perfourme the othe whiche he swore to our father Abraham for to geue vs that we deliuered out of the handes of our enemyes myghte serue hym withoute feare in suche holines and ryghteousnes as are accepted before him all the dayes of our lyfe And yet was not thys of the meryte or deseruyng of vs that are nowe at these preseÌ„t dates liuiÌ„g to whoÌ„ god hath perfourmed this same so hygh a benefite nor yet of the deseruing of oure fathers to whoÌ„ he had afore promised thesame thing which he hath now doen vnto vs â–ª But thus hath it pleased his gracious goodnesse bounteously to geue this so greate a thyng vnto vs not deseruyng thesame Thus hath it also semed good vnto his ryghteousnesse at suche time as best pleased hymself to perfourme the thyng that he had promised to th entent he might thereby of all creatures bee perceyued to bee not onely mercifull and beneficiall but also true and iuste in kepyng hys promisse For besides his earnest promisse he did also make a plain bargain and couenaunt with our fathers For beeyng delited with â—he woondrefull affiaunce and truste of oure chyefe father Abraham towarde hym whiche was soe greate that bearyng hymselfe bolde vpon goddes promysse he made no manner bones ne stickyng but wente in hande to offer vp his onely sonne Isaac in sacrifyce he swore by hys owne selfe to the same Abraham saiyng in this wise I make an othe and do sweare by my veray own self because thou hast dooen thys same thing and for the respecte of me and my commaundement hast not spared thine onely begotten sonne I shall blisse thee and I shall multiplye thy posteritie and issue as the sterres of the skye and as the sandes that are liyng on the sea shores Thy sede shall possesse the gates of theyr enemies through the name of thee shall all naâ—ions on the yearth be blissed because thou hast bene obedient vnto my voice For in verai dede this is the true posteritie and the right sede of Abraham whiche is obedient vnto God not by the ceremonies of the lawe but by the obedience of beleuing in God who by the meane of the ghospell dooethe speake vnto the world And vnto such of vs is geuen the promysed victory ouer our enemies as being deliuered from the tiranny of sinne deliuered from all errours deliuered from the yoke of the deuill haue the grace and happe to renounce our former naughty liuyng to the ende that from hensfoorth beyng out of all care and feare vnder the wyng and safegarde of our captayn we may nowe serue no mo maisters but hym alone to whome onely we are bounden debtours for al the goodnesse that euer we haue where in tymes past we had bene bondeseruauntes to ambicion which is the desire of worldelye honoure pompe
redempcion in Israell Now had the lorde Iesus receyued witnesse of his cumming into this world of Aungels of the virgyn Marie of her spouse Ioseph who had neuer hadde to do with her of zacharie being a prieste of the young babe Iohn being yet in his mothers woumbe vnborne of Elizabeth being a maried woman of shepeheardes of wyise menne called Magians of Scribes who gaue vndoubted sentence and iudgemente oute of the prophecie in what place Christe shoulde bee borne of Herode being in drede and feare leste some eiuyll shoulde growe to him by Christes natiuytie of Symeon who was neyther pryeste ne leuite but an vpright liuyng man and nothyng els nowe remayned that he myghte haue semblable testymonie of a wedowe too So greate was the efficacye and vertue of thys young babe not yet shewing furthe his full mighte and power that he rauyshed all thynges with the spiryte of God enspiryng the humble and poore sorte with the holye ghoste stryekyng the proude with sore trouble of mynde and with feare so that of these preambles of thinges it might without anye dyfficultie bee gathered what chaunge of the worlde was lykelye in tyme comming to be whan the same childe being once come to full age would openlye vtter foorthe that same godlye voyce of hys and whan he shoulde through doing miracles daily more and more weare famouse whaÌ„ he should dye and arise agayne to lyfe and whan he shoulde plenteouslye power furthe the holye ghoste from heauen vpon all suche as beleued on hym So then nexte after an olde manne that had long tyme liued withoute anye wife foloweth and olde woman that had many yeres liued a wedowe without an housbande For a certayne woman there was called Anna whiche had that name geuen her of the thyng that was in her that is to saye of Grace for hyghlye endued she was with the spyryte of prophecye She was the daughter of Phanuell beeyng a manne of good fame and muche commended and of the tribe of Aser whiche trybe beyng the eyght in order emong the twelue dooeth vnder a certayne pryuie fygure sygnifye the blyssednesse of the resurreccyon whiche solemnytye the doctryne of the ghospell hath added to the hallowyng of the Sabbothes that the Iewes dydde vse For Aser in Hebrue is as muche to saye in Englyshe as Blissed Thys Anna in that she was so ferre stryeken in age seemed to haue beene delayed from dying and preserued in thys lyfe for none other purpose but that being an olde woman she mighte according as she had afore tymes with moste feruente prayers wyshed and desired see the young babe that was promysed whiche shoulde bryng healthe and saluacyon to the people of Israell For the holye ghoste had put in hâ—r minde that he was alreadye borne euen by the same suggestion of the spirite of God whiche Symeon had tofore bene enspired withall came thys Anna vpon them euen in the veraye same houre whyle these thynges whiche we haue alreadye tolde were in doyng within the temple This Anna in the tyme whan virginitie was not yet honourable neto bee gloryed of emong the Iewes had liued with an housbande of her owne by the space of seuen yeres from her maydenhood So muche tyme she was contente because of the custome to bestowe in hauing an housbande for brynging furthe of chyldren But all the resydue of her lyfe she consecrated to the onelye seruing of god in contemplacion For she contynued in the state of wedowhod about the space of fourescore and foure yeres After that she had once assayed wedlocke although she were yet of lustie age and in the veraye floure of her tyme yet had she no manyer mynde ne thoughte to marrye any more agayn but eueÌ„ as a woman being dead to the world and now wholy dedicated vnto god she almoste neuer departed from the temple but was there busilye doing sacrifice vnto him with euangelical oblacions not only in the day time but also by night offering herselfe vnto the lorde a liuely a reasonable and an acceptable hoste For her bodye she offered with often fastyng and her soule with deuoute meditacyons and prayers And euen while the aforesayde rytes and ceremonies of purificacion were in doing within the temple in the veray houre whyle Symeon is in hys prophetycall talke in the veraye momente whyle all thinges are full of holye and godlye wordes both of reioysing and of thankes geuyng for thys heauenlye young babe thys Anna too euen as god woulde haue it commeth emong them that she also might be a witnesse of the same childe that borne he was and that she myghte ioyne the affeccyons of her hearte with the ioyfulnesse of the others extollyng and hyghelye praysyng the bounteouse goodnesse of god for that he had caste so mercifull an iye vpon his people Neyther did she whan she was in coumpaigny and presence of others kepe secret the thing that she had seene with her iyes and the whiche she hadde learned by Goddes inspiracyon but she woulde euermore bee speaking and talking of thys chylde vnto all suche as were in Hierusalem and loked for the redempcion of the people of Israell And thys was enough for a womanne being a wedowe onelye in the temple to talke and to auouche that Christe was come and the same to entimate and disclose vnto a fewe persones abrode beeyng desyrouse and hungrie of it For that same tyme was not yet come which was reserued for the Apostles whan they shoulde bee replenished with the holy gost of the whiche Apostles it is sayde in the Psalme of Dauid Into all the yearthe is theyr sonne gone furth and their wordes into all the endes of the worlde throughout ¶ And whan they had perfourmed all thynges accordyng to the lawe of the Lorde they returned into Galile to theyr owne citie Nazareth And the childe grewe and waxed strong in spirite and was filled with wisedome and the grace of God was vpon hym All thinges being at the last fully and ordrely executed as muche as the lawe of Moyses had prescribed for the purificacyon of women late delyuered of childe they returned into Bethleem where the chylde was borne But whan king Herode beeyng doone to wete by the Magians that there was a newe king of the people of Israell borne had commaunded all the infantes to bee flayne as many as within two yeres daye next afore passed had bene borne in Bethleem and in all the circuite of the same lordeship or countie Ioseph being aduertised and warned in his slepe so to doe conueighed awaye prieuelye bothe the childe and the mother that bore it into Egipte and there made their abode vntill the death of the wieked kyng That thyng done they eftesons returned at the warnyng of an aungell not into Bethleem leste some occasyon of shewing ferther crueltie mighte perchaunce thereby haue bene geuen to the sonne of Herode who had at that tyme succeded his father in a porcion of his
froÌ„ Endor And whan he thyther wente his disciples folowed hym of whome by this tyme there was a great noÌ„bre and besides theÌ„ there weÌ„t also a great multitude of the common people of all sortes and degrees And whaÌ„ the Lord was now not ferre from the gate of the citie beholde an occasion of an other newe miracle There came a dead corpse carried on meÌ„nes backes towardes buriâ—ng with a great coumpanye of people And a doulful matier it was first because it was a very young man that was dead and taken froÌ„ his lyfe euen in the very floure of his age secondarily because it was the onely sonne of a wedowe who beeyng depriued of the coumforte of an housebande had sette all the hope and staye of her lyfe in the same her soonne This wedow therfore testified the woful tormenting of her hert both with weping teares and also with many piteous woordes of lamentacion suche as extreme raging dolour doth commonly putte in folkes myndes to speake The great wailyng of the wedowe together with the vnripe deathe of the yong strieplyng caused the reste of the coumpanye also to wepe as many as for kyndenes and bonde of neighbourhode went folowyng the corpse Whan the Lorde Iesus beeyng mostefull of mercie and pitie had seen this sight he toke compassion on the wedowe and shewed himself an effectuall comforter vnto her that had none els to bee hir comforter he holpe her bothe in wordes and also in dede WomaÌ„ saith he make no more weping And whan he had so said he came vnto the biere wheron the dead maÌ„ was carried and put his hand to it And immediatly they whiche carryed the corpse stayed Here bothe coumpanies earnestly herkenyng aswell they that accoumpanyed the wedowe as also they that came with the Lord Iesus turnyng to the yong maÌ„ that was dead young man ê™ he I saie vnto thee Arise At this worde immediatly the yong maÌ„ euen as it had been one newly awakened reysed out of his slepe sate vpright on the biere and to the entent that it should be the more euideÌ„t a token that his life was restored hym he begoonne to speake And this speakyng dyd ferthermore also declare the lustye freashenesse and heartynesse of spirite in him And when he had now lept doun from the biere and cleuyng faste vnto Iesus by whom he perceiued that his lyfe had been restored vnto him was stil rendryng thankes for it the Lorde deliuered hym vnto his mother to haue him home with her goyng now on his own feete whom she had caused after he was dead to be carryed towardes burâ—yng on fower mennes shoulders And thus truely was the matier doen as touching the story but not without a significacion of ghostly doctrine The wedow beyng a mother represeÌ„teth the churche Forsooth euen this is thesame wedow whoÌ„ the prophete Esaye doeth coÌ„forte saiyng Be glad thou barain that bringest not foorth chyldren reioyce thou the art nothyng towardes bearyng for mo are the children of the forsaken than of her that hath an husbande The synagogue trusteth altogether in her spouse Moses it maketh great vauntes of the children of AbrahaÌ„ beyng equall in noumber to the sande that lieth on the sea shore The churche after the estimacion of the worlde semeth destitute of her spouse who hath conueyed hymselfe vp into heauen at the first she semed barain and without hope of any issue or successioÌ„ the Iewes also the prices of this world labouryng that al memorie of Iesus whom they supposed to be vtterly destroyed and dead might vtterly be takeÌ„ away and abolished for euer This wedow doth daily bring forth not children of this world but childreÌ„ of the lyght neyther dooeth she bryng them foorth to Moses who taught thinges earthly but vnto Christ who teacheth and also promiseth thinges heauenly She bryngeth them foorth not to death but to immortalitie She groneth daily in bringing forth childreÌ„ yet vnshapen vnperfite vntil thei haue receiued the spirite of the gospel and vntil Christ be brought to perfite shape in theÌ„ A true mother she is singularly doth she loue her childreÌ„ whoÌ„ with gret carefulnesse she frameth and trayneth vntill they may growe to full age and may bee brought vp to the strength of perfite men For loue and deuocion towardes god also hath it infaÌ„cie it hath it cumming forward in growthe of age That if at any tyme it fortune any of her chyldren to dye she wepeth and can not be coumforted nor wepeth any lesse for hym then if she had had none but hym alone whom she loste Innocencie whiche is geuen through euangelical fayth is life and sinne is death We see with howe great affeccion mothers do mourne for the bodily corpses of their children but muche more tenderly doeth the churche wepe and waill for one that after baptisme is fallen again to any deadly synne and more pensife she is for the death of one sinner theÌ„ the Synagogue is glad of fourescore and nynetene ryghteous Well than forth is the dead maÌ„ borne of foure carriers that is to say of the inordinate desires of this worlde which hauing the dead corpse on theyr shoulders benng now destitute of the holy ghost lackyng now all felyng of himself beyng now dead aslepe in his ownnaughty vices carrye hym down streighte to the graue of euerlastyng despaire The church ferthermore hath gates by which she casteth out dead folkes lest that with the stinkyng of the dead corpse the others also that are yet whole maye bee infected She hathe other gates also by whiche to receiue in suche as are called to life agayn of the Lorde As she bringeth not foorth into life but by the spirite of Christe so doeth she not receiue into life again but whom Christ doeth call backe again The porters that carry the dead neuer stop ne stay vntill they cum euen to the graue For whoso hath made al his restyng place here in this worlde whoso hath once let himself at large to be ledde with sinfull affeccions ceasseth not with damnable proceding to fail coÌ„tinually into wurse wurse vntill he cum to the mayne depth of euils and is deliuered to his lustes abominable And all the while naught doeth the mother but wepe yea and all the coumpanye of his couÌ„treimen do wepe sorowyng that the deade is cast out whom they wishe to returne to life again And these verilye are the prayers of our mother the churche these been her teares and these are the sighes and grouynges of the godly persones makyng mone and sorowe for the death of a synner This young strieplyng was dead not beeyng yet confirmed with the spirite of the ghospel and so muche the more worthye of mercie because that thesame maÌ„ whoÌ„ they had hoped trusted should through the spirite of Christ haue prospered and growen foreward vnto the highest degree of euangelical godlynesse hym they see now past life and void of any spirite and by most merciles
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
that is my sonne so dere beloued vnto my hert as none other is but he alone therefore herken ye to hym This voice thus sounyng in their eares Iesus was founde alone leste they mighte haue demed the testimonie of that voyce to concerne any other person then eueÌ„ veray him onely And the sayed three disciples ryght so as they were commaunded of the Lorde kept the matter close and reported not the priuity of that vision to any creature aliue vntill Christ had arisen againe from deaâ—h to lyfe after his passion For it was not the Lordes pleasure to haue the maiestie of his Godhed published or openly spoken of before the tyme of his deathe aswell because there shoulde bee nothyng that myght be a lette vnto thatsame sacrifice whereby mankynde was to bee restored as also because that thyng myght not bee openly talked of whiche no man woulde than beleue yf it had bene reported And all vnder â—ne did he therin by an exaumple that was a true matter in dede geue a lesson to vs that in case any excellent good thing be in vs we should raâ—hâ—â— kepe it close then make vauntes or braggues therof and in case we haue any special vertue or good qualitye in vs by the free gyfte of God thesame is to bee declared and shewed in deedes rather then by makyng many gaie or high woordes of it ¶ And it chaunced that on the nexte daye as they came down from the hille muche people met hym And beholde a man of the coumpaignie cried out saiyng maister I beseche the beholde my sonne for he is all that I haue and see a spirite taketh hym and soodaynely crieth and he knocketh and beateth hym that he foometh againe and with muche peine departeth from him whan he hath rent hym I besought thy disciples â—o cast hym out they coulde not Iesus aunswered and saied O feithlesse and crooked nacion howe long shal I bee with you and shall suffre you Bryng thy soonne hither As he was yet a cummâ—ng the fâ—ende rent him and tare him And Iesus rebuked the vncleane spirite and healed the childe and deliuered him to his father And they were all amased at the high power of God The nexte daye folowyng Iesus came downe from the hyll with his said thre disciples And he fouÌ„d a mighty great multitude of people gathered about the residue of the disciples whom he hadde lefte there behynd hym whan he addressed hym to goe vp to the mountayne But the people assoone as they espied Iesus returnyng agayn went to mete hym For they had found a great lacke mysse of his presence And there had happened a freshe matter why they should require to haue his presence For one of yâ— couÌ„paignie cryed out to hym saiyng maister I most humbly beseche thee leat the extreme miserie of a sonne of mine moue the. For I haue no mo but him alone and he is holden with an extreme tyrannous deuill whiche dooeth euerye other whyle soodaynlye take hym and vexeth hym sundry waies that pitie it is to see with much greate roaryng flasshyng hym on the grounde and so wrestyng his limmes as though he woulde teare them from the body of hym and he fomyng at the mouthe for peine all the whyle And as often as he taketh hym he scracelye departeth from hym vntyll all hys body be rent and torne I praied thy disciples to caste out this spirit They did their best but they haue not bene hable to dooe it Than Iesus well perceiuyng that the thyng hadde so chaunced by reason of the fathers vnbeliefe that prayed for health to his soonne and in consideracion of his disciples feithe beeyng yet hitherto but weake he cryed with a loude voyce saiyng O nacion full of mistrustyng and of an herte nothyng single howe long tyme shall I bee conuersaunt emong you and shall suffre these thynges Can I not yet all thys whyle bring thus muche to passe to make you haue a perfeicte feyth and truste in me dooeth the weakenesse of thys bodye of myne so muche leate you And turnyng hymselfe to the man and requyring of hym afore hand to haue a more stedfast feith he saied Bring thy sonne hither to me And as soone as the young thyng was brought to Iesus the eiuil spirite that was in him tooke him quasshyng the chylde on the grounde and immediatelye Iesus restored hym to hys health and gaue him to his father agayne made perfectely whole where his father had brought him thither vnpossible to be cured by any mannes helpe The more miserable that the sight of this eiuill had been so muche the more did the people euery one of them meruaill to see howe quickelye the childe was holpen out of hande by the vertue and power of God But whyle they woondred euery one at all thynges which he dyd he saied vnto hys disciples seate these saiynges sâ—ncke downe into youre cares For it wil come to passe that the sonne of men shal bee deliuered into the handes of menne but they wiste noâ— what the woord ment and it was hidden from theim that they vnderstoode it not And they feared to aske of hym that saiyng But whan the fame of Iesus weaxed euery daye more and more famous through suche actes as these A certayne temptacion of worldly glory entred into the hertes of his disciples by reason that they hadde suche a maister in whose name euen they also themselfes dyd manye great actes to be woondred at But Iesus calleth them home from this affeccion to the contemplacion of his lowe state of abieccion in this worlde at whiche the time was not long to come when they woulde be offended and slaundred The glorie of dooeyng miracles sayeth he is now a matter of delectacion vnto you but it is a thing much more materiall for you depely to enprint in your hertes these sayinges of myne from which your myndes dooe gretlye abhorre For that thyng ought ye moste of all to haue in mynde whiche it shall behoue euerye one of you to folowe As for glorie leat me alone to see for that For the thing muste nedes come to passe that I haue already tolde you and yet nowe agayne I saye vnto you which is that the soonne of man whose glorie and fame dooeth nowe delite you shall ere long be attached and shall bee deliuered into the handes of menne and shall sundrye waies suffre much affliccion and shal lastely be put to death This tale though it had bene once or twise heard out of his mouth yet had not it well settled in the myndes of the disciples For they coulde not well beare in mynd the thing which they had no luste to heare They abhorred the mencion of death as men setting al their mindes on the glorie of Iesus not hauing al the while any intelligence or vnderstanding that the glorie of the Lord was most chiefely to be renoumed and made famous through the open worldely shame of hangyng on the
selfsame thyng by whose helpe do thei chase awaye deuils Plain homely men they be they are men of no knowlage ne autoritie they caÌ„ no skill of the malicious sleightes of witches or Nygromanciers and yet do these caste out deuils in the name of me What thiÌ„g thei doe they doe it on a faithfull truste in God therefore shall your vnbelefe be condeÌ„ned by these iudges and none other The plain simplenesse of these hath beleued wheras your wisedom and expert knowelage of the world striueth against the glory of god Wherupon seeyng there is neyther ryme ne reasoÌ„ in saying that one euil spirite driueth out an other euil spirite and forasmuche as your children do cast out deuils by the helpe of none other then by whose helpe I do cast theÌ„ out it is clere that I doe cast out euil spirites by the vertue and power of god who is good For the spirite of him is of more power and might theÌ„ al the whole packe of the wicked spirites that are Neither is there any agremeÌ„t betwene the spirite of god and theÌ„ For god loueth the preseruacioÌ„ of mankynde and they seke the destruccion of thesame Nowe than if it bee a thyng manifest that the thynges whiche ye see me doe I doe by the power of god than is there no doubte but that the kingdome of god is cum vnto you whiche Iohn did preache to bee at hande Reason it is therfore that ye ioyne your selfes with hym and withdrawe you from the reigne of Satan which shall shortely haue an ende Ye cannot be partakers of bothe kyngdomes at once there is betwene god and Satan a bataill that by no possibylitye maye be brought to attonemeÌ„t The cause wil neuer by any condicions be brought to agrement Satan shall either geat the victorye orels by stronge hande bee dryuen out he shall not by yeldyng or submyttyng hymselfe continue in hys reigne ne yet bee receiued vpon any condicions of agreement appoynted vnto him He hath hitherto reigned without redresse but nowe is there cum a power more puissaunt mighty theÌ„ his tirannie For one finger of God is more mightie to preserue saue mankind thaÌ„ all the hostes of Beelzebub to destroy thesame Thesame thyng therfore shall in this behalfe cum to passe whiche is coÌ„monly woont to chauÌ„ce betwene two head captayns both being valyaunt and strong and both beyng fierce couragious and such as al their affiaunce and trust resteth in their armour and weapon For whan a man of great forte and puissaunce beeyng in armour dooeth kepe his fortresse the thynges that bee in his possession are in peaceable reste and quite That if any other being of more power theÌ„ he do set vpon him and do with plain force of armes coÌ„quere him that was in harnes wel armed he wil entre no leage of felowship to bee as halfe partener with him in his castell but dryuyng the other quite awaye he wyll entre vpon full possession of the wholle house hymselfe The weapon wherin the other trusted he will by plain force take away froÌ„ hym all his richesse and substaunce he will rifle and spoile and distribute it among his souldiers Now doeth it behoue you to loke aboute you and see of whether syde ye will bee and with whether ye wyll take parte with God beyng the mightier or with Satananon to bee dryuen oute If ye haue peace with Satan ye are out with God If ye haue peace with god than cannot ye and Satan agree And in the one or the others campe must ye fight The tyme as it now shapeth will not suffer any persons to sitte idle And whoso is not on my syde is an aduersarie vnto me and euen in this verye poynte dooeth me hurte and sâ—athe because that where he ought of dutie to fauour my syde he doth not fauour me and whoso doeth not gather with me scattereth abrode Whan the vnclene spirite is gone out of a man he walketh through drye places seekyng test And whan he findeth none he sayeth I wil returne again vnto my house whence I came out And whan he cummeth he findeth it swept and garnished Then goeth he and taketh to hym seuen other spirites wurse then himself and they entre in and dwell there And the ende of that man is wurse then the beginnyng And because the Iewes toke vpon them an opinion of righteousenesse and vpon boldenesse thereof did either negligently leat slippe the doctrine of the gospell orels did vtterly refuse it and would none of it he put forth a derke parable wherby to signifie that a more greuous damnation should lighte on such persones as whan they haue gone a litel way foreward towardes righteousnes did fall backe agayne to their olde enormities then on suche as neuer knowing the light of euangelical trueth had coÌ„tinued still in the derkenesse of their sinneful liuing For the people of the Iewes was disseuered by meane of the lawe from the Gentiles beyng Idolaters but fallyng euery other day of freashe to their former transgressions they were cum at length to suche degree of vngodlynesse that whatsoeuer offence their forefathers had doen in putting the prophetes to death or in conspiryng against Moses thesame did they seuenfolde double more vngraciously renewe against the sonne of God and against his disciples Albeit this parable doeth ferther also touch euery man who beyng once washed froÌ„ his former synnes through baptisme once deliuered from the euill spirite of this worlde by the worde of the ghospell dooeth negligently vse the gyfte of god nor taketh any care to procede from tyme to time to ferther degrees of perfeccion Unto suche an one beeyng walowed downe again to his former liuyng baptisme and the knowlage of holy doctrine shall auaile to none other effecte or purpose but that he shal of his own sekyng haue the sorer damnacion at the daie of iudgement as one the whiche to his former sweruyng out of the right waye hath ioyned vnthankefulnes maliciousnesse also Now of the parable this is the tenour here folowyng Whan an vnclene spyrite is once departed out of a man beeyng putte awaye by the power of God for as muche as he hath an obstinate will to doe hurte he goeth walkyng vp and downe by places barain waterlesse seeking rest And whan he could no where fynde thesame he sayeth within hymself I will returne backe into my house that I came out of And returning vnto the same he founde it in dede sweped cleane with bromes but altogether emptie WhaÌ„ he espieth that he goeth his waye and taketh vnto him seuen other spirites more vngracious tben himself euer was and with suche a knotte of company goeth he again to his house in dede made cleane but leaft vnkept nor armed with any defence of vertues semyng for the gospel For the ornamentes and garnishyng of ceremonies in dede make outwardlye a shewe or semblaunce of godlines but because they are onely certain vain counterfaites of thynges they kepe
he hath lent to thee ¶ I am come to sende fyer on the earth and what is my desyre but that it weare already kiendled Notwithstanding I muste bee baptised with a baptisme and howe am I payned tyll it bee ended Suppose ye that I am come to sende peace on earth I tell you nay but rather debate For from hensfoorthe there shall bee fyue in one house deuided three against two and two against three The father shall bee diuided against the sonne and the sonne agaynst the father The mother agaynst the daughter and the daughter against the mother And the mother in law againste her daughter in lawe and the daughter in lawe against the mother in lawe I thirst the saluation of man and for the cause therof am I come into the worlde and to the earnest desire of my hearte all tarying or delay semeth long It is no washe doctryne ne worldely that I haue brought downe from heauen It is mere and pure fyer whiche will surelye eyther clense and puryfye a man or els burne hym And I am euen of purpose come that this same fyer maye bee kiendled on yearthe For what other thyng els dooe I desyre or wante Beeyng once kiendled it will ferre and wyde so daynelye take all the vniuersall worlde with the slaine But thys fyer shall not leape ne sparcle foorth onlesse thys flint stone of my body bee first strieken on the crosse That same baptisme is yet behynde to come whiche my father hathe precisely appoyncted vnto me to be dieped in myne own bloud to the end I shal through my death suffer paynes and tormentes for the sinnes of all the whole worlde At that houre and neuer afore shall that same sparcle of euangelicall charitie appere vp and shewe furth it selfe emong men whan they shall see an innocent giltlesse man to haue willingly suffered a vyle shamefull death for malefactoures that haue transgressed For this is a sparke of perfeict charitie loue And from this baptisme doe I not onely not abhorre but for the loue that I beare to the saluacion of mankinde I am in a great agonye to haue it accomplished with all expedicion The nature of my body abhorreth the matier but the entier loue of my soule greatelye longeth for it But thys fyer being kiendled shall stiere vp great vproares in the worlde For it shall bee a vehemente fyer and an heauenlye aswell discussyng as also strieking foorthe all naturall affeccions of men For doe ye beleue that I am come to bring suche peace into the earthe as thys worlde loueth with whome it is than altogether quietnesse and tranquilitie whaÌ„ the lustes and appetites of the herte bee all pleased and satisfied and whan the eiuill persones dooe agree with the eiuill No verayly I am not come to set suche concordes at one but to sende debate and variaunce People will not euery one obey the ghospell and for the ghospels sake all other thynges are to bee contemned Whereupon it shall so come to passe that in one house in whiche there was a naughtie peace afore there shal aryse an holesome variaunce For fyue sortes of persons being of nature most nere ioyned together shall for my cause bee at dyuisyon emong themselues three agaynst two and eft two agaynst three For what is more nere coupled together by nature then the sonne to the father And yet shall the father for the ghospels cause fall out and and bee at distaunce with the sonne and the sonne shall for the ghospels sake despise the father In lyke mannier shall the mother bee at variaunce with the daughter but the charytie of the ghospell shall bee of more force in the daughters mynde then naturall affeccyon towardes hyr parentes The mother in lawe also shall bee at playne defyaunce and warre agaynste hir owne daughter in lawe but the loue of eternall saluacyon shall with the other in her mynde outweighe the respecte of alyaunce of the fleashe For the bandes of the spirite dooe muche more streygne the hearte then the bandes of nature dooe ¶ He sayde also to the people whan ye see a cloude aryse out of the weke straight waye ye saye we shall haue a shoute and so it is And whâ—n ye see the southe winde blowe yt say we shall haue heate and it commeth to passe Hypocrites ye can skill of the facyon of the earth and of the skie but what is the cause that ye cannot skill of this time yea and why iudge ye not of your selfes what is right While thou goest with thine aduerserie to the rewler as thou arte in the way geue diligence thou mayeste bee deliuered from him lest he bring thee to the iudge and the iudge deliuer thee to the â—ayler and the â—ayler cast thee into prieson I tell thee thou departest not thence tyll thou hast made good the vttermost mite After these woordes Iesus turning to the people sayde Wherefore than dooe notye prepaire your hertes to the kingdome of God whiche is euen veray nighe at hande Doe ye not perceiue fele it to approche so many tokens of thinges as ye haue Why are ye in this behalfe nothing good coÌ„iecturers seeing that in mattiers of so muche lesse weight and importaunce ye haue so quicke a smelle to caste and geasse at thynges to come For whan ye see any cloude arysing out of the west ye streyghte waye tell afore hande that there is a shower toward and the thing commeth to passe which ye doe so prophecie And agayne whan ye perceiue the winde to blowe from the south ye tell aforehande that a greate heate will folowe and youre geasse dooeth nothyng beguile you Neuerthelesse litell it forceth whether it rayne or rayne not but it maketh veray great force that through euangelical feith ye procure atteyne euerlasting saluacyon O ye hypocrites after what sorte all youre dooynges are cloked and counterfaicte And euen suche as youre holinesse is euen suche lyke is youre wisedome also In thynges perteynyng to thys presente lyfe ye haue a witte and a forecaste but in thynges belongyng to immortalitie ye haue no syghte at all Ye marke the parte of the skye and of the yearth that is nexte to you and therof ye gather coniectures and likelihoodes of thynges to ensue But howe happenethe that of so manye tokens as haue bene shewed vnto you ye doe not marke nor espie the time to be now at hande whiche shall beyng to all creatures eyther healthe if it bee duely accepted or eternall damnacyon in case it bee neglected Ye knowe what the Prophetes haue promised ye heare so manye thynges whiche are sayde and wroughte emong you ye see the worlde to bee chaunged to a newe state and can ye not yet of all these thinges caste ne coniecture the tyme to bee at hande that hath bene promised This onely thyng was with all youre earnest endeuoures to bee attended vnto neyther shoulde anye thing bee of so greate weyghte or regarde
worlde sayed Ceasars phisionomye and pryente it is Than ê™ Iesus byanby than render and paye ye vnto Ceasar yf anye thyng belongeth to his righte For I force nothyng what the prynces of thys worlde dooe require by theyr exaccions But thys is yet a greater poyncte of your charge and more requisite to the purpose that ye tendre vnto God that ye oughe vnto hym know ye therfore the image of hym stricken and coined in youre hertes acknowelage ye his title and poisee All the soule is due to hym euery whit of it and oughte not to bee in bondage to any other persone then to hym who created bothe the bodye and the soule too And bearing as it doeth the image of God wherefore is it paied for tribute to the deiuill The subtyll awaiters to haue taken him in a trippe meruayle at so warie and circumspect an answer For the euangelical simplicitie hath a politique cast of it own too Yet this notwithstandyng they woulde not acknowelage the heauenlye wysedome of God in him but sorowed because there was nothing which they could reproue in all his talke ¶ Then came to him certaine of the Sadducees which deny that there is any resurreccion and they asked him saiyng Maister Moses wrote vnto us if any mannes brother dye hauing a wife and he dye without children that then his brother should take his wyfe reise vp sede vnto his brother There were therfore seuen brethren the first toke a wife and dyed without children And the seconde tooke her and he died childelesse And the thirde tooke her and likewise the residue of the seuen and leaft no children behind them and died Last of all the woman died also Nowe in the resurreccion whose wife of theim shall she be For seuen had her to wife Iesus aunswered and saied vnto them The childreÌ„ of this worlde marye wiues and are maried but they whiche shal be coumpted worthye of that world and the resurreccion from the dead doe not marie wiues neither are maried nor yet cannot dye anye more For they are eguall vnto the aungels and are the sonnes of God in somuch as thei are children of the resurreccion And that the dead shal rise again Moses also shewed besides the bushe whan he calleth the lorde the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob For he is not a God of dead but of liuing For al liue vnto him Than certain of the Phariseis aunswered and saied Maister thou haste well saied And after that durste they not aske him any question at all Whan the saied parties were departed from hym there came vnto him of the secte of the Sadducees who vnder a false title of righteousnesse made much high solemnitie of theimselfes in like manier as the Phariseis had their name of excellencie in outward apparence to the sighte of menne wherein they thought theimselfes ferre to surmounte and passe the other sectes And the secte of the Sadducees hathe this one propreâ—ie by theimselfes that they dooe not beleue any arisyng again of the bodyes to bee after this lyfe neither any parte of man to remayne after death ne that there be anye Aungels These Sadducees propoune to the Lorde suche a question as foloweth Maister such manier a law hath there been geueÌ„ to vs by Moses that in case anye man after he hath maried a wyfe shal bee deceassed without chyldren the brother of the partye so deceassed shall marye the wedowe leaft by hym and succedyng in the place of his brother shal reise succession and issue vnto his brother of thesame womans bodye So than it fortuned that there were seuen brethreÌ„ of whome the fyrst maried a wife and died without issue The nexte eldest brother tooke her that was leaft to wyfe and dyed hymselfe lykewyse hauing had no chyldren by her Nexte after hym succeded the thirde brother into wedlocke accordyng to the course of his age who on his partie also dyed withoute chyldren And short tale to make in semblable manier was this womaÌ„ maried vnto euerye one of them vntill the seuenth and al had her and yet made she neuer an one of theim a father ne brought hym forth any chyld In processe of tyme dyed the woman too Now than at the general resurreccion which of the seuen brethren shall recouer the possession of this woman to his wyfe For ons maryed she was to euerye one of theim and she can not bee common to theym al ne to any mo housebandes then one By this toye hauing in it neither time nor reason the Sadducees supposed that the opinion of the Phariseis myght bee wyped clene awaye whiche Phariseis dyd stiefflye holde argumente that the soules doe remayne after the bodyes be dead yea and ferthermore that the bodyes of the dead shall one daye returne to lyfe againe Now because these mennes apposyng of hym conteined in it more foolishenesse theÌ„ malice Iesus vouchesalued to enstructe theÌ„ saiyng ye are in a wroÌ„g opinion in that ye imagyne the like state of thynges to bee in the lyfe to come as ye see in this presente world here The children of this world which worlde is neuer without successiue alteracion of some diyng euery day and othersome daily cummyng into the worlde dooe remedilesse seke out and procure wiues for their sonnes and doe sette out theyr daughters in mariage to housebaÌ„des for mankynde cannot by any other possible meanes bee continued in progeneracion of issue And therefore matrimonie emong them is not a thyng of blissefulnesse but of necessitie But those persones to whose lotte suche blisse shall falle that they maye be reputed woorthie the resurreccion of the iust and worthye thatsame worlde whiche knoweth no mortalitie suche neyther shall procure wyues for theyr soonnes nor shall geue theyr daughters to housebandes in mariage For what nede shall there bee of mariage or a carnall copulacion whan no bodye shall nowe dye For they haue nowe alreadye succeassed any longer to bee carnall and to bee subiecte to the incommodityes of this worlde but haue nowe receiued a bodye that shall neuer dye and shall nowe from hencefoorth none otherwyse liue then the Aungels dooe liue emong whome there is no mariage ne vse of wedlocke because there is no necessitie of dying Here in this worlde they that of mortall parentes are borne mortall dooe by the vse of matrimonye make prouision and meanes for continuing the succession of mankynde But those others beeyng nowe by the vertue of the spyrite newe borne againe and made the sonnes of God liuyng for euer withoute ende shall fele no misse of matrimonie because they shall not knowe death as beeyng nowe through resurreccion restored vnto lyfe immortall And because thissame doubtefull question hadde bene propouned of the Sadducees purposely to mocke the arisyng again of the deade because they beleued not that the soules dooe remayne aliue after the death of the bodye Iesus vouchesalued to enstructe their ignoraunt hertes concernyng this case too
that shal come that ye maie stande before the soonne of man Beeyng therfore adcertained that this dredfull tyme wyll come prepaire your selfes agaynst the cummyng of thesame that it come not vpon you soodaynly as ye lye sluggyng And that shall ye easily dooe yf ye shall beware that youre hertes bee not ouercharged with excesse of meates and with drounkennesse and with the other pensife cares of this present lyfe but rather so liue ye as though the said daye would come within an houre and bee as men not louyng anye thyng in this worlde but beeyng with youre wholle hertes and myndes bent vnto thynges heauenly So shall it come to passe that the saied daye shall not vnawares take you ere it bee looked for For vnto others who dooe so lyue as though the time that we speake of shoulde neuer come the daye shall so come as a snare or a trappe sette by priuye stealth of some bodye liyng in a wait to take an other and shal catche al creatures as many as haue not their hertes and iyes lift vp to heauen but dwelle vpoÌ„ the face of the yearth where we haue no permanent abiding but are in haste on our waye towardes thesame eternall dwellyng place And suche persones certes whyle they are occupied about other matters shall fele theimselfes taken before that they shall foresee the snare And to the enteÌ„t the lyke case may not chaunce vnto you flee ye all sluggyshenesse lye ye not styll slepyng in the sensuall pleasures or cares of this worlde but kepe your selfe stil wakyng and watchyng in the earneste exercise of heauenly thynges praiyng continually that God will vouchesalue to take you in the noumbre of theim that maye escape these so great perils and that ye maye stande vpright before the iudge that can not bee avoided that is to wete the soonne of man who lyke as he doeth nowe with great fauour prouoke all people to repentaunce so shall he at that tyme with greate seuerytye iudge both the quicke and the dead Leate no man thynke hym sure enough by his owne aide No creature shall bee hable to abide this iudgemente onlesse he bee fensed aforehande with the fauour of God But thesame fauour shall bee with none sauyng suche as dooe in the meane tyme with al possible zele and exercise goe aboute to shewe theimselfes woorthye to haue it For it shall at that tyme be ouer late for suche persones with pietious mone and lamentacion to call for his mercie as dooe nowe in this worlde abuse his pacient forbearing In the daie time he taught in the temple and at night he wente out and abode in the mount that is called Oliuete And all the people came in the mornyng to him into the temple for to heare him And now whan the time of his death approched Iesus did by exaumple of himself geue vs a lesson that at suche tymes principally meÌ„ ought to apply godly studies exercises whan the laste daye of the lyfe draweth nyghe For what the saied last day of which Iesus had now foreshewed so many thinges shal bee vnto the worlde thesame thyng is the daye of his owne deathe vnto euerye bodye particularly The Lorde therefore did in yâ— daye seasons ministre â—eachyng to dooe good vnto those of whom he know that he should be put to death as soone as night came he went thens into the mount of Oliuete to the enâ—ent he might the more quietly geue himselfe to prayer wherein he made vncessaunt intercession for the redemcioÌ„ of the world geuing a verai smal porcion of tyme to slepe And as soone as the day brâ—ke again the people woulde customably resorte vnto hym in the temple to heare hym teachyng The .xxii. Chapter ¶ The feast of swete breade drewe nigh which is called Easter and the high priestes and scribes sought how they myght kill him for they feared the people Than entred Satan into Iudas whose surname was Iscarioth which was of the nouÌ„bre of the twelue he went his way and coÌ„moned with the high priestes and officers how he might betraye him to theim And they were glad and promised to geue him money And he consented sought oportunitie to betraie him vnto theim when the people were awaie THe more that the people depended of the Lordes mouth and saiynges so much the more and more incensed were the priestes the scribes and the phariseis beyng confederate with the headmen of the lay fee to putte Iesus to death And nowe dyd also the tyme drawe nere in whyche it had bene tofore decreed and was most expedyente that the same hoste should be killed in sacrifice for the redempcion of all mankynde For vnto the conueighaunce of this determinacion there was specially chosen oute and deputed a daye of the moste highe solemnitie of all others emong the Iewes whiche they call the feaste of swete brâ—ade because that as long as the dayes of thesame feaste lasted it was to the Iewes a thyng agaynste all gods forbod to eate anye leauened breade thesame daye was also called Phase whiche in the Syrians toungue is as muche to saye as a passage or passyng ouer so named of a lambe of one yere olde with whose bloude the highest partes of the postes were anoyncted because the Aungell of the Lorde shoulde passe them ouer whan he should be a destruyer of all such as had not this marke on their doores And suche a daye was nothyng to the paye or to the mynde of the priestes and the scribes who would muche liâ—ffer haue had his death closely handled and halfe stollen without any such high buisinesse or open a doe and as lyke as myght bee to the common manier of doyng execucion vpon other common malefactours But Iesus pleasure was to haue his death openly knowen to the worlde and to bee solemnelye dooen and in euerye behalfe to agree with the figures of the olde testamente and with the holye saiynges of the prophetes For this was that holy lambe not knowyng anye spotte of synne with whose fleashe the true Israelites are dayly refreashed throughout all the wholle worlde vniuersall with whose moste holy bloude we beeyng throughly clensed haue beene conueighed from damnacion and haue beene deliuered from the tyranny of synne and goyng daylye ferther and ferther awaye from Egipt we dooe make haste towardes thatsame heauenlye lande moste plenteouslye flowyng with all kynde of blisse absteinyng in the meane tyme from the leauened breade and liuyng in the simplicitie and sinceritie of the spirite euangelicall So than suche a day was speciallye chosen of God to that same true sacrifice where as it nothyng pleased the phariseis that it should so be For he suffred death not at the arbitrement or pleasure of the Iewes but at the pleasure of his father and hymselfe at suche tyme as he woulde in suche place as he woulde and in suche manier as he woulde hymselfe For nothyng was there in this matter eyther doen vnaduisedly or
disciples The partie shal byanby know the title of maister euen as an other did one day acknowlage thee calling of me Lorde at what time ye vntyed the Asses colte This partie shall without any delaye shewe you a great wyde parlour with a bourde already couered and all thynges prepared for a repast there to be taken in it and there make ye the pascall lambe ready for me Nowe consider me this point o frēde Theophilus an hoste of none acquaintaunce it is that findeth Christe the parloure to suppe in and a bearer of water is that leder vnto the house where Christ kepeth the solemnitie of his pasche For by meane of baptisme and by the doctrine of gods woord is the entering into the churche the liuely water of gods word doeth clense and the water also of the sacrament doeth clense The good mā of the house hath no name expressed because the churche of Christe is euerywhere springyng first vp of derke and lowe beginnynges but spreadyng it self ferther ferther abrode frō day to day into the whole vniuersal world And because the beginnyng of all health and saluacion is faith the discyples beleue the lord and are obediently rewled by him They departe into the citie they fynde him that was carriyng the pitcher of water they folowe thesame as he goeth before and leadeth the way They declared to the good mā of the house suche message as they had been cōmaunded He sheweth theim a great large dinyng parlour For wyde large it must nedes be which is able to receiue all the naciōs of the worlde For the Iewes Synagogue is but a place of narow roume And ferre frō earthly thinges must such people be sequestred as are disposed to eate the meate celestiall Here in this place than do the disciples prepare the supper verily executyng the office of pastours And whan the houre was cum he sate doune and the twelue Apostles with him And he said vnto thē I haue inwardly desired to eate this passeouer with you before that I suffre for I say vnto you henceforth I wil not eate of it any more vntill it bee fulfilled in the kingdome of god And he toke the cuppe gaue thankes and said Take this and deuide it among you for I say vnto you I will not drinke of the fruite of the vyne vntill the kingdom of god be come And he toke bread whan he had geuen thankes he brake it and gaue vnto thē saiyng This is my body which is geuen for you This do in the remēbraunce of me Likewise also whan he had supped he toke the cuppe saiyng This cuppe is the newe testament in my bloud which is shed for you Yet behold the hand of him that betraieth me is with me on the table and truely the soonne of man goeth as it is appoynted But woe vnto that man by whom he is betrayed And they began to enquire among themselfes whiche of them it was that shoulde dooe it And whan it was nowe supper tyme Iesus came thyther and sate downe to eate with his twelue specially chosen disciples because the residue were not yet able to receiue the depe hiddē mistery whiche his pleasure was that it should by meane of his Apostles be made common vnto such as were once already entred in the misticall rules and profession of the ghospell Than as sone as meate and drynke was sette before theim on the table the lord to the entent he might depely enprient in the mindes of his Apostles that he would suffre the death of the crosse not for any necessitie at all to himself warde but onely for the loue of redemyng mankynde sayed vnto theym With great and earnest desire haue I desired to eat this pascal lābe with you before my death the time wherof I reioyce to be now come because I thirst the redēpcion of man For this woorde I assure you of from this tyme forthward I wyll not eate this pasche with you according to the litterall ordeinaunce and prescripcion of the lawe but an other pasche of more perfeccion shal after the spirite bee accomplished in the kyngdome of god This lambe here whiche is euery yere once solēnely killed of the Iewes cōprised a figure of my death Now is the true thyng self come in place and the shadow shall ceasse ye shal from hensforth solemnise vnto me a ghostly and an effectuall passeouer the eatyng whereof shall make you immortall So after that they had euery one tasted of the lambes fleashe Iesus tooke the cuppe in his hande and gaue thankes vnto his father than geuing the firste assaye of the cuppe and holdyng it foorth vnto them he sayed vnto his disciples Take ye and deuide ye this emongst you And take ye this for a true woorde of my mouth I wyll not from hensforth drynke of the fruite of the vynetree for the necessitie of the fleashe but the kyngdome of God shall immediately bee present Euery one of these thynges whiche the lawe hath had outward and carnall shall be spiritually shewed and ministred And thus ferre is an ende of the figures of the lawe Immediatly hereupon the lorde Iesus entendyng by a misticall figure or token to consecrate to his seruauntes a newe testament tooke breade and after thankes geuing to his father he brake it with his owne handes and deliuered it vnto the disciples saying This is my body whiche is betrayed vnto death for you My death shall not be doen any more then this once For this onely one sacrifice of my death is sufficient for the synnes of all ages and tymes aswell paste as to come But ye shall oftentymes renewe vnto yourselues the memory of my tendre loue towardes you dooyng the lyke emong your selues that ye nowe see doen of me For this shal be an high and holy signe of a bande and league made betwene me and you Than as soone as supper was doen he tooke the cuppe also and reachyng it foorth to them he sayed This is the newe testament consecrated not with the bloud of a calfe or a goat but with mine owne bloude whiche is poured foorth for the redemyng and sauing of you ye haue nowe the highest token and pledge that can be of myne entier loue towardes you And in dede there ought to bee a like loue in you towardes me agayne but yet there is one here at the table emongest you who will betraye me into the handes of them whiche seke me vnto death Neither is all this doen by casualtie but it is so prefixed by the determinacion of God it is so foreshewed by the prophetes that the sonne of man should by suche a processe redeme mankynde Indede a good necessarie poynt of seruice it is that he doeth herein towardes the vniuersal redempciō of man but yet because he doeth it of a wicked minde thesame thyng shall in conclusion turne to his damnacion the whiche shal bee the instrumente of saluacion to others The determinacion of
euen muche aboute noonetyde for so doe the Iewes rekon from this houre of noonetyde at whiche tyme of the daye the sunne is woonte to bee moste hotte and to shyne moste brightest of all there came soodaynly a great derkenesse ouer all thatsame countrey aboute Hierusalem and so continued till the nynth houre that is to saye till three of the clocke afternoone For the sunne detesting and abhorryng suche great iniquitie of men did hyde his face at suche time as he should be put to death who was the light of the worlde The yearth also dyd quake stones brake a soondre and euery parte of nature trembled at so horrible a dede of crueltie Ferthermore the vaile of the temple whiche parted the inner holy place whiche they called Sanctum sanctorum from the other parte of the temple rented quite a soondre in twoe partes no manne stieryng it shewyng openly that the shadowes and ceremonies of the Iewes should nowe ceasse after that this sacrifice was once accomplished whiche alone was sufficient to pourge and clense the sinnes of all tymes both past and to come But Iesus whan he had with a loude crye sayed Father I commende my spirite into thy handes yelded vppe the ghoste So that it myght bee euidente to all men that he dyd not fainte as others are wonte to doe the strength of theyr bodies by litle litle consuming awaye but that byanby after a strong stretche or crye and after woordes distinctely pronounced he willingly as ye woulde saye and of his owne accorde gaue vp the ghoste This thyng dyd the Centurion well apperceiue and marke who purposely stode hard by the crosse that no man should take them downe alyue from the tree And of this man also had Iesus a testimonie of his innocencie for he glorified God that he had shewed so great power in him and sayed Uerayly this man was righteous openly condemning the vnrighteousnesse of the Iewes For whosoeuer pronounceth hym an innocent that is condemned maketh hym an offendour that hath condemned thesame All the other coumpanie of them who as the common guise is had come to see the execucion in dede a great many moe then would els haue come partely the fauour and partely the hatred of Iesus had drawen thither whan they had seen the thynges whiche had fortuned returned home knockyng theyr brestes partely for sorowe that a man so innocente and a doer of suche good dedes had been so vngodly intreated and partely for feare of the stroke and vengeaunce of God whiche they knowing themselfes culpable in theyr owne conscience did of the straunge tokens that they had seen mistrust and deme to hang ouer them For thesame manne whome in his lyfe tyme they had seen of lowe and poore degree and a maÌ„ none other lyke but to be contemned thesame doe they see euen at his dying houre a manne of great power insomuche that all the elementes of this worlde were shaken and disordred â—ut of theyr course Here eftsones o Theophilus marke thou one other poâ—â—â—â— that there was at all tymes more grace founde in the Gentiles then in the Iewes who tooke vnto them the laude of deuocion towardes God and of holy conuersacion aboue all others The Centurion glorifieth God the Iewes doe no more but feare his stroke being made afearde with thynges of woondre whereas with so many benefites they could not possibly be wonne Ferthermore they that were of Iesus kynred or familiare with him in his life time stode a ferre of beholding what was doen and durst not for feare come nerer Emongst these were also the wemen which for desire and good will to minister thynges necessarie to him to his disciples had folowed him from Galile as witnesses and beholders of those thynges which were doen. And thesame beyng nowe destitute of all hope dyd nothyng els but mourne and make lamentacion for hym And beholde there was a man named Ioseph a counsaylour And he was a good man and a iust thesame had not consented to the counsayle and dede of them which was of Aramathia a citie of the Iewes whiche same also waited for the kingdome of God He went vnto Pilate and begged the body of Iesus and tooke it downe and wrapped it in a linnen cloth and laied it in a sepulchre that was hewen in stone wherein neuer manne before had been laied It beeyng therfore by many euident tokens assuredly well to be seen and knowen that the lorde was vndoubtedly dead leste any man myght fynde some poynte of cauillacion eyther that he was not a veray naturall manne in dede orels that he was not veraily dead behold there cometh in a man of his owne free offre by whom the lordes buriall myght be executed and accomplished which buriall Iesus pleasure was should be clenly and honourable His life had been milde and lowe without bearing any part his death had been a thyng of muche effecte his buriall was magnificent and his resurreccion glorious So than euen at the veray houre euen as God would cometh in willingly of his owne free offre a certain maÌ„ named Ioseph borne in Aramathia a citie of Iewry a good man and a iust and one of the noumbre of them that loked for the kingdom of God This maÌ„ although he were one of the chiefe men of that nacion for he was a noble senatour a rewler yet had he neuer consented to the couÌ„sayle and dedes of the priestes the scribes and the head meÌ„ of the people although for feare of their power which hated Iesus he durst not openly professe or acknowlage the good will and zele of his herte towardes Iesus For as yet they had not geuen vnto them boldenesse by the holy ghost that all thynges despised they might haue the power openly to professe the name of Iesus The other disciples therfore being drieuen away for feare only Ioseph together with Nicodemus dareth take in hande the office of burying the Lorde whether it were because the fauour of menne towardes them that be good doeth after the death of thesame encreace more more orels because the saied Ioseph iudged the enuy of the Iewes against Iesus to be now saciate with his death Wherfore he cometh vnto Pilate to whom he was a man well knoweÌ„ by reasoÌ„ of his nobilitie asked of him the body of Iesus But Pilate would not geue it him before he had perfect knowlage by the CenturioÌ„ that he was throughly dead Than Ioseph tokeÌ„ the body and after it was taken downe from the crosse â–ª and enbaumed all ouer with swete odoriferous sauours he wounde it vp in a fyne shete hauing in the meane time no hope at all of his resurreccion of the whiche Iesus had briefly in fewe woordes geuen knowlage but a litle afore vnto his disciples but in suche wyse had he doen it that they thesame disciples better remembred it then beleued it And because they had an opinion that Iesus was a good man and putte to
carnall loue of weomen plucked awaye from God and drawen euen vnto idolatrie Consider ye nowe in what sorte the woordes of Nathan doe agree with the woordes of Esai Thou shalt saieth Esai be called the citie of the ryghteous man and the faithfull citie And of all meÌ„ that euer were there hath been none besides only Christe alone who myght be called purely righteous not only free from all corrupcion or infeccion of synne but also suche an one that by and through him all men are iustified and made righteous And what doeth Christe require of his seruauntes but fayth And for thesame consideracion did he call his churche which caÌ„not skill of the workes of the lawe the faithfull citie wholly altogether staighyng and trusting on him alone Whan ye heare that this citie shal be redemed in iudgement ye see the confidence and trusting on the ceremonies of the lawe to bee taken awaie For God iudgeth not man of his workes but of his fayth not of meate or drinke not of the garment or of solitarie quiete liuing but of the godlynesse of mynde And the iudgement is this that suche persones as shal beleue in Christe shall through the death thesame Christe who suffred peines and tormentes for all creatures be redemed from theyr synnes and shal be iustified through his righteousnesse yf they folowe goe the steppes of their head and captaine Ye heare nowe and knowe the spirituall citie and teÌ„ple which caÌ„not be shewed ne pointed vnto with mens fyngers as neither the kyng and workemanselfe can be poynted vnto according to the lesson here folowing which himselfe taught whaÌ„ he was heare liuing whan they shall saye Beholde here is Christe beholde yonder he is beleue ye them not The Iewes glory in the mounte of Sion whiche beareth the temple But after this there shal be a ghostly Sion bearing vp the myndes and soules of them that beleue froÌ„ the couetous desire of thynges earthly to the study of thynges celestiall of whiche the Prophete Esai prophecied vnto you saying And there shal be in the last dayes an hill prepared the house of the lorde in the top of mountaines it shall be lifted vp aboue all hilles And all nacions shall flowe vnto him there shall many peoples goe and shall saye Come ye let vs clyme vp to the mountaine of the lorde to the house of the God of Iacob and he shall teache vs his wayes we shall walke in his pathes for forth of Sion shall the lawe come and the woorde of the lorde forth of Hierusalem Dauid also doeth ofttymes make mencion of this spirituall mounte They that trust in the Lorde as the mounte of Sion shall not be moued for euer whiche dwelleth in Hierusalem And of this materiall temple of whiche the Iewes are nowe proude howe it shall shortely be cast downe euen Christe also prophecied Your house saieth he shal be leaft deserte waste vnto you And that the selfesame thyng should euen so come to passe God had before that tyme threatened vnto Salomon as ye reade in the third booke of the kynges And the temple whiche I haue poynted marked out to my name I shall cast out froÌ„ my sight Israel shal be into a prouerbe into a common talkyng stocke to all peoples this house shall be into an exaumple Euery body that passeth by it shall be astouned for woondres and shall hisse at it and shall saye wherfore hath the Lorde thus doen to thissame lande and to thissame house And they shal aunswer Because they haue forsakeÌ„ the Lorde their God For this is thatsame house the prouoker with whom God doth by his Prophetes so often tymes chyde and bralle and whiche so ferre forth fell froÌ„ their God that his only sonne they hoighced vp nayled on the crosse Yea and moreouer in stede of a people carnall and stifnecked the Prophete doeth promise a people peaceable obedient euen vnto death For in maner folowyng doeth Esai speake and they shall forge theyr swordes into plugh shares their speares into sithes and sicles One nacion shall not lift vp the sworde against an other nacion neither shall they any ferther forth be exercised to fightyng in battayle Ye house of Iacob come ye and lette vs walke in the light of our God Are not these woordes consonaunt and agreable to the woordes of Christe in whiche he promised that he would of the very stones reiâ—e vp children vnto Abraham and whan he called himselfe the lyght of the worlde whom whoso folowed should not walke in derknesse whan he cast at them this saying of the Prophete Esai This people honoureth me with their lippes but their herte is ferre from me And as for a newe people he promiseth vnto hymselfe by the Prophete Oseas a people not makyng vauntes and braggues of theyr workes but acknowlageyng the mercy of God And it shall be in a place where it shall be saied vnto theÌ„ Ye are none of my people it shal be saied vnto theÌ„ the children of the liuing God And again And I shall haue mercy on the same people whiche was destitute of mercy signifying the people of the Gentiles who wheras it hath hitherto serued idolles shal shortly receiue the doctrine of the ghospell which the Iewes hath refused forsaken of whom the Psalmiste Dauid also hath prophecied tofore A people whom I knewe not hath serued me in hearing of the eare hath it obeied me Did not the woordes of Christe agree with this prophecie whaÌ„ he saied I haue other shepe too which are not of this folde euen them also must I nedes bryng home Forsouth the priesthood and the kyngdome restored and made newe again dooeth make all thinges newe And as for a newe priest the holy writte of the Prophetes had promised aforehande For the misticall psalme renneth in manier and forme folowyng The Lorde hath sworne and it shall not forthynke hym thou art a prieste for euermore after the ordre of Melchisedec Melchisedec beeyng bothe a priest and a kyng the priest of the highest god for he was not instituted by the lawe and the kyng of Salem that is to saye the kyng of peace signified Christe who neither hath had begynning ne neuer shal haue endyng Thissame Christ not through the bloud of calfes or of goates but through his owne bloude entreth into the high holy place to make intercessioÌ„ for the synnes of all the whole worlde And this sacrifice he executed in the altare of the crosse offreyng himself a moste pure sacrifice vnto God the father Suche a prieste certes had god long agon promised vnto Helias whan he was readie to dye I shall sayeth he reise vp vnto my selfe a feithfull prieste who shall doe after myne owne herte and after myne owne mynde and I shall builde vp vnto him a feithfull house and he shall walke before myne enoynted people al dayes for euer And veraily this is
he had caryed tofore sayed vnto them Why dooe ye yet feare me as the sight of a ghoste seeyng that ye playnly beholde me with your iyes and knowe my fauour of olde and seeyng that ye heare my voyce beyng acquainted and familiar vnto you yet neuerthelesse dooe thoughtes of vnbelief mystrustyng aryse yet still in your hertes euen suche like as are woont to come commonly in mēnes myndes Satisfie ye euery one of your senses vieu and beholde you my hādes my feete they haue manifest prientes of the nailes touche handle ye my syde it hathe the gashe of the speare fele ye my bodye come nerer me with your iyes leaue ye suspectyng of any spirite For a ghoste hath neither fleashe nor bones as ye see that I haue That I entred in hither the doores beeyng shutte that whan my wyll is I am seen and whan my will is I am inuisible it is not any blyndyng of mennes iyes by any sleyght but the gifte of the body beyng now made immortall And euen suche lyke shal your body also be after the resurreccion Whan the lorde had by suche woordes as these taken awaye the feare from thē and had put them in a comforte he shewed foorth vnto them his handes and his feete to be viewed he opened his side that they might handle the manifest dientes of the woundes For it was the lordes pleasure to reserue thesame to the entente that by those euidēt tokens he might than emong his disciples perfectly auouche the trueth of his humain bodye and also that he maye in tyme to come at the laste daie of iudgement enbraide to the Iewes their vnbelief accordyng to the prophecie which sayeth They shall see in whom they haue perced and made holes Nowe wheras some there wer yet still which did not plainly belieue it to bee thesame bodye that they had seen dead but were in case that a certain inebriacion as ye would saye of drounkenship or gladnesse did so holde theyr myndes that they did neither perfectly beleue theyr owne iyes nor theyr eares nor theyr handes for oft tymes we be afeard to belieue the thyng whiche we doe rather then our liues wishe to be true as men fearing leste we should caste our selues into some fooles paradise or false ioye wherof to bee anon after depriued again Iesus vouchesaluyng with all tokens of euidence to bee a Phisician to their vnbelief because there should no spiece of the lyke mistrustfulnesse remaine in vs saied Haue ye any thyng here that maie be eaten For none there is a more vndoubted token or prouf of a man to be aliue then yf thesame take meate And therfore Iesus willed meate to be geuen to the damisell whā she was called again to life sembleably also vnto Lazarus not that we shall fele any hūger after that we be reised agayn to immortalitie but because he woulde as that presēt tyme requyred confirme and make euidente vnto his disciples the veritie of his humain body There wer present at that tyme in the same place a good nūber of his disciples and yet was there but veraye small prouision of viandrye Therfore that that they had they bryng foorth whiche was a morsell of fishe that had been bruiled and a honey combe Than Iesus in the sight of them al eate parte of the thinges whiche were set before hym And he sayed vnto them These are the woordes whiche I spake vnto you whyle I was yet with you that all must nedes be fulfilled whiche were written of me in the lawe of Moses and in the Prophetes and in the Psalmes Than opened he theyr wittes that they might vnderstande the scryptures and sayed vnto them Thus it is written and thus it behoued Christe to suffer and to aryse agayn from death the thyrde day and that repentaunce and remissyon of sinnes shoulde bee preached in hys name emong all nacions and muste beginne at Hierusalem And ye are witnesses of these thynges And beholde I will sende the promisse of my father vpon you But tarye ye in the citie of Hierusalem vntyll ye bee endowed with power from on high And whan he had nowe made all theyr senses perfectely to belieue that he was no sighte of any ghoste but a verai and a liuyng man euen thesame whō they had tofore seen bothe liuing and also dying he taketh recourse vnto the holy scriptures wherunto there ought credite to bee geuen although the sēses of man should neuer so muche crye against it Ye ought not sayeth he to meruaill at the thynges whiche ye see to haue been doen. The scripture cannot lye forasmuche as it hath been wrytten by the inspiracion of the holy ghoste Whatsoeuer thyng hath hitherto been doen thesame had been foreshewed and prefigurate afore in the bokes of Moses in the prophetes and in the psalmes For euen I am veray he whom the figures of Moses lawe did signifie I am the man of whom the holy prophetes promised so many thynges and it is I whose first springyng vp whose progression or goyng foreward and whose cōsummacion the misticall psalmes doe describe And with no lesse trueth shall all the rest of thynges also bee perfourmed which haue in thesame scriptures been foreshewed concernyng my returnyng into heauen concernyng the spirite of God to be sent who after that this bodye of myne shal be taken awaye from you shall make you the more stedfast concernyng the ghospell to bee spredde throughout the whole vniuersall worlde and concernyng the laste ende of this worlde These are the thynges whiche I did so many tymes labour to beate into your heades whan hauyng yet a mortall bodye subiect vnto death I lyued conuersaunt emong you beeyng also mortall At that tyme had not the premisses setled in your hertes now can ye not any longer doubte whan ye see my sayinges to agree with the misticall scriptures and the cummyng to passe or sequele of thynges to agree with them bothe Hitherto as the tyme hath required I haue tendrelye borne with the weakenesse of your fleashe and I haue with grosse proufes laied the trueth of matiers before you From hensforthe growe ye forewarde to a spiritual vnderstandyng of the scriptures There shal ye frō henceforth see me there shall ye heare me And because the misticall bokes are not vnderstanded excepte God open our mynde and reason Iesus opened vnto them the iyes of theyr herte that thei might reade belieue and vnderstād that was written in the scripture For no man doeth vnderstande scripture but he that dooeth beleue it In this ordre sayed Iesus it hath semed good vnto my father to restore mankynde And the thyng whiche he had decreed hath ben set forthe by his inspiracion in bookes of holy scripture The selfe same thyng hath been foreshewed by me before it was doen neither was it possible that it should any otherwyse come to passe because the determinacions of God are immutable and the holy scriptures can as litle
skille to lye as the selfe spirite of God by whole instincte they haue been wrytten By death and by open shame of the crosse the waie did lye vnto glory it was necessarie that I shoulde arise again to lyfe on the thyrd daye to the ende ye might know your selfes to haue a Lorde and an aduocate beyng a liuesman and one that from hensfoorth shall dye nomore And thesame your aduocate beeyng admitted into heauen shall from thence send vnto you the spirite of god Than muste ye in the name of Iesus Christe preache repentaunce of the lyfe past and the remission of all synnes without the kepyng of Moses lawe Thesame remission of synnes shall bee geuen to all people through euangelicall feith onely I haue suffred the peines in the behalfe of all creatures leat them no more but beleue and they shall atteigne the state of innocencie And these thynges muste be preached not onely to the Iewes but also to all nacyons of the worlde but yet prouyded alwayes that ye begynne firste with Hierusalem In Iewrye was I borne there haue I wroughte miracles at Hierusalem haue I taught and suffered death Emōg this people shall ye fynde hertes by meanes and wayes nowe already prepaired vnto feith Unto these people shal ye renewe the memorie of the thynges whiche ye haue seen an heard My doctrine whiche I firste receiued of my father and than taught vnto you ye shall poure out again into them The world will gainsaye and withstand your testimonie lyke as it did vnceassauntly crye out against me But I as I haue heretofore saied will from my father sende vnto you the spirite whiche he long agone promysed by the prophetes that he woulde sende whan he spake by the mouth of Iohell And it shall bee I shall hereafter poure out my spirite vpon all fleashe and your soonnes and your daughters shall prophecie whiche spirite holy Dauid also did wishe for whā he saied Sende thou furth thy spirite and they shal be created and thou shalt renewe the face of the yearth Thatsame spirite shall make you strong inuincible against all terrours to bee shewed of this world Thesame spirite shall morouer geue you eloquence whiche no creature shall bee hable to gaynesaye he shall also geue you power to worke miracles in sorte that your testimonie concernyng me shall bee a thyng of condigne pith and efficacie Ye in the meane tyme vntil than bee ye in perfecte quiete and rest with yourselues and beeyng congregated together in one coumpainie remayne ye in this citie of Hierusalem begynnyng there the concorde and vnitie of the churche that shall spryng vp and exhorte ye one another with holy communicacions deuoutly praying and geuyng thankes vnto God vntill thatsame spirite come from aboue who shall enstructe and arme you with power and strength celestial ¶ And he led them out into Bethanie and lift vp his handes and blissed them And it came to passe as he blissed them he departed from them and was caryed vp into heauen And they wurshypped him and returned to Hierusalem with great ioye and were continuallye in the temple praysyng and laudyng God Herupon after that Iesus had by soondry euidente prouffes confirmed the veritie of his resurreccion he led his disciples into Bethanie and beeyng euen now readie to departe from hence into heauen he lift vp his hādes and blissed them representyng euen in this veraye poynte also thexāple of the patriarkes and of Moses And in thesame instaunte while he wisheth well vnto his disciples he was lifted vp from the yearth and in sighte of them al was carryed vp into heauen Than the disciples fallyng prostrate on the grounde wurshipped the Lord lookyng after him with theyr iyes as long as they might But muche more did thei looke after hym with their hertes after that his bodye was taken awaye from their iyes The premisses thus executed and dooen they returned to Hierusalem accordyng as the Lorde had enioyned them and returne thei did with great ioye For nowe had feith shaken of from theim all sorow and heauinesse and assured hope of the promises did geue thē cherefulnesse In the meane season thei wer muche and oftē in the temple as men euen thā alreadie offreing euangelicall sacrifices praysing and magnifying the bounteous goodnesse of god towardes mankynde and rendryng thankes vnto hym for that he had decreed freely to geue suche high benefites vnto mortall men through his sonne FINIS To the moste vertuous Ladie and moste gracious Quene Katherine late wife to the moste noble kyng Henry the eight of moste famous memorie deceassed Nicolas Udall your highnesse moste humble seruaūt wisheth health and all prosperitee in Christ. WHen I cōsider most gracious Quene Katerine the greate noumbre of noble weomen in this our time and countreye of Englande not onelye geuen to the studie of humaine sciences and of straunge tongues but also so throughlye experte in holy scriptures that they are hable to compare wyth the beste wryters aswell in endictynge and pennynge of godlye and fruitfull treatises to the enstruccion and edifiynge of whole realmes in the knowleage of god as also in translating good bokes out of Latine or Greke into Englishe for the vse and commoditie of suche as are rude and ignoraunte of the sayd tounges I cannot but thynke and esteme the famous learned Antiquitee so ferre behynde these tymes that there cannot iustelye bee made any comparison betwene them Cornelia a noble matrone of Rome throughe longe conuersacion and continuance with her learned housebande was in the processe of tyme so wel learned so eloquent that hirself was the chiefe principall instructrice and brynger vp of hir two sonnes Caius Gracchus and Tyberius Gracchus in all their learning and made thesame at lengthe so fyne that they yet to this daye remayne registred in the noumbre of the absolute and perfecte Oratours of olde tyme. We reade of one Amesia in Rome a woman so well spoken so fine of toungue that beynge on a time indicted and arrained of a grieuous offēce she so wittily so piththily and wich suche grace made answer for hirself that all the whole benche Courte than presente iudged her for the mere respecte of her eloquence and witte in that present perill and ieoperdie there shewed worthy by theyr whole cōsentes sentences to be quit and discharged of the law for that crime Hortensia the daughter of Quintus Hortensius brought vp continually frō hir cradle and tendre infancye in the house and companye of suche a noble Oratour came at lengthe so nere to the perfect eloquēce of her father that she was hable in publique hearing to make oracions and thesame of so piththye a sorte that where the noble weomen of Rome were on a time sore taxed to departe with their golde iewels toward certayne necessarie charges of that cōmon weale Hortensia came before the cōmissioners to speake in the behalfe of the matrones with her exquisite
father and the sonne of the speaker and the worde that was spoken like as he was the onely beegotten sonne of his onely father so he was the onely woorde of the said father being therof the onely speaker ¶ The same was in the beginning with god al thinges were by it and without it was made nothing that was made And albeit this woorde was God being almighty of him that was almightie yet differing in proprietie of person not by vnlikenes of nature he was with god the father not brought furth in time but before all tymes so alwayes procedyng from the fatherly mind that neuertheles he neuer departed from thesame Neyther was he create of the father but the father made all thynges that be create both visible inuisible by this his worde beyng lykewyse eternall as he is himselfe By the same woord he gouerneth all thinges by the same he hath restored all thinges not vsyng it as an instrument or minister but as a sonne of the selfe same nature and vertue that he is of to thintenâ— that all manier of thynges should come from the father as the excellent auctour and maker of thesame but by the sonne whome he had eternally begotten and shall be get without ende like to himselfe in all thinges ¶ In it was lyfe and life was the light of men and the light shineth in darkenes and the darkenesse comprehended it not And this woorde of god had might power not only to make all thinges in generall both visible and inuisible at his will pleasure as it were with a becke but also in that worde was the life strength of all thinges that were create that by thesame euery thyng should haue his naturall strength and force and by the might whiche was once geuen to them saue themselfes in their kynde by continuall generacion For there is nothing idle or without vse emonges so great a multitude of thinges Euery herbe and tree hath his strengthe put into it and euery beast hath a certain wit in his kynde But as by his prouidence he hath framed al thinges whiche he hath create by a certain power naturally graffed in theim euery thing to worke his propertie and to the continuaunce of his kinde so he hath not lefte the moste faâ—â—e workemanship of this worlde without light For as he is to all folkes the fountain of lyfe so is he also the fountain of lyght by reason that his father powreth into hym the fulnes of the diuine nature by an euerlasting natiuitie So that he only restoreth lyfe yea euen to the dead and by his light putteth awaye the darkenes of mens mindes be they neuer so darke Therefore the woorde of God whiche is Christ Iesus is to mens myndes the selfe thing â–ª that the yearthly sunne is to bodily iyes whose mindes after they were fallen thorowe sinne into most depe darkenes and death he labored to helpe with his vnspeakable charitie For before that tyme men dyd lyue in ignoraunce and abyding in the darkenes of synnes wurshippyng dumme ydoles in stede of the true God being synfully drowned in blind desyres of theyr mindes lacked the iyes of the hert wherwith eternall trueth is perceyued God had sprinkled into mens mindes some litle sparke of a quicke perceyuing wit but bodily affeccions and darkenes of synnes had blinded the same And the darkenes of this worlde was so very great that neyther mans wisedome and philosophie neyther the religion of Moses lawe nor yet the lyght of the Prophetes coulde put it clerly awaye But at the last came that our eternall moste bright sunne to whose inuincible light all darkenes geueth place and he came to restore lyfe to all men not only to the Iewes but to all nacions of the worlde And by putting away the darkenes of synnes to geue syght to all people that thorowe the lyght of faith they might acknowlege God the father onely to bee wurshipped and loued and his onely sonne Iesus Christe This bodily sunne doth not geue lyght to all men at once for it hath his soondrye courses but this other spirituall lyghte by his naturall power dooeth shyne yea euen in the moste thicke darkenesse of the worlde offeryng it selfe to all menne to thentente they maye haue lyfe again and see the waye of eternall saluacion whiche is open to euery body through the faith of the ghospell And although the world being blinded with the filthines of synne and the cloude of synfull desyres woulde not beholde this lyght yet could it bee blemished with no darkenes of this worlde how greate soeuer it were For he onely was pure from all impurenes of synne neyther was he any other thyng but light all manier waies pure and vncorrupted For the darkenes of this worlde doeth coÌ„tinually striue against the lyght wiche the worlde hateth as the bewrayer of his workes and that darkenes doth eyther quenche or darken the beames of many but against this lyuely and eternal lyghte it coulde nothyng preuayle The Iewes haue striuen against this lyght the Philosophers the great men of the world and all those whiche hath dedicate themselfes wholly to transitory thinges but this light hath had the victory it shineth still in the middes of the darkenes of the worlde and ener shall shine making all men partakers therof so they will apply themselfes to bee apt to receyue it But what should a man doe to them whiche wittingly and willingly repell the lyght whan it is offred vnto theim whiche whan they bee allured and called to the lyght of purpose shut theyr iyes because they wyll not see it Truely the sonne of God dyd leaue nothyng vndoen wherby any man should lacke his lyght ¶ I here was sent from God a man whose name was Iohn the same came as a witnes to beare witnes of the lyght that all men through hym might beleue he was not the lyght but was sent to beare witnes of the lyght For he dyd not preace hymselfe sodainly into mens sight lest he shoulde the more haue blinded them by reason of their incredulytie and lacke of beliefe For who woulde haue beleued a thing so muche to bee meruayled at excepte lytell by lytel he had prepared mens mindes by many wayes to belyefe Therefore he not being satisfyed to haue declared to all men by this wunderull creation of the worlde both his almighty power wisedom excedyng great goodnes and excellent charitie towardes mankind neyther yet contented as it were to sygnifie his cumming before hand by so many prophecies of the prophetes and so many shadowes and figures of the olde lawe in conclusion he sente a man more excellent then all the Prophetes wose name was Iohn who although he deserued the chiefe prayse of holynes emonge all men that were borne vntil his time and was called an Aungel for the dignitie of his office being greater then any Prophetes office yet he was none other but man very largely endued with many giftes of God
law had promised Therfore by their malice it came to passe that the light whiche brought eternall lyfe to the beleuers therof was to them occasion of greater blyndnes But their frowardnes could not hinder the health of theym that beleued in it but rather the blindnes of the Iewes made open way for the Gentiles to the lyght of the ghospel They which vnto that time were taken for the people of God which onely did boaste theimselues in the wurshipping of the true God in the religion of the lawe in the kynred of the fathers and in the promises of Gods testament turned theimselues from the sonne of god when he came to theim And therefore the Iewes being righteously caste out as rebels to the ghospell the grace of the ghospell remoued thence to the Gentiles that the course of thinges being altered they whiche before swelled in pride thorowe the false colour of religion shoulde openly declare their wickednes reiecting the sonne of him whom they wurshipped for God And on the other parte thei which before were vtterly contrary to true religion and dyd wurship beastes and stockes for their goddes shoulde enbrace the holynes of the ghospell by faith howebeit vpon this occasion the Gentyles were so admitted to bee saued by the ghospell that neyther the Iewes nor any other nacions at all shoulde be excluded from hauing entry therunto so they woulde put away their stubbernes and shewe theymselues obedience to faith which is the principall and onely gate to eternall saluacion But as many as receyued hym to theim gaue he power to be the sonnes of God euen them that beleued on his name And albeit many both of the Iewes and the Gentiles whiche loued the worlde more then God withdrewe themselfes from this lighte yet the cumming thereof was not in vayne Firste of all it did manifeste their infelicitie whiche thorowe their owne faulte did depriue themselues of so greate goodnes frely offered vnto them Neyther coulde any man doubte but that by the iuste iudge mente of God they shoulde be reserued to eternall deathe Furthermore it caused that of the contrary parte it shoulde more euidently appeare howe notable the liberalitie of God was to them which with a simple redy faith would receiue the woord of the gospel And for that cause he that was bothe the sonne of God and God did humble himselfe to our lowe estate to thintente that thorowe faith he might exalte vs to his highnes Therfore he toke vpon him the rebukefull misery of our mortalitie to make vs partakers of his godly glory Therefore also he woulde be borne a corporal man of the virgin to thintente we should be borne again spiritual of God and for that purpose he came downe into the earth to carry vs vp into heauen The stately scribes and pharisees the proud kinges and powers of the worlde the stoute and hau◠philosophers were reiected because they woulde not beleue But to this high dignitie were admitted men of lowe degre of litle estimacion without renoume vnlearned persons bondemen barbarous men and sinners whom the worlde hath in no estimacion at all of whom nothing is required but pure faithe neither cunninge nor noblenes of bloode nor yet the professyon of Moses lawe but all that did receyue this worde of what nacion or condicion so euer they were of his behalfe he gaue to theim this dignitie that they beinge graffed in Christ thorow faith and baptisme and hauing professed his name should be made euen the children of God that they mighte bee made by adopcion the same thinge whiche Christe was by nature And what can bee higher then this honour that they whiche before were the children of the deuill inheritours of hell shoulde thorowe faithe onely be made the children of God the brethren of Iesu Christe and coinheritours of the kingdome of heauen As touching the flesh we were all borne the children of wrath of our firste father Adam but by the worde of God we be released from that sinfull kinred touching the spirite we be happily borne again of God by Iesu Christ. Which wer borne not of blood nor of the will of the fleshe nor yet of the will of man but of God For finally God takethe for his children not suche as bee borne the children of Abraham by mans sede or actuall luste in generacion but those that be borne of God by faith Our first father Adam had begotten vs after an vnfortunate and miserable sorte for he begate vs to deathe and hell Moreouer they whiche are borne touchinge the carnal birthe bee not all borne to one estate for some he borne to a kingdome some to bondage But Christe Iesus the auctor of our newe generacion doth regenerate al men without difference to like dignitie that the bondage of sinne and the misery of mortalitie put awaye thorow faith and grace they may be made children of the lyuyng God And the same woorde became fleshe and dwell emong 〈◊〉 Neyther is it any meruail though man be transformed after a sorte into the felowship of the godly nature seyng the woord of God did submit it selfe for this cause to take our fleshe that is to say a mortall body of the virgine ioyning together in himselfe two thynges moste vnlyke God and manne what thing is more frayle or more vile then mans fleash and what thing is more mighty or more excellente then God Neuer meruaill that these thinges were knit to gither It was God that did it Neither mistrust that men may be made the children of God seynge he loued vs so that for our sake he himselfe would be made the sonne of man doubtles he toke vpon him no fantasticall body for who coulde loue a vain vision or a disceitful illusion but truely he toke vpon him the body of a manne that is to say the full and perfect nature of man abhorring not so muche as that parte wherby we be subiect to death and dooe very litel diffre from the kinde of brute beastes And he bacame not man for a small time redy by and by to put awaye that thinge whiche he had taken but to proue assuredly that he toke his manhed not deceitfully or vnder a colour he was long conuersaunt in earth he was hungrie thirstie diuers waies punished suffred death was seen with iyes hearde with eares and touched with handes And to thintent this dignitie should alwaye remaine with mankinde the godhed hauing the manhed with it and in it being glorified sittinge on the righte hande of the father allmighty dooeth stil dwell in vs. And we sawe the glory of it as the glory of the onely begotten sonne of the father full of grace and trueth Neuertheles he lacked not his godly maiestie when he in his manhed walked here in earth for we whiche liued familiarlye with him are witnes that he was both God and man we haue seen him hungry athirst slepinge wepinge vexed and dyinge We haue hearde him speake with the voice of a
them his power which he had receiued of God the father therby to make them afearde to procede in theyr wicked crueltie and doeth so tempre his communicaciō that otherwhiles he talketh of certaine hye thinges to signifie vnto thē couertly his diuine nature whiche was all one betwene God the father hym And otherwhiles againe in his communicacion he bringeth in lower thinges to testifie his māhed therby that it the affinitie which was betwene him and them in that he was mā would not stirre them to loue at the leaste the maiestie of his godly power should let them from their wicked rashenesse but yet he doeth so chalenge to hymselfe lyke power with his father that neuertheles he attributeth to him the preeminence of autoritie And he spake on this wyse Ye meruayle that I haue taken vpon me to be of equall power with my father in his workyng This I doe assuredly promyse you the sonne whiche doeth wholy depēde of the father can doe nothyng of hymselfe forasmuche as he is not of hymselfe but doeth that whiche he seeth his father doe They haue both one will and one power but the autoritie resteth in the father from whence procedeth to the sonne whatsoeuer the sōne is or may doe Therfore whatsoeuer the father doeth thesame in likewise worketh the sonne by the equalitie of power communicate to him through his eternall natiuitie Among men oftentymes children be vnlike in maners to theyr parentes neyther is the fathers wyll and the sonnes all one nor yet theyr power like but in this case the thing is farre otherwyse For the father loueth his sonne intierly and hath begotten hym moste like to hymselfe pouryng into hym egall power of workyng and sheweth vnto the sonne howe to doe all thynges whiche he doeth himselfe The exaumple cummeth from hym but the workyng is common to both he hath create the world and he also gouerneth the world yea euen vpon the Sabboth dayes He hath made man and it is he also that preserueth man vpon the Sabboth dayes Therfore whosoeuer doeth slaundre the workes of the sonne doeth iniurie to the father These thynges whiche ye see me doe on the Sabboth daye I doe them by the fathers autoritie at his appoyntment but yf ye thinke it a thyng to be merueyled at and aboue mans power to restore helth with a woorde to a man sicke of the palsey the father at whose commaundement the sonne doeth all thynges whiche he doeth wyll declare that he hath shewed to his sonne greater workes than these because ye may she more maruaile For it is a thyng of farre greater power to raise the dead to life than to restore helth to the sicke yet the father hath geuen this power also to the sonne and he hath geuen him it as his owne for euer that as the father with his only becke rayseth the dead and calleth them agayne to lyfe so the sonne also by that selfe power may call agayne to lyfe whom he lust for whatsoeuer the father doeth he doeth it by the sonne whatsoeuer the sonne doeth he doeth it after the will of the father and the father the sonne haue both one wyll lyke as they haue both one power The moste hye and chiefe autoritie of God is to iudge the world For he is king and Lord of all thynges And yet hath he made his sonne partaker with hym of this whole power vnto whom he hath geuē al power to iudge whatsoeuer is in heauē in yearth vnder the earth Like as the father hath create all thynges by his sonne gouerneth al thinges by his sonne and hath restored al thinges by his sonne so he iudgeth nothing but by his sonne to the entent that eyther of thē may glorifie and honour the other The father is knowen by his sonne by whom he worketh the sonne on the other partie declareth the maiestie of his father from whence he hath whatsoeuer he worketh so that eyther of them beyng knowen by the other all men may honour the sonne as they doe the father For it is mete that they which be egall in power and will should be also felowes in honour Thinke not that ye can haue the father mercifull vnto you if ye be alienate fallen from the sonne Whosoeuer honoreth the father working in the sonne he honoreth also the sonne working by the power of the father And whosoeuer doeth not honour the sonne which is moste intierly beloued and moste lyke to the father that person doeth dishonour the father who sent the sonne to thintent he might through hym be honoured for euery thyng is common betwene them be it honour or dishonour He that mistrusteth the sonne mistrusteth also the father which sent hym into the worlde by whose wyll and appoyntmente he doeth all thynges that he doeth and by whom also the father speaketh vnto the worlde Lyke as the faithfull shall haue great reward so the vnfaythfull shall haue no small punishmente Uerily verily I saye vnto you he that heareth my woorde beleueth on him that sente me hath euerlasting life and shall not come into damnacion but is scaped from death vnto life For this I tell you for certayne whoso heareth my woorde and beleueth hym whiche both sent me and speaketh in me that persone hath already euerlasting life For whosoeuer is iustified from his sinnes and lyueth to God thorowe righteousnes he hath God and also life eternall neyther shall he nede to feare the damnacion of eternall death whiche is redie to receyue the vnfaithfull yea rather which doeth alreadie possesse the vnfaithfull but the true beleuer beyng clensed from his olde sinne by faith passeth thorowe frō death to lyfe For it is a greater thyng to rayse a soule that is dead by sinne from death to life than to restore a dead body to life but the father hath geuen power to the sonne to doe both these thynges Uerily verily I saye vnto you the houre shall come and nowe it is when the dead shall heare the voyce of the sonne of God And they that heare shall lyue For as the father hath lyfe in hymselfe so lykewyse hath he geuen to the sonne to haue lyfe in hymselfe and hath geuen hym power also to iudge because he is the sonne of manne Maruayle not at this for the houre shall come in the whiche all that are in the graues shall heare his voyce and shal come forth they that haue doen good vnto the resurreccion of lyfe and they that haue doen euil vnto the resurreccion of damnacion Be ye well assured of this the tyme is now at hande yea it is alreadie presente that euen the dead also shall heare the voice of the sonne of God and whoso heareth it shal liue for they being as it were raysed out of their slepe shall come forth out of their graues and shall declare vnto you beeyng astonished therwith that they liue in very dede In like maner also the dead soules doe liue
repugne and refuse my saying though being still carnal ye do not rightly vnderstande it nor take it as it ought to be taken but rather labour for the true vnderstanding therof For the woordes which I haue spoken vnto you are not carnall as you interpretate them but be spirite and lyfe and whye Uerely because they beeing spiritually vnderstand do conferre and geue lyfe to the soule He that receiueth these woordes rightly and truely eateth my fleshe and drinketh my blood being coupled to me gayneth thereby euerlasting lyfe But he that willingly refuseth them continueth in death thorough the synnes of his former lyfe and doubleth his owne damnacion of eternall death by reason of infidelitie And all they refuse this bread when it is offered them which beleue not my woordes And I knowe that these thinges are spoken al in vaine to sum folkes being right wel assured that there be sum among you which dooeth not credite my woordes and therefore reiectyng life when it is offered them they be cause of their owne vtter destruccion And for that cause our Lorde Iesus spake these thynges who was ignorant in nothyng yet he knewe well ynough or euer he spake these woordes whiche of his disciples woulde geue faith vnto hym And moreouer he coulde tell this also that euen amongest the twelue Apostles whom he so surnamed for honour sake and whome hee dyd also choose specially to bee aboute hymselfe as most sure frendes He knewe I say that there should be one of theim whiche woulde betraye hym to the Iewes that shoulde put hym to death Therefore to note them whiche though they dyd heare all one woorde and saying with the reste and though also one of the twelue should eate of thesame bread and drinke of the same cup which his felowes shoulde eate and drinke of yet shoulde not they obtaine lyfe thereby because they tooke and receiued that heauenlye bread not spirituallye but carnally Iesus added more and sayde for this cause I tolde you a litle before that no man coulde cum vnto me excepte it were geuen him so to do from heauen of my father To haue heard this my voyce is nothing to haue seen and felte this body is nothyng except the father of heauen haue geuen withall the iyes of fayth with the whiche I am loked vpon to the beholders health and vnles he shall geue therwith heauenly eares of the mynde with the whiche I am heard fruitefully and to the hearers commoditie From that tyme many of his disciples went backe and forsooke hym and walked no more with hym Then sayed Iesus to the twelue wyll ye also go awaye Then Symon Peter answered hym Lorde to whom shall we goe thou hast the woordes of eternall lyfe and we beleue and are sure that thou arte Christe the soonne of the lyuing God Iesus answered them Haue not I chosen you twelue and one of you is a deuill He spake of Iudas Iscarioth the sonne of Simon for he it was that should betraye hym beeyng one of the twelue These wordes of Iesus beyng full of the doctrine of saluacion dyd not descende doune into theyr myndes whose mindes were occupied with earthly desyres and couetousnesse who also vnderstood no heauēly thinges besides the grosse and carnall religion as they vsed it of Moses lawe Therefore after that Iesus had this communicacion among them the more parte not onely of the common people but also of his owne disciples fell awaye from theyr maister and thereby are made wurse whereby they myght haue been muche better in case they had taken all thinges well and receiued hym accordynglye and they so muche forsooke hym that they withdrewe themselfes from his cumpany and from eating and drinking with hym as men that by that facte woulde condemne his doctrine But Iesus to shewe euen now the maner and way how that preachers of the ghospel should behaue themselfes doeth neyther make to humble and vile suite to haue them tarie styll with hym leste he shoulde seme to dooe the thing that other are wounte to dooe that is to shew himselfe to stande in nede of their cumpany Neyther doeth he speake to the reproche of theyr goyng awaye leste therein he myght haue been thought to haue more sought his owne prayse and glory then theyr saluacion and yet he doeth not vtterly put them away from hym because they myght perchaunce afterwarde haue been better aduised but to declare that through their owne faute they were offended and so without any occasion geuen thē went awaye and that his saying shoulde not altogether lacke fruite although that sum made themselfes through infidelitie vnworthie any heauenly gifte Iesus I saye vpon these skylles tourning him towardes the twelue Apostles whom he had admitted and taken vnto hym to be the speciall witnesses and bruters abrode of all the thinges that he wroughte did so get out of theim the open confession of theyr belefe that he neyther retaineth these with flatterye as thoughe he had gonne about his owne buisinesse rather then theyrs neither did he to much feare theym with threatening and chiding leste they shoulde seeme to folowe Iesus rather compelled then with their owne consent perswaded For no man is to be compelled vnto the fayth of the ghospell And Iesus had leauer men should openly forsake him then to haue a disciple colourably aud fayuedly And therfore whiles other were departing from him Iesus saieth to the twelue And will ye also goe away from me ye maye tarye styl and ye lust vnlesse ye thinke it more your commoditie to departe Uerely I doe desyre that it might be euery mans lucke to haue this heauenly gyft by me but it is neither to be geuen to theim that refuse it for they dooe not deserue it nor any manne can attaine to cum by it excepte he be desirouse of it And yet it is the gift of the father that any man doeth couet and earnestly desyre it Here nowe doeth Simon Peter a man alway of a plaine and ardent faith towardes Iesus representyng in his person the whole churche and in the name also of other maketh aunswer cherefully and with great courage saying O Lorde God forbyd that we should forsake the for considering that we be muche desyrous of eternal saluacion and also knowe right wel how bare and vnpleasaunt how colde and vnprofitable those thinges are which the Phariseis teache and seing also that we haue hearde Iohn testifying of the whither els and to what other man should we go from thee ▪ for thou alone speakest the woordes which bring with them euerlasting lyfe Thou that receyuest euery one that will cum shalt not driue vs from the whom thou hast once admitted to thy seruice neyther do we desyre to chaunge our lorde and maister for we shoulde change for the wourse what new maister soeuer we shall choose For we not only trusting vpon thy woordes beleue thee but also wee knowe by the very dedes that thou doest and haue certainlye
their malice by his godly wysedome that he deliuered the aduoutresse oute of the stonecasters handes and yet did not clerely absoyle her as fautlesse leste he should seme to abrogate Moses lawe whiche was necessarily geuen to cause men refraine from euil dedes This I say did Iesus who came not to breake and abrogate the lawe but to fulfil it and againe on the other syde he did not condemne her because he came not into the worlde to haue sinners loste but to saue them For of trueth Iesus doeth euery where so moderate his woordes as touchyng those ordinaunces whiche the worlde obserueth necessarily euen to preserue a publike peace and for a common quietnes that he neither muche alloweth them nor improueth them but vpō occasion therof geueth monicion that generally all vngraciousnes is to be eschewed and not onely these dedes whiche worldly prynces lawes do punishe For truely there be in goddes iudgement crymes more horrible than these which yet the lawe doeth not punish notwithstanding they cannot escape punishment at goddes hande where he taketh on hand to reuenge the doer Therfore Iesus doeth neither refuse the iudgement which was cōmitted vnto him forasmuche as he is iudge ouer all nor he doth not appoint and cōmit the woman which was giltie vnto the men that wer in readinesse to cast stones neither doeth he cleare the woman of the matter who in dede had deserued to be punished but with silēce he succoureth her that was pulled hurried to pain to preserue her vnto penaunce and that she mighte with due repentaunce bee better aduised and conuerte to healthe and saluacion He gaue no aunswere by worde of mouthe but he spake the more by his dede He knewe the selye giltie woman to bee a sinner but he also knewe her accusers whiche woulde haue been thought righteous to be more sinfull then she was He did not take away Moses lawe but he shewed the mercifulnes of Christes newe law whereof he was thauctor he informed them that drewe the faultie womā to cruel pain to loke well vpon thēselues and according to gods lawe to examine their owne conscience duely euery one to shewe himself suche a one towardes his neighbour that had offended as he would haue god to iudge hym This thyng our Lorde Iesus did for our instruccion and he bowed downe hymselfe to signify that a man al statelinesse and pride layd doune wherwith any man flattered himself and of an hault minde despised his neighbour should descende doune into himself and loke wel vpon himself and being bowed doune Iesus wrote vpon the grounde euen to geue vs warnyng that God shall iudge euerye man after the lawe of the gospel The lawe written in tables made them by an vntrue righteousnes proude and arrogant The law written vpon the grounde maketh euery man through a conscience and knowlage of his owne infirmitie meke and mercifull vnto his neighbour Now whiles the Iewes preaced still vpon him to knowe his iudgemente although he had already by his dede pronounced it he stoode vp and so tolde them playnly his minde that wyst not what he meant by his doing and sayd He that is among you without synne let him cast the first stone at her With this saying he did not clearely assoyle the offender but he pearced their consciences And euery one of them knowynge himselfe giltie feared leste Iesus to whom they sawe wer knowen euen moste hid and seret thynges should haue published their vngracious actes When he had thus pricked their conscience he stouped doune againe and wrote vpon the grounde as it wer by that dede paintyng before theyr iyes what he would haue them to do He noted their arrogancie whiche toke vpon them to be holy when as in dede they were more synfull then those whom the lawe extremely punished For she whom they had brought foorth to be stoned with the commō handes of manye had not kylled her husband but through the frailtie of the fleshe had geuen the vse of her body to an other man and so committed aduoutrie They beyng full of enuy hatered complainyng couetousnes ambicion and deceite laye in wayte to kyl the lorde of the whole lawe who alone was free in al thynges and clerely pure from all synne Therefore vpon this the lordes answere euery one knowing himself giltie being afrayed lest he shoulde be bewraied and his faultes disclosed went out of the temple one after another the seniors the Phariseis the Scribes the Priestes and other head men goyng before and the rest folowing them For they whiche among that sorte wer taken for the very pillers and mainteiners of religion and iustice were euen sowsed in mormities and inwardly moste great synners When these folkes were goen out of whom neuer one was cleare and without fault Iesus remained alone who onely was without fault And nowe the synful womā found him which neuer hadde doen synne a mercifull iudge wheras she should haue had theim cruel murderers who were themselues giltie of grieuous sinnes Therfore the woman seing their crueltie stoode alone as a wofull synner before Iesus that was alone a woman ready to perishe before a Sauiour a sinfull creature before the fountaine of all perfeccion and holynes She quaked for feare euen of a very conscience but the clemencie of Iesus whiche shewed it selfe euen in his countenaunce put her in good coumfort and in the meane whyle our lord as it were a man occupied about an other thyng wrote vpon the grounde so that the Iewes as it well appeared wente a waye not as men afraied with the lordes threathynges but condemned in their owne consciences At lengthe Iesus stoode vppe and when he sawe that all were goen and the woman all alone and fearefull he speake curteously vnto her sayinge woman wher are thine accusers hath any man condemned the She answered no mā si◠Then Iesus sayed neither will I that came to saue all men bee more vnmercifull then they nor condemne her whom they haue not condemned The rigour of the lawe doeth punishe to feare men the fauourablenesse of the gospell seketh not the deathe of a synner but rather his amendemente and lyfe Therfore go thy waye and sinne no more hereafter By this example our lorde Iesus taught those that taketh vpon them to be shepeherdes ouer the people and to be teachers of the gospell howe greate sufferaunce and gentelnesse they ought to vse towardes them whiche fall into synne by frailtie for considering that he in whom was no synne at al shewed hymself so merciful towardes an open sinner how great ought the bishops gentilnes to be towardes offēders when as they themselues haue many times more nede of Goddes mercy then they against whose faultes they be very angry or in case they be not so synful certes their life is not without some spotte at leaste waye truely they maye by the frailtie of man fall into all kynde of synne ¶ Then spake Iesus agayne vnto them
will he went to his death furthermore that by his death and resurreccion he should be lyfted vp to heauen whither as no man by any worldly wisedom could be brought When with this saying the Iewes wer made afeard and vnderstode not what he ment they durste not for al that aske the meanyng but whispered and talked therof secretely among theÌ„selues saying What is the matter that this man doethe sundrye tymes threaten vs with his goyng awaye thither whither we cannot folowe hym wyll he violently kyll hymselfe and so withdrawe him from vs Iesus whiche knew the very thoughtes of them all dyd so temper and moderate his aunswere vnto this very grosse muttrynge and sinfull murmuryng that the thyng whiche he spake shoulde not bee vnderstande but after his death resurreccion and ascencion For they supposyng that Iesus was nothing els but a man could coniecture none other thyng but that he shoulde go to his death and so be delyuered from the grefe of his persecutours when as his meanyng was that hymselfe as touchynge his godhede came from heauen and that he should anon after ouercome deathe and returne agayne thither from whence he came Ye sayethe he beynge of this worlde are worldly wise and speake after the carnall iudgement of the world I am not of this worlde and do speake hyer thynges then you can vnderstande neyther shall ye euer vnderstande them excepte ye leaue your infidelitie and shew your selues ready to be taught and therefore I tolde you erwhile and now tell you once againe that vnlesse ye put away your malice ye shall dye in your sinnes The onely waye to escape the darkenes of synnes is to receiue the lyght The onely waye to lyfe is to knowe him whiche onely deliuereth from deathe by the faythe of the gospell And in case ye do obstinately-refuse to beleue that I am he by whom the father willeth that all men should obtaine life and saluacion ye shall thorow your own faulte dye in your synnes Then sayed they vnto hym Who aâ—t thou And Iesus sayeth vnto them euen the vâ—â—yâ— same thyng that I speake vnto you I haue many thynges to saye and to iudge of you Yeâ— and he that sent me is true and I speake in the worlde those thinges whiche I haue heard of hym Howbeit they vnderstoode not that he spake of his father Then sayed Iesus vnto them When ye haue lift vp on dye the sonne of man then shall ye know that I am he and that I doe nothyng of my selfe but as my father hath taughte me euen so I speake those thynges he that sent me is with me The father hath not left me alone for I do alwayes those thynges that please hym Neither yet did this saying of the lord Iesus settell downe into the mindes of the Phariseis so very muche had the inordinate loue of this world blynded theyr myndes and therefore as thoughe they had neither seen nor hearde anye thing wherby they might know who he was they now maliciously saie vnto Iesus who art thou but Iesus knowing before hand that thei would picke some quarell against whatsoeuer answere he should make which asked him the question of a frowarde mynde therewith also iudgeyng them to be more fitte to heare what themselues wer then what he was maketh them aunswere on this wise sayinge Ye desyre to knowe who I am wel then do beleue but surely ye shall not beleue excepte ye put awaye grosse and worldely affeccions for els if I doe tell you who I am I shall tell it to your harme For ye wyll not onely be neuer a deale better therby but forasmuche as ye be manye wayes euyll ye shall so muche the more be made wurse And this that I nowe speake vnto you shall make your damnacion the greater I thyrst and couet the saluacion of men and not theyr vtter destruccion Or els I coulde speake manye thynges of you and for manye causes condemne you But it is not so thought good to my father who sente me into the world not to cause the euyll to bee wurse but to thintent that those whiche be euill should forthinke and amende themselues and be saued The father that sent me is he that sayth trueth yf ye beleue hym ye shall be saued And ye shall beleue hym yf ye will beleue me of truethe ye shall without daunger safelye beleue me that speake nothynge vnto you but what as I haue heard of my father with whoÌ„ I was before I came into the worlde He hath commaunded me to speake true thynges the trueth of suche thynges as do further meÌ„ to saluacion and not to damnacion And yf any man do perishe he shall perishe thorow his owne faulte who doeth enuye his owne health that is offered him But the blyndnes of the Iewes was so grosse that althoughe he had so ofte made mencion of his father from whom he was sent and to whom he shoulde go of whom he should haue recorde and did heare the thynges whiche he did speake as yet for all that it vnderstood not that he spake of the father of heauen because they coulde beleue nothynge in hym aboue a manne For these sayinges were then as seedes closed vp in the memorye of the hearers to thintente that they shoulde then bring furth frute when as all thinges shoulde be fully accomplished whiche the Prophetes had written of Iesu. It was expediente that as yet he shoulde be thought a very man vntill he had fully finished for the saluacion of the worlde that hye sacrifice whiche was to bee offered vpon the alter of the crosse For it so pleased the father that by death God shoulde bee glorified Our lorde Iesus in the meane time meaning this goeth furth in his communicacion insinuating couertly that he shoulde afterwarde willinglye be crucified by them sayeth thus When ye shall lyfte vp on hye the sonne of man euen very then ye shall vnderstande who I am and after that ye shall thinke me vtterly made awaye then in conclusion ye shall well knowe my power For ye shall right well perceiue that the thing is wrought not as men do thinges but by my fathers power after whose pleasure and iudgemente I do what thing soeuer I do practise herein earth to the saluacion of man Neither do I speake any thing but according to his minde And albeit I am sente into the worlde from hym yet am not I forsaken of hym he hath not lefte me but he is alway present with me and doeth assiste me and by me he both worketh and speaketh vnto you for betwene vs two is a moste hye consente he is glorified by me and I againe by hym but he is the auctor and I the messenger And I do the office of an embassadour so faythfully that I alwaye do those thinges whiche he hath commaunded and determined Moses and Dauid whom ye haue in great reuerence spake and did manye thinges according to Gods will but yet thesame did
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
his disciples kepyng silence for feare because he of late escaping the handes of the Iewes was thought to be more safe in the deserte Iesus sayd vnto them Let vs go into Iewrie again WheÌ„ the disciples heard Iewry named remembryng howe vengeable and cruell the Phariseis hatred was cowardes him and how often they had taken vp stones to cast at him how ofteÌ„ they endeuored themselues to apprehende hym the disciples I saye stoode in dreade not onely of theyr maisters harme but also of theyr owne For as yet they had not receiued the holy ghost and bare a certayne worldely affeccion towardes Iesus themselues lykewise through feblenes lothyng death Therefore dissuading him from goyng agayne into Iewrie they say Sir haue you forgotten how that there a while agoe the Iewes would haue stoned you vnlesse ye had secretely withdrawen youre selfe And will you goe thither agayne puttyng your selfe in open daunger But Iesus did coumforte theyr fearefulnesse by a parable signifying that nothing is to be dredde of them that cleane to Christ who is the light of the worlde For the night hath vayn feares The daye knoweth no suche terrours Hathe not the daye sayeth Christe twelue houres The night shall not come before his tyme. In the meane tyme whosoeuer walketh in the daye stumbleth not for why the sunne maketh him to see and to eschewe stumblyng But the sunne beeynge taken awaye whosoeuer walketh in the night stumbleth because he lacketh light I am the light of the worlde it is right mete that you be guided by me and folow my conductyng and not to goe before the lighte Be not afrayde before the tyme. So long as I geue light vnto you there is no ieopardie The night shall come wheÌ„ you beeing disseuered from me shall bee troubled ¶ This sayd he and after he sayd vnto them our frende Lazarus sleapeth but I got to wake him out of slepe Then sayd his disciples Lord if he slepe he shal doe well inough Howbeit Iesus spake of hys death but they thought that he had spoken of the naturall slepe Then sayd Iesus vnto theÌ„ playnly Lazarus is dead and I am glad for your sakes that I was not there because ye may beleue neuertheles let vs goe vnto him When Iesus had with this saying mitigate the Apostles feare he sheweth the cause of his goyng furth on his iourney saying Our frende Lazarus sleapeth I therfore go hence to wake him When as the disciples that were troubled with feare supposed that Iesus dyd not speake of very deathe but of the common slepe they aunswer Sir if he slepe there is no cause why you should goe thither for slepe in sicke folke is woont to bee a token of recouery of health The disciples wer loth to go into Iewry again and therfore to the vttermost of theyr power they doe auoyde the causes of going thither But Iesus did by litle and litle prepare the myndes of his earnestly to consyder and beholde the miracle to come For he had therfore leauer say fyrst he was aslepe then dead to the entente he might after the vsage of holye scripture shewe the hope of the resurreccion For they be rather aslepe then dead whiche reste to lyue agayne Neyther is it so easy for any of vs to awake hym that sleapeth as it is for the Lorde to call the dead to lyfe Therefore the discyples not vnderstandyng the thyng that he spake of sleape and waking out of sleape to let them know that no hidde thyng was vnknowen to him he sayth vnto them more playnly Lazarus is dead nor he added not the thing that was than more stoute to be spoken as concerning the raysing him vp agayn For he woulde rather that to be signifyed than expressed and hys mynde was rather to dooe the thyng than promyse it euery where makyng readye for vs an exaumple of modestye and temperaunce And because he aunswered them that tolde hym his frende was sicke that that sickenes was not deadly but chaunced to the entente that Goddes glorye and hys sonnes also shoulde bee set furthe by it a lyke thyng sheweth he to his disciples saying I am glad that I was not there while my freÌ„de was sicke and dyed and for youre cause I reioyce that youre truste whiche I perceyue to bee weake as yet may bee strengthed and confirmed with a more euident miracle For if the sicke man had mended and recouered healthe I being present it might haue bene thought a casualtie in case I had at hys sisters requestes raysed hym that had bene newly dead the Phariseis whiche fynde faulte with all thynges mighte haue layed for them that it had bene a lacking of senses or but a swouning no death for that sumtimes happeneth in some diseases that the bodies lying a long time in swoune come to lyfe agayn Now for asmuche as it is a very death in dede there shal be a more plenteouse matter of beliefe Therfore let vs go to him The going thither pleased not the disciples for feare of the Iewes which feare slacke sore in theyr mindes and yet coulde they not improue the godly and weightie cause of that iourney And albeit Iesus was not ignoraunt what thing troubled the myndes of his disciples and though also he swaged theyr dreade by reason that he sayed he shoulde goe to Bethania and not to Hierusalem yet neuerthelesse the nyenesse of the place that they feared made also theyr timorouse myndes afrayd Then sayed Thomas which is called Didimus vnto the disciples let vs also â—o that we may die with hym Then went Iesus and fouÌ„d that he had lien in his graue tower daies already Bethanie was â—yt vnto Hierusalem about fiftene furlonges of and many of the Iewes came to Martha and Marie to coumfortt them ouer theyr brother The disciples being carefull and pensyfe and yet durste they not refuse to do their maisters commaundement Thomas whome the Grekes cal Didimus and in Latine is named geminus a twinne being more timorouse than the rest sayeth vnto his felowes let vs also goe if it be certaynly thus to dye with him for as muche as his determinate mynde is to bring bothe himselfe and his into a manyfeste peril of lyfe wheras he may so deuise that bothe shall be in safetie Iesus than went furth with hys disciples to Bethania founde that Lazarus had lyen in hys graue fower dayes alreadye Uerily Bethania was about fiftene furlonges of from Hierusalem and thereof came the discyples feare and thereupon also arose occasion that caused the miracle haue moe witnesses and lokers vpon For the nighnes of the place caused many to come thither out of Hierusalem euen of fauoure they beare to Marie and Martha and of neyghbourlye duetie to coumforte them in the deathe of theyr brother Whiche kinde of office and duetie was wont to be doen to riche folke euen for honour sake Martha assone as she hearde that Iesus was cumming went and met him but Marie sate stil in the
vnto him Lorde come and see And Iesus wept then sayed the Iewes behold how he loued hym And some of them sayde Coulde not he whiche opened the iyes of the blinde haue made also that this man shoulde not haue dyed So than Marie went furth and founde Iesus as yet vnentred within the walles of the towne but abode in that place where as Martha had late before met him For he tarried there for Marie whome he commaunded to be called to hym chosyng a place fitte to weorke the miracle in because the graue was not far from that place as the maner was than to make the dead mens sepulchres nye the hye wayes When Marie was come thither assone as euer she sawe Iesus as in dede she was very woefull she fell downe at his feete spake weping the same thing that hir syster had sayde Lord sayth she if thou haddest bene here in due time my brother had not bene dead and we had bene without this miserable weping and waylyng But Iesus seeing Marie altogether in heuinesse the Iewes lykewise that folowed her wepyng withall he dyd not reason and stande in disputacion with her as he dyd with her sister Martha with whome he talked aparte the people being remoued asyde neyther dooeth he promyse any thyng when as nowe was place and tyme to performe in dede that whiche he had promysed Martha but Iesus I say firste of al groned in the spirite and was troubled in himself euen to shew the truth of his manhoode ready anon after to bryng furth a sygne of hys diuine power and Godhead They were no fayned affeccions that he was of so lothsome a mynde and in himselfe so troubled but there was good skill why he tooke vnto hym those mocyons of mynde whiche came not of the infirmitie of nature but by the consente of reason neyther was it al one cause why other wept and why Iesus was troubled They bewayled the death of the body of a certayn worldely and naturall affeccyon Iesus rather mislyked and lothed mennes sinnes whereby so many soules shoulde peryshe he was dysquyeted throughe the inuincible dyffydence of the Iewes who wepte for theyr frendes bodelye death when as them selues as touchyng the soule were subiecte to eternall deathe and yet dyd they not wepe for themselues Iesus desyred that all men should reuiue from this deathe and had indignacion that hys doctryne miracles and deathe should be loste in many one Therefore after that by horriblenes of spirite and by trouble of mynde in countenaunce iyes and in the whole habite of his bodye he had genen a manifest profe of hys manhoode teachyng also by the waye that it behoueth not to yelde and bee subdued to suche affeccions or to be called away from thynges of vertue the turmoyle of his mind beeyng refrayned and stayed Iesus sayde where haue ye layed hym not that he was ignoraunt therof but to remoue all suspicion of disceyt from the myracle His kinsfolkes aunswereth Lorde come and see That aunswere proued that the graue was not far of And nowe as if at the sight of the graue his sorow had ben renued Iesus wept Groning and trouble went before a token of sorow that with force entred into hys mynde Teares are as it were the bloud of a minde already wounded and ouercome But these teares came not from a mind that was ouercome for they were not bestowed vpon Lazarus that was dead but they were for vs that we should beleue him to be very man and also learne how death of the soule is to bee pitied and lamented whiche yet men doe not in suche sorte abhorte and bewaile But the Iewes supposing that Iesus was in suche moode for nought elles but for the death of hys frende with whome he was acquaynted behold say they how enterely he loued Lazarus for whom being dead he wepeth in such sort and yet were they nothing of kinne And some there were that would haue layed to his charge and rebuke his teares wherwith he testifyed no meane or common loue towardes Lazarus sayng Dyd not thys felowe of late geue sight to the blinde beggar with whoÌ„ he had no acquaintaunce Why than made he not that his great frende should not die In case he had no wil to doe it why dooeth he nowe signifye with teares loue that cummeth out of season If he could not doe the thing that is more easie to be doeÌ„ how did that feat which is of more difficultie to be dooen The phisicion manye tymes saueth the sicke mans lyfe There was neuer maÌ„ before gaue sight to him that was borne blind ¶ Iesus therfore againe groned in himselfe â–ª and came to the graue It was a caue and a stone was layed on it Iesus sayed take ye away the stone Martha the sister of him that was dead said vnto him Lord by this time he â—â—inketh for he hath bene dead fower daies Iesus sayth vnto her Saied I not vnto thee that if thou didst beleue thou shouldest se the glory of God â–ª then they toke away the stone from the place where he that had bene dead was layed But Iesus nowe being nye to the graue to declare playnly how horrible is the state of a manne that hath alreadye lyen long in synne and with howe great repentaunce howe many teares are nedeful that throughe Gods mercy he may penitentely returne to the lyfe of innocencie dyd grone agayne and fared euill with hymselfe exemplyfying in hymselfe verely the thyng whiche ought to be exhibite in vs if we will eftsones repente vs of the euilles and returne from the same wherin we haue long tyme nusseled our selues Nowe than they were come to the graue It was verely a caue whose mouthe was closed with a stone layed vpon it And that made much to the beliefe of the miracle and to exclude the suspicyon of inchauntment and delusion and because the beliefe therof should be more certayne and sure if the thyng were dooen by the handes of hys frendes and not with Iesus owne handes or hys disciples for those frendes suspect no fraude or illusion Iesus than turned him to theÌ„ and sayed take awaye the stone The playne meanyng of Martha sister to the dead man did also set furth made a more certentie of the miracle For she now forgetting what Iesus had promised her did through the wepyng and heuinesse that she sawe Iesus in come agayne into her olde mynde and affeccyon and conceiued almost a certayn diffidence Uerely she feared lest the stone beeyng taken awaye the styncke of the deade bodye shoulde offende theyr noses that stode by not considering that he which in the general resurreccion should rayse all mens bodies already many hundreth yeres before turned into duste coulde rayse a dead bodye euen newlye putrifyed She I tell you thus thynking sayd Lord by this tyme he stinketh For he hath bene dead fower dayes Iesus therefore did with a litle rebuke styrre vp the vnconstaunt and wauering womans fayth saying
at libertie the Romaines will make cruell warre agaynst vs And so with al the prophane Gentiles shall kepe with force thys holy place and with mannes slaughter make hauocke and destroy the whole flocke of the Iewes And one of them named Caiphas being the hie priest the same yere said vnto them ye perceiue nothing at all nor consider that it is expedient for vs that one man die for the people and not that all the people perishe This spake he not of himselfe but being highe priest the same yere he prophecied that Iesus should dye for the people not for the people only but that he should gather together in one the childreÌ„ of god that weâ— scattered abrod Whereas this their aduice vnder the pretence of a publike health tended to the destruccion of Iesus Christ thautour of all health yet was it thoughte vnto Cayphas to slender a deuice and to weake a counsell He was the bishop of that yeare For that dignitie as thoughe within a whyle it shoulde fayle for altogether had ceassed to be a continuall roume but beyng a benefice sette to sale it was fined for euery yere to the prynces Therfore he that professed him selfe chiefe prelate of religion being more wieked then all other blameth the cowardship of them that with deliberate counsell did further debate the matter whether Iesus were to be put to death or nay whereas it thought he all other thynges set aparte was to be dooen incontinently and with spede You sayeth he that sitte deliberatyng whether thys felow that doeth suche thynges is to be put to execucyon or no seme not to wey the matter as it is nor ye consider not howe it is profitable and expedyent for euery man that thys one should dye for the people rather than that he being saued al the people should perishe This saying came not of the byshops owne mynde that was vngracious and full of murder but by reason of the office of priestehode whiche he than bare the spirite of prophecie dyd bryng foorthe a godly prophecie by the mouth of a wiâ—ked man which sayd prophecie did geue foreknowledge how it should come to passe that Iesus should by his death redeme saue the Iewes not onelye to bryng thys to effecte that suche of the Iewes as dydde beleue shoulde be saued alone but that those also among the Gentiles whiche lyued in diuers countreys dispersed through the wholle worlde but to thys ende apoynted that they shoulde once be made the children of God through fayth of the ghospell might be counite together and that the man of Iâ—de the manne of Ethiope the Greke the Scithian and the Britan should ioyne together in felowship of a common vniuersall churche Then from that day furth they toke counsel together for to put him to death Iesus therfore walked no more openly among the Iewes but went his way thence into a countrey nighe to a wildernesse into a citie whiche is called Ephraim and there continued with his disciples Now therfore the Phariseis being stablished with this voyce of the wieked bishop doe in theyr hertes certaynly determine which thyng they often before atteÌ„pted as occasion serued to rid Iesus out of the way by all meanes possible as though therby they well prouided for the preseruacion of the common weale and agayne leste theyr vngracious act shoulde be the lesse sinfull they coulour their impietie supposing they had now found out matter to stiere and prouoke al the people likewise openly and by the lawe to put Iesus to death as a hurtefull man to the whole nacyon of the Iewes neyther neded they as they thought any fault or any new cause to lay to hys charge Iesus therfore from whom nothyng was hid although the rumoure of the people did not aduertise him of the Phariseis and priestes pretenced malyce shewyng himselfe a very man al the while he was in Iury came not abrode leste he should increase their fury But he conueied himselfe a farre of from the bondes of the citie of Ierusalem the killer of Prophetes went to the citie of Ephraim wherunto the deserte was nye signifying by that dede that the wicked Iewes should forgoe their Synagogue and a newe people that should not sticke to the vnfrutefull workes of Moses lawe but to the fayth of the gospell should be gathered together and a churche made of them whiche people should also as the significacion of the Hebrue woorde betokeneth grow of a small beginnyng into an exceadyng great thing for Ephraim to the Hebrues signifieth encreasing Iesus therfore tarryed here with his fewe disciples whiche though they were wofully afearde of themselfes also yet durst they not forsake their Lorde And the Iewes Eâ—ster was nye at hande and many went out of the countrey vp to Ierusalem before the easter to purifie themselfes Then sought they for Iesus and spake among themselfes as they stode in the temple what thinke ye seyng he cummeth not to the feast day The hye priestes and Phariseis had geuen a commaundement that if any man knewe where he were he should shewe it that they myght take hym Now the very time was come sothly apoynted of the father when Christ should be offered vp in sacrifice for the saluacion of mankinde For that most religiouse day of the Iewes was at hande which they call phase that is to weâ—e a passing ouer in English Easter by that name calling to their remeÌ„braunce that dede which was that long before the tyme the bloud of a lambe striken on the postes did saue the Hebrues from the sworde of the Aungell that kylled the Egypcians and those only houses passed ouer that had their postes marked with the lambes bloud Now therfore before the feast which was verie nie many went out of diuerse coastes of Palestine to Ierusalem there being purified with ceremonies of their law to solemnise the most holy feast And to let vs know that nothing is more vnreligiouse than Iewish religion which consisteth in visible thinges sith also the while they take great hede with much vaine deuocioÌ„ leste they ouerslip any thing that was prescribed them of Moses or that was added to by the Phariseis they be not loth to doe that thing on the moste sacred daye whiche is of al thinges most wieked that is to wete to shead the bloud of an innocent maÌ„ Therfore wheÌ„ there was a great throng of people together many of theÌ„ knewe Iesus whose maner was to be present at suche feastes they wondered that he was not there present and standing in the temple they talked one to an other what should be the cause that contrary to his customable maner Iesus was absent froÌ„ so solemne high a feast From which solemnitie would not he yet altogether absent himselfe but to thentente he myght come more loked for he deferred his cumming vntill such time as he thought best Furthermore the bishops and Phariseis suspecting him sumwhere to hide himselfe for feare they traueyled gaue
mans nature And if in time to come ye feale that nature irketh and repineth against the dreadfull tormentes and deathes wherewith ye be menaced and threatned doe not vtterly sterte awaye as men discomfeited clearly ouercome but let valiantues of mynde alwaye depending of the father of heauens ayde vanquish in you the feblenes and cowardnesse of mans nature But euen nowe also I fele myne owne soule troubled in my selfe because the daye of my death is nye I see a sore greuouse tempest imminent and hang ouer me What shall I saye or whither shall I turne me shall I yelde to the infirmitie of the body which abhorreth death Shal I flee to the succours of the worlde or shall I for the loue of mine owne life neglect the life of the whole worlde no not so I will accommodate and applye my selfe to my fathers will My naturall infirmitie beyng sore incumbred with the horriblenesse of death shall say vnto him Father if it may be kepe me safe from this instant perill of death But charitie whiche muche desireth mans saluacion furthwith putteth to this saying Yet rather for all that sayeth she in case it be fit and expedient so to be let the coueted death come when as after the will of the spirite whiche doeth no where disagree with thyne I haue willyngly and wittingly offered my selfe to death Nowe bryng thou it to passe that my death and resurreccion maye cause thy name to be notable and famouse in al countreys of the worlde that when thou art once knowen the people honoring thee may attayne to eternall saluacion Than came a voyce from heauen saying I haue both glorified it and will glorifie it againe The people therfore that stode by and heard it sayed that it thundred other sayed an aungell spake to hym Iesus aunswered and sayed This voice came not because of me but for your sakes Nowe is the iudgemente of this worlde nowe shall the prince of this worlde be cast out And I if I were lifte vp from the earth will drawe all men vnto me This he sayed signifying what death he should dye After our Lord Iesus had thus prayed with his iyes lift vp into heauen the voice of the father came from heauen saying I haue glorified my name and will after this more excellently set it forth For alredy his name through so many miracles was waxed great and muche knowen among menne by his sonne but moste chiefly by raysing Lazarus from death to lyfe And soone after would he augment the glory of his name in all the nacions of the worlde by the crosse by the resurreccion and by the ascendyng vp into heauen by sending downe of the holy ghost and by the preaching of his Apostles Moreouer the route of people whiche stode not farre of when they heard the voice that came downe from heauen because they toke lytle hede neyther was it euident to them vnto whom that voice did appartayne that cumpany of people I say agreed not in their opinions of the thyng For some did interpretate the voice that they thought they heard to be a thuÌ„der for the voice came out of the cloudes Some againe did interpretate the thyng more fauourably saying some angell did speake vnto hym But Iesus to make them take more hede also to put awaye from him all suspicion of prayse sayeth this voice which is neither noise of thundres nor voice of angell but the voice of my father which hath heard my prayers came not for me who knowe in my selfe my fathers minde but it is come for you that ye maye vnderstand that my father I doe agre and that whatsoeuer I doe he being the authour I doe it for your saluacion sake You haue hearde what my father hath promised as touching my death Nowe shortly must Satan be wrestled withal for good all who is the prince or rather tiranne of this world through sinne hath hitherto kept al theÌ„ in death which loue this world Nowe is the cause of the whole world drawen into iudgemente but falshood beyng reproued trueth shall come to light And whiles the prince of the world the authour of death thinketh himselfe a conquerour he shall through death be put from his tiranny For all men shal be pardoned theyr sinnes through faythe of the gospell Sinne once takeÌ„ away the tirantes force strength is qualled who is valiant mighty in no other weapon saue sinne onely And as he that shall thinke himselfe to haue the victory shal sodainly be expelled his kingdom so I that shal be thought vtterly made away after I be lifted vp froÌ„ the earth wil drawe all thinges on euery side vnto me of right chalengyng that thyng vnto me which hitherto he hath kept in possession by tyraÌ„ny Furthermore in that Christe sayed When I shal be lift vp from the earth because the saying was doubtfull yet right fitte to expresse the thing he would signifie what kinde of death he should dye For they that are hanged vp vpon a crosse hang vp on hye that all men may see theÌ„ a farre of And he gaue them withall a priuey warning of the old story which sheweth that a brasen serpent beyng a figure of Christe and set vp vpon a hie pole did geue to all them that behelde it though it were a farre of presente helpe against the mortall woundes of serpentes The people answered hym We haue heard out of the lawe that Christe bideth euer and howe sayest thou the sonne of man must be lift vp who is that soÌ„ne of man Then Iesus sayd vnto them yet a litle while is the light with you Walke while ye haue light leste the darknes come on you He that walketh also in the darke woâ—eth not whither he goeth while ye haue light beleue on the light that ye may be the children of the lyght And yet were there some in that assembly of people which did coniecte because of the forespeakyng of death that he had spoken of the tormente of the crosse And therupon they stode in argument that he was not Messias which published that himselfe should dye whereas scripture geueth to Messias power and a kyngdome eternall For thus writeth Daniel His power is an euerlasting power which shal not be taken away and his kingdome shal remaine for euer And again Micheas the Prophete speaketh thus His out-going hath been from the beginning and from euerlasting Also Esai sayeth And there shal be no ende of his peace Yea and moreouer the prophecie of the psalmes doeth promise hym a perpetuall priesthood saying Thou art a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedeck Than say they therfore We knowe by the lawe that when Messias shall come he shall abyde continue for euer What meaneth it therfore that thou sayest it shall come to passe that the sonne of man shall be lift vp from the earth but and if to be lift vp from the earth be to dye and yf thou wilt haue the
I dooe teache But nowe these thynges haue I spoken according to youre capacitie as yet a mortall manne beeyng conuersaunte among mortall menne soone hereafter I wyll repayre to see you againe for certayne dayes space and beeyng immortall wyll kepe cumpany with menne mortall to the entente I maye coumforte teache and geue you my counsell Neyther is it vnawares to me that ye shal not fully vnderstande these thinges whiche I nowe speake and shall speake anone after my deathe because ye be yet styll carnall and rude notwithstandyng they are not spoken all in vayne for after that I shall take away this body from you an other comforter shall come to you yf ye aske hym of God in my name a comforter I saye not bodily as ye seme to to be but that holy spirite which doeth sanctify spirites and mindes whome my father shall sende you in my roume yf you require hym in my name Ye shall not after this neede my corporall presence whiche for a season was geuen in consideracion of mens grossenes to the entente that theâ— myght by degrees and orderlye go forwarde to more perfeite thynges for that spirite in asmuche as he is myne and my fathers shall putte you in remembraunce of all the thynges whiche I nowe speake vnto you that bee as yet ignoraunte and of small capacitie and besides that obliuious And he also shall make you vnderstande these thynges whiche ye hadde not vnderstande before neyther will he suffre you to forget anye thyng or to lacke knoweledge of anye thing that perteineth to saluacion Of menne obliuious he shall make you of good remembraunce of slowe witted easie to bee taughte of sleapishe sluâ—gardes vigilante and watchefull of sorowfull men cherefull of yearthly folâ—â— heauenly Onelye perseuer you in charitie hauing in remembraunce my commaundementes There is no cause why that ye should in the meane while feare the troublesumnesse of this worlde whiche ye shall see ryse agaynste me and in tyme to come againste you also let it suffise you that at my departure I shall leaue peace vnto you and geue you my peace No worldelye storme can destroye and vndoe hym that hath my peace The worlde also hath his kynde of peace whiche it bestoweth vpon them whome it loueth but this is a peace not to be trusted on My peace whiche I doe geue you doeth make frendeshyppe betwene God and you and who can hurte hym whiche hath God his protectour and gouernour The peace whiche â–ª I do leaue vnto you ioynyng you together among your selfes by mutuall concord shall make your felowship strong and inuincible agaynst all that the worlde or Satan prince of the world can dooe What meaneth it than that my goyng hence whiche shall bee veray commodious vnto you doth so muche feare you Let not your hertes therefore bee troubled nor strieken in feare ye haue heard me saye alreadye and that ye shoulde the more credite me I eftsones tell you that of trueth I goe hence for a tyme but I wyll anone returne againe vnto you And in the meane tyme I will bryng to effecte that I shall fynde you at my returne safe and in health This blusterous storme of cruell persecucion shall for this one tyme be executed vpon me onelye And soone after I am come againe to my father I wyll bee presente with you agayne throughe the spirite that is the comforter And by hym my father shall also bee with you and we shall neuer bee separate from you vntyll you be fully placed with vs in the kyngdome of heauen Ye are sorowfull because I goe my waye but if ye did rightly loue me forsooth ye woulde reioyce both for your owne sake and mine for I wyll not playe the runagate and gooe euerye where but I will returne agayne to my father to obteyne for you more excellent giftes at his hand for because my father is greatter then I am and from him it cumâ—eth what thyng soeuer I doe departe with you If ye stande in dread of any harme towardes me and are sorowefull for my cause it were more semyng ye should be ioyfull on my behalfe that am remoued and taken a waye from these euils of the world and goe to my fathers coumpany and yf ye be sory for your selfes my departure shall bring to you muche profite And nowe haue I shewed you before it come that when it is come to passe ye might beleue Hereafter will I not talke many woordes with you for the prince of this worlde â—ummeth and hath nothing in me But that the world may know that I loue the father â—nd as the father gaue me commaundemente euen â—o doe I â—â—se leate vs goe hence I knowe that I speake this to them that neyther greatlye take hede nor vnderstande thesame but I do therefore repete and often inculcate and bryng in thesame that after the dede shal effectuously verifie the thing that I haue spoken ye may than therewith beleue all the rest to be true which I haue tolde aforehande shoulde folowe after this I beyng a mortall man shall not speake many thynges with theÌ„ that he mortall for the time is at hande when I shal be taken away from you in body Uerye Satan the prynce of this worlde is presente by his minysters ready to set vpon me with his full myght force vtterlye to caste awaye and to extinguishe me But at his hande is no ieopardie for he hath no right nor autoritie ouer me and when he moste â—euâ—teth to haue the ouerhande and victorye than shall he bee vanquished and ouerthrowen he hath no ryghte but vpon theim whiche bee in synne and because the worlde is in bondage to synne he maye playe the tyraunte ouer them that make the worlde theyr God for in dede I am neyther forced to dye nor for any faulte do I dye but I suffre throughe my deathe to redeme those that bee ioyned to me by faythe as membres to the bodye from the tyrannye of sinne and deathe and my father hath commaunded me thus to doe whiche his commaundemente I dooe accordyng to his minde wherefore we haue nowe already sitte here long inough Because I doe my fathers commaundemente willingly it is tyme to goe mete death whiche is at hande Arise therefore and goe we hence Our Lorde Iesus seeyng his disciples many wayes dismayed partely with sorowe because that they sawe that theyr Lordes death was nye whom they loued somewhat worldly but yet moste vehementelye partelye for feare of harmes whiche they thoughte did hang ouer hym beeyng once abrode and he also seeyng them heauye of slepe whiche both the nyght prouoked and also sorowe of mynde augmented and theyr sittyng made theym of more sluggishe mynde he commaundeth theym to ryse that so at the least dulnesse beeyng auoided they myghte bee made more pregnaunte and quicke witted to those thynges whiche he shoulde saye vnto them and therewithall he monished theÌ„ a farre of and darkely that nowe is the
effect for I shall not long be conuersaunt among you in this visible bodie but shall dye and goe to my father And yet ye shall perceyue me to be one that liueth and hath power and that shall accomplishe all that I haue promised Moreouer the worlde also shal be rebuked and reproueâ— of iudgement because that by seing men euery where through penaunce coâ—â—erte from synne to innocencie of lyfe leaue the grosse ceremonies of Moses lawe and ruine to godlynesse of the ghospell the nacions of the whole worlde forsake theyr wurshipping of diuels and images and falle to the true wurshipping of God the father the sonne and the holy ghost it shall manifestly appere the prince of the worlde who hath heretofore by synne practised 〈◊〉 to be already with his owne weapons vanquished put out of the waye and iudged as one that hath procured my death by whom innocencie libertie of the gospell and immortalitie is recouered employed and geuen Than shall it well appere to haue been a triumphe whiche semed to be a thing of shame and reproche and that to haue been a victory whiche was imputed and counted for an ouerthrowe and an vtter destruccion for whan deuils shall eche where be cast out of the temples â–ª and shall crye out at the signe of the crosse when they shall leaue the bodyes whiche they had of long tyme possessed at naming of me shall not that openly proue theyr prince to be iudged and condemned Shall it not bee apparante and a clere matter that they also be woorthely iudged and condemned whiche had leuer folow hym being alreadye vanquished and iudged to eternall deathe than me whom as a conquerour and to all folke the verye auctour of innocencie and of life God shall carrye vp and auaunce to the felowship of his kyngdome ¶ I haue yet many thinges to saye vnto you but ye cannot beare them awaye nowe Howbeit when he is cum whiche is the spirite of trueth he will leade you into al trueth he wil not speake of hym selfe but whatsoeuer he shall heare that shall be speake and he wil shewe you thinges to cum He shall glorifie me for he shall receyue of myne and shall shewe vnto you All thinges that the father hathe are myne Therefore sayed I vnto you that he shall take of myne and shewe vnto you I coulde tell you many mo thinges but the tyme serueth not nor your weakenesse wyll not as yet beare them and since I haue not yet altogether goen thorow with this mine ambassade I do therfore reserue them to the cummyng of the holy ghoste he beyng once come shall fynde you more apte to receyue a more full knowledge euen when the busynesse of my deathe resurreccion and ascencion shall be dispatched and fynished This spirite that I speake of shall be no lying or worldely spirite but my very spirite that is to saye the spirite of trueth he shall teache you all trueth whiche ye are not nowe able to receiue at ful He also shall speake vnto you but that shall be by secrete inspiracions He shall not with mouing the ayer touche your bodely eares but by a priuey secrete vertue shall moue the inwarde myndes neyther shall he speake thynges of vncertaintye but in lyke maner as I haue spoken nothyng whiche I haue not heard of my father so shall he inspire nothyng into your hertes but that he hearde of my father and me and he shall out onely open vnto you all trueth of thynges paste but also he shall foreshewe you thynges to cumme ere they happen so often as nede shall require for he is not alone only almighty but hathe withall knowleage of all thinges He shall by you make the glory of my name be knowen to all men lyke as I by my deathe and resurreccion shall make my fathers glory notable and famouse for as what thing soeuer I doe redoundeth to my fathers praise and glory of whome I haue my being and of him haue receiued all that I haue cum so shall it growe to my honour and praise whatsoeuer he shall woorke by you He shall mocion you to nothing contrary to those thinges whiche I receiuing them of my father haue taught you All thinges is common betwene vs all thinges procede from my father but whosoeuer is his is mine nor any thing is my fathers or mine whiche is not common to the spirite Therefore by the sayde spirite shall I speake to you as my father hathe spoken to you by me he that beleueth me beleueth my father and he that beleueth the spirite beleueth vs both ¶ After a while ye shall not see me and againe after a while ye shall see me for I go to the father Then sayed sum of his disciples betwene themselues what is this that he sayeth vnto vs after a while ye shal not see me and againe after a while ye shall see me and that I go to the father They sayed therefore what is this that he sayeth after a whyle we cannot tell what he sayeth Iesus perceiuing that they woulde aske hym sayed vnto them Ye enquire of this betwene your selues because I sayed after a while ye shall not see me and againe after a while ye shall see me Uerily verily I saye vnto you ye shall wepe and lament but contrariwyse the worlde shall reioyce ye shall sorowe but your sorowe shall be turned into ioy Now than being corroborate and stablished with many thinges be ye bold and take good hearte vnto you againste the storme that hangeth ouer you in aduersitie saue your selues to the prosperitie whiche shall folowe within a whyle ye shall lacke the syght of me but ye shall be without it no longe time for within a shorte space after I shall be presented to your syght agayne that so ye may litle by litle be brought in vre to wante the sight of this body which is not moste commodiouse for you For I returne to my father to thentente that after I cease to be seen of you I maye endue you with greater giftes But not withstanding all this so great sorowe did possesse the disciples mindes at that time that they neyther vnderstood nor coulde kepe in memorie thinges that were often repeted and reiterate for whereas our lord Iesus did declare in these wordes not very obscurely that by death and buryall he should be absent out of his disciples sight yet none otherwyse but that within thre dayes after he would appeare vnto them againe euen in the self same bodye but now immortall so after he had for a fewe dayes space confirmed and stayed the mindes of his disciples to conuaye hymselfe again into heaueÌ„ And to th entent that hauing his bodely sight withdrawen from them which letted them to be spirituall they mighte deserue that heauenly spirite and after that to looke no more for their lordes bodely presence saue onely when at the laste daye he shall once for all shewe hymselfe to the whole worlde for
the fathers will euen to the very death so you lykewyse obey my commaundementes The disciples beyng with this saying restrayned and stayed from fightyng the menne of warre and their capitayne with the ministers also whome the Byshops and Phariseis sent to augment the numbre layed their wicked hādes vpon Iesus and led hym fast bounde as a malefactour first to Byshop Annas Caiphas father in law Caiphas verily was the hye Byshop of that yere therfore thei led Iesus from Annas house to Caiphas of whom it was spoken before that whiles other were perplexed and in doubt what was to be doen with Iesus he beyng for the office sake that he bare inspired wyth the spirite of prophecie coūsailed that in any case Iesus should finally suffre death because it was so expedient for all folke that the helth saluacion of the people should be recouered and redemed with the death of one man Iesus therfore was led vnto Caiphas father in-lawe first to fede his iyes with a sight that was wished longed for also that he might be examined in this mans house if they could finde any lykelyhode of any faulte in him For although they had suche bloudsuckyng hertes as could haue been contente to haue murthered their owne parētes yet for feare of the people of the lieutenant Pilate they studied to pretend some colour of iustice but Gods prudence turned the wicked subtil crafte of man into the glory of his sonne For whylest he is thus taken thus led from Annas to Caiphas from Caiphas to Pilate from Pilate to Herode and backe againe from Herode to Pilate whiles he is examined of many and of many matters accused he made them all witnesses and confessours of his innocencie yea they that were his enemies And verily there is no more certaine testimonie of innocencie then that which trueth forceth out of an enemy How litle equitie did they shewe mete for a Byshop They bought the betraying of an innocent with money they arested and toke a naked man without armour with a bande of armed men hyred for that purpose they bounde hym that made no resistence but that he had onely shewed great lykelyhood howe great his power was in case he would haue vsed it and willingly gaue himselfe vnto them they led him not to a iudge but to an enemy as men auaunting themselfes of theyr praye and there finally sought they for a faulte to be layed againste hym when as the equitie euen of prophane lawes will no man to be arested except first a man be moste hated for his naughtines and so burdened with a faulte And Simon Peter folowed Iesus and so did an other disciple that was knowen vnto the hye prieste and went in with Iesus into the palace of the hye prieste But Peter stoode at the doore without Then wente out that other disciple whiche was knowen vnto the hye prieste and spake to the damsell that kept the doore and brought in Peter Thou sayed the damsell that kept the doore vnto Peter art not thou also one of this mans disciples ▪ he sayed I am not The seruauntes and the ministers stode there whiche had made a fyre of coles for it was colde and they warmed themselues Peter also stode among them and warmed hym Nowe then when Iesus was brought thither that is to Cayphas Symon Peter notwithstandyng that he was forbid fightyng neuerthelesse hauing yet some confidence in his owne strength folowed Iesus and a certaine other disciple with him euen thesame that a lytle before leaned on Iesus breast at supper tyme. This disciple because he was knowen to the Byshop was bolde in trust of that knowledge to go into the palace with Iesus Peter because he was not knowen durst not folowe them into the palace but taryed at the doore without in the meane tyme muche swaruyng from that bolde saying I will venter my lyfe for the. And yet some manlinesse remayned in him for all that For it came of loue that he durst styll folowe vnto the doore seeyng the reste of his felowes scatter themselues abrode eche one a sere waye but in that he durst not go in was a feare and dyd pronosticate that he should soone after deny his Lorde Howbeit that other disciple perceyuyng that Peter folowed not spake to the damsell that kepte the doore to take in him which stode at the doore without And when the mayde had let him in she behelde Peter and thought she should knowe hym bothe because she had seen him in Iesus cumpany and specially because he was commaunded to be brought in of him whom she knewe to bee Iesus disciple And therfore she sayed vnto Peter Art not thou also this mannes disciple whiche is nowe taken and brought in hyther At this voice of a woman of small reputacion whiche yet pretended no kynde of crueltie or thyng to be feared seeyng she compared Peter with him whom she did not appeache nor violently handle and knewe hym to be Iesus disciple and so named Iesus vnto him calling him in suche sorte a manne as though she had rather pitied him then disdayned him Peter I say for all this sodainly forgetting al thinges whiche Iesus had so ofte repeted vnto him and forgetting also his owne stoute promisse denyed that he was Iesus disciple And euen this is the firste profession of them that be desirouse to mortise themselfes in princes houses verily to deny Christe that is to saye the trueth And whan Peter was thus gotten in he wente and stode among the Byshoppes officers and seruauntes which were standyng by the fyre syde to warme themselfes because it was colde that late tyme of the nyght And Peter warmed hym with them trustyng that he so myght kepe hymselfe secrete and in the meane tyme see what should become of Iesus in conclusiō and what issue this matter should drawe to for as yet Peter had not putte awaye all hope that hys Lorde should escape death although he was so striken with feare that he did not once thinke of that the Lorde had euen newly before told him would be that is to were that Peters selfe for al he was a bolde promiser would forsweare his Lorde and maister The hye priest then asked Iesus of disciples and of his doctrine Iesus aunswered hym I spake openly in the worlde I euer taught in the Synagogue and in the Temple where all the Iewes resorte and in secrete haue I sayed nothyng Why askest thou me Aske them which heard me what I haue sayed vnto them Behold they can tell what I sayed When he had thus spoken one of the ministers whiche floode by smote Iesus on the face saying Aunswerest thou the hye priest so Iesus answered him If I haue euill spoken beare witnes of the euill but if I haue well spoken why smytest thou me Nowe the Bishop Cayphas to shewe some semblaunce of rightfull iudgement but yet his entent was to gather somewhat of Iesus sūdry answeres that he myght charge hym withall as
Maiestie and a common peace and tranquillitie And truly Pilate made this searche and enquirie not that he did take it to be true but to get some matter of him that was accused wherwith he might reproue the Iewes of falsehood Howbeit though Iesus knew wel inough the Iewes to haue falsely appeached hym that he should be desirous of a kyngdome to the Emperours losse or in despite of his highnesse yet to the entent he myght open and disclose the malice of the Iewes and commende the reasonablenesse equitie muche better in Pilate then in the Byshops and Phariseis though he were but a Gentyle and set naught by the Iewes religion for this skill I saye Iesus made hym aunswere saying Whether thinkest thou of thine owne coÌ„iecture that I am desyrouse of a kingdome or haue the Iewes accused me herof to thee Pilate both to declare his owne innoceÌ„cie the malice of the Iewes too sayeth I doe not coÌ„iecture this of mine owne head neyther doe I see in thee any thyng agreable thereunto It is a Iewes tale of a king to come Thinkest thou me to be a Iewe Thy quarelling couÌ„trey folkes and the Byshops committed thee into my handes seking all the meanes they can to haue thee put to death but because it is not the fashion of Rome to putte any vncondemned person to death if therfore thou haste not traÌ„sgressed in the trayterous desire of a kingdom then what faute beside haste thou made Because Pilate asked him of these thynges simply and meaning good fayth entending to deliuer the innocente Iesus did vouchesafe to aunswere hym by a rydle prouerbially teaching that it was an other maner of kingdom wherof the Prophetes had spoken a farre more excellent kingdom then is the kingdom of this worlde whiche consisteth in mans lawes in the ayde of meÌ„ which haue no power but vpoÌ„ bodies Howbeit he signified this kingdom to be an heaueÌ„ly kingdom which could not couet the kingdom of the worlde but contemne it and should not harme it but auaunce it into a better kinde My kingdom sayth Christ is no suche kingdom as the Emperours is his kingdom is terrestriall but mine is celestial And for the cause am I affeccionate to nothing that can harme the Emperours maiestie If my kingdom were of this world the world should not handle me as it doth vnreuenged For euen I be ye sure should haue as other kynges hath a garde of harnessed men I should haue squiers for the body suche as should onely attende vpon myne owne persone I should haue plentie of well appoynted men and lacke no ayde or succoure that would fight for me that it should not be in the Iewes power to doe the thyng they goe about against me vnrequired At this presente I haue fewe disciples and those that I haue bee vnapte to warre weake and poore I my selfe beyng vnarmed and no wartyer euen one that seketh to the helpe of other because my kyngdome is not of this worlde ¶ Pilate therfore sayed vnto hym Arte thou a kyng then Iesus aunswered thou sayest that I am a king For this cause was I borne and for this cause came I into the world that I should beare witnes vnto the trueth And all that are of the trueth heare my voyce Pilate sayde vnto hym What thyng is trueth And when he had sayed this he wente oute agayne vnto the Iewes and sayeth vnto them I fynde in hym no cause at all ye haue a custome that I should delyuer you one looce at â—aster wyll ye that I looce vnto you the king of the Iewes Then cryed they all agayne saying Not hym but Barrabas the same Barrabas was a murtherer Forasmuche as Pylate beyng a laye man and a Gentile did not fully vnderstande this mistye and darke saying albeit he heard that Iesus dyd not vtterly renâ—unce and denye the name of a kyng but dyd put a difference of kingdomes Pilate therfore sayed vnto hym Is it then true that thou arte somewhere a kyng whatsoeuer kynde of kyngdome it be and thou not perteynyng to vs Here now Iesus beyng earnestly asked of the iudge whether he were any waye a kyng or naye confesseth the trueth with great temperaunce and modestye with muche sobrietie and good aduisemente aunsweryng thus Thou sayest I am a kyng for whosoeuer asketh a question with lyke numbre of wordes the pronunciacion onely chaunged affirmeth the thyng And Iesus sayed further It is not my parte to denye any trueth namely consyderyng that for this cause I was borne and came into the worlde that I should deceyue no maÌ„ with any lye but that I shoulde beare witnes vnto the trueth He that hath a simple meke mynde not blynded with the lustes and desires of this worlde acknowlegeth lyketh well and heareth my voyce But Pilate hauyng no further intelligence of that whiche was spoken then that he supposed the thyng to be no matter for hym to know and as yet Christe had made Pilate no apte aunswere therewith either to sette the Iewes at a quiet or to dispatche them thence after he had asked of Iesus what was that trueth wherof he spake and was come into the worlde to beare witnes therof Pilate I saye wente oute agayne vnto the Iewes not tarrying for an aunswere of the thing that he questioned of What nedeth many woordes sayeth Pilate I haue examined the man and can fynde no faulte in hym worthy death Nor I am not here president and chiefe iustice vnder the Emperour because I shoulde with my sentence condemne the innocente but in case he be noysome to you and that ye thynke him fautye which I fynde not yet it standeth with equitie and good indifferencie that if ye wyl not spare and forbeare hym as an innocent at leastwaye in the honor of this holy feast and for religion sake pardon hym his life as an offender And in dede it is here a custome amonges you that in this feast of Phase whiche is of you moste highly solemnised and kept moste holye of all feastes I should at your request pardon and set at libertie some one offender Therfore ye shall haue free eleccion to chose the one of twayne eyther Barrabas that arrant these and notable robber a disturber of the publique peace or this Iesus a man in my iudgement fautlesse whome some folke sayeth is the kyng of Iewes It were beste surely that this man yea though he haue doen amysse should fele and enioye the graciouse fauour and priuiledge of youre solemne feast Wyll ye therfore that I forgeue this persone for your sakes for of trueth the president did not looke for so great outragiousnes in the Iewes that they woulde preferre a felowe openly knoweÌ„ full of mischiefe and a valiaunt ranke thefe before Iesus a man moste meke and innocent But the Iewes with a whole consenâ— and with a great lowde voyce cryed all of them We will not haue Iesus geuen vs but Barrabas The .xix. Chapter Then Pylate toke
all meanes had bene proued geue place to the obstinate furye of the Iewes Iesus I saye woulde make no aunswere at all vnto the president leste he should be thought to haue made any meane howe to get oute of theyr handes because he would not seme to be compelled to death And that hitherto he made aunswere was because he would haue recorde of his innoceÌ„cie but his pleasure was to dye willingly and gladly ¶ Then sayed Pylate vnto hym Speakest thou not vnto me knowest thou not that I haue power to crucifie thee and haue power to looce thee Iesus aunswered Thou couldeste haue no power at all agaynst me except it were geuen the from aboue therfore he that delyuered me vnto thee hath the more synne And froÌ„ thence furthe sought Pilate meanes to looce hym but the Iewes cryed saying If thou let hym go thou arte not Ceasars frende for whosoeuer maketh hymselfe a kyng is agaynst Ceasar When Pilate heard that saying he broughte Iesus furth satte down to geue sentence in a place that is called the pauemeÌ„t but in the Hebrue toÌ„gue Babatha It was the preparyng daye of Easter about the sixt houre And he sayth vnto the Iewes Behold your kyng They cryed awaye with him awaye with hym crucifye him Pilate sayeth vnto them Shall I crucifye your kyng The hye priestes aunswered We haue no kyng but Ceasar Then delyuered he hym vnto them to bee crucifyed Pylate meruaylyng at the mans silence standyng in hasarde of his lyfe consideryng he had the iudge so muche his frende that he dyd prouoke hym to aunswere saied Why doest not thou that arte in ieoperdye of lyfe make me an aunswere knowest thou not that I haue power and auctoritie ouer thee whyther thou shalt lyue or dye for I am the presidente and chiefe iustice of this region And it dependeth vpon my will and pleasure whether thou shalte be crucified or quitte and let looce Unto these woordes Iesus made no suche aunswere as the presidente loked for whiche presidente desyred to be instructed for the defence of Iesus cause intendyng to bee in steade of a iudge an aduocate on the defendauntes syde But because that waye it shoulde somewhat haue appeared that Iesus hadde not bene willyng to haue dyed he aunswered no suche lyke thyng But his aunswere was onelye concernyng the power whiche Pylate dyd arrogantelye attribute to hymselfe signyfying that it was neyther in Pylates power to sette hym at libertie seyng that the power whiche he had shoulde condescende to the furie of the Iewes nor that Pilate hymselfe shoulde be able to doe oughte agaynst hym excepte he woulde of his owne voluntary wyll suffer it of trueth thou hast sayeth Iesus power accordyng to mannes lawes but thou couldest haue no power on me vnlesse it hadde been permitted thee of him whose power passeth all mannes power And in dede thou fauourest innocencie but yet the naughtines of other ouercummeth thee and leadeth thee from the righte trade Wherfore the people of the Iewes which be the auctours of this my passion and deathe and that with theyr violence constrayneth the iudge to condemne an innocent persone sinne more greuously When Pilate heard this and thereby perceyued bothe the modestie and the clearenes of him that was accused and that also the malice of the Iewes yea and his owne indifferencie too was not vnknowen to the same the more Pilate fauoured him because he sawe that the manne was nothing moued or disquieted no not with the peryll of death that he stode in when Pilate coÌ„sidered all this he wrought al maner waies that at leaste by some meanes he might cleare and sette Iesus at libertie The Iewes perceyuyng thesame and that the presidente made light of the cryme whiche fyrste was layed against hym concernyng Moses lawe and that he ceased not to doe all that he coulde to dimisse Iesus they fall in hand againe with the first fault whiche to be neglecte they declare to be daungerous to the iudge hymselfe and saye therfore Though it doe not appertayneÌ„ vnto the that he hath offended against our God certaynly wheras he hath offended against the Emperoure thou haste to doe withall Whosoeuer maketh clayme to a kingdome without the Emperours commaundement offendeth in the cryme of lease maiestie committeth hye treason But this felowe maketh himselfe a king if thou therfore doe let looâ—e acquite him thou which fauourest his enemy art not yâ— Emperours frendes After that Pilate had heard the Bishops and Phariseis that were conspired together against Iesus the mayne multitude withal cry out these wordes aloude although he was not ignoraunt that they went about a false matter yet because he sawe well that the malice whiche the priestes and Phariseis bare towarde Iesus could not be appeasâ—d and sawe also that the headmen and the common people were wunderfully consentyng to the sayed grudge and malice and all they with one agremeÌ„t brute to take away this one mans life furthermore when Pilate perceiued also Iesus to be in dede nothyng fawtie at al but symple a poore innocent man that made no shifte for himselfe and lykewise thought in the meane tyme howe that vnder Emperours many had been in daungerouse hasarde of very enuy without any iust cause And thought too of himselfe that he alreadye had sufficiently traueiled against the whole conspiracie agreed vpon betwene the noble menne and the commons in the defence of one poore mannes innocencie Pilate I tell you vpon these skilles determined with hymselfe to condescende and satisfie theyr malice but in suche sorte that in condemning Iesus he thought withal to get him his pardon and deliueraunce and begynnyng to speake firste of his owne innoceÌ„cie deriued the grudge of the wicked facte vnto the Iewes and layed it vpon theyr heades Nowe than was Iesus therfore brought forth as giltie when as in condemnyng of hym no kynde of lawfull iudgement was vsed Pilate sate downe in the place of lawful iudgemeÌ„t on hye to geue sentence he sate in a high place to be seen of all folke and of the height it is called of the Hebrewes Gabatha the Grekes verily call it Lithostrotos because it was paued For so it behoueth Iesus condemnacion to be solemne publike leste his innocencie should be hidde from any man For so to be condemned was to be quitte and cleared Iesus was deliuered vp to the crosse but the iudge gaue sentence vpon the Iewes And nowe the tyme drewe nye that according to the maner of the solemne feaste innocente bloude should be offered in sacrifice for the saluacion of the worlde for it was the Sabboth euen nowe called good fryday whiche falleth in the Easter feast aboute the sixt houre And therfore the Iewes called more vrgently vpoÌ„ the matter vnwittingly doyng therby seruice to the thyng that God appoynted that is to haue this sacrifice made in conueniente tyme and due season And so than Pilate nowe by reason of his Iudiciall garment
in him I speake of a thing not vnknowen to you for the fame of his miracles is not alonely blased wide abrode thorough out all Iewry but is come vnto other cities also bordering nyghe vpon the same For why He himselfe wente on wayfaryng from place to place ouer all this region healyng euery where the sicke with hys woorde restoryng the lame and impotent to their strength agayne geuing syghte to the blynde clensyng the leprye casting out deiuils a great sorte of you hathe seen the thynges that I reherse None of all these miracles was doen but God before purposed the same And it was the wyll of god thus to saue the worlde After that ye had taken this man not by chaunce or at aduenture but as one delyuered by the determinate wyll or counsell of God and hys foreknowledge for the saluacyon of hys people of Israell ye crucyfyed hym by the handes of the vnrighteous souldiers and slewe hym For the souldiers were nought els in doyng that haynous fact sauynge onely your ministers But he slayeth the manne that procureth hys death The matter is to playne for to be denyed This manne whome ye haue slayne as God woulde haue it who had deliuered hym for to bee slayne the veray selfe same god accordyng to the soothe saying of hys Prophetes hathe called vp the thyrd day to lyfe agayne that all whiche truely shall beleue the ghospell shoulde hope for the same thyng to bee doen hereafter in themselues whyche was by the power of God once dooen in hym For he in obeyinge hys fathers will suffered the spitefull reproche of the crosse pacientlye puttyng hys whole affiaunce trust of saluation not in mans ayde and defence but in the mercyfulnes of God and therfore was he delyuered by him of all deadly sorowes and paynes infernall whiche truely he myghte by reason that he was man haue tasted or felt But as he was cleane without synne so he coulde be kepte in no wyse in their bondage For death and hell hath no perpetuall authoritie and power but vpon theym that are subiecte vnto synne Wherefore lyke as death was of might to swallow hym so was it not able to holde hym beyng once deuowred but caste hym vp as it was thereto constreyned the thyrd day euen as dyd the whale reuomet the prophete Ionas Than was it the wyll of God that this innocent should suffre all these iniuries to thintent that he woulde delyuer vs all by hym both of synne deathes tyranny yf that we accordyng to Iesus example of Nazareth put our whole trust affyaūce in God What I haue tolde you nowe my brethren of Israell ye oughte not to thynke it incredible sens that Dauid beeyng enspyred wyth the celestyall spirite of prophecie tolde you longe heretofore that it shoulde euen thus come to passe For in his fiftenth psalme he speaketh of Iesus of Nazareth whome we preache to you in this manier Aforehande haue I set the Lorde alwayes before me for he is on my ryght hande that I shoulde not bee moued Therfore dyd my herte reioyce and my tongue was glad moreouer also my fleshe shall reste in hope beecause thou shalte not leaue my soule in hell neyther shalte thou suffer thy holye to see corruption Thou haste shewed me the wayes of lyfe thou shalte make me full of ioye wyth thy countenaunce Ye see howe euidently hath that kynge and prophete Dauid described and as it were in a lyuely picture sette beefore youre iyes that whiche ye knowe well ynough is dooen and paste in Iesus of Nazareth He had made God alone hys fortresse of defence and trustyng to hys onely helpe suffered he wyllingly and gladlye all those peynes whyche he as you dooe knowe hath suffered And in sufferyng bodyly peynes he reioyced inwardely Hys toung for ioy neuer ceased to speake neuer kept in silence the wyll of God He was contented for to bee buried although he nothing mistrusted but that his father woulde call him vp to lyfe agayne the third day and woulde not suffer hym who had put his whole trust in god beeyng in no poynt giltie to purrefye in his graue For whosoeuer trusteth to be saued by his owne woorkes or putteth his trust in worldely succoure he shal be founde far vnmete to suffre the paynful dolours of death paciently neither shal he be hable whan he is once entangled to looce hymselfe out of deathes snare But he that continually fixeth the inwarde iye of his soule to godward whiche to al people is mercyful he knoweth alredy the wayes of lyfe and although god semeth to turne away his countenaunce from him for a time yet shall he againe or it be long disclose to hym the beames of his mercy and requite him for his tormentes whiche endureth but for a time with ioyes eternall and for death yelde euerlastyng lyfe for yearthely reproche the glory of heauen Wherefore than we also are taught by him and his example the way to lyfe euerlastyng ¶ Ye men and brethren let me frely speake vnto you of the Patriarke Dauid For he is bothe dead and buried and his sepulchre remayneth with vs vnto this day Therefore seyng he was a prophete knew that God had sworne with an othe to him that Christe as cōcerning the fleshe should come of the fruite of his loynes and should sit on his fear he knowing this before spake of the resurreccion of Christ that his soule should not be left in hell neyther his fleshe shoulde see corrupcion This Iesus hath God araysed vp ▪ whereof all we are witnesses Some peraduenture shall suppose that this prophecy doth perteine to Dauid himselfe and not to Iesus I am not ignoraunt howe highlye ye esteme Dauid the Patriarke and that not without a cause are ye in suche an opinion of him For he was blessed and derely beloued with god but frankelye to speake the trueth to you welbeloued brethren we muste not set so muche by Dauid the Patriarke as to ascribe to him that as his owne which is due vnto Messias The thing trewly it selfe declareth that this prophecy agreeth neyther with Dauid ne with any other Patriarke or prophete For Dauid as eche one of you knowe full well is dead and buryed and neuer came afterwarde to lyfe agayne seeyng that his sepulchre is with vs vnto thys present day conteynyng noughte in yt els but dead drye bones wythout any lyfe at all in theym Wherefore Dauid who knewe that he hymselfe shoulde bee as other were buryed and as touching his bodye shoulde rotte in his graue disclosed not this prophecye of hymselfe But where as he was enspyred with the spyryte of prophecye and knewe ryghte well that that shoulde come to passe whiche god had assured to hym vpon an othe that is to say that Christ as touching his humanitie shoulde be borne of his progeny and after the spirituall vnderstanding shoulde sit vpon his throne to reigne for euer prophecied as one that
but such a thing that god long a goe promysed by your prophetes Reuerently ye doe worship the god of Abraham the god of Isaac and the god of Iacob and ye auaunt your selfes in that ye haue theym as your chiefe fathers and firste beginners of your auncestry but the very sonne of this same god whom the chiefe fathers of your auncestry hath wurshipped beyng sente to you for your saluacion poore and simple to loke vpon to thintente that you shoulde make the more of him as a familâ—â—â—e person lyke to one of you ye haue brought to extreme vilanny and reproche Notwithstanding the selfe same god hath by his infinite might and power aduaunced his sonne to high renoume and glory one whome man of malice hath ouerthrowen and god hath in this fact lyke as he hath also many other wayes wroughte by him miracles out of numbre before your iyes and taught you doctrine from heauen But ye neuer a deale the better for al such benefites deliuered him at the last after many reprochfull iniuries into the handes of the wicked to thintent he shoulde be slaine yea and where as Pilate a Panim a man both without knowleage of your lawe and of no kinred with your forefathers woulde haue gyuen sentence of him as of your king as of a blessed person innoceÌ„t for his deliueraunce yee which ought by reason of that knowlage ye had of prophecies to recognise hym haue styfely denyed hym and openly in the presidentes hyghe hall of iudgemente saying we haue no kinge but Ceasar And in suche a cruell rage ye were of rancour againste hym and hatred that lieffer had ye to haue Barrabas that notable thefe and sedicious person pardoned at your request whiche had despatched other of their liues than to haue Iesus saued who broughte with hym lyfe for all menne For a murtherers lyfe ye obtained pardon but for the authoure of euerlasting lyfe ye procured deathe Neuerthelesse God hys father the authoure and maker of all lyfe hathe raysed hym whome ye haue slayne from the dead to lyfe againe and liberally hath rewarded hym with lyfe that neuer shall haue ende To the which thing beare we witnes vnto whom he himselfe after he was reuiued eftsones playnely appeared for vs to beholde for vs to heare and handle whom we behelde also goyng vp to heauen He came firste to you in a pore and simple aray which he was contented to take vpon hym for all your sakes but now is he by his father aduaunced to glory and putteth foorth his power and strength by vs which be nought els but witnesses to the thinges whiche we haue seen and hearde And for that trust and affyaunce whiche we haue in his name this man whom you see walke borne as ye well knowe bothe halte and lame almightye god hath restored to hys perfit limmes agayne No prayse herein are we worthy to haue neyther are we through oure merytes the cause thereof neyther he that is restored but god the father as I sayd would haue his sonnes name magnifyed with all men in the whiche name his pleasure is that all people shoulde put their full trust and hope of health vniuersall by this assured trust and confidence is this man which hath been euer weake from the first houre of his birth perfectly now as ye all do see in all his limmes restored These be euident argumentes not alonely to proue that he is on liue whom ye suppose to be dead but to declare also that all mennes hope of saluacion is to be put in him alone And now brethren I wot that through ignoraunce ye did it as did also your rewlers But God which before had shewed by the mouthes of all his prophetes howe the Christe should suffre hath in this wise fulfilled Repent you therfore conuerte that your sinnes may be doen away whan the time of refreshyng cummeth whiche we shall haue of the presence of the lorde and when God shal sende him which before was preached vnto you euen Iesus Christe whiche muste receyue heauen vntyll the tyme that all thinges whiche God hath spoken by the mouthe of all hys Prophetes sence the world began bee restored agayne And cause there is none at al my brethren why ye shoulde despaire for it hath thus come to passe according to the will of God and his sufferaunce Your offence herein and trespase is partely excused by mans ignoraunce For his feble and weake body was a lette to you and impedimente to knowe his diuine power whiche diuine and godly power no not your rewlers them selfes knewe perfeictly Whiche thing in him if they had knowen readily neuer would they haue been in minde to crucify the Prince of glory But so was it expedient for mans saluacion so had god determined before the beginning so had he before shewed by the mouth of all his Prophetes that Messias whome he woulde sende fynallye to redeme you shoulde suffer death Now is god no lyer whome he promised to send the same person hath he sent whom he would haue slayn euen so as he woulde haue it is he slayne This sacrifice woulde he haue offered vp to satisfy for the sinnes of all the worlde by you was this sacrifice offered not without blame to you but suche as ye shall haue forgyuenesse of if ye repente that ye haue dooen amisse And so shall it come to passe that your offence whiche you committed to the weale of all men shall turne to your singular wealthe also For your pardon is easy to come by and redy at hand Only be you ashamed of your euill doinges and sorowful not alonely for this fact but for al other and see that you turne to a new life openly confesse that Iesus whome ye before haue denied is king and rewler ouer all whome ye haue to death condemned as a person giltie now doe ye acknowledge to be the very fountain and giuer of all innocency and whom ye haue violently put to death beleue ye to be the author of immortall lyfe Now is the time of pardon for synne haste you this meane while to penaunce and you shall fynde mercifulnes that whan he shall come eftesones to iudge the quicke and the dead on high aboue in the cloudes whome his father once sent simple poore for your sakes ye may be able constauntly to abide his presence whiche shall be terrible to them and intollerable whiche hath not be penitent But suche as for this meane space doe beleue in Iesus name whome the prophetes hath many yeres a go publyshed to you and whom we also accordyng to theyr prophecies beare witnes of and submit themselfes to hym by fayth puttyng theyr sinne away by penaunce shall finde there with the righteous iudge who hath promised to all menne for fayth in him and repentaunce of sinne euerlasting health refreshing All those thinges are come hitherto well to passe whiche as the prophetes hath heretofore tolde were for to bee dooen and perfourmed
And it is not to bee doubted but God wyll perfourme all the rest also which he hath promised as faythfully Iesus Christ shal come agayne but by and by shall not he come agayne For the gospell and chereful tidinges from god must be preached ouer all the worlde before his cumming In the meane while liueth he in all glory sitteth and reigneth in high heauens aboue vntil that prescript time wherof the Prophetes Iohel hath spoken and Malachie whan all thinges shall come by restitucion agayne and be made vp and all at a poynte perfectly finished whiche god hath spoken of by the mouth of all his holy Prophetes as many as hath been since the beginning of the world For of this one persone haue al they prophecied Moses truely sayed vnto the fathers Prophet shal the lorde your God rayse vp to you euen of your brethren lyke vnto me him shal ye heare in all thinges whatsoeuer he shall say vnto you For the time shall come that euery soule which wil not heare the same Prophete shal be destroies from emong the people All the Prophetes also from Samuel and thence foorth as many as haue spoken haue in likewise tolde of these dayes Moses is with you of autoritie most auncient for vnder his proteccyon as vnder your chiefe guide and capitain ye left Egipt ye traueled through wildernesse ye receiued the lawe but yet a promyse made he to you of this Iesus of Nazareth whome ye haue flayne speakyng after this manier to the fathers in hys booke of Deuteronomii a prophete shall the lorde your god reyse vp vnto you euen from emong your brethren lyke vnto me hym shall ye heare in all that he shall saye vnto you And it shall come to passe that what soule soeuer shall not heare that prophete shall be destroyed from emong the people Now dooe ye acknowelage this prophecye of Moses recognise ye the true Moses knowledge ye that Iesus Christe was borne of Dauids linage of the trybe of Iuda in the Citie of Bethelem according to the prophetes sayinges By this your guide capitaine god calleth you out of bondage to that libertie whiche alway shall endure by this capitayn hath he disclosed a new law supernal and euangelicall and by this persone he offereth remission of all synnes and lyfe euerlastyng Moses woulde that all men shoulde heare hym eche man heareth that in him beleueth What person soeuer shal beleue in him shal be saued who that refuseth to beleue shal be banished out of the feloweship out of the name of the Israelites shall peryshe with out all recouery For without faith in Iesus Chryste no hope there is of saluacion If you geue faythe to Moses than muste ye hartely loue Iesus whome he hath so highly commended to you in his prophecy Neyther hath Moses alone thus prophecied of Iesus but all the Prophetes also from Samuels time vntill Iohn the baptist hath prophecied describing his natiuitie doctrine miracles punyshmentes infamie death on the crosse hys buryinge and resurreccion his goyng vp to heauen and the sending forth of the holy goste vpon all that beleueth whiche thinges euery one are euidentlye come to passe the spreading of the ghospell ouer all the worlde abrode and the gloryous cumming of the lorde agayne at the ende of the worlde Ye are the children of the Prophetes and of the couenaunt whiche God made vnto oure fathers saying to Abraham Euen in thy sede shall all the kinreds of the yerth be blessed First whan God had reised vp his sonne Iesus vnto you he sent him to blesse you that euery one of you should turne from his wickednesse But if that ye in very dede be the prophetes children wherof ye auaunte your selfes not without a cause haue ye than no distruste in their promyses yf ye be the children of the patriarches whiche wer the chiefe fathers of all your auncestry vnderstande ye and perceiue that to you pertayneth the couenaunt and promyse that god made to Abraham saying thorow thy sede shall all the nacions of the worlde be blessed This blessing perfourmed not he in Isaac for he is dead and to life is not he come againe but in Iesus of Nazareth whom Isaac in figure represented offrynge hymselfe vp in sacrifice willyngly like as Christe obeying his father was offred as a sacrifyce on the crosse This is that seede of Abraham wherby shall not onely all Israelites but all nacions also of the worlde if they beleue the gospell be delyuered of the curse whiche is due for sinne and obteyne therwithal this blessing that after they haue once receyued the holy ghoste they may bee called the children of the liuing God Wherfore the promise that god made vnto Abraham perteyneth vndoubtedly to all nacions of the worlde yet that not withstanding his pleasure was to haue you thus honourably preferred that his promise shoulde firste of all bee profered to you and that he woulde according to Moses prophecie rayse one vp of your nacion and sende to you no meane prophet but his owne onely sonne Iesus that shoulde disclose this blessyng whiche god promised to Abraham This is than that blessing that euery person obeying the woorde of the ghospell maye vtterly forsake all vice and naughty liuyng and frankely confesse Iesus to bee the author of mannes saluacion The .iiii. Chapter ¶ As they spake vnto the people the priestes and the rulers of the temple and the Saâ—duceis came vpon them takyng it greuously that they taught the people and preached in Iesus the resurreccion froÌ„ death And they laied handes on them put them in holde vntyll the next daye for it was nowe euentide howbeit many of them which hearde the woordes beleued and the noumbre of the men was about fyue thousande WHyle Peter that heauenly Oratour and Iohn his felow in office wyth hym were occupyed in these and suche other Oracions exhortyng the people to embrace the gospell without coloure of flattery towarde any manne enducyng them to the knowledge of the trueth by wytnesse of Prophetes sometymes makyng theym afrayed wyth dreadfulnes of the great Iudgement that was to come eftesones appeasyng them and pleasauntly intreatyng by meanes of an easy waye to come by pardon euen than ready at hande and for the certayntye that was in the promyse of their saluation sodaynly there came vpon theim the pryestes and rewlers of the temple accompanyed also with Sadduces who caused them to breake of in the myddes theyr holsome communication The pryestes and rulers felt themselues in this poynte agreued that men of the laitie vnlearned should beare rule in the temple and teach the people where none els ought to speake but doctours of the lawe Phariseis and Scribes and in that also they were offended that so honourably they spake of Iesus whom they for a gyltie person had put to deathe whose name to abolyshe was theyr earnest desyre and study But of all other thynges that set the Sadduces on fyre agaynst the
any thyng that his brothers necessitie requyred But the apostles which were as chiefe pieres of thys newe citie beeyng dispurueyed of worldely goodes but ryche in gyftes of the holy ghost augmented theyr company euery day more than other bearyng wytnes of our Lord Iesus Christes resurreccion with wonderfull great stedfastnesse of mynde and myghty power in workyng of miracles For his resurreccion was pryncipally to be perswaded by witnes of miracles For many one at his death had been present and not a fewe had been pryuy to his buriall And so lyued thys newe comminaltie vnder ryght valyaunte Capitaynes hauyng aboundaunce of all thinges for what they lacked in goodes was supplied and borne out with mutuall loue and concorde For although many one were poore yet was there none amongest them that lacked For as many as were possessioners eyther of landes or houses made sale of them and brought the pryce therof and laied it at the Apostles feete that they whom reuerently as fathers they regarded myght distribute the same goodes in common at theyr owne pleasure Fynally there was no lesse vpryghtnes amongest them that dealed the pryce of mennes possessions then was with those whiche brought it Trueth and vpryght dealyng is seldome founde among stewardes of housholde and layers out of money But here was that distribucion made among them accordyng to euery mannes necessitie without any choyse had of persons There was in this company one Ioseph whome the apostles by syrname called Barnabas whiche woorde in the Sirians toung betokeneth sonne of comforte by bloud and auncestry a Leuyte borne in Cipres This Ioseph bycause he dyd excell among other in great giftes and qualities of the mynde by reason wherof he was called Barnabas for the ioyfull comforte that the multitude had of his accesse was an example for many to folowe that lyberaliâ—ie whiche was semely for the ghospel For wheras he had lande in Cypres he solde it and brought the pryce therof and layed it at the Apostles feete as though it had been a vyle thyng and woorthy to be despised But yet were the Apostles of suche holynes that they would take nothyng therof for them selues aboue other The .v. Chapter ¶ A certayne man named â—nanias with Saphira his wyfe solde a possession and kepte awaye parte of the pryce his wyfe also being of counsell and brought a certayne part and layed it downe at the apostles feete But Peter said Ananias howe is it that Sathan hath fylled thyne herte that thou shouldest lye vnto the holy ghost and kepe awaie part of the pryce of the landes Pertayned it not vnto the onlyâ— after it was solde was it not in thyne owne power why hast thou conceiued this thing in thine herte thou hast lyed not vnto meÌ„ but vnto God Whan Ananias heard these wordes he fell downe and geue vp that ghost And great feare came on all them that hearde these thynges And the young men arose vp and put him aparte and carryed him out and buryed hym BUt lyke as Barnabas playne trueth without colourable deceite moued many to folowe his lyberalitie so was here an exaÌ„ple to put al people in feare that in matters of spiritual charge one should not deceyue an other For the holy ghost loueth playnes of hearte and hateth al deceite dissimulacion In like maner Iudas among the twelue Apostles was an example that no man shoulde put affiaunce in hymselfe but that eche manne should with all carefull diligence continewe in doyng his dutie There was of this companie a certayne man called Ananias one farre vnlyke vnto his owne name because he throughly not consented to the gracious fauour of God This Ananias had a wyfe called Saphira not vnlyke vnto the housbande Whan that Ananias more ambicious of honour theÌ„ desirous of perfite holynesse sawe dyuerse persons hyghly commended of all menne for their free sincere lyberalitie he solde his lande laied vp parte of the money his wyfe being pryuy therunto and allowing the same that of the two partes wherein his money was deuided the one shoulde purchase him prayse of the people with an estimation also or fame of holynesse the other woulde he kepe for himselfe yf any nede should happen distructing doubtlesse the holy ghoste and more caring or prouiding for himselfe then for the whole company of his brethren rekenyng thus with himselfe yf other dye for hunger I am sufficiently prouided for Suche forecasting was not besemyng a man that should put his whole affiance in Christe who promysed that they shoulde wante nothyng that seketh for the kyngdome of god and the rightwysenes therof neyther was this imaginacion mete for hym whiche shoulde bee of one will wyth other and of one mynde Whan he had brought to the apostles feete parte of the money that his liuelode was solde for Peter vnderstandyng by inspiracion of the holy ghoste whiche was in him aboundauntly the mannes vngodly dissimulacion sayed Ananias where as thou hast once dedicate thy selfe to the holy ghost and seen his power by so many tokens euidently declared why hast thou suffered the deuill nowe eftesones to put this in thy mynde to take by stelth awaye parte of that money whiche thou receyuedst for thy lyuelode as though thou couldest face downe the holy ghost with a lye who can in nowyse be deceyued and to bryng into this companie suche a presidente moste daungerouse If we had constrayned thee to sell thy liuelode against thy will some cause peraduenture it might haue been for to dissemble nowe sence thou diddest this of thyne owne free wyll whiche thou haste done to what purpose auayled it to deface that thyng with hypocryse whiche should haue bene to other an example of liberalitie Mightest not thou haue kept thy lande in thyne owne hand yf thou wouldest and moreouer after thou haddest solde it couldest not thou haue reserued the money wholy vnto thy selfe They for theyr trueth playne dealyng are well commended whiche of theyr owne free will bringeth forth all that they haue For we enforce no man thus to doe yf he be not willyng to thesame Upon what occasion than hast thou stablyshed in thy minde thus to disseÌ„ble in this matter It is not man that thou hast made this lye vnto but almightie god Yf thou thinkest that god may be deceyued thyne opinion of him is false and vngodly But yf thou beleue that he is pryuie to all thynges eyther thou despisest his righteousnesse or els thou thynkest that he fauoureth falsehood Ananias than perceyuing that thapostles knewe hys falsehood sodaynly fell downe as one that had be stricken to the herte with a sharpe rebuke and yelded vp the ghoste One for an example suffered death that many myght be therby preserued For after that this facte was bruted abrode it made many sore afrayed that none durste enterpryse any suche lyke offence against the holy ghost Young men remoued thence the dead corse and whan they had carryed it foorth buryed it
He deserued not to be buryed yet ought he thence to be remoued lest his dead body should infecte that pure and holy companie Here peraduenture some wyll meruayle at Peters sharpnes towardes Ananias that but late before so â—entily entreated them that had crucified Christe to receyue pardon for their offences ascribyng all that was doen to ignoraunce and proferyng the penytent person health of soule euerlastyng But here rebuked he this person so sharpely for witholdyng a small porcion of money contrarye to his lyberall promyse that there was no hope at all for him to come by pardone For why Iesus the Lorde that had geuen commaundement for all men to be called by meane of baptisme to their saluacion pardonyng theyr offences woulde teache by the example of violent death in a fewe persons howe muche the offence is more greuous to fall in synne after baptysme and lyght receyued of the ghospell not nowe of any vnaduisednes or ignorauÌ„ce but of a wilful dissimulacion And Peter knewe that the moste pestilent plague that the plaine simplicitie of the ghospell could haue should spring of dissimulacioÌ„ auarice and therfore euen at the begynnyng of the churche a notable example was openly set forth to admonishe all people the none should escape whosoeuer folowed the steppes of Ananias the vengeauÌ„ce of god although that his offence were not in this world forthwith punished As for the losse of the money was not here rekened vpon but his mystrust in God and mocking of his holy spirite Peter hymselfe punished not the person but for his soules health sharply he rebuked him But bycause he neyther brast out into wepyng nor expressed any woorde at all of repentaunce God toke vengeaunce on hym And thus of goddes wonderfull mercy towardes manne one was stricken that many might be saued An example of iustice was set forth towardes hym that dyed and mercy besydes was largely powred out on many one that toke heede at his example to eschewe synne And it fortuned as it were aboute the space of thre houres after that his wife came in ignoraunt of that which was doen. And Peter sayd vnto her Tell me sold ye not the lande for so muche And she sayed yea for so muche Than Peter sayed vnto her Why haue ye agreed together to tempte the spirite of the Lorde Behold the fete of theÌ„ whiche haue buried thy housband are at the doore and shall carry thee out Than fel she downe strayghtway at his feete and yelded vp the ghost And the young men came in and found her dead and caryed her out and buried her by her housbande And great feare came on all the congregacion and on as many as heard it And as it were about the space of thre howres after beholde the wyfe of Ananias not knowing what had chaunced to her housband as folkes knowe later almoste then other what euill is done at home in theyr owne house came in beyng priuy to that her housbandes craftie deceyte and in wyll ready also for her parte to gette vayne prayse vnto whose vngodly imaginacions Peter aunswered saying tell me woman solde ye the lande for so muche and for no more then this She muche lyke to her housbande aunswered without any shame yea verayly for somuche haue we solde it Than Peter sayed to her why hast thou with thy housbande together agreed to tempte wyth a lye not vs but the spirite of the lorde whom ye see workyng in vs But forasmuche as it liked thee to be felowe wyth thy housbande in this wicked dissimulacion thou shalt be lyke wyse partener with him in punishment Beholde they stande at the doore whiche buried thy housbande and the selfe same persons shall carry the out She than immediatly as these woordes were spoken fell downe and yelded vp the ghoste In went the young menne vpon thesame and founde the woman deade Than they carryed her foorthe and buried her by her housbande A sharpe example this was but yet profitble for manne and not ofter put in vre than once of thapostles And yet did not Peter the ientileste creature that than was lyuyng inflycte thys punishement but as he that was inspired with the holy ghost expressed it in woordes For Peter than knewe by secrete inspiracion of the holy ghost what was already doen and what was for to be doen. God to whom all thynges be knowen wyll see theÌ„ punished that vnder couloured falsehood doe mocke apostolyke persons though that they be suche as may be deceyued For all men hath not all tymes that gyfte of the holy ghost that Peter had at that tyme. Nowe marke howe happily of an euell occasion it succeded Wondrefull great feare sprang through the whole Churche of the faythfull by meanes of that deathe whiche these twoe persons ryght woorthyly suffered yea other also that than beleued not were stricken with feare of this example ¶ By the handes of the apostles were many signes and wonders shewed emong the people And they were altogether with one accorde in Salomons porche And of the others durst no man ioyne himselfe to them neuerthelesse the people magnified them The number of them that beleued in the lorde both of men and weomen grewe more more insomuche that they brought the sicke into the streates and layed them on beddes and couches that at the least way the shadowe of Peter when he came by might shadow some of them and that they myght all be deliuered from theyr infirmities There came also a multitude out of the cities round about vnto Ierusalem bringing sick folkes and them whiche were vexed with vncleane spirites And they were healed euery one Moreouer many and great myracles were wrought emong the people by the apostles wherby it myght playnly appere to all men that this notable effecte came to passe by some dyuine power aboue al strength of man And as many as sticked to the ghospell abode all with one accorde together in the porche called Salomons porche For than were not they desyrouse to be hyd in corners but the tyme requyred that the candle beeyng set vpon the candlesticke shoulde gyue lyght to all that entred into the house As for the others which had not yet by baptysme booked themselues as souldiers to fyght vnder the baner of Christes capitayne none durst company with them For they perceyued this sorte of people to be dedicate to God and holy and therfore of a certayne reuerent feare withdrewe themselues from theyr company lyke as the temporall sorte of men are wonte to drawe backe frome halowed thynges whiche be for euer dedicate to the temple For the people hated them not but had them in an honourable reuerence for the excellent vertue or giftes of god whiche clerely shone in them And notwithstandyng that the example of Ananias Saphira had made many one sore afrayed that none durst frame themselues after a counterfeyte fashion vnto their coumpanie yet after thys the multitude of the faythfull encreased euery daye in numbre
furth of enterludes appointeth time for his players to come and goe euen so doeth here the angell moderate the settyng out of these two persons and their meting For at the same tyme as god would haue it a certaine gelded man being a Chamberlayne toke his iourney a person halfe maymed in that he lacked his stones by reason wherof he was not a perfecte man of body but right wyse for all that and of a manâ—y stomacke an Ethiopian borne blacke skynned but one that shoulde sone after be clothed with a garment of a laÌ„bes flece immaculate as white as snowe and chaunge his naturall complexion in the fonte of baptisme a head officer to Candace quene of Ethiope whom she had made her high treasurer Here speake we of a sorte of people delicatly brought vp by reason of theyr excesse and superfluitie which are well worthy to be in subiection to a woman Riches is the norisher of all superfluitie This man of a deuout mynde had taken his iourney towardes Ierusalem For the temple there was of so great renowme that diuers nacions yea oute of far countreyes came and brought with them sundry gyftes In consideracion whereof the priestes had muche dysdaine and hatred at them that sayd this temple should be once distroyed This chamberlayne meaned well and godly but fowle was he deceyued to seke in the Iewes temple for religion whence it was euen than all ready to depart vnto the heathen And as he was in his repayre homewarde sitting in his chariot he mispent not the tyme in fables or elles in slepe but for the loue that he had to religion was in readyng Esaye the prophete declaring to vs where we ought to seke for Christe For in temples is not he hydden but in bokes of holy scripture ¶ Then the spirite sayde vnto Philip go neare and ioyne thy selfe to yonder charet And Philip came to hym heard hym read the propheâ— Esaye and sayde vnderstandest thou what thou readest And he sayde how can I excepte I had a guyde And he desired Philip that he would come vp sytte by him The â—enour of the scripture that he read was this He was led as a shepe to be slayne like a lambe dumme before his shearer so opened he not his mouth Because of his humblenes he was not estemed But who shal declare his generacion for his lyfe is taken from the yearth The ChaÌ„berlaine aunswered and said I praye the of whoÌ„ speaketh the prophet this of himselfe or of some other man Whan Philip had here in his waye mette with him the angell warned hym againe priuely and sayde go to and approche thou neare vnto this charet Whan Philip had made good spede thyther he heard the Chamberlaine readyng Esay the prophete and streyght therupon perceyuyng his good zele and endeauour vnto religion sayde to him vnderstandest thou what thou readest Than answered he howe should I vnderstand a man as I am geuen wholy vnto temporall busines excepte I had one to expounde to me the secret sence and meaning of the prophete And with that desired Philip the he would step into the chariote and sit by hym that they might the more commodiously talke togyther Up went Philip and sat by the Chamberlayne Marke me how well doth Philip here resemble a trewe preacher of the gospell and howe plainly in this chamberlayne is suche Heathen people described as couet to knowe Christe There must nedes be wonderfull great encrease of all godlynes where the one hasteth in muche desyre to teache the other hartely biddeth hym to his compaynie desirous to learne Here was nothing done by chauÌ„ce god did set al in rule and ordre For this chaÌ„berlaine happened for his parte vnawares vpon that place of the prophete whiche described Iesus Christ. This was the place of Esay he was led as a shepe to be slayne and as a lambe helde he his peace before the person that clyppeâ— hym and not once opened his lyppes Because of his humblenes he was not estemed Who shall declare his generation For his lyfe is taken away from the earth This texte of Esaye whan Philip had repeated to hym the chamberlayne was more enflamed with ardeÌ„t affeccion to knowe whome the prophete spake of and sayd of whoÌ„ I praye the speaketh the prophete these wordes of himselfe or of sum other See how apte this chamberlaine was to learne He had heard that Esaye himselfe was cut in pieces at commaundement of kyng Manasses with a wodden sawe and ignoraunt was he not that prophecies laye sumtymes after suche sorte of doubtefull that what seamed to be spoken of this person or that after the historical sence oftentymes myght after a more priuey or misticall sence pertayne to another But easye is it to teache that person whiche in suche wyse demaundeth ¶ Philip opened his mouth and began at the same scripture and preached vnto him Iesus And as they went on their waye they came vnto a certain water and the ChaÌ„berlaine said see here is water what doth let me to be baptised Philip said vnto him yf the beleue with all thyne herâ—e thou mayest And he aunswered and sayd I beleue yâ— Iesus Christe is the sonne of God And he commaunded the charet to stand styll And thei went downe bothe into the water both Philip also the Chamberlaine and he baptised him And as sone as they were come ouâ— of the water the spirit of the lorde caught away Philip and the chamberlayne saw him no more And he wente on his way reioisyng but Philip was found at Azorus And he walked thorow oute the couÌ„trey preaching in al the cities tyll he came to Lesaâ—ea Than Philip as one that was ready with ryght good wil to teache opened his lyppes and begynnyng at this place of the prophete expounded to hym briefly the principall poyntes of the gospell that is to saye that this person whom the prophete spake of was the sonne of god â–ª throughe whome god had decreed and by his prophetes promysed frely to saue all that woulde put theyr truste in him and that he woulde for this cause haue hym to be borne againe very man of the virgin Mary And where the one natiuitie and eke the other can not be in worde expressed whether it be his eternall generacioÌ„ of his father whiche from euer was withoute circumscripcion of tyme or that he once had of the virgin by the holy ghostes handyworke without maÌ„nes help takyng so vpoÌ„ hym mannes nature that he departed neuer from his godhed the prophete Esay seing this in spirite and muche astoyned therat sayde who shall be able to declare at lengthe his generacion Furthermore that he was the trewe paschall lambe for whose deathes sake his father had appoynted to delyuer not onely the Israelytes but al other nacions also from bondage of synne and from death euerlastyng And therfore delyuered he hym into the handes of the priestes scribes phariseis and head men amoÌ„g the people who brought him
made a benche or a fourme to sit on whiche thinge is not onelye nothyng lyke god who hath no body but also besydes the outward shape of the body hath nothyng lyke a manne no not one iote of that parte whereby manne is lyke vnto god ¶ And the tyme of this ignoraunce God regarded not But nowe byddeth all men euery where repent because he hath appoynted a day in the which he will iudge the worlde with rightwisenes by that man by whoÌ„ he had appoynted and hath offered faith to all men after that he had raysed hym from death Whiche reprochefull iniury though it be haynous before God yet he of his greate fauoure and loue that he beareth to man hath not reuenged himselfe but hytherto hath wynked at mans ignoraunce vntyll the tyme was cumme that he had determyned to open hymselfe to all men and to caste cleane awaye all darke and blynde errours which menne haue so long bene conuersaunt in Whiche tyme is now present wherin he monisheth all meÌ„ to leaue their old errours and turne to him For hys wyl is that those that repent shal haue forgiuenesse whiche they that wil be stubberne shal not in time to cuÌ„ haue for because he hath appoynted a daye whan he will iudge the whole worlde and that with a iuste and streight iudgement which no man shal escape And therfore he sendeth his messangers to warne men lest any man myght pretende ygnoraunce in these thinges for his excuse profereth remyssion of synne to them that wil repent lest any should say that god were not merciful For both these purposes chose he Iesus of Nazareth an excellent person whom he sente into the worlde for this cause that al men by his meanes might be conuerted to wurshyp the true god and hathe geuen him power to iudge the vnfaythfull and such that wyll resyste thys doctrine And this is he whome he promysed by the mouthes of his prophetes many yeres past that he shoulde cum to bee bothe a saluiour and also a iudge And loke what he promised he hath hitherto perfourmed very certainly For he was so borne so taught eueÌ„ so troubled with vexacioÌ„ and so slayne and in conclusion so arose he frome deathe to lyfe as it was before prophecied that he shoulde And there is no doubte but that he will as surelye perfourme all other thinges that remayne behynde ¶ Whan they heard of the resurreccion from death sum mocked and other sayd we wil heare yâ— agayne of this matter And so Paul departed froÌ„ among theÌ„ Howbeit certaine men cleued vnto him and beleued among the which was Dionisius a Senatour a woman named Damaris and other with them Whyles Paul spake these woordes certayne that stoode by gyuyng good eare to all other thynges that were spoken whan they had hearde mencion made of arysyng from death to life they mocked at it as an vnlyke thing and a thyng that were not to be beleued because that no Philosopher had holden any suche opinion before though there were summe whiche sayed that the soules remayned on lyue after the death of the body and sum other also whych sayed that the soules entred out of one bodye into an other But others that were not of so rashe a iudgement sayed We wyl heare the agayne an other tyme of this same matter And in this maner Paule dimissed that coumpany Yet sum ther wer among them that wer perswaded and ioyned themselues with Paule emong whom was Dionisius a Senatour which afterward was bishop at Athens instituted by Paule a certayne woman whose name was Damatis and besydes these dyuerse others The .xviii. Chapter After this Paule departed from Athens and came to Corinthe and found a certaine Iewe named Aquila borne in Pontus lately cuÌ„ froÌ„ Italy with his wife Priscilla because that the Emperoure Claudius had commaunded al the Iewes to depart froÌ„ Rome and he drewe vnto them because he was of the same craft he abode with theÌ„ wrought theyr craft was to make tentes And he preached in yâ— Synagoge euery Saboth daye settynge forth in the meane whyle the name of the Lorde Iesus and exhorted the Iewes and the Gentyles WHan Paule had gotten thus muche gaynes litle and slender thoughe it were of encreasyng and auauncyng the ghospel of Christe at Athens a cytye of very corrupte manners he wente thence to Corinthe whiche is the chiefest marte towne in all Grece and as it was the welthiest so was it by reason of ryot incontinencie and pryde very vicious There he by chaunce met with a man whose name was Aquila which obserued the Iewes religion but was borne in Pontus whiche Pontus is a part of the lesse Asia bendyng towardes the North. This person as God would was cum thyther but of late afore from Italye with his wife Priscilla forbecause that the Emperour Claudius had coÌ„mauÌ„ded al Iewes that were in Rome as there wer a great number to auoyde the citie And because these wer of the same crafte that Paule was he lodged in one house togyther with them for he would not be alone labouryng as they dyd wyth hys handes leste he shoulde burthen any manne And theyr crafte was to sowe together skynnes to make tentes wythall And lyke as Peter was not ashamed to returne to hys crafte of fyshyng as often as nede compelled him so the greate Apostle Paule whiche valiauntlye had sustayned and borne manye stormes for Christes sake was nothynge ashamed to take in hande agayne sowyng of skynnes whiche for to further the Gospell he had for a tyme layed asyde Yet in thys meane whyle ceased not he to preache the gospel disputing in the sinagoge euery sabboth day both with the Iewes and also with the Gentiles When Sylas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia Paule was constrayned by the spirit to testifie to yâ— Iewes yâ— Iesus was very Christ. And when they sayd contrary and blasphemed he spoke his â—ayment sayd vnto them your blode be vpon youre owne heades froÌ„ henceforth wyl I go blamelesse vnto the Gentiles And he departed thence entred into a certayne mans house named Iustus a wurshipper of god whose house ioyned hard to the Synagoge Howbeit one Cryspus yâ— chiefe ruler of the sinagoge beleued â—n the lorde with all his householde mauye of the Corinthians when they gaue audyence beleued and were baptised In the meane season Sylas and Timothee whome Paule willed to folowe him to Athens came frome Macedonie This dooen Paule because he was muche sorie that he had dooen veary lytle good there was constrayned by the spirite neuerthelesse to preache yet dylygentlye Iesus of Nazareth to the Iewes afâ—yrmyng that he was Messias whome the Prophetes hadde before promysed that throughe hym onelye and none other man shoulde obtayne saluacion But whan they clamoured agaynste hym yea in so much that they were not afrayde blasphemouslye and slaunderously to speake agaynste Iesus and Paule he hauyng in remembraunce what the gospell in that case
all countreyes and hath taught in all places a newe doctrine againste this people whiche God chose seuerally to hymselfe against our lawe also whiche we receyued of God and againste this temple whiche is had in great honour through all the whole worlde And yet is not this wycked person so contented but hathe moreouer brought with him into this our temple bothe Grekes and others that are not circumcised and hath prophaned or polluted and suspeÌ„ded this holy place For duryng the tyme that Paule had been in the citie they had dayly seen in his cumpanye one Trophimus whiche was an Ephesian borne and thereby they coniectured that Paule had brought him into the temple With this troublesome noyse all the citie was reysed and the multitude flocked together And they toke Paule and drewe hym out of the temple as a man worthy to bee delyuered into the handes of the furious rageyng people to do with hym what they woulde and forthwith the doores of the temple were shut faste vp that he myght haue no place whither he myght safely escape For they sought oportunitie that is to saye a tyme and waye conueniente to kyll him whiche thing was not lawefull for theyr religion to doe in the temple as thoughe it were not an vngodly and a wicked thing in any place els to sley an innocente As they went about to kyll hym tydinges came to the high captayne of the souldiers that al Ierusalem was moued Whiche immediatly toke souldiers and vnder captaines and ran downe vnto them whan they saw the vpper captayne the souldiers they lefte smytyng of Paul Than the captayne came nere and toke hym and commaunded him to be bound with two chaynes and demaunded what he was what he had doen. And sum cryed one thing sum another among the people And when he coulde not knowe the certayntie for the rage he commaunded him to be caried into the castell And when he came vnto a stayre it fortuned that he was borne of the souldiers for the violeÌ„ce of the people For the multitude of the people folowed after crying away with him In the meane space tidynges came to the capitaine marcial of the Romayne armye that all the citie of Ierusalem was reysed vp The captayne forthwith taking ioyning vnto hym souldiers with theyr vnder captaynes hastened to them But whan the Iewes sawe the captayne marciall hastening toward them with harnessed men they surceassed and lefte smytyng of Paule And whan the captayne was come some what nere he commaunded them to lay handes on Paule and to bynde hym with two chaynes supposyng him to bee some haynous malefactoure forasmuche as the multytude ordred hym so roughly and so sore That doen the capitayne enquyred of the Iewes what he was and what he had committed But whan he coulde haue no certayne knowlege by reason of the troublous noyse that they made on eche syde roryng and crying with a loude voyce one one thing and another another thing he commaunded that Paule shoulde bee brought into the castell bounde as he was that he myght knowe the trueth within the place of defence and of safe custody the people beyng set aparte And whan as Paul came to the stayghers of the castell he was caryed of the souldiers for feare leste the multitude shoulde violently take hym awaye For they feared leste they woulde hurte him before he coulde be conueyghed into the castell For the multitude of the people folowed euen to the very staighers of the castell crying out as high as they could awaye with him dyspatche him awaye with him And whan Paule began to be caried into the castell he sayed vnto the high captaine maye I speake vnto the Whiche sayed Canste thou speake Greke Art not thou that Egypcian whiche before these dayes madest an vprore and leddest out into the wyldernes fower thousand men that were murderers But Paule sayed I am a manne which am a Iewe of Tarsus a citie in Cilicia citizen of no vyle citie I beseche the suffer me to speake vnto the people And whan he had geuen him lycence Paule stoode on the steppes and beckened with the hande vnto the people and whan there was made a greate sylence he spake vnto them in the Hebrewe toung saying But after they came to the entry of the holde Paule beeyng desyrous to satisfye the mynde of the Iewes that made this businesse sayed to the captaine marciall maye it please you to geue me leaue to speake vnto you The marciall aunswered canst thou skill of the greke toung For Paul had spoken those woordes in Greke Art not thou saied the marciall the same Egipcian that hast made commocion before lykewyse that leaddest fower thousande murderers hence into the deserte Paule aunswered I am not he whome you take me for but I am a Iewe borne and my natyue countrey is Tarâ—us a noble citie in Cilicia But I praye you geue me lycence to speake my mynde to the people Which whaÌ„ he had permitted him Paule standyng on the steppes beckened wyth his hande and certified the people by tokens that he woulde speake vnto them And streyghtwayes sylence was made and he began to speake on this wyse in the Hebrewe tounge The .xxii. Chapter ¶ Men brethren and fathers heare ye myne aunswer which I make nowe vnto you When they heard that he spake in the Hebrewe tongue to them they kepte the more sylence And he saieth I am verayly a manne whiche am a Iewe borne in Tarsus a citie in Cilicia neuertheles yet brought vp in this citie at the feete of Bamaliel and infourmed diligently in the lawe of the fathers and was feruently mynded to godwarde as ye all are this same daye and persecuted this waye vnto death byndyng and deliueryng into pryson both men and women as the chiefe prieste doeth beare me wytnes and all the esstate of the elders of whom also I receyued letters vnto the brethren and wente to Damasco to bryng them whiche were there bound vnto Ierusalem for to be punished YE menne whiche be here present partely by lynage brethreÌ„ and partely for your auncient yeares dignitie fathers gyue eare to me whiles that I purge my selfe of those thinges wherof I am falsely accused vnto you WhaÌ„ Paul had spokeÌ„ these wordes in manier of a preamble the multitude heatinge him speake Hebrewe made the more silence whither it were because that euery man vnderstoode this language or els because the al men beare more fauour to their owne countrey speache theÌ„ to any other Than did Paul procede and goe furth in his tale in this wyse To the entent that ye maye perceyue me to haue committed nothing blasphemously eyther againste this Iudaicall people or againste Moyses lawe or els against the temple I am a Iewe borne my father and my mother both Iewes and borne I was at Tarsus a citie in Cilicia But brought vp was I in this citie at the feete of a man that ye all knewe well inough
whose name was Gamaliel and euen from my chyldehoode was I diligently instructed in the lawe of my countrey earnestly bent to the honouring of the true God in suche sorte as ye do to this presente tyme insomuche that I for the affeccion that I bare to the lawe dyd persecute this doctrine of the ghospell whiche I nowe professe pursuyng suche as professed thesame not to pryson and bandes onely but also to death entendyng nothyng els then persecucion with sore threatnynges and sondry kyndes of death againste the professours of the ghospell byndyng and castyng into pryson bothe man and woman that stycked to the sayed doctrine And that I tell nothinge otherwyse then trueth he can beare me wytnesse whiche was than the high priest and all the other auncientes with him from whom I receyued letters and tooke my iourney towardes Damasco that I myght bryng theÌ„ prysoners from thence to Hierusalem whiche proâ—essed Christes name to the entente that they myght be punyshed accordyng to the dyscrecion of the priestes and elders ¶ And it fortuned as I made my iourney and was come nygh vnto Damasco about none sodaynly there shone from heauen a great lyght rounde about me and I tell vnto the yerth and I heard a voyce saying vnto me Saule Saule why persecutest thou me And I aunswered what art thou Lord And he saied vnto me I am Iesus of Nazareth whome thou persecutest And they that were with me sawe veryly a lyght and were afrayed but they heard not the voyce of hym that spake with me And I sayed what shall I do Lord And the Lord sayed vnto me aryse and go into Damasco and there it shall be tolde the of all thinges whiche are appoynted for the to doe And when I sawe nothyng for the bryghtnesse of the lyght I was led by the hande of them that were with me â–ª and came into Damasco And one Ananias a perfecte manne and as pertaynyng to the lawe hauing good reporte of all the Iewes whiche dwelt there came vnto me and stoode and sayed vnto me Brother Saule receyue thy sighte And the same houre I receyued my syght and sawe him And he sayed the God of our fathers hath ordeyned the before that thou shouldest know his wil and shouldest here the voyce of his mouth for thou shalt be his witnesse vnto all men of those thinges whiche thou hast seen and heard And nowe why tariest thou Aryse and be baptised and washe awaye thy synnes in callyng on the name of the Lorde This mynde dyd I than beare them for none other cause then for the affeccion that I had to the lawe and to our relygion whiche I had receyued of my forefathers whiche thing is the occasion that ye nowe at this presente are so muche against me Nowe wyll I tell you by what occasion I chaunged my mynde whiche whan ye shall perceyue perchaunce ye also wyll turne your myndes For it chaunced whan as I went thyther and was almoste at Damasco aboute high noone sodaynlye a great lyght compassed me about from heauen wherewyth stricken I was and I fell downe to the grounde and hearde a voyce speake vnto me from heauen saying Saule Saule why doest thou persecute me Unto whome whan I had made aunswer What art thou lorde the voice saied againe I am Iesus of Nazareth whom thou pursuest But my companions that were with me sawe the light and were sore afrayed as for the voyce that spake vnto me they hearde it not Than sayed I Lorde what is thy wyll that I shoulde doe The lorde made aunswer againe in this wyse Aryse and go to Damasco There shall eche thynge that thou must doe be tolde thee And where myne iyes were so daseled with the brightnes of that lyght that I coulde see nothyng at all my felowes led me by the hande vntyll I came to Damasco There mette I with a good man and one that for his vpryght walkyng in the lawe was also Godly named Ananias of whome all the Iewes that dwelt than at Damasco reported well This Ananias standyng by me sayed thus Brother Saule receyue thy syght againe And I forthwith receyued my syght and sawe him Than sayed he The God of our fathers hath chosen and ordeyned the for this ende that thou shouldest knowe his wyll and that thou shouldest see him that is onely iuste whiche iustifyeth all thynge and that thou shouldest heare the voyce of his mouthe For Iesus was in the same lyghte that daseled thyne iyes and it was his voyce that thou dyddest here forbecause thou shalte bee a wytnes vnto him before all menne of those thinges whiche thou hast seene and hearde and now seeing this is the wyll of god wherefore doest thou stay Aryse and be christened and washe awaye thy synnes callyng vnto his name whom thou before hast persecuted ¶ And it fortuned that when I was come agayne to Hierusalem and prayed in the temple I was in a traunce saw him saying vnto me Make haste and get the quickely out of Hierusalem for they wil not receyue thy witnes that thou be arest of me And I sayed Lord they knowe that I prysoned and bet in euery Synagoge them that beleued on thee And when the bloud of thy witnes Steuen washed I also stode by and coÌ„sented vnto his death and kept the tayment of them that slewe hym And he sayed vnto me departe for I wyll sende thee a farre hence vnto the Gentyles These thynges doen at Damasco when as I within shorte space after had returned vnto Ierusalem beeyng than a newe man and was praying in the temple rauished I was besydes my selfe and Iesus I sawe whiche sayed vnto me Make haste and get the spedely out of Hierusalem for here wyl they not receyue thy testimony of me Than aunswered I in this wyse Lorde I haue a good hope that I shall doe good amonge this people forasmuche as themselues knowe that I for fauoure that I dyd beare vnto the law cruelly handled thy disciples halyng into pryson as many as I coulde take whyppyng them in all congregacions that gaue credence vnto thy gospell And yet was I not satisfyed with this doyng But whan the bloude of Steuen was shed whiche by his death bare faithfull witnes of the and with great boldnes and constancie I also was by whan they stoned hym consented to the death of the innocent man insomuche thaÌ„ I kepte their garmentes whiche brought hym to the place of execucion and that fyrst began to cast stones at him And seyng that euery man may well vnderstande by this howe muche affeccionate I was once towardes the lawe they may now ryghte well perceyue that I chaunged not myne intent without great causes many shall be founde that wyll so muche the more gladly folowe myne ensample the more they shall see that my zeale was towardes this olde religion for loue whereof I the more cruelly persecuted thyne Whan I had this sayed the Lorde aunswered Goe I say and
fathers house bee in anye mansionâ—s c. I am the waye of trueth and life No manne cummeth to the father but by me c. He that hath seen me hath seen the father whatsoeuer ye aske in my name Peace I leaue vâ—tâ— you The prince of this worlde cummeth hath nothing in me Arise let vs go hence Yf ye byde in me c aske what ye â—yl and it shall bee geuen you CoÌ„tinue 〈◊〉 in my loue c. But nowe haue they nothing to cloke theyr sinne withall It is expedient for you that I goe awaye For if I goe not away the coÌ„forter wil not cum vnto you and of righteousnesse c. Of iudâ—emeÌ„t because the prince of this world is iudgâ—d already What is this that he sayeth vnto vs after a while Whatsoeuer ye shall aske my father in my name he shall geue it you Now ye beleue c I desâ—eâ— not that thou shouldest take them c. The glorye which thou gauest me I haue geuen them Peter stode at the doore without I euer taught in the Synagogue My kyngdome is not of this worlde c. For this cause was I borne c Hayle king of the Iewes Whoso maketh hymselfe a kyng is against Ceasar It was the preparyng daye of Easter aboute the siâ—te houre The wrytyng was Iesus of Nazareth c. One of the souldiers thrust him into the syde and furth â—â— came there out watâ—r and bloude They haue takeÌ„ awaye the lord c. Iesus than came and toke breade c. Folow 〈◊〉 me To whome also he shewed hym selfe alyue after hys passon And commaunded them that they shoulde not departe from Ierusalem c. For Iohn truly baptised with water Whan they therefore were cuÌ„ together they asked of hiÌ„ sayinge Lorde c. And he sayed vnto theÌ„ It is not for you c. And while they looked stedfastiye vp towarde heauen beholde c. They went vp into a parlour And whan he was hanged he burst a sunder c. And no man dwellyng therin c. And whan they praied they sayed c. And they gaue foorth theyr lottes Whan the fiftie daies wer cum to an ende And there appared vnto theÌ„ cloueÌ„ touÌ„ges c. And they wet filled all with the holy gost c Whan thys was noysed about the multitude came together They wordred at and maruailed They were all amased woâ—dred c. But Peter stepped forth With the eleuen With youre eares beare ye my wordes For these men are not as ye suppose c. Whome God hath reysed vp and loosed the sorowes of death For Dauyd speaketh of him Afore hande I saw god all wayes beefore me For he is both dead buried c. Therfore seyng he was a prophete He knowiÌ„g this before spake of the resurreccioÌ„ of Christ. Wherof all we are witnesses For Dauid is not asceÌ„ded into heauen God hathe made the same Iesus whâ—me ye haue crucifyed Lord and Christ. For the promyse â–ª was made to you and to your childreÌ„ And with many other woordes bare he witnesse c. And exâ—orted tâ—em saying Saue your selues from this vntoward generacion Then they that gladly receyued his preaching c. In breaking of bread c. And in prayers And feare came ouer euery soule And solde their possessioÌ„s and goodes And brake bread from house to house c. Whan he sawe Peter Iohn c. In the name of Iesus Christe of Nazareth arise and walke Of that which we are witnesses Whan the tyme of refreshing coÌ„meth And preached in Iesus the resurrection froÌ„ death And whan they had set them before them they asked by what power or in what name haue ye doen this Let vs threaten charge them c. So threatned they theÌ„ and let theÌ„ go c. And whan they heardâ— that they lift vp their voyces to God with one accord And assone as they had made theyr prayer the place moued where they were c. And they were fylled with the holy ghoste they spake the wordes of God boldly And distribucion was made vnto euery man accordyng as he had nede A certyne man named Ananias c Ananias howe is it that SathaÌ„ hath fylled thyne herte that thou shouldest lie vnto the holy ghost c. Whan Ananias hearde these woordes he fell downe and gaue vp the ghoste c. Than Peter sayed vnto her why haue ye agreed together to tempte the spirite of the lorde c. And of the others durst no maÌ„ ioyne himselfe to theÌ„ Neuertheles the people magnifyed theym And they laied handes on the Apostles put them in the 〈◊〉 pryson And they brought theÌ„ without violence For they feared the people c. Beholde ye haue fylled Hierusalem with youre doctrine The God of our fathers reised vp Iesus whome ye slew and haue hanged on tree For before those dayes rose vp one Theudas And they departed from the couÌ„sell reioysyng that they were couÌ„ted worthy to suffer rebuke for his name It is not meete that we shoulde leaue the woorde of god serue tables Wherefore brethren loke ye out among you seuen of honest reporte c. And they chose SteueÌ„ a man ful of faith and of the holy ghost c. And theâ— moued the people the elders and the Scribes For we hearde hym saye this Iesus of Nazareth shal destroye this place Get the 〈◊〉 of the countrey â–ª 〈◊〉 thy 〈◊〉 And promised that â—â— would geâ—â— it to hym to possesse And he gaue him the couenaunt of circuÌ„cision Who made the a ruler and iudge ouer vs This man receiued the worde of life to geue vnto vs c. And they made a calfe in those dayes and offered sacrifices And ye toke vnto you the tabernacle of Moloch Which of â— Prophetes haue not your fathers persecuted And the witnesses laied downe their clothes at a younge mans feete whose name was Saule Lorde laye not this sinne to their charge And at that time there was a great persecucion against the coÌ„gregacion whiche was at IerusaleÌ„ As for Saul he made hauocke of the congregacyon c. But as sone as they gaue credit to Philippes c. They were baptised bothe men women c. The herte â— is not right in the sight of god RepeÌ„t therfore of this thy wickednes c. Praye ye to the lorde for me that none of these thiÌ„ges c. And behold a man of Ethiopia And as they went on their waye And assone as they wâ—â— cum oute of the water And there was a certayne discyple They watched the gates day and nyght to kyll hym And turned hym to the body said Tabitha aryse A deuouâ—e maÌ„ and one that feared God Beholde I am he whoÌ„e ye seke what is the cause wherfore ye are cumme Than called he theÌ„ 〈◊〉 lodged theÌ„ It is an vnlawful thiÌ„g for a man yâ— is a Iew to company or cum vnto an alien For what enteÌ„t haue ye sent for me Howe
And whan as he of a tendre loue towarde them had delyuered them out of Egypte very gently he bare with theyr condycions in the wyldernes by the space almost of fowerty yeares thoughe they often made sedicions and commocions and grutched against Moyses And yet dyd not he extremely punyshe them to the ende that he myghte perfourme his promyse whiche he had made before vnto the patriarkes ¶ And he destroyed seuen nacions in the lande of Chanaan and deuided their land to them by lot And afterward he gaue vnto them iudges about the space of fower hundred yeares and fyfty vnto yâ— time of Samuell the Prophet And afterwarde they desired a king and God gaue vnto them Saule the sonne of Cis a man of the tribe of Beniamin by the space of fowerty yeares And whaÌ„ he was put downe he set vp Dauid to be theyr king of whome he reported saying I haue found Dauid the sonne of Iesse a man after myne owne herte whiche shall fulfill all my wyll After fowertye yeres completed and expired he brought them to the land that he had promysed and whan he had for theyr sakes cleane vanquyshed seuen nacions within the lande of Chanaan the same land parted he by lottes amongest them and that within the terme of CCCC yeres Whiche was an euidente token howe ernestly he loued oure countrey And so whan they had obteyned peace he gaue them iudges vnder whose gouernaunce they myghte quietly lyue vntyll the tyme of Samuell the Prophete whiche was last of the iudges In tyme of his rule they desyred of god that he would gyue them a kyng Samuel disswadyng them from it and whan as they contynued styll in the same mynde and desyre he made Saul king ouer them that was the sonne of Cis of the tribe of Beniamin whome the lorde reiected partely for his pryde and partely for dysobeying his commaundement And thus continued they vnder the domynion of the good iudge Samuel and vnder the vngodly Saule fowerty yeares Yet for all this the fauour of the mercyfull god forsoke not vs his people whome he had once chosen but in stede of an euyll kynge whome they had contrarye to the wyll of God desyred he faysed vp vnto theim kyng Dauyd of whose ryghteousnes god hym selfe bare witnes â–ª saying I haue founde Dauid the sonne of Iesse a man to my mynde whiche shall obey my wyll in all thinges For euen as god what tyme he is angry for a great punishement geueth vnto the people a foolish and an vngodly king euen so whan he is pleased and reconciled vnto vs he geueth for the euyll kyng whome he layeth out of the way a good man and one that will fulfil his commaundemente Of this mannes sede hath god according as he had promised brought foorth to Israel a saluiour one Iesus when Iohn had firste preached before his cumming the baptisme of repentaunce to Israel And when Iohn had fulfilled his course he sayde whome ye thinke that I am yâ— same am I not But behold there cuÌ„meth one after me whose shoes at his feete I am not worthy to leuse Unto him hadde GOD made a promyse that one of his lyâ—nage should become Kyng of Israel who shoulde raygne for euer Nowe is it at length fulfilled whiche oftentimes and long ago was by the prophetes promysed For of the stocke of Dauid according to his promyse he hath exhibited vnto vs Iesus the salvioure of the Israelites his name ryghte well agreeyng with theffecte ensuinge therof This saluioure as he was promysed of the Pophetes and as he was signifyed before in shadowes of the lawe and fygures so before he shewed hymselfe to the worlde he was prophecied and spoken of and also was shewed to be already cum by the mouthe of Iohn the â—â—ptiste who also was sent before according to the prophecye of Esaye is a messenger to shewe that he was cummyng exhortinge all the people of Iâ—aâ—â—to bee baptysed and to repente their lyfe whiche they had ledde before openly â—onouncinge that the kyngdome of god was euen at hande But whan Ion whome god purposely sent to be the foremessenger of our saluiour which was cummynge and to make ready the myndes of men agaynste he came â—alalmoste made an ende of his couâ—se and was thoughte of many for his goâ—d iuing to be Christe he openly reiected this title from hym and referred it to him that it was dewe vnto saying Why thynke ye that I am Christe I am nothing els but his messenger And yet he whome ye though in dede not truely suppose me to be wyl within shorte space cum For he as concerning tâ—me shall cum after me but so far he passeth me in power and dignitie that I am far vnworthy yea to vnbuckle hys shooes whiche amonge men is acoumted but an homely office and a base seruice For what is in him of leaste â—putacion the same doeth farre surmounte that that is in me moste excellent Wherfore we preache vnto you no newe thing but that the same saluiour is now come that hath so many hundred yeres sence been promised to oure forefathers and whiche hath so long time ben looked for of your owne selues whome Iohn whiche among the Iewes was in great estimacion knowledged to bee the same saluioure and so pronounced openly of hym before the Iewes Ye men and brethren chyldren of the generacion of Abraham and whosoeuer among you feareth God to you is this worde of saluacion sent For the inhabitours of Ierusalem and their rulers because they knewe him not nor yet the voyces of the Prophetes whiche are read euery Sabboth daye they haue fulfilled them in condemning him And whan thei founde no cause of death in him yet desired they Pilate to kil him And whan they had fulfilled all that were written of him they toke him downe from the tree and put hym in a sepulchre But God reysed hym againe from death on the third daye and he was sene many dayes of them whiche came vp with hym from Galile to Ierusalem whiche are witnesses of him vnto the people Wherfore brethren ye that haue the lawe in price and that greatly regarde the prophetes and that come of Abrahams linage to whome god promysed issue by meane wherof all nacions should be blessed yf you bee the children of Abraham in very dede yf ye earnestly stande in the feare of god folowe in this poynt the godlynesse of your father Abraham and receyue this wholesome doctrine that we bring vnto you and embrace hym beyng now already come and beyng lyuely exhibited and geuen to you in very dede whome the Patriarkes did most highly reioyce to haue no more but promysed vnto them that he shoulde come This helth of soule thorow Iesus is indifferently brought to all men but vnto you especially is it profered to whom and for whose saluacion the prophecies were disclosed and of whose stocke Christe was borne Let not the vulgare example of them that inhabite nowe Hierusalem