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
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
yf anye thing be taken from hym then he that setteth great store by that litle he hath and neuer maketh an ende to augment and encrease thesame Hereby he seemed to meane Iudas who albeit that he forsoke all that euer he had as the other dyd and folowed Iesus yet afterwarde was he perceiued to be a more naughtie couetous wretche theÌ„ those which after the iudgement of the worlde be rychest With suche woordes Iesus framed the myndes of his disciples by lytle and litle against the most greuous storme of all that was at hand the mencion wherof they vtterly abhorred For nowe began he to goe vp to Ierusalem the whiche name the disciples hated bycause they had hearde saye how theyr maister should there suffer muche shame and vilanie In other places of the ghospell it is oft tymes mencioned howe they went before as when beyng hungry they plucked the eares of corne In this vyage they coulde not so doe For it is a painfull iourney to goe vp to Ierusalem It is for them that be of valiant courage and strong in spirite and suche in whom this world hath naught that is his Therfore Iesus nowe goeth before and the disciples folowe after all heauy and murmuring against hym because he would willingly put himselfe in manifest daunger of lyfe They both maruayled what minde he had so to do and also feared their owne partes leste he woulde bring them into lyke daunger Suche disciples so grosse and weake withall suffered Iesus and doth it greue vs sith we be weake our selfes to beare with the dulnesse of the weake They gaped after a kyngdom they desyred to be partakers of glory and reasoned who should haue the chife place or preeminence but they vtterly abhorred that thing whiche was moste necessary for theyr saluacion ¶ And Iesus toke the .xii. agayne and began to tell them what thinges should happen vnto him Beholde we go vp to Ierusalem and the sonne of manne shall be delyuâ—red vnto the hie priestes and vnto the Scribes and they shall condemne hym to death and shall deliuer him to the Gentiles and they shall mocke him and scourge him spitte vpon him and kill him And the thâ—ede daye he shall ryse agayne Iesus therfore to geue vs an ensample how we ought in instructing of our neyghbour to teache him rather necessary thinges then delectable rather holsome thinges then pleasant After he had called vnto hym the .xii. whome his will was should not onely be witnesses â–ª but also in some pointes partakers with him of this storme Iesus I say printed in theyr myndes what he had first couertly and anon after plainly foreshewed vnto them saying Loe the tyme is nowe cum that I haue so ofte told you of We go vp to IerusaleÌ„ to th entent you maye perceyue that I willingly and wittinglye will suffer what tourmentes and passion soeuer I shall be put vnto For I must not flye syth the tyme appointed of god is present this sacrifice shal be made at Ierusalem because that place is appointed thereunto And the sonne of man shall be deliuered into the handes of the chief priestes Scribes Phariseis and elders of the people They shall condemne hym as a felon and a wicked person and at the leÌ„gthe after they haue accused hym of diuerse crimes iudge hym to deathe And then incontinent shall they deliuer hym as a notorious misdoer to the heathen people that they may mocke hym and spitte vpon him To be shorte he shal be scourged and slayne but on the thyrde day he shal arise again from death to lyfe It is nedefull for you to knowe remembre these thynges specially for twoe causes partly leste ye thynke that the same beyng altogether wrought accordyng to Gods determinacion be done by hasard of fortune vnknowyng to me or againste my wyll partly leste this storme wheÌ„ it is cumme trouble you out of measure as men that thought nothing thereon For it is not mete you shoulde take it greuously that I wyll willingly suffre for your cause according as my father hath determined I shall doe neyther is it conuenient that you should be dismayed as at a thyng whiche hath chaunced vnloked for sith I haue so ofte times warned you hereof before ¶ And Iames and Iohn the sonnes of zebede came vnto him saying Maister we woulde that thou shouldest do for vs whatsoeuer we desyre He said vnto theÌ„ What would ye that I should do for you They said vnto him Great vnto vs that we maye syt one on thy right hand and the other on thy left hand in thy glory But Iesus said vnto theÌ„ ye wâ—â— not what ye aske Can ye drinke of the cup that I drinke of â–ª and be baptised with the baptisme that I am baptised with And they sayd vnto him That we can Iesus sayd vnto them ye shall in dede drinke of the cuppe that I drinke of and with the baptisme that I am baptised withall shal ye be baptised in But to sit on my right hand and on my left hend is not rayne to geue but it shall happen vnto them for whome it is prepared Now when the Apostles were all in their dumpes and like men amased by reason of these wordes and durst not now counsayll hym to the coÌ„trary two of them that it is to wete Iohn and Iames the sonnes of zebede came vnto hym alone These .ii. after they heard hym speake of his resurreccion conceiued good hope that that same kyngdome which he had so oft tymes promysed to cumme shoulde very shortly begyn For as yet they had not cleane cast out of their mindes the desyre of worldly aduauncemeâ—t For they set their mother a worke by her desyred him to haue summe preemineÌ„ce soueraigne dignitie geuen theÌ„ in thesame kingdom but or euer they vttered theyr minde they did what they coulde to get a faythfull promise of him before haÌ„de to haue theyr requeste graunted because it should not theÌ„ be lawful for him to deny it them The Lord makyng as though he woulde deny theÌ„ nothing whatsoeuer they demaunded bad theÌ„ tel on hardely what great thing it was that thei sued for For it semed that they would desyre some weyghty thyng or hygh promocioÌ„ Lorde saye they oure peticion and suite is to haue this honourable preferment in thy kyngdome that we may sit nexte the the one of vs on thy ryghthand and the other on thy lefte Iesus by askyng them a question plainly bewrayed theyr ignoraunce and rudenes For as yet they dreamed vpon a certayne corporall kyngdome as yet theyr myndes were vpon the primacy Howbeit it was then no time to rebuke theÌ„ for theyr grosse ymaginacion but yet bryngeth he theÌ„ agayne to the remembraunce of death the whiche they so muche abhorred Because sayeth he ye perceiue not what maner a thyng the kyngdome of God is therefore ye woâ—te not what ye desyre You seke after vaynglory and consydre not by what meanes the true glory
bee enforced nor yet with onely common poynctes of euydence bee confirmed the which being credited and beleued shoulde vnto al ages and times as wel past as to come and to all persons bring euerlasting health and saluacion being not beleued shoulde contrary wise bring euerlastyng death An Aungell therfore cummeth in message from God and bryngeth woorde of the thyng afore vnto Marie her spouse Ioseph is ioyned vnto her afore to the ende he maye be a true witnesse of the mattier Elizabeth whiche had liued barayne tyll she was an aged woman bringeth furth childe zacharie whan he had a long time contynued dumme is restored to the vse of hys tongue and hathe hys speche agayne bothe of them as well zacharie as Elizabeth are sodaynelye rauyshed with the spiryte of prophecie Iohn leapeth in hys mothers woumbe for ioye a virgin without mannes helpe conceyueth chylde Magians beyng straungiers of a farre countrey come renning to haue a sighte of the childe and doe wurship him on theyr knees Shepheardes talke of him abrode and declare openlye that he is come By suche a greate noumber of euidente tokens and by so many straunge wonders and miracles is the newe birth of this child approued and aucthorised ¶ And beholde there was a man in Hierusalem whose name was Symeon And thesame man was iust and godly and loked for the consolacion of Israell And the holye ghoste was in him And an aunswere had he receyued of the holye ghoste that he shoulde not see deathe excepte he firste sawe the lordes Christe And he came by inspiracyon into the temple And whan the father and the mother broughte in the childe Iesus to dooe for hym after the cus 〈◊〉 of the lawe then toke he him vp in his armes and sayde â–ª Lorde nowe â—eattest thou thy seruaunt departe in peace according to thy promise For myne iyes haue seen the saluacion whiche thou haste prepared before the face of all people A light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of thy people Israell Nowe to the entente that there shoulde bee no sexe no age no state or degree of menne nor no profession but that Christ should haue testimonie and witnesse of euerie one of them neyther any one bodye lefte behinde but that he might assuredly promyse vnto hymselfe healthe and saluacyon at the handes of the same Christe there was at the same time in Hierusalem a certayne man named Symeon a manne by reason of olde age colde in hys bodye but in spirite feruente hote of bodye feble and impotente but of soule quiuer and lustie of yeres drye and withered but in all perfectenesse of good lyuyng as freshe as floures that is to wete a veraye iuste and vpryghte man and in verye dede a deuoute manne and full of Godlynesse not huntyng aboute for glorye and lucre at the handes of menne after the exaumple of the Phariseis but ryghte desirouse and muche hungryng for the health and saluacyon of al mankinde in generall whome no delite or pleasure dyd make willing to continue in thys life sauyng onely that he myghte with hys owne iyes once see the veraye selfe Messias whome the wholy sayinges of the Prophetes had promysed to come for the veraye entente and purpose to recomforte the people of Israell whiche people hadde bene long tyme afore many wayes in muche distresse and dyd euen veraye than lyue in greuous afflyccyon Thys Symeon as in dede a good manne he was had assured knowleage afore by inspiracyon of the holy ghoste that the same day and tyme was nowe alreadye come And whereas he had with moste ardente prayers besoughte the lorde to geue hym the gift that he mighte but euen once with hys bodelye iyes beholde the Messias nowe so manye hundred yeres loked for he had in the secrete closet of hys godlye breste receiued an aunswere of the holye ghoste that he shoulde be sure not to depart out of this presente lyfe but that he shoulde firste see with his bodely iyes that same blessed babe whome he had seene manye a daye afore with the iyes of his â—eyth to the ende he myghte wytnesse hym to bee come in dede whome he dyd nothyng doubte but that come he shoulde that same blessed chylde I saye whome for a very south god hath singularely aboue al other menne enoynted that he mighte haue and enioye bothe a kyngdome for euer to endure and also a priestehood neuer to bee abrogated or abolished Therefore whan the tyme shoulde come that the chylde Iesus shoulde bee broughte into the temple as we haue sayde the blyssed olde manne afore named being secretly warned by the mocyon of the spirite came euen a litle before into the temple And whan Marie the mother of the chylde and Ioseph who was yet styll beleued to bee his father broughte the babe into the temple there to execute and to doe suche thinges as vnto the accustomed rites of purifycacion dyd appertayne as soone as the chylde was offered vp and the pryeste had receyued it as the maner was and had blessed it the godlye zeale of the olde man coulde no longer forbeare but that he also woulde nedes take in hys armes the litle young babe whome he had so greately longed for and euen furthwithall hys voyce being in case not long after to continue but to fayle by reason of age sodaynly brast out into the praysing of God singing out a most swete and melodious song muche after the sorte if ye will so lyken it as in the poetes and Philosophiers it is written that the swannes vse to do a litle before they shall dye and thus he sayde All my desyres o Lord are nowe fully satisfied Nowe will I be willing and glad to dye For nowe thou geuest thy seruaunte leaue to departe with a restfull and a quiete mynde not felyng ne hauing any ferther wante at al or lacke in this life but euen desirouse fayn nowe to passe out of this feble olde carkas vnto the blissed company and felowshippe of the godly persones whiche haue long afore nowe loked for thys day and yet neuer had the happe to see it but with the spirytuall iyes of theyr faythe My prayers are nowe more aboundauntlye satysfyed who haue had the happe euen with my bodely iyes also to see and to whome it hath beene geuen in myne olde armes to embrace thyne only sonne by whome and through whome it hath pleased thee to geue true healthe and saluacyon not onely to the people of Israell but also to all nacions of the vnyuersall worlde In thys babes litle bodye though it bee but homelye and symply borne to the syghte of the worlde I acknowlage o lorde thy vertue and power I acknowlage this babe to bee the lyghte of the worlde promised by the holye saâ—ynges of the prophetes I acknowlage thys childe to bee the brighte sonne whiche it was thy holy will and pleasure to haue spring vp and arise vnto the worlde that it myght on
than can be saued for one shall fynd but a fewe persons but either they haue ryches or couet to haue But he recomforted the dismaiyng of his disciples again saiyng The thing whiche with men is vnpossible is possible enough with god It is not of mannes power to despyse rychesse and suche other commodities as folowe at the taile of richesse But this strength and stoutenesse of hert dooeth god geue vnto suche as through simple and vnfeyned beleuyng dooe shewe themselfes apte for to receyue his gyftes And he is with god no longer taken for worldely ryche whosoeuer hath laied away from hym the loue of money and in suche wyse possesseth his money that he wil with all his herte leaue thesame as often as respecte of health and saluacion euerlastyng shall require it Than Peter said Loe we haue forsaken all and folowed thee He said vnto them Uerilye I say vnto you there is no man that hath forsaken house either father or mother either brethren or wife or children for the kingdome of gods sake whiche shall not receiue much more in this worlde and in the world to cum life euerlastyng Of these woordes the Apostles conceyue a good hope the more parte of whom had left altogether whatsoeuer it was that thei were owners of tofore Therfore in the behalf of theÌ„ al speaketh Peter saiyng loe we haue left al and haue folowed thee we haue perfourmed eueÌ„ yesame point also which thou diddest earnestly require of the ryche man Than although it was but a very small porcion that Peter and Andrewe had left albeeit if they had had more more would they haue forsaken The Lorde conneth them thanke for their readinesse in that they had doen and because they should not nede to repente them of that they had dooen sheweth that great gain it is to haue lost worldely rychesse for the kyngdome of God For in lieu and place of transitory and vyle thynges by theÌ„ conteÌ„ned bothe here in this worlde the mynd and soule is enryched with goodes heauenly and also in the worlde to come endlesse felicitie is repaied for them Than furthermore hereupon thus sayd the Lorde This I auouche vnto you for a matter not to be doubted of not to you onely shall it turne to great gaines in the ende to haue left for my sake the litle slender possessions that ye had but also whatsoeuer person shall for the respect of the kingdom of god forsake either house or father or mother or brethren or wife or children he shall bothe in this preseÌ„t life receiue much mo thynges and also better then he lefte and moreouer in the world to cum he shall receiue life euerlastyng Iesus toke vnto him the twelue and said vnto them Behold we goe vp to Ierusalem and al shal be fulfilled that are written by the prophetes of the sonne of man For he shal be deliuered vnto the Gentiles and shal be mocked and despitefully entreated spetted on whan they haue scourged him they will put him to death And the third day he shal arise again And they vnderstode none of these thinges And this saiyng was hid from them soo that they perceyued not the thynges whiche are spoken After that he had with these sayinges somewhat lifted vp and chered the hertes of his disciples agayn he tooke with him the twelue apostles whoÌ„ it was not behoueable to be ignoraunt of any thyng which were wrought and doen for the redeÌ„pcion of maÌ„kind And now beginneth he euen suÌ„what openly and plainly to beate the matter into their heades concerning the death which he should at Ierusalem wittingly willingly dye accordiÌ„g to the foresayinges of the prophetes For he knew very wel that thei should be very sore dismaied and discuÌ„forted with the death of their maister and for that consideracioÌ„ he doâ—th often beate this tale into their heades to the ende that at the laste it may be engrauen in their hertes and that by a litle and a litle they myght bee enured to abide the matter which as yet their eares abhorred to heare meÌ„cioned or spoken of And verily this was none vnbelefe in theym but a certain earnest loue stroÌ„gly working in theÌ„ towardes their maister Seuerally therfore from the cumpany he begoonne to open vnto them that the tyme of hys death did now approch Behold saieth he we are now goyng vp towardes Ierusalem and there shal all thinges be accomplished that haue been writteÌ„ by the prophetes concernyng the sonne of man For he must be deliuered into the handes of the Gentiles and of them shall he be scorned and scourged and spetted on And after that they shall haue scourged him and shall haue mynistred vnto hym all kyndes of reproche and vilanie in wordes thei shal in fine put hym to death but he shal aryse agayne the third day from death to lyfe But this talke because it was nothyng swete ne pleasaunt could in no wise sink in to the Apostles stomakes as commoÌ„ly we are harde of belefe in such matters as we would not with our good willes haue to bee true And they coulde in no wyse perceiue the mysterie of the crosse wherhence redeÌ„pcioÌ„ and saluacion should by a newe found conueighaunce of god cum forth and issue vnto the worlde They had no luste ne fansy to beleue that a man whom they loued so entierly should dye of suche a violent kynde of death neyther coulde they possibly beleue it likely that suche an one should be put to deathe by the handes of the wicked as was hable to do such wonderfull actes and which had so many tymes escaped oute of the handes of suche as had attempted to assail him fasten vpon him and finally they doubted not but that it myghte be afterwarde an easier thyng for hym to bryng to passe not to dye at al thaÌ„ to reuiue again from death as he said he would yea and they thought it better not to dye at all then after death to bee restored to life again And althoughe they coulde not doubte of their maisters trueth in hys wordes yet did they in this maner flatter their owne affeccions they enterpreted that in these wordes of Iesus there lay priuily hidden some figurate mistical maner of speakyng suche as the lord did of a special property that was in him very muche and often vse to bryng in begilyng by meanes of that same colourable speakiÌ„g not only the people but also the very apostles selues as for exauÌ„ple whaÌ„ he willed theÌ„ to beware froÌ„ the leaueÌ„ of the phariseis whaÌ„ he auÌ„swered that he had an other kind of meate whiche he houÌ„gred for whaÌ„ he taught theÌ„ for a lessoÌ„ that a camel might soner passe through a nedles iye then a riche man entre into the kingdome of heauen whan signifiyng that his doctrine must be receiued and conueyed throughly into the very bowels of the soule he saied that no man shoulde haue lyfe in tyme to come onlesse thesame shoulde first eate his
healing of the lame and blinde and authoritie in casting out of marchandise no manne beeyng so bolde to resist and the children also crying in the temple Os Anna to the sonne of Dauid Thei taking these thinges greuously monished Iesus to cease that crying els it would cum to passe that he shoulde seme to acknowleage suche honour of which they iudged him vnworthy wher as it shoulde haue been theyr partes rather more greâ—ely to prayse hym and to speake well of him whiche beyng auncient men and skilfull in the law and the prophecies seeyng so many miracles myght vnderstande that this is Messias whom they loked for so long tyme. Nowe the children by the instigacion of nature or rather by the inspiracion of God spake that thinge whiche they could not vnderstande for lacke of age Therfore they blinded with enuy and drunken with anger saied vnto him hearest thou what these children saye But Iesus stopping their mouth with a testimonye of scripture dyd ye neuer reade ê™ he of the mauthe of infantes and sucklinges thou haste made perfecte thy prayse will ye therefore that I should shut their mouthe whiche God hath opened to prayse his glory I say vnto you God will not suffer his prayse to he had in silence through your enuye in so muche that if these holde theyr peace the stones wil crye whose hardenes ye excede Therfore Iesus leuyng them with their enuy departed and goyng out of the citie of Ierusalem went vnto Bethania and there tarryed ¶ In the morning as he returned into the citie agayne he was an hungered and whan he had spied a figâ—ree in the 〈◊〉 he came to it and founde nothing theron but leaues only and saied vnto it Neuer fruite growe on the hence forward And anon the figâ—ree wythered away And whan his disciples sawe it they maruayled saying how soone the figgetree is wishered Iesus answering sayed vnto them Ueâ—ely I saye vnto you If ye haue fayth and doubte not ye shall not onely do this that is happened vnto the figgetre but also if ye shal saie vnto this mountaine 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 thy selfe into the sea it shall be doen. And all thinges whatsoeuer ye aske in prayer yf ye â—eleue ye shall receyue them In the mornyng by the waye as he returned vnto the citie he beganne to wexe hungry And when he sawe a figtree nere the waye he came towarde it as hoping to haue sum foode And when he câ—me at it he founde nothyng on it but leaues Therefore as beeyng greued that he was deceyued of his hope he cursed it saying Neuer man see fruite of the hereafter And whan the disciples returned agayne the same way seing the figgetree whiche Iesus cursed than to he withered and the leaues fallen of maruelled and saied vnto him behold the figgetree whiche thou diddest curse is now withered Iesus suffered this to be doen for this purpose that he might inculcate diligently faythe vnto his disciples withoute the whiche he knewe that his death shoulde be vnprofitable to menne For he thyrsted maruelouslye after the healthe and saluacion of mankinde and now desired and longed for his death But whereas he founde an apperauÌ„ce of religion in the Iewes he found not the fruite of fayth which only he hungered for Unto his disciples therfore marueiling at the figge tree so sodenly withered he made answere on this wyse why maruayle ye at this whiche is no greate matter a figge tree to wyther the might of faythe can doe more whiche yf ye possesse both stronge and constante ye shall not onelye doe whiche ye sawe chaunce vnto the figge tree but also yf ye saye to this hill remoue the from thy place and go into the sea youre commaundemente shall be doen forthwith And whatsoeuer ye shall aske in your prayers so that ye haue a sure trust ye shall obteyne ¶ And when he was cum into the temple the chiefe priestes and elders of the people came to hym as he was teaching and sayed By what auctoritie doest thou these thinges And who hath geuen the this auctoritie And Iesus auswering sayed vnto them I also will aske you a certayne thyng whiche yf ye tell me I will also shewe you with what authoritie I do these thynges The baptisme of Iohn whence was it â–ª from heauen or of men But they thought with themselfes saying If we say from heauen he will saye vnto vs Why thâ—n did ye not beleue hym But if we say of men we â—eare the people For all men take Iohn as a Prophet And they answering to Iesus sayed we cannot tel And he sayed vnto them 〈◊〉 I do tell you with what aucthoritie I do these thinges And when he entred into the temple and taught the people the chiefe priestes and certayne of the Seniours of the people not suffering him to be there in his kyngdome freely go vnto him and saye By what authoritie doest thou these thinges And who gaue the this authoritie For sith no manne gaue hym this authoritie either he must say that it was geueÌ„ him of God or els of Belzebub If he had saied of God he shoulde haue saied trueth but he shoulde haue doen nothing but prouoked theim For they aske not that they will beleue whiche might appere by the thing it selfe but falsely to reproue and blame Iesus therfore not ignorant of this thing requiâ—ed their question with an other as though a man shoulde dryue out one nayle with an other I will aske you ê™ he a certayne thyng and if ye answer me to that I will answer to your question The authoritie whereby Iohn did baptise from whence came it vnto him from heauen or from men They toke deliberacion with themselfes what they should answere For they sawe it was a question with two pikes and that they must nedes fall vpon the one They thought in their mindes yf we say from heauen he will forthwith say vnto vs why than did ye not beleue him for he preached the kingdome of God and witnessed with me But yf we saye of men it is to be feared leste the people will make a sedicion because all menne toke Iohn for a Prophete Therfore leste they shoulde be reproued they made answere that they coulde not tell Than spake Iesus And I wyll not tell you ê™ he from whence I haue this authoritie ¶ And what thynke you A man had two sonnes and came to the firste and sayed Sonne go to day and worke in my vineyarde â—e answering sayd â–ª I will not But afterwarde he repâ—uted and wente Than came â—e to the seconde and sayed likewyse And he answered and sayed I will sie and wente not Whether of them twayne did the will of the fatherâ— And they say vnto him the first Iesus sayeth vnto them verely I say vnto you thaâ— the publicans and harlottes got before you into the kyngdom of God For Iohn came vnto you by the waye of righteousnes and ye beleued hym not and the publicans and harlottes dyd
came And whan they had song the hymne they went out vnto the mount Oliuete Than sayd Iesus to them All ye shall be offended because of me this nyght For it is written I wyll smite the shepeherde and the shepe of the flocke â—alâ—e scatered But after I am rysen againe I wil go before you into Galile Peter answered and saâ—ed vnto him Though al meÌ„ be offended because of the yet I wyl not be offended Iesus sayd vnto hym Uerely I saye vnto thee that in this nyght before the cocke crowe thou shalt deny me thryse Peter sayed vnto hym Yea though I should dye with the I wyll not deny the. Likewise also saied al the disciples And after that they hadde song an hymne in the prayse of god they arose and went into the mounte of Oliues whiche place he knewe to bee well knowen vnto the traytoure lest he should seme to desyre to be hyd as fearyng deathe but purposelye he withdrawed hymselfe into a solitarye place that he myghte bee taken without tumulte of the people which thyng they went about and loked after There he telleth his disciples agayne how it should cum to passe that byanby they should be sore troubled seing the punishemeÌ„t of their lord but lest they should be vtterly discouraged he doethe coumfort them with a prophecie and with the resurreccion that shoulde folowe furthwith poyntyng also the time and the place nere at hande where they should see hym agayne all ye ê™ he shall be troubled thys nyghte for my cause For so God the father prophecied by the mouth of hys Prophete zacharye I wyll strike the sheperde and the shepe of the flocke shal be scatered abrode But ye nede not to despayre Deathe shall trouble your myndes but byanby the resurreccion shal comforte you For I will rise agayne the thirde daye and after that I am rysen I wyll goe before you into Galile There I will offer my selfe to bee sene of you Iesus suffered al his disciples to be thus troubled to thintent he myght teache theÌ„ by the very dedes howe great the weakenes of mans nature was and how folish a thing it is for a man to trust to himselfe that hauing experience of themselues they myght learne to helpe other mennes weakenes Peter therefore not well knowyng hymselfe with a certayne manly and worldly boldnes denieth that it shall cumme to passe which Christe by the Prophecie sayed shoulde cumme to passe and whiche was a poyncte of more rashenesse he preferreth hymselfe before all other If all bee troubled ê™ he in thy cause yet I wyll not bee troubled To whome Iesus aunswered what sayeste thou Peter wylt thou alone not be troubled Nay this I tell the of a suerty before that the cocke crowe twyse this nyght thou shalt denye me thryse Yet Peter not knowleagyng hys weakenes for all thys aunswered stoutly yea yf I shoulde dye with the I wyl not denye the. And the other of the Apostles folowed the rashenes of Peter who would haue denied Christ also yf they had bene brought to a lyke streight as Peter was ¶ Then came Iesus with them vnto a village whiche is called Gethsemany and sayed vnto the disciples Sit ye here whyle I go and praye yonder and he toke with hym Peâ—er and the two sonnes of zebedee and began to were sorowfull and â—euy Than sayde Iesus vnto them My soule is heuy euen vnto the death â—arry ye â—ere watche with me And he wente a litâ—e farther and fâ—ll downe on hâ—s face and prayed saiyng â—y faâ—her yf it bee possible let thys cuppe passe from me Neuerthelesse not as I wyl â—ut as thou wilt Than Iesus knowyng that the tyme drewe nere that the laste storme shoulde cum he led aparte his eleuen disciples for Iudas was gone oute from supper into a village called Gethsemany Here he commaunded eight of them to tary whiche yet were loth to departe from theyr maister whom they loued hartelye but as yet with a worldly affeccion Tary ê™ he in this place whiles I goe into my accustomed place and praye there For he durst not make them priuye of his conflicte sith they were yet but weake lâ—ste they shoulde be discouraged and taketh with hym but only thre Peter and the two sonnes of zebedee that he myght haue them to be witnesses of hys extreme manly weakenesse whome he tooke with hym into the mounte to beholde hys maiestie and to teache with all that as often as any greater storme of suche troubles than mans strength can abyde is at hande that we vtterly distrustyng our selues commit vs wholy to the helpe of God And the feare of deathe whan it cummeth vpon a man is more bitter than deathe it selfe Therfore this horryblenes beganne than to cum vpon Iesus and he felte great sorow and heuines of mynde For he would not that hys chosen frendes should be ignoraunt of the griefe of his mind that they myght playnly see that he was very man troubled with affeccions bothe of body and mynde my soule ê™ he is heuy euen vnto deathe Taâ—ry here and watche with me For this time requireth not slepe but wakyng and earneste prayer Therfore Iesus goyng forwarde a litle from hys three disciples hangyng downe his heade bowed his face to the yearth and so prostrate prayed vnto his father saiyng My father if it be possible take away this cup of death from me for I feele the affeccion of the body much abhorring from death Notwithstanding let it be not as I wyl after the weakenes of the body but as thou wilt to the health and saluacion of mankynde And he came vnto hys disciples and founde them slepyng and sayed vnto Peter could ye not watche with me one houre Watche and praye that ye enter not into temptacion The spirite is ready but the fleshe is weake When he had thus prayed he returned vnto his disciples and found them slepyng and sayeth vnto Peter Thou that diddest crake a litle before that thou wouldest dye with me couldest thou not wake with me one houre I wake and praye for you Wake you with me and praye to the father that ye fall not into temptacion and be ouercum The victorye chaunceth not but vnto them that wake Therfore we must wake leste the fleshe ouercum the spirite and the spirite mâ—ste be susteyned with the helpe of God Againe he went the second tyme and prayed saiyng My father if this cup can not passe awaye from me but that I drinke it thy wyl bee done And he came and found them again slepyng For theyr iyes were heuy And he left them and went agayn â–ª and praied the third time saiyng the same woordes Than cummeth he to hys disciples and sayeth vnto them Slepe now take your rest Behold the houre is at hande the sonne of man is betrayed into the haÌ„des of sinners Arise let vs be going Behold he is at hand that doeth betray me So hys disciples beyng raysed Iesus went agayne and
whyther the Scribes and seniours dyd resorte But Peter alone for the other disciples beyng afrayed were fledde euery man hys waye although hys skirmishe came not well to passe yet he coulde leaue of vtterly the care of hys maister whome he loued hartely â–ª and yet again he durst not be present with hym notwithstanding he folowed as it might be a farre of and at length in the darke as vnknowen he entred into the court of Cayphas Finally entryng in he sate among the ministers warming him at the coles that whereas he coulde not defende Iesus yet at the least he myght see what shoulde be the ende of the iudgemente For as yet Peter had sum hope in hys mynde ¶ The chiefe priestes and elders and al the counsell sought false witnesse against Iesus for to put hym to deathe but founde none yea whan manye false wytnesses came yet they founde none At laste cause two false witnesses sayed he sayed I am able to destroye the temple of God and builde it agayne in three dayes And the chiefe prieste arose and sayed vnto hym Answerest thou nothyng why do these beare witnes agaynst thee But Iesus helde hys peace And the chiefe priest answered and sayed vnto hym I charge the by the lyuyng God that thou tel vs whether thou be Christ the sonne of God Iesus sayeth vnto hym Thou hast sayed Neuerthelesse I saye vnto you hereafter ye shall see the sonne of man sittyng on the ryght hande of power and cummyng in the cloudes of the skye Further the chiefe priestes and the whole counsel to make sum apperaunce of a lawfull and iust iudgement went about to suborne and set furth false witnesses agaynst Iesus whose innoceÌ„cie was so greate that it was very harde so to lye of him that the lye myght haue any colour of truth And after that many false witnesses came furth but of suche sorte that theyr testimonies saiynges were so yll framed together that they confounded themselfes insomuche that they were not thought meete neyther of those iudges neither of that cumpany At length cummeth furth two false witnesses whiche sayed He sayed I canne destroye the temple of God after three dayes make it vp They toke occasion of this lye by the wordes of Christe who sayed looce thys temple and in three dayes I wyll rayse it vp meanyng thereby that he shoulde be slayne of them but within three dayes he should lyue agayne The witnesses to make the thing more odious dyd depraue and mystake these woordes whiche they vnderstoode not For he sayed not I can destroye but looce ye and he sayed not I wyll build agayne but I wyll rayse vp appliyng it to hys body whiche should be slayne and lyue againe Therfore at thys testimonye because it semed to bee of some weyght and no nother was found more meete and conuenient the chyefe of the priestes roose vp and counterfeityng the person of a iuste iudge as thought he woulde geue Iesus liberty to defende hymselfe sayed Doest thou make no answere to these testimonies whiche be brought agaynst thee But Iesus helde his peace knowyng that whatsoeuer he sayed should be reproued mistaken Than the chiefe of the priestes desyryng to wreste out sumwhat wherby Iesus myght be condemned for nowe hys madnes was such that al tariyng semed to long sayeth vnto hym I coniure the by the liuing God tel vs whether thou be Christ the sonne of God This was a crafty question of the wicked byshop If he had denied that he was the sonne of God he would haue cryed out why than takest thou vpon thee the thing that thou arte not If he had affirmed it he woulde haue falsely accused hym for blasphemy If he had holde hys peace being required and adiured he shoulde seme to despise God and the authoritie of the highe prieste And what was he that dyd adiure hym A wicked bisshop whiche had boughte of Herode for money the annuall honoure and he which did assault the soÌ„ne of God adiured him by God Yet Iesus as it were shewing a reuerence to the honour that he did beare beyng demaunded whether he was Christ the sonne of God aunswered Thou hast spoken so confessing himselfe to be that he was that yet he auoyded the faulte of arrogancie And he added a thing whiche oughte to haue reuoked the wicked bishop from his purposed wickednes yet ê™ he thys I say vnto you hereafter ye shall see the sonne of man sittyng on the ryghte hande of the power of God and comming with maiestie in the cloudes of heauen He gaue to vnderstande that he being than lowe and condemned of the wicked shoulde once come with the power of God to be iudge ouer all the worlde ¶ Than the high priest rent his clothes saying He hath spoken blasphemie what nede ye of any moe witnesses Lo now ye haue hearde hys blasphemie what thinke ye They answered and sayde He is worthy to dye Than dyd they spitte in hys face and buffered hym with theyr fystes And other smote hym on the face with the palme of their handes saying Tell vs Christe who is he that smote thee The chiefe prieste beyng the more prouoked with this saying to thyntente that through the counterfeyted zeale of religion he myghte make the cryme of Christe the more sore he rente hys garmentes and sayde he speaketh blasphemously He doeth vsurpe and take vpon him diuine honour wheras he is but man What nedeth there any more witnesses Beholde nowe ye haue hearde manifeste blasphemie What thynke ye They aunswered he hath deserued deathe Than they began to handle hym cruelly with mockes and skornes as though he had bene lawefully condemned whiche also Iesus suffered moste mekely to geue vnto his a perfect example of pacience They did spette in his face and coueryng hys face they gaue hym buffettes and blowes Agayne some stroke hym on the face with theyr handes saying prophecye and tell vs Christ who is it that stryketh the With these skornes and rebukes they caste him in the teeth because he woulde bee taken for Messias and because he was honoured of the people by the name of a Prophete ¶ Peter sate without in the courte and a damsell came vnto hym saying Thou also waste with Iesus of Galile but he denied it before them all saying I wot not what thou sayest Whan he was goen in to the porche another wenche sawe hym and sayde vnto them that were there This felowe also was with Iesus of Nazareth And he denied it agayne with an othe saying I dyd not knowe the man A whyle after came they that stode by and sayde vnto Peter Surely thou art one of them for thy speche doth bewraye the. Than he began to curse and sweare that he knewe not the manne and immediately the cocke crâ—we And Peter remembred the saying of Iesus whiche he spake vnto hym before the cocke crowe thou shalt deny me thryse and he went out and wept bitterly In the
together vnto Pilate saying Sir we remember that this deceyuer sayde while he was yet aliue â–ª after three dayes I will rise agayne commaunde therefore that the sepulchre bee made sure vntyl the thyrd daye leste his disciples come and steale him away and say vnto the people he is risen from the dead And the last errour shall bee wurse then the firste Pilate sayde vnto them Ye haue a watche goe your waye make it as sure as ye can And they wente and made the sepulchre sure with watche men and sealed the stone But the daye after the Parasceue whiche is the daye of preparacion agayne the heades of the priestes and the pharisâ—is come vnto Pilate confirming the trueth of the resurreccion whiles they goe about to lette it and they saye vnto the president Sir we remember that this deceiuer being yet alyue sayde that he woulde rise agayne after three dayes Therfore commaunde the sepulchre to be kepte vnto the thyrde day leste his disciples come and steale away hys body and perswade the people that he is risen agayne Which if it come to passe we shall preuayle nothyng but the latter erroure shal be wurse then the fyrste Pylate sayeth vnto them ye haue a watche goe and kepe as ye knowe But they whiles they goe about to stoppe hym that woulde ryse agayne they encrease the miracle and the faythe of the resurreccyon They sette kepers and made sure the sepulchre they sealed the stone also whiche dyd shut the mouth of the Sepulchre leste there mighte be any deceyte in the kepers also The paraphrase of Erasmus vpon ¶ The .xxviii. Chapter And vpon the euen of the Sabbothes whiche spryngeth in the first day of the Sabbothes Marie Magdalene and the other Marie came for to see the Sepulchre And beholde there was a greate earthequake For the Aungell of the Lorde came downe from heauen and came and rolled downe the stone from the doore and sat vpon it And hys countenaunce was like vnto the lightening and his garment white as snowe And for feare of him the kepers were astonied and were made as dead men ANd when the euen of the firste Sabbothe daye was come after the ende of the whiche was the mornyng of the daye folowyng whiche was the fyrste daye of the weeke next ensuing Marie Magdalene and the other Marie theyr swete spices prepared ouer night went agayne in the mornyng to the Sepulchre to see what was dooen and to enbaulme the bodye of Iesus And there was a great yearthquake And whan the women deuysed emong themselues howe they mighte remoue the stone from the doore of the graue for it was to greate to bee remoued by the strength of women beholde the aungel of the lorde came downe from heauen and remoued the stone from the doore of the graue and than sate vpon it And the countenaunce of the aungell was lyke vnto the lyghtening and hys garmentes shinyng as white as snowe The kepers of the Sepulchre loking vpon him were afrayde and so amased that they laye astonied like dead men And the aungell made aunswere vnto the women and sayde Feare ye not For I knowe that ye seke Iesus whiche was crucified he is not here for he is risen as he sayde Come see the place where the Lorde was layde And go quickely and tell his disciples that he is risen agayne from deathe And beholde he goeth before you into Galile there ye shall see hym Loe I haue tolde you But the aungell comforted the women saying These men worthyly be amased at the glory of the resurreccion whiche doe perseuer and continue styll in theyr vnbeliefe But feare not ye for I know that ye seeke Iesus who was crucifyed Nowe he hath left hys sepulchre and hath perfourmed that he promised to do This is the morning of the third day Therfore he is risen Come and see the place whiche beyng voyde of the bodye hath yet a sygne where the body laye It hath also the apparell of the bodye the lynnen wherein he was wrapped Lette these thynges make you beleue yf ye beleue not me But spedely departe hence and tel these thinges that ye haue sene to the other discyples being sadde for the deathe of the lorde that he is rysen agayne Whome if ye desire to see beholde he will goe before you into Galile like as before his death he promised There ye may see hym alyue for whome ye mourned when he was dead Loe I haue tolde you before And they departed quickely from the sepulchre with feare and great ioye and did runne to bring his disciples worde And as they went to tel his disciples beholde Iesus met them saying Al hayle And they came and helde his feete and wurshipped him Than Iesus sayd vnto them be not affrayde goe and tel my brethren that they goe into Galile and there they shall see me And whan they had looked in the voyde graue whiche they had founde shut spedely they returned partely fearefull for the greatnes of the miracle partely rauyshed with greate ioye for the desyre and hope to see theyr Lorde alyue agayne and they runne to communicate thys ioye to the dyscyples of Iesus And as they wente Iesus met them that they myghte tell the more certayne tidinges And to encourage them being fearefull he sayde All hayle They seyng and knowing the lorde went vnto him and embracing his feete wurshipped him Agayne Iesus to take from them all feare that they mighte the better perceiue the thynges that shoulde be spoken he sayeth feare not goe and tell my brethren the thinges that ye haue seene and bid them go forward into Galile there they shall see me ¶ Whan they were gone beholde some of the kepers came into the citie and tolde the chiefe of the priestes all thynges that had happened And they assembled together with the elders and tooke counsell and gaue muche money to the souldiers saying Saye ye that hys discyples came in the nyghte and stole hym awaye whan ye were aslepe And if thys come to the presidentes eares we wyll perswade him and saue you harmelesse But they tooke the money and did as they were taught and this saying is noysed amoÌ„g the Iewes vntil this day And when they were departed to thintent the trueth of the resurreccyon myght be confirmed also by the testymonie of the aduersaries certayne of the kepers leuing the Sepulchre went vnto Ierusalem and tolde the heades of the priestes what thinges had bene dooen howe the sepulchre beyng shut and sealed the body was not founde And howe the aungelâ— being of merueilouse beautie remoued the stone and of the earthequake and howe they were amased for feare And how they hearde the aungell talking with the women Whan the priestes hearde these thinges of the kepers they went to counsel agayne with the Seniours forasmuche as the thyng was to manyfeste to bee doubted they bye a lye of the kepers for money lyke as before they boughte the helpe of the traytour for
vnto thyne owne deseruinges but vnto the free mercye of God who takethe mercy and compassion vpon whomsoeuer it pleaseth him for as muche as he is debtour and bounde to no manne ¶ And when Iesus was cum ouer agayne by shyppe vnto the other syde muche people gathered vnto him and he was nighe vnto the sea and beholde there came one of the rulers of the Synagoge whose name was Iairus and when he sawe hym he fell doune at his fete and besought hym greatly saying my daughter lieth at poincte of deathe I praye the cum and laye thy hande on her that she maye be safe and liue And he wente with him and muche people folowed hym and thronged him When this seede as a man maye call it was sowen among the Gerasites the Lord Iesus passed eftsones the water That he so oftetimes chaūgeth place maketh for the aduauncyng of the gospell and the varietie of miracles monisheth vs how the teacher of the gospell ought busyly to do his deuoure whēsoeuer occasion serueth to bryng whōsoeuer he can to saluacion Nowe when he was brought ouer to the other side thither resorted afreshe a great multitude of people For like as the lodestone draweth vnto it yron so dothe benefyeence well doing allure all men vnto her Whiles the Lorde was by the water side there came vnto hym one of the rulers of the Sinagoge called Iairus This Iairus moued by the fame of Iesu came thither with the reste of the multitude For there was a thing which greued his heart very sore wherein he muche desyred the presence of Iesu. Therefore whē he sawe that Iesus was brought againe vnto the shore set al ād he was right ioyous as they are euer lowly crouchinge whiche greatly desyre any thyng although he were a ruler of the Synagoge that is a primate among stately felowes yet fell he downe at the fete of Iesu and besought hym saying Lorde my daughter a mayden of twelue yere olde in whome I reposed the chiefeste solace of myne olde age is in as greate perill of lyfe as may be lyeth now at the mercy of God cumme and laye thy hāde vpon her that thorough thy touchyng she maye be safe and lyue Iesus perceyuing well by his wordes how weake his fayth was as yet in asmuch as he made mencion of the extreme ieoperdye that she was in as thoughe he had not bene able to reliue her if she had bene deade in deede and in that he required his presence and also the touching of his hande as thoughe he coulde not beeynge absente yea and wyth a becke make whole whomsoeuer hym liste Iesus I saye promised hym to come and so folowed hym goynge homewarde a good pace geuynge thereby an ensample howe readye the pastour of Christes flocke oughte to be in procurynge soule health to al men bothe to Grekes and to barbarous nacions to them whiche are descended of noble parentage and of base linage to riche and to poore to learned and to vnlearned And as he wente there was occasion geuen him whereby to reforme the vnperfite faithe of the sayde ruler of the synagoge that by the ensample of a woman whiche the lesse that she knewe ▪ Christe by the lawe the more was she to be borne with all and excused of her vnbelefe There folowed Iesus as he wente to the ruler of the synagoges house merueilous greate multitude of people partlye bicause it was not possible to disseuer them from him and partly to behold the miracle whiche shoulde be wrought The nobilitie of the suyter made them more desirous to beholde Wherefore as eche of them preased to be nexte Iesu so was he payned with the throngyng of the people ¶ And there was a certayne woman whiche had bene diseased of an yssue of bloude xii yeares and had suffered many thynges of many physicians and had spente all that she had and felte none amendement at all but rather was worse and worse When she had hearde of Iesus she came in the prease behynde hym and touched his garmente For she sayde If I maye but touche his clothes I shal be whole And strayght way the fountayne of her bloud was dried vp she felte in her body that she was healed of that piage In this prease was there a woman that had a fylthy a shamefull and also an vncurable disease and had bene sycke thereof the space of .xii. yere for it was the bluddye flyxe whiche was in so muche the worse takynge because whyles she put great hope of recouery in Physycians that mader her manye faire promises whyles disapoynted of one she wente vnto another for boote that put her in more assuraunce of healthe and from hym agayne to another beyng continually fed with good hope and comfortable wordes she spente all that euer she had vpon them and yet for all this so lytle was she holpen by Physike that she was in muche worse case then she shoulde haue bene if it had not chaunced her to medle with the Phisicians at all who whyles they made manye large promises and payned the poore wretche with their seruiceable diligence bothe encreased her olde griefe and also added thereunto a newe that is to saye vnto her bloudy flyxe pouertie Suche vndoubtedly are the commune sorte of those that professe humaine medicine But it is oft tymes seene that healthe is gotten by vtter despairing of healthe After she began once to distruste the Physicians and they perceiuinge that she had nothynge lefte to geue them had now at the length geuen sentence that there was no hope of her recouery than began she to be nerer vnto health then she was before For God helpethe none more wyllyngly then suche a one as is cleane destitute and forsaken of all worldly succours This woman hearde but tell of Iesu and furthwith she conceyued a wonderful greate confydence of hym and preased in among the thyckest of the multitude The bashefulnes of womanhode and the fylthynes of her disease woulde not suffer her to dooe as the ruler of the synagoge dyd but she came behynde Iesu and at the lengthe when she had wyth muche a do wounde her selfe out of the prease of people whiche thruste and thronged one another then touched she hys garmente For she had suche confydence in hym that she sayde secretelye to herselfe in this wise If I maye touche but the onelye hemme of hys garmente I shal be deliuered of my disease When all the Phisicians whiche toke muche moneye to put her to payne had geuen her ouer she happened to mete with an other Physician who sodaynelye restored her to perfit health and that for naughte She was not deceyued in her truste For assone as she touched the Lordes garmente the yssue of bloude staunched the humor beeynge sodaynlye corrected whyche was wonte to yssue and well out as it hadde bene out of a quicke springe Moreouer she felte nowe agayne the selfe same strengthe and lustines in all
of fine linnen clothe and therin wrapped the bodye and layed it in a newe sepulchre hewed out of free stoone and then rolled a great stone to the doore or entry of the sepulchre that no man should lightly conuey awaye the body by stealth But of the women whiche behelde the lorde when he dyed two folowed hym vnto the sepulchre that is to wete Mary Magdalene Mary Ioseph markyng where the body was layde to th entent that they might at time conuenient thither repaire and honorably perfourme the solemnities and ceremonies belonging vnto burials accordyng to the manour and vsage of that nacion The .xvj. Chapter And when the Sabboth was paste Mary Magdalene and Mary Iacob and Salome bought swete odoures that they might cum and anoint hym And early in the mornyng the first daie of the Sabboth they came vnto the sepulchre when the Sunne was risen and thei sayde amoÌ„g themselues who shall rolle vs awaye the stone from the doore of the sepulchre â–ª And when they loked they sawe howe that the stone was rolled awaye For it was a very great one And they went into the sepulchre and sawe a yong man sitting on the right syde clothed in a long garment and they were afrayde BEcause that on the preparyng daye on the which daye the lord was buried a litle before the euentide immediatly after the Sunne setting it was not lawful to do any worke for the reuerence and highe solemnitie of the Sabboth these women ceased for that time to make further prouision for spices as they began to do awaytyng for the ende of the nexte daye folowing And anon as the Sunne was gone to glade and the time come agayne when men might lawfully returne to theyr businesse then came Mary Magdalene Mary of Iames and Salome with spices readie prepared to enoint Iesus And early in the mornyng vpon the fyrste daye of the sabbothes the whiche folowed next after the sabboth was ended and was the thyrd daye from the preparing daie these well disposed women came to the sepulchre what tyme the element waxed now faire bryght about the Sunne rysing sayde one of them to another Who shall rolle vs awaye the stone froÌ„ the dore of the sepulchre The stone was great and houge it passed womans strength to remoue it And they loked aboute yf they could get any body to helpe them in the meane while that they thus loked backe they sawe the stone already remoued to theyr handes TheÌ„ anone as they were entred into the doore of the sepulchre they sawe a yong man sitting on the right syde of it clothed with a long white garmeÌ„t With this sight though it were a right ioyfull syght and a token of good lucke yet because it appeared sodainly at vnwares they were amased And he sayth vnto them be not afrayed ye seke Iesus of Nazareth which was crucified He is rysen he is not here Beholde the place where they had put hym But go yonte waye and tell his disciples and Peter he goeth before you into Galile there shall ye see hym as he sayed vnto you And they went out quickly and fled froÌ„ the sepulchre For they trembled were amased neyther sayed they any thyng to any man for they were afrayed But byanby an Aungell recomforted them with swete and pleasaunt wordes saying you haue no nede to be afrayed You seke Iesus of Nazareth who was nayled on the crosse He is risen he is not here Beholde the voyde place where they had put his body Therfore all this that you haue prepared to honour and reuerence hym with all is superfluous Get you hence rather to shewe vnto his disciples beyng greatly dismayed with their Lordes death but especiallye vnto Peter who because he denied hym thryse is twyse as sory as the rest Get you hence I saye to shewe them how Iesus wyll go before them into Galile Thither let them folowe There shall you see hym alyue whome ye nowe bewayle as dead But these wemen what for great ioye and gladnes and what for the feare they were in by reason of this straunge sight fled out of the Sepulchre and spake not one worde as long as they were there so greatly were they afearde ¶ When Iesus was rysen earlye the fyrste daye after the Sabboth he appeared fyrste to Mary Magdalene oute of whome he had caste seuen dyuels And she went and tolde them that were with hym as they mourned and wept And they when they hearde that he was alyue and had appeared vnto her beleued it not After that appeared he vnto two of them in a straunge figure as they walked and went into the countrey And they wente and tolde it to the remnaunt And they beleued not these also As yet Iesus had not appeared to any bodye but after he was rysen he appeared fyrst of all to Mary Magdalene out of whome he had caste seuen diuels and this appering was the fyrste daye after the great Sabboth early She incontinent shewed the disciples who wept and mourned for theyr lordes death what she had sene But when they heard her tell howe he was aliue and that she herselfe had sene him and hearde hym speake they gaue no credence vnto her wordes So cleane out of memory was the thyng which he had so ofte tymes promised that is to saye howe he would ryse againe on the thyrde daye The same daye that he appeared vnto Mary Magdalene he appeared also vnto two disciples in the likenesse of a straunger and wayfaryng man as they went from Hierusalem into the countrey But they knowyng at the length that it was the Lorde retourned to Hierusalem and shewed vnto the resydew of the disciples what they had sene Neyther was suche thynges as they tolde beleued of the moste parte ¶ Afterwarde he appeared vnto the eleuen as they sat at meate and caste in theyr teeth theyr vnbelefe and hardnesse of hart because they beleued not them which hadde sene that he was rysen againe from death And he sayde vnto them Go ye into all the worlde and preache the gospell to all creatures he that beleueth and is baptised shal be saued But he thaâ— beleueth not shal be damned Laste of all when he was readye to departe hence and returne into heauen he appeared vnto the eleuen Apostles as they sate at meate for Iudas was then dead and hit them in the teeth with their vnbelefe and hardenesse of harte because they woulde not beleue those persons who had sene that he was rysen agayne from death For it was not requisite that all should se his death and resurreccion but sufficient for the fayth and certaintie of the gospell that the thyng was â—nce proued by mete and conuenient witnesses Els how shall the heathen geue credence to those thinges that were doen yf they would likewyse discredite the apostles reporte as Thomas and some other of them did at the begynning And Iesus sayed vnto them After all those thinges are now at the
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
as touchyng your rewarde leat your myndes be onely vpon your office and dutie it shal be mine office to prouide for you as touchyng your dignitie If ye shal be true folowers of my humilitie ye shall also be partakers of my glorie if ye shal be felowes with me in takyng suche part of affliccions as I do thē shall ye also haue suche part of immortalitie in heauen as I haue And hitherto haue ye persisted continued with me in mine affliccyons by which affliccions it hath pleased my heauēly father to haue mine obediēce throughly tried and approued Neither lownesse of degree nor pouertie not the trauailles of this life not the obloquie of men not the Phariseis laiyng await for you not the threatenyng of men of power hath disseuered you frō coumpaniyng and liuyng with me wheras others haue fallen away frō me wheras others haue not had the bold spirit to professe thēselfes disciples of mine That yf ye shall still persist in thesame mynde that ye haue hitherto had and shall not irke in the meane tyme to folowe my humilitie to the end ye may the better profit all persones I againe on my parte shall bryng to passe that ye shall an other day bee partakers of the glorye of my kyngdome For it hath so pleased my father that this shal bee the waie to the kyngdome of heauen And thesame haue I heretofore opened vnto you will doe again thorough my death By meane of lowenesse my father shall exalte me to the glorye of a kyngdome by temporall affliccions to ioyes euerlasting And like as there is a kyngdome prepared for me of my father because I in the meane whyle accordyng to his will doe behaue and vse my selfe as a minister and not as a Lorde euen so will I after that I am exalted to the dignitie of my kyngdome prepare the feloweshyppe of the same kingdome for you that folowe my steppes in suche wyse that ye whiche haue not sought for honour here in this worlde but haue behaued your selfes as ministers and seruauntes vnto all others diligently dispensing the doctrine of the ghospell shall sitte with me at my table in my kyngdome not now as ministers but as the honourable chyldren of god And where ye are nowe for my sake reputed amōg the Iewes for persones moste abiect ye shal at that houre sitte as head men of dignitie vpon twelue thrones iudgyng the twelue tribes of Israell For at that day shall the vasenesse of suche people appere as at this present seme to sitte on high benche in this world so shall your highnes who seme at this daye to be the outcastes of the world Thus muche did the lord Iesus speake vnder a figure qualifiyng and tēperyng his wordes to the rawnesse of his disciples whiche rawnesse be suffered for these causes to remaine a long season in them partly because he would in vs the more effectually plucke out suche worldly affecciōs as the disciples wer at that time subiect vnto partly because we should learne with great pacience fauour to suffre the weakenes frailtie of other folkes vntil they may growe to thinges of more perfeccion And the Lord said Simon ▪ Simon beholde Satan hath desired to lift you as it were wheat But I haue praied for thee that thy faith fail not And whan thou art conuerted strength thy brethren And he said vnto him Lord I am ready to goe with thee into prison to death And he saied I tell thee Peter the cocke shall not crowe this daye till thou hast thrise denied that thou knowest me There was no more remaining but for hym to arme the mindes of his disciples against the tempeste euen than approchyng and to roote out of theyr hertes the puttyng of their trust and confidence in themselfes For the sodain stormes of affliccions dooeth to no persones so ouer geue an ouerthrow then to suche as haue a confidence and boldenesse in their own strength But suche persones as vtterlye mistrustyng theyr owne assurednesse that is to say all worldly aide and mainteinaunce of man do wholly depend of goddes defēce and helpe suche none others are hable to stand sure against all the vproares tumultuous businesses of this presēt worlde So than tourned he his tale vnto Peter to the entent he might by exaumple of Peter trayne and correcte them all For he knewe Peter to be of a more quicke and prest spirite thē the others and to bee one that put very muche confidence in hymself of a tendre good affeccion certes but yet humain and worldly For he had not yet receyued thatsame holy spirite of god being the bounteous geuer of al vertue He therefore saied Simon Simon beholde Satan hath earnestlye desyred to haue you all that he might winow and sifte you as they do wheate of a purpose to blow you in soondre if he might And he would so haue doen in dede in case ye had been or should be leaft to your own frailtie but I haue hartyly prayed my father for thee Peter that although thy faith wil be somwhat waueryng yet it maye not fail clene away The first exaumple hereof it hath pleased hym to shewe vpon thee whiche trustest verye muche on thy selfe to the end that beeyng come to thyselfe again after thy falle thou maiest by exaumple of thy self confirme thy brethrē whā thei shal through the same frailtie bee fallen to the end they may euery one of them vnderstande that no man may possibly of his own strength bee an hable matche againste the malyce of Satan onlesse he bee stayed with my aide and mainteinaunce Peter whan he heard these wordes trustyng yet still in his owne strengthe aunswereth Lorde what fallyng a way from thee or what conuersion doest thou tell me of Naie thou shalt perceiue and fynde me a constant man in faith and vnpossible to be ouercomed And like as I haue not hitherto at any tyme forsaken thee so will I not forsake thee at any tyme hereafter neither insomuche that I am ready to put my self in extreme daūger of my life with thee whether it be to go into prisō yea or to death either This saiyng of Peter procedyng truely out of a good a plain menyng hert but yet not euē throughly knowē vnto hīself the lord immediatly repressed with this aūswer ▪ what saiest thou Peter Art thou he that wilt go into prison to death with me Naye I tell thee another contrary tale aforehād For it will so cum to passe that thou wylt thrise reneague me wilt sweare thou knowest me not euē this presēt night before the cocke crowe twise so great shal the storme of afflicciō be vpō thee And he said vnto th◠whan I sēt you without wallet or scrippe shoes lacked ye any thing And thei said no. Thou said he vnto thē but now he that hath a wallet let him take it vp and likewise his scrippe and he
where his woont was to praie he said vnto them To the enteÌ„t and purpose that ye may bee hable manfully to stande against the tempest that hangeth ouer you watche ye and pray ye leste yf thesame come soodaynely vpon you as ye lye sluggyng and idle it may take you in the trappe ere ye be aware and so maye ouercome you The Lorde whan he had thus muche spoken withdrew hymself from their cumpany to the mountenauÌ„ce in maner of a stones cast to pray solitarily for all creatures like as he should afterward in his own sole persoÌ„ suffre death for all creatures But lyke as his death did not profite idle persones so must not his prayer neither be auaillable but vnto suche as haue diligente and earnest mynde to pray for themselfes too And to geue vs a lesson that the herte is to bee submitted as often as we addresse to speake talke with God He praied his father on his knees bowed downe to the grounde saying Father if it bee thy will remoue thissame cuppe away from me I fele the humain nature which I haue taken to abhorre from death but in this behalfe leat the redempcion of man ouercome â–ª and leat that bee doen whiche thy wil beeyng vnmutable hath determined and not the thing whiche the weakenesse of this body doeth geue aduise or mocion vnto Our Lorde knewe what the wyll of his father was and on his own party he couered to driÌ„ke the cuppe of death for the redempcion of the worlde and he laied vpon hymself the affeccion of his body and studied to prescribe vnto his seruauntes a fourme and trade of praiyng For this maner of praiyng were very fitte for a martir a litle before the time of his martyrdome Thy wyll be dooen and not myne Whether thy wyll be to haue me liue or to dye And this feareful tremblyng of our nature Christe toke vpon himself because he would take it away from his But to the enteÌ„t he would teache vs that at suche tymes we should haue prest helpe readye at the lordes hand whan we had wholly coÌ„mitted our selfes to the wil of god whether it be to lyfe or death there appered vnto him an aungel doune from heauen strengthenyng him As he was cast in great agonie pangues for our behoufe so was he for our behoufe cumforted and strengthened by the auÌ„gell After all this there toke him a certain extreme agonie and trouble of mynde suche as for the moste parte is woont to chaunce vnto menne whan they haue death euen before their iyes and behold it in their myndes And this passion is coÌ„monly woont to be more grieuous theÌ„ very death self Neither did Iesê° disdayne to take this tormente of mynde also for our cause who refused not for our cause to hang on the crosse teaching vs in the meane time to what succours we ought to take our refuge as often as thatsame quaking feare shall take our infirmitie and cease vpon it For liyng doune prostrate vpon the grouÌ„d he praied yet more earnestly Forsoth hereof depeÌ„deth the whole hope of our victory And verify to the enteÌ„t we should be the more stedfaste in time of suffering paine and torment so great trouble of mind toke Christ that droppes of bloude tricled doune to the earth from all his body ouer And whan he arose vp from praier and was cum to his disciples he found them slepyng for heauinesse and saied vnto them why sleape ye Ryse and praye leste ye fall into temptacion Assoone as he arose again from praiyng stode vpright he retourned vnto his disciples and found them slepyng for sorowe and heauynesse Thatsame was not any surfaict that had made them so heauye but the weakenesse of nature it was grieuous dolour of the mynde that had caused their slepe but whoso will in suche a bataill goe awaie a conquerour muste fighte agaynste this weakenesse with the lustie streÌ„gth of the spirite Iesus therfore chideth his disciples and eftsons calleth them vp to pray saiyng why dooe ye in so great daungier and ieopardy geue your selfes to slepe Arise ye and praye leste the tempest growing fast towardes doe oppresse you and ouerwhelme you euen as ye lye sluggyng for the houre is euen now very nere at hande While he yet spake behold there came a cumpany and he that was called Iudas one of the twelue went before them and pressed nigh vnto Iesus to kysse him But Iesus said vnto him Iudas betraiest thou the sonne of man with a kisse whan they whiche were about him sawe what would folowe they said vnto him Lorde shall we smite with the sweorde And one of them smote a seruaunt of the high priest and stroke of his right eare Iesus aunswered said suffre ye thus ferre forth And whan he had touched his eare he healed hym The Lorde Iesus had not yet ended these wordes and euen nowe alreadye appered in sight a rable of vngracious souldiers whom the priestes Phariseis beeyng more vngracious then they had purposely sente for to attache Iesus And that honest maÌ„ Iudas who had but euen a little before been a folower of Christe and a companion with hym at his table and nowe become the guyde of a deuelishe bande of souldiers came afore them a good preatye waie betwene but he had geuen them a token before for so to doe is a thyng coÌ„moÌ„ly vsed in warres that to whoÌ„soeuer he should geue a kisse him should they well wete to be Iesus And whan he had cum sumwhat nere vnto Iesus eueÌ„ ready now to kysse him as he had been wont to do the lord accordyng to his accustomed mildnesse refused not the traiters kisse neither but yet eftsons pricked his conscience to th eÌ„tent that being moued at leastwise with so great pacience fauour of the lord he might haue ameÌ„ded Iudas saieth he arte thou a betraier of the soÌ„ne of man with a kisse Iudas by that word well vnderstode that his herte was not hidden froÌ„ God He knewe the innocencye of the Lorde he was so many tymes with suche myldenesse of the Lorde as neuer the lyke was heard so prouoked to chaunge from his wicked entente and purpose euen a verye flinte stone myghte haue been suppled therewith had not Satan altogether possessed his whole hert with the disease and corrupcion of couetise And truely the deuelishnesse of Iudas was cause of daÌ„nacion to hymselfe alone and no mo But suche personnes as dooe nowe in these tymes with seÌ„blable guile betray the veritie euaÌ„gelical vnto the princes of this world are causers of a more greuous coÌ„fusion are worthy of greater punishement then vnhappye Iudas ouerlate takyng repentaunce of hys facte did execute vpon himselfe Immediately vpon the kisse geuen the company of the harnessed menne came rennyng vnto Iesus to laye handes vpon hym and they were suche as for none other purpose had a mynde and wyl to knowe Iesus but that they myght take hym But happye are
and chiefe headmen might bee the better manifested vnto the worlde Herode whan he sawe that Iesus was brought vnto hym was glad of that syght For the man had of long tyme been wyth chylde to haue a syghte of Iesus of whome he had hearde so many thynges And he verayly trusted that it woulde nowe come to passe that Iesus woulde before hys face shewe some myracle suche as he had heard veray many to had been wroughte in other places by hym Wherfore he questioned with Iesus of many thynges as one desierous to geat out many thynges out of Iesus not to the ende hymselfe myghte bee made the better man therby but to satisfie hys owne curious fansye that he had to knowe thynges For none other thynges it were that he enquyred of Iesus but suche as he woulde haue asked of some Magian that is to saye some cunnyng man that had a syght in the priuities of Phylosophy and in the mysticall conclusions of nature but Iesus who was not come to serue the faÌ„sie lust of a wicked prince but to procure health vnto al creatures made him none aunswer at all teachyng vs in the meane season that sometyme the woorde of god is not to bee vttered whan it is euident that the persones are vnworthy vnmete to heare it But the bishops all this whyle and the scrybes folow their matter earnestly and call vpon it and dooe eagrely lay to his charge afore Herode as meÌ„ very fore fearing that Iesê° who was thaÌ„ arrained mighte by some meanes escape But yet Herode although he wer a wicked king yet was he nothing at al moued with these accusacions as one that well apperceiued all that euer was dooen or entended to had arisen and proceded of enuie But thinking it sufficient to despise hym of whom he was despised he clothed Iesus in the way of mockage in a white garmente for that was than the guise and maner of goyng of kynges and Emperoures and so sent him backe again to Pilate This reproche had the lord taken at Herodes handes beyng a prince of a grosse witte and brayne and of his armed garde beeyng lyke men like maister accordyng to the prouerbe For among men of suche a sort a felowe that can goe or daunce on a rope orels one that hath the feate to playe a iuggelyng cast shall sooner haue praise and thanke theÌ„ a syncere preacher of the ghospell For suche persones haue no mynde ne wyll but eyther to haue pleasure and delectacion shewed theym orels to learne suche thinges as maie serue to the maintenaunce of their tyranny Yet not withstaÌ„ding in the meane time Herodes ciuilitie dyd condemne the wickednes of the Byshops and the Scribes and did quitte Iesus also seeyng he condemned hym not to death beyng accused afore him and making no aunswer to the offeÌ„ces which wer layed to his charge It was in the meane time a thing highly to the contentacioÌ„ of Herode that Pilate shewed hym so muche honour as to sende Iesus vnto him to haue a sight of Whereupon from that time forewardes amitie and freÌ„dship grewe betwene Herode and Pilate wheras before there had been variaunce betwene theÌ„ But a wicked and vngodly frendship it is that is made by the iniurie of the trueth euangelicall ¶ And Pilate called together the high priestes and the rewlers and the people and said vnto them ye haue brought this man vnto me as one that peruerteth the people And behold I examine hym before you and find no fault in this man of those thinges wherof ye accuse him no nor yet Herode For I sent you vnto him and loe nothyng worthy of death is doen vnto him I will therfore chasten him and let him looce For of necessitie he must haue let one looce vnto them at the feast And al the people cried at once saiyng away with him and deliuer vs Barrabas which for a certain insurreccion made in the citie and for a murdre was cast in prisoÌ„ Pilate spake again to them willyng to leat Iesus looce But they cried saiyng Crucifie him Crucifie him he said vnto them the third time what eiuill hath he dooen I fynde no cause of death in him I will therfore chasten him and let him goe And they cried with loude voyces requiryng that he might be crucified And the voices of them and of the high priestes preuailed And Pilate gaue sentence that it should be as they required And he let looce vnto them hym that for an insurreccion and murdre was casts into prison whom they had desired and he deliuered to them Iesus to dooe with him what they would Whan Pilate sawe that â—he prisoner was sent backe again from Herode and that his purpose had not come to suche effecte as he had assayed to bring it he begoon of a iudge to become a spokesman for Iesus and callyng together the bishops the Scribes the chiefe men and the commons that came at theyr tayles he spake after this sorte to them Ye haue here of youre owne myndes brought this man before me as one that withdraweth your people from the obedience of the Emperour and of your lawes and I here in youre presence haue dooen what I can to boulte out the truethe of him with examinyng and askyng dyuerse questions of hym neyther dooe I fynde hym culpable in any of these crimes which ye accuse him of The selfsame thing hath come to passe with Herode the whiche can iudge better in these mattiers then I forasmuche as he is a man skilled in your lawes In consideracion wherof also I did put ouer this mater to be iudged and tried in his courte who if he had founde him guiltie would not haue let him escape Now because he hath not founde in hym anye offence woorthie of deathe he beeyng contented with a light punishment hath no more but geuen the man a mocke as one veraylye â—uiâ—ing him from all daungier of death Wherefore it is best that we also folowe the equitie of Herode I wil chastice the manne with some lesser punishment then death and so lette him goe This did the lorde presidente trusting that the furious rage of the Iewes would asswage whan they had seene Iesus put to so many reproches and so scourged Whan Pylate coulde doe no good thys way neyther but sawe the madnesse of the Iewes to be the more sette on fyer therby he deuised also an other caste howe to deliuer Iesus It was a custome euery yere once emongest the Iewes that the lorde President because of theyr highe solemnitie of that feastfull daye whiche was than at hande should leat goe by his pardon and releasse vnto the Iewes one of their offendours whom they would aske Therfore the president preuenting their askyng putte it to their choise whether of the twoo they would haue pardoned and realeassed vnto theim Iesus or els Barabas This Barabas was a greate robber and a notable felowe by reason of his mischeuous dedes
which is called Caluarie there they crucified him and the ciuill doers one on the right hande and the other on the left Than saied Iesus father forgeue theim for they wote not what they dooe And they parted his raymente and caste lottes And the people stode and behelde And the rewlers mocked him with theim sayinge he saued other men leate him saue himselfe if he be veray Christe the chosen of God With this pompe did our prince king goe furth towardes his triumphe There were also led to execucion with him two other offendours whiche were condemned with him but not for thesame matter And this thyng was also a matter procured by the Iewes to the entente they might bryng him in the more slaundre and infamy emong the commē people in that he was matched with suche companions There was also pieked out therunto a place which by reason of continuall execucion of offendours was a place of slaūdreous name and of mortal bloud spilling named of the thing selfe Golgotha because it was white with the skulles bones of folkes that had been there put to death In such a place thā was Iesus crucified in the middes betwixt two theues as though he had been as diepe in as they and partaker of theyr offence forasmuch as he was partaker of theyr punishmēt But whatsoeuer thyng the malice of the Iewes could deuise to the shame and reproche of the Lord Iesus al that did he turne to his owne glory and to our health For he that beyng innocent doeth of his owne will submitte hymselfe to saue men vnto the more worldly shame he humbleth hymselfe somuch the more glory doeth he deserue both afore God and afore man also Thus did it please the wisedom of God to th ende he might by this so notable an exaumple plucke downe our pryde which desire to haue laude and commendacion of men yea for our euill dedes too Nowe Iesus beeyng on heighth and lifted vp into that watch tower or beakō place out of the which he would call all thynges home vnto himselfe willing to shewe a moste perfecte exaumple of pacience incomparable whereas beeyng innocente and one that had so many wayes doen good he had so many harmes peines so many kindes of open worldly shame so many mockes skornes ministred vnto him where also hanging on the crosse which thyng doeth make euen veray mourdreers to bee pietied they gaue him suche bittur woordes of reuilyng as it were more grieuous for a manne to abyde then to suffre death yet is he so ferre from auengeyng hymselfe and so ferre from railyng on them agayne that he prayed his father for thesame persons at whose handes he was vngoodly and shamefully handled Father sayeth he forgeue them for they knowe not what they doe Thissame verayly was that holy prayer of our bishop on the aultare of the crosse offreyng vp once for euer in sacrifice the paschall lambe for the redempcion and health of the whole worlde Neither was his prayer without condigne effecte For many of thesame persons whiche through ignoraunce were doers in nailyng the Lorde on the crosse whan they afterwarde knew the trueth by meane of the Apostles preachyng professed the name of hym that had been crucified Howbeit the malice of the Phariseis also was not altogether without ignoraunce but that was suche grosse ignoraunce as dooeth not deliuer ne discharge them from offence For they might haue lacked that ignoraunce and errour if inordinate affeccions and desires whiche they were led by as bondseruaūtes had not letted them But euen emong these some there were which did of a lyke mynde or zele persecute the Lord as Paul dyd persecute the churche of God Here yf thou consyder moste ientill Theophilus the moste perfite innocencie of Iesus the moste great goodnesse of thesame Iesus towardes all creatures the moste high vertues of his minde in which beyond comparisō he excelled al others and agayne on the contrary parte if thou sette before thyne iyes and beholde the hatred the railyng the reproches the guiles the traines the accusacions and the kynde of death that the wiekednesse of the Iewes put him vnto and shouldest heare hym vpon the veray crosse in the middes of their reuilyng woordes praying his father not to take vengeaunce but to forgeue the weorkers and doers of so hainous a dede shall not suche an one seme vnto thee to be a veray shamelesse persone whiche professing hymselfe a disciple of Christe will goe aboute to bee auenged of a synner seeyng he is a synner hymselfe yea although he haue with a great iniurie and displeasure been occasioned and prouoked therunto Than how ferre do suche persones vnnaturally swerue from this exaumple of Christe as for a lyght woord of reproche will drawe theyr sweordes ready to thrust it in theyr neighbours herte howe ferre also from this exaumple of Christe are suche persons as not digestyng a tauntyng woorde any thing stubbernely or proudely spoken against them do shake whole cities whole kyngdomes with pestilente blouddie warres and enforce whole nacions to the wilful effusion and spilling of one an others bloud But let not vs once moue our iyes from this exaumple let vs beholde and folowe our king Christe subdueyng vpon the crosse all the power of the tyranne Satan and vanquishing all the puissaunce of this worlde and triumphing of all powers as many as auaunce themselfes agaynste the trueth of the ghospell whiche trueth it behoueth not any otherwyse to gette the victory ne any otherwise to triumphe then vnder the standarde of her owne prince which is Christ. Let vs beholde our bishop Christe with an effectuall sacrifice pourgeyng and puttyng awaye the sinnes of all the worlde of all nacions and of all times both past and to come and suffreing punishment in his owne body for all menne so that the thyng whiche he freely offreeth vnto vs we will with sincere fayth receiue and accepte as menne acknowlagyng our vnrighteousenesse and enbracing his vnspeakeable goodnesse towardes vs. Whither doest thou turne thy face awaye thou vnhappie and miserable sinner Our Lord crieth father forgeue them and thou being fallen in despayre of thy selfe doest thou either addresse to hang thy selfe as Iudas did or els art thou an heaper of sinnes vpon sinnes There is no cause why thou shouldest from hencefurth feare the power of Satan Christe hath gotten the victory of hym and to thy behoufe hath he gotten the victory From on high vpon the tree of the crosse where he maye bee sene of all nacions he louingly biddeth us come vnto hym The three angles or armes of the crosse doe a ferre of cal louingly aswell vnto Asia and Europe as also to Afrike and biddeth them come to the partaking of euerlasting helth Iesus ferthermore hanged naked vpon the crosse because he would not haue any thyng of this worldes forasmuche as he was in executyng an heauenly sacrifice teachyng vs by a veray right exaumple of a true matier in dede howe
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
the people of the Iewes in the waye of mockage and skorne For he writeth in manier folowyng He hath neither beautie ne fauour whan we shal looke vpon him there shal be no fairenesse we shall haue no lust vnto hym He is despised and abhorred of men he is suche a man as is full of sorowe and as hath good experience of infirmities We haue rekoned hym so vile that we hyd our faces from him yea he was despised and therfore we regarded hym not Howbeit he only hath taken on him our infirmitie and hath borne our peynes yet we did iudge hym as though he were plagued and cast down of god and punished wheras notwithstandyng he was wounded for our offences and smytten for our wickednes For the chastisement of our peace was layed vpon hym with his striepes are we healed Therfore thus speaketh he of himself in the misticall psalme As for me I am a wourme and not a man the verai skorne of men and the outcast of the people Neither hath the misticall scriptures kept silence of his croune of thorne For vnto the first man Adam it was sayd Cursed is the yearth in thy worke Whan thou shalt tille it thorne and briers shal it cause to budde to thee Thesame that the earth was to the former Adā thesame thing was the Iewyshe people vnto the second Adam For thatsame earth beeyng so many sondrie waies tilled prouoked and occasioned with so many benefites to bryng foorth good fruicte it brought foorth thornes vnto their tiller Now Christe was the spouse of the churche or holye congregacion as ye heard Iohn also testifie and the sonne of the Synagogue being a murdreer of hir owne fleshe and bloud Therfore in the misticall weddyng song the father calleth forth al mē to this cruell sight of the spouse being crouned with thornes Goe ye forth O ye daughters of Sion and behold king Salomon in the croune wherwith his mother crouned hym in the daye of the gladnesse of his herte Forsoth thatsame was an earnest and effectuall louer whiche washed his spouse in his owne bloud and knitte hir vnto hym with a bande and knot vnpossible to be vndoen And this was thatsame daye of espousall whiche he had with so great desire desired so that to hym beyng so earnestly in loue all delay and tariaunce semed long Whan the lieutenaunte leaft nothyng vndoen that he myght doe to quitte Iesus to let hym goe the chiefe men of the Iewes together with the people cryed with murdreyng and rageyng voices out aloude Awaye with hym awaye with hym crucifie hym crucifie hym And see howe Hieremie leaft not that thing vnmencioned speakyng in the persone of Christe I haue forsaken myne owne dwellyng place and haue leaft myne heritage My lyfe also that I loue so well haue I geuen into the handes of myne enemies Myne heritage is become to me as a Lion in the wood it cryed out vpon me But whatsoeuer thyng was doen vnto hym in the waye of open shame that shall he turne into his glory Herode sēt him backe again to Pilate clad in a vesture of white the people of the Gentiles shall in time cumming embrace him for their priest The crue of soldiers did vpon his backe a robe of purple they gaue hym moreouer a rede in stede of a sceptre they set on his head a croune made of thornes Gods people shal acknowlage and shall on theyr knees wurshippe theyr kyng euen of suche a facion ouercumming and trioumphing Herode and Pilate play and daly together castyng Iesus as a boule or a balle to and fro betwene them But in the meane tyme they are made frendes wheras they were tofore at discorde and variaunce by mutuall hatered and euen in theyr veray so doing did they no lesse then ratifie Iesus to be a reconciler and pacifier of all thynges which are in heauen and whiche are in yearth Wherof Iob prophecied in this maner The Lorde reconcileth the heartes of the princes of the yearth Nowe eftsons renewe ye all thatsame sight vnto your selfes by castyng it in your mynde thatsame sight I saye which nowe this last day ye sawe with your iyes that is to wete Iesus goyng out to the place of execucion bearyng his crosse vpon his owne shoulders Had he not geuen tokeninges that it should so be whan he did many tymes saye emong his disciples and the people Whoso doeth not take vp his crosse and folowe me is not worthy of me Forsoth thissame was the sceptre of the king of Iewes that is to saye of all men confessyng the thyng whiche Esai long and many a daye agonne sawe vpon his shoulders whan he sayed And his kyngdome vpon his shoulder A figure therof did Isaac represente so many hundred yeres past whan he bore a faggot of wood vpō his shoulder for hymselfe to be slaine as a burnt sacrifice But Isaac is safe vnto vs a ramme only was slaine that is to say the materiall body of Iesus whiche only could dye but yet so dye that it should within a veray litle time arise to life again And slaine he was without the precinete of the citie and that the thing should so be Christe himselfe had signified tofore by the parable of the housbandemen or fermers which after they had cast the sonne out of the vyneyarde slewe hym But long afore dyd Moses signifie thesame thyng who as ye reade in the booke that is entitled Leuiticus cōmaunded the calf that was stain in sacrifice for the sinnes of the people to be carryed forth without the precincte of the tentes there to be burnt And takyng it in an allegorie that is to saye by the meanyng and not by the wordes was not Iesus burned vp without the precinct of Hierusalem in that he beyng enkiendled with the vnestimable fyer of charitie loue towardes mankinde offreed himselfe vp altogether Whā ye sawe Iesus hanging of a great heighth vpon the tree of the crosse dyd not thatsame misticall serpente come to your mynde whom Moses did in old time hang vpon a stake whiche should be a safegarde vnto all that were stoungen with serpentes yf they did earnestly and steadily cast their iyes vpon thesame The iye of a man is feith And whosoeuer shall earnestely cast this iye vpon Iesus crucified shall immediatly be safe Yea this veray thyng also did Moses foreshewe that it should be that the Iewes beholding Christ hāging on the crosse who by his death gaue life vnto all creatures yet neuerthelesse would not beleue in him For in this maner speaketh he in the Deuteronomie And thy life shal hang before thine iyes and thou shalt feare both daye and night shalt haue no trust in thy lyfe Ye sawe hym hangyng betwene twoe theues and doe ye not acknowlage the prophecie that saied And with the wicked was he reputed Ye sawe the derkenesse of night sodainly ouercast in
before should make redy the waye for him against he came I am his seruaunt he is Lord of all thynges But if he now begin to be knowen to the worlde that his fame and renoume doeth derken myne I reioyce that my witnes was true For I did only wish desire that my seruice myght growe to that ende and effecte For as the bryde is his by right whiche is the very bridegrome in dede and yet he whiche is not the bridegrome but onely his frende doeth not enuy the bridegromes felicitie nor taketh his spouse from him but reioyseth on his behalfe whom he loueth in his herte and holdyng his peace standeth by him also with great ioy of mynde heareth the voice of the bridegrome whiles he talketh with his spouse so I who haue wished for nothing more then that he should knowen to be so great a man as of trueth he is that I should be no more taken for a greater man than I am in dede doe greatly reioyce in that I perceiue this matter to haue so good successe Of right he must encrease which hitherto hath been reputed to be much lesse then he is in dede And it is mere that I should decrease who haue alwaye be taken to be greater then I was Thus it is expedient for mans saluacion both that myne estimacion should be darkened and his glory should dayly growe greater and that my disciples should leaue me goe to him in comparison of whose power myne is but weake and of none effecte And my baptisme is as farre vnderneth his as fire is of more might then water He that cummeth from on hye is aboue all He that is of the yearth is yearthly and speaketh of the yearth He that cummeth from heauen is aboue al and what he hath seen heard that he testifieth no mā receiueth his testimonie He that hath receiued his testimonie hath set to his scale that God is true for he whom God hath sent speaketh the woordes of God It is mete that yearthly thinges should geue place to heauenly worldely to Godly vnperfite to thynges perfite He that cummeth from the earth is earthly and speaketh thinges that be earthly and base For what other thing can man speake but thynges pertayning to man but he whiche is come from heauē excelleth al men be they neuer so great We haue receyued but a small knowledge of heauenly thinges as we are able so we testifie but he doeth beare witnes moste faithfully emong men of that thyng whiche he hath seen and heard in heauen with his father And men haue me in admiracion who am muche his inferiour but no man almoste receiueth his witnes they doe require me that am but a seruaunt to beare recorde of hym And they refuse the witnes that he beareth of his father And in dede yf any bodie doe not trust me he doeth but mistrust a man yf any doe not beleue hym whiche is the only sonne as the father hath witnessed with his owne voice that person maketh God a lier The Iewes doe wurship the father and they contemne and dishonor his sonne whom he sent howbeit euery reproche iniury doen to the sonne redoūdeth to the father Therfore whosoeuer receiueth the witnes of the sonne he geuing credit to the sonne doeth certainly affirme God to be true whiche speaketh in the sonne For the sonne which is sent from the father speaketh not the woordes of a mā but the woordes of God God hath spoken bothe by the Prophetes and also hath made euery man partaker of his spirite accordyng as they haue been able to receyue it But God hath geuen his spirite to this his onely sonne not after any certaine measure but he hath powred vpō him the whole fulnes of his spirite so that the father hath nothyng but the sonne hath thesame The father loueth the sonne and hath geuen all thynges into his hande He that beleueth on the sonne hath euerlastyng lyfe He that beleueth not the sonne shall not see lyfe but the wrath of God abideth on hym And whatsoeuer the incredulitie of men would take from the sonne the father imputeth it to be taken from himselfe for the father loueth his only sōne most intierly and hath put in his hande the whole summe of all thynges not depriuing himselfe of his owne power but maketh that vertue and power which he hath common to both And what thing soeuer God hath willed to geue and bestowe vpon mankynde his pleasure was to geue it by his sonne And verily he offreth to all men no small or meane thyng for he offreth euerlastyng lyfe but by hym whiche is the only fountayne of eternall lyfe howbeit that person maketh hymselfe vnapte to receyue this so excellent a gyfte whiche refuseth to take it And surely he refuseth it whiche doeth not beleue that the sonne can geue and perfourme that whiche he promiseth Moreouer he doeth charge the father with vntrueth as who sayeth he should promise by his sonne vaine vntrue thinges Therfore the rewarde of belefe is great and the punishment of vnbelefe is fierce and terrible For of trueth whosoeuer putteth his hope and trust in the sonne hath already the sonne and whoso hath the sonne hath eternall lyfe Contrariwyse he that trusteth not in the sonne forasmuch as he hath as it were closed vp his owne iyes that he cannot behold the light he shall not see lyfe because this lyght is the lyfe of men but he continewyng in his sinnes remaineth bounde and gyltie of the vengeaunce and wrath of God that is to say euerlastyng death The .iiii. Chapter As soone as the Lorde knewe howe the Phariseis had heard that Iesus made and baptysed moe disciples then Iohn though that Iesus himselfe baptised not but his disciples he leaft Iewry and departed againe into Galile ANd so Iohn with these woordes corrected the vnmesurable loue and affecion of his disciples toward hymselfe and their euill and wicked opinion concernyng Iesus secretely prouokyng them that they should leaue him and now folowe Iesus of whom all men ought to aske al thynges Therfore when Iesus frō whom nothyng at all was hid dyd perceiue the like thing to haue chaunced to him which is wonte to happen emongest men that is to saye that enuy foloweth prayse and renoume and also that now already the Phariseis took in euyll parte that he should allure and drawe to hym many disciples and that more people had recourse to his baptisme thē to Iohns although in dede not Iesus himselfe but his disciples did baptise Euen thē declaring that to preache the gospel was a more excellent office then to baptise And the Phariseis were so muche the more greued displeased because his disciples dyd take so muche vpon them as they scantly would haue suffred Iohn to haue doen to whom they dyd attribute very muche Iesus I saye partly because he would not prouoke sharpen and stiere vp theyr enuy in case
adherent together naturally vnseparably whiles he woorketh by me whatsoeuer he will and I doe no where swarue or alter from his exaumple commaundemente In so muche that he whiche beleueth on hym beleueth on me and whosoeuer speaketh agaynst hym speaketh agaynst me Agayn they went about to take him and he escaped out of theyr handes and went away agayn beyond Iordane into the place where Iohn before had baptised there he abode And many resorted vnto him and sayde Iohn did no miracle but all thinges that Iohn spake of this man were true And many beleued on him there When the Iewes had hearde these sayinges being therwith more an angred wherwith in dede they ought to haue bene refourmed they goe about to lay handes on hym and so to accomplishe that thyng whiche they had already often attempted in vayne But Iesus escaped oute of theyr handes declaryng thereby that he was wel willyng to suffer when time should come Therfore when Iesus had taught there sufficientlye he geueth place for a tyme to theyr vncurable fury and wēt ouer again beyond Iordane to the very place where Iohn begun first to baptise for as we haue sayd he afterward chaunged his place and baptised at the water of Sichem Here now Iesus abode in the deserte as one that had lothed or extremely hated the sinnefull wickednes of the cities And many came also thither vnto him out of places that ioyned nye therevnto whose myndes the fame that was bruted of Iesus the sermons and miracles that were heard and sene did inflame And of truth the very place brought them furthwith in mynde to compare Iesus who had alreadye shewed some tryall profe of himselfe with Iohn whome they had knowen before And whā they remembred that Iohn had bene in highe auctoritie and yet had dooen nothing els but preached the baptisme of penaunce and without dooyng anye miracles had gotten himselfe so greate estimacyon among the multitude that he was thought to be Christ And on the other side when Iesus had by shewing furth so many miracles declared a power greater then mans strengthe that he had so often put the Scribes and Phariseis to silēce with his prudent and piththie aunswers Finally that Iohn himselfe had so often testifyed so highly of Iesus confessing openly that himselfe was not worthie to leuse the latchet of his shoe The Iewes I say consideryng all these thinges had thys saying among themselues Iohn say they when as he wroughte no miracle was in credite with the Iewes Much more therfore ought faith to be geuen to this man that with so wōderful seldome sene miracles gathereth or winneth faith to his wordes And albeit Iohns recorde of this man were heretofore litle beleued yet now the matter selfe declareth that his recorde was true for so much as this saide Iesus hath accomplished mo thinges than Iohn promised of the mans behalfe And so now therfore partely for Iohns relacions sake whose reporte had no slender auctoritie among the Iewes partly through his own wordes that were ful of godly wisedome and partly for his dedes sake which did beare witnes of his diuyne power many beleued that Iesus was verye Messias whiles yet the Phariseis the Scribes and the Priestes did styl continue and persiste in theyr frowarde malyce ¶ The xi Chapter A certayn man was sicke named Lazarus of Bethania the towne of Mary and her sister Martha It was that Marie which anointed Iesus with oyntment and wiped his fete with her heate whose brother Lazarus was sicke Therfore his sisters sent vnto him saying Lord beholde he whome thou louest is sicke Whan Iesus hearde that he sayde this infiemitie is not vnto deathe but for the prayse of God that the sonne of God mighte bee praysed by reason of it ANd furthwith occasion is offered whereby Christes glory and his fathers shoulde highly be renowmed withal the malice of the phariseis should be prouoked to murther For while he made his abode at Iordane it chaūced that a certain mā called Lazarus lay sicke in the towne Bethania This was both the sicke mās and the twoe sisters Marie and Marthaes countrey Furthermore Mary was she that to the notable profe of loue towardes Iesus with a precious oyntmente anointed his head sitting at the feast and with her heare wiped his fete which she had washed with teares Wherof came a great amitie betwene the Lorde Iesus and this familie Therfore whē Lazarus was through greuous sickenesse in perill his sisters trusting vpon the acquayntaunce that they had with Iesus sendeth to shewe him of his frendes dysease doubtyng not but that he would of his merueylouse gētlenes towardes all folke helpe his frende being in daunger Behold say they he whome thou louest is sicke For they thought it inough to signifie the thing to him that loued the manne and therefore they made not further intercession To whome Iesus made answere this sickenes is not vnto death God hath suffered it to fall vpon hym that by that occasion God and his sonne shoulde be glorifyed with putting awaye the sickenesse by theyr godly power Iesus loued Martha and her sister and Lazarus When he hearde therfore that he was sicke he abode two dayes still in the same place where he was then after that he sayde to his disciples Let vs go into Iewrie again His disciples sayd vnto him Maister Iewes lately sought to stone thee and wilt thou goe thither agayn Iesus aunswered Are there not twelue houres of the day If a man walke in the day he stumbleth not because he seeth the light of this worlde but if a man walke in the night he stumbleth because there is no light in him Iesus verely loued Martha and Mary and theyr brother Lazarus too yet suffered he him to fall into sickenes and also to dye lest we shoulde thinke it an vnsemely thing if at any tyme good folke and right holy menne bee punyshed with miseries of this world god as it were dissembling either bicause so it is expedient for them y◠suffer or els because it so helpeth to set furth the glory of God not that God doeth through mans harme procure hys owne glory but that for mans sake he is wont to turne the eiuels which chaunseth vs after the lawe of mans state and condicion or by casualtie to our saluacyon or to hys owne glory He knewe right well his frendes sickenes yea before it was tolde him But yet was it fit that his disciples mindes should be prepared and made redy for the great miracle that was to come Therfore after report was made to Iesus of his frendes disease he did not furthwith goe thence but taried still two dayes in that same place verayly not neglecting the daunger of hys frendes but looking for a more large matter to worke a miracle of wherwithal he himselfe who should sone after dye might lift vp the mindes of his disciples weake and feble as yet to the hope of the resurreccion But
you Therefore beleue this retaine this haue this surely fixte in youre hertes whiche thyng yf you doe in dede the withdrawyng of the syghte of this bodye shal bee no harme vnto you ye shall better see me beeyng absente with the iyes of faythe and thesame thing whiche ye nowe see my father dooe by me whiche doe faste cleaue vnto him all manner of wayes shall I dooe by you if you will cleaue to me by fayth and charitie Yea and I shall also more euidently extende foorth the mightie power of my godheade after that I shall remoue awaye from you this my manhead yea and moreouer whoso euer dooeth ioyne himselfe to me by true christen fayth like as I am naturally alwaie ioyned and neuer disseuered from the company of my father thesame persone shall also dooe greater thynges than I doe so often as the glorye of God requireth a miracle For as my father worketh nowe by me so shall I worke by you And because it is so expediente for the saluation of manne that I doe goe againe to my father ye shall succede me and by course enter into my roume concernyng the ministracion of the ghospell Nor this thyng shal onelye bee doen but what thing soeuer elles ye shall aske of my father in my name whiche shal appertayne vnto the prayse and glorye of my fathers name and myne that same shall I doe to the ende that by you also I maie bee glorified emong men as my father hath beene hitherto glorified by his soonne Let not my departure therefore trouble you whiche shall tourne to your greate commoditie and prefermente Than moste of all shall I bee youre ayde in al affayres and purposes whiche make for true health when as I shall take awaye from you this sielye body Onely aske the thing that you couete my father shall heare your desires and I beeing a continuall presente aduocate vnto him will bring to passe that what soeuer ye shall aske shall bee obteined for as he denieth me nothing whiche dooe no manner of thing that redoundeth not to his glorye so will I denye you nothyng so long as ye doe that whiche shall set forth the honoure of my name Forsooth my spirite shall put into your myndes what you ought to aske Thus to be greued with my going hence is no proufe of christen charitie for so men are dismaied when a frende remoueth whome they shall soone after forget If ye loue me truely as I dooe loue my father declare your charitie towardes me in very dede ye shall soothly and certainelye declare it if ye dooe kepe my commaundementes So shall it come to passe that as my father loueth me and denieth me nothyng In like wise shall he also loue you obeying my preceptes whiche be the veray commaundementes of my father Thus it is nedefull for the saluacion of the worlde that I doe absente my selfe from you And yet going awaie I wyll not leaue you desolate and altogether without coumforte But rather if ye abide firmelie in my loue and kepe my commaundementes I shall obteine of my father by praier after my returne againe vnto him that he which denieth me nothing shall sende you an other coumforter whiche after he be once sente shall not goe awaie from you as I nowe do concerning this manner of corporall presence I am pulled awaie from you but he shall continue with you for euer He shall be the spirite of me and my father whiche shall make you of carnall folke spirituall and he shall tourne this worldelye affeccion whiche ye nowe beare towardes me into an heauenlye loue he shall also with secrete inspiracions putte in you the treweth of all thinges whiche ye nowe vnderstande as it were but by a dreame and throughe a cloude This speciall pledge of me shall bee peculiar and propre vnto you For I haue all this while exhibite my selfe generallye and in common to eiuill and good leste anye mighte make excuse that he was not inuited to saluacion But this worlde whiche coueteth muche and gapeth for goodes that bee of the worlde and deceitfull cannot receiue that spirite beecause he is heauenlye and true And why can it not because it hath grosse iyes whiche deliteth and loueth not but grosse and earthlye thynges it seethe not hym nor knoweth hym for he withoute noyse beyng all whisshed and still tasteth in hymselfe to the secrete senses of the mynde if he fynde anye where a conueniente place to reste in But truelye you in case that the delusions and deceytfull thynges of this worlde beeyng despysed ye wyll folowe thynges that be good in deede and liue well you I saie shall then knowe hym because he will not onely come vnto you as I am come one that may bee seen but he shal also abyde continually with you nor he shall not in suche sorte be conuersaunte emong you as the aduocate is with his client but he shall inhabyte hymselfe in the secrete inner partes of your soules and shall toyne hymselfe as it were giued to your spirite that he maye become one spirite in all folkes and because he shal be as it were bred and planted in your hertes he shall accumpany and assist you in all thynges and the meane tyme shall not bee long ere this coumforter that shal be in the steade of me and my vicegerante shall come vnto you Wherfore there is no cause why your hertes should be discoumforted or afeard good children whom I haue perfeitly begotten and sumwhat framed with the heauenly doctryne of gods woorde and do nourishe you beeyng as yet but vnperfite and not fully taught vntill ye growe vnto the strength of the ghospell ¶ I will not leaue you coumfortlesse but will come to you yet a litle while and the world seeth me no more but ye see me For I liue and ye shall liue That daye shall ye knowe that I am in my father and you in me and I in you He that hathe my commaundementes kepeth thē thesame is he that loueth me And he that loueth me shal be loued of my father and I will loue him and will shewe mine own selfe to him Although I goe hence for a tyme and shal no longer liue a manne with men yet wyl I not leaue you in the meanetyme fatherlesse and without confortable succoure at my hande For I will cumine to you agayne before I returne to my father and I wyll shewe my selfe before your iyes and bee seene of you with a very bodye in dede but than not mortal to the entente that I maye aduaunce and bryng you from loue of the fleshe to the spirite for it were no great matter yf I should geue this my bodye to you alwaye to looke thereupon because euen the wicked dooe also beholde it to theyr damnacion within a whyle therfore I shal be out of the worldes syghte for death and the graue shall take me awaye frō the syght of worldly folkes Neuerthelesse I wyll see you again and
playnly seen and perceyued of the people shewed vnto them out of the IudgemeÌ„t place the accused person to thentente that euen by the sight of hym and his facion it myght appeare howe vnconueniently the cryme of any cruel autoritie that he should be desirouse of for his priuate commoditie was layed against him who beyng so vexed troubled shewed such great quietnes of minde so great mildnes Pilate I saye shewed them this person and sayed Beholde your kyng But the Iewes whiche thirsted for nothing els but innocent bloud cryed away with hym away with hym Crucifie hym The infamous and reprochefull death pleased well the Iewes trusting it would come to passe that the shame and reproche of the crosse would make the name of Iesus odious and detestable and that there should no manne come after whiche should professe his name beyng in suche wyse made awaye Pilate deriding their obstinate madnesse sayeth what ê™he shall I doe so great a vilanie vnto your kyng as to nayle hym vnto the Crosse This dishonor shal redound to the shame slaunder of all the people whiche haue brought theyr king to the crosse This voyce of Pilate although it dyd Iesus no good yet it disclosed the malice of the Iewes and forced them to confesse openly to knowledge a seruitude which they hated The Iewes had desyred and looked for many hundred yeares their Messias that is to were a kyng promised of the Prophetes As for the Emperours kyngdome wherwith they were sore pressed and ouerlayed they had spitefully hated yet that not with standing being through enuy and hatred waxed wylde and euen woode they renounce openly in the face of the worlde theyr Messias and acknowlege the Emperour for theyr soueraygne Lorde We haue saye they no kyng but the Emperour The luste to reueÌ„ge was so great that vnconstrayned they adiudged themselues to perpetuall bondage that they might therby vtterly extinguish Iesus the autor of libertie Pilate therfore seyng all that he went aboute disapoynted committed Iesus vnto them to be crucified at theyr ordre and libertie And they tooke Iesus and led hym awaye and he bare his crosse and wente furth into a place whiche is called the place of dead mennes sculles but in Hebrue Golgotha where they crucified him and two other with hym on euery syde one and Iesus in the myddes And Pilate wrote a tytle and put it on the crosse The wrytyng was Iesus of Nazareth kyng of the Iewes This tytle read many of the Iewes for the place where Iesus was crucified was nyâ— to the citie and it was written in Hebrue and Greke and Latyne Then sayed the hye priestes and Iewes vnto Pilate wryte not kyng of the Iewes but that he sayed I am kyng of the Iewes Pilate aunswered What I haue wrytten that haue I wrytten The Iewes tooke the deliuerye of Iesus beyng brought out of the place of iudgement and led him to the place of execucion which was without the citie that the place might also aunswer to the figure For the sacrifice wherwith the testameÌ„t was consecrate was offered without the host Iesus weÌ„t thither hauyng yet his garmentes on to th entent he might be the more shame to them that fauoured hym and he goeth full mekely bearynge his crosse hymselfe For The Iewes prouided that leste there shoulde lacke any despyte or reproche Furthermore a vyle and a diffamed place was also chosen and appoynted wherein the maner was to put wyked malefactours to execucion a place perdye detestable and violated with dead bodyes whose bones laye scatered here and there all abrode euen a place that shewed it selfe to what purpose it was dedicate and of the thyng it had the common name geuen it For in the Hebrue toung it was called Golgatha in the Greke toung Cranii topos in the Latyn toung Caluarie socus in Englyshe a place of dead mens sculles and leste he shoulde not be putte to shame ynoughe the Iewes procured this also that other two whiche were openly knowen to be wycked theues shoulde be crucified with Iesus together to thenteÌ„te that of the felowshippe of them that were for Poffenders he might lykewyse be thought and taken for an offender and lyke as they had all one commune punyshemente so to seme to haue all one commune faulte But to thentente it might vtterly appere that he was a companyon of theyrs the Iewes dyd so ordre and place the crosses that Iesus honge in the myddes hauyng a thefe hangyng on eyther hand of hym howebeit the fountayne of all purenes coulde not be polluted with any fylthynes of manne yea the fountaine of all glorie is magnified and renoumed with mens reproche The crosse being afore odyouse and a thyng of reproche was made by hym a triumphant signe wherunto the worlde boweth downe the heade which aungels do wurshyppe and deuyls feare it Iesus being then condemned founde one whome of a thefe he made a citizen of paradyse so muche vnlykelyhoode was it that the felowship of punishement shoulde defile hym And verely leste there shoulde wante any kynde or apparaunce of iuste and condigne punishmente euery one had as the manner was his title and stile geuen vnto hym which did describe and declare both the person and the fault Now then when Pilate had geuen to the other their titles according to their deseruing he commaunded that to the crosse of Iesus the Lorde shoulde bee fastened this tiâ—le and superscripcion Iesus of Nazareth the king of the Iewes euen for this cause truely that by the very selfe inscripcion he mighte cause bothe the malyce of the Iewes and the innocencie of hym that was crucified to be recorded howbeit this title was not conuenient for him in respect of the Iewes accusacion and yet according to that whiche himselfe confessed to the presydent it was a title moste seming for hym For truely Iudeus doeth signifie to the Hebrues confessing And doubtles he was and is in very dede a kyng and a setter of all them at libertie whiche professeth his name vnto whome he geueth felowship of the kyngdome of heauen And to bryng the Bishoppes and the Phariseis into more hatred thereby Pilate prouided this title to bee writeÌ„ in thre sundry languages in Hebrue in Greke and in Latine whereof the first was their owne countrey speache and the other two tounges by reason of the great occupying that they had with the Grekes and the Romaines was so brought in among them that some Iewes also knewe the Greke and the Latine toung Therfore it was prouided by the president that no man neither resiaunt there and thesame countreyman nor straunger and resorter thyther shoulde be ignoraunt of the title This title thus wrytten being odiouse vnto the Phariseis by reason that the place was muche haunted and greate was the resorte and confluence there because that Golgatha the mounte of caluery was nyghe vnto the citie and layefull in theyr syght that by casualtie passed by that waye many Iewes therefore
apostles tale they spake aloude with one assente vnto the Lorde of whose goodnes the ghospell had begon to haue right good successe sayed Lord God omnipotent that madest thorowe thy woorde heauen earth the sea whasoeuer is in them contayned whose moste blessed wyll no power of man is able to withstande whose eternall decrees no mans conspiracie is hable to empayre for all that nowe we see here brought to passe thy blessed spirite hath spoken of before by the mouth of thy faythfull seruaunt Dauid our Patryarche saying Why do the heathen rage and the people imagine vayne thynges The kynges of the earth stande vp and the prynces hath gathered themselues together agaynst the Lorde and agaynste his Christe All we recognise trueth in this prophecie For what he sawe to come beyng than enspired with thy holy spirite that see we both doen in very dede and the doyng of thesame For of a trueth agaynste thy holy chylde Iesus whom thou hast enoynted bothe Herode and also Poncius Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of Israel gathered themselfes together for to do whatsoeuer thy hande and thy counsell determined before to be done And nowe lorde behold their threatenynges and graunt vnto thy seruauÌ„tes that with all confidence they may speake thy woorde So that thou stretche fourth thy hand that healyng and signes and wonders be doen by the name of thy holy child Iesus And assone as they had made theyr praier the place moued where they were asseÌ„bled together and they were all fylled with the holy ghost and they spake the woorde of god boldely For in this citie whiche professeth holines both Herode and Ponce Pilate yearthly prynces with the heatheÌ„ and people of Israell gathered themselues together agaynst the maister and capitayne of all holynesse thy holy chylde Iesus whom thou haste enoyncted with an heauenly oynctment forecastyng with theyr wicked counsell to bryng those thynges to passe whiche thou of thy power inuincible and eternall decree haddest determined to bee doen for the saluacion of man But whosoeuer conspireth againste thy sonne Iesus sent downe from the he conspireth agaynst the. And beholde a great assembly of the chiefe rulers are cum eftsones together to conspire agaynst the holy and blessed name of thy sonne Iesus But lyke as thou dyddest reyse Iesus from death beyng slayne of them and aduaunced hym to heauens as partener of thy kingdome dysapoyntyng them of theyr purposes euen so see nowe vnto theyr threatening that they in no wyse preuayle but strength courage thy seruauntes that they may with moste stedfaste boldnes vttre the ghospell whiche is not mannes woorde but thy woorde that is to saye brought downe from thee to earth by thy sonne for all our sakes and lyke as thy miracle in makyng whole the lame creple allured many to professe the name of Iesus and feared the prynces whiche were all bent in conspiracie agaynst his glory euen so vouchesafe to ayde them nowe in tyme to come wyth thy almyghtye power that by meanes of healyng workyng of wondrefull miracles thorow the holy name of thy sonne Iesus the glorye of thy ghospell maye the clearer shyne and further abrode while they that rebell agaynst the and thy sonne doe rage all in vayne Whan they had thus made theyr prayer with one accorde the place where they together stode trembled Which thing betokeneth that their prayer was graciouslâ— heard with the lorde anâ— their desire ratified For there is nothing so effectuall as is the prayer of the churche in one whole consent Uerely it ought to be of no small strength and power that was hable to shake the earthe whiche is not of it selfe mouable This was no voyde token for the lyuely strength of the holy ghost was forthwith in theÌ„ all renewed and augmented in somuch that they would not for all suche threatnynges as the prynces made concele and hyde the ghospell but preached the name of theyr maister Iesus more stedfastely and more frankely yea more of theym also in numbre than before For suche is the nature of the ghospell as touching his encrease that lyke as Safron and other thynges many moe come forthe although they be yll handeled more plenteously euen so aryseth vp the ghospell agaynst the assaultes of the worlde and the sooner by wrastelyng therwith ouercommeth thesame The faithfull that professed the name of Iesus amounted than within fewe dayes to a woondrefull great numbre And the multitude of them that beleued were of one herte and of one soule Neyther sayed any of them that ought of the thinges whiche he possessed was his owne but thâ—y had all thynges common And with great power gaue the apostles witnes of the resurreccion of the lorde Iesu. And great grace was with them all Neyther was there any among them that lacked For as many as were possessours of landes or houses sold them and brought the pryce of the thynges that were solde and layed it downe at the apostles feete And distribucion was made vnto euery man accordyng as he had nede And Ioses whiche was also called of the apostles Barnabas that is to saye the sonne of consolacion being a Leuite and of the couÌ„trey of Cypres where as he had lande solde it and laied the pryce downe at the apostles feete And yet that thou mayest vnderstande howe this theyr consent of myndes came not of mannes policie among so many together in one companye there was no ambicion at all no enuy no brawlyng no stryuyng but in suche conformitie of mynde and peaceable quietnes of herte were they all as a mâ—nne would haue thought them all to be of one harte and one minde For than was eche man at a poynte with himselfe no longer to folow his owne mynde which is in all sortes of men so diuerse that vnneath a man maye finde two brothers germane that can agree betwixt themselues But as for this company Iesus was the ruler of them all by his owne blessed spirite From thence proceded that so great a consent of so many persons together one vnlike an other either in kinred age or worldely substaunce insomuche that not onely those thynges were commen amongest them whiche eche man is wonte to departe one to other withoute losse to the geuer of the whiche maner thynges bee learnyng counsell admonicion consolacion and exhortacion but temporall possessions also whiche are coÌ„municate to other not without dammage or losse to the possessour and therfore scarcely may a man fynde any that can be content to be in this poynte liberall But suche thinges amongest them all were so common that no man would somuche as once chalenge any thyng of all that he possessed for his owne Wherfore he that gaue any of his owne goodes looked for no thankes at their handes that receyued thesame because he thought all that was geuen to be hys owne propre good that had nede of it and hymselfe a robber and no iust person yf he should withholde
they haue broughte hym to condemnacion of deathe and they shall deliuer him vnto the Gentiles to mocke him to scourge him to spit vpon him and to nayle him vpon the crosse and whan that he is deade and buried the thyrde daye he shall ryse agayne Than came to hym the mother of Zebedes childeren with her sonnes worshippinge and desyring a certayne thinge of him And he sayethe vnto her What wilâ— thou She sayde vnto him Graunte that these my two sonnes may sit the one on thy right hande and the other 〈◊〉 lefte hande in thy kingdome But Iesus aunswered and sayed Ye wote not what ye aske Can ye drinke of the cuppe that I shall drinke of and be baptised with the baptisme that I shal be baptised with They saye vnto him We can He sayde vnto them Truely ye shall drinke of my cuppe and be baptised with the baptisme that I am baptised with But to sit on my right hande and on my left hande is not myne to geue But it shal chaunce vnto them for whom it is prepared of my father In the meane season Iames and Iohn the sonnes of zebede because they had heard that the keyes of the kingdome of heauen were geuen to Peter and had heard also of the honoure of twelue seates beynge yet rude and dreaming of worldely thinges and supposinge that this kingdom and these honoures shoulde cum immediatly after the resurreccion because he sayde the thyrde day he shall rise to get theÌ„selues nowe some excelleÌ„t dignitie they sente furthe their mother to be a suiter vnto Iesus for her sonnes She after that she had done her dutie and worshipped him requiring him not to deny her suite being required what she would sayeth Geue commaundement that these my two sonnes may sit in thy kingdome one on thy right hande the other on thy lefte hande Iesus turning vnto the children of whom he knewe that the mother was sent furth aunswered them ye know not what ye aske Ye delight in the speaking of a kingdom whiche is far of an other sorte than ye dreame but at this presente we muste rather talke and debate of affliccion and of the crosse which is the way to the kingdome Ye require the rewarde oute of ordre whereas first ye muste traueile and stryue I haue opened vnto you nowe what I muste suffer Can ye drinke of the cuppe that I shall drinke of Can ye be baptised with the baptisme that I shall be baptised with They as yet litle knowing their strengthe but for the gredines that they had to obteyne theyr peticion they answere rashely rather than valiantly we can But Iesus was content that they sayde they wer ready to folow his crosse but as touching the rewarde because they vnderstode not what they asked and because it was not for that tyme to commoÌ„ne of it he sayeth that it is not in him to geue them but that sâ—ch dignitie shoulde not chaunce but vnto them vnto whom it was geuen of the father for to deserue the chiefe place through notable and excellente vertue Truely to encourage al men to clime vnto the highest he sayeth ye shall drinke of my cuppe but to fit one on my right hand and the other on my left hand it is not in me to geue vnto th one or to the other but this shall chaunce vnto them to whom it shall be geuen of my father Euery man as he doeth traueill so he shall be rewarded And whan the ten hearde this they disdayned at the two brethren And Iesus called them vnto him and sayed Ye know â–ª that the princes of nacions hath dominion ouer them And they that be great men exercyse power ouer them It shall not be so among you but whosoeuer will be greate among you let him be your minister and whoso will be chiefe amonge you let him be your seruaunte as the sonne of man came not to be ministred vnto but to ministre and to geue his lyfe a redempcion for many Whan thother ten afterwarde heard these thinges they were agreued 〈◊〉 the two brethren because they â—eqaiâ—ed so great dignitie They had not yet receyued the holy goste they were ledde yet with certayne affeccions of men being ambiciouse and enuying one an other And Iesus suffered his disciples to be troubled longe with these affeccions to thintent he would plucke them vtterly out of the mindes of them all whiche shoulde succede in the roumes of thapostles And they thought and were glad that therfore the lorde did reiect the request of Iohn and Iames not because they dreamed of carnall thinges where as the spirituall kingdome was in hande but because they required honoure aboue theyr merites whiche other thought that it ought rather to be geuen to them Therefore Iesus lyke as he dyd represse the ambicion of the folish sutours because they knew not what it was that they asked so he repressed the enuy and indignacion of the other which issewed out of thesame fountayne of ambicion opening vnto them that ther was a farre diuerse kinde of the worldely kingdome from the kingdome of the gospell For there in the worldly kingdom he that is lesse is oppressed with the tiranny of the mightier Here the primacie is nothing elles but the greate desire to do good vnto all men There the prouder a man is the greater he semethe here 〈◊〉 is more meke in harte than he that deseruethe chiefly to be the higheste Thaâ— he mighte fasten this doctrine in all mennes hartes he called vnto hym the other of thapostles Ye knowe ê™ he that they that â—eare rule amonge the Gentyles vse lordlynes and tyrannye vpon them whome they rule and they that be chiefe exercyse theyr power vpon theyr subiectes For with the hurt of the people they prouide for theyr owne authoritie and care for those thinges whiche do not profite the multitude but make for the stoutnes and florishing of theyr welth and glory But it is not mete to be so emonge you but whosoeuer will beare rule emong you let him be the minister of all men not vsing honour for his owne commoditie but for the commoditie of the people whom he ruleth And he that emong you will haue the first place let him be the seruaunt and the lowest of all For he taketh vpon him the chiefe place for no nother intent but to loke for the commoditie of al men hunting and seking therof neyther honour nor profit And if ye thinke it harde loke vpon me for wheras I am your Lorde and Maister and the sonne of God as ye tâ—ulye professe yet I take not vpoÌ„ me dignitie and honour nor I abuse not my power to myne owne commoditie But for this I am cum to serue al mennes turnes and to wayte theyr commodities insomuche that it gâ—eueth me not to bestowe my life that by the losse of one lyfe I maye redeme many Emonge them therfore that be thus minded there is no cause why any man shoulde seke after honour