a syncere mynde doeth altogether embuisye and occupie himself in preachyng the ghospell Moreouer Iesus lyke as he did admit all persons what euer they were to the helpyng forwarde of the ghospell so did he vse not to admit eyther his mother or any of his brethren and kinsfolkes to hindre the effectuall procedyng of the ghospell Whan muche people were gathered together and were cum to hym oute of all cyties he spake by a similitude The sower wente out to sowe his feede and as he sowed sum fell by the waye syde and it was troden downe and the foules of the ayre deuouted it vp And some feâ—on stones and as soone as it was sprong vp it withered away because it lacked moystnesse And some felle emong thornes and the thornes sprang vp with it and choked it And some fell on good ground and sprang vp and bare fruite an hundreth folde And as he sayed these thinges he cryed He that hath cares to heare let hym heare And on a certaine daye whan he was goen forth of the house vnto a lakes syde by reason of the great multitude of people whiche resortyng vnto him to heare hym and there syttyng on the shoore banke buisely teachyng the people so great a multitude of bothe men women out of the cities thereby came rennyng to heare hym that the people gatheryng so thycke about hym he was coÌ„streigned to go into a bote and therehens as it had been out of a chayre or pulpite he taught the multitude beyng assembled of all sortes of people and spake many thynges vnto them vnder the misticall derke couert of similitudes parables partely that he might the more effectually stiere vp in them an earneste desyre to learne and partely that it might the more diepely settle and reste in their mindes that had been enpriented by a mystical derke colour of speaking First therefore he putte foorth a similitude or parable to aduertise them all with gredie myndes to receyue the preachyng of the gospell and not to reakon in sufficient to haue heard it onlesse they bestowed it whan they had heard it to the vse and exercise of godlynesse There went forth quod he a certayn housbandmanne to sowe his sede and while he dooeth euerywhere caste his sede abrode leauyng no place voyde as one that coueâ—ed as muche encreace as was possible the sedes were receyued in diuerse and sondrye places of the ground not beyng euery one of eguall fruitfulnesse to beare For some of the sedes whan they were cast fell by the high wayes syde and these sedes partly wer troden on and all to bruised with the feet of suche as wente by the waye the remnaunte because it was not couered with earth the birdes of the ayre dyd eate vp Agayn some sedes fell in stonie places of the soyle and beyng receyued with thynne couert of earth whiche scarcely hydde the stones it sprong vp in dede a litle while but because it had not earthe ynoughe vnderneathe it to geue it moystre to the full rypenesse anon after it was shot foorth aboue grounde it dryed vp and withered awaye as soone as any feruent heate of the sunne came to it and so euen in the first bladyng it perished Agayne some of the sedes fell emong thornes and sprong vp in dede also but the thornes that sproÌ„g vp with it because they quickely shoote vp and do commonly sprede themselues abrode of more thickenesse and heigth also then the corne dooeth it came to passe that the blade that had come of good sede was smouldred and stiefled vp so that it could not shoote vp so high to haue the open ayer at large But yet did not all the sedes fall vnluckily For some there was that fell vpon good earth and whan it was sprong foorth brought fruite an hundredfold double Whan the Lorde had thus muche sayed because he knewe that the woordes whiche he had spoken wer not perfectely vnderstanded of euery bodye and yet willyng to haue them afterward beare wel in mynde the parable whiche directly concerned the welth of all creatures he cryed with a loud voyce saying no that hath eares apte to heare the wysedome of the ghospel leat him herken weâ— to the woordes whiche I haue nowe spoken For they requyre to haue an hearer neyther grosse of capacitie and vnderstandyng nor that wyl stande gaping and yeanyng whan he should geue eare as though he were more then halfe in slepe And they apparteyne to euery one of you without excepcion There bee some which lyke vnto dead images haue eares but not to heare me They haue eares enough to serue them vnto Pharisaicall constitucions towarde the doctrine of true godlinesse they are starcke deafe ¶ And his disciples asked hym saying what manier of similitude is this And he sayed Unto you it is geuen to knowe the kyngdome of God but to other by parables that whan they see they should not see and whan they heare they should not vnderstande The parable is this The sede is the worde of God hose that are besyde the waye are they that hearâ— than commeth the deiuill and taketh awaye the woorde out of their hertes leste they shoulde beleue and be saued They on the stones are they whiche whan they heare receyue the woorde with ioye and these haue no rootes whiche for a while beleue and in tyme of temptacion goe awaye And that whiche fell emong thornes are they whiche whan they haue hearde go forth and are choked with cares and rychesse and voluptuous liuyng and bring foorth no fruite That whiche fell in the good ground are they which with a pure and good herte heare the worde and kepe it and bryng foorth fruicte through pacience And the disciples whiche were nerest about Iesus and moste familiar with hym desired hym to declare the derke misterye of the parable To whom thus he sayed vnto you as vnto familiar frendes of household it is geuen to know the misticall secretes of the kyngdome of God The courtes of temporall kinges haue certain priuities belonging to theÌ„ and matiers of counsail which are kept priuie from the multitude of the common people and from all suche others as haue nothyng to do in the courte the kyngdome of the ghospell also hath in lyke manier secrete priuities belonging to it whiche many not without consideracion and good cause why be vttered to euery body at all auentures but must so be sette forth as they maye be seen onely of them which are of house holde belonging to God almighties court and vnto others it must be enwrapped and shadowed in derke parables to the entente that suche as are vnwoorthie persones whan they see it maye not see it and whan they heare it maye not vnderstande it And as for the parable this is the secrete menyng of it The sower is the sonne of man the grounde the herte of man the seed is the woorde of the ghospell It is not yearthly seed but
parables he aunsweryng sayed vnto them It is geuen vnto you to knowe the misteries of the kyngdome of heauen â–ª but vnto them it is not geuen For whosoeuer hath to him shal be geuen and he shal be made more aboundaunt But whosoeuer hathe not from hym shal be taken that also whiche he hath But another tyme when the disciples hadde Iesus alone they wente vnto him and asked hym why he spake vnto the people by darke and obscure similitudes Unto whome Iesus aunswered on thys wyse because as yet they yelde not themselues mete to haue the truethe opened vnto them by the wyiche certayne of them emonge the multitude bee not onely not the better but also bee pricked and stirred to be the worse Wherfore I vtter vnto them lyke manner of preachyng as they bryng hartes to heare They wil not vnderstand thinges that be moste manifeste I doe inuolue and wrappe my language wyth darkenes that by suche meanes I maye prouoke them to the desyre of learnyng and searchyng But ye whiche receyue symplye and delicouslye the thyng that is geuen ye are worthye to bee partakers of the more secrete thynges concernyng the wisedome of the gospell For vnto hym that hath it shall bee geuen that he maye haue aboundantlye but vnto hym that hath nothyng nothyng shall bee added insomuche that he shall bee also spoyled of that whyche he semed for to haue In other thynges it is a cruell thyng to spoyle hym that is nedy Here because pouerty cummeth through the defaulte of the nedy it is mete and ryghâ— to take from the vnkinde manne We bring and offer freely certaine principles of heauenly Philosophy and that accordyng to the capacitie and simplicitie of the myndes as castyng certaine seedes whyche whoso receyueth desirously truly he prouoketh vs to commit mo thynges vnto hym Contrarywise whoso despiseth and reiecteth that whiche is geuen frely and turneth it to occasion of more yll is he not worthy to be spoyled of that whiche he had vnworthely Therfore speake I to them by similitudes because they seyng se not and thei hearing heare not and vnderstande not â–ª And 〈◊〉 Prophecie of Esay is fulfilled in them whiche sayeth Ye shal heare wyth your eares and shal not vnderstand and seyng ye shal se shalâ—â— or se. For the harte of thys people is wexed grosse and theyr eares be dul of hearyng and thei haue shut theyr iyes leste at any tyme they should see with theyr iyes and heare with their eares and vnderstand with theyr harte and be conuerted and I heale them For thys cause I speake to them in darke parables because they will heare the manifest trueth eyther with no profit or els to theyr owne hurt For it cuÌ„methe to passe through their frowardnes that where as thei haue iyes and se manifest tokens yet beyng blynded with enuye they see not that whyche they see And where as they haue eares and heare the trueth that cannot be confuted yet thei heare not that they heare nor vnderstande not the which they heare although they vnderstande Truely the saiyng of Esaie is fulfylled in these men Ye shal heare wyth your eares and not vnderstande and ye shall see with your iyes yet not se. For the harte of thys people is hardened and they be dul of hearyng and they haue closed theyr iyes leste they myght se with theyr iyes and heare with their eares and vnderstande with theyr harte and at laste tourne vnto me and I make them whole Truely these men therfore be infortunate but not to be pitied though they be very miserable whyche witingly and willinglye secke theyr owne destruccion and reiect their owne health But blessed be your iyes for thy see and your eares for they heare â–ª For verily I say vnto you that many Prophetes righteouse men desyâ—ed â—o se those thynges whiche ye se and they haue not sene and to heare those thynges whichâ— ye heare â–ª and they haue not hearde Contrariwise youre iyes are blessed because they see the thinges that we doe your eares are blessed because they heare the thinges that we speake Your hartes are blessed because they vnderstande the wil of my father This is no meane nor common felicitie truely many prophetes and many iust and holy men haue desyred to see the thinges which ye se and happened not to see them and to heare the thynges which ye heare and they had not the gifte to heare them And they truly as in a dreame gessed at the thyng that should cum which ye se before you and also heare Heare ye therfore the similytude of the sowiâ—t Whan one heareth the worde of the kingdome and vnderstandeth it not than cummeth that euyl one and taketh away that whiche was so yea in his harte this is he which was sowen by the wayes syde But he that receiued the sede whyche was cast in stony places thesame is he that heareth the worde and anoâ— with ioye receiueth it yet hath he no roote in hymself but dureth for a season for wheÌ„ tribulacion or persecucion hapneth because of the woorde by and by he falleth He also that receyueth sede into thornes is he that heareth the worde and the cate of this worlde and deceitfulnes of ryches choke vp the worde and so is he made vnfruitful But he that receiueth sede into the good ground is he that heareth the worde and vnderstandeth it which also beareth fruite and bringeth furth sum an hundreth folde sum sixty folde sum thyrty folde Therfore because your simplicitie and desyre of knowledge deserueth thys harkeÌ„ ye what the parable doth meane which I put furth of the sowier sowing his sede There be thre sortes of men in whom sede of the woord of the gospel eyther bringeth furth no fruite or els bryngeth not to perfeccion the fruit that is sprong vp And the fyrste moste baren of all These be they whiche lightely and negligently heare the wordes of the heauenlye doctryne and â—uffer them not to entre into theyr myndes nor fasten them in their remembraunce to thintente they maye be rooted there but theyr mindes beyng compassed and fensed with no desyre nor care beyng armed with no purposes agaynst the assaultes of vaine thoughtes at euery lyghte occasion they suffer that that is sowen to be spurned at and troden downe That perceiuing the yll and naughtye one whiche lieth in waite and enuieth good begynnynges by and by sendeth into the mynde certayne fleyng and waueryng cares whiche maye destroye the seede before that it spryng vp in grasse or haue any roote that they be no better than yf they had not hearde at all These be signified by the seede that fel by the hye waye where go bothe menne and beastes that is to saye all maner of cares affeccions of kynred and of affinitie care for common offices loue hatred suspicion and suche other These thinges chase awaye the woorde of the gospell oute of the mynde welâ—eâ—e before it bee receyued Agayne there is an
in dede Therfore Iesus eftsones humbled himselfe to theyr lownes and forsakyng the toppe of the mountayne came downe to the reste of his disciples and the multitude Here remembre thou that art a preacher of the ghospell howe muche more it becuÌ„meth the to humble and abase thyselfe to the capacitie of the weake the whiche wast once lyke weake as they be yf thou haue any hygh or excellent qualitye in thee the same is Christes and none of thyne ¶ And as they came doune from the hyll he charged them that they shoulde tell no man those thynges that they had sene tyll the sonne of manne were risen from deathe againe And they kepte that saying with them â–ª and demaunded one of another what the rising froÌ„ death againe shoulde meane And they asked hym saying why then say the Scribes that Helyas muste fyrst cum He answered and sayd vnto them Helias verely when he coÌ„meth fyrst restoreth all thynges And the sonne of man as it is wrytten of hym shall suffre many thynges be sette at naught But I saye vnto you that Helyas is come and they haue done vnto hym whatsoeuer they would as it was wrytten of him As they were cummyng doune from the hyll or ere they camme to the multitude the Lorde Iesus forbad those three to tell any bodye what they hadde sene tyll after the tyme that the sonne of manne were rysen agayn from the dead Other heretofore when they were lykewise commaunded to holde their peace did so much the more blase abrode those thinges whiche they were charged not to disclose But these .iii. bycause they heard the fathers voyce saying heare hym c. did as they were commauÌ„ded kepe secrete what they had seâ—e insomuch that they disclosed it not to the residue of the Apostles before the time appointed They wyste not what the matter meante but yet they supposed there was some earnest cause why Iesus woulde not haue it published vnto the people before his resurreccion were knowen For what other good shoulde they haue done by tellyng it abrode but made themselues a laâ—ghyng stocke vnto they faythles Who woulde haue beleued it to haue been matter in dede that Iesu had appeared in such wyse syth menne shoulde se hym sone after putte to so muche shame and villany and in conclusion suffer death vpon the crosse But the disciples whoe durst not after they had once hearde the fathers voyce distruste the wordes of Iesu not vnderstandyng what he meante by these wordes ensuing When the sonne of manne shall ryse from death c. fell to reasoning the matter among themselues and supposed verely that incoÌ„tinent after his resurreccion the glory of that kyngdome shoulde begynne whereof they had nowe taken a saye howbeit there was a certaine scruple or doubt whiche made muche against them and that was because his death was at hande the whiche he had ofte tymes warned them of before promisyng he would relyue on the thyrd daye after thesame But they had learned of the prophecy of Malachy howe Hely should come before the great daye of the Lorde And because they coulde not assoyle this doubte among themselues they moued the question to Iesus Lord say they thou hast perfourmed thy promise We haue seene the brightenes of the kyngdome of God Therefore we beleue that after thy resurreccion thou wilt cum in semblable likenes and suche a one as thou diddeste whylere appeare vnto our syght But what is the cause that the Scrybes takyng theyr authoritye of the prophecy of Malachy doe saye that the same daye shall not come vnlesse Hely the Thesâ—ite come before to make the people in a readines agaynste the cumming therof leste the Lord smyte al menne with cursyng Certes Hely whome we sawe with the in the mountayne is not yet come Neyther is there as yet anye thynge done by hym Therefore eyther the kyngdome of God shall not come byanby after thy resurreccion or els there is an other sence and meanyng of the prophecy then the Scribes doe teache Unto this question of the disciples the Lorde Iesus made a doubtfull aunswere for that they were not as yet receyuable of the whole mystery hereof For abhorryng those thynges whiche pertayned a greate deale more vnto theyr saluacion they dreamed onely vpon the glorye of that kyngdome whereof they had taken a taste perceyuinge not howe this is also the kyngdome of God when the holy ghoste the ghospell beeing sprede abrode and euery where preached subduethe all the puissaunce bothe of this worlde and also of oure ghostlye enemy the deuyll That kyngdome beganne to appeare what tyme the lame walked the blynde sawe the dumme spake the lepers were clensed and the deuils caste out Nowe whan this kyngdome shoulde come whereof they had a litle before taken a taste the Lord would not haue them to knowe yet to thintente they should more pacyentely take his deathe whom they loued out of measure he suffred them to dreame for a whyle that the bryghtnes of the same kyngdome shoulde shortelye cumme whereof there was a saye geuen in the mountayne Therefore he temperethe hys answere so discretelye that he approueth the prophecye and yet dothe not altogether condemne the interpretacyon of the Scrybes but only reproueth theyr vngodlye argumentacyon wherby they concluded that the kyngdome of God was not yet come because that same Hely whiche was promysed long agoe of the Prophete Malachy had not as then appeared in the worlde For nowe the spyrytuall kingedome of God whiche thynge the proude Scrybes and Phariseis vnderstode not began to come Nowe was Hely after the mysticall vnderstandynge alredy come Therefore Iesus sayde bothe that whiche Malachy prophecyed of Hely and also that whiche the Prophetes spake before of the sonne of man shal come doubtles You reade of Hely how he shall come before the great â–ª and dreadfull daye of the Lorde to tourne the hartes of the fathers to theyr chyldren and the heartes of the chyldren to theyr fathers to th entent that the yonger sorte and posteritie maye perceyue howe that is already come and perfourmed whiche theyr forefathers and elders awayted for Therefore this Hely goynge before restore the all thynges and amendethe whatsoeuer is not right leste the Lorde come to the great mischief and vengeaunce of all men if he fynde them vnprepared But like as the prophecie of Malachy speakyng of Hely the forecurrour is true euen so are the prophecies of other Prophetes like true whiche foretell howe it shall cumme to passe that the sonne of manne or euer he shewe hys maiestie shall suffer many thynges shal be sette at naught be mocked and in conclusion putte to death Yea to saye the truthe whatsoeuer was prophecied of Hely to cumme is already accomplished and fulfylled the whiche thing beyng as yet vnknowen vnto the Scribes and Phariseis I disclose vnto you my deare frendes For Hely is already cumme whoe shewed how the kyngdome of God was present
shal come ouer fast vpoÌ„ him to leat him haue any time of laisure at all Euery bodye as he shall bee found euen so leate him with renning away as faste as he can saue his life Call ye to remembraunce what chauÌ„ced vnto Lottes wife She did no more but turne her to loke backe and perished immediatly so yll dooeth the swift stroke of the saied eiuil suffre any more delay or tariaunce at all Suche an one what euer he bee shal be the more safe from the perill as shal bee lighter burdened then an other to flee ¶ Whosoeuer wil goe aboute to saue his life shall lose it and whosoeuer shal lose hys life shal saue it I tell you in that night there shal bee twoo in one bedde the one shall bee receiued the other shal bee forsaken Two shal bee a grinding together the one shall bee receiued and the other forsaken Two in the fielde the one shal be receiued and the other forsaken And they aunswered and saied to him where lord He saied vnto them whersoeuer the bodie shall be thither will also the eagles bee gathered together And at that houre or day to goe seke or prouide suche thynges wherewith we commonly vse to sette a sure staigh for our life to come as for exaumple apparel money dwellyng places or suche other thynges shal be none other but casting awaie lesing of the life But suche an one as castyng away from hym al pestreaunce and heauy carriage shal not regard the helpes staighes of this present life but shall leat theÌ„ goe such on one shal be sure to winne life For at that day there shal be no laisure nâ— space to thynke of the lyfe of the body whan the lyfe of the soule shall turne in the whâ—le of beeyng in hassarde and ieoperdy Neyther gooddes ne place ne thys or that kynde of liuyng shall in that peril saue any man but a mynd that is ready to departe a waie hens For of twoo persones beyng as nere together as is possible sodainely shal the one bee taken to life and the other shal be leaft behind to damnacioÌ„ Thus much I tell you to abide vpon That night in which the sonne of man shal come there shall bee two persones liyng in one bedde and them two shall the diuersitte of rewarde soodainly parte in sondre For the one shal be taken vp to euerlasting blisse and the other shal bee leafte behynd to endlesse damnacion There shall bee twoo persones gryndyng in one mille of whiche the one shall bee taken and the other leafte behynd Twoo persones shal be at their housebandrie labouring in the fieldes one of theim shal bee taken vp the other shal be leaft Whan the disciples heard al this as it had been half in a dreme not vnderstandyng what it mente they saie vnto Iesus where maister They were still in a dreame of the fleashe and seke to knowe the place of this kyngdome Than Iesus myndyng vnder a derke couert to signify vnto them that the holy people wheresoeuer they shall bee found shall not bee disseuered from the Lord aunswered wheresoeuer there shal bee caryan thyther will the Eagles also drawe and gather together It forceth not in what place ye be so that ye be with me whiche am the feder of your soules and doe fede theim with myne owne selfe who am the foode of endlesse felicitie The .xviii Chapter ¶ And he putte foorth a parable vnto them signifiyng that men oughte alwaie to praie and not to be wery saiyng Ther was in a certaine citeâ— a iudge whiche feared not god neither regarded man And ther was a certain wedowe in thesame citee she came vnto him saiyng auenge me of myne aduersarie And he would not for a while But afterward he saied within hymself Though I feare not God nor care for maÌ„ yet because this wedowe is importune vpon me I wil auenge hir leste she come at the last raill on me And the Lord saied heare what the vnrighteous iudge saieth And shal not god auâ—nge his elect whiche 〈◊〉 day night vnto hym yea though he differre theim I tell you that he will auenge theim and that quickely Neuerthelesse whan the soonne of man cometh shal he fynde feâ—ih on the yearâ—h ANd forasmuche as the last ende of the worlde beeyng at hande there shall aryse most grieuous persecucioÌ„s against the godlye in somuche that if it maie possibly bee wrought euen the veray elect and chosen persones shal be seduced albeit in veray dede the infaciable peruersnes of the eiuil doeth neuer at any time succeasse to be cruell full of tiraÌ„ny against the good the Lord Iesus teacheth his disciples seruauntes that in al their aduersitees thei shal from none other place aske helpe or succour but at the handes of God neither goyng about any auengemente in the meane whyle nor defendyng one displeasure receiued with dooyng an other for it That if God dooe not at the first houre deliuer theim from affliccion yet must thei not therfore surceasse from praiyng For he wyll vndoubtedly heare the prayers of his seruauntes when oportunitee of tyme shal bee and the delaiyng therof shall turne to the benefite of the Godly yea â–ª and so muche the more grieuously shal the vngodly bee oppressed as they had perswaded theimselfes that whatsoeuer they dyd therin they shoulde dooe it and no man to say blacke theyr iye This lesson did the Lord Iesus with such a parable as here ensueth enprinte in the hertes of his disciples seruauntes There was saieth he in a certayne citee a certain iudge or gouernour beyng bothe a wieked man and also void of al shame honestee as one that neither stood in any feare of God ne had any reuerence towardes any mortal man His wickednesse made hym in case that he feared not God his great power brought hym to the poyncte that he woulde shewe no reuerence to manne And so it was that in the same citie there was a certaine wedowe who beyng sore oppressed of her aduersarie went vnto the sayd high iudge in whose handes rested the highest power and she praied him of his helpe and ayd against the violent oppressyon of her aduersarye Syr sayeth she my matter is veray good and true and yet am I ouertroden throughe the rychesse and frendshyp that myne aduersarie hathe in your courte I am a poore wedowe and alone woman destitute of freÌ„des I praye you see a redresse in the cause of my ryght against the violence of mine aduersary Where he was oftentimes thus spoken to by the wedowe yet neuerthelesse a longe tyme he woulde not bee acknowen of the matter nor woulde not helpe the wedowe whereas suche greate power is geuen to certaine men euen for such a purpose onely that thei should be helpers and succourers of orphanes of wardes beeyng in nonage of wedowes of poore folkes againste the riche men mainteners of brableyng matters At the
allureth Nathanaell to goe to Iesu the fountayn it selfe not doubtyng but that he woulde beleue as soone as he had seene and heard him If you doubt sayeth he to credite me come your selfe and see Iesus sawe Nathanael cumming to him and sayeth of him beholde a right Israelite in whome is no guile Nathanael saieth vnto him Whence knowest thou me Iesus aunswered and said vnto him Before that Philip called the when thou wast vnder the figge tree I saw the. Nathanael aunswered and saide vnto him Rabbi thou art euen the very sonne of God thou art the king of Israel And Iesus who as yet was of no fame or renoume by working any miracles sumwhat to open his godlye power by the knowlage he had of secrete thinges whē he behelde Nathanael cūmyng toward hym turned to his dysciples before Philip gaue hym any warning of hym before he named hym and shewed Nathanaell to them saying Behold a verye Israelite in dede in whome there is no guile In these wordes Iesus did both prayse the true meaning beliefe of Nathanael and also his pure desyre to haue knowlage whereas they which vntruely doe boast themselues to be Israelites are wont to be busy and curious of a desyre they haue to lay matters to mennes charge Nathanaell perceiuing that Iesus shewed by these wordes how that he knewe well inough the communicacion which was betwene Philip and him concerning Iesus hymselfe meruaylyng how this came to his knowledge for as yet he toke Iesus to be none other but mā sayth vnto him how knowest thou me But Iesus yet declaring more euidently how he knew the thoughtes of men were they neuer so secret sayth before Philip called the when thou wast vnder the figtree I had already sene the. The cōmunicaciō was but betwene them two and there was no witnes by that could make any relacion thereof The place was expressed and the figtree was noted and spoken of by the way in a mistery as a thing priuie and of counsel to his firste fault that is to saye of hys vnbeliefe whiche faute they must nedes leaue that will knowe Christ. It was manifest by these argumentes that Iesus knewe the matter of theyr whole communicacyon wherof neuerthelesse he maketh no great rehersal lest he should seme to vp braide hym with his lacke of fayth which was sham fast and asked the question of a good symple mynde Assone as Nathanaell hearde these thinges who was perswaded that the secretes of the hearte was open to god onely and that the thing which he heard was more than man could do nowe beeyng nothyng offended with the doubte concernyng the name of the place of Christes birth he gaue his verdit of hym saying maister Thou arte the very sonne of god by whom the father hath determined to deliuer his people Thou art that king of Israel whiche was long a goe promised by the prophecies of the Prophetes Iesus aunswered and said vnto him because I say de vnto thee I saw thee vnder the figtree thou beleuest Thou shalt see greater thinges than these And he sayeth vnto him Uerely verely I say vnto you herafter shall ye see heauen open and the aungels of god ascending and descending ouer the sonne of man Iesus gladly enbracing the mannes so ready and chereful fayth and his so euangelicall profession doeth stablishe also the opynyon that Nathanaell had of him And now more euidently declaring his godly nature sayth Thou hast hereby conceiued a beliefe that I am the very Messias king of Israel which was promised because I tolde thee howe I sawe thee euen then when thou waste with Philip vnder the figtree and therefore thou hast a very good opinion of me In tyme to come thou shalt see more apparaunte sygnes whereby thyne opinion of me may encrease And foorthe withall Iesus turned hym to his other disciples of whome as yet neuer a one did iudge of hym according to hys dignitie and he sayde vnto them Take thys for a suretie hereafter y◠shall see the heauens open and the aungels of God ascendyng and descendyng ouer the sonne of manne By thys derke saying our Lorde Iesus did styrre vp the fayth of his disciples which although it were simple and vncorrupted yet was it not fully enstructed and besyde that far from the perfect knowledge of the excellencie of Christ He did styrre vp their faith I say to the lookyng for of greater miracles and therby to haue higher knowledge For althoughe the disciples did fantasie as it were in a dreame some thing to be in Christ passing mannes nature whereat they marueiled neuerthelesse they dyd not as yet vtterly beleue that the fulnesse of the Godhead was in hym Nathanaell dyd confesse the selfesame thinges whiche Peter dyd after confesse But because hys meaning was not lyke Peters he had not therefore lyke aunswere that Peter had whiche was Upon this stone I will buylde my churche And to thee wyl I geue the keyes of the kingdōe of heauen And in very dede for because some that were very mē are called the sonnes of god in holy scripture for their great holines and other besides Christ also did many times se before thinges which shoulde folowe by the inspiracyon of the holy ghoste therefore it is not to bee marueiled at if Christe knewe without relacion of any other what was doen secretly betwene the two disciples Furthermore in that he called hym kyng of Israell intending thereby to honour Iesus as it were with an hye and gloryous tytle it declareth that euen as yet he dreamed of a worldelye kyngdome And to haue a kingdome in thys worlde is but a very base an earthly thing But it is a thyng of far more honour to bee kyng of all the whole worlde and also of aungels This thing mente Christe when he sayde that the aungels as ministers diligent to doe seruice should ascende and descende ouer the sonne of man And although the disciples did not yet vnderstande at that tyme this saying of Iesu neuerthelesse he dyd hyde it and layed it vp in theyr myndes as a seede whiche shoulde bryng foorthe fruicte in due tyme For afterwarde we knew how the aungels dyd often knowledge hym to bee kyng of all thynges by theyr obedient seruice as whan Gabriel brought tidinges of his concepcion when they song at hys natiuitie Glory be to god that is aboue when at diuerse tymes they appearing to Ioseph did procure the safegarde of the childe when they did hym seruice after he was tempted of the deuyll when they dyd coumfort hym in his conflict at the tyme he swe◠water and bloud and whiles they did often appeare in the tyme of hys resurreccion Agayne also when in all mens sight he was taken vp into heauen the aungels wer present as suerties of the promise of his returne And that in dede shal be doen most specially whē he shal come in the cloudes with the maiestie of his father and with the
this token ye shall knowe them that is to saye of the fruites which yf ye fynde in them to be euyl ye shall remoue them from the cure of the flocke and shall not receyue them into the kingdome of heauen nor couÌ„te them for Christians but for enemyes not to thintent to hurte them but to beware leste they hurte the flocke beyng myngled among them For there is nothinge more daungerouse than vngodlynes if it getteth faythe and authoritie thoroughe the false coloure of holynes ¶ Not euery one that sayethe vnto me Lorde lorde shall enter into the kyngdome of heauen but he that doeth the wyll of my father whiche is in heauen Many wyll saye to me on that â—aye Lorde Lorde haue we not prophecied in thy name and haue we not cast out deuils in thy name and doen many miracles in thy name And than wil I confesse vnto them I neuer knewe you departe from me ye that worke iniquitie All they that professe me onely with woordes shall not be counted worthie the kingdom of heauen for it is not the tytle that maketh a Christian man but the lyfe And I will not furthwith knowledge them for my disciples whiche saye vnto me religiousely Lord Lord when in dede they serue diuerse other lordes that is to saye Mammon and ryches the belly and ambicion Whom therfore shall I thinke worthy the kingdom of heauen Them that haue vtterly refused worldly desyres and hartily do obey the will of the father which is in heauen whose will I preach vnto you For whatsoeuer I teache you it cummeth from him And truly my name shal nothing profite them which lacke my spirite and workes specially in that daye whan rewardes shall be appointed accordyng vnto euery mannes desertes not by mans iudgement whiche oftentymes dothe fayle but by the iudgement of god and the shepe shal be secluded from the goates so that those thynges shal not profite them whiche nowe seme amongest menne a certaine godly thing and passing the doinges of manne For than when they shall see euerlastyng life prepared for them whiche folowyng the doctryne of the ghospell haue declared themselfes to be my true disciples and agayne when they shall see euerlasting punishmente prepared for them that shall be remoued from the companie of the godlye many beeyng sore aferde shall come and desire nowe to be knowen of God where as they haue counterfeited before menne the chiefe and moste excellent disciples of Christe and preachers of the ghospell and they shall saye vnto me Lorde knoweste thou not vs thy seruauntes Haue not we prophecied in thy name haue not we chased a waye diuels in they name haue we not reised vppe dead menne in thy name haue we not put awaye poysons and diseases in thy name haue we not wrought other wonders in thy name and by these dedes glorified thy name we haue declared vs to be thyne by so many argumentes and tokens nowe doeste thou not knowe vs Than shall they heare this answere of me Truely I neuer knew you no not than when ye dyd these thinges I hearde you say lorde lorde but I neuer perceiued in you the harte of faithfull seruauÌ„tes I heare muche speakyng of my name but I neuer felt my spirite in you I heare of myracles whiche wer doen in my name but I heare not of those speciall fruites by the whiche the true disciple of Christ is knowen Wherefore seyng that than when ye did set furth your selues amongest menne in my name ye were not myne in dede but vnder the coloure of my professyon ye serued the â–ª dyuell departe nowe awaye from me and goe vnto hym whose spirite ye haue receiued and whose wyll ye dyd obey What title or name soeuer they have yf they weorke vnrighteousnes they shall not be partakers of my kyngdome ¶ Euerye one therefore that heareth these wordes of me and doeth thesame I wyll lyken hym to a wyse man whiche buylt his house vpon a rocke and a shower of rayne fell and the floudes came and the windes blewe and berie vpon the house and it was no ouerthrowen because it was grounded vpoÌ„ the rocke And euerye one that heareth of me these wordes and doth them not shall be likened vnto a folyshe man whiche builte his house vpon sande and a shower of rayne fel and the floudes came and the windes blewe and bette vpon the house and it was hurled downe and the fall of it was great But lyke as the fruyte of the tree can haue no good taste vnlesse the roote haue good iuyce So the buyldyng be it neuer so gorgiouse high and galaunte outwardelye shall not be sure vnlesse it be stayed vpon a sute and sounde foundacion He that hath my spirite that is to saye a sincere affeccion regarding nought elles but the glorie of God he is a tree of a good roote So he that stayethe not vpon the vayne thynges of this worlde but vpon the true good thynges of the mynde and doeth continue constantly in the same he verye polytikely buildeth the buyldyng that neuer shall falle Therefore whosoeuer heareth my woordes not heareth onely but reposeth them inwardly in his harte to thintente he maye expresse in his deedes that that he hath learned I saye that he is lyke a manne both wyse and politike who to thintente he maye buylde a sounde and sure buyldyng firste of all he deuiseth and loketh for a sounde and a sure foundacion whereupon he maye sette his buyldyng to endure agaynst all tempestes of wethers For in a calme wether euery buyldyng standeth safely but the winter proueth the soundnes of the buyldyng Some tyme aboundaunce of rayne falleth downe and beateth vpon it Sometyme the fluddes increased with rayne all to shake it with greate violence Sometyme the burlyng of the wyndes beateth agaynste it and beeyng beaten and layed at by so many wayes it standeth styll and moueth not Why so Because it standeth vpon a sure foundacion The buylder dyd foresee all these thynges and therfore he sette it vpon a sounde rocke throughe whose ayde it neded nothynge to feare all those assaultes Agayne whosoeuer hearethe my woordes and hearethe them onelye and dothe not repose them in his hearte nor expresse them in his dedes is lyke vnto the rechellesse buyld whoe not foreseynge the stormes and tempestes settethe hys buyldynge vpon the sande whyche is a foundacion euer fletyng and fayling and nothyng trusty Afterwardes falleth aboundaunce of rayne the violence of ryuers runneth vpon it the storme of windes runneth agaynste it and the house is leused and plucked vp from the foundacion and fallethe downe with a great crashe Why so Because the buyldynge was goodly and gaye to see to but it stode vpon an vnprofitable foundacion Therefore your principall chiefe care and consideracion must be of your foundacion fasting almesse prayer simple apparell finally myracles be lyke a gay building But if the minde of hym that dothe them loke after vaine praise of men
that it was done by chaunce or by the helpe of Phisicians For as no man is sodeinly delyuered from the lepry after the course of nature so the palsey forsaketh no man sodenly ¶ And when Iesus was cum into Peters house he sawe his wyues mother lyinge in bed and sycke of a feuer And he touched her hande and the feuer lefte her and she arose and ministred vnto them Whan the euen drewe nere they brought him many that were possessed with diuels And he caste out the spirites with a worde and healed all that were sicke that that might be fulfilled whiche was spoken by Esai the prophete when he sayeth he toke on him our infirmities and bare our sycknes When he had shewed furth these and certayne other myracles he withdrewe himselfe for a tyme from the multitude and wente into a house that was common to Symon Peter and Andrewe his brother There folowed on Iames and Iohn There he knewe that Peters mother in lawe haddess greate a feuer that she kepte her bed and he beyng desyred to heale her taryed not but toke her by the hande and lyfte her vp and forthe with her whole feuer wente awaye lyuelines and cherefulnes returned in somuche as she ministred and serued theim of meate so clerelye was she delyuered from all grudgyng of the Ague Truely no parte of the feuer remained where as they whiche be healed by the arte of phisicians bee troubled longe tyme after theyr disease with feblenes and lothsumnes Nowe whan night drewe on a greate multitude cummethe thycke and swarmethe at the doores lokyng that after his meate he woulde retourne agayne vnto hys well doynge As he came furthe they offered vnto hym a meruaylouse number that were vexed wyth diuerse diseases and also demontakes whyche were possessed wyth deuylies he castynge oute the spirites and puttinge awaye the diseases healed them all wherein also he did agreablye vnto his name There was none so fowâ—e and so horrible kynde of diseases whyche Iesus woulde lothe and turne away from There was none so vehemente or incurable whyche furthewyth at his commaundemente dyd not forsake the man Wyth a worde he healed all frely he healed all doyng nowe the selfe same thyng in takyng a way indifferently the diseases of the bodye whiche he went aboute to doe in takynge awaye synnes whiche be the more fyerce diseases of the myndes Truely for this he came into the worlde and this was it that Esay prophecied of him many yeres paste he toke our infirmities wyllyngly vpon himselfe and he dyd beare our diseases ¶ Whan Iesus sawe muche people aboute him he commaunded them to go vnto the other syde of the water And a certayne Scribe came and sayed vnto him Maister I wyll folowe the whithersoeuer thou goeste And Iesus sayethe vnto him the foxes haue holes and the byrdes of the ayer haue nestes but the soonne of man haâ—h not where to teste hys head And another of the number of his disciples sayed vnto him Mayster suffer me first to go and bâ—ry my father But Iesus sayed vnto hym Folowe me and lette the dead bury theyr dead And when Iesus sawe that the multitude woulde not departe thoughe he had healed all the sycke and diseased and thoughe nyght were at hande for nowe the sunne was gone to glade but that they came thicke aboute hym on euery syde more and more he commaunded his disciples to prepare him a ship to goe ouer the water that by that meanes he myght bee delyuered from the multitude This once heard certayne of them departed home But a certayne importunate Scribe folowed Iesus vnto the water syde desyryng to bee receyued into the numbre of his disciples whom he had seen so magnified of the people for his power in shewyng of miracles not to thintent he would folowe his doctrine and lyfe but that he might get him renoune and lucre of his miracles He therfore cumming vnto Iesus sayde Master I will folowe the whither soeuer thou goest It was a woorde mete for him that should haue been a disciple yf the woorde and the harte had agreed He put forth himselfe of his owne accorde and offered hymselfe vnto all thynges nor made no pretence of â—ariyng But Iesus neyther repelled the mannes importunitie neyther layed â—nto his charge his corrupte mynde but secretely monyshed hym that he was vp mete disciple for hym nor himselfe lykewyse no mete mayster for whosoeuer loketh after the commodities of this worlde ioyneth himselfe vnto hym but folyshly whiche neyther had nor soughte for neyther riches nor glory nor kyngdome in this worlde but imbraced extreme pouertie ignominy and affliccion in so muche as he had not those thynges whyche the byrdes and beastes lacketh not The foxes ê™ he although they haue no houses yet haue they holowe dennes to hyde them in The byrdes fliyng and wauoring in the ayer in the stede of houses haue nestes to rest them in But the sonne of man so is destitute of all succours of this worlde that he hath no place to laye his head in Yf any manne desyre suche a Mayster yf he wyll let him folowe me but with harte and affeccioÌ„ and not onely with the steppes of the feete So the Scriâ—e knowyng his owne conscience dyd forbeare to folowe hym Agayne one of them whiche began to be in the noumbre of his disciples moued by trayâ—tie and weakenes when he heard of the extreme pouertie of Christe â—â—kyng an occasion by sum coloare to slippe awaye from the disciples of Iesus Lorde ê™ he before I folowe the wholly whither soeuer thou goest suffer me first to retourne home and burye my father The cause to the apperauÌ„ce semed godly but Iesus willing to teache that all thinges should be set a part in the matter of euerlasting healthe and that herein all tariyng and lingeryng is dauÌ„gerouse suffered not the yonge man beyng of a good mynde but yet feble and weaâ—e to â—e intangled with busynes of testamentes of the dead vnder the pretence of godlynes and whites he prouideth for the vile inheritaunce of the worlde to fall from the inheritaunce of heauen Nay ê™ he thou shalte â—ow nothing haue to doe with thy dead father whiche haste profest thy selfe to the heauenly lyfe there will be ynow to burye thy father Suffer the dead to bury theyr dead and lette them put them in the yearthe whiche loue yearthely thinges let them burye him whiche is dead in the yearth whiche beeyng alyue be both dead and also buried They be alyue to men they be dead to God Be thou carefull to lyue and departe from the companye of the dead yf thou wilt lyue in dede And whan he entred into a shippe his disciples folowed him And beholde there arose a great tempests in the sea in so muche that the ship was couered with waues and he was a slept and his disciples came vnto him and waked him saying Lorde saue vs we perished and â—e sayethe vnto them why
his disciples to thys storme which was at hand shewing them that he must first goe to Ierusalem and that he shoulde haue many griefes and displeasures of the Scrybes and Phariseis and also of the chiefe priestes and finally that he shoulde be killed but on the thyrde day ryse agayne Whan the disciples being yet carnal vnderstoode not fully this communicacion because they iudged these thynges vnmete and vnworthy for him who thorough so many myracles declared hymselfe to be the sonne of God yet they durst not demaunde of their maister what it ment to dye and ryse agayne Therefore Peter who for the special loue that he had to his mayster was bolder then the other taketh hym asyde from the other of the Apostles as though he woulde tell hym a thyng more familiarly and chyding hym and abhorring the speaking of death and afliccions sayd Lorde be good to your selfe These thinges shall not happen vnto you For it is in you that they come not to passe For although Peter pronounced hym to be the sonne of God alyue rather by the instigacion of the father then by hys owne reason or wit yet he was farre from the vnderstandyng of that mistery that Iesus by hys death shoulde redeme mankynde and by his resurreccyon declare vnto the worlde the might of his diuine power Therfore Iesus to refourme this affeccion in his disciples turned vnto them behelde theÌ„ whome he knewe to haue like mynde and affeccyon albeit onely Peter durste blame the Lord and said vnto Peter Come behind me Sathan Be not against the will of my father it is thy parte to folowe me not to goe beefore Nowe thou dooeste withstande and endeuour to leat that thyng whiche bothe my father willeth to be doen and also it behoueth me to doe for the health and saluacion of mankinde Thou desireste to bee a felowe of the kyngdome and thou arte againste me making spede vnto the crosse of myne owne accorde to thentente I may winne and get thys kyngdome to my father what way ye see me goe the same ye must goe also to the kyngdome of heauen But thou sauereste not yet the thynges whiche be of God but led by mannes affeccyons â–ª repyneste agaynst the will of God Resiste not therefore thou vnprofitable counsaylour but folow after me becum rather a scholler then a maister ¶ Than sayde Iesus vnto hys disciples yf any man will folowe me let hym forsake hymselfe take vp his crosse folowe me For whoso wil saue his life shal loose it Againe whoso loseth his life for my sake shall finde it For what doeth it profit a man if he win al the whole world loose his owne soule For what shal a man geue to redeme his soule agayne withal For the soÌ„ne of man shal come in the glory of his father with his angels and then shal he rewarde euery man according to his dedes Uerely I say vnto you there bee some standyng here whiche shall not taste of deathe tyll they see the sonne of manne come in hys kingdome When that with these sayinges Iesus had cut the combe of Peter for his importune frowardnes turning to all his disciples began to declare at large what it was that he sayde to Peter come behinde me Whosoeuer ê™ he will bee my disciple and partaker of the kyngdome of heauen let hym folowe my steppes And lyke as he seeth me despysyng all the goodes of thys worlde to bestowe my lyfe also willingly for the saluacyon of menne and glory of my father so muste he also refuse and caste of all humayne affeccions ready to all kindes of death for the gospels sake and take his crosse and folow me which am goyng to the crosse So to suffer is a blessed thyng so to bee rebuked is a gloryouse thyng so to be killed is a winnyng of lyfe I know there is nothing more dere then life but so euery man must lose hys lyfe if he will saue it and except he lose it he shall lose it in dede He loseth it for aduauntage that loseth it for the gospels sake He loseth it in dede whiche forsaking the ghospell prouideth for thys temporal lyfe and loseth the life euerlasting There is no man so foolish that woulde winne this whole worlde with the losse of this corporal and shorte lyfe To what purpose serue rychesse yf the owner perishe So it is a mad mannes parte to make so muche of hys affeccions of rychesse or els of his body whiche within shorte time shoulde perishe yea though no man kil it that for mennes pleasure he will lese the lyfe euerlasting whiche whoso hath not hath all the other in vayne Therefore nothing ought to be so deare vnto any man the gain whereof he woulde chaunge with the losse of his soule For the losse of other thinges may some wayes be recompeÌ„ced the losse of the soule cannot be recouered He that loseth his life for my sake dooeth not lose it but commytteth it to me for auauntage and shall receyue it agayne with lucre whan the Maiestie of the kingdome of God shall appeare Nor ye ought not to be dyscouraged in youre mynde because I haue shewed you that ye must suffer muche aduersitie for the ghospel They shall haue an ende shortely and euerlasting glory shall folow the temporal ignomyny and rebuke For the sonne of man whome ye shall see oppressed and troden downe of all men and counted for a wurme shall come once in an other lykenes and shall shewe vnto all men the Maiestie and glory of hys father beeyng garded and accompanied with his aungels Than he that was iudged here and condemned with a shameful deathe shall bee the iudge of all menne bothe quicke and dead and shall yelde a rewarde vnto euery man accordyng to hys dedes Than shall they bee appoynted to euerlastyng deathe whiche here regarded more their lyfe thaÌ„ me and they shal be rewarded with immortal life which for my sake despised the life of the body for a time Now is the tyme of strife and trauayle hereafter shal be the time of rewardes And truly this felicitie shall than be made absolute and perfecte when it shall bee seene good vnto the father For it belongeth not vnto you to knowe the tyme. And yet in the mean seasoÌ„ there shal be geuen to you a certain taste of this glory For be ye assured of this there be sum here staÌ„dyng whiche shall not taste of death before that they see the sonne of man shewyng the maiestie of his kingdome as it may be seene with bodily iyes Surely before death they shal see the kingdome of God shewe furth his power and now by litle and litle vanquyshe and ouercum the whole power of this worlde ¶ The .xvii. Chapter ¶ And after sixe dayes Iesus taketh Peter and Iames and Iohn his brother and bryngeth them vp into a high mountain out of the way and he was transfigured before them â–ª his face did shine as the
to the sea and cast an hooke and take the fyshe that cummeth first vp and whan thou hast opened his mouthe thou shalt fynde a stateâ— take it and geue it vnto them for the and me After that he came to the citie of Capernaum they that demaunded tribute in Cesars name being afraied to speake to Iesus because of his authoritie whiche he had gotten hym now by miracles they went to Peter whom they sawe in maner next about him Doth your maister ê™ they pay a didram for tribute Peter wheras he had no money and would not offende the gatherers of tribute made aunswer that he payeth For Iesus hitherto had paied such maner tributes And whan they were nowe entred into the house for Iesus had an house there Peter being perplexed thought in his mind to speake to Iesus as touching paimeÌ„t of the tribute For he had promised and had not to pay TheÌ„ Iesus not ignorant what Peter had in his harte preuented his question Symon ê™ he what thynkest thou Of whom be kynges wonte to take tribute or subsidie of their childreÌ„ or of strangers Of straÌ„gers ê™ Peter Then ê™ Iesus the children be free signifiyng therby though sumwhat darkly that he being lorde of the land and the sea and of all thynges oweth tribute or subsidie to no mortal prince and that his disciples as the childreÌ„ of the kingdome be not bounde but yet minding to teache that in such thynges whiche make nothing against godlines obedience oughte to be geuen to this kynd of men lest being prouoked they offend more greuously he added yet ê™ he lest we offend them go to the sea and take the fish which cummeth out first open his mouth and thou shalt fynd a piece of coyne called a Statere whiche is fower draÌ„mes Take it and geue it for me and the. With this dede Iesus both shewed his power wherby he was subiect to no maÌ„ his modestie wherby he would geue place vnto theÌ„ whoÌ„ it is not mete to stirre or prouoke for a thing of litle value to be set nothyng by For he that can geue after that sorte is greater than he that ought to geue and yet when he geueth that he ought not he teacheth that it is better sumtime for to geue ouer thy right then to striue for thy right with them that be froward chiefly in those thinges whiche diminishe thy substaunce but hurt nothyng godlynes The worlde hath his ordre which must not be troubled in no case by occasion of libertie of the ghospell ¶ The .xviii. Chapter ¶ At the same tyme came the disciples vnto Iesus saiyng Who is the greatteste in the kyngdome of heauen Iesus called a chylde vnto hym â–ª and set hym in the middest of them saiyng Uerelye I saye vnto you excepte ye tourne and becum as chyldren ye shall not entre into the kyngdome of heauen Whosoeuer therefore humbleth hymselfe as this chylde thesame is greatest in the kyngdome of heauen And whoso receyueth suche a childe in my name receyueth me But whoso offendeth one of these litlennes whiche beleue on me it wer better for him that a milstone wee hanged about his necke and that he wer drowned in the depe of the sea Woe to the world because of offences Necessary it is that offences cum but woe vnto the man by whome the offence cummeth AFter that these thynges were thus doen there entered into the myndes of thapostles a certain worldlye affeccion and a prycke of enuy and ambicion They hearde of the kingdome of heauen they sawe three Apostles led a parte into the mountayne they heard that the keyes of the kingdome of heauen were delyuered vnto Peter and that it was sayde vnto hym blessed art thou Symon Bariona and vpon this stone I wyll buylde my churche they saw him talkyng with their maister of certain thynges bothe familiarely and boldely and euen now they sawe hym preferred before thother Apostles in paimeÌ„t of tribute and in maner made equall vnto Christe therfore they sumwhat enuied Peter vnto whome the principalitie of the kyngdom of heauen semed to be appoynted where as he was yonger in yeares Therefore they go vnto Iesus and demaunde who shoulde be chyefe in the kyngdome of heauen For yet they dreamed vpon such certaine dignities as we see in princes courtes But Iesus to plucke this affeccion vtterlye out of theyr myndes called to hym a certayn child and sette hym in the middes of his disciples a litle one and yet farre from all affeccions of ambicion and enuie simple pure and liuyng after the onely course of nature Be ye sure of this ê™ he vnles a man be wholy chaunged and cast away vtterly all suche affeccions and be transformed into the fashion simplicitie of this chyld he shal not once be receiued into the kyngdom of heauen So that in no wyse preeminence and soueraintie ought ambiciously to be desyred Wherfore whoso doth submit himself and becum lyke vnto this babe in that he humbleth himself to be as the least of all he shal be greatest in the kingdome of heauen For whoso through modestie and sobrenes maketh hymselfe as leaste thesame is greatest in vertue Princes loue them that be lyke vnto them and amonge them is he most estemed that preferreth hiÌ„self before others I delight in my lyke In courtes of this world the prince thinketh it to redound vnto his rebuke if a man vse any of his nobles coÌ„tumeliously he taketh the gentilnes to be bestowed vpon hymself whiche is bestowed vpoÌ„ them But the fauour of true simple and humble meÌ„ is so great with me that whosoeuer receiueth any one of these for my sake I would it should be counted as done to my self euen as though he receiued me Contrariwise whoso hurreth or offeÌ„deth any one of these litle ones which trust in me and depend wholy vpoÌ„ me he shal be more greuously punyshed than if he should be drouned in the depe sea with a milstone at his necke For what is more wicked than to offend theÌ„ which beare to no man yll wyll whiche enuie no man which prefer themselues aboue no man whiche loue all men indifferently But alas woe be to the worlde for offendyng and greuyng of like litle ones The frowardnes of menne is cause that offences must nedes chaunce There shal be men whiche stirred vp with ennie and hatred wil persecute them that doe for them wyll say yll by them that wysh them well will kill them that bring euerlastyng health And truly these offences and griefes shal profit them that shal suffer them yea they shal be profitable to all the world But yet it shall turne hym to displeasure thorough whose defaulte this offence shall rise Wherfore if thy hand or thy foote hinder the cut it of and cast it from the. It is better for the to enter into lyfe halt or maymed â–ª rather then thou shouldest hauing two handes or two feete be cast into euerlastyng fyer And if thyne iye
them to vnderstand that it is no saâ—e and sure thyng to flee from matrimonie vnlesse a man be of so fyrme and stable mynde that he is able vtterly to abstayn from the acte of matrimonie But there be very fewe that can doe so because that this affeccion of the body is so common to all men that there is none affeccion more violente or more inuincible Therfore though it be a greater fredome not to be tyed in matrimonie yet is it more sure to be kepte within the bondes of matrimonie than to be defyled with liyng here and there Therefore Iesus shewyng what was best and prouokyng this waye with the reward of libertie dareth not yet exactely require that whiche in maner excedeth mannes power All men ê™ he be not able to receiue this woorde but they onely vnto whome it is geuen of God who haue so great a feruencye toward the holynes of the gospell that of theyr own accorde and willyngly can neglecte this affeccion For chaste synglenesse hath no prayse vnlesse it be taken for loue of the euangelicall godlynes For there be three kyndes of Eunuches One of them whiche be so borne and abhorre from wyues thorough the defaulte of a colde nature or sum other secrete affeccion of nature Another kynde of them whom men hath gelded The chastitie of these men deserueth no prayse because it cummeth of necessitie not of the loue of vertue But the gospell also hath his Eunuches very blessed whiche be not geldynges of nature nor gelded of men but they gelded themselfes for the kyngdome of heauen not cutting of the membre of the body but for loue of the ghospell ouercummyng the desire of matrimonie Ye see victorie set out before you let hym trye that wyl and knoweth his owne strength Let him beare awaye the game that can They that contend valyauntlye and willingly shal not want the fauour of the maister of the game Because coÌ„municacion was of the puritie of virgins and of the highnesse of that noble vertue whiche chaunceth to fewe as by occasion there is brought in also an exaumple of perfecte cleannes and great modestie without the whiche virginitie deserueth no prayse Than wer there brought vnto him yong chyldren that he should put his handes on theym and pray and the disciples rebuked them But Iesus said vnto them Suffre the children forbid them not to cum to me for the kyngdome of heauen belongeth to such And whan he had laied his handes on them he departed thence There wer present fathers and mothers whiche desired to offer their babes vnto Iesus that he might lay his handes vpon them and pray for theÌ„ thinking that lykewyse as they saw diseases driuen away through his touchyng so the touchyng of Iesus should preserue them from diseases from fallyng of houses or walles or other lyke thynges vpon them from euyll spirites and from other hurtes whereby that age oftentymes miscarieth But the disciples who though they had oft tymes heard many a good lesson of great modestie and coldnes yet had not vtterly shaken of from them mans affeccions thinkyng it not mete that the greatnes or dignitie of theyr master should be letted or weried with the importunitie of babes of their mothers kept them of whan they desired to cum nere Iesus marking this to the intent that he might the better imprinte euangelicall moderacioÌ„ in the myndes of his disciples whiche doeth loth no manne be he neuer so lowe suffre ê™ he the children to be brought vnto me nor let them not to cum to me For they that be lyke vnto these bee moste acceptable vnto me whome though the world doth hate and despise yet I vouchsafe to haue none other in the kingdome of heauen What nature doth geue vnto these thesame must godlines geue vnto you if ye will be receiued into the kingdome of heauen Therfore the litle babes wer brought vnto Iesus and he put his handes vpon them inspiring into the litle babes for the simple faythes sake of theyr pareÌ„tes a secret power through the touching of his holy body Which doeÌ„ Iesus departed from thence geuyng a lesson by the same facte of his that the litle babes must be satisfied but yet that we ought not to tary loÌ„g with them but to make spede to thynges of more perfeccion ¶ And beholde one came and sayed vnto hym Good maister what good thyng shall I doe that I maye haue eternall life he sayed vnto hym why callest thou me good There is none good but one and that is God But if thou wylt enter into lyfe kepe the commaundementes He sayeth vnto hym whiche Iesus sayed Thou shalâ—e not commit manslaughter Thou shalt not commit aduenitie Thou shalt not steale Thou shalt not bear false witnes Honour father and mother And thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy self The yong maÌ„ saith vnto hym Al these thinges haue I kept from my youth vp what lacke I yet Iesus said vnto him if thou wilt be perfect go and sell al that thou hast and geue it to the poore and thou shalt haue treasure in heauen and cum and folowe me But whan the yonge man heard that saiyng he went away sorye For he had great possessions And loe as soone as he had doen with the children there cummeth nexte after them a yong man which talketh of perfeccion But Iesus like as in the litle babes he shewed his disciples an exaumple of simplicitie and modestie so in the yong man being in dede desirous of perfect godlines but ouer sore burdened with riches he setteth before their iyes how harde it is for them that be geueÌ„ to riches to cum forward to the perfeccioÌ„ of the euangelical godlines and how muche more ready they be to the cause of the gospell whiche possesse nothyng or els very littell of the goodes of this world and yet pouertie and riches stande not so muche in possessions as in the affeccioÌ„s of the mynde The yong man had a deuout mynde but because he heard of Christ certayne newe and straunge preceptes he went vnto him and fallyng doune at his knees asketh him saying good maister what good shal I do to obtayn euerlastyng lyfe The yong man called Iesus good to obteyn his good wil by fayre speakyng whereas yet he toke him to be nothing els but a very maÌ„ although of more excellencie than other men were Afterward whereas he demauÌ„ded of good he meaneth not of euery good thyng but of a certain notable good thyng whiche may deserue euerlastyng lyfe But no mortal man is absolutely good and there is no worke of men which can be so good that it maye deserue the reward of euerlastyng lyfe Iesus therfore pricking forwarde the yonge manne to haue a better opinion of him and to call hym froÌ„ the trust of his workes and to cause him to put the trust of life rather in the free gifte and benefite of God who is naturally good and freely beneficial towardes al menne
aunswered in this maner why callest thou me good or why doest thou aske me of good But yet if thou desirest to be receiued vnto the eternall lyfe kepe the commaundementes And whan the yong maÌ„ asked what the commaundementes were for he had heard hym teache that the preceptes of Moses lawe bee not enough to obteyne the kyngdome of heauen Iesus to plucke awaye from all men the truste of the lawe aunswered Thou shalt not kyll thou shalt not commit aduoutrye Thou shalte not steale Thou shalt not beare false witnesse Honoure thy father and mother and loue thy neyghbour as thy selfe Than the yong manne beyng sumwhat chered sayd All these haue I kept from my chyldehode what lacke I besyde He loked that Iesus should haue aunswered him Thou lackeste nothyng But the Lord shewyng what difference there was betwene the Iewishe righteousnesse and the righteousnesse of the ghospel betwene a good Iewe and a good Christian manne sayed If thou wylte be perfecte goe and sell all that thou haste and geue the money to the poore thou shalt not lese thy money though it be dispersed among many So to disperse it is to laye it vp For in the stede of worldly riches thou shalte haue a better treasure in heauen When thou hast doen this beyng now at libertie and dispatched of all heauy cariage bare and pore cum and folow me beyng also bare and poore When Iesus sayth yf thou wylt he shewed that it was a great matter but he added â—he rewarde Thou shalte haue a treasure in heauen Anon he moued hym to the loue of perfecte godlinesse Cum folow me Whan the yong man heard this communicacion he wente awaye with a discouraged and heauye mynde because he was a Lorde of muche possessions and he thought it hard to leaue theÌ„ all at once He desired to get euerlasting lyfe he desired the honour of perfeccion but the thornes of richesse ouerwhelmed choked this affeccion whiche was a good seede Therfore he departed home heuily not vnderstanding that Iesus did not condemne riches but the affeccion and loue and carefulnes of riches to which they caÌ„ scarcely be any lesse then bonde that haue them And he woulde not that alwaies they shoulde be forsaken but yet alwayes set lyttell by yea and forsaken also yf they at any tyme withdrawe vs from the loue of the ghospell ¶ Than Iesus sayth vnto his disciples verelye I saye vnto you it shall bee harde for the ryche to enter into the kingdome of heauen And agayne I saye vnto you it is easier for a Camell to go thorough the iye of a nedle than for the ryche to enter into the kyngdome of God Whan the disciples heard this they were excedyngly amased saiyng who than can bee saued But Iesus beheld them and sayed vnto them with men this is vnpossible but with god all thynges are possible Whan the yong man was gone Iesus tournyng to his disciples for he shewed this sight for them because they shoulde at no tyme repente them of their pouertie nor bee entangled with the loue of moneye howe harde a thyng it is ê™ he for a ryche manne to enter into the kyngdome of heauen Signifiyng that the desyre of moneye and the desyre of the Euangelicall phylosophye hardely agree together because the one requireth the whole man the other taketh vnto it almost the greatest part of maÌ„ And to make the difficultie of the thing the greater his disciples musing muche he said more Yea ê™ he I say more vnto you It is more easy for a Camel to go through the iye of a nedle than for a riche man to enter into the kyngdome of heauen For the gate is lowe and straight it receiueth no Camels laden with burdens of rychesse For so he reproued the couetous riche men vnto whom riches be rather a burden than profit which they beare for others rather thaÌ„ for themselfes This saying because it was not well vnderstande of the Apostels put in their myndes a certayne heauynesse because they were sory that so many men for riches sake should be shut out from the kyngdome of heauen Therfore whan the disciples maruayled muche what it shoulde meane that Iesus spake of the Camell and the iye of the nedle they aske him If it be so who than can be saued For howe many men are there whiche can cast awaye the ryches that they haue or not wysh for them yf they haue none But Iesus beholdyng them to thintent he would asswage the heauines that they had conceyued in their mynde declareth that there is sum hope for ryche menne also to cumme to the kingdome of heauen To men ê™ he this is impossible nolesse than for a Camell to goe through the iye of a nedle but to God nothinge is impossible Onely he chaungeth the myndes of ryche men that they wyll cherefully eyther cast awaye that whiche they do possesse or els possesse theÌ„ as coÌ„mon and not proper euen ready to â—aue them yf the matter of the ghospell at any tyme require the same For why should it greue them to despise ryches whom it greueth not to bestowe theyr lyfe ¶ Than aunswered Peter and sayed vnto him â–ª Beholde we haue forsaken all folowed the â–ª what shall we haue therfore Iesus sayed vnto them Uerely I saye vnto you that whan the sonne of manne shall sitte in the seate of his maiestie ye that haue folowed me in there generacion shal sit also vpon twelue seates and iudge the twelue tribes of Israel And euery one that forsaketh house or brethren or systers or father or mother or wyfe or children or landes for my name sake shall receyue an hundred folde and shall â—nheriâ—e euerlastyng life but many that are firste shall be last and the last shal be firste This communicacion whiche Iesus had with the yonge man sell that thou hast and folow me made Peter to haue sum good hope whiche although he wer not riche yet that that he had he left it cherefullye bothe his shyppe and his nettes and folowed the Lorde Lorde ê™ he beholde we haue doen that that thou requyredst of the yonge man we haue lefte all thynges and folowe the what rewarde shall we haue therfore But Iesus willing to shewe that this highe prayse was not offered to riche men onelye but also to poore men whiche gladly forsake whatsoeuer they haue for the gospell sake for as much as this vertue is more estemed of thaffeccion of the leauer than of the greatenes of the thyng that is left did not reiecte the saying of Peter although it was to high and stoute for so symple a matter but teachyng that no small rewarde shall be rendered for such small thinges lefte of and forsaken with a good will sayethe This I warraunte you that ye whiche haue forsaken nothyng for my sake but your boates and your nettes but yet with suche a will that ye would haue forsaken very greate richesse for my
hande and the loue of many shal be colde But he that endureth to the ende thesame shal be safe And this ghospell of the kyngdome shal be preached in all the worlde for a witnesse to all nacions and thâ—n the ende shall come And ye in the meane season shall not be free from suche maner of illes and miseries For in this tumulte hurly burly of thynges men shall plucke you into diuerse affliccions and finally kyll you and in the meane season ye shall be hated not onely of the Iewes but of all the Gentiles not for your ill dedes but because ye professe my name In the meane time many being offended and greued with aduersities and ouercummed with punishmentes shall swarue from the professing of my name and one shall betraye an other one kinesman shall betraye an other one frende an other whom nature hath coupled with the bandes of charitie they shall hate eche other There shall be also another kynde of ill more greuouse and intollerable There shall arise false Prophetes and false teachers who counterfeiting to preach my ghospell shall see to and prouide for their owne glory their owne lucre and theyr owne belly and instede of my spirite they shall inspire theyr owne disciples with the spirite of Sathan and in the stede of the kyngdome of heauen they shall teache the kingdome of this worlde They whom punishmentes and tormentes could not ouercome shall be caught in the snares of these menne For there is not a more deadly enemy than a familiar and a fayned frende In these mischifes and miseries a man shall not loke for muche comfort of his brothers and frendes For the multitude of sinnes beyng so great the charitie of many shall waxe colde But yet as for you there is no perill so that ye perseuer and continue vnto the ende with a constant and a valiant courage No greatnes of aduersitie can destroy any man but him that lacketh the ryght mynde And I wyll not suffer you to peryshe nor the ghospell to be oppressed Nay by these tumultes and troubles the strength of the ghospell shall encrease more and more and the storme of ylles shall be able to doe no nother thyng agaynst you but to make your godlynes to be the better tried and the more to appeare For the ende of the worlde shall not come before that this ghospell of the kyngdome of heauen be preached throughout al the kyngdomes of the worlde and hath come to all nacions leste they that would not obey myght pretende ignoraunce When this shall be doen than shall come the ende of the worlde Whan ye therfore shall see the abhominacion of desolacion that was spoken of by Daniell the Prophete standing in the holy place whoso readeth it let hym vnderstande Wherof if ye seke a token this is it Whan ye shall see the abhominable Idoll whiche shall endeuour vtterly to subuerte the religion of the ghospell of the whiche Daniell in tymes past prophecied vnto you saying and in the middes of the weeke the sacrifice offeryng shall be taken a waie and the abhominacion of desolacions shall be in the temple vnto the ende of the worlde when ye shall see I saye this abhominable Idoll set in the temple that is in the towre of holynes he that readeth the prophecie of the Prophete let him vnderstand This woorde is misticall and requireth a spirituall reader Than let them that be in Iewry flee vnto the mountaynes and let not hym whiche is in to the house toppe come downe to take any thyng out of his house And let not hym that is in the fieldes retourne backe to fetche his clothes Therfore when this storme shal be at hand they that be in the cities of Iewry let them forsake the cities and flee into the mountaynes and they that be in the toppes of the houses let them leape downe not come downe to take any thyng a waie with them out of their houses they that be found in the fielde at that tyme let them not runne backe to theyr house to fetche theyr apparell For than there shall be no leysure to prouyde for theyr goodes For it is a great matter yf they can saue theyr lyfe with spedy flyght For thother thinges may be recouered but the lyfe once loste cannot be restored ¶ Woe shal be in those dayes to them that are with childe and to them that geue sucke But pray ye that your flyght be not ill the wynter or on the Sabboth day For than there shal be great tribulacion suche as hath not been from the begynnyng of the worlde vntyll this time nor shal be And except those dayes should be shortened there should haue been no fleshe saued but for the electes sake those dayes shal be shortened Therfore women with childe and women that geue suche shal be in an yll case in those dayes For they that be great cannot caste of the burden of theyr belly to flee awaye spedely nor they that geue sucke cannot caste of theyr children whom they loue more tenderly than themselues lyke as they doe caste of money or apparell But as for you who shall not be lette neyther with house neyther with possessions nor with children ye must onely pray that it chaunce not so that ye be compelled to flee in the wynter or on the Sabboth day For ye must flee spedely and farre But the wynter by the reason of roughnes and shortnes of dayes is not commodiouse for them that iourney on the Sabboth day the religion of your lawe letteth you that ye cannot flee farre For at that time there shal be so sore and vehement affliction as was neuer synce the worlde was made vnto this daye and hereafter neuer shal be And yf the calamitie should be so continuall as it is vehemente no man should be lefte alyue Theyr malyce did deserue vtter destruccion but for the electe be they neuer so fewe those dayes shal be shortened Than yf any man saye vnto you Lo here is Christe or there beleue it not For there shall aryse false Christes and false prophetes and shall shewe great signes and woonders insomuche that yf it were possible the very electe should be brought into errour Beholde I haue tolde you before Wherfore yf they say vnto you loe he is in the deserte goe not ye furth Beholde he is in the secrete places beleue it not For as the lyghtnyng cummeth out of the East and appeareth vnto the west so shall the cummyng of the sonne of man be For wheresoeuer the dead caâ—ras shall be â–ª thyther wyll also the Egles be gathered together In this confusion and hurly burly of thynges whan my cumming shall be loked for men must take diligent hede that they be not deceyued throughe the crafte of deceyuers For there shall ryse many false Christes whiche shall boaste themselues to be Christe and be not but be rather myne aduersaries whiche also shall saye that they be Prophetes and be not
money but that they paye more for the laboure of the lyers than of the traytoure keepe close ê™ they the thynges that ye haue seene but make a brute abrode that hys disciples came in the night stale him away whan ye were aslepe And if thys inuencyon and fleyght be brought vnto your president we will perswade hym and deliuer you from all daunger of this matter Therefore the souldyers receyuyng money dyd as they were instructed and thys trieflyng and vayne sleight was beleued of the people For thys rumoure is bruted abrode vnto this day emong the vnbeleuing Iewes ¶ Than the eleuen disciples wente away into Galile into the mountayne where Iesus had appoynted them And whan they sawe hym they wurshipped hym But some doubted And Iesus came and spake to them â—â—ying all power is geuen to me in heauen and yearth Nowe the eleuen discyples monished of the women wente forewarde into Galile and went vp vpon the hyll whiche Iesus had appoynted them There he shewed hymselfe They saw and knew hym to be theyr Lord and honoured him as now being on high and in heauen Notwithstandyng some yet doubted vntil they were made to beleue with many and very certeyn argumentes Albeit theyr doubting was profitable for the certaintie of oure belyefe Therfore Iesus drawyng nere vnto them dyd not onely offer hymselfe to bee seene and touched presently but also spake vnto theÌ„ with hys knowen and accustomed voyce declaring that by his death he had obteyned a kingdome authoritie both in heauen and in earth In heaueÌ„ where euer he reigned with the father in earth where hereafter he shoulde reigne not by tirannical powers and aides but thorough fayth of beleuers and that he shoulde dispose the office of this euangelicall kyngdome vnto his disciples who shoulde folowe his steppes committing vnto them the office to preache the Ghospell not onely to the Iewes but also to all nacions and also authoritie to baptise and by the holy ghoste to forgeue synnes to all menne that wyll professe an euangelycal lyfe with a sincere hearte and to enstructe and frame them not after the lawe of Moyses nor after the constitucions of the Phariseis but after his preceptes â–ª vntyll they wexed and grewe vp vnto the perfeccyon of the wysedome of the ghospell And that they should nothing dystrust for that he should not be continually conuersaunt with them he promiseth that theyr felowship shal neuer fayle and that he will neuer forsake hys but be alwayes presente with hys in spirite and power vnto the laste ende of the worlde All power ê™ he is geuen me in heauen and earth Ye haue sene me by the reason of the weakenes of the flesh hungrie thyrstie weary nedy despised taken bounde spetted vpon condemned beaten crucifyed couered with all kyndes of spytefulnes and in maner deiect vnder the loweste sorte of menne Because I haue suffered all these thinges willingly and of myne owne accorde for the health of man my father hath raysed me from deathe and rewarded me with the glory of immortalitie and hath lifted me vp to the felowship of hys kyngdome and hath submytted vnto my power and rule all thinges that be in heauen and earth Ye haue an authour whome ye ought not to distrust ye haue a Lorde of whome ye ought not to repente Goe ye therefore and teache all nacyons baptise them in the name of the father and the sonne and the holye ghoste teaching them to kepe all thinges whatsoeuer I haue commaunded you Lyke as I dyed for the healthe of all men so there is no nacion whiche belongeth not to my righte It shall be youre parte to get vnto me as muche as lyeth in you all kinde of men But ye shall not gette them by weapons or war but by the same meanes that I got vnto me this right by wholsome doctrine by a lyfe woorthy and meete for the ghospell with free well doyng with pacyent suffering of illes Goe ye therfore as trustie Ambassadoures trusting me your authour teache firste the Iewes than the nexte neighboures vnto them afterwardes all the nacions of the whole worlde Teache what they ought to beleue of me and what they ought to trust of me First to knowledge the heaueÌ„ly father the maker the orderer and the restorer of al thinges visible and inuisible Whose power no man can resist because he is almightie whose knowledge no man doeth deceiue because hee seeth all thynges whose iudgemente no man shall escape From whome as from the fountayne cummeth all goodnes in the worlde To whome is due all honour prayse and thankes geuing They must knowledge also his sonne Iesus by whome through hys eternall and vnsearchable counsell he hath purposed to deliuer mankinde from tiranny of sinne and deathe and by the doctryne of the ghospell to open the waye vnto euerlasting felicitie Who for this cause by his will came downe into the earth and was borne very manne of the virgyn Marie and beyng man long conuersaunt emong menne taught the heauenly philosophy which only maketh menne blessed And being an innocent was afflicted and punished for the sinnes of the whole worlde and put to death vpon the crosse And layde in his graue the third day he arose agayne according to the prophecies of the Prophetes After that beyng conseruaunt many dayes with his disciples and the trueth of his resurreccion delared by sure argumentes he wente vp agayne into heauen whereas partaker of the kyngdome and glory of his father he sitteth on the righte hande of his father almightie Once he shall come agayne into the worlde not lowe and abiecte as before but with the diuine maiestie not a sauioure but a iudge bothe of those whome that day he shall finde aliue and of those whome nowe being dead the trumpe of the ghospell shall sodainly call agayne to life that by his ineuitable iudgemente euery man may receiue rewarde woorthy and mete for his doinges They must knowledge also the holy ghoste whome I haue nowe partely geuen vnto you and will geue more plentiously after that I come into heauen whose secrete inspiracion shal coumforte teache and strengthen the mindes of them that trust in me and being powred into the hartes of all men shall glue and confeder them together with mutuall charitie as many as professe hartely the fayth of the ghospell of what nacyon soeuer they come of And if a man doth sinne any thing through the weakenes of maÌ„ he shal obteyne forgeuenes of his sinnes so that he doth not seuer himselfe froÌ„ the league felowship of the holy cumpany And whosoeuer ioyneth himselfe vnto this league all the sinnes of his former life shall be forgeuen him freely Finally lest any man shoulde thynke the rewardes of good dedes to be desyred in this life or shoulde goe aboute vengeaunce agaynst yll doers let them knowe that this hereafter shall come to passe in them whiche ye see dooen in me The dead shall liue agayne and euery soule shall
that hath not suche a one is he that hydeth his treasure and kepeth it to himselfe thesame shal not alonely be neuer a whit the richer therfore but also that thing whiche he thought he had for his owne vse and no mans els shall be quite taken from him Neither let this make you euer the slacker or worse wyllynge to distribute the gyftes of faythe yf the people be vnkynde and not aunswerable to your diligent endeuour Your wages shall be safe for you wyth God who the more that euery one of you hath trauayled in settyng foorth the ghospell the more bounteously will he rewarde hym in the worlde to cumme Albeit neither shall you in the meane tyme be vtterly defeated of your rewarde whiche are daylye more and more enriched with the riches of the ghospell ¶ And he sayde so is the kyngdome of God euen as yf a man shoulde so we sede in the grounde and shoulde sleape and rise vp night and daye and the sede should spring â–ª and growe vp while he is not aware For the earth bringeth forth fruite of her selfe first the blade then the eare after that the full corke in the eare â—ut when the fruite is broughte forth anon he thrusteth in the sickle because the haruest is cumme Moreouer the Lorde added another parable whereby he taughte his disciples that they should care for nothing els but onely go about with al that they might to haue the gospell spred abrode and preached thorowe out all the whole worlde tellyng them that haruest time shoulde once cum wheÌ„ it should please the Lorde The kingdome of the gospel sayeth he is after this manour as yf a manne shoulde sowe his sede and caste it vpon the grounde in the daye tyme Anon after that the sede is putte into the earth he that sowed it slepethe carelesse and taketh his reste And in the meane while that he is thus a slepe the sede groweth neuerthelesse both nyghte and daye with secrete encreasynges without mennes laboure and nowe springeth the corne and shoteth vp hasting vndoubtedlie of the owne accorde and by a certaine priuie operacion of nature to bring forth fruite Certes nature hath her degrees the whiche she alwayes after the seede be once sowen kepeth of course without the husbandmannes laboure For firste of all the sede after it is putrified in the grouÌ„d springethe vp into grasse That is the firste hope of encrease Then when the blade is shot vp therunto groweth an eare but suche a one as hathe as yet no corne in it At the lengthe the huskes of the eare are fylled full of wheat cornes And these thinges are so secretely wroughte by the procurement of nature that a man can not perceiue when they growe and yet senuÌ„blye perceiue that they haue growen and encreased Therefore when the corne is ripe he that sowed the sede thrusteth in his sickell to reape that is come vp because he knowethe that harueste tyme is already come By this darke parable the Lorde couertly taught his disciples the begynnyng goyng forwarde and consummacion or perfit code of al the whole gospell of the whiche thre partes himself woulde openlye perfourme bothe the firste and the laste with his visible bodie and the other that is to saye the goyng forwarde ordre with the inuisible grace of the holy ghoste For that same prince sowed abrode the sede of the gospell thorowe out all Iewry Anon as he had so done he slepte firste dyinge and then afterwarde risinge agayne into euerlasting quietnesse And thus farre foorthe springeth the sede of the gospell whiles he that firste sowed it is as it were a slepe secretly encreasethe bothe daye and night that is to saye both in prosperitie and in aduersitie what ocâ—asion soeuer be ministred eyther on theyr befalfe that promote and aduaunce it or els of suche as resiste the same For it cannot be chosen but that seede muste nedes cumme vp whiche he sowed whose will no man resisteth Moreouer where as there is nothinge in this worlde vnknowen vnto hym yet in that he suffrethe the worlde to make businesse agaynste the ghospell and his apostles to be persecuted and slayne he semethe vnto the faythlesse not to knowe what is here done and to be in maner aslepe whereas in very dede he doeth euen now by the inuisible power of his holy spirite more effectually worke all thinges in all He will not in visible forme retourne into the worlde vntyll the tyme that the ghospell beynge firste so muche enlarged and spreade abrode as he hath determined before and onelye knowethe it shal be all men shall see hym cum agayne vnder the selfe same forme and lykenes that he had when he ascended vp into heauen to deuide the godly and good people from the wicked and to laye vp the godly as good corne in the barne of euerlastyng quietnesse We see howe small begynnynges the kyngdome of the gospell is spronge of yf a manne esteme the thynge as it appereth vnto the worlde This was as a manne woulde saye the grasse that sprange of the sede of the gospell whiche the Phariseis Scribes Priestes Elders Rulers Princes Kynges and Philosophiers dyd what they coulde to oppresse and kepe vnder that it should neuer cum vp But whiles they stroue agaynste the streame this sede began to be sowen in all partes of the worlde and will not cease to growe before the worldes ende vntill the corne be all ripe Then the sickell of iudgemente that can not be auoyded shall be thruste in to the entente that when all are cut downe it maie deliuer the cockel vnto the fire and safely lay vp the pure wheate This parable althoughe it do specially pertayne vnto Iesu the auctour promotour and finisher of the kyngdome of the gospell yet doeth it also touche both his Apostles and their successoures whom he willeth wholy to binde themselues hereunto that Goddes worde maye be sowen a brode and preached as muche as maye be For this seedetyme lasteth euen tyl the worldes ende and they also as helpers of Iesu Christe be sowiers saue alonelye that they sowe not their owne sede but suche as Christe deliuered vnto them And because that sede is celestiall it can in no wyse be ouerlayed or oppressed The Pharisess also and Philosophiers had sede of their owne but those sedes coulde by no meanes no not when the world fauoured them growe and prosper where as the seede of the heauenly doctrine waxeth euery daye more stronger then other euen when the worlde with all the puissaunce and aydes that it hathe assaulteth it Therefore the Apostles do lykewyse sowe after their fashion and for that purpose they are sente out who by oft remouing from place to place go aboute nothing els but to haue the gospell as muche dilated and spred abrode as is possyble to be God geueth the encrease when they be asleape That foresayde sede hath in euerye one euen of the Christians his grasse his eare and his haruest
anye harme that it letteth not a man to make quicke spede in his iourney Therfore it is but one thing that he monisheth whiche permitteth them to vse sandals and forfendeth to weare shooes For he forbyddeth nothyng els but slacknesse in doyng of theyr dutie and exorteth them to vse spedinesse therin Agayne it is but one thyng that he warneth them of whiche geueth them leaue to carie a wande and taketh awaye from them the vse of staues For a wande socoureth and stayeth the walkyng manne and nothyng hyndreth him in his iourneye but rather causeth him to make quicker spede Nowe the staffe as it burtheneth a manne to beare it so is it wont to be caried againste violence Therfore he that permitteth them to vse no other weapon but a waÌ„de only and forbyddeth them to carye a staffe willeth vndoubtedlye that the preacher of the gospell be by no other ayde safely fensed agaynst the assaultes of yuell menne then by the onelye helpe of Christe A wande is mete for a wayfairing man and a staffe for a fighter Moreouer he that hath the haÌ„delyng of the gospell must alwayes goe forwarde to thinges of higher perfeccion and be fardest from desyre of reuengement ¶ And he sayde vnto them wheresoeuer ye enter into an house there abyde styll tyll ye departe thence And whosoeuer shall not receyue you nor heare you when ye departe thence shake of the dust that is vnder your feete for a wytnes vnto theÌ„ Uerely I saye vnto you it shall be easier for Sodome and Gomor in the daye of iudgement then for that citie And they went out and preached that men should repent and they caste out many deuils and annoynted many that were sycke with oyle and healed them â–ª After that Christe hadde plucked this carefulnesse oute of the myndes of his Apostles then went he about to shewe them a waye howe it shoulde cum to passe that they shoulde neuer nede to be carefull for suche thynges Take ye no thought sayth he neither for harborough ne sustenaunce but after ye once be entred into village or citie wheresoeuer it be your chaunce to be receyued be the house neuer so poore and homely there abyde you till suche tyme as you thynke it meete for you to departe sum whither els moued throughe desyre to set forthe and aduauÌ„ce the ghospell And beyng but fewe in number and contented with a litle you shall not be chargeable geastes to anye man It is in manoure impossible that theâ—â— be any where any good towne or citie so farre past all grace and goodnesse wherin there can not one manne be founde who wyll be glad to receiue suche geastes as ye are synce there are manye whiche will not sticke to wage a phisiciaÌ„ with a large salarie and send for him a great waye of Yf you chaunce to cum to any so vnkynde a citie or house that the inhabitauntes therof wyll not receyue you notwithstandyng you bryng them of your owne accorde an heauenly gyft or present wherewith both bodies and soules are healed yet cease you not for a fewe harde harted persones to do thâ— businesse you haue taken in hande but yet departe you out of that citie for a season to other cities and or ere you go awaye embrayde suche persons as would not receiue you with theyr great folye and madnesse Gette you out into the streetes and shake of the dust styckyng on youre feete that they maye call to remembraunce howe there came summe vnto them who freely offered them health and sauetie brought them the ioyfullest message that coulde be and maye further perceyue that lyke as so excellente a good thyng cannot by any manoure of rewarde be worthilye recompensed euen so suche precions ware and marchandise oughte not to be thruste to anye whiche lotheth thesame and is not wyllyng to receiue it and this do you to thintent they maye blame themselues for theyr owne damnacion because they woulde rather perishe when they might haue been saued and also know perfectlye howe you soughte for nothyng els among them but onely the healthe and saluacion of your neyghbours insomuche that you would not endamage them as muche as with the losse of a litle quantitie of dust It becuÌ„meth well ynoughe my ambassadours to vse such manour of proude demeanure againste frowarde and disdainfull persons At your departure speake vnto them this one thyng folowyng althoughe they be not wyllyng to heare it knowe you that whether you receyue vs or receyue vs not the kyngdome of God is cumme If you receyue vs it is cum to your greate wealth and commoditie But yf you receyue vs not yet shall the same cumme to your great euyll and confusion When Christes messengers were furnished with these necessaries for their iourneye they toke their leaue of theyr maister and as it was geuen them in commaundement they moued and exhorted all men to be repentaunte for theyr former lyfe shewyng them how the kyngdome of God was already presente whiche through fayth of the gospell would bring vnto all men perfite ryghteousnesse For the chiefe and principall parte of preachyng of the gospell is for a man to geue faith vnto the doctrine that he heareth and to beleue the promyses WheÌ„ the lorde Iesus had with these and many other lyke lessons diligentlye enstructed his disciples then thesame twelue headmen of the kyngdome of heauen toke theyr iourney and the mattier went forward and had good successe They preached vnto all menne that they shoulde be penitent for their former sinnes and that no man should truste vnto his owne dedes and merites but onely haue sure belefe in the promises of the gohspell And they founde sum that lystened and gaue diligent eare vnto theyr preachyng There lacked not here a ready power to worke miracles whiche made theyr wordes to be beleued thoughe themselues were neuer so symple persons and vnknowen They anoynted the sycke people with oyle and the same were healed They commaunded the hurtfull spirites to go out in the name of Iesu and they wente out That oyle was not a medicine for who heateth all manoure of diseases with one medicine but a sacrament The skynne was outwardly anoynted with visible oyle and the body was made whole But theyr soules whiche anon after shoulde be delyuered from the diseases of vice and synne were to be anoynted with the oyle of grace inuisible by our anoynted Iesus Christe Wherfore it was not by vertue of suche prayers and enchauntmeÌ„tes as witches or magicians vse that they cast out dyuels but by wordes piththy and effectuall through an euangelike fayth This was vndoubtedly the very power of the kyngdom of heauen What was more abiect vile and lessere garded then the Apostles were But the lesse that theyr power was the more manifestlye did it appeare that all that euer was done came to passe by the might and power of God They neyther had riches learning office garde to defende them nobilitie fame nor authoritie To be
returned to Iesus the heade of the whole busynesse All thynges procede from him and to hym all thynges must be referred From hym after they had receyued their commission they departed al of one mynde and accorde to th enteÌ„t that whatsoeuer it should fortune them to doe they should likewise do it in his name and to hym they returned with semblable concord of myndes desyrous to haue all that they had done by him approued And so at their retourning they recouÌ„ted vnto him the whole historye and processe of theyr legacion seuerally rehearsyng euery thyng that they hadde taught and done with greate ioye and gladnes and shewing also howe the matter had successe euen as themselfes desyred The Lorde after he had alowed theyr syncere faythe but yet restrayned them from glorying or reioycing in their actes toke them awaye with hym into a solitary place which was the wildernesse of the towne of Bethsaida to th entent that after theyr great trauaile and laboure they should there reste a whyle and sumwhat refresh themselfes This goyng aparte into wyldernes was not for recreacion and pastyme but because they should quicken and renewe the strength of the spirite by secrete contemplacion and prayer that they myghte bee the more able to sustayne suche trauayles and paynes as they should soone after be put vnto afreshe For the teacher of the gospell must very little care for the body Moreouer for as muche as he that exerciseth the office of an apostle or preacher of goddes worde is compelled to haue to do both with weake strong with learned and vnlearned with good and bad it can not be chosen but he muste other whiles be greatly wrasted from that perfite quietnesse and tranquillitie of mynde And whensoeuer it so chaunceth then must he seuer his mynde from worldly matters and wholly geue hymselfe to secrete and most deuout prayers and to purest contemplacion of heauenly thynges that beyng made stronger in spirite therby he maye soone after returne from this his godlye meditacion to the helpe and comforte of his euen Christen For vnto the place where as at that season they found the lorde Iesu there resorted an vnnumerable multitude of people so that it semed as it had bene an ebbing and flowyng of cummers and goers the whiche would suffer the Apostles being then weary by reason of theyr iourney to take no reste no not so muche as to eate their meat Wherfore after the people were sent away they toke shippe and sayled to the syde nighe to Bethsaida from thence went with the Lorde into a solitary place But neyther chaunced it them here long to kepe themselfes close and secrete For the light of the â—angelike veritie can in no wyse be hydde This going aparte did nothing els but make the people more gredy to folowe them Some there were who diligently marked whyther they weÌ„t that is howe they toke their gate to the wyldernesse marchyng on the citie of Bethsaida and byanby as it was noysed abrode that Christe woulde make hys abode there a great multitude of all sortes of people resorted thyther a foote out of all the tounes there aboutes who made so good spede in their iourney that many of them came thyther soner a foote then Christ and his disciples whiche had the vauntage of the water A manne would haue sayde that the tyme had bene alredy present when the people woulde goe about forcibly to enter into the kyngdome of heauen When Iesu perceyued howe an vnnumerable multitude of people was assembled together whiche had with very muche payne and difficultie trauayled thyther a foote so true is it that he gate him not out of the waye nor commaunded them to departe for theyr importunacie that he came out of the secrete place where he was in manoure to meete them goyng about to teache his disciples by sundrye wayes and meanes howe they should at all tymes be willing ready to set forth the gospell And so when the moste gracious Lorde Iesus came forth sawe a very great but a confuse rablement of all sortes of people for there were men wemen children he was moned with compassion and shewed with iyes countenaunce as we commonly say euen with the verye forehead an vnfayned sorowe of mynde fashionyng thaffeccion that ought to be in him who is a teacher of the gospell The people thirsted after holsome doctrine And that was plainlye declared both by the quicke spede they made and also by the paynes they toke in their iourney Loue made theim swifte of foote But they were as it had been a sort of shepe wandring hither and thither for lacke of a good shepheard For the Priestes Phariseis and Scribes nothing regarding theyr flocke fed their owne belyes Therfore Iesus takyng compassion on these simple and disordered people began to exercise thoffice of a faythfull shepheard Firste of al he refreshed theyr myndes with great aboundaunce of the meate of holye doctrine and then immediatly healed the sycke folkes whom they brought with them ¶ And when the day was nowe far spente his disciples came vnto him saying this is a deserte place and now the tyme is farre passed let them departe that they maye goe into the countreye round about and into the townes and bye them bread for they haue nothing to eate he answered and sayd vnto them gâ—ue ye them to â—ate And they sayd vnto hym shall we go and bye two hundreth peny worth of bread and geue them to eate He saied vnto theÌ„ howe manye loaues haue ye â–ª go and loke And wheÌ„ they had searched they sayd fiue and two fyshes And he commauÌ„ded them to make them all sitte doune by companies vpoÌ„ the greue grasse And they saâ—e doune here a rowe and there a rowe by hundredes and by fiftyes And when he had taken the fiue loaues and the two fishes and loked vp to heauen he blessed and brake the loaues and gaue them to his disciples to set before them and the two fishes deuided he among them all And they all dyd eate and were satisfyed and they toake vp twelue baskettes full therof and of the fyshes And they that dyd eate were about fyue thousand men After that muche tyme was spent herein and now the thing it selfe gaue a watche worde that the multitude had lykewise nede to be fedde with corporall foode the disciples folowing the mercy and pitiefulnesse of their Maister aduertised him therof saying Lorde thou seest how a very great number of people is cum thus far without any vitayles and purueyance And this is a deserte place and meale tyme is past They desyrous to heare thy doctrine forget themselues and can in no wise be seuered from the. Wherfore let them depart to th entent they maye repayre into the countrey and villages nexte here about to by them eates to eate Then Iesus teachyng his disciples how a multitude should be fedde made answere yea do ye rather who shal be shepheardes in tyme
to cum now accustome your selfes to play the shepheardes geue them of your owne vitayles to eate The disciples not perceyuing for what purpose he spake these wordes answered agayne according vnto their rude capacities saying Thou commaundest vs to do a thing vnpossible For thou knowest right well how slenderly we be prouided of vitayles necessary for our iourney Shal we goe and bye two hundred penyworth of breade for this multitude the which will not be ynough to suffice them insomuche that euery man shall scarcely haue a lyttle morsell to sauour his mouth Then Iesus preparyng theyr myndes by little and little vnto the myracle sayed Howe many loaues haue you in store and because they had not their answere ready Go ye sayed he and loke howe well ye be prouided of vitailes They loked shewed hym that there were fiue loaues two fyshes It was not vnknowen vnto the Lord what they had but his will was to haue the Apostles perfectly to know how smal sâ—oore of vitayles ther was to th enteÌ„t they might the more acknowleage Goddes power in the miracle And because they myght the better discerne what a great multitude and compaignie ther was he commaunded them to bydde all the people to sitte doune vpon the grene grasse so deuyded into compaignies that in euery coÌ„paignie should sitte an hundred persons or els fiftie together The apostles did as the Lord bad them and lykewyse the people were obedient vnto the Apostles so greate was the confidence they had in theyr guyde and shepeheard Iesu. Then toke he the fiue loaues and two fyshes and lifting vp his iyes accordyng vnto his accustomed manour to heauen gaue thankes vnto the father thorough whose beneficiall goodnesse the busynesse of the Gospell dyd so well goe forward That doâ—n he brake the loaues and gaue theÌ„ vnto his disciples that they shoulde sette them before the multitude In like maner deuided he the fishes into sundrye porcions and gaue them vnto his sayd disciples to be likewyse distributed among all the people All were refreshed and dyd eate theyr fyll none of them all lacked inso muche that after the feast was done the Apostles by the Lordes commaundement gathered together the reuersion and therwith fylled twelue baskettes Furthermore the number of the people whiche myght easely be knowen by reason they were thus deuyded into compaignies and satte in rowes was fyue thousand men besydes children and wemen By thys myracle Iesus bothe prescribed vnto his disciples a fourme or rule howe to feede a multitude with the foode of the Gospell also pulled oute of theyr myndes all pensyue carefulnesse to prouide for corporall sustenaunce Therfore whosoeuer thou be that arte a Bishop Curate or pastour of Christes flocke thynke not thus with thy selfe I am a Doctoure of diuinitie I am an excellent cunnyng expounder of holye scripture I haue great store of learning wherwith to enstruct the people and may take inough out of my riche store house stuffed with cunning to feede them with al be they neuer so hungry Yea rather loke and acknowledge how small store of vitayles thou hast at home for the whiche whatsoeuer it be thou arte a debtoure vnto the Lorde But bryng suche store as thou haste vnto the handes of Iesu. Desyre hym to vouchesafe to handell and breake it That done what he hath deliuered thee the same dooe thou euen as he toke it the minister vnto the people as the Lordes meate and not thine and minister it not mistrusting not puttyng difference betwyxt this meat that not trusting to thine own strength and so in conclusion shall it be a very euangelyke banket and the mindes of the faithfull shal be more refreshed and filled with this holsome foode thus ministred by a simple person then if the supersticiouse Pharisey the arrogant Philosophier or eloquent Rhethorician would for the aduauncyng and settyng forthe of them selfes make vnto the people an artificiall oracion or sermon whiche they had diligently studied and long tyme prouided for aforehand Now for as much as he coÌ„mauÌ„ded his disciples before to cum vnto the ministery of the gospell without any prouision of corporall foode here hath he declared by very dede howe those shall wante nothing who whiles their myndes be wholly set vpon the kyngdome of God and the righteousnes therof do not passe vpon these temporall thinges for the which the common sorte of people taketh great thought and care yf so be there lacke not in them a syncere and true faith in the Lorde Iesu. ¶ And strayghtway he caused his disciples to go into the sâ—ip and to go ouer the Sea before vnto Bethsaida while he sent away the people And as soone as he had sent them away he departed into a mountain to praye And when euen was cum the shippe was in the middest of the Sea and he alone on the lande and he saw them troubled in rowing for the winde was contrarye vnto them And about the fourth watche of the night he came vnto them walking vpon the Sea and would haue passed by them But when they sawe him walkyng vpon the Sea they supposed it had bene a spirite and cried out for they all sawe hym and were afraide And anon he talked with them and sayed vnto them be of good cheare it is I be not afrayed And he weÌ„t vp vnto them into the shippe and the winde ceassed and they were sore amased in themselues beyond measure and maruayled for they remembred not the loaues because theyr hartes were blinded It was but a small benefite that he filled their hungry belies in respecte of those benefites whiche they daylye receiued of his most bounteous goodnesse It procedeth of a greater liberalitie to fede the mynde or soule then the bellie And yet for all this the grosse common sorte of people are wonte suche is their vnright and aukeward iudgement to set most store of all by that whiche is of leaste price and value Therfore Iesus knowyng it would cumme to passe that they would nowe after their bellyes were fylled imagine howe to make him a Kyng compelled his disciples for it was muche a do to sunder them from so liuely and amiable a Lorde to take ship and go ouer the water before him vnto Bethsaida whiles he in the meane whyle sent awaye the people whoÌ„ beyng dismissed he conueyed himselfe priuily to a mountayne there to pray alone and make peticion vnto the father that lyke as the affaires of the ghospell had begun well and properously so might they with lyke successe go forward In the meane time the night approched and the disciples sayled in the myddes of the sea without their maister and as they were sayling there arose a tempest How can it be chosen but there must nedes be night where that Suâ—ne and light of the world Iesu is not present How can it be chosen but that ship must nedes be in ieopardie wherin Christ lacketh How can it be chosen but the
some by a greate desyre to heare my doctrine But whoso wil be a true folower of me yf he intend to be associate with me in blisse glory let thesame in the meane tyme dispose hymselfe to be my felowe or partener in sufferyng affliccions and death Let hym vtterly renye himselfe reseruing nothing vnto himselfe in thys worlde but cleane renouncyng all thynges euen to contempt of lyfe and finally let euery man take vp his crosse and folowe me Let not the disciple be ashamed to folowe his teacher nor the seruaunt to folowe his maister Neyther let any intende to come to glory by any other way or meane then that by the whiche he shall se me goe thither before hym Whoso thynketh that he hath in himselfe wherby he is able to attayne saluacion shall perish And contraryly whoso distrustyng all his owne aydes wholly putteth himselfe to my mercy shall be saued For it is not inough for my sake lytell to passe vpon landes tenementes parentes wife and children but lyfe it selfe for the preseruacion whereof manne forgoeth all that euer he hathe must likewyse be forsaken Be ye of good comforte that neuer perysheth whiche is geuen to me no rather ye shall preserue that by losyng whiche you shoulde otherwyse lose in dede by euill kepyng Through faythe of the gospell to all men is geuen lyfe euerlastyng Therfore he that setteth more by thys present lyfe then by the grace of the Ghospell althoughe he seme for a tyme to wynne thesame yet doeth he in very dede lose it For no manne can here prolong his lyfe beyonde the tyme appoynted Albeit to saye the truthe neyther in the meane tyme and before his deathe liueth a manne in dede excepte he liue well and vertuously And after this lyfe whiche to all men is very short and transytory he shal be condemned to euerlasting deathe Nowe whoso for my sake and for that he is a stedfast professour of the gospell putteth his life in hasarde of death shall preserue it by me whiche els should verely peryshe Therfore yf there be nothyng so dearely beloued of manne in this worlde but he wyll be content to raunsome temporall life with the losse thereof debatyng the matter with him selfe in this wyse what shall it auayle me to haue house landes goodes precious stones wyfe and chyldrē preserued yf my selfe peryshe and shall not enioye that I am owner of ▪ Though all these thinges be in safety yet do they perishe to me ward yf I fortune to dye For what thing can be so dearely beloued and muche set by of man that is not to be contemned for the preseruaciō of lyfe If one woulde offer another as great riches and treasure as euer had Mydas and Cresus the beautye of Absolone the Monarchy and empyre of the whole world and fynally all sortes and kyndes of pleasures and therewith say take these thynges and dye woulde not thother byanby refuse this offre made hym with suche condicion and answere agayne I loue my lyfe alone better then all these thynges Sythe I saye that euery manne doethe wysely consyder these thynges with him selfe so ofte as there is any imminēt daunger of bodely lyfe why do they not then more earenestly loke vpon examyne and waye the matter whensoeuer it concerneth that lyfe inestemable Nowe euerlasting lyfe is profered vnto thy soule and wilte thou not exchaunge therfore the shorte and wretched life of the body especially sithe that euery manne shall another daye receiue his owne body agayne restored to a more blessed life All men must not of necessitie dye for the profession of the ghospel but yet euery manne ought to be ready in wyll and mynde so to doe to the intent that yf the case requyre they maye passe nothyng vpon corporall life so that the lyfe of the soule may be saued Whensoeuer the storme of persecucion aryseth then must this crosse be taken vp Albeit neither euen when all thynges be quyet and persecucion ceaseth shall any manne be without his crosse vnlesse it be counted an easy thing to renounce all naturall affections with al worldly pleasures and inticemētes to cut of the inordinate lustes of the flesh to brydle excesse to represse sensualytye and pleasure of the bodye to subdue hastines and lette passe reuengemente For these thynges also muste euery manne doe that wyll be my disciple euen at that tyme when the worlde is moste quiet and without busynes But trueth it is that the worlde shall with all maner of engynes ryse agaynste those whiche professe my name and threten them with reproche banyshement imprisonment tormentes attayndour and deathe For this is a naughtye nacyon and shall euer haue in it moe reprouable and naughty disposed persones then good menne among whom it shall be counted the greatest offence that maye be to professe my name And if any manne the worlde being thus set and bent against me ▪ wyll be ashamed to confesse himself to be my disciple in this vngracious and conterfeite nacion where after shorte afflyction foloweth euerlastyng blysfulnes hym the sonne of man wyll requyte and be lykewyse ashamed to take hym for hys disciple when he shall eftsones cum not lowe and contemned as he is now but wonderfull and merueylous in the royaltye and glory of his father not accompanyed with a fewe poore disciples but enuironed with innumerable companyes of holy Aungels The .ix. Chapter ¶ And he sayde vnto them verely I saye vnto you there be some among them that stande here whiche shall not taste of death tyll they haue sene the kyngdome of God 〈◊〉 with power THey shall not be partakers of this glory who wyll not nowe suffre the infamy of my crosse The Iewes loked for a merueilous kyngdome of the children of Israel which they supposed should begyn assone as Messias was come and therfore they coulde not beleue that Iesus was Messias because he came so poorely and lyke an outcaste of the worlde and muche more wer they offended with the mencion of his passion and death ▪ They vnderstode not how there wer two cūminges of Messias the fyrst which after the estimation of the world was lowe and reprochfull and another full of maiestie and glorye which shal be in the ende of the worlde to thenten◠he may ioyne vnto him his whole body deliuered from all euils in the glory of the father and throwe downe Sathan with all his membres into the fyre of hell He woulde that the daye of his latter cumming should be vncertainne to all menne but yet woulde he haue euery man to be in a readynes againste the same Therfore forasmuche as there were some among the people whiche by inward imaginacion sayde thus to them selues when shall this tyme of glory cum which he promiseth And peraduenture many of them beleued not that it should euer cum at all Iesus stablished their wauering myndes with suche wordes as here ensue Be ye ryght well assured of the thyng I told you that the sonne
of manne whome ye nowe see humble and lowe and very shortly shall see more abiect then all other shall appeare in the fathers maiestie with all his holy Angels and chosen disciples Neyther is that tyme so farre of For there be some here in this companie whoe or euer they dye shall perceiue that the kyngdome of God is already come with power Therfore let euery man make himselfe redy to th entent he maye be founde worthy to be of the same kyngdome These wordes that the Lorde spake the Apostles themselues as then vnderstode not because there was in them double vnderstanding For after his death resurreccion and ascencion and after the sending doune of the holy ghoste from heauen then that vertue of the corne of musterdsede that is to saye of the Euangelike doctrine began to shewe and putte furthe it selfe ¶ And after sixe dayes Iesus taketh Peter and Iames and Iohn and leadeth them vp into an hye mountayne cut of the waye alone and he was transfygured before them and his rayment dyd shyne and became very whyte euen as snowe so whyte as no fuller can make vpon the yearthe And there appered vnto them Hely as with Moyses they talked with Iesus And Peter answered and sayd to Iesu Mayster here is good beinge for vs. Let vs make also three tabernacles one for thee and one for Moyses and one for Helyas as â—or he wyste not what he sayd For they were afrayde And there was a cloude that shadowed them and a voyce came out of the cloude saying This is my beloued sonne heare hym And sodaynly when they had loked rounde aboute they sawe no man more then Iesus onely with them Nowe because the disciples should put no doubtes but he woulde once perfourme what he promysed concerning the maiestie of his second comming his pleasure was to geue them some taste thereof and that before their death so farfurthe as mannes nature was able to receiue or awaie withall Wherfore after syxe dayes Iesus toke vnto him three of his twelue specially chosen disciples as the chiefe and worthyest persons vnto whom his pleasure was to shewe this fight because thei woulde make no wordes thereof tyll the time were come that thei might lawfully disclose it These were Peter Iames and Iohn Them onely he toke awaye with him into a very highe mountaine For thei muste be farre from all carefulnes of lowe and yearthly thinges whome Iesu vouchesafeth to shewe suche a syght vnto He dayneth euen in these daies to geue by secrete inspiracion vnto certaine elect persones enhauÌ„ced to the mountaine of pure contemplacion some taste and syght of the euerlasting blissefulnes The people whiche abyde benethe in the plaine knowe nothing therof and if a manne tell them they beleue not When the Lorde and his disciples were come to the toppe of the mountaine fyrst of all they fell to theyr prayâ—rs For prayer is the thynge whiche chiefly prepareth the iyes of the heart and maketh them meete to beholde suche a sight And loe as Iesus was in his prayers the shape of his body was sodaynly chaunged For his face whiche before semed not to diffre from the common physnamy of other shone as bright as the sunne Then did his clothes glister with whytenes surmountyng the whytenes of the snowe suche as no fuller can by any crafte make the like vpon clothe Neyther was Iesus sene thus alone but with hym Hely and Moyses talkyng together It was Moyses office to talke with God And we rede howe Hely was taken vp and caryed into heauen with a fyery charyot Doubtles theyr communicacion with Iesu signifieth the agrement of the lawe and the Prophetes For the lawe shadowed and drewe out Christe with misticall fygures and the prophetes shewed before by theyr prophecies howe Christe shoulde come suche a one and lyke in all poyntes as Iesus came and yet the Iewes woulde not beleue The matter wherupon they talked was his gloryous death departing whyche he shoulde in shorte space after fulfill at Ierusalem vpon the crosse so that here the mencion of deathe dyd lykewise assuage that excedynge greate pleasure wherof mans mynde was in no wyse receyuable Peter being rauiâ—hed with this vnspeakable syght and therfore not well able to rule his affectes brake theyr communicacion begonne of deathe saying Maister speake nomore of Ierusalem Here is good beinge for vs. Therefore lette vs make .iii. tabernacles in this place one for thee another for Moyses and the thyrde for Hely These wordes of Peter partly proceded of the feare of death whiche was depely soncken into his minde partly of the great pleasure he had in beholdyng of his sight wherewith he was as it were dronken For lyke a man besyde hymselfe and rauyshed of his wyttes he wyst not what he sayde So great was the feare wherewith these mortall menne not yet receyuable of the diuine maiestie were astonied Therfore because they should not be ouercome with this passyng great bryghtnes there arose a cloude whiche ouershadowed them and tempred that vnsufferable light so as they might awaie with it This taste of the diuine maiestie was geuen to theyr corporall iyes There was also somewhat geuen vnto theyr eares For there sounded out of the cloudes the fathers voyce being likewise full of maiestie whiche sayde This is my moste dearly beloued sonne geue care vnto hym Nowe howe for very shame dooe the Iewes to this present daye speake agaynst Christ sith bothe Moyses and Hely whiche are of greatest authoritie among them beare hym wytnesse sith the father whom they woulde bee sene deuoutly to serue and worshyp gaue by hys voyce the whole authoritie to his onely begotteÌ„ sonne The Apostles were delighted with this glory but let hym that wyll come therunto heare Iesu whan he exhorteth to the imitacion of his crosse O Peter doe not thou from henceforthe rebuke thy Lord doe not thou go before Gods determinacioÌ„ Thou heardest the fathers voyce which said heare him who is my dearely beloued sonne as who say hitherto you haue heard Moyses the Prophetes prophecying of Christ they haue nowe played theyr partes He is alredie cum whom they promysed Hereafter geue no eare vnto suche as promise thinges to cum but heare you him that is present and speaketh my wyll and pleasure No man shall speake truer thinges Whatsoeuer disagreeth with his wordes that vtterly refuse you Anone as this voice of the father was hearde all thynges were sodenly chaunged agayne into another shape and lykenes for when they loked reuÌ„de aboute them like menne awakened out of theyr slepe they sawe not one iote of al that euer they sawe before saue alonelye Iesus whoe was present with theÌ„ againe hauing the selfe same shape that he was wonte to haue He shewed them his greatnes onelye through a cloude and they were not able to behold it What would they haue done if he had shewed them his very hyghnes and maiestie euen as it is
it For he taught his disciples sayed vnto them the sonne of man shal be deliuered into the handes of men and they shal kil hym and after that he is kylled he shal arise agayne the thyrd daye But they wyst not what he sayed and were afâ—ayed to aske him And he came to Capernaum â–ª And when he was cum into the house he asked them what was it that ye disputed among youre selues by the waye And they held theyr peace For by the waye they had reasoned amonges themselues who shoulde be the chiefest And when he was set downe he called the twelue to hym and sayed vnto them yf any desire to be firste the same shal be laste of all and seruaunt to all And he toke a chylde and set him in the myddes of them And when he had taken hym in his armes he sayed vnto them whosoeuer receiueth any suche chylde in my name receiueth me And whosâ—euer receiueth me receiueth not me but him that sâ—ut me These thinges doen in maner before rehearsed Iesus beyng accompaignied with his disciples began to take his iourney to Iewrywarde who pryuily and as it were by stealth passed through the countreye of Galile not because he feared death whiche in dede he moste feruentlye desyred but lefte he should haue semed to prouoke the priestes and Phariseis to coÌ„spyre his death before the tyme appointed This outwarde apperaunce of feare shewed he because he would cleane delyuer his disciples from all feare and also declare the weakenesse and frayltie of the nature whiche he had taken vpon hym As he went by the waye he repeted vnto them thesame thing whyche they had diuerse tymes hearde hym speake of before For he sayed as foloweth That must nedes cum to passe whiche I haue so oft tymes told you the sonne of man shal be delyuered into the handes of men to be taken condemned mocked scourged and slayne â–ª You must make your selues readye in mynde against the cumming of these thinges whiche vndoubtedly be at hande But it is vnpossible for any of you so to doe vnlesse thesame be free from all worldly affeccions and be also stablished with the strength of the spirite I knowe that the mingyng of death troubleth you very sore But you must be of good comforte and take mennes hartes vnto you I wyll not long forsake you For I will be aliue agayne on the thirde daye The disciples were so dull and feble wytted that they vnderstoode not these wordes not withstandyng they were plainly spoken supposyng there had been sum darke mysterie in them because it came to theyr remembraunce how they had been sumtymes before deceiued with suche figuratiue manour of speakynges as when they were commaunded to beware of the Phariseis leuen Neither could they yet conceiue in mynde the misterye of the crosse nor gesse for what purpose he would be slayne yf he would soone after his death relyue agayne syth that he who canne relyue when hym luste can also yf it please hym not dye at all Therfore albeit they were greatly offended with these woordes yet durste they not aske hym any question feared with them sample of peter who to his displeasure questioned with the lord herein For they heard Christe say vnto hym Go after me Satan They yet sauoured of the worlde for goddes determinacion was to be reconciled to mankynde pardoned of all his offences thorowe fayth by the sacrifice of an vnspotted lambe The disciples dreamed vpon a certaine worldly kingdom and therfore as they trauayled by the waye they fell a reasoning among themselues who shoulde haue the premâ—â—nence and vpper hande in the kyngdome of God whiche they hoped should very shortly begyn They sawe a litle before howe the three disciples were preferred afore the reste in goynge vp to the Mountayne they sawe howe Peter had the preeminence when the keyes of the kyngdome of heauen were deliuered and yet sum of theym were his auncientes yea and besydes that kynne vnto the Lorde When they were cum to Capernaum the Lorde asked them aparte what was the matier whereupon they reasoned secretlye betwene themselues as they went by the way But they holding theyr peace and ashamed to make hym an aunswere for they knewe well that he being the authour of all modestie and humblenesse of mynde would disalowe this theyr ambiciousnesse Iesus because he woulde cleane wede oute of theyr myndes this moste damnable and naughtie affeccion sate him downe as one that woulde teache sum earneste mattier with authoritie and commaunded theym all twelue to cum vnto hym and then sayed If any of you desyre to be the fyrst or chief man in the kyngdom of heauen the same shal be laste and seruauÌ„t to all so far wyde is it that the kyngdome of heauen ought to be estemed after this worldly kyngdome And anon because he woulde the depelyeâ— fasten this doctrine in their myndes he called vnto hym a litle childe and sette hym in the myddes of them And when he had embraced hym signifying therby howe muche he defyed proude persons and loued suche as are humble and meke in spirite then sayd he vnto them Do you see this lytle babe what is more abiect and vile after the estimacion of the worlde yet they that are suche in humblenesse of minde simplicitie and godly lyuing as this is in age those doe I set moste store by For reason wyl that I loue them best whiche be lykest vnto my selfe This prerogatiue is not estemed by riches reuenues power statelynesse and violence For suche as haue these thinges as they moste resemble heathen princes euen so are they highliest estemed of thesame Lyke as earthly kynges beleue that they are eyther honoured or dishonoured in theyr great estates so in this Euangelike kyngdome I thinke my selfe to be eyther honoured or dishonoured in suche lytle babes whome the worlde setteth naught by because of their innocencie simplicitie and humblenesse of minde If you know any to be more humble and low then I am hym counte ye for the chiefe manne in the kyngdome of heauen But yf ye fynde none then take you me for the very soueraigne And as euery man moste resembleth me in conâ—â—mning of those thinges whiche great men sue for in princes courtes so iudge you hym to be the moste soueraigne persone Therfore whoso receyueth one of suche litle babes in my name the same receiueth me For it reioyseth me to be receyued in those whom I loue as them that are lyke me Agayne whoso receyueth me beyng lowest of all men after the estimacion of the worlde receyueth not me but hym that sent me For as the maister is honoured or dishonoured in the scholers so is the father lykewyse dishonoured or honoured in the sonne By these wordes Iesu toke not awaye authoritie from suche as be prelates and haue the charge or ouersyght of the Lordes flocke but plucked out of the disciples myndes all desyre of worldly auauncement For the lownesse of this sorte of
lytle ones is not estemed after the quantitie and strength of the bodie but after the humblenesse of suche a mynde as claymeth nothyng in this worlde that is highe nor trusteth anywhit to his owne strength but with syncere fayth hangeth vpon Christe Iohn aunswered hym saying Maister we sawe one cast out deuels in thy name and he foloweth not vs we forbad him because he foloweth vs not But Iesus sayed forbyd him not For there is no man whiche yf he doe a miracle in my name can lyghtlye speake euil of me for he that is not against vs is on our parte Whosoeuer shall in my name geue you cuppe of water to drinke because ye belong to Christ verely I say vnto you he shall not leese his rewarde By occasion of these wordes there arose an other doubt among the disciples the whiche Iohn propouned in this wyse Mayster ê¯ he when thou sentest vs out to preache the kyngdome of God we sawe a certaine felowe caste out diuels in thy name and yet was thesame neyther of the numbre of the twelue nor of the seuentie whome thou dyddest afterwarde chose and sende out nor none of all the disciples whiche folowe vs. Wherfore hym as one of an other secte and none of thy felowship we forbad but whether we dyd well or no we wot not Iesus answered Forbyd ye none suche as are in any wyse good to sprede abrode and preache the ghospell For you must not be disdainfull in receyuing of those whiche goe aboute by what endeuoure soeuer it be to auaunce the worde of god You must not consydre whether he folowe me as a disciple but whether he preache my name If he cast out diuells by callyng vpon my name he cannot lyghtelye speake yuell of me And yf he so doe then will the thing it selfe reproue him For it shall be said vnto hym howe darest thou for very shame backbyte that name whiche thou hast proued mightie and effectuall in working of miracles Therfore do ye not vpon light occasion suppose him to worke for a naughtie purpose whoso doeth a godly dede He that resisteth not the ghospell in this poynte furthereth it because he aydeth not them whiche take part against the same Whosoeuer is not againste you maketh for you This newe doctrine must beeset forth whensoeuer occasion serueth but with what synceritie of mynde it be promoted it is no mattier to you so that the preacher doe by any manour of meanes further the busynesse whiche you goe about For not onely they shall be rewarded for furtheryng of the gospell whiche shall caste out diuels in my name but they also who according to theyr abylitie will put theyr helpyng handes neuer so litle to the aduauncyng therof For whoso wyll geue you euen but a cuppe of colde water in my name that is to say in respect that ye are my disciples and doe my busynesse be you right well assured thesame shall not lacke his rewarde ¶ And whosoeuer shall offende one of these litle ones that beleue in me it were better for him yf a mylstone were hanged about his necke and he were caste into the sea Wherfore yf thy hand hinder the cut it of It is better for the to enter into lyfe maymed then hauing two handes to go into hell into fyre that neuer shal be quenched where theyr worme dyeth not and the fyre goeth not our And yf thy foâ—te be a hyndraunce to the cut it of It is better for the to go halâ—e into lyfe then hauyng two feete to be cast into hell into fyre that neuer shal be quenched where theyr worme dieth not and the fyre goeth not out And yf thyne â—ye hinder the plucke it out It is better for the to goe into the kingdome of God with one iye then hauing two iyes to be caste into hells fyre where their wormâ— dieth not and the fyre goeth not out Againe if any shall chaunce to let them by whome the ghospell is aduauÌ„ced truly it is aduaunced not by those whom the world counteth great but by litle ones simple persons vnderlinges and men of no reputacion if anye I say offend any of these litle ones who haue reposed theyr affiaunte in me so true is it that he shall not auoyde punishment that he shoulde be muche eassier punished if there were a mylstone tyed vnto his necke and he cast into the sea The princes of this world cruelly punishe suche as let theyr deputies to put those thynges in execucion whiche they haue commaunded to be done They hange them on a ieobet and also many tymes quarter them or cast them downe headlyng from sum high rocke or els drowne them in the sea with a stone tyed vnto them for cumming vp agayne so true is it that they will not haue theyr great men offended whom they vse as ministers of their tyrannie that is to say to oppresse the people But God wyll muche greuouslyer punishe suche as will let his litle ones whom he would to haue the handelyng of th affayres of the heauenlye kyngdom for all mennes saluacion that they cannot put theyr kynges commaundementes in execucion For albeit they shall seeme for a tyme so to doe vnpunished yet at the leangth shall they not escape the punishment of hell The tyrauntes of this worlde could inuent no kynde of deathe comparable to that punyshemente whereby bothe bodye and soule shall seme to dye with continuall tourmentes and yet neuer can dye Therefore studye you not howe to be reuenged Doe your businesse and God shall punishe those that will let you Nowe if there aryse anye lette and impedimente not of any persecutoure but on theyr behalfe whiche appeare to be your frendes there oughte nothynge to be so deare vnto you that the loue therof maye cause you to leaue of the ministracion of the gospell Admitte it be thy ryghte hande that is to saye thy father or verye nere frende whome thou canste not spare put case it be thy ryghte eye that is to wete thy welbeloued wyfe and swete children Admitte it be thy foote that is to saye thy seruaunt or factour whose seruice thou canst not lacke for thexploiture of suche affaires as thou hast to doe in this worlde Cut of thy hande plucke out thyne iye chop of thy foote that hyndreth thee to doe the busynesse of the ghospell If thou canste brynge with the to the euangelike saluacion thy father thy mother thy brethren and thy systers doe it But yf the tender affeccion thou bearest towardes them withdrawe the from the ministracion of the ghospell and againe if it shoulde so come to passe that whiles they refuse to be saued by thee thou shouldest also perishe and be damned with them then cast awaye naturall affeccion and let the charitie of the gospell ouercumme the charitie of maÌ„ne doe thesame thing in perill of thy sowle that thou woldest doe in the ieoperdie of thy bodie If thou were at suche an exigent that thou shouldest eyther be
condeÌ„ned Moyses nor minished the prayse of chastitie nor finallye brought himselfe in daunger to be taken in the phariseis snare but rather snarled theÌ„ with theyr owne grinne who came purposely to entrap him But after he his apostles were cumme into the house and they being with him alone had asked his opinion herein then did he more plainly condemne diuorcement Whosoeuer saith he putteth awaye his wife and marieth an other committeth aduoutrye to herward Agayne if the wyfe forsake the husband and marye an other she committeth aduoutrie to her former husbandward For it is not mete for christen men to be so hard harted that they neyther can awaye with theyr wiues condicions nor wyll by faire meanes correct them when they doe amisse but for euery tryflyng cause conceiue displeasure against them and ymagine theyr death except they departe and get them away This is a Iewishe minde whiche my disciples must in no wise haue The Iewe putteth awaye his wife for stenche of breth for blearnes of the iyes or for any such like fautes whereas among christen men there is but one cause onely whiche dissolueth wedlocke and that is the breache of the fayth promise of matrimony For that wife whiche hath letten an other manne haue the vse of her body is nowe no longer a wife although she be not yet diuorced and that husbande whiche hath letten an other woman haue the vse of his body is nowe before any separacion be made no more an husbande As fyre is not fyre vnlesse it be hotte so wedlocke is not wedlocke excepte that of two be made one There cannot be one fleshe made of thre or fower ¶ And they brought chyldren vnto him that he should touche them And his disciples rebuked those that brought them But when Iesus sawe it he was displeased and sayth vnto them suffer the children to cum vnto me forbid theim not for of suche is the kyngdome of God Uerely I saye vnto you whosoeuer doeth not receyue the kyngdom of god as a chylde he shall not enter therin And when he had taken them vp in his armes he put his handes vpon them and blessed them When he had spoken these wordes there were certaine persons cum thyther who had brought vnto him yong chldren to th entent he shoulde lay his handes vpon them and blesse them They sawe howe diseases wer put away by vertue of his touching and therfore beleued they that thesame touching should also be good and holsome for sucking chyldren againste manye suche inconueniences as this weake and tender age is wonte to be indaungered with The disciples supposyng it not to be sitting that theyr Lorde for somuche as he was occupied about waightier affaires shoulde be weryed with suche triflyng matters kept awaye the children that they coulde not approche hym and further rebuked suche as brought them as though they had disquieted him with their importunitie Uerilye a litle before he praysed lytle babes vnto them Therfore when he perceiued howe they would not suffer the children to cum vnto hym because it was out of theyr remembraunce what he had said before of suche little ones he put them vnto silence saying Suffre ye the chyldren to cum vnto me and kepe them not away from my touchyng For vnto suche belongeth the kyngdome of heauen Those haue in them an ensample of innocencie and simplicitie after the patarne wherof proude malicious persones must be forged a newe yf they desyre to be admitted into the kyngdome of heauen Let no man thinke that these are to be set naught by for theyr weakenes or symplicitie This one thyng I assure you of Unlesse a man be borne agayne and all wilynesse couetousnes ambicion hatred wrath desyre of reuengement and enuy put awaye becum suche a one in minde as these are in age he shall not be receyued into the kyngdome of heauen And to th entent he might the more commend vnto all men simple innocencie he toke eche of them in his armes and layed his handes vpon them euerychone and blessed them teachyng hereby howe Bishops ought to disdayne the simple vnlearned people nor any other be they neuer so bery vnderlinges or abiect persons after the estimacion of the worlde but cherish theÌ„ in euery be halfe til they cum forwarde to a better state of perfeccion And aboue all thinges we ought to desyre the Lord Iesus that he will vouchesafe to laye his holy handes vpon suche persons and blesse theÌ„ He will vndoubtedly geue vnto little ones wilinesse wherby they may escape the diuels snares He will geue them a tongue that goddes prayse maye be made perfite by the mouthe of infantes and suckelinges ¶ And when he was gone forthe into the waye there came one running and kneled to him and asked him good maister what shall I do that I maye inherite eternall lyfe Iesus sayed vnto hym why callest thou me good There is no man good but one whiche is God Thou knowest the commaundementes Breake aâ—â— matrimony kyll not Steale not Beate no false witnes defraude no man honour thy father and mother He answered and sayd vnto him maister al these I haue obserued from my youth Iesus beheld hym and fauoured hym and sayd vnto hym one thyng thou lackest Go thy waye sell that thou haste and geue to the poore and thou shalt haue treasure in heauen and cum and folow me and take vp my crosse vpon thy shoulders But he was discomforted because of that saying and wente awaye mournyng For he had great possessions Nowe when these thinges were done in the house and he gone forthe into the waye then came there vnto hym a certaine yonge spryngalte bycause that after childhode was commended this age shoulde lykewyse be called from good beginninges to thinges of hygher perfeccion He fell doune at his feete and sayed Good maister what shall I doe to purchase me eternall lyfe The askyng of this question smelled sumwhat of that vice wherwith all suche are attached as stande in theyr owne conceipt But gentle teachers are wonte to wynke at this faâ—te yf it be meane and tollerable for the great hope an lykelyhode that is in this age to cum forwarde For he desyreth not so muche to be taughte of the Lorde what he ought to do as to be praysed for the thinges he hath already done And he calleth hym good whom he beleueth to be nought els but a man as who saye that man had any good thing of hymself Therfore Iesus as though he were offended with this arrogant name saith vnto him why doest thou call me good This name is farre aboue the state and condicion of man For there is none verily good saue god alone For this cause as he is an arrogaÌ„t person whoso taketh this name vpon hym euen so he that geueth the same vnto man geueth hym more then it becummeth hym to do With this proheme Iesus discouraged the yong man whiche in his owne conceipt thought himselfe not muche
vnworthye to haue this goodly title or name geuen hym forthwith asked him this question knowest thou the commaundementes Then to hym demaunding what they were he answered recityng these common commaundementes folowyng for keping wherof the Iewes chalenged the praise of goodnes and iustice Thou shalt not commit aduoutry thou shalt not kyll thou shalt not steale thou shalt not beare false witnesse thou shalt not begile thy nighbour honour thy father and thy mother Here this yong man hopyng to haue bene greatly commended answered agayn with a glad and ioyfull hart Maister I haue euer kept all these since I was a litle child Iesus beholding his great towardnes for he cloked not the matter nor dyd not as the Phariseis of a naughty mind or proude stomacke stand in his owne conceipt Iesus I say signified that he was delited euen with thonely endeuour of this age Therfore he made semblaÌ„t that this godly affeccioÌ„ of his albeit it was vnperfit dyd neuertheles highly please hym who as it were embraced the great liâ—elihode he espyed in hym to profit cum forward in the doctrine of the gospel for as that age seldoÌ„ applyeth Godly lyuing so â—s the study therof right coÌ„meÌ„dable in the same teaching vs hereby how we oâ—gâ—â— not in any wise ouer sharply to rebuke yong folkes in whoÌ„ we see any inclinatioÌ„ to theuaÌ„gelike christeÌ„ godlines and by that meanes cause theÌ„ to withdrawe theyr yong tender mindes froÌ„ the gospell as sum ouer wayward schole maisters are wont to doe which by reason of their crueltie toughnes be wont to teache good wittes to hate learning but with all ientilnes to set them forward and bring them to better thinges commending their diligence but yet neuertheles shewing theÌ„ with all what they must endeuour theÌ„selfes to attain vnto TheÌ„ Iesus teÌ„pred the gladnes of this yoÌ„g man who reioiced ouertimely saying That thou hast obserued these thinges I coÌ„meÌ„d the. But perfite righteousnes staÌ„deth not as thou supposest hâ—rin Thou lackest yet one thing TheÌ„ to him merueiling asâ—ing what that should be the lord answered returne home make sale of all that euer thou hast â–ª and deale the money which thou makest therof among poore folkes Thou shalâ— not lose such doâ—es but for earthly possessioÌ„s horde vp great treasure in heaueÌ„ And being lighted of thy burden fre from all encumbraunces cum folow me For then will I knowledge the to be a disciple of the gospell The yong man wanted many thinges but Iesus entended to shewe by touchyng of this one soore howe farre he was as yet from the perfeccion of the ghospell After he had heard him say so he went his waie mournyng because he was disapointed of the prayse of righteousnesse whiche he well hoped he should haue had For he was a man of great substauÌ„ce and therfore it semed vnto hym a very soore thing sodainly to forgoe thesame Yet departed he not as one vtterly to be despaired of For he was neyther wrothe nor murmured against Christ but went his waye with mournyng chere and silence He was coÌ„mended for his verteous and godly endeuour but that he mourneth cummeth of mans frailtie and weakenes For he vnderstode not Iesus woordes the meanyng wherof was not that a man would so much forsake his goodes as his affeccions Whoso is redy and willyng to leaue all that he hath if the case so require hath forsaken all thynges ¶ And wheÌ„ Iesus had loked rouÌ„d about he said vnto his disciples How vneasy shal they that haue money entre into the kingdoÌ„ of god And the disciples wer astonied at his wordes But Iesus answereth again and saith vnto theÌ„ childreÌ„ howe hard is it for theÌ„ that trust in money to enter into the kyngdoÌ„ of god It is easier for a Camell to go tâ—â—rouâ—e the â—ye of a nâ—â—le then for the riche to entre into the kyngdom of god And they were astonyed out of measure saying betwene themselfes who then can be saued Iesus loked vpon theÌ„ and saied with men it is vnpossible but not with God For with god all thinges are possible With this ensample Iesus frayed his disciples from couetousnesse Therfore when the yong man was gone awaye all sadde and heauy Iesus loked round about on his disciples for all this was done for theyr instruccion and sayd he his gone Howe much a doe shall it be for them that haue aboundauncâ— of money to enter into the kyngdome of God â–ª These wordes greatlye amased the disciples who supposed that vnnethe any one could be founde whiche woulde sodainly lashe out great riches for the kyngdome of God although themselfes had forsaken a fewe small thinges of little price or value Therfore Iesus repeteth the thynges whiche he spake before mittigating the sharpnes therof with pleasant wordes and expouning the darke saying whiche they vnderstode not My children sayeth he how hard is it for theÌ„ that haue great substance trust vnto it as the common sort doe to enter into the kyngdom of god And leste this seme to sore a saying I will yet speake much sorer wordes theÌ„ these but moste true withal It is easier I say for a camel to go thorow a nedles iye theÌ„ for a riche maÌ„ to enter into gods kingdome The disciples after they had heard him say so were muche disquieted in their myndes reasoned thus amoÌ„g themselfes If no man can be saued vnlesse he enter into the kyngdome of God and if no manne can enter into Goddes kyngdome excepte he haue forsaken his riches then sith we see all men so inordinately loue the same that it seemeth they will in no ease forgoe them what riche man can there be saued This carefulnes of the disciples smelled of the godlye charitie of theyr Lord for they were desyrous that as many as might possible should entre into the kyngdom of god but as yet they vnderstode not the nature vertue of the christian profession whiche commaundeth vs nothing to passe vpon wife children parentes no nor life to if the case so require It is the easiest thing that may be yf a man waye and pondre the thyng selfe to contemne and set naught by richesse and again it is the moste greuous thyng of all if we regard the manours of the people Therfore the Lord perceyuing his disciples to be carefull and heauy by reason of the wordes he spake vnto theÌ„ and at the nexte doore to desperacion recomforteth them agayne But fyrst he loketh vpon them as he is wonte to do so ofte as he is about to speake any notable thing or of great importaunce Why despayre ye sayth he of the saluacion of riche men The thynges whiche I require be of muche difficultie but there are muche harder thynges to be perfourmed There is nothing harder then to set naught by life for the gospels sake Herein you shal haue me your capitain If there shall sum be founde vnto whome the ghospell shall be more
of my kyngdom is attayned I will open you the waye and yf the same do lyke you then trust ye verely to haue the glory that you desyre saue alonely that it shall be a true glory and not suche a one as you dreame vpon and imagine it to be Can you drinke of the cuppe I now make my selfe ready to drynke of Can ye be baptysed with the baptisme that I shall ere it be long be baptised withall They of a gredy desyre to haue theyr peticion graunted as they folyshly desyred this preeminence euen so did they rashly promyse for theyr behalfe and saye they could notwithstanding as yet they knewe not themselues â—righte Neyther did the moste gracious Lord rebuke theÌ„ for this their great foly forasmuch as the tyme was not yet cum that they shoulde be receiuable of these mysteries As yet whatsoeuer they heard they heard it as it were in a dreame and yet did he with neuerthelesse diligence teache instruct them euer attempering his wordes to theyr weakenesse because they beyng afterwardes as a man would say wakened out of their slepe and manifestly perceyuing the truth by the holy ghoste shoulde with more entire affeccion loue theyr Lord who beyng suche a one as he was would so iently beare with suche maner of disciples also because they being once growen to more perfeccion should agayne folowe his ientlenes in bearyng with the weaknesse of theyr euen christen whom they should happen to instruct hauyng alwayes in theyr remembrauÌ„ce how ignoraunt howe forgetfull and how dull they also themselues sometime were This was an ambicious saying Let vs sit nexte the in thy kyngdome It was vnaduisedly spoken when they sayd we can doe it For it was spoken of theÌ„ who would soone after deny theyr Lord maister for feare But suche error as springeth not of malice or obstinate euylues but of symplicitie must either be rured or els borne withall for a season Therfore Iesus answered Truely ye shal drinke of my cuppe shall be baptised with the baptisme that I am baptised with but in tyme to cum For as yet ye are not able to do the thyng whiche ye beleue ye can do Therfore prepare your mindes hereunto but leaue all the iudgement of your rewarde to god the father Let your only endeuoyr be to counterfaite me folow my trace He hath for euery maÌ„ his peculier rewardes already prepared and will distribute thesame as it shal please him For this matter is not so ordred in the kingdome of heaueÌ„ as it is in princes courtes wheras he is not alwayes chief in dignitie whiche deserueth so to be but he whome the prince or kyng chiefly fauoureth Sumtimes he fauoureth the naughtyest person of all But with my father there is no regarde of person Neither is it your parte to regarde the measure or multitude of your merites and deseruinges sith you are able to do nothyng of your selues nor to considre how far ye passe other You must only do your endeuoyr accordinge to the power that God hath geuen you to folowe me Ye shall not be defeated of your reward although you thinke not theron at all For he that fighteth for the rewardes sake and would not els fight vnlesse he thought he should be rewarded for his labour cleane disapointeth himselfe of the reward Let no man be his owne iudge but do what he can and then remitte the whole iudgement vnto god ¶ And when the ten heard it they began to disdayne at Iames Iohn But Iesus wheâ— he had called them to him sayd vnto them ye knowe that they which are sene to beare rule among the people raygne as lordes ouer theÌ„ And they that be greate among them exercise auctoritie vpon them neuertheles so shall it not be among you But whosoeuer of you wyll be greate amoÌ„g you shall be your minister And whosoeuer of you will be chief shall be seruaunt of all For the sonne of man also â—ame not to be ministred vnto but to minister and to geue his life for the redempcion at many And loe howe one euill sprang of another The simplicitie of these two disciples bewrayed a greater rudenes and ignoraunce of the rest For after it was cum to the others knowledge what the two brethren althoughe theyr request was not graunted them had desyred of the Lorde they all in maner disdayning hereat were angry with them and in theyr toppe because not regarding theyr simplenes and meane estate they presumed to desyre the first or chief place which was rather due vnto them There was none of them all but hoped he should haue had that preferment himselfe accordyng as eche of them fauored his owne gyftes and desertes Doubtles these are the very affeccioÌ„s of suche persons as leade theyr lyues in princes courtes Euery man there highly estemeth hymselfe euery man warraunteth hymselfe the moste honorable aduauncementes and hath great heart burning and disdayne at others preferment saue that the ambiciâ—n of courtiers is spiced with malice where as the disciples ambicion was nothyng els but mere ignorance and symplicitie And whyles they straue thus for the preeminence and primacy they had cleane forgotten the wordes that Iesus had spoken of the least and greatest in the kingdom of heauen and of the imitacion and folowyng of the lytle one If any man aske the question why the Lord suffered so great ignoraunce so long while to continue in his disciples by whose ministerye he purposed to haue the doctrine of the gospell preached taught throughout all the whole worlde truely the chiefe cause was because he would by litle and lytle cleane weede out of theyr mindes this and suche other naughty affeccions and therfore doeth he suffre them so oft to fall againe into the same affeccion that is to say into ambicion or desyre of dominion prefermeÌ„t euen as if a maÌ„ be soone delyuered of an ague he soone forgetteth bothe his disease and also the benefite of the physician that cured him Agayne if he ofte tymes recidiuyng and fallyng into the same disease agayne be at the length with muche a doe rid healed therof theÌ„ doth he the more hate his disease and also the more knowledge the benefite of his healing and shall better knowe how to cure other that are lykewise diseased Therfore Iesus perceiuing that the fonde peticion of the two and the disdaynfull wrathe of the other yssued bothe out of one well called them all vnto him because he would ministre phisicke vnto them all with one medicine As oft sayth he as ye heare me speake of the kyngdome of heauen whiche verely is a spirituall kyngdome differeth no lesse from this worldly kyngdom then the yerthe differeth from heauen do not you by vayne and phantasticall ymaginacion fayne such a likenes an apparaunce of thinges as you see here in yearthlye kyngdomes For ye knowe that those whiche seme to be â—hiefe rulers among the heathen people of his world play
in her mouth the lordes teÌ„ple the lawe of God the Patriarches AbrahaÌ„ Isaac Iacob and Israel She goeth with her garde of priestes Scribes and Phariseis But the churche like a poore wydowe hath nothyng to boast vpon She knowledgeth lacke of good workes and yet that litlâ— that she hath she wholy dedicateth and offereth vnto God Nowe what can be poorer then suche a wydowe as leaueth herselfe nothyng at all She knowledgeth not Moyses to be her husband because she knowethe not circumcision because she abhorrethe the sacryfices of beastes beeyng contented wholely to haue offered vp her selfe vnto almyghtie God The Lorde her spouse inasmuche as he hath forsaken the yearthe and is returned into heauen semethe to haue forsaken his wydowe whiche nowe like a woman destitute of all succoure is spoyled banished imprisoned afflicted and oppressed bothe of the Iewes and Gentyles She heareth dayly where is thy spouse It semethe that she wyll starue for hunger whiche hauinge so small substaunce hath cleane forgone that lyttle she had and lefte herselfe nothynge It semethe she wyll dye shortly with reproche of baraines whiche hath lost her housband But this widow which after the iudgement of the world is past all health vtterlye vndone the prophete Esaie comforteth on this wyse Be thou glad thou barayne that bryngest furth no fruit breake furth and cry thou the trauailest not for the desolate hath many mo chyldren then she that hath an husbande Doe not we se that this prophecy is fulfilled The synagoge is hongry and dyethe The churche is encreaced and spred abrode triumphing in Martyrs florishing in Virgins and reioysynge in so many thousandes of Confessours She hath not one farthing of her owne proper riches but of her spouses riches she hath tried golde fine and pure she hath precious stones inestimable For throughe sincere and pure fayth towardes her riche spouse whatsoeuer he hath she hath thesame The synagoge albeit she semed to geue much vnto God yet dyd she reserue more vnto her selfe then was sufficient Wylt thou see the Synagoge geuing her giftes â–ª heare the Pharisey praying I thaÌ„ke the Lord saith he that I am not such a one as other men be Nowe marke me how much he reserueth vnto himselfe when he saith I fast twyse in the weke I geue the tenthe part of all my goodes vnto poore people On the other syde marke the fashion of the wydow She knocketh her brest she dareth not once lift vp her iyes to heauen warde she doth nothing but crye God be mercifull vnto me a sinner The Sinagoge whiles she craketh vpon her owne iustice hath neyther any of her owne nor yet gods iustice The churche whiles she renounceth and putteth awaye from her all glory of righteousnes and knowledgeth her owne vnrighteousnes is enriched with the iustice and righteousnes of her spouse The .xiij. Chapter ¶ And as he went out of the temple one of the disciples sayed vnto him Mayster see what stones and what buyldinges are here And Iesus answered and sayed vnto hym Seest thou these great buildinges There shal not be left one stone vpon an other that shal not be throwen downe And as he sate on mounte Oliuete ouer against the temple Peter and Iames and Iohn and Andrewe asked him secretly tell vs when shall these thinges be And what is the signe when all these thinges shal be fulfilled And Iesus aunswered them and began to saye take hede lest any man deceyue you For many shall cumme to my name saying I am Christ and shall deceyue many THere was nothyng in the temple that pleased Iesus saue the poore wydowe only in the whiche temple there was nothyng els but counterfayte deuocion and fayned holines Let vs also who professe our selues to be the disciples of Iesu departe out of the Iewish temple Let vs sette asyde all truste of carnall workes and embrace the ryghteousnes of the euangelike and chrystian fayth Therfore our sauiour departed thence to builde an other temple whiche should be holy and spirituall in dede and of buyldyng so substanciall sure and strong that the very gates of hell shoulde neuer be able to preuayle agaynste it When he was gone out one of his disciples sayed vnto him Mayster beholde howe greate and houge are the stones of this temple and what a strong buildinge is here couertlye meaninge that it was a stronger piece of worke then that it coulde by processe of tyme fall in decaye or ruyne Oh Iewishe iyes They outwardly maruayled at stones couched and heaped together by mans hande as thoughe Iesus had bene delited with suche a buyldyng Iesus answered againe Seeste thou this greate and curious edifice There shall a time cum when there shall not one stone remayne vpon another vnthrowen downe muche lesse then shall the same buyldyng continue for euer Nowe Iesus lotheth and contemnethe all that euer is seene with bodily iyes for the greate desyre he hath of his ghostly and spyritual temple As he sate in that part of mount Olyuete where he chose his lodging for that nyght from whence the temple of Ierusalem myght bee sene the disciples called againe to theyr remembraunce his wordes wherby he had tolde before howe it shoulde cumme to passe that the sayd temple shoulde bee destroyed bothe stycke and stone euen from the very foundacion For they supposed that the kyngdome of god whereon they ceased not as yet to dreame shoulde cum immediatlye after the destruccion thereof Therfore fower of them that is to wete Peter Iames Iohn and Andrewe went priuâ—lye vnto him as he there sate to the enteÌ„t that lyke as he had shewed vnto a fewe persons apart the misterie of his transfiguracion so should he lykewyse disclose vnto theÌ„ beeyng but a fewe all the secretes concerning the time when his kingdome should cumme and begin whiche thing he woulde not perhappes open vnto all the other And for this cause they sayed vnto hym Tell vs when these thinges shall cum to passe and by what token we maye knowe when the same â—yme is already cum and present The Lord who had already weded out of his disciples all carefulnes for sustenaunce desyre of reuengement prouidence of lyfe or forecastyng howe to lyue woulde also wede out of theyr myndes all suche curiositie as maketh a man ouer busy and inquisitiue to knowe suche thynges as nothyng appertaine vnto his saluacion Therfore he so tempreeth his woordes that by thesame he sygnifieth not onelye that the citie of Ierusalem shall one day be destroyed but also that after his departure greuous stormes of persecution shal rise against the preachers of the gospell and finally that the ende of the worlde or domes day shall cumme But as it is expedient for all men to knowe howe they shall one day make an ende of this present lyfe to th entent they may euer make themselues redy againste the same so his will and pleasure was to haue his disciples fullye persuaded that a tyme
of a peuishe wenche he caused his head to be striken of Howbeit the fauour of Pylate was more constant then so but yet in conclusyon he deliuered hym to be crucified And this was doen leste any that professeth the trueth of the ghospell should trust vpon any worldly ayde and succour Then the souldiers because they woulde the more take theyr pleasure on hym in puttyng hym to shame and villany called together the whole garison of theyr companions and in mâ—â—kage clothed him with a garment of purple as it had been with a kynges robe theÌ„ put they on his head a croune platted of thornes in the stede of a diademe and being thus disguised they began with one voice to salute hym saying Hayle kyng of the Iewes Furthermore they strake his head with a rede whiche they gaue him in his hande in the stede of a scepter dyd also spit vpon hym and bowyng theyr knees wurshypped him Iesus all this while helde his peace paciently yelded to al theyr dispitefull doynges transportyng vnto his owne persone that shame and villanye whiche was due vnto our offences because to aduaunce vs vnto his glorye ¶ And when they had mocked hym they toke the purple of him and put his owne clothes on him and led hym out to crucifie hym And they compelled one that passed by called Simon of Cyrene the father of AlexaÌ„der and Rufus which came out of the felde to beate his crosse And thei brought him to a place named Golgotha which is if a man interprete it the place of dead mens sculles And they gaue him to drinke wine mingled with Mirre but he receyued it not These thynges doen they toke of agayne the purple garment and put on his owne clothes to th eÌ„tent that carying his crosse amoÌ„g misdoers he might be discerned and knowen of euery body And this the malycious priestes caused to be done because they would the more aliâ—nate and withdraw all meÌ„nes mindes from hym As they were goyng to the place of execucion they met a certayne felow called Simon of Cyrene the father of AlexaÌ„der and Rufus cuÌ„myng from his ferme whome makyng refusall to beare Christes crosse the souldiers notwithstandyng he was a ryche man and of theyr acquaintaunce did of a souldiourly malapertnes compell maugre on his head to beare it not because to fauour or ease Iesus but for the spedier finishyng of the execucion Some men necessitie constrayneth to embrace the crosse of Iesu But this is a blessed necessitie that driueth a man to saluacion The apostles enforce no maÌ„ to go to Christ but the souldiers vsed compulsion Howbeit the violence of these naughtie packes hath bene many a mannes saluacion They broughte hym into a place slaunderous and reprocheful by reason that suche as trespaced the lawe there suffred execucion called in the Syrian tong Golgotha in Latine Caluaria the whiche word implieth in Englishe a place of dead meÌ„s sculles There gaue they him wine mingled with myrre to drinke For wyne is customablie geuen to men when they be a passyng Howbeit that wyne for so much as it was corrupted with the bitternes of the Iewes Iesus receyued not whan it was offered hym For a lytle before he dranke with his disciples and would not drynke agayne of the fruite of the vine tyll he should drinke it newe in the kyngdome of God He hated the bitter wyne whiche the vyne of the Iewyshe synagoge brought hym furth that was becum bitter vnto her lorde and tiller and in stede of ripe grapes yelded the fruite of the wilde vine He hated the vine of wycked persons and thirsted for another kynde of wyne That was the newe wyne of the spirite of the Gospell the whiche spirite after his ascending vp into heauen he moste plenteously powred vpon his disciples And when they had crucified hym they parted his garmentes casting lottes vpon them what euery man shoulde take and it was about the thyrde houre And they crucified hym And the title of his cause was writteÌ„ the kyng of the Iewes And they crucified with hym two theues the one on the right haÌ„d and the other on his left And the scripture was fulfilled whiche sayth he was counted among the wicked When Iesu was lifted vp on the crosse those that crucified him parted his clothes among theÌ„ and for his coate whiche was wrought in suche wyse that it could not be deuided they caste lottes whose fortune it shoulde be to haue the whole Nowe considre the pouertie of Iesus who hadde nothyng left him in yearth He hangeth in the middes betwene heaueÌ„ and yearth So must he bee naked so must he be lyghted of all burthens so must he be high that wyll encountre with the enemy of maÌ„nes saluacion When Dauid should fyght with Goliad he caste awaye al the armour and weapoÌ„ of Saule whiâ—he dyd rather burthen hym then do hym any stede It was the thyrde houre of the daye when they nayled hym on the crosse There was set vpon the crosse the tytle of the cause wherfore he suffered which was this The king of the Iewes written in thre languages that is to saye in Hebrue Greke and Latine And with hym they crucified two theues in suche wise that one of them hong on his right syde and the other on his lefte on eyther syde enuironing hym hangyng in the middes And this was doen by the procurement of the wicked priestes because to make his name shamefull The prophete Esai prophecied it should so be saying He was reckened among the vniust and wicked And they that went by â—ayled on hym waggyng theyr heades and saying A wretche thou that destroyest the temple and buyldest it in three dayes saue thy selfe come downe from the crosse Lykewyse also mocked hym the high priestes among themselues with the Scribes and sayed He saued other men himselfe he cannot saue Let Christe the kyng of Israel descende now from the crosse that we may see and belâ—ue And they that were crucified with hym checked hym also Neyther could the malicious bishops and Scribes yet be satisfied with these so great euyls and manyfold displeasures For fyrst the Iewes passing by the crosse rayled on hym as he hong theron and as it were vpbraydyng hym now ouercum sayde vnto hym in derision and mockage waggyng their heades withall A wretche thou that destroyest Gods temple and buildeste it agayne within three dayes Nowe shewe what thou canste doe Put furthe this might and power wherupon thou braggest saue thyselfe if thou be able and cum down from the crosse Neyther dyd the hyghe byshops or priestes vse any gentler language vnto hym who with the Scribes skorned hym among themselues saying He hath saued other but himselfe he is not able to saue He hath made his vaunt how he was Christe he bragged that he was the kyng of Israell If his promises be true let vs see hym â—owe cum downe from the crosse then will we beleue oâ—n hym The priestes entended by these
for a salueoure he was and was come into the worlde for the perfeict healyng of all creatures And he lifted vp his iyes vpon the disciples and sayde blissed be ye poore for yours is the kingdome of God Than immediatly vpon this he begoonne to shewe furth some new muste of the doctrine of the ghospell wherunto he had specially chosen out a certayn number of a sum what more stedfast and sure sorte as new bottels to receiue and holde it Blissed are ye sayeth Iesus that haue no spice of proude hert but rather do mislike your selfes For although to the worldward ye seme to bee persons abiect and to be refused of all companies yet is the kingdome of god youres whiche is by a greate oddes higher in honour and royaltie than all the kingdomes of this world Ye see diseases to be drieuen away deuils to flee out of men sinnes to be clene abolished What hath any regal estate of this world to be compared with this heauenly hyghnesse Is it not a kyngdome of hygh regalitie to be thrall to no vice to bee cloggued with no inordinate desires to haue troden vnder feete the deiuill and all hys armie to haue ouercomed the worlde withal the terrours and also the flattering enticementes belonging to thesame to be men called and taken to the familiaritie very brotherhood of God and to bee registred emong the inheritours of the kyngdome of heauen Blissed are ye that hounger now for ye shal bee satisfyed Blissed are ye who being now men in pouertie and penurie doe liue in houngre and thirste and being contented with spare repastes doe despise the richesse and the excessiue fare of thys worlde and the hounger that ye haue is for meate of the soule whiche is the woorde of god and your thirste is for the liuely water of the spirite of the ghospel for ye shall be assured to be sacyated and filled with these restoratiue delicates whiche ye are so faine to haue Blissed are ye that wepe now for ye shall laugh Blissed are ye whiche haue of your owne myndes and willes exempted and depriued your selfes of all sensuall voluptuousnesse of this worlde for the earnest rendreing of euangelicall deuocion and sette more by suche thinges as by meane of temporal affliccions enduryng but a whyle dooe bryng men vnto the ioyes of life euerlastyng For the tyme shal come whan all thynges beeing clene chaunged to a contrarie course your sorowe shal be turned into ioye and your mournyng into laughter Blissed shall ye bee whan men hate you and thrust you out of their coumpaignie and taâ—lon you and abhorte your name as an 〈◊〉 thyng for the soonne of mannes sake â–ª Reioyce ye in that daie and bee glad for beholde your towarde is great in heauen For thus did their fathers vnto the Prophetes The moste parte of the people dooe calle suche men happie and fortunate vnto whome the people sheweth tokens of high fauour and lykewyse them that are auaunced to honours and sache throughe glorious titles are muche renoumed But ye on my woorde and warrantyse shall bee blissed whan men shall haue you in decision whan they shall cast you out of their coumpaignies as persones to bee deâ—ested and abhorred whan they shall speake manye sore woordes of reproche and vilanie against you for my sake whan theâ— shal earnestly endeuour and labour either vtterly to abolishe your name and memorie for euer or els to make it detestable vnto all that shal come after and that not for any faulte of youres but for the hatred of the soonne of man whose doctrine and glorye ye shall be preachers of But dooe ye neuer the more therefore mislyke yourselfes but rather bee ye glad whan suche thynges shall chaunce vnto you and reioyce ye For if the fauour of eiuill men shall not dooe by you according to your desertes yet a plenteouse rewarde for your well dooynges abydeth you in heauen It shall not lye in the power of men to abolishe the names of you whiche bee written in heauen it shall not lye in them with theyr woordes of reproche or despite to appale or derken youre glorye whiche shal for euermore be coupled with my glorye Naie contrariewyse the more that they shall persecute your name and fame so muche the more shall they make it renoumed For to bee misliked of the vngodly is the highest prayse and commendacion that may be Nor ye shal not be the first that haue bene thus vsed For excellent vertue hath euermore bene hated of eiuil persones What men of this present time shal now do against you the selfesame thing haue their forefathers dooen in tymes paste agaynste the holy prophetes for none other respecte but because thesame Prophetes accordyng to the will of God dyd not holde theyr tongues from speakyng the trueth which trueth hath to eiuil disposed persons bene euermore odiouse By example of the sayd prophetes shal ye comforte your selues For whose names they attempted vtterly to abolish the memory of thesame is now high and holy with al creatures Yet neuerthelesse ye beyng in assured comforte through your innocencie and perfeict good liuing must haue no mynde ne thoughte to auenge your owne cause For they shal be assured not to escape without smarte in the ende for that they shall doe vnto you though for a season they seeme fortunate and flourishing rufflers in all pleasure and welth of thys worlde For suche are differred and reserued to tormentes whiche neuer shall haue ende But woe vnto you that are riche For ye haue your consolacion And therfore woe unto you ryche cobbes the whiche while ye may dooe solace delite your mindes with the treasoures honoures delectable enticementes of this worlde and dooe not remember ne thynke that it will erelong come to passe that this vayne felicitie and pleasaunce shall be taken away from you and after thesame shall ensue woefulnesse and sorowe neuer to haue ende Woe vnto you that are full for ye shall houngre Woe vnto you whiche nowe in this worlde hauing mynde on nothing but your bealies plaie the gluttons and take excesse of all delicate meates and drinkes more to pampre vp the bodie in luste then for the necessitie of nature as though ye were borne to beastly feedyng onely and to nothyng els and as though ye rather mayntayned your lyfe of purpose to eate and drinke then eate and drinke to maynteyne lyfeâ— and beeyng full paunched with gorge vpon gorge haue no mynde to relieue your poore brethren perishing for famyne as though ye were borne to fede none but your own selues and were not bounde to relieue the necessitie of your neighbour Woe vnto you for whan both these corporal meates and drinkes wherwith ye so delicately and volupteously fede your selfes yea and the bealie too which gourmauÌ„deth shal be consumed than shall ye be houngrie and fynde no reliefe Than shall ye wishe that ye might be so happie as to haue but one of the lytle crummes that
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
crosse And in dede they hearde a speakyng of death but it was as it had been half in a dreme nothyng well vnderstandyng what the thyng ment whiche was spoken and yet durste they not demaunde anye questions of hym what these woordes might mene hauyng freash in theyr remembraunces that Petur whan he was somewhat ouer bolde and buisye with Iesus had hearde Iesus saie vnto hym auaunt out of my sight thou Satan thou haste no saueryng of those thynges that appertein to God but altogether of such thinges as appertein to yâ— world ¶ And there entred a thought emong them whiche of theim should bee greatest whan Iesus perceiued the thought of their hertes he tooke a chylde and set hym harde by him and sayed vnto them whosoeuer receiueth this childe in my name receiueth me And whosoeuer receiueth me receiueth hym that sent me For he that is least emong you al the same shal bee greatest After al this same Iesus wente to Capernaum And so it was that forasmuche as the disciples wer yet carnal because they had seen the glory of weorking of many miracles and because they had hearde the maiestie of the kyngdome of God promysed and because theimselfes too had dooen many woondrefull thynges aboue nature at the name of Iesus a certayn worldly thought entred into theim which at laste braste out thus ferre that as they were going on the way they reasoned together one with an other whiche of them shoulde sute highest in the kyngdome of heauen For they dreamed that such a like order shoulde bee in the kyngdome of heauen as they had seen in the courtes of worldely princes or in ryche folkes houses in whiche he that is more proude and quicker or bolder spirited then an other is he is the more Iolier felowe Than Iesus althoughe he knewe well enoughe what it was that they had emong theimselfes kept disputacions of yet as soone as he was come into the house he demaunded of theim what the matter was that they had so hardelye disputed and reasoned of by the waie And they all plaiyng mum and not hauyng a woorde to saie because they wer halfe ashamed of the matter Iesus to shewe that their thoughtes and their priuie talkes behynd his backe wer not hydden ne vnknowen to hym toke a litle innocente childe in his hand and set hym hard by his syde and callyng the twelue together vnto hym he sayed ye dispute of greatnesse whiche of you shal bee greatteste The greatteste with me are those that are moste inferiours What is more playne without fraude or guyle then this litle chylde or what thyng more lowe Euen veray suche muste ye become if ye will be chiefe in the kyngdome of the ghospel The kyngdome of feith and charity knoweth none ambicion it is not acquainted with plaiyng the Lorde it can no skill of tirannye whatsoeuer persone receiueth vnto him suche a childe as this in my name receiueth me myselfe and whosoeuer receiueth me receiueth hym that hath sent me If I haue plaied the Lorde towardes you than reason you also who shal be the chiefe emoÌ„g you but if I haue rather vsed my self as a willing and a readye seruaunte to the commodities of all persones knowe ye that he shal bee a great man emong you all who in contemnyng of glory in humilitie and submission and in feruent affeccion to bee as a seruaunte to dooe all creatures good shal bee the least and moste inferiour of all men ¶ And Iohn aunswered and saied maister we sawe one castyng out deuils in thy name and we forbad hym because he folowed not with vs. And Iesus saied vnto him forbid ye hym not For he that is not against vs is with vs. And because they had hearde hym saye that litle ones are to bee receiued in the name of Iesus it came into Iohns mynde that they had excluded and debarred a certayne man from the fraternitie of ministring the ghospel He therefore is in a doubte whether that lyke as all men were to bee receiued vnto the felowship of the saluacion of the ghospell so in lyke manier all men wer to be admitted to the ministracion of preachyng the ghospell and to the weorkyng of miracles And in this poyncte was hydden a litell spice of a certaine secret pangue of enuye God had tofore geuen power vnto the twelue onely to caste out deuils and to heale diseases Thys dignitie they thoughte not meâ—e to bee made common to any others And therefore Iohn saied maister at the tyme whan beeyng sent foorth by thee we executed the office of preachyng the ghospell abrode we sawe a certaine man casting out deuils in thy name though he bee none of the noumbre of vs twelue no nor dooeth not soe muche as folowe thee neyther This man as one beyng a straunger to our brotherhood we forbadde that he shoulde no more so dooe Than Iesus although he would in no place suffre hymselfe to be preached of by the wicked spirites yet teacheth that men of what sorte soeuer they bee are not to bee forbidden from hauyng to do in the ghospel although they do thesame of no veray sincere hert so that saith he the thyng that they doe they doe it in the name of Iesus and doe thesame thyng that ye dooe For whosoeuer is not an aduersarie vnto vs doeth euen in that veraie poynte make on our syde that he doeth not against vs. To such a thyng as is straunge and by all possible waies to be euerye where published abrode al fauour doeth auaile The miracle is not his that doeth it but Goddes who sheweth his power by man as by his ministre and instrument Therfore whatsoeuer persone sheweth any miracle by callyng vpon my name dooethe publishe and spred abrode my glory and debarreth himself of al title to speake 〈◊〉 of me from thensforth whose name he hath found so effectual ful of power ¶ And it fortuned whan the tyme was come that he shoulde bee receiued vp he sette his face to go to Hierusalem and sent messagiers before him And they went and entred into a city of the Samaritanes to make ready for him And thei would not receiue him because his face was as though he would gooe to Hierusalem Whan hys disciples Iames and Iohn sawe this they saied Lord wilt thou that we commaund fyer to come down from heauen and consume them euen as Helias dyd Iesus turned about and rebuked them saiyng ye wotte not what manier spirite ye are of For the sonne of manne is not come to destroy mennes lyues but to saue theim And they went to an other â—owne And so it befell that the time beeyng nowe veraye nere at hande when Iesus leauyng the yearth should be receiued vp into heauen the Lorde had already entred his iourney and shewed eueÌ„ plainly by his countenaunce that he was bounde towardes Hierusalem as one that purposely minded to be in the way agaynst the occasioÌ„ of his death should come He
mannes nature is now in this present world soondrie waies disquieted But suche an one hath a great aduantage and fordele who hauyng caste of all suche maner cares is altogether rauished to thynges heauenly gatheryng hymself together and restyng vpon one thyng But thesame one is a thyng of suche nature that it surmounteth all other thynges in goodnesse the felicitie of whiche one thyng shall not be taken awaye but shal be augmented at the tyme whan that whiche is vnperfite shall bee abolyshed and that that is perfite shall bee opened Neither is there in the meane tyme any mourmouryng to be made against suche persones as though they were altogether idle who sitting still from all bodily seruices do for suche respecte and coÌ„sideracion geue attendaunce to heauenly doctrine cleuyng fast to my steppes being long in learning the thing that thei may afterward teache thoroughly sendyng downe into the bottome of the affeccions of theyr owne heartes the thing that they may afterward prescribe and enioyne vnto others to the ende they may thereby dooe good vnto so muche the greatter noumbre towardes the achiuyng of eternall saluacion And yet shall not suche persons lacke their due reward neyther who accordyng to the exaumple of thy dooyng nowe at this tyme dooe of a godly zele after the rate of the tyme relieue the corporall necessitie of them that haue the cause of the ghospell in handelyng and suche as fede the hungrie as clothe the naked as visite the sicke as gooe to theim that lye in prison as harbour straungers and them that lacke lodgyng All these also shall bee partakers of the rewarde of the ghospell But lyke as in the bodye the iye whiche semeth to be idle dooeth more good seruice then the hande beyng buisily occupied about soondry kyndes of seruice euen so suche as do altogether geue hede vnto those thinges whiche do most nerest coÌ„cerne and touche the life euerlastyng although they seme as holidayemenne to repose theymselfes from all corporall businesse yet they dooe more good then the others because they doe the thyng most chiefly requisite to be doen. Nor the one must grutche not against the other forasmuche as euery one of theÌ„ accordyng to his gyft which he hath receiued of god serueth me in my meÌ„bres The .xi. Chapter And it fortuned as he was praiyng in a certain place whaÌ„ he ceassed one of his disciples sayd vnto him Lord teache vs to pray as Iohn also taught his disciples And he said vnto theÌ„ WhaÌ„ ye pray say Our father which art in heauen halowed be thy name Thy kingdome cum Thy wyll be fulfilled euen in earth also as it is in heauen Our daily bread geue vs this daye And forgeue vs our sinnes For euen we forgeue euery man that trespasseth vs. And lede vs not into temptacion but deliuer vs from euill WHan the Lorde Iesus had by this kynde of representyng the matter and by the exaumple afore goyng taught that they did a great matter and a buisye whoso dyd full and whole geue attendaunce to the doctrine of the ghospell whiche doctrine no person can sincerely handle onlesse he shake himself of from al desires and cares of this world it remained that he should prescribe a point a tenour and fourme of praiyng also For praier is as ye would saye the moste purest sacrifice of euangelicall deuocion vnto the whiche prayer Iesus did oftentimes depart into places of solitary contemplacion and enured his disciples also vnto thesame And prayer is thatsame secrete methyng through whiche the mynd and soule of man beyng as ye would say carryed vp to heauen ioyneth in talke with god all cares and phantasticall imaginacions of earthly thinges set apart In dede the Phariseis prayed both oftentimes and also long together but it was with sadde droupyng countenaunces and abrode where all folkes should see them And Iohns disciples praied also Yea and the Samaritans too prayed on their mountaine The religion of the heathen folkes also had a maner of praiyng after their fashion For as muche therefore as neyther all sortes of menne had one maner of praiyng nor one maner thynges were asked of god in all folkes prayers the Apostles are very desirous and fain to haue a precise fourme and tenoure of praying appoynted vnto them of Christe whiche they oughte to folowe Wherupon whan Iesus according to his accustomed wont had withdraweÌ„ hymselfe with his disciples from the resorte of people into a solytary place for to praye as soone as he had finished his praiers one of the noumbre of his disciples saied vnto hym Maister forasmuche as we are thy disciples mete it is that we should do all thynges by thyne appointment Teache vs therfore a fourme of praiyng also like as Iohn whan he lyued taught his disciples how they should pray Then Iesus whereas he had in many woordes at soondrye tymes taughte his discyples that the praiers of christians neither ought to bee long nor made for ostentacion or vainglory ne for all maner thynges as well one as another he appoynted vnto them a fourme of praiyng suche as hereunder foloweth which although it be common vnto all persones yet doeth it more iustely and directly appertain vnto the mynisters and teachers of the ghospell who beyng as ye woulde saye persones exempted from this world bestowe all their labour and trauail in this onely behalf that the glory of god may be opened renoumed amonge the good and his kyngdom from day to day may more and more florishe in strength and force the kyngdome of Satan vtterly suppressed and brought vnder foote And like as in heauen aboue from whence Lucifer with al his complyces and confederacie was toumbled doune headlong there is nowe no maner rebellion agaynst the wyll of God so among the children of God beyng ordeyned to succede in the place of the auÌ„gels that wer cast out of heauen with Lucifer all thynges may bee dooen after the will of their heauenly father Also that he feede his chyldren with the breade of heauenlye doctrine and grace whiche may make their soules iustie and full fedde vnto the lyfe euerlastyng And in case any offence or trespace bee thoroughe humayne frailtie committed agaynste his wyll that than he mercyfully forgeue hys chyldren lyke a tendre and frendely father as they among theymselfes forgeue one another if one haue any thing offeÌ„ded or trespaced against the other And because that duryng the tyme of their life here in this mortall bodye lyke as they maye profyte and growe to better so maye they contraryewyse fall vnto wurse especiallye the tyraunte Satan by all meanes prouokynge and sâ—irryng them so to dooe that they may vnder the tuicion and wardyng of their heauenly father be safely defeÌ„ded against Satans engiens and that eyther they may not fall into teÌ„ptacion or if they doe fall than he beyng their defendour whiche is the stronger of might and puissaunce they may depart conquerours with they victory As for the tenour of the
pleasure art worthyly tormented Thou turnedst thy face from the Lazare beeyng ful of sores biddedst away with hym out of thy syght whereas for thyne owne parte thou were all in thy swete sauoures and perfumes and now is he in mine armes smooth and clere skynned from top to toe Thou wouldeste not vouchsalue to leate hym come within thy house and I am content to haue hym sytte in my lappe Thou diddest neither with meate ne drinke refreash hym beeyng in extreme penury and nowe is he refreashed with eternall rest whiche knoweth no vexacion of houngre ne thirste And with what face dooest thou at his hande aske refreashemēt of cooling thy mouth seyng that he not veraye long sens could obteine no refreashyng at all of the In case thou haddest cladde him whan he was naked if thou haddest fedde hym whan he was houngrie if thou haddest geuen him drynke in his thirst if whan he laye without thy gates thou haddest gathered hym into thy house if thou haddest doen some cure on hym beeyng all full of sores he would nowe again obtein some coumforte for thee and some releace of thy tormentes and would receiue the again on his partie into his brotherhoode and coumpaignie Thou wreatched miser where is nowe thy fine silkes and thy purple where bee thy perfumes where be thy feastinges and bāquettynges where is thy pipyng and dauncyng where bee so many thy pleasures mixt with ambicion and vain glory Whyle thou wer aliue no kynde of wyne could please thee for beeyng cloyed with theim so great was the deliciousnesse of thy mouth neither wouldeste thou all the whyle so muche as geue a lyttell water to Lazarus beyng thirstie and nowe thou canst not obteine no not soe muche as a poore droppe of water to refreashe the scaldyng heate of thy tōge In stede of thy galaunte manours whiche thou haddeste than thou haste nowe the derke doungeon of hell for thy delicate pastimes euerlasting peine for thy testynges and songes continuall wepyng and owlyng And so much the more past remedye is your extreme distresse that an huige great gapyng hole dooeth kepe vs and you in soondre in sorte that if any would gooe from hens thither where ye are and helpe you thei cannot nor if any of you would assay to come vp from thens hither he cannot nowe that by the iudgemente of God which cannot be chaunged there is vnto al sortes their due place limited for theim to remayne in In the life season there was a tyme to refreashe the neighbour by dooing good turnes and pleasures one man to an other and to be relieued the one of the other agayn now is it ouer late here to wyl or desire that cannot possibly bee doen. In thy delicate pleasaunt pastimes thou wouldeste nedes bee alone with suche as thou wer thy selfe but Lazarus and such other as Lazarus was thou wouldest not suffre to come ons in thy coumpaignie And nowe art thou again serued of thesame sauce for thy labour Whā Abraham had this spoken the riche man beeyng put of from all hope that himselfe should obteine any reliefe is desirous at leastwise to prouide some good waies for certain brethren of his whiche he had yet aliue lest that if they ledyng their liues after the same facion should come into the same place the felyng of his peine and woe should by suche coumpaignie being ioyned vnto hym increace vnto hym whereas he was in myserie and extremitie enough al ready But he dooeth nowe in vain become an humble suiter whiche tofore vsed to putte of from hym the lazare man when thesame made muche crouchyng and knelyng vnto him for succour If the great derke doungeon saieth he bee a let that there can no helpe be ministred or dooen to my selfe yet thus much I praie thee that thou wilt send Lazarus to my fathers house For I haue fiue brethren aliue that he may geue warnyng and aduertisemente vnto theim leste that in case they folowe my steppes they shall come hither to bee felowes and partakers here with me of these wofull sorowes and peines that I am in But rather leat theim relieue the necessitie of the poore with suche gooddes as they haue and leate them not vse their rychesse to the sensualitie of the fleash but to the godly deuocion of the mynde ne leate theim not sette their fansye and loue on suche thinges as for a season are swere and delectable in the worldly life but on such thynges as maye purchase rest for euer to endure Thus saied the riche man whom the extrem◠tormentes whiche he nowe hadde experience of made bothe an humble suppliaunte and also a teacher of other though it were nowe ouer late But after death there is no praiers that wil serue ne yet maie a man haue lycence to geue any warnynge or counsaill For nothyng haue the deade to dooe with the liuyng Abraham therefore made him this aunswere It is nothyng requisite that Lazarus bee for anye suche cause as this called awaye frō his quiete reste Thy brethren if they bee disposed to bee honeste men and to do wel haue Moses and the prophetes leat them herken to them For they in theyr bookes speake vnto al creatures Than the riche man beyng an hard suiter and a peticioner that would not be satisfied yet neuerthelesse ouerlate saied to Abraham O father Abraham as for Moses they will not heare no nor the prophetes neither but yf one of the dead might come to theym to bring theim sure and perfecte woorde howe sore and grieuous tormentes tho persones doe here suffre whiche dooe there passe their liues after myne exaumple whiche all ryche folkes for the moste parte doe they will amend and frame theimselfes to better rewle and gouernaunce Hereunto Abraham said yea that thou speakeste is the colourable laiyng of excuses of suche persones as are disposed neuer to leaue ne forsake that they doe naughtily and viciously loue The autoritie of Moses and of the prophetes is greater with theym then the autoritie of Lazarus a poore begger shoulde bee That yf they geue no eare ne regarde to them truely if one should arise again from death to life they would not heare him neither Than would they fynde stoppes and cauillacions that it were the walkyng of some ghoste or to bee some eiuill spirite By these wordes dyd the Lord Iesus couertely geue a nippe to the vnbeliefe of the Iewishe nacion who because thei did not in verai true dede beleue Moses and the prophetes doe euen yet still at this present crie out agaynst Christ also beeyng restored aliue oute of his sepulchre and nowe sitting on the righte hande of his father whereas in veraye dede they woulde beleue that hath bee doen yf they had truely beleued Moses and the prophetes tellyng shewyng long afore that it should so bee By this parable dyd Christe coumforte hys disciples who shoulde afterwarde for the loue of the kyngdome of heauen endure and abyde
There is nowe no more to do but that ye embrace the thing which is present lest whan that same day shal sodainly come whiche shal make perfect and shall shewe this kyngdome it fynde you vnreadye ¶ And he saied vnto his disciples the daies will come whan ye shall desire to see one daie of the soonne of man and ye shall not see it And thei shal saie to you see here see there Goe not after theim nor folowe theim For as the lightening that appereth out of the one parte that is vnder heauen and shineth vnto the other parte which is vnder heauen so shall the sonne of man bee in his daies but first muste be suffre manye thinges and be refused of this nacion And where the disciples neyther dyd not well vnderstande this who on their partes also dreamed that the yearthlye kyngdome of Israell shoulde bee greatly enlarged Iesus turnyng vnto them did so tempre his woordes as he myght make them to be alwaies ready against the last day of iudgement and yet take awaye from them the carefull searchyng of the tyme whan it shoulde bee and myght rather arme theÌ„ to the tempeste of the crosse euen than already veray nere approchyng The tyme saieth he vndoubtedly shall come whan ye shall desire to haue the fruicion of the syght of the sonne of manne but euen so muche as for one dayes space whereas now that he is presente manye an one dooe set naughte by hym and yet ye shall not haue your wishe nâ— desyre And yet shall there not want some persones who flatreyng the earnest fainesse of men shall attempte and make somewhat a dooe to shewe hym as thoughe he wer present saiyng loe here loe there but geue ye no credit to suche manier prophetes If they shal say Here he is amongest vs go not ye if they shal say loe yonder he is a ferre hens gooe ye not thyther to folowe theym Leate your beliefe be to credit suche thynges as ye see to haue been told and spoken afore by the holy prophetes and to be now at this present fulfilled This onely one thyng it was not goddes pleasure that is should bee made open to the world and therefore it pleased hym not that the tyme thereof shoulde bee knowen aforehand because it is so moste expediente for the health and saluacion of all men whom his will and mynde is that they bee in a readinesse againste all tymes and houres Therefore lyke as lightenyng soodainlye flashyng foorthe dooeth shewe his fierie brightenesse from one syde of the aier as ferre as the other syde against it before ye haue any perceiueraunce that any suche thing is to come so shall the cummyng of the soonne of man bee certes with no small glorye but yet vnloked for at suche a daye as hymself and no mo knoweth will in any wyse haue thesame to you vnknowen But his maiestie he shal not shewe foorth before that he shall haue throughly fulfylled the dispensacion of his lowenesse and humilitee For the waye to the brightenesse of the kyngdome of God must first bee shewed and the doore of the kyngdome of heauen muste first be opened that men maie entre in Otherwise to a veray smal benefite or commoditie should the kyngdome of God come for suche persones partes as haue not prepared themselfes to thesame Than ere the maiestâ—e shall shewe it selfe whiche ye dooe affeccionately desire before the due tyme the soonne of man must suffre manye thynges and muste bee condemned of this nacion to the ende that as in a fyer fyrst mounteth the smoke and than afterward shooteth vp the flame so maye the glorie of god more clerely shewe forth it self after the open shame and reproche of this worlde And as it happened in the daies of Noe so shall it bee also in the daies of the sonne of man Thei did eate and drinke thei maried wiues and wer maried euen vnto that sâ—â—e daie that Noe went vnto the arke the floud came and deâ—â—â—uied them al. Likewise also as it chaunced in the daies of Lot Thei did eate thei dranke thei bought thei solde they planted thei builded But euen thesame daie that Lot went out of zodome it rained with â—ier and brimstone from heauen and destruied them al. Euen thus shal it bee in the daie whan the sonne of man shal appere At that daie he that is on the house toppe his stuffe in the house leat him not come downe to take it out And leaâ—e not him that is in the field turne backe again to the thinges that he leaâ—t behinde Remembre Lottes wyfe But that the saied day may not take a man tardie the remedie and prouision is easie if euery one so prepaire hymself to be in a readinesse as though thesame day wer euen nowe euerie momente cumming at hande But men beyng wedded vnto the worlde will promysse and waraunt themselfes of a longer daye ere it come yea or that suche a day will neuer come at all and beyng carelesse by reason of suche hope they will idlely geue themselfes to their own lustes and appetites Therefore thesame chaunce shal come in the daies of the soonne of man whiche happened in the dayes of Noe. They toke wyues and they gaue out their daughters to mariage as though the floudde which was differred for a time would not haue come at al. But the euil misaueÌ„ture came soodainlye vpon theim tooke them tardy Onely Noe with a fewe mo was saued by meane of the Arke The residue perished euery one of them And eueÌ„ a muche like lighte also there was to bee sâ—one in the time of Lot for because there was some delay made of goddes vengeaunce thei conceiued an opinion that it should be vnpunyshed whatsoeuer synne they committed And therupoÌ„ beeyng voide of al care they eate and dranke they bought and sold thei plaÌ„ted set trees thei made buildinges But the stroke vengeaunce of god lighted soodainly vpon theim also whan they wer al voide of care thought nothing vpon it For the selfe same daye whan Lot forsooke the citie of Sodome and departed his waie thens it rained down fier and brimstone from heauen and sodainly destruied them al. And euen the veray same thing to see to shal there bee in the worlde whan the sonne of man shal soodainly shewe forth his maiestee Whansoeuer that daye shal growe come fast vpon the worlde leat al care of worldly thynges be shaken of Leat euery man in the present perill no more but looke for sauing himseâ—fe to escape as he may Therfore whoÌ„soeuer thatsame day shall find in the house toppe al his gooddes leaft beneath in his house leate him not go down to take away with him such gooddes as he hath there but leat him onely thynke vpoÌ„ sauyng of himself Semblably if the saied daye shal by chaunce sodainly finde any man abrode in the field leat him not flee home to escape it for the peril
of god And whoso casteth hymselfe doune in his owne herte shal be exalted on high in the sight of God They brought vnto him also young children that he should touche theÌ„ When his discyples â—â—we it they rebuked them But Iesus whan he had called them vnto him said Suffer children to cum vnto me and forbid them not For of suche is the kingdom of god Uerilye I saye vnto you Whosoeuer receiueth not the kingdom of god as a child shall not enter therein And beholde an other occasion whereby for the Lorde to commende vnto vs humilitie and softenes coupled with simplicitie and plainnesse Mothers brought their young babes vnto Iesus to the entente he should touche them and blisse them thinkyng that it shoulde come to passe that thesame chyldren should by that meanes be in the more safetie froÌ„ suche chaunces and diseases as that age is commonly woont to bee in daungier of The dyscyples whan they saw the thyng rebuked the women because thei did with suche tryftyng matters trouble the lorde hauyng otherwyse as they thoughte his handes ful enough of bussinesse already But Iesus although he knewe al thissame to bee dooen by his said disciples of a certayn good diligence declaring their readinesse to dooe their duetie towardes hym yet to expresse vnto vs an exaumple of simplicitie of humilitie and of innocencie and al vnder one to geue â— lessoÌ„ vnto pastours that they ought not to despise any body be he neuer so meane or so weake he called his disciples together vnto him saied Suffre ye the children to cum vnto me nor be not against it that thei may be brought vnto me for vnto suche belongeth the kyngdom of god Leat an exaumple be shewed foorth vnto all creatures that they may vnderstande to what degree of perfeccion they ought to grow These litle ones knowe no fashions of clokyng ne counterfaityng they are not acquaynted with pryde ne haultnesse of â—ooke they knowe not the way to strike agayn whan they are steiken they can no skill to geue reuiling wordes again thei know not what auarice meaneth they can no skill of ambicioÌ„ it is mere innoceÌ„cy that is in them it is mere simplicitie without any fraude or guile This woorde I saye vnto you to truste vnto the kyngdome of God receyueth none but suche as bee reforged and chaunged accordyng to this paterne Therfore onlesse a man cum to the doctrine of the gospell with the lyke simplicitie that these children are of he shal not enter into the kingdome of God And a certain rewler asked him saiyng Good maister what ought I to do to obtein eternall life Iesus said vnto him why callest thou me good None is good saue god onely Thou knowest the coÌ„maundemâ—â—es Thou shalt not coÌ„mitte aduoutry thou shalt not kill thou shalt not steale thou shalt not beaâ—e false witnesse honour thy father and thy mother And he said aâ— these haue I kept froÌ„ my youth vp Whan Iesus heard that he said vnto him yet lackest thou one thyng Sell al that thou hast and distribute vnto the poore thou shalte haue treasure in heauen and cum folowe me Whan he heard this he was sorye for he was very ryche Whan Iesus sawe that he was sorye he said With what difficultie shal they that haue money entre into the kingdom of god It is easier for a camel to go through a nedles iye then for a riche maÌ„ to enter into the kingdome of god And they that heard it said And who than can bee saued And he said The thynges whiche are vnpossible with men are possible with God Than agayne came there vnto Iesus one of the great states and the heademen as one that shoulde bee euen in verye facte a plain declaracion what it ment that Iesus had saied concernyng the state of chyldren And thus sayed the great man Good maister what maye I dooe to atteyne euerlastyng lyfe Than Iesus willyng to notifie that this surname good serueth to none but to god onely who of his very propre nature is good aunswered hym thus Why dooest thou cal me good None is good sauyng god only not for that the lorde dooeth not acknowlage the surname of good as due vnto hym as touchyng that he was God but because the sayed ryche man attributed the woorde good vnto Iesus as beeyng a man yea and woulde peraduenture haue taken it to himself too if any such occasion had cum in place He therfore did not after a right sorte call Iesus good whom he did not yet beleue to bee god And for this cause did the lord at that time refuse the honour of this title because he wel vnderstâ—de the demaunder of the question not to be vtterly voyde of swellyng pryde as one that thought himself to abounde in many good woorkes And Iesus because he would shewe foorth the mannes sore saied Thou knowest the preceptes of Moses lawe that is to wete Thou shalt not kyll thou shalt not committe aduoutrye Thou shalt not doe thefte Thou shalt not beare false witnesse Honour thy father and thy mother To these woordes sayed the other as one myndyng to beare a way a prayse and commendacion of perfite righteousnesse Al these poyntes euery one of them haue I duely kept euen from the beginnyng of my youth This saiyng was not ferre from that saiyng of the Pharisee aboue specified but it was a great dele short of the symplicitie of the young chyldren laâ—t afore declared One faulte therfore there was opened hereby but there was an other priuie faulte hidden besides also whiche made him vnapte for the kyngdome of God Iesus therefore because he woulde discouer the other fault too said Thou lackest one pointe yet That if thou wylt enter the kingdome of the gospell goe thy waies sell all that euer thou hast in thy possession and by distributyng it abrode in almes to the poore laye vp a treasure for thy selfe in heauen That dooen beeyng free and rydde from all lette and vncoumbraunce come than and folowe me The sayed demaunder whan he had heard these wordes was striken with great sorow for he was exceding ryche He was not yet reduced nor broughte to the paterne of a young child forasmuche as the loue of rychesse had possessed his herte Than Iesus seing hym to depart an heauy man who did in suche sort sue for to come to the blisse of the kyngdome of heauen that neuerthelesse he coulde not contemne the rychesse of this world turned to his disciples and as one beyng in a great meruail he saied How hardely shall those whiche are heauy laden with the burden of rychesse enter into the kyngdome of God through the narowe gate For an easier thing it is for a camell to perce through the iye of a nedle then for a riche man to entre the kingdoÌ„e of god The disciples beeyng with these woordes sore troubled in their myndes saied If no ryche maÌ„ do entre thyther who
hath gayned tenne pounde And he sayed vnto hym well thou good seruaunte because thou hast been feithfull in a veraye lytle thyng haue thou autoritie ouer tenne cities And another came saying Lord thy pound hath made fyue pound And to thesame he sayed be thou rewler also ouer fiue cyties And another came saying Lorde beholde here is thy pounde which I haue kept in a napkyn for I feared thee because thou arte a streight man thou takest vp that thou laydest not down and reapest that thou diddest not sowe He sayeth vnto hym Of thyne owne mouthe wyll I iudge thee thou eiuell seruaunte Knowest thou that I am a streight man taking vp that I layed not downe and reapyng that I dyd not sowe And wherfore gauest not thou my money into the banke and at my cummyng I might haue requyred myne owne with vauntage And he sayed vnto them that stoode by take from hym that pounde and geue it to hym that hath tenne pounde And they sayed vnto hym Lorde he hath tenne pounde For I saye vnto you that vnto euery one whiche hath shal be geuen and he shall haue aboundaunce and from hym that hath not shal be taken awaye euen that whiche he hath Moreouer those myne enemies which would not that I shoulde reigne ouer them bryng hither and sleagh them before me By this talke Iesus did declare that from hensfoorth none ought to glory in the obseruyng of the lawe but whatsoeuer good qualitie or gyfte of grace had happened vnto any man by the bounteous liberalitie of god yâ— same should bee wholy employed to suche ende that we maye drawe veray many men to grace and saluacion thereby For with suche kinde of gaynes is God moste speciallye delited who had sent his owne sonne for this purpose that freely forgeuyng theyr synnes he might ioyne all the nacions of the world vnto him And in dede some there were emong the disciples which thought that as soone as he were once come to Ierusalem whiche he begoonne nowe to drawe somewhat nere vnto the kyngdome of heauen wold immediately appere of whiche he had so many tymes made mencion wherin their imaginacion ranne vpon some kingdome lyke to a worldely reygne whereas Christ ment of a reigne of the spirite euangelicall by meane wherof the tyrannie of synnes is oppressed and troden vnder foote And that kyngdome certes consisteth not in puissaunce of armed souldiers in weapon or in force of handes but in feith and truste in god but in beneficiall goodnesse towardes the neighbour but in mercifulnesse towardes offendours but in sincere and liberall dispensyng of the worde of God But as for the maiestie of this kyngdome whiche shall honourablye rewarde the godly with immortall glorye and shall adiudge the wiekedde vnto endlesse tormentes he declared that it should not streightwayes bee shewed foorth but shoulde bee made open and manifest at the due tyme beeyng to vs vnknowen And ferther that we shoulde in the meane season by all meanes and wayes employe our earnest diligence that the good gyfte or qualitie that euerye bodye hath he should first remembre to bee the lordes moneye to whome we are debtours for al that we haue that the money whiche we haue so receyued oughte vprightly and feythfully to bee destributed abrode to the gaynes and profite of thesame Lorde not that he hath nede of any manier thyng but because that of his charitie and loue towardes mankynde he thirsteth the redemyng saluacion of all creatures and thynketh himselfe encreaced with a great auauntage and gayne yf one man emende by another from viciousnesse and bee conuerted from vice to the earnest exercise of godly deuocion whereby he maye haue what to rewarde in both parties aswel the one that helpeth with doyng benefite as also the other which hath been holpen For there is nothyng that we maye in this behalfe take into our own possession eyther of prayse oâ—els of thanke We are seruauntes euery one of vs and of bounden dutie owe our beste labour and seruice All the stocke of the money is his euery whyt of it yea and oweneâ— he is of vs ourselfes too we must no more but labour euery man to the best of his power to encrease the Lordes substaunce As touchyng the reward leat vs leaue the arbitrement there of to the Lorde who will at his conuenient tyme moste largely rewarde our prompte wil and our faithful endeuouring The discourse of the parable is this here ensuing A certain man of nobilitie and great power toke a voyage into a ferre countrey to recouer the possessioÌ„ of a realme into his haÌ„des again which an other had through tiraÌ„ny vsurped and preueÌ„ted the possessioÌ„ of afore and that doeÌ„ to returne home again But this great man before he entred his iourney called together certain of his seruauntes which he had to the numbre of tenne and deliuered teÌ„ne poundes vnto them in sort that there was an equal diuisioÌ„ of this stocke of money indifferently among them al and therwithal gaue them in commission This money saieth he I deliuer vnto you not to coÌ„sume it wastfully or to kepe it idle in your haÌ„ds but that it may eÌ„creace by the trade of occupiyng and to the ende that beyng returned home againe I may fynde my substaunce well encreased at home And all thinges thus sette in ordre at home he went forth on his voyage And so it was that the inhabitauntes of the citie whiche he was rewler and gouernour of hated hym Wherupon as soone as he was gon foorth on his iourneye they begoone to treacte of a chaunge attemptyng suche a matter that while he wer in recoueryng his other kyngdome he should be expulsed out of that that he had than already in possession Upon this they sent ambassadours vnto hym beeyng nowe a good waye onwarde on his iourney to make relacion vnto hym that his subiectes were of suche mynde that from henceforth they woulde no longer haue hym to their kyng and that therfore he should not make the labour any more to returne home again to theim from whence he had taken that present voiage But so it befell that whaÌ„ he had recouered into his possession the other kyngdome for whiche he had taken the saied voiage he returned home agayne to his owne realme and commauÌ„ded his seruauntes to bee called before him to whom he had to fore deliuered the stocke of tenne poundes that the audite and accouÌ„ptes duely made he myght knowe how muche euerye of them had gotten of clere gaynes The first came foorth who beyng demaunded of his accoumpt saied My lord thy pounde is enprowed to the summe of tenne poundes Whose industry and fidelitie his lord muche praisyng aunswered well saied my good seruaunte forasmuche as whan my substaunce was suche as might haue lien in a narow roume thou hast in a litle summe of money declared thy selfe faythfull trustie and louyng toward thy maister nowe that my substaunce is enlarged it is reason and
conscience that thou bee partaker of my welthyer state Take thou vnto thee the rule of tenne cities After this seruaunt cuÌ„meth the seconde who beyng required his accoumpte sayed My Lorde thy pounde which thou deliueredst me for a stocke to occupy hath encreased fiue pouÌ„des to thy behoufe This mannes industrie also though inferiour to the other yet his lord did very well commende and accordyng to the rate of thine industrye sayeth he bee thou also a rewler ouer fiue cities WhaÌ„ the resydue also vpon their accoumpte and rekenyng made and geuen vp had bene rewarded with some dignitie euery one according to their rate more or lesse at last came a seruaunt euen one alone the moste slouthfull luske of all that euer were and of the wurste honestie to bee put in truste or credite Who whan his mayster required his streight accoumpte made him this aunswere My lord behold here I bryng you againe the pounde whiche ye put me in truste withall I haue kepte it euer sence that tyme hitherto safely layed vp in a cloute because ye should haue it agayn safe and sound as it was I haue so well auoided to be a wastfull spender of it that I haue not so muche as once touched it with my handes And so thought I better to doe then to come in hasarde or perill leste if mine occupiyng had ill framed I should haue had buisines with you For I was afrayed of you as one not ignoraunt what a rigorous cruell maÌ„ ye are and couetous of lucre in so muche that ye will not onely geue nothing of your owne but also wil take away from thence where ye layed nothing at all and will gather in haruest froÌ„ suche places where ye neuer sowed grain Than the lorde not onely offended with the slouthfulnesse of his seruauÌ„t but also for that he laied his owne faulte on the condicions of his mayster beyng throughly out of pacience he sayed Thou slouthfull seruaunt and vntrustie felowe yea and moreouer a false accuser of thy maister thou hast geuen sentence against thine owne head Thou knowest thou sayest that I am a rygorous cruel man and couetous of lucre takyng vp money froÌ„ thence where I layed downe none and reaping there where I sowed nothyng at all And yet thatsame very pointe ought to haue quickened the to some actiuitie in best yrâ—yng thee to haue deliuered foorth my money to the kepers of the banke For I would doubtelesse haue comen and would haue streightly required it together with the encrease of entresse because I had for suche a purpose put it into thy handes that it should encrease through thee At these wordes of the lord whan the vnprofitable seruaunte helde his peace and had not a woord to speake the lord said to the others that stode by Take ye a way the pound from hym and geue it vnto hym that hath the tenne poundes The other seruauntes meruailyng therat sayed my lorde what nedeth to geue hym here any more he is ryche and welthy enough For he hath tenne pounde Than saied the Lord It forceth not to you what he hath So haue I thoughte it good and so dooeth it stande with reason and equitie in this rekenyng that whose hath with his faithful industrie encreased his maisters substauÌ„ce my bounteous goodnesse muste vnto suche an one geue some ferther surplusage to the ende he maie styll haue more and more aboundaunce Contrariewise whoso hath by reason of his slouthfulnesse gotten hymselfe no gaynes at all suche an ones nede shal my liberalitie so litle helpe that euen the very same that he hath too shal be taken away from him The stocke was mine and the gaines and encrease therof due to me your partes it was to perfourme your due labour Now I bountifully geue vnto you bothe the stocke and also the encrease of thesame Thus farre the Lord Iesus did by a derke and mystical fourme of speakyng teache his disciples that in the buisy trade of preachyng the ghospell euery man oughte to shewe hymselfe faythfull and industrious euen to the vttermoste and as for theyr rewarde to looke for at the secounde coming of the lorde at what time he shal nowe appere mightie and high after that the kingdome of the church shal be recouered into his handes and deliuered vp to his father For at the first Iesus was knowen but in Iewry onely he seemed to be but a litle king or duke of one citie and no more whan the deiuyll reygned without redresse throughout all the vnyuersall nacyons of the worlde as in a royalme that was an other mannes and none of hys And the same Iesus couetyng to recouer into hys owne possessyon agayne throughe preachyng the ghospell that Satan had by tyrannye entred vpon leafte the lande of the Iewes and tooke a voyage into heauen but not till he had firste diligentlye enstructed hys dyscyples to the trade of occupying in the affayres of the ghospell whiche hys discyples he put in truste with the dyspensacyon of the woorde of God conteyned in the ghospell as a certayne stocke to playe the occupiers withall wherof great gaynes might growe vnto the lorde beyng righte couetous of suche mannier encrease and he put them in truste that they should draw vnto the kingdome of the gospel whomesoeuer they might Publicanes harlottes souldiers Grekes Romaynes Scithians Frenchemen Gothians Sarmatians and all others And that thys they shoulde doe vntill the lordes returne who will come againe in the ende of this worlde to distribute vnto euery one euerlastyng rewardes for theyr dedes And come agayne will he not onlesse he shall firste haue subdued the worlde to the domynyon and empire of the ghospell and all the nacyons of the whole worlde to ioyne together into one churche and congregacion But whyle he earnestely goeth about thys by meane of hys disciples the Iewes emong whome alone and no moe God hitherto seemed for to reigne by reason of theyr knowlage of the lawe and of the autoritie and beeing in the right trade of religyon beeing his subiectes of whome and emong whome he was borne whereas they oughte specially aboue all others to haue loued him and by all mannier meanes to sticke to hym in recoueryng hys kingdome dyd not onely doe hym no helpe at all but also were a lette agaynsâ—e hym crying beefore the chyefe Iustice and iudge We haue no kyng but Ceasar And the selfe same thyng dydde they agayne afterwarde playnelye denouncyng vnto the Apostles and commaundyng them to make no more mencion from that tyme furthewarde of the name of Iesus Moyses they were willyng to haue to theyr kyng Christe woulde they none of For they hated him because he contraryed theyr naughtie lustes and appetites We see euen yet still at this day too after what sorte the nacyon of the Iewes haue withdrawen themselues from the kyngdome of the gospell and with howe stiffe and stubberne hatefulnes they haue conspired agaynst hym vnto whome is geuen by his father all power in
the bisshops and the diuynes that is to wete for theyr couetise theyr ambicion and theyr tirannie And albeit neyther of these both dooeth commonly loue the others yet by wicked collusyon they diligentlye ayde and mayntayne eyther others forwarde to the suppressyng and destruiyng of the trueth of Goddes woorde And truely the pernicyons conspiryng of suche causeth more mischiefe and castyng away of men in the worlde now then the conspiracie of the bisshopes scrybes phariseys and headmen of the people did at those dayes emong the Iewes ¶ The .xx. Chapter ¶ And it fortuned in one of those daies as he â—aught the people in the temple and preached the gospell the high priestes and the scribes came together with the elders spake vnto him saying Tell vs by what autoritie dooest thou these thinges Eyther who is he that gaue thee this autoritie Iesus aunswered and sayd vnto them I also wil aske you one thing and aunswere me The baptisme of Iohn was it from heauen or of men And they thought within themselues saying if we saye from heauen he will say Why than beleue ye him not But if we say of men all the people will stone vs. For they be persuaded that Iohn is a prophete And they aunswered that they could not tell whens it was And Iesus sayed vnto them neyther tell I you by what autoritie I dooe these thynges AN occasyon therfore is sought that although theyr faynesse to putte Christe to death was vngodly yet they might afore men seme to dooe it of an earnest zele and fauour to righteousenesse It befell therefore vpon a certayne daye that as Iesus was â—eaching the people in the temple and was styll dylygently repeating vnto them the newes gladsome to bee wished for of euerlastyng saluacyon the sayde hygh pryestes together with the scribes the phariseis and the chiefe men of the lattee being in a confederacie did assemble together in a clustre to the ende they might at leastwise by theyr autoritie bridle Iesus from the teachyng of his holy doctryne They â—ould not condeÌ„ne his wondrefull actes to be naught whiche he had in so great a noumber wrought in presence and sighâ—e of the people They were not hable to confounde his doctrine forasmuch as it was altogether consonaunt and agreable with the law and with the will of God Upon thys ground therfore doe they deuyse theyr slaundreous querell agaynste hym that thys autoritie to bee a teacher of the people he had taken vpon hym of hymselfe where he oughte to haue receiued it aâ— their handes wherein theyr drift was none other but either to take ouer vnto themselues the glory whiche was due vnto God or elles thereupon to frame some surmuised querelle of mouyng a sedicion to charge Christe withall in that he called the people together and kepte them about hym without the publique autoritie of the prynces They goe therfore altogether into the temple to Iesus saying If thy will bee that we also shoulde beleue in thee tell vs by what autorytie thou dooest all thyssame that thou dooeste Thou doest baptise thou doest preache thou healest folkes on the Sabboth dayes thou reacheste in the temple thou gatherest disciples about thee thou calleste people from theyr home and businesse and kepeste them with thee Thou arte a manne to vs vnknowen and as for publique autoritie or power haste thou none at all Therefore who is it that hath geuen thee thys autoritie But Iesus veraye well perceyuyng thys questyon to haue proceded from a wiâ—ked thoughte in them that is to wete of a purpose to laye some surmuised matier vnto hym and not to learne went not about to teache them but damped theyr malice with an other question agayne as if a bodye shoulde dryue out one nayle with an other out of a bourde For they had had Iohn the Baptiste in veraye great estimacion and had come very thicke vnto hym whan he baptised And he sayde Iohn also had gathered disciples vnto hym and he also preached to great multitudes of people in soundrye places of the wildernesse and about â—â—â—ime Iordane the kingdom of god to approche he boldly and frankely declared the damnable vices of all persones indifferently and prouoked them to repentaunce And yet had not Iohn neyther anye autorytie geuen hym of the priestes the Phariseis and the chyefe men of the laytie but he had come furth out of the wildernesse as a manne but newly come vp of late being enspired and sente of God accordyng to the Prophecye of Esaie But the question of these headmen beyng put foorth as a bayre to take hym in a trippe ment none other conclusyoâ— ne purpose but thys In case Christe had aunswered thatsame autoritie to had bene geuen hym of God they would haue accused hym of blasphemie in that he beeyng but a manne tooke vpon hym that he had familiare talke or conuersacyon with God And as for the bishoppes the Phariseis and the scribes he had had no suche autoritie geuen hym by them It remayned than by the conclusyon of theyr argumente that the power whiche he tooke vpon hym was sediciouse and comen of the instinete of Satan For they were veraye stiffe in thys poynâ—te that all power autoritie of God was by due succession come vnto them and none others and that nothyng was deuoutly or godly executed whiche were not executed and dooen by autoritie of them And yet all the while beyng bâ—ynded with hatred they had no remembraunce how they had highly regarded Iohn tofore doing thynges sembleable without any autoritie of all of men yea in so muche that they woulde in anye wyse holde an argumente that Iohn was the Messyas sauing that Iohn wrought no miracles And yet for thys behalfe of working miracles they ought so much the lesse to haue iangled for murmoured against Christe No nor thys poynte neyther came not to theyr mynde that God of long continuaunce afore tymes hadde geuen thys kynde of power whan he spake by hys prophetes The autoritie of the Prophetes they receyued and alowed but the thing foreshewed by the prophetes they woulde not receiue The lorde therefore beeyng mynded to defeacte the malicious policie and the loutishe false packyng of them shaped them an aunswere in thys mannyer Before that I make any aunswere vnto your demaunde I on my partie also will demaunde a certayne questyon of you whiche ye will be hable quickly to despetche with a woorde And as soone as ye shall haue despetched that than will I make aunswere vnto your question that ye nowe demaunde of me Tel me thys The baptysme that Iohn minystred vnto the people whether was it from heauen or elles from menne And by whose auctoritie dyd he baptise whether receyuyng it from heauen by the power of God or els receyuyng it at your handes The peruerse conseyence of the Iewes had at once a smelle and felyng of thys forked questyon whiche the sophisters call an horned question because that to whether
treasourie He sawe also a certain poore wedowe whiche cast in thither twoo mytes And he saied of a trueth I saie vnto you that this poore wedowe hath putte in more then thei al. For thei all haue of their surperfluitie added vnto the offreinges of God but she of her penurie hath cast in all the substaunce that she had ANd to the entente the Lord Iesus would the more diepelye enpriente the foresaied matter in the hertes of the people whiche was that men are not estemed in the sight of God by thynges visible but by sinceritie of the herte and also mighte checke the couetise of the Scribes of the Phariseis and of the preestes who broughte the people in an earneste beliefe and in especial selie fond weomen that were wedowes if they were welthie riche or els not that it was the higheste poynete of holinesse that coulde be if they dyd contribute a verai great porcion of their best substaunce into the corbone â–ª that is their churche treasurie of Iewels and offreynges the pouertie in the meane whyle ouerpassed yea and many tymes their children parentes too as he was sitting in the â—emple he cast vp his iyes vnto thatsame place whiche is called Eazophilacium that is to say the Iewelhouse or â—extrye or treasourie in the whiche the Iewels of the temple were kepte The priestes would in any wise haue this moneye reputed so holye that where the lawe had specially commaunded that the parentes should be honoured theyr doctryne was that the father ought rather to bee least vnholpen theÌ„ the corbon not to bee encreased wheras that money yet neuerthelesse through the default and abusion of the priestes was now alreadye a great parte of it turned to the mainteinaunce of the sensuall excessiue liuyng of thesame priestes onely So whan manie ryche and welthie persones had cast many thynges into the treasourie and had muche countenaunce and sygnes of allowing them for casting in suche money made vnto theim by the priestes and Phariseis as Goddes creatures for their so dooyng there came thither a certain selie poore wedowe who cast in twoo mytes or littell brasse pens of money as muche as came to a ferthyng And when no yearthly creature at all would once make any signe of commendyng her because she gaue but a littel yet was it Iesus pleasure that the godly deuocion of this woman should bee knowen to the people For he saied This wedowe semeth by the iudgemente of men to haue putte a veraye smal porcioÌ„ into the treasourie but thesame woman by the iudgemente of God hath cast in more then those other riche persones whiche haue veraye largelye dooen For they are liberall of the superfluitie whiche they haue at home but this poore wedowe vpon an earneste zele and deuocion of dooyng her duetye vnto God hath geuen of her penurie whereas she had full great nede to haue kepte it still and all the substaunce whiche she had at home she hath nowe cast into the treasourie In the sighte of God therefore who hathe not an iye to the quantitie of the thing but to the herte of the geuer she gaue a more bouÌ„teous offreyng then the others whiche gaue a greate dele more in quantitie Thus Iesus by euerye occasion withdrewe his disciples from puttyng affiaunce or truste in thynges that maie bee seene wherunto the Iewes dyd attribute ouer muche vnto the earnest exercise of euangelicall deuocion and godlinesse which consisteth in the syncere affeccion of the herte ¶ And vnto some that spake of the temple how it was garnished with goodly stones and Iewels he saied The daies will come in the whiche of those thinges which ye se there shal not be leaft one stone vpon an other that shal not be throwen downe And they asked him saiyng Maister whan shal these thinges be and what signe wil there be whan such thinges come to passe And he saied take â—ede that ye â—ee not deceyued For manye shall come in my name and saie that they are Christe and the tyme draweth nere Folowe ye not them therfore But whan ye heare of warres and sedicions be not afraied For those thinges must first come to passe but the ende foloweth not byandby Than saied he vnto them Nacion shall arise against nacion and kingdome against kingdome great yearth quakes shal be in al places and hungre pestileÌ„ce and feareful thinges And great signes shall there bee from heauen Now so it was that the Iewes had an especiall glorie in their temple of Hierusalem the whiche because it was excedyng curiously builded and also enriched with many high and precious Iewels was visited with great religion not onely of al the Iewes but also of aliens men of other straunge nacioÌ„s And nowe was the tyme come that the religion of thesame materiall temple with the sacrifices and oblacions to thesame belongyng should ceasse and the temple of mannes herte beeyng consecrated with the holy ghost should be prepared for God in which there should most acceptable sacrifices be daily offred vnto hym not of bruite beastes but of godly praiers and thaÌ„kes geuyng For the pure herte yea euen of euery poore body is a more portelye and gorgeous temple to God then was the saied most sumpteous teÌ„ple of Ierusalem whiche had been so many yeres in edifiyng Chastitie humilitie charitye or perâ—â—â—câ—e loue towardes al men been ornamentes a great dele more precious in the syght of God then that other marble pillours the garnishing of yuerye the tymbrewoorke of cedretâ—e the golde the siluer and the precious stones whereof the priestes and Phariseis made so muche greate pryde and shewe And so whan certaine persones made a poynctyng and a shewyng to Iesus towardes the woondrefull buildyng of the temple whiche was edified with the moste pure stone that coulde bee and thesame stone bothe poolished keruen with greate woorkmanship of masonrie and was ferther more with many Iewels gaie richely beseen he aunswered prepaire ye vnto God a ghostlye temple whyche neither oldnesse maie eate vp with rottyng neither any teÌ„peste maie ouerthrowe nor fier maie burne vp ne any power of man maie destruâ—e or caste downe For the time shall shortely come whan all these thynges whiche ye dooe now make so muche meruailyng and gazyng at as thynges woorthie and mete for God shal bee throwen downe euen to the foundacion yea in so much that there shal not so muche as one stone be left standyng vpon an other but that it shall bee destruied The disciples this hearyng coÌ„iecturyng euen of those veray wordes that the kyngdome of heauen was now not ferre of whiche kingdoÌ„e they supposed and imagined should come with a greate chaunge turning vpsyde down of the world beeyng gredye men to knowe the tyme whan these thinges should come dooe saie vnto the Lorde Maister al thissame that thou speakest of castyng downe of the temple and of the vttre destruyng of the cytye of Hierusalem what daie or
whan shall it cumme to passe or by what signe maie we bee hable to knowe the saied tyme to be alreadye come But Iesus whose wyll is to haue his disciples euermore in a readinesse against all assaultes of eiuyll mysauentures dyd by his doubtfull and entrieked communicacion sette theyr myndes in suspence perplexitie makyng a medley of many soondrye matters together concernyng affliccions which they should afterwarde abide for preachyng the ghospel concernyng the beatyng down and the miserable plague of the citie of Hierusalem and concernyng the ende of the worlde the houre and tyme whereof it was his pleasure to haue vnknowen to all creatures to the entent they should continually euermore be in a readinesse The disciples mindes ranne altogether vpon a kyngdome But the Lorde was more willyng to haue theim knowe the thyng that did more nerelye touche them and to knowe those other matters the veray speakyng and mencionyng whereof their hertes vttrely abhorred because thei wer as yet but weake and fraill menne For they had better fansie and will to heare woordes pleasaunt to the eare of worldelye coumforte and solace then to heare thynges concernyng the coumforte of the soule health The foresaied blessed reigne will one daye surely come and at his due tyme wil it come but the care and charge thereof it is moste expediente to put in the handes of God and to leat hym alone withall our partes it is in the meane tyme so to behaue our selues that we maye not seme vnworthye of that kyngdome For there is no cummyng to the glorye of thesame reigne but by meane of soondrye affliccions Against such affliccions it behoueth our hertes to be well armed Iesus therefore saied Oute of all doubtes come I will and displeigh the maiestie of the reigne Euangelicall But see ye yâ— ye bee not seduced enbracing an other Christe in stede of me For before the prefixed tyme at whiche I wyll come there will come many whiche wyll vsurpe my name vnto them and will boldely auouche of themselfes and saie I am Christ. The tyme is at hande Be not ye any thyng moued with the wordes of such in case they shall call you any whether goe not ye after theim Ueraily when ye shall heare al the worlde to be in a garboile of sedicioÌ„s of warres manye persones shall plaie the prophetes and shall allege the ende of the world to approche But be not ye any thyng feared with suche rumours as though the last daie be euen than byanby at hande For in dede suche thynges as these shal fortune but the ende of the worlde cometh not euen streight waie in the necke thereof For these shall bee nothyng els but certain preauÌ„bles of the said extreme distresse which shall bee to the eiuil sorte an vttre castyng awaie and to the good it shal bee an examinacion or triall a purifâ—yng of them As whan the bodye is towardes the poyncte of diyng the signes tokens therof be stroÌ„g diseases hauing come vp growen in thesame bodyes through an vnnaturall disteÌ„perature of the humours so shall these terrible coÌ„mocioÌ„s and hurleyburley foreshew the end of the world which hurleyburley maÌ„ns self doeth procure vnto hymselfe by reason that he is infected with inordinate lustes affeccions Through mans peruersenes shal the veray nature of thynges be shaken out of al due ordre course detestyng as it wer the malice of man strongly ensourgeyng for the redresse aueÌ„gemente of their vngraâ—â—â—usnesse With greate vproares garboile shal there bee arisinges of nacion against nacion royalme against royalme And whereas there is nothyng more distresseful theÌ„ warre yet doeth man purchace wilfully procure this pernicious confusion vnto hymselfe through aÌ„bicion through folye through couetise through hatred and throughe other lyke corrupt affeccions Yea verai nature selfe shal ouer besides the premisses cause many sore yearthquakes in many soondrye places in sorte as though the world tooke high skorne disdeigne for that it wer forced to beare men beeing suche vngodly wicked creatures There shal morouer cum great pestileÌ„ces which by their infeccion shal waste awaie coÌ„sume a mightie great nouÌ„bre of people in sort as though the aire were armed weaponed to doe vengeaunce vpoÌ„ the ciuil sort whereas it was for this purpose first ordeined sette for maÌ„nes vse that with it holsome breath it should bothe geue nourish life vnto al creatures Ferthermore throughe penurie of the fruites of the yearth there shall come famiÌ„ne in case as yf the yearth should say that she would not geue foode vnto her children being so wicked agaysnt God to whom eueÌ„ the dumme elementes also doe their bounden seruice duetie The sea also shal bee throughly moued with strauÌ„ge vnwont rages of tumbleyng and tossing wheras thesame too had aforetymes been accustomed to serue to the vse of man Yea besides all the premisses the veray skye and heauen shal shewe woondreful signes testifiyng the wrathe of God For the sunne shal bee turned to derkenesse the moone into 〈◊〉 blasyng sterres shal in straunge likenesse shewe theimselfes other vnnaturall woonders shall appere beeyng vncouth worthie to bee meruayled 〈◊〉 But lyke as a mannes bodye â–ª doeth not streight waie passe out of the world whaÌ„ it is strieken with extreme great sickenesses and yet neuertheles thesame or 〈◊〉 lyke diseases euer now than cummyng vnto him taking him agayn 〈◊〉 declare that the tyme of his death is not ferre of right so whan the world 〈◊〉 with such manier eiuils as aforesaied be ratleed an shaken together yesame euils shal geue a great significacion tokening of the world drouping now apaâ—â— towardes his last date and faste growyng towardes decaye and ruine But before al these thinges they shall laie handes on you and persecute you deliueryng you vp to the Sinagogues and into priesoÌ„s and shall bring you vnto kinges rewlers for my names sake And this shal chaunce you for a testimoniall Bee at a sute poyncte therefore in your hertes not to studie before what ye shal answer For I wil geue you a mouth and wisedome where against al your aduersaries shal not be hable to speake or to resiste But ere thissame woefull distresse shall thus cease vpon all the world at once there shal excedyng great peruersenesse of men come afore which shal prouoke the goodnesse of god to wrathe For whan ye shall preache my name throughe whiche they maye be saued they shal laie handes vpon you and shal persecute you with al kynde of dooyng yll or mischiefe vnto you they shal hale you and pul you vnto their counsaile houses of assemblie as though ye wer culpable malefactours Thei shal ferthermore cast you in prieson thei shal aâ—taine and condemne you at the benches of kinges and rewlers not for anye youre transgression but for your great and high well dooyng that is to wete for the professing
disciples The partie shal byanby know the title of maister euen as an other did one day acknowlage thee calling of me Lorde at what time ye vntyed the Asses colte This partie shall without any delaye shewe you a great wyde parlour with a bourde already couered and all thynges prepared for a repast there to be taken in it and there make ye the pascall lambe ready for me Nowe consider me this point o frēde Theophilus an hoste of none acquaintaunce it is that findeth Christe the parloure to suppe in and a bearer of water is that leder vnto the house where Christ kepeth the solemnitie of his pasche For by meane of baptisme and by the doctrine of gods woord is the entering into the churche the liuely water of gods word doeth clense and the water also of the sacrament doeth clense The good mā of the house hath no name expressed because the churche of Christe is euerywhere springyng first vp of derke and lowe beginnynges but spreadyng it self ferther ferther abrode frō day to day into the whole vniuersal world And because the beginnyng of all health and saluacion is faith the discyples beleue the lord and are obediently rewled by him They departe into the citie they fynde him that was carriyng the pitcher of water they folowe thesame as he goeth before and leadeth the way They declared to the good mā of the house suche message as they had been cōmaunded He sheweth theim a great large dinyng parlour For wyde large it must nedes be which is able to receiue all the naciōs of the worlde For the Iewes Synagogue is but a place of narow roume And ferre frō earthly thinges must such people be sequestred as are disposed to eate the meate celestiall Here in this place than do the disciples prepare the supper verily executyng the office of pastours And whan the houre was cum he sate doune and the twelue Apostles with him And he said vnto thē I haue inwardly desired to eate this passeouer with you before that I suffre for I say vnto you henceforth I wil not eate of it any more vntill it bee fulfilled in the kingdome of god And he toke the cuppe gaue thankes and said Take this and deuide it among you for I say vnto you I will not drinke of the fruite of the vyne vntill the kingdom of god be come And he toke bread whan he had geuen thankes he brake it and gaue vnto thē saiyng This is my body which is geuen for you This do in the remēbraunce of me Likewise also whan he had supped he toke the cuppe saiyng This cuppe is the newe testament in my bloud which is shed for you Yet behold the hand of him that betraieth me is with me on the table and truely the soonne of man goeth as it is appoynted But woe vnto that man by whom he is betrayed And they began to enquire among themselfes whiche of them it was that shoulde dooe it And whan it was nowe supper tyme Iesus came thyther and sate downe to eate with his twelue specially chosen disciples because the residue were not yet able to receiue the depe hiddē mistery whiche his pleasure was that it should by meane of his Apostles be made common vnto such as were once already entred in the misticall rules and profession of the ghospell Than as sone as meate and drynke was sette before theim on the table the lord to the entent he might depely enprient in the mindes of his Apostles that he would suffre the death of the crosse not for any necessitie at all to himself warde but onely for the loue of redemyng mankynde sayed vnto theym With great and earnest desire haue I desired to eat this pascal lābe with you before my death the time wherof I reioyce to be now come because I thirst the redēpcion of man For this woorde I assure you of from this tyme forthward I wyll not eate this pasche with you according to the litterall ordeinaunce and prescripcion of the lawe but an other pasche of more perfeccion shal after the spirite bee accomplished in the kyngdome of god This lambe here whiche is euery yere once solēnely killed of the Iewes cōprised a figure of my death Now is the true thyng self come in place and the shadow shall ceasse ye shal from hensforth solemnise vnto me a ghostly and an effectuall passeouer the eatyng whereof shall make you immortall So after that they had euery one tasted of the lambes fleashe Iesus tooke the cuppe in his hande and gaue thankes vnto his father than geuing the firste assaye of the cuppe and holdyng it foorth vnto them he sayed vnto his disciples Take ye and deuide ye this emongst you And take ye this for a true woorde of my mouth I wyll not from hensforth drynke of the fruite of the vynetree for the necessitie of the fleashe but the kyngdome of God shall immediately bee present Euery one of these thynges whiche the lawe hath had outward and carnall shall be spiritually shewed and ministred And thus ferre is an ende of the figures of the lawe Immediatly hereupon the lorde Iesus entendyng by a misticall figure or token to consecrate to his seruauntes a newe testament tooke breade and after thankes geuing to his father he brake it with his owne handes and deliuered it vnto the disciples saying This is my body whiche is betrayed vnto death for you My death shall not be doen any more then this once For this onely one sacrifice of my death is sufficient for the synnes of all ages and tymes aswell paste as to come But ye shall oftentymes renewe vnto yourselues the memory of my tendre loue towardes you dooyng the lyke emong your selues that ye nowe see doen of me For this shal be an high and holy signe of a bande and league made betwene me and you Than as soone as supper was doen he tooke the cuppe also and reachyng it foorth to them he sayed This is the newe testament consecrated not with the bloud of a calfe or a goat but with mine owne bloude whiche is poured foorth for the redemyng and sauing of you ye haue nowe the highest token and pledge that can be of myne entier loue towardes you And in dede there ought to bee a like loue in you towardes me agayne but yet there is one here at the table emongest you who will betraye me into the handes of them whiche seke me vnto death Neither is all this doen by casualtie but it is so prefixed by the determinacion of God it is so foreshewed by the prophetes that the sonne of man should by suche a processe redeme mankynde Indede a good necessarie poynt of seruice it is that he doeth herein towardes the vniuersal redempciō of man but yet because he doeth it of a wicked minde thesame thyng shall in conclusion turne to his damnacion the whiche shal bee the instrumente of saluacion to others The determinacion of
god dooeth not drawe hym to this deiuelishe acte but he is ledde thereunto of his owne inordinate couetise This saying of Iesus sore dismayed all theyr hertes and caste them in a great passion and they begon to aske and serche emong themselues who it shoulde be of whome Iesus had spoken Not one of them knew hymself culpable in his conscience besydes Iudas Iscarioth onely and yet durste not one of them truste his owne selfe in the matter Notwithstandyng Iesus bewrayed not his betrayer but oftentymes pricked his conscience to th entent he shoulde emende And he knewe well enough that Iudas would neuerthelesse continue stil in his madnesse teachyng vs therewhyle to vse the moste fauoure possible towardes synners forasmuche as we cannot be sure whether thesame parties maye one daye come to themselues agayne or not And there was a striefe emong them whiche of them shoulde seme to be the greatest And he sayed vnto them The kynges of nacions reigne ouer them and they that haue autoritie vpon them are called gratious Lordes But ye shall not be so But he that is greattest emong you shal bee as younger and he that is chiefe shall be as he that dooeth ministre For whether is greater he that sitteth at meat or he that serueth Is it not he that sitteth at meate But I am emong you as he that ministreth ye are they whiche haue abidden with me in my temptacions And I appoynt vnto you a kyngdome as my father hath appoynted vnto me that ye maye eate and drynke at my table in my kyngdome and sitte on seates iudgeyng the twelue trybes of Israell Nowe because the Lorde Iesus had in the supper tyme made mencion of the kyngdome of god there eftesones befell a contencion emong the disciples beyng yet weake and hauyng yet still in some behalfe a smatche of the fleashe which of them should after the lordes death haue the primaâ—ie and supremitie in the kyngdome of God For in holdyng forth the breade and the cup vnto theÌ„ he semed to make them all eguall one with another saying deuide ye this emong you But Iesus although he had at sondrie tymes afore also called them backe from suche affeccion yet beyng now veray nere towardes his death he repeateth thesame and beaâ—eth it into theyr heades saying Doe not ye imagine any suche lyke thing in the kyngdom of heauen as ye see in worldly kingdomes It is a ferre other sorte of reygnyng for it standeth by benefites and not by force of armes it is kept and defended by spirituall fence and not by violence it is dilated and enlarged in circuite by perswasion of wordes and not by forceable compulsion For the prynces of this worlde doe exercise a lordelye power ouer suche people as they haue the gouernement and rewle of for they doe not vse perswasion of woordes to make them loue honest wayes but they feare them from euill doynges by terrour of punishemente and of their subiectes they require to haue honour and reuerence doen vnto them though they bee not worthie thereof Yea and the nerer they drawe to the poynte of tyrannie so muche the more obedience and subieccion dooe they require to haue of theyr commons and all the whyle are they honoured of thesame people with titles and styles of estate and royaltee They haue names and styles geuen them to be called prynces fathers to theyr countrey sauers and defendours and consuls because by theyr power they kepe theyr inferiours vnder subieccion Of this sorte forsothe is the reygnyng of the heathen nacions But emong you whom I frame and breake to the kyngdome of the ghospell there shall bee a ferre other trade The greater that euerie one shal be emong you so muche the lesse shall take vnto hym of violent power or of glorie For he shall not haue an iye to oppresse or ouertrede his inferiours with the good giftes and qualities whiche he hath receyued of god but how to dooe his inferiours good therby and how to relieue them neyther shall he take the laude and prayse vnto hymselfe but refer thesame entierly vnto god And yet I speake not this as though there shal not be any ordre in this kyndome but because that he whiche is chosen to the preeminence of beyng a guide vnto others towardes godlynesse shall so greatly serue the commodities of all persones that he maie seme to be a minister and a seruaunt rather then an head He shal make no sekyng ne suite for fauour but his good herte and mynde beyng moste quicke and readie to doe good vnto all persones shall deserue iustely to haue it And as for his autoritie his perfeccion of lyuyng shall mainteine it and not his proude disdeynefull looke or stately porte and countenaunce And let it not greue truely to perfourme and shewe thesame humilitee emong yourselues whiche I haue throughly shewed vnto you whereas of my due right I might haue taken vnto me the state of Lordely power and dominion For considre and pondre ye this in your myndes whether of the twoo semeth the greatter man he that serueth at the table orels he that sitteth at the table is serued doth not he that sitteth seme the greatter maÌ„ Not for that whosoeuer sitteth doune is in dede the greatter man but he rather which enterteineth others with makyng them a feaste is euen for this very respect the greater of dignitie because he dooeth good to many And yet suche an one for courtesy and good maners sake whan the others whom he hath called to his feaste dooe sitte at the table goeth about the house froÌ„ place to place careful and diligent to see that no persone lacke any thing in the feaste and so the carefulnesse of hym alone prouideth for the satisfiyng and well beeyng of all the coumpanye And haue not I vsed my self lyke suche an one among you Haue not I in suche sort been conuersaunt among you as though I wer the seruaÌ„t of you all mynystryng to you of that that was myne owne and takyng care my selfe alone for you all How muche more ought ye to bee ferre from al tirannye and ambicion which in condicion and state are all eguall one with an other whiche ministre vnto others of my thynges and not of your own and whiche haue one maister egually indifferent vnto you all Ye haue receiued the same high and holy caucion or token and pledge of euaÌ„gelical concorde that with what entier loue I haue embraced you with thesame loue ye shoulde embrace one another among your selfes And where reigneth ambicion there cannot concorde bee at any sure staye In the meane tyme honoure must bee willyngly deserued but not vsurped or taken as a thyng of duetie and right For the princes of this worlde although they dooe their offyce rightlye yet because thei require homage and fealtie of their subiectes therfore they shal not haue any reward at all for it before god But as for ye puttyng away al care
sonne of man so often as thou speakest of him to be taken for thee thy selfe eyther shalt thou not dye or els that sonne of man is not Messias if the prophecie saye trueth Well because these sayinges were spoken of malice Iesus made no aunswere to them Uerely he myght haue aunswered that he was not only man but also God that he should of trueth die as concerning his natural mans body but yet so that it should so one rise againe nor yet should that death let the perpetuitie of his kingdome because it should not be worldly but a spirituall kyngdome But neyther did they vnderstande these misteries nor yet was there oportunitie to declare them openly He doeth onely councell them that setting aparte all blyndenesses of harte they would cease theyr crying out on the trueth that was come to light specially seyng that it should within a whyle be taken awaye Not that the light of the ghospell should euer be throughly abolished but that they should not after this heare of his owne mouthe his doctrine nor see hym worke any myracles whiche myght geue them sight to see theyr foly and repente them of it yet a lytle while sayeth he is the lyght with you Wherfore while ye haue this lyght walke ye and amende sith there is good cause leste the lyght being sodainly taken awaye darke night come on you and than ye desyre all in vayne the thing that is taken from you which nowe being offered vnto you ye doe contemne Whoso foloweth the blinde affeccions of his owne minde walketh in darkenesse and knoweth not whither he goeth and whiles he beleueth that he doeth wel and godly he falleth into death I am the lyght of the worlde whoso beleueth in me shall not erre or swarue from the trueth The children of darkenesse flyeth from the light while you therfore haue light beleue on the light that ye maye be seen the children of light He that beleueth seeth whoso beleueth not thesame hauyng syght is blinde These thynges spake Iesus and departed and hid hymselfe from them But though he had doen so many miracles before them yet beleued not they on him that the saying of the Prophete Esaias might be fulfilled whiche he spake Lorde who shall beleue our saying and to whom is the arme of the Lorde declared Iesus spake no more to them at that time leste he should the more prouoke the fury of them whom he knewe to be very prone vnto all mischiefe but he went thence and hidde himselfe from them and so would he through his absence and with silence assuage their cruell woodnes and there withall admonishing vs by the way that according to his exaumple as often as we haue to doe with wilful persones and that there is no hope to doe them good we than ought to geue place for a time leste not only we doe them no good at al but also make other the wurse For what is more to be lamented than the myndes of those Iewes For where as our Lorde Iesus through so many so cleare and so woonderfull miracles wrought before their iyes ought to haue brought them moste surely to haue beleued his sayinges yet dyd they stande stifly in their vnbeliefe no doubte but euen blinded with enuy hatred ambicion auarice and other vngraciouse concupiscence of the mynde And euen so Esai long ago dyd prophecie that some suche should be saying Lord who hath beleued our woordes and to whom is the arme of the Lord opened Uerily therfore they did not see the power of God in Iesus his doynges because beyng blynded with their malice they did not beleue Therfore coulde they not beleue because that Esaias sayeth agayne He hath blynded their iyes and hath hardened theyr harte that they should not see with theyr iyes and leste they shoulde vnderstande with their harte and shoulde de conuerted and I shoulde heale them Suche thinges sayed Esaias when he sawe his glorye and spake of hym Yea and they did not beleue because they would not caste awaye theyr naughtie desires And this also did Esai speake of before He hath sayth Esai blinded their iyes hardened their hartes that they should not see with their iyes and vnderstand with their hartes and should be conuerted and I shoud heale them For they seeyng did not see and vnderstanding did not vnderstand And contrarye to their owne saluacion they made all they could against him at whose hand alone saluaciō was to be hoped for These thīges tolde Esai long ago who beeyng spiritually inspired sawe with the iyes of prophecie the glory of the sonne of God whiche in tyme to come he should haue beyng a very man And he prophecied that he sawe and the thing which he prophecied should be haue we seen doen. Neuerthelesse among the chiefe rulers also many beleued on him but because of the Phariseis they would not be knowen of it leste they should be excommunicate for they loued the prayse of men more then the prayse of God Yet for al this these mens vnbelefe did not exclude the saluaciō of other that did beleue for many gaue faith to Iesus not only of the vulgar people but of the nobles also But neuerthelesse the men of wurship durst not confesse the faith openly for feare of the Phariseis whiche had made a decre that whosoeuer did confesse himselfe to be a disciple of Iesus should be excōmunicate thrust out of the Synagogue Ouer this those whiche haue preeminēce in the worlde ignominie irketh them much For as yet theyr faith was not stable perfite but notwithstanding that it was for that time a good beginning of an euāgelicall minde to thinke well of Iesus though feare shamefastnesse letted thē to shewe it furth Enuy stopped some couetousnes letted other othersome did ambicion hinder why they did not with an whole harte cleaue to Christ for whose sake all thynges are to be contemned But because the holye ghoste whiche corroborateth a man towardes the ghospell was not yet geuen many beleued fearfully as yet settyng more by mans glorie than Goddes To be hiely placed in the synagogue was honorable among men but to be reiecte out of the wicked mens synagogue for Christes sake is honour prayse before God But feare and infirmitie in men that be of nature weake soone obteineth forgeuenesse Howbeit those whiche were so blynded with eiuill desyres that with a wicked conscience they spake agaynst Christe turned awaye the people from him layed snares for hym and ouer that craftely sought his death it is nedefull I saye that those perishe because they would not bee saued Iesus cried and sayed he that beleueth on me beleueth not on me but on hym that sent me and he that seeth me seeth hym that sent me I am come a light into the world that whosoeuer beleueth on me shoulde not abide in darkenesse Another tyme agayne Iesus goyng abrode in the sight of the Iewes now when their fury ought to haue been well appeased the
Maiestie and a common peace and tranquillitie And truly Pilate made this searche and enquirie not that he did take it to be true but to get some matter of him that was accused wherwith he might reproue the Iewes of falsehood Howbeit though Iesus knew wel inough the Iewes to haue falsely appeached hym that he should be desirous of a kyngdome to the Emperours losse or in despite of his highnesse yet to the entent he myght open and disclose the malice of the Iewes and commende the reasonablenesse equitie muche better in Pilate then in the Byshops and Phariseis though he were but a Gentyle and set naught by the Iewes religion for this skill I saye Iesus made hym aunswere saying Whether thinkest thou of thine owne coÌ„iecture that I am desyrouse of a kingdome or haue the Iewes accused me herof to thee Pilate both to declare his owne innoceÌ„cie the malice of the Iewes too sayeth I doe not coÌ„iecture this of mine owne head neyther doe I see in thee any thyng agreable thereunto It is a Iewes tale of a king to come Thinkest thou me to be a Iewe Thy quarelling couÌ„trey folkes and the Byshops committed thee into my handes seking all the meanes they can to haue thee put to death but because it is not the fashion of Rome to putte any vncondemned person to death if therfore thou haste not traÌ„sgressed in the trayterous desire of a kingdom then what faute beside haste thou made Because Pilate asked him of these thynges simply and meaning good fayth entending to deliuer the innocente Iesus did vouchesafe to aunswere hym by a rydle prouerbially teaching that it was an other maner of kingdom wherof the Prophetes had spoken a farre more excellent kingdom then is the kingdom of this worlde whiche consisteth in mans lawes in the ayde of meÌ„ which haue no power but vpoÌ„ bodies Howbeit he signified this kingdom to be an heaueÌ„ly kingdom which could not couet the kingdom of the worlde but contemne it and should not harme it but auaunce it into a better kinde My kingdom sayth Christ is no suche kingdom as the Emperours is his kingdom is terrestriall but mine is celestial And for the cause am I affeccionate to nothing that can harme the Emperours maiestie If my kingdom were of this world the world should not handle me as it doth vnreuenged For euen I be ye sure should haue as other kynges hath a garde of harnessed men I should haue squiers for the body suche as should onely attende vpon myne owne persone I should haue plentie of well appoynted men and lacke no ayde or succoure that would fight for me that it should not be in the Iewes power to doe the thyng they goe about against me vnrequired At this presente I haue fewe disciples and those that I haue bee vnapte to warre weake and poore I my selfe beyng vnarmed and no wartyer euen one that seketh to the helpe of other because my kyngdome is not of this worlde ¶ Pilate therfore sayed vnto hym Arte thou a kyng then Iesus aunswered thou sayest that I am a king For this cause was I borne and for this cause came I into the world that I should beare witnes vnto the trueth And all that are of the trueth heare my voyce Pilate sayde vnto hym What thyng is trueth And when he had sayed this he wente oute agayne vnto the Iewes and sayeth vnto them I fynde in hym no cause at all ye haue a custome that I should delyuer you one looce at â—aster wyll ye that I looce vnto you the king of the Iewes Then cryed they all agayne saying Not hym but Barrabas the same Barrabas was a murtherer Forasmuche as Pylate beyng a laye man and a Gentile did not fully vnderstande this mistye and darke saying albeit he heard that Iesus dyd not vtterly renâ—unce and denye the name of a kyng but dyd put a difference of kingdomes Pilate therfore sayed vnto hym Is it then true that thou arte somewhere a kyng whatsoeuer kynde of kyngdome it be and thou not perteynyng to vs Here now Iesus beyng earnestly asked of the iudge whether he were any waye a kyng or naye confesseth the trueth with great temperaunce and modestye with muche sobrietie and good aduisemente aunsweryng thus Thou sayest I am a kyng for whosoeuer asketh a question with lyke numbre of wordes the pronunciacion onely chaunged affirmeth the thyng And Iesus sayed further It is not my parte to denye any trueth namely consyderyng that for this cause I was borne and came into the worlde that I should deceyue no maÌ„ with any lye but that I shoulde beare witnes vnto the trueth He that hath a simple meke mynde not blynded with the lustes and desires of this worlde acknowlegeth lyketh well and heareth my voyce But Pilate hauyng no further intelligence of that whiche was spoken then that he supposed the thyng to be no matter for hym to know and as yet Christe had made Pilate no apte aunswere therewith either to sette the Iewes at a quiet or to dispatche them thence after he had asked of Iesus what was that trueth wherof he spake and was come into the worlde to beare witnes therof Pilate I saye wente oute agayne vnto the Iewes not tarrying for an aunswere of the thing that he questioned of What nedeth many woordes sayeth Pilate I haue examined the man and can fynde no faulte in hym worthy death Nor I am not here president and chiefe iustice vnder the Emperour because I shoulde with my sentence condemne the innocente but in case he be noysome to you and that ye thynke him fautye which I fynde not yet it standeth with equitie and good indifferencie that if ye wyl not spare and forbeare hym as an innocent at leastwaye in the honor of this holy feast and for religion sake pardon hym his life as an offender And in dede it is here a custome amonges you that in this feast of Phase whiche is of you moste highly solemnised and kept moste holye of all feastes I should at your request pardon and set at libertie some one offender Therfore ye shall haue free eleccion to chose the one of twayne eyther Barrabas that arrant these and notable robber a disturber of the publique peace or this Iesus a man in my iudgement fautlesse whome some folke sayeth is the kyng of Iewes It were beste surely that this man yea though he haue doen amysse should fele and enioye the graciouse fauour and priuiledge of youre solemne feast Wyll ye therfore that I forgeue this persone for your sakes for of trueth the president did not looke for so great outragiousnes in the Iewes that they woulde preferre a felowe openly knoweÌ„ full of mischiefe and a valiaunt ranke thefe before Iesus a man moste meke and innocent But the Iewes with a whole consenâ— and with a great lowde voyce cryed all of them We will not haue Iesus geuen vs but Barrabas The .xix. Chapter Then Pylate toke
presumpcion be busy to entremedle Moste humbly therfore beseching your highnesse moste gracious Ladie in good parte to take my good zele and diligence and in case any thyng shall not suffyciently answere your mynde or desyre the same to impute rather to the lacke of facultee and knowlage then to any default of good wil in me I shal here without any ferther circuÌ„staunce of woordes commend and leue this whole worke to the diligent readyng and folowyng of all the deuout Englyshe congregacyon and wyth moste hertye prayer beseche almyghty God long yeres to preserue and coÌ„tynewe the prosperous estate of your highnesse to th ende that by your good help and meanes the deuout people that are willing and foreward to learne and to liue Christianlye maye receiue many lyke godly weorkes and fruictful traictises to theyr continuall ghostly profite coumfort and edifying in the same our Lorde Iesus Christe to whome with the father and with the holy ghoste be al laude honour and glory both in heauen and yearth for euer and euer Amen The Actes of the Apostles The .i. Chapter In the former treatise deare Theophilus we haue spoken of all that Iesus began to do and teache vntyll the daye in which he was taken vp after that he through the holy ghost had geuen commaundementes vnto the Apostles whom he had chosen to whome also he shewed himself aliue after his passion and that by many tokens appering vnto them fourty dayes speakyng vnto them of the kyngdome of God and gathered them together and commaunded them that they should not departe from Hierusalem but to wayte for the promise of the father wherof saieth he ye haue heard of me For Iohn truly baptised with water but ye shal be baptised with the holy ghost after these fewe daies NOwe haue I accomplished th one halfe of my promyse deare freÌ„de Theophilus forasmuche as I coÌ„prised in my former treatise the life of Iesus Christ more groundly rehersyng the history then other that write therof that is to weâ—e euen froÌ„ the time that Iohn Baptist which was the foremessagier of the Lorde was conceaued because the in this same rehearsal certaine prophecies were also disclosed affirmiÌ„g by expressed wordes of promise that Messias should sone after come This done sum thinges haue I rehearsed more at large which of the other wryters were lefte vntouched as of Christes conception of hys byrthe of his circumcision and of the purificacyon of Marye somwhat also I touched of his godly towardnes wherof he shewed a proufe tokeÌ„ being but xii yeres olde These thinges thought I for that cause worthy to be recited the by many tokens it myght bee euident that this was he whome the prophecies had notablye spoken of and that euen the tender youthe of Iesus lacked not wytnesse of good menne and of those whiche were inspired with the holy gost And thoughe it be not to be doubted but the Iesus whole trade of lyfe was an excellent example of perfecte holynesse yet those thynges omitted whiche were doone in the meane space we passed ouer vntyll that tyme that Iohn by his preachyng and baptisyng began to shew hymselfe the foremessagier of Christ forasmuche as oure lorde Iesus began from that tyme forwarde chieflye to be occupied aboute the healthe of mannes soule accordyngly as it was conteyned in the figures and darke sayinges of Moyses lawe and in the foreshewinges of the prophetes All whiche his busye endeuour resteth in these two poyntes in dedes that is as muche to saye as in workynge of myracles sufferyng paines of the crosse and in resurrection wherâ—in he lefte none of al those thynges vndoen that either by shadowes of the lawe wer signifyed or spoken of before by the prophetes and in wordes by meane whereof he taught a newe kynde of philosophie and a ioyfull so that we might bothe learne of him and take example to liue a godly lyfe All these thynges haue I treated of in ordre euen vnto that daye that he was receiued into heauen from whence he came after he had arisen from death to lyfe and commaunded his .xii. Apostles and other his disciples to the numbre of threscore .x. whoÌ„e he had specially chosen to th ende that they whan thei had receiued the holy ghost whom he euen than breathyng in the very face of them endued them with and afterward sente the same from heauen more aboundauntlye shoulde go throughe all the worlde and preache this ghospell not to the Iewes onely but vnto all maner nacions of the world And fyrst of all it was expedient that they by whom he had purposed to bryng all menne in belefe of his wonderful actes shoulde be throughly confyrmed in fayth themselues The chyefe poynt among the rest was this that all menne shoulde be fully perswaded that Iesus was in veraye dede deade and that he verayly arose from death to lyfe the thyrd daye not with a phantasticall body but with the veray same beeing now immortall whiche he before tyme had carryed on yearthe subiecte to deathe and whiche had been layed voyde of lyfe in the graue For this cause thought he it not sufficient once onely to shewe hym selfe to his disciples after he had arisen from deathe to lyfe but often tymes appered he to them not lyke as ghostes are wonte to appere but in sundrywyse declaryng by euident tokens to them that he had taken vnto him his liuely bodye agayne fowerty dayes taryed he with them on yearth for the same cause purposely yet of all this tyme would not he be seene of any but of his owne disciples And not onely his pleasure was to be sene of them hearde and felte but also familiarely he eate and dranke with them which is the moste euident token that maye be of a lyuely body And in the meane space he often commoned with them of the kyngdome of god puttyng them in mynd of those thynges whiche he had done and taught before his deathe that they myght finally perceyue that euery thyng was cumme to passe whiche he sayed shoulde cumme warning them farder what they from thence forthe shoulde eyther doe or awayte for For thoughe he had already geuen them authorytee to preache the ghospell yet forbade he them they shoulde not hastely set vpon the exercyse of so weightie a matier and that they shoulde not departe from Hierusalem but that they assembled there and together applying themselues eache with other to fasting geuing laudes to God and praying should awayt for the cummiÌ„g of the holy ghoste whome he before his death had promysed that hys father should sende to bee an other comfortour to them I sayed he promysed with myne owne mouthe and doubte not ye but my father will see the same vnfeignedly perfourmed that I haue promysed you in his name For his will and myne bee bothe one Thentrepryse that ye shall take in hande is of heuen and of no yearthely mannes inuencyon ye shall not teache carnall thynges as the Phariseis haue
doen hitherto but ghostely thynges and greate trouble shal ye haue for preachyng of my ghospell Wherefore it is necessarye that ye bee strēgthed with power from heauē that ye may be hable to susteyne so chargefull an entrepryse that shall not be brought to passe by mannes policie but by helpe of the holy ghoste For those thynges that haue been hitherto done are but as rules instruccions princyples for young begynners in respecte of setting forward the gospell As that Iohn Baptyzed with water but the holy ghoste gaue he not for it passeth mannes power to geue hym and nothing els preached he but the man should repent and that the kyngdome of heauen was at hand Nowe muste ye haue stronger mayntenaunce to sette forthe the lyuelye doctryne of the ghospell and to beare of the assaultes of the worlde whiche shall stryue agaynste it To bryng that about it is not sufficient that y◠be voyde of synne but ye haue nede of a newe spirite to the settyng forth of this newe kinde of lerning a plenteous spirite that shal aboūdantly assist you an heuenly spirite a spirit lyke fier in whō ye shal be christened within fewe daies This is the baptisme that Iohn could not geue but prophecied that I should geue it For thus sayde he in bearyng wytnesse of me he shall christen you sayed he with the holy ghoste and fyer In tymes past also god endewed hys Prophetes and other holy men with his spirite And I haue brethed my holy spirite on you It is euen the veray same spirite but nowe shall he most plenteously be powred ouerall the whole worlde and shall renewe all thynges Agaynst his cummyng make your selues ready with fastyng and prayer but specially with full truste and confydence that ye maye be fytte instrumentes for hym to spreade abrode his heauenly power Whan they therefore were cum together they asked of him saying Lorde wilte thou at this time testore agayne the kyngdome of Israell And he sayed vnto them It is not for you to knowe the tymes or the seasons which the father hath put in his own power but ye shall receyue power after that the holy ghost is cum vpon you And ye shal be witnesses vnto me not onely in Hierusalē but also in all Iewrye in Samaria euen vnto the worldes ende After Iesus had spoken these wordes vnto his disciples beyng assembled into one place because he woulde haue no variaunce lefte emong theim at hys departyng for euen to that houre they had not yet put oute of theyr heades theyr phantasticall dreame of the kyngdome of Israell to be aduaunced and enlarged by hym they enquyred of the Lorde as he was euen readye streight wayes to departe whether that as soone as he had sente downe the holy ghost he woulde restore his people of Israell to theyr worldelye kyngdome agayne and whether he woulde immediatlye appere before the face of the woorlde in his maiestie For they had not yet conceyued what manner a thyng thys ghostely kyngdome shoulde bee Peter woulde haue had hym establyshe a kyngdome whan he was on the hille The reste also of thapostles what tyme mencion was made of rysyng from deathe to lyfe enquired of hys kyngdome and nowe eftsones vpon that communicacion whiche they had hearde of sending down the holy ghoste they came to remembraunce of a temporall kyngdome For they trusted that it shoulde cum to passe that the Iewes shoulde bee rewlers ouer all the world And in veray dede sure it was to cum that Israell shoulde reigne not that fleashly Israell but he that truelye had deserued this name that is to saye he that in dede were strong in God For Iacob deserued well to haue that name whan he wrastled with thaungell As longe as the worldly manne trusted to his owne desertes he was not hable to satisfye the Iustice of god For all the world for sinne was reproued and subdued vnto punishment But after that manne began to mystruste his owne workes and to sticke vnto the promyses of the gospell he dyd as a man woulde saye ouercum the iustice of god and by force obtayned mercye This kingdome beeyng decayed in euerye place but speciallye emong the Iewes Christe restored through hys gospell The disciples not vnderstandyng thys phansied with them selfes that sum good chaunce woulde cum whiche shoulde delyuer them from all persecucion of the wycked But as for that was not to be loked for before the ende of the worlde Whiche tyme the lorde woulde not haue theim to knowe because it was not expediente for them to knowe it And therfore whan they curyouslye demaunded it he put them to silence with this answer Enquire not of those thynges whyche are not expediente for you to knowe Onely beleue stedfastly dooe that ye are commaunded Ye shal be but ministers in this matier Leaue the procedynges herin the ende of the same to my heauenly father It is not therfore your parte to knowe what yeare what moneth or what houre that kingdome of Israel shal cum which thinges the folysh Calkers curiously seke for As much as my fathers pleasure was that you should knowe I haue tolde you but that time haue I not vttered vnto you because my father reteineth to hymselfe the knowleage therof to this ende that ye be diligent in doing your duties The kingdome of god shal cum finally wheras both the good the bad shal bee rewarded accordyng to their desertes againste whose cummyng must ye bee alwayes ready Albeit this spirituall kyngdome shall in the meane season also appeare in setting forthe whereof god shall vse your helpe but as for rewardyng you therfore let him alone with that Wherfore settyng aparte your desyre to knowe those matters whiche ye oughte not to know make redy youre selues to that that is at hand To the whiche thyng because ye of your own habilitie are not sufficient the holy ghoste accordyng to my promyse shal be powred on you from heauen to augment your strength of mynde and to bryng into youre remembraunce agayne whatsoeuer I haue heretofore taughte you and farther to put in your myndes whatsoeuer thing els it shal behoue you to know And so shal ye being taught by his instructiō and strengthed wyth hys ayde beare wytnesse of me fyrste at Hierusalem accordyng to the saying of the prophete out of Syon shall the lawe procede and the word of the lord out of Hierusalem and sone after throughout all Iewry nexte throughout Samaria which is nygh adioyning to Iewry and fynally through al cuntreys in the world where euer any dwelling of man is For I came indifferently for all mens sakes I died for euery man and eche man hath the gracious fauour of my gospel profered him Hitherto the law hath reigned onely among the Iewes but my father wyl haue his gospel to reigne as farre abrode as the worlde is open or wyde And when he had spoken these wordes while they behelde he was taken
ceased not to prouoke them to know and loue him by his continuall benefites For he that made the worlde to the vse of man doeth make both fruitful and plentifull the grounde by sending downe rayne from heauen and causeth yerely increase of fruites to suffice aboundantly to the vse of mannes life refreshyng vs plentyfully with soondry kyndes of meates and stirryng our hertes to myrthe with pleasaunte wynes For ye haue not receyued these benefites of Iupiter Ceres or Bacchus whome ye haue hytherto wurshipped but of the same god whome we preache vnto you Than although the apostles had so plainely shewed the trueth in the hearing of all the multitude yet they coulde scarcely stay their handes from doyng sacrifice vnto them ¶ Thither came certaine Iewes from Antioche and Iconium whiche whan they had obtained the peoples consent and had stoned Paule drew him out of the citie supposing he had been dead Howbeit as the disciples stode rounde about him he arose vp and came into the citie And the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derba In the meane space while these thinges were done at Listres certayne persones beyng Iewes borne that repined against the ghospell came thyther from Antioche that is in Pisidia and from Iconium whiche Iewes when they had turned many of the people to their minde and opinion that is to say when they had caused them to lay violent handes vpon the apostles whyche thing they had also attempted afore at Iconium they stoned Paule and drew him out of the citie thinking that he had ben dead Thus is mans fortune sodaynly chaunged They were but a litel before taken for gods and should haue had sacrifice done vnto them but now Paule being stoned was cast out of the citie For they were more angry with him because he by reason of his eloquence entised manye to folowe Christe Then the disciples compassed him about there as he was cast and left for dead and woulde haue buried the corps But Paule cumming to himselfe againe arose priuely and entred into the citie and the next daye fled to Derba with Barnabas whither they first of all had purposed to haue gone And whan they had preached to the cytie and had taught many they returned againe to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioche and strengthned the disciples soules again exhorted them to continue in the faith affirming that we must thorow muche tribulacion entre into the kingdome of god And whan they had preached the gospell there in that citie and had taught many thinges and as a man woulde say had cast the seede of the ghospell abrode they returned to Listres Iconium and Antioche making the myndes of the disciples stedfast in the fayth as many as they had conuerted to Christ and geuing them exhortacion to continue in the fayth and that they woulde not for any scare be withdrawen from the truste whiche they had once put in our lorde Iesus nor should not be moued because they heard saye that Paule was stoned at Listres forasmuche as Christ had tolde his disciples that this was the way that through muche trouble they shoulde entre into the kyngdom of heauen So that Paule toke more thought lest those that were weake in the faith shoulde be alienated from Christ seyng how sore he was vexed of the wicked Iewes then that he himselfe passed so muche on it geuing example to Bisshoppes that they ought to folowe thrifty husbande men whiche thinke it not sufficient to plant or â—o sow except they do also their diligence that the same that beginneth to growe may come to his full typing ¶ And whan they had ordeined them elders by eleccion in euery congregacion and had prayed and fasted they commended them to the lorde on whom they beleued And forasmuche as it was requisite to the setting forwardes of the ghospell that the apostles shoulde trauail through many countreyes they set priestes or auncientes who were chosen by the voyces of the comens of euery citie to ouersee them and to supply the towmes of the apostles in their absence and so whan they had vsed generally prayer and fastinge they commytted them to god â–ª that they might profite in him whome they had once professed ¶ And whan they had gon through out Pisidia they came to Pamphilia and whan thei had preached the worde of God in Perga they went downe into the citie of Attalia and theÌ„ce departed by shippe to Antioche froÌ„ whence they were committed vnto the grace of God to the worke whiche they fulfilled These thinges were doen in Antiochia whiche is a citie in Pisidia and whan they had walked ouer that cuntrey they likewise went throughe Pamphilia sowing the gospell in euery place where as it was not sowed alredy and strengthening them that already beleued vntyll they returned to Perga And whan they had there also set all matters in ordre they came to Attalia whiche is a Citie of Pamphilia sumwhat neare the sea From thence againe they toke shypping to Antioche in Syrya whence they firste came whan the office of preaching to the Genttiles was committed vnto them by the elders and when by laying of handes vpon them by prayer and by fasting they were commytted to the grace of god that throughe his helpe it might happely come to passe that they had taken in hande ¶ When they were cum and had gathered the congregacion together they rehearsed al that God had done by them and how he had opened the doore of faith vnto the Gentiles And there they abode long time with the disciples Wherfore whan they were retourned thither as men accoumptable for theyr dooynges they called together the congregacion of the faythfull and opened vnto them all suche thinges as it had pleased god to worke by them shewing them that the fauoure of god had futthered their endeuour and how he had geuen occasion to call the Gentiles to the faith by whiche they myght obtaine saluacion without the obseruing or keping of the heauy burdenous commaundementes of the lawe The .xv. Chapter ¶ The certayn men whiche came downe taught the brethren excepte ye be circumcised after the maner of Moses law ye cannot be saued So whan there was arisen a dissencioÌ„ and disputing not a litell vnto Paulâ— and Barnabas against them they determined that Paule and Barnabas and certayne other of them shoulde goe vp to Ierusalem vnto the apostles and elders about this question PAule and Barnabas continued a long space at Antioche with the dysciples because that in so noble a Cytie as that was a great multitude of faythfull were gathered together of sundry sortes of men whiche dayly encreased more and more And the apostles were glad to tarry longer there where the greatter increase of faythfull men was because the inhabitours of Hierusalem and of that parte of Syria whiche is properly named Iewry dyd more sticke to Moses lawe than any other forsomuche as they were lesse conuersaunte with the Gentiles and because
him vnto the crosse and passion with false accusementes Whereof a certayne monstruous blyndenes and seuen tymes more miserable than the blindnes of theyr fathers hath possessed theyr hartes and therfore they shall be more cruelly handled and destroyed than they haue been hytherto ¶ And when he yet talked to the people beholde hys mother and brethren stoode withoute desyryng to speake wyth him And one saied vnto him Behold thy mother and thy brethreÌ„ stande without desyring to speake with the. But he answered and saied vnto him that had tolde him Who is my mother or who be my brethren and he put furth hys hand towarde hys disciples saying Beholde my mother and my brethren For whoso doeth the wyll of my father whyche is in heauen thesame is my brother and sister and mother As Iesus spake these thynges to the people there came the mother of Iesus wyth certayne of hys cosens whyche desyred to speake wyth hym But when they coulde not cumme vnto hym for the multitude beyng so thycke and standyng aboute the doores of the house a voyce passyng ouer from one to another a certayne man interrupted the communicacion of Iesus and tolde hym that hys mother and hys brethren were at the doore whiche desyred to speake with hym But Iesus offended wyth this importunitie and troublesumnes and wyllyng also to teache that such affeccions should be passed litle vpon as often as the matter of the gospel is in hande and that the kinred of the myndes oughte more to be regarded than the kynred of the bodies whyche is gotten by vertue and not by the nerenes of bloud the whych also is more large than the other he aunswereth him whych interrupted him Who is my mother and who are my brethren I being occupied about the heauenly busines knowledge no mother nor brethren ioyned by carnall affinitie wherof sum bee far of perchaunce in hartes And holdyng out his hand towardes his disciples which syttyng nere receyued gredely in silence his wholsome doctryne if ye wil know ê™ he my very true kinsfolkes which be moste dere vnto me these be my mother my sisters and my brethren Here is no difference of kinde or age no respecte of kinred Whosoeuer doth obey the wyl of my father whyche is in heauen he is my mother he is my sister he is my brother I esteme hyghely the spiritual and not the bodily affinitie This affinitie euery man may come by Euery maÌ„ like as he is moste obedient vnto my fathers wyl so he is moste nere and moste dere vnto me The .xiii. Chapter The same day Iesus went out of the house and sate by the sea syde and much people were gathered vnto hym insomuche that he went and sate in a shyp and the people stood on the shoore And he spake many thynges to them by simylitudes saiyng Behold the sowyer went furth to sowe And as he sowed some sedes fel by the way syde and the foules came and deuoured them vp And some fel vpon stony places where they had not much yearthe and anon they sprong vp because they had no depenes of yearth And when the sunne was vp they caught heate and because they had no roote they wythered away Agayne some fell emong the thornes and the thornes sprong vp and choked them But some fel into good ground and brought furth fruite some an hundred folde some sixâ—y folde some thyrty folde Whosoeuer hath eares to heare let hym heare AT the same tyme whan Iesus sawe that the place was not able to receiue suche a multitude he went oute of the house to the water syde And whan he came thyther he satte vpon 〈◊〉 banke teachyng the people whiche gaped after his doctryne insaciablye Further when he sawe the multitude so great and thicke that they thruste hym and pressed hym and to thintente he myght bee at more libertye from the people he entred into a shyp and spake out of that as out of a pulpit to the people standyng vpon the banke For so he myght be both better seene and better heard of manye because the sande of the bancke and the brincke of the bancke made as though it were a rounde auditory And because in that multitude euery man had not one mynde he shewed and sette furthe manye thynges vnto them by darke similitudes eyther because thys maner of speakyng is familiar and commonlye vsed of the prophetes or because it is moste meete and conuenient for to teache and to moue the myndes of the people because that comparison taken of thynges that bee well knowen and perceyued also of them that be vnlearned by and by toucheth and moueth euery one or because by this feare and pleasaunte manner of speakyng thynges that bee spoken bothe crepeth into mennes myndes more pleasauntlye and sticketh more surely or els because that thys manner of monicion slauÌ„deryng no manne but secretly by similitude touchyng euery mannes conscieÌ„ce is wont commonly lesse to offende And fyrste of all he letteth furthe a parable signifiyng that many on euery side come runnyng to the preachyng of the gospell and yet fruite springeth not in them all whiche chaunceth not by the faulte of the teacher but by the faulte of the hearers Nor lyke fruite springeth not in all the hearers but accordyng as euery manne bryngeth a mynde voyde from worldlye cares and desyres so is the fruite of the woorde that is heard of hym greatest Therfore exhortyng to geue audience he putteth furth thys parable saiyng The sowyet went furth to sowe his sede and as he casted his sede 〈◊〉 certayne cornes fell by the waye syde and because they were baâ—e and vncouered the birdes came fliyng and eate them vp Agayne other summe feâ—â— to the rough and stony places which when they were not depely couered with yeaâ—thâ— because of stones that â—etted them nor coulde not take roote depely ynoughe they sprang vp shortelye and before theyr tyme â–ª throughe the warmnes of the sunne because there was not muche yearthe to kepe them couered vnto theyr tyme nor no deepe roote to minister hunâ—oure and moysture Agayne other sum fell into the thorny grounde and by the reason of increase of thornes they were kepte downe and choked and coulde not ryfe nor spryng vp at theyr libertye Further other sum fel vpon a good and fruitful grounde and springyng vp luckely brought furth fruite yet not al alyke but accordyng to the goodnesse of the grounde sum an hundred folde sum three score folde some thyrtye folde as muche so that of one sede sprang an eare that bare an hundred cornes of another that bare three score of another that bare thyrty Iesus speakyng these thynges did not as than explicate and declare the darke riddel and similitude but leaueth it to euery manne to coniecture and thinke vpon in hys mynde Onely he made an exhortacion that thei that had meete eares shoulde heare the parable diligently And the disciples came and saide vnto him Why speakest thou to them by