Egypt whereby the diuine counsel intended this that that region also beyng wholy geuen to the monstreous worshippyng of goddes whiles it is become the hoste and reâ—eyuer of him that is fled from his countrey by the touching and hauing to do with him it might be prepared and made redy to some entry and beginning of true godlines Therfore the angel spake vnto Ioseph with these wordes Aryse and take with thee the chylde and his mother and flee priuily into Egypte and tary there vntyll I returne vnto thee and shewe thee the tyme to come hither agayne For it will come to passe that Herode shall seke by all meanes to destroye the chylde Not that it is harde vnto God sodenly to extinct and kyll Herode and to preserue the childe yf it please him but this ordre of the matter is more profitable for the confyrmacion and establyshment of faythe For it is goddes wyll that the fury and the rage of the tyranne shall set forthe his glory Ioseph not tarying toke the mother a mayde and the chylde and flying in the night seasoÌ„ conueyed them into Egypte there remaynyng tyll that Herode was deade Truely this thyng chaunced not by the feare of man or by fortune it was the will of God to prepare and to establyshe the kyngdome of his soÌ„ne by these aduersities by the whiche worldly thynges be worst to be decayed and brought to naught leste that the world should take vpon it any thyng in diuine matters And that thou mayest the better beleue it God who would this thyng to come to passe prophecied many yeares past by the mouthe of his prophete Osee saying out of Egypt I called my sonne Than Herode whan he sawe that he was mocked of the Magians he was greatly greued and sent furth men of warre and kylled and slewe all the chyldren that were in Bethleem and in all the coastes therof as many as were two yeare olde or vnder accordyng to the tyme whiche he had diligently knowen of the Magians In the meane season kyng Herode after that he perceyued in dede that the Magians had deceyued hym now rageing in anger caste away the cloke of godlynes and bruste out into manifest rage and sendyng furth ministers of his madnes kylled all thinfantes as many as were in Bethleem and as many as were in the coastes and the compasse of the same towne which were of the age of two yeare or youÌ„ger folowyng the supputacion of the tyme in the whiche the Magians tolde him that they sawe fyrste the starre of the chylde Crueltie enlarged the tyme and the place compassing in al the young chyldren supposing that by this wycked counsell he had prouided surely ynough that he should escape by no meanes whom onely he desyred to be extincte and slayne But in vayne trauayleth the crafte of menne againste the counsels of God By these thynges was shewed a manifest example what they should suffer of wycked prynces that would beleue the gospel what they should preuayle that by crueltie traueyled to extinguishe the faythe of the gospell beyng yet tender and springing vp in the hartes of the godlye To be killed for Christ is to be saued Herode had an occasion to repente and not to rage yf gredines to reygne and to beare rule had not blynded his mynde But while he through his owne default turneth al thinges into matter of greater madnes by his maliciousnes he did set foorth the iustice of god For it is manifest to al men that the innocent children were slayne with great crueltie and that he is worthy an horrible distruccion wherewith afterwarde he was surely payde ¶ Than was that fulfylled whiche was spoken by the Prophet Hieremy where as he sayeth A voyce was heard in Rhama lamentacion wepyng and greate mournyng Rachell wepyng for her chyldren and would not be comforted because they were not But lest any manne might doubte that this thing came to passe by the ordinaunce of God harke to the prophecie of the Prophete Hiermy seeyng through Goddes inspiracion this thyng as though it had than been doen already whiche many yeres after should come to passe I voyce ê™ he was heard in Rhama a voyce sore wepyng sorowfull and lamentable Rachel dyd bewayle hir children and would receyue no comforte because they wer all slayne Rachel bearing Beniamin that is to saye the sonne of sorowe by and by vpon hir deliuery dyed and was buryed not farre from Bethleem wherof the Prophet dyd expresse in her persone the sorowe and waylyng of the mothers lamentyng theyr children whiche Herode kylled But whan Herode was deade beholde the Angell of the Lorde appered in a slepe to Ioseph in Egypt saying aryse and take the chylde and his mother and go into the lande of Israel for they are deade whiche sought the childes lyfe And he arose and toke the childe and his mother and came into the lande of Israel In the meane season after that Herode was taken out of the worlde by punishment and vengeaunce moste worthy for hym the angell agayne which gaue counsell to flye awaye apperyng to Ioseph in his slepe moueth hym to leaue Egypte and to bryng agayne the childe and his mother into the lande of Israell For he sayed that they were dead that woulde haue the chylde destroyed And he redely obeying in all thynges the will of God conueyed Mary beyng mayde and mother together with her swete babe into the countrey of Israell For it behoued him firste to be knowen vnto them vnto whome chiefely he was sente to thintente the people of harde belefe should haue nothyng why they might make any reasonable pretence of their vngodlynes denying hym to be theyr Messias but to be some other apoynted vnto the Gentiles ¶ But whan he heard that Archelaus reygned in Iewry in the roume of his father Herode he was afrayde to go thither but beyng warned of God in a slepe wente asyde into the coastes of Galile and wente and dwelte in a citie called Nazareth that it mighte be fulfilled whiche was spoken by the Prophetes he shal be called a Nazarite And as soone as Ioseph entred into the coastes of his countrey and had knowledge there by a constante fame that Archelaus the soonne of Herode that was deade hauyng the one halfe of his fathers kyngdome reygned in Iewrye in his fathers place fearyng leste the soonne had succeded hys father in cruelues lyke as he dyd in his kyngdome durste not go thither and agayne beyng establyshed by the aunswere of the Aungell whereof nowe he wholy did depende wente aparte into the coastes of Galile whiche parte had than chaunced vnto Herode the Tetrarche brother to the king that was deade Here the Aungell promised all thing to be safe also the loue of the countrey was an inuitacion and the counsell of God wrought withall that Christ by many occasions should be made common to many whose cumming was to euery manne Bethleem doeth glorye of his byrth at Hierusalem
carnall loue of weomen plucked awaye from God and drawen euen vnto idolatrie Consider ye nowe in what sorte the woordes of Nathan doe agree with the woordes of Esai Thou shalt saieth Esai be called the citie of the ryghteous man and the faithfull citie And of all meÌ„ that euer were there hath been none besides only Christe alone who myght be called purely righteous not only free from all corrupcion or infeccion of synne but also suche an one that by and through him all men are iustified and made righteous And what doeth Christe require of his seruauntes but fayth And for thesame consideracion did he call his churche which caÌ„not skill of the workes of the lawe the faithfull citie wholly altogether staighyng and trusting on him alone Whan ye heare that this citie shal be redemed in iudgement ye see the confidence and trusting on the ceremonies of the lawe to bee taken awaie For God iudgeth not man of his workes but of his fayth not of meate or drinke not of the garment or of solitarie quiete liuing but of the godlynesse of mynde And the iudgement is this that suche persones as shal beleue in Christe shall through the death thesame Christe who suffred peines and tormentes for all creatures be redemed from theyr synnes and shal be iustified through his righteousnesse yf they folowe goe the steppes of their head and captaine Ye heare nowe and knowe the spirituall citie and teÌ„ple which caÌ„not be shewed ne pointed vnto with mens fyngers as neither the kyng and workemanselfe can be poynted vnto according to the lesson here folowing which himselfe taught whaÌ„ he was heare liuing whan they shall saye Beholde here is Christe beholde yonder he is beleue ye them not The Iewes glory in the mounte of Sion whiche beareth the temple But after this there shal be a ghostly Sion bearing vp the myndes and soules of them that beleue froÌ„ the couetous desire of thynges earthly to the study of thynges celestiall of whiche the Prophete Esai prophecied vnto you saying And there shal be in the last dayes an hill prepared the house of the lorde in the top of mountaines it shall be lifted vp aboue all hilles And all nacions shall flowe vnto him there shall many peoples goe and shall saye Come ye let vs clyme vp to the mountaine of the lorde to the house of the God of Iacob and he shall teache vs his wayes we shall walke in his pathes for forth of Sion shall the lawe come and the woorde of the lorde forth of Hierusalem Dauid also doeth ofttymes make mencion of this spirituall mounte They that trust in the Lorde as the mounte of Sion shall not be moued for euer whiche dwelleth in Hierusalem And of this materiall temple of whiche the Iewes are nowe proude howe it shall shortely be cast downe euen Christe also prophecied Your house saieth he shal be leaft deserte waste vnto you And that the selfesame thyng should euen so come to passe God had before that tyme threatened vnto Salomon as ye reade in the third booke of the kynges And the temple whiche I haue poynted marked out to my name I shall cast out froÌ„ my sight Israel shal be into a prouerbe into a common talkyng stocke to all peoples this house shall be into an exaumple Euery body that passeth by it shall be astouned for woondres and shall hisse at it and shall saye wherfore hath the Lorde thus doen to thissame lande and to thissame house And they shal aunswer Because they haue forsakeÌ„ the Lorde their God For this is thatsame house the prouoker with whom God doth by his Prophetes so often tymes chyde and bralle and whiche so ferre forth fell froÌ„ their God that his only sonne they hoighced vp nayled on the crosse Yea and moreouer in stede of a people carnall and stifnecked the Prophete doeth promise a people peaceable obedient euen vnto death For in maner folowyng doeth Esai speake and they shall forge theyr swordes into plugh shares their speares into sithes and sicles One nacion shall not lift vp the sworde against an other nacion neither shall they any ferther forth be exercised to fightyng in battayle Ye house of Iacob come ye and lette vs walke in the light of our God Are not these woordes consonaunt and agreable to the woordes of Christe in whiche he promised that he would of the very stones reiâ—e vp children vnto Abraham and whan he called himselfe the lyght of the worlde whom whoso folowed should not walke in derknesse whan he cast at them this saying of the Prophete Esai This people honoureth me with their lippes but their herte is ferre from me And as for a newe people he promiseth vnto hymselfe by the Prophete Oseas a people not makyng vauntes and braggues of theyr workes but acknowlageyng the mercy of God And it shall be in a place where it shall be saied vnto theÌ„ Ye are none of my people it shal be saied vnto theÌ„ the children of the liuing God And again And I shall haue mercy on the same people whiche was destitute of mercy signifying the people of the Gentiles who wheras it hath hitherto serued idolles shal shortly receiue the doctrine of the ghospell which the Iewes hath refused forsaken of whom the Psalmiste Dauid also hath prophecied tofore A people whom I knewe not hath serued me in hearing of the eare hath it obeied me Did not the woordes of Christe agree with this prophecie whaÌ„ he saied I haue other shepe too which are not of this folde euen them also must I nedes bryng home Forsouth the priesthood and the kyngdome restored and made newe again dooeth make all thinges newe And as for a newe priest the holy writte of the Prophetes had promised aforehande For the misticall psalme renneth in manier and forme folowyng The Lorde hath sworne and it shall not forthynke hym thou art a prieste for euermore after the ordre of Melchisedec Melchisedec beeyng bothe a priest and a kyng the priest of the highest god for he was not instituted by the lawe and the kyng of Salem that is to saye the kyng of peace signified Christe who neither hath had begynning ne neuer shal haue endyng Thissame Christ not through the bloud of calfes or of goates but through his owne bloude entreth into the high holy place to make intercessioÌ„ for the synnes of all the whole worlde And this sacrifice he executed in the altare of the crosse offreyng himself a moste pure sacrifice vnto God the father Suche a prieste certes had god long agon promised vnto Helias whan he was readie to dye I shall sayeth he reise vp vnto my selfe a feithfull prieste who shall doe after myne owne herte and after myne owne mynde and I shall builde vp vnto him a feithfull house and he shall walke before myne enoynted people al dayes for euer And veraily this is
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
wherin thei hunted for a certayne worldely prayse and glorye to theimselues warde by suche a matier the glory wherof was altogether due vnto god The vngodly murmuryng of these persones did Iesus rebuke and alaie with suche sayinges as here folowe Because ye haue hearde sayeth he that I haue elswhere emong others healed all kyndes of diseases verayly ye wyll saye vnto me that is woont to be saied in a common prouerbe Thou phisicion heale thine owne selfe We haue heard saye that thou haste wrought certayne woondrefull thynges aboue the course of nature in the Citie of Capernaum where thou were but a straungier not hauyng there any that are nere of bloud or kinred vnto thee But conuenient it were that thou shouldest bee beneficiall moste chiefly to thyne owne kynsfolkes what thou dooest to thy countreymen and kynsfolkes thesame thou dooest vnto thine owne selfe Therfore if this vertue and power of thyne bee appropriate vnto thee and contynuall in thee than whatsoeuer thou haste dooen emong the Capernaites and straungiers do euen here lykewyse emong thyne owne kynsfolkes beeyng moste nere vnto thee and doe it here in thyne owne countrey Unto the wieked murmoure of theyr hertes beeyng now disclosed and vttreed the lord aunswered in this manier I am in dede a Phisician readye to heale all the diseases of all creatures if anye partie shewe hymself apte to be healed For no phisician be he neuer so well learned ne neuer so well willyng to do good is hable to helpe or cure the sicke if they cast the medicine away from them when it is offred them and mistruste the feythful phisician And in dede this is the affecciō of the moste common sorte of men that they esteme the phisician so muche the more that he is come a man vnknowen out from some ferre coūtrey or region and in suche a place doeth he fynde more truste and affiaunce to bee put in hym where he is estemed by none other thyng but by his arte and by the name of a phisician And in dede as touchyng his cūnyng whiche he carryeth about with hym where euer he goeth he is at all times and in euery place one manier a manne but where he fyndeth men full of mystrustyng and contemners he cannot by his cunnyng doe good to so many not for that he hath in suche a place any lesse wyll or els power on his owne behalf but because the parties whome his mynde and wyll was to relieue wyll none of the benefite of healthe for despite and grutche that they beare to theyr owne selfes And thesame that chaunceth to the phisicians dooeth muche more chaunce vnto the prophetes For the cunnyng of phisicians dooeth ofte tymes helpe some yea whether they will or no But the Prophete because he dooeth moste chiefly cure soules hath it not lying in his power though he woulde to helpe suche as refuse saluacion whan it is offered And refuse it he doeth whosoeuer mystrusteth And many for none other cause mystruste the Prophetes but because they esteme thesame not of the power of God werkyng by them but of the weakenesse of body whiche they see in them lyke as in other mortall men Turne ye the stories of the olde prophetes ouer and ouer ye shall finde it to bee a thyng of moste vndoubted certayntie that I nowe saye vnto you whiche is that neuer was there yet anye Prophete had in price within his natiue countrey and emong his owne kynsfolkes not for that they be lesse hable or willyng to dooe good to theyr owne frendes then to straungiers or foreine persones but because the vnbeliefe of the kynsfolkes maketh theim vnwoorthie of suche benefite at goddes hande But I tell you of a frueth many wedowes were in Israell in the dayes of Helias whā heauen was shut three yeres and sixe monethes whan great famishement was throughout all the lande and vnto none of theim was Helias sent sauyng into Sarepta besydes Sydō vnto a woman that was awedowe And many lepres wer in Israel in the tyme of Heliseus the prophet and none of them was clensed sauyng Naaman the Syrian For the benefites of God are not geuen for the respecte of kynred but for the good herte of a man not to the cousynage of the fleashe but to the promptnesse of the spirite not to the nacion but to the feyth For this I affirme vnto you for a matter oute of doubte that in the tyme whyle Helias was lyuyng whan by the continuall space of three yeres full and six monethes there hadde fallen downe no rayne from heauen and the baraynnesse of the yearth by reasō therof had oppressed all the quarters there about with great famine there were many wydowes in the nacion of the Israelites and yet the sayed prophete beeyng nere at the poynte to peryshe through hounger he was not sent to any one of them all to bee fedde but vnto the wedowe of Sarephtha in the countreye of Sydon Why was he not rather sent to the wedowes of Hierusalem there to multiplye the steane of meale and the pitcher of oyle or to shewe a notable miracle to some one of them by restoryng a dead chylde vnto lyfe agayne Forsothe because that emong the Israelites there was not one of all the wedowes that coulde egually matche or compare with the sincere feyth and affiaunce in God of the sayd heathen and barbarous woman She beeyng desyred gaue hym water readilye withoute any styckyng and whan he promysed that her steane of meale and her pitcher of oyle should not waste she beleued and made hym pottage as she was bydden to dooe This was forsothe a mynde and herte of an Israelite in a woman beeyng no Israelite so ferre is the good herte more regarded and estemed afore god thē is the bloud or kynred And did there not a muche lyke thyng befall in the tyme of Heliseus the prophet who succeded Helias For no doubt there is but that emong the Israelites there were manye Lepres the whiche found a great misse of their bodely health Why than was neuer an one of thē made cleane by Heliseus but Naaman of Syria beyng before that time and ydolatre an aliene borne to the nacion of the Israelites Could not the prophet haue been hable to doe thesame emong his own coūtrey folke that he was hable to dooe on an aliene and heathen man Was he trowe ye more quicke and readie to dooe good to suche as wer not of goddes religiō and yet borne in a foreyne countrey too thē to men of his owne people and nacion No. But the feith of the man deserued that benefite of goddes hande For he had a sure feith that god was hable by his true seruauntes to dooe as great a thyng as that And whan he was bidden to plounge hymselfe seuen tymes in fluime Iordan he obeyed and did it Yf the lepres of Israell had had thesame feith with them euē they should haue felt the beneficiall goodnesse of God
recite all will make relacion but of a certaine noumbre of places gathered out of that same blissed talkyng of Christe with the sayed two disciples Whiche places would God that the Iewes would at leastewyse euen now at last geue eare vnto and would leaue looking for any other Messias and would with earnest zele and affeccion embrace this man Iesus who is geuen to the worlde an onely salueour and redemer whereby they myght be saued and myght be made free yf not from the empire of Cesar yet at leastewyse which is a more blissefull thyng from the tyrannie of the deuill that they myght with theyr captaine Christe atteyne the kyngdome not of this worlde whiche is fraile and transitorie but of heauen whiche knoweth none ende As for Moses saied he the Iewes doe in maner no lesse then wurship as a certain God because he cōducted and brought the people of Israel out of Egypte and deliuered vnto them in deserte a lawe through the obseruing and kepyng wherof they should atteyne deliueraunce safegard and should come to a lande flowing with honey mylke But thissame Moses what other thing was he but a certain shadowe of Christe to come For he was not the sonne of God but the seruaunt ▪ nor he did not in veray true dede deliuer the people seeyng that they were afterward in bondage vnder the king of Babilon nor he was not vtterly without synne no nor neuer entred in his owne persone into the lande vnto the whiche he was a guide and captayne to the people And in case he had entred it had been no great matter seeyng that there be idolatres enhabiting in the selfe same lande euen at this present daye All these thynges beeyng vnderstanded after the fleshe doe conteyne no great matter in them But Christe is thatsame true and right Moses who by his owne propre power doth deliuer not the Hebrewes onely but also all the vniuersall nacions of the worlde as many as doe put theyr affiaūce in him all suche doeth he deliuer from the vengeaunce and stroke of God he deliuereth them from the tyranny of the deuill he deliuereth them from the derkenesse of errours he deliuereth them from the abhominable bondage of synnes and whan he hath first clensed them with his owne bloud he bryngeth them forth into the fredome of the spirite beyng to them a perpetuall guyde and coumpanion also vntill he bryng them through and past all the daūgiers of this presente lyfe vnto thatsame heauenly lande aboue plenteously flowyng and rennyng ouer with all kindes of blisse and felicitie He is the true Moses who made a lawe ghostely and euangelicall whiche lawe should not teache a corporall righteousnesse through ceremonies sacrifices of beastes but should geue true and perfeite righteousnesse through feith and charitie And that suche an one should spring vp Moses himselfe foresayed For thus speaketh he in the Deuteronomie The Lorde thy God shall reise vp vnto thee a Prophete of thyne owne nacion and of thine owne brethren as he hath doen me him shalt thou heare And forthwith euen in thesame Deuteronomie the Lord confirmeth the promisse of Moses saying I shall reise vp vnto them a Prophete out of the myddes of their brethrē lyke vnto thee and I shall put my woordes in his mouth and he shall speake vnto them all the wordes that I shall cōmaunde enioyne him to speak Ye haue here the prophecie of Moses now compare the thing with the prophecie There sprang vp none after Moses which hath by any meanes eagually matched him in authoritie sauing only Iesus Christ who hath in suche wise resembled Moses that he euery waye ferre passed Moses He was the maker of a newe testament but thesame testamente for euer to endure And this testamente hath he consecrated not with the bloud of a calfe but with his owne bloud He was the maker of a newe lawe but it was such a lawe as should bryng present helth Moses was but the ministre and seruaunt of God but this Christ was his sonne and came downe from heauen and taught those thynges whiche he sawe aboue with his father as one hauing within himselfe a perpetuall vncessaunte power to doe whatsoeuer his wyll is Moses vpon the mountayne talked with God in a cloude Christ hath proceded and come foorth from the brightenesse of his father Moses taught and deliuered the shadowes of thynges Christ taught and gaue the trueth Moses did in such sort make intercession for the sinnes of the people that hymselfe hath nede of an other mediatour for his owne offences Christ beyng clere from all synne pourged and clensed the sinnes of al ages times aswell past as to come Moses fasted fowertie daies Christ dyd thesame so that one might at leastewyse by that token knowe him to be the seconde Moses Moses brought the lawe firste downe from the mountayne Christe on the mountayne taught the perfeccionyng of the lawe whan he pronounced those straunge beatitudes neuer afore heard of He taught often tymes also in the temple whiche is sette in the mounte Sion whiche thing was doen according to the prophecie of Esai that sayeth The lawe shall come out of Sion the woorde of the Lorde from Hierusalem But at what tyme the lawe of Moses was made and geuen all thynges wer wholly replete with terrours for to snibbe hamper the hardenesse of herte that reigned in the people Christe came milde amiable rather then terrible conuincing them with reason prouokyng them with benefites alluryng them with mekenesse offreyng himselfe to all menne and readie for euery manne to geue them health and ouercummyng them with paciente suffreaunce And suche maner an one had the holy sayinges of the Prophetes afore promised that he should be For ye haue read what Esai hath wrytten I haue geuen hym my spirite that he may shewe foorth iudgemente and equitie emong the Gentiles He shall not be an out cryer nor lifte vppe hys voice his voice shall not be heard in the stretes And a brused rede shal he not breake the smokyng flaxe shall he not quenche but faithfully and truly shal he geue iudgement not be pensife nor carefull that he may restore righteousnesse vnto the earth and the Gentiles also shall kepe his lawes Againe the same Esai in a certain other place maketh Messias speakyng in this maner The spirite of the Lord God is vpon me for the Lord hath enoynted me and hath sent me to preache good tydynges vnto the poore that I myght bynde vp the wounded hertes that I might preache deliueraunce vnto the captiue and open the prieson to them that are bounde that I myght declare the acceptable yere of the Lorde and the daye of vengeaunce of our God that I myght coumforte all them that are in heauinesse that I myght geue strength of herte vnto them that mourne in Sion that I myght geue I say beautie in the stede of ashes ioyfull oynctement
ought to take it for no maruel or thinke our selues otherwise than indifferently dealed withal yf that cum to passe that Iesus of Nazareth prophecied to cum that is to saie that this temple that you so muche bragge and boast of and this citie where ye raigne that priesthood that law which ye abuse to your dishonest aduauntage and vayne glorie be taken awaye from you and this your renowne and glorie be translate to them that can be coÌ„tent to wurship god syncerely in trewe faythe of the gospel and to kepe the lawe spiritually and to frame themselues a lyuely temple and an holy for the holy ghost And although god prouoked our elders by many sondry waies to this poynte yet this rebellyous and obstinate people alwayes despysed hym And to begyn among al other of the chiefe auncient father and patriarche of this nacion whose obedience I would to god they folowed that bost themselues to be his children God the father to whome all glorie is due and whome we and you worship deuoutly appeared longe tyme paste vnto Abraham our principal father whyle he was in Mesopotamia before he dwelt in Charran and sayd vnto hym get the out of thy countrey and from thy kinred and cum vnto a lande which I wyl shewe the. He obeyng goddes commaundementes went out of the Caldeies land began his dwellyng in Charran as purposing to take his Iorney farther into sum other place to dwell whan he saw his tyme. God eftsones brought him thence ouer into this lande where ye dwell nowe that after his father Thares death for whose age he had differred to chaunge his dwelling place But ouer brought he him in gest wise and as a straunger geuing him none inheritauÌ„ce here in somuch as he possessed no not the breadth of a foote eâ—â—epte it were purchased but god promysed to set his posterytie in possession of this land after his death whan that Abraham in those daies had no sonne And though it semed to be a thyng vnbeleuable that was promised yet both Abraham beleued and god performed his promesse herein is fouÌ„de trew lyke as he in all other thinges which he hath heretofore spoken alwaies was founde trewe of his woorde ¶ God verily spake on this wise that his seede should so geourne in a straunge land and that they should kepe theÌ„ in bondage and entreate them euill .iiii. C. yeares And the people whom they shall serue will I iudge said God And after that shal they cum forth serue me in this place And he gaue hym the couenaunte of circumcision And he begate Isaac and circumcised him the eighte daye and Isaac begate Iacob and Iacob begat the twelue Patriarches And the Patriarches hauyng indignacion solde Ioseph into Egypte And God was with hym and deliuered hym out of all aduersities and gaue hym fauoure and wisdom in the sight of Pharao kyng of Egypt and he made him gouernour ouer all Egypt and ouer all his householde And thus sayd he than vnto him Thy seede shal be in a straunge lande and the people whome thy posteritie shall lyue withall lyke straungers shal make them their bond men and cruelly handle them for the space of fower hundred yeares and thyrty at the last shall I delyuer them sayth the lorde of their bondage and the people whom they shal serue wyl I iudge and be auenged of After that shall they serue me in this place out of mannes subieccion and that god myght the more by sum meane bynde his people to sticke vnto hym gaue he vnto Abraham circumcision as a seale of hys promise And so Abraham trusting to goddes promyse begat Isaac and hauing in remembraunce his couenaunte made with God circumcised his childe the eight day after his birth Isaac on the other parte circumcised Iacob Iacob his twelue sonnes the Patriarches and chief fathers of our auncestry Amongeste these twelue sum there were that litle remembred goddes promyse but beyng moued of enuye deuysed suche a lyke thyng agaynst their brother Ioseph as their posteritie hath deuysed agaynst Iesus of Nazareth They cast hym into a cestern and furthwith solde him to marchaunt men that brought him into Egypte But lyke as almyghtie god raysed vp Iesus beyng slayne and extolled hym on high after that he was cast doune so deliuered he Ioseph at that tyme oute of all his troubles and broughte him by meanes of his good condicions and foreiudgement in thinges to cum in fauour with Pharao king of Egypt insomuch that Pharao put him in authoritie ouer Egypt and ouer all his house But there came a dearth ouer al the lande of Egypt and Canaan great affliccion that our fathers found no sustenaunce But when that Iacob heard that there was corne in Egipt he sent our fathers first And at the seconde tyme Ioseph was knoweÌ„ of his brethreÌ„ and Iosephes kinred was made knoweÌ„ vnto Pharao Then sent Ioseph a message and caused his father to be brought and al his kynne .lxxv. soules And Iacob descended into Egypt died bothe he and our fathers and were carried ouer into Sichem and sayed in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for money of the sonnes of Emor the sonne of Sichem But there came a dearth ouer all the lande of Egipte and Chanaan and great trouble withal so that our fathers could finde no sustinaunce for them Iacob whan he had knowledge that there was plenty of corne in Egypte sent out our fathers thyther to fetche corne thence And the seconde tyme that he had sent them thyther was Ioseph knowen of his brethren The rumor herof came also to Pharaos eare that he was an Hebrewe borne and had a father and eleuen brethren on liue Ioseph than sent for Iacob his father and all his whole kinred into Egypte because they shoulde not lacke All they were in noumbre thre score and fyftene And so came Iacob doune into Egipt to dwell and dyed bothe he and his twelue sonnes our fathers and wer laied in a sepulchre whiche Abraham bought for an hundreth siluer cicles of the children of Hemor sonne to Sichem None of them all had hytherto ought in possession of the lande that was promysed Abrahams posteritie But whan the tyme of promise drewe nye which God had sworne to Abraham the people multiplyed and grewe in Egypt tyll an other kyng arose which knewe not Ioseph The same dealt subtily with our kynred and euil entreated our fathers and made them caste out their younge children that they should not remayne aliue The same time was Moses borne and was acceptable vnto god and nouryshed vp in his fathers house three monethes WhaÌ„ he was cast our Pharaos daughter toke him and nourished him vp for hir owne sonne And Moyses was learned in all maner of wysdome of the Egipcians was myghtie in dedes and in woordes But the time than drawing nyghe whan god would haue that performed whiche he had promysed Abraham the Hebrewes encreased and were multyplyed
saye lieutenaunt or the lorde deputie of that Yland and was a wyse man and of good experience For suche felowes had wonte commonly to get them in suche greate mennes fauour that they may do more mischiefe among men when they haue once broughte theym in errour The proconsul hearyng than that the gospell was sowed throughout Cypres dyd not onely not withstande it but also sent for Barnabas and Paule beyng verye desirouse to learne of them this heauenly doctryne But Gariesus beynge an enemye to oure sauiour Iesus endeuoured hymselfe to resyste the increase of the ghospel and striued against the trueth whiche was cumming to lyghte where as he was in very dede a woorker of falsehood And Elimas whiche worde in the Sitians language betokeneth an inchaunter and a false prophet also withstode the apostles that were true prophetes For he perceiuing that the procunsul was desyrous to heare the gospell and wel assured that in time to come there woulde be no place for his deceitfull craftes amonge them that had once learned the sure and stedfast trueth wente about to alienate the proconsulles minde that he shoulde no more beleue the apostles Here marke the buckling together of mannes craftes and the liuely force of the gospell Saule whiche was also named Paule coulde no lenger forbeare this felowe whom he perceyued ful of the deiuils spirite that striued with myscheuous craftes against the pure trueth but takynge to hym hertie courage by inspiracion of the holy ghost stedfastly loked on this enchaunter and sayde vnto hym O thou wicked full of all deceite and wylynes that expresseste thy father the deiuyll whiche first by his wiles and lyes drew man to deathe O enemy of al iustice and truth and in this shewynge thy selfe to be the sonne of the deuyll for he firste tooke from man his innocencie thou openly striuest that truth shall not spring againe And thou art not contented that thou hytherto hast deceyued simple men with thy deceitefull craftes but nowe also when the wyll of god is that the trueth of the gospell in whiche is no deceit shall shyne throughout the worlde thou stubbernely continuyng in thy eiuyll inâ—ent doest not cease to striue againste the wyll of god rather hauynge an iye to thine owne vayne glorye and fylthye lucre than to the health and saluacion aswell of thine owne soule as of a great sorte of other mennes also And that thou mayest perceiue that the craftes whiche thou workest by the deiuils power can nothinge preuayle againste the trueth of the gospell beholde thou shalt nowe fele what he is hable to do whose wyll thou doest withstand Thou braggest that thou arte a Prophete and one that knoweth hygh misteries wheras in very dede thou art inwardely in thy soule blynde Here haste thou deceyued men who iudge of those thinges that they see but God that knoweth the blyndnesse of thy herte shall streight wayes take awaye the vse of thy bodely iyes that euery man shall perceyue that thou art blynde in very dede and one that is vnworthy to see the same lighte whiche all other men see forasmuche as thou wagest open warre against the lyght of the gospel that now beginneth to aryse in the worlde This waye shall God take vengeaunce on the vntyll that thou repent Paule had scarcely spoken these wordes but sodainly this enchauntoure was stricken with a great blyndnesse insomuch that he as one amased wandred vp and downe sekynge for some man to leade him by the hande These thinges were doen the proconsul beyng a wytnes of it and lookyng theron who merueylyng muche at the great efficacy of this heauenly doctrine by vertue wherof the Phantasticall woorkynge of suche enchauntours was trode so soone vnder foote was conuerted to the faythe and professed the name of Christe and in stede of the false Prophet Bariesus he had in high fauoure the dysciples of Iesus ¶ Whan Paule departed froÌ„ Paphos thei that were with him came to Perga in Pamphilia and Iohn departed from them and returned to IerusaleÌ„ But they wandred thorow the cuntreys came from Perga to Antioche in Pisidia And weÌ„t into the Synagoge of the Iewes on the Sabboth day and sate down And after yâ— lecture of the law the Prophetes the rewlers of the synagoge sent vnto them saying ye men and brethreÌ„ â–ª yf ye haue any sermon to exhorte the people say on These thinges were doen at the citie of Paphos from whence Paule sayling with his company into the lesse Asia landed at Perga whiche is a citie of Pamphilia But Iohn whiche by sirname was called Marke wente from them and returned to Hierusalem whence he before came to beare Barnabas and Paule companye But they with no lesse spedynes whan they had gone ouer Pamphilia came to Antioche whiche is a citie of Pisidia There entring into the Synagogue where as the Iewes dyd customably resorte they sate downe as other men dyd to heare a lesson of the lawe and of the Prophetes whiche after it was rehersed and no man arose vp the chiefe rulers of the Synagoges perceyuing by their garmentes and apparell that these strauÌ„gers were of the Iewes and that their face and outwarde behaueour shewed them to be vertuous men sente woorde vnto them by theyr vnder officers that forasmuche as they were Iewes yf any of them woulde teache or geue any exhortacion to the people it shoulde be lawfull for them soe to doe ¶ Than Paule stoode vp and beckened with the hande and sayed Menne of Israel and ye that feare God geue audience The God of this people chose our fathers and exalted the people wheÌ„ they dwelt as straungiers in the lande of Egipt And with an high arme brought he them out from thence And about the time of fowertie yeares suffred he their manâ—ers in the wildernesse Than the heauenly oratour Paule beyng ready to shewe his minde arose signifying to the multitude with mouing of his hande that they should holde their peace began to speake vnto them in this wyse Ye men of Israel which according to the trade of youre forefathers stande in feare of god harkeÌ„ vnto me whiles I shall shewe vnto you the wyll of God expounde the misterye or meaning of this lesson whiche is euery Sabboth daye customablye reade in your Synagogue God the defendour of the Israelites chose our forefathers that is to saye this sorte of people to serue him before all other insomuche that whan they serued in Egipte beyng kept in great seruytude and bondage Pharao endeuouringe himselfe by all meanes that they should not encrease and that they that remayned there on lyue shoulde be oppressed by excesse of paynfull labour he wonderfully sette them vp throughe myracles against the tyranne that oppressed them and delyuered them of theyr bondage not by meane of any craftye deceite or els by mans pollicie and strength but by his high and mighty power that all men might certainly know that this people was fauoured of God