deth wer al their life time subiect to bōdage Christs resurrectiō therfore is oure lyfe righteousnes which for this cause was diuers wayes proued by the apostles namely to cōfirme our faith For otherwise our flesh doth hardly beleue the resurrectiō of the fleshe which semeth to it self impossible absurd which may be sene in thapostles whose wauering doubtfulnes coulde scarce be taken away notwithstand so many most euidēt demōstratiōs god suffereth his sōetimes to be tēpted to fal that their weaknes might be made manifest to thē selues also to others but he ceaseth not to rayse vp confyrme thē by his powre till he fully performe take frō them al distrust So far is he from casting vs away for our weakenes that he also appeareth vnto womenne and maketh them Apostles of his resurrection For they came of loue to the sepulchre partly to see the Sepulchre partly to annoynte the bodye of Iesus The earth was moued at the death of Chryst to declare that it was heauy with his creator And it is in like case moued at the resurrection desiring gladlye to restore hym whome it had receaued and as it were reioysinge that Christe was risen agayne Moreouer the earthe was moued at the sēding of the holy Ghost to teach vs by this figure that by the death and resurrection of Christe thorough vertue of the holy Ghost the whole world shoulde not only be moued but also be renewed we learne furthermore that the councels of the vngodly agaynst the truth are vayne for howe soeuer they go aboute by lyes to extinguishe the truth yet doth God bryng to passe that by those things which they haue excercised to oppres the truth the truth shall more brightly shyne forth worthely therfore are the Iewes repudiated blinded which do abhor the truth so that they which could not abide to be saued by the truth should pearish beyng wrapped in lyes errors This gospell is chieflye declared vnto Peter who was in most great he uynes aswel for the deth of his lorde whome he offended by denyenge of hym as also for hys deniall that he might receyue comfort and knowe that his synne was forgeuē hym Furthermore christs resurrectiō to a new life doth stir vs vp to newnes of lyfe that we beyng dead to sins mighte henseforth liue to righteousnes They which doe still lye and rotte in the filthynesse of sinnes do declare that they haue not yet risen again with Christ For they which are risen truly in Christe doe shew forth the same in worthy fruites neither doth sinne reigne in their mortall bodye They thincke not vpon earthlye thinges but their minde is vpon heuenlye thinges aboue where Christe their hed sytteth at the righte hande of the Father ☞ And they went out quickly and fled from the Sepulchre for they trembled and were amased neither sayd they any thing to any man for they were afraid And Mary Magdalene ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whome Iesus loued and saide vnto them They haue taken awaye my Lorde out of the graue and we can not tell where they haue laied him Peter thē went forth and that other disciple came to the sepulchre And they ran both together the other disciple did out runne Peter and came first to the sepulchre And when he had stowped downe he sawe the linnen clothes lyeng yet went he not in Thē came Simon Peter folowinge him and wente into the Sepulchre And he sawe the linnen clothes lye and the napkin that was about his hed not lyeng with the linnen clothes but wrapped vp in a place by it self Thē wēt in also that other disciple which came firste to the Sepulchre and he sawe and beleued For as yet they knew not the scripture that he shuld rise again from the deade Then the disciples went away again to theyr own howses Epanodus But Mary stode with out at the Sepulchre weping And as she was wepīg she bowed her self into the sepulchre saw two aūgels clothed in white sittinge the one at the heade and the other at the feete there where they hadde layed the body of Iesus They sayd vnto her woman why wepest thou She sayd vnto them They haue taken awaye my Lord neither wot I where they haue layde him When she had thus sayd she tourned her backe and saw Iesus standing and knew not that it was Iesus Iesus sayd vnto her woman why wepest thou Whome seakest thou She supposing hym to be a gardener sayed vnto him Syr if thou haste borne him hense tel me where thou haste layed him and I will fetch hym Iesus sayd vnto her Marye Shee tourned her selfe and sayed vnto hym Rabboni which is to saye Maister Iesus sayd vnto her touch me not for I am not yet ascended vnto my Father but goe to my brotherne and say vnto them I ascende vnto my Father and to youre Father to my God and to youre God Marye Magdalene came and tolde the disciples that she had sene the Lord had spoken such things vnto her Shee tolde I saye them which were with him as thei mourned wept And they although they hearde that he was on liue and that she had sene him beleued not THe Euangelistes do by many diuers wordes beate into our heddes the resurrection of Christe that we myghte see that Christe was exalted after death and beleue that we shall enter into lyfe by the death of Chryst and that also our fayth and hope myght be confirmed Christ could in dede haue illustrated the harts of his disciples with his sprite as sone as he was dead so that they should haue nothing douted of his resurrectiō but he loueth this doubt weaknes in thē to make them so much the more earnest in their supplications vnto God The more a sick man fealeth his woundes and diseases the more is he made desirus of medicine So lykewise the more we fele in our selues the weaknes of the flesh the more do we run vnto God for ayde the lesse do we bragge in our owne strengthe which can doe nothing without god when as therfore we feele oure fayth begin to fall then haue we occasion offred vs to call vpon God wyth continuall prayers The prouidēce therfore of God doth by litle and litle leade the disciples to the knowlege of the resurrection of his sonne till it hath fullye made them perfect Thei saw the stone rowled a wai thei foūd the sepulchre empty thep sawe the napkins the lynnen clothes layed aparte the place wherin he laye and finally the aungell testifyinge that he was truly risen And this is diligently to be marked that the Angell sayth that Christe of Nazareth whiche was crucified is not there by which wordes theyr opinion is plainly confuted which cōtēd to haue the body of Christ euery wher after his resurrectiō not in a place For what other thing do they then deny the verity of the humayne
in his deth Therfore let vs not be wrapped with the businesse of this life lette vs not be defiled with worldly desires let vs run by patience in the battell which we haue set before vs hauing an eie to Iesus which is the capitaine of faith and finisher who setting before himselfe ioye suffred the crosse contemning reproches and rebukes let vs diligently consider that he suffred such gainsaying of synners that we beyng weried in our myndes should not faynt Let vs thinke how vile a thing it is to shrink away from such a capitayne or for vs to bee so sluggish when as he fighteth so strongly so valiauntly Let vs consider how euil it becommeth the members to be proud high minded and enuious when as the hed doth so huÌ„ble it selfe and is so feruent in charitie Let vs also weighe how great infamy it is for a capitaine to take vpon him so many woundes lastly of all death ii Tim. ii Act. xiiii Eccle. ii Iacob i. Ioan. xiii the souldiors to be a slepe and geue themselues to rioring whosoeuer therfore will liue godly in Christ Iesus must prepare themselues to suffer persecutions and by many tribulacions must striue to come to euerlasting life they must abyde in the feare of god and prepare their myndes to temptations and kepe theÌ„selues pure froÌ„ this world Christ hath geueÌ„ vs an exaÌ„ple that we shuld do euen as he hath done Luke 22. ¶ Now the feaste of vnleauened bread drew nighe which is called the Passeouer namely after two daies IT was commaunded vnto the Iewes that on the feaste daye of the Passeouer Exod. xii xiii xiiii when they did eat the lambe they should eate vnleauened cakes 7. dais after which figure Paul openeth in the 1. Cor 5 sheweth that we must purge the old leaueÌ„ for that a littel leaueÌ„ doth leaueÌ„ al that is mingled with It is meete for such as ar born of new by Christ to liue a new innoceÌ„t life that they may be as it wer a certain new dough vnleauened For our Passe ouer Christ saith he is offred vp a lamb without spot Let vs therfore celebrate this festiuall day not with old leauen neither with the leaueÌ„ of malice wickednesse but with bread wantyng leauen that is with sinceritie and truth The Passeouer of the Iewes hathe a figure of the libertye whiche should come by Christ for euen as in the old tyme god saued the children of Israel in Egipte froÌ„ the murther with which the Egiptians were punished namely whose doores were sprinckled with the bloud of the Lambe and after that he led them forth with a mightye arme safe and sound thorow the red sea and so deliuered theÌ„ from the most greuous yoke of Pharao So also he saueth those by Christ whiche beleue from euerlasting deth and hath deliuered theÌ„ froÌ„ the power of darkenesse traÌ„sferryng them into the kingdome of his beloued son Colo. i. by whoÌ„ they haue redemptioÌ„ namely remission of sinnes by his bloude Iohn i. and this is the cause why Christ would die at this time that we might vnderstand that is that lambe of god whiche should take away the sinnes of the world and they which are washed with his bloud shuld be safe froÌ„ the destroyer Iohn iii. for so God loued the worlde that he gaue his onely begotten sonne â—or it that euery one whiche beleued in hym might not perishe but haue life euerlastyng Iohn v for they which do beleue in Christe doe come vnto no iudgemeÌ„t or punishmeÌ„t but haue passed froÌ„ deth to life yea although thei wer dead yet shall they haue life in him which is the resurrection and life But where as Marke saieth it was Easter and Mathew Iohn â—â— after two daies shal be Easter Luke expoundeth it and saith the festiuall day of the Passeouer drewe â—ere or was at haÌ„d that is it should be shortly namely after ij dayes It is therfore a preueÌ„ting of the time But the feast of the Passeouer by Iohn doth seme to be the day followyng the eatyng of the Lambe So the daies of swete bread are put for the Passeouer bicause they came both togethers ¶ Then the highe priestes and the elders were gathered together in the house of the high priest whose name was called Caiphas consulting togethers howe they might take him and kill him by guile but they feared the people and therfore thei said amoÌ„gst themselues not on the feast day lest peradueÌ„ture there be a commotion made by the people THen this woorde then is not referred vnto the time in the whiche he speaketh these thinges but to the tyme wherein they were gathered together The audacitie of the flesh is here to be noted which wheÌ„ it goeth about to lye in wait against the truth it consulteth diuers wayes and in those counsels choseth and obserueth occasion and tyme for the purpose Wherfore then they lay theyr heds together when as the people were busily occupied in preparyng of the lambe They which resist the truth do assemble lay theyr wittes together Psal ii against their lord to destroy him bicause he was contrary to their works They inuente diuers causes to accuse hym withal knowing that as sone as he were takeÌ„ all the people woulde forsake him But howe impudent so euer the flesh is it feareth neuerthelesse where as nothing is to be feared For wheÌ„ they had agreed that he should not be takeÌ„ on the festiual day yet neuerthelesse by the ordinaÌ„ce of god he was takeÌ„ on the feast day that without any vprore that hapneth ofteÌ„times vnto the wicked which they feare yea which they seke by al means possible to auoid This we may perceaue in the couÌ„sel of Caiphas who thought it better that one should be takeÌ„ away thaÌ„ that the whole natioÌ„ should perish and furthermore if Christ should be taken away to take hede that the Romanes shoulde not oppresse them But whilest these folishe men do auoyde one vice they runne into the contrary The Iewes hoped that if Christe were rid out of the way that then the people wuld forsake him but after the deth of Christ many more beleued came vnto Christe thaÌ„ there did before when as in one daye manye thousandes receaued the faithe They feared lest if Christ liued the Romanes would haue taken away their countrey and nation which hapned vnto them 40. yeares after So God derideth the counsels of the vngodly bryngeth to passe that they are snared and takeÌ„ in their owne counsels And the selfe same thing in our dayes doth the Pope the Cardinals the Bishoppes the Monkes and euill senators but they hide their counsels yea they adorne them with the title of honesty religioÌ„ ¶ And SathaÌ„ had entred into the hart of Iudas Iscariot which was one of the xii he weÌ„t his way to the chief priests magistrates eueÌ„ with this mind to betray him vnto theÌ„
lawefull neither to heare nor yet to read the gospel openly they assemble together in some house they read they pray they hear the word of God and geue thancks c. Then they come into the common assembly with other men to auoyde suspition bearing somewhat with ceremonies which ar not vtterly vngodly But this they do but for a time So the apostles abhorred not from the temple of the Iewes wherin were yet the sacrifices of beastes which notwythstandynge were streight wayes to be abolished They did therfore preach Christe eyther in the temple or els in the porch though the superstitions of the Pharisees remained still there And here do those hipocrites chifly erre which seeke a pretence excuse to theÌ„selues by this facte of the Apostles so sticke stil to papistry mingling theÌ„selues with their wicked seruices for feare of their goods or els of their estimation either els of their life Thei go not streight but halte on both sides These meÌ„ must remember that the nature of the ceremonies whiche were prescribed vnto the Iewes in the law of God was farre differring from the nature of the ceremonies whiche the popes haue fayned by the persuasion suggestion of Sathan so that by no meanes these are to be conferred to theÌ„ And besides that they come not to the papistical seruices of God with that same minde that the apostles did to the Iewish seruices For the Apostles in the meane time preached Christ and laboured to winne the Iewes froÌ„ their iewishnes to Christ but our men are affeard of them selues and dissemble Christ dare not confesse him openly frely before this wicked nation so they cleaue continuallye vnto them not to winne them vnto Christ but to betraye Christ to peryshe with the vngodly or as they persuade theÌ„selues to be in safetye And agayne the Apostles committed nothing against theyr conscience but were present only at such ceremonies as God had commaunded by his own mouth prescribed for a time Those I say thei vsed only for a time wtout any vngodlynesse or supersticioÌ„ But coÌ„trarywise these are preseÌ„t to these vngodly rites against their own coÌ„scieÌ„ces as wheÌ„ they bowe their knee to the bread of the papisticall masse which at the least waye in a shewe they worship they fall down before Idols and brieâ—â—ye they defile them selues with these vnpure customes and filthye fellowship Let these men diligently considre what happened to Peter as long as he was amoÌ„g the souldiers he denied Christe more and more till he wrapped him selfe out of their companie got him to Christ with bitter weping Awake vp therfore O my brethren and come out of Babilon come out I say froÌ„ among them touch not the vncleane Let nothing kepe you backe Let nothing cause you to linger 2. Cor. 6. 1. Cor. 3 Christ hath no fellowship with Belial the temple of god hath nothing to do with Idols and ye are the temple of God do not prophane that which Christ consecrated with his bloude Let it not repent you if ye muste forsake or loose any thing for Christs sake Math. 19 the Lord will restore vnto you an hundred folde If Iacob the patriarch left many thinges behinde him to haue the fruition of the best things in the land of Egipt Gen. 45. why should it be greuous vnto vs to forsake earthly thinges seing we shal be recompensed in the world to come with such ioy as the eye hath not sene thee are hath not heard neyther can the hart of man comprehend it Esay 64 Iudas in gaping for gold lost both his bodye soule Wherfore vnwrap your selues oute of these bondes caste awaye whatsoeuer holdeth you backe to auoyde the immynent daunger although nakedly Prou. 1. CoÌ„tend vnto the Lorde with the whole hart why lest time serueth Contempne not his voyce lest he mocke you to scorne when euill thinges happen vnto you There is an other error of the Anabaptistes which count it wicked to preach the truth in temples whiche are amongest the papistes yea though the Idols and papistical supersticions be now abolyshed out of them But where caÌ„ Christ be more commodiously preached then in those places where the multitude of people accustome to assemble together This certaynely dyd the Apostles eyther on the holy dayes or elles on the Sabboth dayes when the people were assembled together both to be there present them selues and also to bryng the Iewes which claue vnto their old supersticioÌ„ to Christ which might be done moste commodiously in the temple whether the people of the Iewes resorted Neyther dyd they so stubburnly and disdaynefully seperate them selues from the Pharisees and the reste of the Iewes as the Anabaptistes nowe of dayes accustome to seperate themselues from those which do beleue and cleaue vnto Christ That the soules of the Godly are receaued into Ioyes and the soules of the vngodlye are pulled to punyshmentes not only the holy Scriptures do testifie but also the writers of the Gentilles And the Philosophers and Poets doe manifestlye agree with the Prophetes in these thynges although they speake it with other words Here of come the fieldes of Elisius and the sorowfull lake of Acheron and that some are counted to be receaued after theyr death into the nuÌ„ber of God c. The soule is not of it selfe but of God Wherfore when it is seperated froÌ„ the bodye it retourneth vnto God euen as all other thinges returne vnto the fountayne from whence they came all thinges flowe agayne to theyr author These thinges are so in dede and so are written And Christe truly testifieth in him selfe that the soule liueth after the death of the body and that men retourne to their author which thyng was neuer before that time set before the eyes of men although as many as were of sounde iudgemente vnderstoode it Christe proueth the lyfe of hys soule by hys Resurrection Ascencion and that glory shal come to the whole man with God He therefore teacheth not only by worde but also declareth in deede what shall be come of the Godlye after this lyfe He ascended vp into heauen to prepare the waye to glorye for vs I we should knowe whether we shall goe after death and what so euer our mindes fele and beleue al the same do we see to haue gon before in our head Christ Christ descended once for our saluation sake agayne he ascended once that we shoulde not hence forth requyre the corporall presence of Christ but our hartes being lifted vpwarde we shoulde meditate the heauenly lyfe with Christ oure King Put case there were a king whiche woulde seeke for the common profite woulde doe Iustice and make equall and good lawes and graunt that he were a father of the couÌ„trey c. It cannot well come to passe that euery one in hys kingdome can see hym for some dwell farre from hym some are blynd or lame so that they can not come vnto him there
the first sight we vnderstaÌ„d not as we may easily see in the prophets by whoÌ„ he declareth certain thigs by exaÌ„ples which afterward he openeth expoundeth So in the supper he geâ—eth bread wine that by these things tokeÌ„s he might set forth vnto them the remembrauÌ„ce of his death he washeth the fete not to â—hat enteÌ„t that he wuld wash away the filthinesse of the fete but that he might signify that he only is he which should purify vs settyng â—orth som higher matter which may be manifestly perceiued by his answer vnto Peter by other wordes For many haue and receyue parte with Christ whose fete Christ hath not washed To be washed is to beleue truly but no maÌ„ shal be partaker of the glory of Christ and of the life euerlasting but he which shal be washed with the bloud of Christ whose affections shal be purged by his grace Moreouer he commendeth vnto his disciples charitie that one might helpe an other by mutual loue not only in washing of fete if necessitie so require but in helping our neighbour in al things but this is to be marked diligeÌ„tly that they which be faithful haue yet neede to wash their fete that is to wash away their daily fallings to purge away the affections stil springing in the flesh which thing certaine not considering haue come to that madnesse and pride that they dare affirm themselues to be wtout sin for al that Iohn saith If any maÌ„ saith he hath no sin i. Iohn i. Rom. vii he is a liar deceiueth him self Paul coÌ„plained that he fouÌ„d in his meÌ„bers another law repugning the law of the mind spirit Or how can those men pray this praieâ— euery daye forgeue vs our trespasses when as they acknowledge none Christe therfore teacheth that the beleuers ar purified by faith that is to say by the sprinckling of his bloud Moreouer that they whiche are purified and cleansed yet neuerthelesse haue nede to wash their feete and that they are stil vnpure lastly he pronounceth manifestly ynough that al they be not cleane which are conuersaunte in the outwarde fellowshippe of the disciples of Christ For he saith ye be cleane but not all meaning Iudas which was present amongst the Apostels in body but his minde and hart was all one with the Pharises wherfore to be washed or to be cleane whiche are all one is to beleue verely and without any dout that thou art washed and purified by the bloud of Christ To wash the fete To washe the feete is to acknowlege and confesse before God with sighing and detesting our dayly synnes and then after oure fall to runne to God by repentaunce For we can not passe thorowe this waye whilest we lyue here amongst so many enemies without fallyng it is so dirtye and vnplayne and the weakenesse and slippernesse of the fleshe is so great But howsoeuer the feete doe stagger yet yf the head of fayth be safe the matter is well inough For the faithful can not be beaten downe by such fallinges if the Lorde vp hold them with his hand ¶ After therfore he had washed theyr fete and put on hys garmentes he sate downe and sayd vnto them agayne doe you know what I haue done vnto you you cal me maister and lord and you say well for I am so if I therfore which am your lord and maister haue washed your fete ye ought also one to wash an others feete for I haue geueÌ„ you an example that eueÌ„ as I haue don so might you also do Verely verely I saye vnto you the seruaunte is not greater than his lord neither the Messenger greater than he which sente him yf you haue knowen these thinges blessed are ye if ye do them THe lorde by this exaumple of humilitie and wel doyng dothe put vs to shame for our hautenes of minde and coldnesse to do good which as we gape for honour and riches and do bragge of those thinges which we haue not So also we dispise neglect our fellow seruaunts neither do we onely neglect them but besides that we hurte them and do them iniury Let vs therfore follow the exaÌ„ple of our Lord Iesus Christ Let vs put awaye our hautenesse of mynde lette vs caste downe our courages let vs embrace our brethren with feruent loue let vs beare and suffer the infirmitie and burthens of other men being redy to submit our selues to all men for hym which did so much cast downe hym selfe for our sakes Let vs alwayes remember the Lordes commaundement of brotherly loue liberalitie towardes the poore for he wil haue mercy and not sacrifice Christ in deede dothe prescribe vnto vs a most perfect forme of life Ose ii yea in maner impossible for vs to do wheÌ„ as he saith so loue one an other as I haue loued you How be it if we shall endeuour to follow the same and if we shall attempt to folow af-his prescripte as muche as he shall geue vs grace to do although we attain not vnto it as we shall neuer do yet he will gentlye forgeue vs our trespasses It is not inough to knowe these things and to heare them or to preache them but we must do them that is we must study and apply our selues to these thynges we must exercise our selues in these thynges and as it were contend with our neighbour in well deseruyng So at the lengthe we shall proue learned and exercised in them ¶ And there was a greate contention amongest theÌ„ which of them should seme to be the greatest but he sayde vnto them The kings of the gentiles reign ouer them they which haue power ouer theÌ„ are called gracious but ye shal not be so but let the greatest amoÌ„gest you be as the lest and the chiefest as he that serueth For who is greater he that sytteth at the table or he which serueth Is not he whiche sytteth at the table And I am in the middest of you as he that serueth and ye are they that haue continued with me in my teÌ„ptations Therfore I appoint vnto you a kingdome as my father hath appointed to me that ye may eate and drinke at my table in my kingdome and syt on xii seates iudging the xii tribes of Israell when I seÌ„t you without bagge and scrippe and shoes lacked ye anye thinge And they sayde nothing he said therfore to them but now he that hath a bag let him take also a scrip and he that hath none let him sel his coat bye a sworde For I saye vnto you that yet the same which is written must be perfourmed in me Euen wyth the wycked was he numbred for doubtlesse those things whiche are written of me haue an end and thei said behold there are two swordes and he said vnto them it is inough VVHen as Christ teachest most humility the flesh seeketh to be exalted and to be great So corruptis our nature that it seketh nothing els
would be presente euen there where as but twoe were gathered togethers in his name God is alwayes present with his yea then when they think least he putteth them in memorye of him selfe telleth them what counsel is best to take manifesteth him selfe vnto them More ouer he speaketh outwardlye by his word by his sacramēts and finally by all his creatures to stirre vp and prouoke vs to praise him God therfore is alwayse and euery where presēt with vs an arbiter a beholder not onely of all our woorkes but also of our thoughtes This teacheth vs to liue honestly with feare and great reuerēce before him For if we be ashamed to commite vile thinges whē men behold vs how much more ought we to be ashamed to committe any such thing in Gods syghte The presence therefore of god doeth euerye where admonishe vs to abstaine from sinnes we hoped saye they that it had beene he whiche shoulde haue redemed Israell By these wordes maye be gathered that there was then a solempne and famous opinyon amonge the Iewes as touchynge Messias the king which should redeame them and renewe theyr kingdome For such a one had they promised thē eueri where both in the law the prophetes But they applied al that to acertein tēporal kingdome carnall setting at liberty although our Iewes nowe a dayes deny that there was a Messias promised whē as neuer thelesse the Scribes aunsweared the wyse menne whyche soughte Christe that he shoulde be borne in Bethelem and that by the prophecy of Michea Their fayth is weake feable but not altogether extinguished they talked of Iesus they desyred hym feruentlye Christ therfore ioyneth hym selfe with them fyrst dissēbleth neyther openeth he hym selfe by by vnto thē to make thē cōfes with their owne mouth their weakenes And then at the last he declareth vnto them the scriptures and nourisheth and kindleth that little sparke of fyre which was so depely hiddē in them which they also themselues confesse sayinge did not our hartes burne within vs while he talked with vs. The word must be added vnto those which are yet in doubte of their faythe accordynge to the example of Christe by the whych worde fayth is encreased like as fire is when wod is put vnto it But there muste firste be a fayth thoughe it be neuer so small otherwise it is done in vaine to put wod to the fire that is it is to no purpose to preache the worde of God to an infidele And whereas the faythful do willingly heare the worde of God it can not be chosen but that the mynde shal be illustrate and kindled by the spirite of God ☞ And he sayed vnto them O fooles slowe of harte to beleue all that the prophets haue spoken Oughte not Christ to haue suffered these things and to enter into his glory And he began at Moyses and all the proprophetes enterpreted vnto them in al the scriptures which wer written of him and they drew nye vnto the castle which thei went vnto and he made as thoughe he would haue gone farther And they constrayned hym sayinge abyde wyth vs for it draweth toward nyght and the day is farre spent And he went in to tarye with them And it came to passe as he sat wyth them he tooke bread and blessed brake gaue to them and their eyes wer opened and they knewe him and he vanished out of their sighte And they saide betwene them selues did not our harts burn within vs while he talked wyth vs by the way and opened vnto vs the scriptures and thei rose vp the same howre returned back again to Ierusalem and found the eleuen gathered to gether and them that were with them which said The Lord is risen in deede and hath appeared to Symon And they tolde what thinges were done in the way and how he was knowen by the breaking of the bread CHriste nourisheth their faith althogh it be but weake but first he rebuketh them to make them more attentiue He shaketh awaye the drowsines and forgetfulnesse of the fleshe that they mighte geue attentiue hede to those things which the scriptures witnesse of him and draweth forth the spirite which speaketh in the sriptures But the places which Christe broughte out of the lawe and Prophetes are not here lefte oute withoute the prouidence of God although they be here and there mencioned afterwarde by the Apostles to make vs more diligently to search thē whē as we heare that the scriptures beare witnes of Christ For so sayth Iohn in the v. Chapiter Search the scripturs for in thē you think ye haue eternall life and they are they whiche testifye of me Yf ye had beleued Moyses ye woulde haue beleued me also for he wrote of me He therefore which will confyrme the weake ones in faythe and comforte them whiche be heauye and faynte harted muste bringe the holye scriptures for the woorde of God is the meate lyfe of the soule And the sriptures doe testifye two thinges of Christe fyrst how he was humbled throwne downe for vs and what he also suffered for our sakes Secondlye what greate glory he was exalted vnto after his passiō that we might also learn stedfastly beleue the Christe suffered for vs to make satisfaction for our sinnes And then that he rose again for our iustificatiō that we might beleue Christ to be our righteousnes and that our life is restored vnto vs by Christe when as we hope we shal arise again to eternal life But we must take hede in the meane time which waye we may come to this life namely by the crosse and denial of our selfe For it is not lawful for vs to go by any other way to the inheritaunce of the heauenlye glorye then that waye which the onely begotten sonne of God wente And it behoued Christe to suffer and so for to enter into his glory he that doth not diligently weigh this is a foole slow of harte and let him desire of god to open his mynd in the holy scriptures This is also to be noted that repentance and forgeuenes must be preached onely in the name of Christ but he meaneth by repentaunce and forgeuenes of sins the Gospell For the partes of the gospell are repentance forgeuenes of sinnes For saluation gotten by Christ hath many names and sometimes it is called but by one of the names and that by the figure where one part is put for the whole Synechdoche ▪ as maye appeare by the actes of the Apostles He whych doth not acknowledge him selfe to be a synner can not be able to receaue forgeuenes neyther can he be desyrous of saluation by Christ But he which feeleth and aknowledgeth his disease he I say runneth gredelye to Christ the Phisition of the soules there doth vncouer and laye forth his disease True faith reioyseth to communicate vnto other suche thynges as it hath receaued and therfore they returne streightway to tel
the other rheir new ioyes ⧠Whilest they spake these things and it was the same day at nighte which was the first day of the Sabaoths the dores wer shut where the disciples were asseÌ„bled together for feare of the iewes came Iesus stode in the middest of them and sayed vnto them Peace be vnto you And they were abashed and affearde and supposed that they had sene a spirite and he sayd vnto them why are ye troubled and why do thoughtes arise in your hartes And agayne he sayd vnto them peace be vnto you and when he had thus spoken he shewed vnto them hys handes and hys syde and therwythall sayed Luke saieth his handes and feete behold my handes and my fete that it is euen I my selfe handle me and see for a spyryte hath not fleshe and bones as ye see me haue Then were the dysciples gladde when they saw the Lorde and whyle they yet beleued not for ioye and wondered he sayd vnto them haue ye here anye meate For he appeared vnto the eleuen as they satte at meate cast in their teeth their vnbelief and hardnes of harte because they beleued not them whyche had seene that he was risen agayn And they offred him a pyece of broyled fyshe and a piece of an honye combe he tooke it and did eate it in theyr syghtes WE see againe how Christ according to his promyse is present with his which are assembled gathered together in hys name For feare causeth them not to be the lesse beloued of Christe And euen in the faythfull there is a feare dread but they which are stronger in spirite ought to erect those vp For that is it which Christ sayth ye shall haue oppression in the world but in me peace There shal be alwayes men therefore which shal persecute the iust so that the flesh which is in them shal neuer be without dread complaint But yet the godly persist in the wil of God til it be the lords pleasure to delyuer them how so euer the flesh in the meane tyme do struggle and complaine But what nede had the glorified body of meate He eateth not to refresh his body and he vseth not this corporall meate for necessitye but to declare vnto his the veritie of humayn nature in him He eateth not therfore for him selfe but for his Apostles So let vs also doe those thinges which serue for the edifieng of our neighbors although there be no necessitye for vs to do them For we oughte to lyue and serue not our selues but our neighbours ⧠But Thomas one of the twelue which is called Didimus was not with them when Iesus came The other disciples therfore said vnto hiÌ„ we haue sene the Lorde but he said excepte I se in his hands the printe of the nailes and put my finger into the printe of the nailes thruste 〈…〉 And after eyghte dayes agayne hys Disciples wer within and Thomas with them then came Iesus when the dores were shutte and stoode in the middest and sayd peace be vnto you After that he sayd vnto Thomas bring thy finger hither and see my hands reache hither thy hande and thrust it into my side and be not faithlesse but beleuing Thomas answered and sayd vnto him my Lord and my God Iesus sayd vnto him Thomas bycause thou hast sene meÌ„ thou hast beleued blessed are they that haue not sene and yet haue beleued And many other thinges did Iesus in the sight of hys Disciples whiche ar not writteÌ„ in this boke But these things are writteÌ„ that ye might beleue the Iesus is the Sonne of God that in beleuing ye mighte haue life thorough hys name IN that Iohn saith that Thomas was not with theÌ„ Luke mencioneth of eleuen this may be holpeÌ„ by the figure of Synechdoche For although Thomas was not presente with theÌ„ bodily yet his minde was with theÌ„ neither was he seperated froÌ„ theÌ„ as Iudas was so that he was of the number of the eleuen vnto the whiche Luke had a respecte Iohn the Euangeliste testifieth that the dores wer shut and that Iesus entred in when the dores wer shut Neyther for al thys doth this absurditie and impossibilitie follow which some do gather by this place namely that the bodye of Christe did penetrate the substaÌ„ce of the woode or was together with the woode in one and the selfe place For the glorified bodye can by no other reason entre The Sonne entreth through the glasse and a voyce thorough a dore and yet it followeth not that two bodyes are both in one place This is not done rashely and withoute Gods prouidence namely that Thomas who was very hard of beliefe was not with the reast of the Apostles when he appeared and that he obstinately gainesayth his fellowes which told him they had sene the Lorde For Christ vsed that incredulitie of Thomas to support our faith withal that the veritie of his resurrectioÌ„ might the more manifestly be knoweÌ„ And the weake fayth of Thomas beareth stronger witnes of hys resurrection then doth the easye quicke beliefe of Magdalene So the Lorde knoweth how to vse our naughtinesse to hys glorye and our saluation Fayth is the gifte of God no man can beleue except it be geuen him of god Here may therfore be gathered three sortes of men out of this present historie Iudas Peter and Thomas Iudas is a treacherer and a runnegate which betrayeth an innocente Peter denyeth and sweareth Thomas doubteth and obstinately gaynesayeth Here we learne firste that there is a greate difference and certayne degrees in sinnes No man surely liueth without fault all we are sinners but one sinneth more heynously then an other We muste take hede therefore that we may dye daily vnto sinnes and that we may be regenerated into new men and if it so be that we can not beware of all sinnes yet let vs take hede froÌ„ the worst sinnes If we be sorye and weepe with Peter God wil looke backe vpon vs and be merciful vnto vs. If we doubt and wauer in fayth Let vs not forsake the church Let vs not cut a sunder the vnitie neyther let vs seperate our selues froÌ„ our brethren and the Lord wil appeare vnto vs as he dyd vnto Thomas and will strengthen our weakenes But let vs beware of couetousnesse misbeliefe and treason that we most vilely perishe not with Iudas The weakenesse and doubting of Peter and Thomas profited very much for this cause that we might learne to acknowledge our weakenes the power of God 1. Cor. 1. Consider brethren sayeth Paule your vocation that there be not many wise as concerning the fleshe called nor many mighty or borne of a noble kinred but god hath chosen the folishe things to the world to put to shame the wyse c. That no flesh should boast before hym that it might not seeme to be our power but Gods power that we 〈…〉 boaste that men wâ—re chaunged 〈…〉 learning